Bagan - surely has to start against Swansea?

[Eric the Half a Bee]

No doubt he's in better form than Doughty and gives us much more in attack.

[Bothroyd's Diving Coach]

I was just about to start a thread for Joel Bagan. I don't think I've ever seen quite the transformation for any player since I've been going down the City (around '99). The improvements he has made since just the end of last season has been nothing short of phenomenal. I have no doubt a lot of that is to do with how he is utilised under Morison, but the confidence he has built has allowed him to not only run at defenders, but beat them frequently too. He can also put in a mean delivery too. He even gets himself into some brilliant attacking positions so I'm not surprised he's been on the scoresheet a couple of times too.

The boy deserves a lot of credit and even though I rate Doughty, Bagan has to start for the rest of the season for me.

[Dorcus]

I was just about to start a thread for Joel Bagan. I don't think I've ever seen quite the transformation for any player since I've been going down the City (around '99). The improvements he has made since just the end of last season has been nothing short of phenomenal. I have no doubt a lot of that is to do with how he is utilised under Morison, but the confidence he has built has allowed him to not only run at defenders, but beat them frequently too. He can also put in a mean delivery too. He even gets himself into some brilliant attacking positions so I'm not surprised he's been on the scoresheet a couple of times too.

The boy deserves a lot of credit and even though I rate Doughty, Bagan has to start for the rest of the season for me.

He was superb today and getting better and better each game.

[Wash DC Blue]

I was just about to start a thread for Joel Bagan. I don't think I've ever seen quite the transformation for any player since I've been going down the City (around '99). The improvements he has made since just the end of last season has been nothing short of phenomenal. I have no doubt a lot of that is to do with how he is utilised under Morison, but the confidence he has built has allowed him to not only run at defenders, but beat them frequently too. He can also put in a mean delivery too. He even gets himself into some brilliant attacking positions so I'm not surprised he's been on the scoresheet a couple of times too.

The boy deserves a lot of credit and even though I rate Doughty, Bagan has to start for the rest of the season for me.

I agree.
I was at the Millwall home game earlier this season and I never thought he'd be capable of playing like he has.

Massive props to the lad!!

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Need a chant for him - Joel, Joel, Joel, Joel (to the First Nowell), need help with the next bit

[Raymond Holt]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5AfvOk57bE

I'm sure a finer lyricist than me could add to this, if you replace Beggin' with Bagan.

[Cardiff Ultra]

Need a chant for him - Joel, Joel, Joel, Joel (to the First Nowell), need help with the next bit

"He survived Mick McCarthy's hell"

[WJ99mobile]

I honestly thought he used to be by far our weakest link

He’s come on massively

[goats]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5AfvOk57bE

I'm sure a finer lyricist than me could add to this, if you replace Beggin' with Bagan.

A fine tune that is too….just need some lyrical genius to be a bit clever with the words now

[Cowbridge Blue]

I think his assist last night says it all...he would never have done that a few months back

[the other bob wilson]

I seem to be in a minority, possibly of one, who does not think Bagan was playing badly early in the season. He always seemed quite isolated defensively to me and did have some poor moments at times, but he was playing in a team that was on a club record breaking run of defeats and, like all of the younger players at that time, was getting little or no help from the more experienced members of the team who were having enough problems of their own.

[Dorcus]

I seem to be in a minority, possibly of one, who does not think Bagan was playing badly early in the season. He always seemed quite isolated defensively to me and did have some poor moments at times, but he was playing in a team that was on a club record breaking run of defeats and, like all of the younger players at that time, was getting little or no help from the more experienced members of the team who were having enough problems of their own.

No you're not alone in having that opinion Bob. I agree entirely. I thought he had the making of a very good player early on but had the misfortune of playing in a poor defensive unit. Let's be fair no one is likely to play well alongside Nelson. Bagan was really up against it.

[Rjk]

I seem to be in a minority, possibly of one, who does not think Bagan was playing badly early in the season. He always seemed quite isolated defensively to me and did have some poor moments at times, but he was playing in a team that was on a club record breaking run of defeats and, like all of the younger players at that time, was getting little or no help from the more experienced members of the team who were having enough problems of their own.

No I thought he was doing fine, some people on here were very quick to dismiss some of our younger players as "league one at best".
I don't recall too many times he was at fault for goals, if anything it was his attacking contribution that needed to improve.

When he dropped out of the side, he went back to the u23s and started scoring goals immediately, so fair play to him he's done exactly what the coaches have wanted from him.

