Our midfield - do we have problems? (2 Viewers)

SBAndy

Well-Known Member
Robins teams are normally very disciplined and regimented in their approach - yesterday was as disjointed as I’ve seen a robins team really and the midfield just became one player trying to link everything

Palmer can’t change - that’s for sure so we either play one upfront with an extra midfield player or we hope O hare is fit sooner rather than later

Ultimately if Palmer is going to play, he needs legs alongside him so we have to go 1 up top. Can’t carry out the demands of the role himself basically. Really like him on the ball but off the ball we wouldn’t be detrimented if we had a cardboard cutout in the position.
 

Calista

Well-Known Member
We looked like an upper mid-table side to me, not a lot more.
There were 3 points between 6th and 10th last season, and then a further 4 points to 13th. Sneaking into the playoffs is effectively just a question of being the best of the "upper mid table" teams and/or having a touch more luck than the others.
 

Brighton Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
Listen, there’s a narrative. He can only do 60 mins and doesn’t tackle. Do not get hung up on the fact we are seeing that neither of these things are true with our own eyes.
We are also leaking buckets of goals on DaSilva's side at the moment. OK it's 3 and we've also shipped 3 on the other side but we need Bidwell in there ASAP.
 

Hiraeth

Well-Known Member
Nah, probably don't have problems yet. Transfer window closed, Allen and O'Hare to return. Players still adjusting to changes in roles and changes in the other players around them. Check back and see where we're at in a few games
 

djr8369

Well-Known Member
My concern with Palmer isn't necessarily that he doesn't work hard enough, I think he works an adequate amount, it's the final product. Here is a player with excellent technical ability who doesn't do what we need him to do. So far this season he has no assists and less progressive passes than Ben Sheaf and only 0.03 more xG than McFadzean!

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And that is a fair point. Stat comparison to O’Hare that someone shared yesterday was interesting.

My only gripe is when people moan about him they’re generally complaining about the wrong thing.

That said he created some very good chances yesterday so maybe his stats will improve as the season goes on.
 

Matt smith

Well-Known Member
There was a phase of play at the end of the game yesterday where sheafy pushed on and because ayari was on and not Eccles they just cut through at will and got a shot off.

sheaf obviously starts, to be perfectly frank I think we’re missing Allen’s energy at the moment

really don’t know what combination we play to get the balance right. Unless we play one up and try and get more control in there when our 10’s come back, although goals would be a concern then.
 

CCFCSteve

Well-Known Member
We are also leaking buckets of goals on DaSilva's side at the moment. OK it's 3 and we've also shipped 3 on the other side but we need Bidwell in there ASAP.

Or a left footed CB alongside him might help ?! I like Dasilva but do wonder if Robins will stick with two such attacking WBs when we look so open. It’s a whole new defensive unit though which will take time whoever plays there

ps Bidwell was shocking yesterday but will put that down to lack of minutes/rusty
 

Grendel

Well-Known Member
We are also leaking buckets of goals on DaSilva's side at the moment. OK it's 3 and we've also shipped 3 on the other side but we need Bidwell in there ASAP.

I didn’t say that either - also as I keep saying many others agree with my take on Palmer do they not?
 

rexo87

Well-Known Member
Excellent summary of the issue - Allen can be flexible but yes that is the problem
I think really Ayari and Allen have to contend for the box to box DM slot. They may not be ideal there but we haven't got much choice.

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shmmeee

Well-Known Member
I think really Ayari and Allen have to contend for the box to box DM slot. They may not be ideal there but we haven't got much choice.

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God no. Allen is the most ineffectual CM I’ve ever seen and I’ve seen some in effectual CMs. Game totally passes him by. As an extra man buzzing around and offering for the short ball he’s fine, but off the ball and for anything over five yards on it he’s awful.
 

Brighton Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
I didn’t say that either - also as I keep saying many others agree with my take on Palmer do they not?
Yet when asked what Palmer could have done better yesterday you had no answer. Oddly you also haven’t put two and two together on Yakatomo being the one to replace him there if we want more ground coverage without giving up too much in technique.
 

sylus

Well-Known Member
you know, we should not be having this discussion had Robins replaced Hamer( tough i know)but he failed to get anyone in except a loanee from Brighton, which simply isn't good enough,we really are missing Hamer but we have to move on, and Eccles is not the answer along side Sheaf, i see Eccles as a reaplacement for sheaf if injured or tired or cover for Milan place at RWB,Eccles was shocking yesterday.
 

shmmeee

Well-Known Member
The laugh was because even Robins has to fall back on “hes a nice guy who works hard”. He also calls Tavares a key player on par with O’Hare and Allen so there’s that.
 

NorthernWisdom

Well-Known Member
He did, and was out on his feet for the last 20 mins.
Seems he has a knee problem.

Interesting phrasing from Robins about that btw: "we've got to look at him and he’s got to be right before he decides that he's going to go off on international duty" sounds a bit like making it clear it's the club that says if he can go or not, not the player.
 

Sick Boy

Well-Known Member
The laugh was because even Robins has to fall back on “hes a nice guy who works hard”. He also calls Tavares a key player on par with O’Hare and Allen so there’s that.
Allen has actually been a pretty key player in recent years, whereas I doubt Tavares will ever play for the club again, considering the talk of him going out on loan in January.
 

Grendel

Well-Known Member
The laugh was because even Robins has to fall back on “hes a nice guy who works hard”. He also calls Tavares a key player on par with O’Hare and Allen so there’s that.

He made him captain and played him every time he was available
 

Gibbo

Well-Known Member
Nah, probably don't have problems yet. Transfer window closed, Allen and O'Hare to return. Players still adjusting to changes in roles and changes in the other players around them. Check back and see where we're at in a few games
Allen would have been handy yesterday, presumably in place of Eccles. But City would still have been outnumbered in midfield.

Watford had done their homework about how City use wing backs and play from the back
 

CCFC54321

Well-Known Member
The simple facts are a midfield of Eccles, sheaf and palmer is not going to get you into the top 6.

Palmer although probably the most technical player probably in the championship isn’t consistent enough or delivers enough. A nearly man. I like him but you won’t win anything with Palmer as he has no end product.

A holding midfield of Eccles and sheaf will give you one thing and a defensive structure and that’s it.

How many goals you going to get out of those three this season? 6,7 or 8? Not enough or good enough from three midfielders. That area needs revamping next and hope we can stay around the mix until January as I’m convinced it’ll be strengthened.
 

The Philosopher

Well-Known Member
Freak season my arse, what nonsense.
Not a freak season, a season where we had 2 Prem Level superstars all season and a boost of points when Cal played. Other than them, our team was average at best (sorry, true). Jamie Allen and Tavares coming back isn’t going to improve our team to top level.
 

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