Get The Balance Right!

[Tales From The Front]

Not here to have a go as I thought there were a lot of positives from last nights performance.

BUT the thing that stands out as far as i'm concerned is that going forward we are OK if not good. I.e with the ball, players look interested and energetic. Without the ball is where the problem lies. As Brian Little pointed out players are allowed to cross as will, without being closed down, and we almost surrender the middle third of the pitch and don't close down until the 18 yard box. With the back four appearing to be out of sorts this puts unecessary pressure on them.

We are lucky to have the talent that is Dave Cotterill (just more concistency now) but you have to have a player or two to do the ugly side of the game and midfield we do not. Both Nobel (who I rate highly) and Johnson are ball players not ball winners who are intersted when we have the ball but not as keen to win it back. Bradley Orr in my opinion is the best tackler the club has, but we need a central midfielder who will win the ball much further up the field and distribute it to the attack minded players we have in abundence.

The difference in ability was clear for all to see last night and it is what along with some excellant reflex saves from Basso was what got us through last night for a vital win. But it will only paper over the cracks if the tatics when not in possesion are not improved and quickly.

[rod12]

Not here to have a go as I thought there were a lot of positives from last nights performance.

BUT the thing that stands out as far as i'm concerned is that going forward we are OK if not good. I.e with the ball, players look interested and energetic. Without the ball is where the problem lies. As Brian Little pointed out players are allowed to cross as will, without being closed down, and we almost surrender the middle third of the pitch and don't close down until the 18 yard box. With the back four appearing to be out of sorts this puts unecessary pressure on them.

We are lucky to have the talent that is Dave Cotterill (just more concistency now) but you have to have a player or two to do the ugly side of the game and midfield we do not. Both Nobel (who I rate highly) and Johnson are ball players not ball winners who are intersted when we have the ball but not as keen to win it back. Bradley Orr in my opinion is the best tackler the club has, but we need a central midfielder who will win the ball much further up the field and distribute it to the attack minded players we have in abundence.

The difference in ability was clear for all to see last night and it is what along with some excellant reflex saves from Basso was what got us through last night for a vital win. But it will only paper over the cracks if the tatics when not in possesion are not improved and quickly.

I neither wish to have a go but I think you are right.

For all the euphoria on the board about an away win, we have only beaten two sides currently in the bottom four. Yes we are very pretty pushing the ball about but I think with the current tactics and players we are likely to concede too many goals to achieve a top six position let alone automatic promotion.

It will be interesting to see what happens on Saturday - no Cotterill and no Orr of course.

I have always said that Noble and Johnson together won't work and that Enoch is poor on the left wing.

Nothing last night has changed my mind - we only got one goal from open play after all.

[somered]

I neither wish to have a go but I think you are right.

For all the euphoria on the board about an away win, we have only beaten two sides currently in the bottom four. Yes we are very pretty pushing the ball about but I think with the current tactics and players we are likely to concede too many goals to achieve a top six position let alone automatic promotion.

It will be interesting to see what happens on Saturday - no Cotterill and no Orr of course.

I have always said that Noble and Johnson together won't work and that Enoch is poor on the left wing.

Nothing last night has changed my mind - we only got one goal from open play after all.

Do you ever post a supportive or positive comment? Considering the circumstances of last nights' game what more could City have done? or deep down do you like it when we lose so you can come onto to this forum and constantly moan and criticise?

[Robbored]

I neither wish to have a go but I think you are right.

For all the euphoria on the board about an away win, we have only beaten two sides currently in the bottom four. Yes we are very pretty pushing the ball about but I think with the current tactics and players we are likely to concede too many goals to achieve a top six position let alone automatic promotion.

It will be interesting to see what happens on Saturday - no Cotterill and no Orr of course.

I have always said that Noble and Johnson together won't work and that Enoch is poor on the left wing.

Nothing last night has changed my mind - we only got one goal from open play after all.

The botom line is that City outplayed Northampton last with only 10 men.Sure, City rode their luck at times but it could be said that Lady luck went against City at Bradford and H'field.

