Bristol City (H) 7.11.15

[Bijou Bob]

What I failed to understand yesterday was his reluctance to bring on Clayton once the game had become stretched. With no goals in the side and few chances being created, Clayton was the one player on the bench who could have created something, yet he had to wait until 2 minutes into extra time with no chance to make a difference. Going 2 up top with similar players and no width seemed to me to be ludicrous?

[BWFC_Insane]

What I failed to understand yesterday was his reluctance to bring on Clayton once the game had become stretched. With no goals in the side and few chances being created, Clayton was the one player on the bench who could have created something, yet he had to wait until 2 minutes into extra time with no chance to make a difference. Going 2 up top with similar players and no width seemed to me to be ludicrous?

Thought they looked uncomfortable defending against Madine and Ameobi. But why Clayton didn't come on to play wide or behind them is beyond me.

[Bruce Rioja]

I agree that it is fine margins but being set up poorly isn't helping.

Indeed. Everyone appears to be clamouring for a new striker when Lennon's talking about bringing in a wiger. Let me offer something up though, I'm just putting it out there. Are Madine, Dobbie and possibly now Ameobi (we do know that Heskey's shite) actually as bad as they're considered? because from what I've seen this season, Lennon's set-up would struggle to get a tune out of Gerd Muller. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that they are any good - we've all seen Madine miss more than he's scored and I can't understand Dobbie's role at all, but maybe there is more to be gained from the current group if Lennon actually realised that what he's doing with it is clearly not working and simply reorganised the midfield?

[BWFC_Insane]

I agree that it is fine margins but being set up poorly isn't helping.

Indeed. Everyone appears to be clamouring for a new striker when Lennon's talking about bringing in a wiger. Let me offer something up though, I'm just putting it out there. Are Madine, Dobbie and possibly now Ameobi (we do know that Heskey's shite) actually as bad as they're considered? because from what I've seen this season, Lennon's set-up would struggle to get a tune out of Gerd Muller. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that they are any good - we've all seen Madine miss more than he's scored and I can't understand Dobbie's role at all, but maybe there is more to be gained from the current group if Lennon actually realised that what he's doing with it is clearly not working and simply reorganised the midfield?

Agreed. Are we really saying that Craig Davies, is the difference between the winning run last season and how we are now?

We don't control enough of the game, nor do we have a clear route to create chances. No wide men really leaves us struggling for out balls much of the time.

[Tombwfc]

Given the only striker we've lost from our winning run under Lennon last season is Craig Davies, are you suggesting that he would make the difference?

If that is the case, then one can only blame Lennon for letting him go and getting in Madine et al.

Personally I think we should be 8 or 9 places higher without any additions to the squad. I agree that it is fine margins but being set up poorly isn't helping.

If you put a fully fit Craig Davies and Chung Yong Lee in this side I believe we would be significantly better off, I'd say that much.

In hindsight Craig Davies was worth keeping given how difficult it is to find a decent striker with no money. Craig Davies is a good player who's consistently performed at this level (a goal every 3.8 games). I've said before I think he's a better player than Madine is (he's got 25 since 12/13 to the Goal Machine's 12) and if he was here and not injured he'd be comfortably our best striker.

Lennon took the decision that he couldn't rely on his fitness and so traded him in for a younger striker with similar attributes who had shown potential in the past. Evidence so far is that he was wrong (albeit Davies has only started six games for Wigan) but you can see the logic behind it.

Everyone appears to be clamouring for a new striker when Lennon's talking about bringing in a wiger. Let me offer something up though, I'm just putting it out there. Are Madine, Dobbie and possibly now Ameobi (we do know that Heskey's shite) actually as bad as they're considered?

We could really do with a winger too for reasons already mentioned (we're currently having to play our only fit winger up front just to give us some pace up top). It's not like we haven't tried desperately to sign a striker either (Kermogant and Vetokele being two that come to mind). The fact we went back in for Shola would suggest to me that there isn't a lot out there. If we can find a winger who can give us some width and chip in with a few goals we'd be better for it.

As for Madine, Dobbie and Ameobi, I'd suggest that they probably are as bad as they are being considered. Neil Lennon was nowhere near Stephen Dobbie when he could only manage four goals for Fleetwood Town last season, nor Madine when he got three for Blackpool or big Shola when he ended up playing in the Turkish second tier.

These are not players being stifled by a confusing system and a manager tactically out of his depth (or at least that's not the main reason). They're players who can't score goals at this level not scoring goals at this level.

If you said the mistake was in signing these players in the first place, I'd have to agree. I don't have an answer for who we could've brought in instead though.

[TANGODANCER]

The penalty scored, three points on the board and the mood would be considerably more up-beat right now.We made chances and just didn't convert them, that's the stand-out point. The commentator yesterday was consistently moaning about, Madine, then Ameobi having no support around them up front. Was this the case? It also sounded like Feeney was working really hard every time he got the ball, for the same, no support reason.

[Hoboh]

The penalty scored, three points on the board and the mood would be considerably more up-beat right now.We made chances and just didn't convert them, that's the stand-out point. The commentator yesterday was consistently moaning about, Madine, then Ameobi having no support around them up front. Was this the case? It also sounded like Feeney was working really hard every time he got the ball, for the same, no support reason.

When you constantly play fairies in the middle of the park, it matters little whose up top and even a fool knows a constant battering of waves will destroy any defence sooner or later!

[Bijou Bob]

The fact that NL is trying to bring 2 pacey wide men in, would suggest that he's aware of our failings. If he can't land one or both, it says much about his falling status IMO.

[norm the jedi]

The act that NL is trying to bring 2 pacey wide men in, would suggest that he's aware of our failings. If he can't land one or both, it says much about his falling status IMO.

