Lets Have a Sensible Debate -Part 1

[Cleve van Leef]

You say “as our creative player in midfield” as if we are only allowed one of them. I’m not having a go at you because after watching us play in recent years, you could be forgiven for thinking that was the case. I think to be fair to Bulut, he has tried to wean us off the long ball game, but, essentially, we still have Warnock type “bread and butter” central midfielders built more for the dogs of war stuff which goes with a more physical and direct approach. Have we started a league game with two out of Colwill, Ramsey and Turnbull in the team? I stand to be corrected, but I don’t think we have and I don’t think we will under this manager.

I think you stating we have central midfield players who are “dogs of war”, they are nowhere near players like that, in fact Wintle and Ralls, if they’re the ones you are thinking of couldn’t tackle a cooked dinner! They are lightweight midfielders, and definitely not Warnockesque.

[the other bob wilson]

I think you stating we have central midfield players who are “dogs of war”, they are nowhere near players like that, in fact Wintle and Ralls, if they’re the ones you are thinking of couldn’t tackle a cooked dinner! They are lightweight midfielders, and definitely not Warnockesque.

Well Ralls was in Warnock’s promotion team, but I accept he’s not the player now that he was then. As for Wintle, I’ve got more time for him than most City fans I reckon, but I’m not sure what sort of player he is. O’Dowda was talking in glowing terms about his technique after the Ipswich match, but he doesn’t do enough when he’s used as the number ten type for me and I accept that he’s no midfield hard man. Maybe I shouldn’t have said dogs of war, but, when we play with four at the back we have two number six types and it’s always two out of Wintle, Ralls and Siopis.

[jon1959]

Well Ralls was in Warnock’s promotion team, but I accept he’s not the player now that he was then. As for Wintle, I’ve got more time for him than most City fans I reckon, but I’m not sure what sort of player he is. O’Dowda was talking in glowing terms about his technique after the Ipswich match, but he doesn’t do enough when he’s used as the number ten type for me and I accept that he’s no midfield hard man. Maybe I shouldn’t have said dogs of war, but, when we play with four at the back we have two number six types and it’s always two out of Wintle, Ralls and Siopis.

Just before the end of the first half Wintle and O'Dowda were having a go at Colwill. It seemed to be about his runs and his positioning. I never saw Bulut doing the same. Colwill had a poor half, but he was trying passes that didn't come off, making runs and coming back to the CBs to pick up the ball. He was trying but he was working to a different script from some of the others (not that the rest of the team was on the same script either).

I can see why Wilson-Esbrand was taken off (he was giving the ball away to much and playing backwards) but Colwill was just a scapegoat for a poor first half by the whole team where there was no obvious plan or clarity of roles. Maybe that was down to players not doing what they were told, maybe it was just another off day, but the buck must stop with the manager.