The problem with the team

[Steven]

Re: Probelms

Now I know why it is a favourate with the homelaess...they need all the optimism they can get!

To be honest I think they need a shower first, they stink.

Anyone would without access to regular washing facilities. I also hear that they are not too complimentary about you.

Do you know a lot of tramps then Steven?

No but I found a copy of Big Issue recently. :roll:

 

[SilverFox]

O.k. so last week I said the problem was the lack of goals, and I stand beside that...but is the fact that we aren't finding the back of the net the fault of the forwards or the midfield?!?!

It seems to me from watching the team that the forwards don't get enough quality balls to them to score. If anyone was at the match today or listened, you wouldn't be surprised to hear that we never got into a convincing goal scoring position. Too often I have seen Scowy and Connolly having to drop back to compensate for the lack of chances being supplied to them by the midfield. Unless our midfielders can put in some crosses or start playing some creative balls to the forwards, we are going to be in trouble!

On a positive note though, I salute the work Levein has done with the team defensively...Mr. Adams, I hope you are taking notes...

As soon as you have got that sorted, would you mind possibly trying to get the forwards to score some goals...if thats not too much to ask Craigy boy!

Final thought...sorry, I'm droning on, but lets give Levein time, there is no way he can get this lot to challenge for even the playoffs overnight.

 

[Lboro fox]

O.k. so last week I said the problem was the lack of goals, and I stand beside that...but is the fact that we aren't finding the back of the net the fault of the forwards or the midfield?!?!

It seems to me from watching the team that the forwards don't get enough quality balls to them to score. If anyone was at the match today or listened, you wouldn't be surprised to hear that we never got into a convincing goal scoring position. Too often I have seen Scowy and Connolly having to drop back to compensate for the lack of chances being supplied to them by the midfield. Unless our midfielders can put in some crosses or start playing some creative balls to the forwards, we are going to be in trouble!

On a positive note though, I salute the work Levein has done with the team defensively...Mr. Adams, I hope you are taking notes...

As soon as you have got that sorted, would you mind possibly trying to get the forwards to score some goals...if thats not too much to ask Craigy boy!

Final thought...sorry, I'm droning on, but lets give Levein time, there is no way he can get this lot to challenge for even the playoffs overnight.

I personally think that once williams is back from injury we should have a carck at playing nalis on the right. I think he has the ability to play some excellent crosses that we really need. Also hopefully CL can get the best out of williams and bring some creativity inot midfield.

I have to say though im still not convinced by scowcroft, maybe thats just me.

 

[Tony Elsby]

Is that there are no goals in the front two, and whilst it is encouraging to see that we have improved as a defensive unit...we need a goal scorer. If you don't score goals you don't win games. Ashamedly the only attacking option I have noted lately is Tiatto, and he is supposed to be a left back.

We either need to provide the front two with better service, or as I secretly suspect...we neeed to look for a striker. Perhaps we could offer Dublin and Blake in a two for one deal

Of course you are right.

We lost three decent strikers in the summer & the replacements have not been adequate -end of story.

Ironic isn't it that Brian Deane scored more goals in an afternoon for Leeds than our two have scored all season.

He was never the complete answer I know but his ratio of goals for time on the pitch was pretty effective and he was always an awkward handful. The point I'm making is that the club should never be selling before it has earmarked or signed a better replacement.

I know coming down from the Premiership didn't help but other Fizzy teams have found reasonable strikers. Like I've said before Scowcroft and Connolly both have ability but City need goals and they need em fast.

Without doubt Levein is shaping a much more balanced and organised side but he more goals all round.

If our wide players posed a genuine scoring threat and our midfield too, then the strikers might find a bit more room. It is not all down to the front two.

We need fast, threatening support players and at the moment Jody is the only one who seems to have the bit of extra devilry needed to prise teams open.

Gillespie's okay at times but how often does he score, or shoot on target? I'm not expecting 20 goals a season from him but 10 would be a nice contribution and Stewart/Tiatto are lacking that way too. I still wonder if Gillespie should forget the wizard of dribble thoughts and become a modern day Alan Hinton.

