Good point on the road…

[maxjak]

I wonder...Pearson gets the players to watch games  back, to see their mistakes and how to improve their performances?  Do referee's ever get put in front of a recording of their performance by assessor's,  to point out their error's and the  Pheck ups they make during games?    Surely there has to be more responsibility by paid officials if they are failing to do their jobs properly?   The odd mistake and oversight is reasonable and acceptable...........but not blatant disregard of the rules and incompetence?

[bcfc01]

50 minutes ago, mozo said:

If we beat Luton we can say that the tide has turned with three unbeaten and four points from 6 in the league.

BUT... fail to beat Luton, it'll be hard not to worry. 

Luton - scored one goal in 3 games.

If we can score 3, we have a chance.

Seriously, the Luton game is a great chance to kickstart the season, can't wait for the game - and I'll bet it can't come quickly enough for the players either. Some will be wanting to right a few wrongs and others, like Conway and Weimann, who are bursting with confidence, will want to carry on their performances. I'm hopeful of our first win of the season and a good one too.

 

[OldlandReddies]

We will beat Luton

 

 

[CheddarReds]

16 minutes ago, maxjak said:

I wonder...Pearson gets the players to watch games  back, to see their mistakes and how to improve their performances?  Do referee's ever get put in front of a recording of their performance by assessor's,  to point out their error's and the  Pheck ups they make during games?    Surely there has to be more responsibility by paid officials if they are failing to do their jobs properly?   The odd mistake and oversight is reasonable and acceptable...........but not blatant disregard of the rules and incompetence?

Some info on this here:

 

[mozo]

3 hours ago, Davefevs said:

Serious question…why put so much of a rider on one game?  46 game season.

Momentum is massive in sport and a bad start to the season can be hard to recover from with low morale.

If we find ourselves 1 point from 4 relatively benign fixtures and bottom of the league, tension will start to grow, certainly among fans, potentially within the squad.

Edited August 13, 2022 by mozo

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

4 hours ago, Davefevs said:

It’ll come.

 

3 hours ago, Davefevs said:

Serious question…why put so much of a rider on one game?  46 game season.

Dave - it's not just one game and you full well know that.

It's now over 60 games over  3 seasons ( part of) and you have taken an increasingly polarised position on all things Pearson and have invariably given a seemingly credible argument why he has been, is and will be the right man to take City forward. This despite much indication to the contrary.

This season will either vindicate your legion of pro- Pearson posts or ...well... you know, otib can be quite unforgiving!

 

 

[SouthS22]

4 hours ago, Davefevs said:

Serious question…why put so much of a rider on one game?  46 game season.

I don’t think it is all about one game, but it does feel like an important match.  That’s 3 pretty poor league performances and we really need to get our season going.  The more games that pass with no improvement, the more difficult the season gets and the more likely we will find ourselves in a relegation fight.  
 

Amongst some of the more reasonable City fans I talk to, there are some real concerns about where we are heading.  Despite some decent recruitment, we are still showing many of the same defensive frailties that made last season so difficult .

We had a really positive period towards the end of last season that looked like it could be the start of something better, and it seemed important for the collective confidence of the team that we started the new season in that kind of form.  We haven’t as yet, which means that the next 4-5 games could be pivotal to the way the season shapes up. A clean sheet against Luton would be a great boost, and a win could kickstart a better run of form and confidence. 

[BigAl&Toby]

5 hours ago, Davefevs said:

…off an running after two defeats

Defended resolutely if a bit deep at times.

Vyner had a good game, Conway very good, should’ve sealed the 3 points with his 6 yard header.  His pace at times was a surprise to me, I knew he had some, but he’s gained an extra yard.

A few quiet performances, but stuck at it.

Will give confidence that we didn’t concede and another ref determined to make it harder for us.  How he didn’t red card Bennett is a disgrace.  Violent conduct…full stop….red card.  Their manager knew it, hence subbed off at h-t.

 

Can’t agree I’m afraid.

Apart from a few we were once again poor.

Huffed and puffed to get the ball into an attacking area where presumably set pieces had been the aim and practiced only to eventually **** it up.

Watch the one in the first half. Did bloody well to manoeuvre play and the ball into a promising position and free kick won.

First part done.

What happens next? Joe Williams overplays the free kick and out it goes for a goal kick……

Time and time again we got ourselves into decent attacking positions and either one free kicks, throw ins or time and space to put a decent ball in.

What happened? You know what happened. We ****** it up.

Came away with what we deserved. Just…..

[firstdivision]

6 hours ago, Davefevs said:

…off an running after two defeats

Defended resolutely if a bit deep at times.

Vyner had a good game, Conway very good, should’ve sealed the 3 points with his 6 yard header.  His pace at times was a surprise to me, I knew he had some, but he’s gained an extra yard.

