BFTG Bristol

[URZZZZ]

I’m not convinced.

No fair enough, none bar Meite have played well for us. But the other 3 (plus Boye who I seem to always forget) have track records whilst Loader has been lauded for a while. They are a lot better than what they are showing imo

And you can see why. Chopping and changing, not playing to strengths. Why would you play Joao/Puscas up front without wingers? Defies logic. Meite similar - tbf he has done ok this season but it seems in spite of the system. As I’ve bored on about before - the one striker who seems genuinely to suit the system - Baldock - seems to have been binned entirely

The lack of wingers is ridiculous. Playing wing backs is not an adequate alternative. We concede so many goals from our flanks and score so few from them.

How many goals have we conceded from crosses or between the FB and CB? Ridiculous

I’d bring Blackett in as LB next game. He’s not great at defending but he’s the best offensively at crossing IMO

[NewCorkSeth]

I’m not convinced.

No fair enough, none bar Meite have played well for us. But the other 3 (plus Boye who I seem to always forget) have track records whilst Loader has been lauded for a while. They are a lot better than what they are showing imo

And you can see why. Chopping and changing, not playing to strengths. Why would you play Joao/Puscas up front without wingers? Defies logic. Meite similar - tbf he has done ok this season but it seems in spite of the system. As I’ve bored on about before - the one striker who seems genuinely to suit the system - Baldock - seems to have been binned entirely

The lack of wingers is ridiculous. Playing wing backs is not an adequate alternative. We concede so many goals from our flanks and score so few from them.

I get the frustration but there are so many teams who thrive without wingers. We cant because our defensive set up is so poor. We simply dont pressure the person on the ball enough. Our moments of true football have come after we have conceded which suggests to me Gomes is a good analyser of football but a poor tactician.

We must, if continuing with a back 3, increase of closing down efforts. Currently we dedicate too many men too either counter attacking or covering dead space.

For me it is incredibly interesting that our second half resurgences have exclusively come from an increase in closing down/pressure. We have the personnel to bamboozle opposition (despite how slow we are to counter attack the majority of the time) with our ability on the ball (barring Boye who does 1 good movement out of 20) but our ability to over commit men forward defeats that purpose.

Somehow we are currently playing to both our strength and our weakness. I don't agree with URZZZZ that a system cannot work with 2 attacking CMs, but our inability to organise a defensive line (particularly in midfield) has proven to be our downfall consistently.

We need a change. Whether Gomes can offer that change I dont know. But I have given up hope.

[Snowball]

It’s getting tedious now. Concede an early goal and then don’t have the ability to break them down. And I’m getting tired of it. Where was this “2 points per game” we were looking to achieve? We haven’t even achieved that in 6 now. It’s nothing short of a disgrace

Came back from 2-0 to 2-1 HULL
Came back from 1-0 to 1-1 WYCOMBE
Came back from 1-0 to 1-1 PLYMOUTH
Came back from 2-1 to 2-2 then 2-4 PLYMOUTH
Came back from 1-0 to 1-1 WOLVES
Came back from 1-0 to 1-1 SWANSEA

Pummelled for 25 minutes at WBA, led, drew at the death
Pummelled at Huddersfield, came back to win 0-2


But apart from those seven games (and Bristol) we have shown no fight-back

[URZZZZ]

It’s getting tedious now. Concede an early goal and then don’t have the ability to break them down. And I’m getting tired of it. Where was this “2 points per game” we were looking to achieve? We haven’t even achieved that in 6 now. It’s nothing short of a disgrace

Came back from 2-0 to 2-1 HULL
Came back from 1-0 to 1-1 WYCOMBE
Came back from 1-0 to 1-1 PLYMOUTH
Came back from 2-1 to 2-2 then 2-4 PLYMOUTH
Came back from 1-0 to 1-1 WOLVES
Came back from 1-0 to 1-1 SWANSEA

Pummelled for 25 minutes at WBA, led, drew at the death
Pummelled at Huddersfield, came back to win 0-2


But apart from those seven games (and Bristol) we have shown no fight-back

Except we’ve got one point in the league from losing positions having conceded first eight times which is quite frankly an awful record. Keep on dreaming

[URZZZZ]

No fair enough, none bar Meite have played well for us. But the other 3 (plus Boye who I seem to always forget) have track records whilst Loader has been lauded for a while. They are a lot better than what they are showing imo

And you can see why. Chopping and changing, not playing to strengths. Why would you play Joao/Puscas up front without wingers? Defies logic. Meite similar - tbf he has done ok this season but it seems in spite of the system. As I’ve bored on about before - the one striker who seems genuinely to suit the system - Baldock - seems to have been binned entirely

The lack of wingers is ridiculous. Playing wing backs is not an adequate alternative. We concede so many goals from our flanks and score so few from them.

I get the frustration but there are so many teams who thrive without wingers. We cant because our defensive set up is so poor. We simply dont pressure the person on the ball enough. Our moments of true football have come after we have conceded which suggests to me Gomes is a good analyser of football but a poor tactician.

We must, if continuing with a back 3, increase of closing down efforts. Currently we dedicate too many men too either counter attacking or covering dead space.

For me it is incredibly interesting that our second half resurgences have exclusively come from an increase in closing down/pressure. We have the personnel to bamboozle opposition (despite how slow we are to counter attack the majority of the time) with our ability on the ball (barring Boye who does 1 good movement out of 20) but our ability to over commit men forward defeats that purpose.

Somehow we are currently playing to both our strength and our weakness. I don't agree with URZZZZ that a system cannot work with 2 attacking CMs, but our inability to organise a defensive line (particularly in midfield) has proven to be our downfall consistently.

We need a change. Whether Gomes can offer that change I dont know. But I have given up hope.

A system may work with two attacking midfielders with disciplined fullbacks or a very good CDM. Rino isn’t a defensive midfielder and Pele is bang average (George Evans MK II?). Our fullbacks spend the whole game in attack (whilst not actually contributing in attack ironically). Therefore to counteract this, we can’t play both Swift and Ejaria in a 3 man midfield

[Crowbar6753]

Time for a change of system please, 4-3-3 for me with Puscas as the out an out striker and Boye and Meite playing as inside forwards. Three in the middle with Rinhomota as the deeper of the three, and a traditional back four. i know that confidence must be low at the moment, but we must play at a higher tempo, our play is slow and predictable at the moment.

So something like:


Rafael
Yiadom Miazga Moore Obita


Ejaria Rhinomota Swift

Meite Puscas Boye

Really cant be any worse than playing five at the back.

[NewCorkSeth]

The lack of wingers is ridiculous. Playing wing backs is not an adequate alternative. We concede so many goals from our flanks and score so few from them.

I get the frustration but there are so many teams who thrive without wingers. We cant because our defensive set up is so poor. We simply dont pressure the person on the ball enough. Our moments of true football have come after we have conceded which suggests to me Gomes is a good analyser of football but a poor tactician.

We must, if continuing with a back 3, increase of closing down efforts. Currently we dedicate too many men too either counter attacking or covering dead space.

For me it is incredibly interesting that our second half resurgences have exclusively come from an increase in closing down/pressure. We have the personnel to bamboozle opposition (despite how slow we are to counter attack the majority of the time) with our ability on the ball (barring Boye who does 1 good movement out of 20) but our ability to over commit men forward defeats that purpose.

Somehow we are currently playing to both our strength and our weakness. I don't agree with URZZZZ that a system cannot work with 2 attacking CMs, but our inability to organise a defensive line (particularly in midfield) has proven to be our downfall consistently.

We need a change. Whether Gomes can offer that change I dont know. But I have given up hope.

A system may work with two attacking midfielders with disciplined fullbacks or a very good CDM. Rino isn’t a defensive midfielder and Pele is bang average (George Evans MK II?). Our fullbacks spend the whole game in attack (whilst not actually contributing in attack ironically). Therefore to counteract this, we can’t play both Swift and Ejaria in a 3 man midfield

Sorry. I may have misrepresented you there. The system can work (Barcelona with Xavi and Iniesta with Busquets behind being the most obvious) but it cant with us. I suggested (only half sarcastically) that our best bet, in terms of a balance of creativity and defensive fortitude, would come with a Brazilian 4-2-2-2.

With Rinomhota and Pele in the joint DM roles and Swift and Ekaria as our creative points, we may have a chance at balancing that ever so tricky problem we currently have.

Edit: Also I have been saying for a few weeks Pele is a poor mans Evans. I am shocked he is 29. He plays like a 20 year old. Speaks volumes about the Portuguese leagues.

