"What the fucking hell was that"

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

It was definitely the majority and the players clearly heard it as they didn't come anywhere near the away end at the final whistle.

i didn't boo or anything else , but i can quite understand the fans who did . In saying that Imo they wasn't much to cheers about as well . The worrying thing its becoming a bit of a recurring theme.

UTB

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

It was definitely the majority and the players clearly heard it as they didn't come anywhere near the away end at the final whistle.

Again strongly disagree. It looked like a minority of about 20% at the very most. Those fans were vocal but not necessarily representative. And the players not going anywhere was sensible in the circumstances. Which is a real shame as I would've liked to applaud and support them for their efforts.

 

[Kenilworth]

We had several good chances first and second half. So did they in the second half, but I don't recognise this descroption of us not breaking down the opposition. As posted elsewhere: Reed had a 1v1, there were 3 or 4 other in the first half, Holt had two good chances, the Beard took his air shot, and Davies created something out of nothing for himself.

The problem yesterday, for me, was at the other end.



I agree with this but to me it says we haven't got a limitless budget: we're a third division team. I don't see this as the management's fault. Each time a weakness has become apparent they looked to fix it eg Done as a goalscorer, O'Grady and now Davies as a 'target man'. If we could plug all the gaps all the time then we'd be a much stronger team in a higher division.



And that will be happening to the opposition as well. The size (in numbers at any rate) of our squad - again put in place to cover this - means we can often replace players without a huge drop in quality. I don't think it's realistic to ask for us to always be able to do that.



Or is he not making excuses at all - and just analysing the situation realistically. I'd say so.

A bit of a rushed response but I was really optimistic after yesterday, mainly bc of the difference Davies made.

(That said, according to roygbiv's view from Blackpool their fans said he was a Mardy Bum. There was definite evidence of that yesterday.)

Something at Walsall, then 7 or 9 points from 3 consecutive home games including a hammering of someone.

UTB

Commendable optimism
Delusional in the face of the evidence
Denial of the facts and the trend.

Chances are only relevant if you work the keeper.

Look at Arse vs Sham yesterday. Similar roles top 6 team vs team on a poor run. Arsenal had loads more chances than we did and worked Adrian many times AND still scored three. Adrian pulled off 4-5 really good saves. That's breaking a team down. Now before you go on about the gulf in class - it's relative for both the attack and defense. A team playing "football" as we are supposed to be doing should be working the opposition goalkeeper far more than we are. Certainly a team playing "football" on the budget we have should be creating far more clear cut chances than we are - or what the oppo has. Scunny had plenty of dangerous opportunities just by lumping it through the middle whilst our Sunday league CB partnership dithered and dallied.

Now - it's clearly not about the strikers. Done is here and Davies is here. Yet we are still not working the goalkeeper enough. Half of Done's goals have been chances he has created himself by pressuring defenders and forcing them into mistakes - not by clever play or inter passing laying a chance on a plate for him. OK the two goals he scored from Harris and Murphy's delivery on the left were well worked BUT we should be doing this 4-5 times a game given the players we have. AND duplicating this from the right.

So what is it, if not the strikers?
We are playing far too cautiously on the build up. It's not getting to rhe strikers / wide men quick enough and we are not supporting those guys when the ball gets to them. It's all too slow, sideways and backwards so that the third division defences have the time to get back into a shape they are well drilled in - too late for us to exploit any space behind. That's tactical not players - as evidensed by the players changing, more strikers involved but the outcome remaining the same.

I applaud your optimism and wish I had the same feeling BUT the form, the lack of goals, the mistakes in defence are weighing very very heavy on the side of a dose of realism.

 

[Blade56]

Slow crab football is our big issue.

Coterill said yesterday Bristol have played fast attacking football all season..... Not done them much harm has it?

 

[YES Blade]

Slow crab football is our big issue.

Coterill said yesterday Bristol have played fast attacking football all season..... Not done them much harm has it?

Also Cotterill was appointed Bristol City manager after we appointed Clough. Who says you need time?

 

[HillmortonBlade]

I have a recollection of being at the Hawthorns watching some poor display, when the players came over after the final whistle I remember looking around to see the vast majority of fans responding to the players with w**ker hand gestures. I looked at Nathan Blake and wondered what he made of it. It's nothing new, but I have always had a nagging though that it's a job to the footballers and unless they have mates or family in the crowd, do they really care?

 

[Silent Blade]

I have a recollection of being at the Hawthorns watching some poor display, when the players came over after the final whistle I remember looking around to see the vast majority of fans responding to the players with w**ker hand gestures. I looked at Nathan Blake and wondered what he made of it. It's nothing new, but I have always had a nagging though that it's a job to the footballers and unless they have mates or family in the crowd, do they really care?

I remember reading about our 3-1 defeat at Ipswich in March 1997, after the game Don Hutchison ran over to the Blades fans to applaud at them but there were a small minority who heckled at him and Hutchison gave a V sign to them

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Commendable optimism
Delusional in the face of the evidence.

The evidence for me yesterday was, amongst other things, several clear cut chances - added to the ones already mentioned specifically, Done had an unmarked header on the edge of the six yard box, but looked like he was stretching so it was off target. There were many others. I thought the team played with passion and commitment.

Denial of the facts and the trend.

Chances are only relevant if you work the keeper.

For the facts of the game, see above.

The trend is either we're 5th, or a few games ago it was four wins in 5, or the last three it's one point from 9, or something else.

Take your pick. I like the fact that we're fifth - with a game in hand.

This isn't the usual definition of a chance. For me a chance is a goal-scoring opportunity. If you don't work then you've really wasted it, it was still a chance - and we had several yesterday. 2-0 (or 2-1) at half time would've been fair.

