Match Thread Most liked posts in thread: Home V Grimsby Saturday 10th April @ 3.00pm

Not asking for all singing and dancing for 90 minutes, just a wander up over the halfway line now and then...

 

Funny how the nay-sayers want entertaining now. In times past when City have lost but have played well, anyone posting satisfaction with the performance are roundly put down. Winning is what it's all about - right?

 

And that is the issue .Our more direct ,enegetic and creative midfielders are missing from the squad and even ones that might not be starters Pritchard and Ismael have hardly kicked a ball all season. That is what is dictating the current style, the lack of quality and depth in midfield. Evans, clarke , AC are just about adequate individually , but not as a complete midfield . Kian Scales could be decent , but as yet is too inexperienced . The sooner we get Cooke and Sutton back the better. I also see Vernon and Crankshaw as out and out wingers, rather than central midfielders.

 

It's been a season squashed into 2 games a week - we've done fantastic from rock bottom to a hopeful play off push - some teams (above us) are starting to implode with the pressure and fatigue of it.

 

I think Sutton is still underestimated by many. It's not all about the pressing. He can beat a man, has an eye for a killer pass in the final third and can also finish. Now obviously he doesn't do all of these things all of the time or else he wouldn't be playing for us, but he can make things happen when he plays. To me our main issue is the lack of movement in possession. The team against Grimsby were just too static

 

Can we just start well? That would be lovely.

 

Am I correct in thinking that’s due to the dropping of Hornsby.

If I were a defender for us right now , I’d be thinking the opposing teams have us sussed. Set pieces and corners , we know the keeper won’t come out , let’s hope for a clean header or a loose ball?

That’s exactly what Grimsby will do! It doesn’t take a great deal of skill to play that way. Remember Wimbledon a long time ago? They had great success at it, yet they were never ever seen as a skillfull football side.

 

We scored 4 in one match though and let's be honest, we didn't score those 6 from like 20 shots on target. If it were 10 shots on target I'd be surprised. We've had an amazingly high conversion rate in the last few games. We're not really creating loads of clear cut chances.

 

I think with ROD it’s just bad decision making. And because he suffers from this trait, then our centre backs do too. ROD should decide if he’s a puncher or not, and stick to that decision. Then it’s clear whose ball it is in the 6 yard area. It’s his indecision which is costing us goals. Look what happened to Allison when he lost his regular centre backs at Liverpool. Everyone needs to know the tactic and be familiar with it.

 

But...it should always be down to the goalie to organize his box. If he's not utterly forthright about what he wants, who should be where and who should 'go' first, then it's a bit of a dog's breakfast. Which it has been sometimes with ROD. Less so with Hornby. With him between the sticks, the defensive unit seemed so much more sure about what their roles were and who should go for what.

 

Just wanted to say, isn't it nice to have a match to look forward to for the first period of time in several years?

Whether we end up winning or not it's so much nicer to wake up looking forward to the match rather than dreading how badly we'll play and potentially lose by.

 

Wouldn't do season tickets sales any harm either.

 

Bedroom wall colour on the commentary now. Kind of sums up the football. Reminds me of the ex wife. She always used to comment on the state of the ceiling coving whilst we were making love.

 

No width in this team.

You can throw a blanket over Donaldson, Clarke, Evans.

I have no idea what the plan is for scoring a goal. Seemingly no willingness to take the game to them. This is poor.

They'll be ahead shortly and then plan B will be chucking on Vernham and Crankshaw to run around like headless chickens and try and make something happen.

 

Absolute rubbish, Clarke is a waste of space. Waiting for the Grimsby goal here. Wrong selection today.

 

Gameplan seems to be hoof it and hope the defense makes a mistake.

 

As a squad we are slipping badly into old habits. Of the 11 today, 9 were of the McCall erathink...

It lacked pace, press and quality under McCall, so my question is why have we gone back to the old script?

 

Thanks Payne and Grimsby.

We needed your help!

 

Go on Felipe!

 

Agent Morais strikes!