A few quiet performances, but stuck at it.

Will give confidence that we didn’t concede and another ref determined to make it harder for us.  How he didn’t red card Bennett is a disgrace.  Violent conduct…full stop….red card.  Their manager knew it, hence subbed off at h-t.

 

A bit rose tinted, Dave, for me. I thought it was dire game admittedly on a brutally hot day. Two very limited teams. We did work hard but we always have a daft mistake in us. Wait until teams start to score proper goals against us. 

Conway miss astonishing. Might have won it for us but we look pretty unconvincing.  

Ref awful obvs. Same bloke who gave the incredible Posh pen for a ‘foul’ on Szmodics v Lincoln the day Posh were promoted in 20-21 (the single worst decision I’ve ever seen in the EFL). Bennett an obvious ref card. What did the assistant ref see? How could it be a yellow. What on Earth are they watching.

And a pen for a foul on Conway. 
But there is such a lack of quality and creativity in our play for the most part.
 

Wigan won’t finish above bottom third. And they were far too strong at times for us in the second half. We need Semenyo desperately. Desperately. 

Squad is thin and we can’t strengthen. The winter feels to me as if it’s going to be long and hard. 

[Davefevs]

@Marina's Rolls Royce

@BigAl&Toby

@firstdivision

Not aimed at you three, but just reading the latest quotes back to me, but it’s an interesting insight for me.  I read pretty much every OTIB thread and try to read every individual post, although sometimes I scroll quickly…and generally see tonnes of negative bollax written, baseless bollax written, etc, and people think it’s fine.  So I thought I’d start a thread with an element of positive bollax and see how it landed. One thing is for sure and I’m no Freud, is that It’s easy to write negative, baseless stuff.  It’s harder to write substantiated stuff whether it be positive or negative.  I love conversing with those that put a bit of effort in.

MRR - I don’t really care how my perceived pro-Pearson view works out.  It’s not really pro-Pearson, for me it’s the reality of a very difficult situation he’s taken over in….and I think he deserves to have the time to at least get a chance once the shit has been cleared up.  That may be next summer - contract talks with the usual suspects might define that timeline to be a bit quicker.  He might not get that time.  I think he is steadying the ship, and whoever replaces him, whenever that will be, will pick up a football club in a better position than it was in when he took over.  For me it is already in a much better state…but financially we have the “legacy” of SL / MA / LJ still lingering over us.

Next summer there won’t be any players that Nige hasn’t had a chance to move on or re-contract.  Not many managers get that full timeline of seeing all the players out they don’t want.  But he will also have lost players he probably would’ve liked to have kept around, plus he isn’t able to bring in much beyond free transfers, bar Naismith, not even free transfers proven at this level.  That’s a major drawback.  When LJ had to sell players he was able to replace.  Generate £23m transfer profit on Webster, Pack, Brownhill and Eisa, spent at least £25m in fees on 17 players….and a hefty wage bill increase that went with it.  Christ, £5.5m amortisation of this season’s amortisation is LJ / MA recruitment.

He deserves some slack…imho.

He far from perfect, but he’s sorting us out for a better future.  When the time comes to appoint a new manager, we might be seen as an attractive opportunity.

 

[redsquirrel]

5 hours ago, Davefevs said:

@Marina's Rolls Royce

@BigAl&Toby

@firstdivision

Not aimed at you three, but just reading the latest quotes back to me, but it’s an interesting insight for me.  I read pretty much every OTIB thread and try to read every individual post, although sometimes I scroll quickly…and generally see tonnes of negative bollax written, baseless bollax written, etc, and people think it’s fine.  So I thought I’d start a thread with an element of positive bollax and see how it landed. One thing is for sure and I’m no Freud, is that It’s easy to write negative, baseless stuff.  It’s harder to write substantiated stuff whether it be positive or negative.  I love conversing with those that put a bit of effort in.

MRR - I don’t really care how my perceived pro-Pearson view works out.  It’s not really pro-Pearson, for me it’s the reality of a very difficult situation he’s taken over in….and I think he deserves to have the time to at least get a chance once the shit has been cleared up.  That may be next summer - contract talks with the usual suspects might define that timeline to be a bit quicker.  He might not get that time.  I think he is steadying the ship, and whoever replaces him, whenever that will be, will pick up a football club in a better position than it was in when he took over.  For me it is already in a much better state…but financially we have the “legacy” of SL / MA / LJ still lingering over us.

Next summer there won’t be any players that Nige hasn’t had a chance to move on or re-contract.  Not many managers get that full timeline of seeing all the players out they don’t want.  But he will also have lost players he probably would’ve liked to have kept around, plus he isn’t able to bring in much beyond free transfers, bar Naismith, not even free transfers proven at this level.  That’s a major drawback.  When LJ had to sell players he was able to replace.  Generate £23m transfer profit on Webster, Pack, Brownhill and Eisa, spent at least £25m in fees on 17 players….and a hefty wage bill increase that went with it.  Christ, £5.5m amortisation of this season’s amortisation is LJ / MA recruitment.

