Guest Always-Believe-Bcfc Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 i know its weve just started the season and hes still settling in but what if hes a flop? i think the amount we payed for him was stupid as ive been informed SAHA went to everton for 2mil!I'm not suggesting hes not good I'm just saying he doesnt look what hes made out to be! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DanC Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Mods please delete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheshire_red Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Good choice of username there, well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westred1 Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Saha went for about 8-9million! Give the lad a chance for crying out loud. Okay, he didn't have the best of games and maybe he hasn't scored enough goals for the amount of money he cost, some people would say but he's 21! He's young, never been away from Crewe and he needs time. The same as every other new player. Same with Trunds last season. Some got on his backs and didn't let him play his football. Let the kid play, it's early days. Judge him after atleast 10 league games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mattyboy83 Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 i know its weve just started the season and hes still settling in but what if hes a flop? i think the amount we payed for him was stupid as ive been informed SAHA went to everton for 2mil!I'm not suggesting hes not good I'm just saying he doesnt look what hes made out to be! Silly Gas head #######, knocking our players in not clever or constructive really is it! Especially as were still in August!Mods please delete before other people waste their bandwidth on this dribble Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bas the red Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 saha left Manchester for everton for free transfer because unt ripped his contact up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garlicbread Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 i know its weve just started the season and hes still settling in but what if hes a flop? i think the amount we payed for him was stupid as ive been informed SAHA went to everton for 2mil!I'm not suggesting hes not good I'm just saying he doesnt look what hes made out to be! you wally! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashcott Boy Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 He has only scored 1 in 5 but it could have been so different. I am confident he will get goals, he missed a sitter at Blackpool and had one effort headed off the line against Coventry. A couple goals will get his confidence up and i don't think we should judge him for at least another 10 games yet. People say that Foreign players need time to settle, well so do English ones. He is only young and this is his first time away from home and the only club he has ever known. Next season him and Akinde will score 50 goals between them, mark my words! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tales From The Front Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Unfortuantely if City don't adapt to him then he will not fulfill his potential with City which would be greatly dissapointing for club and player. It is far to early to get on the lads back, but it is not early enough to pass comment on the lack of service to the guy. Yet again today we have seen both wide players pushed inside to asssit the central midfield duo, we have agagin seen the midfield then bypassed by and large with hopeful balls up the pitch. Twice today we saw quality crosses from high up the pitch / dead ball line one led to a goal and the secound on or about the 88th min led to a full length save. I will get slated but sod it, until we get more drive and quality in the centre of midfield and select players that do there job without being subsidised by other players, poor old Maynard like Trundle before him, will get slaughtered. The answer always seems to be get another striker in, without very little discussion about the midfield. Wonderful things have been achieved and no doubt will continue to be achieved by the manager and players but this season I think we will approach a cross roads, having to decide how far to we want to go. It would be a desperate shame when we are that closs to realing achieving something special that the clubwill bypass the real requirement to strengthen the centre of midfield. A Ben Watson type player is the order of day, in my opinion. When Maynard starts missing chances from six yards out, then crtisim will be justified, but the way City play at times we need a headless chicken who is prepared to constantly chase lost causes and not the "fox in box" everyone keeps going on about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pederho ll Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 I think people are allowed to voice their own opinions, without other users of this forum calling for the Mod's to step in a delete a thread just because you don't like what has been posted. Moreover, the thread is quite topical, as it is clear on today's performance that Maynard looked like a school boy on trial, completely out of his depth. I have not doubt that he will prove to be a fine acquisition for BCFC in the long term and score many goals, but on todays performance he did not look like he was worth £2.25m. