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It's Character Forming

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It's Character Forming last won the day on November 24 2019

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  1. A key distinction here between non-English and non-British managers, the chart is working off non-English managers. The reality is that the Prem has enough money to be able to recruit the top managers from other European Leagues, so why would a Prem club bring in an English manager from the lower leagues ? It's the exception now. It happens even more than for players because the Prem has negatives for top players (Messi, Mbappe etc) - the high number of games and the high physical demands in many of those games are wearing on players and that's a factor in deciding whether the money is worth it. But that doesn't apply to managers. I'm not that bothered myself whether the England manager is English or not.
  2. Yes, this was always my main concern about Farkeball in the Prem, when we won possession we'd take our time before doing anything and give them time to re-group. With Hoff there are promising signs that we look to strike directly as soon as we win the ball back.
  3. This is true, but Portugal are a good creative side and for Hanley to play at CB when they kept a clean sheet against them is impressive and good news for us, given he's not been playing regularly since his long injury break. Hanley is no longer first choice for us, and it's great news that we have him as a squad player available if necessary - CB is a position where you need plenty of cover.
  4. From the BBC match report ā€œI thought it was a brilliant defensive performance from Scotland. Souttar was immense, Hanley was goodā€œ 0-0 and clearly a disappointment to the vultures on here.
  5. According to t'internet he's 182cm which is almost 6 foot. Yes he's slightly built and that will be sorted as he gets older I'm sure. But definitely tall enough to play full back at the highest level (unlike Max).
  6. I loved it in the Watford game when we were worrying about them being too physical for us (as they used to be) and Fischer completely cleaned out a couple of their players with legitimate challenges, plus Cordoba going shoulder to shoulder with one of their guys who just fell over šŸ™‚
  7. I certainly can't think of a more complete performance in the last 18 months. The last few games we've really been opening up the opposition and looking better defensively too (although not perfect). OK Hull had chances when they hit the bar and the disallowed goal , but we missed a penalty. Overall it's much more enjoyable watching this team than the teams put out by Dean Smith or Wagner. And after only a fraction of the season that's impressive work by JHT. Factor in the quality of the teams we've played and it's starting to look very promising.
  8. What, knee jerk reactions on the Pinkun ! Whatever next !!
  9. OK so he's 28, clearly he'd like to play in the Premier league, but I can't see him being signed for a starting position by a Prem club. So his options are to run down his contract and move for a free to a Prem club as backup. Or move to another Champs club that he thinks will start him and has a better shot at promotion. Or stay with us. Either way I can understand him wanting to keep his options open for now, it wouldn't make sense to sign a new contract and rule out the other options. The risk as with any player is that he has a career-ending injury in the meantime, but that's always the risk. Also as time moves on, we'll need to start thinking about a replacement who would be first choice. Also as has been pointed out, there's no way we'll be able to sell him on for a profit at this point in his career, so that must be reflected in the contract he's being offered. I'm not expecting anything to be decided soon on this.
  10. I don't think it's hyperbole. Yes he did look lightweight last year, but not any more. And he's been up against some very good players in Leeds and Watford. An opposition manager would be welcome to try and target him IMO.
  11. I think youā€™ll find we didnā€™t actually turn up for the last one šŸ˜‚šŸ˜‚
  12. I think yesterday shows Hoff is his own man and completely different to Farke. With a weaker squad, his team matched Leeds over the 90 minutes but with a different playing style. And we definitely looked better than in any of the 3 games vs Leeds last season. It's going to be an interesting season.
