New season beckons - how do you see things?

[RUSSEL85]

Had a good read of this thread. My thinking is the squad is no better (James is a good addition) but we have a spine to the team which is key, we will be fitter and sure we will set up more defensively and not concede to many. Based on this I think around 14th-18th - I would be happy with that and look to build on from there.

City 0 Blackpool 4  

[Spud55]

Not expecting much of this season, if we can survive I will be happy. I don't think the squad has improved much and although I don't think any of the signings have been bad outside Atkinson I can't say I understand them, neither James or King are particularly creative and as a side I still don't see us creating anything, defensively we were God awful last season and although Atkinson looks a good defender he can be and was exposed a far bit last season and joining probably the worst defence in the league is not going to improve that all on his own, we are still weak at fullback, JD still has questions defensively and Simpson was shite last season, so I'm not convinced the defence has improved immeasurably. 

We have added more midfielders to a squad that already had a shit ton of them, we must be nearly able to field a full 11 of midfielders by now, but few of them can create anything. 

We are then reliant on Wells, Martin and Wiemann to score goals in a side devoid of creativity which is not an exciting prospect considering only Wells has ever scored a good amount of goals and even then its not as if he bangs in 20+ every season. 

The only 2 things that save us are that other clubs are in total chaos, but we were easily the worst side in this league and may rely on other sides being basket cases to stay afloat. 

Also some of the young kids could have stellar seasons and really drove us on, but equally they may prove to not be ready for this level yet. 

[weepywall]

All I want..is to enjoy going to AG instead of finding it a chore, not a massive ask is it ? more than happy with mid table to be honest, think we need some points on board early doors tho, can see a few getting restless if we don't. 

[The Bard]

What makes me optimistic is that we seem to have a decent enough starting 11 for tomorrow but with maybe 4 outside this who I would expect to be in the starting 11 once the season is underway.

 

Add to that a number of players who you would hope will develop into proven Championship players in the long run.

There is the concern over RB and CF and maybe a general lack of goal threat from the 3 in behind the strikers. However, we should be a lot more solid, organised and difficult to play against. There are a few saleable assets that don't appear to be in long term plans who we could utilise to further enhance the overall strength of the squad.

I'm not itk but for example, swapping Kalas for Ostigard ticks boxes. Then maybe selling Nagy or HNM and getting a good all round 9 as well as a wide attacker seems good to me. That should be cost neutral when taking both fees and wages into account.

[The Bard]

 

1 hour ago, RoystonFoote'snephew said:

Provided we keep our senior pros fit then, together with the new signings and the experience gained by our youngsters, I see us in mid table. I think a number of sides in this division are being over hyped and the Championship is wide open. As I've said elsewhere you have to take into account the pressure that the 3 sides relegated from the Prem and last seasons 3 losing play off teams will be under as they all enter the new season with new managers. Elsewhere, most sides have simply signed players released by other Championship clubs. Does this improve them? Only time will tell. 

Good point about the favourites. 

You look to the proven managers in the division and see Warnock Houghton McCarthy Pearson who have all had some time at a new club to have a look and make changes. One of them will come good and go up surely?

[downendcity]

48 minutes ago, frenchred said:

Think we are worse off than we were last year, manager yet to prove he can motivate this team if back end of last season anything to go by, season of struggle ahead

I do think that this team is not that team.

The summer break could not have come at a better time for us, as had the season had a few more games left I reckon we’d have gone down. As it was, the summer break has allowed us to re-group with a fresh start and to put distance between this season and what happened in the last.

 As so many have already said, the new medical team could be one of the most important signings of the summer. If ( I know it’s a big if) they can keep Baker fit then his re-signing could be  a big factor for us, as I feel he’s our strongest defender and alongside either Kalas or Atkinson should give a more solid central defence than did the multitude of permutations last season.

I also think our midfield options are better than many gave credit and the addition of King and James give us experience we’ve lacked for a few seasons and that the younger players need- one/both could have a similar effect as Elliott in the league 1 team or Paul Hartley a decade ago.

While there remain understandable concerns about goalscoring, I think losing Famara could be a blessing in disguise. For all his strength and the thankless task of often having to play as a lone striker, I do think there was an adverse effect to his playing up front, as it gave too easy an out ball ( long hoof) for defenders and the feeling that we needed wingers to play to his strengths. It also affected Wells’ performances, as all too often he was shunted out wide to accommodate FD and that is not where NW performs best. 

 

 

[Davefevs]

@downendcityanother post I agree with.

[redapple]

I think we’ll have a steady start, we’ll draw a lot more games this season. I think we’ll gradually turn Ashton Gate back into a fortress and be challenging for play-offs by next March/April. I believe some of the younger players will have break-through seasons and become very established ( Massengo, Scott, Bell, Vyner) and DaSilva, Atkinson and Wells will fulfil their promise. 

[frenchred]

19 minutes ago, downendcity said:

I do think that this team is not that team.

The summer break could not have come at a better time for us, as had the season had a few more games left I reckon we’d have gone down. As it was, the summer break has allowed us to re-group with a fresh start and to put distance between this season and what happened in the last.

 As so many have already said, the new medical team could be one of the most important signings of the summer. If ( I know it’s a big if) they can keep Baker fit then his re-signing could be  a big factor for us, as I feel he’s our strongest defender and alongside either Kalas or Atkinson should give a more solid central defence than did the multitude of permutations last season.

