Thracian Posted 16 August 2008 Posted 16 August 2008 Positives: ====== 1) Third clean sheet of season. 2) Third in League and unbeaten. 3) Closing down was spot on. 4) Second half we finally saw the real Kingy. 5) Signs of a promising Fryatt/Howard partnership 6) Almost totally dominated an away game. 7) Near post runners at last. Negatives: ======= 1) Failing to utilise Porter in playing Dickov out of position. 2) Leaving Gradel caught in a trap. 3) Lasting problem at left-back 4) Mediocre finishing. 5) Free kicks/corners still need to be improved in terms of variation and pace of delivery.
Unabomber Posted 16 August 2008 Posted 16 August 2008 Positives:====== 1) Third clean sheet of season. 2) Third in League and unbeaten. 3) Closing down was spot on. 4) Second half we finally saw the real Kingy. 5) Signs of a promising Fryatt/Howard partnership 6) Almost totally dominated an away game. 7) Near post runners at last. Negatives: ======= 1) Failing to utilise Porter in playing Dickov out of position. 2) Leaving Gradel caught in a trap. 3) Lasting problem at left-back 4) Mediocre finishing. 5) Free kicks/corners still need to be improved in terms of variation and pace of delivery. Can't argue with that, although for Porter to come on who would you have taken off?
Phube Posted 17 August 2008 Posted 17 August 2008 Still no 2 games in a row... But no goals against!! Only 2 crosses ALL game But we're 3rd Too many wasted chances Didn't give away silly goal I did this already... in a more smiley way!!
l444ry Posted 17 August 2008 Posted 17 August 2008 More than pleased at the season's start but, nitpicking really, the lack of that essential initial explosive pace in the two strikers (then Dickov) reduces the type of chances City can create.
eaststandtom Posted 17 August 2008 Posted 17 August 2008 positives are that a point away from home and a clean sheet is good at any level. so a pleasing result. negatives were chances were a plenty but its one game in a new season so doesnt get the alarm bells ringing just yet. stability is required. persevere with howard and fryatt. i for one think mk dons came into the game last week after howard was taken off (too early IMO). their more physical players were freed up to exert some dominance in other areas.
Simi Posted 17 August 2008 Posted 17 August 2008 The set pieces yesterday were dreadful and completely wasted. Howard was winning everything in the air, yet all the corners from King went away from him and always to the back post where Morrison was being marked well and nothing came of any of them. Very frustrating. Dyer can't take them. Yesterday showed King can't do it either.
Tilley Posted 17 August 2008 Posted 17 August 2008 Another positive is being the only club in the league not to have conceded. But, yet again, look where that got us last season having a good defence. Worrying a bit when Carlisle have scored seven & we have only scored 2.
Daggers Posted 17 August 2008 Posted 17 August 2008 King really didn't make any difference - I'd happily have seen Porter on for the last 15 minutes.
reynard Posted 17 August 2008 Posted 17 August 2008 It seems to me that not much has changed since last season. The defence looks solid and no goals conceded is a major plus. However, are we going to struggle to score again? We lack pace up front and though it is only 3 games in we simply don't seem to have that killer instinct in front of goal. The central midfield still looks short on creativity and I can't see many goals coming from that area. Our wide play is encouraging but yet again we seem to have wingers who can't cross to the required standard often enough. set pieces are also pretty poor. Still I can see us improving in most areas and we do seem to be playing more for each other and as a team. The next 2 league games are important if we are going to mount a serious promotion challenge. Neither Tranmere nor Cheltenham are fancied to finish in the top half and therefore anything less than 6 points and +2 in the goals column will be disappointing. The Stockport result is ok but only if we win the next two games. Our start to the season has allowed us to avoid any of the so-called fancied teams and we need to capitalise on that.
C-man Posted 17 August 2008 Posted 17 August 2008 Negatives:======= 1) Failing to utilise Porter in playing Dickov out of position. 2) Leaving Gradel caught in a trap. 3) Lasting problem at left-back 4) Mediocre finishing. 5) Free kicks/corners still need to be improved in terms of variation and pace of delivery. Agreed. I did hear you shout at King to whip in the corner with more pace. Time and time again did we just float corners in to the back stick where either Morrison was marked well, or Fon Williams had time to have a cup of tea and then come collect the ball. We seriously need a good corner and free-kick taker.
