TrentFox Posted 8 October 2012 Share Posted 8 October 2012 Trentfox See above. Also my concern is that our setup is so lopsided that it goes way beyond just being a bit predictable...... Also I was concerned that in order to nullify the Adomah threat we took our quickest attacking player and turned him into a largely defensive wide midfielder when we have a solid back 4 and 2 holding midfield players who really should have done the job themselves. Struck me as pretty negative. It's an argument. But winning is a positive in my book. And if I'm honest, I think we look less predictable than for a long, long time so I'm just going to enjoy the ride for a while ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain... Posted 8 October 2012 Share Posted 8 October 2012 i think that we have taken huge steps forward from the dross that was served up towards the end of last season and, perhaps surprisingly to some, I am both pleased and impressed....... The point is that football clubs and there teams are living, breathing entities and they need to move forward, to improve even when they are doing well. To be happy with a performance or a result and to simply try and produce the same again is to stagnate, even to move backwards. We have only been playing our current formation since the introduction of Knockaert, just 5 games and already the opposition knows that we leave out right flank wide open and on saturday they deployed their most dangerous player to take advantage of that fact. In fact had Baldock done better with Adomah's cross in the opening minutes the game could have been altogether different...... ... But were you not criticising the team, when we played well and lost? Blackburn, Charlton and wolves? You can't have it both ways. We are not going to be at our best every game this season, you are right that we shouldn't think that just because we have won 5 in a row we will walk this league, and that if the formation does continuously leave us exposed down the right then it needs to be addressed, but so far it hasn't really caused us any problems, mainly because we have been dictating games. But np did note that and did address it towards the end, so for sure it has not gone unheeded, the issue will always be one of balance, and sacrificing attack for defence, whether we go quite down the man united and Ji Sung Park route of having a defensive player on the flanks to protect the defence in big games, I don't know, it doesn't really seem np's style. To be honest, I don't see too many problems, Bristol tried to exploit our weakness by utilising their best player against our inexperienced exposed right back and got nothing out of it, and were second best all game. We were understandably a little tired, we have had a tough start to the season with a lot of games midweek, and some tough away trips, and a relatively small squad, this 2 week break is important to recharge the batteries and nurse some wounds, what will be most telling though, is whether we can continue this form after the break. It is as important to know your weaknesses as well as your strengths, and it is a valid point to make, but considering the ease of the victory on Saturday I would say the strength we gain from this formation outweighs the negatives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corky Posted 8 October 2012 Share Posted 8 October 2012 Adomah tried both sides second half but by then we had cover on both flanks so he didn't get a look in, doesn't alter the fact that he gave us some trouble in the first quarter, we didn't have control of him then though..... But he's their best player, so it's natural that he's going to influence the game at some point. If we had him under control for three quarters of the game, and his best spell produced one real chance, I'd say we'd done pretty well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbelladave Posted 8 October 2012 Author Share Posted 8 October 2012 It's an argument. But winning is a positive in my book. And if I'm honest, I think we look less predictable than for a long, long time so I'm just going to enjoy the ride for a while ! But he's their best player, so it's natural that he's going to influence the game at some point. If we had him under control for three quarters of the game, and his best spell produced one real chance, I'd say we'd done pretty well. Fair comment, both of you..... I am really enjoying a lot of our play this season and am genuinely impressed with how NFP has transformed our playing style but as a long time (very long time) City fan, I guess I can't quite believe it. As a fan who always looks beyond the result I always find things to worry about, it's just the way I am...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corky Posted 8 October 2012 Share Posted 8 October 2012 Fair comment, both of you..... I am really enjoying a lot of our play this season and am genuinely impressed with how NFP has transformed our playing style but as a long time (very long time) City fan, I guess I can't quite believe it. As a fan who always looks beyond the result I always find things to worry about, it's just the way I am...... I do see some of your points, we are not perfect and you should always strive to improve, even when doing well and playing well. But as we've seen before, Pearson has a knack of getting a better result than performance, which is a very good skill. There's no doubt we deserved to win on Saturday, we were never under threat, I would've liked a better performance in keeping with the Hull and Huddersfield matches but it's important to keep picking up results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LcfcBlogger25 Posted 8 October 2012 Share Posted 8 October 2012 It's working so we should carry on!