Sam Bell…

[downendcity]

44 minutes ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

Bell- can't cross, rarely scores send him on loan

Cornick- a WTF? signing

Max O'Leary- not good enough, need a new keeper now

Weiman - best is behind him, runs and points a lot, time to move on.

Wilson- didnt make it, big ego so gone in summer

Williams- sick note

Naismith- mistake prone, injury prone

Scott- head's gone

Mehmetti- hasn't caught on fire, flash in the pan

Vyner- should never put on a shirt.... yes he should.... not sure...hang on....

Kalas- expensive for what he is.

So that's 11 new players needed unless there's anyone I've missed?

 

Well there's that manager fella. Waste of time, can't sort out defence out given the time he's had. A dinosaur and  past it . Need a proper manager if we are going to ever challenge for promotion

[W-S-M Seagull]

31 minutes ago, downendcity said:

Well there's that manager fella. Waste of time, can't sort out defence out given the time he's had. A dinosaur and  past it . Need a proper manager if we are going to ever challenge for promotion

We have 1 fit centre back. Chill out. 

If Nige isn't a proper manager than I'd really like to know who fits the description of a proper manager? 

[downendcity]

8 minutes ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

We have 1 fit centre back. Chill out. 

If Nige isn't a proper manager than I'd really like to know who fits the description of a proper manager? 

If you read the post to which I was replying you'd realise that you've been whooshed! 

Without my tongue firmly in my cheek, I happen to think that given the shambles he inherited, the need to address major financial concerns and an apparently continual injury plague he's doing a very good job.

Edited April 19, 2023 by downendcity

[Port Said Red]

13 hours ago, Davefevs said:

I’ll bite too!

Back around Xmas I said if I had to lay all my money on red (make it) or black (not make it) as to whether Bell would make it as a player here (at Champ level) I said “Black - No, he won’t”.  But trying to decide that for a 20 year old who’d barely played any first team football, still developing, etc, is a tough call, and I said with a wink I’d have a side bet on “red 20” (Bell’s shirt colour and number in case anyone missed the reason) too!

My view was based on as I said, limited first team minutes, but also u21 / u23 games I’d watched, little bits if highlights from his loan at Grimsby, his position…as well as comparing him Conway too.

As it stands he is generally a decent finisher.

He has good pace.

He doesn’t appear to have the edge of Conway, nor the maturity (physically and mentally) of game of his fellow 20 year old either.

But that run of games (and goals) just after the new year showed there is a player in there who is still developing his talent…and imho just needs to be given time to continue that, whilst us fans allow him to be inconsistent, as players are…at any age, not just 20.

I think he’s missing Pring at LB.  I think Mehmeti is also.

I don’t think anyone usually expects a 20 year old having his first real spell in the first team to be “the answer”, but I think Scott and Conway have raised the bar of impatience amongst fans for players like Bell.

Currently he’s having a little bit of an in and out period.

It’s a bit of a crap OP really.

I agree with you, presumably the OP is one of those who would rather see us going out and spending millions on the finished article. If we want the kids to make it here, we have to give them the chance to develop without the knee jerk reactions of some fans knocking their confidence.

On a pedantry point if "red 20" is a reference to the roulette wheel, 20 is black on the French style wheel we use in this country. 

One of those weird memory things, it's 30 years since I worked on a casino floor and yet I can recite the wheel forwards and backwards, and yet I would struggle to tell you what I had for breakfast yesterday. 

[Super]

13 hours ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

I wouldn't expect a striker playing left wing to be very good at crossing tbh.

Yep. I'm pretty sure it's not a strong point of someone like Rashford either.

[bearded_red]

Excellent today.

[BCFC Rich]

He has come on so much by getting minutes, great game today. What I love about this season and it's a big credit to the staff and players is the level of improvement from so many players. The most improved player award could go to half the squad! You could make a case for Bell, Conway, Vyner, Pring, Tanner, Max, Scott, and even Sykes maybe. 

[Pezo]

3 minutes ago, bearded_red said:

Excellent today.

