What excuse today

[lenred]

1 minute ago, Alan Dicks' Barmy Army said:

Why?

Am curious do you have any background in the game?

What does me disagreeing with a statement that ‘fans are pissed off when we win’ lead you to ask me if I have a background in the game?  Saying people are pissed off when their team wins is a completely ridiculous and over the top statement. Every City fan wants us to win - from happy clapper to ultra miserable sod and everyone in between.  

[Vespa Red]

That was utter, utter, utter, utter, utter, utter, utter (repeat x75) shite

[Bristol Oil Services]

15 minutes ago, Loco Rojo said:

Brilliant. I didn't say that did i? What i think is some fans need to lower their bar of expectation.  I'm criticising the fact our fans immediate reaction is to jump on the players backs and criticise them EVERY time there's a poor result.   

We hear so often from the players what a difference positive support has when things are going well. I think that is lost on some of our fans.

There are no fans in the ground at the moment, we cannot even pin our painful, pedestrian home performances on our dismal, dour, dozy home crowd. It must be down to something other than our blasé crowd

[Jeez]

24 minutes ago, TomThumb84 said:

 

After 6 defeats in our last 13, and 1 goal in our last 3 - and today mustering 1 shot on target whilst 2-0 down with all 4 of our strikers on the pitch, at what point do we start to question our set-up?

This part of your post struck a chord - clearly something isn’t working with our strike force and injuries aside the coaching team need to find a way of creative chances and getting a balance with the players that are fit instead of playing the same each week and simply adding more firepower what we’re behind.

[Loosey Boy]

16 minutes ago, TomThumb84 said:

With respect, the fans have not set the expectation bar. The board have, with “Top 6 minimum” as a mission statement. Cannot blame the fans for worrying as that slips away.

The question should not be how we can support better, it should be “what do the board do if their self-set expectation for their choice of manager starts to look unrealistic”.

Agreed @Loco Rojo?

[Mr Popodopolous]

23 minutes ago, joe jordans teeth said:

With those players out would you expect our player with a goal threat to be doing a wingers job and barely getting in the box

Agreed.

I've long had reservations about Wells in wide areas, not only going forward but defensively too

Wells wide left surely leaves our LB, especially DaSilva, at significant risk of being overloaded or 2 v 1. As well as what you say about a main goal threat being away from the box.

The injuries give us a distinct lack of options but maybe try:

                 Bentley

Hunt Vyner Kalas DaSilva

Massengo Bakinson Nagy

Semenyo Wells O'Dowda

It's far from perfect but working on assumption of injuries etc, thinking there would be better balance and protection.

Mariappa, Moore, Brunt, Martin and Diedhiou all options too. Not sure I'd start Brunt all that often, Martin is good but unsure I'd start him every game given age.

[Guest]

Norwich and Bournemouth are way ahead of everyone and nailed on to go up, we could easily be in the play offs IF we wake the hell up pretty soon.

Odds are on however us falling away, again, with fans blaming....well anything really apart from the engine driver.

[Red Army 75]

25 minutes ago, Loco Rojo said:

Absolutely but thats all it is and some on here seem to forget about the wins, league position, number of injuries etc. 

Plus its not even constructive or in anyway aimed at a sparking a debate. 

It gets so tedious match day thread after thread of the same old copy and paste bollocks which starts usually 5 minutes after kick off.

Do you not get bored of reading the same monotonous drivel thread after thread. If we were bottom of the league then I think I could understand it more but when it starts after 5 minutes in to a game you start to wonder if some of our 'fans' are just itching to post the same stuff and get pissed off when we win.

I give no time for posters who are constantly negative the same as I haven’t for posters who are constantly positive. But the majority on here even though there are disagreements are fair in their posts . Besides a few it’s a fantastic forum with good Bristol City debate. There performances of late have been very negative and that will bring the criticism out . And rightly so IMO

[Fuber]

1 hour ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

It's not an excuse but as of this time:

Sessegnon

Mawson

Baker

DaSilva

Walsh

Williams

Paterson

Weimann

All out. Some of them have been for the whole season to date!

How many other sides have three of their new signings injured for long periods. Don't forget the Covid outbreak we had as well, that's just the current injuries.

