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[Otis]

The best performance by a Sky Blue team since we've been at the Ricoh?





I take it you don't go up much. We were 2nd best for much of the game last night and played well for about 20 mins tops.

And this stuff about Bell being a whipping boy simply aren't true. The guy has put in a succession of sub standard performances and has probably played well twice all season thus far.

Also sick to death of people saying how talented Bell is. If he was so talented he would show it. Besides, there's a bloke across the road who can do 2,000 keepy-uppies with losing control of the ball. Does that make him a good footballer?

Bell has skills in abundance for sure, but in tandem with that he lacks bite, desire, the ability to control a game, pace, hunger, a good engine, consistency, a winning attitude, lack of application, ability to tackle, ability to track back, the consistent non-telegraphing of passes and ability to keep playing well for 90 mins instead of constantly disappearing out of games.

I don't see him as a whipping boy at all. When he plays well I think most City fans applaud him for it and back him. What we get though is 3 or 4 piss-poor performances and then one really good one. Just how acceptable is that?

It's Freddy Eastwood all over. Talent by the bucketload, application falling far, far short.

 

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[operationprem]

Think its discusting cheering our own players off, I agree bell isn't our best player by a long way but getting on his back doesn't help at all he will stop trying things incase he fucks up. Then we get more sideways an backwards passing. As for hussey again not the best player but how old is he 19? He needs our support getting on his back will destroy him. We did well last night to come back should of been a free kick on murphy an we would be talking about a good win. They need our support more this season than ever so all the idiots that boo our players just think why your there, hopefully its to support coventry city

 

[Tankie]

Otis I seem to have rattled your cage somewhat, which is a shame because I do like your posts.
"do I go up often" well I've been a season ticket Holder since the sixties, and now buy two for my grandsons as well.
Best performance, since wev'e been at the ricoh? well I can't recall one I enjoyed better, but as I'm in my late sixties perhaps one escapes my feeble mind, all I know is i'm enjoying my visits to the Ricoh, and Andy Thorns efforts to play proper Football, sure it was disappointing not to take all three points, but surely you cannot deny the football has taken a step in the right direction, as far as entertainment goes, there wasn't any audible complaints as we left the ground, and I think most fans enjoyed the game,
but you are quite entitled to see it differently, that's what a forum is all about.
keep sending your posts Otis, I enjoy them.
Respect...... Tankie

 

[Otis]

Otis I seem to have rattled your cage somewhat, which is a shame because I do like your posts.
"do I go up often" well I've been a season ticket Holder since the sixties, and now buy two for my grandsons as well.
Best performance, since wev'e been at the ricoh? well I can't recall one I enjoyed better, but as I'm in my late sixties perhaps one escapes my feeble mind, all I know is i'm enjoying my visits to the Ricoh, and Andy Thorns efforts to play proper Football, sure it was disappointing not to take all three points, but surely you cannot deny the football has taken a step in the right direction, as far as entertainment goes, there wasn't any audible complaints as we left the ground, and I think most fans enjoyed the game,
but you are quite entitled to see it differently, that's what a forum is all about.
keep sending your posts Otis, I enjoy them.
Respect...... Tankie

No, didn't rattle my cage. Sorry if I gave you the wrong impression. It was an enjoyable game for sure. Two teams playing football properly, the way it should be played. One of the best games, yes most certainly, but not one of our best performances. Played really well in little pockets of the game. If we could only play like that for 60 mins or 70 mins. You don't need to play well for an entire 90 mins to win a game but if you can achieve more than 50-60% then you have a very good chance of securing the three points.

 

[Sky Blue Sheepy]

I am not a fan of Bell and, personally, haven't seen much of this abundance of talent that keeps being mentioned. That said to boo him off isn't right. I was cheering alright, but that's because I am a huge fan of Deegan (with good reason!) and Platt has surprised me with his ability to control/hold up the ball + his willingness to chase (even if he is the wrong side of slow).

As for Hussey, he really impressed me last season so I'm surprised he's playing within himself this year. As mentioned, it's wrong to boo the lad off - he has skill but is struggling at the moment.

