Coxy27 Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 Has 4-4-2 worked at all this season? No. Most of the times we've used it though have been to bring on the extra striker when we've just conceeded so I wouldn't be too unhappy to see it given a go from the start, at home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedM Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 For a few seasons now, it seems to me that the footballing philosophy at Bristol City under succesive managers has focussed on not conceding, rather than scoring goals. Team selections and formations during that time have tended to reinforce the fact that we are not an expansive attacking side, although I concede that the limitations of the squad, and individual players abilities, have tended to dictate the way we played. McInnes cam in with a team rock bottom, both in league position and confidence, and shipping goals at an alarming rate. it is little surprise that his first piority was to shore up the defensive side of things, which I think he acheived reasonably well. However, I think we all realise that our defence, including the midfied, are still very fragile, and while we remain in a relgation battle, I cannot see that McInnes has any option but to concentrate on keeping things tight. Having said all of that, playing Bolaise and Adomah shows that he is been pepared to take some attacking risks, but setbacks like yesterday won't help, even if it was stupid sending offs that scuppered any plans to play more expansive football at Ashton Gate. I hope that if survival is achieved this season, that summer transfer activity will show us Del's plans for more expansive and attacking football next season. I think you have got it exactly right. It's been quite a while since we had a team with plenty of goals in it. We have tightened the defence on the whole, but by doing so holds the midfield back as they are needed to cover. wood was just as isolated as Maynard or anyone would have been yesterday for most of the time. Pearson along with Albert & Bolasie try to drive things forward but it just stops short of the right ball being played. The team is so unconfident that they want to take that extra touch or walk it in. I think we looked like we could at least get an equaliser yesterday after the Wilson sending off but Bolasie just killed us. With 9 men we were probably good to keep it down to 3. A better team would have buried us. Well i guess we will have to go back to the drawing board for the next game as 2 players will be suspended. Shame for Wilson as i was hoping he would play well alonside Fonts and keep his place for a while. Who will replace Bolasie, well he too has only just began to feature regularly so may back to Woolford? Hardly inspiring that thought. If not pearson with Elliott back in the middle if fit? Think we have missed Elliott, but with that ref yesterday he might have walked aswell! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mendip City Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 I think Saintee or one of our Scottish posters said the same thing and they would know. That said some reckon St Johnson are/were punching above their weight in the SPL and maybe McInnes set up his side to concede as few goals as possible and given City's vulnerable position is doing the same thing down here. When McInnes has chance to bring in players of his own choice over the summer maybe we'll see a more expansive style of play. If he proves to be a one trick pony and continues to play one up front at home next season I'm sure the City fans will start getting on his back. We've been there before as we all know. We are playing the McInnes way, don't think it'll get much more expansive but it might be more successful if better players can be attracted. This will depend on the board's strategy moving forward. Anyone know what it is? Personally, right now I'd say we are the St Jobnstone of the Championship, punching above our weight with an average squad and unable to hang on to our very best players. We look capable of surviving (just) this season. I don't see any reason that things will be dramatically different next season as that would need significant investment in the squad (with money we don't have) or to start producing a quality team of home grown players (don't hold your breath!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downendcity Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 We are playing the McInnes way, don't think it'll get much more expansive but it might be more successful if better players can be attracted. This will depend on the board's strategy moving forward. Anyone know what it is? Personally, right now I'd say we are the St Jobnstone of the Championship, punching above our weight with an average squad and unable to hang on to our very best players. We look capable of surviving (just) this season. I don't see any reason that things will be dramatically different next season as that would need significant investment in the squad (with money we don't have) or to start producing a quality team of home grown players (don't hold your breath!) I would agree with you there Mendip if you were describing Gary Johnson's team during the first season back in the championship as that was an average squad ( aminly league 1 players) puching well above their weight... This team has been punching well below their weight all season- you only have to look at perfromances and results against the likes of Saints and WHam to see that. Their undoing was poor management, coaching and tactics, leading to fragile confidence and awful performances that got us to the bottom of the table earlier in the season. The current team are only punching above their weght if you compare them to Millen's team in the early part of the season. Yes there are weaknesses in the team and squad, but even so, for highly paid professional footballers, some of the perfromances this season have been unforgivable. McInnes has improved things no end, but still has a lot of work to do. I look forward to McInnes producing his team next season, that will be capable of punching well above their weight, as we might then enjoy the sort of season that Gary Johnson gave us back in 2008. Happy days! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miketh2nd Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 Last time I rememeber 4-4-2 working sucessfully not just working alright was the Brooker Lita Partnership. Though Nicky Haynes and Maynard wasn't too shabby either as Haynes pace would make more mark him rather than Maynard. It's a shame that pitman may end up the same way as Trundle(not that I'm starting this debate) but maybe once we have a bit more confidence or start of the next season we'll see him feature more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex_BCFC Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 OK so if 4-4-2 has never worked this season, why would be people be suggesting to try it now. Crazy. Wait until the summer when we clearout etc then it might be OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nibor Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 I don't really subscribe to this idea that we can't play 442. I don't think we've tried it with the right personnel. I think a midfield pair of Cisse and Kilkenny would work as long as there's some movement allowing us to pass the ball and with two up front it'd give us more options passing wise. It would require Adomah and Bolasie to do some defensive work instead of just lazing about when they've lost the ball but that should be possible. We probably can't try this until we have a settled back four though. I've seen Wood play twice now and his touch has been horrible both times, it's all very well being big but if you can't control the ball well enough to link play it won't work. I hope that's just nerves and he will settle but it's a concern. Right now most of our successful attacking play goes down the wings on the break rather than through the middle, and often balls go through the box without anybody getting on the end of them. We had lots of possession for the first 40 minutes but out of that created perhaps one decent chance (Adomah's shot that was saved well). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CityCiderEd Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 Midfield was and is our biggest weakness.Most sides in this league feature at least one sometimes two players in midfield that weigh in with their share of goals.Over the past few seasons this has been our major weakness,we have never had a single midfielder who has ever got into double figures or looks likely to.We need a player capable of running beyond the forwards and committing defenders to make space for the front men and that sadly is something we never see.Until this problem position is sorted out we will continue to struggle and create enough goals to win games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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