The issue is that our transfer business has exacerbated the problem. I'd have given Korey a two year deal if it meant we didnt sign Brunt, seems a waste in retrospect.

Any news on Walsh's contract situation that we're aware of? We may not get to see him play at this rate.

Missing Palmer as an attacking option with Pato out, no options off the bench going forward.

 Didn't sign on Benkovic for another year, took a risk on Mawson who is a known injury risk. Similar issues with Baker (which we knew about, although not usually to this extent) and Williams (Bolton, persistent injuries).

Series of conistsent injuries to the likes of Walsh, Kalas, Baker, DaSilva, formerly Korey, Palmer, among others who have all been with us for longer than a season that we cannot seem to sort.

Two biggest questions for the board at the moment are the performances (lack thereof shots on target ehich evidently has hot been resolved), but especially the medical staff - seems since Rhys Carr left especially the issue has become exacerbated, even with allowances for the increased match schedule ala COVID, as this was an issue last season.

However whats inexcusible is how any team that do the basics well seem to dominate us - i.e. Barnsley, Reading, and Rotherham now. Need to get back to basics asap and just press in phase and play quicker in possession, we're so slow, I cant see what our gameplan is.

[Tin Soldier]

The only positive about COVID is that at least I don’t have to sit through 90 minutes of home games watching this dross. Not good again today.

[Gazred]

1 minute ago, GasDestroyer said:

The only positive about COVID is that at least I don’t have to sit through 90 minutes of home games watching this dross. Not good again today.

Would of been a tough trip for our away support today, that's for sure.

[DT The Optimist]

7 minutes ago, Red Army 75 said:

I give no time for posters who are constantly negative the same as I haven’t for posters who are constantly positive. But the majority on here even though there are disagreements are fair in their posts . Besides a few it’s a fantastic forum with good Bristol City debate. There performances of late have been very negative and that will bring the criticism out . And rightly so IMO

DH said on radio Bristol this was the first game this season that they have not performed ?   I might beg to differ, and say we have 'got away' with a few this season...today we did not.  The stats of 22 shots to 4 from a side who will most likely be in a battle all season to stay up speaks volumes.... Inconsistencies. 

Against Blackburn I thought we were decent.... today (from listening only) we were the opposite.  We will have more of the same on Tuesday with a Millwall side who play in a similar way to Rotherham.... but better at it again..

[maxjak]

I was gonna come up with an in depth analysis.............but the best i can come up with, that says it all is..............."We're not very good are we?"  Ha!                      

[sh1t_ref_again]

49 minutes ago, Fordy62 said:

Undoubtedly that injury line up is horrendous. But the eleven put out today are quality players capable of playing semi decent football. 

They look like they’ve never met. And we’ve got a 4m striker playing on the wing!

If we were playing 1 game a week that would be fair comment, but as I posted on the match thread, its the impact loosing all those players have on not being able to rotate the squad or having players to impact from the bench, with games coming as frequently as they are the players are now starting to look exhausted.

[Fordy62]

Just now, sh1t_ref_again said:

If we were playing 1 game a week that would be fair comment, but as I posted on the match thread, its the impact loosing all those players have on not being able to rotate the squad or having players to impact from the bench, with games coming as frequently as they are the players are now starting to look exhausted.

I agree to a degree, but he made no changes. None at all. There were players who could’ve come in and he chose not to use them. He should know if they're exhausted. 

[AppyDAZE]

37 minutes ago, Vespa Red said:

That was utter, utter, utter, utter, utter, utter, utter (repeat x75) shite

Bournmouth 5-0 uddersfield

Udder udder udder udder udder CRAP!

[leader]

4 million pound proven striker stuck out on the wing  why o why 

[MC RISK77]

11 minutes ago, GasDestroyer said:

The only positive about COVID is that at least I don’t have to sit through 90 minutes of home games watching this dross. Not good again today.

Agreed- we are a truly dreadful watch and have been for pretty much 2 years now.

Slow, basic, very little creativity, not one player who makes you get up off your sofa when he gets the ball.

Fair play the defence and keeper are pretty decent but with the likes of COD as one of our creative players you can see why we lack much imagination.

