Trundle. Why?

[bcfcmike]

Total joke! Bet LJ starts again! Think its fair to say GJ really has took us as far as he can. His success has gone to his head an he now seems to think hes bigger than any player and his signings this season have been terrible!

Hear hear....very well put!! I think GJ needs to start asking himself some serious questions??

[Tunley Legend]

Well, it worked well enough for us last season.and we're only 3 points outside the play-offs this season. Why change a successful strategy?

Last season has well and truly been and gone. It's fish and chip wrapper and has not one shred of relevance to the events of this season. Our "strategy" as you call it, this season, has yielded 2 wins out of nine at home and the football at times has been as boring/frustrating as hell to watch - I really hate to be saying it but it is true. If we are to move on as a club over the next couple of years and if we are EVER going to be a Premier League club that actually has a chance of staying up then we do need to change our strategy to accommodate better quality players and attack the opposition more. Do you agree or would you rather see a bunch of hard working but ultimately mediocre (in many instances) players grinding out results week after week for the next 4½ years? Good managers move forwards and do not rely rigidly on past methods but rather amend those methods as and when required. Our playing style is starting to be found out at times, particularly at home, and most people would accept that tinkering by GJ is required (even if our opinion is not needed until the end of the season!!!).

I accept that Rome wasn't built in a day and that the changes many of us want to see will not happen overnight but as a supporter I will be expecting to see such a transition beginning over the next 6-12 months. Things I would like to see are as follows:-

More attack minded football played on the deck

A quality central midfield creative player signed that allows us to play 4-4-2

GENUINE competition for McIndoe (rather than Jennison Myrie-Williams)

A REPLACEMENT for Ivan Sproule PLUS some competition for the replacement

Christian Ribiero competing with Bradley Orr for a place (subject to fitness obviously)

James Wilson given substitute cameo roles and the odd game thrown in

GENUINE competition for Jamie McAllister signed

Some of the drift wood clearly not up to Championship standard released

If a few of the issues above are addressed (appreciating that GJ will have some or even many different ideas) I will more than happily accept the nailed on mid-table finish that our position of 11th, points tally of 18 from 25 and goal difference of 0 indicates we will attain.

Feel free to debate if you feel I am being overly negative or am completely barking up the wrong tree.

[NickJ]

It's not astonishlng I'm afraid, and your ability to quote stats and therefore detract from the very obvious failngs of the team this season by making this argument into a trainspotters where are we now in comparison to the dark days under ( insert managers name) doesn't take into account the fact that we are playing poor football, possibly due to the fact we're not picking our best players , those we are picking are often played out of position and if you go to the games you recognize the recurring theme of desperately hanging on to slender leads and at no time attempting to assert authority on the game and possibly more importantly to entertain.

Essentially even when we win we look poor.

Very pertinent response.

Lots of people come on here questioning the quality of the football this season, results of the past few games, decisions of Johnson over the past few games and the rumours circulating behind some of those decisions.

All perfectly normal things to discuss, otherwise what is the point of a forum.

Then you get another load of people, who when they see these comments, take it as some sort of slight against Johnson, and have nothing better or interesting to say than "look at his results".

Yes, his results have been good.

But there are topics worthy of discussion without contributors being shot down in flames simply because some posters don't like any criticism of Johnson, whether that be real or perceived.

[reddoc]

I wasn't referring to "where are we now in comparison to the dark days". I was referring to where we expected to be at this stage 18 months ago.

Personally, some disappointing results and performances aside, I would say we have at the very least matched, and in most cases surpassed, what we all expected and would have accepted, if we take ourselves back to the start of the 2007/08 season.

You're quite right , I'm afraid I used a little artistic license there but the fact is numerous posters on here apply the dark days argument and fail to recognize that at times it was actually more fun watching the team then than it is now. I also fail to understand the consolidation argument when it appears the manager and the board aspire to something more than this based on statements they have made, and therefore if we are attempting to improve on last seasons performance it's patently obvious we're underachieving at the present time.

[edson]

You're quite right , I'm afraid I used a little artistic license there but the fact is numerous posters on here apply the dark days argument and fail to recognize that at times it was actually more fun watching the team then than it is now. I also fail to understand the consolidation argument when it appears the manager and the board aspire to something more than this based on statements they have made, and therefore if we are attempting to improve on last seasons performance it's patently obvious we're underachieving at the present time.

