True to his word - June 5'th 2023

looking back to his announcement a few months ago on wales on line he was looking at 8 to 10 signings to build his squad looks like everything is falling into place

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/...-erol-27058087

never in a million years did i think the board would back him even its through the loan market at the minute

looks like his style of play is a hit with the fans too which is a good sign

why didn't we go down this route when we first went into the prem league i never know

onwards and upwards :ayatollah:

From the amount of responses to your post you get a feel that positiveness is not forthcoming, I do agree though with your sentiments.

City till we die

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Originally Posted by MOZZER2

looking back to his announcement a few months ago on wales on line he was looking at 8 to 10 signings to build his squad looks like everything is falling into place

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/...-erol-27058087

never in a million years did i think the board would back him even its through the loan market at the minute

looks like his style of play is a hit with the fans too which is a good sign

why didn't we go down this route when we first went into the prem league i never know

onwards and upwards :ayatollah:

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by life on mars

From the amount of responses to your post you get a feel that positiveness is not forthcoming, I do agree though with your sentiments.

City till we die

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:thumbup:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MOZZER2

looking back to his announcement a few months ago on wales on line he was looking at 8 to 10 signings to build his squad looks like everything is falling into place

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/...-erol-27058087

never in a million years did i think the board would back him even its through the loan market at the minute

looks like his style of play is a hit with the fans too which is a good sign

why didn't we go down this route when we first went into the prem league i never know

onwards and upwards :ayatollah:

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by life on mars

From the amount of responses to your post you get a feel that positiveness is not forthcoming, I do agree though with your sentiments.

City till we die

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:thumbup:

Any cynicism is understandable after the last few years.
We had a rag tag squad and brought in a relatively unknown manager.

I have to say though, I’m very happy with our transfer window and also with the appointment of Bulut.

I’m more enthusiastic than I’ve been in a while.
It reminds me a bit of the early days of MacKay’s first season.

I really think that we will give a good account of ourselves this season.

Don’t want to be negative because I’m not really, but I don’t get this best transfer window in years stuff. Maybe in a month’s time when we’ve played something like the ten games everyone talks about then yes, such a claim may seem valid, but, for now, we can’t go claiming how brilliantly we’ve done when we’ve not played a game since the window closed.

So far, we’ve had a lucky win over a side without a point, played well at Leicester where we should have drawn by rights, were foiled by a last minute goal at Leeds (in truth we were hanging throughout the second half at Elland Road) and stank the Place against a poor QPR team. If we lose today (far from unlikely given how Ipswich have done over the past year), we’ll have four points from five games - relegation for if repeated over the course of a forty six game season.

On Tuesday we gave what was easily our best performance so far with a shadow team based mostly on players who were with us before the transfer window opened - we’d have more than four points if we had played like that in all of our league games. I think we look stronger than we were last season, but, at the moment, I’m guessing hence why I’m not going to start proclaiming how great our transfer window was yet.

Don’t want to be negative because I’m not really, but I don’t get this best transfer window in years stuff. Maybe in a month’s time when we’ve played something like the ten games everyone talks about then yes, such a claim may seem valid, but, for now, we can’t go claiming how brilliantly we’ve done when we’ve not played a game since the window closed.

So far, we’ve had a lucky win over a side without a point, played well at Leicester where we should have drawn by rights, were foiled by a last minute goal at Leeds (in truth we were hanging throughout the second half at Elland Road) and stank the Place against a poor QPR team. If we lose today (far from unlikely given how Ipswich have done over the past year), we’ll have four points from five games - relegation for if repeated over the course of a forty six game season.

On Tuesday we gave what was easily our best performance so far with a shadow team based mostly on players who were with us before the transfer window opened - we’d have more than four points if we had played like that in all of our league games. I think we look stronger than we were last season, but, at the moment, I’m guessing hence why I’m not going to start proclaiming how great our transfer window was yet.

Apologies for the double poor, the board was working at a snail’s pace when I posted and I thought the first one had been lost somewhere in the ether.

Apologies for the double poor, the board was working at a snail’s pace when I posted and I thought the first one had been lost somewhere in the ether.

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

Don’t want to be negative because I’m not really, but I don’t get this best transfer window in years stuff. Maybe in a month’s time when we’ve played something like the ten games everyone talks about then yes, such a claim may seem valid, but, for now, we can’t go claiming how brilliantly we’ve done when we’ve not played a game since the window closed.

