**The lappinitup up for the cup official match thread**

[sgncfc 1,227]

2 minutes ago, unique said:

Giannoulis is unfortunate not to get more game time.

But please not as a full back. Almost every moment of danger came down his side. He simply cannot defend - not just on the ball, but positionally he gives too much space and time away. Push him up the pitch. Compare him to Byram. One of them is a full back.

[East Rider 549]

I would like to see, Rowe start on the left, Ra****za up top and Sarge on the right. Rupp in the middle and Krul to start

[mastoola 183]

We were just trying to give them a chance and then play from 80 mins   never mind it didnt work out

[Mengo 822]

4 minutes ago, Jambomo said:

 

The midfield was awful first half. Hardly had the ball and we were constantly played through. It was after the subs that we started getting forward and creating more.

That's a better assessment 👏 

[Monty13 2,231]

15 minutes ago, HazzaJet said:

Very impressed by Rowe, considering he was yet to make a first team appearance for us until this season 

I think we can see why he’s favoured over Tzolis, to be honest not sure why he isn’t getting in ahead of Placheta considering the game evidence.

[Mengo 822]

8 minutes ago, ricardo said:

Bigger games to come

Ffffffking huge games

[canarycop 206]

Though Zimbo was decent and he gives us an option. How about this for Saturday

Krul

Hanley Zimbo Gibbo

Aaron's Normann PLM Williams

Rowe Pukki Rashica

 

Disappointed not to see Tzolis get on tonight

[Midlands Yellow 3,970]

1 hour ago, Jambomo said:

Looked better after the subs. First half was dire.

We were decent for 20 odd minutes first half. 

[chicken 2,624]

1 hour ago, Jambomo said:

 

The midfield was awful first half. Hardly had the ball and we were constantly played through. It was after the subs that we started getting forward and creating more.

Sorry, bunkem. Up until their first goal we looked decent, carved out a couple of chances and pressed well.

It wasn't the CM midfield subs that drastically changed the game, it was Sargent on 2nd half and then moving to be the CF in what became a 4-3-3 with Rowe staring too. It was Sargent that fed Rupp to score the goal.

[chicken 2,624]

2 hours ago, Monty13 said:

Pathetic? Why don’t you be more of a condescending ****, I’m sure you’ve got it in you. 

I said in hindsight and it’s my opinion. You can point to any number of errors now made over the summer, even though we were told we came back stronger and with a gun, that’s proven to be decisively not the case. I don’t really care mathematically when we get relegated, because my point is IMO the root cause was decisions made before we kicked a ball.

I wasn't particularly being condescending. Just stating that it is rather pathetic to see people banging on about being relegated in October then blaming signings... 

Somehow though, Dean Smith appears to be getting much more out of these players and the reason folks say Halloween is because that's when Farke went.

There are many realistic facts to look at when looking at our season, the first ten games didn't relegate us, they haven't helped, but I think it's fair to say from the end of November through to the start of Jan we played games the club now admits it should have pushed to have postponed. It has certainly benefited other clubs.

Instead we played with half fit players, no Rashica or Normann who were hitting form. Sargent absent after looking like he was finding his stride. Sorensen at CB, though he did admirably. Flash backs of the last time up with Tettey or Amadou at CB. You can get away with that in the Championship, not the Premier League.

Then there is the entire summer window - not even the signings. Rashica missing a large chunk of pre-season. Pre-season being almost non-existent for us. Tzolis, Sargent, Williams, Kabak and Normann all signing within a couple of weeks of the start of the season itself.

Those players haven't done particularly badly. Tzolis was one with an eye on the future, we have seen flashes of what he can offer, its that consistency that is important now. Hard to say that all of those players have been utterly rubbish - because they haven't. I do think it is fair to say that it took several of them a couple of months to start to find their feet.

That does point to the lack of decent pre-season, some responsibility on coaches and working with those players.

Dean Smith almost appears to have waved a magic wand. We're a much tougher outfit. Far more battle and no fear of going direct - or as some would put it, being a bit more agricultural.