[sh1t_ref_again]

2 minutes ago, Fordy62 said:

I agree to a degree, but he made no changes. None at all. There were players who could’ve come in and he chose not to use them. He should know if they're exhausted. 

I agree and made the point on the other thread that Fam should have started and he should have brought on the youngsters, but I was responding to the point where you took issue with a post about the list of injuries and commented that the eleven put out today are quality players capable of playing semi decent football.. 

[REDOXO]

1 hour ago, Loco Rojo said:

You could use this to describe some of our 'fans' too.

Honestly fails to disapoint how predictable some on here are. There is a severe lack of support and getting behind the team when we're not doing well. I definately wouldn't want some on here by my side in the trenches. 

I'm not worried about the lack of fans in attendance at games. I'm more worried about how it will effect the players when fans are allowed back in!

I think to be fair in the ground the support is very good. Despite the dross the previous incumbent served up you didn’t get mass protest in the ground. 
 

I always view this place (OTIB) as somewhere to come and vent, which many do. 
 

as long as the fans come here to whine (me among them) I’m ok with it. Today was utter utter abject dross. Anyone who says differently is a bit of a nut job. 
 

In view of the huge backing LJ got despite terrible home displays I don’t share your concerns regarding fans. Owing back. 

[grifty]

1. We can't make easy 5 yard passes. Players are constantly under pressure when receiving the ball.

2. We can't take throw-ins.

3. Probably 60% of our corners end up within 3 passes back at Bentley.

Todays game was the first time I've ever not wanted to watch us play.

[Loco Rojo]

1 hour ago, Moments of Pleasure said:

There are no fans in the ground at the moment, we cannot even pin our painful, pedestrian home performances on our dismal, dour, dozy home crowd. It must be down to something other than our blasé crowd

You know what I mean. I'm talking about what might happen when fans can return.

[sludge]

1 hour ago, JonDolman said:

If we'd played a different team, even a better team than Rotherham, then we'd might have won today with that exact same 11 and played really well. 

But that style we just could not cope with at all. We need to be able to impose our style onto the opponents or we will never get playoffs.

This 100%. Why is it the same fixtures every season that we struggle with; Rotherham away, Millwall home, Birmingham home, Brentford home, Preston anywhere....

[shepton red]

My views, very simply:

Rotherham - very physical and they stop any attempts by the opposition to get into rhythm. Very effective, and were helped by a referee who allowed them to control the pace of the game.

They were very effective at set plays and used their physical presence to good effect.

It pains me to say, with their style of anti-football, but they deserved all 3 points.

City - looking tired and lacking creativity.

They needed to be in the referee’s face from the start regarding Rotherham’s game management, but they lacked leadership and were devoid of any spark of enthusiasm.

A bad day at the office. No need to get to despondent, we are at best a play off team, so perhaps a little more expectation management is required. We were not world beaters on Wednesday and we are not the worst team in the division after today’s result.

[Bristol Oil Services]

37 minutes ago, Loco Rojo said:

You know what I mean. I'm talking about what might happen when fans can return.

I know what you mean, but perhaps we are seeing that the crowd - dismal as we are - cannot bear all responsibility for poor or sluggish or fearful performance. In our absence you cannot currently point the finger at the unsupportive crowd and so instead have to imagine "what might happen when fans can return."

 

[Numero Uno]

2 hours ago, glos old boy said:

Norwich and Bournemouth are way ahead of everyone and nailed on to go up, we could easily be in the play offs IF we wake the hell up pretty soon.

Odds are on however us falling away, again, with fans blaming....well anything really apart from the engine driver.

If you have a succession of “failing” engine drivers don’t you ask why they are not delivering? Are they being given the right vehicle by their Employer to do the job? In the end you need to look right at the very top of the tree.

We’ve known for two years plus how our squad has been assembled and it’s limitations in the way it plays. Until we drastically change personnel things will not change. At least 2-3 transfer windows imo.

The more you think about it the more you start to wonder why the club took 6 weeks to appoint Holden when you can be sure he was the only bloke prepared to do things the way the suits upstairs want them done for the time being and not only that but prepared take the flak coming his way for doing so.