Don't get me wrong, we should be looking to improve, I absolutely agree with you on that. But the probem is, so are the other 23 teams in the division, so something has to give somewhere.

I just feel that, after a disappointing result and some performances that have been less than eye-catching, it's easy to forget where we are and where we would have accepted being at this stage when we were first promoted.

I also think it needs to be remembered that we set the bar extremely high last season, in terms of allowing us to improve this season. Had we, for example, finished 15th last season and 10th this, that would be steady improvement and would likely have been accepted as such. Because we finished fourth, there's a danger of forgetting just how far we've come, I would say.

Not that that's an excuse for accepting sub-standard performances, but there is a middle ground to be found, I think.

[cider head]

Trundle will never play for City again I'm 100% convinced now.

he will

[Guest ashtonyate]

Difference was Basso was the better player, picking Adebola over Trundle just dosnt make sense and that is why many people are getting angry and annoyed.

I really do not know how you can say Trundle is better than Adebola I think Bola is a great player for us although he should have someone along side him, Trundle on the other hand promises so much but delivers so little.

[vincent_bcfc]

I really do not know how you can say Trundle is better than Adebola I think Bola is a great player for us although he should have someone along side him, Trundle on the other hand promises so much but delivers so little.

Trundle and Adebola together! It worked at the back end of last season and so nearly got us to the Premier League

I also think that Noble should be given another chance on the right of midfield

I agree that we need a forward thinking creative midfielder to put alongside Marv in a 4-4-2 but who?

And I really hope and pray Trundle isn't finished at City - Given a good run of games he will come good - same with Maynard

If we do get rid of Trundle it will come back to haunt us

[Guest DanC]

Trundle has been one of our most consistent performers this season and yet can't even get on the bench. Really don't understand it.

[red66]

trundle not even in the squad. injured? anyone know?

personally i rate trundle ever since he came to city

started to question gj judgements

surely whats best for bcfc is what matters

regardless of personal bicaring

if city finish in the top 10 come the end of season i for 1 will

be happy,then push for more,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

ps sorry about the spelling.

[kachina]

People probably see Trundle now as the next Stewart scenario, undoubtable that quality is there but something must have been said to be allowed to rot.

I agree Johnson was right about Stewy and even I wanted Stewart back in the team right up to his departure, however I think Johnson's got this wrong.

I rate Lee Johnson overall and accept everyone has offday's but I'm tearing my hair out to see an attacking formation which can play width, quality and class.

Trundle looks capable on the wing for me, play him on the left, McIndoe for me on current form shouldn't be in the 16 let alone the 11, its not about what you do or done last season that counts, its what your doing now. I would actually go with Elliot and Noble in the centre, this aint a dig at Johnson, but both are technically able to get the ball, see a strong pass and also make good defence scaring runs, also they can shoot at distance. Many feel Orr is playing poor, however whilst he was once disappointing on the wing, I do feel he actually looks good going forward and has a good pass, and can attack a ball, I would have him on the right wing.

Up front is tricky, but Maynard if attacking with the pre said formation must start to prove if he really is a fox in the box, whilst I would prefer John alongsides him, nothing against Adebola but I have seen John score from tricky angles and also lay off good one twos, he is also quicker than Adebola, whose main advantage is a target man, hoofball style which is what is getting us in the shit.

Defence for me is easy, McCalastair, Carey, Fontaine and James Wilson, if McCombe fit, McCombe in for fonts, and play fonts right back.

Basso has done nothing wrong in goal.

Now I know there is no McIndoe, Johnson, Wilson (if McCombe ok), Adebola, Sproule, Brooker or B Wilson in my team but I think the team I have wrote about offer a bit of attacking quality and would be perfectly stable at the back, I'm no Johnson hater and woul love to see him work well in a 4-4-2 but for me he seems better adaptable to a 4-5-1 formation playing off Noble and Elliott, the other option would be play Noble right wing and keep the currant Centre, I just think against Watford who up until today have been poor, should be a game to try something new as Jamie Oliver says , instead of this 4-5-1,

All I'm waiting for now is Lansdowne to come and do a Mike Bassatt press conference and finsih with City will be playing four four f-ing two !!!!