oldskyblue58
CCFC Finance Director
First off disappointed - we have no right to expect to beat Doncaster, but from the reports from friends who went and from listening to the radio we were never going to win. Yes we had a few chances but it seemed to be against the run of play - certainly the goal was. You could sense that a Donny goal was coming, much like against Burnley and hey presto
I think the SBA are doing the club proud at away games :claping hands:
As I said in reply to another thread I cannot believe that AT thinks we are a midtable team or better. It simply isnt the team I watch. We dont seem to put other teams under sustained pressure, sit back if we score, retain the ball well but generally only in our half where it doesnt hurt other teams, our build up is too considered and slow. We are bottom 3 for a reason and it is the stats that count not perception
We lack leaders on the pitch. We need someone who can drag the team through. In the past when we have been relegation threatened there has been some blood and thunder about the team - currently apart from any of the centerback pairings I do not see that in the team.
Senior players. AT said last week that he expected our senior players to step up their game. Seems that message fell on some deaf ears.
Juke. Didnt have a good game apparently. He is still only young and all players can dip. However for the first 14 games he is the one player that has been battered from pillar to post usually by two central defenders with little support from his team and even less support/protection from refs. Is it any wonder the physicality of it catches up on him?
November looks very very tough. There is a possibility of achieving no points at all in the coming month. We will pick up some but I cant see us climbing away from the relegation zone in November
We have scored 11 league goals in 14 matches (last year 53 in 46) and we average 10 shots in a game (last year it was 14). This just backs up the surmise that we dont carry much threat. I am not singleing out the strikers either, we carry very little midfield threat, often the strikers have to create their own chances whilst our midfield watches on. The number of chances is the key to looking at this for me, it says that the way we play does not threaten enough. King would have struggled this year in this team, because the chances he would have got he would largely have had to create for himself. We look pretty on the ball playing it round our backline but it doesnt hurt other teams, doesnt strech them and because we do it so slowly gives them time to organise. Not saying the diamond is wrong but play on the front foot not the back
Having said I am not anti the diamond formation I do wonder if we have the players in the squad to make it work. I dont think we have. The tip of the diamond is vital in the system and the best of a bad lot is McSheffery and he is well short this season of what we need. So if we do not have the players to make it work why do we persist with it?
AT. Calling for him to go is for me the wrong thing to do. Not sure given injuries, squad size, finance there is a suitable replacement to be found that would do better. However I am far from convinced by the mans ability to pull this out of the fire. Leaving aside the the tactical mistakes, ill chosen words at press conferences etc (IMO) he has failed to get the response from the senior players in the squad - that is a concern. Yes I know he is hampered by finances, squad size, injuries, but the man himself doesnt accept that as an excuse (publically at least) - he still believes we are far better than the results even given all that. Somehow at times his inexperience as a manager shines through and it seems he cannot see the wood for the trees. As i have said before AT is part of the problem and part of the solution
More comments apparently from GH about takeover still bubbling along behind the scenes. Am tired of these comments would prefer nothing is said. I really dont see it happening. Nor do I see KD getting his hands on the stadium
I am struggling to find bright spots just now. So will return to the supporters who are the ones that count. As a body they will be here long after players, AT, SISU, KD or GH are gone. Their support away from home this season has been brilliant :claping hands::claping hands::claping hands:
I think the SBA are doing the club proud at away games :claping hands:
As I said in reply to another thread I cannot believe that AT thinks we are a midtable team or better. It simply isnt the team I watch. We dont seem to put other teams under sustained pressure, sit back if we score, retain the ball well but generally only in our half where it doesnt hurt other teams, our build up is too considered and slow. We are bottom 3 for a reason and it is the stats that count not perception
We lack leaders on the pitch. We need someone who can drag the team through. In the past when we have been relegation threatened there has been some blood and thunder about the team - currently apart from any of the centerback pairings I do not see that in the team.
Senior players. AT said last week that he expected our senior players to step up their game. Seems that message fell on some deaf ears.
Juke. Didnt have a good game apparently. He is still only young and all players can dip. However for the first 14 games he is the one player that has been battered from pillar to post usually by two central defenders with little support from his team and even less support/protection from refs. Is it any wonder the physicality of it catches up on him?
November looks very very tough. There is a possibility of achieving no points at all in the coming month. We will pick up some but I cant see us climbing away from the relegation zone in November
We have scored 11 league goals in 14 matches (last year 53 in 46) and we average 10 shots in a game (last year it was 14). This just backs up the surmise that we dont carry much threat. I am not singleing out the strikers either, we carry very little midfield threat, often the strikers have to create their own chances whilst our midfield watches on. The number of chances is the key to looking at this for me, it says that the way we play does not threaten enough. King would have struggled this year in this team, because the chances he would have got he would largely have had to create for himself. We look pretty on the ball playing it round our backline but it doesnt hurt other teams, doesnt strech them and because we do it so slowly gives them time to organise. Not saying the diamond is wrong but play on the front foot not the back
Having said I am not anti the diamond formation I do wonder if we have the players in the squad to make it work. I dont think we have. The tip of the diamond is vital in the system and the best of a bad lot is McSheffery and he is well short this season of what we need. So if we do not have the players to make it work why do we persist with it?
AT. Calling for him to go is for me the wrong thing to do. Not sure given injuries, squad size, finance there is a suitable replacement to be found that would do better. However I am far from convinced by the mans ability to pull this out of the fire. Leaving aside the the tactical mistakes, ill chosen words at press conferences etc (IMO) he has failed to get the response from the senior players in the squad - that is a concern. Yes I know he is hampered by finances, squad size, injuries, but the man himself doesnt accept that as an excuse (publically at least) - he still believes we are far better than the results even given all that. Somehow at times his inexperience as a manager shines through and it seems he cannot see the wood for the trees. As i have said before AT is part of the problem and part of the solution
More comments apparently from GH about takeover still bubbling along behind the scenes. Am tired of these comments would prefer nothing is said. I really dont see it happening. Nor do I see KD getting his hands on the stadium
I am struggling to find bright spots just now. So will return to the supporters who are the ones that count. As a body they will be here long after players, AT, SISU, KD or GH are gone. Their support away from home this season has been brilliant :claping hands::claping hands::claping hands: