Agree on Bree, but then we're not going to find anyone close to KWP. Bree is solid though. Stephens is an adequate THB replacement.
I don't think Arma would leave tbh. I think we'd almost certainly still be in and around the top 6 though. Obviously lots of unknown variables around manager and signings etc but I don't buy this notion that we'll suddenly become a midtable side.
I’d like to see us start with 2 wingers and Armstrong up top. Che isn’t offering much. We always have Sulemana to come on. And aneroid mayo, wherever he’s gone
I don't think people are unduly negative (or entitled) as such. As I said, we're far from doing badly, there's just the underlying suspicion that we should be doing better. On the flip side, I think we'll have a game where it does all click soon, and we'll be comfortable winners in a 3 or 4 goal sense. I like possession, but I don't like the ponderous build up every time. We have the squad to do a Poch style Red Arrows type attack in this division, and I think we'd look a whole lot better if we did (as we have when we've broken the mould a bit and done that).
No, some fans just aren’t suckers that accept absolute dross like you and a few others. Wasn’t it you that was saying Nathan Jones was a good appointment and needed more time? Some of fans aren’t naive sheep that accept any old **** the club serve up. There is nothing entitled about acknowledging reality. Martin has been cut a lot of slack already and performances like tonight simply aren’t good enough. He deserves criticism for his tactics and selection today. Its not entitled to point that out you sanctimonious arse
There have always been people here who can’t separate criticism from insults, so toss insults at people while we discuss the team.
Think there's a lot of improvement to come from the likes of Charles, Edozie, SAA. Might even have a few others pushing through like Larios and Dibling. Plus we'll recoup another 40-50m from player sales.
You know he loves you really. It's just post-match frustration. And the complaining does get tiresome.
Pretty sure you can switch off the forum if you don’t want to read about people’s opinions on the internet. That was boring and tactically poor.
I agree, and if you read my post-match comments they're mostly all negative. But it's the non-matchday continual negativity that grates on some of us. The expectation levels of some on here are far too unrealistic.
Positive comments don’t really generate much debate do they? If we win and play well we are generally in agreement. If we draw or lose people have different feelings about how significant the result is, whether we played badly, what the reasons were etc. Just human nature.
If its somewhat constructive criticism, then no issue from me. But the constant, 'we've got the best team in the league/why dont we win every game?' crap is just ridiculous.
Just got back from the game. No complaints with the result. Was intense at the end. Sat in the home end with a mate who supports coventry and was happy to leave undefeated. This season is good fun.
Yeah that’s my worry too, bar an absolute miracle summer we are going to have a much weaker squad next season if we fail to get promoted. Frustrating as I think we would be top of the League if you swapped out Leicester, Ipswich and Leeds for Burnley, Sheffield United and Luton as things stand.
Think Fraser should start next one and Edozie. We look a better team with Fraser. He is a good player
That is because when they come on we have outlets. Width gives you outlets. We can keep the ball all day but as it is there are no outlets and no progression.
I am going to give my thoughts on the players and why the team isn't firing. 1. Bazunu. This guy is superb. He makes the odd mistake but I've never seen a keeper so good on the ball at his age. Remarkable and my only minor complain with him is he has a fantastic long pass and he doesn't use it enough. Ederson at City plays far more of those raking long balls - despite that being the system we are trying to emulate. 2. Walker-Peters. This guy is also superb. That said, he is consistently our outlet on the right side of midfield. He isn't lightning quick so that means there is no outlet on the right hand side until he gets up. This is a tactical error that has left us blunt on the right for quite some time. 3. Manning. Trash. Absolute garbage footballer. His decision to try to beat four players today was directly responsible for their goal. It was a monumental ****up. What upsets me is that none of us have come to expect anything else from him. Needs dropping permanently. My issue here is that Martin has given up on wingers - so he has to play Manning so we have somebody relatively attacking on the left. This is another tactical error that Martin is not fixing. 4. THB. He is a really good defender and a good passer - but there isn't enough variety. Left. Right. Left. Right. Pop it through the middle to the guy who passes it back so he can go left and right. I don't blame him though. We have no movement through the lines. 5. Bednarek. He is having a massive season and is great at the back. 90% of his passing is great. 5% is poor. 5% is awful. 6. Smallbone. I enjoyed it today when he got angry. A few crunching challenges and the blood went so much to his head he started passing forwards. This is the issue for me that most grated today. For ten angry, passionate minutes we played direct and fiery football and carved them open at will. Then we remembered the game plan and ceded all initiative back to them. 7. Aribo. Played ok. Wasn't a winger. Wasn't really attacking. Became a second dm next to Shea really. Which is a shame as he actually has good feet and makes things happen. Nice to see one of our players want to beat someone. 8. S Armtrong. Absolute **** today. Honestly, he is a wonderful footballer but anyone who has seen him for the last three years would know he doesn't have the gas to play this many games. Give him some time off. He also isn't playing on the wing. Which leads me to... 9. Che Adams. This guy is playing on the wing. Or not. I don't know. I can't see him do much of anything. What he definitely isn't doing is impacting the game out there. If only we had any wingers! 10. Adam Armstrong. His finishing went back to Premier League levels today. He does more from his wing than Che does. But he isn't a winger either. Jeez... and one of the reasons Martin wanted to leave Swansea was he wanted to buy some wingers and they wouldn't... 11. Shea Charles. Played ok. Does try to look forward. Takes some risks here and there. How can we play Smallbone, Aribo, S Armstrong and Shea Charles in the centre? Not one of them is a focal point for attack. None of them are blessed with pace. This is just tactical stupidity. The bench makes me more frustrated. 12. Edozie. A fast, pacy, tricky winger who likes to carry the ball at the defence. Isnt this what we need? Why has been frozen out? 13. Fraser. A clever, experienced winger who likes to get at his defender and play one-twos. Damn. If only Martin had some wide players. My overall point is that we are setting up to play narrow keep ball. We aren't creating chances because the system is designed to stifle THE GAME not just the opposition. I've been watching city a lot lately and they run at the opposition a lot and play a surprising number of direct passes. Since we stopped playing two wingers in an attempt to shoe-horn in players the manager likes, we have stopped having any threat. You can't pass through everything. More importantly, away from home there will be space to run into. We have nobody who can even run.
