'2-1 down, minutes to go and El Abd comes on' Touch of genius from Cotterill, just gobsmacked why City didn't win 3-2. Probably means that Cotterill will select ElAbd against Preston and change to a back 4 again. Will we win ? - Toss a coin. Lucky managers are better than good ones.
Many on here moaned that it was no good having a great academy in League 2. So Cotterill's ONLY job was to keep the team in Div 1. Not to pamper to people wanting young local kids in the team, or to play barca style football. He felt that getting players in with some quality was necessary to do that. Barnett and El Abd were both rated highly before they arrived. Never mind. Wade Elliott was a surprise and yet has proved to be the best signing of them all, in my opinion. Always involved, always creative. If we had signed him a few years ago, he could have been the new Tinnion for us. Cotterill IN
Rotherham had the deckchairs out at the back. 2-1 down El Abd came on Burns stayed on the bench so City lost without troubling those deckchairs and hundreds of City fans went home thinking City didnt give it a real go second half. £100 spent to see no real crack at getting that result as the game just dribblied to an inevitable defeat.
Surely part of the academy system is also a money raising scheme, we develop players and sell them on at a profit?? Although I am one of those that is disappointed that Burns hasn't been more involved as sometimes we need pace on the flanks and as good as Wagstaff is he won't go past players and get to the bi-line! But have to give it up for SC as we are not in relegation zone. Will be interesting to see who moves on close-season. Hope against hope that Baldock stays.
As I mentioned on another thread, the City payers should be treating this as start of next season. SC needs to know who will fit into the machine for a promo year, and those players dont realise it but they are still playing for their places and their careers. The way I see it, there are probably half a dozen players that are nailed on for next season (provided they stay). Baldock (of course) JET (equally so) Kelly Osbourne Williams Pack I would also like to see us put deals on the table for Elliott W, and Patterson. Of the rest, I would say that if an offer came in it wouldnt take too much persuading for us to let them go. This will be an interesting summer, what with the World Cup and Cotterill's rebuild.
I would hope the academy is part of a healthy functioning club. The FC is representative of its communty and region. No matter how much quality practice is put in, how many small and large side drills are used attempting to create "real" scenarios, players have to have time on the pitch to develop. El Abd's use Saturday to change the game was odd.
I'd also add Fielding to that list. He appears to be a more confident and able keeper recently, just like we assumed he would be when he joined.
We have the basis of a very good side there-After this season, a settled side will hopefully pay dividends
The problem is that he will be on a contract. To be honest I can't make my mind up on him. One thing in his favour is that he is still young for a keeper
smhbcfc I agree he is young but he's small for keeper these days and for me, doesn't command the box. 'The problem is that he will be on a contract' Not HALF the problem of EL Abd's contract.
Glad someone else thinks this is a big problem with Fielding in goal, he is WAAAY too small. A goalkeeper is meant to have presence in his box, and even scare the opposition players a bit, would Fielding do that?? Not saying he's a bad keeper, infact he's improved massively recently, but for me he just doesn't have the presence a goalkeeper should have.
Yep. Although he wasn't the biggest he still commanded his area and still had the presence surrounding him
Both the same height. Yet Basso wasn't ever seen as "WAAAY to small" and would have the same presence. Fielding can learn to command his box, hopefully he does so money doesn't have to be wasted in the summer on another GK.
