Keith Millen. Defending The Undefendable

[Redcliffe 78]

I maybe being picky but yes he did, in his book he wrote that during the fist half of his man u career he played quite a lot of the games on the right due to Lee sharp being on the left

City have been playing players out of position for years ....Adomah as a striker is a no no , Cisse as a right back even in an emergancy ..never again. Marv as a right back ....please no, pitman on the left ..he is not T. Henry ...it doesn't work, I could go on but the one thing that we need to do is GET A SYSTEM THAT SUITS AND BLOODY STICK TO IT, we have not had a settled system for a few years now and that cannot be good for the players, surely you get a formation, get used to it and work on it in training, get your reserves playing the same way etc etc, we have tried 442, 352,343, 4231, 4321, 424. Now we have got the personnel to suit lets stick to a basic 442 even if it means leaving good players out.

Stick to it keep the team up, then try your mad formations next yr imo, last two games he has the changed the formation during games, that the players must feel like a kid on Ashton Park roundabout, a bit dizzy i thinks

[Esmond Million's Bung]

Having read through all the replies to this thread it surprises me that, one again no-one mentions what a largely poor bunch of players Millen has at his disposal.

Only 3 or 4 are upto Championship standard imo and he's having to make do with a bunch of dross. Few of them, if any would get into any of the top 6 teams.

Obviously Millen isn't going to say that in public but be under no illusion that he doesn't know it.

If Mourinho or Wenger had taken over when Millen did I doubt even they would have got much more out of such sorry bunch of players.

Should City stay in the Championship I would expect to see a massive clear over the summer with Millen bringing in some quality players and having a pre-season to work with them.

So by your reckoning some of Millens signings are not up to championship standard, so which of the his 6 are not up to championship standard? and who's fault will it be?, you can't blame GJ for any of those 6.

[Nibor]

The selection and tactics were mistakes. They were compounded by not changing them until after the second goal. I can't imagine I was the only one who listened to the team line up and thought "oh shit". I do think KM will learn from this though, he has learned from most of his other mistakes.

We weren't *that* bad. We create five or six very good goalscoring chances (Woolford header, Keogh clean through, two goalmouth scrambles, one save off the line and hit the bar off the top of my head) and Leeds did not have many. It could easily have been a very different game - but it wasn't - and you can't bemoan goalscoring luck with Pitman playing wide left.

It would be good if there could be some actual interesting discussion on this topic but sadly everything seems to turn into a tit for tat point scoring war between the same handful. Maybe everyone could take a step back and try and see the points in the other side of the argument?

I'd like to ask the people who advocate replacing KM whether they really think this would help keep us up at this point and if so who from those managers we might reasonable attract in our current position, they would like to see in charge instead?

[Nibor]

Having read through all the replies to this thread it surprises me that, one again no-one mentions what a largely poor bunch of players Millen has at his disposal.

Only 3 or 4 are upto Championship standard imo and he's having to make do with a bunch of dross. Few of them, if any would get into any of the top 6 teams.

I think you're very much exaggerating there.

For me, I'd be very happy to retain all of the following players and think they could all play most of the season in a matchday squad that challenges at the top:

James

Fontaine

Elliott

Cisse

Stead

Maynard

Pitman

Adomah

Woolford

not to mention Caulker and Rose.

We're weak in defence and central midfield yes but even players like Skuse and JCR can be part of a successful squad at this level and I think there's more to come from Henderson and Ribeiro too.

It's to Keith Millen's credit that his signings are in that list but you don't do yourself any favours with such exaggeration.

[SC_Red]

Having read through all the replies to this thread it surprises me that, one again no-one mentions what a largely poor bunch of players Millen has at his disposal.

Only 3 or 4 are upto Championship standard imo and he's having to make do with a bunch of dross. Few of them, if any would get into any of the top 6 teams.

Obviously Millen isn't going to say that in public but be under no illusion that he doesn't know it.

If Mourinho or Wenger had taken over when Millen did I doubt even they would have got much more out of such sorry bunch of players.

