This club has no business in the Championship

[RumRed]

1 hour ago, Sir Geoff said:

That'll upset a few on here.

What drivel.

[RedM]

3 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Millions of pounds in backing is the difference.

Relative to squad size Lee never had issues filling the 18 (apart from Man Utd funnily enough)….Holden and Nige have had issues with that.

I get that, and agree to a certain extent but it's hard to explain but where we find ourselves, our style of play and identity can't be all about money. We have youngsters on the whole producing more than our much higher paid senior pros. But the youngsters need help and guidance that they don't seem to be getting during the game. We just don't seem to be a team at the moment, just lots of individuals who are either looking disinterested, unmotivated or being greedy and almost negatively trying too hard.

I can't really explain what I mean, but money can't be the complete solution as we have purchased players and had them turn to dross pretty quickly. 

[Sweeneys Penalties]

In answer to the thread title "This club has no business in the Championship" I disagree. City were promoted here on merit with Cotts at the helm. City were rightfully a Championship Club.....not a particularly good one at present, but nonetheless, by hook or by crook, still a Championship Club, and one that is likely to be so at the start on next season. I read Nige's comments about not wanting luxury players, so we can all make solid guesses at who he would like to ship out. Any imports he makes are likely to be grafters (and that is what he wants).

The January transfer window will tell many tales....and Nige's future in BS3 may well depend on it

[054123]

3 hours ago, dREDful said:

Utterly pathetic performance from a bunch of gutless and incapable footballers. 

This side wouldn't challenge for the playoffs in League One and that's the shocking reality of where we are. 

I think you’re just pissed off with today but that’s understandable.

Ultimately three teams won’t deserve to be in this league and I don’t think we will be one of them.

People talk about Pearson getting a ‘tune’ out of this team, that tune is simply staying up as I think many agreed at the start of the season.

I really hope everyone has read @Davefevs  4 part mini epic on where we are as a club, how we got here and what the future holds. Quite simply we have to 50m loss seasons, including the 12m cut in the summer!Unless Jamie Paterson was willing to take a pay cut why would he sign another contract? I don’t blame him or Pearson for that.

The future ramifications of this under FFP should not be ignored.

I really enjoyed the Blackburn game and it was great to grind out a result against Stoke.

These are the good times this season as I’m afraid the bad times will be superior in number (just like any club that finishes 15th or lower) if they weren’t we’d be a really good team and that isn’t the case. It’s not difficult is it?

Lastly, progress. When people talk about it they always protect themselves by saying ‘we don’t mind about the result, we just want to see some progress’. Well sadly the two often go hand in hand. If your team genuinely ‘progressed’ every week, by definition they would finish the season as one of the best teams.

Maybe I’ve mellowed in my old age, but I’ve seen us take 4 points at home against good teams and look shite and lose today.

That’s exactly where I expect this team to be.

Edited November 28, 2021 by 054123

[Pezo]

1 hour ago, Numero Uno said:

That’s probably not a million miles out in reality but from a personal perspective I want to see at least a couple of wasters moved on or at least attempted to be moved on. If Nige is either not afforded that luxury or is not prepared to do that then I have to question why bother?

Well as far as I can tell he might be able to move some on but we will still be paying for them because those players aren't going to get the same as what we are already paying them (by a long way). 2 things - it's not going to clear enough headroom to bring in the quality we need and I'm not sure I like the idea of us paying Wells to score against us for QPR. So the other perspective of why bother I guess.

FWIW I don't think Nige will be afforded that luxury (we don't have room for luxuries) but I think Nige would be more than prepared if he could its just that financial rules (FFP) constrain him.

[Davefevs]

53 minutes ago, maxjak said:

I am not offering a solution.........if only i could?   But I am beginning to seriously wonder if Nige is up to the job?   Purely an observation, after today's abject performance, which was a really poor set up.  While I appreciate the lack of depth, the available resources were not utilised as well as they could have been?   So Do we stick or twist?

I know neither you or I pick the team, but what would you have done in your pre-game set up / decision making differently to what Nige did, bearing in mind we’d just come off a 4 point / 2 game “run”?

