Thoughts on today (1 Viewer)

[Bristol sky blue]

Just got back to Bristol...

We now have an average start to the season W2 D0 L2... so let's not go overboard with negativity, eh...

O'Brien definitely at fault for 1st goal, rush of blood to the head...

I like Jack Grimmer but he constantly backed off and allowed his man to turn, whcih was frustrating. Has done extremely well in other games though.

We looked a real threat at the start - I was surprised that the Duck got some stick off fans behind the goal when he was subbed: though his performance was patchy, he was a threat at times. Much more so than some others...

McNulty bottled out of a 50/50 ball in their penalty area. Angered me, but I felt sorry for him today because the ball was hoofed up to him time and time again as if he was a 6ft 4in target man...

We were NOT awful today, I just think that we need a more physical presence up front for McNulty / Nazon / Jones to feed off. That's where I'd be focusing on between now and end of transfer window in terms of a 2nd loan signing.

Worst thing about today? Having to wait 15 mins for a pint of Thatcher's Gold because there was ONE poor bloke serving in the 'bar' at the away end

We are a work in progress and today was below par in some aspects, but not as bad as some will make out...

 

---

[Liquid Gold]

Inept

 

[shmmeee]

Inept

I thought it was an OK post personally.

 

[Liquid Gold]

I thought it was an OK post personally.

Shows how far you've fallen

 

[ccfcway]

Worst thing about today? Having to wait 15 mins for a pint of Thatcher's Gold because there was ONE poor bloke serving in the 'bar' at the away end

finally some reality

 

[The Prefect]

Other than dominating the first two minutes you're right. We were not awful today we were absolutely abysmal. We were disorganised and looked unfit in the warm weather. All too often we lacked a first touch and any level of guile or quality. Especially nervous at the back and lacking any end product in the final third.

Having seen this display it seems to me that we need to build from the back. The back four were nervous every time the ball went towards our 'keeper. And our keeper..? When O'Brien wasn't banging long balls down the pitch (mostly not even towards a Sky Blue shirt) his distribution was appalling. Lethargic and ponderously slow would be the polite way to sum up - and this filtered into the rest of the team. Countless times a quick throw would have allowed a speedy counter attack but all too often it took 10 seconds to make a pass or kick that should have been instantly away. I do wonder what we're doing to have signed such poor goal keepers over such a sustained period.

Defence... Such that it was in today's game. Problem 1 - no leadership. Problem 2 - centre halves too far apart far too often. Problem 3 - four poor players. Stokes was awful - I don't have the words to describe how bad he was and Grimmer was worse. Centre halves - we won't go there.

Midfield - Spent too much of the game watching the ball go over their heads. We should be solid here but can't be when our back four by-passed them far too often. Doyle was solid and made some good passes. But why two holding midfielders? When we were attacking their area we had up to six players within 10 feet of our own half way line. There was a 15 yard gap between the defence and attack that far too often didn't contain any Coventry City players. Our two wide players were ordinary. I'd ask Nazon to stay after training to learn the off-side rule. Far too often he did good work with no end product - when he had the ball I found I had much more hope than expectation.

Forwards - oh dear..! On today's game I'm surprised McNulty has a professional contract - he lacked composure, movement and any basic strikers' intelligence. Never split the defence however, he was on the receiving end of poor ball as the midfield weren't allowed to play the game too often.

Before it's all doom and gloom I did see some positives. There were times in the game when we got the ball on the floor and upped the pace with one-touch football. We looked very good when we did this.

Yeovil were a long ball team - and we looked better with the ball on the floor playing at pace. It's no good allowing the opposition to dictate the play - if we need the ball on the floor then that's what we should do. All too often head tennis left Doyle and Co looking at the sky and not at the game.

As for Robbins, it didn't look like we were set up well for today's game. We looked lethargic and unfit at times. No quality in the attacking third and even less in defence.

 

[Bristol sky blue]

Prefect, we agree on one key thing: McNulty's performance was worrying today - I am convinced he dived to try to win a pen.
I don't think he is useless by any means, but I think his confidence is shot.
So, within our current squad, I'd say Kwame Thomas should get a run out ahead of him next game (others will clamour for Ponticelli, but Kwame has more of a physical presence).

 

[Bristol sky blue]

Also worth saying that our 1st half performance was not that bad at all (Yeovil only created one real chance of their own - we gifted them their 1st goal).
2nd half was poor though, we made unnecessary errors and some players lacked urgency.

 

[Irish Sky Blue]

I thought we played well until they scored. After that the performance really fell away. I thought Andreu was playing well and was surprised when he was taken off (just after he nearly equalised).

 

[letsallsingtogether]

Thing is most of the pressure came down Stokes flank funny how many don't see that.

