Bulut, Bulut, sort it out!

[PontBlue]

Runnerson coming in was a poor decision.

I think that's contributed to a drop in confidence. It would also ramp up the pressure on our forwards although we've not been creating chances for them to miss.

This is Bulut's first significant test of his managerial and tactical ability.

[tforturton]

We don't appear to have anyone who can take a pass, and hold up the ball. Once the ball goes past the halfway line, we're stuffed. Not even short passes seem to stick. This is basis football 101 - make and receive a pass. Ugbo and Etete are both seemingly unable to bring down a ball, control it, and lay it off. Likewise Meite and Grant.

[Dave Blue]

I did think this year’s squad was far better technically than last. Too many are now going through a crisis it seems, I agree not helped by the keeper selection lunacy but can’t be all put down to that.
The continual mindset of non playing in the first half, even against the weakest of opponents, doesn’t help regardless of injuries taking their toll.

[NYCBlue]

He's going to have to be smart over the rest of the holiday period. We have 2 very winnable games out of 4 over 8 days. We need our best possible 11 starting those 2 games. Sacrifices are going to have to be made versus Leicester and Plymouth. I'd gladly take 6 points from 12 right now.

[llan bluebird]

Do we have midfield generals like Kav in the modern game? They are either sitters or a "10"

[North Cardiff Blue]

By my message title it should be obvious that I'm not calling for Bulut to be given the, er, sack, but in recognition that we have a big problem at the moment and hope he can sort out our slide quickly.

Since we convincingly beat Bristol City, we've scored 5 in our last 8, including just the 1 in our last 5. Not only are we looking incapable of scoring, or even creating good chances, we seem to have a lethargy to our play, a lack of urgency that seems easy to play against.

We scored 10 goals in our first 6 games when Ramsey was fit enough to play for us. Some say not having Ramsey has been a problem for our creativity, yet we managed to score 13 goals in the next 8 when he was injured, so this side is more than capable of scoring and being creative without Ramsey.

Fast forward to today and we've scored 1 goal in open play in our last 8 games. That is truly pitiful and as bad as anything that was served up last season. In fact, over the last 5 or 8 games, we're the lowest scorers in the Championship. Considering we were 4th highest scorers little over 2 months, ago, that's some decline. We've shown we can cope without Ramsey, we have to find ways as we know he'll never manage a full season.

I was interested to hear that Kieffer Moore isn't necessarily the answer to our problems, echoed by both Jason Perry and Nathan Blake, on the grounds that our wingers don't get many crosses into the box and we don't get attacking midfielders running beyond the striker when Moore holds up the ball.

I hope Bulut knows what the answers are. This is his first major problem and how he comes out of it will decide his City future. This season is still about survival, I couldn't care less about being 5 points from the playoffs. It's about building for next season, the one after and so on. We'll have spells like this, it's about how we pull ourselves out of it.

Teams have sussed us out and stopped the wingers from getting crosses in, Ramsey and Moore will give them much more to worry about in the middle and would give the wingers more space, we need them both asap.

[Robin Friday's Ghost]

I did think this year’s squad was far better technically than last. Too many are now going through a crisis it seems, I agree not helped by the keeper selection lunacy but can’t be all put down to that.
The continual mindset of non playing in the first half, even against the weakest of opponents, doesn’t help regardless of injuries taking their toll.

It's obviously not all down to the keeper fiasco but it's not hard to believe that it undermined confidence.

[Mr Soul '68]

Bulut has to take his fair share as well, Runnerson coming in was a poor decision.[/QUOTE]

At long last he finally dropped Frank Parsons and Peter Zois's love child. I hope I never see him in a City shirt again

[NYCBlue]

Ramsey isn't a Kav type player .....and he's the sort of midfield general we need

That's what we need long term to play in the middle with defensive midfielders like siopis , ralls and Wintle doing the dirty work

You're 100% correct. Kav was good Division 3 midfielder while Ramsey is world-class. If we're going to get out of this league, it's definitely the Division 3 bloke we need.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Listen Mr Miserable

You were quiet when we were accumulating points

Now you are back at the school gates , selling ciggies to the kids

Clear off !

