New Day, New Perspective!

[Devereux]

Its always heated straight after a game. Sometimes its best to wait till the morning after before looking back over the days play.

Trying to remain positive, I would say that one poor performance does not a bad team make (lets ignore pre-season for now, as only league games really matter).

In a simplistic view I would sum us up in the following way:

Goalkeeper - You can't drop James for one performance, that doesn't send out the right message to the squad especially given that I think our squad has an unusually fragile confidence for this league. Give it another 2/3 games and yes, if he carries on making errors like that get Gerken in.

Defence - Individually I think the back four that started yesterday are efficient defenders, as is Wilson, Ribs, Stewart and Carey. What we miss (and i am stating the bleeding obvious there) is a big dominant CB who can lead. I don't think Fonts or Tangs are leaders and that showed yesterday. A leader would have got back, ignored what James was doing, spotted the danger and hoofed it into the stands for that first goal. Carey is definitely that type of player but his lack of pace is a real worry.

Midfield - I am actually not too concerned with our midfield. JCR looked good yesterday constantly keeping things moving and looking to create. Ignoring his mistake for the 2nd goal I think Skuse actually played ok yesterday aswell. I think Elliott could thrive playing next to Kilkenny, given that the creative responsibility is taken off him and he could just concentrate on getting stuck in box-to-box. Out wide, we have the quality, but they have to be picked - Wooly, Bolasie and Albert are a decent set of wingers. As I said in a previous post, if the tactics were different and these players were actually trusted with the ball more often (rather than being missed out with a long ball), think they could create enough. Definitely think Kilenny should start though and would like to see Cisse given a chance in the holding role and some point.

Forwards - I am actually happy with Stead, Maynard, Pitman, Taylor, Clarkson. Maynard just needs to stay up top rather than coming deep to keep their defence honest and look to create opportunities for through balls. Pitman looks neat and tidy and if we can start playing the ball on the ground more, I would like to see him up top with Nicky with the instruction to drop a bit deeper and play Nicky in.

Tactics - Other than the signing of another defender, this is our achilles heal. I am a firm believer that the long ball only works in this division as a surprise tactic. Its actually a crime to play it as much as us when we have players like Albert on the wing as it takes them out the game. Our primary tactic (especially at home!!) should be to look to create 2 on 1s out wide through simple pass and goes. Kilkenny should be constantly starting moves off from the back four and should also keep an eye out for Pitman dropping deep and Nicky creating space. The long diagonal ball should be played very sparingly and should be played down the channels for Nicky to chase down and win a throw....not straight at their 6ft plus defenders.

Aside from the one defender we need, I really feel we have the talent to do all the above with our current players. What i think we struggle with is the confidence of the players to do this. This won't be a problem with Kilkenny and I think the defence will get more confidence if a real leader can be bought in. However, who is going to want to sell their defensive leader now the season has started...

I think we should at least wait 5 games before getting out the razor blades!!

[megansdad]

Good post - agree with much of what you say - Albert though was heavily marked yesterday in the first half particularly and am not sure about two left footed CBs playing together. Macca defended well but wasted a number of forward balls.........

[City Bounce Around]

Good post! I agree with everything that you say. But all of what you've said is simply stating the obvious and sensible solutions. What scares me is that Keith can't see it him self.

The long ball rubbish that I seen yesterday has to change and it did to an extent when kilkenny came on picked up the ball from the back four then looked for another short pass on the deck. He also gave Nyatanga a telling off when he done another of his hoofs upfield. We need him in our team to sort us out. I'm not saying that Kilkenny is some magical player who will solve all our problems but for me he HAS to start. It has been proven time and time again Skuse and Marv together creates bugger all.

[neilos]

Great posts, this all seems deja - vous from last season again though

My concern, although not a great concern as it's only the first game so far, is that Mill's will taken us down, maybe that's in truth where we belong, a good league one side ?

[Matty-H]

One bad performance may not make a bad team, even taking pre-season aside, however, last season this very side turned in bad performances for fun. It's not a one off, we've been here before.

Even now in the cold light of day I feel no different to yesterday, which is no different to how I felt at the end of last season, which is Millen isn't the right man, and we are in deep shit.

[italian dave]

Good post - and another one agreeing with most of whats been said.

We desperately need a leader - it doesn't really matter what position.

I actually thought we had a decent first half yesterday, and we tried to keep the ball on the deck and to pass it. However, it seems that as soon as we go a goal down we start to loose confidence in our passing and revert to hoofing it - and of course at a goal down the opposition are by then sitting much deeper and that's when the long ball is always going to be least effective.

I thought it was crying out for Albert to switch wings - especially with JCR being given a much freer role. And although JCR was busy I didn't think he created a lot.

The other very valid point you make is our shockingingly fragile confidence. Having that leader might help. Having some slightly more supportive fans might help too - the minority who boo our own players, and abuse individuals on forums such as this, probably don't help boost confidence.

