Attack

[Thracian]

I set deadlines for all managers to get it right. The summer we had Levein, I said if things hadn't improved by x date then the board should get rid. Things didn't and he got sacked about 3 days after the date I'd said six months earlier.

With Kelly, I said that at the time we couldn't afford to get rid of him. Certainly not to bring someone else in from outside who was any good. As soon as the takeover happened I said he should go. We had moved on from "making do", because we had the money to do so.

I try and take everything into account when looking at the situation, finances, turn around of managers and players, problems they have had to deal with, not just what's happening on the pitch after 16 games.

As I've stated on many occasions I've not really been pro any manager. I'm just pro giving them a REAL chance of getting things right. My definition of a "real go" is not 10/20 games. Once we get to November/December next year I want to see some real progress under Holloway.

That's a fair enough viewpoint. Not one I'd share, because watching us grind out 1-0's (Kelly theory) is not my idea of football, but it is certainly a view I'd respect.

I even wanted to apply such a yardstick with Holloway but I'd noted his penchant for humph football previously and when I see Gradel cracking his 30-yarders while he goes down his blinkered road, I think why should he get more and more time?

Seems to me there's one excuse after another ground out to justify what goes wrong, many of them from Holloway himself and it's always someone else's fault, never his own.

He teases the players about humphing to Howard but he's the boss. If I asked defenders to pass and they didn't they'd be out of the side. If they did pass and we came unstuck then I'd shoulder the blame. But Holloway doesn't change anything.

If Kisnorbo and McAuley had been youngsters he would have done something, no question, but they're not and all he's done is given McAuley a lucrative new contract. Not a new way of playing.

Yet, if there's one constant in our side it's that the ball doesn't get passed out of central defence. It's gone on for ages.

And yet the fans say Holloway will get it right tomorrow, the next day, whenever.

The transfer window has closed. I've seen no improvement in this department.

And no attacking improvement either except against Coventry and that's beginning to seem more and more like a freak happening.

If we were mid-table none of this would matter because it wouldn't make any great difference this season. But we are heading for the relegation battle of our footballing lives.

And if someone asked me to trust this lot with my life, particularly the way they are playing, I'd be a nervous wreck long before next November.

That said I hope your faith is finally justified. Like the rest of us who harboured hopes that successive City managers would at least get results if not be committed to entertaining football, you're due a break.

[Dr The Singh]

Only see one team attacking, were in for a real battle, I can't see much 'fancy free' footy, the type that would wet Thracians pallette, let's just hope we get through this season unscathed and give Holloway a chance to earn his respect next season!!

[He's not bald]

What is this "at-ack" you speak of? Never seen it at Walkers.

It's what Ollie uses to keep the team sheet on the notice board!

[Manwell Pablo]

That's a fair enough viewpoint. Not one I'd share, because watching us grind out 1-0's (Kelly theory) is not my idea of football, but it is certainly a view I'd respect.

I even wanted to apply such a yardstick with Holloway but I'd noted his penchant for humph football previously and when I see Gradel cracking his 30-yarders while he goes down his blinkered road, I think why should he get more and more time?

Seems to me there's one excuse after another ground out to justify what goes wrong, many of them from Holloway himself and it's always someone else's fault, never his own.

He teases the players about humphing to Howard but he's the boss. If I asked defenders to pass and they didn't they'd be out of the side. If they did pass and we came unstuck then I'd shoulder the blame. But Holloway doesn't change anything.

If Kisnorbo and McAuley had been youngsters he would have done something, no question, but they're not and all he's done is given McAuley a lucrative new contract. Not a new way of playing.

Yet, if there's one constant in our side it's that the ball doesn't get passed out of central defence. It's gone on for ages.

And yet the fans say Holloway will get it right tomorrow, the next day, whenever.

The transfer window has closed. I've seen no improvement in this department.

And no attacking improvement either except against Coventry and that's beginning to seem more and more like a freak happening.

If we were mid-table none of this would matter because it wouldn't make any great difference this season. But we are heading for the relegation battle of our footballing lives.

And if someone asked me to trust this lot with my life, particularly the way they are playing, I'd be a nervous wreck long before next November.

That said I hope your faith is finally justified. Like the rest of us who harboured hopes that successive City managers would at least get results if not be committed to entertaining football, you're due a break.

I'm confused, I know their passing is appauling but how can you drop the best defensive centre back pairing in the league (statstically) and who for? N'gotty and Stearman?

[Thracian]

I'm confused, I know their passing is appauling but how can you drop the best defensive centre back pairing in the league (statstically) and who for? N'gotty and Stearman?

