Cheltenham Town (A) | Post-Match Thread

[Mike N]

Some are comparing our Phil to Gazza. That mazy run for me was more Messi than Gazza

Agree with that but it’s something to be compared to Gazza. He was an outstanding talent. A joy to watch.

 

[JGL07]

That's your opinion mate and I respect it fully.However,having attended my first City game in 1957,I followed the careers of all three start to finish and was privileged to do so,including every league game,home and away,of the 1967/68 season.By my reckoning they were all full-backs,I'm not even sure sweepers and spoilers were even considered back then.Any time we needed anything approaching a player to do a spoiler-type job,i.e shadow the other team's danger man,Dave Connor was drafted in.Could be that I'm an old-timer with old fashioned views,and if so, I'm sure you will forgive me.
How are things in the Grass Market by the way? (the place,not the dope)

Fair comment pal.

Dave Connor was the ultimate spoiler for City.

My point was that the numbers in the shirts of the City player’s was almost irrelevant.

Most on here seem to think that Mike Doyle played as a central defender. He may have done later on on his City career but not when I watched him. He was a classic wing-half always prepared to attack and score lots of goals. He ever played at number 9 for some matches but was also better at coming through on the burst. His goals were not those you would expect a central defender to score.

Alan Oakes also played as a wing-half but somewhat more defensively minded that Doyle.

Mike Summerbee played two or three seasons at number nine but was nothing like a centre-forward. He would swap positions with Francis Lee who would often wear the number 7 shirt.

How do you classify Neil Young? He started out as a winger but was moved inside under Mercer/Allison. Was he a striker, an attacking midfielder or what? He was City’s most underrated forward.

That leaves Colin Bell. Most opposing supporters saw him as a striker but if anything he was a defensive midfielder who would go forward and score loads of goal but could also tackle back with the best of them.

The point I am trying to make is that the City team of that era were so fluid with Summerbee switching with Lee and Young here are there and Bell active in attack and defence, it was hard to follow.

 

[Dax777]

Good win that.

Someone said that Mendy and Mahrez were our most dangerous players in the first half, and 8 people liked the comment. I don’t know where you are all getting your heroin from, but it’s bad shit.

Gundogan, Diaz and Cancelo. It was like, here’s the adults to help Foden and win the game.

Certain senior players should be humiliated by how they played then.

Maybe Mahrez. But Mendy was one of our better player, if not for bad luck he'd have had a goal an an assist in the first half.

Mahrez was most meh!

 

[Chi-town blues]

Maybe Mahrez. But Mendy was one of our better player, if not for bad luck he'd have had a goal an an assist in the first half.

Mahrez was most meh!

Tbf he put two or more fantastic crosses inside the box.

 

[KS55]

Fair comment pal.

Dave Connor was the ultimate spoiler for City.

My point was that the numbers in the shirts of the City player’s was almost irrelevant.

Most on here seem to think that Mike Doyle played as a central defender. He may have done later on on his City career but not when I watched him. He was a classic wing-half always prepared to attack and score lots of goals. He ever played at number 9 for some matches but was also better at coming through on the burst. His goals were not those you would expect a central defender to score.

Alan Oakes also played as a wing-half but somewhat more defensively minded that Doyle.

Mike Summerbee played two or three seasons at number nine but was nothing like a centre-forward. He would swap positions with Francis Lee who would often wear the number 7 shirt.

How do you classify Neil Young? He started out as a winger but was moved inside under Mercer/Allison. Was he a striker, an attacking midfielder or what? He was City’s most underrated forward.

That leaves Colin Bell. Most opposing supporters saw him as a striker but if anything he was a defensive midfielder who would go forward and score loads of goal but could also tackle back with the best of them.

The point I am trying to make is that the City team of that era were so fluid with Summerbee switching with Lee and Young here are there and Bell active in attack and defence, it was hard to follow.

Nice post.
Doyle was, as you say, an attacking wing half. When he wore no 9, it was usually a ploy by Mal and Doyle would switch back to wing half quite quickly. He could defend well when called upon. Tough cookie.
I'd classify Nellie as a tricky inside forward, both schemer and scorer,(See also Crossan) but not a fetcher and carrier as many inside forwards were. Maybe Nellie could be compared to Lampard. Massively underrated, one of my favourite players.
Also favourite was Oakes. Mr. Reliable. The Gazbaz of his day. His stats, for City and the rest of his career are astonishing.
Fluid, that's a good description of that side and that interchanging brought them plenty of goals throughout the side. One year, I seem to remember, all 5 forwards scored at least 10 goals. Bell and Lee plenty more.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

I think this is the fixture I’ve most regretted being during lockdown. Some greet boozers in Cheltenham. Would have been a mint weekend.

 

[hutton who blue]

What has City's PR department and positive stories about City got to do with each other?

Micah Richards was co presenting on the BBC for our match. Our PR department could have nicely contacted Micah and asked could he mention the fact Manchester City's fans had purchased virtual tickets for the game which couldn't be attended and helpfully assisted Cheltenham's coffers. A positive piece about a nice gesture from the fans and kudos for our club would not have gone amiss amidst the usual tedious gubbins about what our squad costs.

 

[shemnel]

For a League Two team, they defended as well as some Prem teams we'll play, but in fairness they did extremely little going forward, but again, Cheltenham did very well so credit. The one thing that did piss me off is that they decided to big up the "we dont fuck around in League 2" attitude and put in far too many reducers, they went to ground far too much.

City did not play well for their changes. i dont think anyone stood out as terrible though - Mendy is getting too much flack when he easily could have scored (fantastic goal line clearance) and set one up (Torres saved by keeper's legs). Mahrez was negative but played a few very good balls in. Jesus was a bit meh but he scored. Torres was not really in it but he did make some good runs (and scored). Fern was ok, Doyle ok for bits, THB was probably the weakest player actually. As i say, nobody stank, but the whole team just looked like it had been cobbled together 2 days before hand - which it had! quality prevailed.

 

[oddfellows]

He was also allowed to towel down the ball?

That was stopped when the lad at Tranmere a few years ago started it.

Yeah I thought that too, was discussing on WhatsApp Group with fellow blues

 

[Bill]

Fair comment pal.

Dave Connor was the ultimate spoiler for City.

My point was that the numbers in the shirts of the City player’s was almost irrelevant.

Most on here seem to think that Mike Doyle played as a central defender. He may have done later on on his City career but not when I watched him. He was a classic wing-half always prepared to attack and score lots of goals. He ever played at number 9 for some matches but was also better at coming through on the burst. His goals were not those you would expect a central defender to score.

Alan Oakes also played as a wing-half but somewhat more defensively minded that Doyle.

Mike Summerbee played two or three seasons at number nine but was nothing like a centre-forward. He would swap positions with Francis Lee who would often wear the number 7 shirt.

How do you classify Neil Young? He started out as a winger but was moved inside under Mercer/Allison. Was he a striker, an attacking midfielder or what? He was City’s most underrated forward.

That leaves Colin Bell. Most opposing supporters saw him as a striker but if anything he was a defensive midfielder who would go forward and score loads of goal but could also tackle back with the best of them.

The point I am trying to make is that the City team of that era were so fluid with Summerbee switching with Lee and Young here are there and Bell active in attack and defence, it was hard to follow.

great post and spot on .
maybe someone can help me out. i remember going to Bramhall lane (when it was a cricket ground ) and City won 3 nil.
did Doyle get all 3?