So far, we’ve had a lucky win over a side without a point, played well at Leicester where we should have drawn by rights, were foiled by a last minute goal at Leeds (in truth we were hanging throughout the second half at Elland Road) and stank the Place against a poor QPR team. If we lose today (far from unlikely given how Ipswich have done over the past year), we’ll have four points from five games - relegation for if repeated over the course of a forty six game season.

On Tuesday we gave what was easily our best performance so far with a shadow team based mostly on players who were with us before the transfer window opened - we’d have more than four points if we had played like that in all of our league games. I think we look stronger than we were last season, but, at the moment, I’m guessing hence why I’m not going to start proclaiming how great our transfer window was yet.

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We look stronger with more strength in depth, there’s plenty of competition for places and the manager can alter the shape of the team to suit certain matches.

The Greek lads will take a bit of time adapting to a new Country, language and league.
Collins and Robinson will hopefully get back up to match fitness soon, and if Grant gets anywhere close to the level he was a couple of seasons ago we have struck gold.
I think Panzo will prove to be a great addition to the team and of course we have Rambo.

We just need patience now, because it won’t happen overnight, but I think overall we have signed 9 players who are good enough to start and not just been signed to bolster a squad with quantity

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Originally Posted by olderblue

We look stronger with more strength in depth, there’s plenty of competition for places and the manager can alter the shape of the team to suit certain matches.

The Greek lads will take a bit of time adapting to a new Country, language and league.
Collins and Robinson will hopefully get back up to match fitness soon, and if Grant gets anywhere close to the level he was a couple of seasons ago we have struck gold.
I think Panzo will prove to be a great addition to the team and of course we have Rambo.

We just need patience now, because it won’t happen overnight, but I think overall we have signed 9 players who are good enough to start and not just been signed to bolster a squad with quantity

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Goutas having to come off at Leicester, and be replaced by someone who has since left the club, despite him having had a full pre season with us makes your point about some of our players needing time to fit in. Still think we're light at centreback although I'd back Ng to do a good enough job in a back three and Romeo and Adams were good in that position on Tuesday, but anyone of them as one or two centrebacks? I'm not sure about that.

Will we have someone who can get into double figures for league goals scored? Ugbo has certainly made a good start on that front, but, athough there appears to be more goals in the squad this season, I'm not sure that we do . Grant has shown that he can do it, but I'm surprised he's being used more or less as an orthodox winger.

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Originally Posted by MOZZER2

looks like his style of play is a hit with the fans too which is a good sign

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What’s his style of play?

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

Goutas having to come off at Leicester, and be replaced by someone who has since left the club, despite him having had a full pre season with us makes your point about some of our players needing time to fit in. Still think we're light at centreback although I'd back Ng to do a good enough job in a back three and Romeo and Adams were good in that position on Tuesday, but anyone of them as one or two centrebacks? I'm not sure about that.

Will we have someone who can get into double figures for league goals scored? Ugbo has certainly made a good start on that front, but, athough there appears to be more goals in the squad this season, I'm not sure that we do . Grant has shown that he can do it, but I'm surprised he's being used more or less as an orthodox winger.

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I would have liked to seen another CB signed, even if it was a player coming towards the end of their career knowing that they were signed as a back up.

I get the impression that this isn’t the way Bulut operates, and everyone signed has to be able to play in the first team.
Great competition for places and I wouldn’t mind betting that he already has players lined up to join in January.
Regarding the front players and I know they have different styles, but we didn’t have a striker who got into double figures when we were promoted under Malky

Hopefully we will see goals coming from all round the team

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MOZZER2

looking back to his announcement a few months ago on wales on line he was looking at 8 to 10 signings to build his squad looks like everything is falling into place

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/...-erol-27058087

never in a million years did i think the board would back him even its through the loan market at the minute

looks like his style of play is a hit with the fans too which is a good sign

why didn't we go down this route when we first went into the prem league i never know

onwards and upwards :ayatollah:

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Agree its been a positive window and especially against a backdrop of no fees including loan fees - would like to know what sort of wage structure we have had to use and what this means for ffp but hopefully we have been sensible - the manager has often referred to the economics of deals.

