Season A Third Over.

[Rednready]

Higher than I thought we would be, thats for sure. We are however in danger of dropping down a slippery slide and in a hurry.

I would suggest we are possibly over trained. Yes there is such a thing. We started the season faster and fitter than a lot of our opposition. Now all teams are fitter and hitting their straps, we have not progressed and are treading water.

After Ipswich I thought we were overdone and the last thing required was extra training. I thought we required more tecnique, better selections and more refined team work, not more fitness. Leicester arrive and we were flat, over trained and that was painfully obvious.

GJ has made good progress in his career, but this is his first Championship season. Consider an average division 1 player, no matter how much fitness training you pump into him, he will still be an average division 1 player, but a little fitter.

Unfortunately we have enough of these players to make the difference at this level. January needs some objective decisions.

[bransonmo]

All work and no play makes Jacky a dull boy. Give the players a break.

GJ pretty much has his own squad. Byfield, Trundle, LJ, Henderson, Sproule, Elliot, Weale, Brian Wilson, Showumni, McIndoe, McCombe, McAllister, Noble and Basso.

Its down to GJ's tactics and selections from here on in. So far he is in credit, but January requires 2 good players or blood 2 of our own. Keogh, Jevons, Russell, Williams, Showumni and Murray don't look like being first team regulars, so either January or seasons end should bring required players for Championship level.

[samo]

I'd agree with plenty of the points raised.

One advantage is that we know GJ has money in january, because he has been consistantly backed by the chairman and, despite spending a couple of million in the summer, I'm sure there will be more if needed.

[bh_red]

He will have money to spend no doubt, but Gary being Gary will only spend it, IF the right player/s are available, despite the 3 recent losses, the squad does look more than capable of holding their own in this division which is what the aim was at the start of the season, so you could say, the squad is good enough for it's purpose,

however, as we know he will improve it if he can get the right people in, personally I'd be wouldn't be looking for too many players, just one maybe 2/3

Right Back - unconvinced by Orr and also have little decent cover for the position, Carey is too important in the middle to move to the right perm.

Creative Central Midfielder - PRORITY - LJ although I felt did well last season hasn't done enough for me constantly this season and Noble not convinced about his ability for the step up either, plus of course he's not a player who you can rely on to be able to play 90mins for 40+ games a season. Plus neither of them are renowed for their goal scorer.

Forward - Not urgent and will depend on the fitness situation of Brooker, if come the end of Jan, he isn't back in the first team, I'd imagine we will be looking to bring someone in.

[Robbored]

Right Back - unconvinced by Orr and also have little decent cover for the position, Carey is too important in the middle to move to the right perm.

Creative Central Midfielder - PRORITY - LJ although I felt did well last season hasn't done enough for me constantly this season and Noble not convinced about his ability for the step up either, plus of course he's not a player who you can rely on to be able to play 90mins for 40+ games a season. Plus neither of them are renowed for their goal scorer.

Forward - Not urgent and will depend on the fitness situation of Brooker, if come the end of Jan, he isn't back in the first team, I'd imagine we will be looking to bring someone in.

Agree with your first point but not with the second/third paragraph.

City have a creative midfielder in Noble but he struggles to hold down a regular starting place for whatever reason.

I also reckon that we've all seen enough of Trundle by now to know that he ain't going score 15 let alone 20 goals this season and nor will Byfield. I also reckon that waiting for Brooker to get fit again is not a good stratagy as we simply don't know how he will adapt to the CCC after to long out.He hasn't played at this level before and he may struggle just like the other strikers.

I reckon Johnson should look to bring in another striker who would offer something different.Preferably someone with a decent record like Earnshaw on loan as he can't get into the Derby side right now.Even Steve Howard who would bruise his way to a few goals.City are too one-dimension up front.

It'll be interesting to see if Johnson does bring in some new blood during January having indicated earlier this month that there would be little movement.I guess much depends on how City do between now and January 1st.

[Belfastcityfan]

Agree with your first point but not with the second/third paragraph.

