IAmNick

3 minutes ago, Northern Red said:

West Ham beat Arsenal, so by the logic being displayed by some that makes us better than Arsenal, right?

No, but I also don't think it's unreasonable to compare a performance by a team one place below us against one we very recently faced with ours is it, especially when ours was particularly poor.

Lovely goal

11 minutes ago, Silvio Dante said:

Yep, it definitely plays to less time. I remember in the 80s signing Tony Caldwell and Steve Johnson - they were Bolton and Wigan’s main men respectively, how could it go wrong? But it did. If that was today we’d be all over videos of them at their current team, stats etc. And again, not saying that’s a bad thing but there is naturally less time outside of the fanbase eyes.

Ive missed one game either on tv or live this season - the Forest one. So I’ve seen all bar one of LMs games. That means I can see patterns, positives, plans, good, bad etc far earlier than I would. Does that mean that I might conclude earlier than prior years? Almost certainly. But I think in any walk of life it’s better to know early than to know late.

Summary for me is that the modern world does increase pressure. I’m not sure that’s a bad thing though as it allows issues to be addressed quicker 

Been making some great posts lately @Silvio Dante, yet another set I agree with on this thread!

I voted neither for what it's worth. I'd probably do some kind of 4-1-3-2, maybe:

Tanner/McCrorie - Vyner - Dickie - Pring

                           James/Williams

               TGH -  Knight  - Twine/Sykes

                        Conway - Wells

10 minutes ago, mozo said:

Most of our goals under Nige came from wide positions, especially cut backs and low crosses.

I don't doubt that, but I think the nature of the crosses was different - if we were winning the ball back high up the pitch, or at least playing reasonably directly (all the chipped balls down the wings remember...) and putting in a cross that's a different kettle of fish to a rather clever/considered/ponderous/boring (delete depending on your perspective) gradual working of a ball wide into a crossing position.

7 minutes ago, spudski said:

I don't think it's the formation that's the problem, more so, the constant use of wide offensive play, and the reliance on crosses to try and score. 

More infuriating, is that we aren't any good at doing it in the final third. 

More often than not...hopeful poor crosses easily defended. 

And even more infuriating, and happening, so often, losing the ball and possession when trying to beat the fullback or not even getting in a cross. Blocked, tackled or headed away. 

It's a piece of piss to defend against. 

More worryingly our coach perseveres with it...and Mehmetti, who just has no end product. 

 

Yep, we seem to get into a decent position then just thump it blindly at top speed horizontally, often into the first man. If it does get through it's really hard to do anything with.

I'd like to see us trying to pull more back to a Knight/TGH arriving later into the box personally.

Why not do it the other way and more aggressively limit premiership spending?

That's the only way I can see to make it fair long term, otherwise you're always having a divide in the championship.

24 minutes ago, Merrick's Marvels said:

Exactly.

Wolves bought from L1 ! Played academy kids?

Leeds?

Brentford are an outlier for all sorts of reasons, no-one's doing what they're doing. They're unique. No point trying to replicate them.

I can't think of another team that's been promoted using mostly lower league buys and academy kids and played tippy tap football.

Which is what our plan seems to be.

Genuinely interested if anyone else has managed it. I somehow doubt it.

Those clubs all did it their own way though didn't they - Luton, Wolves, Leeds, and Brentford. Which shows that something new can work. With your reasoning they'd have all given up on their own plans before getting promoted.

I'm not sure our "new" is the right thing by a long shot to be clear, but I also don't agree that just because something hasn't been done before means it won't work now.

I personally think the fact the clubs who manage it having different methods means that the real secret Source is the squad attitude, momentum, and a big dollop of luck.

Nice little near post run and absolutely top quality finish from Weimann, really pleased for him

47 minutes ago, TDarwall said:

Dickie, Atkinson & Vyner are all comfortable on the ball. Zak has the ability to pass really well but does throw loose ones in too often as well.

All teams playing out from the back get caught. I couldn't believe Ipswich kept doing it against us. You can argue they won so it worked, but it worked because we didn't punish them when we robbed the ball deep in their half.

They are... Ish.

There's comfortable playing a pass to a teammate when you have time and space. But even then how many simple passes do we see bobbling at knee height for no reason, or on the wrong foot for the receivers stance, or requiring an extra touch to bring under control. Yes, they're a pass to a teammate but they're not a good pass or a crisp, incisive pass with intent.

Are they able to do it when being pressured or pressed, and move the ball quickly to each other and across the pitch? In those situations it's pretty hit and miss I think.

Without getting into the politics/summer budgets stuff, if Manning is going to have a decent shot here he needs a big clear out of the squad. At least it seems like that's going to happen with the not too subtle acknowledgement a chunk of the squad will be off and there's money to spend.

South stand is the worst culprit imo so I think you're spot on about the cheap kids ticket. Almost no reason not to as they only have to go to a handful of games over the season for it to be worth it.

Resale is a decent idea, but if you're a group it's going to be a pain buying individual tickets in dribs and drabs as people put them up for resale.

I'd think about ditching the free shirt thing or increasing the price personally, though I don't know all the details.

Why not just sell kids shirts much cheaper in the shop instead?

1 minute ago, T R said:

I thought the singing section of which i hate the name was really poor. Same boring songs over and over again. Nothing new or creative it was just dire. As an old East Ender I hate what the club have done. The old East End was fantastic. Everyone felt together as one. All that has been lost because of our board. 

As you can tell i am ****** off tonight. 

 

(omg my weekend ruined because 11 men didn't play how i wanted them to play. i am so sad).

