Esteban Cambiasso

[Guest Col city fan]

To be fair, I'm doing you a disservice. A great deal of your many thousands of posts have been utter bollocks, I just thought the face one was just the most pointless overreach I've seen.

Oh sweetie, chill yourself..

[Nick]

To be fair, I'm doing you a disservice. A great deal of your many thousands of posts have been utter bollocks, I just thought the face one was just the most pointless overreach I've seen.

 

[Guest Col city fan]

And you Vesta..

[Nick]

And you Vesta..

 

If you were a bit taller you could do stand up.

[Guest Col city fan]

If you were a bit taller you could do stand up.

They don't get any better than that buddy!

[muzzy1981]

IMO we don't need to change much, we've played well in the last three games but its not gone our way. The team and formation are starting to click just need to be patient. I'd possibly bring albrighton in for schlupp so we can get some balls onto Ulloa's noggin. I wouldn't right drinky coming back in for camby at some point. I rate camby but he's a bit old to play every week

[Manwell Pablo]

I can answer that through watching Neil Lennon. As a season ticket holder under O'Neill, and going to away games a lot with my mates, I studied how Lennon played. Apart from Tommy Wright, Lennon was my fave player.

Martin's success was underpinned by Lennon. He had a fantastic engine and could get ACROSS the pitch brilliantly. Very rarely did he get UP the pitch. He left that to Izzett and Parker usually.

What Lennon did, as your archetypal DM, was to stop opposition attacks before they built up. Guppy usually played as a wing-back and when he got forward as an attacking threat, Lennon came across to cover. He did the same with the right side too, but i cant recollect who the RWB was.

Therefore, the numbers of really dangerous crosses coming in, those nasty little low balls fizzed-in from the byline, were minimised. The crosses that DID come in, the hopeful launches into our box, were gobbled up by big Walsh and Elliott.

Lennon's presence and ability was the lynchpin of both our attacking and defensive prowess. It meant Guppy could get forward, it meant that Muzzy didn't have to get back and defend.

Chelsea do a similar thing. When Ivanowich gets forward, Matic simply slides in and covers him..horizontally. When was the last time you saw Matic getting into the opposition half?

Errors are usually due to pressure and Lennon took that pressure away.

 

 

Sorry but this is yet again another fantastic piece of evidence that you can't analyse a game football properly. You're talking about covering a wing back, not a full back. Totally different situation. The main reason the pressure was off is because we had three center halves, very good ones at that. Not to mention that Neil Lennon was one of the most underrated holding midfielders of his generation and he had Savage closing down for him while he marked the dangerous spaces (not the man, which you claim to be the problem) we have Dean Hammond now, and your soloution is Lee Cattermole neither of which is fit to lick Neil Lennon's boot, never mind lace them.

 

We were lucky to have such a good set of player back then, and that's what the difference is not the formation. Even thought that point is redundant as we have don't have the personal to play the same way we did when Lennon was here. 

[Ross 'LCFC' Turner]

When was the last time you saw Matic getting into the opposition half?

For the 3 goals he already has this season

[Guest Col city fan]

Sorry but this is yet again another fantastic piece of evidence that you can't analyse a game football properly. You're talking about covering a wing back, not a full back. Totally different situation. The main reason the pressure was off is because we had three center halves, very good ones at that. Not to mention that Neil Lennon was one of the most underrated holding midfielders of his generation and he had Savage closing down for him while he marked the dangerous spaces (not the man, which you claim to be the problem) we have Dean Hammond now, and your soloution is Lee Cattermole neither of which is fit to lick Neil Lennon's boot, never mind lace them.

We were lucky to have such a good set of player back then, and that's what the difference is not the formation. Even thought that point is redundant as we have don't have the personal to play the same way we did when Lennon was here.

All you seem to want to do is to pick fault. Of course Lennon was superb at what he did. I know, I watched him.

The principle remains the same: support the defence thus freeing up the attacking players.

Its an option. So far you've come up with two ideas: defend set pieces better (what do you think Pearson and his boys do on the training ground?) and stop individual mistakes. However, these are increasing, not reducing?

Rather than continually knock others suggestions, cant you come up with better than that?

What is clear is that something must change. At this rate, we could be down by March.

[MC Prussian]

All you seem to want to do is to pick fault. Of course Lennon was superb at what he did. I know, I watched him.

The principle remains the same: support the defence thus freeing up the attacking players.

Its an option. So far you've come up with two ideas: defend set pieces better (what do you think Pearson and his boys do on the training ground?) and stop individual mistakes. However, these are increasing, not reducing?

Rather than continually knock others suggestions, cant you come up with better than that?

What is clear is that something must change. At this rate, we could be down by March.

It's not a question of whether they are increasing or not. From what I've seen so far, we tend to make them too often than before (in the Championship), which means to me, they are reoccurring (a certain amount of individual mistakes per game, so usually about the same).

I don't think our players have gone bad over the course of roughly a dozen games, the problem in this division is the following:

You're up against top opposition and the reaction time that you're allowed reduced to a bare minimum.