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest red-dan Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 maynard ran his socks off today, qpr just got men behind the ball, and we could not provide the service for him, maynard will score goals, lets all be patient Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samo Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 He streched Coventry last week, forcing their keeper into one very good save and having another headed ff the line, and scored the week before that. Yes we paid a lot for him, but unlike our expensive signing last season he has time on his side. One thing to consider: Maynard signed just 8 days before we started the season and had only one preseason game with the team. Since then (exactly one month ago) he has played 7 games in total (including today's) and scored 4 goals in total. He now has 13/14 days to work with the team, the longest period of time without games he's ever had to prepare with the other players. Maybe we'll see them all working together a bit better after that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pederho ll Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Unfortuantely if City don't adapt to him then he will not fulfill his potential with City which would be greatly dissapointing for club and player. It is far to early to get on the lads back, but it is not early enough to pass comment on the lack of service to the guy. Yet again today we have seen both wide players pushed inside to asssit the central midfield duo, we have agagin seen the midfield then bypassed by and large with hopeful balls up the pitch. Twice today we saw quality crosses from high up the pitch / dead ball line one led to a goal and the secound on or about the 88th min led to a full length save. I will get slated but sod it, until we get more drive and quality in the centre of midfield and select players that do there job without being subsidised by other players, poor old Maynard like Trundle before him, will get slaughtered. The answer always seems to be get another striker in, without very little discussion about the midfield. Wonderful things have been achieved and no doubt will continue to be achieved by the manager and players but this season I think we will approach a cross roads, having to decide how far to we want to go. It would be a desperate shame when we are that closs to realing achieving something special that the clubwill bypass the real requirement to strengthen the centre of midfield. A Ben Watson type player is the order of day, in my opinion. When Maynard starts missing chances from six yards out, then crtisim will be justified, but the way City play at times we need a headless chicken who is prepared to constantly chase lost causes and not the "fox in box" everyone keeps going on about. Agree entirely and pretty much what I was chatting to my mate about on the way out of the ground. Creativity in the centre is what is required, which in turn should prevent McIndoe drifting in, and give us that width that we need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashcott Boy Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 I think the drive from our midfield could coincide with the return of Elliott. I have been very impressed by Skuse but i think Elliott is in a different class to him and his return will have a positive impact on our performances. Whether LJ is the answer alongside him is yet to be decided in my mind as i believe that Williams could be a good foil for Elliott in central midfield. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I BELIEVE Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 maynard ran his socks off today, qpr just got men behind the ball, and we could not provide the service for him, maynard will score goals, lets all be patient I thought we said that about trundle? No Maynard is a quality striker who gives his all to the team, it's a big step up from league 1 to the championship as proven by the likes of Sharp, Hawley, best and Trundle last year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfred Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 I hope i wasn't alone today in seeing signs of greatness from Maynard? He needs the ball played into him when he's square to the defender and a couple of times today he nearly turned and got in behind with this type of ball but it didn't quite happen. You could see that it was a matter of time and if the game had stayed stretched instead of the sending off causing QPR to get ten men behind the ball and subsequently leave no space, then i feel the stage would have been set for a goal from him. He's good with the ball at his feet, is surprisingly strong and had a great little run into their box only in the second half to show us what he can do and WILL undoubtedly get better with time. I heard some eejit behind me start slagging him off after about twenty minutes, which is just what we should all do because this will only make him more determined to perform for us......won't it? Give the boy a chance and he WILL become a darling of the Gate, but question his ability so soon into his tenure and he will struggle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tales From The Front Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 I think the drive from our midfield could coincide with the return of Elliott. I have been very impressed by Skuse but i think Elliott is in a different class to him and his return will have a positive impact on our performances. Whether LJ is the answer alongside him is yet to be decided in my mind as i believe that Williams could be a good foil for Elliott in central midfield. I don't think you will find anyone to disagree about Elliott. If the he returns the same player he was for the first six months last season, he will indead provide what is sadly lacking. I think he needs another player to play alongside him, who in my view should have already been recruited, following the close season transfer activity. Today yet again that the centre of midfield is vital. We desperatly need a player that is going to score goals from midfield, run past the game line and creat space and tackle higher up the pitch. Elliott does this, but he can't do it alone. We just sit far to deep and don't support the