There is hope yet, we're not yet relegated and unlike many of the others in and around us, we have fewer games against top 6 sides and we are yet to play some of them.

Another argument would be to suggest that hindsight shouldn't be blinkered. It gives you all of the historical information, it's about putting it all together and assessing what could have been better. The pinkun forum isn't all that representative of the fanbase either. You look across social media and generally, ignoring the drive by idiots, folks have been a lot more positive about our summer signings recently.

Perhaps it's perspective. Realistically we spent something like £30-40m on new signings in the summer. Rachica £8m, Sargent £8m, Tzolis £8.8m, Gunn £5m, PLM £3.5m plus loan fees for Normann, Kabak, Gilmore and Williams.

Look down the table and see how many clubs have spent that amount on 5 players and how many have spent that on two players. We needed to replace half our squad. Only two players that went last summer were remotely worth keeping really, in terms of what we're short on - Stiepermann and Vrancic. Stiepermann had failed to replicate his championship form in the premier league and Vrancic had also struggled for the most part. Some will argue Argos - and there is a decent shout there, our standout player in project restart.

That's what you are up against in the PL. We certainly did have a gun this time when compared to last time. But perhaps we need several guns, some artillery maybe?

[Jambomo 215]

5 hours ago, chicken said:

Sorry, bunkem. Up until their first goal we looked decent, carved out a couple of chances and pressed well.

It wasn't the CM midfield subs that drastically changed the game, it was Sargent on 2nd half and then moving to be the CF in what became a 4-3-3 with Rowe staring too. It was Sargent that fed Rupp to score the goal.

Well that’s why I said the subs changed the game. Sergeant going on…Rowe being up top gave an out ball etc.

It doesn’t take away that the first half was as poor as any other game this season and that included the midfield. It’s not like we didn’t get forward or press at all in other games, after their goal we almost didn’t leave their half. It was the same as every other poor half we watched this season.
 

 

Edited March 3, 2022 by Jambomo

[DraytonBoy 147]

Only saw the second half and I thought City weren't too bad although they were playing against a semi reserve team, no injuries with a crucial ten days coming up was a bonus.

[Gordon Bennett 783]

Take away their goals and it was a reasonably good performance, we had chances and acquitted ourselves quite well. But we HAVE to be better in both boxes.

People talk about it being their reserves but I suspect we made as many changes as they did from their strongest eleven. Some of the criticism last night was OTT as per, we are a self funded club punching above our weight and they are one of the best teams in the world. It's just how it is.

Massive game Saturday, let's not be letting daft goals in then please.

[Rottingdean canary 117]

Impressive post-match interview from Zimbo 

  Already sounding like a coach.  Wouldn't be a surprise if he has a future as a top coach or manager

[keelansgrandad 6,679]

I think we can all admit that when things altered in the 2nd half we played better. Now whether that was because we were allowed to play better or because of the changes is open for debate. But the fact remains we looked better.

Hopefully that has convinced Deano that reputations and transfer fees count for nothing. The players who were a part of changing the game must be given a chance,

I'm still in two minds about midfield but we have to plump for someone.

Krul

Byram Hanley Gibson Williams

Rupp Sorenson PLM

Rowe Sarge Rashica

As I said, midfield is a headache as always. I wouldn't pick Gilmour as he is going back so stick with those who are likely to be here next season (but obviously expecting improvements there).

[cambridgeshire canary 6,698]

4 hours ago, Rottingdean canary said:

Impressive post-match interview from Zimbo 

  Already sounding like a coach.  Wouldn't be a surprise if he has a future as a top coach or manager

Given he came very closing to quitting football prior to joining us and was planning and training to be a teacher does not surprise me, he's always come across as very intelligent

[Rottingdean canary 117]

4 hours ago, cambridgeshire canary said:

Given he came very closing to quitting football prior to joining us and was planning and training to be a teacher does not surprise me, he's always come across as very intelligent

Yes he's very bright and clear in his thinking. Including on tactics which most players leave to their coach to talk about