Austin Posted 17 August 2008 Posted 17 August 2008 Corner's were shite yesterday, I was bang on behind the goal in centre, and every one put in flew completely to the backstick and we failed to do anything with it .. I'd like to see Dicko and Fryatt against tranmere .. with the chance of Howard on the bench .. Overall .. A point away from home isn't awfully bed Roll on Tranmere
Bert Posted 17 August 2008 Posted 17 August 2008 Positives:====== 1) Third clean sheet of season. 2) Third in League and unbeaten. 3) Closing down was spot on. 4) Second half we finally saw the real Kingy. 5) Signs of a promising Fryatt/Howard partnership 6) Almost totally dominated an away game. 7) Near post runners at last. Negatives: ======= 1) Failing to utilise Porter in playing Dickov out of position. 2) Leaving Gradel caught in a trap. 3) Lasting problem at left-back 4) Mediocre finishing. 5) Free kicks/corners still need to be improved in terms of variation and pace of delivery. Good post. Stockport had clearly done their homework on Gradel, and on a smaller pitch too, he found it hard as he had less space. We really had no other choice at left back. Tunchev has played left back at international level before, Gilbert and Max seem to have a good understanding already, so Np clearly didn't want to split that up, else Gilbert probably would've played left back. The finishing and set-pieces is something that simply has to be worked on during training.
Thracian Posted 17 August 2008 Author Posted 17 August 2008 Can't argue with that, although for Porter to come on who would you have taken off? If I'd taken Gradel off - and there was a good case for it with him being on a booking and seeming pretty frustrated - then Porter would have been the replacement. But I may just have risked 3-5-2 and played him in attacking midfield with Oakley in the holding role and King free. We contrived some good situations which we saw through to a shot but others were wasted by badly weighed passes and Porter would probably have improved that. He's also a decent finisher given chance. I didn't see the point of using Dickov as we did and it would have been hard to making a case for taking either striker off.
Thracian Posted 17 August 2008 Author Posted 17 August 2008 King really didn't make any difference - I'd happily have seen Porter on for the last 15 minutes. I suppose in the end he didn't seeing it was 0-0. But he supplied the sublime pass over Stockport's defence that gave Dyer arguably the best chance of the game. He also bent an excellent outside of the foot pass theough to Fryatt who was finally foiled by weight of numbers, he broke through himself into the edge of the penalty but was finally dispossessed at the crucial moment, broke through again for the shot supposedly brilliantly saved by the home keeper (it was actually a fairly standard save) and he conjured another excellent position outside the box but this time failed to shoot and instead elected to continue the move to the right. That's a lot of involvement to me and with things that went as close to anything to breaking the deadlock. But Porter for Gradel yesterday ... no problem.
Daggers Posted 17 August 2008 Posted 17 August 2008 I suppose in the end he didn't seeing it was 0-0.But he supplied the sublime pass over Stockport's defence that gave Dyer arguably the best chance of the game. He also bent an excellent outside of the foot pass theough to Fryatt who was finally foiled by weight of numbers, he broke through himself into the edge of the penalty but was finally dispossessed at the crucial moment, broke through again for the shot supposedly brilliantly saved by the home keeper (it was actually a fairly standard save) and he conjured another excellent position outside the box but this time failed to shoot and instead elected to continue the move to the right. That's a lot of involvement to me and with things that went as close to anything to breaking the deadlock. But Porter for Gradel yesterday ... no problem. All coming after I'd have swapped King off the pitch - but as is proven time after time, I know sod all about anything
Thracian Posted 17 August 2008 Author Posted 17 August 2008 All coming after I'd have swapped King off the pitch - but as is proven time after time, I know sod all about anything All knowledge pales beside knowing where the best pubs are!
Salieri Posted 17 August 2008 Posted 17 August 2008 I think that however well we do there will always be room for criticism/improvement. We mustnt lose sight of the fact that we have yet another new manager who has already had to cram a hell of a lot in a short space of time. Getting new signings to gel in the team and finding the right balance is probably the hardest part and things are never just gonna click straight away. Personally, i think NP has done a fantastic job so far and while certain comparisons are being made with negatives from last season (particularly the inability to find the net) i believe we are going to come good and look a better team in many ways to last season. We may be struggling to score again but we are creating plenty of chances and while you're doing that, the goals will come. Fryatt and Howard look rejuvenated and should be our first choice partnrship and Dickov will play his part in knocking a few late winners in for us (hopefully not played out of position again) We have genuine width now in Gradel, Dyer, Adams and Porter. Just the final ball needs to be worked on but they will get there. Defence looks solid once more although im hoping a left back will be signed before not too long. Its a new league and its a steep lerning curve but we've made a decent start and long may it continue. I have to admit to being worried as to how well we would adapt but from what ive seen so far im confident we'll be back in the championship next season. Bring on Tranmere!!!!
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