gerblod

"Tired performance"! City dominated the first half and into the second half. Casadei, Akgün and Iheanacho weren't responsible for the turnaround in the game. They demonstrated why the squad needs strengthening - because they weren't capable of replicating the performance of the players they replaced. This isn't about winning the Championship, it's about avoiding a struggle in the Prem next season. Casadei and Akgün have time to get up to speed. They'd better use it wisely.

By that logic Faes, Mavididi and Fatawu should have been subbed too. It was a winnable game away against our closest opponents - there are many other far less critical games where they could be rested.

Defence began to look v.tired. Hamza would have been the better choice. Subbing KDH was a poor decision. Subbing Wilf not much better - his ball stealing ability would have dented the Ipswich moves. Piss poor goal for Ipswich - but they looked dangerous throughout the second. Better substitutions essential.

Faes was as effective!

Terrific placement. I can see him being a handful in the Prem.

👏. Any new manager, whatever the business, can decide to mask his/her insecurities by being over-prescriptive in insisting players follow their 'plan'. Letting go of the reins is difficult when your reputation is at stake or when you are building a rep. The run of results has masked a few shortcomings in our play and maybe deceived the players into believing it's going to be simple to get promotion. We've been lucky in some games and now we've been unlucky in two successive games. A free kick is like a corner - they can come off, but it's often down to luck or the stars aligning perfectly. How often was Madders successful with his? Away at Middlesbrough to a free kick when it could have easily been a draw and the doom 'n gloom soothsayers start muttering around the campfire. But Maresca is not yet Guardiola or Arteta - neither of whom ever seem to be looking over their shoulders - just always positive in seeking to approach games with confidence and self belief. Great teams have players who aren't always thinking about what the manager will say if things go awry. The old adage about going out and enjoying yourself is true - only then is the yoke of expectation forgotten. I wish I could watch City in that frame of mind. Only when we're 4-0 ahead can I relax. But that has ever been the football supporters burden.

When it's a questionable opposition goal or potential penalty or a potential red card then we're all up for VAR finding in our favour. As for premature ejaculation (the verbal kind) when we put one in the net my reaction will never be 'let's wait and see' - it's always been an instant reaction. I was in the Liverpool Kop once when we beat them 2-1. I instinctively rejoiced - got some funny looks, but you can't help yourself. Disappointing as a disallowed goal is, the VAR check actually, for me, adds to the drama of a game. The Kiwis have been complaining about the sending off in the RU WCF, but you can't be selective about rules. They've been badly interpreted at times, but VAR itself is definitive. The only thing that really seems churlish is the micrometer measurement of offside. Maybe there ought to be a +/- of 6 inches allowed to allow for the speed of reaction, but VAR has tidied up the inconsistencies no end and it protects refs as well.

Disappointing, but Leeds looked to use the long ball to find space and open up a stretched defence. Their goal didn't come from that but it was a constant worry. Mavadidi and Fatawu honestly look the business - at last two fast and tricky wingers with bostin' shots. Trouble was there's no Madders there to take advantage of their potential. A big no. 9 would have provided an outlet. Casadei had a poor game - should have been subbed at half-time. That Hamza was his replacement seemed negative - McAteer might have been the better choice. Although I loved his tackle on Summerville. There was a lot of ineffective Chuckle Brothers passing going on at the back - 'to me, to you' stuff. That played into their fast press game - several times it nearly ended badly. That pattern of possession works against less effective teams, but it was a liability last night. Sometimes you have to risk losing possession to get the ball upfield. We came to life too late on. You have to begin to stack up the shots early on to break down what was excellent defending. MoM was Ricardo for me followed by Mavadidi and Fatawu.

And that's the honesty and outspokenness that all right-minded individuals need to address to the powers that be. Who at City has the right to judge and discipline a player who is trying to address life or death issues beyond and above a sport? Every organisation, in whatever form, should be calling out this state inspired terrorism for what it is, but international etiquette appears to allow the expression of genuine outrage and horror to be suppressed.

Hi Fuchsy, Sorry for the late reply. I trust you're 'ok'. I haven't been taking much notice of FT - in fact I did think I'd been given a yellow so I got the 'ump' - I automatically get signed in on my Handi and, soon after I replied to you I got the red "your comments will have to be moderated" message. Turned out I needed to sign in - I don't know what caused that glitch, but having a huge resentment for any kind of authority on my shoulder I made the worst possible interpretation. Plus I've been hit by SAD - happens every autumn. However I'm overjoyed with the way the team are seemingly ready to re-enter the stratosphere at the first available opportunity. The way blame was being thrown at individual players left me increasingly angry and responding politely to some of the outrageous bile being thrown at certain of the lads would not have had any positive effect. However, I suspect many are looking or feeling sheepish now that the team have a committed manager who's able to draw out the kind of performances which the previous incumbent couldn't. Even Vesty has been redeemed - and I didn't have a good word to say about him. And the women are doing so well too. So everything's tickety-boo for us fans at this time. In retrospect relegation seems to have enabled the team to rediscover that they are, in spite of Madders leaving, quite skilled and determined enough to get back up and begin again. As for the mods, I sense it's very much a job which they've been asked to do and learn as they go along. Not the most enviable task. atb