Where are our brilliant forwards then?

[Reefer Madness]

Another week where our front line looks inept

Our forward options are weak. A striker that can score has to be the top priority 

Edited December 3, 2023 by Reefer Madness

[REDOXO]

4 hours ago, Reefer Madness said:

Another week where our front line looks inept

Our forward options are weak. A striker that can score has to be the top priority 

Getting the ball is a prerequisite. You to me little passes going nowhere doesn’t help forwards that have Ben capped by their country’s 

[Monkeh]

4 hours ago, Reefer Madness said:

Another week where our front line looks inept

Our forward options are weak. A striker that can score has to be the top priority 

For a striker to score the ball is needed to be played to them, that is a bit hard when 900 passes are made between the back 4 

[Harry]

5 minutes ago, REDOXO said:

Getting the ball is a prerequisite. You to me little passes going nowhere doesn’t help forwards that have Ben capped by their country’s 

 

4 minutes ago, Monkeh said:

For a striker to score the ball is needed to be played to them, that is a bit hard when 900 passes are made between the back 4 

And yet Conway, in the last 3 games, has had 2 one on ones, a clear cut header over the bar v Southampton, and 2 other good opportunities from inside the box today. 
That’s 5 very good chances we’ve created for 1 striker in 3 games. 
Thats a pretty good ratio. So perhaps keeping the ball for long spells actually helps to create better chances. 

[Lew-T]

6 minutes ago, Monkeh said:

For a striker to score the ball is needed to be played to them, that is a bit hard when 900 passes are made between the back 4 

I mean, Tommy Conway has fluffed about 4 good chances in the last two. Cornick messed up a chance late in midweek.

Had 6 shots on target today.

[Harry]

Also. Did anyone see our goal today? 
It was a period of slow possession across the back 4 before it finally opened up the space for Dickie to play a forward pass to Knight, who layed a first time ball to Weimann, who took 1 touch and played a ball out wide to Sykes in plenty of space to make a cross. 
The possession allowed us to create the passing lane for the ball to Knight and also to create the space wide for Sykes. 
I thought it was very good. 
 

If keeping the ball along the back 4 helps to create great passages of incisive play as we saw for the goal, then I don’t know what there is to complain about! 

Edited December 3, 2023 by Harry

[REDOXO]

41 minutes ago, Monkeh said:

For a striker to score the ball is needed to be played to them, that is a bit hard when 900 passes are made between the back 4 

EXACTLY!

[Harry]

Just now, REDOXO said:

EXACTLY!

He’s had chances. The ball is clearly arriving to him in good areas. 

[Supersonic Robin]

Our lack of good options out wide is our biggest issue going forward.

[Shauntaylor85]

5 hours ago, Reefer Madness said:

Another week where our front line looks inept

Our forward options are weak. A striker that can score has to be the top priority 

Tommy sadly isn’t the answer. 

[Shauntaylor85]

Power and pace gets you success at this level and we lack that big time, so slow going forward, we never looked likely second half, we have nobody who is electric to get in behind, how we miss Antoine! 

[Dr Balls]

We don’t play with much of any attacking intent or pace. We seem to have forgotten how to break quickly, which was something we did well under Nige. Our goal was the one time we did it today which kind of proves the point.

Someone (our new coaching team?) needs to tell the players to get both themselves and the ball into the penalty box. Tapping it around down either wing without actually making a cross into the box or a shot on goal is another problem. Yes many teams defend deep, but as Norwich’s first goal proved, once it’s knocked into the box, the chance of a goal, even an own goal, goes up considerably. 

[REDOXO]

7 minutes ago, Dr Balls said:

We don’t play with much of any attacking intent or pace. We seem to have forgotten how to break quickly, which was something we did well under Nige. Our goal was the one time we did it today which kind of proves the point.

Someone (our new coaching team?) needs to tell the players to get both themselves and the ball into the penalty box. Tapping it around down either wing without actually making a cross into the box or a shot on goal is another problem. Yes many teams defend deep, but as Norwich’s first goal proved, once it’s knocked into the box, the chance of a goal, even an own goal, goes up considerably. 

The third person today that sees what I see. 
 

I am so fed up right now. It’s football it’s easy. But we are back to LJ bollox, playing players out of position and asking them to do things they are not good at in order to play a certain way that doesn’t complement the skill set you actually have but the manager thinks he’s Einstein and a bit smarter than the opposing manager and players  

 

Edited December 3, 2023 by REDOXO

[Red Skin]

1 hour ago, Harry said:

Also. Did anyone see our goal today? 
It was a period of slow possession across the back 4 before it finally opened up the space for Dickie to play a forward pass to Knight, who layed a first time ball to Weimann, who took 1 touch and played a ball out wide to Sykes in plenty of space to make a cross. 
The possession allowed us to create the passing lane for the ball to Knight and also to create the space wide for Sykes. 
I thought it was very good. 
 