I wouldn't want you to be confused MP.

a) I've NEVER called for both to be dropped.

b) Holloway could insist that they pass the ball out of defence on the floor when they've time and are not under severe pressure.

b) He could have bought an alternative footballing centre-back during the transfer window.

c) He could get a loanee in or use N'Gotty or Stearman to do the job.

If you can think of other options fine but this isn't something we can just leave.

If we DON'T stop giving the ball away so often and so cheaply from defence we will never get anywhere and may well get relegated.

[STUHILL]

I'm confused, I know their passing is appauling but how can you drop the best defensive centre back pairing in the league (statstically) and who for? N'gotty and Stearman?

It is a very good point, and one I'm suprised Thracian doesn't pay more attention to, as he is forever harping on about Statistics, yet I guess he only uses the ones that supports his arguments, kinda like a politician would. I think defensively, we are a reasonably solid unit. I do agree that the Kisnorbo and McAuley need to start learning how to play the simple ball, and using the midfield more but I also think this is something that can change and they can improve on.

[Thracian]

It is a very good point, and one I'm suprised Thracian doesn't pay more attention to, as he is forever harping on about Statistics, yet I guess he only uses the ones that supports his arguments, kinda like a politician would. I think defensively, we are a reasonably solid unit. I do agree that the Kisnorbo and McAuley need to start learning how to play the simple ball, and using the midfield more but I also think this is something that can change and they can improve on.

They've had long enough to improve and I've seen none. In fact they seem to be getting worse, not better. It's clear the subject's been mentioned because they've started games trying to pass but they just slip back into old ways.

Every time I see one or other look up and elect to play an aerial pass over 20 yards I think, oh shit, here we go again, and wonder which opponent will be given the ball.

It's a fault through the club to be honest. All you really want your centre-backs to do is win the ball, control it quickly and give it five or 10 yards to the nearest support player.

If he can chip in with goals from set pieces so much the better, cos it's something I'd expect. But the cardinal sin is giving the ball away.

[STUHILL]

They've had long enough to improve and I've seen none. In fact they seem to be getting worse, not better. It's clear the subject's been mentioned because they've started games trying to pass but they just slip back into old ways.

Every time I see one or other look up and elect to play an aerial pass over 20 yards I think, oh shit, here we go again, and wonder which opponent will be given the ball.

It's a fault through the club to be honest. All you really want your centre-backs to do is win the ball, control it quickly and give it five or 10 yards to the nearest support player.

If he can chip in with goals from set pieces so much the better, cos it's something I'd expect. But the cardinal sin is giving the ball away.

True and what they're so scared of doing! It's frustrating to see the fear in our players at the moment. I do believe these two players have it in them, I mean who couldnt play a 20 yard pass as long as the movement from other players was there. I do think these two are our future in the Championship, I think they have a lot of qualities. Ollie just needs to instill some confidence in them and have them calm on the ball and as long as other players are responding round them and wanting the ball, then there should be no reason for them not to be making that pass. They will have to start trusting their own abilities more and not looking for the easy, frightened way out, i.e the painfull Long ball.

[Manwell Pablo]

They've had long enough to improve and I've seen none. In fact they seem to be getting worse, not better. It's clear the subject's been mentioned because they've started games trying to pass but they just slip back into old ways.

Every time I see one or other look up and elect to play an aerial pass over 20 yards I think, oh shit, here we go again, and wonder which opponent will be given the ball.

It's a fault through the club to be honest. All you really want your centre-backs to do is win the ball, control it quickly and give it five or 10 yards to the nearest support player.

If he can chip in with goals from set pieces so much the better, cos it's something I'd expect. But the cardinal sin is giving the ball away.

Well they do play simple balls when they're on. Problem is they aren't alof of the time, as proffesional footballers as a rule tend to close down space, as I said their passing is appauling so surely it's better them launching the ball 40 yards and losing it than rolling it 10 yards and losing it. Safety first for a defender and all that.

What your looking at is a defender who can do everything well and yet again it is about relising where we are and what we have got and what we can achieve. I think McAuley and Kisnorbo are the least of our problems.

[ronnup]

That's even worse then

It's not like Plymouth was the first time?

Just saying it's not a tactical decision, which is I think what frustrates Olly. They fall apart and forget what the managers told them cos they're lacking the confidence to play football through the park. Confidence is a hard thing to build and 4 years of negativity are behind our current playing ethos, Olly can change that but it'll take a few years. Not just a new squad. It's in the bones of the club,fans and staff like a cancer.