Full steam Levein

[Thracian]

Still less than nine months at the club yet when it comes to wielding a new broom, Craig's has turned out to be supercharged.

The club has a different accent (literally and metaphorically) and one is tempted to compare the ruthless pruning and rebuilding of Levein on a shoestring with the wasteful, ill-judged nievity of PT in a time of comparative plenty.

Few fans can surely believe that City are not in far safer, more capable and more visionary hands now than ever they were with Adams and some, including myself are starting to warm to the possibilities of the future.

But, please, can someone let the boss know that we'll need to score some goals and that there has to be an element of entertainment to put bums on seats. "Entertainment" - marauding forward movement, action in the penalty box, shots on goal, bulging the bloody net which is the main point of football.

There is a broad view to be taken. Of course we want to win but we don't want to be boring, boring Leicester in doing so. Wenger any time rather than George Graham.

Perhaps it's an affliction which affects ex-centre halves? They spend their whole careers making centre-forwards' lives a misery they come to hate them. That's the only explanation.

Levein hates centre-forwards. He doesn't want them around. He can't stand the sight of them.

Please, please relent Craig. Get us someone to score some goals and get us someone to make some goals. The way things are there won't be any point in putting a net in the end that City are attacking.

What a waste that would be of such potentially marvellous ground work.

This isn't a criticism Craig (I understand you've had to deal with priorities) it's a plea.

Nip down to that Old People's Home and talk to your compatriot Davie Gibson about what City used to be about.

Make us excited again to cross the old Central Railway bridge on the way to the ground on matchdays.

Let us talk once more, not of whether we can pinch a result or hold out for a point but about whether there's any chance of the opposition stopping us scoring four.

Be brave enough to bring the folklore back...

I got sick of draws last season.

[Ric Flair]

Fair comments, but I think you just need to be patient. I had itchy feet last week, but this week i'm alot more positive.

Firstly, we already have a striker in David Connolly who is prolific in this division as shown with his stint at Wimbledon. I know he had a pretty poor season for us last season, but he ended it with 7 goals in 11 games, which if he averaged that over the whole season would give him 28 goals in 44 games. He'll come good if we give him the service.

Secondly, not many people know much about Sylla and he could be the man to kick start Connolly's prolific career. Hughes and Williams look good going forward and now we have a 'defensive' midfielder in Kisnorbo that could give them the licence to roam and create openings for our strikers.

Thirdly, Who knows what will happen is Mark de Vries starts the season with a few goals? Confidence is such an amazing thing and if you look at MDV's record at Hearts he's more than capable of scoring when he's confident and injury free. The same can be said about Dublin who even at 36 can still take this league apart, just look at Paul Furlong last season. Dublin ended the season looking very sharp and he's still not lost the asset to his game where if you give him the ball in the box, he'll score.

Fourthly, Levein will sign a striker this summer. He originally wanted 2. One of them being Sturm but that fell through. There is no way that Levein would suddenly decide not to bring even one new striker in just because he's missed out on some of his original targets. If we can get a pacey striker, then I have every confidence that we can mount a challenge for the top 6 next season. The squad will be compact and tight, something we haven't had for a long while. Levein is known for having a defensively tight squad, but what's wrong with that? If we get that, then once that's sorted we can focus on blitzing teams with some lethal finishing.

Chill Winston.

[Fox in a Box]

Quality post, sir...

May I add, we no longer have players who are on fat wages justing kicking a ball around with no purpose.

What has annoyed me in the past is the players milking lcfc.

CL has certainly got rid of that element, even looked Matt elliot in the eye and told him he was surplus to requirements.

I trust that CL will have them playing out of there skins.

Remember this man got banned for 12 games for butting his own player!!! when he was playing.

He makes Dyer and Bowyer look like girls.

Players beware.

Cl we need a striker to COMPLIMENT our resources we have, a little bit of pace is needed.

[BartonFox]

Thracian you started that post off tremendously then completely went off on the wrong tangent missing the bigger picture IMHO.

I have to say that I feel refreshed as a City supporter and it has been a long time since that happened. I have a renewed vigour and when CL was appointed I was chuffed to bits as I had been an advocate for his ability from the minute Adams tenure looked doomed.

When he arrived he pointed out a very significant part of his plan - Quick and strong defenders that allow the team defend higher up the pitch allowing for attacking football you crave. I am slightly bemused by all the clamour against the signings of new defenders particularly in central areas. Currently we have McCarthy who is still very raw but looks like a find, Stearman who is 12-18 months from being a regular in that position. We also have Heath who has been rightly identified as not good enough. Dublin is not a centre half. The rumoured signings of Johansson and Gerrand are just what is needed. From that basis we will build a successful team.

While I agree we need a striker I do not think it is a priority at this stage. Connolly will be the divisions leading scorer this season his form towards the end of the season reinforced what I already knew. Dublin will score and the Mark de Vries that starts the season will be more like the player from The Valley FA Cup tie than the struggling cart horse we saw the rest of the time.

