RightUpInCider Posted December 31, 2016 Report Share Posted December 31, 2016 I think it is time for the management, players and fans to accept we are now in a RELEGATION BATTLE. We are currently 7 points off the relegation zone having played a game more and have only picked up 3 points from the last 27. Next up are Reading who are now 3 in the table and will be releshing a visit to Ashton Gate having had their game yesterday postponed. The only way I see us picking up any points from the Reading game is by accepting we are in a relegation fight, setting up a tight defensive and midfield unit, playing for a clean sheet and may be nicking a goal. The MANAGER needs to accept we are in a relegation battle and adopt these tactics. He needs to stop thinking we have been unlucky and accept we are team that does it know how to control a game of football. He needs to give players simple jobs, in simple positions and play a solid defensive and midfield. Playing the like of Tomlin and Reid together may not fit with this and we may need experience rather than youth. The PLAYERS needs to accept they are in a scrap. They need to fight for the ball. They need to put in strong tackles. They need to do the basics rather than try to be Brazil. They need to show the fans they have the heart. The FANS need to accept if we don't pull together then there is a strong chance we are going down. Some new signings may help but going into the transfer window in our current form does make us an attractive option. Some want LJ gone, some don't. That will look after itself and if the form continues I have no doubt SL will act. But right now, at Ashton Gate, starting Monday we need to accept we are second best to the opposition and not get frustrated by it. Who knows? May be we could have a good run and in a couple of months be looking secure in mid-table. But right now we are in free fall and we need to change our approach with LJ at the helm for as long as that lasts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
22A Posted December 31, 2016 Report Share Posted December 31, 2016 A well thought, reasoned post by RUIC. If we are in a relegation battle then either the players or the tactics are not good enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pillred Posted December 31, 2016 Report Share Posted December 31, 2016 1 hour ago, RightUpInCider said: I think it is time for the management, players and fans to accept we are now in a RELEGATION BATTLE. We are currently 7 points off the relegation zone having played a game more and have only picked up 3 points from the last 27. Next up are Reading who are now 3 in the table and will be releshing a visit to Ashton Gate having had their game yesterday postponed. The only way I see us picking up any points from the Reading game is by accepting we are in a relegation fight, setting up a tight defensive and midfield unit, playing for a clean sheet and may be nicking a goal. The MANAGER needs to accept we are in a relegation battle and adopt these tactics. He needs to stop thinking we have been unlucky and accept we are team that does it know how to control a game of football. He needs to give players simple jobs, in simple positions and play a solid defensive and midfield. Playing the like of Tomlin and Reid together may not fit with this and we may need experience rather than youth. The PLAYERS needs to accept they are in a scrap. They need to fight for the ball. They need to put in strong tackles. They need to do the basics rather than try to be Brazil. They need to show the fans they have the heart. The FANS need to accept if we don't pull together then there is a strong chance we are going down. Some new signings may help but going into the transfer window in our current form does make us an attractive option. Some want LJ gone, some don't. That will look after itself and if the form continues I have no doubt SL will act. But right now, at Ashton Gate, starting Monday we need to accept we are second best to the opposition and not get frustrated by it. Who knows? May be we could have a good run and in a couple of months be looking secure in mid-table. But right now we are in free fall and we need to change our approach with LJ at the helm for as long as that lasts. wow somebody who has actually thought about what they are writing, cant really ague with any of that, though i'm sure somebody will accuse you of being defeatist some peoples blind optimism amazes me on here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olé Posted December 31, 2016 Report Share Posted December 31, 2016 6 minutes ago, billywedlock said: has said we need to be less open on our play Less open Paul?!! From an attacking perspective we can't have been less open in recent years than we already are. I haven't seen the interview that this was said in but if that's LJ's conclusion god knows what football we'll see next. We need players to go and play football and express themselves. Not slow everything down and retreat backwards. I was excited to see midfielders in the same post code as Tammy yesterday. That's how little it's happened recently. We want to get players overlapping, spread the pitch, and pin back the opposition, and then get crosses in on goal. I know it's easy to say, but how on earth anyone can conclude we have problem with being too open or expressive!