Should City stay in the Championship I would expect to see a massive clear over the summer with Millen bringing in some quality players and having a pre-season to work with them.

yet you accused Johnson of not making the best of the strongest squad you've seen at Ashton gate for many many years last season.

so in the time since Johnson left until now its gone from the strongest for many years to a load of dross. Whose responsible for that then?

[Redcliffe 78]

The selection and tactics were mistakes. They were compounded by not changing them until after the second goal. I can't imagine I was the only one who listened to the team line up and thought "oh shit". I do think KM will learn from this though, he has learned from most of his other mistakes.

We weren't *that* bad. We create five or six very good goalscoring chances (Woolford header, Keogh clean through, two goalmouth scrambles, one save off the line and hit the bar off the top of my head) and Leeds did not have many. It could easily have been a very different game - but it wasn't - and you can't bemoan goalscoring luck with Pitman playing wide left.

It would be good if there could be some actual interesting discussion on this topic but sadly everything seems to turn into a tit for tat point scoring war between the same handful. Maybe everyone could take a step back and try and see the points in the other side of the argument?

I'd like to ask the people who advocate replacing KM whether they really think this would help keep us up at this point and if so who from those managers we might reasonable attract in our current position, they would like to see in charge instead?

How long can we give KM to learn?

[Nibor]

How long can we give KM to learn?

As long as we stay up this season I'd give him until Xmas personally.

That's because I think he's done very well with signings and would be able to start next season with his own squad.

If we can't be in the top half then, it's a real concern.

My main worry about Millen isn't his intelligence or whether he can learn, I am sure he can. It's whether he has or can develop the charisma/gravitas a leader needs.

[lager loud]

I'm still not sure if KM is going to make it as a manager with us. Generally, though, I'm not a fan of getting rid of managers close to the end of the season or too soon. Until the Swansea game I was definitely in the "give him time - there have been some good signs" camp, and I don't expect a rookie manager to get everything right straight away. I have to admit the Swansea game shook my confidence quite a bit, as we were dreadful.

As far as the Leeds game is concerned, though, I'd make a few points.

Firstly, I don't think you can just ignore the weaknesses in the squad, which KM still hasn't had a proper chance to sort out - in spite of being in charge for as long as he has, he's only really had the January window to make changes, and he tried. January is not an easy time to get quality players in, and he seems to have done an OK job. But he's been struggling all season to find the right combination of players and formation, and has been forced to use a lot of players who (IMO) aren't really of the quality we need - Sproule, Clarkson, Johnson would all fall into that category for me, and you could probably make a case for half a dozen others. We don't have a creative midfielder at the club; and if you're going to play two uncreative central midfielders you need two good wide players to make chances for you - and we've had one, Albert (Rose has only done it in patches). KM has also had to deal with a number of longish injuries and a number of players being out of form.

I wasn't at Preston, but it sounds as though we were dreadful again in the first half and changed the formation to good effect at half time. It's therefore understandable that KM may have thought he'd found a formula that was worth persevering with. Playing someone out of position shouldn't give them the sort of first touch Woolford showed on Saturday. I'd agree, though, that it was obvious before half time that the formation wasn't working and he should have changed things sooner.

I don't think some people are giving Leeds enough credit for Saturday - Snodgrass in particular: anyone who's good enough to put Caulker on his backside by dipping his shoulder has got something about him, and Snodgrass caused us problems all day.It was only when I watched that first goal again on TV that I realised just how quick and clever he was with his feet.

Their second goal was really poor defending on our part - McAllister, certainly, but any goalkeeper getting nutmegged on his near post needs to have a word with himself (which I'm sure DJ will).

And, unlike many other games this season, where once we've gone behind we've just capitulated, we actually gave it a pretty good go on Saturday and on another day would at least heve been pressing for an equaliser in the last 10/15 minutes.

So as I said at the beginning, I'm still not sure about KM, but would like him to be given the chance to grow into the job. I don't think we'll go down, but the remaining games against the teams around us are going to be vital. I hope we can have a clearout in the summer and put together a better squad - and I think the signs are good that KM can pick good players. If that happens and we're not showing signs of improvement by November, maybe it will be time to reassess things - and if we did go down this season perhaps we'd have to do so sooner. But I'm certainly not convinced that bringing in a new man now would make going down less likely , and I wouldn't risk it.

