were things gone wrong

[Curtains]

I still think we can but we need find that winning spirt again and fighting spirt get back in teams faces.

Agreed we will be back with fresh legs against Brighton.

McClaren and the team have done better in the last 2 -3 months than anybody envisaged.

Mac and Simmo will have to assess what they need to do for top 2 or a playoff push .

We need to give them time and be patient with the players.

[DCFC_17]

if we are to get in those automatics we need a new CDM 

[curb]

Are you saying we need to rest Huge's, Willy?

[YorkshireRam]

I thought the midfield yesterday looked lightweight to be honest. Bryson and Hughes are not known for their physical attributes hence our reliance on Eustace to bring the element of physicality into the midfield 3. Yesterday, Jeff didn't bring that to the table and therefore we got bossed in midfield.

 

Our footballing system at the minute relies on our midfield dominance. Our midfield certainly wasn't dominant yesterday and our performance suffered greatly as a result.

 

In games where we know we are coming up against tough, physical opponents, i would be tempted to play with 2 CDMs if our free flowing football isn't working. i.e.                                           Hendrick

 

                                                                        Cisse/New CDM          Eustace

 

In that formation, not only are we more well covered defensively but our midfield might find it easier to get a foothold in the game as those 3 should not be muscled off the ball as easily as Hughes/Bryson who have looked ineffective against your Wigans, Leicesters etc.

[B4ev6is]

Thats why i think james bailey should get game time on the pitch.

[Leicester Ram]

if we are to get in those automatics we need a new CDM 

 

I sort of agree with you. If we got in a top quality CDM (my man crush Jack Cork, basically) I think we could push QPR all the way but I have a feeling they'd pip us to 2nd. It's very rare a team that comes 3rd (just missing out on auto's) does well in the play-offs and failure in them becomes a major depressant for the entire club, team loses confidence and crucially may have some people jumping ship. We're not ready for the dizzying heights of automatic promotion yet, in lots of ways.

 

I think the common opinion of the forum is that if we go up this year it will be via the play-offs, which is what we all wanted at the start of the season. The experience of high stake games, Wembley and the jubilation/depression will be a really good experience for the squad (I know that's contradictory to what I said about missing out on auto's and having to face the play-offs but the team would be in different mind-sets). It would improve the squad massively, play-off teams often go on to have really good PL seasons (Swansea?) and give us a confidence/swagger which we sometimes lack, especially for the younger players. What I'm trying to say is that play-off success would turn a team that probably isn't ready for the PL into a team that knows they can handle the big games, the pressure. Turn boys into men. However having an auto's fiasco could be too much, the highs would be too high and the lows would be too low, to use yet another cliche; Rome wasn't built in a day.

 

However, if we're still here this time next year then we could pretty much transform ourselves over the summer into serious title contenders. Good additions here and there, a few outgoings for the deadwood too. This way we could also make the team more transferable to the PL, give the defence a bit of a makeover and let Mac work from an empty canvas. As well as we've done recently, Mac's had to do a few quick fixes across the team and we'd really need to use less loans. We could do some good things too, bring back Wisdom to partner Buckenbauer at CB (imagine those two at CB together, both top passers and Wisdom's mobile enough to cover Bucko) and get in a better RB. Get in a serious CDM to complete the midfield trio, solidify our shape. We'd stand a good chance of pipping Billy Davies' West Ham to the automatics and be laughing all the way to the PL.

 

Either way, promotion seems like an inevitability at the moment.

Christ, can you imagine how f*cked we'd be if I'd actually wrote that.

 

Basically, we've worked a way in which we're likely to have a good promotion, not a Palace shambles promotion.

[Ramarena]

I sort of agree with you. If we got in a top quality CDM (my man crush Jack Cork, basically) I think we could push QPR all the way but I have a feeling they'd pip us to 2nd. It's very rare a team that comes 3rd (just missing out on auto's) does well in the play-offs and failure in them becomes a major depressant for the entire club, team loses confidence and crucially may have some people jumping ship. We're not ready for the dizzying heights of automatic promotion yet, in lots of ways.

 

I think the common opinion of the forum is that if we go up this year it will be via the play-offs, which is what we all wanted at the start of the season. The experience of high stake games, Wembley and the jubilation/depression will be a really good experience for the squad (I know that's contradictory to what I said about missing out on auto's and having to face the play-offs but the team would be in different mind-sets). It would improve the squad massively, play-off teams often go on to have really good PL seasons (Swansea?) and give us a confidence/swagger which we sometimes lack, especially for the younger players. What I'm trying to say is that play-off success would turn a team that probably isn't ready for the PL into a team that knows they can handle the big games, the pressure. Turn boys into men. However having an auto's fiasco could be too much, the highs would be too high and the lows would be too low, to use yet another cliche; Rome wasn't built in a day.

