No Width, No Pace, No Entertainment

[Maesknoll Red]

Apart from Gerkins two outstanding reaction saves, Skuse's performance and Maynard's tireless role up front, there wasn't much to smile about.

Sno had a game to forget, getting caught in possession, but I still wouldn't have taken him off with 3 or 4 minutes to go, it obviously upset the balance and dynamic of the team and once again we conceded a late goal.

A plea to Gary Johnson, lets go for it, I'd rather see us attack, pass and use wingers, and for example. win one, draw one and lose one at home, that is still one more point than draw three!!

The attendance is slipping, today, I had a guy sat next to me who drives 3½ hours to games and the same back (from Cornwall), he is starting to wonder if it's worth it. Not that he doesn't remain City through and through, with 40+ years of attending the gate, just that his journey & ticket which cost in excess of £100, is not rewarded with the performance on show.

Can GJ keep on with this 'style', I'd like to see pace and width introduced, especially at home, if we were nicking 1 nils, I'd reluctantly accept the fare served up, we're not, so lets at least go home feeling entertained....

[Robbored]

Lots of fans have been hoping that Johnson would adopt a more positive approach particularly at AG. To most that would mean 3-5-2 but he seems to abandoned that formation for a very cautious 4-4-2.

If he's going to play 4-4-2 then the team needs pace and width and in recent games there has been neither.

Of course a 3-5-2 means no place for Lee Johnson which is probably why Johnson Snr won't play it and no I'm not joking.

[Tales From The Front]

Lots of fans have been hoping that Johnson would adopt a more positive approach particularly at AG. To most that would mean 3-5-2 but he seems to abandoned that formation for a very cautious 4-4-2.

If he's going to play 4-4-2 then the team needs pace and width and in recent games there has been neither.

Of course a 3-5-2 means no place for Lee Johnson which is probably why daddy won't play it and no I'm not joking.

This is a serious question and debate and you raise good points, but I have to say puting the word " " in your post really dillutes the debate and reduces your argument to a play ground spat.

[Robbored]

This is a serious question and debate and you raise good points, but I have to say puting the word "Daddy" in your post really dillutes the debate and reduces your argument to a play ground spat.

You're quite right and I've edited it out.

Strange what disapointment and frustration can do to a normally level head.

[Tales From The Front]

You're quite right and I've edited it out.

Strange what disapointment and frustration can do to a normally level head.

Fair play to you....we are all frustrated, and with the squad we have we can do better. It is important to get the blend right. As far as I'm concerned we have played very well in a half against QPR and for 40 mins against Preston, we have also achieved a lot by being solid but the team needs to play a more expansive style.

A lot of people want to be entertained and there is nothing wrong with that.

[RedM]

This is a serious question and debate and you raise good points, but I have to say puting the word "Daddy" in your post really dillutes the debate and reduces your argument to a play ground spat.

Absolutely. I was did fleetingly consider removing such a ridiculous comment. On reflection I'll leave it there, as you say it shows the level of thought Robbored is chosing to use.

No, today for variuous reasons wasn't good entertainment, or a particularly good result either. But as sure as I am of anything it wasn't down to who is related to who.

[Tales From The Front]

Absolutely. I was did fleetingly consider removing such a ridiculous comment. On reflection I'll leave it there, as you say it shows the level of thought Robbored is chosing to use.

No, today for variuous reasons wasn't good entertainment, or a particularly good result either. But as sure as I am of anything it wasn't down to who is related to who.

People will and do on occasiion take a different view from the managment team about tactics, formations etc, the fall out from todays game is a classic example. I've always advocated that if the debate decends below what is constructive the whole point of the orignal observation or critiscm loses any weight or support it may hold. Thankfully and in fairness to Robbred this has been acknowledged and rectified.

I'm not trying to do your "thankless" task for you, but felt that some good points often get wasted - and no that isn't a pun on todays performance.

[SE23Red]

Absolutely. I was did fleetingly consider removing such a ridiculous comment. On reflection I'll leave it there, as you say it shows the level of thought Robbored is chosing to use.

I'm glad you didn't - if you had I wouldn't have got to laugh out loud at the 'normally level head' reply

It was the silver lining to today's dark cloud.

[Guest DanC]

Lots of fans have been hoping that Johnson would adopt a more positive approach particularly at AG. To most that would mean 3-5-2 but he seems to abandoned that formation for a very cautious 4-4-2.

If he's going to play 4-4-2 then the team needs pace and width and in recent games there has been neither.

Of course a 3-5-2 means no place for Lee Johnson which is probably why Johnson Snr won't play it and no I'm not joking.

That's right we have a disappointing result and as per usual its LJ's fault.