 

I'd say that's something most of our players still have troubles coping with/adapting to. Some learn quicker and have top-flight experience, others don't.

[Guest Col city fan]

It's not a question of whether they are increasing or not. From what I've seen so far, we tend to make them too often than before (in the Championship), which means to me, they are reoccurring (a certain amount of individual mistakes per game, so usually about the same).

I don't think our players have gone bad over the course of roughly a dozen games, the problem in this division is the following:

You're up against top opposition and the reaction time that you're allowed reduced to a bare minimum.

I'd say that's something most of our players still have troubles coping with/adapting to. Some learn quicker and have top-flight experience, others don't.

There was a thread recently, based on an article which essentially said.. 'Don't worry', we'll be ok (in a nutshell)..

One of the things that article said was what you've just said MC..that we have to adapt to the pace of the Premiership (which always make me think back to those on here who argued that the pace in the Prem WASNT quicker..but we'll let that go).

Defensively, we are becoming worse at present..that's 6 goals shipped in two games. Morgan is no longer looking rock-solid, Kasper is making blunders. Compare that to some of the sides who now appear to be actually be adapting to the pace..QPR for one, Burnley have had a 'decent run' and compared to early on in the season, we appear to be going backwards a little?

I thought we'd probably start off a little dodgy, but show clear signs of improvement, and, as you say, adapting.

I can't for the life of me see this...yet.

[Monsell1976]

There was a thread recently, based on an article which essentially said.. 'Don't worry', we'll be ok (in a nutshell)..

One of the things that article said was what you've just said MC..that we have to adapt to the pace of the Premiership (which always make me think back to those on here who argued that the pace in the Prem WASNT quicker..but we'll let that go).

Defensively, we are becoming worse at present..that's 6 goals shipped in two games. Morgan is no longer looking rock-solid, Kasper is making blunders. Compare that to some of the sides who now appear to be actually be adapting to the pace..QPR for one, Burnley have had a 'decent run' and compared to early on in the season, we appear to be going backwards a little?

I thought we'd probably start off a little dodgy, but show clear signs of improvement, and, as you say, adapting.

I can't for the life of me see this...yet.

I think you got it right there col, the early season confidence from promotion has gone, and the reality has hit home for a lot of them and us.

[Guest Col city fan]

I think you got it right there col, the early season confidence from promotion has gone, and the reality has hit home for a lot of them and us.

It's got to change today mate... a point is ok but really we need three

[Monsell1976]

It's got to change today mate... a point is ok but really we need three

I know, we have had concerns and raised them, and those who have held their nerve, have quite rightly pointed out during this run that we are a win away from getting out of it.

But lose today, and with the teams we face soon, west ham, and man city, we could be well adrift from safety, we are already 4 points away.

Don't know about you mate, but I am nervous, and this game is has now become a must win, I know it's early still, but for the manager and seasons sake, we must win.

[Guest Col city fan]

I know, we have had concerns and raised them, and those who have held their nerve, have quite rightly pointed out during this run that we are a win away from getting out of it.

But lose today, and with the teams we face soon, west ham, and man city, we could be well adrift from safety, we are already 4 points away.

Don't know about you mate, but I am nervous, and this game is has now become a must win, I know it's early still, but for the manager and seasons sake, we must win.

Yep, I agree...

I have no idea how this one will go. Was discussing it in the boozer last night. Villa are not a good side. But neither are we.

[theessexfox]

I don't think Cambiasso is a DM. I think he's good at reading the game and breaking up play well, and excellent in possession, but Col has one thing right in his vendetta - his tracking of players is not his strength, and this is a problem for us. I'd be happy to get a good DM in (are they readily available?) and have him doing that job, with say Cambiasso and another playing in the midfield.

 

Cattermole isn't the answer for me, I haven't seen him loads this season but walking back after losing the ball against Southampton was absolutely unprofessional and lacking the fight we need for a relegation battle imho. 

[Guest Col city fan]

I don't think Cambiasso is a DM. I think he's good at reading the game and breaking up play well, and excellent in possession, but Col has one thing right in his vendetta - his tracking of players is not his strength, and this is a problem for us. I'd be happy to get a good DM in (are they readily available?) and have him doing that job, with say Cambiasso and another playing in the midfield.

Cattermole isn't the answer for me, I haven't seen him loads this season but walking back after losing the ball against Southampton was absolutely unprofessional and lacking the fight we need for a relegation battle imho.

Can we stop all this 'vendetta' nonsense..it's an opinion and I express it when someone comes back with an alternative view.

It's an opinion....

There's no need for this pathetic 'vendetta' shite.

[tomtom]

Can we stop all this 'vendetta' nonsense..it's an opinion and I express it when someone comes back with an alternative view.

It's an opinion.... Stop this pathetic 'vendetta' shite.

I love a good Vendetta, preferably mint chop chip

[Guest Col city fan]

I love a good Vendetta, preferably mint chop chip

Mint chop chip...not sure I'd fancy that..