Calm down dears...it's just a bit of pressure!!

[Never Blue 0]

As has been discussed elsewhere, it has been a very long time since a City team has played games with such dominance in possession however their recent lack of goals and subsequent slump in results is leaving everybody perplexed.

To put my two-penneth in I would suggest that they need to calm down. Today especially, (until Redmond came on) everything just feels rushed, as though they are feeling under pressure to steamroller teams and as a consequence they are making mistakes and giving the opposition opportunities that they shouldn''t be getting.

We can all whinge and moan about the players but they are without question among the best players in this league, perhaps just reminding them of this wouldn''t go amiss. If they slow things down, pass to feet, find space, keep positive - and all of the other basics of football - they will undoubtedly get back to winning ways. All of this panic and poor decision making will be our undoing if not dealt with soon.

Quality is not an act or an accident. It is a habit, the result of intelligent effort.

OTBC

[BroadstairsR 2,163]

I agree with that, especially the comment about being under pressure to steamroller teams. I believe that this pressure and the expectations of the fans resulted, to a certain extent, in our run of below average home results.

Now it seems to be apparent in away games as well. In both the Fulham game and yesterday against Sheffield Wednesday a casual observer would have been forgiven for thinking that the players in yellow were the home team.

There was something inevitable about our failure to get that vital goal in both games. Trepidation in front of goal was evident.

We clearly need a spark to ignite the goal rush that characterised out first spell of games when our goals for column looked outstanding.

I have been looking for that inspiration to come from the input of a.n. other individual, either from the injury list or from our newest signings, but this hasn''t happened either. It is good to have Howson back, but the reults remain disappointing. VOO has been heralded as that man, but yesterday belied that hope somewhat, although I suspect there is a lot more to come from that quarter. Many, including myself, want Gary Hooper to be in the starting eleven but Adams didn''t even give him fifteen minutes yesterday when something different was clearly needed. Now, from reports (my stream was lousy) Gary O''Neill might be that man.

Something will click soon for, despite some clearly strange decisions, Neil Adams has not had much luck of late. Our recent run of bad fortune has surely been characterised by it''s unfair share of cruel deflections, woodwork hitting, penalty missing and, yesterday and before, some outstanding goalkeeping. On the other hand we have missed more than our fair share of relatively easy chances, so back to the ''trepidation'' factor.

There is/was a list of reasons for many of us being against the Neil Adams appointment, but now I hope we cannot add the ''Jonah'' tag to that ...... in the same way that the opposite could be applied to Paul Lambert. You make your own luck though.

[sonyc 5,517]

Good posts. We are dominating and have been arguably since the opener against Wolves. We managed about 20 minutes then. Charlton did one on us. But despite the massive disappointment and sheer loss of potential over the last 5 or 6 we are thereabouts. Watford slipped up, Charlton have dropped, Forest are on a terrible run. Wolves continue steady progress and Bournemouth are coming again after their early promise.. It''s a great championship .....full of upsets. For me where we are around 23rd or 30th November will be the most reliable guide to end of season positions. There are always the odd club that falls away and another 1 or 2 emerging and threatening to take a play off position. This has served me well watching over 30 years.

So....the next 5 games are crucial. And some challenging ones at that. Top 3 or 4 come 30th November and I will start to believe in us this season, that we are potential winners. 6th or 7th and I will be sceptical. It''s a good guide to managing your own expectations.

[ZLF 274]

Its been the position since lambert was here that having lots of possession does not really suit us. Not sure why but last season was the same - plenty of possession and we struggle to win games.

It is something to be concerned about because that is likely to be the pattern all season.

But the good thing is just how many good chances we are creating. Although the first half was woeful yesterday we ended the game with Grabban and Martin finishing poorly with easy chances and Jerome drawing two excellent saves having done enough to score if in form.

It will come and we do need some patience, but we also do not need to see either of the last two starting choices either