We are playing far too cautiously on the build up. It's not getting to rhe strikers / wide men quick enough and we are not supporting those guys when the ball gets to them. It's all too slow, sideways and backwards so that the third division defences have the time to get back into a shape they are well drilled in - too late for us to exploit any space behind. That's tactical not players - as evidensed by the players changing, more strikers involved but the outcome remaining the same.

There's some truth in this. Often our best chances are created when we switch play quickly from one side to the other. Whatever his faults Baxter can do this well.

I applaud your optimism and wish I had the same feeling BUT the form, the lack of goals, the mistakes in defence are weighing very very heavy on the side of a dose of realism.

Obviously I think it's realistic that we could knock in a 3 or 4 in one of those three home games. We'll see.

My big concern now is the very vocal negativity of a section of the fans, and how that can adversely affect the players.

I think constructive criticism is good, it takes us forwards - but if the only (or even the main) message the team got from yesterday was swearing and abuse then that is very likely to become a downward spiral and a self-fulfilling prophecy.

 

[Kenilworth]

The evidence for me yesterday was, amongst other things, several clear cut chances - added to the ones already mentioned specifically, Done had an unmarked header on the edge of the six yard box, but looked like he was stretching so it was off target. There were many others. I thought the team played with passion and commitment.



For the facts of the game, see above.

The trend is either we're 5th, or a few games ago it was four wins in 5, or the last three it's one point from 9, or something else.

Take your pick. I like the fact that we're fifth - with a game in hand.

This isn't the usual definition of a chance. For me a chance is a goal-scoring opportunity. If you don't work then you've really wasted it, it was still a chance - and we had several yesterday. 2-0 (or 2-1) at half time would've been fair.



There's some truth in this. Often our best chances are created when we switch play quickly from one side to the other. Whatever his faults Baxter can do this well.



Obviously I think it's realistic that we could knock in a 3 or 4 in one of those three home games. We'll see.

My big concern now is the very vocal negativity of a section of the fans, and how that can adversely affect the players.

I think constructive criticism is good, it takes us forwards - but if the only (or even the main) message the team got from yesterday was swearing and abuse then that is very likely to become a downward spiral and a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Agree it will be self fulfilling but that's the pressure of playing for a club this size with the expectation - otherwise go and play for Fleetwood or Dale or Crawley and play in front of a couple of thousand, if you're lucky - no pressure.

I don't see the expectation as unreasonable either, given the resources the club has and the facilities. The fact is this group of players is capable of so much more and we have seen glimpses so it's not a pipe dream.

Sure we need a physical presence in midfield and that was supposed to be James Wallace or Basham - since recently Coutts too. They aren't doing it for whatever reason - that's imaterial, the fact is the manager has had ample oppty to sort it and hasn't.

I would argue that the headed chance from Done is not "clear cut" if he is on the stretch. It's a chance, that's all and if that's the clearest he has then that's a sad indictment on the service given the quality of the opposition.

My definition is the times the oppo keeper HAS to make a save. Not a routine collection but a real save. Those are the moments that encourage the crowd and that's what gets the passions stirring. We are so tame and predictable that the fans are chatting about all other sorts of shit as opposed to singing and encouraging the team. It's boring and it's stale. That's why it will go in a downward spiral not because of the fans - because there is very little to get exited about and that in-turn drives belief out of the crowd. Without that belief or hope you are fucked and that's what we witness game after game.

I still applaud your optimism but I have seen it so many times I can recognise a promotion campaign when I witness it and I can also recognise malaise when I see it. This season has all the hallmarks of Wilsons final campaign. Although I don't see the sacking happening - nor, strangely enough, do I advocate that outcome. Just resigned to yet another year in Div 3 and a change of manager next term (inevitable consequence of abject failure)

We are a side devoid of ideas when confronted with a set of two banks of 4. We are capable of ripping teams apart if they have a go at us. Unfortunately there are only a couple of teams that will attempt that and one of them (MKD) has sussed that and knows how to defeat us. Same as Preston - they too have worked us out. It's not difficult to identify.

Expect the same turgid performance on Tuesday night despite Walsall on the eve of their first ever Wembley appearance. We rarely turn up at the Bescot. I've only seen us lose there.

 

[crucialkneeligaman]

Strongly disagree with this.

Davies got on the and of a good number of longer balls. We created two good chances for Holt, Brayford took his air shot, and Davies (again) worked himself a good shot that went close.

Elsewhere in this thread the team are criticised for playing boring sideways football *and* for hoofing it forwards.

If that chant at the end was directed at the team I'm amazed.

We were very dodgy at the back but over the game we created a number of good chances. If we keep that up, tighten up at the back, and get something on Tuesday then we could well get 7 or even 9 points from the three home games. And someone could get a spanking.

And I can see us getting through the play-offs.

The big difference was Davies who gained and retained possession. Away at Rochdale, say, we lumped the ball up towards Done who stood no chance. Today we had a viable out ball.

We can't create that much and not score over a number of games.

We were looking forward to the six points we were going to get from the Peterboro/Fleetwood home games and what happened ?. Our idea of giving a team a spanking is a 2-0 win if we are lucky, although the nil bit is a bit far fetched at the moment with our defence.

 

[crucialkneeligaman]

living in florida I have to listen to all the games over t'internet, listened to praise or grumble and all I hear are muppets wanting clough out now. nice to read the comments here who seem to have their feet on the ground. yes we should/could be doing better, but I do think we are heading in the right direction.

Perhaps if you had to watch us you would have a different opinion .