[Zip]

Time for a change of system please, 4-3-3 for me with Puscas as the out an out striker and Boye and Meite playing as inside forwards. Three in the middle with Rinhomota as the deeper of the three, and a traditional back four. i know that confidence must be low at the moment, but we must play at a higher tempo, our play is slow and predictable at the moment.

So something like:


Rafael
Yiadom Miazga Moore Obita


Ejaria Rhinomota Swift

Meite Puscas Boye

Really cant be any worse than playing five at the back.

I just don’t think that midfield three offer enough protection for our back four.

[Bigtimmeh]

I agree change due. I think 4-3-3 could lead to us being overrun in midfield. 4-2-2-2 perhaps slightly better but not convinced we have the 2 DMs required for that to work..either is worth a go. You have to adapt to survive. 5 at the back worked well to begin with but everyone knows about it now..

[URZZZZ]

I get the frustration but there are so many teams who thrive without wingers. We cant because our defensive set up is so poor. We simply dont pressure the person on the ball enough. Our moments of true football have come after we have conceded which suggests to me Gomes is a good analyser of football but a poor tactician.

We must, if continuing with a back 3, increase of closing down efforts. Currently we dedicate too many men too either counter attacking or covering dead space.

For me it is incredibly interesting that our second half resurgences have exclusively come from an increase in closing down/pressure. We have the personnel to bamboozle opposition (despite how slow we are to counter attack the majority of the time) with our ability on the ball (barring Boye who does 1 good movement out of 20) but our ability to over commit men forward defeats that purpose.

Somehow we are currently playing to both our strength and our weakness. I don't agree with URZZZZ that a system cannot work with 2 attacking CMs, but our inability to organise a defensive line (particularly in midfield) has proven to be our downfall consistently.

We need a change. Whether Gomes can offer that change I dont know. But I have given up hope.

A system may work with two attacking midfielders with disciplined fullbacks or a very good CDM. Rino isn’t a defensive midfielder and Pele is bang average (George Evans MK II?). Our fullbacks spend the whole game in attack (whilst not actually contributing in attack ironically). Therefore to counteract this, we can’t play both Swift and Ejaria in a 3 man midfield

Sorry. I may have misrepresented you there. The system can work (Barcelona with Xavi and Iniesta with Busquets behind being the most obvious) but it cant with us. I suggested (only half sarcastically) that our best bet, in terms of a balance of creativity and defensive fortitude, would come with a Brazilian 4-2-2-2.

With Rinomhota and Pele in the joint DM roles and Swift and Ekaria as our creative points, we may have a chance at balancing that ever so tricky problem we currently have.

Edit: Also I have been saying for a few weeks Pele is a poor mans Evans. I am shocked he is 29. He plays like a 20 year old. Speaks volumes about the Portuguese leagues.

He plays like a 35 year old. It takes him so long to move the ball on. Easy way to judge a player is former fans’ view. Warning signs were there when Forest didn’t rate Pele

[krapmle]

Speaks volumes about the Portuguese leagues.

Equates roughly to the north berks league

[Notts Royal]

Maybe

But the potential is there

We have some skilful players but are very naive. We really lack technical ability upfront.

I’m not accepting Loader, Joao, Meite, Puscas and Baldock are not good players who would thrive in the right environment and set up

Maybe the issue is not their technical ability - maybe it’s their lack of communication/cohesion with each other? Baldock is the least technically gifted...but he could well unlock the potential in one of the others? Remember Noel Hunt...our other strikers loved playing next to him as he did the donkey work for them. Baldock could be a very useful player for us. Joao clearly seems to lack the necessary attitude to be a top player. Meite has a real ego about him but at least busts a gut for the club - he does love to be loved by the fans. Puscas probably thinks he’s better than the club, but I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. Loader - who cares anymore.

We signed too many players once again rather than carefully selecting the right types of players to fit the club/system

[WestRoyal]

I’m not accepting Loader, Joao, Meite, Puscas and Baldock are not good players who would thrive in the right environment and set up

I’m not convinced.

