Kibs

The audio makes for very uncomfortable listening 

Brilliant, brilliant player. Remember watching him in pre season against Bournemouth (then Premier league) 3 or 4 years ago and thinking he must be really close. 
 

Glad a City manager has finally believed in him and he’s taken his opportunity with both hands. Let’s not forget he’s also playing Centre Back!!

11 hours ago, Davefevs said:

That’s kind of how I look at things.  We can’t afford to have players like Tomas Kalas across each defensive position, we are having to “make do”, being frugal with our ongoings.  That means you have to make do, have a few sub-optimal players, squad players if you like.

Zak has been a bit unfortunate.  Started the season at RB hopefully looking to make that “his position”.  I actually thought he did fine there, but a change of system has meant he’s had to play in the back three.  I don’t think he’s physical enough to play there, and I don’t see him overcoming that.  Like Taylor Moore, neither appear to have that in their locker…and you need it to play centre-back at Champ level.

He offers us versatility too.  He offers that versatility on the cheap too.

If we can improve on him, then fine (within the financial constraints)…just like any player, but we are so keen to label a player “league one”, Zak has now played 100 games at this level.  He may not be the best player in our squad, but posters are keen to pick up any mistake, very few credit him when he does good things.

 

Also, let’s not forget most teams in our division have players that make up the squad who aren’t as good as the first choice eleven, but without them, you’re a bit stuffed when there are injuries.

What’s frustrating is that I think he has all of the physical and technical attributes to be really good. 

Concentration and lack of confidence are what kills him. Wish he would believe in himself abit more.

27 minutes ago, Shaun Taylor said:

Based on today's game and putting the result to one side how many of the Huddersfield players would you sign based on their individual performance?

14 players, the coaches, the physio and the Manager.

Oh and don’t forget the owner, we don’t want our owner anymore either. 

Confidence. Or lack of.

Vyner has all the technical and physical attributes to be good enough at this level. Strength, quick enough, good feet, can pass. He’s looked excellent with the ball at his feet  in one or two games in the holding midfield role. Very poor in others. 

What he lacks is assertiveness, aggression, and self belief……and that is going to prevent him improving and being really effective at this level. 

Many a good player technically has fallen down in terms of mentality, and I fear he’s going to be another. We’ve also seen many less technically good players who have made it just because they DO have the right mental attributes.

1 hour ago, Davefevs said:

Exactly, it’s bollocks….it’s rhetoric to suit a changing personal opinion that Pearson isn’t the man.  It’s all about trying to justify that change.

Easier to say, “I no longer think Nige is the man” than guesswork about motivation, half-time instruction, training ground dribbling discouraged etc, but when asked have no evidence for those comments, just personal opinion.

There is no harm in changing minds….I think it’s healthy to review, reflect and if you think it’s different, change your mind.

But how can anyone evidence it if they’re not watching training every day?

The only thing we can go on is performances on a Saturday. The same things could be levelled at you for your view. You’re almost assuming the quality of training is okay and but the performances on a Saturday are crap and it’s the players fault. The confidence is rock bottom - we now look like we did last season when Pearson couldn’t turn it around. 

I don’t know what the answer is, but I cannot believe that the players are as bad and unorganised as they are currently showing. 

You saw Ismael come into Barnsley  (I’m not saying that’s “the standard” btw) and they had looked poor. Suddenly they have an identity, a clear way of playing. You knew within weeks what the plan was. 

I just don’t feel that with Pearson. I don’t even know what sort of team we are trying to be. He’s had enough games to stamp some sort of identity.
 

I really thought that as a minimum, despite the shite he’s inherited, Pearson would make us organised, hard to beat and unpleasant to play against…..but it’s actually the polar opposite. 

This group of players are very average, but they are better than they are currently showing and Pearson is responsible for that. 

12 hours ago, Kid in the Riot said:

I still think he's probably the best person available to turn this mess around, and let's be honest it was a huge mess. Our league position flattered us last season and Pearson was quite right in saying that had the season gone on another 10 games we'd have gone down.

However, it's not just his record here: played 28, won 6, drawn 8, lost 14.

It's Watford: played 22, won 7, drawn 5, lost 10

It's Leuven: played 56, won 18, drawn 15, lost 23

It's Derby: played 14, won 3, drawn 5, lost 6

Those appointments span the last 6+ years and in each job he's lost more games than he's won. I haven't totalled it, but I'm guessing Pearson's last 120 games or so in charge of a football club wouldn't make for pretty reading. There's about 34 wins there I think.

There is a nagging doubt in my mind as to whether we've got this manager in too late and his best years, which were at Leicester 2011-15, starting over 10 years ago, are behind him. 

I agree. Was going to start a similar thread myself.

My doubt is not necessarily just around Pearson either. I know he has a very difficult job on his hands and that he has done a great job behind the scenes in terms of bringing everybody together, but I'm starting to have a little nagging doubt around what is happening on the training ground.

What really frustrates me is that whilst performances have been slightly better than last season (lets be honest, the only way was up), after 28 games and a pre-season behind him, I STILL have no idea as to what sort of team we are trying to become. What do we spend each day working towards?

You look at most teams in the Championship, and you know what you are going to get whether it is high intensity, high press, physical/direct, looking to moving the ball through the thirds etc.....but City under Pearson, I STILL have absolutely no idea. It's like it's just left to the players.

We are just so passive. It's still seems like we are going out with no game plan at all and no long term direction of working towards a consistent way of playing. I'm by no means saying that this should be in place now, but there should at least be some signs of what sort of team we are trying to become. How can you even recruit properly if you don't know what you want to be?

