Starting XI on 7th August

[Merrick's Marvels]

5 hours ago, JonDolman said:

We will see. Nige described O'Dowda as a key player for us. That sounds like he will be getting in the side to me. And Semenyo, well get him playing to his best and that power and pace on both flanks is just what Nige will want imo.

Would love to see it but that combination screams one thing to me - not enough end product. Both players would need seismic improvement to get in my team and I'm not sure Pearson is that much of a miracle worker. As you say, we will see.

[robin_unreliant]

3 hours ago, RalphMilnesLeftFoot said:

Bentley 

Vyner Cundy Kalas Dasilva

Williams Taylor Moore 

Semenyo Massengo Nagy

Martin. 

or 

Bentley 

Taylor Moore Cundy Kalas Dasilva

Vyner Williams 

Semenyo              Weimann

Massengo 

Wells

Loads and loads of variations and formations on top of that including 

O Leary

Simpson Kalas Dasilva

Vyner 

Williams Nagy

Massengo Palmer Semenyo

Britton or Conway

That's before any new signings. 

 

In other words, combinations of the same players who have delivered relegation form under NP. No thanks. 

[OneTeamInBristol]

1 hour ago, Merrick's Marvels said:

Would love to see it but that combination screams one thing to me - not enough end product. Both players would need seismic improvement to get in my team and I'm not sure Pearson is that much of a miracle worker. As you say, we will see.

I would have Semenyo as a good option off the bench when opposition defences are tiring as his explosiveness will cause damage.

As you've alluded to I'd be very disappointed if O'Dowda is anywhere near the starting XI. 

[Alessandro]

Fun game to play but it shows the state of the squad and how much work needs to be done this summer doesn’t it. 

[The Bard]

36 minutes ago, RalphMilnesLeftFoot said:

Fair enough. The manager picks the e team etc and our players are good enough. 

Form is temporary as they say. 

No only a few of our players are clearly good enough.  Most have only occasionally shown glimpses of being good enough which is not form, it's an indication that actually they aren't currently good enough and need to improve markedly in order to be good enough.  Some will do this if NP sees the signs they want to and are capable of the necessary improvements.  Others will be sidelined/loaned / sold (if we're lucky).

[CyderInACan]

1 hour ago, Merrick's Marvels said:

Would love to see it but that combination screams one thing to me - not enough end product. Both players would need seismic improvement to get in my team and I'm not sure Pearson is that much of a miracle worker. As you say, we will see.

Is COD coming into his last year? He's stuttered here, hasn't really delivered much consistency, 2021/22 is make or break for him. 

[OneTeamInBristol]

1 minute ago, CyderInACan said:

Is COD coming into his last year? He's stuttered here, hasn't really delivered much consistency, 2021/22 is make or break for him. 

The exact same thing has been said about him before the start of the last 3/4 seasons!

[The Bard]

1 minute ago, CyderInACan said:

Is COD coming into his last year? He's stuttered here, hasn't really delivered much consistency, 2021/22 is make or break for him. 

Someone may just be fooled into taking  COD off our hands. As long as we don't get fooled into thinking he's an investment that needs protecting and ask for a silly fee or give him another 2 years. He's got 1 year left on his contract and would free up funds for an alternative that the manager wants.

[CyderInACan]

Just now, The Bard said:

Someone may just be fooled into taking  COD off our hands. As long as we don't get fooled into thinking he's an investment that needs protecting and ask for a silly fee or give him another 2 years. He's got 1 year left on his contract and would free up funds for an alternative that the manager wants.

Yeah he must be on a good wedge for travelling with the ball for 30 yards unchallenged, only to check himself and pass 20 yards backwards. 

[GrahamC]

25 minutes ago, CyderInACan said:

Is COD coming into his last year? He's stuttered here, hasn't really delivered much consistency, 2021/22 is make or break for him. 

He signed a three year deal in 2019 with an option for a fourth, so potentially he’s here until 2023, though as the Weimann negotiations have shown, we are less inclined to simply trigger the option these days.

I do think it is a big season for O’Dowda, he shows in flashes what he is capable of (QPR away, for one) but we need far more consistent end product from him if he is to make the impression we need.

[Davefevs]

I posted this on the squad list in transfer forum:

red - contract offer made (2)

blue - never played Champ level or above (6)

yellow - played Champ level but less than 10 apps (8)

white - “senior” players (15)

 

[Davefevs]

@RalphMilnesLeftFootWhat position does Callum play for Ireland?

Of late it appears to be wide right or left, whereas the previous clamour from OTIB was to play him in central midfield, as that was where he was playing for the national side.  Has he really nailed down his “best position”?

Not being facetious, just interested in which position you see him in.  Then is that position one that we expect the NP system to contain.  If not, where does that leave Callum, or do we build the system around him.

 

[Numero Uno]

Wiles-Richards

Pearson Towler Edwards

Semenyo Massengo Scott Janneh

Bell Britton Conway

 

All born this century...........and puts a lot of defensive responsibility on Towler, Massengo and Scott.

