Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Welcome to bcfcforum.co.uk. We hope you enjoy your visit.


You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.


Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
A Fan's View; on the Barnsley game
Topic Started: Nov 11 2006, 11:23 PM (358 Views)
The Concerned Potato Head
Member Avatar
Big Bawss
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
boy it was cold today werent it? (i'm still defrosting myself) :ph43r:

attendance was disappointing IMO, 19,500 (can't remember the exact figure) considering tickets were £15 aswell, it was very poor. i know it's Barnsley but we come to watch Blues not the opposition. despite having a good run of wins in the Championship (5 now is it?) fans are still not showing up

probably because of performance, which leads me to my next comments

today we saw the same old Blues. it was like watching the same game as the Colchester game and many other games this season in that we play for spells, we turn the switch on and off for no apparent reason.

the vast majority of the first half was ABSOLUTE garbage, we werent making errors but we just couldnt string passes together at all. we couldnt form a prolonged period of pressure. the only highlight was a sweetly struck McSheffrey free kick on target. the closer towards half time (around the 35min mark) we started to all of a sudden start playing some good football, knocking the ball from right to left, fighting for each pass, keeping the ball, getting past people and then eventually Bendtner passes the ball from the right to McSheffrey, who shoots an scores from about 12-15 yards out in the bottom left. we deservedly took the lead as Barsnley never looked like a threat in the slightest

relief all round the ground. half time whistle goes

the second half we start like the end of the first half knocking the ball around and looking a like a threat. but after about 15 minutes of the second half and we still hadnt finished the game off, we stopped playing, we switched off COMPLETELY as an attacking unit and we actually started letting Barnsley keep us rooted in our own half by giving the ball away on countless occassions. we looked comfortable defensively until this single occasion where the ball was near our corner flag on the left side and we faffed around with the ball and we allowed them a good opportunity to score from inside the box when the ball was sent in, and the ball went narrowly wide

towards the end Blues started to get on top when a cross from Larsson just missed DJ Campbell (i think) but came to Danns who volleyed it in from about 6 yards in the 89th minute


Bruce's tactics

i praise him for starting Larsson who had a very good game (assisted the Danns goal) but it was more than strange when he subbed Jerome (who did brilliantly battling for the ball) for Danns and moving McSheffrey as striker, Larsson from RM to LM and Danns paying on the right when we all know Danns is no RM at all, he had a very poor game apart from the goal. Larsson was less effective on the left and McSheffrey didnt look good as striker. i don't think Bruce told them to do this but Danns and Larsson switched sides later and it looked better. i think Danns know he's no RM and that he's always gonna try and drift into the centre like Dunn has Dunn on the left wing.

another thing is why we're not attempting shots outside the box. we has LOADS of opportunities to shoot but always tried to walk it into the goal. the only shot outside the box in the game for Blues was McSheffrey's free-kick

The Players

Maik - had a great game and caught everything. the one time we looked troubled is when they took a corner that was going straight in at the near post but Sadler headed off the line, he made some comfortable saves too

Kelly - did very well, didnt really put a foot wrong

Jaidi - same as Kelly

Taylor - also same as Kelly, very solid and composed

Sadler - he had a top performance in terms of getting forward, he bombed past a few players on numerous occasions, but McSheffrey didnt really cover him well

Larsson - i think he's the best passer of the ball in the team, he should start as RM every game, he gets past people and he can cross

Clem - another solid yet unspectacular display in midfield, did very well in holding it tight

Muamba - my Man of the Match, this guy really knows how to lift the crowd off his feet with his battling attitude and tough tacking. he also made some decent runs forward, but needs to get in the mix when we get forward. had quite a few opportunities to shoot outside the box.

McSheff - still some things to work on, he never really made use of the acres of space he was given and kept drifting inside. he didnt really get stuck in but he took his goal well though and always looked a good outlet when Maik distributed the ball

Jerome - fantastic, he didnt have quality service but he did nothing wrong. he clearly fought back at accusations of laziness becuase he battled for everything today and didnt deserve to be subbed.

Bendtner, didnt start playing until the 85th minute. he should have been subbed at half time. he made some decent layoffs and we all know how comfortable Bendtner is on the ball. but he was getting really frustrated at the rough treatment from the Barnsley defenders (a strong lesson indeed) and seemed more occupied with debating with the referee and sulking at not having things his own way.