[Bar BS3]

Am i the only one, or certainly in a major minority, who think we were rather unlucky not to get something out of Saturdays game??!!

Aside from the wood work and a few inspired/fortunate efforts from Rudolph Jnr, we comfortably deserved a share of the points. Yes, obviously we didn't get them, but i don't think it was for the want of trying or a lack of tactical changes to create the turn about in a game where first half we created little, but never looked overawed like we did against Swansea.

How anyone can critisise starting the same line up as did so well in the 2nd half at Deepdale surprises me. In hind sight, NO, it didnt work, so it was changed and Albert made a telling contribution 2nd half. BUT was rightly left on the bench 1st half after a run of ineffective performances.

I believe that each and every signing Millen has made has been an improvement on what we already had. Add to that the devastating injury list we have had the entire season and surely a littel patience is required!

Of course i can see the weeker side or Millens management and this is ot a blind case for his defence, but surely people people can also see that it is not THAT bad and a work in progress which i for one am happy to patiently support. It certainly has more of a basis for long term success than chopping and changing managers everytime we go through a rough patch.

I am prepared to go with getting enough points for safety (which i think we will do fairly comfortably), allow Millen the Summer to ship out and bring in to continue his impressive transfer stratagy (ALTHOUGH REPLACING CAULKER WILL BE A VERY TOUGH CHALLENGE INDEED) and review how things are looking come late October. Then and only then would I think it fair to really judge his attributes as manager of this football club. Unless of course we loose out next xx amount of games, indicating he has lost the squad and then action has to be taken. I do not see that being the case.

[Monkeh]

maybe Mr Teflon should step down as manager and give it to someone who can see tactics are not working,

Yes he changed it but why do we have to wait until we are 1 or 2 down before he even thinks about changing it,

Millen should be chief scout as he can spot a player, but he sure can't manage a player,

He's suffering Brian Tinnian syndrome as in he's too chummy with the players we need a stricter manager who can sho leadership and spot tactics that are not working,

We're 19th in free fall perofrmances are get worst still and I honestly can not see where the next point is coming from,

We're lucky that there are 3 teams worse then us

[Riaz]

which KM still hasn't had a proper chance to sort out

this is bollocks that I keep reading. he had the chance and guess what, he signed another winger and another striker.

Even though we still have no midfielder who can pick them out on a regular basis and a full back that will lump the ball over their heads.

I've just decorated a house, that I'm due to move into and its like buying all the paint and then saying I cant afford the brushes!

[spudski]

What suprises me, is how much lower the expectations in the quality of football, our fans accept as reasonable.

Those first two seasons we came up, we played some fantastic football. Controlled, fast, confident...good football. It seems many have forgot how good we were, with on paper, a lesser squad. And it wasn't that long ago.

What we need is a manager who can motivate, bring confidence and self belief in these players.

The body language of our players, tells so much. They just don't believe. Scoring and celebrating is more in relief than anything else.

[Mr Popodopolous]

Why do we need some one to cut in, when his natural position is to take the ball to the bye line and whip a cross in. Ryan Giggs never used to play on the right??

Theres no logical reason. Once again, like his predecessor.....we have a manager who plays players in un favorable positions.

Woolford is a left winger. Play him on the left

As I and others have said, players do switch wings, it's all about exploiting the weakness of the less able opposing full back and bringing in your own full back. Look it up, asymmetrical wingers etc.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1255794/Ashley-Young-Luka-Modric-Adam-Johnson--Premier-League-bosses-going-crazy-inside-wingers.html

[BCFC_Dan]

The selection and tactics were mistakes. They were compounded by not changing them until after the second goal. I can't imagine I was the only one who listened to the team line up and thought "oh shit". I do think KM will learn from this though, he has learned from most of his other mistakes.

We weren't *that* bad. We create five or six very good goalscoring chances (Woolford header, Keogh clean through, two goalmouth scrambles, one save off the line and hit the bar off the top of my head) and Leeds did not have many. It could easily have been a very different game - but it wasn't - and you can't bemoan goalscoring luck with Pitman playing wide left.

