Bluesheep, may I predict the next two games please? Brentford 1 Cardiff 2 (Pilkington) Cardiff 3 Bolton 1 (Morrison) Many thanks pal
City should have won yesterday but again the lack of a proper no 9 blighted them. Zahore gets a chance per game but just cannot score. Morrison probably our most likely scorer. Oh and Holloway surprise surprise again predicted a City win!
More like a chance per the ten minutes Slade allows him on the pitch. A striker who can get the 20-25 goals per season needed for promotion has to be our number 1 summer priority regardless of the large amount of cash it's going to cost us.
I'd like to see Zahore start the remaining games. We have very little chance of making the playoffs so lets see him actually have a chance and work out if he's good enough to pin any sort of hope on for next season. The fact he always seems to get a chance in the 10/15 minutes he gets is promising. He's been unlucky with a couple of them as well. I have no idea whether he is/will be good enough btw. Whilst we'd have a much better chance of promotion next season if we sign a £6-10m striker there is absolutely no chance of it happening IMO. Anyone with a track record or the promise to score 20+ in the Championship will be at the top end of that price range just to make matters even more unrealistic.
I said at the time that Zohore should have started against both Burnley and Fulham. I accept that both were away games and that would not be normal logic - particularly Slade's one track approach - but we really needed something different than those sides would have expected to turn up on their own turf. As a result we got 1 point from 6 and that was a bonus at Burnley - Fulham should have been killed off and not allowed to get back in it let alone win the bloody game. Zohore was (and still is) a completely unknown quantity to sides in this division and should be deployed from the off . He could always be yanked off it it wasn't working and revert to plan B if Slade has one. As said, we need to know his potential at this level before the season end. Fulham was definitely the place to blood him with a start - the QPR game was another opportunity missed.
Will Slade take the opportunity and start him at Brentford? 2 of our most recent useless strikers scored there last season and he is no worse than them. The only real point against him starting is that we will revert from the recent attempts at a passing game to lumping it up in the air to him. What, hang on, that's what we have been doing to Pilks and Immers quite often anyway and winning the Irish stately home, Feck Hall. I'm not convinced by Zohore's heading skills but he is certainly well able to hold up the ball played into his body or feet. He should be given a start at Brentford. That in turn would enable Pilks to revert to his normal wide position. He will be grateful to avoid having lumps knocked out of his back and head by over zealous monster defenders. Morrison and Connolly played well on Saturday so will Slade put Manga straight back in if fit again? Anyone know why Fabio wasn't even a sub on Saturday? I would prefer Fabs to Malone who's only consistency is that he is inconsistent. Why oh why is Amoeba still used as a sub - or in the 18 squad for that matter? Walesonline described his shot near the end as "over the bar". I thought he was trying to make contact with the space shuttle. I wonder how much in wages we are paying the waste of space? Yet he gets called on rather than Lawrence. I'm not a great fan of his either but he puts in a lot more effort and can cause defenders problems.
Agree about both Ameobi and Lawrence there Bluey. Ameobi is luxury player who hasn't even earned his keep, whilst Lawrence doesn't seem to have an end product for all his directness. I said after seeing him the first couple of games that he needs to get his head up and pick a pass rather than always wanting to take defenders on. Nothing wrong with running at them if you get some dividend at the end of it like Burkey used to, but Lawrence has an annoying habit of over-doing it on times. To be honest, even at this early stage of his career, his goal scoring record is very poor for a front man with so much apparent ability. Jury still very much out for me on Lawrence whereas the guilty verdict on Ameobi was read out ages ago.
Me and the Mrs were slating Ameobi again on the way home. We'd given 2 of our free tickets to her Dad and he was surprised we were so damning. From his totally unbiased opinion he thought Ameobi improved the game for us. He pointed out his presence on that side led to us attacking more down that flank and improving in the game. Thinking back I'm not sure I agree, just thought it was interesting someone without our preconceived (and justified) bias thought he did OK
Pilkington is not a striker. He has not scored since Brighton. He has missed several decent chances. Why the heck Slade didn't bring on Zahore for OKeefe and put Pilks out wide? More importantly what was that 1st half display all about? Last week they played well v Fulham and if Morrison hadn't hit the post (how many more times are we going to hit the frame????) would have been 2 up in the 1st half but were very poor in the 2nd half whereas City were terrible on Saturday in 1st half but much more proactive in 2nd. 2 points out of 9. City play Brentford tomorrow whereas Wednesday play MK Dons who are all but down. I think we all fear the worst. So City need to just go for it. Brentford got done by our only last minute winner this season; don't be surprised if we concede at the death agsin.
Disagree there Steveo i think we still have a pretty decent chance of sneaking in there at the expense of Sheffield Tuesday
I admire your optimism ccfc but on the evidence of the last 2 games that is very unlikely and wouldn't put my money on it.
That's nice of you I think we're hook, line and sinker despite it still being mathamatically possible. Those mindless draws and daft losses earlier in the season were too costly despite our recent up turn on form. Why they can't play like they did against Brighton every week is beyond me. I wouldn't care if they lost (that's a lie cos I did when they played in a similar fashion under Jones) but the majority of Sarurdays game, that they had to win, was sooooo negative!
Agree BS, as I said in my post. I just don't get what Slade said to them to perform so listlessly for the first 45. Far too cautious. Lawrence & Zahore to start tomorrow hopefully. Pilks out wide. Got to go all out for a win. Weds will easily win v MKD so have to go for it otherwise last 3 games will be academic.
Well let's put it this way, the £10 I put on City for promotion at 40/1 just before the QPR game still has a cash out value of £9.50 today and the odds offered are the same this morning. I don't think B365 think much has changed for City as a result of those weekend games or they would have cut my cash out option right down. Could be a different story after tonight though!
Sparkey - you can get 9-1 on Milton Keynes winning at Sheffield tonight. Although their recent record is crap they are in a must win situation to stay in the Championship. City are 2-1 to win tonight. We are also in a must win position. Put the two together in a double and you will have a nice return . On the other hand you could just save your money for a couple of beers
BT - just had a look on B365 that I use. Can only get 17/10 on City winning and 7/1 on MK Dons doing the same so I've bottled it pal. I've gone for the soft option instead. Only got 4/9 on a City win or draw double chance and 7/4 for the same MK Dons win or draw combo, but as a double that comes out nearly 3/1. So anything other than a home win in either game and I'll be in the dosh. I've just stuck £7 on it. Why £7? - because that's all I've got left in my B365 account without depositing any more..........
