NW and the bluebirds have been playing hoofball for so long they have forgotten how to play the ball on the floor. I have lost count of the wayward passes during any given game and the final ball into the box is more often than not abysmal. NW knew we needed a new midfield 22 months ago! He knew we'd lose Arter, Gunnarsson and Camarasa, at the end of the 17/18 season, in January 2018! What sort of academy do we have? Who was the last truly home grown player to come through the ranks at city? Ralls? At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I stated we needed a new midfield, around October 2017, for the 2018/19 season when all I read and heard was a need for a striker! I still maintain we did not need a striker then, nor did we need a striker in January 2019. The midfield still isn't right, as we saw yesterday. How many strikers have we bought or tried in the last 22 months? Bogle, Glatzel, Healy, Madine, Niasse, Reid, Ward & Zohore. Have I missed any? Of that bunch I'd say Bogle & Ward have been our best all round performers and they have hardly been used! Come January 2020 I suggest the midfield be improved on so we can start to command the game more. We need midfielders that can pass more than 2 yards! Sort the midfield out and the likes of Bogle, Glatzel and Ward will be able to show more of what they have. I really think a Bogle/Ward pairing would reap goals given a new midfield.
The problems are all over the pitch. I dont believe theres any coaching on keeping possession. 2 up top just wont work. Ok if we are chasing the game as plan b or c maybe. Lets grind out 50 points and go again next season
I agree, there are problems in defence, I think our goalkeeping positions are pretty secure. The point I'm trying to make is there was more than enough time to bring in better quality into the midfield. There doesn't seem to be any forward thinking (no pun intended) with regards to the midfield. NW knew he needed to find better midfielders when our 2 star performers (Arter & Camarasa) were loanees and a player (Gunnarsson) that was letting his contract run down. In the January window the emphasis was on a striker when it should have been on the midfield. He must have known there was nothing coming through the ranks and should have never pursued the ultimately tragic Sala signing nor the abysmal Niasse. We already had strikers that were able to do the business on the field and only needed decent midfield support going into the new 2018/19 season. In January we will need to be looking at bringing in attacking midfielders, because he ain't too keen on playing Tomlin! Next season we will need to bring in defenders. Flint is a carthorse, Morrison only slightly better, Peltier is having a good season thus far & Bennett isn't doing well. A better midfield will help them if the balance is right. Clearly it isn't at the moment and not likely to improve much in the near future.
A lot of us, me included, voiced a deep concern as to the inadequacy of our central midfield leading up to this season. Each game is the same; our ponderous midfielders get overrun and out passed by the quick footed and direct opposition. The only creative player we have is now too slow and inconsistent to be the focal point of the team. Get Victor back on loan in January or someone similar.
Taff - I think you, me, Nin and a few others have all been on the same wavelength this past couple of years - the real problem is our lack of quality in the middle of the park. Our route to goal has been limited in the main to long ball chases or set piece opportunities. The viable options are limited by our lack of ability to pass the ball between each other in the middle third of the pitch. The quick breakout and long throw in situations are both viable tactics, but have become our preferred (only?) method of getting the ball anywhere near the opposition penalty area. Although defended by some, being dubbed long ball merchants is totally justified because we've been deliberately taken that way tactically. Our lack of skill in our midfield is frightening. The game against the Swans yesterday was the ultimate condemnation of our side's ability to play anything else other than hit and hope. Ignoring the skill/creative department this past few years has cost us dearly. An import such as Pack for Gunnar was a necessity, but the rest of the midfield is so poor when compared to our competition in the Championship. Why did we buy Vaulks? He was a leading light at Rotherham but they are now down in League One. Vaulks is no way the standard that we require to get out of this division at the right end and he can't even get in the side. Another player misjudgement by the club that doesn't seem to possess the vision we need from the touchline and boardroom.
At the moment Joe Ralls is our midfield and hes far from a world beater. Having to play alongside Pack who would make Mcphail look quick was a shocking decision. We needed at least 2 new centre midfield players and we still do.
Ralls was at fault for the goal in my opinion, he was marking Wilmott at the time and didnt stick with his man.. I think the occasion got to him. I like Joe, but as you say, he's no world beater!
Didn't watch the game and couldn't bear to watch the low lights. However, BBC Wales News last night caught me unawares so I saw the goal. Marking was non existent. Was it Ralls though? I saw a report saying it was the other Joe. Think they are brothers from different mothers. I struggle to tell them apart, similar builds and haircuts and both left footed. Whoever it was though it was terrible defending. He is a CB so whoever was responsible should have been standing on him. He had time to bend down and pick his spot on the edge of the 6 yard box ffs. The ball should have been cleared before it got anywhere near him. Where was Glatzel at the front of the 6 yard box?
I will say in Warnock's defence, you couldn't blame him for that goal - just the other 89 minutes. The goal was dreadful set piece defending, but in all honesty the scoreline should have been much higher reflecting that we'd been thrashed in open play. Individuals can be blamed for singular incidents, but as a Championship side, the overall standard of our play was abysmal.
No change there then Sparks. I can't honestly recall a game this season where we can say we have played well. Even the win over QPR was due to their lack of a striker who needed to be only marginally better than Madine - not at all difficult. Sounds like we were a bit better at Millwall once we realised the need to keep the ball on the ground. Only to shoot ourselves in the foot with crap defending - twice. Maybe we will be a bit better v the Peaky Blinders on Saturday. After all they play with a lampost up front in Jutke....Jutk....Jut. oh sod it, the big guy with Polish name. Trouble is that he does know where the back of the net is and will score given a chance. At least his style suits our central defenders. I see Bamba played and scored for the Under 23's last night in a 3.0 win v Palace. I fully expect him to start in place of Flint on Saturday. Hopefully Tomlin will have recovered from his mysterious illness so we have someone who can pass to his own team, occasionally.
Bluey - I sat watching that QPR game and couldn't believe we'd won it at the end. We were very poor against a good footballing side but with no bite and that cost them - somehow we managed to smash in three goals ourselves and bask in the 3 points. I'll take the result any day but not the performance. That may seem like a "purist" comment from me, but I can honestly say I'm getting a bit sick about our game style. I suppose a similar 3 points earned against Brum on the weekend will be very acceptable, but we won't blag it into the top 6 relying on other sides being "toothless" up front when we clearly have the same problem. Our issue seems to emanate as much (if not more) from the lack of creation as to the finishing, but put together in the same team, we will get nowhere.
