Let's Look At The Constants ...

[Coach]

OK, Millen at the helm (or second-in-command) is one constant in our unbelievably bad defending at home in 2010 but let's look at the players.

For the record the current home run in 2010 is 15 league games with 36 goals conceded (an amazing 2.4 per game.)

To put that into context, the whole of a Championship season is 23 games at home.

Last season Peterboro were relegated in bottom spot and conceded 37 goals in 23 home games.

Apart from us only four other teams conceded over 30 goals at home in 23 league games.

To repeat, our 2010 record so far is 36 home goals conceded in 15 matches !!!!

Looking for the worst games I would suggest

Cardiff (0-6)

Donny (2-5)

Barnsley (5-3) from last season plus all five of this season so far.

Constants:

Fontaine: played every game

Skuse: played every game (subbed on 10m v Barnsley, already 0-1)

McAllister: started every game except Donny

Elliott: played every game this season, 1½ of the three last season

Carey: played all three of last season, latest two of this season

And yet, now everybody is fit - and don't forget it's a large squad - we seem to still be reverting to these fabulous five for our 'best team'. Our best chance of winning matches and our best chance of keeping a clean sheet. Bit of a joke?

If I was Millen, and as deep in the do-do as it can get, I would take a radical approach and drop these five players immediately. It might just save his job. The worrying thing is, Millen has seen every single minute of what has happened in this club in 2010 - and by that I mean matches plus training & behind-the-scenes - and yet he still regards Fontaine, Carey, McAllister, Skuse & Elliott as the players he can rely on when we reach, in his words, a "must win" game at home. Sort yourself out, man! Look at the facts.

As an aside .... JCR played all three of those games from last season. And he started Millwall this season ... and Barnsley ... and yesterday ...

[red badger]

An excellent piece of analysis. It's been accepted more or less since promotion that those players are at the heart of our first team squad. I for one thought that the changes in the summer signalled the end of that....yet it seems they were supplemented by players no better than we already had.

[112 Days]

Excellent work.

This just goes to show that the players we had brought in to the club have not been deemed 'stronger' than what we already have. And that is a worry as we've spent bucket loads finding that out!

Jamal is a liability in my opinion, so easy to defend against and offers no protection defensively, I have no idea why millen reverted to bringing him in!

[havanatopia]

OK, Millen at the helm (or second-in-command) is one constant in our unbelievably bad defending at home in 2010 but let's look at the players.

For the record the current home run in 2010 is 15 league games with 36 goals conceded (an amazing 2.4 per game.)

To put that into context, the whole of a Championship season is 23 games at home.

Last season Peterboro were relegated in bottom spot and conceded 37 goals in 23 home games.

Apart from us only four other teams conceded over 30 goals at home in 23 league games.

To repeat, our 2010 record so far is 36 home goals conceded in 15 matches !!!!

Looking for the worst games I would suggest

Cardiff (0-6)

Donny (2-5)

Barnsley (5-3) from last season plus all five of this season so far.

Constants:

Fontaine: played every game

Skuse: played every game (subbed on 10m v Barnsley, already 0-1)

McAllister: started every game except Donny

Elliott: played every game this season, 1½ of the three last season

Carey: played all three of last season, latest two of this season

And yet, now everybody is fit - and don't forget it's a large squad - we seem to still be reverting to these fabulous five for our 'best team'. Our best chance of winning matches and our best chance of keeping a clean sheet. Bit of a joke?

If I was Millen, and as deep in the do-do as it can get, I would take a radical approach and drop these five players immediately. It might just save his job. The worrying thing is, Millen has seen every single minute of what has happened in this club in 2010 - and by that I mean matches plus training & behind-the-scenes - and yet he still regards Fontaine, Carey, McAllister, Skuse & Elliott as the players he can rely on when we reach, in his words, a "must win" game at home. Sort yourself out, man! Look at the facts.

As an aside .... JCR played all three of those games from last season. And he started Millwall this season ... and Barnsley ... and yesterday ...

All very well argued.

Middle of the park is one thing but as far as the back line is concerned i think we all see the obvious. Trouble is, do we have adequate back up?, no; has Millen had sufficient time to bring in decent replacements?, probably yes.