I thought he was our worst player . What I saw from him was a player standing off the ball and standing out of challenges when he could have at least made a defender work for it.

Lots of good runs but very little output for all that running.

I will have to watch the highlights and see what I missed.

[Davefevs]

For me, some really nice work, but needs to find a way to stay involved in the game and being an influence (stopping the opposition build pressure).  Second half, when Ogbene got 1-on-1 far too many times against Pring.

(on a slight aside I think some of our loss of control of the game comes from King tiring)

[Dynamite Red]

Him and Pring today were excellent.

[redsocks]

Get him the gym in the summer and build up his upper body.a good kid who could be even better with a bit of strength.to weak at the moment but we said that last year about tc and Scott but look at them now.

[Numero Uno]

49 minutes ago, Pezo said:

I thought he was our worst player . What I saw from him was a player standing off the ball and standing out of challenges when he could have at least made a defender work for it.

Lots of good runs but very little output for all that running.

I will have to watch the highlights and see what I missed.

He put a cross on a plate for Cornick to miss from a yard for a start so denied "output" by his team mate..........first 30 seconds of the game he took an awkward ball inside the defender, decent save from the keeper. Played a pass in the move that saw Conway thwarted by another good save.

[Mr Hankey]

Looked like a child at times i thought today, funny how people see things differently. Hopefully they bulk him up in the summer, not sure if he’s worth giving a full season on loan in league 1 starting week in week out, or if we keep him around the first team next season, but there is definitely something there to work with as his pace will always scare defenders.

Edited April 22, 2023 by Mr Hankey

[pongo88]

I think he’s found his found his true position as a wide left sided attacker. He just needs, as has been mentioned, to develop so that he can be involved more when City aren’t attacking.  

[Davefevs]

7 minutes ago, Percy Pig said:

Do you think that as he's our out ball that he's told to stay higher on the left? Agreed there was a spell where Ogbene was on top of Pring, felt like Cam was having a "funny five minutes" when watching but I suppose that could be down to being overly exposed.

 

Yes, perhaps.

But an “outball” doesn’t always have to be a ball over the top, that inevitably requires a Hollywood pass when the passer is under pressure.  The outball can be short, hold it up, get teammates near, etc.  Conway and Wells go “both ways”!

I guess I don’t think his tactical side is that mature…yet.  Not unusual at all for a 20 year old, but I guess Conway and Scott’s is at a higher level.

 

Listening to BBCRB post-match and both Chris Honour and callers are beginning to see that TC really is the real-deal.  I said a while back that his goals (and other elements of his game) could mean he could actually be more important than Scott!

Edited April 22, 2023 by Davefevs

[mozo]

Despite his blistering pace and obvious enthusiasm, I've been a little disappointed by Bell's recent performances, but I thought today he was really good. Some very impressive wing play today. Well done lad.

[Numero Uno]

1 minute ago, mozo said:

Despite his blistering pace and obvious enthusiasm, I've been a little disappointed by Bell's recent performances, but I thought today he was really good. Some very impressive wing play today. Well done lad.

No different to Semenyo a few years ago who was very patchy and described as "League 2 at best" by the odd sage on here. What is slightly unlucky for Sam is that we have been spoiled by watching Scott and Conway come straight in and doing it from Day 1 more or less. I think he will stay next season rather than being sent on loan.

[shelts]

Feel he’s improving all the time with more to come . I think he’s found his position . So quick . Final ball improving 

[ScottishRed]

I think Nige is giving him as much game time as possible in order that he gets the experience he needs ASAP.

May have been different if we needed points for the playoffs or avoid relegation.

Really can’t see him going out on loan next season.

[mozo]

10 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Listening to BBCRB post-match and both Chris Honour and callers are beginning to see that TC really is the real-deal.  I said a while back that his goals (and other elements of his game) could mean he could actually be more important than Scott!

 

2 minutes ago, Percy Pig said:

I almost added the caveat to my praise of Bell that Conway might well be the best talent we've had come through our traditional academy route. He'll be better than Bobby imo! Everything about him is class, his movement, aggression, finishing, work rate, ball retention, passing. 

