I’m uninspired...

[bluethrough]

Today's training session involved every player aiming the ball at madine's head

Clearly that training exercise was way to easy when Bogle was here.

[banogboy14]

Again I'm not necessarily writing off Madine. He may turn out to be decent. I just don't share the view with others that a striker was our most pressing issue in this window.

I don't see how we're gonna be able to win a midfield battle with what we've got.

Patterson in midfield is a complete no no for me. And Peltier is on the same level as Super Kev and Ben Turner technically.

The only creativity we have left in the whole squad solely rests on Hoiletts shoulders.

Kadeem Harris, Mendez-Laing, Wildschutt can run fast and would all win the 100 metres in school but none of them can see anything different on a football pitch.

I'm not one who demands that the club loosen the purse strings, we've got to work within a tight budget but that budget has been pushed out this window and that is why I'm uninspired cos you would at least expect Warnock to be looking to replace Tomlin given how highly he spoke of him having the x factor at in the summer.

As it is we look completely "functional" and all Warnock's words about sending the fans home excited at 5pm on a Saturday sound a bit hollow.

I'd like us to go up and I'm not one who would rather stay in the championship etc etc but I understand there are big clubs throwing money at it so the odds are against it. If we can't go up though I'd like to at least watch some football which excites me and see players do things other than just run around!

totally agree with,i also want football that excites me,not seen it yet,even when we win,I cannot wait for bellars to take over,to watch some pass and move football.

[dml1954]

totally agree with,i also want football that excites me,not seen it yet,even when we win,I cannot wait for bellars to take over,to watch some pass and move football.

I sometimes wonder if people posting on here and accuse City of playing long ball football or 'hoofball' as some call it, have actually seen the team play. Yes, we get the ball forward as quickly as possible but usually by passes out to the wings to get the wide players to run at the defence and provide through balls or crosses to Zohore and now hopefully Madine. There are teams in this division, such as Bristol City, who play far more direct long ball football than us but get little or no stick for doing it. We have played two wide men in most games this season and perhaps only Wolves, Fulham and Shefield United do this as much as we do. Its all down to the negative perception of Warnocks tactics from other teams fans and media that is perpetuating this myth.

[jamieccfc]

I sometimes wonder if people posting on here and accuse City of playing long ball football or 'hoofball' as some call it, have actually seen the team play. Yes, we get the ball forward as quickly as possible but usually by passes out to the wings to get the wide players to run at the defence and provide through balls or crosses to Zohore and now hopefully Madine. There are teams in this division, such as Bristol City, who play far more direct long ball football than us but get little or no stick for doing it. We have played two wide men in most games this season and perhaps only Wolves, Fulham and Shefield United do this as much as we do. Its all down to the negative perception of Warnocks tactics from other teams fans and media that is perpetuating this myth.

At the start of the season I would agree with you but I'm beginning to think you're going to a different ground to where Cardiff city are playing

[Penarth Blues]

At the start of the season I would agree with you but I'm beginning to think you're going to a different ground to where Cardiff city are playing

Are you saying you weren't being entertained up until our mini-collapse at Xmas? I haven't enjoyed myself so much in a season for as long as I can remember. I thought my memory was bad but some of the comments on this thread about our playing style are just ridiculous.

[dml1954]

At the start of the season I would agree with you but I'm beginning to think you're going to a different ground to where Cardiff city are playing

We have four points from the last six and are fourth in the table with a game in hand to get us back to third on goal difference. We have just signed four new players and spent good money to try to sustain our challenge. What exactly are we doing wrong ?. Watch the Sunderland game highlights - not a long ball in sight and four good quality goals - one from a corner and three from open play down the flanks. Must be you going to the wrong ground I am afraid.

[BlueArmy 86]

I agree buddy. Most of the better Championship teams have strengthened - Afobe to Wolves, Kasey Palmer to Derby, Grabban to Villa, Mitrovic to Fulham, Colback to Forest,

You could add Grujic to Cardiff to that list. What have any of those players done lately? Grabban has scored in a struggling team, but so has Madine.

I wasn't sure about NML and look at the impact he had. Who knows, he might recapture that form.

Let's wait and see.

[jamieccfc]

Are you saying you weren't being entertained up until our mini-collapse at Xmas? I haven't enjoyed myself so much in a season for as long as I can remember. I thought my memory was bad but some of the comments on this thread about our playing style are just ridiculous.