We now find ourselves with a rather bloated squad and i wonder if KM has the ability and the authority to tear up contracts/loan out players and replace them because do we really think we can increase the size of the playing staff?

So what would you do?

[havanatopia]

Excellent work.

This just goes to show that the players we had brought in to the club have not been deemed 'stronger' than what we already have. And that is a worry as we've spent bucket loads finding that out!

Jamal is a liability in my opinion, so easy to defend against and offers no protection defensively, I have no idea why millen reverted to bringing him in!

There are loads of analogies like that. Weird decisions on substitutions, player selections. It heralds an era of tossing a coin and hoping for the best under the guidance of KM, evidence appears to suggest. Why else would you go for glory in matches and leave yourself naively open to counter attack at the back. Frankly, the more i think about it, the more it beggars belief.

[Trowbridge BCFC]

Great Post

It shows that even under GJ, Millen was the defence coach and we still conceeded goals for a passtime.

It time to get a REAL manager now ...

[chinapig]

Excellent analysis. And all done without Prozone or worthless qualifications. I have said elsewhere that Johnson made the mistake of sticking with such players long after they stopped performing. We are still paying the price but Millen cannot see it. Watch them all get picked for the next game with predictable results.

[Coach]

All very well argued.

Middle of the park is one thing but as far as the back line is concerned i think we all see the obvious. Trouble is, do we have adequate back up?, no; has Millen had sufficient time to bring in decent replacements?, probably yes.

We now find ourselves with a rather bloated squad and i wonder if KM has the ability and the authority to tear up contracts/loan out players and replace them because do we really think we can increase the size of the playing staff?

So what would you do?

What would I do?

Keep Skuse for his versatility but Marv cannot go any higher so sell. Macca give away. Carey squad player.

I don't think that many comings and goings need to happen for results to improve. I really think Cisse can do the defensive midfielder's job for us, I'd be happy to see Stewart given another run (although I accept many wouldn't) and I'd give Fonts another chance in Macca's position, be it left back or left wing back. I actually think Fonts is decent going forward and with his young age he shouldn't be written off yet.

Ribs, Stewart, Caulker, Fonts

Adomah, Cisse, Johnson, Rose

Pitman, Stead

I cannot see how that team would be bottom of the league.

[apathy]

As a bit of a newbie (yes I went to wembley) I have a question, Can Fontaine actually play at left back? How many times has he played there? And what were the results and general consensus like? Lots of posters across the forum asking for him at left back. Surely if he can play there he would of by now. Especially with a fit Ribs Cisse Stewart.

Personally id like to see Stewart back. I think you need his obvious quaulties for example in training if fontaine and stewart were to go for the same header, on opposing sides who gets it? Stewart hands down. No nonsense centre back. Also Ribs no explanation needed for that one. Baffled as to why he was dropped going on last seasons games I saw.

[fka dagest]

What would I do?

Keep Skuse for his versatility but Marv cannot go any higher so sell. Macca give away. Carey squad player.

I don't think that many comings and goings need to happen for results to improve. I really think Cisse can do the defensive midfielder's job for us, I'd be happy to see Stewart given another run (although I accept many wouldn't) and I'd give Fonts another chance in Macca's position, be it left back or left wing back. I actually think Fonts is decent going forward and with his young age he shouldn't be written off yet.

Ribs, Stewart, Caulker, Fonts

Adomah, Cisse, Johnson, Rose

Pitman, Stead

I cannot see how that team would be bottom of the league.

Nice effort Coach. Your analysis is very poignant. I was thinking what team I would pick earlier and it was very close to yours. I think in hindsight Stewart, Cisse and even Hunt were made scapegoats. I certainly wouldn't be against Stewart and Cisse returning.

However, I've completely lost any faith in Millen and I'm sure the constants you mentioned will continue to be constants for some time yet.

[TheLeighRoy]

I read this forum, this whole forum, but especially this thread, and one thing jumps out at me..

How the hell is it that we can ALL see it, and yet Millen, the man paid to do the job, cannot?

I know there are other factors - training, commitment, fitness etc - but a famous pundit once said 'fans know their team better than anyone else' , and yet it seems that our opinion counts for absolutely sod all..

