Just back from the game

[Crafty Canary 495]

The consolation is we have a terrible record at St Andrews and these are early days. I could not believe that AN would send out a side with no centre forward. I don''t recall ever seeing City start a game with no centre forward. Consequently our creative players had no one in the box to cross to and it was all too easy for the Brum defence. Naismith was awful and the cheers when Lafferty came on we''re not for him but for Naismith going off. Hopefully he will never wear the yellow and green again. Whittaker was equally cr@p and the first goal was down to him failing to get to a ball first when he had plenty of time to do so. The resulting cross went over Klose''s head leaving the forward with a free header.

Second half we pressed more but threatened little and then gave away a penalty and finally a back pass was made to an unchallenged Brum forward with only McGovern to beat. The disappointing thing is that Birmingham never threatened to score of their own play - we presented the goals to them. MOM was Wes and I''d give Naismith and Whittaker both 0 but only after awarding them bonus points for being on the pitch.

Neil has much to answer for starting a match without a centre forward to give focus in the box for the creative players. I really doubt that we will figure in the promotion race under his leadership. Hopefully the international break will give them a chance to sort out the poor performances and get the impetus going again.

[Guest]

I''m starting to think that the whole starting with no centre forward was just AN''s way of putting a bit of pressure on the board to back him in the last few days of the window with what we all know is needed.

[Crafty Canary 495]

You are not the only one to suggest that. His after match comments suggests otherwise.

[Wibble 109]

If thats true the man should be hung out to dry, the same as sending your soldiers into battle with feathers, get rid of the commander and issue new recruits!

[Capt. Pants 4,201]

[quote user="Inch High aka Inchy.."]I''m starting to think that the whole starting with no centre forward was just AN''s way of putting a bit of pressure on the board to back him in the last few days of the window with what we all know is needed.[/quote]So what happens when the window closes and we still don''t have a striker, Neil gonna walk? It was just a schoit team selection that must not be repeated.

[Hoola Han Solo 448]

There is no way Alex Neil would jeopardise us winning a game to prove a point to the board.

[norfolkngood 1,086]

Question is why are they not backing him ?

Either No money or trust issue with what he spent money on ?

[Guest]

I agree that it was a mistake but can''t believe he''d do it out of choice. It''s no secret he doesn''t like Lafferty and I feel he was trying to make a point that he has no viable backup striker.

[morty 0]

Yes I think the board knows we need a striker or two. Judge them when the window shuts.

If you have enough dry pants to last you till then.

[Clint 221]

I appreciate we need a striker and have done for months, this is no surprise. Do why has Neil spent £30m on Naismith, Pritchard, Maddison et all when we already have Wes? And still no bloody striker! It''s embarrassing.

[Mason 47 1,373]

We all assume that it''s all down to us and our team, when it must be mentioned that BCFC had a game plan and it was well executed.

Happy to let us have non-threatening possession in our own time but putting it to us when caught off-guard; that was actually AN''s key tactic against the technical sides of his last Championship bout.

All today does is underline the severe necessity for a plan B when technical-territorial doesn''t work. They have 2 weeks.

[Indy 3,283]

[quote user="morty"]Yes I think the board knows we need a striker or two. Judge them when the window shuts.

If you have enough dry pants to last you till then.[/quote]

Sorry Morty but if Oliviera was truly one of the main fall back targets then why have we waited till three days before the market closes to sign him?

We missed out on McCormack over a month ago now! Oliviera was available.

Vydra just gone to Derby, there have been a number of targets as last year for some reason we are missing out on signings, I believe some players don''t see AN as the manager who they wish to play for.

It''s the third game where we''ve under performed and we we''re lucky not to lose to the binners last week.

This summer has been all about balancing the books, sell to buy and we still haven''t signed Oliviera, 75% complete, I wonder if we have agreed to sell either Naismith, Olsson or Brady and just need to complete the move at the same time.

I''ve always questioned this tag of AN as a great young manager, he''s certainly not that and can''t motivate, organise or get the best out of the players. His tactics are dull and the way he organises the midfield pushes our defence deep making it hard for our defence to push up.

It''s not the result but the manner of the team, the lack of breaking teams down and the constant same post match talk of players not doing their jobs, not applying themselves and that''s down to the manager in my book.