 

[Otis]

Agree. I never ever boo any City player.

I can see the skill David Bell has got, but how many times have we seen it and how long has he been here?

As daft as it sounds, Freddy Eastwood is one of my favourite City players (when he is on song). I see very clear distinctive links and lines between Eastwood and Bell in terms of the skill they have and the lack of application shown on the football field.

Bell does really play well at times. Unfortunately it is only about 4 or 5 times a season. Baffles me how people can be happy with that and accept that from a well paid professional footballer.

Was Matt LeTissier World Class? No. Could he have been with the skill he had? Yes, most certainly. Bell can have every trick in the book in his locker and turn on a sixpence for all I know, but it is no good if that locker is hardly ever opened is it. In fact i think his locker needs WD40 just to prise the bleedin thing ajar!

 

[Si80]

I cheered when both of their numbers went up last night. I'm not a fan of Bell (he's another Eastwood in my eyes) and Hussey is still learning his trade so I expect he'll have a few decent games followed by some poor. My cheer was more towards AT for realising after 65 minutes of rubbish football and two ineffectual players on the pitch that he had to change them.

And guess what, we take both players that are having poor games (that was Hussey's 2nd poor game in a week) and we turn the game on it's head.

I will never boo / jeer a player at the City but I can see why people did last night.

 

[wingy]

think bell is already effing up as i'm sure he knows he'-s enemy number one ,Husseys good on the ball,positional sense could be better ,alwa,,ys seems to give his man 3yds minimum,he needs tp man up

 

[Ashdown]

I didn't jeer or cheer either of them off but I was bloody glad to see the back of both of them..............Hussey had a stinker, no where near his man, looked knackered and lethargic but he's young and when they show him the video he'll learn from it, Bell just drifts in and out of games and really doesn't achieve a lot. If I could get rid and replace I would, he has never impressed anywhere, has he?

 

[Nonleagueherewecome]

Apart from scoring the greatest ever goal at The Ricoh and (as I've said many times) being one of our best players IMO, he was also the driving force in midfield behind Luton's play-off challenge. Their other best player was one Leon Barnett, who was also much reviled here..but isn't doing too shabby for Norwich in the Prem right now.

It's all about opinions, and I don't really have a problem with agreeing with good football managers. I think they know a bit more than most fans, tbf.

 

[Nonleagueherewecome]

I also remember him being superb for Luton in their televised FA Cup game against Liverpool, when he went toe-to-toe with Alonso and didn't look out of place. The commentators raved about him.

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

My main gripe with Bell is he tends to drift in and out of games and he has a reluctance to pass forwards and always chooses a simple pass to a near player or a 20 yard pass sideways and he is very 1 paced. Wether this is because of a lack of movement ahead of him, confidence or simply he is under instructions from the management team to play this way I don't know. Bell seems to play good when the rest of the side are but when the chips are down he goes hiding rather than standing up and being counted.
I think we have missed Gunnarsson more than some fans expected, we are missing his driving runs from midfield carrying the ball and his willingness to break from midfield and support of the strikers .

 

[Mumford and Daughter]

No-ones questioning Bell abilty but he don't produce on a regular. If we were a mid table / top 10 side it wouldn't be an issue but when we need all players been on form it shows hes too
inconsistent. AT dropped Christie, McDonald and Bigi wonder if he'll have the balls to drop his golden boy bell for Saturday.

I would drop Hussey, Bell, and ROD for Saturday and bring in, Christie, Deegan and Cody.

 

[CovKingChris]

I cheered Hussey because I like him as a player.

 

[Marty]

It's a good job we tied Bell upto a 4 year deal when we had the chance. How will we ever replace him doing fuck all each and every week.

Edit: don't get me wrong, thought he played some nice balls yesturday, but overall thought he was fairly poor (pick out anybody else as well), the booing is stupid and i never have or will boo one of our own players. I just don't think hes good enough.