Sadly though, as others have already said, all the above were quite evident last season and its worrying that we don't appear to have addressed any of them.

[Tim S]

As others have said, good post!

There is one other huge factor which I noticed played a big part yesterday, and thats psychology.

As soon as Ipswich scored the first goal, the players heads instantly dropped and thats when much of the play got sloppy and passes really started going astray.

This was something that we were really bad at last season - letting our heads drop after the opposition had scored. Perhaps this goes back to the "leaders on the pitch" thing where we need players to be vocal and not allow the other players heads to drop.

Much of our play had actually been fairly decent up until the first goal, we had just been lacking that final ball (same old story!). But once Ipswich scored, you could just tell it was only a matter of time before they scored again.

[Tim S]

Double post

[GrahamC]

It is a good post, but what we need to do now is much harder to do than it is to type.

Firstly make a decision about Maynard, we cannot go on week to week with a player who clearly isn't going to commit to us.

Then use some of the funds generated to move at least one or two others off of the wage bill.

Any money left needs to go on two defenders, a left back and a centre back in the mould of Delaney, of yesterday's opponents.

If we don't do all this last season's one of struggle will seem easy by comparison.

[SimplyRed]

Sorry to rain on your parade, but the facts are that team that was put out yesterday wasn't good enough to beat a team who were just as poor as we were. The only difference was that their defence didn't give away silly goals.

We WILL struggle this season until either Millen has some sort of divine inspiration, or we get someone in who actually understand the tactical side of the game. Millen may be a good coach (and for me, that's debateable!), but he's shown time after time that he doesn't grasp the basics of football tactics and game plans. We are so tactically inept, it's embarrassing.

[Northampton Red]

Best post I have read after the Ipswich game, I certainly think Millen needs to have the balls to put out much a changed squad-what's he got to lose? We need to play without fear, abiity is not the problem-look at the team that took us to the play off final. Our greatest weakness has always been in our heads-going all wobbly just because we are playing 'the mighty Leeds', for example. We are a small club in comparison to many others in this league but we should be using this as an advantage, if no one expects anything from you then we should surprise them and take the game to them in an aggressive, dedicated manner.

[QuedgeRed]

I have to admit to feeling just as depressed this morning about yesterday's performance as watching it unfold in front of my eyes!

Most dissapointing for me was the long balls from central defenders. So frustrating. Exactly the same was happening last season so it would seem the lesson of how to improve this particular trait of play is yet to be learned.

Hopefully KM saw the improvement Kilkenny made and will use him more in the coming games.

[duncan disorderley]

I don't think we could expect much more than what happened yesterday really.

The team put out yesterday, was the same team that struggled all season last year.

I think now is the time to move Maynard on whilst we can still get a decent price for him, even if that means him going to another championship club.

Also if the club are really wanting to move on, or at least keep our championship status intact investment is surely needed, we will not be able to build a quality team on free transfers and players with future potential alone.

What will cost us more long term? investment now or wait to see where this team takes us. We have been going backwards since the championship play off and I cannot see us changing with the personnel we have, sadly I think Millen falls into that category as well.

[City Bounce Around]

If you look at the team we had in the 2007/2008 season I wouldn't say that yesterdays team was too far away from that, some may say that is has improved. But the Championship has developed a lot since then and has got stronger year after year. But I'm afraid that city haven't developed with it. Who's to blame? Lot's of people probably. But I'm still confident in Keith and the board to find a solution to keep us in this division because that is really the best we can hope for this season. Things need to change though but it's not dyer straights just yet...

[SnozRobin]

Great post.

What's changed from last season, which was poor/average?

No Caulker.

And still NO LEADER.

It should have been obvious that if we have no money to spend, we cash in on Maynard and re-invest. Our defensive needs are far greater than up front.

[mcbcfc]

A new day and I'm just as exasperated as yesterday. Did km not watch any of last season? Skuse and Marv can't play in the middle together neither can pass a ball further than 5 yards. Jcr is not and never will be a left winger 4 times he got to the byline and had to cut back to try and cross not one got into the area. Playing 2 defenders who are unable to kick with their right foot let alone tackle, who are also slower than a pair of tortoise, and to make fonts easily the worst player against WBA captain? I can see us going the rest of the month without winning, and to say we coped well for the most part???

[Red Exile]

I got the impression Keith thought we played well yesterday and only sloppy errors gave goals away. And he's not alone. His fan club on here agree with him.

If that's the case I can't see much changing. On the evidence of yesterday it won't happen unless we bring in new faces. Ipswich's capture of Chopra, Bowyer and Emmanuel-Thomas all looked very good business...certainly better than Taylor, Kilkenny and Bolaise, none of who made our starting line up...

[edada]

Wasn't there yesterday due to holiday but fact remains that we needed a leader all last season and still need one now. Surely it shouldn't take this long to find one and actually get one. For all the bickering that goes on on this site this seems to be the one thing we all agree on. If the management/scouts can't see what we all see then maybe its time for changes and get some staff in who do know what they're doing.