Alessandro

41 minutes ago, Major Isewater said:

And very much in the mix for promotion to the Prem.

 

One man's cynical is another's streetwise. 

All part of the game and they did it well last night, getting away with most of it.

Such a tight league this year. Hate to say it, sorry, but it's "fine margins" more than ever isn't it.

Such a knife edge squad of City players with often variable performances.

Fully fit squad firing with confidence and momentum? Top 6 pushers, yeah fine, let's be positive.

2 or 3 key players out - we seem to just drop off in confidence/performance too quickly and look dangerously easy to beat.

If James, Naismith and Kalas play more games than they miss, we'll be fine. 

Lose them and one or two more...you've seen how our performances can drop off a cliff. We could/have had teams half made up of players who could have been playing U23's midweek.

Hopefully the world cup aids us in giving time to get injured players back - then it's squad retention in Jan (big money offers will undoubtably come) and game time management for rest of season.

I trust in NP, but he's got one hand tied behind his back, if luck doesn't go our way....for all the positivity in the world (and i'm a positive one!), it could be a long season.

7 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Any chance anyone who was watching on Sky, recorded it etc can post the penalty shout we has turned down?

Seems not to be on the highlights. Which is odd, approaching 10 mins those highlights..

Thanks in advance.

I was watching on sky last night - are you talking about the Nahki pen shout?

IMO - it would have been a soft one. Nahki gets slightly ahead of the defender, both players had arms on each other IIRC, ball not really under control and it looked like Wells 'left' his legs trailing looking for contact then went down, quite softly. Think the commentators said, not a penalty. Certainly wasn't stonewall - but you've seen them given!

R.E other key flash points, it's a poor night for the officials - 1) offside goal 2) Norwood red. Generally ref lost control and you could see it coming - Sheff Utd very cynical. 

Agree with Vyner, excellent game - I personally felt Atkinson was my MOTM (7 harsh IMO), won so much in air, blocks, also got forwards again at times well - thought Klose despite having a good game gave away quite a few fouls.

Anyone with any access to stats to the game @Davefevs - be able to give any defensive stats please?

Thought he was generally unfussy - my problem with refs like Keith Stroud is that it's too much of a performance from them sometimes.

Madley, although not afraid of a card, doesn't give away too many fouls per game in comparison to others.

Felt he got the majority of calls right last night: off top of head though, trying to be balanced, Klose lucky not to get a yellow after a couple of fouls and i'd like to see the handballs again.

Atkinson, we've seen that given in the prem (probably VAR though) and Williams probably should have been a freekick outside area IMO.

Very good committed performance today after a tough spell of games.

Looked less fragile today, but WBA lacked quality in good positions. Glad we saw off 10+ corners though...

Hopefully that will breath a bit of confidence back into the team.

MOTM - Atkinson. 

Well well, that was better!

We had to suck up some pressure at times there and the quality going forward was missing again for most the half, but we grew into the game and nicked a decent goal that we were good value for. 

Almost felt like a collective sigh of relief, the players looking more composed again, first touches better, ball sticking, better passing and we continued to threaten.

Semenyo, improving as the half goes on, cuts in from the left - shoots (IMO) and it's deflected in by the tireless Nakhi - lovely stuff.

Alex Scott with a classy half there. In fact loving the midfield 3 combo. Wingbacks felt a bit more conservative at times today.

Get another and I could see us scoring 4 as the crowd turn, but be ready for some response from them early second half.

COYR

Close to our strongest line up - great to have James back.

Expecting a response tonight, hopefully being away from home can help us against a struggling WBA whose fans may get tense if we start well.

COYR

Just now, tin said:

I’d rather see Tanner given a run at RB if we go to a back four and I think we could solve the Naismith conundrum with his return to the XI at LB.

If Pring starts, and he was pretty poor after a good first five minutes, it has to be on the left wing.

And we need to pick out best strike force which is either Wells and Conway against sides who will be less direct, or Martin and Semenyo against physical sides like Millwall, Birmingham etc. 

I’d also like to see Bajic get a chance in goal as it seems like he can command his box at the very least. 

