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The bigger picture


ChippenhamRed

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In wake of probably our most depressing game of the season yesterday, and in response to the usual kneejerkers desperate to stick the knife in, let’s look at the bigger picture.

Our club was on a downward spiral after the play off final in 2008. Our league position declined season-on-season, culminating in our eventual relegation in 2013. Our stadium was tired and aging, our squad overpaid, underperforming and unpopular with the fans, and the club’s finances were unsustainable. Then came a miserable League One campaign.

Yet look what has happened since! If someone had said we’d be competing at the top end of the Championship in 2017/18, at the end of the 2013/14, you’d scarcely have believed it. That’s just four years ago - an Olympic cycle of time, if you like.

In the past four years we have risen to become a club almost unrecogisable from the one that preceded it. We have a magnificent stadium ready for Premier League football. Our attendances are improving every year and now average in excess of 20k - that would have meant a sell out every week at the old Ashton Gate. Our league position has incrementally improved year on year (L1 1st, Champ 18th, Champ 17th) and it is all but guaranteed that it will further improve this year - whatever happens between now and May. We are now more financially sustainable than we were previously, and we have shown we have an eye for attracting affordable quality like Korey Smith, Josh Brownhill and Nathan Baker. Our academy is starting to pay back with two established first teamers in Bobby Reid and Joe Bryan - arguably our best players no less! This season we have even enjoyed a cup run, which never happens, peaking with that magnificent win against United.

Whisper it - but we might not be promoted this season. But the foundations of the club are stronger than they’ve ever been, we are on the map in a way we haven’t been for years, and we appear to be well placed to continue competing at the right end of the Championship in the coming years.

This isn’t a head-in-the-sand post. Of course our decline in form is disappointing. Of course we want to make the most of this opportunity. I went yesterday and left miserable. But let’s also try to look at the bigger picture. Most clubs outside the Premier League - perhaps even some of those in it - would happily swap for the progress we’ve made in the past four years.

COYR!

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This season so far has been great, probably one of the best in my years of watching city. the football we play and the players we have have made City a team that others applaud. yes we are going through a spell of things going against us and other teams around us hitting form however, at the start of the season I would have taken 15th and been happy with a push to mid table. So for people to be getting all knee jerk seems a bit silly, just enjoy what we have and watch our team grow and establish itself in the championship. 

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Good thread, and yes the bigger picture looks fantastic hanging on the wall above the fireplace, but for the short term, this was a season that unbelievably looked to offer so much.  It was the temptation that we could achieve unexpected greatness and win promotion to the Premier league - yes, we know the club isn't truly ready yet, but would that stop us wanting a surprise season in the top tier, no chance!

Now it looks like, through a total lack of ambition or courage to really push for it in January, we are going to throw away the chance this season was offering to us, when looking at the table and our form back in December.

I am angry at the club for not showing a bigger degree of ambition.  Yes, next season we may be stronger and fight for the top 2 spaces, or we may sell 3 or 4 of our stars, because they are demanding their shot at the top tier, and have to develop a few new players again to reach the same position.

We should have really pushed for it this year, seems logical to me.  Now we have a serious battle to remain in the top six, and our form this year suggests it is going to be out of reach.

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I think angry is a bit much, disappointed maybe but angry seems a tad strong. Especially when it *appeared* we had the players before the transfer window to do the job and hold us around playoffs/auto promotion. Its a young group though and injuries have hit us hard and we also have to remember we have FFP to go against when splashing the cash (not that I understand it still). I appreciate all this might seem like excuses to some but its also reality of where we are as a club.

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16 minutes ago, jellyred said:

This season so far has been great, probably one of the best in my years of watching city. the football we play and the players we have have made City a team that others applaud. yes we are going through a spell of things going against us and other teams around us hitting form however, at the start of the season I would have taken 15th and been happy with a push to mid table. So for people to be getting all knee jerk seems a bit silly, just enjoy what we have and watch our team grow and establish itself in the championship. 

