Carabao Cup Matchday No. 1 - Forest Green Rovers v. Bristol City

[James54De]

Just now, KegCity said:

Apologies, he left them above the bottom 3 with the support of the dressing room.

Comfortable though, ay.

[Supersonic Robin]

25 minutes ago, BTRFTG said:

We don't and therein lies the problem.

 

22 minutes ago, BTRFTG said:

Are we? IMHO were bang on track given that 'talent' (sic,) at our disposal.

 

5 minutes ago, BTRFTG said:

I don't blame Holden. I blame the sh*te squad Johnson built in his image. A multitude of players who wouldn't look out of place in a pub team.

Do you think you might be being a tad harsh on our squad? By no means are we world beaters, but man-for-man our squad should be (somewhat comfortably) good enough to survive relegation IMO. And of course, the team we put out tonight should be capable of beating FGR.

I think the idea that our squad is simply dreadful and that results like tonight are to be expected are inaccurate.

A potential XI of:

Bentley

Vyner Kalas Atkinson Dasilva

James Williams

Semenyo Palmer Weimann

Wells

...should be nowhere near the relegation zone this season based purely on individual ability. 

For me the issues are more "team based" than "ability based". Fitness, patterns of play, defensive shape, set pieces, communication, confidence etc.

[Kodjias Wrist]

 

[italian dave]

3 minutes ago, REDOXO said:

 

Enter Pearson, who has been told no money (the complete diametric opposite of Lee Johnson) unless he creates it. (That should tell you a lot straight away)

 

In fairness, that’s not the diametric opposite of what LJ was told. LJ had to sell to buy. I’d agree it’s a different context now, partly covid, partly because we had no value to cash in on. But ultimately it was only the sales of Kelly, Webster, Kodjia etc that brought in the money to buy.

Still trying to get that picture of you mowing the lawn in a fury in the dark though

[Mike Stone]

5 hours ago, And Its Smith said:

Does it also bother you when in a restaurant and out of 25 food options, only one is vegan?

Vince has done wonders for FGR and his sustainability message is a brilliant one. The new stadium looks 

90 minutes of knowing how many pigs , chickens and fish have been killed while I'm trying to watch the football.

[KegCity]

1 minute ago, James54De said:

Comfortable though, ay.

Comfortable enough with the momentum moving in the right way, had Watford fans furious he’d been sacked. 
 

My question for those who’ve clearly decided Pearson isn’t the man for the job after 2 games of the season, is who would you rather rebuild the team, both on and off the field? Someone with less experience? 

[mozo]

I was at the game... It was like watching a mid-table league one match with some neat stuff but also plenty of agricultural football from both sides.

Janneh was the only City player who looked sharp and he's got to feature on Saturday. He played mostly wide left but swapped with Bell at times. Personally, I'd prefer to see him central where Wells was.

I also thought Nagy looked pretty lively while he was on. Quite a few have asked about Massengo. Not great, in my opinion. It was one of those games he sometimes has where everything bounces off him. He did come close to scoring his first goal when the ball was smashed against him and rebounded just wide of the far post. He also had a shot blocked.

Bell looked put of his depth to me. He did have some nice touches here and there but didn't look like a threat to the defence.

Pring was steady. He went on one good run late on. Moore was left CB and also looked pretty reliable.

Not sure what the injury was that ended the night for Williams. He went in for a challenge and then hobbled a bit and signalled to come off. He looked gutted as we walked to the tunnel which was just as Janneh bagged the equaliser. Williams politely clapped but still looked pretty miserable.

I was hoping Scott would come on but I guess Nige wanted to give everyone a run out.

In summary, we had a makeshift line up so understandable lack of cohesion, but we didn't look like a team made up of Championship players. 

I worry that a poor result at Boro will see morale back where it was last season. 

 

 

[RedM]

Just home. I think I’m going to sleep on it before I want to think about football again...oh and ‘Boro is going to be too soon for me I think! 

[mozo]

Just now, RedM said:

Just home. I think I’m going to sleep on it before I want to think about football again...oh and ‘Boro is going to be too soon for me I think! 

It was nice to be at an away game again though

[James54De]

2 minutes ago, KegCity said:

Comfortable enough with the momentum moving in the right way, had Watford fans furious he’d been sacked. 
 

My question for those who’ve clearly decided Pearson isn’t the man for the job after 2 games of the season, is who would you rather rebuild the team, both on and off the field? Someone with less experience? 

They 2 two points outside the relagation zone with 2 games to play. Those games were against Man City and Liverpool. They were odds on to get relegated.

[And Its Smith]

3 minutes ago, Mike Stone said:

90 minutes of knowing how many pigs , chickens and fish have been killed while I'm trying to watch the football.

Wasn’t bothered by it at all.

Food was nice tonight. 

And you didn’t answer my question.

