Clean Sheets

[The Original OTIB]

There’s something of a sideshow being played out at the moment, the merits of which will probably dominate debate until the mathematics prove that we are either staying up or going down. The focus of all attention should rather be upon our best chance of survival, and that is: clean sheets.

For those not at the game yesterday, what we saw was the ongoing progression towards that goal, game by game and with necessary pragmatism. You can have all the theory and technical detail in the world but without pragmatism when threat looms in the form of relegation, you are prone to failure. What we did yesterday was play the opposition, the conditions and each and every situation on the merits required to do the job. We had passages of good, free-flowing passing, we went long at times, we adopted row z projectiles if the danger called for it, we took time out of the game where necessary (in the correct way through the course playing football rather than feigning injury). Overall, we played the percentages and each and every player put a shift in, to use a cliché. What John Pemberton has done in a short space of time is remarkable for all of the above. We are now hard to beat and if we get in front, that’s a fantastic trait to have. If you keep getting clean sheets, sometimes you will also score goals. If you score with clean sheets, you win games. Of course I would love to see us dominate games and have the verve of last season but this is NOT the time and place to do it.

Another pat on the back should go to Wilbraham for all the abuse he’s had this season. He did exactly what has been asked of him up to Cotterill’s departure, but at his age, it is clear that he is a fantastic asset for the last 20 minutes of games. He keeps it well, links play, is a solid target and presents a threat. We are lucky to have him and if used correctly (per recent league games) he will play a major part in is closing out games and securing valuable points.

The big unknown in all of this is whether Lee Johnson will turn up on Monday and try to be his own man from day one. My take on that would be it would spell utter disaster.  Let’s not forget that you can change the title from manager to coach, but in essence, setting up a team in EVERY aspect IS management; and sometimes, in management, the best thing is to do nothing: trust your staff, trust your team, mentor when necessary but never needlessly interfere nor undermine. Some would have it that Lee is highly “technical” and that may be so; but this is surely not the time to tinker. Indeed, the older and ultimate Tinkerman at Leicester shows us another great trait: the ability to change, to be pragmatic and to be humble. He’s left a great deal alone and given admirable credit to Pearson. If I were Johnson, I would do the same; I’d URGE him to do the same. Then show us what you’ve got from the summer onwards.

[italian dave]

I don't recall Wilbs getting abuse: I think the criticism was directed at SC for persisting with playing home for 90 minutes, twice a week, when it was quite evident that he was hardly able to run! 

Othewise though, agree with all you say: solid and safe is what we need for the rest of this season.

[ashton_fan]

5 minutes ago, italian dave said:

I don't recall Wilbs getting abuse: I think the criticism was directed at SC for persisting with playing home for 90 minutes, twice a week, when it was quite evident that he was hardly able to run! 

Othewise though, agree with all you say: solid and safe is what we need for the rest of this season.

Wilbs has definitely had abuse from the fans around me, and totally unjustified when he was expected to play 90 minutes every week at this age.

[Taylor10]

11 minutes ago, The Original OTIB said:

There’s something of a sideshow being played out at the moment, the merits of which will probably dominate debate until the mathematics prove that we are either staying up or going down. The focus of all attention should rather be upon our best chance of survival, and that is: clean sheets.

For those not at the game yesterday, what we saw was the ongoing progression towards that goal, game by game and with necessary pragmatism. You can have all the theory and technical detail in the world but without pragmatism when threat looms in the form of relegation, you are prone to failure. What we did yesterday was play the opposition, the conditions and each and every situation on the merits required to do the job. We had passages of good, free-flowing passing, we went long at times, we adopted row z projectiles if the danger called for it, we took time out of the game where necessary (in the correct way through the course playing football rather than feigning injury). Overall, we played the percentages and each and every player put a shift in, to use a cliché. What John Pemberton has done in a short space of time is remarkable for all of the above. We are now hard to beat and if we get in front, that’s a fantastic trait to have. If you keep getting clean sheets, sometimes you will also score goals. If you score with clean sheets, you win games. Of course I would love to see us dominate games and have the verve of last season but this is NOT the time and place to do it.

Another pat on the back should go to Wilbraham for all the abuse he’s had this season. He did exactly what has been asked of him up to Cotterill’s departure, but at his age, it is clear that he is a fantastic asset for the last 20 minutes of games. He keeps it well, links play, is a solid target and presents a threat. We are lucky to have him and if used correctly (per recent league games) he will play a major part in is closing out games and securing valuable points.