If keeping the ball along the back 4 helps to create great passages of incisive play as we saw for the goal, then I don’t know what there is to complain about! 

Well said @Harry. We had 3 or 4 really decent chances in the first half that came through patient build and incisive passing.  Sure the second half wasn't great, but there are signs of improvement for me.  

Must be the torches the pitchfork brigade are carrying are blinding them to some decent glimpses of football? 

[Sir Geoff]

8 hours ago, Harry said:

Also. Did anyone see our goal today? 
It was a period of slow possession across the back 4 before it finally opened up the space for Dickie to play a forward pass to Knight, who layed a first time ball to Weimann, who took 1 touch and played a ball out wide to Sykes in plenty of space to make a cross. 
The possession allowed us to create the passing lane for the ball to Knight and also to create the space wide for Sykes. 
I thought it was very good. 
 

If keeping the ball along the back 4 helps to create great passages of incisive play as we saw for the goal, then I don’t know what there is to complain about! 

One such attack / movement in 95 minutes. Wow that's really worth getting excited about 

[oldstandrobin]

Due to work commitments, retirement and then illness, after 60+ years of going down the gate, it seems nothing has changed, the problem has been for many years the tippy tappy passing across and back that I endured for many a year. I gave up my ST 2 years ago and now rely on RB and OTIB to feed me my weekly shot of BCFC. I used to play as a youngster and played on the right wing and simply my job was to get the ball up to feed the inside forwards. Coaching has killed that, I was never coached but defensive holding, playing out from the back, etc has killed attacking football. As my old man shouted at me, ' keep the bl**dy ball in their half, thats how you get goals, the goal is that big white thing AHEAD of you, not behind'

[Harry]

3 hours ago, Sir Geoff said:

One such attack / movement in 95 minutes. Wow that's really worth getting excited about 

Well. No. There were a number of attacks that we built with 20+ passes. 
The spell we had in the 15 minutes before half time was full of possession, probing and creating openings. 

[GrahamC]

11 hours ago, Shauntaylor85 said:

Tommy sadly isn’t the answer. 

He’s out of form.

I recall last season there was a consensus on here that we badly missed him when he had his hamstring issues.

Tommy is 21, he still has plenty of time to improve, last season he was our top scorer.

I’m not saying we persevere indefinitely if his drought continues (Cornick must surely be worth a try soon, maybe as his partner) but I wouldn’t write him off, at this stage in his career he’s ahead of any academy product we have had in a very long time.

[bcfc01]

5 minutes ago, Harry said:

Well. No. There were a number of attacks that we built with 20+ passes. 
The spell we had in the 15 minutes before half time was full of possession, probing and creating openings. 

None so blind...

I've got a bloke sat behind me who just spends the game shouting "FORWARD" at the top of his voice.

He was going nuts yesterday with all the ball retension and passing 

[Lack of Action Man]

I did think walking out of AG yesterday that Norwich’s subs helped to influence the game and swing the result in their favour.

 I’m really not sure what any of our subs did to try and counter this and swing it back in our favour. Cornick can take a long throw? That’s about it really. 
 

Very uninspiring.

[Lack of Action Man]

12 minutes ago, Harry said:

Well. No. There were a number of attacks that we built with 20+ passes. 
The spell we had in the 15 minutes before half time was full of possession, probing and creating openings. 

It’s (imo) dull to watch.

But many will like this style of football.

It isn’t for me.

[Harry]

3 minutes ago, OddBallJim said:

It’s (imo) dull to watch.

But many will like this style of football.

It isn’t for me.

Fair enough. 
Personally I think the football I’ve watched for 4 years has been dull. And I quite enjoyed the game yesterday. 
Each to their own. 

[NcnsBcfc]

7 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

He’s out of form.

I recall last season there was a consensus on here that we badly missed him when he had his hamstring issues.

Tommy is 21, he still has plenty of time to improve, last season he was our top scorer.

I’m not saying we persevere indefinitely if his drought continues (Cornick must surely be worth a try soon, maybe as his partner) but I wouldn’t write him off, at this stage in his career he’s ahead of any academy product we have had in a very long time.

He's making the runs and carving out chances for himself. However from his body language, he doesn't look confident to convert those when they arrive. Looks like the pressure of leading the line is impacting on him.