He's probably fortunate that Giles went back to Wolves, as he wouldn't have had much game time if he was here, but he's definitely taken that opportunity.

[WJ99mobile]

No I thought he was doing fine, some people on here were very quick to dismiss some of our younger players as "league one at best".
I don't recall too many times he was at fault for goals, if anything it was his attacking contribution that needed to improve.

When he dropped out of the side, he went back to the u23s and started scoring goals immediately, so fair play to him he's done exactly what the coaches have wanted from him.

He's probably fortunate that Giles went back to Wolves, as he wouldn't have had much game time if he was here, but he's definitely taken that opportunity.

Defensively he was awful. Allowed so many crosses into the box and faster players turned him inside out

He's improved but I did think he was never going to make it.

[TWGL1]

Defensively he was awful. Allowed so many crosses into the box and faster players turned him inside out

He's improved but I did think he was never going to make it.

His block against Derby prevented a certain goal

[The Lone Gunman]

I seem to be in a minority, possibly of one, who does not think Bagan was playing badly early in the season.

I didn't think so either and I couldn't understand why Morison initially ditched him. I thought Bagan showed up well in the early games, especially considering the mess that was happening around him. I was impressed by the fact that he never attempted to hide and managed to get forward reasonably frequently despite the dire football the team was playing.

[Rjk]

I didn't think so either and I couldn't understand why Morison initially ditched him. I thought Bagan showed up well in the early games, especially considering the mess that was happening around him. I was impressed by the fact that he never attempted to hide and managed to get forward reasonably frequently despite the dire football the team was playing.

Morison dropped him because he wanted to play Giles there, and Giles was our best player up to that point.

[The Lone Gunman]

Morison dropped him because he wanted to play Giles there, and Giles was our best player up to that point.

Bear in mind that Bagan didn't get his first league start under Morrison until 9th February against Peterborough. It took injuries to Nelson and Doughty for Bagan to get his chance. He didn't kick a ball in the Championship from 20/10/21 to 09/02/22.

[Rjk]

Bear in mind that Bagan didn't get his first league start under Morrison until 9th February against Peterborough. It took injuries to Nelson and Doughty for Bagan to get his chance. He didn't kick a ball in the Championship from 20/10/21 to 09/02/22.

He had a shoulder injury that kept him out from the Fulham game under mick until the start of 2022, then he was on the bench and playing for the U23s , before breaking back into the team.

Morison never picked Nelson at wing back ahead of Bagan - He started with Giles, then Moved Ng across, Doughty when he arrived and then Bagan

[The Lone Gunman]

He had a shoulder injury that kept him out from the Fulham game under mick until the start of 2022....

Really? I know he had a minor shoulder injury at some point, but he was on the bench for Morison's first game at Stoke (30/10/21), and was then dropped to the Under-23's for their 3-1 win at Swansea on 01/11/21. He was then in the Republic of Ireland Under-21's team when they lost 2-0 to Italy (12/11/21) and beat Sweden 1-0 (16/11/21). He was playing for the City's Under-23's team again on 30/11/21 when they beat Colchester 2-0, on 06/12/21 when they beat Watford 4-0 (he scored one of the goals) and on 10/12/21 when they lost 1-0 at Millwall. He was finally back on the bench for City at West Brom (02/01/22).

The evidence would suggest he wasn't unfit for any length of time at any stage.

As for Morison never picking Nelson at wing-back ahead of Bagan, I know that. However, it took an injury to Nelson for the manager to finally move NG into the centre of defence, and another injury to Doughty to enable Bagan to get his chance.

[Dorcus]

I don't know if I'm in a minority of one but I think Bagan is better than Giles overall.

[Chris Pontprennau Blues]

I didn't think so either and I couldn't understand why Morison initially ditched him. I thought Bagan showed up well in the early games, especially considering the mess that was happening around him. I was impressed by the fact that he never attempted to hide and managed to get forward reasonably frequently despite the dire football the team was playing.

Hi TLG - are you back to live games now - please don't take offence?

[Rjk]

I don't know if I'm in a minority of one but I think Bagan is better than Giles overall.

they have different strengths, I'd say Giles is ahead for now but if he keeps improving then who knows

[The Lone Gunman]

Hi TLG - are you back to live games now - please don't take offence?

I've been going to games since 2016/17, a few each year (apart from the lockdown seasons, obviously). Mostly home games, but I've done a handful of aways too.

I've been at five home games so far this season - Sheffield Utd, Nottingham Forest, Coventry, Fulham and Preston. I missed the entirety of Mick McCarthy's reign - lucky me!