The big unknown in all of this is whether Lee Johnson will turn up on Monday and try to be his own man from day one. My take on that would be it would spell utter disaster.  Let’s not forget that you can change the title from manager to coach, but in essence, setting up a team in EVERY aspect IS management; and sometimes, in management, the best thing is to do nothing: trust your staff, trust your team, mentor when necessary but never needlessly interfere nor undermine. Some would have it that Lee is highly “technical” and that may be so; but this is surely not the time to tinker. Indeed, the older and ultimate Tinkerman at Leicester shows us another great trait: the ability to change, to be pragmatic and to be humble. He’s left a great deal alone and given admirable credit to Pearson. If I were Johnson, I would do the same; I’d URGE him to do the same. Then show us what you’ve got from the summer onwards.

We do look so much more solid. A fully fit Ayling to add to that back line will only improve us more. A back 4, plus the additions of O'Donnell & Golbourne have really improved us. We just look a much better unit & the confidence O'Donnell brings can only help.

As for Wilbs it wasn't so much abuse directed at him. It was the frustration at SC's ridiculous petulance & stubborness in his complete mis-management of him.

[Lanterne Rouge]

Just now, ashton_fan said:

Wilbs has definitely had abuse from the fans around me, and totally unjustified when he was expected to play 90 minutes every week at this age.

Around me too. Not by many admittedly but he has had. As you say, totally unjustified, and I suspect if you asked them what they were actually complaining about they`d say keeping him on the pitch once they thought about it. He did get a load off some knobheads round the tunnel v Preston(?) but they were soon shouted down apparently. I suspect the people who do give it out are the same ones that scream abuse at Marlon Pack.

[cityexile]

We have played the last few games how Preston started the season. Making it hard for the opposition to win. Playing binary football, 0-0s, 1-0s, 0-1s, picking points up, and giving themselves a base on which to build. Rather we tried to blow teams away, but would not try a Plan B when it was not working.

Also not a coincidence how often we were hanging on in games through a death wish not to use subs!

Hopefully not to late. Never been about strikers this year to out score the opposition in my view.

[ten minutes of rough]

20 minutes ago, cityexile said:

We have played the last few games how Preston started the season. Making it hard for the opposition to win. Playing binary football, 0-0s, 1-0s, 0-1s, picking points up, and giving themselves a base on which to build. Rather we tried to blow teams away, but would not try a Plan B when it was not working.

Also not a coincidence how often we were hanging on in games through a death wish not to use subs!

Hopefully not to late. Never been about strikers this year to out score the opposition in my view.

Binary football? Like it, but yes if we were to get out of the mess that Cotterill's stubborness got us in to we just had to tighten up at the back, and that meant someone with no ego's like Pembo to step up and do just that, not pretty but effective. For the life of me why did Cotts not do just that? Crazy just crazy.  

[redfieldred]

39 minutes ago, Taylor10 said:

We do look so much more solid. A fully fit Ayling to add to that back line will only improve us more. A back 4, plus the additions of O'Donnell & Golbourne have really improved us. We just look a much better unit & the confidence O'Donnell brings can only help.

As for Wilbs it wasn't so much abuse directed at him. It was the frustration at SC's ridiculous petulance & stubborness in his complete mis-management of him

 

no the abuse around me was definitely directed at him, not fair as it was the managers shout. Same with Pack. He gets the fans abuse all season, although many see his qualities which others don't. Pack was put in a no win position, where he was likely to appear to be at fault in his defensive role of protecting the middle when the wing backs pushed up. The amount of goals against from just outside the area pointed to him not closing down quick enough, but the reality was teams were able to exploit the gap between midfield and defence and there was nothing he or anyone else could do about it as there was no cover out wide. So the choice was give the central player a free run in order to cover the wing or close down the centre and leave the wing unmarked ready for an unchallenged run/cross/through ball, Since reverting to 4-3-3 that gap has gone and he looks far more comfortable and confident. 

[robinreliant]

Clean sheets. They were the last time I looked.

