How Worried Should We Be

[DeadmanTF1]

After todays draw against a team who will struggle in Div 1 this season whilst down the M5 Plymouth put 7 past the gas who are a better side.

So far we seem to be leaking goals far to easy.Will it be a season of struggle or do you feel once the new players settle in all will be fine.

[welshred]

After todays draw against a team who will struggle in Div 1 this season whilst down the M5 Plymouth put 7 past the gas who are a better side.

So far we seem to be leaking goals far to easy.Will it be a season of struggle or do you feel once the new players settle in all will be fine.

i have full confidence in GJ and the boys. You can never tell by pre-season games. i was at swindon and thought we played well so I'm not worrying.

YET!!!

[Guest]

I'm more worried that Betsy seems to be ahead of Murray for the RW birth next week

[Guest The Premiership Reality]

We should not at all be worried in the slighest. Its only pre season.

[Chunkasees]

I'm more worried that Betsy seems to be ahead of Murray for the RW birth next week

If he keeps playing like he did today then he fully deserves to

[beaverface]

After todays draw against a team who will struggle in Div 1 this season whilst down the M5 Plymouth put 7 past the gas who are a better side.

So far we seem to be leaking goals far to easy.Will it be a season of struggle or do you feel once the new players settle in all will be fine.

How can you say the Gash are better than Bournemouth, when Bournemouth have proved they're an established League one side who always seem to be mid-table or around the playoffs?

It's usual that one team(Champions normally) that comes up from the basement usually does well and the other sides tend to struggle.

I fully expect the Gash to finish below halfway this season. Anything else for them would be a massive bonus.

[East End Lad]

I have to agree that I don't think we can compare how we are doing with how Plymouth are doing on todays results, and anyway the reality is that Plymouth will be looking to finish above us anyway so I don't think there is anything to worry about there.

[Tunley Legend]

I'm more worried that Betsy seems to be ahead of Murray for the RW birth next week

If Betsy lays chances on a plate for Trundle and Jevons next week like he did today then I'm not worried in the slightest. Just because you don't rate someone it does not mean you should ignore the evidence before your eyes. Still we have to have the annual fall guys at the start of each season and Jevons and Betsy continue to get the stick.

[East End Lad]

If Betsy lays chances on a plate for Trundle and Jevons next week like he did today then I'm not worried in the slightest. Just because you don't rate someone it does not mean you should ignore the evidence before your eyes. Still we have to have the annual fall guys at the start of each season and Jevons and Betsy continue to get the stick.

Personally I don't agree, i've never critiscied Betsy but in my opinion Jevons hassnt done enough for me yet in a City shirt. If he proves me wrong though fair play, and in all honestly I really hope he goes on to have a brilliant season with us.

[REDOXO]

My cup is (more than) half full...

We are creating chances, might have had a few against Swindon and a few more today.

We have plenty of options in midfield and upfront (Is Noble injured anyone?) and just need to settle it down at the back.

Bring on the new season...Its going to be a good one

[East End Lad]

My cup is (more than) half full...

We are creating chances, might have had a few against Swindon and a few more today.

We have plenty of options in midfield and upfront (Is Noble injured anyone?) and just need to settle it down at the back.

Bring on the new season...Its going to be a good one

Noble is injured aye but hopefully back in time for next week apparently.

[Tunley Legend]

Personally I don't agree, i've never critiscied Betsy but in my opinion Jevons hassnt done enough for me yet in a City shirt. If he proves me wrong though fair play, and in all honestly I really hope he goes on to have a brilliant season with us.

I'm not talking about you personally. However, read this forum and you see the 10% of posts that say Jevons and Betsy are $h1t quite regularly with very lttle sensible explanation. The truth is that Betsy looked very sharp today and that we looked more threatening up front when Jevons replace Enoch. Unless I saw a different game to everyone else I would say those are facts.

The one thing that did rile me today was the quality of our crossing (apart from a couple by Betsy!!) - it was bloody abysmal and needs some serious work in the week to improve it.

[East End Lad]

I'm not talking about you personally. However, read this forum and you see the 10% of posts that say Jevons and Betsy are $h1t quite regularly with very lttle sensible explanation. The truth is that Betsy looked very sharp today and that we looked more threatening up front when Jevons replace Enoch. Unless I saw a different game to everyone else I would say those are facts.

The one thing that did rile me today was the quality of our crossing (apart from a couple by Betsy!!) - it was bloody abysmal and needs some serious work in the week to improve it.

Fair nough mate, have to agree with that.

[Geoff65]

To answer the original post:

I came away a little bit less optimistic than I was going into the match however having consider two issues that arose from the match I am more confident now than immediately after the match.

Firstly this wasn't our first team - it was close but it wasn't our first team - Ivan Sproule didnt get any minutes on the pitch and I would have thought that Murray, Betsy or Sproule all will be ahead of Brian Wilson for the right midfield position and up front I think we'll start with Trundle and Jevons and Enoch will be on the bench.

Secondly and most importantly is the new players settling in. Today we weren't a team brimming with cohesion. Players didnt know how other players play.