[RedM]

Very true. Too many debates are ruined by petty points scoring. We all must feel something about todays result and care enough to be typing away on this forum.

As Maesknoll Red says how many 'long serving' supporters will continue to give up so much time and money, never mind how are we going to attract new blood? The International break came at the wrong time maybe? We were on a high after a result at Newcastle, but surely by now we should have learnt teams like Peterborough should be treated with the same respect.

[Tunley Legend]

As sure as night follows day if Johnson keeps serving up football with no width, no excitement, no creativity and no flair supporters will continue to stay away from Ashton Gate. If something (or more to the point someone) doesn't budge soon I fear the club will get a nasty surprise in February when they do their early bird season ticket offer for next season. Unfortunately I'm not sure whether Lansdown or Sexstone will have enough nouse to realise that too many people are getting bored to death by the football and will instead trot out the bog standard "perhaps people in Bristol don't want it enough" bull$h1t line.

How many fans will we be taking up to Barnsley this time? 400 perhaps. And after watching Forest earlier I can't see too many takers for our trip up there either. Play like we did today and Forest will rip us to shreds, chew us up and spit us out. I wouldn't put a tenner on us to beat Plymouth on Tuesday to be honest.

[Maesknoll Red]

Shame the thread was hi jacked into a LJ bashing session, it wasn't started with that intention, just to highlight my and many of those I speak to, frustrations at the dull and boring fare served up.

The vast majority of opinion I've heard and to which I subscribe is that we have no width, today the flanks were often empty, how long since we've seen a genuine winger that gets to the byline and crosses? Why is this an issue? I guess because we've been brought up on it, Walshy, Smithy, Gavin. Murray, Bent, Goodridge and when we were lacking in out and out wingers, we had some outstanding left backs who could cross a ball, Scott, Barnard & Bell.

I'm not saying this squad isn't good enough, although I'd really like to see the next big money signing be a winger, I just wonder if GJ has the sorted out the best way to use it yet, I'd like to see us much more positive and attacking,especially at home.

[silverfox]

We don't need the expense of a new stadium. To increase the number of seats, just replace the Dolman and Williams stands with new ones that encroach another 30 yards onto the pitch on either side and let our lads run up and down the middle. That would have suited us just fine today.

One telling moment for me was when towards the end of the match, Marv had the ball centrally and started drifting right with it. He looked up to make the wide pass to open them up and there was no-one there to pass it to. He had to check and we lost possession shortly afterwards.

[Barrs Court Red]

I didn't go today, although I tipped it to be a decent game. Lessons should of been learned last season, but this sitting back bollocks continues, and the klast minut goals have gone beyond excusable.

Yes we're playing at the best level for years, and yes I think in the long term we're moving in the right direction, but City do themselves no favours in this period of transistion in terms of the style of football. I don't expect us to challenge untill we have a stadium built to sustain a decent squad on a decent wage (though in fairness I dont't think we're far off) but let's mix it up abit ffs.

Scuse the spelling

[Guest bigcheese]

The vast majority of opinion I've heard and to which I subscribe is that we have no width, today the flanks were often empty, how long since we've seen a genuine winger that gets to the byline and crosses? Why is this an issue? I guess because we've been brought up on it, Walshy, Smithy, Gavin. Murray, Bent, Goodridge and when we were lacking in out and out wingers, we had some outstanding left backs who could cross a ball, Scott, Barnard & Bell.

McIndoe and Sproule were frustrating last season, did give us a lot more options but were they instructed to get to the byline, then get back, cut in, make a hash of it (when you have Adebola)? Do the hard work and then........

Fullbacks Orr - (I was going to say he makes nice runs but fails to cross and even falls over the ball but will probably get criticised so..) - he made one great pass from up top that nearly came off but was unlucky. McAllister, makes a fair attempt but difficult when crossing from deep.

Dunno - frustrating.

[pdgifford64]

I didn't go today, although I tipped it to be a decent game. Lessons should of been learned last season, but this sitting back bollocks continues, and the klast minut goals have gone beyond excusable.

Yes we're playing at the best level for years, and yes I think in the long term we're moving in the right direction, but City do themselves no favours in this period of transistion in terms of the style of football. I don't expect us to challenge untill we have a stadium built to sustain a decent squad on a decent wage (though in fairness I dont't think we're far off) but let's mix it up abit ffs.

Scuse the spelling

I don`t think wages are the problem, you should have seen Nickys` lovely white R8 today.

PDG

[NickJ]

One point off the playoffs and yet only 2 teams have scored less goals than us.

Tells its own story.

What I would be interested in is why:

Elliott a central midfield powerhouse - accepted not to the level of his first season - playing left wing at Derby.