This is the first squad of players in my lifetime where there's not one player I don't like- even Dasilva who I've never been "keen" on is a really decent pro.

 

Yep Conway seems to be the real deal. He's come into the side a bit like Lita in that he's got no self-doubt and he loves scoring goals.

Tommy's had his setbacks and has needed coaching at times but there's no doubt he'll have a successful pro career.

It's impossible to say how far he can go in the game but to be a competent Championship striker already is a great start.

[grifty]

I think he suffers more when playing the full match. He had a good first half, slow start to the second and then was anonymous for the last 20.

I think we should have subbed him at 60mins off the back of a solid/good performance as while he tracks back well and works hard for the team, he didn't get it right with the ball later on.

[Davefevs]

8 minutes ago, Percy Pig said:

I almost added the caveat to my praise of Bell that Conway might well be the best talent we've had come through our traditional academy route. He'll be better than Bobby imo! Everything about him is class, his movement, aggression, finishing, work rate, ball retention, passing. 

This is the first squad of players in my lifetime where there's not one player I don't like- even Dasilva who I've never been "keen" on is a really decent pro.

 

That’s quite a nice way of looking at it.  I agree.

I have no player that I go “effing ‘ell” when I see their name on the teamsheet.

[mozo]

2 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

That’s quite a nice way of looking at it.  I agree.

I have no player that I go “effing ‘ell” when I see their name on the teamsheet.

Absolutely. Andy King's not playing centre back any more 

(He's also playing really well).

[CyderHead92]

On 19/04/2023 at 19:39, GrahamC said:

We’re of a similar vintage & for years the only striker we produced was bloody Nigel Hawkins..

The fact that this season alone we have had Semenyo (who was with us at 16/17 whether he’s technically an Academy product or not), Conway, with 8 Championship goals already at 20 & Bell.

We’d have been happy with one of these in the past & like @Davefevs I’m in the camp that he’s shown more this season than I expected.

Leroy Lita? 

[miketh2nd]

I think Bell had one of his best games for a while , him and Bell know each inside out from academy days and having pring back was huge boost but should dropped back at times to support him but I Obgene isn't being touted from a big move for nothing.  

I think he suits 4-3-3 more than 4-2-3-1 but when have Naismith,Williams and  James (King this 2nd half of the season) all been fit at the same time? Which I'm sure Pearson must have this position pretty high up in priority in the summer window . Although we will hopefully have a almost new signing in when Benayon returns. 

I think Pearson is wise enough to not just play one formation but if Scott leaves , it would make more sense to go towards 4-3-3 given the amount of  strikers we have! 

[Corsham Alf]

I thought Belly had a good game today. He has electric pace and is very direct off the left. 

He carved them open for the sitter Cornick missed & you could see the fear in the eyes of the Rotherham defence.

He needs to develop physically but he gives us serious pace & goal threat. Def masses of potential 

 

[megansdad]

thought he was excellent - worked really hard and created opportunity. Room to improve but he has a very bright future.

[Pezo]

1 hour ago, Numero Uno said:

He put a cross on a plate for Cornick to miss from a yard for a start so denied "output" by his team mate..........first 30 seconds of the game he took an awkward ball inside the defender, decent save from the keeper. Played a pass in the move that saw Conway thwarted by another good save.

Thanks. I think all your examples are from the first half - I sit the other end so may have missed them, for example didn't realise it was him that put the ball in for Cornick.

[Loosey Boy]

Thought he looked dead on his feet in the last 15-20 mins - thought Mehmeti would have come on to replace him.

[Numero Uno]

2 minutes ago, Pezo said:

Thanks. I think all your examples are from the first half - I sit the other end so may have missed them, for example didn't realise it was him that put the ball in for Cornick.

He's definitely not the finished article, nowhere near it and I do think he will be more of a slow burner like Semenyo was than a Scott/Conway straight on the scene and doing it regularly type. But even they needed a kick up the arse the other night and look at the reaction they showed today......to the fans almost crying that Pearson had thrown them under the bus I say Uncle Nige knows what he is doing!!