The turtle

11 minutes ago, UncleRed said:

Not gonna happen unfortunately.

Think Daves reply was a result of him having nothing of worth to reply with.

I've been in bed for 3 days. hopefully it ends soon. I needed a laugh, even if only i found it funny.

Tbh, @Davefevsis normally a top poster, as are you @UncleRed. This here, however, is just what happens when you really really care about your football team.

26 minutes ago, UncleRed said:

 

 

So football is easy? Yet you and many people seem to think that, but what’s your day jobs? If it’s that easy you must work for professional football teams.

I didn’t change the context. You two made a point about a pointless stat, I said sarcastically about the sport being that easy to understand.

You think the club shares every detail with its fanbase? Wow Dave your ego is even bigger than I thought

oh oh oh, remember when everyone thought Matty James was out for 6 weeks (including yourself), played 90 minutes the next game

I never once said you wasn’t supporting the club, and I’m no superfan, in fact I’m far from it.

But yeah Dave carry on being condescending it looks real good on you. 

Dear all,

Just decided between sweet or salted Popcorn to watch where this goes.

Finally some entertainment today

This could definitely be a front foot forum event.

1 hour ago, Scrumpys Dietary Advisor.. said:

Today was dire, absolutely dire and a prime example of how this modern trend of Play Station football will be the death of the game we love.

It is well known that The Etihad is a library and that is because nothing exciting happens there anymore 

Clubs that try and emulate this beware. Today, 21,000 people were bored rigid watching players endlessly recycling the ball in an attempt to emulate this turgid shite

It was probably the worst atmosphere I think I have ever experienced in 50 years of watching football at The Gate, there was literally nothing to get excited about 

At least the "dinosaur" football that I used to watch was exciting. Wingers taking on their full backs, through balls, crosses, shots, stuff that used to get you out of your seat, ALL GONE thanks to this modern brand of football which is dull as dishwater 

We've been sold the Emperor's new clothes, there is no substance to it, PlayStation is NOT REAL. When are people going to open their eyes to this game killer....

 

 

 

 

 

 

When it works, and goes well. Often you get a lead, force them out then pick them off. When it works it can look sweet on the eye (whilst requiring patience)

When it doesn't work. It is million miles off value for Money and sucks the life out of the entire stadium.

Secret= make it work far more than it doesn't. For that, he needs to buy his players, in his positions; with 1 preseason.

The word "control" in any football context.

It simply never ends well.

Now it's in OTIB 101, i will never speak about it again.

4 hours ago, real_bristol said:

A little flat but mostly in ******control******. seems like that is the way we play now as we suss out the opposition. Need to get Tommy involved somehow. Sykes on for Weimann please.

In the manning era, there is no word i hate more.

Any game where it's used as a positive.

A. It's an extremely dull game.

B. If it stays that way it doesn't end well.

35 minutes ago, sticks 1969 said:

There are 11 time zones in Russia 

that’s one bloody big country 

happy new year

And 1 in china.. let that sink in

Happy new year to all.

2023 is now in the football books. (Almost)

In the interest of light relief to end the year.

What was your favourite comedy football moment of the year?

What was your football game's gone moment of the year?

My comedy; Maguire hands to ears v Albania. Just a real what are you doing moment.

My game's gone; that psg pen v Newcastle.

Op offers a win win for all involved

Gets shot down and then some.

Wonderful ill in bed reading 

How we are playing and how good a game is are two different things.

For a clear idea just how that half was, the atmosphere has been utterly sucked out of all sides of the stadium, including the away end. I mean nothing much happened of note, some of the passing in our own box was madness, and whenever a chance between lines did come= over hit or poor pass.

At the same time, as the away side i imagine players and management will be pleased. Birmingham have been more or less nullified and what little threat there is has come from us 

Greetings

Turtle in the Correct country

Playlists set

Parking

Off the back of 3 in a row

It's time for an away day special

I've spent my life dreaming about passes like that. The very definition of w##k bank material.

That was beautiful 

2 hours ago, Davefevs said:

Here’s your data (from Wyscout), I separated into penalty area entries (played from outside area and next touch in area, next touch can be own team or opponent) and touches in penalty area (own team only)

You’ll see that there isn’t a lot in the numbers.

In fact, in most metrics there really isn’t a lot of difference between pre-LM and under LM.  I think we are seeing more pleasing on the eye football (depending on your view of “beauty”), although that’s coming at the expense of us being a bit more open defensively too.  I think the slightly more aesthetic attacking is slightly blinkering some of the other non-pleasing stuff, e.g. we look susceptible to one pass letting our opponents in,

So after 8 games my view would be - different approach, similar “results” in many areas, including the match result too.  Our method of creating chances is “nicer”, but as yet is no more or less effective, things like xG pretty constant.

We are starting to get a baseline to judge where (hopefully) any improvements can be “measured” / seen.

Last night was a good advert for Championship football.  I enjoyed.  I enjoyed it more because of the result too.

I could be way off the mark on this. But at times it feels like we get our best football "in spite of" his actual football ideas, well ONE of them. For last night, that's a compliment.

First half was control based, and it was lackluster, wasn't a great watch. A lot of football chess, etc, (it wasn't terrible though) and behind. Second half - more last 25 mins was like watching a team say; stuff control we are going for this, and man for man we back ourselves to better than you. It also wasn't the first time, just last night was more forceful.