forwards enough and with the wide men tucking right in there are even fewer outlets in which to find space. Maynard is crying out for thr ball to be cut back from the dead ball line on the floor, but this isn't going to happen with McIndoe/ Wilson / Sproule in the centre of midfield. Only very late on when Sproule was released did City start to press down the flanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Br1stolCityBoy Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 I don't think you will find anyone to disagree about Elliott. If the he returns the same player he was for the first six months last season, he will indead provide what is sadly lacking. I think he needs another player to play alongside him, who in my view should have already been recruited, following the close season transfer activity. Today yet again that the centre of midfield is vital. We desperatly need a player that is going to score goals from midfield, run past the game line and creat space and tackle higher up the pitch. Elliott does this, but he can't do it alone. We just sit far to deep and don't support the forwards enough and with the wide men tucking right in there are even fewer outlets in which to find space. Maynard is crying out for thr ball to be cut back from the dead ball line on the floor, but this isn't going to happen with McIndoe/ Wilson / Sproule in the centre of midfield. Only very late on when Sproule was released did City start to press down the flanks. I agree with you totally, but I fear that the manager will want his son playing in the centre of midfield with ME when fit again. In my opinion thats why he got rid of NC and I can't see us getting a good central midfielder before the end of the transfer window on Monday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ribsbcfc Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Silly Gas head #######, knocking our players in not clever or constructive really is it! Especially as were still in August!Mods please delete before other people waste their bandwidth on this dribble and also ban this chelsea scum are you city or are you chelsea make your mind up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tales From The Front Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 I agree with you totally, but I fear that the manager will want his son playing in the centre of midfield with ME when fit again. In my opinion thats why he got rid of NC and I can't see us getting a good central midfielder before the end of the transfer window on Monday. Hear what you are saying but I'm stearing clear of that debate. As it upsets the natives, all I'm saying is that in my opinion that is a posistion that we are lacking and it would make a huge difference. I'm not interested in personalities, I'm like you a Bristol City fan and like to discuss what I beleive would inprove the team and perofrmance, however unpatlatable that may be for some. Many will be quite rightly be please with the Status Quo and statistacaly there is not a lot wrong is there, but better to be proactive than re-active and people should rememeber that, as they is room for improvement. We have a great chance this year and just one or two key additions could really be the difference, on what I've seen so far I believe that to be the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityfan Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 I will get slated but sod it, until we get more drive and quality in the centre of midfield and select players that do there job without being subsidised by other players, poor old Maynard like Trundle before him, will get slaughtered. The answer always seems to be get another striker in, without very little discussion about the midfield. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BS3_RED Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Unfortuantely if City don't adapt to him then he will not fulfill his potential with City which would be greatly dissapointing for club and player. It is far to early to get on the lads back, but it is not early enough to pass comment on the lack of service to the guy. Yet again today we have seen both wide players pushed inside to asssit the central midfield duo, we have agagin seen the midfield then bypassed by and large with hopeful balls up the pitch. Twice today we saw quality crosses from high up the pitch / dead ball line one led to a goal and the secound on or about the 88th min led to a full length save. I will get slated but sod it, until we get more drive and quality in the centre of midfield and select players that do there job without being subsidised by other players, poor old Maynard like Trundle before him, will get slaughtered. The answer always seems to be get another striker in, without very little discussion about the midfield. Wonderful things have been achieved and no doubt will continue to be achieved by the manager and players but this season I think we will approach a cross roads, having to decide how far to we want to go. It would be a desperate shame when we are that closs to realing achieving something special that the clubwill bypass the real requirement to strengthen the centre of midfield. A Ben Watson type player is the order of day, in my opinion. When Maynard starts missing chances from six yards out, then crtisim will be justified, but the way City play at times we need a headless chicken who is prepared to constantly chase lost causes and not the "fox in box" everyone keeps going on about. Great post. You have summed up what i have been saying all day. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
