Enjoyment

[Alex_BCFC]

3 minutes ago, KegCity said:

Equally the teams that managed to hold on to them usually got themselves up. Appreciate it’s a difficult balancing act but if the turnover of good players is as high as ours it’s going to be difficult to progress.

I don't know if that claim is actually true but I doubt it. I suspect our turnover of players is no different to most teams in our league with teams who go up. The reason we didn't go up (make the play-offs) under LJ was a streaky manager who didn't really know how to end the losing runs quick enough. I don't actually think it was a players issue.

For Holden, I've no idea as he has about 10 first teamers out. I think Mawson was the biggest one as he could actually bring the ball out at the back and was a cut above what we had. Stoke away, he was class and we looked a solid unit and the back with a threat up top. It was promising. As I said above, I will judge him when he can rotate players etc. At moment he literally has about 12 fit players of which some are not up to this standard so I won't be writing him off yet.

[Bassomylord]

37 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Early stages of the season, we were showing some promise. Could be argued up to Matchday 8 first half in Bournemouth away, or maybe even the Huddersfield away comeback win.

Precious little since then however! 2nd half v Watford maybe, Blackburn at home had good things but really not much post arguably Huddersfield away.

I disagree.

Against Coventry we were outplayed in large spells, Forest we were battered and somehow sneaked a win. Sheff Wed dominated us for large spells but ground it out. Huddersfield for 75 minutes it was dire.

We haven't been good all season....we have been massively reliant on bentley and kalas and lately Nagy. Without them we would be fodder in this league.

 

 

[bristolcitysweden]

Steve Neville and Bobby Reid. Two footballers getting you on the seat.

[bristolcitysweden]

It's SL:s fault trusting MA. There is no way out as long MA is at the club.

[Alex_BCFC]

1 minute ago, Bassomylord said:

I disagree.

Against Coventry we were outplayed in large spells, Forest we were battered and somehow sneaked a win. Sheff Wed dominated us for large spells but ground it out. Huddersfield for 75 minutes it was dire.

We haven't been good all season....we have been massively reliant on bentley and kalas and lately Nagy. Without them we would be fodder in this league.

 

 

Sheff Weds game - was game of 2 halves so not fair to say large spells. Stoke away in particular was an excellent performance. 

We've gone downhill since Mawson got injured. PPG with Mawson before Boro game when he got injured - 2.6. After that, we've been at 1.25. A boat load of injuries meaning the same players can't be rotated is also a significant reason we have dropped off.

[Maesknoll Red]

Good question, for entertainment week in, week out, not since the days of Tinnion crossing to Murray and seeing wing play that got bums off seats.  Before that, Joe Jordan’s Promotion season.  Watching the 76 promotion team was entertaining as well.

 

[Numero Uno]

3 minutes ago, bristolcitysweden said:

It's SL:s fault trusting MA. There is no way out as long MA is at the club.

Behave!! SL plays the tune, nobody else. Ashton is his enforcer.

[bristolcitysweden]

If you are stupid enough to think Bentley and Kalas will take us to the PL there is no hope.

Someone else can do far better with the money spoiled than MA.

[Banjo Red]

Just now, bristolcitysweden said:

If you are stupid enough to think Bentley and Kalas will take us to the PL there is no hope.

Someone else can do far better with the money spoiled than MA.

Mark Ashton is a leech bleeding the club dry. 

[bristolcitysweden]

This club is, has always been and will always be total shit as it it is runned by total muppets

 

[Mr Popodopolous]

13 minutes ago, Bassomylord said:

I disagree.

Against Coventry we were outplayed in large spells, Forest we were battered and somehow sneaked a win. Sheff Wed dominated us for large spells but ground it out. Huddersfield for 75 minutes it was dire.

We haven't been good all season....we have been massively reliant on bentley and kalas and lately Nagy. Without them we would be fodder in this league.

 

 

Sheffield Wednesday certainly did not dominate for long spells.

Nottingham Forest we got some luck, Bentley was great, Coventry we fell away for periods but some luck, Huddersfield are quite strong at home with a strong brand of football this season, Semenyo was a good spark.

DaSilva first goal and assist, hoped it might be the start of some end product.

[bristolcitysweden]

I don't give a shit about "football". This club has nothing to do with football. It's a total shit house.

[hollydog]

16 minutes ago, Bassomylord said:

I disagree.