Unfortunately like the last few seasons we need the team to settle due to so many additions and a new manager but as a club we don't have a history of patience.

Come January and based on where we are I wonder if we go back in for Moore as I think he has 6 months of his contract left and we can pay a fee bearing in mind bournemouth still owe us for him. Wonder how he feels this morning facing limited game time at a club that looks like don't want him?

The other thing for me and before anyone asks for evidence I don't have any just pure instinct I hope the club keep an eye on our progress and when ready tie Bulut in as I think he has something about him and our loss could be someone's gain. Just a gut instinct as I said. No more than that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

Don’t want to be negative because I’m not really, but I don’t get this best transfer window in years stuff. Maybe in a month’s time when we’ve played something like the ten games everyone talks about then yes, such a claim may seem valid, but, for now, we can’t go claiming how brilliantly we’ve done when we’ve not played a game since the window closed.

So far, we’ve had a lucky win over a side without a point, played well at Leicester where we should have drawn by rights, were foiled by a last minute goal at Leeds (in truth we were hanging throughout the second half at Elland Road) and stank the Place against a poor QPR team. If we lose today (far from unlikely given how Ipswich have done over the past year), we’ll have four points from five games - relegation for if repeated over the course of a forty six game season.

On Tuesday we gave what was easily our best performance so far with a shadow team based mostly on players who were with us before the transfer window opened - we’d have more than four points if we had played like that in all of our league games. I think we look stronger than we were last season, but, at the moment, I’m guessing hence why I’m not going to start proclaiming how great our transfer window was yet.

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This window is likely to be more exciting to people than last summer’s as we have signed a few players that fans will actually have heard of, and yet lots of people claimed at the time that last summer’s transfer window was one of the best ever (albeit under different circumstances), before we’d even played a game……

Strange.

But let’s see. I’m optimistic though.

Decent window, wouldn’t say best ever but considering couldn’t pay any fees we’ve done well

I think the most important signing of the window, aside from Ramsey possibly, was the manager. The big difference from last year is we have someone at the helm with experience in that role, along with good contacts in the game. Also it looks from the early signs that we also now have someone who reads the game well, knows how to train/ coach the players and following the Birmingham game is prepared to change tactics and very much think outside what we would see as the box.

It has been a good window.

Nine players in - all of whom appear to add strength and quality. Fourteen players out (including six mainly development loans) that do not weaken the squad this season - and some of them will come back and force their way into the playing squad in January or next summer.

I am not un happy that Sawyers, Rinohmota and Etete are still with us. They all showed up at Birmingham and may be needed.

It is a shame that Evans and Benjamin didn't get loans out, and that Campbell didn't leave.

We also have a few more younger players who are better this year than last (Colwill, Tanner etc) and forcing their way into contention, and a couple of youth players who are knocking at the door (Joel Colwill at the head of the queue).

Finally we have Collins and Adams back who were unavailable for almost the whole of last season - and both look like they are getting closer to the standard we saw glimpses of (with Collins) or hoped for (with Adams).

It seems to me to be a better balanced squad, with more quality and more goals. And Rambo! I would like another experienced CB, and a Moore like No 9 would have been a bonus, but still not a bad squad transformation.

And on top of that we appear to have a manager/coach who knows what he is doing and has scope to strengthen in January.

I feel positive about the season now. :thumbup:

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Originally Posted by jon1959

It has been a good window.

Nine players in - all of whom appear to add strength and quality. Fourteen players out (including six mainly development loans) that do not weaken the squad this season - and some of them will come back and force their way into the playing squad in January or next summer.

I am not un happy that Sawyers, Rinohmota and Etete are still with us. They all showed up at Birmingham and may be needed.

It is a shame that Evans and Benjamin didn't get loans out, and that Campbell didn't leave.

We also have a few more younger players who are better this year than last (Colwill, Tanner etc) and forcing their way into contention, and a couple of youth players who are knocking at the door (Joel Colwill at the head of the queue).

Finally we have Collins and Adams back who were unavailable for almost the whole of last season - and both look like they are getting closer to the standard we saw glimpses of (with Collins) or hoped for (with Adams).

It seems to me to be a better balanced squad, with more quality and more goals. And Rambo! I would like another experienced CB, and a Moore like No 9 would have been a bonus, but still not a bad squad transformation.