Sno raved about for his central midfield performance and brought in on the basis of that performance - regularly playing wide right.

Skuse a natural central midfield player playing wide left.

Hartley didn't start yesterday.

[redcityman]

If you took your car for a service and the mechanic had some top notch tools to do the job, but decided to use use srew driver where a spanner would do a better job or a monkey wrench to undo a screw you'd soon take your cash elsewhere.

[oggysouthwest]

I drove up from Cornwall Yesterday, cost me best part of £80.00 with the ticket and Petrol etc.

I think iam going to pick my games from now on, fed up with watching the same thing.

Thats 4 points lost now, defending a 1 goal lead, and them scoring on 90 minutes, every time johnson puts the subs on in the last 10 minutes,to waste a bit of time , this happens, why bother changing with on 10 minutes to go, why not change it with 20 minutes to go, the subs might have time to change the game, and get some goals, because all they are coming on for is to sit back on a 1 nil lead

Then again we were 2 up at Preston, and look what happened

Cant Johnson see that everytime he does this, the other side get the goals back

Johnson should of played Clarkson Yesterday, as a attacking midfielder, and Hayes, and Maynard up front, and Rested Alvaro, he only just came back from long flight

Getting really fed up with the same S~~t Every week

Cant see where the goals are going to come from , unless he changes things around

[ralphindevon]

To back up the lack of entertainment.

We still haven't scored more than 2 goals in a game in 2009, you have to go back to boxing day and before that September, so only twice in the last 13 Months, not good Mr. J.

[beaverface]

To back up the lack of entertainment.

We still haven't scored more than 2 goals in a game in 2009, you have to go back to boxing day and before that September, so only twice in the last 13 Months, not good Mr. J.

I didn't know that, that really is quite shocking !

When GJ first joined the club and after the result at Brentford I remember him saying he likes his teams to score goals and entertain - where did it all start going wrong?!

[Maesknoll Red]

Apart from Gerkins two outstanding reaction saves, Skuse's performance and Maynard's tireless role up front, there wasn't much to smile about.

Sno had a game to forget, getting caught in possession, but I still wouldn't have taken him off with 3 or 4 minutes to go, it obviously upset the balance and dynamic of the team and once again we conceded a late goal.

A plea to Gary Johnson, lets go for it, I'd rather see us attack, pass and use wingers, and for example. win one, draw one and lose one at home, that is still one more point than draw three!!

The attendance is slipping, today, I had a guy sat next to me who drives 3½ hours to games and the same back (from Cornwall), he is starting to wonder if it's worth it. Not that he doesn't remain City through and through, with 40+ years of attending the gate, just that his journey & ticket which cost in excess of £100, is not rewarded with the performance on show.

Can GJ keep on with this 'style', I'd like to see pace and width introduced, especially at home, if we were nicking 1 nils, I'd reluctantly accept the fare served up, we're not, so lets at least go home feeling entertained....

Is only fair to revisit this thread, last nights changes added width, pace and entertainment, some of the play was frustrating, but only because the more attack minded play wasn't paying off in the first half, with passes going astray and Plymouth getting plenty of men behind the ball.

Whether the widely voiced opinions after Saturdays game influenced GJ, or as I hope and expect, he didn't need to be told Saturdays performance was well below whats needed to achieve continued improvement and to keep/attract paying fans.

We had more crosses into the box in this game, than ½ a dozen games combined prior to this one, we've seen several strikers with good records come and go, a reasonable theory is that lack of service has been their downfall, I'm sure Maynard, Saborio, Clarkson and Haynes will all produce goals, given the amount, (especially if the quality improves), of service they got last night.

Shame we switched off for the equaliser, but great credit to bounce back do quickly. Well done to the lads for a 100% effort and commitment to the cause last night, it has to more enjoyable to play in games where there is some width and pace and a bit of freedom to express yourself.

More of the same please Gary.

[Tunley Legend]

Surely the fact that GJ changed things last night is a signal that he himself wasn't happy with how it went on Saturday. Yet there are still a small minority on here who refuse to accept any questioning of the management, team or style of play whatsoever and would argue blind that GJ got it right if he selected ten goalkeepers with Jamie McCombe up front!!

I cannot see the problems we currently have in terms of playing style improving dramatically unless we pick Haynes or Sproule out wide on a more regular basis and get a left sided player in on loan or in the next window. In the meantime, given that we don't possess much natural width, the selection of Paul Hartley has to be a shoe-in because he is the only player we have who possesses a full range of passing and, more importantly, can SEE a good pass where other players can't. He is the one player who, if we do have to go down the middle, can unlock a packed opposition defence.