I for one would not, LJ had his 3 transfer windows the stadium /infrastructure was in place and the attendances were up.

A play off push should have been a realistic goal,as others have noted the turning point appears to have been the Wolves game which we never should have lost.

I feel this together with a wasted January transfer window we have let a wonderful opportunity slip through our fingers

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1 minute ago, Abraham Romanovich said:

I for one would not, LJ had his 3 transfer windows the stadium /infrastructure was in place and the attendances were up.

A play off push should have been a realistic goal,as others have noted the turning point appears to have been the Wolves game which we never should have lost.

I feel this together with a wasted January transfer window we have let a wonderful opportunity slip through our fingers

Hope the coaching staff don't think like this. It's a tired old cliche but theres a lot of football to be played and every opportunity to turn this sticky patch around.

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3 minutes ago, jellyred said:

I think angry is a bit much, disappointed maybe but angry seems a tad strong. Especially when it *appeared* we had the players before the transfer window to do the job and hold us around playoffs/auto promotion. Its a young group though and injuries have hit us hard and we also have to remember we have FFP to go against when splashing the cash (not that I understand it still). I appreciate all this might seem like excuses to some but its also reality of where we are as a club.

Good points raised, but for me, angry seems about right at the moment.  Mainly angry with our sub standard form this year (except Fulham and Leeds - 2 decent points).

I will concede one thing, I admit that beating Man Utd raised my expectation level, in fact the day after that win I posted on here that we should now push for the top 2, so I guess my anger stems from seeing our form collapse to the point that we are now clinging on to the top 6.  Even though the pool of players were great for the first half of the year, I still cannot fathom the logic of adding Diony as the new striker option - I have no issue with Kent or Walsh, but we needed someone else with a goal scoring threat.

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This was our big chance of promotion this season, people who think we will kick on next season and get promoted then or even the season after are kidding themselves.

Quite simply after this season we will be rebuilding after the exit of Flint Bryan and Reid.

We are an unfashionable club with no history, top players will allways choose bigger better more fashionable clubs in this league over lil Bristol City.

Can anyone see us pulling off a miraculous promotion when our best players have gone on to bigger and better things?

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8 minutes ago, ZiderEyed said:

Hope the coaching staff don't think like this. It's a tired old cliche but theres a lot of football to be played and every opportunity to turn this sticky patch around.

Yep that's a good response, and a win against Sheff Weds will do wonders.  Funny thing is, if we had drew 0-0 yesterday that would have been a good point and I guess we'd all be feeling a bit more optimistic today.

To revive this season, we desperately need to string a couple of wins together.

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I think Diony was probably scouted last season and was seen as having the talent and attitude but other teams were prepared to pay more in the summer when he became available it was probably seen as a no lose situation for january. I've only seen him against Fulham admittedly but I think he seemed okay for the limited time he was on. I presume what people wanted was an established championship striker and to be honest I just don't know if one was available for the price we were willing to pay or even on loan, none of us do which is just how it is. I know he hasn't exactly set the world alight in the short time here but there is a chance (however small) that Diony will come good in the next few games

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3 minutes ago, Alan Dicks said:

This was our big chance of promotion this season, people who think we will kick on next season and get promoted then or even the season after are kidding themselves.

Quite simply after this season we will be rebuilding after the exit of Flint Bryan and Reid.

We are an unfashionable club with no history, top players will allways choose bigger better more fashionable clubs in this league over lil Bristol City.

Can anyone see us pulling off a miraculous promotion when our best players have gone on to bigger and better things?

Shall we all just pack it in and give up on City then?

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14 minutes ago, ChippenhamRed said:

and in response to the usual kneejerkers

I believe the official OTIB phrase should be keyjerkers.

 

Agree with what you've said, this season I've seen more heart and a better quality of football than any season I can remember and I'm not about to give up on it all now.

