How Can That First Half Be Explained?

[ScottishRed]

It was a dreadful first half, and yeah the weather was grim, but it looked like there was no motivation or determination. To be fair the second half was better, but I am far from convinced about this group of players being able to play 3 - 5 - 2.

 

What clearly is vital is to get safe ASAP, I really don't care how that is done, as long as it is done, and 4 - 4 - 2 seems the best way to me.

[Alex_BCFC]

The weather made things more difficult but was no excuse for the level of performance over the whole game, not just the first half.

 

When you have seen that kind of performance a lot this season then you for sure it isn't just the weather...

[bearded_red]

While I would be over the moon to put the dismal first half down to the weather, I'm not sure that is particularly accurate. Bar about 5 minutes when the rain was coming sideways the weather surely cannot be used an excuse to make that first half acceptable.

 

Our movement off the ball was non existent and this led to us being unable to move the ball around at any pace. Couple that with the the centre halves having a really poor time trying to play out from the back and you are never going to see anything like good football. It didn't help that JET and Bobby Reid both also had pretty quiet games as those two players do have the ability to spark us into life.

 

What should be heartening however, and what seems a rather alien concept to us, is that we found a way to win. Many times this season I have left games thinking we should have taken more points than we have only to pathetically throw them away thanks to missed chances or gifting the opposition goals. If we had been having a good season we would have all been happy to write off the performance and just say that good teams win games when they play badly.

 

Should we repeat Saturday's performance many more times this season we will continue to be in trouble, but the fact we managed to take three points after playing so poorly should provide hope going forward.

[Cowshed]

Don't underestimate the influence of the weather mate, specifically wind, you won't often see a good game under those conditions.

The team selection was questionable, not crap. Apparently we were very poor at Brentford so Cotterill made changes - I would;have a question mark over the new Elliott, don't think you could make a strong case about any others.

But Cotterill was decisive. Would SOD have made those changes at half time? No, and we wouldn't have won the game. Can't say that definitively of course, but based on experience.........based on experience Cotterill has won more league matches in 9 games than SOD managed in his last 29.

It wasn't only Marv's 5 minutes that won us the game. We were well on top during the second half before he scored, it was important we scored while we were on top, and we did. Carlisle offered very little during the game - but under SOD

I don't agree any players didn't care. JET is lazy when we don't have the ball, but in my view his quality compensates for that at this level - not sure the manager agrees with that though. I thought every other player worked hard.

I like Cotterill. He's entertaining and in the main so is the way his team plays football. He's trying to get the team playing the ball through the thirds with zip and purpose, I fail to see how that isn't better than a dozen passes along the back followed by a lump forward 60 yards.

I can honestly say I almost fell asleep a number of times during matches while SOD was here, and I don't even drink before games.

Embrace Cotterill mate he will try to do 2 very important things that SOD wouldn't have - entertain and keep us up. I honestly believe SOD wasn't bothered about either.

O'driscoll has left. He or the weather didn't pick the team at Brentford where the team were worse.

Anybody who watched both the Brentford and Carlisle matches should have reservations about the Manager.

I expected City to come steaming out of the blocks v Carlisle due to the motivational bollocking they should have received all the way back from London, but they were uncommitted and inspid again.