It would be good if there could be some actual interesting discussion on this topic but sadly everything seems to turn into a tit for tat point scoring war between the same handful. Maybe everyone could take a step back and try and see the points in the other side of the argument?

I'd like to ask the people who advocate replacing KM whether they really think this would help keep us up at this point and if so who from those managers we might reasonable attract in our current position, they would like to see in charge instead?

That's almost exactly as I saw it. I've never seen City play 4-3-3 effectively and I shudder every time I see them line up using it. It also strikes me as slightly naive to assume that what worked against the bottom club will work against one of the top clubs. But on the other hand it was a positive selection and though probably inappropriate it's still good to have a manager who wants his team to attack at home.

One thing about changing the manager that doesn't seem to get considered is the reputation of the club. Granted a few extra quid is usually enough to be persuasive, but when we are looking for our next manager do we want prospective candidates thinking they'll only get 10 months in the job before they're out again? I'd rather support a club with a reputation for backing its managers and giving them a chance to succeed.

[Redcliffe 78]

As long as we stay up this season I'd give him until Xmas personally.

That's because I think he's done very well with signings and would be able to start next season with his own squad.

If we can't be in the top half then, it's a real concern.

My main worry about Millen isn't his intelligence or whether he can learn, I am sure he can. It's whether he has or can develop the charisma/gravitas a leader needs.

I have always said, i would judge him xmas year, but its the press comments and major decision making me worry, unhappy faces on the players means unhappy dressing room imo, time will tell. When Leeds scored there first Keogh turned to the bench and i'm not now lip reading expert what formation now.

[Pezo]

Bristol City 0-2 Leeds United.

The results speaks for itself, but the the way we surrendered to a Leeds side who were no better than ordinary is unsatisfactory.

Fresh from thumping lowly PNE 4-0 away, with his new signings and the most passionate home support seen at Ashton Gate for quite a while, the majority of the sell out crowd were expecting to see a resurgent Bristol City. Something a little better from what has been witnessed during this awful season of entertainment.

But no. Keith Millen, for reasons known only to himself and his side kick Wigley, not only stifled the expectant home support but handed Leeds the points on the proverbial plate. His team selection and tactics just seemed void of any thought.

How the Leeds dressing room must've breathed a collective sigh of relief when they saw the City side. I wouldn't be surprised if they did their "warm downs" in the changing room before the game, such was the ease with which they nullified our leaderless and lost "warriors"

Albert Adomah. Our one shining light in a season of $hite. On the bench.

Martyn Woolford. Millens much sought after and acclaimed left sided midfielder. On the right.

Brett Pittman. Our only fit goal threat. Our "fox in the box". On the left.

Andy Keogh. A player who has the ability to create from deep. Up front on his own, with no support, and two 6' plus centre halfs to keep him company.

Dave Clarkson. A player who consistantly surprises me with his lack of pace, passion, aggression or ability. In the starting eleven.

We looked totally unbalanced, underprepared and more worringly, absolutely clueless.

Surely, Adomah should've been on the right, Woolford on the left, Pittman up top, with Keogh in place of Clarkson?

Robbored told me during the first half, that the system had worked at Preston.

Preston. A team who are 10 points from safety. Impressive eh?

I know Robbored is a keen supporter of Keith Millen. So much so in fact, that McAllister is blamed for everything that is wrong at Ashton Gate. (Now Johnson is no longer there)

Line ups and tactics are the managers responsibility. Keith Millen has to be held responsible for yet another dire shambolic performance, which is becoming the expected "norm" for his reign.

I like listening to away fans opinions quite a bit so I spoke to one of my mates that supports Leeds after the game. First thing he said "why did it take your manager until the last 20 mins to realize that you were not making any real chances and to change it around and bring on a winger for the right hand side and why did you start the game by playing long ball football". I told him that we are lacking in confidence and thats why were playing long ball which its just exacerbating our issues. As for the manager I couldn't explain to him why we didn't really do anything until we were 2-0 down, to which he said "if we had played like we did in the last 20 mins all game we would have won because we (Leeds) always concede".

