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One Swallow Doesn’t Make A Summer


Davefevs

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28 minutes ago, spudski said:

The past two games have shown great spirit, however the way we play is simply unsustainable to achieve consistent positive results.

We have to learn quickly how to keep the ball better and possession. Or bring in players in January who can help with this.

James and King have been missing thru injury and I’m not sure how far away they are in their recoveries. However when they’re available again their experience will certainly help with keeping possession.

It's no coincidence we've conceded so often at the end of games.Players are fatigued both mentally and physically. You need possession as a time to rest and recover in games.

The squad if far fitter than its ever been so it’ll be the mental fatigue and poor concentration that’s been the problem and that where guys like James, King and Williams are so vital.

We are constantly chasing, never having time to recover mentally and physically.This leads to mistakes and injury.

It'll get harder as well in the winter months.

Great couple of results...but it's simply unsustainable.

Thankfully NP knows this as he alluded to it in his pre match interview.

Whether he will be able to do anything about it with this lot is another thing.

How does any manager improve his players mental strength? To me is the leaders on the pitch, the senior players where that responsibility lies. 
 

 

 

 

 

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7 minutes ago, Robbored said:

 

With respect RR... you've obviously never played sport to a high energy to exhaustion.

It's not always about desire and mental strength.

When you are constantly under pressure and relentlessly defending and chasing, the brain doesn't work as well as when calmer and more relaxed, as when in control and in possession. Less oxygen to the brain...it's going elsewhere in the body, muscles internal organs.

Fans will often wonder why teams in possession knock it around at the back and players further forward don't make themselves available for a pass...it's to rest and recover...then a move happens and it's good to start again. 

Getting fitter obviously helps...but mix that with a more possession based game, the overall performance will improve.

You can have leaders...but playing like we have the last two games is simply unsustainable over a season. 

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1 minute ago, spudski said:

With respect RR... you've obviously never played sport to a high energy to exhaustion.

It's not always about desire and mental strength.

When you are constantly under pressure and relentlessly defending and chasing, the brain doesn't work as well as when calmer and more relaxed, as when in control and in possession. Less oxygen to the brain...it's going elsewhere in the body, muscles internal organs.

Fans will often wonder why teams in possession knock it around at the back and players further forward don't make themselves available for a pass...it's to rest and recover...then a move happens and it's good to start again. 

Getting fitter obviously helps...but mix that with a more possession based game, the overall performance will improve.

You can have leaders...but playing like we have the last two games is simply unsustainable over a season. 

40+ years ago I used to knackered myself in every match I played. I was done in after 20mins….……:).These days I don’t get anything like as knackered during a bowls match although concentration can fade in a long match 

As usual you points are well made and spot on spudski. 

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Last night owed a lot to luck, another night in this run and Stoke get a decision, a deflection or take one of the good chances they made. I think though, that we were overdue a little run of the ball and good luck.

Last night there were several promising positions or moves that were let down by, an over hit or under hit  pass, a bad decision or a miscue . Hopefully as confidence returns and mistakes become fewer, that will improve. 
Bizarrely , the two young lads were the ones who showed confidence to hold the ball and take out a player with movement. They were also the ones buying fouls in the east few minutes to se the game out. Confidence of youth ? Or not being involved too much or affected by the poor home form who knows, but with luck that confidence will spread. Having players that can beat the first man should mean we can open the game up, but while the passing is awry we can't take full advantage.  IMO we need to improve the movement and make players available to the man in possession. Stoke always seemed to have a pass option, and around the box the movement was very good. 
One thing I was disappointed with, the injuries meant we couldn't give Semenyo a run. I thought how they were playing, and later chasing the game , was made for his strength and powerful running.  Williams felt preplanned, trying not to put too much strain on him too quickly. Baker was obvious and COD looked to be struggling a little. Shame but nothing you can do, could have been worse, Weimann looked to be holding the tops of his legs. I thought he was going to be first Sub, at one point he just stopped running.
I said else where, watching Williams & HNM , I can't wait to see them together. Maybe with James as an anchor. 