Against Coventry we were outplayed in large spells, Forest we were battered and somehow sneaked a win. Sheff Wed dominated us for large spells but ground it out. Huddersfield for 75 minutes it was dire.

We haven't been good all season....we have been massively reliant on bentley and kalas and lately Nagy. Without them we would be fodder in this league.

 

 

Agreed. We haven’t had a good 90 minutes all season. Stoke arguably the exception but they were tripe that day. 

[Mr Popodopolous]

55 minutes ago, GasDestroyer said:

We have had more overhauls, then players sold, then “bargain buys”, than most. There is no stability in the club, no figure head running the club with a clear direction, As soon as we have a bright light talented player, we sell them. This is not a strategy to progress, mid table mediocrity beckons.

It's not desirable selling key players but the operating losses create a problem for us.

I think this upcoming summer will or could be very important for us. We had a lot of churn under LJ for sure.  

Anyway if we get this summer right then it could serve us well, but if we get it wrong, then it might set us back years. Change could be coming though, given the number of senior players out of contract.

I checked earlier:

Hunt

Baker

Mariappa

Rowe

Brunt

Paterson

Weimann

Diedhiou

Two loanees in Sessegnon and Mawson.

Walsh too but he's not senior.

[stephenkibby.]

34 minutes ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

Let's hope a new trend emerges quickly to usurp this soul destroying possession crap. 

Too many self obsessed coaches who overthink the game and talk too much, somehow believing their 'cleverness' to be the attraction rather than the product on the pitch, which seems to get duller by the season.

I'm afraid we had a prime example at AG.

 

Hell anything but this. A blood and thunder relegation battle would be so much more enjoyable. 

Most of us would be up for it.

[lenred]

2 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

It's not desirable selling key players but the operating losses create a problem for us.

I think this upcoming summer will or could be very important for us. We had a lot of churn under LJ for sure.  

Anyway we get this summer right and it could serve us well, but if we get it wrong, the new it could set us back years. Change could be coming though, given the number of senior players out of contract.

I know which way I’d bet at the moment, unfortunately. 

[cheesleywalksoncider]

1 hour ago, Sturny said:

Ever since that bloody Wolves game... 

Ever since then we’ve been going backwards. For some reason Johnson abandoned the high tempo game which I appreciate you can’t play week in week out. But we’ve just become a negative team with no identity, it always feels to me that we are looking to nick something rather than go out take the game to the opposition. Let’s appoint someone who wants to play football, at least try and start threatening the opponents goal. 

[sh1t_ref_again]

Fast attacking football Holden promised seems a distant dream, instead we are served dour boring crap. Some saying we will not go down, but on current performance levels its difficult to see where the points will come from for safety.

[Selred]

22 minutes ago, bristolcitysweden said:

If you are stupid enough to think Bentley and Kalas will take us to the PL there is no hope.

They are our 2 best players and 2 of the best players in the league for their positions to be fair. 

[Sheltons Army]

2 minutes ago, Selred said:

They are our 2 best players and 2 of the best players in the league for their positions to be fair. 

Tommy (from his posts this week) means

‘With only two with the necessary quality’  ie Kalas and Bentley

 

Hard to disagree with him IMHO

[Selred]

1 minute ago, Sheltons Army said:

Tommy (from his posts this week) means

‘With only two with the necessary quality’  ie Kalas and Bentley

 

Hard to disagree with him IMHO

Ah makes more sense! 

You could possibly chuck in Jay DaSilva, Wells (on form), Martin (on form) and Fam (on form). 

[maxjak]

2 hours ago, Juan Domingo Roldan said:

I enjoyed watching LUFC V WBA tonight personally.

A refreshing change from watching dour, lifeless, tactically inept football.

Big Sam - he was an England manager I'll have you know.

 Ayling,  was Man of the Match...and is the Leeds captain.  Also Brownhill played well for   Burnley against Sheff Utd.  Those 2 along with Reid, Webster, Bryan, etc what a team we could have had?..........Sorry,  just dreaming I know,  but it's better than the nightmare that is watching our present side

[Mr Popodopolous]

1 hour ago, KegCity said:

Equally the teams that managed to hold on to them usually got themselves up. Appreciate it’s a difficult balancing act but if the turnover of good players is as high as ours it’s going to be difficult to progress.

Not necessarily- Sheffield Wednesday looked to hold on for some final rolls of the dice, Derby too.

Turned down bids and ended up under soft embargoes, and going backwards on the field possibly as a result- certainly Sheffield Wednesday.