 

[italian dave]

5 minutes ago, BTRFTG said:

Believe me, they are. That's why they're at the Ashton Gate Retirement Home for the Incapable. 

Nobody else wants them.

Bentley,  Kalas, Dasilva, Nagy, James, Martin, King, Weimann, Baker, Wells, Massengo …..pub team players? We’ll just have to disagree. 

[Simon bristol]

4 minutes ago, KegCity said:

Comfortable enough with the momentum moving in the right way, had Watford fans furious he’d been sacked. 
 

My question for those who’ve clearly decided Pearson isn’t the man for the job after 2 games of the season, is who would you rather rebuild the team, both on and off the field? Someone with less experience? 

Surely its 6 months or so, not the last 2 games? Wilder was my pick months ago, he has a magic touch of turning teams into promotion challengers.

[James54De]

Oooo. Quite the interview. 
https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/every-word-nigel-pearson-after-5769510

[REDOXO]

13 minutes ago, italian dave said:

In fairness, that’s not the diametric opposite of what LJ was told. LJ had to sell to buy. I’d agree it’s a different context now, partly covid, partly because we had no value to cash in on. But ultimately it was only the sales of Kelly, Webster, Kodjia etc that brought in the money to buy.

Still trying to get that picture of you mowing the lawn in a fury in the dark though

:laugh:! Yah I know it…steaming 

 

I respectfully disagree. We started signing players when he came in. Players bought and developed by SC were eventually sold and we started the slow spiral of failing performance and poor footballers (poor footballers here any way) 
 

I think the quote from Wilbo was Steve was pretty fed up that he never had the financial backing that LJ did. So am I. 

[Bar BS3]

1 hour ago, Supersonic Robin said:

Agree the result was frustrating, but look at the performance. It was the first time in forever that we've created multiple good chances and have deserved to win a game. Shame to drop the points, but a clear improvement on last season IMO.

(and I'll certainly agree that Blackpool are the worst team we've played in the Championship this season )

We made their keeper make 1 save, plus the goal. 

It's wasn't dire, but let's not kid ourselves that it was anywhere near good. 

Any top half team would have destroyed us and Blackpool could easily have equalised before they did. 

[AshtonGreat]

7 minutes ago, billywedlock said:

We gave LJ years and millions in transfer fee and wages yet people jumping around about NP after zero similar support . No idea if he is the right man but I do know the black hole we have was created by people who are not here to be accountable for their incompetence .

this is a rough moment . There is no magic wand and no instant solution . 
 

hopefuly this time we avoid relegation whilst we sort our mess .

People really need to wake up to the disgraceful mismanagement that went on. Starting with the owner . This is not overnight it has been years in the making . NP has had 1.5 m in transfer fees . We spent that on Engval . 
 

maybe relegation would have been better for some as it would have tempered expectations . But do not under estimate the malaise . It has been deep and dire . Few would have taken this on . 
 

good  luck NP you need it 

 

 

 

To be fair, it was only three years ago that we were challenging for the play-offs and getting to the semi-final of the League Cup 

[stephenkibby.]

23 minutes ago, And Its Smith said:

Simpson was poor.

Janneh, Pring, Massengo and Bakinson only positives 

Agree with the first three. Wells very poor in my mind, Moore just doesn't look up to it takes for ever to pick a pass thats if he's not hoofing it 60 yds.

Young Bell tried hard ran a lot but doesn't look ready for championship football to me.

[pillred]

16 minutes ago, italian dave said:

Bentley,  Kalas, Dasilva, Nagy, James, Martin, King, Weimann, Baker, Wells, Massengo …..pub team players? We’ll just have to disagree. 

You can't argue that the performances and results have been pretty bad, as for the results they would have been no worse had we put out a pub team 10 consecutive home losses, a record I sincerely hope stands for all time.

[steviestevieneville]

3 minutes ago, AshtonGreat said:

To be fair, it was only three years ago that we were challenging for the play-offs and getting to the semi-final of the League Cup 

And there’s been 3 years of mismanagement since 

[BTRFTG]

1 minute ago, Supersonic Robin said:

Bentley

Vyner Kalas Atkinson Dasilva

James Williams

Semenyo Palmer Weimann

Wells

 

So a keeper who's a decent shot stopper but who has no command of his box, interacts woefully with his defence and who every time the ball gets pumped into the box has us on the edge of our seats.

Vyner, defensively weak. Going forward? He doesn't, because he can't.

Atkinson, not seen much of him. Could be OK but no athlete from first view & recalls Flint (who to remind was awful, excellent, then awful in equal measure.)

James - we might get something from him - defensive ain't that difficult to play. Offensive he ain't, his best years are long gone, and will he last?

Williams, I thought Rob Edwards was sicknote personified until Williams appeared. Don't care how good a player he is as he'll deliver **** all from the treatment room.

