Barnsley, Birmingham, closing out games..

[A Quiet Monkfish]

..with no Ralls [or Gunnarson], we're not closing out games like we have been for the rest of the season. One of the features of this season is just how those 'nail-biting' moments, haven't actually been that nervy. Maybe a fully fit Bryson may have helped if he stayed on the pitch, but let's hope Gunnarson is able to play after the break..

[J R Hartley]

Considering we were 2 up I thought we were far too cavalier 2nd half. Left ourselves a 3 on 3 at the back several times by sending everyone up for the corners. Damour and Patterson were both trying to get beyond KZ when one of them should have sat with Grujic at the stage of the game, and that Morrison one two on the edge of the box which Damour lost (again!) was utter stupidity.
It made for a good game, and decent atmosphere but at this stage of the season, with what’s at stake, I would rather we strangled the game instead of going gun ho.

[cardiff55]

Considering we were 2 up I thought we were far too cavalier 2nd half. Left ourselves a 3 on 3 at the back several times by sending everyone up for the corners. Damour and Patterson were both trying to get beyond KZ when one of them should have sat with Grujic at the stage of the game, and that Morrison one two on the edge of the box which Damour lost (again!) was utter stupidity.
It made for a good game, and decent atmosphere but at this stage of the season, with what’s at stake, I would rather we strangled the game instead of going gun ho.

I agree , Damour really should have been sitting back with Grujic, but he was running around like a headless chicken most of the time. I really do think he weakens the team when he comes on. Halford was more effective when he came on.

[goats]

Sounds like we should have had a clear cut penalty, again, at 3:1. Game over then

[Tuerto]

..with no Ralls [or Gunnarson], we're not closing out games like we have been for the rest of the season. One of the features of this season is just how those 'nail-biting' moments, haven't actually been that nervy. Maybe a fully fit Bryson may have helped if he stayed on the pitch, but let's hope Gunnarson is able to play after the break..

The problem we have is our ball retention, best way to stop a team pressurising us, is to keep the ball and make them work-easier said than done when the opposition are 2-3 down and have to attack and take risks, although it has to be said that our midfield is appalling at times at keeping the ball and taking the sting out of a game, it's get the ball wide or up to zohore, Grujic is trying, but players don't really want the ball, it's not in the remit. Yet, we keep on winning, the second half today lacked quality, there was a lot of reactive play. My concern is that we may not get away with this against Wolves, Villa and to a lesser degree Brentford..........but we keep winning......

[Tuerto]

I agree , Damour really should have been sitting back with Grujic, but he was running around like a headless chicken most of the time. I really do think he weakens the team when he comes on. Halford was more effective when he came on.

Damour was struggling at times, Brum were playing a high line in the second half and he didn't know who to pick up, he was pressing the Brum back four, but the extra man they had was getting beyond him. We really needed to keep the ball better.

[the other bob wilson]

The problem we have is our ball retention, best way to stop a team pressurising us, is to keep the ball and make them work-easier said than done when the opposition are 2-3 down and have to attack and take risks, although it has to be said that our midfield is appalling at times at keeping the ball and taking the sting out of a game, it's get the ball wide or up to zohore, Grujic is trying, but players don't really want the ball, it's not in the remit. Yet, we keep on winning, the second half today lacked quality, there was a lot of reactive play. My concern is that we may not get away with this against Wolves, Villa and to a lesser degree Brentford..........but we keep winning......

So true, Gunnarsson gets criticised for his passing, but our midfield was not playing like it has done for most of this season when he was fit.

[Barry Shitpeas]

The problem we have is our ball retention, best way to stop a team pressurising us, is to keep the ball and make them work-easier said than done when the opposition are 2-3 down and have to attack and take risks, although it has to be said that our midfield is appalling at times at keeping the ball and taking the sting out of a game, it's get the ball wide or up to zohore, Grujic is trying, but players don't really want the ball, it's not in the remit. Yet, we keep on winning, the second half today lacked quality, there was a lot of reactive play. My concern is that we may not get away with this against Wolves, Villa and to a lesser degree Brentford..........but we keep winning......

I really don’t like to criticise this team as they are performing minor miracles at the monent with the run we’re on and I’m really enjoying games.
But I think our lack of confidence in our own ability to keep hold of the ball was summed up perfectly after Brum got thier very late second goal. Any other team would have wasted the last 30 seconds or so passing it around in their own half, but we smashed it upfield, immediately giving possesion away.

[jamieccfc]

Considering we were 2 up I thought we were far too cavalier 2nd half. Left ourselves a 3 on 3 at the back several times by sending everyone up for the corners. Damour and Patterson were both trying to get beyond KZ when one of them should have sat with Grujic at the stage of the game, and that Morrison one two on the edge of the box which Damour lost (again!) was utter stupidity.
It made for a good game, and decent atmosphere but at this stage of the season, with what’s at stake, I would rather we strangled the game instead of going gun ho.

If the game had just finished 3-0 and a shit second half we would probably be moaning not putting more past them

[A Quiet Monkfish]

Agree with all of above.
City's 'blueprint' this season has been to keep things tight in the 1st 45 mins and then open the game up in the 2nd half with the fullbacks pushing up. When we score early on and have a 1st half lead, we tend to let the other side take the initiative - that's when we get problems..

[dml1954]

I really don’t like to criticise this team as they are performing minor miracles at the monent with the run we’re on and I’m really enjoying games.
But I think our lack of confidence in our own ability to keep hold of the ball was summed up perfectly after Brum got thier very late second goal. Any other team would have wasted the last 30 seconds or so passing it around in their own half, but we smashed it upfield, immediately giving possesion away.

I think what happened was that when they scored their second goal, I saw a couple of our players ask the ref how long was left and he must have told them 30 seconds or something like that, so from the kick off Damour put it in touch down by the corner flag as there wasn't enough time for them to take the throw and get it back upfield. Sure enough, just after the throw in the ref blew up for full time. So actually it was quite clever play at that point.

[the other bob wilson]

I think what happened was that when they scored their second goal, I saw a couple of our players ask the ref how long was left and he must have told them 30 seconds or something like that, so from the kick off Damour put it in touch down by the corner flag as there wasn't enough time for them to take the throw and get it back upfield. Sure enough, just after the throw in the ref blew up for full time. So actually it was quite clever play at that point.

Birmingham got the ball into our penalty area after the game restarted and play went on for fifty seconds after Damour's "rugby style" (to use Richard Shepherd's words) restart.

[rich munn]

Birmingham got the ball into our penalty area after the game restarted and play went on for fifty seconds after Damour's "rugby style" (to use Richard Shepherd's words) restart.

What an excellent thread.

[dml1954]

Birmingham got the ball into our penalty area after the game restarted and play went on for fifty seconds after Damour's "rugby style" (to use Richard Shepherd's words) restart.

Perhaps the ref indicated 'under a minute' then or something like that. Whatever he said, Damours kick upfield was probably on instruction and passed quite a few seconds and they didnt score afterwards, so all in all the tactic worked. I would rather they do that than try playing it about in our own half and lose possession nearer our goal. Unusual tactic admittedly but it worked in this case.