Our transfer policy is FAILING us

[spudski]

2 minutes ago, The Bard said:

I understand completely what has happened.  We've ended up with an imbalanced squad.

I agree that our approach has seen us grow from League 1 promoted club to top 6 challenger.  However, the nature of this league is that unless you have a significant financial advantage through ownership or revenue from a large fanbase, you will probably only get the occasional chance to win promotion.  This is why it is so important to be take advantage when that occasional opportunity arrives.  Huddersfield did it last year.  Pulis did it at Stoke, Phil Brown at Hull, even Hollowhead at Blackpool.  

I have no real problem with signing Walsh.  He is one for the future. Positionally, RB was clearly an issue as soon as Vyner went on loan.  It meant we weakened our midfield to cover it, a position where we also lacked depth. We have 6 strikers but one RB who was out long term.  Sorry but that is profligate.

I'm struggling to think of a game where our RB position has cost us a game, or Bailey Wright making a mistake over and over again.

Look at the LB and LM positions and you're more likely to find fault.

You are going to get some teams that make it...why they get quoted that we should be the same is beyond me.

I guess Ipswich, Norwich, Derby, Fulham, Forest, QPR etc are all thinking the same...yet two seasons up everyone is despairing at us being 7th.

[tinman85]

Scott Davidson should come back. He was ruthless. Bristol City is the easiest manager job in football. No pressure on results. 

[ZiderEyed]

Loathe the Championship proven brigade.

Brentford and Preston are doing very well looking for bargains in the lower leagues, Ireland, and abroad.

There is no one approach that will guarantee success.

[Bobfish]

The major flaw in our transfer policy this season, I feel, is that the club has forgotten its own aim: To buy players young and nurture them into first team players. The successes of last season – brownhill, cod, are first team players this season because they got game time last season. This season the transfer policy has changed into a “get rich quick” scheme of hoping to get in loan players – with clauses to buy - who they feel have been overlooked and only need to be polished up like diamonds in the rough, ie Diony and Woodrow, to reveal a quality player. This has overshadowed the “get them young and train them up” to the extent that they even take their place on the bench. We have so many young players now that are enigmas to us fans because we have not been given the opportunity to see what potential they actually have – Engvall, Ellision, very much like moore last season. Walsh may be the next victim of this. This duality in our transfer policy is counter productive, as these young players must have had their confidence shattered by the club that claims to be nurturing them. It is one thing for a young player to be sat on the bench, his head full of the training aims he knows he needs to improve on, watching an established first team player of seniority in his position and waiting for his chance, and another thing for them to watch from the stands or bench an on loan player, signed after himself, “playing,” often, even consistantly, badly in his position.

[RT's Vaseline Tub]

3 hours ago, RalphMilnesLeftFoot said:

I've said as much as your second part already, and im total agreement on that.

I really wasnt expecting 'anything' in Jan.  Better squad than last year, players kicking on and some surprises. However we  (as fans) get caught up even if there is the mere whiff of the Prem, and all logic goes completely out of the window.

At present we are doing something we've never done in terms of year on year progression in the Championship. Usually ( last 20 years or so) it's been sheet or bust. Now we have season 5 of Champ football assured. Given the amount of time we spent in L1 throughout our past (most of it) then yeah we shouldnt really lose sight of that.

Season 4 next year 2018-2019 surely?

[Northern Red]

27 minutes ago, tinman85 said:

Scott Davidson should come back. He was ruthless. Bristol City is the easiest manager job in football. No pressure on results. 

Yeah, that season we had in this league under his tenure was a roaring success...

 

[tinman85]

4 minutes ago, Northern Red said:

Yeah, that season we had in this league under his tenure was a roaring success...

 

Scott was like a Simon Jordan. Great personality. Wouldn't stand for failure. He did a good job here. I'd bring him back on the board. Wonder what he is up to now. 