Hinton just delivered balls into the box. High, low but quickly and accurately. Just a thought, but for that approach to be effective we'd need people in the penalty box quickly as well.

In truth as a potential footballing warship, we glaringly lack sufficient firepower to put real fear into the opposition. We've faced the problem for months now but little has been done even though I am certain Levein will respond sooner rather than later.

All that said it was a decent point at Wigan.

 

[Redditch Fox]

Is that there are no goals in the front two, and whilst it is encouraging to see that we have improved as a defensive unit...we need a goal scorer. If you don't score goals you don't win games. Ashamedly the only attacking option I have noted lately is Tiatto, and he is supposed to be a left back.

We either need to provide the front two with better service, or as I secretly suspect...we neeed to look for a striker. Perhaps we could offer Dublin and Blake in a two for one deal

Of course you are right.

We lost three decent strikers in the summer & the replacements have not been adequate -end of story.

Ironic isn't it that Brian Deane scored more goals in an afternoon for Leeds than our two have scored all season.

He was never the complete answer I know but his ratio of goals for time on the pitch was pretty effective and he was always an awkward handful. The point I'm making is that the club should never be selling before it has earmarked or signed a better replacement.

I know coming down from the Premiership didn't help but other Fizzy teams have found reasonable strikers. Like I've said before Scowcroft and Connolly both have ability but City need goals and they need em fast.

Without doubt Levein is shaping a much more balanced and organised side but he more goals all round.

If our wide players posed a genuine scoring threat and our midfield too, then the strikers might find a bit more room. It is not all down to the front two.

We need fast, threatening support players and at the moment Jody is the only one who seems to have the bit of extra devilry needed to prise teams open.

Gillespie's okay at times but how often does he score, or shoot on target? I'm not expecting 20 goals a season from him but 10 would be a nice contribution and Stewart/Tiatto are lacking that way too. I still wonder if Gillespie should forget the wizard of dribble thoughts and become a modern day Alan Hinton.

Hinton just delivered balls into the box. High, low but quickly and accurately. Just a thought, but for that approach to be effective we'd need people in the penalty box quickly as well.

In truth as a potential footballing warship, we glaringly lack sufficient firepower to put real fear into the opposition. We've faced the problem for months now but little has been done even though I am certain Levein will respond sooner rather than later.

All that said it was a decent point at Wigan.

Its no good us crying over what happened last summer -tho' it really was crass stupidity to get into a position where we lost all our decent strikers. However, this is going to be a difficult one. Long memory tells me that when a striker starts as woefully as Connolly has in terms of goals ratio - you'd better get rid. As already stated he is not going to cut it here. As for Scowcroft - of course playing is a striker is his favourite position -so what! he has never scored enough goals to be rated as a polific marksman. I would sell him providing of course he will still fetch a fee (which as previously discussed is doubtful given his contractual position) and bring in someone else.

 

[Redditch Fox]

quote="Tony Elsby"




Gillespie's okay at times but how often does he score, or shoot on target? I'm not expecting 20 goals a season from him but 10 would be a nice contribution and Stewart/Tiatto are lacking that way too. I still wonder if Gillespie should forget the wizard of dribble thoughts and become a modern day Alan Hinton.

Hinton just delivered balls into the box. High, low but quickly and accurately. Just a thought, but for that approach to be effective we'd need people in the penalty box quickly as well.

On Hinton (left winger of course) - he was also extremely quick so he got down the wing fast and crossed them fast and hard - I don't think Gillespie has that amount of pace. Although he does seem to be putting in some degree of effort at the momentt.

As a footnote, in an earlier era, Howard Riley gave Leicester that sort of pace and crossing style - but down the right wing. Never quite fulfilled an exciting potential but very popular in the late fifties - and rightly so.