I'm not going to lie, this morning is honestly the first time I've woken up still livid the day after a City game this season, and it's nearly March. That's a record in of itself.

Sure we've blown two games in recent weeks that we shouldn't have done, and the Wolves and Villa episodes at New Year were for different reasons both hard to take.

But we had competed in all of those and showed what we're about. Yesterday was the first time this season that we simply didn't turn up and let ourselves down badly. 

 

But the bigger picture you allude to is where the difference is. People need to ask themselves why they go to football. I don't expect everyone to have the same answer.

If you go for success, then you better be prepared to be depressed because very few clubs enjoy a continual conveyor belt of success, most less than once per decade.

I'm incredibly proud of who I support, and that comes from good results yes, but also the players we have and the manner with which we play because it creates belief.

Performances like yesterday may chip away at that, but it's hardly a reason to give up. I'm certainly not setting promotion as the barometer of a good season this year.

 

Now - with all that said, a concession to those who are all doom and gloom today and did raise expectations as this season went on. I do have a little sympathy for you. 

I believe our trajectory is a healthy one overall but at the same time I don't think anyone can say with certainty we haven't missed an opportunity to lock in recent gains.

Transfer work in January hasn't been convincing with a chance to build on overachievement, and overachieving but ultimately unsuccessful teams are easily preyed on.

That's a reasonable basis to be a bit downbeat. If we lose our best players and don't adequately replace them (January transfers as evidence), it will be two steps back.

 

But like I said, it comes down to why you go to football... A positive trajectory "a club on the rise" is very rarely a straight upwards line. Not everyone wants to hear that. 

I could see us regressing a little for a few seasons, knocking around outside of the play offs. Bigger clubs than us have been doing that in the Championship for a while.

For most of us there'll be enough ups to be excited and entertained. Enough reasons to be optimistic. This is a high standard of football and nothing if not competitive.

And we compete with the best. I understand why for others, this season is beginning to hurt. Perhaps I'll feel it too if we fall away. But as long as we compete, I'm proud.

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5 minutes ago, reddogkev said:

Good points raised, but for me, angry seems about right at the moment.  Mainly angry with our sub standard form this year (except Fulham and Leeds - 2 decent points).

 

You have to add to that a good point at Derby.

Its our home form that has let us down - Norwich and Sunderland plus the away loss at Bolton.

At Bolton if we had got that early penalty when Reid was assaulted by their keeper we go on and win that 2-0 say. Take a draw against Norwich and not capitulate against Sunderland and we're on 60 points not 54 !

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6 minutes ago, Alan Dicks said:

This was our big chance of promotion this season, people who think we will kick on next season and get promoted then or even the season after are kidding themselves.

Quite simply after this season we will be rebuilding after the exit of Flint Bryan and Reid.

We are an unfashionable club with no history, top players will allways choose bigger better more fashionable clubs in this league over lil Bristol City.

Can anyone see us pulling off a miraculous promotion when our best players have gone on to bigger and better things?

You don’t know what the future will hold however many times you say with absolutely certainty what no one can predict. It’s incredibly short sighted and arrogant to assume you do.

Good players have come and gone many times in the past. The common consensus was that we would struggle to replace Tammy’s goals this season.

Any money received will be reinvested, and you move on from there with a new squad. The team is always in a constant state of flux from one season to the next - who knows who we might be able to sign with our fantastic infrastructure and higher standing in the game?

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2 minutes ago, ZiderEyed said:

Shall we all just pack it in and give up on City then?

Who has suggested we give up?

I've been a fan since the early 70s

After our relegation of 1980 we have had only two good chances of promotion in 38 long years, 2008 and this season.

The team we have now is better than the team of 2008 and yet we still will fail to go up in a poor to average championship.

Next season we will be weaker, your hope is where????

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7 minutes ago, headhunter said:

You have to add to that a good point at Derby.