Pearson has stated on a number of occasions that he see's himself as somebody who "Manages people", and not necessarily someone who coaches. That concerned me a little the first time I heard it.

The team have lacked direction and intent on the pitch for so long, so with the same people coaching (other than Fleming), we probably shouldn't be surprised that we are seeing the same failings on the pitch. 

Bakinson is one of the only “Passenger” type players left at the club and the sooner he’s gone, the better. 

Nothing worse than seeing a player seemingly “shattered” and unable to track back/get goal side but suddenly seem to find their legs when attacking. 

You’ve got to be exceptional to get away with that, and he definitely isn’t exceptional.

I can’t believe his team mates let him get away with it tbh. 

If we had another Semenyo on the other side, who could gain so much territory with ease, take opponents out of the game with his running, brush full backs aside, we’d be laughing.

2 years ago when he came on in a home game, I slaughtered him because he looked disinterested....but this season, he’s one of the few positives for me. 

He’ll go on to better things if his mentality is right. Strength, pace, touch. An absolute nightmare for defenders.

Well played Antoine

It’s about so much more than just watching the game for me, I’d have no interest at all In going and probably won’t until we are back at full or near to full capacity.

LLLDDLLL

We've scored what, 5 goals in the last 8 games? Haven't scored more than once in any of them. Have had the least shots at goal in the entire division! 

It's quite shocking really. What an opportunity we had with the break to regain some confidence, get people fit and mount a push for the play-offs. Wasted. 

3 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Knew I should've put my mortgage on Boro to win today after seeing our line-up ffs

Yep. I’ve defended him but he deserves everything he’s gonna get after the selection today. Bonkers. Completely bottled it IMO. Signs a quality left back on loan from Chelsea.....Picks Pisano cause he’s taller.

We’ve got to keep believing in what we’re doing he said.....

I’m truly astonished if he’s playing Pisano at CB after Tuesdays showing. He looked completely lost and completely uncomfortable in that position. Didn’t know which way to turn, where to be and struggled to deal with the physicality of the Plymouth forwards.

And what the hell has Eliasson done wrong? 

I’m not quite sure what some people expect from a mid-table Championship team that has just sold over £25m worth of players but I was happy enough with the performance.

City completely controlled the game away from home and if it wasn’t for a ridiculous 3 minute spell of sucidal defending, I think we’d have won. 

Tempo could have been better first half and we certainly lack the threat and presence of Diedhiou but there were some good performances. Bolton defended well and in numbers making them hard to break down. 2 teams make a game btw, some people don’t seem to get that it’s not just City that dictate the flow of a match. Bolton must have committed about a foul every few minutes today.

Surprised at some of what I’m reading. Maybe my expectations are lower than others this year. 

It's a good point for sure and really pleasing to pick up another away clean sheet.

If we beat Bolton (which I don't think will be as easy as some seem to think), it will turn todays good point, into a fantastic point.

COYRs.

Seen plenty of their fans on Twitter giving us praise for our football (particularly start of 2nd half) and the fact that we went there for the 3 points.

Wigan have kept 4 clean in their last 6 games. Our goals have dried up somewhat - can't think why! 

1-0 Wigan.

10 minutes ago, DessieBoySWFC said:

This is true, it's been a slow start to the season for us, but signs are we're finding our feet & starting to play some of the football that brought us (relative) success last year.  We weren't at the races first 15 yesterday, Wigan came at us hard and the usually reliable Tom Lees was having a shocker. But after that, Wigan sat back, tried to defend a 1-0 lead for 85 minutes and were timewasting from the 10th minute. This allowed us to get our act together and once we'd got a deserved equaliser it was like a game of attack v defence second half.  Fletcher grabbed his first of the season, Forestieri looked up for it for the first time since his one man strike and we could/should have steamrollered them on another day.  

I'm sure you'll also remember our last meeting at Ashton Gate when you came at us hard early on and caused us no end of problem, and undoubtedly Lee Johnson will too.  The lesson is, if you let us play our game, we've got the players to hurt you.

Anyway, hope it's a good game Tuesday, and those travelling up have a safe (but disappointing) trip.

 

Sounds much like our game against them!

Can we beat Rotherham? Of course. Should we beat Rotherham? Not so sure......

Aside from the fact we are usually crap up there, they've taken 4 points from their 2 home league games and 2 of their 3 away defeats were at Brighton and at Villa. Hard to gauge just how good or bad anybody is at this stage of the season. 

I'd be happy with a point.

I think they'll go up personally. At least SL will have his stadium relatively full for one game in the season. 

Apparently we Are playing 4-4-2 but El Abd is at right back?

Genuinely feel sorry for the guy, we seem very good at destroying well regarded players.

Well if it is 3-5-2, let's hope Bryan surprises as much in centre midfield as Wagstaff has at wing back.

Agree with an earlier post, it would be easy to switch formations with that team which is as well as keeping players fresh, is probably a big reason behind it.

From the very short highlights on the main site. The pass out by Williams that was intercepted early on when they hit the bar was an absolutely shocking pass, the free kick El Abd gave away for their goal was unprofessional and unnecessary and the wall did not do it's job for the free kick the guy on the end jumped up for some unknown reason and the ball went beneath him, those 2 minutes more than showed why we struggle to keep clean sheets.

2nd half as a back 4 was much improved. El Abd and Flint looked a lot more comfortable.