We were lucky that Sc**thorpe couldn't score in a brothel. 3-5-2 leaves us exposed at the back on too many occasions. We're gonna have to rely on scoring more than we concede to get promoted. But we'll finish top 6. And we could do with a hold the ball up striker to support Agard. Edit: probably not as I've discovered. (Excuse the bad grammar in the title)
It's for when we hoof up the ball to Agard when he's on his own, although I guess he fits In well with the rest, including Wilbraham when we pass it up the pitch.
Second in the league and unbeaten with a clean sheet today and we still have people drinking from their half empty glasses. Only two teams have conceded less than us this season and Preston have played a game less. Also Scunthorpe had Paddy Madden and McSheffrey upfront today, both of whom have proven they can score at this level
I expected City to go up as Champions and have seen nothing to change that. Some of the hoof ball has been poor and there has been some dodgy defending again but in general City have far too much for the division. Still yet to hit second gear just hope some of the local lads like Bryan who has the skills will be a proper part of it. Money buys results and that is what City are getting.
All defences get penetrated, but today we kept a clean sheet so let's be happy. As to a hold up striker, ain't we got one? I agree we need another for competition because Jet is not an out and out striker.
Teams will come here and cause us frustration as they get men behind the ball and try to stop us playing. Any team that comes here and tries to play open football will get walloped with only a couple of exceptions.
'3-5-2 leaves us exposed at the back' It doesn't matter whether we play a back 3, 4 or 5. It's about learning to play/defend as a unit. I'm hopeful that with games they will form a much better understanding and defend better. However, our defenders have a problem that only Cotterill can deal with. Fielding.
There were many hairy moments with Fielding yesterday with balls into the box.. this can't keep happening every single game for the rest of the season when the opposition have a corner Fielding completely flaps at it..
Hairy moments yesterday were created by the gaps in the 3-5-2 and City's lack of pace in Flint. Ayling was running miles across the back to cover it. Quite impressed by Aylings "yomping" energy yesterday.
Flint is in there to win the first ball which he has done well.. Others are there for pace. The gaps would be better filled by Pack but in all fairness he can't get in at the moment and quite rightly too.
I have been concerned about our defence for so long now I have not bothered to mention it. I think our attacking force will be strong enough to keep us battling at the top end of what is a very weak division this season. However if we keep the same defence following our promotion (and we SHOULD achieve it this season) then it will be ripped to shreds by the Championship clubs next season
How many years have we been complaining about our lack of strength at the back and when will someone fix it? Yes I know the results have gone our way so far this season and we are in a much better place than we were at the same time last year and yet concerns are still being voiced. Go back 5 years and tell me that we weren't hearing about how just bringing in a dominant midfield general would solve all our problems and allow us to go forward in our ambitions but, unless my ears are deceiving me, we still don't appear to have that player on board. Perhaps we do have some players who are performing better than some of their predecessors but I still don't feel we are the complete package and that is what we need to get the job done because unless we create a system that affords us the luxury of being able to slot players in and out where needed due to injuries, suspensions and the like then we could struggle. If you look solely at the points in the bag then there is no question that our new boss has done a quite remarkable job and deserves the credit for his commitment but remember it is a long season and thing can change rapidly and I believe that strengthening our defence, or at least finding a strong combination, is a key component to continued success.
gosh remember the days when it was 2-3-5 ...... then 4- 2 - 4 came along now anything from 9-0-1 to ...well choose your own combo
Big John, don't forget the day in 1961 when City played with a 1 (keeper) 0-10 versus Chichester in the FA Cup and won 11-0. Those were the days!
Scunny were very accurate at corner kicks and varied the tactics very well. Sometimes they packed the six yard box and other times had no-one in it. So City had to deal with a variety of attacks from Scunny corners. Unless you were directly behind the goal in the Atyeo, you may not have seen the two or three very good saves by FF down on the ground with bodies and boots flying everywhere. The saves fans remember are when a keeper flies upwards and sideways to stop 30 yarders, but yesterdays saves that went unnoticed by many, helped us to another clean sheet and three points.
Our defense will improve as they get experience in a system together. Playing 3-5-2 in League 1 is quite brave, but it seems to be paying off. Personally, I think that we would do well to sign a rock-solid experienced defender that can play 60-70 minutes of a match and help to settle our defense.