18 minutes ago, 054123 said:

I think you’re just pissed off with today but that’s understandable.

Ultimately three teams won’t deserve to be in this league and I don’t think we will be one of them.

People talk about Pearson getting a ‘tune’ out of this team, that tune is simply staying up as I think many agreed at the start of the season.

I really hope everyone has read @Davefevs  4 part mini epic on where we are as a club, how we got here and what the future holds. Unless Jamie Paterson was willing to take a pay cut why would he sign another contract? I don’t blame him or Pearson for that.

I really enjoyed the Blackburn game and it was great to grind out a result against Stoke.

These are the good times this season as I’m afraid the bad times will be superior in number (just like any club that finishes 15th or lower) if they weren’t we’d be a really good team and that isn’t the case. It’s not difficult is it?

Lastly, progress. When people talk about it they always protect themselves by saying ‘we don’t mind about the result, we just want to see some progress’. Well sadly the two often go hand in hand. If your team genuinely ‘progressed’ every week, by definition they would finish the season as one of the best teams.

Maybe I’ve mellowed in my old age, but I’ve seen us take 4 points at home against good teams and look shite and lose today.

That’s exactly where I expect this team to be.

Good post.

I said way back in August that if posters wants to react to an individual game, there are gonna be a lot of negative posts this season.

In our match day 18 today there was one senior player not selected who was available….Palmer.

Certainly it’s possible to be critical of Nige and say his “trimmer squad” plan has backfired.  Or ask yourself, is he just saying that to cover up the lack of money available, and actually it’s kinda forced on him….he actually can’t afford a bigger squad.

[AshtonGreat]

3 hours ago, Snufflelufagus said:

288 passes 175 of those completed 60% so basically every other pass goes to the other team or out of play . There is the problem. They had 521 and 417 completed. Can't pass won't pass. 

Amazing to think some of these clowns are on 15 or 20 grand a week

[RedM]

9 minutes ago, billywedlock said:

Bakinson , HNM and AB were the midfield . In 3 seasons time that might be ok . But not now . If you are missing Williams , James and to an extent King you are missing some very important players for the shape and functioning of the team . I really don’t understand what some fans are expecting . 

That's it. I'm not expecting too much from them, more that they need help. If they can't have the help from other midfielders due to them all being injured they need the senior pros to step up and guide them or take the pressure off them by upping their own game. And I'm disappointed with their level of application and that Nigel isn't able to drive that home to them, or doesn't appear to be able too.

The more senior players and the management/coaching staff aren't free from criticism

[Son of Fred]

3 hours ago, Desso said:

The tea lady could do better.

It's getting ridiculous now....

No way are we getting a new tea lady in as well - 

[Son of Fred]

3 hours ago, Bazooka Joe said:

Sending him to Rovers would have been a tad too much.

Wear that rag, or disembowelment & there's no choice

[richyy66]

4 hours ago, Snufflelufagus said:

288 passes 175 of those completed 60% so basically every other pass goes to the other team or out of play . There is the problem. They had 521 and 417 completed. Can't pass won't pass. 

We dont seem capable of stringing 3 passes together. Seem to make the opposition ping the ball around like Barcelona.

Too many players just dip their toe in and not even attempt to challenge/tackle an opposition player. We seem to be so weak all over the pitch.

I get we are hampered by injuries but these were the same players that put in a shift against Stoke. Confused as they just seem to turn up for games and not others. Is this down to players or Manager. - So frustrating watching us over the last couple of seasons...

[Tin Soldier]

There will be loads more games like today. Get used to it. The club is going through a massive change. Relegation may happen (I hope not), but this club will take years to rebuild. Just glad I didn’t take out a season ticket this season.

[westex red]

5 hours ago, Desso said:

The tea lady could do better.

Not sure who our tea lady is, however she get's lot's of mentions on lot's of posts, maybe she should get a chance!

[Maesknoll Red]

53 minutes ago, richyy66 said:

We dont seem capable of stringing 3 passes together. Seem to make the opposition ping the ball around like Barcelona.

Too many players just dip their toe in and not even attempt to challenge/tackle an opposition player. We seem to be so weak all over the pitch.