Semenyo, has showed what he can do. Flipping burgers for a living and earning a few bob turning out for an 8th tier outfit. If we're placing our hopes in him Pearson should have the decency to throw in the towel. Extensively proven he can't do it in lower leagues; why persist?

Palmer - flat track bully. Of use only when 2 up with 10 mins to play at home. Talented yet gives the ball away at will. Were that in offensive attempts I'd understand - it's usually in the direction of our goal. Overall liability at this level, which is why nobody else fancied him.

Wiemann. Flaps like a chick about to leave the nest. Plummets to reality like the chick that left the nest but didn't make it. Nearly gets there, never does. Career record of 1 in 6+, which given one or two useful years earlier in his career doesn't bode well for us. Reduces us by one when his name is on the teamsheet.

Wells - £ for £ the biggest waste of time and space ever to appear at AG ( & we've had some donkeys in my time.) I'd like to think of something positive he brings to the squad , but as that isn't pace, movement, touch, retention or ability in front of goal, I'm reduced to that fact he's possibly a 'joker' or 'good in the dressing room'. In which case I'd concur. It's a joke he's still here; his best position is in the dressing room.

And if that's our best XI Div1 and lower is fully deserved.

[Dr Balls]

It seems that we are still almost in pre-season mode, where NP is determined to see everyone play in his favoured formation of 4-2-3-1. Clearly that suits some more than others, but the blend at the moment is just wrong. We look poor upfront and unlikely to score many, while at the same time weak at the back and prone to conceding, especially late in the game. That is not a recipe for success in football.

Suddenly after 2 disappointing results, the match against Boro takes on a huge significance. Lose that one and any pre-season confidence will have drained right away, so we can assume that we will be spending the next 10 months looking at the bottom half of the table, while worrying about being in the bottom 3 come the end of the season.

[Supersonic Robin]

5 minutes ago, Bar BS3 said:

We made their keeper make 1 save, plus the goal. 

It's wasn't dire, but let's not kid ourselves that it was anywhere near good. 

Any top half team would have destroyed us and Blackpool could easily have equalised before they did. 

I wouldn't worry too much about the shots on target....the chances were there and that's what matters.

Okay, Weimann, King etc didn't hit the target from 8 yards out, but it's the fact that we're creating shooting opportunities in dangerous areas that's important.

I guess it depends on your definition of "good", but we were comfortably the better team IMO. How often has that been the case in the last 18 months? For me, Saturday was a clear improvement on most of last season (at least performance wise).

I personally don't agree that "any top half team would have destroyed us", and in the same way that Blackpool could have scored sooner, we could have been 2 or 3 ahead.

[italian dave]

7 minutes ago, REDOXO said:

:laugh:! Yah I know it…steaming 

 

I respectfully disagree. We started signing players when he came in. Players bought and developed by SC were eventually sold and we started the slow spiral of failing performance and poor footballers (poor footballers here any way) 
 

I think the quote from Wilbo was Steve was pretty fed up that he never had the financial backing that LJ did. So am I. 

Yeah: I wasn't really trying to compare who had most/least, whose players were whose etc - just making the point that we've been in a similar position throughout the past four management teams at least, namely that we can't buy unless we sell.

I just don't think its as black and white as is sometimes portrayed. Losing players of the calibre he did undoubtedly affected LJs record with us. I know you can argue about how well we replaced players, and there's some truth in that - but you cant go out and do a Webster every year!

I still believe that it was the manner of the way he lost Webster and Brownhill that took the wind out of LJs sails the last year/18 months. 

[italian dave]

7 minutes ago, pillred said:

You can't argue that the performances and results have been pretty bad, as for the results they would have been no worse had we put out a pub team 10 consecutive home losses, a record I sincerely hope stands for all time.

No, not arguing about the performances or the results. Just that those are not bad "pub team" players. 

[Fuber]

1 hour ago, harrys said:

I see Swansea having appointed a progressive young manager won 4-0 at Reading, why oh why don’t our club have the imagination to appoint someone like that 

In theory; whats so different between LJ and Martin at the times of which they were appointed to oursleves and Swansea respectively?

I'd argue it was LJ's inexperience and lack of playing identity - along with Ashton's poor wage control and contract lengths that utterly fudged us - but overall we needed an old head to sort things out. We'd become and still are a bloated misshapen husk at the moment.

The real devastating about the former two's stewardship - is that it stripped all leaders, cohesion, and identity (i.e. Cotts era) from the club. No matter if thats us, Swansea, or another clubs entirely, its a horrific job to try and tackle - even if you're NP. My comparison would be Stoke when they came down - basically the sane scenario, but 3 times the wages blown; or Forest, if you're talking similar standard.

[Red-Robbo]

19 minutes ago, billywedlock said:

We gave LJ millions in transfer fees

 

 

 

Can we just correct this common assertion. He made millions by selling players. 