No fair enough, none bar Meite have played well for us. But the other 3 (plus Boye who I seem to always forget) have track records whilst Loader has been lauded for a while. They are a lot better than what they are showing imo

And you can see why. Chopping and changing, not playing to strengths. Why would you play Joao/Puscas up front without wingers? Defies logic. Meite similar - tbf he has done ok this season but it seems in spite of the system. As I’ve bored on about before - the one striker who seems genuinely to suit the system - Baldock - seems to have been binned entirely

And there is your answer. Those two plus meite thrive on crosses. When goals start coming it will lift the whole team.

[Denver Royal]

I have been saying for a few weeks Pele is a poor mans Evans.

Keep hearing about Evans...who some couldn’t wait to run out of here quick enough?
Re. Pele, if he can contribute then fine, only here on a one season loan anyway.

[Carlos]

Amazed by the Ejaria hatred on this board. Who laid it on a plate with a lovely pass for puscas to fluff his lines? Who constantly second half ran with the ball through the midfield trying to take the game by the scruff of the neck. He's our only creative midfielder bar a very inconsistent swift, he could quite simply walk into any championship team and yet you lot class him as a ponderously average midfielder. Would love to know who you'd prefer to be in that midfield if he was that bad day...

[URZZZZ]

Amazed by the Ejaria hatred on this board. Who laid it on a plate with a lovely pass for puscas to fluff his lines? Who constantly second half ran with the ball through the midfield trying to take the game by the scruff of the neck. He's our only creative midfielder bar a very inconsistent swift, he could quite simply walk into any championship team and yet you lot class him as a ponderously average midfielder. Would love to know who you'd prefer to be in that midfield if he was that bad day...

Agreed it was a great pass by Ejaria. But how many assists does he have this season? How many does Swift have? Ejaria, as a CAM simply isn’t good enough

[Snowflake Royal]

Broadly the right XI. Wrong tactics as usual.

Gomes 2

Cabral - 6 not doing a lot to save games, but also not doing a lot wrong

Yiadom - 3 brain dead. Doesn't cross, doesn't mark, doesn't get goal side, isn't as good as he thinks.
Richards - 6 decent effort but not his best game. Cross more please.

Miazga - 5 awful for the goal, but better after
Morrison - 6 fine
Moore - 6 clearly not a midfielder, but did what asked and not a calamity for a change

Pele - 5 slow and cumbersome
Rino - 7 best midfielder
Ejaria - 6 you don't have to turn twice. Every. Single. Time. Play quicker ball.

Puscas - 5 bounced off him a lot and missed a tough chance. Also blazed over stupidly.
Meite - 7 threatened them a lot and had a couple of semi chances. Moore got the better of him first half but more joy second

Boye - 6 plays too intricate and fancy, but best effort of the game
Barrett - 6 actually looks to play the ball early and cross.
Joao - 5 barely involved except to challenge Liam for the goal mouth scramble.

Ref - 7 pretty good display. Didn't miss a lot, pretty fair and balanced.

fair assessment Ian....but how many have you had? Yiadom “brain dead” disgusting

Less than you obviously.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Broadly the right XI. Wrong tactics as usual.

Gomes 2

Cabral - 6 not doing a lot to save games, but also not doing a lot wrong

Yiadom - 3 brain dead. Doesn't cross, doesn't mark, doesn't get goal side, isn't as good as he thinks.
Richards - 6 decent effort but not his best game. Cross more please.

Miazga - 5 awful for the goal, but better after
Morrison - 6 fine
Moore - 6 clearly not a midfielder, but did what asked and not a calamity for a change

Pele - 5 slow and cumbersome
Rino - 7 best midfielder
Ejaria - 6 you don't have to turn twice. Every. Single. Time. Play quicker ball.

Puscas - 5 bounced off him a lot and missed a tough chance. Also blazed over stupidly.
Meite - 7 threatened them a lot and had a couple of semi chances. Moore got the better of him first half but more joy second

Boye - 6 plays too intricate and fancy, but best effort of the game
Barrett - 6 actually looks to play the ball early and cross.
Joao - 5 barely involved except to challenge Liam for the goal mouth scramble.

Ref - 7 pretty good display. Didn't miss a lot, pretty fair and balanced.

fair assessment Ian....but how many have you had? Yiadom “brain dead” disgusting

Less than you obviously.

but “brain dead” thar’s not on

[Snowflake Royal]

Get a grip.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Why spout such venom on one of our players Ian...”brain dead”