That was a horrible game. The pitch was terrible. City didn’t make enough of their superiority in 1st half and poor discipline by Goutas In the end hung on relatively comfortably but that’s 2 points thrown away. ps How do Hull win at Sunderland Millwall ship 5 at Plymouth then win in Coventry style at Derby
After 7 appearances off the bench and 1 start Salech is now our 3rd top scorer for the season. Law of averages suggests we'd eventually sign a striker who could score. We desperately need him to keep them coming.
I like the way he's scored his last two in particular - getting in there where it hurts anticipating the cross to finish. I think there's a lot more to come from him and I can see some interest in him from other clubs where money isn't an issue.
We've not had someone to make unselfish runs or get in amongst the traffic for a while. Tap ins end up being easy. Getting into a position to get on the end of a tap in requires commitment and effort. Very different from other strikers we have. With the wide men we have, we also have players to load the gun for him. As you say, if he keeps up this trajectory, he could be hard to hold on to. I was frustrated by the line up for yesterday, as I have been a couple times in recent games. We need to go balls out in the '6 pointers'. 4231 seems to have served us well. With Robertson out, I'd play Robinson at 10 with Ramsey alongside Mannsverk. Let Mannsverk do the running and let Ramsey pull the strings. Out wide, Alves and Ashford with 2 or 3 from the other 4 or 5 wide men on the bench. We've enough depth to keep up the tempo game after game, especially if we make changes after 60 or 70 minutes not 80 or 90. I've said it a few times now, we have as strong a squad as we've had for some time, with depth in most positions. It now comes down to Riza and the back room staff.
If Ramsey was going to play, there was no good reason to start Colwill - he is not a wide player.. Maybe Zak Davies wasn't up to speed to start, but Ashford certainly is - mistake not to start him instead of Colwill.
I notice you played in that very fetching shade of Sky Blue again butts, it really is a nice colour isn't it?? Also, my man Goutas getting a mention in dispatches, only not for scoring the goal!!!
In the game I saw yesterday Colwill did not play out wide, he was inside Alves. Colwill should start games higher up the middle of the pitch. His skill and strength on the ball is too good to be wasted sitting on the bench.
.........and it clearly didn't work did it - unless you include the 50/50 challenge between Colwill and the Plymouth guy when the ball popped out at Alves' feet for the cross that brought Salech's excellent goal. Riza tried to re-create the Colwill/Tanner combo down the right side with both playing wide, but Tanner is a completely different player to Alves. Tanner is far more direct and will physically challenge opposition fullbacks whereas Alves uses ball skills to beat his man - he has less need of someone to do the work for him. On the opposite side it was left to O'Dowda and Mannsverk to provide the width and support because Ramsey was policing the middle where Colwill would be more effective. I still say you can't play the two of them together and especially so when Robertson, Chambers and Turnbull show up again.
To me Colwill is a luxury player. If his skills come off great, if not he can be a liability, taking one challenge too many, losing the ball and allowing our opponents to quickly counter attack. With everyone fit we have many options a lot of which won't include Colwill as a starter. Simply, the young talent we saw 3 years ago hasn'r developed as much as we hoped.
Anyway, hope City aren't appealing that Goutas red card - nailed on and we could end up worse off if we try to get it overturned. Move on and give Fish and Bagan a go together at the back for Hull or even bring Ng inside to make it a three with Rhino out wide on the right.
At Plymouth City started 3 at the back (Ng Bagan & Goutas) with O’Dowda & Rinomota wing backs which worked quite well until it had to be changed. Riza rates Bagan preferring him to CB in Daland’s absence so if fit I’d expect him to partner Fish and/or Ng depending on which system he adopts. Is there an update on Bagan’s injury?
That was away from home against a very direct side. If Goutas had been available I'd have expected Riza to revert to four at the back to put an extra man in midfield for Hull because they tend to play through us like they did in the reverse fixture. If Chambers was available, that would be nailed on for me be.
You suggested a back 3 v Hull now a back 4. Personally I don’t want to see Chambers any where near the central defence. He’s too slow and lacks physicality. On another position it’ll be interesting to see if he starts Ramsey again bearing in mind we’ve got a cup tie this weekend not a league match. And on g-k Alnwick presumably will be replaced by Hovarth.
