‘ HAD IT BEEN A NEW MANAGER TODAY THEN … ‘

By Carl Curtis

Had it been a new manager today, as many fans want, then fans would be singing the guy’s praises but because it is Slade it seems he won’t get much recognition for the win.

I haven’t read any reaction on here yet but I am hoping it is nothing like what I heard on Radio Wales in the car on the way home.

Firstly it was a welcome three points today, albeit against a poor Blackburn side, Slade made changes to his team today, one was probably enforced with Kenwyne Jones heading out of the club and his other one was playing Maline ahead of Fabio.

Russell Slade was heavily criticised in October and November for the lack of chances and consequently goals so he changed his style to a more attacking way but suffered at the back, by conceding more, as a result.

I personally welcomed Malone replacing Fabio, though I enjoy watching the Brazilian marauding the touchline and his never say die attitude and commitment to the cause but he undoubtedly leaves us exposed in defence and as a defender that is not a good trait, whereas Malone offers more in terms of defence and with our best defender at set pieces, Kenwyne Jones, not in the squad, Slade maybe took that into consideration for defending corners and free kicks.

When Slade replaced Mason for Stuart O’Keefe, the moans and groans in the section of The Ninian where I sit were surprising; surprising because when we were two nil up against Burnley, fans came on here and Radio Wales questioning the manager’s tactical nous, asking why we didn’t put an extra man in midfield to see the game out.

Today Russell Slade played a diamond midfield with Gunnarsson at the bottom and Ralls at the tip, with a quarter of the game remains and winning one nil, he made the change and went 4-5-1, why can’t fans give the man some credit at least.

Had another manager been in charge today and paired Mason and Watt together for the first time, played a diamond midfield to then change it to a 4-5-1, kept a clean sheet then I absolutely believe I would be hearing ‘that’s how to do it Russell Slade!!’.

I have said time and again that I am not a fan of Slade and doubt he can take us to the Premier League but I am not so bloody one eyed to be negative and critical at him just because I am not a huge believer in the guy.

For crying out loud, can’t people give praise for the good things he does ?

Slade recognised that we can’t keep conceding goals as much as we have been recently and went back to being more defensive today and got rewarded for doing exactly that.

We want entertainment, and today was not a spectacle of football at its best I agree, but after the recent run of poor results we needed three points, the manager got those points and kept us in the hunt for the play offs.

Don’t be so blinkered City fans and see things for what they are, do you think Slade wants to get rid of a player of the level of Kenwyne Jones ?

I don’t think he does but circumstances at the club, or the owner rather, dictates who goes and when.

Slade is on record saying he wants to keep his best players and losing your top scorer from last season would be a huge blow to the manager.

We got two tough away games up next in the league, Hull and Wolves respectively, I hope we can get something from both games though I don’t expect too much if I am honest so there will be opportunities for those knives to be sharpened yet again but at least give the man this result to celebrate at least.