Our midfield is as good as anyone's in this division with Hughes, Williams and Sylla providing the flair and panache. Gudjonsson and Kisnorbo will win the ball and move it on and old stagers like Tiatto and Wilcox will be very important. Players like Weslowski will get their chance as well. Also watch out for Lee Morris who for the first time in a long while is getting a full pre season under his belt, he has ability.

Last season many got excited by the signings of 'big names', this year people are starting to feel positive about real names and real players who will share our desire and now I feel most City fans can now see CL's vision and are starting to buy into it.

20/1 at some bookies, I have had a bloody large slice of that pie and will be dining out on it come May 2006.

[Collymore]

Still less than nine months at the club yet when it comes to wielding a new broom, Craig's has turned out to be supercharged.

The club has a different accent (literally and metaphorically) and one is tempted to compare the ruthless pruning and rebuilding of Levein on a shoestring with the wasteful, ill-judged nievity of PT in a time of comparative plenty.

Few fans can surely believe that City are not in far safer, more capable and more visionary hands now than ever they were with Adams and some, including myself are starting to warm to the possibilities of the future.

But, please, can someone let the boss know that we'll need to score some goals and that there has to be an element of entertainment to put bums on seats. "Entertainment" -  marauding forward movement, action in the penalty box, shots on goal, bulging the bloody net which is the main point of football.

There is a broad view to be taken. Of course we want to win but we don't want to be boring, boring Leicester in doing so. Wenger any time rather than George Graham.

Perhaps it's an affliction which affects ex-centre halves? They spend their whole careers  making centre-forwards' lives a misery they come to hate them. That's the only explanation.

Levein hates centre-forwards. He doesn't want them around. He can't stand the sight of them.

Please, please relent Craig. Get us someone to score some goals and get us someone to make some goals. The way things are there won't be any point in putting a net in the end that City are attacking.

What a waste that would be of such potentially marvellous ground work. 

This isn't a criticism Craig (I understand you've had to deal with priorities) it's a plea.

Nip down to that Old People's Home and talk to your compatriot Davie Gibson about what City used to be about.

Make us excited again to cross the old Central Railway bridge on the way to the ground on matchdays.

Let us talk once more, not of whether we can pinch a result or hold out for a point but about whether there's any chance of the opposition stopping us scoring four.

Be brave enough to bring the folklore back...

I got sick of draws last season.

132137[/snapback]

cue Chandler

[Thracian]

Thracian you started that post off tremendously then completely went off on the wrong tangent missing the bigger picture IMHO.

I have to say that I feel refreshed as a City supporter and it has been a long time since that happened.  I have a renewed vigour and when CL was appointed I was chuffed to bits as I had been an advocate for his ability from the minute Adams tenure looked doomed.

When he arrived he pointed out a very significant part of his plan - Quick and strong defenders that allow the team defend higher up the pitch allowing for attacking football you crave.  I am slightly bemused by all the clamour against the signings of new defenders particularly in central areas.  Currently we have McCarthy who is still very raw but looks like a find, Stearman who is 12-18 months from being a regular in that position.  We also have Heath who has been rightly identified as not good enough.  Dublin is not a centre half.  The rumoured signings of Johansson and Gerrand are just what is needed.  From that basis we will build a successful team.

While I agree we need a striker I do not think it is a priority at this stage.  Connolly will be the divisions leading scorer this season his form towards the end of the season reinforced what I already knew.  Dublin will score and the Mark de Vries that starts the season will be more like the player from The Valley FA Cup tie than the struggling cart horse we saw the rest of the time.

Our midfield is as good as anyone's in this division with Hughes, Williams and Sylla providing the flair and panache.  Gudjonsson and Kisnorbo will win the ball and move it on and old stagers like Tiatto and Wilcox will be very important.  Players like Weslowski will get their chance as well.  Also watch out for Lee Morris who for the first time in a long while is getting a full pre season under his belt, he has ability.

Last season many got excited by the signings of 'big names', this year people are starting to feel positive about real names and real players who will share our desire and now I feel most City fans can now see CL's vision and are starting to buy into it.

20/1 at some bookies, I have had a bloody large slice of that pie and will be dining out on it come May 2006.

132182[/snapback]

Enjoyed reading that. Cheered me up no end.

Hope you're right and I'm wrong about the strikers and that your obvious optimism over Tiatto and Wilcox is justified cos I don't think that either would get in my side even if they were fully fit and even if Tiatto didn't get booked all the time.

Same goes for Gudjonsson (cos he doesn't pass well enough). We've still got important shortcomings so I wouldn't spend your celebratory monies in advance but I do think there's a lot of justified positives in what you say and that we're heading in the right direction.

PS: I'm not at all against the strengthening of central defence. I just want some attention paid to the other end as well.

I first grumbled about it last September/October (and was mocked for being pessimistic) but since then there's been precious little improvement. I don't want us waiting until the season's halfway over before we address what is a glaring weakness. Which of our forwards is fast enough, or lethal enough to scare any respectable defence?.