I thought Johnson and Noble looked good together and dominated the midfield.

I agree that the defence needs to improve its closing down but thats a team effort as well.

As for "we only got one goal from open play after all." How do you think the penalties were conceded?

[PhatWill]

Sometimes attack is the best form of defence and I reckon that GJ has figured that against the poorer sides in this division away from home, or just about anyone at home - we can afford to really push on and dominate games from start to finish.

Truth be told we completely outplayed the Cobblers last night. We were superb in possession and reminicent of Arsenal going forward in that there were always willing runners. It was a breathe of fresh air to see players running at opposition defenders and this is how all 3 of our goals were created.

As a team I thought we defended pretty well, you couldn't fault the work rate of the 9 outfield lads in the second half who worked tirelessly to close the ball down.

With Showumni, Jevons and Brooker in the side we aren't going to struggle to score goals this season. If we continue to work as hard and be as deadly going forward as we were last night then we will continue to win games emphatically as we did last night.

[Nibor]

Sometimes attack is the best form of defence and I reckon that GJ has figured that against the poorer sides in this division away from home, or just about anyone at home - we can afford to really push on and dominate games from start to finish.

Like against Blackpool at home?

Truth be told we completely outplayed the Cobblers last night. We were superb in possession and reminicent of Arsenal going forward in that there were always willing runners. It was a breathe of fresh air to see players running at opposition defenders and this is how all 3 of our goals were created.

Going forward we were very good, but at the cost of getting caught out defensively. They could have equalised several times.

As a team I thought we defended pretty well, you couldn't fault the work rate of the 9 outfield lads in the second half who worked tirelessly to close the ball down.

Good individual performances from most.. bar perhaps Fontaine. But tactically flawed - how many times were we defending on the run with the ball already through midfield? Northampton are a relegation side and a better one will carve us up just like Blackpool did.

With Showumni, Jevons and Brooker in the side we aren't going to struggle to score goals this season. If we continue to work as hard and be as deadly going forward as we were last night then we will continue to win games emphatically as we did last night.

We won't be that deadly against teams that defend properly. The work rate was excellent but consider what a forward like Beckett would have done to us last night, we'd have had to score 5.

Balance is the key in my view and there's room for someone to protect the defence a bit better.

[PhatWill]

Like against Blackpool at home?

Not at all. That was completely different as the players were baffled by GJ's tactics and formation. Last night the players at least knew what their jobs were.

Going forward we were very good, but at the cost of getting caught out defensively. They could have equalised several times.

But how did we conceed? Indirectly from a set piece and a lapse in concentration when the 2nd cross wasn't closed down.

Good individual performances from most.. bar perhaps Fontaine. But tactically flawed - how many times were we defending on the run with the ball already through midfield? Northampton are a relegation side and a better one will carve us up just like Blackpool did.

I hope I'm proved right, but so long as Skuse doesn't play on the right again and we don't try some messed up 4-3-3 formation then I doubt we'll see a repeat of the B'pool performance too soon. I see what you're saying about defending on the run - but in the last 2 games how have we conceded our 3 goals? Not defedning on the run but set-pieces and crosses into the box (at Chelt).

We won't be that deadly against teams that defend properly. The work rate was excellent but consider what a forward like Beckett would have done to us last night, we'd have had to score 5.

We actually restricted their strikers to very few chances - those 3 comparatively easy chances all fell to their defender.

Balance is the key in my view and there's room for someone to protect the defence a bit better.

I agree against the top sides in this division and away from home. It's not the last we've seen of Skuse or Russell in centre mid I hope. But last night I believe there is reason enough to suggest that we can win plenty of games playing the way we did. We'll have to wait and see though, Johnson is still toying around trying to find his best 11.

[rod12]

Do you ever post a supportive or positive comment? Considering the circumstances of last nights' game what more could City have done? or deep down do you like it when we lose so you can come onto to this forum and constantly moan and criticise?

Try addressing the post and not the poster, if you can manage that.