We seem to have some major deep rooted problems with the mentality within the squad now - we don't start games very well and we now seem to find ourselves 1 or more down at half time without ever really making any clear cut chances for ourselves we then have a bit of a go at some point in the second half but that seems to be limited to 10-20 minutes of "action". Its become a bit stale and ground hog day ish for me. I know the players are capable so our management team need to address the mentality issues.

[SimplyRed]

hang on a minute I thought you and robbo we're bum chums?

split up did we?

He must of not sent a card this morning Riaz

This explains robbo's absence from the forum - could he be working on a late present/card for his loved one??

ahh.. how sweet!

Are you always offensive to people you don't know? Do you start fights with people you don't know in pubs, just because you don't like what they're wearing or because they dare to think differently to you?

A fine example of what passes for the cutting edge of wit on this forum and an example of the sort of posts that spoil a good thread and cause me to post less and less:

Rule number 1 - When not agreeing with a post, make jokey, sarcastic and/or derogatory comments about the poster - "cuz iss really funnee - innit?" DUH

[Robbored]

I to didn't think City were ''that'' shocking against Leeds. Ok the first half was Leeds over running the midfield and having most of the posession but they didn't cause James too many problems and the goal they scored was a piece of individual skill aided by poor City marking.

They got a bit lucky second with the ball creeping though James legs but after than City played some decent stuff and created plenty of goal action and scrambles. Hit the woodwork twice and the Leeds keeper made a couple of terrific saves. Certainly nowhere near as poor as the Boro performance.

Home form is a worry. Could be the home fans expectation gets to the players and the familiar 'fear of failure' kicks in. Far less pressure away from AG where City have got some good results.

[Esmond Million's Bung]

I to didn't think City were ''that'' shocking against Leeds. Ok the first half was Leeds over running the midfield and having most of the posession but they didn't cause James too many problems and the goal they scored was a piece of individual skill aided by poor City marking.

They got a bit lucky second with the ball creeping though James legs but after than City played some decent stuff and created plenty of goal action and scrambles. Hit the woodwork twice and the Leeds keeper made a couple of terrific saves. Certainly nowhere near as poor as the Boro performance.

Home form is a worry. Could be the home fans expectation gets to the players and the familiar 'fear of failure' kicks in. Far less pressure away from AG where City have got some good results.

So not a bad performance from the squad at Millen's disposal containing only 3/4 players of championship quality?

[Redcliffe 78]

I like listening to away fans opinions quite a bit so I spoke to one of my mates that supports Leeds after the game. First thing he said "why did it take your manager until the last 20 mins to realize that you were not making any real chances and to change it around and bring on a winger for the right hand side and why did you start the game by playing long ball football". I told him that we are lacking in confidence and thats why were playing long ball which its just exacerbating our issues. As for the manager I couldn't explain to him why we didn't really do anything until we were 2-0 down, to which he said "if we had played like we did in the last 20 mins all game we would have won because we (Leeds) always concede".

We seem to have some major deep rooted problems with the mentality within the squad now - we don't start games very well and we now seem to find ourselves 1 or more down at half time without ever really making any clear cut chances for ourselves we then have a bit of a go at some point in the second half but that seems to be limited to 10-20 minutes of "action". Its become a bit stale and ground hog day ish for me. I know the players are capable so our management team need to address the mentality issues.

One of those chances went in, i really think we would of gone on to draw, confidence in football is such a massive thing, first goal in any game from now to the end of the season will be so massive for us.

[Riaz]

Are you always offensive to people you don't know? Do you start fights with people you don't know in pubs, just because you don't like what they're wearing or because they dare to think differently to you?

A fine example of what passes for the cutting edge of wit on this forum and an example of the sort of posts that spoil a good thread and cause me to post less and less:

Rule number 1 - When not agreeing with a post, make jokey, sarcastic and/or derogatory comments about the poster - "cuz iss really funnee - innit?" DUH

Lighten up - just having a laugh!

