RedRock

Is that Dean Holden at the end? The classic is the chap literally cutting someone in half and pleading that he went for the ball.

There we go then. They can be the all-male couple for the next series.

Seemed to me a couple of months back he was a bit ‘heavy’ in his movement. Suspect some slow recoveries from losing the ball and poor positioning put his place at risk. Needs to get lighter on his feet for me, with quicker twists and turns. Off to ‘Come Dancing’ school for a few weeks should cure it (which has been done at other Clubs incidentally).

A question for people who have played centre-back. As a keeper, then centre-forward, I was never coached in the art of being a centre -back. To those who have, are you taught to get in front of your attacker on crosses? I know as an attacker, on the majority of occasions I would try to get in front of the attacker - ball-side - with crosses. Seems to me most of our goals come through the centre-backs being on the ‘wrong side’ of the attacker.

Me too! Thought I heard a bit of scouse on occasions. A real melting pot of accents. If ever wanting to stump someone playing ‘guess the accent’ Andi’s your man!

Think the team selection is part of the big ‘re-set’. We’re totally messed up on FFP thanks to Ashton and a model that didn’t invest in a scouting network or a person at the head of the Club with footballing nouse (a DoF). So, I suspect we’re running close next year to FFP limits - possibly forecast to go beyond next season with a risk of points deductions. So, imo we’re gambling now on completely revising the cost base of the Club before we get to a point-deduction position. If it’s not FFP, then it’s the Lansdown’s getting fed up with bailing out the Club, particularly when the entertainment value is nil. Maybe a combination of both. Effectively, all senior players, bar Andi and Bakes who negotiated lower wages, are up for sale with a clear message to their agents by not playing them to move the players on. We are blooding the youngsters in part out of necessity, in part, because they’re now our future. This, now, is the final pillar still standing of the strategy as all others have failed. As a long term critic of the Academy I genuinely hope we have enough talent to keep us up and sustain us in the Championship. Judgement day for Tins and others.

…and breathe. Had A funny feeling that Andi would bag a few today. Well done that man. Turning high energy into high impact. I like.

One of the true City legends. Gave his all, and then some every match. He really cared for the shirt. Top man. If only we had more like him in the current squad.

Happy New Year fellow reds and what better way to start than a home match against Millwall (cough). Who needs Aus? People on the beach with BBQs in Budleigh this evening. Onwards and upwards.

He needs to do both imo. Probably cost us one, if not three points. That could be significant at the end of season as the bottom places are going to be ultra tight and we’re not very good.

That indicates fitness - mental and physical - and game management issues - on and off the pitch. Over to you management.

Think that’s a reasonable view myself. If everyone expressed the same opinion and agreed with each other on this forum it would be a pretty boring place. Reasonable to ask where Simpson is in my view. Given the answer seems to be he’s not good enough to be selected, that leads the question why did we re-sign in the Summer when we knew we were in such a financial mess. The only thing we are all allowed to agree on is that all paths lead back to Mark Ashton ( well, possibly - with the exception of Simpson)

Thought for a while we are at real risk of the drop. Not wishing to sound SoD-like, but performances matter. We are the pits and struggle to set any pattern of play. There’s little, if any, teamwork like finding space for an easy pass with a team mate with the ball. Even more basic than that, we struggle to complete a pass over 5 yards. I haven’t seen an effective ‘partnership’ since Kalas and Webster. I do tend to treat comments for opposition fans with a pinch of salt. However, how many times when visiting opponents forums do you see repeat comments about us ‘being the worst team we’ve played’. Not good. Pretty obvious Nige is hamstrung by MAs legacy. He clearly thought he could get something out of this squad. I suspect, he’s changed his mind..but can now do little about it. I was hoping that the January transfer window would be our saviour. It now seems it won’t be. … so down to the existing players to raise their games. Here’s hoping.

From what I saw of our match against them a couple of months ago, a couple of the Cov players would enhance our squad imo.

Agree. All these figures make it even more frustrating that our eye-wateringly big earners just aren’t pulling their weight. Yes, the argument is we offered them the money, select the playing positions and tactics, but if 3 different managers can’t get a consistent tune out of them maybe they need to look in the mirror.

Well said Rees-Mogg, you may have a political IQ of zero, but that’s a reasonable assessment of where we’re at football-wise for me. I totally ‘get’ that the likes of Wells, Palmer and DaSilva have been, and continue to be, an absolute waste of money. I also understand that Pearson watches these guys and thinks for a fraction of what we’re spending on these I could get players in who could push us on. I understand in today’s football world, one tactic - probably the only one the Club has - of ‘encouraging’ players to leave is to not play them. However, I look at the absolute s**tfest on the pitch, the lack of identity, shape, the complete absence of partnerships and fluency and think to myself surely these three could add value and help form the basis of a more solid coherent side. I’m in the camp that relegation is a stark reality. We are, frankly, diabolical - a dysfunctional shambles. The goals we concede are sub-National League standard. The errors are just so basic. My memory may be failing me, but I struggle to think of a ‘team’ that seems such a complete mess, collectively or individually, in 50+ years of supporting City. January is going to be crucial. Will the agents of Wells, Palmer and DaSilva move the players on or tell them to sit tight? How big a loss are we going to be prepared to take? Big gambles going on. Let’s hope the Club have employed the right tactics and these three go elsewhere, allowing us to start building a side with new blood capable of sustaining life in the Championship. I suppose, if they don’t move and that frustrates our ability to bring new players in, Pearson will have to integrate these three somehow into the side once the window closes. I worry though if the bridges have been burnt and/or Pearson is too stubborn to do that. Interesting and worrying times.

All I want for Xmas is for Weimann and Martin to actually give me hope of a creating something resembling a playing partnership. Today, maybe is the day.

Really polished performance from Barrow. Ipswich look like us on one of our off days….and the common denominator is ???

Mark Cooper, can remember watching him play as a youngster on the pitch at the top of Stockwood a good few years back. Christ, that makes me feel old. As Terry’s son, another reason to support Barrow tonight. Dual TV football tonight matches on ITV/BT ideal.

We are 1, max 2 injuries away from a major crisis (again). Relegation is a very realistic outcome in that circumstance. A striker is an absolute must. Dependent on how Nige wants us to set up, wide men also required. A solid central midfielder wouldn’t go amiss either. Don't count on any of the injury-prone players becoming regulars. Our players once broken, appear to remain broke or, at least, easily damaged.

As much as I detest France and Germany for what they are doing….did anyone seriously expect them to act differently? It may/may not have been a good idea to leave but at least anticipate likely outcomes and plan for them. Plan to make Brexit a success. Fail to plan, plan to fail …. Boris and his Eton ‘ born to lead’ chums random chaos, non-planning, non-interventionist approach to managing everything is bound to result in disaster. As it has with the EU, the economy, Covid … He’s a lazy, shambles of a human being. Together with that **** Reece-Mogg they ought to be charged with treason.

Can someone hack the teleprompter with ……… ‘I resign’……. pleeeeeease.

Agree. On a par with David F’in Kelly for me.

Farcical. Wasn’t decided on the track but an anonymous rule-maker. Watched the last 30 minutes of the race, my first viewing of a grand prix since about 1997. Won’t be bothering again.

Well, someone is looking after us ‘upstairs’. Ugly goals, but they all count. Take that result.