Subs

Campbell no time to make an impact, but he looked lively

Nafti - took off where Clem finished, making some decent tackles

Danns - poor until he switched to the left and scored the goal, and a passionate celebration it was too


Other Things

my mate swore he saw John Solako clapping along to one of the chants from the Tilton (can anyone confirm this lol)

where was Cheese-Cob Ray? has been institutionalised? lol

last but not least, the atmosphere was probably the worst i've encountered at St. Andrews. i know it was ridiculously cold, but we must have sang about 3 times in the first half, end every time it fizzled out so quickly. there were only small sections of fans singing rather than a whole stand. the frequency of chants got better in the second half but they were still so quiet. i seriously think we should just get a nutcase with a megaphone to rally the crowd and get them going because despite being comfortable for about 89 minutes of the game the fans seemed apathetic. all you could hear was conversation and people analysing the game. i was saying to my mate that NOW, the fans are seeing this as a 'false year' and that we shouldnt be here (in the Championship) and that they just want us to correct the msiatkes and get back to where we were before the mess that was last season, therefore treating games with a "hurry up and do your job" attitude rather than feeling like they have to roar the team to victory like before

oh well another 3 points, good that Preston dropped points and i still presume Cardiff's wheel will soon fall off :)
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
blueberry
Member Avatar
Frank Worthington
[ *  *  *  *  * ]
Just got back from the game (I live in Dorset and the train was an hour late!). An accurate assessment of the game, CPH. Not sure about Jerome, I just don't think he's got it. Bendtner was definitely hacked off with the treatment he was getting - his marker managing to elbow him in the face and try and strangle him at the same time at one stage!!!

Don't know about clapping along with the Tilton, but my 12-year-old nephew got John Solako's autograph, so he's well chuffed!! **thumbup

KRO :)
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
The Concerned Potato Head
Member Avatar
Big Bawss
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
Jerome didnt get the service though, the fans saw and appreciated his effort (which is all we ask of him really) but he wasnt given an opportunity to score. he definitely deserved a goal for his effort today and it ws no wonder everyone applauded his performance when he was subbed
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Hirsty
Member Avatar
Administrator
[ *  *  *  *  * ]
Quote:
 
today we saw the same old Blues. it was like watching the same game as the Colchester game and many other games this season in that we play for spells, we turn the switch on and off for no apparent reason.
Exactly what I said to those around me. Predictable, and we will be found out one day soon.
Quote:
 
i praise him for starting Larsson who had a very good game
I thought the starting 11 suggested we were in for a good "attacking" game, and in parts we did knock the ball around well, but...... as you note :
Quote:
 
another thing is why we're not attempting shots outside the box. we had LOADS of opportunities to shoot but always tried to walk it into the goal.
Again, exactly what I said to those around me.

Also agree with your summaries of player performances - well noted.

You weren't sat behind me, were you ???? :unsure: :lol:

KRO,

C.

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
The Concerned Potato Head
Member Avatar
Big Bawss
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
lol, i was in Block 1 in the Tilton :D

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Taco Ramirez
Steve Claridge
[ *  *  * ]
We had a good sing song in block 39...
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
The Concerned Potato Head
Member Avatar
Big Bawss
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
couldnt hear yas (prolly cuz you were the opposite side of the ground from me lol)

but the chantng didnt spread throughout the ground at all, it was just patches of 30 people all the time
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Forward62
Member Avatar
Malcom Page
[ *  *  *  *  * ]
Gotta disagree CPH, it wasn't that cold yesterday
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
The Concerned Potato Head
Member Avatar
Big Bawss
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
[pervy comment]what were you wearing?[/pervy comment] :ph43r:
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
salad_dodger
Member Avatar
Paul Tait
[ *  *  *  *  * ]
I think that is about right CPH, typical of many of our performances. :(
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
The Concerned Potato Head
Member Avatar
Big Bawss
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
i just think we've really got to start to bully teams in this division though.

we play like we want to run the clock down rather than have a huge desire to keep scoring and seal the game. and then when it's still only 1-0 everyone in the ground gets nervous and we start playing trash football again.

it's a damn good thing we have the joint-best defense in the league because our Goals For record is one of the worst in the top half of the table.

and you can see why, we get the ball outside the opposition penalty box and then we pass backwards instead of playing it out wide or shooting, we're just not forceful enough in front of goal.

i think we've certainly got to use the wings more often too because we don't cross enough. i don't think i've ever seen Danns cross in a decent ball while he's played at RM
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
ZetaBoards - Free Forum Hosting
Join the millions that use us for their forum communities. Create your own forum today.
« Previous Topic · Blues Chat · Next Topic »
Add Reply

Forum Design by Hirsty.