 

However, if we're still here this time next year then we could pretty much transform ourselves over the summer into serious title contenders. Good additions here and there, a few outgoings for the deadwood too. This way we could also make the team more transferable to the PL, give the defence a bit of a makeover and let Mac work from an empty canvas. As well as we've done recently, Mac's had to do a few quick fixes across the team and we'd really need to use less loans. We could do some good things too, bring back Wisdom to partner Buckenbauer at CB (imagine those two at CB together, both top passers and Wisdom's mobile enough to cover Bucko) and get in a better RB. Get in a serious CDM to complete the midfield trio, solidify our shape. We'd stand a good chance of pipping Billy Davies' West Ham to the automatics and be laughing all the way to the PL.

 

Either way, promotion seems like an inevitability at the moment.

Christ, can you imagine how f*cked we'd be if I'd actually wrote that.

 

Basically, we've worked a way in which we're likely to have a good promotion, not a Palace shambles promotion.

 

Once upon a time, there was a team that did this.

 

But it was a long time ago, during dark times when dwarfs roamed the touchline at a place called Pride Park. The season that followed was even darker, the dwarfs were replaced with amateur stars and the downward spiral continued. 

[-JW-]

4 clean sheets all season, against Charlton, Yeovil, Sheff Weds and Bournemouth. I think that is where we're going wrong.

[B4ev6is]

But in those we pressed high up the pitch and kepted up the preasure so all we need to do the same again. When we did this thats when we kepted the clean sheets.

[McMuffin]

4 clean sheets all season, against Charlton, Yeovil, Sheff Weds and Bournemouth. I think that is where we're going wrong.

And there was me thinking Beckenbauer played at the back for us

[YorkshireRam]

Thats why i think james bailey should get game time on the pitch.

Bailey doesn't fit with the formation we are playing at the minute. He is neither a CDM or a CAM. He is your typical box to box CM. He holds the ball up well and his distribution is good but he doesn't fit with our current footballing system.

[B4ev6is]

Were thats were he help eutice out by keeping the ball moving all the time.

[cannable]

Bailey doesn't fit with the formation we are playing at the minute. He is neither a CDM or a CAM. He is your typical box to box CM. He holds the ball up well and his distribution is good but he doesn't fit with our current footballing system.

Bailey Box to Box? He gets a nosebleed when he passes the halfway line! He's a deep lying playmaker, excellent passing range (I'll always remember a 50 yard pass to Tyson's feet against Leeds a couple of years ago) and reasonable defensively.

[B4ev6is]

How he tracked back against chelsea to tackle that player but also he passing game has improved.

[Boycie]

Yes, in the 20 mins he played.

[YorkshireRam]

Bailey Box to Box? He gets a nosebleed when he passes the halfway line! He's a deep lying playmaker, excellent passing range (I'll always remember a 50 yard pass to Tyson's feet against Leeds a couple of years ago) and reasonable defensively.

'Deep lying playmaker', he likes to sit behind the other CMs yes, but he hasn't got the build to be a CDM in my opinion. He also has a knack of standing and admiring the passes he makes rather than pressing further up the pitch to advance play. 

 

That was well over a year ago though, his experiences since then will have changed him as a player. Steve is (rightly) giving him a fresh start under the new management and I think he should be given a fair crack of the whip as he should be a better player now. However I don't agree with quite a few fans labeling him as: the new CDM we've been waiting for, after seeing him in a cameo 10 minute appearance in a cup tie.

[B4ev6is]

How do we know that he not that type of player unless we give him a go and besides he learn of robbie savage something we have been missing.

[IlsonDerby]

I think Michael Carrick with all his silverware is a prime example of not needing someone who can run through brick walls as a CDM more someone who can read the game better than the opposition.

Agree with b4 that's 2 goals in recent weeks come from backing off players and not getting a challenge in early enough - Barnsley and Leicester. If someone looks menacing put them on their arse and collect a booking with them having a free kick in the middle of the park

[San Fran Van Rams]

I think Michael Carrick with all his silverware is a prime example of not needing someone who can run through brick walls as a CDM more someone who can read the game better than the opposition.

Agree with b4 that's 2 goals in recent weeks come from backing off players and not getting a challenge in early enough - Barnsley and Leicester. If someone looks menacing put them on their arse and collect a booking with them having a free kick in the middle of the park

 

Agree entirely, would have much preferred seeing Cwyka fouled when he started his run and De-Laet wouldn't have got to the edge of the box if someone had checked his run... perhaps what we need is for Hughes and Bryson to take more responsibility in stopping the play in the oppositions half before they can run at Eustace etc...

[Mostyn6]

so basically our midfielders need to be more 'committed' in the tackle?