 

One swallow doesn't make a summer, but it can make a very good night *

 

*one for @SecretSam

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  • The title was changed to One Swallow Doesn’t Make A Summer
2 hours ago, robin_unreliant said:

I enjoyed the win and most of all that we didn't concede in the last few minutes. However it could have been very different if Stoke had taken their chances. We did put in the effort but sat back on the lead yet again. I didn't think we would hold on but we just about sneaked it. 

Maybe this will help the confidence levels which I feel have been a big part of our underperforming, especially at AG. We could play like that again and easily let in 3 if the opposition are a bit more clinical. So certainly still a very long way to go but maybe green shoots, especially with the young players. 

 

We certainly rode our luck and that 9 minutes of extra time was painful.

I'd have preferred it if Wells had come on in the second half. I don't think Massengo and Pring really helped to staunch the tide washing over us. Wells would at least have represented a goal threat to them, as he did to Blackburn. 

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It’s been a turbulent time of late for the club and supporters. With many thinking including myself we wouldn’t see NP as the manager of Bristol City again. His return interview spoke volumes to me and didn’t hold back when it came to certain players. But what we have seen in the last 2 games is players giving 100% for the shirt and the manager. Yes we are miles off we’re we need to be and importantly NP knows that. I honestly believe if we give him time he will slowly but surely turn it around. Do I enjoy watching us play at the moment no not really. Do I enjoy watching the players bust a gut absolutely. Hopefully we can enjoy both in the future 

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I have no concerns over the performance. We played a much better side but showed plenty of guts and desire, qualities which have been lacking since NP went down with COVID again. The clean sheet and the three points should do wonders to boost morale ahead what looks like a crucial run of games against teams in and around us in the table. 

Sure, on another night, we'd have lost comfortably but I couldn't give a toss if Stoke had 6 or 7 men around Martin for our goal or if they hit the woodwork twice. They were the architects of their own downfall, missing half a dozen golden chances to score. We took our best chance, end of. Onwards and, hopefully, upwards. 

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While I loved the result I thought we were completely outplayed last night.

Aside from a diving header and a weak Scott attempt over the bar, I can’t remember us creating anything of substance in the second half - much like the second half Saturday.

People hoping King will help with possession must have seen something in his earlier performances I missed, he didn’t look to have the creativity or energy needed and is nothing like Williams in his ability to get stuck in.

All this positivity about the young lads is great but I fear we’ll (continue to) be taken apart by the better teams.

Also Andi and HNM once again failed to influence the outcome - let’s not forget one of them is an ever present.

Even Pearson admitted we were outplayed - I want to be positive but does anyone think if we played that again Stoke would miss that many chances? Yes you partly make your luck but not to that extent.

We have a long hard winter ahead.

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2 minutes ago, Dullmoan Tone said:

While I loved the result I thought we were completely outplayed last night.

Aside from a diving header and a weak Scott attempt over the bar, I can’t remember us creating anything of substance in the second half - much like the second half Saturday.

People hoping King will help with possession must have seen something in his earlier performances I missed, he didn’t look to have the creativity or energy needed and is nothing like Williams in his ability to get stuck in.

All this positivity about the young lads is great but I fear we’ll (continue to) be taken apart by the better teams.

Also Andi and HNM once again failed to influence the outcome - let’s not forget one of them is an ever present.

Even Pearson admitted we were outplayed - I want to be positive but does anyone think if we played that again Stoke would miss that many chances? Yes you partly make your luck but not to that extent.

We have a long hard winter ahead.

Totally disagree, being the better side isn't about how much the team had the ball but what they did with it. After the first 20 minutes we defended so well that that Stoke ran out of ideas, in the second half they lacked penetration so badly that they brought on their greyhound to run onto long balls. How many times did our shape mean they ended up back in their own half or even back to their own goalkeeper. We had a lot of control in that game without the ball. 

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11 hours ago, Davefevs said:

…but I do think tonight and Saturday show what a bit of patience does!

We aren’t playing fantastic football at the mo’, but the talk of developing the culture (bringing in King and James in the summer) coupled with a hard line being taken with one or two yet to be named players seems to have finally began the upward trajectory.  Or at least halted the downward trend.

We aren’t gonna win every game, I’m sure we will have some stinkers at times, but Saturday and tonight become reference points / setting the bar.  When players dip in form, these games become the reminders, the little jolt - “remember how we felt when we worked our nuts off v Stoke, when we outmuscled Blackburn, etc”.  The players now know the levels.