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olé Posted December 31, 2016 Report Share Posted December 31, 2016 14 minutes ago, billywedlock said: That is what he said, that we leave ourselves too open (I assume to counter attack, did not see Ipswich game) and allow opposition to create too many chances. That is true for the Wolves game that I saw, they could have had many more than 3. For the rest, yes I agree we are now a SOD side. Perhaps it's a case of identifying the right problem but applying the wrong diagnosis - LJ is right we allow the opposition to create too many chances (and I saw the same Wolves game as you) but I absolutely see that as a result of our style of play being too conservative and easy to deal with, not as a result of us being too open or expressive. We don't occupy opposition full backs - they attack at will. We allow the opposition midfield to get back into shape. We punt long balls at two lines of opponents and (usually) only one up front of ours, with predictable outcomes. I know it's all stuff you've seen, just find it remarkable LJ thinks the opposition chances are occurring because we're being too open!! If we actually went at them, it might stop them repeatedly going at us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reddogkev Posted December 31, 2016 Report Share Posted December 31, 2016 19 minutes ago, Olé said: Less open Paul?!! From an attacking perspective we can't have been less open in recent years than we already are. I haven't seen the interview that this was said in but if that's LJ's conclusion god knows what football we'll see next. We need players to go and play football and express themselves. Not slow everything down and retreat backwards. I was excited to see midfielders in the same post code as Tammy yesterday. That's how little it's happened recently. We want to get players overlapping, spread the pitch, and pin back the opposition, and then get crosses in on goal. I know it's easy to say, but how on earth anyone can conclude we have problem with being too open or expressive!? I think it's tragic when I'd actually prefer you to be the City coach, as opposed to LJ! I'm still reeling by the way City have dramatically changed over the course of this season. Praying that LJ can stop the rot soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkRed! Posted December 31, 2016 Report Share Posted December 31, 2016 100% agree. We are in a dog fight and relegation is now a real threat. This is a critical period and we need to grind out results fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanterne Rouge Posted December 31, 2016 Report Share Posted December 31, 2016 42 minutes ago, Olé said: Perhaps it's a case of identifying the right problem but applying the wrong diagnosis - LJ is right we allow the opposition to create too many chances (and I saw the same Wolves game as you) but I absolutely see that as a result of our style of play being too conservative and easy to deal with, not as a result of us being too open or expressive. We don't occupy opposition full backs - they attack at will. We allow the opposition midfield to get back into shape. We punt long balls at two lines of opponents and (usually) only one up front of ours, with predictable outcomes. I know it's all stuff you've seen, just find it remarkable LJ thinks the opposition chances are occurring because we're being too open!! If we actually went at them, it might stop them repeatedly going at us! Preston at home being a case in point - we started quickly and went at them. If we`d have put away two or even one of our chances in the first 20 it would have been a different game and who knows, one we might have won. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RightUpInCider Posted January 1, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2017 On 31/12/2016 at 11:20, Olé said: Less open Paul?!! From an attacking perspective we can't have been less open in recent years than we already are. I haven't seen the interview that this was said in but if that's LJ's conclusion god knows what football we'll see next. We need players to go and play football and express themselves. Not slow everything down and retreat backwards. I was excited to see midfielders in the same post code as Tammy yesterday. That's how little it's happened recently. We want to get players overlapping, spread the pitch, and pin back the opposition, and then get crosses in on goal. I know it's easy to say, but how on earth anyone can conclude we have problem with being too open or expressive!? It's no good letting players express themselves if they end up losing the ball and leave us exposed. The Preston game was a great example... there was one team expressing themselves for the first 21 minutes, but that team were 1-0 down and it good have been more. It's a fine balance but at the moment I think we are just on the wrong side of freedom vs platform. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBobSuperBob Posted January 1, 2017 Report Share Posted January 1, 2017 The first (Of of a number of problems ) I'd address is width in our play, both in terms defensively and attacking wise We offer no ,or little threat (JB the one exception as a rule) , in wide areas in the final third , and are leaking goal after goal after goal from crosses ,provided by an attacker in anything up to 25 yards of space in the final third Most coaches / managers will tell you (Perhaps it's old fashioned now !) that the primary job of a full back is to stop crosses. We are so narrow through the pitch that sides set up to block this off , win the ball , and immediately look to counter and exploit the (normally vacant ) wide areas against us Cant believe we haven't sorted this defensively at least Personally , If we don't recruit anything left sided Ild have JB in front of SG in a 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 for the foreseeable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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