I get we are hampered by injuries but these were the same players that put in a shift against Stoke. Confused as they just seem to turn up for games and not others. Is this down to players or Manager. - So frustrating watching us over the last couple of seasons...

Players that can turn up and put in a performance in every game are in the Prem.  The lower down the leagues, the more inconsistent performances, but we do seem to be able to pick them…….

[redsquirrel]

why cant weimann step in for williams,hes experienced enough to know the game, is in favour and couldnt do any worse than tb today. semenyo or wells could have started up top

[Eastendboy1965]

6 hours ago, robin_unreliant said:

What we are watching is really uninspiring football. When we lose as well as playing pi55 poor football then I really wonder why I bother watching. 

Lansdown has been clear it's his club, he decides the strategy and we're just customers. As a customer I don't enjoy the product atm and am seriously thinking of not bothering to buy it any more this season. 

I can understand your frustration..  

FACT>>> Lansdown has been clear it's his club, he decides the strategy and we're just customers.  

 

 

[sh1t_ref_again]

23 minutes ago, Eastendboy1965 said:

I can understand your frustration..  

FACT>>> Lansdown has been clear it's his club, he decides the strategy and we're just customers.  

 

 

FACT..... He employs a highly experienced manager and very well thought of CEO to run the club day to day.

Sounds like quite a few on here are customers, with quotes like not paying my money to watch this, glad I did not buy a season ticket

[Wiltshire robin]

11 minutes ago, sh1t_ref_again said:

FACT..... He employs a highly experienced manager and very well thought of CEO to run the club day to day.

Sounds like quite a few on here are customers, with quotes like not paying my money to watch this, glad I did not buy a season ticket

Tbh RG may be well thought of in cricket but not football . I’m not having a pop at Gould as he hasn’t had long to impact the club and but what I’ve thought for the last couple of years is we will never have a real attempt of a promotion push under the lansdowns .

[MC RISK77]

12 hours ago, WECANDO said:

Did you not watch the game against Stoke last Wednesday. That was entertaining. 

That was only entertaining because of the atmosphere created by the fans in carrying us home to a 1-0 scrappy but merited win….It is very different to being entertained by the quality of football on show which unfortunately under Pearson I have yet to see, he talks a lot and is very honest which fans seem to like, I would prefer his talking to be played out on the pitch.

Given his experience both as a player and manager I would be expecting to see at the very least a level of effort, discipline and style of play by now…. He has been extremely disappointing. 

[Oh Louie louie]

Been no discipline or shape whatsoever, last few away games.

Barely even turning up.

Had a good read of this forum this morning.

Fair few saying they are now indiffrent to results.

The teams simply not turning up.

Hope sl reads, before the fans simply stop turning up.

[Oh Louie louie]

But on the bright side, imagine having the stigma attached to your club, for having the tea lady scout your best ever player!

[Oh Louie louie]

Ian wright, used to give nigel martyn pelters about that!

[Guest]

2 hours ago, billywedlock said:

Fair enough be demanding . But solutions are very much harder to find . To simplify it to he should be doing better is in reality saying you want better but are unable to articulate  how anyone can do better with the squad we have . You cannot compare our central midfield yesterday to that of Sheffield . At least at this stage of their career . But it’s down to Pearson to overnight give those players an instant 4 years of experience? It dies not work like that . It is why many managers go with older and more experienced players . We were missing our three older heads in midfield . You cannot brush that away . The team has improved shape dramatically since the coaching change . Players are working hard to get into position and track back . But you cannot overnight give experience or solve the technical deficiencies of certain players to keep the ball . Any manager coming in will face the same challenge . Almost all incoming would refuse to play Scott or AB. They would not get a look in . You have to look at where we will be in 3/4 years . That means patience . We have very limited money and so we have to approach the future in a very different way . We have spoken about developing our own players for years . We are now doing it . With that comes highs and lows . But the big high will be when those players are 22/23 .  You can change Pearson but that is just to appease the impatience . You can change football style , sure , but you won’t get a radical change in performance with the current squad . We have some good players , some great potential , but we do not yet have a balanced squad or one with the technical and physical attributes to compete at the other end of this league .  Despite all the work with fitness we are also suffering from the lack of availability of Williams and James at the same time .  With a small squad that hurts . we have had one transfer window where we had to cut the wage bill by close on 10 m . These are harsh realities , yet people expect a team in free fall to be turned around overnight . With minimal ability to overhaul the squad . 