Bradley Orr in the first half didnt link up with Brian Wilson - yet as soon as Betsy came on he was much more confident in what was happening in front of him and fully took responsibility for defending - whereas with Wilson playing there seemed to be a doubt as to who was the most responsible for defending - it lead to goal but with Sproule, Murray or Betsy ahead on the right hand side then regardless of who is at right back (Wilson or Orr) then I don't think the problem will arise again.

Elliott and Johnson - It's fair to say that we haven't had a box to box midfielder for the past few years and as a result instead of having our midfielders close to each other for the nifty short passes being available and being able to rely on each other to defend together side by side our midfield was spread, Elliott would move forward - take shots (some on target!) and then run all the way back again - Johnson who is used to be the more creative of our midfielders was then left in an attacking position and as a result our defense was left exposed. Both Elliott and Johnson were individually good together but they need time to work out each other's game. Someone said he looked like a Vierra type player and I concur - athletic, closing down quickly and using his strength and physical stature to win balls in midfield that quite frankly we havent seen this done ny a city player before - well I cant remember a city player doing this before. The midfield after a few weeks training with Elliott will either be the type of midfield we saw last year - quite a lot of short passing when we have regained possession (mainly our defenders will regain possession or Skuse breking up play) or we will see a midfield where Elliott will break up possession and a quick pass forward to trundle to feet or spread to our wingers for a fast counter attack.

Vasko and Carey - Vasko and Carey had good games today but will need to get to know each other's game and by half time they seemed to have managed to come to an understanding of who will take responsibility for what at the back. One of the goals arose yesterday due to lack of understanding - I think Vasko was a little surprised to see Carey and Bradley bring the ball out and not be frightened to beat a striker to get into a better position to develop the play - this left him isolated on a couple of occassions and I think this is what led to one of the goals - think Bradley and Wilson lost poseession ball came in from the left Vasko smacked it goalwards - Basso made the most incredible of saves, the ball went out to the right wing - they knocked it in and somehow it made it's way to goal with the defense looking a bit of a shambles. I think when Vasko has learned how all of the back four play then again he will be a good asset and tough competition for Carey and McCombe for the central defender position. He got forward for set plays - won headers in the opposition box and managed to spring back to be in the correct defending position before the goalkeeper had kicked the ball upfield - he looks to have lots of pace (well more than McCombe and more than Carey). He headed everything in the air in the 2nd half and looked dominent - he cut out a number of through balls and held the correct position for a centre back - the only thing lacking was his distribution forward - well I guess you cant have everything on a debut.

Just quick word on Basso - I know a lot of people had nightmares if the ball was rolled back to him for him to clear - if the ball was passed back at pace and an attacker was chasing then I and I'm sure others would be fearing the worst - today he looked everything like a really good british goalee in this respect yesteray - clearing the ball with ease and speed and surefootedness and wait for it with both feet - City have got a great keeper now.

McAllister and McIndoe - they need to work on making the left side a place where we attack and we attack regularly - their partnership on the left hand side needs to improve - the first half McIndoe had a lot of oppertunities to show what a good player he will be for us - knocking in good crosses from the left - 2nd half the ball hardly came to him. This is just another example of how a new player needs to build up partnerships and understandings of the players around him and the existing players do likewise.

Overall yes you can look at the result and think hmmn 2-2 against a side that will be midtable/lower table in a division below us but no side really really went at it with passion and desire but that all changes next week and we will have urgency and motivated players and a passionate crowd. After the first 4 or 5 games we hopefully will have a very good cohesive team that will hold it's own in the new division they worked hard to get into.

[Rowley Birkin]

It'd of been lovely to win yesterday 5-0, and knock the ball around Brazil style, but with football there is no yard stick that you can confidently predict the next games performance.

With any side with new players, it's going to take time for everyone to get to know each others game.

In the past we have won just about every friendly, and gone out and stank the place out for weeks, when the real football started, so it doesn't mean a damn thing when the real action starts.

Next week against Q.P.R. with Ashton Gate bursting at the seams, on our return to this league, it'll be a totally different situation, and hopefully we can create such an electric atmosphere, the players will come out like Tasmanian Devils on speed !

As G.J. said last year, lets see where we are after 10 games, as that usually, gives you some kind of indication where we're heading.

I just hope and pray, all those moaning minnies, who've been missing their verbal release, and giving the missus, a tounge lashing instead over the summer, cut the boys some slack, and don't start abusing them after the first 5 or 6 passes go astray.

If they do, lets just drown them out, to give the boys 100% confidence, which in turn will bring results.

[Chappers]

We should be quite worried really. Two home draws to modest Division 3 sides, a narrow win at Swindon, and well beaten by Forest Green. I am not sure that we have sufficient quality up front, and the fact that the defence is leaky is very worrying. With our run-in, we cannot afford 10 games for the new players to settle in. I agree that things may be different once it all starts for real, but the warning signs are there suggesting that all might not be going to plan.

I hope you don't all read this as negativity, just reality, and I really hope that my fears are unfounded.

[Guest]

The 2 games I seen we have had a defence that was all over the place and conceeded 6 goals; a midfield that was constantly over run by supposed lesser teams and an attack that was frankly powder puff at times

Now I really hope a magic wand will appear and QPR will be quaking in there boots, come Sat wake up call required.