Most liked posts in thread: Home V Morecambe 01.01.2020

Do you watch the games? Every time he got the ball he had zero options, literally zero every time, no movement no willingness to receive the ball.

 

Not for me.

Play our best available team and get the win. We aren't even close to being good enough to start being arrogant and rotating our squad.

 

Only you can call out our manager, and mention the top 3 positions in the same post.

If Bowyer isn't the answer, then why are the autos a distinct possibility?

Yes, the performances of late haven't been good enough, but we are very much in the Auto mix. Every club has a blip throughout the season, and i believe that this is currently ours. Yet, we are still turning the points over, and never look like being beaten convincingly. I actually don't recall any of our defeats this season being by more than 1 goal.

Bowyer has made us very difficult to beat, with a solid defense. This is the recipe for success in the lower leagues, and complete contrast to last season. For that i applaud Bowyer for turning that around, with the shower of a squad he inherited.

He stated before the end of last season that it would take atleast 2 transfer windows for him to turn the squad around, so how about we allow him that? There are obvious holes that need filling in, in which to play a fluid style of football, with the current squad, and players available. But lets be fair to Bowyer, he has had just 1 transfer window.

From where we were last season, with the gutless, and completely inept performances and results, i think the turnaround has been better than most expected at this stage. Most would have taken our league position at this stage, at the start of the season. We were never going to smash this division given the player turnover that was required closed season, and to expect that is plain silly.

Some of our fans really have delusions of grandeur, which really do not help the club, and heightens peoples expectations to being unrealistic.

Do i expect better performances, yes. Can the performances improve, for sure. But if you're asking me if Bowyer is the right man, absolutely he is, and we are heading in the right direction, which is more than i can say about the club before he took over. Before he came in we were on a one way trip to non league.

 

Palmer was bloody awful today. He set the tone for an awful game today.

How just did he survive 90 minutes?

 

What we had today was a back five who played the ball around among themselves and then gave a pass to a deep midfielder, usually Reeves who gave it back to them. This went on for a bit and then Henley or Wood might make a little foray, then backtrack and give it to Reeves who looked around, came under a bit of pressure and gave it back to the defence. No one looking for space in midfield, no one looking to beat a man and drive forward, the front two miles away and miles apart, no pace whatsoever in anything we did. Occasionally Connolly got the ball in a wide position and tried to make something of it, because that's where he's most comfortable, but then there was only an outnumbered Vaughan in the box. I can honestly say that I had no idea how they thought they might score, and I don't think they knew either. In and amonst there were speculative long balls and numerous passes that went to the opposition or into touch. The most mindnumbing attempt at football I've seen in a long while. Then, finally, we go to 4-4-2 and at last we look a bit of a threat. Not much, because old habits die hard, but enough to get a scrappy goal.
And our manager thinks we played very well.

 

Like pulling teeth. We clearly do nothing in training that resembles attacking patterns of play.

Theres no movement. Vaughan and Conelly miles apart.

Morecambe, bottom of the league, playing 1 up front and we have 5 at the back with 2 holding midfielders. Pathetic.

 

I'm all for a means to an end ie 3 points at any cost, but I can't and won't try to defend that first 60 minutes, Bowyer had the players on the bench why not start them, we looked far better with 4-4-2.

 

No it's not. Weve just watched 2 of the dullest games I've ever seen at VP. 2 wins, great. League position looks good. But theres nothing enjoyable about watching the way we play. Its soul destroying, anti football, and for some fans, a level of entertainment comes into why we go to watch games.

 

Bang on! I want out of this league ASAP. I/we have no idea as to the extent of how the recent illness or injuries have really impacted the whole squad. Bowyers managing a busy period and conceded one goal in December. Pretty or not, I’ll take it and provides confidence ahead of Swindon.

 

I've just paid £80 for the last two games, l fully understand that some just want a City win regardless, l am not one of them. You would have to give me a free ticket to go again, plus at least £50 compensation too. I walked away thinking £80 is 40 pints in Spoons. I've had zero entertainment & zero value for money.

 

Bore them to death and appear weak, then hit them with the surprise double sub and formation change

Bowyer is a genius

 

I feel for Reeves. He has no options when he's on the ball.

 

How Palmer gets in before Cooke is mind boggling

 

Firstly well done to the back 5 for shackling Morecambe’s one up front !!!!!!!!!

Secondly what is the point playing McCarten when all we do is bypass the area of the field he’s occupying. That said he was terrible on the ball

Thirdly, Cooke a shoe in before Palmer, Palmer and Reeves too similar and Palmer is rubbish anyway

Finally we have a genuine out and out winger in Connelly who when moved out wide frightened them to death, just leave him there.

Mr Bowyer.. it really is that simple to sort

Oh and I would sign a new right back in Jan

 

Bit hard on Ellison mate, still playing at nearly 41, when he came on at there place earlier in the season they nearly pulled a 2 goal deficit back.
Over the years he's another player who always seems to raise his game against us, not sure he can do 90 minutes now thought.

 

I can't see us getting 5 penalties in one game.

 

4th in the league and talk of us being in a false position are now looking a bit silly.

it’s dull. Make no mistake but we are 4th and with a chance to recruit now open again, we are in with a great chance of going back up at the first opportunity.

people saying hope we lose so he goes? Why? We can be boring and losing but we are not. Let’s get up and out of this league and then we can look at recruiting a decent squad and maybe a manager who delivers this “free flowing football”

 

The very moment we change to 442, with wingers (not full backs being played as wingers) we instantly find a balance in the side! Real width and attacking intent, and we get the goal. Not just that but we start creating chances. Players doing simple tasks well, in positions theyre comfortable width. No over complication. If this isnt the wake up call for Bland Bowyer then I dont know what is. This formation simply HAS TO BE EMPLOYED against every other team other than the very best sides in the league, I'd understand more if we try and contain Swindon away at their place on Saturday with more in midfield, maybe Crewe (a real footballing side) but theres no excuse for anything other than 442 against all other sides, because that's how we play our best game

 

Truly awful to watch until the substitutions were made and then frustrating to think how much easier and more convincing the win could have been had we started like that. Like you say, a win is a win and they are all welcome but we aren't half making a meal of it.