PASSIONLESS WEDNESDAY FAIL AT HOME ONCE AGAIN

Wednesday 0 (0) Wimbledon 1 (0)

Referee J Worrel

Att: 20,395

Wednesday: Pressman; Petrescu (Poric 46), Atherton, Walker, Pearce, Nolan; Sinton, Williams, Hyde (Whittingham 72); Bright, Waddle; unused sub: Woods;

A drizzly Sheffield on a saturday afternoon was obviously not most people's idea of a good way to spend saturday afternoon - and they were proved to be right after probably the worst Wednesday performance since the 3-0 home defeat by Manchester City in 1992. Only twenty thousand turned out (300 of which were Wimbledon fans), Wednesday's poorest crowd of the season.

Des lost the toss and the sides changed ends before Wednesday kicked off. They were employing the same defensive formation as the past two matches with three across the back and Nolan and Petrescu pushed up into midfield. The midfield was Williams, Hyde and Sinton (Bart-Williams starting a two match ban and Sheridan still "recovering from the World Cup" to quote the manager). Wimbledon changed their keeper after Seger's blunder against United in midweek and were missing key players themselves through injury.

From the kick off the play was rather scrappy and hurried with both sides giving the ball away needlessly with play being mainly in the middle third of the pitch. The first chance fell to Wednesday when Petrescu received the ball on the right of the area and let fly with a shot. Unfortunately Bright got his head to the shot at the near post and deflected the probable goal bound shot for a goal kick.

Wimbledon then had a chance to take the lead when the ball was played across from the left and Pressman just got down in time at his near post to parry the shot. There was lots of hustle and bustle on the pitch and not much skill or flair. Wimbledon were intent on defending first and foremost, and if they managed to sneak a goal all well and good. A good chance went begging when Gayle headed over unmarked from a corner - you'd've thought Wednesday would have tightened up set piece plays by now.

Williams was the pick of the Wednesday midfield in the first half, playing in a Palmer like way harrassing the oppositions midfield and winning a fair amount of ball in the process too. He also had a couple of shots which weren't far off the target. Sinton had a couple of runs down the left, ably supported by Nolan (who put a peach of a left foot cross over during the first half), and had a couple of shots just off target.

The closest Wednesday came to scoring was through who else but Chris Waddle. From the edge of the area he spotted the keeper slightly off his line and took aim at the far top corner. The ball cleared the keeper but landed on the top of the stantion at the back of the goal - less than a ball's width from going in.

Defensively Wednesday looked reasonably comfortable, but you would expect that against as poor a side as Wimbledon, especially with their injury problems. About five minutes before half time Petrescu went down injured. He was making a run to receive a throw in and just pulled up holding his left knee and looking in agony. Dave Galley came on and treated him, and he was able to continue until half time, but that was all. For the second half Poric came on.

The second half was no better than the first, and if anything Wednesday started to play to Wimbledon's strengths rather than their own. With Petrescu no longer there the attack didn't look as threatening and the game was drawn into the centre of the pitch rather than use width. Wimbledon were still concentrating on defence hoping to steal a goal, and just after an hour they did. A corner was won, the ball played short, then crossed in where it was half cleared to Reeves who pushed the ball home from 8 yards.

The goal prompted a small section of the Kop to chant "We want Francis Out", not the best thing for team moral really. Rather than galvanise the team the goal knocked all the stuffing out of Wednesday and they just didn't seem interested at all. Williams faded from the game as time went by, and Sinton's distribution was truely appauling in the second half. Waddle was doing nothing much on the left wing either. Inspite of this Trevor decided to take Graham Hyde off with just under 20 minutes to go. WHY?!?!?!? Hyde was the hardest working player on the pitch, and that is what was needed against a Wimbledon side who were doing nothing more than working hard and just wanting the ball that bit more than the Wednedsay players. Hyde went straight down the tunnel with even a glance to the bench.

Whittingham came on up front but wasn't able to make any impact. Wednesday opted for the long ball game as the game progressed, and that's going to get you nowhere against Wimbledon. In the press the next day Francis blamed the crowd for encouraging the side to play the long ball game - WHAT?!?!?! - from where I was sat everyone was saying you can't hope to get anywhere playing the long ball. And since when has the crowd dictated tactics?

The final whistle went and yet another home defeat. How has TF managed to create such a passionless side? At times it looked like both sides had agreed to a 0-0 draw and why bother wasting energy? Warren Barton was by far the best Wimbledon player on display - it can't be long until he's off to pastures new.