And on top of that we appear to have a manager/coach who knows what he is doing and has scope to strengthen in January.

I feel positive about the season now. :thumbup:

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i like that word you used there 'balanced ' , this team the way its set up will score goals but will have to adapt when teams play 5 at the back .

as mentioned last week my only reservation is our left back position . last week sheffield went down our left side with for my liking to much ease . we made Patterson look world class

and yes we have a manager who knows whats he doing when was the last time we could say that ?

lets hope we can hold our own in this division until at least January in terms of results .pretty sure fitness and performances will improve with the strength and depth we have now

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Originally Posted by MOZZER2

i like that word you used there 'balanced ' , this team the way its set up will score goals but will have to adapt when teams play 5 at the back .

as mentioned last week my only reservation is our left back position . last week sheffield went down our left side with for my liking to much ease . we made Patterson look world class

and yes we have a manager who knows whats he doing when was the last time we could say that ?

lets hope we can hold our own in this division until at least January in terms of results .pretty sure fitness and performances will improve with the strength and depth we have now

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Could Panzo play at left back?

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Originally Posted by Wash DC Blue

Could Panzo play at left back?

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He is normally described as a centre back who can play left back.

One site I just looked at claims he has played more at LB than CB in his last 50 games. No idea how reliable that is.

https://www.footballcritic.com/jonat...sitions/151924

I expect he is a better LB than Rinohmota (or Ralls or O'Dowda).

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Originally Posted by jon1959

He is normally described as a centre back who can play left back.

One site I just looked at claims he has played more at LB than CB in his last 50 games. No idea how reliable that is.

https://www.footballcritic.com/jonat...sitions/151924

I expect he is a better LB than Rinohmota (or Ralls or O'Dowda).

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It’s good to have options, I suppose.
I would have liked another covering CB.
Caulker wouldn’t be a bad shout if he is still free.

Not if it’s been the best but certainly an impressive effort considering the Embargo. I would say the players we have brought in are of a higher quality than I expected considering the restraints. I think another 2 we could have pushed top 10, another 3 or 4 maybe a play off push. The start to the season has been a bit erratic, let’s see what the future brings, confidence will be huge if we are push up the league.

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Originally Posted by 2b2bdoo

Not if it’s been the best but certainly an impressive effort considering the Embargo. I would say the players we have brought in are of a higher quality than I expected considering the restraints. I think another 2 we could have pushed top 10, another 3 or 4 maybe a play off push. The start to the season has been a bit erratic, let’s see what the future brings, confidence will be huge if we are push up the league.

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yes agree erratic is another good word to use after yesterdays capitulation

in terms of winning over the fans 2 wins against Swansea and Coventry and Buluts name will be up in lights again and yesterdays debacle will be forgotten .

in terms of performance so far well for the last 3 games have seen more entertainment value and decent football than the whole of the last 2 years . theres stacks of goals in this team but can we defend as a unit with the system he sets up ?

its all about winning of course and can feel the fans frustrations after yesterday but as Ollie Tanner has messaged overnight 'stick with us ' .

i hope the fans do

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Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman

What’s his style of play?

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I’ll ask again. Mozzer said Bulut’s style of play has been a hit with the fans. So what’s his style of play?

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Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman

I’ll ask again. Mozzer said Bulut’s style of play has been a hit with the fans. So what’s his style of play?

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in a very basic way flooding the midfield and playing through the midfield .

so may players getting forward and into scoring positions yesterday like the brum game

the down side is we appear to be caught time and time again when sides over load our flanks . don't want to sound like a stuck record our left back position is of concern . Notice Bulut making noises about this or in his words the left side after the game yesterday

if thats the case Bulut really needs to address this . Will be interesting to see how we shape up at the back in our next 2 games

we got the entertainment value but needs the 3 points too !!

Thing is, the side seems to be playing much better away (although not getting results) and the tactics seem to have involved a lot of counter-attacking. The two home games have seen poor performances against poor sides and City have been ponderous in their build-up play to put it kindly.

I don’t know what Bulut’s style is yet and I’d be surprised if anyone else really does. There hasn’t been enough evidence of a consistent method.

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Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman

Thing is, the side seems to be playing much better away (although not getting results) and the tactics seem to have involved a lot of counter-attacking. The two home games have seen poor performances against poor sides and City have been ponderous in their build-up play to put it kindly.

