Some general thoughts;- 1). The good bits A great start to the season at home, we actually looked like a football team. Heaton rolling the ball out to defenders and players playing the simple ball to a red shirt and not just lumping it without purpose. Confidence was up and, for the first time in many seasons, we carried a threat down BOTH flanks with Albert and various down the right and Cunningham and Woolly down the left. We looked more balanced overall and it looked possible that we could string together a reasonably consistant sequence . Then Peterborough did a hatchet job on Greg and Cole and we lost our "glue", 2 very important players (especially Greg) in positions where we have regularly struggled in recent years and whilst Marv came back in and did a job at Watford, we then lost him and all of a sudden, we have lost much of our driving force providing our forward impetus and we look lop-sided again. 2). The bad bits The absence of the 3 players named above has well and truely shown up how important they are to us. Since their lose, our midfield (Albert aside) has lost its way and the defence has become exposed and under pressure again resulting in our reverting to the Key Stone Cops defending but more worryingly, the old and very bad habit of NOT ATTACKING THE BALL has returned, to our cost. 3). Why...? I don't know what it is about the City but to me, this very basic requirement of the game (attacking the ball) is badly lacking, at BOTH ENDS of the pitch. Our midfield has historically come up well short in this department but more worryingly, the number of goals condeded by and the lack of goals scored by our defenders shows that there is something very wrong in this department. Normally you would expect central defenders to score maybe double figures (or more) a season between them - ours score a big fat ZERO a huge indication that the ball is not attacked... The only players we have that do this are Sam B, Steve Davies, Cole, Marv, Foster (R), Ryan T and James Wilson, the rest range from intermediate to weak which is ok because you need some balance but the 2 biggest culprits are in thhe centre of our defence and that is BAD NEWS... 4). Comment The players read these forums and there is no doubt that our central defenders are well aware that they are under the spotlight and I do have some sympathy with for instances Fonts yesterday who must immediately have thought OMG, what are they going to be saying now, after the 1st goal. I haven't voted in the "should he be dropped" pole but agree with some that maybe its time for a rest, mainly just to remove the mounting pressure which will undoubtedly be a disappointment but sometimes, it is better for all to step away, re-focus and come back stronger. Sometimes, the harder you try, the worse things get... I don't go for this reluctance to play young players, if they are good enough, they are old enough. Maybe time to give youth its head and put Holloway in and see how strong his hunger, his desire is... Whatever happens, as long as we have defenders who have no composure on the ball and who watch rather than attack it, the half decent start to the season will continue to evaporate...
Prem is right on the button. I voted for Fonts to be rested - even a week away from it could be enough to calm himself and maybe stop trying too hard. That was why I suggested a pairing of J Wilson and Nyatanga - not because I believe that LN has a long term future at this level but we simply need someone there to give Fonts a break. I see this pairing could be playing together for Wales v Scotland and before the English City fans start decrying Wales, it is still INTERNATIONAL football. Perhaps also if DMc changed his captain for a short while it might also help Fonts, but I always believe that a football captain is not at all similar to cricket. In fact a football team should have eleven skippers on the pitch! It is perhaps apparent that Stephen Pearson's mind is elsewhere which I fully understand. Footballers are the same as the rest of us and while being with his team mates will help, maybe a game or two in the stand may help him as well. I know some will say that they should carry on regardless but even with Greg's injury and Fonts and Pearson on the sidelines, we still have enough of a squad to put out a team that should be good enough to keep collecting points. Give Holloway and Bobby Reid a chance, if not in the team then on the bench because that way they may get some game time. Joe Bryan has only played in three first team matches but I feel he is good enough to play left back until Greg gets back. 11 points from 10 games is better than the last two seasons; yes I got a bit down losing to Leeds and only drawing with Millwall. I did not realistically expect anything at Leicester but a two week break may do our lads a lot of good and there is nothing in their results so far to fear the next trip to Bolton. Especially if we've picked up a CB on loan. COYR!
Agree with Prem, especially with 'The absence of the 3 players' Marv, Skuse and Cunningham. However McInnes is making the situation worse by deciding that Fonts and Tangle are his first choice CH's. I watch Tangle and literally laugh out loud when he's got the ball, it's like he's got a hot potato. Don't panic Mr Mannering, it's sideways 10yards or back 30yards to Heaton. No surprise at all that our results early season where he played Fonts with Carey or Wilson were much better. Poor old Fonts is like a rabbit in the road, he's absolutely shot and however bad Tangle is he deserves a go BUT with Carey not Fonts. It's basics - worries me McInnes can't see it.
I am sure that McDel CAN see it and is doing something about it but as he said before, he wants people that he trusts to do the job for him. His signings this summer look to be in this mould so lets see what happens - just don't leave it too long please...!
I would get Cisse back, don't care that he wanted more money and left us to look elsewhere. He's not Bristolian probably never heard of us before he came to this country. And probably wanted the best deal for his family. But we miss him sat in front of the defence.