[Davefevs]

1 hour ago, RalphMilnesLeftFoot said:

When I've seen him play for ROI he's been  Centre Mid, not seen most recent stuff out wide so cant comment on that. However you do bring in the Luke Freeman conundrum, where we played him out on the wing. many thought he was rotten, was let go, came back as a centre and got to the Prem (tl:dr)

I suspect we may have that midfielder we seem to crave for already, but he's been written off so many times by the fans and everyone else that things start to blur a little.

He's played 140 ish league games for us in 5 years and we've never really fit him in anywhere. I'd love to see him as this ball playing, shooting CM, or maybe Josh Brownhill esque role. 

If we cant work out where he plays after 5 years then we have issues (See also Vyner, Zack)

 

(Firstly, different type of player to Freeman, different circumstances too, so I’ll not bring him into the comparison!)

He (Callum) probably hasn’t played there for Ireland since 18/19 season….and then it tended to be more LCM in a CM3 (433 / 451). Of late, when he’s played for Ireland it’s been more the LF / RF role as part of a front three, albeit not rigid.

The only real CM3 we played with any regularity in his time here was last season, in the 352 “6 and two 8s”, where he played as an 8.  So difficult to compare City to Ireland.  There were a few 433s, but not many.

He came to us as a Left Winger (could operate right wing too) in a 442 at Oxford.  He’s played in a multitude of positions in different systems.  We’ve fitted him into many positions / roles.  Really difficult to evaluate if he’s made any of those positions his own, and whether that’s through lack of opportunity, lack consistency or lack of performance level.

If you canvas OTIB you’ll get a mixed answers to why.

For me, it’s less about position and more about the time he has on the ball.  Think generally he struggles against the physical, high pressing teams, and plays better against the teams that allow him a bit more time.  As the Championship has a mix of styles, he will be mixed too.

 

 

[RedRock]

Can CoD do a Bobby Reid then next season?

Sounds like Nige thinks he can.

Nige’s view makes me nervous.
 

Hopefully, CoD will surprise me. Hopefully Nige has a Plan B.

[cidered abroad]

Will any of this thread be valid come August?

We may recruit 4 to 6 and still a possible that some of those with contracts for next season will leave for others.

[Bristolisredd]

On 25/05/2021 at 18:49, JonDolman said:

Semenyo and O'Dowda on the wings please, cheers Nige

Are you on any sort of medication ?

[OneTeamInBristol]

19 hours ago, RalphMilnesLeftFoot said:

When I've seen him play for ROI he's been  Centre Mid, not seen most recent stuff out wide so cant comment on that. However you do bring in the Luke Freeman conundrum, where we played him out on the wing. many thought he was rotten, was let go, came back as a centre and got to the Prem (tl:dr)

I suspect we may have that midfielder we seem to crave for already, but he's been written off so many times by the fans and everyone else that things start to blur a little.

He's played 140 ish league games for us in 5 years and we've never really fit him in anywhere. I'd love to see him as this ball playing, shooting CM, or maybe Josh Brownhill esque role. 

If we cant work out where he plays after 5 years then we have issues (See also Vyner, Zack)

 

Not our job to 'work out' where he can play.

It's a players responsibility to make a position in the team their own. Or demonstrate they can be useful in a variety of positions and be used as a utility player.

O'Dowda has done neither in the last 5 years.

[Davefevs]

12 minutes ago, RalphMilnesLeftFoot said:

Cheers Dave, missed this yesterday, my bad. 

O Dowda was considered an attacking mid /winger by Oxford, playing behind Strikers, in keeping with that creative midfield role https://www.oufc.co.uk/news/2015/february/callum-odowda-signs-new-deal-with-oxford-united/

52/57 starts as a wide player at Oxford. Graphic below.  49/52 (57) on the left.

It's only here and then subsequently that winger  has been used more predominantly in that way afaik. 

Would a Bobby Reid role work? he's got the legs for it and the shooting. What do ya think??

Would massively depend on the team system.  Could he play like Bobby Reid did in the 460 / 451 system during those halcyon days of 17/18?  Not in my opinion.  Reid worked well in tight spaces, receiving into feet, twisting and turning, etc.  Callum works better where there’s open-ground.  That system did not allay itself to having large open spaces on the pitch….it was the exact opposite.

If I think NP is gonna play a 4231 (which has been his majority system since he’s been here), then Callum is a left sided player in that attacking 3 in front of the 2 centre midfielders.  He can switch to the right too during games, but his position imho is where I have him on my squad chart.  I don’t see him suited to any other role in that set up.

 

Bobby Reid, Zak Vyner, Tommy Rowe etc all say hello. 

We've had a habit in recent times of playing players in new positions or not where we'd expect. Management are responsible for that and if player a does what is asked in training and match then that's all they can do, even if it's not their preferred place. 

[OneTeamInBristol]

23 minutes ago, RalphMilnesLeftFoot said:

Bobby Reid, Zak Vyner, Tommy Rowe etc all say hello. 

We've had a habit in recent times of playing players in new positions or not where we'd expect. Management are responsible for that and if player a does what is asked in training and match then that's all they can do, even if it's not their preferred place. 

That just proves my point, they've all done well (very well for Bobby) in different positions or as utility players.

O'Dowda has not. He's had 5 years of average to poor performances in a multitude of positions and still not nailed down a starting place in any of them.