Alessandro

Sam Bell will win our next penalty. Hopefully today!

I get the feeling that is the type of performance we’ll get from him generally though - he might be a ‘disappear in a game then pop up for the winner’ kind of forward for a while. He isn’t going to impose himself physically. He’s not quite at the level he probably wants consistently to be as a ball carrier yet. But when there’s space to play into, balls over the top and into channels and balls/crosses to run onto - his pace and movement will, and is already causing defenders all sorts of problems isn’t it which is great to see.

The medical team no doubt need to take stock of him, steaks are pretty high with a key player like Naismith.

Footballers often get a bad rap for being soft, diving around, simulation and gamesmanship etc. We fans generally on the whole say we hate it. Yet you watch that game yesterday and every touch on their players, every time they went down in a challenge the home fans played along, baying for a foul or even a yellow or red card from an over dramatic the top fall. That Preston team base themselves around all that shit and the hypocritical fans encourage it and play along - does my head in. I’m not against the dark arts from time to time but I’d hate to watch that every week.

"All's well that ends well" Can see why he did it, get Kalas in. Firm things up and help with the wing backs. Was going to write this on the match day thread...but....we fell out the game completely after going 5-3-2 - it was just back to wall defending from then on pretty much. We couldn't keep the ball or build at all. Fine for 10 mins at the end, but for me another display how much better we are with a version of 433. The less we see of it the better IMO. (But I have been an anti-532 broken record since about October/November so am biased)

Great win, had to work bloody hard for that. Preston - horrible team. Very satisfying to get one over them in their backyard finally.

Yep - we've had an excellent January, no doubt. But this time a month ago we were only a place or two and 3 points above the bottom 3.

Pretty huge ask IMO! We took 29 games to get 36 points. We need (for 70 points, about avg. for 6th) another: 34 points from the next 17. I'd just be happy to see around the top 10.

Well it’s a case of ‘so far so good’ - it’s certainly not our most flowing performance but we’re not complaining! It is though, an excellent attritional away performance: press when needed, nick a goal, slow the game down when you can, look lively on the break, frustrate the home fans, back to walls defending, excellent keeping from Max when called on. It’s a gift of a goal from the usually frugal Preston defence - a pretty regulation back pass played short and Sykes is rewarded for his pressing by rounding the keeper for a tap in. The second a brilliant counter amazingly timed before HT, Bell’s timing at the far post perfect for Well’s pin point cross. Scott's spin to set the move going = champions league quality. Suspect as the game goes on and stretches there will be some good chances on the break for us, especially with the likes of Cornick and Mehmeti on the bench.

Expected line up and that bench is looking SO much stronger this week. Feeling positive about today and the rest of the season. COYR

IMO yes. Let's put this into context. Are we happy with where we are in the league and are we happy with our performances? 1) Yes we're looking a little 'safer' now, but only 1 month ago we'd slipped to 3 points and 3 places off the relegation zone. 2) Only 5 teams have conceded less goals than us vs only 7 have scored more than us - that suggests creativity isn't the issue. 3) Zak has been excellent (and a good injury record doesn't mean he won't get one), Rob has a mistake in him. How fit it Kalas? How long will he stay fit? Naismith is now very important (and arguably better) in our midfield. King has had to play at least 5 times at CB. One injury or red card suspension could unbalance the team in the short/medium run. Yes we're probably fine, but an upgrade or more cover would have been very helpful IMO to avoid shifting fullbacks and CM's into CB if needed.

It's a good window. Semenyo is a big loss but it was an inevitable loss and the much needed cash softens the blow. Scott stays, for now. Gould's exceptional work at balancing Ashton's books took another huge step forward - we're can't be far off where we need to be now, financially at least. I am VERY glad the hear the reports on Currie's negotiation - under Ashton we'd have just paid the asking price and worried later. The squad? We've got options. It's young and exciting which is the route we should go. I don't think we'll struggle for goals. CB is the main area of concern, one injury and we're back to considering King at CB and we can all remember the team's league trajectory when that was happening. January on the pitch was a very good one, confidence returning, momentum building, opportunities taken, injured players closer to the side again. A good solid mid-table push would set us up nicely for the summer now. COYR.

May ?

Yeah that was what I was trying to say above - close, but you can imagine the VAR would be something like this!

Also Bell is quick as greased weasel shit and is already well into his run when the pass comes (a split second late) from Naismith vs a defender the other side of the pitch who is stood still and upright.

I suspect you're right but i'm not sure it's that clear. His head is looking back, his body is leaning and his run was angled - so although i'm sure it's offside, I think it would be closer on VAR than what we thought in real time!

Watching highlights: 1) It's pen for me, goes through back of Nahki and made no contact with the ball with his left foot: 2) Not scientific but if Bell is offside, it's very close but probably off, perhaps even just his upper body:

Been absolutely brilliant recently - what a season for him so far. Another good game yesterday, but, sorry, for balance...surprised not mentioned yet...Blackburn's goal (yes, a few others' defending is under the spot light and more popular players to criticise have been in this thread) but he is a bit guilty of ball watching there for me: he see's Dack ghosting in, steps across, but then gets dragged towards the ball and gives Dack that yard he needed. Split second decisions, defend the area v defend the player. Maybe i'm being harsh. Maybe someone else should be tracking Dack in. But had he held off a yard there, it wouldn't have been a tap in for Dack, he might have had to take a touch etc etc...what do our OTIB coaches think @Davefevs @spudski? But yes, agree with the thread and have been saying the same for sometime, he's developing very nicely indeed.

Well done City - decent result, good performance. So much better in this variation of 4-3-3 for me, last two or three performances make me feel we will be fine this season after a pretty worrying run pre-Christmas.

Fantastic to see a few from the bench running round to join the celebrations - especially Wells and Scott who'd been subbed off.

That's a ballsy line-up there given state of our squad but it's a good opportunity for us none the less to progress and go on a little run in the cup. COYR

Apologies if already covered elsewhere but not following the FFP latest closely - but just a thought: Wouldn't saying publicly we're OK with FFP (even if we're not?!) is just good negotiation tactics/business when it comes to maximising our valuations of players like Semenyo this time of year?

Nice guy Holden, but there's rose tinted glasses and there's those comments. Agree with all everyone has already pointed out about the facts. Holden with some re-writing history at it's best!

Good game, lively and open. Deserve the lead. Been calling for it for weeks so glad we've gone with 4-3-3. Much prefer us more compact in defence and attack. Think we're better in possession too in this formation. Scott in the attacking mid-role roaming forwards with 3 options, Semenyo (decent) left, Wells (good half) up the middle and Sykes (available but not hugely effective) right. Tanner and Pring (shame about pen) supporting well. Vyner good half again. Prefer Naimsith CM too. Think Brum will look to stretch us more second half, as they did with the move to get the pen. Fancy we've got another goal in this game though too.

Back to 5-3-2 or 4-3-3 again with Sykes pushing up. Hope it’s that personally. Not feeling massively confident - need a goal to defend because we’ve got little/nothing on the bench if we’re chasing the game.