Tonight was important for that.

Players can look at Scott and Benarous and Williams and see what taking the ball in tight spaces with confidence can give you.

O’Dowda will see that taking an early booking made his opponent makes his opponent think twice the next time he goes into a challenge.

Lots of little things to build upon.…but proof that things take time.

Last night was so much more enjoyable, despite their possession,  because we competed for every ball. Two of the things we have both complained about Dave, the cutting out of passes to their wide men, and the closing down of the wide men quicker to prevent them picking out a cross, were dealt with last night by being more competitive on and off the ball. Those things plus the added toughness and aggression ( and shithousery),  meant I could watch the last quarter of the match without fearing we were going to let it slip. 

So glad to see we have toughened up as a unit at last and it's the youngsters leading the way. I've been critical of our performances lately but credit where its due, there are real signs of progress.  

As a side issue, how much of the 9 added minutes were due to Kalas wiping the ball for every throw?  I know the ref had words with him but he still kept doing it.

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2 hours ago, spudski said:

The past two games have shown great spirit, however the way we play is simply unsustainable to achieve consistent positive results.

We have to learn quickly how to keep the ball better and possession. Or bring in players in January who can help with this.

It's no coincidence we've conceded so often at the end of games.

Players are fatigued both mentally and physically. You need possession as a time to rest and recover in games.

We are constantly chasing, never having time to recover mentally and physically.

This leads to mistakes and injury.

It'll get harder as well in the winter months.

Great couple of results...but it's simply unsustainable.

Thankfully NP knows this as he alluded to it in his pre match interview.

Whether he will be able to do anything about it with this lot is another thing.

 

 

 

Slightly pessimistic as I saw the green shoots last night, and as for can he do it with these players most of them are on an upward trajectory so yes I think he can.

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29 minutes ago, Dullmoan Tone said:

While I loved the result I thought we were completely outplayed last night.

Aside from a diving header and a weak Scott attempt over the bar, I can’t remember us creating anything of substance in the second half - much like the second half Saturday.

People hoping King will help with possession must have seen something in his earlier performances I missed, he didn’t look to have the creativity or energy needed and is nothing like Williams in his ability to get stuck in.

All this positivity about the young lads is great but I fear we’ll (continue to) be taken apart by the better teams.

Also Andi and HNM once again failed to influence the outcome - let’s not forget one of them is an ever present.

Even Pearson admitted we were outplayed - I want to be positive but does anyone think if we played that again Stoke would miss that many chances? Yes you partly make your luck but not to that extent.

We have a long hard winter ahead.

Disagree (we all see things differently).

I wasn't impressed with Stoke at all, bang average Championship team playing against a team who are struggling and with a couple of kids in midfield.  They maybe should have lost to struggling Peterborough at home on saturday given the stats and their own fans opinions.

Posh had over 63% of the ball, 200 more passes than Stoke, and 14 attempts on goal (Stoke 7). Stoke also got a red card just like last night. But they didn't take their chances and Stoke took theirs - bit like last night..

We were maybe completely outplayed in the first 20 minutes or so, but not over the 98 minutes. We got a deserved result imo, based on the application and commitment the team showed and thats something to build on hopefully. 

Not sure why you mention King - he's out for the foreseeable as far as I understand it, but James will be available for Sunday so that is a boost.

As for getting taken apart by the better teams, I think the top three are capable of taking any team apart in this division, but I really don't think we'll be taken apart too often by any other team and a draw with Fulham wasn't a bad result.

Looking forward to the upcoming games to see if the improvement continues and also to see how the likes of Benarous and Scott progress, maybe Conway as well.

 

 

 

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49 minutes ago, Dullmoan Tone said:

While I loved the result I thought we were completely outplayed last night.

Aside from a diving header and a weak Scott attempt over the bar, I can’t remember us creating anything of substance in the second half - much like the second half Saturday.

People hoping King will help with possession must have seen something in his earlier performances I missed, he didn’t look to have the creativity or energy needed and is nothing like Williams in his ability to get stuck in.

All this positivity about the young lads is great but I fear we’ll (continue to) be taken apart by the better teams.

Also Andi and HNM once again failed to influence the outcome - let’s not forget one of them is an ever present.

