Promotion Watch

[Yellow Fever]

Watched the whole of the Reading vs Wolves match today, and it followed the second half scenario as well, with 1-0 at HT turning into a 3-3 result. Wolves came to play it tight and not take chances, but were gifted two goals by Reading after the break, and then Wolves gifted two goals to Reading. The defending was very poor on both sides. It made me realize how much difference the pace and high tempo passing of our players makes as this often seemed in slow motion by comparison. Reading will struggle to make the play-offs on this performance. Wolves are slightly more of a threat, but not to the top two places, IMO. Two points gained off both this week-end with our away win and things are looking good with two home matches coming up before the international break.

 

[eatonparkboy]

I don't agree about fatigue. The performance of the players does have something to do with the opposition also. And I remark on this without having seen Saturdays game.

Blackpool have a squad far smaller in terms of those capable of playing at this level. They probably can't even put 14 out at the level required. And the I believe 8 or 9 of their team have played all their games. So if any performance on Saturday less than what was expected was down to fatigue then it should have been the Blackpool players, used to getting turned over this season, rather than Norwich players who ought to be finding extra based on success and adrenaline alone. Lionel Messi does not get rotated.

 

[Robert Brompton]

We all, including neutral observers, concluded after Shrewsbury, that the first team of about 13/14 players are much better than the rest. This could be due to the transplanting of virtually an entire team, leaving each of them unfamiliar with each other, or perhaps there is a gulf in quality until everybody is fully fit. If it is the former case, then Adams needs to introduce one or two second team players on regular basis.

The reality is that several of the team at Shrewsbury have had quite a few run-outs, not always for full games but they have featured quite a bit. Whittaker, Garrido, Bennett, Lafferty, O'Neill, Murphy have seen a fair bit of game time and Howson and Hooper are likely to start featuring more over the next few weeks. I think to suggest that we have a top 13/14 is off the mark. There is a big difference between coming into a well functioning unit as we currently have and playing with a group who have not played together very much (as was the situation at Shrewsbury). I would say that we have at least 8 players who if they had to slot into a place amongst the current first team would do perfectly well. Lack of match fitness could become a factor but I think circumstances and form might drive some rotation over the next few weeks.

 

[morty]

After another game of poorer first half performance followed by an exhilarating second half, perhaps promotion may come to depend on the ability of the management to do something about the disappointing first half performances. The clubs to be promoted will need consistency, as well as skill.

We all, including neutral observers, concluded after Shrewsbury, that the first team of about 13/14 players are much better than the rest. This could be due to the transplanting of virtually an entire team, leaving each of them unfamiliar with each other, or perhaps there is a gulf in quality until everybody is fully fit. If it is the former case, then Adams needs to introduce one or two second team players on regular basis.

The pundits generally reckon that we have a large and generally impressive squad. We need to improve consistency and deploy of all the squad over a period, to increase our chances even more.

I think for me though, Neil's comment sums it up pretty well. Yes its a bad habit conceding sloppy goals, but its the result after 90 minutes that counts. 

It must be a nightmare managing a squad when you effectively have no reserve league, having to play the odd overage player in the U21 fixtures is nonsense, it must be difficult trying to keep up the fringe players' match fitness.

 

[Yellow Fever]

I think for me though, Neil's comment sums it up pretty well. Yes its a bad habit conceding sloppy goals, but its the result after 90 minutes that counts. 

It must be a nightmare managing a squad when you effectively have no reserve league, having to play the odd overage player in the U21 fixtures is nonsense, it must be difficult trying to keep up the fringe players' match fitness.

The lack of a reserve league annoys me as well. Couldn't City arrange occasional 'friendly' reserve matches to complement the U21 schedule?

 

[morty]

The lack of a reserve league annoys me as well. Couldn't City arrange occasional 'friendly' reserve matches to complement the U21 schedule?

I would like to think that, if they deem it necessary, it wouldn't be too difficult to arrange. That said, geographical issues are never on our side, other than that lot down the road, there really aren't too many reserve sides that would give us a decent workout, within reasonable distance.

I used to like going to the reserve games too, if a new player, or one coming back to fitness, was playing.

 

[eatonparkboy]

I think you will find cost is the main reason for the lack of reserve football. But of course, reserve football, and was organised into proper leagues many years back, was about half a dozen first teamers and the rest were local lads too good for the A team. I'm afraid its just another casualty of the modern game.

 

[It's Character Forming]

Having been to the Shrewsbury game, I wouldn't use it to judge most of the players on display there.  It was clear many of them were lacking in fitness and you could see a lack of motivation which I think came from the feeling they should be able to defeat a lower league side like Shrewsbury without having to go all out.  Plus of course Shrews going all out for it and the lack of any practice playing together as a team - I wonder how many of the starting lineup for that game had played in the same starting 11 before?  My guess is that it would just be a handful.

This for me explains many cup victories by lower league sides in recent years against second string higher league sides.

 

[Yellow Fever]

After the Charlton and Rotherham games, it's easy to think that this sort of form could go on for the whole season. Having seen the highlights now, I'm certain that they won't. We're top of the league still, and have, IMO, the greatest potential for improvement with Howson and Lafferty back, the further improvement of our younger players and Hooper and Odjidja-Ofoe still to come. We also have the greatest potential to spend in January if there's a need to, so much to be confident about.