Because there’s no way the likes of Cook, Gerrard, Hughton and Howe would be prepared to work with what we’ve got. No way whatsoever.

[1960maaan]

I'm still very much biting my lip, trying not to get too down or angry about another poor performance, how ever depressing. The thing is we have got injuries, those injuries will be impacting performances. We have a new signing , potentially THE signing we have been waiting for , for ages (we won't know until he plays of course), plus the attacking MF we need and 2 CB's which could have made a massive difference. We could be a very different side, in look and style, but...

Norwich have had more injuries, 14 at one point I believe.
Everyone plays the same amount of games and in the same time frame.
I don't like hearing players looking tired, Holden has had chances to rest and rotate and decided not too.

The truth is performances are very similar to LJ, with that caveat of not being able to play his chosen XI. There are legitimate questions over Holden's choices, bringing in Brunt and shipping out Morrell seems odd and against how the club wants to work, I don't care how Morrell's doing now, that choice  is what I question. Not rotating a squad when we are low on numbers seems odd, or reckless . There are plenty of things we can question, but as I said, how can we decide how Holden sets his team up until it's his team to set up?

Today was shockingly bad, Tuesday will most likely be a similar game. They will have to put on their big boy pants and fight a lot more than they did today . I don't see us getting much, maybe a draw, but then I can't see anything but struggle until some players become available. 

[Loco Rojo]

3 hours ago, Loosey Boy said:

Agreed @Loco Rojo?

No, not really. I'm not sure many on here believed the board when Holden was appointed (not blaming Holden) but he was seen as the cheap option at the time.  My expectation certainly wasn't a top 6 finish - more of a mid table which I'm sticking with.  Appreciate this would be a decline from LJs reign but I'm taking in to consideration COVID and the financial impact so quite honestly if we stay up, I'm happy this season. 

Also, if the fans are disgruntled with the Board, then fair enough, but vent at the Board.  Constant criticism of the players e.g. COD helps no one - especially when considering his form has improved in previous games.

[NorfolkInChance]

It was just bollox - shocking 

[Mr Popodopolous]

3 hours ago, Fuber said:

The issue is that our transfer business has exacerbated the problem. I'd have given Korey a two year deal if it meant we didnt sign Brunt, seems a waste in retrospect.

Any news on Walsh's contract situation that we're aware of? We may not get to see him play at this rate.

Missing Palmer as an attacking option with Pato out, no options off the bench going forward.

 Didn't sign on Benkovic for another year, took a risk on Mawson who is a known injury risk. Similar issues with Baker (which we knew about, although not usually to this extent) and Williams (Bolton, persistent injuries).

Series of conistsent injuries to the likes of Walsh, Kalas, Baker, DaSilva, formerly Korey, Palmer, among others who have all been with us for longer than a season that we cannot seem to sort.

Two biggest questions for the board at the moment are the performances (lack thereof shots on target ehich evidently has hot been resolved), but especially the medical staff - seems since Rhys Carr left especially the issue has become exacerbated, even with allowances for the increased match schedule ala COVID, as this was an issue last season.

However whats inexcusible is how any team that do the basics well seem to dominate us - i.e. Barnsley, Reading, and Rotherham now. Need to get back to basics asap and just press in phase and play quicker in possession, we're so slow, I cant see what our gameplan is.

I thought they'd all be tricky away games but Reading and Rotherham in particular we were really poor in. Really poor.

Barnsley away is usually tough (and for us lately almost certainly 2-2 ) but at least we came back from a goal down to lead and wrestled some superiority for a time, had our chances to go further ahead and finally end that little run up there.

Agree with your post though, but who can say Smith wouldn't have been regularly injured? Certainly was with us in his final 2 years!

Palmer has talent no doubt, but I wonder about him fitting in tactically, where exactly?

I'd definitely have looked to sign Benkovic again. Think and this is before even considering Vyner, a Moore-Kalas-Benkovic back 3 could've been excellent for a high line.

All good age, all reasonable to strong technical ability and Moore on the right, Benkovic on the left. Good ball carriers.

Of course, Mawson great when fit but he had injury problems pre joining us.