The significance of todays activities

**niamh** · 09/06/2003, 10:05 PM

I have to say that the performance against Pats was an improvement some recent results. Pat has only been in the job for ten games - that is true.

he deserves a chance but what has annoyed me about the man is his refusal to talk about the problems he has had or the reason he thought we lost the game. we don't need to know that the team are gutted after a defeat...we presume they are and they should be.

he has got a lot of thinks moving at City, for that he deserves credit. He is talking to the fans and promoting openess in the club. what we need know is honest thoughts and not PR from the man himself about the team.

I didn't think we were league winners at the start of the season but I would be very disappointed if City were not at least in the top four at the end of the season.

**Real ale Madrid** · 10/06/2003, 12:28 AM

apart from Doyle we have absolutely nobody in midfield. Woods plays best at full back and should remain there. O'Halloran puts himself about but is not a very clean tackler and shows zilch going forward, O'Grady is not good enough anymore.

Added to the fact that these four mentioned are our best midfielders. Since Patsy Freyne left the playing area we have failed to replace him. Maybe we should try cloning him?

Seriously, effort is brilliant, organisation - great.
back four has looked reasonably solid. how many goals have we conceded from play in the last 3 games = 1.
No problems in the strikers dept either. But unless we bring in at least 3 quality midfielders there is little chance of us being in the top half come November.

**Trax** · 10/06/2003, 8:18 AM

Tiktik for your team I'd put Woods at L.B. Doyle on the left wing(I think he's gettin better every game) Drop George back to C.M. next to Greg,put DW on the Right and Behan up front with Flynny.Worth a game or 2 methinks.

**tiktok** · 10/06/2003, 2:02 PM

yeah, pretty solid, given where everyone had played and how they've played this season, you'd imagine that side should get a run out at some stage.

i think you can handle greg in midfield as long as you have a creative player next to him, george might leave him a small bit exposed defensively (although he's well capable of putting a tackle in). still, that'd be a good side.

**Shane** · 10/06/2003, 6:25 PM

Real - so right. Woods is a spent force, O'Grady just not at the races. Greg needs help in the middle. Doyle at the moment is the only thing the opposition needs to fear from our midfield. Bringing George back to the middle needs looking at with Behan pushing for that spot up front.

**liamon** · 11/06/2003, 2:59 PM

I wouldn't put Woods down as a spent force. He's looking good as a defender.
Although this only further exposes our lack of midfield players.

We need to strenghten the midfield considerably.
If we can make the midfield more solid, I think the defence will do ok.

**patsh** · 11/06/2003, 5:34 PM

Our Defence has only conceded 10 goals in ten games, and 3 of those were penalties (two of them highly suspect). Only $hels and Scum have less against.
We are pretty solid there.
For all the worry that only J O'F and George were scoring for us. (and now Denis of course) only 3 sides have scored more than us.
So, Attack looks OK too.
So that only leaves the middle.
Even one really decent midfielder could make all the difference here.
We are not league contenders yet, but I think it won't take a lot more to push us up there.

**Counting Crow** · 11/06/2003, 9:59 PM

I keep going back to that meeting I had with Dave Hill in my local garage before the first game of the season when I asked him how he thought City would do?

He said we needed to strengthen our midfield.................!

How right he was.

Words of wisdom or what!