[Beni71]

Same fans complaining when we were 2nd from bottom now complaining when we were are in the top 10.....

seriously, get real. We don’t have the millions to spend like the villas, Boros, wolves etc. We are fishing in a different pool regarding transfers which means that we will take a chance on some players. 

I felt at the time the Jan window wasn’t a bad one. I personally didn’t want an Afobe or Graban and I was hoping Diony could be another Famara. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but expectations need to be reset regarding what we can achieved, based on our budget/turnover and the fact we were in a half built stadium in league 1 a few seasons ago.

 

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

5 hours ago, Ivorguy said:

We're dividing again between realists and happy clappers

Perhaps it's more of a case that there are those who have a pragmatic view but are certainly not happy when the team ( and/or manager) loses its way and those who only really post when they have something bad to say- like you and the others who  suddenly appear all over this forum with the utter joy of having being right all along- BCFC really is crap.

Shit- if it gets much worse- you might actually go to a match and have a chance to boo in person.

[Londoner]

2 hours ago, Beni71 said:

Same fans complaining when we were 2nd from bottom now complaining when we were are in the top 10.....

seriously, get real. We don’t have the millions to spend like the villas, Boros, wolves etc. We are fishing in a different pool regarding transfers which means that we will take a chance on some players. 

I felt at the time the Jan window wasn’t a bad one. I personally didn’t want an Afobe or Graban and I was hoping Diony could be another Famara. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but expectations need to be reset regarding what we can achieved, based on our budget/turnover and the fact we were in a half built stadium in league 1 a few seasons ago.

 

We do have the millions to spend, we just chose not to.

As for moaning, when you're 2nd at Christmas and then go on a horrendous run leaving us 3 months later out of the playoffs....i would say we are perfectly entitled to moan.

 

[Bris Red]

2 hours ago, Beni71 said:

Same fans complaining when we were 2nd from bottom now complaining when we were are in the top 10.....

seriously, get real. We don’t have the millions to spend like the villas, Boros, wolves etc. We are fishing in a different pool regarding transfers which means that we will take a chance on some players. 

I felt at the time the Jan window wasn’t a bad one. I personally didn’t want an Afobe or Graban and I was hoping Diony could be another Famara. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but expectations need to be reset regarding what we can achieved, based on our budget/turnover and the fact we were in a half built stadium in league 1 a few seasons ago.

 

I called Diony out straight away, knew there was a high chance he was not going to be good enough.. the kiddy hasn’t scored all season for christ sake.. 

Its simple really, we needed quality in January and didn’t have the balls to go and do it. Fair enough, it is what it is and unfortunately this is the Bristol City way.. a complete re run of 2008 (but worse) i could see it coming a mile off. No bottle at this football club and no desire when it really matters. I dont know if the Lansdowns will ever lead us to the topflight to be honest.

[Harry]

I would argue that our transfer policy has failed for a long time.  There have been so many players who we could have signed who would have been perfectly available and affordable at the time, but this club never had the foresight to take some gambles and go for it.
We are now seeing us begin to take gambles, but they are speculative gambles (i.e. Engvall, Magnus, Moore etc), rather than more educated ones.

Here is a rundown of our successes over the last 5 years :
Baker, Flint, Smith, Pack, Fielding.

These are the only players who we have signed in the last 5 years who have proven to be a relative success.
In those 5 years, we have spent nearly £30 million on players.

The following is a list of players currently playing with good capability in either Premier or Championship, all of whom would have been perfectly available to City in the last 5 years.  Sadly, the club didn't want to take the chance on these - all were playing at a level at the time where they would have been feasible, affordable and realistic targets, but we showed no interest (for various reasons depending on when it was) :

GK - Daniel Bentley, Christian Walton
DF - Connor Goldson, James Tarkowski, Alfie Mawson, Jack O'Connell, Enda Stevens, John Egan, Tendayi Darikwa
MF - Mark Pugh, Matt Ritchie, Conor Hourihane, Lee Evans, Jed Wallace, Ryan Woods, Eunan O'Kane, James Maddison, Josh Scowen, Jarrod Bowen
ST - Andre Gray, Scott Hogan, Ollie Watkins, Britt Assombalonga

There's a 23-man squad for you, which could have been assembled over the last 5 years at nowhere near the £30m we've spent in that time.  In fact, you're probably talking £10m outlay in total if these were timed right.  This squad would easily reach the Prem.

