Bristol City V Swansea City.

Jackflash

Jackflash

Midfield General
Staff member
Hoping to se a little of the expected Martin influence in this one, after a encouraging start the last game was back to square one, sloppy passing etc.
we have yet to see any form of goal scoring attacks in the final third, again hopefully that will improve tonight.
Not going to be an easy game and bringing home the three points would be a great achievement.
I'm going for 1-2 win.
 
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Yankee_Jack

Yankee_Jack

Key Player
The Reading game was the model. Who was on the field that day in what positions? Regardless of the opposition, that XI executed at a high level. Those are the players that have taken on board the Martin method and are able to perform it. What we’ve seen with our own eyes is that too many players again and again, against Rovers, Sheffield and Stoke, cannot. It’s not rocket science. We need to move forward on our feet not on our knees as we implement. Those that can have to start, those that can’t or won’t have to practice until they do … we can’t play matches with our training wheels on. The other clubs will just laugh and collect the gift.

this means the likes of Williams and Piroe start. The unfit, the unabled, the unwilling sit. We’ve acquired purportedly capable players that fall into this category … they can’t be allowed to be part of the problem just because they’re the new toy.
 
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ivoralljack

ivoralljack

Grizzled Veteran
Staff member
Agree that the Reading game was the model but they were playing a bunch of kids who are still learning the game. Seems to me we are like flat track bullies right now - we beat up on the lower/inexperienced teams but can't cope with the higher level sides. Not moaning, just saying it as I see it.

Martin needs time to get this lot coached in his ways but I can't pretend that I'm not concerned about the abysmal lack of fire power in our team. Granted I like Cullen but I won't defend him if he's playing badly. However, he seems to have been dropped because he's not producing. Can someone please tell me how the hell you can produce with fuck all service? Martin needs to be giving our midfield the hairdryer treatment to do the damned job they are paid to do.

I repeat - Curt, Trunds, Leon and Tosh Jr all rate Cullen as the best striker at the club. Are they all wrong too? I'd say they are pretty good judges but Liam is paying the price for the total ineffectiveness of a pretty useless midfield. He is a penalty box operator but he can't operate if the fcuking ball is hardly ever in there!!

One good thing is that Piroe is starting to look the real deal but, just like Cullen, he's going to need service. He got it from Bidwell and scored the other night. Give Liam similar service, consistently, and we'll have two very dangerous strikers with Lowe chipping in from out wide. We look so toothless at the moment I can only see a Brizzle win but, needless to say, I absolutely hope I'm wrong.
 
Yankee_Jack

Yankee_Jack

Key Player
Re, the Reading opposition: you can only play what's in front of you. If you can pass with a high level of quality (>90% for Williams) then you can pass. We have players in the other games that showed that they were challenged in the fundamentals ... it may be fatigue driven but nonetheless we can't have it.

By now, surely, Martin has seen enough, has enough video to pore over, and enough data in other metrics that tells who is who. Tonight he has to play those that clearly can. Who can and who can't will change over the next 6 week (it had better). But from this point forward, he needs to play those that demonstrate they can.

On performances to date, Piroe is our #9. Cullen may be the best, or the best of the rest, but this has to be proven. I don't think we've seen Piroe and Cullen as a starting partnership - perhaps this is the next combination. But for me all the others are competing to see who starts alongside Piroe ... at least until Piroe is found out.
 
ivoralljack

ivoralljack

Grizzled Veteran
Staff member
CroJack said:
Most of them voted for Copper to be appointed as our manager. So...
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You said "most of them". Might I be right in suggesting that Cameron was the odd one out? :ROFLMAO: Look, for me there is a vast difference in giving an opinion on a player as opposed to a manager. Cooper gave an impressive interview and talked the talk. No one could judge his performance as a manager until he actually managed having had NO previous experience at a club. :unsure:

It's VERY different with a player. You can see him in action and in deed. No talking the talk here, the player has to walk the walk. He has to show fitness; sharpness; movement; anticipation, attitude, character and all the other things that can be seen and judged in the flesh as it were. The player is judged on actual performance whilst Cooper was judged on theory - of what his methods would be; of what his aspirations were and so forth.

But, irrespective of what others at the club think of Cullen or any other striker, I know for a fact that it is about the most difficult job in football, which is why they command such astronomical transfer fees. Thing is, a striker has to forge an understanding with others in the team; he has to play regularly to get into the rhythm of his game and bit part cameos and snippets from the bench will never help him properly achieve that. Cullen has been identified as a talent by people who should know and who have closely monitored his progress. It is up to Martin to develop that talent and give him sufficient game time for him to realise that talent. Just my opinion.
 
CroJack

CroJack

Key Player
ivoralljack said:
You said "most of them". Might I be right in suggesting that Cameron was the odd one out? :ROFLMAO: Look, for me there is a vast difference in giving an opinion on a player as opposed to a manager. Cooper gave an impressive interview and talked the talk. No one could judge his performance as a manager until he actually managed having had NO previous experience at a club. :unsure:

It's VERY different with a player. You can see him in action and in deed. No talking the talk here, the player has to walk the walk. He has to show fitness; sharpness; movement; anticipation, attitude, character and all the other things that can be seen and judged in the flesh as it were. The player is judged on actual performance whilst Cooper was judged on theory - of what his methods would be; of what his aspirations were and so forth.

But, irrespective of what others at the club think of Cullen or any other striker, I know for a fact that it is about the most difficult job in football, which is why they command such astronomical transfer fees. Thing is, a striker has to forge an understanding with others in the team; he has to play regularly to get into the rhythm of his game and bit part cameos and snippets from the bench will never help him properly achieve that. Cullen has been identified as a talent by people who should know and who have closely monitored his progress. It is up to Martin to develop that talent and give him sufficient game time for him to realise that talent. Just my opinion.
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You know me well, Ivor. I don't criticise Cullen. Not only Cullen but ALL our strikers can score plenty of goals if provided a proper service.
 
ivoralljack

ivoralljack

Grizzled Veteran
Staff member
CroJack said:
You know me well, Ivor. I don't criticise Cullen. Not only Cullen but ALL our strikers can score plenty of goals if provided a proper service.
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Of course I know you don't criticise Cullen or our strikers, CJ. They can only fire what ammo is provided for them. If that's in short supply then they'll be firing blanks. I'm hoping that Martin will be working very hard on that aspect of our game. Pleased that Piroe seems to be finding his feet as well.
 
ivoralljack

ivoralljack

Grizzled Veteran
Staff member
ivoralljack said:
Of course I know you don't criticise Cullen or our strikers, CJ.
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Just to add that, just like any other player, should any of said strikers fail to perform or not give of their best then they deserve pelters and they'll certainly get them from me. As for tonight has Cabango got an injury? Thought he'd be on the bench at least.
 
ivoralljack

ivoralljack

Grizzled Veteran
Staff member
Iffy start then we came into the game more. Watching both our strikers and they've each done some good things with passing and movement etc. But Piroe was the one who showed great skill and composure to put us in front. If we can get another we might nick 3 points here but we've got to cut out some of those silly mistakes we've been making.
 
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