Matt Bloomfield points to a lack of discipline following Wycombe’s defeat

By Sports Desk March 02, 2024

Wycombe boss Matt Bloomfield blamed his side’s ill-discipline for their 4-2 loss to promotion-chasers Barnsley.

The Chairboys twice let a lead slip before substitute David Wheeler was sent off as the Reds completed a resounding comeback.

Dale Taylor and Kieran Sadlier twice put Wycombe ahead, only for Sam Cosgrove and Donovan Pines to respond each time before Corey O’Keeffe and Conor Grant secured the victory.

“Where was it lost? Slight lack of discipline, I think,” Bloomfield said. “There were a couple of soft goals that were entirely preventable from our side, so that feeds into it, and obviously the sending-off doesn’t help.

“I still fancied us at 3-2 down, but obviously with 10 men it’s tough.

“A few things contributed, maybe a slight bit of fatigue crept in with some of our decision-making at times defensively.

“I thought we started the game extremely well. For 30-35 minutes to play like we did against a team that’s looking to try and get up automatically, we have to be pleased with that, but we’re not pleased because we want to win the game.”

Taylor’s 16th-minute opener was cancelled out by an equaliser in first-half stoppage time from Cosgrove, who netted the rebound from a Luca Connell free-kick.

Sadlier then tapped home after good build-up play from Garath McCleary to restore the hosts’ lead, but only for four minutes.

Pines bundled the ball home before O’Keeffe put Barnsley into the lead for the first time with 65 minutes gone.

Wheeler saw red less than a minute after coming on for a heavy tackle on O’Keeffe and the Tykes made certain of their win with a thumping effort from Grant.

Barnsley boss Neill Collins said: “The resilience they’ve shown after going behind and then going behind again, to come back was fantastic.

“The quality of our play when we put it together caused Wycombe real problems. We created some really good moments and the quality of a couple of our goals was excellent.

“So I think overall, coming away from home against a team that’s made it really difficult for teams at home recently is all positive.

“I think we were the victims of our downfall with respect to the two goals we gave away and then when we did go 4-2 in the lead we contrived to give up two or three chances just from poor choices.

“But in the end we regrouped and saw it out pretty comfortably. There’s more positives than negatives of course.”

Related items

  • Arteta hails 'phenomenal' Arsenal drive to take Man City all the way Arteta hails 'phenomenal' Arsenal drive to take Man City all the way

    Mikel Arteta hailed the "phenomenal" drive shown by his Arsenal side to push Manchester City all the way in the Premier League title race.

    The Gunners moved one point clear of City at the Premier League summit on Sunday with a 1-0 win against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

    City have a chance to restore their advantage when they travel to Arsenal's fierce rivals Tottenham on Tuesday, before then hosting West Ham.

    Regardless of what happens in midweek, Arsenal will go into their final game of the campaign at home to Everton with the title battle still alive.

    Speaking to BBC Sport after his side's latest win, Arteta said: "It is a phenomenal thing they are doing."

    However, Arteta was not entirely pleased with the manner of his side's slender victory, even if they were good value for the win overall.

    "We weren't composed, clean enough, consistent enough and were unable to do the simple things right," he said. "That doesn't give you control. 

    "Some of the players have not been in this position; they don't know what is at stake and how you feel emotionally to have to win and win and win from December or January."

    Arsenal's win was just their second in 17 Premier League trips to Old Trafford, most recently coming out on top in November 2020.

    Lenadro Trossard scored what proved to be the winner with 20 minutes played, tapping in from close range after being set up by Kai Havertz.

    "We needed a result today in a really difficult place," Arteta added. "Our history was not in favour of a result today.

    "There was so much at stake and we're happy with the result. We started the game really well and were dominant. 

    "We scored the goal and I think the goal led to slightly bad things because we started to play too safe, too sideways, too backwards with not enough structure.

    "We started to give the ball away in good areas and that is a danger against them. But we defended well and didn't concede too much."

    Arsenal now find themselves cheering on Tottenham against City, knowing that anything other than a win for Pep Guardiola's men will leave their title fate in their own hands.

    Asked if he will be watching that game, Arteta said: "We will be sat watching and it’s true we need the result in order to achieve [the title]. In football there are always possibilities."

  • Tuchel skips goodbye from fans after final Bayern home game Tuchel skips goodbye from fans after final Bayern home game

    Departing Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel opted on Sunday to quietly slip into the changing rooms instead of joining his players to celebrate after the Bavarians beat Wolfsburg 2-0.

    Tuchel will be leaving at the end of the season – a year earlier than his contract ends – following a disappointing campaign with no silverware.

    The win came four days after Bayern's Champions League semi-final exit to Real Madrid confirmed their first season without a trophy in over a decade.

    "These are the moments for the players," he said when asked why he did not join his squad who went in front of the Bayern ultras after their final home game of the season.

    "I don't want to be in the spotlight there. That's for the team. I know that the cameras are there.

    "I prefer to go in [to the changing rooms]. It is about the team. The fans are there for the team. They need to be celebrated."

    There has been little to celebrate for Tuchel in his 14 months in charge, with Bayern having managed to win only the Bundesliga title last season after Borussia Dortmund slipped up on the final matchday.

    He said he did not yet know what he would take away from his time at Bayern, who missed out on Bundesliga glory to Bayer Leverkusen this term.

    "Last home game and what remains I don't really know," he said. "It will take some time to see what is left.

    "It is a privilege to coach at this level. I came to win as many titles as possible. We did not succeed in that."

  • Juventus 1-1 Salernitana: Late Rabiot goal salvages home draw Juventus 1-1 Salernitana: Late Rabiot goal salvages home draw

    Juventus snatched a 1-1 draw at home to relegated Salernitana courtesy of a late Adrien Rabiot goal that cancelled out a first-half header from Niccolo Pierozzi in Serie A on Sunday.

    Juve are fourth on 67 points with two matches left, six points ahead of Atalanta, who have two games in hand.

    Salernitana shocked the Allianz Stadium as unmarked Pierozzi headed home after 27 minutes following a corner.

    But Juventus dominated the rest of the match and equalised in stoppage time when Rabiot slid the ball home at the back post after a corner was flicked on.

    Bottom side Salernitana were doomed to the drop last month.

    Juve play in the Italian Cup final against Atalanta on Wednesday in an effort to save a disappointing season and stop their winless streak at six matches in all competitions.

    Data Debrief: Another stalemate for Juve

    Juventus were grateful for a point come full-time, albeit it was a poor result in the grand scheme of things. Juve have now draw five successive matches in Serie A for the first time since between April and May 2009.

    In fact, only Heidenheim of the Bundesliga (10) have drawn more matches than Juventus have (nine from 18 games) across Europe's top five leagues in 2024.

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.