Even Pearson admitted we were outplayed - I want to be positive but does anyone think if we played that again Stoke would miss that many chances? Yes you partly make your luck but not to that extent.

We have a long hard winter ahead.

Completely outplayed ? this must be a classic example of two people seeing completely different things as apart from the first 25 mins or so we were more than a match for a team that had won their last 3 games on the trot and were sitting 4th in the table, and as for a hard winter ahead if you can't see we are slowly improving we really do see different things. 

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1 minute ago, pillred said:

Completely outplayed ? this must be a classic example of two people seeing completely different things as apart from the first 25 mins or so we were more than a match for a team that had won their last 3 games on the trot and were sitting 4th in the table, and as for a hard winter ahead if you can't see we are slowly improving we really do see different things. 

Just to pick 2 stats 35% possession and 50% of their shots on target.

Just look at the highlights reel ?

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11 minutes ago, bcfc01 said:

Not sure why you mention King - he's out for the foreseeable as far as I understand it, but James will be available for Sunday so that is a boost.

 

2 hours ago, Robbored said:

James and King have been missing thru injury and I’m not sure how far away they are in their recoveries. However when they’re available again their experience will certainly help with keeping possession

I mentioned King because Spudski made the comment in this thread above - do you think he will help matters based on performances this season?

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3 minutes ago, Dullmoan Tone said:

 

I mentioned King because Spudski made the comment in this thread above - do you think he will help matters based on performances this season?

It’s his presence on the pitch that matters even if he’s not at his best. The guy is a natural leader and that was why Nige signed him.

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1 minute ago, Robbored said:

It’s his presence on the pitch that matters even if he’s not at his best. The guy is a natural leader and that was why Nige signed him.

So is Louis Carey but his ability to affect a game is long past.

Honestly do you think he would have helped us at West Brom, Bournemouth or even last night based on his actual performances for us ?

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2 minutes ago, bcfc01 said:

Yes, it would be handy having him back, James too.

 

I don’t mean to pick on individuals but King was on the pitch for the collapse against Luton and Blackpool.

Clearly it’s not his fault but I just don’t get this optimism about players returning who haven’t delivered this season.

BTW I like James just haven’t seen King as someone helping us turn around our ability to compete with teams in this division and most importantly improve on last night. The responses just seem to mention his experience- I don’t doubt this but can he do it now on a cold Wednesday night vs Stoke?

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33 minutes ago, Dullmoan Tone said:

Just to pick 2 stats 35% possession and 50% of their shots on target.

Just look at the highlights reel ?

Not sure what you expect, Tone. We're an inconsistent team in transition and yet we beat a top-six side last night. I never expected us to dominate the ball, shots on target, or even get the three points, so it was a pleasant surprise for me. Glass half full for me, I suppose. 

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10 minutes ago, Dullmoan Tone said:

I don’t mean to pick on individuals but King was on the pitch for the collapse against Luton and Blackpool.

Clearly it’s not his fault but I just don’t get this optimism about players returning who haven’t delivered this season.

BTW I like James just haven’t seen King as someone helping us turn around our ability to compete with teams in this division and most importantly improve on last night. The responses just seem to mention his experience- I don’t doubt this but can he do it now on a cold Wednesday night vs Stoke?

What he said ⬇️

10 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

James is an automatic starter for me (and I'm sure Pearson), King gives us options.

 

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13 hours ago, Port Said Red said:

Interesting to hear Pearson saying that it was Matty James in the dressing room after the game who was reminding the senior pros that they have a responsibility to look after the kids. Shows that a player can have influence even when he's not in the squad.

 

And noticed Simpson was geeing the players up when they came out for the 2nd half.

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Last two games were good...although in the case of the Blackburn game perhaps more positives- better in possession than last night, more of the ball anyway and conceded less chances- we started slowly last night and though it was a great result with positives to take- I'd have taken a point at kickoff- so that is good, 4 pts from those 2 home games is a great starting point and especially without players such as Tanner, James, Semenyo- as well as the experience of King. Is Atkinson fully fit or is he out of favour for the moment?

After the slow start it was quite good but Stoke hit the woodwork on two separate occasions before we scored, that could have put us out of the game early with better finishing. Definitely something to consider moving forward!

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