Carlisle away (boxing day)

well I wish I’d have picked the 0-0 in the prediction league

 

Bit of Christmas Cheer guys Preston just scored a beauty Leeds 0 PNE 1

 

That Paudie miss was shocking skied from 5 yards.

 

Leeds, Leeds are falling apart again .fans getting angry.

 

Not good enough..

Bantam Talk knows Bowyer and Rhodes need to go!

 

Who would have predicted that......

 

Yeah my fault. Comes from watching a match and texting at same time and being very long in the tooth.

 

Anybody heard what GB has said to the radio guys, on hols ATM so can't get reception.

 

For some time now I just can't listen to his whining voice, avoid his ramblings post match these days..

 

We settled on something like this earlier in the season:

-----------O'Donnell---------

Mellor--BRE--AOC--Wood

Cooke--Akpan--Pritchard

Connelly Vaughan Ismael

I'm not suggesting we should play it again man for man but in terms of set up/ personnel it was fine. 4 at the back, 3 in midfield so we don't get overrun and genuine width. A nice balance between attack and defence and we even looked half threatening playing it. The only thing it needed was better players (which we now have with the return of Reeves and Palmer) but Bowyer seems to have ditched it entirely for a system that doesn't work in the slightest. Go back to it, recruit a couple of wingers who can supply Vaughan and we're onto a winner. There really is no need to over complicate it but we know Bowyer will do just that.

 

Any hear bowyer interview after the game? I’m at the in-laws and couldn’t get it on the radio, interested to hear what he has to say.

 

He says he is frustrated, but was taking heart from the point and not conceding. Illness is a factor but he says a few are playing through it!!” Can’t think of anything else apart from him saying that we are getting chances but not putting them away!” Right I think we worked that one out.

 

I personally don’t agree with players who have a nasty virus playing or training. They are all healthy fit men and complete rest for approximately a week, will bring players back quicker as your body needs to rest so it is able to fight the virus. Going out for a nice walk, no hills when they feel better, but certainly no running.

 

When we appointed JOHN Docherty we thought we were on to a winner, a disciple of John Beck, someone with a successful proven system. Unfortunately it was just hoof ball, long diagonal punts to Phil Babb on the left and Sean McCarthy on the right. Beck took Cambridge up two divisions with it but by the time Docherty arrived at VP it was played out. I don’t blame Docherty: we appointed him knowing that was the way he was always going to play. My point is that rightly or wrongly he had a system or as they now say pretentiously a philosophy, clearly implemented and drilled. I am still waiting for Mr Bowyer to let us know what his preferred system is. He began with 433, then under pressure went to 442 and then to 352. He did say in the summer he wanted speedy wingers. So why play 352? I am not sure he really does know what he ideally wants.

 

As frustrating as some of the most recent performances have been, we simply can't afford to start chopping and changing managers at this stage of the season when we are still on course for a top seven finish, it's far too risky and given that this is Bowyer's squad it's more likely to make things worse than make them better.

There are a few on here, they know who they are, who have been against Bowyer's appointment since day one and they waste no time calling for his sacking. Forget losing and playing poorly, merely not winning is justification to sack him in their eyes. Be careful what you wish for.

 

personally feel we already have the quality out wide already at the club. Don’t need any more but to play with width

 

Not trying to defend Bowyer but we did hit both the post and the crossbar, and as bad as Paudies tackle was last week against Salford that free shot from 5 yards was a shocker.

 

Lack of goals beginning to become a real concern. Our injuries and then this sudden bout of illness is challenging for any manager and I’m very much on Bowyers side. However we have a squad well worthy of beating any team in this league on its day so results like the past two start to feel a disappointment.

Two home games now provide the chance to pick things up, ahead of a big game at Swindon. Two home wins and win away and I’m confident everyone’s frustrations will start to ease - including mine.

 

Patrick scores