I don't recall Martin missing anything last night or in fact most of this season, I find it difficult to criticise his finishing when he is not being presented with any chances to finish. Last night Weimann (who is a far worse finisher and has actually missed chances this season) had Martin and DaSilva totally free but decided to shoot from a ridiculously acute angle in the first half where a pull back should have the way to go, again a very poor choice and worth criticising. Also in the 2nd half the was a point at Martin had the ball trying to work a shooting chance but not one City player in the box at the time made any attempt to lose their marker to receive a pass, the movement was shocking, I recall another shot in a crowded box that was heading on target but cut out by a good block, but even with that block there were 2 other defenders behind him who would have blocked it. I can see that he is not the striker for constant high crosses into the box but that is not his fault that we do not possess that type of striker. I remain unconvinced by Wells, I think he is overrated. One last point about Palmer, IMHO he is the sort of player like Jacki, JET and Tomlin that you sign when you are near the top of the league and have a team that can cover their lack of work rate and midfield nous and not struggling to play consistently well.
Correct, I just wanted him to have longer to prove conclusively that he was as you described or whether he could be the creative answer and now he has had more than enough chances to prove that you were correct, well done you.
It must have escaped your attention ODowda replaced Wells on the bench due to Wells have groin problem in the warm up.
Now that is really clutching at straws, what presence?, would have spent 50% of the game on his arse, what is needed is the type of striker who puts himself about and only goes down when the challenge warrants it and that is not/never or will ever Diedhiou on a consistent basis IMHO.
He was a good presence, helping out at the back and as a pain for defenders to deal with......but I agree, couldn't trap a bag of cement, went down quite often when he wasn't able to control it and TBF I did say, not my sort of player........................he never was. OK ok, you don't rate Palmer.......blimey, you don't half go on!!........convince yourself, not me.........I still rate him, you won't change my mind....but needs quality around him, he needs other players to drag the opposition away, allowing him space....we lack those players, apart from HNM.. As to Martin last night, he pranced around trying to get it on his shooting foot, he was clear through and should have done much better.....took far too long IMO......I'm with you, I'm not convinced either he or Wells is our answer, Wells has the ability to be a better finisher, but only when he can be arsed!!
At ease Mr Hyde FFS, I am not trying to convince you of anything, just stating an opinion, that maybe other posters might want to read.
One shot on target during the 90 minutes is unlikely to result in anything other than a defeat. Sounded a very poor game.
Yes. I may be oldfashioned, but I can remember football as a game where the ball spent more time at player's feet than in the air.....
Martin is like Fammy, but with better ball control. Watching him on Sat and last night, he challenges for knock-ons, but even when he wins them they go nowhere, as nobody is close, or beyond him, so easy for the defence. He has no pace, not the greatest footwork, as exhibited when he tied himself in knots 6 yards out, and has no tricks to fool a defender. He relies on strength in close quarters and getting good deliver, so as I say, much like Fammy...
1. If nobody is close or beyond him, that's not his fault, he's done his bit if he wins it. 2. Agreed he has no pace, he never has. That is what prevented him from playing at the highest level. 3. He got tied up in knots because he was surrounded by defenders and looking for one his team mates in the box to attempt to get into a position to receive the ball but not one of them did. 4. To say he has no tricks is wholly inaccurate, he just isn't for whatever reason displaying those tricks at present, I suggest you watch the youtube clip to actually see that is the probably one of the most skillful players on our box. What I have seen from Saturday and last night, he has zero support from his fellow striker and zero chances being created for him. Is he playing well? absolutely not and his passing radar is woeful at the moment. He has not missed any chances that I can recall unlike his 2 striking partners. I can't remember seeing any tricks like on the clip from Diedhiou.
I disagree with your interpretation of 3..he was trying to get a shot off IMO, but tied himself in knots......should have smashed it first time, rather than try to walk it in.. I like him as a player, but more inclined to either put him on as a sub, or start him, but take him off after an hour, if he's not made any impact..I would'nt play him for 90 mins He's another player, that's a lot better with better players around him!!
Well as usual we will disagree about 3, I didn't see any movement by his strike partners but hey ho. I agree with the rest of the post, I do find it strange that he is being singled out but Weimann who has missed chances this season and has been incredibly poor over the past 2 matches gets a free pass. And for the record I normally like Weimann when he plays up top, which to be fair he didn't against Fulham but last night offered nothing.
Over the years the only consistent thing about our club is the ability to bring in players that never cut the mustard which generates comments on this site that have a striking resemblance throughout the period. How many times did we see pleas from the supporters to bring in a midfield general only to see more of the usual arrive without much substance? From what I can see this season is that bluntly we have not progressed in the slightest and can probably expect much of the same for yet another dreary campaign. After years of abject apathy and no shows on the pitch we now expect our new messiah to make the changes, so badly needed in the past, which can change our direction. With all of the fallout from the pandemic don't expect miracles to happen anytime soon, and yet we are all so desperate to see what a well seasoned manager who has been there and done that can provide in our quest for better things. Only if Nigel Pearson can help us see the light, and withstand the obstacles afforded to his predecessors, will we have any chance of seeing the changes we all know need addressing. Thankfully the 5 pillars nonsense has long been in the garbage can and it makes me wonder what dialogue is going on behind the closed doors for the long term future of Bristol City? We already know that cash is in short supply but is our manager a bargain basement kind of guy or is he more accustomed to shopping at Harrods? I think Nigel's footballing nous will see us through in the long term so let's just hope he won't get frustrated and that our owner is on the same page because the mere thought of returning to the old ways makes me shudder in fear. The next item on the agenda is a home win.
Will he score as many goals though, or head as many corners away in his own box? , his close control does seem better though
We have this clever box to box midfielder already in Williams. Yes he’s injured all last season and went off last night with cramp. The issue was and most can agree on Saturday he changed the tempo of the play. And last night he tried and succeeded in balls that was failed to take advantage of. However should he have started last night. No because of his lengthy injury he showed be used sparingly and would of, if used as a sub been like Saturday IMO. We rushed him back last season, we rushed him back earlier this season and hopefully it was just cramp and we rushed him back too soon this time. Semenyo we seem to be drip feeding in, so hopefully he will not be out too long. But is more a player at the moment to scare defences but not controlled enough to score lots. So he’s a working progress, not a answer to our scoring powerful forward we need. One thing I did pick up one comment last night on the OTIB and hoping it’s not true but the comment went along the lines of. Get used to games without HNM. So I’m hoping it’s one poster putting 2 + 2 and getting 5.
I would agree that Williams is looking like the midfielder we have been craving when he came on Sat, and last night he was our only inspiration and driving force from midfield. I do worry about where the goals will come from, as shown last night. Weimann has a habit of a blistering start and then not scoring for months. I think we will do well to get 20 goals from Weimann and Martin combined this season, let alone one of them.