I'm afraid to say that over a number of years we have been too risk averse or too slow to react, even ponderous at times, and we've missed out on a lot of good players at what would have been very good value at the time.  It might sound far-fetched looking some of those players now, but believe me, before their moves to the current or one-but last clubs over the last 5 years, these were all perfectly realistic and affordable signings.  We are now taking speculative punts, and more expensive ones at that.

[Beni71]

14 minutes ago, Londoner said:

We do have the millions to spend, we just chose not to.

As for moaning, when you're 2nd at Christmas and then go on a horrendous run leaving us 3 months later out of the playoffs....i would say we are perfectly entitled to moan.

 

Ahhh good that you know our position to FFP and how this would impact current squad morale re wages.

perhaps you can share your insight on our millions??

[Beni71]

12 minutes ago, bris red said:

I called Diony out straight away, knew there was a high chance he was not going to be good enough.. the kiddy hasn’t scored all season for christ sake.. 

Its simple really, we needed quality in January and didn’t have the balls to go and do it. Fair enough, it is what it is and unfortunately this is the Bristol City way.. a complete re run of 2008 (but worse) i could see it coming a mile off. No bottle at this football club and no desire when it really matters. I dont know if the Lansdowns will ever lead us to the topflight to be honest.

Yes really simple we should have signed Graban at £25k per week and cheesed off Reid and other squad members. Let’s ignore FFP rules but at least we would have balls.

We aren’t a big championship club. #fact Expectations need to be reset. Stayed up last season and 7th this season and semi final of a major cup. 

[Bris Red]

35 minutes ago, Beni71 said:

Yes really simple we should have signed Graban at £25k per week and cheesed off Reid and other squad members. Let’s ignore FFP rules but at least we would have balls.

We aren’t a big championship club. #fact Expectations need to be reset. Stayed up last season and 7th this season and semi final of a major cup. 

Who gives a **** if we are a big small medium or whatever sized Championship club, does that matter? Are Huddersfield Bmouth Swansea Brighton and the like such massive massive clubs? 

The opportunity presented itself this season and we bottled it/are bottling it its that simple my friend. But we are Bristol City Football Club and i dont know what else I expected really 

[Lrrr]

6 hours ago, Londoner said:

We do have the millions to spend, we just chose not to.

As for moaning, when you're 2nd at Christmas and then go on a horrendous run leaving us 3 months later out of the playoffs....i would say we are perfectly entitled to moan.

 

How many times do you need to be told we're operating on a bottom half budget? We can't just rely on lansdown and think he'll continue to pump his money in. He's trying to set us up to be sustainable for whenever he steps away from the club. 

[Redrascal2]

10 hours ago, Beni71 said:

Same fans complaining when we were 2nd from bottom now complaining when we were are in the top 10.....

seriously, get real. We don’t have the millions to spend like the villas, Boros, wolves etc. We are fishing in a different pool regarding transfers which means that we will take a chance on some players. 

I felt at the time the Jan window wasn’t a bad one. I personally didn’t want an Afobe or Graban and I was hoping Diony could be another Famara. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but expectations need to be reset regarding what we can achieved, based on our budget/turnover and the fact we were in a half built stadium in league 1 a few seasons ago.

 

Why would you need hindsight to know that Johnson's signings in January were poor. Three players with no experience of Championship football and two of which no real experience of senior football.  Plus a failure to address problem areas of the team that were clear for all to see. And Johnson stated he was pleased with his signings.  We are supposed to put up with this because we are not a Wolves or a Villa. Why. A bad signing is a bad signing whatever pool you are fishing in. And Johnson is racking them up too frequently.