I don’t know what Bulut’s style is yet and I’d be surprised if anyone else really does. There hasn’t been enough evidence of a consistent method.

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One style seems consistent - after going 2-0 up away from home, we've conceded within 10 minutes. In fact, the stats read after 10, 5, 2 and 7 minutes.

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Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman

Thing is, the side seems to be playing much better away (although not getting results) and the tactics seem to have involved a lot of counter-attacking. The two home games have seen poor performances against poor sides and City have been ponderous in their build-up play to put it kindly.

I don’t know what Bulut’s style is yet and I’d be surprised if anyone else really does. There hasn’t been enough evidence of a consistent method.

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There's isn't anything that defines his style of play. One thing that i am certain of though is we aren't very good under pressure, when the opposition start ramping it up and start pushing us back. The players lack concentration, discipline, composure, and that's as a unit. Bulut needs to turn that around, and sharpish as well, it's on him and his coaching staff.

Players are getting an easy ride though. We are making basic errors that lead to goals. How the manager can sort that it is difficult. Players know their jobs, they should know what is expected of them at different stages of a game or in different situations, and some of them are fluffing it. Is it confidence, self belief, or is it that some of them just can't cope when the screw is turned.

From what i have seen, we allow teams on, the midfield and forward players don't do enough to defend a lead, they're not working hard enough at breaking up play or at least disrupting it further up the pitch. Then it gets messy at the back, it gets tight, clumsy, desperate. Bulut has to work out a way to stop this from happening. We are better going forward because we have better players at going forward, they're not so sharp at getting organised and defending a lead.

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Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman

What’s his style of play?

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you getting it yet ?

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

Don’t want to be negative because I’m not really, but I don’t get this best transfer window in years stuff. Maybe in a month’s time when we’ve played something like the ten games everyone talks about then yes, such a claim may seem valid, but, for now, we can’t go claiming how brilliantly we’ve done when we’ve not played a game since the window closed.

So far, we’ve had a lucky win over a side without a point, played well at Leicester where we should have drawn by rights, were foiled by a last minute goal at Leeds (in truth we were hanging throughout the second half at Elland Road) and stank the Place against a poor QPR team. If we lose today (far from unlikely given how Ipswich have done over the past year), we’ll have four points from five games - relegation for if repeated over the course of a forty six game season.

On Tuesday we gave what was easily our best performance so far with a shadow team based mostly on players who were with us before the transfer window opened - we’d have more than four points if we had played like that in all of our league games. I think we look stronger than we were last season, but, at the moment, I’m guessing hence why I’m not going to start proclaiming how great our transfer window was yet.

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would you say a decent transfer window now or giving it more games before getting on the bulut train ?

Yes, I'm being won around and I think I make that clear in my blog post on the game.

As for Bulut's style, I thought it was very much counter attacking last night and I notice that Mark Robins had one or two complimentary things to say about us, for example that we have a lot of pace in the team. For me, this is the main reason we are so much more dangerous going forward, while I think the competition we have in midfield is bringing out more in players like Wintle (who did well playing in an unfamiliar more attacking role) and Ralls. Collins is also a good player at this level, Sakamoto was a tricky opponent for him in the last forty minutes or so, but, overall, he coped well with him - Bulut is also getting the best out of McGuinness who I'd rate our currrent player of the season.

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Originally Posted by MOZZER2

you getting it yet ?

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Fair play, you're getting funnier as you get older.

When Erol Bulut was appointed, you were excited by what you believed was his background in Futsal, although in fact he only played in one Futsal tournment for Turkey right at the end of his playing career when he was in his late-thirties. Nevertheless, the 'Futsal background' line is one you've repeated several times since.

In June, you boldly predicted we'd see an influx of players from Spain and Portugal as a result of Bulut's alleged Futsal roots, but that obviously didn't happen. You also claimed your 'research' had revealed that Bulut's team would produce "a high-intensity Futsal style of football like nothing we have ever experienced at Cardiff before..."

By the time we'd got to late-August, you were saying you had believed all along that Bulut would be "looking to play a more expansive game," whatever that meant.

Earlier this month, you said you thought Bulut's preferred style of play involved "flooding the midfield and playing through the midfield," whatever that meant.