We miss Matty James too, IMO.

James and Naismith big misses. Tanner seems to be a way from the first team in NP's thoughts... 

We're in the bottom 3 - big 'if' I know - but even a few wins by those teams will see us drop dangerously close.

Second worse form over 6 games.

Second worse defence in the league. Now in minus GD.

Time for a mini reset by Pearson IMO - let's start doing the simple again, stop shipping soft goals first and foremost and arrest the rot, then bring our confidence back up:

Perhaps go 4-4-2 or 4-3-3: Vyner RB perhaps, even Pring LB. Let's be tough to beat, start drawing a few games even, then look to let the quality we have up top nick games for us. 

Surprised quite how quickly levels and performances have dropped off - new signings not doing enough, too much pressure on the youngsters and a thin squad - so time for damage limitation - or is that an over reaction?

A good win - ground out performance, still lacking fluency up top but better application tonight all round.

1 minute ago, Sleepy1968 said:

The saddest thing is that Birmingham aren't a great side. A competitive performance brings back a point. Probably too late for that now, even if I could see us playing better in the second half. Which I can't.

It's not alarm bells time IMO - but the performances against Coventry and now today, against teams mid/lower table is concerning for me.

The league table now making not great reading (yes still early days) but heading to 4 places and 4 points off the relegation zone...

Let's hope for a much better second half. 

Well the trend of poor performances is continuing. 

Interestingly without Naismith (who has come under way too much flak IMO) that is probably our worst half of football all season.

Awful defending for 2 set piece goals.

Not only can we barely string 3 or 4 passes together, i'm not sure we've had 1 shot all half.

King at CB highlighting our complete lack of depth - Massengo energetic but not productive in CM. Sykes stuck in a rut. 

Weimann, Wells and Conway have become shadows of what they were a few games ago.

Not quite sure what has happened for such a drop in performance levels beyond losing Naismith and James - clearly our two most important level headed "game management controllers".

Another disappointing result. 

Condensed summary - 98 minutes of near zero attacking quality…..Against the team bottom of the table. 

2 minutes ago, maxjak said:

Yep , I would suggest some very large Tweaks are needed.....but unfortunately the changes that are needed in Defence and Midfield are not able to be implemented due to injuries and lack of squad depth.  It is going to be that type of season i feel, with pockets of victories followed by spells of defeats, which is why we will probably end up around 10th to 14th place come season end?.

It is a season of transition, which unfortunately will end up with one or two of our best players departing, and who can blame them?   It is then a question of whether NP has the wherewithal to spend our income wisely, and produce a side with depth and ability?  Next season IMHO, will be the real test, so i guess we just have to enjoy the patches of inspiration, tainted with the periods of capitulation that will be this season?  I don't think it will be dull   in 2022-23............just frustrating?

You've summed up exactly my pre-season thoughts. A frustrating season, but all good building blocks for the next. 

Both in terms of player/culture/style development and/or considerable transfer revenue from selling one or two key assets which can be re-invested. 

1 minute ago, spudski said:

We talk about individual errors when defending, but imo a lot of it is down to tactics.

The way the team are set up puts certain players under immense pressure. 

The way players are being asked to play is creating extra pressure that leads to the mistakes.

There is a fine balance between risk and reward. At the moment we are risking too much.

The rewards aren't outweighing the risks.

Teams are working out our weakness and directing their game towards those weaknesses.

To concede 18 goals in 11 games, second worst in the league is very poor imo. Yes...we've scored 20...but that means nothing if you lose games and get done the same ways every week.

A tweak is needed imo

Absolutely spot on - teams have found Naismith out - so much goes through him. Opposition let him step out of defence, press him hard. If it's works and he's dispossessed hit over the top of Atkinson or isolate Vyner. 

This problem made worse yesterday by not having James as another quarter back option as Williams doesn't do that role well. 

All this compounded by a lack of tracking back or perhaps slightly fairer, Dasilva and Sykes and often Scott caught pushed up with too much ground to recover.

Tweaks needed.

