Most liked posts in thread: Vs PNE (football league cup)

My kids won't go to sleep so i'm piping Andy Kiwomya's co commentary into their bedrooms. Works a treat. Beats any lullabye

 

To the point but having observed some of our current players over a period of time I think we do have some VERY average footballers on our books. Just listened to Trevor Sinclair chatting about the drive and determination from within for young players to succeed in the modern game (and in this media savvy modern world for many 'fame' comes before it is earned) which is obviously essential - but it has to be married to ability and too many of our team seem to be lacking these fundamental attributes.

As a coach I know the value of motivation - both team and individual, systems of play that the players can understand and buy into, fitness and wellbeing - both physical and mental etc etc . But without individual drive and ability from your players there is a real limit to what you can achieve - you can become tougher to beat, you can maintain a shape but can you go on to win a match against the odds, to find that essential spark that can be the deciding factor. All the coaching in the world doesnt deliver that, it comes from within the players and their will to succeed and their ability that lifts them above what is going on around them.

Despite all the talk from GB about 'clean starts' and 'no baggage' I honestly think many of the players who have been with us for the past 18 months are still carrying the mental scars of what happened. And with so many of them still being at the club it would be impossible for it not to have some impact on the guys coming into the club this summer. We do look like we have recruited some good (and strong) characters (Paudie, Vaughan) but whatever Bowyer says about only having players who have the right mental strength to cope with the challenges ahead, from a psychological viewpoint I think we have too many who are 'shot' from last season. They are either struggling to release their ability as footballers or perhaps as Lord stated, some of them are just not very good and dont have it in them to make a difference. I think this is highlighted by the amount of times we pass sideways, take the easy option, run forward and then turn back when we get so far etc.

I am very frustrated by the way the season has started (as most of us are), I thought we were coming into it with some momentum, but I dont think it is time to start talking about replacing GB. We are a league 2 club and we have to accept that, and we also have to accept that turning things round is probably going to take a little longer than we would ideally like. As a league 2 club who would we attract who is better than GB and I honestly believe all the points I have made above wont go away whoever is our manager. Bowyer has made some strange decisions I admit and has so far talked the talk better than he has walked the walk, but it is obvious to me now that things will not change overnight - I just hope GB is strong enough to make some difficult calls in accepting some of the decisions he has made re players who are not quite up to it for a whole range of reasons.
Sorry this is a bit longer than intended and a bit of a waffle but hope I the points I was trying to make come through

 

Oh dear, Bowyer really is starting to like a good performer off the field but pretty lousy on it. We needed to make a fist of it tonight even if we didnt win but going down with a whimper
Bowyer has to find a perfomance on Saturday to show everyone he knows what he is doing - I am trying to stay behind him but the doubts are growing with each passing game

 

The fans that paid hard earned money at the turnstiles didn't expect a win but they sure as hell expected the manager to treat it like we wanted to win. If i'd have known his attitude to last nights game i'd have stayed at home instead of going, ironically something i wish i had done on Saturday.

 

This is my concern. I dont have a huge problem with a slow start to the season, or tempering expectations about how quickly our recovery will take, or new players needing a few games to find their feet. But the tactical choices made by Bowyer are ridiculous.

 

Pretty fair assessment that. I'd add that Wood played alright, the shot off his right foot that hit the bar was an absolute belter. I actually enjoyed watching Preston's pass and move and speed of play, i know they weren't up against much but they did a professional job out there. Its a level of football i'm unlikely to see a Bradford for a very long time so i made the most of it. A good following as well from Preston on a drab Tuesday night.
I can accept defeat as part of football and i didn't expect us to win tonight but i'm struggling to accept a manager sending a team out with no intention of trying to win the game. Playing Doyle up top on his own was a lousy thing to do to the fans and to Doyle himself, the lad has little to no confidence as it is and Bowyer has hung him out to dry for the third game running. A little bit of me is starting to lose patience, he had better give us a damn sight better result on Saturday or the faint grumblings in the crowd will quickly get louder.

 

Saw this reply on T and A site

Spot on !