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbelladave Posted 8 October 2012 Author Share Posted 8 October 2012 Ahh, mon capitaine....... You should know by know that I always find something in our play to criticise, it's part of being a fan, for me anyway.... I have to say that if we continue to play with two defensively capable central midfielders (something I have been calling for for years) then we should not need to deploy defensive players on the flank as well, which is why I thought using Dyer largely as an extra defender was negative. This is a new style and new formation for us and I accept that we are still coming to terms with it, it is more than just telling a player to play 'there', we need to make it feel right. We are making adjustments but we haven't got it right yet Giving Knockaert licence to play a free attacking midfield role has helped our central midfielders immensely, just as the switch to low driven crosses and ball played to feet is helping our strikers so I am not, for one minute saying that NFP has got anything wrong, on the contrary, but I see nothing wrong in pointing out where further adjustments need to be made....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxfordfox83 Posted 8 October 2012 Share Posted 8 October 2012 Ahh, mon capitaine....... You should know by know that I always find something in our play to criticise, it's part of being a fan, for me anyway.... I have to say that if we continue to play with two defensively capable central midfielders (something I have been calling for for years) then we should not need to deploy defensive players on the flank as well, which is why I thought using Dyer largely as an extra defender was negative. This is a new style and new formation for us and I accept that we are still coming to terms with it, it is more than just telling a player to play 'there', we need to make it feel right. We are making adjustments but we haven't got it right yet Giving Knockaert licence to play a free attacking midfield role has helped our central midfielders immensely, just as the switch to low driven crosses and ball played to feet is helping our strikers so I am not, for one minute saying that NFP has got anything wrong, on the contrary, but I see nothing wrong in pointing out where further adjustments need to be made....... It's fair to be aware of it-what I objected to in the first post was the implication that we were stuck in one mode while every other team would do Research and Adaptâ„¢. In fact, we seem to have been pretty good at being better than our opposition in the crucial department each game, at the end if not always the beginning... On Saturday, the opposition for my pub team had rubbish full backs. We hammered the wings and won 8-1. If, next week, their CMs can't tackle, we'll plunder the middle. You've got to play to your strengths and the opponents' weaknesses, and so far NP is showing that he's pretty adaptable. Winning isn't everything, but we've looked (and sounded) brilliant all season, so to win convincingly without really going was pretty good news to my mind... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbelladave Posted 8 October 2012 Author Share Posted 8 October 2012 It's fair to be aware of it-what I objected to in the first post was the implication that we were stuck in one mode while every other team would do Research and Adaptâ„¢. In fact, we seem to have been pretty good at being better than our opposition in the crucial department each game, at the end if not always the beginning... On Saturday, the opposition for my pub team had rubbish full backs. We hammered the wings and won 8-1. If, next week, their CMs can't tackle, we'll plunder the middle. You've got to play to your strengths and the opponents' weaknesses, and so far NP is showing that he's pretty adaptable. Winning isn't everything, but we've looked (and sounded) brilliant all season, so to win convincingly without really going was pretty good news to my mind... If I gave the impression that we are fixed in our ways, then that was not my intention. We have adapted from the wide open 4-4-2 with which we started the season to something altogether more compact and effective, but there are still issues as Adomah showed on saturday. What troubled me was that to combat him we deployed an attacking player in a largely defensive role, a negative response I thought..... We have a solid back 4 and two holding midfield players, they should have re-adjusted to deal with the threat..