Manager or Players?

I'd say both. Each part lets us down sometimes, sometimes both do. We can be very good, but we have trouble maintaining that level within a match, let alone match to match.

GA has been with us for 46 league matches now, with a record of 20-12-14. 72 points is perhaps not bad...if your goal is, say, 6th to 10th. Often you'll get into one of the last playoff spots, but it won't be inspiring. Another problem is that, so far, the team has regressed. In his 30 matches last year we were at a comfortable playoff pace in most seasons, 1.63 ppm or 75 total. This season, however, we are going at 1.44, or 66 total, the lowest total for a playoff side, ever. And it's only happened once.

Note that I haven't even bothered talking about the auto-promotion slots. No point as we currently stand. "We need change and we need it fast, before promotion's just part of the past..." as Joey Ramone almost sang.

RCB

 

I went digging into the teams stats so far this season to see if there's anything glaringly wrong. Were 8th in the league, 9th in the form table (over 8 games), 8th in the home table, 11th in the away table, 8th for goals scored, 10th for goals conceded. We are a bit better than average side so far. But digging down into them a bit more, some issues do pop up.

One thing, we just aren't getting out the gates for the second half. As it stands, we have yet to score within the first 15 minutes of a second half, only us and Morecambe with that record, we have conceded 3 in that window too. Second halves as a whole, we have scored 8 goals this season, with only Harrogate and Tranmere scoring fewer. First 45s, only MK and Chesterfield have outscored us in the firsts and we are the only team yet to concede between minutes 31 and 45+. So whatever is said before kick off is working, whatevers the tone at HT just isn't.

As shown in the tables, in the first half table we are joint top with Chesterfield and Barrow, with us winning 7 and drawing 5 games at HT. In the second half table, we are 13th, with us being the better side in the second 45 minutes just 3 times from 16 games. But we have drawn out 10 of our 16 second halves, maybe the bench just doesn't have what it takes to positively change a game? Of our 7 games we've gone into HT leading, we have gone on to win 6. Whereas with our 4 games we have gone into HT losing, we have lost 3 and gained a draw from a losing position.

On goals, us and Cheltenham are a good spot for a both teams to score bet, as we are tied for the most at 12 of 16 games having both sides score in the match. Clean sheets are a big problem, only 3 teams with fewer clean sheets than us this season so far. Another worry that doesn't need spelling out to any City fan, scoring goals without Andy Cook. His 9 so far is from an xG of 6.4. Our teams xG as a whole is 13th at 17.6, Cook is taking up over a third of our teams expected output, and he's outperforming what he should be doing, but he needs some help. We are only a third into the league but this cant last, you cant get promoted if you aren't creating chances and we just aren't at a promotion level.

 

Mr Alexander been moonlighting?

 

Think GA has really got the team playing for him now, playing players in their best position and doing a great job with the players at his disposal.

 

For the first time since the Parky era we are a team in the real sense of the word. Yes we have decent individuals but our strength is in our togetherness which ever 11 he picks

 

Has mentioned he stumbled onto a tactic without Cooke man. It’s working but if we had kep the players we got rid off we would have struggled..the filler ins are much better quality. Sarc is a leader and warrior and he is bringing out the best in Bobby. Also Smallwood mentors Bobby too. Love it. Thought two games up next and it’s tight at the top but feeling okay jut it all… onwards

 

Sorry this is wrong. The team that Stuart got to the playoffs final was as tight as any team I've seen city, you only had to see them at the POTY awards to see how close a unit they were.

 

Yes, the team that went all season unbeaten at home in league1. Even moneybags Birmingham and Wrexham won’t achieve that.

 

Love this

 

We constantly hear from opposition commentators and on TV about how well organised we are as a team. That's no fluke

 

Well pleased with where we are. Unlike some, however, not entirely sure it is from design. But I will take it and hope that it can be maintained and built upon.

 

100% not by design, we don’t have a ‘plan’ , we’ve got lucky but so be it, that’s what we needed.

 

Every team at this level needs that little bit of luck. So many designs get changed when being constructed just like a winning football team.

 

MKD have a plan ? Anyone?

 

Just arrived back from London. That win was undoubtedly on the players tonight

 

Maybe this thread can serve as a reminder for patience with managers and that a season is 10 months long, not 3 (though I shan't hold my breath!)

 

Don’t think there is any doubt without all the early season injuries to key players we would have a nice cushion in the automatics by now

 

Injuries aside, which we were "unlucky" with them all being at once, I will say again it's amazing what playing round pegs in round holes can do - lucky or not

 

That’s caused by the “injuries aside” . It’s virtually impossible to have three players of equal calibre available for every position . If two players , playing / covering one position become injured or lose form then someone will have to fill it . I repeat we ain’t Man City who can call on three internationals for one position. It’s a fact of life in L1/2 where limited playing budgets are the norm .