It is interesting to see about a third+ of the game as a highlight as opposed to a 20 sec exposure... I guess it must be me, but what you see on the pitch and what you see on the TV are quite a bit different?... Ayling Flint and Little, to a lesser degree Williams spend a lot of time "upfield".. noticeable on the pitch, and highlighted on the TV I have been a keen fan of 3-5-2 for the past couple of seasons... can the present team get away with the way we have played this in a higher division next season?? ..I DO NOT THINK SO, I felt very edgy through some parts of the game on being exposed at the back, a better team on the day may have given us a real bad time. WELL done lads on a superb victory...now win the league and expect to have to work for your success next season!!!!! those that survive that is!
It would not surprise me if Cotterill, Burt and Pemberton devise/use a different formation next season purely because the individual attackers in the Championship are likely to be much more clinical than this league. However 3-5-2 that we play, is a very fluid system and allows us to defend in depth when required but also hit teams very hard when offensive opportunities present themselves. Another very interesting summer to come?
Without a doubt, yes, fluidity is the key and we wont get anything like our own way in the championship, we won yesterday and well, but revisting you can see the "little flaws" and that was the "best bits" championship teams wont let you get away easily! We still do not have a killer instinct goalscorer.. Wilbers is reasonable, Agard needs to improve, Jet will be a good support player Matt Smith?? would he be a player we might go for? Been watching the Fulham text's and seems to foul a lot and attempts on goal are minimal.. Fulham all but beat off relegation and have 7 forwards We need 2 centre forwards 2 midfielders as cover with prospects, and 2 defenders again as cover and with prospects, we have Burns and Reid who may rise to the occasion so squad would be 24!
The full backs, wing backs spent a lot of time up the pitch as Walsall had almost no goal threat at all
Always difficult to comment on, bit like catch 22 get in their faces /half and they have to stay back to defend I did note that from time to time at least 1 of them saw there was no one back and trotted back a bit, or was Frankie shouting "don't forget me"?
Well my wife has just came in, and said that the people in her office thought we looked really good and one even commented that she wished her team played with that much class and skill. Particularly the number 15 as she put it, was brillient to watch. A lot of mangers have commented on our 3-5-2 formation, and said it's difficult to defend against and almost puts others on the back foot. They also state that to do this formation you need to have the correct players for the system and that is what we have. Just thought I would mention that my wife's place of work is Cardiff, and the women saying she wished her team played like that has been a season ticket holder for the past 10-15 years. And it shocked my wife as most people in her office have never been complementary to City. Also her chairman who's a Gashead says he was impressed as well.
I thought we completely outplayed a very poor Walsall side. One for Cotts to think about though - a number of times we looked exposed at right-back. A better side would have exploited that but thankfully Walsall didn't.
I'm sure we will play 3-5-2 with this squad if we do make it up, Little will need to be a little more conservative with his runs I admit, but why would you change something that works well. The sum of its parts is what makes this team up and everyone has under-estimated just how well Cotts has man managed this situation, a small squad battling hard for each other with the enthusiasm of youth. they have won the right to see what they can do in the Championship (if we get there!)
I was thinking it was about time we had another panicking thread . Cotts has taken us from the foot of the division to 10pts clear at the top in just over a year with a Wembley final to boot. I think I will leave the planning for next season up to him
well said. I particularly liked the comment "One for Cotts to think about though....blah blah" . We are the only club that would be 10 points clear and yet still the fans know better than the manager.
I presume this little swipe was meant for me. Loving our position and loved our win on Sunday - a great day out. No negativity here whatsoever - I am nearly 50 an have NEVER seen us win a league, so I am anything BUT negative. Looking forward to Barnsley - and may even go up to see us against Preston. I'm just thinking ahead to the Championship. A good L1, or average Championship side would have likely punished us on Sunday - I'm not saying they would have won - we were VERY good in attack, but they would have given us a harder game and probably have scored. I have never claimed to know better than any of our managers - definitely not Cotts. TBH if I can see it then he definitely will. I'm just making an observation as a dedicated fan and someone who has watched and played the game a bit.
It's a bit naive comparing Walsall to better sides and how we would play against them though. I'm sure that we can adapt and play differently if we need too.
'I presume this little swipe was meant for me' I wouldn't worry yourself. If you can't voice an opinion wtf is the point of a forum. 'I have never claimed to know better than any of our managers' It's not wrong to voice an opinion. If I get it wrong (Elliott), that's life. Even Cotterill gets it wrong sometimes (El Abd). 'definitely not Cotts' - I did at first but Cotterill has been a revelation. I've never been more excited about our future than I am now. Can't wait for Cotterill's summer signings and then seeing our Stadium complete.
