Just Not Good Enough All Round

[Dr Balls]

The first half today was the most woeful and inept performance from a City side that I have seen in nearly 40 years. Yes it really was that bad and we were lucky to be only 4-0 down at half time.

4-5-1 might seem like a good solid formation but not with the pathetic midfield that we put on the pitch. Also to produce anything going forward you have to play the right tactics. We didn't. Lumping it forward towards Taylor was just gifting the ball back to Wolves. Taylor was going to get little change from Roger Johnson in the air. If we had played it on the ground that would have caused Wolves a lot more problems. And as it was on the very few times Taylor did win it in the air there was no one from midfield coming forward to get the ball.

The bottom line is that the manager doesn't seem to have a clue on how to get the team playing at the moment. That is compounded by having a group of players who did not measure up physically at Championship level and many of whom do not have the skills either.

So here goes my player opinions based in today.

Heaton: a good shot stopper but too small to be a top class keeper; useless at crosses and corners, which means the defenders panic.

Foster: not a good tackler which is a major flaw as a defender, and poor at crossing which limits his effectiveness going forward.

Bryan: sometimes caught out of position when defending but generally sound and our only attacking option on the left.

Fontaine: horribly out of form and needs to be dropped and stripped of the captaincy as he is a complete liability at the moment.

Bates: looks like a player who was out for 7 months but saved what looked like a certain goal early in the second half; persevere with him as he should come right.

Adomah: has previously been criticised for his lack of defensive cover but helped Foster out on numerous occasions today and our only real outlet going forward. Man of the Match for us by a country mile!

Kilkenny: points a lot, moans a lot but does nothing creative and can't defend to save his life. "Australian Johnson" is too slow and too lightweight to make a meaningful contribution.

Elliott: a shadow of the player he used to be; his ball control has always been poor but he now runs around more aimlessly than a headless chicken. Never previously questioned his commitment but today might as well not have been on the pitch for the amount of difference he made.

Pearson: flatters to deceive and seems unstoppable despite performances that would have consigned others to the bench months ago. Provided not protection to Bryan and offered nothing going forward. Another waste of space.

Danns: must wonder what the hell he has got himself into as he been asked to do the impossible and be a one man midfield. We are not using him in a way to make the most of his undoubted abilities which is nothing short of a travesty. And he will be back at Leicester all too soon.

Taylor: plugged away at his thankless task with little success; felt sorry for him to be honest.

Baldock: tried but clearly not on form at the moment.

Davies: had a bit of a shocker by his standards but clearly frustrated by the general ineptitude on display.

So what should happen next against Wednesday?

Being back Gerken in goal. Replace Fontaine with Danny Wilson. Give Reid a chance in place of Elliott. Play Anderson instead of Pearson on the left. And finally play 2 upfront as this puts the opposition under more pressure at the back and relieves the midfield somewhat.

I know that you won't all agree with my suggestions but the bottom line is that something dramatic has to change and very soon before it's too late.

[Uncle Albert]

Being back Gerken in goal. Replace Fontaine with Danny Wilson. Give Reid a chance in place of Elliott. Play Anderson instead of Pearson on the left. And finally play 2 upfront as this puts the opposition under more pressure at the back and relieves the midfield somewhat.

Good summary. Agree with you on nearly all of that, especially Reid! Been saying this for so long. However, imo, don't think Heaton should be dropped.