Merrick's Marvels

Guess I retain 100% faith in the manager. At least until he's been given the chance to build his own team - which will probably require the sale of Scott but that's life. Other than that, I'm not sure what you expected from this set of players this season.

Top half of the middle 8. But Conway will get better, Pring will get better, Tanner will get better, pray god Atkinson will get better (pray god his knee does) Scott will get better (yes I know, I know), Sykes will get better, Mehmeti will get better, Bell will get better, Kane Wilson might turn out to be Carlos Alberto re-incarnated ? and Kalas will get fit or a centre half of Pearson's choosing will replace him, ie a gurt big un (what input has Pearson had on any of our defensive signings so far?? precious little, I think). And if Scott leaves, there's money to spend. Cheer up!

You're frustrated. We all are. Pearson was upbeat afterwards, going so far as to say there are good times ahead. That'll do for me. Even more so given the fact, with everyone fit our team - a Pearson team - will have plenty of 6 footers to deal with set pieces into our box- unlike today. Being the point. A goalkeeper who doesn't go walkabout would help too. That's a personal preference, not one I expect to be popular and not wishing to sidetrack this thread either. With a team full of novices, Pearson is providing points and performances that few other City managers with the same resources at Tier 2 level ever have.

Would be brilliant. Now after me everyone - "COME ON, COLIN!"

The other lot were big lumps, weren't they? Unlike our lot. The deluded Lam thinks you can win games with a bunch of lightweights up front. Genge got dumped like a rag doll at one point. Should have been a red card but the clueless ref is probably still running scared from his 6Nations blunder. Anyway wrong thread. COYR!

Alex Scott - the new Joe Joyce? Let's hope not.

Correct. Originally sung by Plymouth fans, then nicked by the gAss. Not the first or last thing they've nicked either. "Gypsys, Tramps and Thieves" is really the song they should sing - sums them up perfectly.

Bajic is the new Massengo.

And not even the bloke who tripped him up!

But those clubs are at a different point in the cycle of improvement/stagnation/decline that every club goes through. Have those clubs had to slash their wage bills like us? Or had to sell millions of pounds worth of their best talent to keep FFP happy? Or deal with the fallout of a reckless CEO? Or try and deal with all that and play proper football rather than resorting to lump it, percentage tactics? Luton and Millwall have been on a steady, upward curve in the last year or two - we've been hurtling backwards over that same period, you can't just flick a switch and regain the sort of momentum they've had. Which I'm sure you know. Both those clubs have also recruited well to a specific, coherent gameplan - we haven't been, we've been clubs-in-the-bag scattergun! Until recently... So you're not comparing like for like I'm afraid, annoying as it is - and ever was - to see tinpot types out-performing us.

Best player, i.e. better than Scott? More consistent than Scott? Interesting. (I take the point about most improved)

Quite! ?

Yep, I can vouch for a visit to Leopardstown being a great way to spend a weekend Punchestown and Galway still on the bucket list ?.

Didn't do Mansfield any harm ?

Midweek, away from home, third game in 8 days, tons of injuries, makeshift team. And we didn't lose. What on earth is the problem?

Out of interest, what the absolute **** did you expect?

Good.

Vyner was brave on the ball tonight and against some world class opponents too. Yes gave the ball away on occasions but often because he didn't have great options. In the circumstances he and Kalas did pretty well.

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. Different level to all ours bar Scott. Really hope he stays.

His goal was ridiculous - just effortlessly passed it into the net with pinpoint accuracy from miles out without breaking stride. Worth the admission price alone. Although so was seeing Tommy Kalas back to his best. Boy have we missed him.

You won't catch me in there. Although once the 3rd went in, they were trying to get Lansdown to bounce around. Which would have been worth the ticket price alone. Was in S22.

Not sure it was him. But whoever it was needs to find something else to do. Absolute shambles.

Inspired and hilarious, isn't it? Imagine being so dull, so dense, the only thing you can think of calling your rivals is "shit". Then, because they're gas-heads, just copying part of that. Sums them up completely.

No point at home to Hull. Against the Welsh, London slags or any team bringing numbers, it's a grand idea to pack that block and provoke an atmosphere.

True and that's the spirit in which we all should approach Tuesday. Except... we're nowhere near as good as we were in Jan 2018 so you're not comparing like with like. Fingers crossed, though!