Papering over the cracks?

Look at all those cracks we need to paper over.

Fourth highest goalscorers- crack
Undefeated - split
Second in the table - chasm

Not only that, most of our points have been gained from sides in the top half of the table. It's getting like the Grand Canyon. I'm off to buy shares in a paper mill.
 
The having played the sides in the top half of the table could be a red herring though. We’ve always struggled to break defensive minded sides down. Whatever division we are in.

We haven’t clicked as an attacking side yet, so those sides could well prove tricky.
 
I'm revving up for it.

To be honest, although I celebrated the goal like a drunk teenager in the South End in 1978 in my living room, I am still struggling to muster serious enthusiasm.
The feed being about a minute behind goal notifications elsewhere rather spoiled it. But yes it's hard to get quite as enthusiastic being just an armchair fan.
 
A fans site that’s readable on a mobile without advertising all over it. Lovely.

the advertising is ridiculous on this site, never have that couple of seconds delay after returning to main forum page on another other site. who designed that is either incompetent or its deliberate to get people to accidentally click the advert when the page re-alligns itself. I'm running an S9+ which should be more than enough to deal with any normal sites.
 
On the more general point that Waz makes, I think we're going to have to get used to the football being a little less gung-ho than Eddie's style (his last year or so notwithstanding). From what we've seen so far Tindall wants to strike a different balance. That means games might be less open and entertaining.

It also means we have to take chances when they come because the chances are fewer. That's something we need to polish up a bit.
 
First half I thought 'bloody ell Brizzle are pressing everything, I wonder if it'll open up as they tire second half'. It did.

Alot of these teams are sent out to go at us. So far our back 3 and Begovic have been outstanding. Also can't fault centre midfield too much either. Just need to get whip some early balls into the box occasionally. And train our strikers to get on the end of them and not mistime their runs.
 
That is the key difference, three times his quality has won tight games.

Up front we have that extra quality generally. Solanke frustrates me, but has laid off perfectly weighted balls that led to 3 key goals. Brooks in the one half he really played this season, produced a number of 1 2s before unleashing a shot that was unbelievably saved. If and when he is back, he should tear it up at this level. King is getting back to match fitness. Stan was poor last jight, but unlocks defences for fun, after a run of a few games etc etc

In summary, we will always have hope in 0-0 games, that someone will produce the extra quality that makes the difference, often it will be 2/3 players suddenly clicking to create the chance.

With a solid defence (and by the way well done Begovic (humble pie from me)), we will generally be in most games, to allow that to happen.

We all know, in any league that is the foundation to success.

We have also played a harder set of fixtures than most, so to be unbeaten, is pretty impressive.

agree. look pretty robust defensively and quality going forwards beyond what most other sides have at this level.

early days under new management, new formation etc, can only see us getting stronger.

most of our home games will involve sides lining up defensively and I'm confident that our flair players like Danjuma, Stanislas and Brooks have more than enough about them to ensure we come away with 3 points more often than not.

sides will press and gaps will appear as the game goes on and thats when the players above will make the difference.
 
Look at all those cracks we need to paper over.

Fourth highest goalscorers- crack
Undefeated - split
Second in the table - chasm

Not only that, most of our points have been gained from sides in the top half of the table. It's getting like the Grand Canyon. I'm off to buy shares in a paper mill.

Damn, just got back from Aldi's in Somerford and noticed that Shand Kydd have gone. Would have been handy if anymore cracks/wins appear
: )
 
Derby and Sheff Weds next, this could turn into 10 games unbeaten pretty quickly
These two games will give JT a chance to show that we've finally beaten the habit of playing well against the top teams and then failing to turn up for the games which, on paper, we should comfortably win.
If we can get a convincing six points in the next two games ( Birmingham after that looks doable too ) then I will start to feel more comfortable about our chances of a serious promotion challenge.

We have a recent history of being consistently inconsistent so I would like us to take these opportunities to demonstrate that this is no longer the case ! In this league the top teams tend to end up very close together at the end of the season so we really can't afford to be dropping points unnecessarily.

:utc:
 
A fans site that’s readable on a mobile without advertising all over it. Lovely.
Very interesting to read opposition fans’ forums, gives you a quite different perspective. Plenty of praise from both Bristol C and Watford fans this week, comments on the quality of our play and the depth of our squad. Not many can bring on a Dutch international with 15 mins to go to score the winner. Sometimes I don’t think we realise how lucky we are. We’re also more critical of our own than others. I find it odd.
 
I make it that we have been ahead in games for 242 minutes and behind only once, for 78 minutes at Watford.

(I haven’t counted additional time)
 
Very interesting to read opposition fans’ forums, gives you a quite different perspective. Plenty of praise from both Bristol C and Watford fans this week, comments on the quality of our play and the depth of our squad. Not many can bring on a Dutch international with 15 mins to go to score the winner. Sometimes I don’t think we realise how lucky we are. We’re also more critical of our own than others. I find it odd.

Yes, it was so important to start well. The football hasn’t been great, but it would have been much worse had we tried to play beautiful football and picked up fewer points. This start has exceeded my expectations.

There have been moments of good passing and chances. It will get better. A settled midfield would help, with Lerma at its base.
 
Watched Sky Sports News for the updates and Glen Murray was watching our game. Several times he mentioned Solanke and the good link up stuff he was doing. If he can keep doing that and add a few goals I'll be happy. Also comment was made as to why BC had kept 2 of their better players on the bench until the last few minutes. Good to see JT made our sub with enough time for Arnie to make an impact. I'm happy so far.
 
What's pleasing to see for me is that JT clearly has a way he wants us to be playing, and is able to motivate the players to turn poor performances around. Second half was completely different, like he said in his post-match interview, we were getting Kelly & Mepham higher up the pitch and then the pressure began to take on BC; and then we won. I still have doubts over 3 at the back but it's pretty clear to see that JT knows what he's doing, has his own tactical identity and what he wants to be seeing from the team with regards to specific passages of play.

I think having Lerma and Brooks in the team at full capacity will see us be more clinical from midfield, and more easily able to create actual goalscoring chances.
 
For me it’s the finding the clinical side that weirdly we are lacking . Once that comes in games we will look like Brazil .
The rotation of a lot of the squad is key with the amount of games we have to play but I think the mentality we seem to have to want to play for each other is great see .
JT being able to motivate a team a half time is a great thing aswell .
 
I wouldn't underestimate the effect that Grahame Jones is having either,maybe a new voice from outside is what a few of the players needed..
 

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