Makes him difficult to drop at the moment though. Who would have made that run for the Sykes through ball, or in the 2nd half chance with the cross from the left. We simply don't have another striker with Wells out that makes those sort of chances.

I'm sure it's an area we will look to recruit in, either permanent or loan next month. No point playing the way we are playing if we don't have the ability to put the ball in the net at the end of it.

[Lack of Action Man]

Just now, Harry said:

Fair enough. 
Personally I think the football I’ve watched for 4 years has been dull. And I quite enjoyed the game yesterday. 
Each to their own. 

Indeed. It’s a game of opinions after all.
 

At the end of the day I’ll still be at the gate supporting the team. I’ll still buy a pint and a pasty, and have a browse in the club shop.

But I have to say I am really finding it difficult to be enthused about the actual game at the moment. Take the social aspect and the pre-match buzz away and I’m not sure the footballing entertainment would be enough to justify the ticket cost presently.

[Harry]

Just now, OddBallJim said:

Indeed. It’s a game of opinions after all.
 

At the end of the day I’ll still be at the gate supporting the team. I’ll still buy a pint and a pasty, and have a browse in the club shop.

But I have to say I am really finding it difficult to be enthused about the actual game at the moment. Take the social aspect and the pre-match buzz away and I’m not sure the footballing entertainment would be enough to justify the ticket cost presently.

But how many times have you felt “entertained” in the last 4 years. 
Probably count it on one hand, I’d guess. 
So it’s not a symptom of the new manager, it’s a malaise that’s been here for half a decade now! 

[Lack of Action Man]

Just now, Harry said:

But how many times have you felt “entertained” in the last 4 years. 
Probably count it on one hand, I’d guess. 
So it’s not a symptom of the new manager, it’s a malaise that’s been here for half a decade now! 

That’s fair. I think I was enthused for periods of NPs tenure, but agree it wasn’t consistent.

It could be endemic of the wider shift in how football is played now. Having said that, I don’t mind watching the likes of Arsenal and Man City employ possession based football as they have the players to execute it.

How many times yesterday did we try that short goal kick routine for MOL to fluff the diagonal ball? 
 

 

[italian dave]

18 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

He’s out of form.

I recall last season there was a consensus on here that we badly missed him when he had his hamstring issues.

Tommy is 21, he still has plenty of time to improve, last season he was our top scorer.

I’m not saying we persevere indefinitely if his drought continues (Cornick must surely be worth a try soon, maybe as his partner) but I wouldn’t write him off, at this stage in his career he’s ahead of any academy product we have had in a very long time.

Out of form, but also missing Wells/not suited to a lone striker role??

If I’m honest, what strikes me about him is that he’s not even a handful for one decent defender. Someone like Diedhiou, for all his other faults, was a presence that kept two or three defenders occupied. 

Edited December 4, 2023 by italian dave

[Gert Mare]

11 hours ago, Dr Balls said:

We don’t play with much of any attacking intent or pace. We seem to have forgotten how to break quickly, which was something we did well under Nige. Our goal was the one time we did it today which kind of proves the point.

Someone (our new coaching team?) needs to tell the players to get both themselves and the ball into the penalty box. Tapping it around down either wing without actually making a cross into the box or a shot on goal is another problem. Yes many teams defend deep, but as Norwich’s first goal proved, once it’s knocked into the box, the chance of a goal, even an own goal, goes up considerably. 

Correct. We mixed it up and tried to counter quickly when the opportunity arose.

[bcfc01]

6 minutes ago, OddBallJim said:

I’ll still buy a pint and a pasty

Don't buy the Festive Pasty.

They are disgusting, had a couple of bites and chucked it away. Got me a curry pie instead, very nice.

[Sheltons Army]

13 minutes ago, Harry said:

But how many times have you felt “entertained” in the last 4 years. 
Probably count it on one hand, I’d guess. 
So it’s not a symptom of the new manager, it’s a malaise that’s been here for half a decade now! 

last 4 years , part spinning under no plan (Holden) and part ‘Pragmatic at times’ (NP)  

Yes .... the last four years.......post Wonderboy , Ashton and the ‘go for it’ (As JL has alluded to several times) under Project Wonderboy..... the almighty stinking mess they left

 

As a avid red for 50+ I was , and will always be , really grateful that we (Or rather to those responsible for achieving it) managed to prevent an implosion and stay in this division whilst desperately bailing out the ship

if pragmatic was what was required to do it - no problem

 

* And yes we all like to be entertained , but Ashton Gate would sell out if we were top and winning every week , however we did it

Entertaining but mixed results - sold out .....no

 

Edited December 4, 2023 by Sheltons Army