 

[@richh87]

I cheered when both of their numbers went up last night. I'm not a fan of Bell (he's another Eastwood in my eyes) and Hussey is still learning his trade so I expect he'll have a few decent games followed by some poor. My cheer was more towards AT for realising after 65 minutes of rubbish football and two ineffectual players on the pitch that he had to change them.

And guess what, we take both players that are having poor games (that was Hussey's 2nd poor game in a week) and we turn the game on it's head.

I will never boo / jeer a player at the City but I can see why people did last night.

Make your mind up. Did you or didn't you?!

People like you are the problem. We have a threadbare squad with 17 year olds getting starting places and who Andy Thorn has got playing very attractive football.

Despite this you decide to 'cheer' when 21 year old Hussey is substituted. What a shit 'fan'.

 

[WillieStanley]

We're just going to have to be patient this year. We know Bell and what he does/doesn't do but unfortunately we haven't got many other options. Hussey is still young and just as liable to have a bad game as Bigi or Christie.

For now we'll have to make do and get behind the colours!

 

[pusbccfc]

Connor thomas did a decent shift out wide to tell the truth.

 

[SkyBlueDickie]

I jeered when he was subbed. Bell has had enough chances to shine and considering the amount of money I pay to watch City, if I see he is pulling out of tackles because he's lacking certain parts of the male anatomy then he's going to get jeered. End of

 

[@richh87]

I jeered when he was subbed. Bell has had enough chances to shine and considering the amount of money I pay to watch City, if I see he is pulling out of tackles because he's lacking certain parts of the male anatomy then he's going to get jeered. End of

Think you need to use your brain more if that's the case.

Jeering only knocks confidence and makes things worse.

 

[SkyBlueDickie]

Think you need to use your brain more if that's the case.

Jeering only knocks confidence and makes things worse.

Tbf, I don't think Bell is playing badly because of low confidence. He's been here two years and hasn't cut it. I don't mind lack of skill e.g. Hussey, but lack of effort and guts isn't acceptable.

 

[TheParsonsHose]

The thing is we are there to support them not jeer them. There was a guy in front of me shouting fucking bell this fucking bell that and never even mentioned him when he made some good crosses. A complete goon if you ask me, our trust should be in the manager to recognise people are not good enough and change things accordingly which last night he did to be fair.

Perhaps we should be called jeerers not supporters? Pathetic if you ask me, just clap the lad off and lets not destroy the confidence anymore. Hussy has been terrible for me but I still clapped him off.

Embarrasing.

 

[Nonleagueherewecome]

I think we have missed Gunnarsson more than some fans expected, we are missing his driving runs from midfield carrying the ball and his willingness to break from midfield and support of the strikers .

We are, which is why a fit Deegan is so vital to our prospects. His instinct is to hit the edge of the penalty area from deep (not go out wide), and it gives defenders kittens and leaves tracking runners in his wake. He can do what Aron did in that regard, but with a lot more subtlety and intelligence.

 

[ccfctommy]

Is it only me who dosen't think Bell is that bad?

 

[SydneySkyBlue]

You're not alone tommy. He's put in a couple of iffy performances this season but for most of his City career when he's been fit he's looked like one of our most creative players. I wouldn't accuse him of being particularly lazy either.

 

[Nonleagueherewecome]

Eyup, Aron just set up Cardiff's 2nd goal tonight with a "very clever pass".

 

[Otis]

Tbf, I don't think Bell is playing badly because of low confidence. He's been here two years and hasn't cut it. I don't mind lack of skill e.g. Hussey, but lack of effort and guts isn't acceptable.

Well, rightly or wrongly this is the perception of many, many City fans and this is why they are getting on his back. I'm afraid I'm in this lack of effort and application camp too. He just doesn't put enough effort in for me and sometimes just breezes through games without even breaking sweat and disappears for up to 20 mins at a time.

We moan like hell when one of our strikers doesn't chase down lost causes to enable themselves to possibly get even the slightest sniff on goal, but seem happy that a midfielder doesn't do the same and fails to track back, put in a tackle or show and endeavour.

Be interesting to see what happened if put to a vote, but i would say the vast majority of the Sky Blue faithful would be saying that Bell has been particularly poor and many even going as far as labeling him a disgrace.

