Still not sure

[Luckless]

Today was another stuttering performance.
Where is the passion and pace needed to dominate.
The team, which ever one is picked, looks like eleven strangers....which I guess most actually are.
Clements demeanour leaves me unconvinced as to whether he can actually hack it as the " main man " Not sure why Weimann was signed and not convinced by Butterfield and actually not convinced at the fitness level of the entire team.
Early days but to me not many signs to be optimistic but then maybe when Thorne and Bryson are fully fit it may be a different story. Let's hope so.

[Rapid]

agree with your sentiment. we were rubbish today. mk dons are 2nd from bottom and lost 5 games in a row. a decent side would have smashed us today.

I think we're getting by purely because we have a lot of individual quality in the team and I'd say clement was a very lucky man tonight to have players like that in his side.

performance wise how many points have we really deserved against preston, reading and mk? those 9 have us in a respectable league position.

it will go one of two ways, either this shyte slow European style of football will catch up with us and we'll go nowhere or we'll start dominating games and picking up.

they do say a sign of a good team is winning when you're not playing well so I'll clutch that straw for the time being.

[Derby2die4]

It's a bit reminiscent of Cloughy days, I seem to remember he dabbled in using 433 but it always looked more like 451 purely because of the cautious tactics. In one sense I can understand it as only one defensive midfield player can leave you exposed, but at the same time not getting bodies forward around the front man leaves him badly isolated, Martin has looked a frustrated figure, and I guess it's easy to see why.

Have to agree about Chris Baird, he let himself down badly against Leeds with that reaction, he may never live that down, he's not had a great start, and just always seems to slow us down, I personally think he was at fault for their goal today, hes either slow to close down or gets caught wrong side all too often, even Eustace was better in that position, he offers little at fullback either, I hoped he'd only be a sub anyway, I hope that ends up being the case.

Look, the 433 just doesn't suit the style of football we play, it's not that we don't play decent football

[AnagRam]

Okay, I know I'm a long way away and have only seen about twenty five minutes of the last four matches but I really don't get all the moaning. We've had disruption through injuries to deal with...Hughes, Thorne and Bryson, we've had to bed in a number of new players in crucial positions, we got off to an undeniably slow start and yet we're now only three points + GD off automatic promotion and it's still only September. New players take time to settle, the likes of Saunders, Stimac and Osman were exceptions rather than the norm. On the plus side, we've won three of the last four including three consecutive away matches and only lost one league match all season, we're very handily placed despite not really having put together anything like a complete performance yet, and there's still over 75% of the season to go. Successful sides know how to win 'ugly' and it takes time for new players to work each other out. Baird's reaction was an out of character mistake, give him a chance...give 'e

[AngryRam]

[quote="AnagRam"]Okay, I know I'm a long way away and have only seen about twenty five minutes of the last four matches but I really don't get all the moaning. We've had disruption through injuries to deal with...Hughes, Thorne and Bryson, we've had to bed in a number of new players in crucial positions, we got off to an undeniably slow start and yet we're now only three points + GD off automatic promotion and it's still only September. New players take time to settle, the likes of Saunders, Stimac and Osman were exceptions rather than the norm. On the plus side, we've won three of the last four including three consecutive away matches and only lost one league match all season, we're very handily placed despite not really having put together anything like a complete performance yet, and there's still over 75% of the season to go. Successful sides know how to win 'ugly' and it takes time for new players to work each other out. Baird's reaction was an out of char

[Rob_the_Ram]

Until Bryson and Thorne are fit, Hendrick surely has to start ahead of Baird.
Johnson in the DF role whether in a three or at the base of the diamond. He can tackle, he wants the ball and uses it well. Baird does none of this.
In fact, Baird should be used in his best position. On the bench covering the numerous positions he can do a job in but only if needed. The armband should go to Shackell or Johnson who already looks captain material.
Butterfield needs to shape up too. I really expected more of him although like others, is he clear on his role. In advance of Martin for much of yesterday.
So to Clement. His continued use of Baird, his chopping and changing of the LBs, goalie rotation, use of three formations in a game, maybe overly cautious approach etc suggests someone trying to keep everyone happy.
Pick a side, pick a formation and let the undoubted talent of the players gel into it.
He's obviously still learning the role, the division and his players so he may come good s

[mistaram]

Derby2die4 You are spot on we should be playing 4231 we have the squad to do it Its plain to see 433 is not suiting the talent we have Obviously it would mean dropping one of the big money signings but the team comes first The people who keep saying we are not playing well but winning ugly are wrong we are winning with luck Having been to every game I can honestly say the only time we have played reasonable well have been the draws with Charlton and Brum the rest have been luck We have some great midfielders at the club but asking Russell and Ince to that job is wrong They do nothing on the scoring side a decent midfielder will its not as if they are prolific As someone has already stated we need to get Ince more involved in the middle Good example yesterday MK played 5 in midfield but still created lots of scoring chances

[AdiSalisbury]

I think we're getting by purely because we have a lot of individual quality in the team and I'd say clement was a very lucky man tonight to have players like that in his side.

I'm glad someone else has picked up on this. We're getting the points simply by having better players capable of making things happen completely against the run of play.

A lot has been made of our style of play lately, but lets not overlook that 9 points out of 9 away from home is a great return. We're playing good teams too, MK Dons have been smashing teams all season without getting the ball in the net, and Reading look like a real force this year.

It was always going to be a slow start with so much change, and a manager having to quickly learn his new job. But we have points on the board, a solid central defence (miracle!) and quality in the squad. The team should be good enough to get results (as has shown) without too much tactical genius and thi