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Post by Tim Munslow on Sept 12, 2015 18:53:59 GMT
Football can be a cruel game can't it? Never more so than today.
If I am to be completely objective I thought Curzon Ashton deserved their point; had they not been denied a penalty by the half-time whistle they could, after all, have gone in 2-1 up. If the game plan was to sit deep and attack on the counter, well the sitting deep part of the plan worked - i.e. we completely surrendered the midfield, and made for a very nervy game for the home support.
At least Lee Hughes has shown he hasn't (a) forgotten how to score and (b) lost his appetite for the game. Other than that most of our players (Nti excepted on this occasion) didn't play well. Elvins looked out of sorts and Nathan Vaughan was arguably at fault for both goals. Next Tuesday's opponents thumped Hednesford 4-0 today, so we're in for a tough time on Tuesday.
If I've got my arithmetic right we're on course (unless we improve of course) to concede 97 goals by the end of the season: that's relegation form.
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Post by simples on Sept 12, 2015 19:22:25 GMT
Agree with Tim. Last gasp goal was a blow but Curzon deserved at least a draw in my opinion. They moved the ball well. Lee Hughes seems the best forward we have recruited in a while, scored 2, had at least 2 more on target and another couple of efforts just wide. Nti looks more of a threat wide on the right and seems capable of forming a useful link as goal provider with Hughes in the middle. Aside from a spell early in the second half we do not seem able to close down the opposition when they have the ball. As the game wore on we dropped deeper and deeper and it seemed just a matter of time before the pressure told. Jackman also tried to play, but the remainder try as they might just could not string any passes together. At least with Nti and Hughes the long ball may produce a result. Hopefully Tyler will return to the fray sooner rather than later.
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Post by jupu on Sept 12, 2015 19:27:43 GMT
Agree totally. Poor defending and poor goalkeeping gave them their goals but Curzon were the better team and deserved something from this game. A win would have been great for our confidence but would have disguised the fact that we're still not looking very good. In fact the opposition have been better than us in every game I've watched this season.
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leon
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Post by leon on Sept 12, 2015 19:39:40 GMT
Difficult to know if a team deserves to win if they continually hoof the ball into the crowd! It is worth pointing out there is no stipulation that limits the City to only scoring 2 goals you are allowed to chase more which would put a game to bed. There seems little point in signing strikers if there is no creativity in midfield to supply them and relying on players who are out of form. BTW who is the vice captain?
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Post by thesecondjack on Sept 12, 2015 19:49:07 GMT
Lee Hughes was impressive throughout, Nti tried his heart out chasing the ball, there certainly are positives to take from the game.
The negatives however outweigh them.
Deeney and Geddes both looked like they didn't care, and as a result were probably the worst players on the pitch. Ellis would 'clear' a ball to the opposition time and time again, whereas I cannot recall Sean getting into a jog, let alone a sprint. 39year old Hughes put him to shame.
Elvins had a poor game in midfield today and was rightly subbed off, whereas Ashley Vincent did well when he came on, holding up play in their corner when playing for time was a highlight.
Vaughan didnt have a good game, but we know he can so often shows his class, we can surely forgive him.
To me we need to keep our shape better, 11 men defended corners from our own box, and then wouldn't push out.
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Post by thesecondjack on Sept 12, 2015 19:53:33 GMT
BTW who is the vice captain? I assume we don't have one, and cannot decide who should be... Personally I don't like Deeney as a captain, and thought he deserved to be subbed today, but we just don't have a figurehead. |
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Post by cityforever on Sept 12, 2015 20:01:56 GMT
Wasn't sure about the Hughes signing but he was different gravy today!! Create chances and he will score but more than that his work rate was phenomenal.
Midfield is a problem. Ellis was lost in the first half playing wide left and Geddes didn't try a kick. Sean with the ball behind Hughes could be lethal!
What was Vaughan doing,!!!!!!! Flapped at a cross for the first goal and the equaliser in stoppage time was pathetic - hardly the cleanest strike and it went straight through him. We still gift so many soft goals.