Total rubbish. I recall posting many a stat to show how incredibly well we'd started this season.

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Better? He’s sat on the bench at Bournemouth at best.

Better than City, old fruit.

[2b2bdoo]

Better than City, old fruit.

If you say so.

[the other bob wilson]

I think that's contributed to a drop in confidence. It would also ramp up the pressure on our forwards although we've not been creating chances for them to miss.

This is Bulut's first significant test of his managerial and tactical ability.

I wonder how much difference Alnwick noticed between the City side he was dropped from and the one he came back into - I'm not saying Runnarson is wholly responsible for it, but things have really gone to pot during the time he was first choice.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

You're 100% correct. Kav was good Division 3 midfielder while Ramsey is world-class. If we're going to get out of this league, it's definitely the Division 3 bloke we need.

I meant a kav type player you dopey yank

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Total rubbish. I recall posting many a stat to show how incredibly well we'd started this season.

U love it when we struggle

It's feckin odd

[MacAdder]

U love it when we struggle

It's feckin odd

This^^^
And a few others on here.
Very odd 🤔

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

This^^^
And a few others on here.
Very odd 🤔

We could go on a ten game winning run and some would be complaining about the lack of goals from midfield or some other such cobblers

Bulut and his side have hit a slump but its not the end of the world

[Eric the Half a Bee]

U love it when we struggle

It's feckin odd

I love it when we do well. I get concerned when we struggle as we are and look for reasons.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

I love it when we do well. I get concerned when we struggle as we are and look for reasons.

It's no more complicated than having not a great deal of money to spend and the cruel mistress called football ⚽

She is a 👿

[Eric the Half a Bee]

It's no more complicated than having not a great deal of money to spend and the cruel mistress called football ⚽

She is a ��

Of course it is more complex than that. Teams with little money to spend can do well, while teams spending huge amounts can flop badly.

You have been openly critical of recent performances and that's right. How does a side hovering around the top 6 have such a drop off in form and performance level? We were where we were on merit. The starting line ups against Bristol and Huddersfield are virtually the same as they are now, but the performances were hugely different. What's gone wrong? Is it that we've been found out? If it's the money thing, why were we much more successful, even without Ramsey until recently?

A few results not going our way, fair enough. But the difference is chalk and cheese. If we keep up these performances until the end of the season we'll be dragged right into the relegation mix. It's as crap as last season and the one before, where the start of the season we looked as good at times as when we've been challenging for promotion.

[Alfresco]

U love it when we struggle


It's feckin odd

You admit yourself we are struggling, is it wrong for fans to be concerned? Bulut is the manager he has a squad of professional footballers who are playing like a Sunday league side. Warnock would have sorted it out.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Of course it is more complex than that. Teams with little money to spend can do well, while teams spending huge amounts can flop badly.

You have been openly critical of recent performances and that's right. How does a side hovering around the top 6 have such a drop off in form and performance level? We were where we were on merit. The starting line ups against Bristol and Huddersfield are virtually the same as they are now, but the performances were hugely different. What's gone wrong? Is it that we've been found out? If it's the money thing, why were we much more successful, even without Ramsey until recently?

A few results not going our way, fair enough. But the difference is chalk and cheese. If we keep up these performances until the end of the season we'll be dragged right into the relegation mix. It's as crap as last season and the one before, where the start of the season we looked as good at times as when we've been challenging for promotion.

Christ

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

You admit yourself we are struggling, is it wrong for fans to be concerned? Bulut is the manager he has a squad of professional footballers who are playing like a Sunday league side. Warnock would have sorted it out.

Another one

[Eric the Half a Bee]

You admit yourself we are struggling, is it wrong for fans to be concerned? Bulut is the manager he has a squad of professional footballers who are playing like a Sunday league side. Warnock would have sorted it out.

You make an interesting point, there.

Back in our promotion season we lost 4 on the spin around Christmas time, dropping us out of the automatic promotion places, then drew 0-0 at home with Mansfield. We then won 32 points out of 36, not losing a league game for over 3 months, and that gave us enough to have a wobble at the end, to stay above a rampant Fulham side.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Another one

Genuine question - do you believe that this real slump in form is just one of those things and there's no reason for it happening?