I actually agree with you on this

[Esmond Million's Bung]

One of those chances went in, i really think we would of gone on to draw, confidence in football is such a massive thing, first goal in any game from now to the end of the season will be so massive for us.

You are correct about confidence, but why wait 62 minutes when the game was pretty much lost to change things, Millen waited until half time against Leicester and got lucky and was hailed as a tactical genius by some, he waited until we were 2-0 down at Hull before changing things.

The players thrive on confidence of course they do and coming off the back of a 4-0 away win the confidence should have been sky high, but when a 'cunning' plan is clearly failing and the fans and more especially the players can see that then the confidence starts to evaporate from the players and they look to the manager to change things, I would hope that after 20 minutes of that game Millen knew he needed to change things and he should'nt worry about upsetting overpaid ego's, if a change was needed at that time it should have been made and I really don't think Millen has got that ruthless streak in him, I know it maybe seen as slightly humiliating to the player/players taken off but hey they'll get over it on the drive home in their luxury cars to their luxury homes, it beats working for a living.

[Roe]

so people keep saying. so why are we 19th with one win in 8 games and having scored no goals in 6 of those games?

Because it takes more than 4 or 5 players to make a new team? We need a pre-season where the squad can be assessed and built properly without the need to press the panic button after every bad performance?

Have people really forgot that we were in the exact same position last season? Only then it was Gary Johnson who was the clueless one and "ooo we need a big name manager.. someone like Steve Coppell to take us forward..."

We're towards the bottom of the league because like it or not we're not a big club. Does that mean we should just be happy to hang around the bottom and wait til we go down? Of course not. But some realism is needed and I'm grateful we have a chairman who sees the bigger picture.

[Redcliffe 78]

You are correct about confidence, but why wait 62 minutes when the game was pretty much lost to change things, Millen waited until half time against Leicester and got lucky and was hailed as a tactical genius by some, he waited until we were 2-0 down at Hull before changing things.

The players thrive on confidence of course they do and coming off the back of a 4-0 away win the confidence should have been sky high, but when a 'cunning' plan is clearly failing and the fans and more especially the players can see that then the confidence starts to evaporate from the players and they look to the manager to change things, I would hope that after 20 minutes of that game Millen knew he needed to change things and he should'nt worry about upsetting overpaid ego's, if a change was needed at that time it should have been made and I really don't think Millen has got that ruthless streak in him, I know it maybe seen as slightly humiliating to the player/players taken off but hey they'll get over it on the drive home in their luxury cars to their luxury homes, it beats working for a living.

Good post, like i said previously getting worried about Millens imo key decisions, i was all for giving him till this Xmas, slightly thinking different time will tell,

[lager loud]

this is bollocks that I keep reading. he had the chance and guess what, he signed another winger and another striker.

Even though we still have no midfielder who can pick them out on a regular basis and a full back that will lump the ball over their heads.

I've just decorated a house, that I'm due to move into and its like buying all the paint and then saying I cant afford the brushes!

I assume by "this is bollocks" you mean you don't agree with me. Do you think you could try to say so a bit less confrontationally next time?

Setting aside your rudeness, I'm happy to address the issue.

How do you know he's had the chance? I've no idea what enquiries he made in the January window, but as I said I don't think it's that easy to find good players at a decent price in January; we are in a real mess financially, so we shouldn't just repeat the faults of the past by paying over the odds for players or bringing in players who aren't going to be right for the long term of the club. Perhaps we just couldn't get the right players at the right price for the positions you mention.

As far as the players we did bring in are concerned, we haven't had a left footed left sided midfielder since McIndoe left (apart from Rose, who's been OK but is only here on loan and is currently injured). However many right wingers we have, we haven't had a left winger for some time, and the lack of balance this causes has been part of our problem. So bringing in someone in this position seems perfectly sensible to me.