It still seems some need relegation to wake up to the reality . Few managers of note would have taken on this task . If any . Someone would of course , but would anyone in our situation be playing a couple of teenagers ? 

It is time for patience . Next season we should see some semblance of balance , still not a promotion side mind you , but one with more balance in terms of players available for the budget spent . But it will be 2/3 years before the collective will have the experience and ability to compete and get closer to top 6 . That is the result of a change in financial reality and fundamental change in policy . 
 

it depends how you choose to look at it . Some , like yourself have the view , and it’s your prerogative I should add , we can just change manager and all will be solved and the current squad is actually quite good . So everything that is happening now is terrible .

I look at it and feel that within a terrible financial mess and at the end of a misguided transfer policy and being run by inexperienced people who had no idea what a promotion team ( at any level ) looks like , never mind a Prem side . We are trying to navigate a complex situation by putting in place the attributes of a successful squad in terms of collective and responsibility ( hey we saw GJ and SC do the same ) whilst at the same time ( with huge financial constraints) developing a mix of experience , buying /signing players who have a high ceiling in potential , developing our own youth that have that same ceiling , the Prem , and along the way improve the technical and physical attributes of the squad for Prem league . I find this approach and journey exciting as it is what we always said as a club we were doing but we never were  . It is a change in policy and one that has potential for a non parachute club to succeed. This should have been happening years ago but we were stuck in a L1 mentality . It is now happening and it is painful . But the end result will be a much healthier club with much higher standards and a platform that will then make the setup very appealing to many coaches/managers . I find this very exciting and will enjoy the journey. 

Keep going Nige . 
 

 

I keep reading about the "terrible financial mess" we are in, how has that been allowed to happen? remembering that we have " alledgedly" one of the most astute financial men at our helm in SL.

We are under his guidance/control therefore our current situation is down to him and no-one else, so ladies and gentlemen SL is failing badly in his target of us challenging the best in this div for the jump up to the prem.

We can pick out the poor players, managers even MA and co but they didnt bring themselves here, SL had the final say, so step forward Steve this is your club, whats the plan? let me guess; more rebuilding/pillars but not just hotels/houses please, look at the your clubs you will need to fill the stadium as well.

Edited November 29, 2021 by gl2

[SecretSam]

I didn't see yesterday's game (sounds like I was lucky), but I recall in the past when Jordan took over we were dreadful until he'd had a chance to build his own team. Then we sauntered to promotion.

I'm not saying that the same thing will happen under Pearson, but it's clear we are (pardon the pun) hamstrung by high wages for players who aren't performing (Wells, Palmer most obviously). They probably need to be shipped out, although how we achieve that in the current market is a major issue.

That will give us the financial headroom to start improving the squad. I'm not convinced that Pearson's "old boys" approach (James, King, Simpson) has been a positive, however, so it needs to be more imaginative.

Oh, and anyone blaming the owner - get a grip. 

[SecretSam]

37 minutes ago, gl2 said:

I keep reading about the "terrible financial mess" we are in, how has that been allowed to happen? remembering that we have " alledgedly" one of the most astute financial men at our helm in SL.

Step forward, the previous CEO. It's not down to the owner, it's down to those within the executive at the club.

[Dullmoan Tone]

3 hours ago, billywedlock said:

You cannot compare our central midfield yesterday to that of Sheffield . At least at this stage of their career . But it’s down to Pearson to overnight give those players an instant 4 years of experience? It dies not work like that . It is why many managers go with older and more experienced players . We were missing our three older heads in midfield .

I liked your post and it shows patience and balance but …. we do have more experience and I cannot understand why good players like JD have suddenly become bad eggs on Nigel’s watch? He must take some responsibility for not being able to motivate them? Obviously nobody understands the Palmer situation but surely an experienced coach would motivate and deploy him vs AB who was always going to struggle yesterday - this is what worries me most as we develop a team and style.