[Robbored]

2 minutes ago, Redrascal2 said:

Why would you need hindsight to know that Johnson's signings in January were poor. Three players with no experience of Championship football and two of which no real experience of senior football.  Plus a failure to address problem areas of the team that were clear for all to see. And Johnson stated he was pleased with his signings.  We are supposed to put up with this because we are not a Wolves or a Villa. Why. A bad signing is a bad signing whatever pool you are fishing in. And Johnson is racking them up too frequently.

Name the poor January signings so we know who you're referring to.

[ChippenhamRed]

41 minutes ago, Redrascal2 said:

Why would you need hindsight to know that Johnson's signings in January were poor. Three players with no experience of Championship football and two of which no real experience of senior football.  Plus a failure to address problem areas of the team that were clear for all to see. And Johnson stated he was pleased with his signings.  We are supposed to put up with this because we are not a Wolves or a Villa. Why. A bad signing is a bad signing whatever pool you are fishing in. And Johnson is racking them up too frequently.

So you knew how the signings were going to do as soon as we’d signed them did you?

No, you didn’t.

[italian dave]

8 hours ago, Harry said:

I would argue that our transfer policy has failed for a long time.  There have been so many players who we could have signed who would have been perfectly available and affordable at the time, but this club never had the foresight to take some gambles and go for it.
We are now seeing us begin to take gambles, but they are speculative gambles (i.e. Engvall, Magnus, Moore etc), rather than more educated ones.

Here is a rundown of our successes over the last 5 years :
Baker, Flint, Smith, Pack, Fielding.

These are the only players who we have signed in the last 5 years who have proven to be a relative success.
In those 5 years, we have spent nearly £30 million on players.

The following is a list of players currently playing with good capability in either Premier or Championship, all of whom would have been perfectly available to City in the last 5 years.  Sadly, the club didn't want to take the chance on these - all were playing at a level at the time where they would have been feasible, affordable and realistic targets, but we showed no interest (for various reasons depending on when it was) :

GK - Daniel Bentley, Christian Walton
DF - Connor Goldson, James Tarkowski, Alfie Mawson, Jack O'Connell, Enda Stevens, John Egan, Tendayi Darikwa
MF - Mark Pugh, Matt Ritchie, Conor Hourihane, Lee Evans, Jed Wallace, Ryan Woods, Eunan O'Kane, James Maddison, Josh Scowen, Jarrod Bowen
ST - Andre Gray, Scott Hogan, Ollie Watkins, Britt Assombalonga

There's a 23-man squad for you, which could have been assembled over the last 5 years at nowhere near the £30m we've spent in that time.  In fact, you're probably talking £10m outlay in total if these were timed right.  This squad would easily reach the Prem.

I'm afraid to say that over a number of years we have been too risk averse or too slow to react, even ponderous at times, and we've missed out on a lot of good players at what would have been very good value at the time.  It might sound far-fetched looking some of those players now, but believe me, before their moves to the current or one-but last clubs over the last 5 years, these were all perfectly realistic and affordable signings.  We are now taking speculative punts, and more expensive ones at that.

So, two questions.

1. Have you forgotten Kodjia?

2. If promotion to the prem was guaranteed by simply going out and spending £30m, on that squad, all of whom were available and at that price, how come no other club has done that? 

[italian dave]

15 hours ago, Ivorguy said:

We're dividing again between realists and happy clappers

Or, between moaners and supporters....

[Jack Dawe]

15 hours ago, Londoner said:

The evidence is now clear. Millions spent on the likes of Engvall, elliason, topped of with expensive loan purchases in Woodrow diony and Kent that have had limited to no impact for us.

Not to forget liam Walsh who isn't deemed good enough to get any minutes any more.

We are told tjey are for the future.....ive seen no evidence that they are good enough.

Time to change our mindset, stop going for young risks that at this point have reaped no rewards....and go for tried and tested British based footballers who know these divisions. Cost more money? Too much in wages? Sorry but welcome to 2018.

Our transfer policy is FAILING us. Lj doesn't rate them, that much is obvious.