x3widRacin Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 i know its weve just started the season and hes still settling in but what if hes a flop? i think the amount we payed for him was stupid as ive been informed SAHA went to everton for 2mil!I'm not suggesting hes not good I'm just saying he doesnt look what hes made out to be! Difference is, Saha wouldn't have come here, and he's 30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mattyboy83 Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 and also ban this chelsea scum are you city or are you chelsea make your mind up #### off you pleb. Chelsea is the name of my Daughter! Ignorant fool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
East End Lad Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 I thought Maynard ran his socks out yesterday. He wanted to win every ball, and I thought he did brilliantly in the Williams/Wedlock corner when he just wouldnt give up fighting for the ball. Keep the faith - he will score goals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbored Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 Another flop? FFS! Give the lad a chance. City aren't exactly laying tap-ins at his feet are they? Lots of goalscorers go through lean spells. I remember Goater often went 4 or 5 games without scoring but then would bag a brace or a hat-trick.Thorpe was the same. From what I've seen of Maynard I reckon he'll adapt to the CCC.He looks keen and enthusiastic and will start scoring imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Red Head Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 Another flop? FFS! Give the lad a chance. City aren't exactly laying tap-ins at his feet are they? Lots of goalscorers go through lean spells. I remember Goater often went 4 or 5 games without scoring but then would bag a brace or a hat-trick.Thorpe was the same. From what I've seen of Maynard I reckon he'll adapt to the CCC.He looks keen and enthusiastic and will start scoring imo. Can you tell me what you have seen to suggest this - I've been to 3 games and seen the extended highlights at Blackpool and I haven't seen anything that would suggest this at the moment? Doesn't mean he wont make it though. I think Brooker would be the better option to partner Dele in the next game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbored Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 Can you tell me what you have seen to suggest this - I've been to 3 games and seen the extended highlights at Blackpool and I haven't seen anything that would suggest this at the moment? Doesn't mean he wont make it though. I think Brooker would be the better option to partner Dele in the next game. His work rate is very impressive, closes down and harries .He finds space by constantly moving but as yet City aren't creating enough for him.The rebound against Derby tells you what a poacher he is. Last season that chance would have gone begging. At B'pool he missed a sitter but at least he was in the right place to miss it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Red Head Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 His work rate is very impressive, closes down and harries .He finds space by constantly moving but as yet City aren't creating enough for him.The rebound against Derby tells you what a poacher he is. Last season that chance would have gone begging. At B'pool he missed a sitter but at least he was in the right place to miss it... I have to disagree with you. I watched him avidly yesterday. I rarely seen him close down and harass and I didn't think he made any space whatsoevr. I have to admit it didn't help when we played narrow with little or no width on the right in the 1st half. When he did get the ball at feet he lost it more than he laid it. I really hope he improves his all round game, it will become increasingly difficult for GJ to play him with a chomping SB on the bench. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimplyRed Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 Oh dear. It doesn't take long for the knives to come out, does it? The problem we have with Maynard at the moment is not because of Maynard, but because of the way we're playing. Maynard is an opportunist stiker. He's not interested in balls to feet with his back to goal, or long looping crosses into the box. His forte is latching on to through-balls, scoring goals on the ground in the box. He can make space for himself, we just need to provide the ball for him. To do that, we need midfielders who can see those passes and make them. A pass inside the full back or between the centre backs. We have some midfielders who can provide that sort of pass in Johnson and Williams and even Wilson, but so far this season I haven't seen much evidence of it. Too often you see Maynard chasing around the opposition defenders, trying to get a touch of the ball. How many balls did you see yesterday that were put into his path, running forward? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCFC Grim Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 I have to disagree with you. I watched him avidly yesterday. I rarely seen him close down and harass and I didn't think he made any space whatsoevr. I have to admit it didn't help when we played narrow with little or no width on the right in the 1st half. When he did get the ball at feet he lost it more than he laid it. I really hope he improves his all round game, it will become increasingly difficult for GJ to play him with a chomping SB on the bench. I thought he didn't stop doing that yesterday and since he has arrived. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seend Red Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 I thought he didn't stop doing that yesterday and since he has arrived. Your right his work rate isn't in question but after watching him for 4 league matches now I'm starting to wonder but we've got for our 2.25 Million. Of course it's very early and there is no reason why he can't come good but I haven't seen to much as yet to get excited about. If I was Brooker or Trundle I'd be a little miffed he was keeping me out the side. also whats Maynard offering that our very own Tristan Plummer couldn't? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest exon Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 i know its weve just started the season and hes still settling in but what if hes a flop? i think the amount we payed for him was stupid as ive been informed SAHA went to everton for 2mil!I'm not suggesting hes not good I'm just saying he doesnt look what hes made out to be! I agree, paying 2m+ u would expect to get a player thats got more to his game than being in the righ place at the right time .He is to lightweight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tales From The Front Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 The sense of Deja Vu on this thread is worrying....we buy another striker...he gets no service....the striker is crap...buy another striker...it goes on and on and on. Its not that simple I'maffraid and people sooner or later will have to wake up to the fact that it is the service that is the problem not the numerious different players that play up front for the City. One forum member went to a lot of trouble to put a graph together in support of the creativity of the midfield. But for me it changes nothing, those statistics were based on a team that scored fewer goals than teams that got relagated last season. It was team ethic organisation, a fantastic defence and a premier league goal keeper that was the main reason behind our success. The lack of goals and creativity from midfield will increasingly bite as points are dropped that should have been taken. Don't get me wrong this team will without question finish half way, may be push for the play offs again but if we are serious about top two then the centre of midfield will need to be sorted sooner or later. Continualy balming the strikers surely has only got so much more milage, unless you want to see a long ball apporach then Maynard is not and never was the man for the job. So give the lad some slack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tales From The Front Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 Oh dear. It doesn't take long for the knives to come out, does it? The problem we have with Maynard at the moment is not because of Maynard, but because of the way we're playing. Maynard is an opportunist stiker. He's not interested in balls to feet with his back to goal, or long looping crosses into the box. His forte is latching on to through-balls, scoring goals on the ground in the box. He can make space for himself, we just need to provide the ball for him. To do that, we need midfielders who can see those passes and make them. A pass inside the full back or between the centre backs. We have some midfielders who can provide that sort of pass in Johnson and Williams and even Wilson, but so far this season I haven't seen much evidence of it. Too often you see Maynard chasing around the opposition defenders, trying to get a touch of the ball. How many balls did you see yesterday that were put into his path, running forward? The point is I don't think we have the midfielders that can do that, our midfielders are happy to sit in front of the back for and pass the ball side ways and backwards, there is just no drive, we were happy passing the ball in front of QPR yesterday. Playing 10 men is often not easy but it was made so much easier for them buy are narrow and slow approach. Maynard wants the ball slid in to his feet or rolled passed him (on the ground) to run on to, the fact is our midfield are often so far away from the forwards, the ball just goes long and that is no use to Maynard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bh_red Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 Jevons, Trundle, Maynard......all forwards that have been signed by GJ on the back of being good goal scorers at previous clubs.......none of them have created that sort of form at City (obviously though it's far too early to judge Maynard) so what's the problem??? the forwards? or the midfield and the lack of service? all 3 of these players have been slated in their times at City and all 3 have been defended by some as people feel they don't/didn't get enough service..... personally........I have to look at the midfield as being the problem, there is no doubting the abilities of Elliott and McIndoe has top quality players for this division, on right wing we have seen many options Murray, Betsy, Wilson, Sproule and now Williams......and yet in central midfield we have seen LJ for majority of the time and VERY briefly Nick Carle....personally I'd like us to sign a creative central midfielder who's actually capable of creating chances and through balls for the forwards.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunley Legend Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 Can you tell me what you have seen to suggest this - I've been to 3 games and seen the extended highlights at Blackpool and I haven't seen anything that would suggest this at the moment? Doesn't mean he wont make it though. I think Brooker would be the better option to partner Dele in the next game. The partnership change I would like to see made in the longer term is Skuse and Johnson replaced by Elliott and Williams. Elliott is a better player than Skuse - end of. And Williams on a couple of occasions yesterday gave us something I feel we are lacking when teams put nine or ten men behind the ball and that is the ability to run with the ball and the ability to play a forward pass into a dangerous area. It was Williams who set up the chance for Adebola when Cerny pulled off a top drawer save and it was Williams who dribbled through their midfield line, played a one-two and spolit the approach work with a mediocre shot comfortably saved. Unfortunately as much as Lee Johnson keeps the ball moving quickly, which I think is useful when playing on the counter away