City have a creative midfielder in Noble but he struggles to hold down a regular starting place for whatever reason.

I also reckon that we've all seen enough of Trundle by now to know that he ain't going score 15 let alone 20 goals this season and nor will Byfield. I also reckon that waiting for Brooker to get fit again is not a good stratagy as we simply don't know how he will adapt to the CCC after to long out.He hasn't played at this level before and he may struggle just like the other strikers.

I reckon Johnson should look to bring in another striker who would offer something different.Preferably someone with a decent record like Earnshaw on loan as he can't get into the Derby side right now.Even Steve Howard who would bruise his way to a few goals.City are too one-dimension up front.

It'll be interesting to see if Johnson does bring in some new blood during January having indicated earlier this month that there would be little movement.I guess much depends on how City do between now and January 1st.

Good shout! Its what we need for sure.

I don't undersatnd how Noble is getting a regular spot, is he still carrying an injury??

[bh_red]

Agree with your first point but not with the second/third paragraph.

City have a creative midfielder in Noble but he struggles to hold down a regular starting place for whatever reason.

personally think that Noble isn't the answer, his impact has been minimal in parts this season and his biggest problems seems to be constant fitness problems, the lad seems incapable of managing 90mins of football while actually making an impression on the game, he has no pace to mention which is vital at this level, plus his goal scoring record is terrible,

looked good at league 1, but think this is possibly a step to far as with lee johnson, don't think either of them is the answer and would imagine one or both is gone come jan,

someone similar to Steve McPhail/Jason Koumas

[Nogbad the Bad]

Higher than I thought we would be, thats for sure. We are however in danger of dropping down a slippery slide and in a hurry.

I would suggest we are possibly over trained. Yes there is such a thing. We started the season faster and fitter than a lot of our opposition. Now all teams are fitter and hitting their straps, we have not progressed and are treading water.

After Ipswich I thought we were overdone and the last thing required was extra training. I thought we required more tecnique, better selections and more refined team work, not more fitness. Leicester arrive and we were flat, over trained and that was painfully obvious.

GJ has made good progress in his career, but this is his first Championship season. Consider an average division 1 player, no matter how much fitness training you pump into him, he will still be an average division 1 player, but a little fitter.

Unfortunately we have enough of these players to make the difference at this level. January needs some objective decisions.

The over training possibility is a good point and occurred to me when GJ responded to the defeat at Ipswich by saying the lads would be in for extra training.

They looked deflated and worn out and this could be due to the excessive amount of effort needed to secure the excellent results early on - due to not having exceptional individuals the City players had to put in a huge team effort to get those results and this has now maybe caught up with them.

Almost as if they had to raise their game for each match like a Cup tie which they cannot be expected to be able to reproduce indefinitely.

The answer may be not extra training but the opposite and resting players like Elliott and Johnson more often and making use of the whole squad - the extra sharpness and desire of the replacement perhaps making up for the fact that he is generally a slightly weaker player.

Several of the current regulars do indeed appear to be treading water and the inclusion of other squad players with renewed enthusiasm and "something to prove" may be the boost the team needs.

A few of the "sparks" who illuminated our early games have certainly faded, a few more "timely" suspensions may be the answer for them to recharge their batteries if GJ currently sees them as indispensible.

Also, if you've got youngsters with real potential and a gap appears in their position, give them a chance and slot them in.

[bransonmo]

Good point Nogbad, the youngsters ?

Artus in his 20th year, how old does he have to be exactly. Its not size, at 6ft and around 13 stone, thats solid and not fat, as shown by the pre season photos. A hard tackler, good passer and header with an eye for goal, best reserve player by a country mile in the Sag match and told he was very close to selection a YEAR ago. Play him with Elliot who needs some assistance in the midfield.

Ribiero, we are told is also close to selection, be nice if he could play left back.......can he ?

[philgas1]

All i can say is that up till a couple of week s ago you had everyones attention..a little blip and the worlds going to end...get a life..belief is the all you lot need and a good kick up the backside..