[Taylor10]

11 minutes ago, redfieldred said:

 

no the abuse around me was definitely directed at him, not fair as it was the managers shout. Same with Pack. He gets the fans abuse all season, although many see his qualities which others don't. Pack was put in a no win position, where he was likely to appear to be at fault in his defensive role of protecting the middle when the wing backs pushed up. The amount of goals against from just outside the area pointed to him not closing down quick enough, but the reality was teams were able to exploit the gap between midfield and defence and there was nothing he or anyone else could do about it as there was no cover out wide. So the choice was give the central player a free run in order to cover the wing or close down the centre and leave the wing unmarked ready for an unchallenged run/cross/through ball, Since reverting to 4-3-3 that gap has gone and he looks far more comfortable and confident. 

Unfortunately you do get idiots like that. Constructive criticism is fair, but ridiculous & over the top abuse isn't. 

Pack is an easy target but for me he's been superb this season. I think he's got better as the season has gone on. Both he & Korey could do with more competition in there though but both are clearly benefiting from the system we are playing now.

[Lanterne Rouge]

Just now, Taylor10 said:

Unfortunately you do get idiots like that. Constructive criticism is fair, but ridiculous & over the top abuse isn't. 

Pack is an easy target but for me he's been superb this season. I think he's got better as the season has gone on. Both he & Korey could do with more competition in there though but both are clearly benefiting from the system we are playing now.

I really have never understood why they do it and I`ve been watching City for 35 years. Do these idiots scream abuse at the screen when they`re in the pictures if one of the actors isn`t up to snuff in their opinion? Would they abuse a band they were watching if they didn`t think the drummer was pulling his weight?

 

[redfieldred]

1 hour ago, Red Right Hand said:

I really have never understood why they do it and I`ve been watching City for 35 years. Do these idiots scream abuse at the screen when they`re in the pictures if one of the actors isn`t up to snuff in their opinion? Would they abuse a band they were watching if they didn`t think the drummer was pulling his weight

I think some people just enjoy letting off steam whether what they're shouting about is accurate or fair or not. Most of us do it with the officials and opposing players, but I admit I have shouted at our players sometimes, but not often and I don't pick on certain players. 

[EnclosureSurge]

An excellent post. Well thought-out and I enjoyed the use of language (and grammar and punctuation).

That said, clean sheets is one thing (we are keeping clean sheets in 27% of games, so if that continued we could expect another 4 in the remaining 16 fixtures).

But for me personally, I think it's up the other end we could save ourselves, although it's obviously a bit of both.

We are creating at least 3 or 4 good scoring opportunities a game, often more, but only convert about 1 a game (25 scored in 30). We can improve this if we can loan in a more ruthless finisher than anyone we already have (I thought Agard might be the answer but he seems to be sub at best). Neither Wilbs nor Kodge will convert enough - the former through age and being better used as impact sub, the latter through being wasteful. Good, but wasteful - so it's imperative we sign a good finisher. We might stay up without one, but that will rely, for me, too heavily on keeping the clean sheets you mention Original.

Leaning on these clean sheets, I reckon, will result in a few more 0-0s akin to the Birmingham game and I'm not sure draws are going to keep us up. Both Roth and MK win more than us and for me it'll be wins that will define the rest of our season. Draws could be enough if it's going to be one of those years when a low total gives you 21st place, but I'd rather not pin my hat on that. 

Roth and Bolton at home are must wins and if we can beat MK, too, that's where we'll earn salvation.

Clean sheets will be part of that, but as Roth are conceding close to 2 a game, I'd look to be scoring 2 against them. We won't score more than 2 against that many at this current rate (unless we can get a finisher in, or Tomlin gets 8 in the next 16 plus whoever else notches...).

Hoping to hold on with a clean sheet at one end and nick one up the other is never a pretty sight, so I'd rather we went for 2 a game.

But you are spot on that we have tightened up under Pemberton, and it is remarkable what he's achieved in a short space of time. With the same players!

All in all, I'm ending up agreeing with you more than myself, Original, so there we go. Haven't made a very good argument the other way, but that's lack of sleep for you. I was minded to post as someone had bothered to spell words correctly and put full stops in.

[Jack Dawe]

4 hours ago, cityexile said:

We have played the last few games how Preston started the season. Making it hard for the opposition to win. 

Quote from Preston twitter, yesterday:

"It may not have been pretty at times but PNE come from behind to win a huge three points."

They know their limits and didn't spend the summer, or the autumn, with their head in the clouds (or in their hands, or up their arse). Mind, their crowds are shite, so we might not want to "do a Preston" for too long