 

[Littlewood CCFC]

Stokes was terrible guys, he must of set a record for most games megsed in one match

 

[Super Graham Withey]

Doyle and Kelly look as if they do the same role to me and I think the midfield is too deep if they both play. If they are both going to play we need a target man up front. Worried about McNulty, as things stand I can't see where the goals will come from.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

What the hell is going on?

 

[clint van damme]

Thing is most of the pressure came down Stokes flank funny how many don't see that.

i don't think he's played well at all this season, he doesn't look fit to me.

 

[gspotgaz]

Stokes needs to learn how to cross, what on earth were those floaty dreadful deliveries straight to the keeper EVERY time

 

[ccfcway]

so, in summary, main though is Stokes at the moment is poor ?

 

[I_Saw_Shaw_Score]

I think Stokes would be better suited at CB the final really sold him as a CB to me, especially whilst McDonald is injured left footer for left footer but then it raises the issue of LB.

 

[singers_pore]

To me Stokes looks like he is carrying some injury niggle or not fully fit.

 

[Otis]

i don't think he's played well at all this season, he doesn't look fit to me.

I remember him being a bit slow, but I never remember him being THIS slow. He just doesn't seem the same player.

 

[Pete in Portugal]

Prefect, we agree on one key thing: McNulty's performance was worrying today - I am convinced he dived to try to win a pen.
I don't think he is useless by any means, but I think his confidence is shot.
So, within our current squad, I'd say Kwame Thomas should get a run out ahead of him next game (others will clamour for Ponticelli, but Kwame has more of a physical presence).

Kwame Thomas was injured playing for the U23s, so he may well not be fit in time for the Checkatrade match against Shrewsbury on Tuesday. It is clear though that McNulty is not really suited to play up front in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Currently we've only got Beavon who plays regularly in that role, given that Biamou is still struggling to adjust to League 2. But Beavon is only 5ft 9in and also doesn't even threaten so score very often.

There's another prioblem with playing 4-2-3-1, which is that both Kelly and Doyle playing deep, the midfield is too often by-passed in favour of a hopeful high ball punted vaguely in the direction of the forwards. Given their height and physique, that usually resulted in loss of possession.

I was disappointed with our overall lack of physical strength yesterday, against a Yeovil side who won too many 50/50 balls through their better desire and aggression. As so often in League 2, the referee did not properly control the latter. Some of our players appeared to pull out of tackles and challenges in the second half yesterday and that's just not acceptable. Mark Robins must surely be aware of this, even if he did not admit it in his post-match interview. He should have been more than just 'disappointed'.

I therefore believe that Mark Robbins may need to tweak the formation. Maybe we need to play 4-1-4-1 with Doyle the holding MF and Kelly, or Stephenson playing further up the pitch? If Kwame is injured, I think I'd try Nazon up front. It's more than a change of keeper that he needs to consider, that's for sure!

 

[Bristol sky blue]

In a way it's good that we have the cup game to maybe experiment a little.
Agree that the Duck could be an option up front if Kwame is unavailable. He is strong, but not sure how good he is in the air...
Not too despondent this morning: we have got options in our squad to change things around a bit and we have already put in a couple of good performances this season.

 

[standupforcity]

Doyle and Kelly don't work together...in the same way Gerrard and Lampard didn't work. A system was never really found for them even though individually great players.

 

[johnwillomagic]

Anyone any idea how long McDonald out for we clearly miss him badly when gone, also any idea on Haynes return to fitness? I think league two is his level and he could take over from Stokes who is one of my favourites but seems to be struggling.

Currently we seem to have no attacking threat with one man up top looking increasingly isolated and with two holding midfielders we do not get up to support either in my opinion two holders is too many. I would play a 4-4-2 diamond for next game and shake things up a liitle bit,

Burge GK - just to take O'Neill out of firing line
Camwell LB - Assuming Haynes not fit to give Stokes a break.
McDonald CB - My player of season so far.
Hyam CB - Kept clean sheet with him in team and Willis not convincing me at moment since his return.
Grimmer RB
Doyle DCM - one of best in league at that role
Andreu ACM - not as sold on him as some others but think best we have in that role
Jones RM - Erratic but still one of our best threats.
McNulty LM - Don't think he is a striker reckon he'd do ok out wide as has some pace - could do a Noel Whelan out there I think.
K.Thomas ST
Ponticelli ST

Both strikers seem to be working well in u-23's together may be worth pitching them in together in a league game to see how they do.
Let's face it really our strikers have scored none in 4 matches - bar McNulty's which was a freak and we did not create.

Anyhow doubt we will do this but would be nice to see.

 

[shmmeee]

I think Stokes would be better suited at CB the final really sold him as a CB to me, especially whilst McDonald is injured left footer for left footer but then it raises the issue of LB.

At least if we stuck Camwell at LB we’d have someone who can take an attacking free kick.