I also think our midfield options are better than many gave credit and the addition of King and James give us experience we’ve lacked for a few seasons and that the younger players need- one/both could have a similar effect as Elliott in the league 1 team or Paul Hartley a decade ago.

While there remain understandable concerns about goalscoring, I think losing Famara could be a blessing in disguise. For all his strength and the thankless task of often having to play as a lone striker, I do think there was an adverse effect to his playing up front, as it gave too easy an out ball ( long hoof) for defenders and the feeling that we needed wingers to play to his strengths. It also affected Wells’ performances, as all too often he was shunted out wide to accommodate FD and that is not where NW performs best. 

 

 

Fair enough I actually agree with most of what you put in there apart from the references to Hartley and Elliott, Hartley for the amount he played is probably the most over rated player I can think of and don't see any of the new two having Elliot's legs who was superb for us

[Hampshire reds]

keep the best players fit and one quality striker brought in we could go close to the top 6

[Davefevs]

13 minutes ago, redapple said:

I think we’ll have a steady start, we’ll draw a lot more games this season. I think we’ll gradually turn Ashton Gate back into a fortress and be challenging for play-offs by next March/April. I believe some of the younger players will have break-through seasons and become very established ( Massengo, Scott, Bell, Vyner) and DaSilva, Atkinson and Wells will fulfil their promise. 

I’ve just done a results prediction league….and I’ve gone for lots of draws.

[downendcity]

1 hour ago, Davefevs said:

I’ve just done a results prediction league….and I’ve gone for lots of draws.

A fair assumption if NP makes us difficult to beat ( compared to last season that’s not exactly a hard task), so we don't capitulate,  but we might not quite have enough firepower to turn draws into wins.

[harvey54]

There's a preview of the championship in The Times today. Talks about automatic promotion candidates, play off contenders and teams fighting relegation. We're not mentioned at all.

Softly softly catchy monkey 

[Jerseybean]

Be so good to have fans back at the Gate tomorrow.

[Mr Popodopolous]

On 05/08/2021 at 10:48, Davefevs said:

Pretty much in agreement.

As a team with the ball, Fam gave little to our attacks, and for me a big reason why we became so shot-shy and created little.

The press won’t be solved by Martin alone, but Fam ambled around and let side CBs come forward with the ball. Martin is intelligent enough to do the basics even if not intently.  If that can be supplemented by O’Dowda and Weimann squeezing in from the sides then that will help.  That’s for when Martin starts on his own.  If Wells gets the gig (which I would choose), then we have energy too.  I think you could play them both in a 442, but Martin withdrawing into the hole when we have possession, looking for low angled passes from either full-back (like he did with Vyner v Villa), and this could be effective.  Without the ball, Wells, Weimann and O’Dowda become a defensive front three, and Martin cuts the passing lanes into midfield.  Much less running for him to do.

I think if you play Wells as a striker he scores more than Fam too.

Defensively, with two 6’4” CBs, a 6’2” RB (Vyner) then we are better placed than last season too.  We just need to assign a player to do that near post area.  Fam did it well, Martin did it decently too.

Bit like a 4-3-3-0 out of possession perhaps? Maybe dropping off a bit.

Well or Martin, bit horses for courses maybe, different lone striker for different opposition, form, fitness etc- could have Semenyo in wide area too, again withdrawing but pressing and screening where appropriate out of possession.

Agree much of your post too, Diedhiou- with exceptions- was low energy, which was far from helpful- I'm thinking some games nice goals or he seemed to put a bit of a sprint in- think Huddersfield at home and the excellent goals v Wycombe and Portsmouth, indeed between say Blackburn at home and late January he had a strong spell indeed but fell off a cliff thereafter, save for Middlesbrough away when he was again excellent.

[Mr Popodopolous]

On 05/08/2021 at 08:59, Robbored said:

What?………surely you can’t be serious? The addition of Atkinson, James, King and Simpson instantly strengthen the squad. 

Maybe you’ve overlooked the number of OOC players Nige let go…………

Yes to the first 3- good additions, yet is a 34 year old with not that many games in recent years Simpson an improvement on Hunt in the RB 1-2 though?

[WolfOfWestStreet]

Don't fancy us to do anything this season, I've not really enjoyed any of Pearsons football so far and don't like any of the signings much.

There will be worse teams in the league this season but I'd be amazed if we played any kind of decent football and be top half. 

[DaveF]

11 minutes ago, WolfOfWestStreet said:

Don't fancy us to do anything this season, I've not really enjoyed any of Pearsons football so far and don't like any of the signings much.

There will be worse teams in the league this season but I'd be amazed if we played any kind of decent football and be top half. 

Grumpy boots.

[Davefevs]

49 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Bit like a 4-3-3-0 out of possession perhaps? Maybe dropping off a bit.

Well or Martin, bit horses for courses maybe, different lone striker for different opposition, form, fitness etc- could have Semenyo in wide area too, again withdrawing but pressing and screening where appropriate out of possession.

Agree much of your post too, Diedhiou- with exceptions- was low energy, which was far from helpful- I'm thinking some games nice goals or he seemed to put a bit of a sprint in- think Huddersfield at home and the excellent goals v Wycombe and Portsmouth, indeed between say Blackburn at home and late January he had a strong spell indeed but fell off a cliff thereafter, save for Middlesbrough away when he was again excellent.

No, more a 4213 (Martin becomes the 1, the other 3 press high).

Worth watching the MKD game back, where Janneh and Pearson pressed high with Wells, and Conway dropped in on their DM.