CHANGE IT

There's all sorts of "evidence," depends what you want to give your attention to. Me, I'm happy with this:

 

Since relegation under SO'D and the new "pillars" approach, buying all these young 'uns and so on, we've finished

2014: 12th in L1.

2015: 1st in L1.

2016: 18th in Championship.

2017: 17th in Championship.

2018: as things stand, with nine games to play, we are 7th in the Championship and have more points than last season and will finish higher than last season. Making it four consecutive seasons of progress.

 

As our season fizzles out I take comfort - and not a little prowedness - in this evidence. Our loans have been sh1te this season, though.

If we want another year of progress up the pyramid, they'll have to improve the recruitment (as well as not have a long, draining cup run, fewer injuries etc).

[Beni71]

2 hours ago, Redrascal2 said:

Why would you need hindsight to know that Johnson's signings in January were poor. Three players with no experience of Championship football and two of which no real experience of senior football.  Plus a failure to address problem areas of the team that were clear for all to see. And Johnson stated he was pleased with his signings.  We are supposed to put up with this because we are not a Wolves or a Villa. Why. A bad signing is a bad signing whatever pool you are fishing in. And Johnson is racking them up too frequently.

Ahhh I see we are getting to the true cause of your argument, this is more about LJ...and general dislike amongst some fans. 

[Red-Robbo]

I've said before and I'll say it again, it was complacency that cost us.

Interviewed after the Norwich defeat, Johnson said he wasn't really looking for any more recruits as in games in February and March we'd have all the injuries back and would be "like a new team".

Well it's now the second week of March, some of the returnees he mentioned (like O'Dowda) aren't even back and others (like Djuric) are rusty and are in no way ready for 90 minutes.

His thoughts were obviously because we were 2nd at the turn of the year, we'd ride a bad January and roar back to the top with essentially the same team come Feb. 

His January incomers I think we're only intended as stop-gaps/development players rather than as mainstays of a threadbare side, and in Diony he just plain got one wrong. It happens. It happens at the top of the PL let alone for us. And foreign players always seem more of a punt than British ones.

So, another lesson to learn for young Lee. Don't always believe the optimistic forecasts of the medical team or the players themselves. And don't think you can weather a bad run of games and then suddenly turn it 180 degrees around - because when form is lost, players get worried and over-try things, fluidity is lost, sloppiness creeps in and self-belief is shaken. 

At the end of last year the entire team was playing with an unshakable self-belief. You can't say that's happening now.

People talk about the Wolves game being the turning point, but to my mind the thrashing at Villa was. That must have had a much bigger effect on morale than narrowly losing to the runaway league leaders.  

We could have boosted that morale and steadied the ship in dreadful January with one or two standout signings.

[Londoner]

13 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

I've said before and I'll say it again, it was complacency that cost us.

Interviewed after the Norwich defeat, Johnson said he wasn't really looking for any more recruits as in games in February and March we'd have all the injuries back and would be "like a new team".

Well it's now the second week of March, some of the returnees he mentioned (like O'Dowda) aren't even back and others (like Djuric) are rusty and are in no way ready for 90 minutes.

His thoughts were obviously because we were 2nd at the turn of the year, we'd ride a bad January and roar back to the top with essentially the same team come Feb. 

His January incomers I think we're only intended as stop-gaps/development players rather than as mainstays of a threadbare side, and in Diony he just plain got one wrong. It happens. It happens at the top of the PL let alone for us. And foreign players always seem more of a punt than British ones.

So, another lesson to learn for young Lee. Don't always believe the optimistic forecasts of the medical team or the players themselves. And don't think you can weather a bad run of games and then suddenly turn it 180 degrees around - because when form is lost, players get worried and over-try things, fluidity is lost, sloppiness creeps in and self-belief is shaken. 

At the end of last year the entire team was playing with an unshakable self-belief. You can't say that's happening now.

People talk about the Wolves game being the turning point, but to my mind the thrashing at Villa was. That must have had a much bigger effect on morale than narrowly losing to the runaway league leaders.  