[GrahamC]

Nice effort Coach. Your analysis is very poignant. I was thinking what team I would pick earlier and it was very close to yours. I think in hindsight Stewart, Cisse and even Hunt were made scapegoats. I certainly wouldn't be against Stewart and Cisse returning.

However, I've completely lost any faith in Millen and I'm sure the constants you mentioned will continue to be constants for some time yet.

Too true.

From what I've seen Stewart only had one poor game and got dropped, whereas Hunt was poor in all of his league games at AG.

Cisse? He got an hour at home, surely not enough.

I think you can tell a lot by the fact that Stewart has been a regular in the QPR squad for all of the last 4 years whereas Hunt has been nowhere near Bolton's in the last two.

For what it's worth I'd give your side a go, too.

[Guest Parson St Station]

What would I do?

Keep Skuse for his versatility but Marv cannot go any higher so sell. Macca give away. Carey squad player.

I don't think that many comings and goings need to happen for results to improve. I really think Cisse can do the defensive midfielder's job for us, I'd be happy to see Stewart given another run (although I accept many wouldn't) and I'd give Fonts another chance in Macca's position, be it left back or left wing back. I actually think Fonts is decent going forward and with his young age he shouldn't be written off yet.

Ribs, Stewart, Caulker, Fonts

Adomah, Cisse, Johnson, Rose

Pitman, Stead

I cannot see how that team would be bottom of the league.

Fantastic analysis and I agree with most of what you say.

Your team is pretty much what I would like to see.

The only thing I would disagree with is keeping Carey. He has been proved to be an unsettling influence in the dressing room and I feel he should be released asap.

With thanks etc etc.

As another poster said,how can hundreds of people on OTIB see the basic flaws and our highly paid managemnet team not??

Millen and Co out now please.

[Coach]

The only thing I would disagree with is keeping Carey. He has been proved to be an unsettling influence in the dressing room and I feel he should be released asap.

You know what, I think you're right. I didn't like what I saw Saturday after the third goal (Carey having a right go at Stead for miscontrolling the quick free kick) and as long as we give him a good send off for his brilliant service I would be happy with us parting.

[southvillekiddy]

The manager must be clear now on who the fighters are in this squad and pick them, Pick them over so-called "better" players

We lost out two best fighters when Orr and Hartley left.

We have to get shot of the blamers, including James, if as I suspect he's played a big part in demoralising our defence.

If we go one down or even two down who's going to fight to get a win?

I don't like the way Keith seemed to sympathise with the players when we went 2 down on saturday. Okay a deflection led to a flukey goal for Norwich. No good.

Do they really want League 1 football? Where's their professional pride?

Who's going to fight to keep City in this League

Pick the fighters Keith. Or we're all sunk

[Mr Popodopolous]

Jamal is a liability in my opinion, so easy to defend against and offers no protection defensively, I have no idea why millen reverted to bringing him in!

No doubt about this, especially the 2nd bit- these days it isn't enough just to be a flair winger, if he is that. The defensibe and pressing sides of the game are SO important- defend as a team, attack as a team.

In fact, it puts me in mind of something said by Mourinho when first at Chelsea. Joe Cole scored a key goal for Chelsea, the winner in fact. Yet Mourinho after the game, though pleased with the goal- basically lambasted him for not putting in the necessary work in other aspects of his game.

[SuperFly2002]

Excellent work.

This just goes to show that the players we had brought in to the club have not been deemed 'stronger' than what we already have. And that is a worry as we've spent bucket loads finding that out!

Jamal is a liability in my opinion, so easy to defend against and offers no protection defensively, I have no idea why millen reverted to bringing him in!

Here here !!

[marshy]

A great piece of work, well done.

How many of our current squad would we have down as 'must start' players. For me it's just Adomah and Stead, with then Rose and Caulker even though we've not seen much of them.