from home, he does not seem to be able to provide the killer forward pass that Maynard in particular will need to function effectively and it is very rare that you see him driving at the opposition centre half with ball at feet giving himself the option to either shoot or play someone else in. My opinion is that our success is now starting to catch up with us and that teams, now realising that we are not the mugs that the London media would like everyone to believe, are starting to adopt a more cautious approach when visiting Ashton Gate. QPR's management team celebrated at the end like they had won promotion. A point at Ashton Gate is becoming a sought after commodity whereas last season teams were looking for all three points, were more open, and were more often than not on the wrong end of a result. We used to complain about the opposition sticking men behind the ball in League 1 - well now it is starting to happen in the Championship and we need to find that extra creative spark to beat these tactics. Skuse and Johnson, for all of their endeavour, do not possess that little bit extra that we are going to require in home matches this season if we are to finish in a similar or better position to last season. We clearly have a team to be proud of and yesterday's result was certainly no disaster but if we are really serious about making the next step then we need to acknowledge that it was a lack of cutting edge quality that was our slight downfall yesterday and could well be over a whole season and not lack of workrate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunley Legend Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 I agree, paying 2m+ u would expect to get a player thats got more to his game than being in the righ place at the right time .He is to lightweight. What the hell are you going on about? £2 million may be a lot to us as a club but it is absolutely f00k all in the grand scheme of things. Whilst we will expect some sort of a return from Maynard he is clearly not the finished article and for the amount we paid I didn't expect him to be. If he was he would have gone to the Premier League for about £8 million. The lad will get better as the season goes on - I have no doubt about that. And this improvement will occur gradually at the same rate that the service in to him from our slightly mis-firing midfield department improves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samo Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 The partnership change I would like to see made in the longer term is Skuse and Johnson replaced by Elliott and Williams. Elliott is a better player than Skuse - end of. And Williams on a couple of occasions yesterday gave us something I feel we are lacking when teams put nine or ten men behind the ball and that is the ability to run with the ball and the ability to play a forward pass into a dangerous area. It was Williams who set up the chance for Adebola when Cerny pulled off a top drawer save and it was Williams who dribbled through their midfield line, played a one-two and spolit the approach work with a mediocre shot comfortably saved. Unfortunately as much as Lee Johnson keeps the ball moving quickly, which I think is useful when playing on the counter away from home, he does not seem to be able to provide the killer forward pass that Maynard in particular will need to function effectively and it is very rare that you see him driving at the opposition centre half with ball at feet giving himself the option to either shoot or play someone else in. My opinion is that our success is now starting to catch up with us and that teams, now realising that we are not the mugs that the London media would like everyone to believe, are starting to adopt a more cautious approach when visiting Ashton Gate. QPR's management team celebrated at the end like they had won promotion. A point at Ashton Gate is becoming a sought after commodity whereas last season teams were looking for all three points, were more open, and were more often than not on the wrong end of a result. We used to complain about the opposition sticking men behind the ball in League 1 - well now it is starting to happen in the Championship and we need to find that extra creative spark to beat these tactics. Skuse and Johnson, for all of their endeavour, do not possess that little bit extra that we are going to require in home matches this season if we are to finish in a similar or better position to last season. We clearly have a team to be proud of and yesterday's result was certainly no disaster but if we are really serious about making the next step then we need to acknowledge that it was a lack of cutting edge quality that was our slight downfall yesterday and could well be over a whole season and not lack of workrate. Although I realise that GJ played Williams on the right at Yeovil my best mate is an Ipswich Town fan and has always sworn blind that he played better through the centre for them. Personally I don't have any frame of reference (I don't remember him at Yeovil and didn't watch him for Ipswich) but I trust my friend's judgement and perhaps we might see more of Williams through the middle at some stage this season. I struggle to see Noble getting into the team right now, not because he is untalented or even because of his fitness (whatever state it is) but because we have three strikers competing for a first 11 place who have scored 6 goals in 6 games this season between them. Last year we needed a re-rig to find our scoring touch and Noble in the hole offered this. I think Gj does not see Nobes playing in the side unless e is behind a lone frontman and, unlike this time last year, we've got enough strikers to play two up top. I certainly think we are experiencing more resistance from teams who last year were happy to 'play football' with us, and it is telling we've got two away wins and two home draws. We are likely seeing a bigger reaction to this because the majority do not see our away showings and are not happy that we are not winning at home. We do need another player who can fill that central position but I'm not convinced that yesterday's game is the best way to judge exactly what we need. The situation was quite specific with QPR down to 10 men and clearly out for a point. People name drop the likes of Ben Watson and Brian Howard but I struggle to see us either being able to pay the money their clubs would want (if they'd even be happy to sell their tars to a rival) or match the ambition of these two (Howard has a bad rep i.e. ego too, so I'd be amazed if he passed 'the interview'). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tin Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 The bottom line is if he isn't getting the supply he won't score goals. We simply don't have a creative midfielder in open play who can/will thread a throughball for him to run on to and we don't have direct wingers who are going to create the chances he thrives on. Somebody like a young Alex Russell would've been an ideal foil for him. He's a goalscorer but if he ain't getting chances he won't score. Simple as. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityfan Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 I've posted on plenty of other threads that I would like to see Wilson in centre midfield with Elliott. Wilson is strong, fast, has stamina, gets all over the pitch and can link up play well. Strikes a good ball and can run at defenders. This wou;ld work for me most definitely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nedbcfc Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 I've posted on plenty of other threads that I would like to see Wilson in centre midfield with Elliott. Wilson is strong, fast, has stamina, gets all over the pitch and can link up play well. Strikes a good ball and can run at defenders. This wou;ld work for me most definitely wilson was in centre midfield yesterday for about 15 minutes, and yet you could see a massive difference when williams was put inside, when sproule came on. unfortunately he hasn't got that creative side in him, in terms of being a "playmaker" all these qualites you have named just prove he should stay on the right, because he is doing a brilliant job there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristol bell boy Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 Maynard plays off the shoulder of the last defender and unless our midfield play the ball inside the defender for maynard to run into space he is going to find it very difficult to score goals. LJ tends to play the ball to feet with back to goal or plays it wide for crosses that suit our big man. When our midfielders learn to play the ball into space beyond the last defender Maynard will start scoring goals and look like the 2 million+ player he is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lack of Action Man Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 I remember in the 06/07 I said to my mate that Maynard looked like one of the most promising footballers around. I still think that he was and is a quality signing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Red Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 Another flop? FFS! Give the lad a chance. City aren't exactly laying tap-ins at his feet are they? Lots of goalscorers go through lean spells. I remember Goater often went 4 or 5 games without scoring but then would bag a brace or a hat-trick.Thorpe was the same. From what I've seen of Maynard I reckon he'll adapt to the CCC.He looks keen and enthusiastic and will start scoring imo. Lita also. In that season where he scored loads for us he went on a couple of runs of 6 or 7 games without a goal. I don't recall many on here saying he was useless. A few people at least seem to be realising that, just maybe, the lack of goals isn't down to our strikers, all of whom are good players who will take the chances when given them, but instead due to our woefully impotent midfield, who are incapable of creating chances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lack of Action Man Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 Lita also. In that season where he scored loads for us he went on a couple of runs of 6 or 7 games without a goal. I don't recall many on here saying he was useless. A few people at least seem to be realising that, just maybe, the lack of goals isn't down to our strikers, all of whom are good players who will take the chances when given them, but instead due to our woefully impotent midfield, who are incapable of creating chances. You raise a good point Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest red23 Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 i know its weve just started the season and hes still settling in but what if hes a flop? i think the amount we payed for him was stupid as ive been informed SAHA went to everton for 2mil!I'm not suggesting hes not good I'm just saying he doesnt look what hes made out to be! I have no idea why I'm replying to this...what a 'effin stupid post...always believe my ar53. How can you question a player after 5 games..especially after a goal and several very good chances? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest terjon Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 Maynard will shut the doubters up very soon...........football supporters are fickle.........they exspect him to score everytime he plays... Just to help the doubters think......these people have not scored this season Adabayor, R keane Rooney Tevez crouch 1 goal so far maynard torres gerrard lampard need i say any more, or are all these guys crap............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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