I don't get what's going on at Left Back either. He has said that they need to earn their place.
One week McCallum is in and Mason completely out, then Mason in and McCallum out. Then Brown is on the bench of completely out.
It's reminding me of the randomness last year with Kelly Evans' when they would start a game then vanish for 2 months then start another game.
Surely a bit of consistency will help players there?
Yeah thats what it was based on.
How does he expect players to not make mistakes and to know where players will be around them if the back 4 is changing every other game?
He is basing it on the opposition which makes sense? Clearly he sees Mccallum as the better player but at 18 doesn't want to overburden him. And so he is being selective about his game time. Other than that it is more often than not Mason. Not much more to say is there?
Which I can understand about bedding players in gently. However when it's swapping and changing every other week and the other player completely out of the match squad there's no consistency between the defenders.
I understand picking players based on the opposition, if that was the case then surely Tom Davies would have been a better player to man mark Eaves against Gillingham?
Again I think he explains that well in the piece? There is no need for a third defender on the bench especially when Sterling can fill in if need be. At the end of the day they play together in traqining everyday of the week, they should be able to swap one player out of a back four when the other 3 are pretty much settled.
Do you think eaves caused us many problems? I thought he was pretty ineffectual and was handled in general quite well?
Did he? Genuine question as i seriously don't remember him coming close to scoring? Unless it was his header that Burge saved? Even if it was i thought he was pretty crap if i'm honest. but football is a game of opinions i guess.He came closer to scoring (aside from the pen) than most of our players and was involved in the leadup to their goal to win the penalty.
It's that misleading thing about our fancy football and having loads of shots blocked that weren't really troubling. He was effective when it mattered.
Did he? Genuine question as i seriously don't remember him coming close to scoring? Unless it was his header that Burge saved? Even if it was i thought he was pretty crap if i'm honest. but football is a game of opinions i guess.
I agree it was a decent save, but one good shot doesn't mean a good performance?It was a decent save from Burge and was on target and going into the corner. Our only player to really force a save was Sterling.
I agree it was a decent save, but one good shot doesn't mean a good performance?
The two times Baka went through?
That's what I meant by him being effective. Might well not have been a good performance but he was effective.
He forced the keeper into a good save and was involved in the leadup to the goal by dragging Hyam out of position and winning the header that put Willis under pressure.
I'd rather somebody that was effective (he obviously is as he has scored about half the goals our team has scored I think) than something that was nice on the eye with some stepovers and going round players in our own half.
Maybe it's again about opinion because I don't think doing tow things in a 90 min game is effective? Otherwise you would have to say Baka was effective? As he had the shot saved that led a goal, and went one on one which was our best chance?
Yeah he is having a decent season, but didn't think he was any good on Saturday. I'd also prefer someone who has scored 15 goals, but didn't think in this particular match he was effective.
He didn't even test the keeper for his second so not really effective.
If he had put it top corner and forced the keeper into making a great save then it's probably different.
It's the same as Luke Thomas, he can do all the stepovers in the world and beat all the players but somebody like Eaves is going to end up being more effective because they do the simple things better and the team play to their strengths.
But Burge didn't make a top save? It was a decent save? Again don't see how one is effective and the other isn't?
I agree about Thomas, but then i don't think he put in an effective performance either.
A bit unfair though, Nick, because I remember at least three occasions when we had great opportunities on breakaways and could clearly have put players pretty much clean through on goal (Enobakhare, Thomas, Baka) but we chose the wrong option or hit a bad pass.Because he tested the keeper at least and put his header in the corner. He then played his part in winning the penalty.
When you compare it to our players (Bright aside who scored) what he did do was more effective.
People are blinded too much by the fancy passing which doesn't really get us anywhere, we have then conceded or had trouble with simple but effective play (see Blackpool).
A bit unfair though, Nick, because I remember at least three occasions when we had great opportunities on breakaways and could clearly have put players pretty much clean through on goal (Enobakhare, Thomas, Baka) but we chose the wrong option or hit a bad pass.
The football is good. It's that final ball, or the dilly-dallying, or strikers missing great chances.
Surely it's not effective then if we chose the wrong option or it was a bad pass?
Because he tested the keeper at least and put his header in the corner. He then played his part in winning the penalty.
When you compare it to our players (Bright aside who scored) what he did do was more effective.
People are blinded too much by the fancy passing which doesn't really get us anywhere, we have then conceded or had trouble with simple but effective play (see Blackpool).
McCallum's the interesting one. Personally I think he looks a bit out of his depth atm, but what a story of his rise in the past season! What an advert for a young player wondering which club to join that, if you work hard, you get your chance.Brown is clearly frozen out. Been out of the picture for a while now.
Robins is not going to say it though is he. I think he will still pick him, but only if he has to, so it's between Mason and McCallum.
He clearly prefers McCallum, but the lad is only just 18, so he needs to get careful with him.
Makes sense to me.
No, it's not effective. It's such fine margins though.Surely it's not effective then if we chose the wrong option or it was a bad pass?
Same against Blackpool, we lost 2-0. People get blinded by the fancy passing and don't realise how much we lack the basics of football. ie. Getting a shot on target, putting the ball in the stands if in doubt.
Yeah, for me, on the ball he is decent, but off the ball his positioning is not great at all.McCallum's the interesting one. Personally I think he looks a bit out of his depth atm, but what a story of his rise in the past season! What an advert for a young player wondering which club to join that, if you work hard, you get your chance.
Yup, he's certainly got that to learn! Leaves us exposed a little too much.Yeah, for me, on the ball he is decent, but off the ball his positioning is not great at all.
Yeah. He only turned 18 in September.Yup, he's certainly got that to learn! Leaves us exposed a little too much.
tbf, how else are you going to learn it but playing? I do find it a slightly eccentric choice atm though, I have to say.
No, it's not effective. It's such fine margins though.
I don't think we are a bad team at all. Put McNulty in there as the one change and we would surely be in the playoffs.
Yup, not denying he's a prospect, and it's hardly surprising he gets caught out, especially the level he came from. It's good he'll be shuffled in and out so as not to overburden him... we did look a bit shaky down that side, though.Yeah. He only turned 18 in September.
But, Nick, we all know we hav missed some gilt-edged chances. Real sitters that McNulty surely wouldn't have missedFine Margins wouldn't mean it's happening every week and we could copy and paste the reactions every game.
Fine Margin would be a one off.
It's not effective because it's producing worse form than when Slade was here. All we hear is that we "aren't far off".
We weren't far off weeks ago.
But, Nick, we all know we hav missed some gilt-edged chances. Real sitters that McNulty surely wouldn't have missed
Not disagreeing with you. Just stating we are not at all far off being a good team and would be a good team with a real goalscorer in the side.Nothing at all has improved in terms of that has it? What is being done to help the strikers improve?
Over the past how many weeks it has been the same, delaying taking a shot trying to pick a pass, shots being blocked before they even get to the goal.
It's been the same for weeks / months.
Does every striker miss a gilt edged sitter every week?
Not disagreeing with you. Just stating we are not at all far off being a good team and would be a good team with a real goalscorer in the side.
I think this is a season too early for both Chaplin and Baka and Hiwula is very hesitant in front of goal.
So many strikers, but no-one truly looking like a goal machine.
Just stating we are not at all far off being a good team and would be a good team with a real goalscorer in the side.
Not every week, but it seems to be more of a regular occurrence if you're playing for City!
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