  13. Being based in Nottingham, Pride Park is where I had my first Covid vaccination back in those dark days, so it will always have a positive vibe for me. I can still vividly remember how wonderfully efficient the whole thing was and the relief when Iā€™d had the shot. An incredible achievement for everyone involved with the vaccine programme and the whole of our NHS come to that. I know it was on TV but after the Watford game I realised a lot of posters hadnā€™t been able to watch it, so this is my experience of the day. Today after biblical rain earlier in the week, it was the perfect autumn day, clear blue skies and warming up after a chilly start, and I parked north of the A52 and had a pleasant stroll to the ground just in time for kick off. On the way I was thinking Iā€™ve seen City play at Pride Park many times, but I canā€™t remember any classics - nothing like the 3-2 win at home which I was also fortunate enough to be at. Is there a game Iā€™m forgetting? Anyway, City started with some good possession but Derby won it back and broke down the left, a brilliant low cross found their #19 unmarked at the far post. From our position high in the corner at the other end it looked like an easy chance, but the replay showed it was played across at pace, a difficult one to get on target, and he sliced it completely out of play . An early wake up call. After this the game settled down with City mainly in control, good possession but creating few real chances. Derby were playing on the break but didnā€™t really trouble Gunn. I remember one chance when the ball came out to Sainz from a corner and his shot was just wide, another chance with a through ball to Sarge, the keeper was out quickly and the ball bobbled away and they cleared the danger. The home fans were poor, making little noise even with their drum. As the half wound down a low cross was deflected perfectly towards Sarge at the far post and this would have been a clear open goal, but their defender just got a toe to it and flicked it behind, avoiding an own goal as well. But soon after we put in another through ball to Sarge who played it across for an exquisite finish by Sainz with a back heel. I wasnā€™t sure if Sarge had kept it in, and the Derby players and fans protested long and hard, but the lino had been haring off to halfway the second it went in, and itā€™s his job to spot this. Turns out Sarge hadnā€™t quite kept it in. Although even a fraction of the ball over the line is enough to keep it in, it was inches beyond. Thatā€™s how it goes, like Englandā€™s goal in ā€˜66 and Lampardā€™s disallowed goal vs Germany, some you win and some you lose. Interestingly I thought the full back had been doing a good job keeping Sainz under wraps, fortunately in our system the front players can swap around which he did to good effect. We managed to see out some pressure to half time, but after the break as expected Derby were putting on the pressure with their fans now making plenty of noise. Initially I thought we stood up to it well, but they started to get some corners and free kicks which looked like their best chance to score and eventually 15 minutes in they won a header from a corner which fell to their player on the six yard line who buried it and the stadium erupted. Fortunately City didnā€™t fold and only a few minutes later Sainz brilliantly burst through the middle and Sarge was open, giving him an easy pass to the right, pulling the defender away and instead Sainz took advantage to drill it to the keeperā€™s right, a superb goal. After this City regained a measure of control, but one close call was when Derby won the ball in midfield and their player tried a speculative shot from distance which skimmed the top of the bar with Angus beaten, but otherwise not much was troubling him. They had a penalty shout when their player went down very easily under a challenge from Cordoba, but happily the ref correctly waved it away, resisting any temptation to ā€œeven things upā€. In the final 10 minutes Derby had won a free kick in a great position outside the box which was blocked and City broke superbly and Sarge played a perfect cross on the ground for Sainz to convert for a well deserved hat trick - has anyone scored a hat trick since Teemu? Derby were not done yet and Angus had to make a comfortable save in the centre of the goal (this may have been after they scored again- Iā€™m not sure). Then as 90 mins was up, Derby attacked down the left and Stacey backed off (showing the difference from Fisher) and their player cut inside and put a shot beyond Angus at the far post. With 6 minutes injury time it was very much game on. Derby won some set pieces and their GK started to come up although from one he more got in the way than helping. Angus made one brilliant save after the ball had been bobbling around the 6 yard area. After another, a City player (Forshaw?) tried a shot from inside our half towards the empty Derby goal, it bobbled away left of the goal, but I love to see this. It was thrilling stuff, but not an easy win and it was a relief to hear the final whistle. Afterwards the players came over to our corner and I love it that JHT pushed Sainz to the front to take the plaudits, then he pushed Angus forward for well deserved applause, and finally another chance for Sainz to take the applause- he really has stepped up this season. I know the fashion is to talk about ā€œweaponsā€ and Iā€™m always dubious about football fads, but if Sainz isnā€™t a weapon then I donā€™t know what is. So, a true thriller that will be remembered a long time. 4 points off 2nd place despite a poor opening to the season. Also demolishing the ā€œfactā€ that weā€™d only scored once away this season before today. This season is definitely looking much better than expected.
  14. Great report, I was lucky enough to be there šŸ˜Š
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