We could have boosted that morale and steadied the ship in dreadful January with one or two standout signings.

The question I have is. If I can see it, if you can see it, if numerous others can see it.....why coulsnt LJ and the board.

For me I thought it was obvious, we were one of the most talked about sides in Europe, our stock hadnt been higher.

[AshtonGreat]

17 hours ago, hodge said:

 

O'Dowda was a young risk who hadn't played above league 2 before we signed him.... You asked for proof of the players acclimatising to the championship, we bedded in O'Dowda and Brownhill (hadn't played above league 1 before we signed him) over the course of last season and they've excelled this season. 

We have a bottom half budget so can't be throwing around money, you say why can't we spend big, what happens if we did and we didn't get promoted? We're then stuck with players we've overpaid for comparatively to their skill level. 

As for the comments about Walsh, he's competing for a space against Smith and Pack, two guaranteed names on our teamsheet. 

Brownhill excelled in the first half of the season. The jury's still out on O'Dowda's stats

[Bazooka Joe]

17 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

I've said before and I'll say it again, it was complacency that cost us.

Interviewed after the Norwich defeat, Johnson said he wasn't really looking for any more recruits as in games in February and March we'd have all the injuries back and would be "like a new team".

Well it's now the second week of March, some of the returnees he mentioned (like O'Dowda) aren't even back and others (like Djuric) are rusty and are in no way ready for 90 minutes.

His thoughts were obviously because we were 2nd at the turn of the year, we'd ride a bad January and roar back to the top with essentially the same team come Feb. 

His January incomers I think we're only intended as stop-gaps/development players rather than as mainstays of a threadbare side, and in Diony he just plain got one wrong. It happens. It happens at the top of the PL let alone for us. And foreign players always seem more of a punt than British ones.

So, another lesson to learn for young Lee. Don't always believe the optimistic forecasts of the medical team or the players themselves. And don't think you can weather a bad run of games and then suddenly turn it 180 degrees around - because when form is lost, players get worried and over-try things, fluidity is lost, sloppiness creeps in and self-belief is shaken. 

At the end of last year the entire team was playing with an unshakable self-belief. You can't say that's happening now.

People talk about the Wolves game being the turning point, but to my mind the thrashing at Villa was. That must have had a much bigger effect on morale than narrowly losing to the runaway league leaders.  

We could have boosted that morale and steadied the ship in dreadful January with one or two standout signings.

Spot on.

The sensible thing in the January window would have been to assume and plan for the worst case scenario.

Of course, this assumes the goal of those running our club was to get promoted this season.

 

[Esmond Million's Bung]

19 hours ago, spudski said:

The transfer policy is failing us...really?

Two seasons ago adrift and about to get relegated.

Now we sit 7th in the space of 5 transfer windows.

Go figure how it's failing us, and many teams below us apparently have it right?

Honestly...this season has been the best in ages.

And we are all disappointed we aren't doing as well as when the season started, but look at all the injuries to key players, players having to play with knocks and bans...it all adds up.

3 points off a play off place with 9 games left.

We would have snapped anyones hand off at the beginning of the season for that position.

Stop being a drama queen after every game that doesn't go our way.

Some of the reactions on here, due to disappointment is childish and shows a complete lack of understanding.

The biggest one being our whole season would be so much better if we had bought a RB...wtf! really...how the hell does anyone know that.

Tbh...more problems come down JB's side and he's considered one of our best.

No the biggest disappointments are:-

1. Our form since the start of the year is bordering on relegation form, and that form spans 12 games or over one quarter of the season.

2. Form that has just like last season shown we have no plan B to speak of.

3. We have 4 midfielders that are quite similar in style.

4. We have struggled without a right back for far too long.

5. Coaching wise Fielding and Steele are still woeful with the ball at their feet, our crossing is poor and our free kicks are worse and we create little or no chances.