Its our home form that has let us down - Norwich and Sunderland plus the away loss at Bolton.

At Bolton if we had got that early penalty when Reid was assaulted by their keeper we go on and win that 2-0 say. Take a draw against Norwich and not capitulate against Sunderland and we're on 60 points not 54 !

Yep, Derby was a fine point, and I am still fuming with the referee for not giving the blatant Reid penalty, but those things do even out.  I forget the game, but Flint chopped someone down in the box and it should have been a penalty to them - not given.  It might have even been in that Derby draw.

The third fluke goal for Sunderland was so bizarre it was almost supernatural.

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3 minutes ago, Alan Dicks said:

Who has suggested we give up?

I've been a fan since the early 70s

After our relegation of 1980 we have had only two good chances of promotion in 38 long years, 2008 and this season.

The team we have now is better than the team of 2008 and yet we still will fail to go up in a poor to average championship.

Next season we will be weaker, your hope is where????

Again - you don’t know that. You don’t know who will leave, you don’t know who will stay, you don’t know who will arrive, you don’t know how the team will look and you don’t know how they will do.

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1 minute ago, Alan Dicks said:

Who has suggested we give up?

I've been a fan since the early 70s

After our relegation of 1980 we have had only two good chances of promotion in 38 long years, 2008 and this season.

The team we have now is better than the team of 2008 and yet we still will fail to go up in a poor to average championship.

Next season we will be weaker, your hope is where????

"We are an unfashionable club with no history, top players will allways choose bigger better more fashionable clubs in this league over lil Bristol City."

Why the **** do we bother then? Whats the point? If you KNOW that we won't go up (you don't), you KNOW that the team will be weaker (you don't), and that players would rather play for teams that won the League Cup 40 years ago (redundant point at this level), then why bother even caring?

You cannot say things with absolute certainty that you cannot prove. You can't see the future.

I'd rather look on the bright side than be a dour, miserable bastard willing to give in before the final whistles gone.

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14 minutes ago, shelts said:

I get the bigger picture. Hope we come out of this nosedive. Who can say when an opportunity like this will present itself ?

All to play for . 

If we don't come out of this nose dive we will be struggling to maintain our place in the Championship next season let alone worrying about missing out on a play off place.

This is , however, typical City . Build our hopes up then dash them .

How many times have we seen this happen ? 

We only needed average results some wins , some draws and a few losses to comfortably achieve a playoff place but with the form since the beginning of the year we're going to have to do it the hard way , if at all.

There are no guarantees but I'm sure that next season will be one of transition as if we don't go up I'm convinced the backbone of the team will be sold .

As LJ has posted in the dressing room 

" If not now, when ? 

If not you then who ? " 

 

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14 minutes ago, headhunter said:

You have to add to that a good point at Derby.

Certainly don't want to hand the doom-mongers any more ammunition, but Derby was like the Alamo. A good point it was, but a good performance it was not.

For what it's worth, all our most inspiring away results/form involved Duric is some shape or form. It's probably nothing more than coincidental but I miss him.

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57 minutes ago, Alan Dicks said:

But we are Bristol City which means the bubble will burst soon.

Always has done always will , its just the way we roll.

Our Bristolian pessemism tends to make us think this way, and too often in the past the club has been happy to oblige.

However, isn't the bigger picture - new structure top to bottom, stadium rebuild giving us additional revenue to close the financial gap with the divisions big hitters, player recruitment - all designed to try and avoid the bubble bursting. 

If the "bubble bursting" means we drop out of the play offs, but start next season from a higher base camp than in previous seasons then that constitutes progress, as in the past the bubble bursting has resulted in season on season decline and eventual relegation.

For what it's worth I think the Cardiff game came at the worst time ( when does it even come at a good time) as we played pretty well against Fulham and against another "footballing" side might well have regained our mojo still further. Not a chance of doing so by trying to play Cardiff at their own game, 'cause at that they are the masters!

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