I still think the turnover players wise was too high under LJ however.

[Mr Popodopolous]

6 minutes ago, maxjak said:

 Ayling,  was Man of the Match...and is the Leeds captain.  Also Brownhill played well for   Burnley against Sheff Utd.  Those 2 along with Reid, Webster, Bryan, etc what a team we could have had?..........Sorry,  just dreaming I know,  but it's better than the nightmare that is watching our present side

FFP would be a problem with that approach. Clubs have to cut their cloth- a variety of other sides could say the same, but trading is a fact of life for many at this level.

[Mr Popodopolous]

1 hour ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

Let's hope a new trend emerges quickly to usurp this soul destroying possession crap. 

Too many self obsessed coaches who overthink the game and talk too much, somehow believing their 'cleverness' to be the attraction rather than the product on the pitch, which seems to get duller by the season.

I'm afraid we had a prime example at AG.

 

Each to their own but possession football or an approach that enables a side to have 50% and more has produced some real good sides at this level, last decade or so- some went up some didn't:

1. Swansea from Martinez through to Rodgers.
2. Bournemouth under Howe, though I don't know if possession was an obsession.
3. Wolves under Nuno- via Mendes and tbh a cut above for this League.
4. Same season and arguably year before, Fulham under Jokanovic.
5. Brentford- in particular last season, thought they were excellent.
6. Leeds under Bielsa

Honourable mentions as well to Norwich under Farke and to some extent Neill when promoted the same year as Bournemouth under Howe. Watford under Jokanovic were quite attack minded as well.

[maxjak]

Just now, Mr Popodopolous said:

FFP would be a problem with that approach. Clubs have to cut their cloth- a variety of other sides could say the same, but trading is a fact of life for many at this level.

Yeah I  am aware of that  .........I DID say i was dreaming?  I need to dream a little at the present time

[Mr Popodopolous]

1 minute ago, maxjak said:

Yeah I  am aware of that  .........I DID say i was dreaming?  I need to dream a little at the present time

Fair- was just pondering the number of fine players we've sold the other day, would be some side no doubt about it...

[The Constant Rabbit]

This game:

[Davefevs]

2 hours ago, cheesleywalksoncider said:

Ever since then we’ve been going backwards. For some reason Johnson abandoned the high tempo game which I appreciate you can’t play week in week out. But we’ve just become a negative team with no identity, it always feels to me that we are looking to nick something rather than go out take the game to the opposition. Let’s appoint someone who wants to play football, at least try and start threatening the opponents goal. 

I think you can, if you set up right and recruit right.

The problem imho, having found success with his 4420 formation was:

• The pressure to play his record signing post injury (Diedhiou) which totally changed the way we played (not Fam’s fault)
• not recruiting a top midfielder so he could rest and rotate one of Brownhill / Pack / Smith
• dropping Magnússon (his scapegoat) so he could play Kent, meaning Bryan went back to LB.  Bryan was brilliant LM/LW (as was Brownhill on the other side)
• loaning out Vyner whilst Pisano was still coming back from injury, meaning Wright played injured, and then knackered him
• not playing Woodrow when Pato got ill

Basically we didn’t recruit to that system, nor did we attempt to recreate it with what he had available to him.  I kinda got the Walsh signing, but Diony and Kent weren’t what we needed.

[real_bristol]

3 hours ago, TomThumb84 said:

The side that started Cotterills last match in charge beats this current one if they played tomorrow.

The side that was in the bottom 3 compared to the one that is 3 pts off playoffs?

3 hours ago, Portland Bill said:

Did you, me or 20k others care what division we were in at the time. It was fantastic football to watch, and highly enjoyable.

Thats the question the OP asked. 

It really was and I appreciate the OP. I’ve just seen a lot of people comparing the double winning side with championship teams we’ve fielded since, all of which have performed better based on league position. The double winning side did not and would not better Holden’s XI.

I would much rather watch us continue to establish ourselves in the second tier than go back down to the third for the sake of entertainment. But I’m not knocking anyone who wants that. Even if it means we hover around mid-table whilst the current regime continues to rebuild, I’d rather watch a Championship City.

I can’t name any team that have “entertained” their way out of this league. Burnley, and any of Warnock’s promoted teams did it by being organised and adapting to opposition, not by entertaining in my opinion. Norwich at home this season even, not entertaining, two balls over the top caught us out, they didn’t play their way around us if you ask me.