Given the gameplans that Malky has set out so far this season, is the striker role at the club a bit irrelevant at the moment? Fraizer and Odem have been used in the absence of Cornelius, and are much the same sort of player on the face of it. Neither are really "hold-up" merchants and rely on other players around them to be of their best. You could say that Maynard/Mason could be given a shot at it. Both were on the bench at Norwich and neither used. One of them would also surely lose that bench spot if Cornelius begins to figure, so why not ring the changes up front? Our current tactics either require a Cornelius type player or someone who could pick up those half chances that come up now and again. For me, I'd give Maynard a shot at it. Admittedly he's less physical than Fraizer, but quicker off the mark and has much quicker reactions when the ball breaks loose. I'd like to see him play with Mutch further forward as provider. The little guy can score from nothing - and let's face it, we're getting "nothing" at the moment.
Problem was Mackay erred with his original team selection and had to use 2 subs earlier than expected to shore up midfield. Unsure why Bellamy came on. He did nothing again. maybe in answer to your question, when Cornelius is fit, City can play 4-4-2 with Campbell feeding off him but that needs a decent crosser of the ball from the flank as well as better balls from the back. Taylor got in some useful balls last season but never passes the halfway line any more, T-C cannot cross and City's wide man are too slow.
Nin - You're right about KTC - his crossing on Saturday was diabolical. I hope that first game he played at Hull didn't flatter him.
He needs someone to cross to though and we had.............................................................???????????????????????? Campbell is not a player to win crosses sent across more than 6 ft off the ground. Not a criticism just a statement of fact. That is not his game. He needs quick ball, on the ground, into the channels and Kimbo and Whitts are the guys to do it. When they have the ball in the right area rather than tracking back, having to defend, which is not really Kimbo's game hence him being hooked at half time.
Interestingly, the sort of player we could do with at the moment is Bothroyd. At least he'd hold the ball up back to goal.........then sit on arse with his hands in the air. Maybe not.
Hmmm, I don't think he is doing anything at the moment. He should write a book - How to shoot yourself in the foot From the day he won his England cap his career nose dived. Bothroyd in his best days with us would be an asset - provided we gave him the ball in the right places.
Anyone think Malky's decision to tinker with midfield roles could be a contributing factor to problems upfront? Gary was way too deep at Carrow Road protecting the back four. Clearly he's not happy being reigned back which exposed a lot of space in the middle of the park.
For him to push up we need to play a higher back line and I can't see that happening any time soon. However, that is the tactic which will enable us to close down the opposition, push our midfield further forward and give our attackers more support. I saw another stat from the weekend about how Spurs' high back line has made them one of the meanest teams in conceding goals (5), second only to Southampton (3) who also employ the same tactic. In theory this should also result in the team scoring more. Spurs have scored 9 (only 1 more than us) and Southampton 10 so that part doesn't seem to work that well. You also need quick, agile defenders so perhaps not best suited to us then?
With the players we have out wide the opposition can push up and stop us on half way, we have no pace wide which is so simple to counteract. Would have liked to see Harris being give some game time (before his loan) just to push the fullback into his own half and at least give them someone with pace to worry about.
Would like to see Noone given a chance. He will run at defenders and stay outwide. At the moment we're not really playing with any proper wide men. Whitts is best through the middle and personally i prefer bellamy up front.
Harris has started last 2 for Brentford and got an assist for their winning goal on Saturday: - "Jonathan Douglas fed the ball on to Trotta and he had room to turn, he found Kadeem Harris on the right and then headed for the box in time to volley home as the winger skipped past Ryan Woods and delivered an inch perfect cross. Read more at http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk/fixtures-results/match-report/index.aspx?matchid=3631272#gxmqSt3cvIXQAEj7.99" Looks like he's doing well at that level. No sign of Nugent, not even on bench recently.
Southampton & Spurs though have any number of skilful and pacy players to go forward on the break. City sadly have none. This has to be rectified in the January window. Mackay's squad is too pedestrian, with players being more industrious rather than game changers. If that gets us over the 40 points line all good and well, but a whole season watching us on the back foot is hard going - PL or not, it is about entertainment. I want to see some exciting football played by City. B y all means keep it tight but City do need some flair players to ignite the season.
The pace thing (or lack of) has been a bone of contention at the club for many years now. Players like Conway and Tommy Smith are never going to beat their man on the outside, and it seems Malky doesn't rate the likes of Noone and Harris good enough to chose despite them having it. Bellamy had it, but now looks as though he hasn't any more, Odem has also seen better days pacewise, and the least said about Whitts the better. Pace in center midfield is little if any better. Gunnar, Cowie are hardly greased lightning though both work very hard. Maynard is the quickest we have off the mark, and a yard or two quicker in terms of thought than most as well. Not necessarily over a long distance, but off the last defender's shoulder, he can be a handful. I fear we're in for a lot more of the same. Picking up points and nearing the mythical "40 point" Holy Grail is the way unless some serious cash is spent in January. Will Tan sanction such an outlay to ensure (as much as you can) Prem survival, or will he risk all in allowing Malky to play the cards he's already got?
The way we are playing at the moment we should put an extra man in midfield and play without a striker. Atleast the opposition would get fewer chances that way.
I was talking about Maynard on the weekend. I really like the look of him even though he's had so few chances to show what he can do. I think his movement is far superior to FC (who does work very hard in fairness to him). I don't think PO or FC are good with their back to goal so we might as well try Maynard, he'll pose a threat in behind with the intelligence of his movement. Don't think it will happen though.
Like West Ham. Problem is who do we have like Morrison and Nolan? Or Messi...... as it was Barca who started it. They are the players that make the 4-6-0 work. I suppose Mutch would be the closest and you could play PO wide for goal threat. It does cause the opposition problems as their CB's are redundant half the time
Like I said in the OP, Maynard with Mutch playing further forward as a provider through the middle would be a class pairing. Maynard doesn't want it on his head so the lack of pacey wide men would be less of a problem. Straight down the middle with Maynard doing the diagonal channels between the two penalty area tram lines could be the best option with what we've got.
Playing Maynard before Campbell would make little difference. Our problems are lack of pace and poor displays from the central midfield as a unit. Firstly Medel is not really playing as a central midfielder. Hes more a less a 3rd centre half (where he plays for Chile). Whittingham looks poor out wide and spends most of his time playing as a left back covering Taylor. Malkys tactics - lose the ball and get 9 man behind the ball and drop deep with more or less 9 men in our own box making it difficult for the opposition to score. Problem then is we have no pace to counter and only Mutch in the middle who is comfortable on the ball. Bellamy has to come in - wide right. Then we have the midfield 3. Medel has to play more advanced. Mutch has to play. The 3rd player? Gunner - No way!. Cowie looks more comfortable than Gunner at this level and wouldn't let us down. Bring back Ralls? No for the match v Swansea id have to play Whitts. Even though we would be defensively weak on the left id bring in Noone. If we keep playing the way we have we may as well not play anyone up front. I wouldn't mind if we were negative and at least passed it well. But our passing was below League 2 standard. Play that way Sunday we could be hammered. Even Bony may look good.