Well if Norwich and Burnley were "free passes" (in the top 6 push for some fans) - this game was not.

2nd best in most areas - too many key players under performing.

Feel like Weimann is slowly slipping out of effectiveness, for me in the way he's used.

We've seen again what i've been saying since the summer - our 1st XI firing on all cylinders will give anyone a good game, delve into the subs and the squad thins massively.

I'm sorry but Martin, King, Wilson and Massengo currently not looking anywhere like top 6 players. 

Think we've found our level, as suspected. Interesting to see going forwards if the fans will accept the balance of attacking style vs sitting mid-table longer term.

20 mins of great football.

25 minutes of general garbage.

The authors of our own demise…again.

Guilty of giving the ball away too often in dangerous positions and then compounded with too often a complete inability to track runners.

Naismith pressed hard and into more mistakes as the half went on. The team generally losing it’s way after the second goal - Conway with a shocking decision to not feed Wells for an absolute sitter for 2-1 on 42 minutes. 

QPR press well and get forwards quickly and with good support, but we’ve gifted them two goals there. 

Next goal for us and the game could get interesting for us but you fancy QPR to get a third in the second, so huge mountain to climb.

For me the Southgate out chat is a non-starter. 

Despite an abundance of forward talent, defensively is and has been the issue for the Southgate era - he's countered that with a pragmatic team style and selection and by and large it worked. A semi-final and a final.

For that alone, he deserves and was always going to get this world cup, even if question marks over him remain.

FWIW - Either England will lift their game at the world cup playing in that same Euros style (perhaps some players even galvanised by his faith in them) or Southgate will be gone.

If the latter happens hindsight will say, perhaps Southgate's time had already run its course and did we miss an opportunity?

But on the balance of all things considered, not being swayed by the nations league friendly results, sacking Southgate now is bad timing. 

Another tough test of our play off credentials.

Play like Norwich away, without the mistakes, we should come away with something from the game.

Or will it be another sobering slip towards mid-table.

I fancy us to right a few of those midweek wrongs and come away with a hard fought draw. 

Just needed a boot through that 

Had a brain melt shocker there! Apologies!!

1 hour ago, billywedlock said:

Also for JoJo Wollacott 

I’d be a bit miffed if I was JoJo and saw that City only mention AS being called up on social media!

11 hours ago, tin said:

Tinnion’s had a huge role in talent identification, look at the boys from Guernsey for examples, and for using the loan system to develop relationships with other clubs too. 

LJ and Holden didn’t give our youngsters any opportunities. Sure, LJ developed the likes of Reid and Bryan but he always asked uncle Steve for another signing and got it. 

Two things: 1) the move to the new training ground has had a huge effect, 2) Pearson’s had to play the youngsters because the negligence of the previous regime meant we’re strapped for cash. 

It’s been a long time coming but I’m bloody loving watching this City side playing for each other and growing together, and long may it continue. 

This just simply isn't true or as black and white as that.

LJ and DH gave youngsters games - if you were good enough, you played off top of head - Kelly, Bryan, Reid, Tammy. Max O'L, Semenyo, Towler, Vyner, Moore, amongst many names being introduced.

The difference is NP has the quality of Scott, Conway, Benerous and now Semenyo etc vs. the quality of player like Joe Morrell, Wes Burns, Bakinson and Janneh coming through.

Next level quality for NP, so very easy to say X didn't give enough chances and Y does. Can you give me 2 or 3 players LJ or DH didn't play enough who've been released and gone to the next level?

Felt NP was a perfect appointment - it was always going to take a bit of time, given what work needed to be done - but for me, there were very few others with a track record he had that could come in for us.

It’s been a remarkable turn around, aided by the emergence of the best young talent we’ve produced.

Loving this season, well worth the patience last season.

My only niggly feeling, and I said this last year and feel it even more now - is that if he had just a little more to spend, 1 or 2 quality additions, wow, what a chance then.

And hand in hand with that is a feeling of wasting these immense talents coming through…

Maybe if we’re in a good place in Jan still we can ‘find’ some cash for exactly that and finally get over the line. 

Long way to go, but an exciting start.