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluetintedspecs Posted 8 October 2012 Share Posted 8 October 2012 If I gave the impression that we are fixed in our ways, then that was not my intention. We have adapted from the wide open 4-4-2 with which we started the season to something altogether more compact and effective, but there are still issues as Adomah showed on saturday. What troubled me was that to combat him we deployed an attacking player in a largely defensive role, a negative response I thought..... We have a solid back 4 and two holding midfield players, they should have re-adjusted to deal with the threat..... MD I feel that there were some weary legs on Saturday as well as illness and couple of knocks (and we coped with forced changes), the weariness is testimony to our tremendous high tempo, endeavour and closing down from the front. What pleases me is that all the players are wanting the ball especially Knocky & Drinky the movement is great. Brizzle flooded midfield and apart from a 20-30 minute spell when we could and probably should have ripped them a new one we won at a canter in 2nd gear. We were much better at Huddersfield IMO,however with the aforementioned points and Brizzles set up I'll take a dominant if uninspiring win I feel we will be ripping someone a very big new one soon enough (not meant in a patronising way ever btw) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbelladave Posted 8 October 2012 Author Share Posted 8 October 2012 MD I feel that there were some weary legs on Saturday as well as illness and couple of knocks (and we coped with forced changes), the weariness is testimony to our tremendous high tempo, endeavour and closing down from the front. What pleases me is that all the players are wanting the ball especially Knocky & Drinky the movement is great. Brizzle flooded midfield and apart from a 20-30 minute spell when we could and probably should have ripped them a new one we won at a canter in 2nd gear. We were much better at Huddersfield IMO,however with the aforementioned points and Brizzles set up I'll take a dominant if uninspiring win I feel we will be ripping someone a very big new one soon enough (not meant in a patronising way ever btw) No argument with any of that...... However, I do fret and analyse everything, it's what i do........ I know, get a life and all that....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluetintedspecs Posted 8 October 2012 Share Posted 8 October 2012 No argument with any of that...... However, I do fret and analyse everything, it's what i do........ I know, get a life and all that....... Analysis and debate is part of what makes the game so great mate! The main thing is we are masssively heading in the right direction and in a much better place than last season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbelladave Posted 8 October 2012 Author Share Posted 8 October 2012 Analysis and debate is part of what makes the game so great mate! The main thing is we are masssively heading in the right direction and in a much better place than last season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col city fan Posted 8 October 2012 Share Posted 8 October 2012 Christ Have you become one of the wavy flag brigade too? This threads gone on for bloody ages.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbelladave Posted 8 October 2012 Author Share Posted 8 October 2012 Christ Have you become one of the wavy flag brigade too? This threads gone on for bloody ages.. Yup, I've decided to join the happy clappers....... For about 5 minutes anyway...... Anyway, was chatting to my new best friend in the pub on sunday eve, knows a thing or two about football even though he is a West Brom fan. Full of himself due to their fine start to the season, understandably so. Fortunately his new and rather scary 'girlfriend' was not in evidence, was I bovvered, no, quite relieved actually.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col city fan Posted 8 October 2012 Share Posted 8 October 2012 Yup, I've decided to join the happy clappers....... For about 5 minutes anyway...... I literally never thought I'd see the day!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daggers Posted 8 October 2012 Share Posted 8 October 2012 Anybody who believes we operate a fixed formation clearly has absolutely no understanding of football and has not watched a match at the ground or on television. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluetintedspecs Posted 9 October 2012 Share Posted 9 October 2012 I literally never thought I'd see the day!! Pigeon holed as a happy clapper love it MD Like Col yourself and many others have been following City for many decades, seen some terrible dross and suffered some real heartache but support for our great club will never wain especially in the face of adversity! I have said since minute one of this season that I've got "that feeling" about this season and I firmly believe it's our year and NP is building a great squad and team. I am loving the pace , fluidity and creativity something that's been lacking for too many seasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbelladave Posted 9 October 2012 Author Share Posted 9 October 2012 Pigeon holed as a happy clapper love it MD Like Col yourself and many others have been following City for many decades, seen some terrible dross and suffered some real heartache but support for our great club will never wain especially in the face of adversity! I have said since minute one of this season that I've got "that feeling" about this season and I firmly believe it's our year and NP is building a great squad and team. I am loving the pace , fluidity and creativity something that's been lacking for too many seasons. Perhaps you need to 'go up' a size in underwear, know what I mean...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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