My team, in fact, would be close to yours with doubts over Fontaine at left back, simply because he is largely untried in that position and is in poor form, and Cisse in central midfield because I just haven't seen enough of him. Also Clarkson, it seems to me, was just running into form and contributing with goals and assists before being promptly dropped when the latest batch of arrivals came in. Elliott I think has not been as bad this season as some are saying. With regard to left back, Skuse has played there before when needed and although he doesn't look entirely comfortable there surely he could just be instructed to do a job on the winger and to forget about the attacking side of the position. So:

-------------------------------------James

Ribeiro---------Stewart--------------------Caulker----------Skuse

Adomah---------Elliott-------------------Johnson-----------Rose

--------------------------Clarkson

-------------------------------------Stead

Obviously Hartley and Orr not yet adequately replaced although Ribeiro must be given a few games to settle. LB position still not resolved, but how long have we been saying that ?

[fatman]

Excellent work.

Jamal is a liability in my opinion, so easy to defend against and offers no protection defensively, I have no idea why millen reverted to bringing him in!

Totally agree. Definately nowhere near a championship player. Cannot, for the life of me, understand how and why we brought him here. Nice big car, though. At least judging from the personalised number plate, i assume its his.

[chinapig]

The manager must be clear now on who the fighters are in this squad and pick them, Pick them over so-called "better" players

We lost out two best fighters when Orr and Hartley left.

We have to get shot of the blamers, including James, if as I suspect he's played a big part in demoralising our defence.

If we go one down or even two down who's going to fight to get a win?

I don't like the way Keith seemed to sympathise with the players when we went 2 down on saturday. Okay a deflection led to a flukey goal for Norwich. No good.

Do they really want League 1 football? Where's their professional pride?

Who's going to fight to keep City in this League

Pick the fighters Keith. Or we're all sunk

On that basis he would struggle to put 11 players on the pitch. This is not a group of players to whom fighting seems to come naturally.

[Mighty Squirrel Kingdom]

Everyone's more or less in agreement that our form at The Gate is dreadful (our away form is actually about the same as last season) but here are a couple of stats no-one's mentioned yet:

* We've scored more goals at home than Preston or Sheffield United - and although the decline in our home form from last season is currently by far the worst in the Championship, those two clubs are going in the wrong direction as well.

* We've scored as many goals at home as Hull (although to be fair to them, they haven't conceded at home yet)

* Looking at the teams that we've lost at home to, Watford's away record is as good as QPRs, Coventry's away form is slightly better than it was last season and both Norwich and Millwall are currently performing better than most teams promoted from League 1 usually do. So we've lost four games to teams in the top half of the table and two of those sides are in the top five at the moment. They beat us because they're better than us. Barnsley did not beat us although they had every opportunity to do so.

* Four of our five away points have come against teams in the bottom half of the table; one of our defeats was at Ipswich, who are currently fifth.

So basically our home games have been against far stronger teams than our away games have - and seeing as though we're playing three of the top seven in the next three games, things may not get any better in the near future. However, the three home games in November are against Preston, Leicester and Sheffield United - let's see how we get on with those.

The table doesn't lie, but we're only 20% of the way through the story at the moment. I think we'll finish in the bottom half, but I don't think we're in a relegation dogfight just yet. The bookies have got S****horpe, Palace, Preston and Pompey ahead of us in relegation betting.

[112 Days]

No doubt about this, especially the 2nd bit- these days it isn't enough just to be a flair winger, if he is that. The defensibe and pressing sides of the game are SO important- defend as a team, attack as a team.

In fact, it puts me in mind of something said by Mourinho when first at Chelsea. Joe Cole scored a key goal for Chelsea, the winner in fact. Yet Mourinho after the game, though pleased with the goal- basically lambasted him for not putting in the necessary work in other aspects of his game.

Absolutely.

I know this isn't the popular choice, but i would play Sproule there, he's especially useful at home. His pace is frightening and defenders hate that and people forget that our best football and results (first year in the CCC) he played and started nearly every game. In fact the midfield was nearly always Sproule, LJ, Marv and Mcindoe for balance, with Noble or Carle in behind a striker.

So, Sproule, Cisse, LJ, Rose across the midfield, with Adomah and Stead up top.

That front 6 should be given a minimum of 5 games to gel in my opinion.

Either way, Millen MUST get a fixed team sorted, otherwise no-one knows their job and we will go down.