6. January's window was wholly disappointing and the signing of Kent was pure vanity.

Yes this season has been better because our implosion has come in January and not in October, so hopefully it will be March next season.

I am happy that we have improved? of course I am but my overall worry is that when we hit a problem it is dealt with in the same hapless way (point 1 and 2 explain).

Back to our transfer policy, I would say it is patchy at best, Engvall, Magnússon, Taylor, GON, Hegeler have all been poor signings, I am prepared to give Eliasson and Walsh the benefit of the doubt because for some unknown reason neither can get a game even though our recent form has been so poor and certain players regularly playing poorly and our loan signings Abraham apart has pretty much been woeful.

I think given the rumblings over ticket pricing this week, it is not the fans believing that BCFC thinking above our station and have suddenly become a premiership bound club it is Bristol Sport that believes that, my advice is a cup run that has ended and a league form that has had a 12 match break (so far) does not make us anything of the sort, get the product right first and we are a long way from that.

 

[spudski]

3 hours ago, Esmond Million's Bung said:

No the biggest disappointments are:-

1. Our form since the start of the year is bordering on relegation form, and that form spans 12 games or over one quarter of the season.

2. Form that has just like last season shown we have no plan B to speak of.

3. We have 4 midfielders that are quite similar in style.

4. We have struggled without a right back for far too long.

5. Coaching wise Fielding and Steele are still woeful with the ball at their feet, our crossing is poor and our free kicks are worse and we create little or no chances.

6. January's window was wholly disappointing and the signing of Kent was pure vanity.

Yes this season has been better because our implosion has come in January and not in October, so hopefully it will be March next season.

I am happy that we have improved? of course I am but my overall worry is that when we hit a problem it is dealt with in the same hapless way (point 1 and 2 explain).

Back to our transfer policy, I would say it is patchy at best, Engvall, Magnússon, Taylor, GON, Hegeler have all been poor signings, I am prepared to give Eliasson and Walsh the benefit of the doubt because for some unknown reason neither can get a game even though our recent form has been so poor and certain players regularly playing poorly and our loan signings Abraham apart has pretty much been woeful.

I think given the rumblings over ticket pricing this week, it is not the fans believing that BCFC thinking above our station and have suddenly become a premiership bound club it is Bristol Sport that believes that, my advice is a cup run that has ended and a league form that has had a 12 match break (so far) does not make us anything of the sort, get the product right first and we are a long way from that.

 

1. Down to all the injuries we've had and then bans and players playing with niggles...and general fatigue.

2 What Plan B would you like to see implemented that would be so effective to guarantee winning of games with our current squad?

3 Which one's are those?

4 Have we? I'd say our LB position has been more of a worry.

5 You aren't going to coach players of that age better distribution.

6 It might have been disappointing from a fans perspective, but none of us are ofay to what arrangements were made for the future, funds and contracts.

I can't think of one team where every signing has been an instant hit.

Considering everything, I still think fans are being harsh when you consider the teams below us, so many with far bigger resources and experience. Especially after only two seasons up.

QPR, Norwich, Ipswich, Forest, Birmingham, Sunderland, Hull, Reading, Sheff Wed etc...all doing worse.

Then the likes of Derby on a worse run of form than us, No wins from 6...even Wolves 2 wins from 6.

It happens to the best of them.

Of course their can be improvements, but I think our season would have been even better if it wasn't for our injuries.

[Robbored]

6 hours ago, Bazooka Joe said:

Of course, this assumes the goal of those running our club was to get promoted this season.

And there's the rub - I know that the people that matter within the club all want to reach the PL but not necessarily this season because they think the club isn't yet ready for such a massive step up. 

Both MA and LJ have said that City "are a PL club in waiting"  and have been working on getting everything in place for that eventually. All the support services, the training facilities at Failand, the commercial staff etc etc.

If we get there this season thru the pray-offs then all well and good but as MA said recently " we are not chasing promotion" which is why the club didn't bring in any significant signings in the recent window.

Its all part of SLs long term strategy for our club and it all started with the redevelopment of AG.