I really, really want the bloke to do well for us and have no vendetta at all, I want all City players to do well, but he simply isn't contributing enough to warrant a place in the team. Think that is stark.

 

[kdrinkell]

Yes Bell does look like he is playing amongst mates in a park than a professional footballer earning thousands for the privilege

 

[Otis]

Think that appears clearly apparent.

The sort of player I would describe as one who needs a rocket up his arse.

And don't start talking about him 'not being that type of player' because he has done it before on occasion and worked hard and chased lost causes and put the effort in. Fans therefore quite rightly expect that sort of effort on more than just the odd occasion when he apparently feels like it.

 

[Sub]

he has his new contract and doesn't give a flying fook about it now.

 

[SydneySkyBlue]

I've been wondering whether Thorn has told them not to chase the ball too much so as to save their energy. We seem to be focussing more on making the other team do it and for me there isn't enough harrying of the opposition. Bell isn't alone in that.

 

[Otis]

Fair point.

We are certainly not up and at em and closing down as we did under Boothroyd and Dowie. No idea how we played under Coleman. That one will go down as a mystery for eternity and a day.

 

[Si80]

Make your mind up. Did you or didn't you?!

People like you are the problem. We have a threadbare squad with 17 year olds getting starting places and who Andy Thorn has got playing very attractive football.

Despite this you decide to 'cheer' when 21 year old Hussey is substituted. What a shit 'fan'.

Read the 2nd line before spouting rubbish. I cheered that Thorn had realised he needed to take two ineffectual players off the pitch.

I didn't jeer Hussey nor Bell. But I was really fucking happy that both of them were taken off on Tuesday night because they were both poor. I sat there for 60 minutes watching Hussey get bossed out of the game by Taylor-Fletcher. Everyone sat around me could see he was having a stinker but I clapped his effort. The same with Bell, he infuriates the life out of me at times but it was clear to see he was trying to make something happen on Tuesday night, but it just didn't work for him. Again I clapped him off the pitch for the effort he'd put in.

PS - I find it very weird that your sig is a picture of my old man

 

[joemercersaces]

Like a lot of threads on here I can see both sides. I was there and didn't cheer/jeer them off. That's because in my view sport is all about confidence and once any player starts bearing the brunt of fans' vocal displeasure it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. They groan when he makes a mistake then every time he's near the ball instead of doing what's natural he's worrying about making a mistake. Anyone who's played any sport knows that the cast iron way to guarantee you balls something up is to think about it rather than let your brain do it for you subconsciously.

On the other hand the reason people do groan and moan is (a) because they want us to do well and get frustrated and (b) these players ARE making mistakes. They are part of the hard-core 11 odd thousand and have a right to moan as well as cheer.

Ability wise I think Bell has it (remember that goal from the corner of half-way, Doncaster was it ?) and Hussey is young and learning. Everyone reponds better to encouragement than bile and none of them are making mistakes deliberately. But if the guy next to me feels like letting off steam I ain't got a problem with that.

 

[SkyBlueDickie]

Like a lot of threads on here I can see both sides. I was there and didn't cheer/jeer them off. That's because in my view sport is all about confidence and once any player starts bearing the brunt of fans' vocal displeasure it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. They groan when he makes a mistake then every time he's near the ball instead of doing what's natural he's worrying about making a mistake. Anyone who's played any sport knows that the cast iron way to guarantee you balls something up is to think about it rather than let your brain do it for you subconsciously.

On the other hand the reason people do groan and moan is (a) because they want us to do well and get frustrated and (b) these players ARE making mistakes. They are part of the hard-core 11 odd thousand and have a right to moan as well as cheer.

Ability wise I think Bell has it (remember that goal from the corner of half-way, Doncaster was it ?) and Hussey is young and learning. Everyone reponds better to encouragement than bile and none of them are making mistakes deliberately. But if the guy next to me feels like letting off steam I ain't got a problem with that.

Fair play, at least you're seeing both sides. Different people respond in different ways, it's life