However, I do concede that if, as you say, the team is able to play higher up, then the ball will go into the danger areas more often and there ought to be more goals. Whether this will be enough to reverse the smash-and-grab defeats of last season remains to be seen.

[BartonFox]

Thracian you started that post off tremendously then completely went off on the wrong tangent missing the bigger picture IMHO.

I have to say that I feel refreshed as a City supporter and it has been a long time since that happened.  I have a renewed vigour and when CL was appointed I was chuffed to bits as I had been an advocate for his ability from the minute Adams tenure looked doomed.

When he arrived he pointed out a very significant part of his plan - Quick and strong defenders that allow the team defend higher up the pitch allowing for attacking football you crave.  I am slightly bemused by all the clamour against the signings of new defenders particularly in central areas.  Currently we have McCarthy who is still very raw but looks like a find, Stearman who is 12-18 months from being a regular in that position.  We also have Heath who has been rightly identified as not good enough.  Dublin is not a centre half.  The rumoured signings of Johansson and Gerrand are just what is needed.  From that basis we will build a successful team.

While I agree we need a striker I do not think it is a priority at this stage.  Connolly will be the divisions leading scorer this season his form towards the end of the season reinforced what I already knew.  Dublin will score and the Mark de Vries that starts the season will be more like the player from The Valley FA Cup tie than the struggling cart horse we saw the rest of the time.

Our midfield is as good as anyone's in this division with Hughes, Williams and Sylla providing the flair and panache.  Gudjonsson and Kisnorbo will win the ball and move it on and old stagers like Tiatto and Wilcox will be very important.  Players like Weslowski will get their chance as well.  Also watch out for Lee Morris who for the first time in a long while is getting a full pre season under his belt, he has ability.

Last season many got excited by the signings of 'big names', this year people are starting to feel positive about real names and real players who will share our desire and now I feel most City fans can now see CL's vision and are starting to buy into it.

20/1 at some bookies, I have had a bloody large slice of that pie and will be dining out on it come May 2006.

132182[/snapback]

Enjoyed reading that. Cheered me up no end.

Hope you're right and I'm wrong about the strikers and that your obvious optimism over Tiatto and Wilcox is justified cos I don't think that either would get in my side even if they were fully fit and even if Tiatto didn't get booked all the time.

Same goes for Gudjonsson (cos he doesn't pass well enough). We've still got important shortcomings so I wouldn't spend your celebratory monies in advance but I do think there's a lot of justified positives in what you say and that we're heading in the right direction.

PS: I'm not at all against the strengthening of central defence. I just want some attention paid to the other end as well.

I first grumbled about it last September/October (and was mocked for being pessimistic) but since then there's been precious little improvement. I don't want us waiting until the season's halfway over before we address what is a glaring weakness. Which of our forwards is fast enough, or lethal enough to scare any respectable defence?.

However, I do concede that if, as you say, the team is able to play higher up, then the ball will go into the danger areas more often and there ought to be more goals. Whether this will be enough to reverse the smash-and-grab defeats of last season remains to be seen.

132210[/snapback]

Regarding Tiatto and Wilcox I don't honestly see them in CL first choice line up but I think yhey will prove invaluable replacements. I share concerns over Gudjonsson but as a back up to Kisnorbo he'll do nicely.

You say you are worried about the pace upfront for 2 seasons at Wimbledon Connolly played alongside Neil Shipperley and they scored something between 60-70 goals between them and Shipperley has no pace at all. Create the chances and our strikers will score. If we could dig up a Nugent like Preston did then great but in the mean time I am happy enough with a frist choice strikeforce of de Vries and Connolly.

[Teeno]

Enjoyed reading this thread.

I feel very optimistic about the future at this club now. Craig is building foundation and bit by bit everything is coming together. Gone is the quick fix approach used by previous managers and now we can look foward to watching a team we recognise and relate to.

There is a lot of quality in the squad now, but more importantly there is hunger, we have a young enthusiastic squad on long contracts. We no longer have players pocketing big money for sweet fa. Craig has a vision for the club and he wants to do it properly.

Although we have yet to bring in a new striker, maybe with the new players in defence and midfield they will bring out the best out of our foward players. The role someone like Kisnorbo will play will give the likes of Hughes and Williams to venture foward and support the front two. Izzet wasn't half the player without Lennon, and thats not saying he wasn't that good, but the way Lennon played gave Izzet the freedom he had. When I spoke to CL he said something very similar and said that Kisnorbo will do a similar job to what Lennon did.

That excites me, Hughes and Williams are players with real quality and if they are playing at the top of their game not only will they be supplying the likes of Conners more they'll be chipping in with a few goals aswell. I think CL has faith that DC and MDV will be a lot better that last season and Connolly certainly showed signs towards the end of last season. A house wouldn't stand with out foundations and in the same way a football team can't be succesful with a weak defence. With the possible additions to the defence the foundation will be all but laid and work can be started on the rest of the team.

I can't help but looking foward to the new season, We might not have massive names but we do have a team all willing to work together with a spread of experience and youth.