I meant first half of the season, thb we was getting away with a few results leading up to Christmas not that I gave a **** at the time but there's no midfield anymore everything is bypassed Patterson is in there so we can lump it up to him

[Gnojek]

You could add Grujic to Cardiff to that list. What have any of those players done lately? Grabban has scored in a struggling team, but so has Madine.

I wasn't sure about NML and look at the impact he had. Who knows, he might recapture that form.

Let's wait and see.

The difference being all of those have had (or have recent experience of) first team football. Although Liverpool's reserves are no doubt top notch, it's not first team football, which is why we've got him I guess.

[ccfc_is_my_life]

We have four points from the last six and are fourth in the table with a game in hand to get us back to third on goal difference. We have just signed four new players and spent good money to try to sustain our challenge. What exactly are we doing wrong ?. Watch the Sunderland game highlights - not a long ball in sight and four good quality goals - one from a corner and three from open play down the flanks. Must be you going to the wrong ground I am afraid.

Indeed.

High up in the table which nobody expected, had a blip, bought in useful players for this level despite having little money to spend and god forbid otherwise rational people are now slagging the club...

[jamieccfc]

We have four points from the last six and are fourth in the table with a game in hand to get us back to third on goal difference. We have just signed four new players and spent good money to try to sustain our challenge. What exactly are we doing wrong ?. Watch the Sunderland game highlights - not a long ball in sight and four good quality goals - one from a corner and three from open play down the flanks. Must be you going to the wrong ground I am afraid.

We was awful in the first half and Sunderland are pathetic. Don't get me wrong we're in a wonderful position I just think we've lost our way from the early season performances but I don't want Patterson playing at never 10 that's just shit and gives the rest of the players something to aim for

[thehumblegringo]

Are you saying you weren't being entertained up until our mini-collapse at Xmas? I haven't enjoyed myself so much in a season for as long as I can remember. I thought my memory was bad but some of the comments on this thread about our playing style are just ridiculous.

I'd say we looked really good up until after the Leeds home game but after that there haven't been many performances where we've witnessed the style of play we were playing up until that point. (That coincided with the injury to Zohore)

After that I thought we were good against Ipswich when I thought Tomlin was really good and we done a professional job on Forest but you wouldn't really say we entertained in the manner we did at Molineux etc.

We drew with Milliwall and Derby home and created very little, we were woeful against Norwich in the 1st half but were much better when Tomlin came on half time.

We ground out wins at Boro, Sunderland and against Hull home, which is not a bad thing but you can't claim it's "attractive football".

[BlueArmy 86]

The difference being all of those have had (or have recent experience of) first team football. Although Liverpool's reserves are no doubt top notch, it's not first team football, which is why we've got him I guess.

I suppose you're right about Grujic, but we've signed players that have played a lot more than the players in that original list. Afobe hardly gets a game at Bournemouth, and when he does he seldom scores. Palmers been hampered with injury all season, managing five appearances. Mitrovic has hardly been a regular for Newcastle this season making only 7 appearances while colback hasn't featured once cos he wasn't picked for their premier league squad.

So again, how have these teams strengthened any better than us? Wildschut looks quality, I think Grujic will settle and come good, and Madine has proven he can score at this level this season and will push Ken. I'm quite optimistic tbh.

[dml1954]

We was awful in the first half and Sunderland are pathetic. Don't get me wrong we're in a wonderful position I just think we've lost our way from the early season performances but I don't want Patterson playing at never 10 that's just shit and gives the rest of the players something to aim for

You have to beat what is in front of you - it doesnt matter who they are or how they play. I reiterate - no hoofball against them, just good quality goals which appears to dispell the myth that we can only play one way and Warnock only has one tactic. I really dont get why people are being so critical of a team in our position. Ten wins out of eighteen and we wont be far off promotion. If Paterson plays in midfield and we win who cares ?.

[Gnojek]

I'd argue most (if not all) of the players in that list have enough experience to hit the ground running. As much as I like the signing of Grujic, he could take a while to find his feet.

[Blooburd]

its no surpise considering our team is more than capable of beating this league...but for NW's sudden liking for hoofball..

he'll panic at some point and start playing down the wings again (like he did earlier this season after his first hoofball change of heart). I just hope its not too late by then