Lets not forget despite SU’s experience, they were woeful last year and struggling this year - they are not a benchmark for this league or the future. We are miles off where we need to be in midfield and it frustrates me that Nigel’s seemingly given up on improving what he has. Is he really just doing what Cotts did at the end and picking inexperience to prove his point?

Even his (supposedly) experienced players like COD (perhaps even Scott) are being played out of position at the expense of the weak midfield while he leaves players that he signed (Simpson) on the bench  - this is what worries me most. Signing Simpson shows he misunderstood the strength and quality of the League!

[LondonBristolian]

31 minutes ago, SecretSam said:

I didn't see yesterday's game (sounds like I was lucky), but I recall in the past when Jordan took over we were dreadful until he'd had a chance to build his own team. Then we sauntered to promotion.

I'm not saying that the same thing will happen under Pearson, but it's clear we are (pardon the pun) hamstrung by high wages for players who aren't performing (Wells, Palmer most obviously). They probably need to be shipped out, although how we achieve that in the current market is a major issue.

That will give us the financial headroom to start improving the squad. I'm not convinced that Pearson's "old boys" approach (James, King, Simpson) has been a positive, however, so it needs to be more imaginative.

Oh, and anyone blaming the owner - get a grip. 

Even with the “old boys” recruitment approach though, it is arguably symptomatic of Pearson taking over with a CEO outgoing along with key parts of a recruitment team which was not performing fantastically in any case.

I think the signings of Simpson, James and King are as much to do with a need to get players in Pearson could trust quickly due to the club not having the structure in place to cast the net wider. I’d hope Atkinson and Tanner are more reflective of the signings we’re going to be making.

[TV Tom]

46 minutes ago, SecretSam said:

I didn't see yesterday's game (sounds like I was lucky), but I recall in the past when Jordan took over we were dreadful until he'd had a chance to build his own team. Then we sauntered to promotion.

I'm not saying that the same thing will happen under Pearson, but it's clear we are (pardon the pun) hamstrung by high wages for players who aren't performing (Wells, Palmer most obviously). They probably need to be shipped out, although how we achieve that in the current market is a major issue.

That will give us the financial headroom to start improving the squad. I'm not convinced that Pearson's "old boys" approach (James, King, Simpson) has been a positive, however, so it needs to be more imaginative.

Oh, and anyone blaming the owner - get a grip. 

Jordan was prepared to play an expansive free-flowing game so even if we lost it was still pleasant on the eye (with the exception of one particular game) I don’t think “expansive or freee-flowing” is in Pearson’s DNA 

[Davefevs]

5 hours ago, billywedlock said:

You can change Pearson but that is just to appease the impatience

That is the sentence I’ve was trying to find all last night.  Thanks.  Bang on.

3 hours ago, gl2 said:

I keep reading about the "terrible financial mess" we are in, how has that been allowed to happen? remembering that we have " alledgedly" one of the most astute financial men at our helm in SL.

We are under his guidance/control therefore our current situation is down to him and no-one else, so ladies and gentlemen SL is failing badly in his target of us challenging the best in this div for the jump up to the prem.

We can pick out the poor players, managers even MA and co but they didnt bring themselves here, SL had the final say, so step forward Steve this is your club, whats the plan? let me guess; more rebuilding/pillars but not just hotels/houses please, look at the your clubs you will need to fill the stadium as well.

I read your first sentence, and was about to wade in….but then read the rest!!!

Its true, he doesn’t know much about football, and his biggest failure is to not surround himself with those that do.  Nige is trying to backfill that as well as manage the team.

 

[LondonBristolian]

1 hour ago, harrys said:

Jordan was prepared to play an expansive free-flowing game so even if we lost it was still pleasant on the eye (with the exception of one particular game) I don’t think “expansive or freee-flowing” is in Pearson’s DNA 

I think there's also an element of what the players can do though. People keep pointing out our poor pass completion rate. I think our "dig in, try to keep the opposition out and try to nick a goal" tactics are as much to do with necessity as preferred playing style.