The joke is Hawk, that this is not rocket science; it is what any young footballer should learn at ten years of age, yet we have seasoned professionals in our squad who have been unable to operate the basics for several seasons. It does not show them in a good light and neither does it say a lot for our last four managers before SO'D. And if SO'D persists with those who shall be unnamed, I will join him with those other four.
To be fair to S O'D he did manage to get Fontaine and Nyatanga playing fairly well for a while but like I've said before if he can get us promoted with those two and kilkenny in the team he really will be able to walk on cider.
I will eat a very big helping of "Humble Pie" if we get anywhere near the top six if our central defenders in the team each game, include Fontaine. And Carey or Tanga if they decide to stay.
We were better organised under SoD I would like to remind people of the other 5 seasons that Liam Fontaine played for us - yes, he had a poor season last year, but was playing not fully fit and out of position. PLEASE let's get behind our players
Always seen Fontaine as a bit of a weak link-I dont know how many of the 80 goals we conceded last year were down to him, but it must have been quite a few- Every neutral that I have brought as a guest to AG with me, has usually singled him out as well.They usually comment about our midfield, or lack of it more so.
These attacks on Liam Fontaine does are club no good at all...I fully agree with you smh...GET BEHIND THE PLAYERS, it's called support & can only benifit the team. COYR's!
Sorry neither Fontaine or Kilkenny inspire any confidence in me at all season after season we blamed McCombe, McAllister, McGivern for the problems but there was one common factor Fontaine he doesn't cover well for other players and he gets brushed aside too easily for my likeing (I was a defender full back and CB when the team needed it) I was always taught if the forward you are marking does not respect you he will get extra confident and run rings round you, go in and tackle early and show who is boss. Fontaines style of play is to hang back from the players and react to what they do the better defenders make the forwards react to what they are doing and have to think about ways of getting past them.
5 years eh, he has been with us to long, he played like a selfish donkey, yes he did improve slightly when a new manager joined, I wonder why, move him out his time is up, see if GJ wants him at Yeovil...?
I was watching the 08/09 season on DVD few weeks back.. and suprise suprise most of the goals came from a faultaine mistake.out of position, lack of strength and poor pace.. I'd nearly go as far and say he's one of the main reasons why we're in league 1, but I know it was a team effort Time to move on, quickly
Fontaine was fine for seasons. Defending is collective. Reckon Keown would want to tear city's midfield last season a new one. The defenders often get slagged off when it's the fault of a midfield player simply not being arsed to go tight or goallside e.g Bolton, Charlton, millwall ...the best can defend front to back look at players like Rush or Bellamy ( yes him). That's what you want as Mr Happy says players doing one and a half jobs. Team game.
All for getting behind the team but it does need to be two way-Fontaine often appeared as though he didnt care last year as did a few others.
Crosses last season were not such a problem. He is talking about getting mobile, on the toes, all good v a diagonal ball, but if runners are not tracked as they were not last season "monthly" it is of little use. City s achilles heel last season was the opposition flooding through midfield creating 2 v 1 v defenders. They didn't get clever either often it was shipping the ball straight through a porous middle knowing City didn't drop off. The defensive powerhouse he played for had a flat lines of fours, players in midfield who dropped off into shape religiously. BCFC 2012 did not get close to that team ethic.
Getting on your toes and mobile does not just apply to crosses it is the same for players bearing down on you if you stand flat footed and wait for them to arrive they are dictating what is going to happen and all you are doing is reacting OK 76 and all that is a long time back but I can remember defenders since then who wouldn't allow forwards to dictate to them they were going to defend. Also I agree with what you said about the midfield, Kilkenny's balletic leaps to get away from having to tackle would have shamed Nijinski with their power height etc. However thats the solution ship Kilkenny off to the Bolshoi they can pay his wages and we can get someone in the midfield as a stopper.
Just the Aussie who did not play so much!!! Line these up Orr - Sproule and Mccallister - Mcindoe. How much space did they leave? think about the space left last season in front of the back four. Different worlds of defending there.