?

Hey lad come and play for me - we've no cash to speak of, the owner wants to sell the club but can't get even get an offer for 20p in the £ on what he's spent.
The squad are the bargain bucket of what was left once we'd trimmed anyone with a decent wage off the payroll. But you'll be alright for baps, Pies and the odd waggon Wheel..
Why would anyone come to this basket case of a set up whoever was managing? Unless they were old, broken, under achieving or a bit dead.

[Worthy4England]

Unless they were old, broken, under achieving or a bit dead.

Thanks Norm, you've given me hope again. I reckon I'm the perfect fit.

[Vertigo]

Just watched the highlights, looked like we had the best chances.

Can I just say, considering we are playing our worst football in many years, the fact we are keeping a bunch of clean sheets is very encouraging.

[Andy Waller]

Why the feck are we not building a team around our only quality player - Mark Davies? We play a diamond and he doesn't play in behind the strikers. Instead we get Dobbie and bleeding Feeney as the fulcrum of our attacks. It beggars belief. I like Lennon as a bloke but his tactics and constant changes of personnel in recent months have me tearing my hair out.

In all honesty the lack of funds in this division can be no excuse. I'd love to see how our budget compares the rest of the championship. I'd be amazed if it corresponds to our league position I.e second lowest. So many decent managers have done well on meagre budgets past and present. Yes it helps to have cash, but team spirit and organisation goes a long way in the Championship. We seem to have neither of the two.

Because he's bloody crap. I know he played out of position a bit on Saturday but he hardly did anything. Absolutely no fight in him whatsoever.

He loves a good wall pass now and then though.

[Andy Waller]

The act that NL is trying to bring 2 pacey wide men in, would suggest that he's aware of our failings. If he can't land one or both, it says much about his falling status IMO.

?

Hey lad come and play for me - we've no cash to speak of, the owner wants to sell the club but can't get even get an offer for 20p in the £ on what he's spent.
The squad are the bargain bucket of what was left once we'd trimmed anyone with a decent wage off the payroll. But you'll be alright for balms, Pies and the odd waggon Wheel..
Why would anyone come to this basket case of a set up whoever was managing? Unless they were old, broken, under achieving or a bit dead.

He might have chapped lips though?

[bobo the clown]

^^ not if he's a bit dead.

[LeverEnd]

Why the feck are we not building a team around our only quality player - Mark Davies? We play a diamond and he doesn't play in behind the strikers. Instead we get Dobbie and bleeding Feeney as the fulcrum of our attacks. It beggars belief. I like Lennon as a bloke but his tactics and constant changes of personnel in recent months have me tearing my hair out.

In all honesty the lack of funds in this division can be no excuse. I'd love to see how our budget compares the rest of the championship. I'd be amazed if it corresponds to our league position I.e second lowest. So many decent managers have done well on meagre budgets past and present. Yes it helps to have cash, but team spirit and organisation goes a long way in the Championship. We seem to have neither of the two.

Because he's bloody crap. I know he played out of position a bit on Saturday but he hardly did anything. Absolutely no fight in him whatsoever.

He loves a good wall pass now and then though.

He winds me up with his disappearing acts as well, and the fact that absence makes our fans' hearts fonder, but if he's in the team he might as well be played somewhere he's more likely to do some damage to the opposition.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

We've got a sophisticated CAD program at work, which I can't operate (even if it was on my machine, which it isn't), but having bribed Wilffy (our main CADman) with the promise of a pint, he's had a look at that photo that was posted a couple of pages back. According lines drawn parallel to the white lines it is a bit of a toss up as to whether 26 (Ameobi) is offside or not, with the majority version saying level with defender flinging himself skyward at the intended pass, and therefore not off.
But, on the other hand,as Wilffy pointed out, the ball has not yet been struck. Based on a lot of guesswork, inputting speeds (pure conjecture) players heights ( derived from Wiki) and ball flight paths such that the fwd movement of Ameobi would connect at an intersection with the ball based on average speed of travel for a hoofed football (derived from a table of object speeds which are stored in the program - its used to calculate non-static passing clearances between vehicles) the verdict was massively in favour of him being offside.
Then again it doesn't really matter, the CAD exercise was significantly based on parameters that were guessed at, a bit like what a ref does instinctively. Just thought I'd share, especially as it's cost me two pints because I foolishly double or quitted Wilffy on the CAD result...

[Enoch]

You are SF and I claim my £10.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

You are SF and I claim my £10.

You are Enoch and you can fxck off...

[Andy Waller]

We've got a sophisticated CAD program at work, which I can't operate (even if it was on my machine, which it isn't), but having bribed Wilffy (our main CADman) with the promise of a pint, he's had a look at that photo that was posted a couple of pages back. According lines drawn parallel to the white lines it is a bit of a toss up as to whether 26 (Ameobi) is offside or not, with the majority version saying level with defender flinging himself skyward at the intended pass, and therefore not off.
But, on the other hand,as Wilffy pointed out, the ball has not yet been struck. Based on a lot of guesswork, inputting speeds (pure conjecture) players heights ( derived from Wiki) and ball flight paths such that the fwd movement of Ameobi would connect at an intersection with the ball based on average speed of travel for a hoofed football (derived from a table of object speeds which are stored in the program - its used to calculate non-static passing clearances between vehicles) the verdict was massively in favour of him being offside.
Then again it doesn't really matter, the CAD exercise was significantly based on parameters that were guessed at, a bit like what a ref does instinctively. Just thought I'd share, especially as it's cost me two pints because I foolishly double or quitted Wilffy on the CAD result...

I've got a sophisticated cad at work too...