 

[PFKAKTF FOX]

I was at the Wigan game yesterday, and whilst I understand the fustrations, we have to be paitent, CL has come in and immediately identified that we were not solid enough defensively, so he has worked on this and already we are looking a lot more secure at the back, but by doing this he has had to place restrictions on our attacking play, therefore making us difficult to break down but also a team that arent creating either.

Once our defensive frailities have been sorted out then CL will then work on our attacking play and giving licence to the players to attack more freely.

Rome was not built in a day, this team was a shambles and CL has rightly started to rebuild from the back, we have just kept the most prolific partnership in the division quiet. The rest will come with time.

 

[Tony Elsby]

quote="Tony Elsby"




Gillespie's okay at times but how often does he score, or shoot on target? I'm not expecting 20 goals a season from him but 10 would be a nice contribution and Stewart/Tiatto are lacking that way too. I still wonder if Gillespie should forget the wizard of dribble thoughts and become a modern day Alan Hinton.

Hinton just delivered balls into the box. High, low but quickly and accurately. Just a thought, but for that approach to be effective we'd need people in the penalty box quickly as well.

On Hinton (left winger of course) - he was also extremely quick so he got down the wing fast and crossed them fast and hard - I don't think Gillespie has that amount of pace. Although he does seem to be putting in some degree of effort at the momentt.

As a footnote, in an earlier era, Howard Riley gave Leicester that sort of pace and crossing style - but down the right wing. Never quite fulfilled an exciting potential but very popular in the late fifties - and rightly so.

The comparison of Gillespie and "Puffer" Riley is a perfect example of my point. Riley was never blessed with great skills but he was a 100 per center, got down the flank quickly and delivered into the box. He also had a decent shot and contributed his share of goals.

In short, what made him good was that he was invariably effective. For me neither Gillespie or Stewart are effective enough from the flanks. Nor are our midfielders creative enough or our strikers accurate enough.

That's too many "not enoughs" to realistically expect City to be a promotion-chasing side and the table reflects as much. Roll on the transfer window.

Some of the "not enoughs" might improve given the time some have called for but not all. We need players with greaster impact and we need em now.

 

[Redditch Fox]

quote="Tony Elsby"




Gillespie's okay at times but how often does he score, or shoot on target? I'm not expecting 20 goals a season from him but 10 would be a nice contribution and Stewart/Tiatto are lacking that way too. I still wonder if Gillespie should forget the wizard of dribble thoughts and become a modern day Alan Hinton.

Hinton just delivered balls into the box. High, low but quickly and accurately. Just a thought, but for that approach to be effective we'd need people in the penalty box quickly as well.

On Hinton (left winger of course) - he was also extremely quick so he got down the wing fast and crossed them fast and hard - I don't think Gillespie has that amount of pace. Although he does seem to be putting in some degree of effort at the momentt.

As a footnote, in an earlier era, Howard Riley gave Leicester that sort of pace and crossing style - but down the right wing. Never quite fulfilled an exciting potential but very popular in the late fifties - and rightly so.

The comparison of Gillespie and "Puffer" Riley is a perfect example of my point. Riley was never blessed with great skills but he was a 100 per center, got down the flank quickly and delivered into the box. He also had a decent shot and contributed his share of goals.

In short, what made him good was that he was invariably effective. For me neither Gillespie or Stewart are effective enough from the flanks. Nor are our midfielders creative enough or our strikers accurate enough.

That's too many "not enoughs" to realistically expect City to be a promotion-chasing side and the table reflects as much. Roll on the transfer window.

Some of the "not enoughs" might improve given the time some have called for but not all. We need players with greaster impact and we need em now.

Exactly - at the end of the day - Gillespie and Stewart are poor players even at this level. You are right both are ineffective. Micky filled the books with a complete mis-mash of players -some decent, most not good enough and certainly not committed enough.

This was all blindingly obvious well before there were loud calls for his departure. As I said then - forget this season - this team will not be promoted. Of course, CL is right to talk about promotion but the objective has to be to get things sorted by August 2005.