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bj
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Post by bj on Sept 12, 2015 20:59:58 GMT
The only two players who appeared to be giving out 'captain-like' orders and encouragement were Danny Jackman and Hughes (who I thought both had good games). Clayton McDonald needs to ask Lee Hughes about his fitness routine. Hughes had more stamina than anybody else on the pitch. A good old fashioned centre forward - he was great to watch.
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Post by horseshoer on Sept 13, 2015 6:04:10 GMT
We need a centre half who is confident enough to play the ball out of defence rather than just hoof it and hope it goes somewhere (is that to be MacDonald when he returns?). At one point yesterday before Gater came on we were actually playing 4 2 4 with Hughes, Harrod, Vincent and Nti up front. Deeney and Jackman were totally out numbered in midfield and pinned back. With the new signings of Hughes, Burton and Harrod it seems we have a philosophy of "well we know we are going to concede a couple but let's make sure we score more than them".
Two questions though if anyone can answer;
1. How are we paying for 3 obviously top class strikers (4 if you think Vincent is) and
2. How long is this supposed holiday of Dunkley's?
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Post by The Verner on Sept 13, 2015 6:43:50 GMT
We need a centre half who is confident enough to play the ball out of defence rather than just hoof it and hope it goes somewhere (is that to be MacDonald when he returns?). At one point yesterday before Gater came on we were actually playing 4 2 4 with Hughes, Harrod, Vincent and Nti up front. Deeney and Jackman were totally out numbered in midfield and pinned back. With the new signings of Hughes, Burton and Harrod it seems we have a philosophy of "well we know we are going to concede a couple but let's make sure we score more than them". Two questions though if anyone can answer; 1. How are we paying for 3 obviously top class strikers (4 if you think Vincent is) and 2. How long is this supposed holiday of Dunkley's? There will no doubt be a few going out the door but i would guess the loss of Campion (doing really well at that big club) and Haynes freed up some funds....would also guess the newer players weve got are on smaller wages than Thomas, Hutchison etc were on. No idea on Dunkley but we really need him back....or someone like him brought into the club....our only outlet in the first half was Nti...everything from the defence went to him. |
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Post by Dodger on Sept 13, 2015 7:42:19 GMT
Most definitely a bad day at the office. It could/should have been better, it could/should have been worse.
A close penalty decision on half-time following a 'disallowed' scrambled effort by Curzon which, on another day, may well have been given as a goal.
With City one up to a super strike from Hughes, we should have pressed on but instead (in my view) gifted Curzon a goal. The ball gets crossed from the left into the six yard area and Vaughan has 4 choices to make:-
1. - Catch the ball
2. - Punch the ball
3. - Push the ball over the bar and out for a corner
4. - Tap the ball down towards the penalty spot to where 3 Curzon players are waiting to smash the ball into the net.
Anyway, overall I thought City somehow lacked any belief in being able to knock the ball around and almost resolved themselves to 'hoof' the ball upfield at the earliest opportunity. How many times did Vaughan actually roll or throw the ball to start an attack?
City's midfield seemed to play 'jockeying' all afternoon as if frightened to go into a tackle (maybe the discipline talk by CH & MG has been too effective?). Even when Hughes scored the second (bullet-like header), there was a sense of nervousness and, as has been said earlier, an almost expectation that Curzon would equalise. There were some last ditch blocks going in during the final minutes but as the seconds were ticking by, there was always going to be a Curzon player who would take a speculative shot in the hope of scoring.......and he did - quite easily.
Dodger.
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harley
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Post by harley on Sept 15, 2015 8:29:44 GMT
First game I've been able to get to this season. I felt the side lacked confidence, midfield seemed disjointed with Deeney out on the left and Elvins not looking at all comfortable which led to Geddes getting completely lost. But we should never have lost this game, we were 2-1 up with thirty seconds to go, the corner had gone right across the penalty area and was running away from goal and a City defender (couldn't see who from where I was) sauntered after it and this allowed a Curzon player to sprint past him, keep the ball in play and work the ball back into the middle. Even then the threat could have been closed down but wasn't. That was poor and hopefully a big, big lesson was learnt
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