Like Pearson is now, he was required to sell players to bring anyone in.  And this meant he often lost very good players.

 

[BTRFTG]

1 minute ago, italian dave said:

still believe that it was the manner of the way he lost Webster and Brownhill that took the wind out of LJs sails the last year/18 months. 

If he was truly so stupid as not to realise that signing dozens upon dozens of utterly useless players on decent money deals meant he'd have to lose his better players, then Johnson is even more of an idiot than I have him marked in my book.

Look at the number of signings and their impact on our balance sheet. Problem is we all remember the one or two decent players who sojourned shortly with us. Most struggle to name the detritus that came, dwelled (at grand expense for little effort,) and who are only now being offloaded.

[Supersonic Robin]

14 minutes ago, BTRFTG said:

So a keeper who's a decent shot stopper but who has no command of his box, interacts woefully with his defence and who every time the ball gets pumped into the box has us on the edge of our seats.

Vyner, defensively weak. Going forward? He doesn't, because he can't.

Atkinson, not seen much of him. Could be OK but no athlete from first view & recalls Flint (who to remind was awful, excellent, then awful in equal measure.)

James - we might get something from him - defensive ain't that difficult to play. Offensive he ain't, his best years are long gone, and will he last?

Williams, I thought Rob Edwards was sicknote personified until Williams appeared. Don't care how good a player he is as he'll deliver **** all from the treatment room.

Semenyo, has showed what he can do. Flipping burgers for a living and earning a few bob turning out for an 8th tier outfit. If we're placing our hopes in him Pearson should have the decency to throw in the towel. Extensively proven he can't do it in lower leagues; why persist?

Palmer - flat track bully. Of use only when 2 up with 10 mins to play at home. Talented yet gives the ball away at will. Were that in offensive attempts I'd understand - it's usually in the direction of our goal. Overall liability at this level, which is why nobody else fancied him.

Wiemann. Flaps like a chick about to leave the nest. Plummets to reality like the chick that left the nest but didn't make it. Nearly gets there, never does. Career record of 1 in 6+, which given one or two useful years earlier in his career doesn't bode well for us. Reduces us by one when his name is on the teamsheet.

Wells - £ for £ the biggest waste of time and space ever to appear at AG ( & we've had some donkeys in my time.) I'd like to think of something positive he brings to the squad , but as that isn't pace, movement, touch, retention or ability in front of goal, I'm reduced to that fact he's possibly a 'joker' or 'good in the dressing room'. In which case I'd concur. It's a joke he's still here; his best position is in the dressing room.

And if that's our best XI Div1 and lower is fully deserved.

Not a glowing review of our squad! Surely this is a wind up mate? Most of those statements are, with respect, ludicrous.

You really think that our squad, man-for-man, is one of the 3 poorest in the division? Poorer than Derby, Blackpool, Peterborough, Hull, Huddersfield, Preston, Coventry, Birmingham etc? 

[big dosser]

16 minutes ago, BTRFTG said:

So a keeper who's a decent shot stopper but who has no command of his box, interacts woefully with his defence and who every time the ball gets pumped into the box has us on the edge of our seats.

Vyner, defensively weak. Going forward? He doesn't, because he can't.

Atkinson, not seen much of him. Could be OK but no athlete from first view & recalls Flint (who to remind was awful, excellent, then awful in equal measure.)

James - we might get something from him - defensive ain't that difficult to play. Offensive he ain't, his best years are long gone, and will he last?

Williams, I thought Rob Edwards was sicknote personified until Williams appeared. Don't care how good a player he is as he'll deliver **** all from the treatment room.

Semenyo, has showed what he can do. Flipping burgers for a living and earning a few bob turning out for an 8th tier outfit. If we're placing our hopes in him Pearson should have the decency to throw in the towel. Extensively proven he can't do it in lower leagues; why persist?

Palmer - flat track bully. Of use only when 2 up with 10 mins to play at home. Talented yet gives the ball away at will. Were that in offensive attempts I'd understand - it's usually in the direction of our goal. Overall liability at this level, which is why nobody else fancied him.

Wiemann. Flaps like a chick about to leave the nest. Plummets to reality like the chick that left the nest but didn't make it. Nearly gets there, never does. Career record of 1 in 6+, which given one or two useful years earlier in his career doesn't bode well for us. Reduces us by one when his name is on the teamsheet.

Wells - £ for £ the biggest waste of time and space ever to appear at AG ( & we've had some donkeys in my time.) I'd like to think of something positive he brings to the squad , but as that isn't pace, movement, touch, retention or ability in front of goal, I'm reduced to that fact he's possibly a 'joker' or 'good in the dressing room'. In which case I'd concur. It's a joke he's still here; his best position is in the dressing room.

And if that's our best XI Div1 and lower is fully deserved.

brutal but fair play a pretty honest assessment