1We are a fourth division team not a premiership giant so why put out a weakened team out against a championship side? . The fans paid their money to see us progress into the next round not an experimental team ,you can do this on the training pitch in your own time not ours Mr.B.

 

Scannell was our only attacking outlet, Wood tried hard and had an okay start to second half when we rallied untill they got the third! I barely noticed Devine. Him, Akpan and Anderson have to be one of the weakest midfields I've ever seen at city. It needs strengthening asap.

Wasn't expecting a win but embarrassing to see such a thrashing with complete ease by Northend. They barely broke sweat. I wanted to see us compete.

Seriously starting to doubt Bowyers tactics. Doyle on his own up front offers zero threat. Chucking in the totally inexperienced French at fullback - he's a centre back isn't he? He definitely played he wasn't used to that position and there left sided player had him on toast (French toast ha ha).

Just an awful awful game which I really wish I not bothered going to!

 

I dont mind the odd change, but making 8 changes was taking the pi55 out of the supporters who could be bothered going, and shows you what he thinks of the competition.

My biggest beef was, that despite making 8 changes, he still played Doyle and Anderson.

 

Wonder if Bowyer dares to try to motivate the fans again. It's your team mate, your tactics, your disaster. Fix it quick or pack your case. You're inspiring no one at present.

 

One thing is for sure is that we are a League Two team.

Not a Parkinson-type League Two team who can beat most teams on their day due to an ironclad format and tactics, but an actual League Two team who aren't very good.

 

Finished seventh largely due to the cup run, IMO.

 

Well just sat down and totally unimpressed by what I saw tonight.

Formation a real head scratcher.

Doyle as a lone striker? Really. He did manage to head the ball around 5 times though.

Goalkeeper-hard to judge but he did fumble an easy through ball late on under no pressure.

Tyler French dodgy first half-better second good block late on in box.

Anderson-not got a clue why he is in the team-managed to pass to PNE more than BCAFC.

AOC-stupid pass across box for their 3rd. Why the feck would you do that?

Akpan -didnt realise he was playing tonight.

Devine-drifted out and out of the game

The rest average though Longridge did better than Henley so hope he starts on Sat.

MOTM POC or Patrick (yes) when he came on. He actually ran at PNE and sort of troubled them a bit nearly causing us to score late on.

Good following from PNE fans. Maybe 800 or so?

If we dont strengthen midfield in the transfer window then I feel we are in for a looong old season.

 

Not sure what to say about that tonight. It has all been said so won’t repeat. Of course we all assumed we would lose, but I thought we would compete and put the jitters up them. They swept through us as if we didn’t exist. When we read the team sheet, my husband said are you sure that is the correct city account on Twitter. Checked again, but neither of us could believe it. My immediate reaction was he is throwing the game!

I have no idea whether we have money to spend or not, but if that is our midfield, we are seriously in a lot of trouble. Please don’t let us as a club do it again and leave a team half cooked!

I don’t understand why we would put an even weaker side out, I do understand we have to concentrate on the league, but cup matches give you income. We go in at 2 mill down at half time, and nothing. If they had told me we’re not competing and using it as a training game I would have kept my money in my pocket and stayed at home. Fans that I know are already starting to question whether we have the right manager. Players who had an ok game are P O’Connor, Wood, Scannell, Longbridge.

 

A horrible listen this, reminiscent of last season. Just hope now that PNE dont rack up a cricket score.

Its to be hoped we can come up with a win on Saturday, or Bowyer will start to feel the pressure, and the wrath of the supporters.

 

You say that but this could easily be our team for a league game.

I'm not arsed about the cup. But our midfield is a train wreck and we dont look like doing anything about it

 

Haven't we just endured a season of playing Doyle upfront on his own
that went well

 

Crewe beating boro
Lincoln beating Huddersfield
Northampton beating Swansea
Cambridge beating Brentford
Oldham beating Blackburn
Carlisle beating Barnsley

Really no excuse to field a poor team last time I looked clubs are meant to try win games

Plenty of league 1 and 2 teams beating higher oposition

 

Scannells sub made sense. Game gone. Need him fit.

 

If it is its a stupid ploy.