Was the first time this season at AG where we deserved to lose. Whether 4-4-2 will change our fortunes, who knows but we are lacking quality throughout the team. We never threatened them at all. Only Korey, Bryan and Kodjia look Championship players. The team seem to have lost belief. There were no leaders and were arguing amongst themselves after 15 minutes. I need to see that 2nd goal again, he seemed a long long way out to beat Fielding. 2-0 and Reading were on easy street and managed the game and referee very professionally. Today we looked a side destined for L1. Come on Cotts, show us you are a Championship manager.
I would add Frank, Aden, Luke A (in his right position), Luke F to that list - some had poor games today but def Championship class Bobby and Wes continue to progress IMO we need another CM and a Forward - however there is a limit to the number of loans you can have in the squad
Yep, yesterday was utter ****. One of the worst games I've ever watched. Plenty of half chances created but no clear goal scoring opportunity. Kodjia will be sold for big money in the summer whilst we are relegated to league 1 again. Sorry it sounds so negative but I'm looking at the league and can't see 3 poorer teams than us! Rotherham will go down and it looks as though it will be between us, Preston, MK Dons and Huddersfield for the final 2 places. Very long season ahead and blame lies firmly at the feet of Steve cotterill and co for not getting the players in early. We aimed to high for signings which we were never ever going to get without first establishing ourselves as a championship team. These big players don't want to come to us knowing it's a big possibility we'll be going down. We should have done what we did last season and pick the best from league 1 and 2, the likes of Dack, Bradshaw etc. Yes it would have been a risk but it's better than loaning all these players in from premier league clubs. JET and Cunningham should have never been allowed to leave, Wilbs shouldn't be starting each game as he's a little bit better than useless at this level. 3-5-2 needs to change, and it needs to be done ASAP. Can't see Cotterill doing that though and he'll stick with what he's got as he's to stubborn to change it. Really hope he does as it will only get worse if he doesn't and his name will be called for by Christmas. He's said time and time again "we'll play our way, attack them, attractive football etc etc" but yesterday all we did was hoof it up to Wilbraham only for him to lose it, give a poor knock on or just get beat. We did that all ****ing game. He needs to makes us harder to beat instead of so open, we could get away with being open against the likes of Yeovil, Colchester, Walsall, Leyton Orient but as we've seen we get punished every game for it at this level. So really hoping for a 4-4-2, even though we don't have the players here to ****ing play it! so he'll have to alter it a bit to look something like.... Fielding Little Flint Baker Bryan Smith Pack Reid Freeman Kodjia Agard Another thing going against us is all these **** referee's. Bad decisions constantly going against us, away teams always getting their way. This is just a copy cat of the 2012/13 season. The teams at the bottom get no luck and have important calls go against them every week whilst the ones at the top get the luck and referee on their side. Expecting it every week now... Rant over....... for now....
I heard a lot of people on the radio last night calling for 3-5-2 to go I'm not convinced - Flint's lack of pace will be exposed - we lose Bryan's attacking energy - not convinced Mark is a full-back - might get over-run in midfield What's really wrong is that we are one or two players short (let's not get into the summer transfer saga again!!) and one or two are not playing well - no matter what system you use you won't win many if only 7-8 players are at it Worried about Korey's injury now as well.
Agree with Shiny. Do we blunder on with the same team, formation etc? Or have the balls to admit there is a major problem and do something about it?
Not sure about Smith this season. he was exceptional last year, but each time I have seen him play this season he does seem to dwell far too long on the ball and is lacking creativity. We are missing someone who can do this like Elliott, because for me, even Freeman seems to have lost his way somewhat. Only ones that looked anything like championship standard yesterday were Kodija and Bryan
Have you seen any of the games this season? It's not just the players, it's mainly the formation/tactic. We play like Arsenal, high up the pitch but unlike them we don't have the quality to defend when we have too, we're being exposed constantly. Williams and Ayling like to get forward and don't get back quick enough, Flint is about the only one who stands his ground and makes it hard for teams to score, the other 4 are quite happy to push up and attack. I've lost count how many times this season we've lost the ball and within 3-4 seconds the other teams front 2 or 3 are right in at out goal. Take Readings first yesterday, similar to Chris Wood when we played Leeds, run in on the left, cut it on to his right and finishes. The defenders need to stop pushing up, Smith & Pack need to sit in front of them. Let nothing through. I'd be happy to draw games 0-0 rather than go all out for a win and keep getting beat. Every team that has come to AG this season has known what to do, defend their goal, soak up a bit of pressure then break when we've committed to many forward.
with this I agree 200% with this I agree 90% AS an advocate of 3-5-2 was glad to see it last season, this season time to call it time and play it only occasionally against teams that we might succeed with it, and that is likely only about 3! 4 - 4 - 2 I think we have the players to play it, albeit not a strong team all round it should give us the opportunity to at least play on a more level footing...
I heard the callers on Twentyman calling eloquently for a back 4. On the surface it makes sense, however if you play 3-5-2 and you play it properly you should have 5 at the back when defending. This is where I think we're going wrong. Bryan, and Ayling in particular was so far forward he was like an old fashioned right winger, hence why the IR and IL channels were wide open. Don't get me wrong I'll be happy with whichever system Cotts employs, but any system should be judged on how the players adopt to that system.
Yes thank-you I have seen all of the home games What I would say is that if you play 3-5-2 you have to play with proper wing backs It's very easy to say change the system and if we do and lose I'm sure they will all be saying change it again. Just a reminder that we got relegated in 2012/13 - we played 4-4-2 (well most of the time) Football is a simple game - the first goal yesterday Williams let the left footed guy come inside when it was obvious he was going to do it - the second we did not press the ball quick enough and let the guy shoot By the way Mick McCarthy was sat 4 seats away from me - he had a big smile on his face when the second went in - not sure he learnt too much from that because we were awful, and he might get a bit of a surprise on Saturday
'he had a big smile on his face when the second went in' McCarthy's hoping Fielding plays again next week.
Wilbs did us proud last year but anyone (including the manager) who thought he could cut it at this level was seriously deluded. I don't blame SC for the mess we're in and our sudden plummet from last years wonderful achievements. I reckon he'd done his homework and had identified players he wanted to come in for this season long ago, but he's the latest manager not to be backed by money and the board. I reckon he knew full well that we'd struggle with what we have. The board then panicked and tried to throw big money at Gayle and Gray and we look like a laughing stock again. To complete the picture I'm surprised we didn't get Sexstone back.
When i managed a few moons ago i loved playing 3-5-2, Rp bang on, when you play this system you should have in effect five defenders, when i played this way i had two very quick wide men that could attack and defend, at the moment it seems our two can attack but can't defend, seems like a change of systems required, or it could be goodbye championship.
AD 'seems like a change of systems required' Or SC to ensure the players he selects are able and fully understand how to play in a 3-5-2. Saying that surely Ayling and Bryan must have known they were way to adventurous.
I really think that's the problem Rp, they get a bit to adventurous and forget there other job, defending, it served us well last season, but its a different ball game this season, get caught out, you get punished very quickly, have we got the players to play a 4-4-2, not to sure, i would prefer 4-5-1, or maybe 4-4-1-1, with Reid playing behind Kodjia, how you set the 4-4 up i will leave to Cotts.