Up front, if we think of our forward options during the window:

- Pitman: good prospect, in his first season at this level

- Stead: fine player, but injured and won't be available for most of the remainder of the season

- Clarkson: not convinced he's good enough

- Akinde: no indication he's good enough

- Maynard: coming back from injury so no certainty about when he'll be fully effective

- Haynes - never convinced he was good enough as a forward, and he is the one player we seem to have got an offer for, so letting him go was reasonable

- Sproule: has never worked as a forward for us

- Adomah: wouldn't want to lose him as a wide man

So I make that one fit forward who is probably good enough. Which seems a pretty good reason to bring another one in - and a loan seems a good idea, as two out of three from Pitman, Stead and Maynard when fit should be good enough to see us through to the end of the season at least.

Would it have been good to get a full back and a creative midfielder as well? Of course. It's pretty clear that SL was prepared to back KM if he found the right player(s). But maybe the ones we'd have wanted weren't available on sensible terms. And I'd rather do without until the end of the season than get the wrong ones in and be stuck with them - we've had enough of that in the last couple of seasons.

[Roe]

Before Millen took over we had a squad of:

Goalkeepers: David James, Dean Gerken, Steven Henderson

Right Backs: Nicky Hunt, Christian Ribeiro, Joe Edwards

Left Backs: Jamie McAllister

Centre Backs: Louis Carey, Liam Fontaine, Damion Stewart, Lewin Nyatanga, James Wilson

Right Wingers: Albert Adomah, Ivan Sproule

Left Wingers: Jamal Campbell-Ryce

Midfielders: Marvin Elliott, Cole Skuse, Lee Johnson, Kalifa Cisse

Strikers: Nicky Maynard, David Clarkson, Danny Haynes, John Akinde

He's managed to bring 6 new players (2 loans) in which seems about right for the time period. Any more might have been too damaging for the club financially if we were to go down.

Of those players we've added:

Centre back: Steven Caulker (who for many has been our best player)

Left midfielders: Danny Rose (unfairly criticised on here and now unfortunately injured), Martin Woolford (looks a decent long term signing and one of the areas we needed)

Strikers: Jon Stead, Brett Pitman (both have settled quite quickly but haven't been able to settle a partnership due to injuries etc) and due to injuries Andy Keogh on loan

Now in my personal opinion we still need to bring in for next season:

2 full backs, 2 centre backs, a centre midfielder and then we'd have a pretty decent, well balanced side. We could then do with boosting it a little further in case of injuries etc but as things are going and if we can do this in the summer I feel we can be one of the better teams in this league again next year. It takes time to rebuild and that's what we have to do.

[Riaz]

I assume by "this is bollocks" you mean you don't agree with me. Do you think you could try to say so a bit less confrontationally next time?

Setting aside your rudeness, I'm happy to address the issue.

How do you know he's had the chance? I've no idea what enquiries he made in the January window, but as I said I don't think it's that easy to find good players at a decent price in January; we are in a real mess financially, so we shouldn't just repeat the faults of the past by paying over the odds for players or bringing in players who aren't going to be right for the long term of the club. Perhaps we just couldn't get the right players at the right price for the positions you mention.

As far as the players we did bring in are concerned, we haven't had a left footed left sided midfielder since McIndoe left (apart from Rose, who's been OK but is only here on loan and is currently injured). However many right wingers we have, we haven't had a left winger for some time, and the lack of balance this causes has been part of our problem. So bringing in someone in this position seems perfectly sensible to me.

Up front, if we think of our forward options during the window:

- Pitman: good prospect, in his first season at this level

- Stead: fine player, but injured and won't be available for most of the remainder of the season

- Clarkson: not convinced he's good enough

- Akinde: no indication he's good enough

- Maynard: coming back from injury so no certainty about when he'll be fully effective

- Haynes - never convinced he was good enough as a forward, and he is the one player we seem to have got an offer for, so letting him go was reasonable

- Sproule: has never worked as a forward for us

- Adomah: wouldn't want to lose him as a wide man

So I make that one fit forward who is probably good enough. Which seems a pretty good reason to bring another one in - and a loan seems a good idea, as two out of three from Pitman, Stead and Maynard when fit should be good enough to see us through to the end of the season at least.

Would it have been good to get a full back and a creative midfielder as well? Of course. It's pretty clear that SL was prepared to back KM if he found the right player(s). But maybe the ones we'd have wanted weren't available on sensible terms. And I'd rather do without until the end of the season than get the wrong ones in and be stuck with them - we've had enough of that in the last couple of seasons.