Everyone felt together as one unless you were a "netter" and singing the songs too fast or the wrong songs and starting competing ones or you brought a drum or liked the drum or...

There were endless arguments on here about the east end just like there are about the singing section now.

3 minutes ago, Red Skin said:

Manning tried 2 up front today which many have been calling.  Understandable given our goal drought. (I wasn't at Coventry to see how successful this was in that game).

In doing so we weakened the midfield and left gaps for a very good Leeds team to exploit.  Our defenders did seem to dwell too long on the ball and were robbed by very quick and switched on Leeds players.  Really frustrating, but in fairness there were probably less choices of players to play out to in midfield given the change in formation with 2 up front.  (It looked like they haven't done enough work playing with 2 up front). 

It's a dilemma.  Play one up front and create fewer chances but keep the game tighter and keep control, or play 2 up front and be overrun in midfield.

Once Wells went off and we reverted to the game plan the players are now more familiar with I thought we looked more solid, and indeed created our best chance for Mehmeti. (Thought he was a really good outlet when he came on).  

The majority of the players have transitioned well to play position football - has there been some collective amnesia that has completely forgotten now we played against West Ham and Forest? 

We do need some new players that are quicker in thought and action and we have addressed that with some of the signings.  Matt James has been great, but I felt it's this kind of game (and being a man down in midfield) that really showed his limitations. 

Usual reactionary nonsense on here.  Tonight's formation didn't work against a very good Leeds side, but on the whole I still feel we are progressing. 

Eh? Which 2 were up front and where was everyone else in your mind?

9 minutes ago, Rocking Red Cyril said:

I don't think you are far from the truth there Nick. The current squad does not have the current skill set to play the LM way. Will the additions this Jan effect that ? Not this season I would of thought. BT did mention summer incomings. So I take it the rest of this season is written off as we should really not end up in a relegation fight. And ok if new signings have the pre season that could be a different looking squad with increased expectations. But I have no doubt there will be players leaving in the summer and I feel we all know who would be attracting potential buyers. So we start another rebuild. Strikes me rather than holding onto our better players and building on that base they will be sold to buy in new players . Therefore it's a team always in rebuild.  A never ending circle of mid table championship football. Don't get me wrong I enjoy the championship and cup flurries. But how does that club player set up ever become a potential top 6 side.

Just my thoughts 

COYR

I agree, but I was saying at the game today it's bloody boring isn't it. I'm getting near to the point I'd accept a relegation, and hopefully promotion a few years later at this point just to have some excitement again.

We've been mid table championship for more seasons than not in the last 10-15 years! Or it bloody feels like it at least.

I was looking at Leeds, their team and their last few years with envy today. Forest next, and Southampton - same thing for them.

Bleh.

6 minutes ago, formerly known as ivan said:

So why are we trying to play that way?

Hah, good question. The powers that be said that sounds great thankyou very much to him a few months ago...!

Whether he can adapt is the real question we now have.

Just now, Cowshed said:

A point I have made at GK  CB  and CM the team needs players with key qualities on the ball.  The quality is they cant be be average on the ball, they have to be good enough to link up play, play simple quick early reset and switch and at times take possession in tight spaces and keep it. The team needs these leaders and cultural architects to meet the expectations and intent of the model CIty are playing to.

And these players are? 

 

I agree. Our players are trying to do something that isn't natural to them, and they aren't highly skilled at in many cases - that's not to say they're bad players, they're just the wrong players.

I thought it was very evident that players like Vyner and Williams tonight, when denied the extra second of thinking time they need to play in a way which isn't a part of their natural game, largely fell apart.

I also notice that at times some of our players seem to regress a bit into the more natural to them, high intensity pressing up the pitch which was more common under Pearson - but I'm not sure that's really what Manning is after. We then end up looking very disjointed, and Knight and Conway were looked extremely frustrated at times as a result.

Nothing comes for free in football.

The real question will be if we're looking better going forward with that team, how much have we sacrificed at the other end as a result.

We've been really solid at the back this year (not that you'd believe it reading this forum sometimes) so it'll be interesting to see what the balance is tonight 

8 minutes ago, transfer reader said:

Max isn't the weak link for us, but it's an area we will need to improve if we want promotion.

He excels at reflex saves, but the rest of his game isnt exceptional and he's prone to errors like last night.

What is odd is the fan club who rate him far beyond his ability and consider any due criticism from mistakes like last night's to be unacceptable.

I agree. As others pointed out many didn't rate him at all and didn't think he'd be good enough for us - myself included, and now want to validate that by hounding every mistake. I'm happy to just admit I was wrong!

However there are also a group who personally back some players to the degree that they then desperately need them to succeed. Morrell was another one. They do the opposite and talk him up relentlessly.

Imo he'd a mid Champ keeper, and I'm pleased I was wrong that he was that standard! He's gone from near the top of my "need replacing" list to somewhere in the middle. At some point, but not a priority at the moment.

He's pretty representative of where we are as a team imo, was/is cheap, and has been an integral part of what's been a very solid defence this year.

Coventry second: https://streamin.one/v/d918c585

City second (Wells): https://streamin.one/v/f87fca8c

Just now, Fordy62 said:

I‘m definitely not writing him off but I’ve never ever seen a player be so consistently crap.  

aka I definitely AM writing him off but don't want this to get quoted in 5 years when he's just finished scoring his hattrick in the CL final so am covering my back  

Just now, Shauntaylor85 said:

When do we get worried about relegation? No goals in this side, surely a plan B Manning! It ain’t working mate, go two up top and ditch your crayon lines! Football is a simple game. 

City goal (Dickie): https://streamin.one/v/af3c65cd