They were, and management deserve every credit for that. To me that's adjustment, and the type of management i want to see. However our best stuff is still coming once the control handbreak is released. (Which is what i mean by inspite of)

Sunderland proved the team is still invested (maybe that sounds cliche, but was so easy to fold)

last night showed adaptability.

We can't reallly ask for more.

Best football in this game, again, when the control hand brake taken off and just gone for it. To the point of backing themselves man for man to be better.

While the past players birthday nonsense is beyond pointless.

I feel your missing three key points.

1. The stories of days gone by are what hook future generations. Alan walsh, forest, square posts; one of many stories which enchanted me to the legend of the club.

2 they wrote that history and deserve it. It's a manager's job to be onto the next game, fans should never forget. Even just writing this I'm taken to Mansfield away (good game eh @elhombrecito)

3. The football has not been great since peak LJ, that's a lot of years. There's a reason future players has it's own sub forum.  When football gets you down.... You know that was then but it could be again.

You look back to Remind yourself, why you still go, why you take 2 hrs out your day in lisbon to watch city defend, why you don't book holidays at the end of may. When football is punching you in this face (often) memories is often your best defence.

...

Ps. Seriously city, 90 mins of football should be accessible on robins tv from the moment the game kicks off, not 3 days later.

Full credit to

I hate that phrase

Sometimes you just need the win.

Take that, build confidence because that's what wins do. And move on!

it is whatever you want it to be that is the beauty of the phrase! I mean quite literally, ask any 100 fans what it means and you will  get maaany different answers, but all centred on the same thing! intensity, creating chances, and pushing the other team back. dictating the game the way you want it to be played, yet exciting to watch at the same time.

In a technical aspect...obviously it is one thing different! where the ball is positioned for a pass..which then leads to the ability to get forward.

However,
From a fan point of view, it is heavily linked to the phrase " put your best foot forward". to most it means passing football, but not for the sake of it. to most it means getting your winger 1 on 1  taking the opposition on, then deliver a quality cross.  Front football is what makes you want to go to the stadium in the first place. it is exciting. it is how you feel when your most exciting player gets in a pocket of space.
Front foot football, means looking to get the ball forward, preferable on the ground, but using space when it is there.
It can be both in possession, or on the counter. IT is normally with pressing, but does not have to be.

and more important than anything! unless your leading near the end of a game!!!, front foot football means when presented between turning back safe option and passing back, or pressing forward with the ball looking to make something happen. pressing forward is always preferable.

.............................

It is a buzz word, a popular one at the moment. as though clubs are trying to manipulate fans, without quite understanding what it means tot them. As while you might not be able to fully describe front foot football (i am never going to write it again) almost every fan in the world can tell you when IT IS ANYTHING BUT.

 

Do you know the dumbest part!

We just so happen to be missing a quality, creative attacking midfielder. I mean who knew!!!

They also cost money, i mean who knew!!

....

Before "the change" while it often wasn't pretty. They were tactics built to suit the players available. (And yes sometimes it went too far, see over the top for bell in a way too predictable way) with an understanding it was a building block to bigger and better future. Even if in reality it was one step back from last year due to creativity lost.

Since "the change*  Up to this point, we've exposed our very own weaknesses more than we've affected positive change.  We have control, we seem to be in the game.... And then chaos chimes in and the games got away. (The is not by chance)

I'd like to think... LM has seen with the current players available, in our best parts of games, whether it be counter v Southampton, or plan B v Blackburn... The success was in forward intent football NOT control. But he's so embedded to control I suspect he'll live or die by it. (And that's where the accusation of changing too much in one go comes in)

Time will tell.

It's a huge game really. Because a win and will be back 4 points off the current 6th. Whoever would then b in 6th would stay reachable. (7 if hull with hull next)

It keeps the "hope alive"

It takes the drop fear away just that bit more.

If ever there was a game a city team need to come out absolutely firing, and non stop high energy, high intensity.... It's this one. Do that and the crowd will follow.

Lose. And lose passively, then the pressure builds even more. 

.........

The last manager i remember under the microscope was pulis. The issues were both results and the football played. 

I really think this game is huge in so many ways. Hope is a dangerous food, hope is what football fans need. This game represents hope.

Lose it..... And the season is done already.

.....

To be clear, i don't think there is a chance we'll finish in the top 6th. It wound just be nice to get to January games in with a shout. It's been a while.

8 minutes ago, Mendip City said:

And worse still he’s damaged us defensively…. he inherited a solid side defensively… call me old fashioned but isn’t that still the starting point of building a good team? 

It was also the very first thing he worked on adjusting.

Still no, I don't see us going down. Wound however feel much better to see a full positive performance over 90m ending with a W

That said, tonight was the first night i looked at the gap.

I'm just not convinced we have the players to play the way he wants. (Right now)

All our best stuff seems to come with a version of the hand break taken off.  Either attacking or counter, the best stuff when the goal is to be a threat.

Every time we seem to play control football to build a base. The other team creates their moment moment and score.

We seem to have to work so much harder for control football chances! Reason being, we just don't have the players to do so. Their first goal is a great example. Great movement, great pass into feet to a player dropping into a hole, excellent one touch into his path who knew exactly where to be(through his feet) and composed finish. It looked like poor defending, but it was so well executed. We just don't really have players who do that, in that way.

The second half had a lot of positivity, but was it really playing with control first football? To me it was not, it was threat first football v a team who were holding on.

annnd back in the game!!

6 minutes ago, IAmNick said:

Bit rich coming from someone on the 62nd version of their name

highlight of my football night