Was'nt suppose to come accross as confrontational, i apologise if it does - but the amount of times that is said when actually he's had since august. He should'nt have been putting his effort into a winger and striker. We've got Rose, who should be playing when fit and JCR when he is not.

Rose and JCR has been hit and miss, but I think this is because we have no threat down the middle, we have become too reliant on our wingers and expect them to produce every game. You can say JCR aint good enough, but he's good enough for a back-up - something we aint got at left back and we got no playmakers at all in the squad. Same for the forwards, clarkson, will do as a back-up and his scoring rate aint that bad.

I understand keogh was signed because stead got injured, but thats what we have a squad for. We've got clarkson & pitman and maynard coming back and stead in a couple of months, now if we got another injury there is always the loan system.

Thing is, I dont think millen prioritised a full back and a midfielder that much - I get the feeling he does not think we need it as urgently as we do.

[Redcliffe 78]

I assume by "this is bollocks" you mean you don't agree with me. Do you think you could try to say so a bit less confrontationally next time?

Setting aside your rudeness, I'm happy to address the issue.

How do you know he's had the chance? I've no idea what enquiries he made in the January window, but as I said I don't think it's that easy to find good players at a decent price in January; we are in a real mess financially, so we shouldn't just repeat the faults of the past by paying over the odds for players or bringing in players who aren't going to be right for the long term of the club. Perhaps we just couldn't get the right players at the right price for the positions you mention.

As far as the players we did bring in are concerned, we haven't had a left footed left sided midfielder since McIndoe left (apart from Rose, who's been OK but is only here on loan and is currently injured). However many right wingers we have, we haven't had a left winger for some time, and the lack of balance this causes has been part of our problem. So bringing in someone in this position seems perfectly sensible to me.

Up front, if we think of our forward options during the window:

- Pitman: good prospect, in his first season at this level

- Stead: fine player, but injured and won't be available for most of the remainder of the season

- Clarkson: not convinced he's good enough

- Akinde: no indication he's good enough

- Maynard: coming back from injury so no certainty about when he'll be fully effective

- Haynes - never convinced he was good enough as a forward, and he is the one player we seem to have got an offer for, so letting him go was reasonable

- Sproule: has never worked as a forward for us

- Adomah: wouldn't want to lose him as a wide man

So I make that one fit forward who is probably good enough. Which seems a pretty good reason to bring another one in - and a loan seems a good idea, as two out of three from Pitman, Stead and Maynard when fit should be good enough to see us through to the end of the season at least.

Would it have been good to get a full back and a creative midfielder as well? Of course. It's pretty clear that SL was prepared to back KM if he found the right player(s). But maybe the ones we'd have wanted weren't available on sensible terms. And I'd rather do without until the end of the season than get the wrong ones in and be stuck with them - we've had enough of that in the last couple of seasons.

Good post, but why not go back to when we were bottom, it worked and he was manager of the month, defend hit teams on the break, with the pace we have instead of these tactics that players at our club can not adpate to during the season, stay up ugly, then pretty football when you have the players you want at the club to do it.

[Roe]

I get your points Riaz and they're fair enough but I personally get the feeling that Millen was always going to be criticised in January whoever he signed. Unless we were able to sign 5 or 6 players which was always gonna be unlikely. If he got a left back, it would have been a right back that was apparently more urgent. If he signed a creative midfielder, we'd have had no options on the left with Rose and JCR both injured. And if he didn't sign a forward we'd have been very light up front. It was always a difficult one and that's why I just feel personally that nothing can properly be judged until around about October time next year. If we're struggling then, fine Millen should probably go, I think everyone would accept that.

[Pezo]

One of those chances went in, i really think we would of gone on to draw, confidence in football is such a massive thing, first goal in any game from now to the end of the season will be so massive for us.

My Leeds supporting mate said this on Sat night - he actually said "We (Leeds) have a habit of conceding late and it knocks our confidence (remind you of any other team?) so you would have probably gone on to win if you had scored on 70 mins".