After listening to the banter on this site over the last 2-3 years and the negative comments posted about individual players lack of skills, poor passing ability or the inability to clean up their own messes I ask the question as to what it takes to make a team successful on the pitch? With new players already on board and the rumour mill abounding with links to certain players from here and there I wonder what the teamsheet will look like this year. Will we be constantly changing the lineup due to players not performing at the required level or will we finally have a squad that allows Derek to put out a team consistently made up of the same players week in and week out? How nice it would be to see settled squad that not only allows players to perform at their skill level and in a position that suits their individual style of play but allow them the freedom to do what they do best. If we can put out a team that is made up of players who also can fit in to a team concept and have the ability to complement their team mates rather than making them cover up for other's mistakes would be a major bonus and will generate more consistency. Looking back at previous managers many of us have asked whether they truly had the ability to size up their players and use them to their maximum advantage and you only have to think about some of the dross that arrived at Ashton Gate with no apparent purpose. Reading between the lines of the activity going on with BCFC right now I truly believe that this season holds more promise that the last 3 seasons combined because it appears to me that the pieces of the puzzle are now being found and put together in a co-ordinated manner to finish the overall picture. How nice it would be to see a City team coming out of the tunnel knowing that everyone is on the same page and that the chances of a good result are high but they will definitely need our support from the start - please get on board.
Couldn't agree more, a settled team, right footed players on the right, left footed players on the left, maybe even someone who is two footed even, the ability to break quickly with menace, and maybe even put more than three or four passes together without giving it away. Whoops nearly forgot, players who show pride in the club. Is that asking too much? given that I think we could hold our own this coming season.
I don't think so redexile and could it be the season that all the above come to pass? I used to hang my head in disbelief when yet another left sided player was brought in, when clearly we needed someone on the right. Forwards when we needed midfielders and even more forwards when we needed defenders. It appeared that our then leaders didn't know their right from their left or their ass from their elbow and we ended up with a squad that was so overloaded with types of players that we never needed in the first place. Have we finally got rid of that mentality once and for all? I really think that we may have finally got things right in the managerial department and let's hope the changes can improve our fortunes, particularly on the pitch and in the seats.
Oh I do hope so, eg. JCR? right footed who can cross well with his left? an answer to our left sided problem, never was or going to be and showed most times he played. As you say lets hope this kind of thing is behind us. I will start this season with renewed hope not just because of D Mc and his philosophy, but because I'm stupid and always feel this way at the start of any season. Onwards and upwards. Into miod-table at least and who knows?
this season looks to be one not unlike that of a well used potholed road. My honest opinion in assessing the championship this season....lower quality than the 2 seasons before, and BCFC, no where near where we need to be player wise, indeed other than possibly a lower wage bill a team no better than the best we had last season!!! Still need 3 new "headliners" front middle and back...........and with a bit of age on their side 24-28 years old........