Now you're asking me if I'm getting it yet, although you haven't said what 'it' is. Perhaps you could enlighten me.

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Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman

Fair play, you're getting funnier as you get older.

When Erol Bulut was appointed, you were excited by what you believed was his background in Futsal, although in fact he only played in one Futsal tournment for Turkey right at the end of his playing career when he was in his late-thirties. Nevertheless, the 'Futsal background' line is one you've repeated several times since.

In June, you boldly predicted we'd see an influx of players from Spain and Portugal as a result of Bulut's alleged Futsal roots, but that obviously didn't happen. You also claimed your 'research' had revealed that Bulut's team would produce "a high-intensity Futsal style of football like nothing we have ever experienced at Cardiff before..."

By the time we'd got to late-August, you were saying you had believed all along that Bulut would be "looking to play a more expansive game," whatever that meant.

Earlier this month, you said you thought Bulut's preferred style of play involved "flooding the midfield and playing through the midfield," whatever that meant.

Now you're asking me if I'm getting it yet, although you haven't said what 'it' is. Perhaps you could enlighten me.

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It's a mixture of 'football' and long ball (Diagonals seem a favourite) And the wide players stay wide. That's about it i reckon, nothing too complicated. Oh, and give the ball to Ramsey at any given opportunity. Because he's good.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman

Fair play, you're getting funnier as you get older.

When Erol Bulut was appointed, you were excited by what you believed was his background in Futsal, although in fact he only played in one Futsal tournment for Turkey right at the end of his playing career when he was in his late-thirties. Nevertheless, the 'Futsal background' line is one you've repeated several times since.

In June, you boldly predicted we'd see an influx of players from Spain and Portugal as a result of Bulut's alleged Futsal roots, but that obviously didn't happen. You also claimed your 'research' had revealed that Bulut's team would produce "a high-intensity Futsal style of football like nothing we have ever experienced at Cardiff before..."

By the time we'd got to late-August, you were saying you had believed all along that Bulut would be "looking to play a more expansive game," whatever that meant.

Earlier this month, you said you thought Bulut's preferred style of play involved "flooding the midfield and playing through the midfield," whatever that meant.

Now you're asking me if I'm getting it yet, although you haven't said what 'it' is. Perhaps you could enlighten me.

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i guess not :hehe:

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Originally Posted by MOZZER2

i guess not :hehe:

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Quite. You saw the word 'Futsal' on Bulut's Wiki page and got so excited that you're already predicting he'll prove to be the best City manager in 30 years, while your preconceived notions about how he'd set up his side have led to you using a variety of football cliches, none of which reflect the reality of the football we're actually watching.

Tuesday's performance was really encouraging and I reckon it was the most enjoyable Championship contest we've seen at the CCS for quite some time in terms of the quality of the football from both sides. It was good stuff all round and a marked contrast from the previous three home games, during which the quality had generally been poor. Hopefully, it was a sign of things to come.

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

Yes, I'm being won around and I think I make that clear in my blog post on the game.

As for Bulut's style, I thought it was very much counter attacking last night and I notice that Mark Robins had one or two complimentary things to say about us, for example that we have a lot of pace in the team. For me, this is the main reason we are so much more dangerous going forward, while I think the competition we have in midfield is bringing out more in players like Wintle (who did well playing in an unfamiliar more attacking role) and Ralls. Collins is also a good player at this level, Sakamoto was a tricky opponent for him in the last forty minutes or so, but, overall, he coped well with him - Bulut is also getting the best out of McGuinness who I'd rate our currrent player of the season.

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I think McGuiness has been excellent for us, with Siopis not far behind. IMHO its having someone like Siopis in the team that has given us a dimension to our play that we've not had for many a year. When was the last time we had an effective player in front of the back four? Medel in the first half of the season maybe?

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Originally Posted by HiVis

I think McGuiness has been excellent for us, with Siopis not far behind. IMHO its having someone like Siopis in the team that has given us a dimension to our play that we've not had for many a year. When was the last time we had an effective player in front of the back four? Medel in the first half of the season maybe?

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Medel was stationary though, sort of played along the line as opposed to getting involved in play. I agree with you, Siopis has been a breath of fresh air. Always making himself available for the ball, offers support and angles and moves the ball quickly.