He deserves some slack…imho.

He far from perfect, but he’s sorting us out for a better future.  When the time comes to appoint a new manager, we might be seen as an attractive opportunity.

 

sad thing is Dave, when that  time does come round, and it will, Pearsons time here will be seen as a total waste of time because loads of fans are only interested in the good times, not whats been done to get there

[Super]

7 hours ago, BigAl&Toby said:

Can’t agree I’m afraid.

Apart from a few we were once again poor.

Huffed and puffed to get the ball into an attacking area where presumably set pieces had been the aim and practiced only to eventually **** it up.

Watch the one in the first half. Did bloody well to manoeuvre play and the ball into a promising position and free kick won.

First part done.

What happens next? Joe Williams overplays the free kick and out it goes for a goal kick……

Time and time again we got ourselves into decent attacking positions and either one free kicks, throw ins or time and space to put a decent ball in.

What happened? You know what happened. We ****** it up.

Came away with what we deserved. Just…..

I'm staggered that people thought we played well. Apart from 15 mins we couldn't pass and created little. Too many aimless punts forward. Really poor.

[Oh Louie louie]

We had a terrible start, that promotion season under ward.

Things got a bit hairy for him early on.

Went on a hell of a run when things gelled.

Ive been happy with the players commitment so far.

With niges time plan, i expect us to be top half by xmas.

Midfielder and a defender, would be nice.

[Son of Fred]

7 hours ago, firstdivision said:

Squad is thin and we can’t strengthen.

So much "information" on the forum post Wigan - so much noise.

Accepting that all of life is 6/4 against (including following City) this is the area I'm genuinely concerned.

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

@Davefevs

You stated that people had put so much of a rider on one game. 

I answered that it wasnt just one game- it was a culmination of over 60 games spread across 2 part seasons and one full one.

I get the steadying of the ship reference, I understand legacy issues . 

There are many ,if not the majority, of Championship clubs who are having real issues off the field when it comes to financial sustainability. I can't see where the tangible on field improvement is. NP has also managed to break a few unpleasant records along the way and defensive frailties are baffling along with players out of position and substitutions.

I really think that after having lost over half his 66 games whilst winning 18 in one and a half years as Manager , fans are not over reacting when they question the performances. There aren't too many Managers who have had as much "slack" as Nigel Pearson has at our club.

[BigAl&Toby]

6 hours ago, Davefevs said:

@Marina's Rolls Royce

@BigAl&Toby

@firstdivision

Not aimed at you three, but just reading the latest quotes back to me, but it’s an interesting insight for me.  I read pretty much every OTIB thread and try to read every individual post, although sometimes I scroll quickly…and generally see tonnes of negative bollax written, baseless bollax written, etc, and people think it’s fine.  So I thought I’d start a thread with an element of positive bollax and see how it landed. One thing is for sure and I’m no Freud, is that It’s easy to write negative, baseless stuff.  It’s harder to write substantiated stuff whether it be positive or negative.  I love conversing with those that put a bit of effort in.

MRR - I don’t really care how my perceived pro-Pearson view works out.  It’s not really pro-Pearson, for me it’s the reality of a very difficult situation he’s taken over in….and I think he deserves to have the time to at least get a chance once the shit has been cleared up.  That may be next summer - contract talks with the usual suspects might define that timeline to be a bit quicker.  He might not get that time.  I think he is steadying the ship, and whoever replaces him, whenever that will be, will pick up a football club in a better position than it was in when he took over.  For me it is already in a much better state…but financially we have the “legacy” of SL / MA / LJ still lingering over us.

Next summer there won’t be any players that Nige hasn’t had a chance to move on or re-contract.  Not many managers get that full timeline of seeing all the players out they don’t want.  But he will also have lost players he probably would’ve liked to have kept around, plus he isn’t able to bring in much beyond free transfers, bar Naismith, not even free transfers proven at this level.  That’s a major drawback.  When LJ had to sell players he was able to replace.  Generate £23m transfer profit on Webster, Pack, Brownhill and Eisa, spent at least £25m in fees on 17 players….and a hefty wage bill increase that went with it.  Christ, £5.5m amortisation of this season’s amortisation is LJ / MA recruitment.

He deserves some slack…imho.

He far from perfect, but he’s sorting us out for a better future.  When the time comes to appoint a new manager, we might be seen as an attractive opportunity.

 

Not taken as such @Davefevs but the harsh fact of things as far as I see them is that with very few exceptions we are a poor side, with poor players, in a poor position.

We are poor. If it wasn’t for the fortune that B comes before N we’d be bottom. After only 3 games I know. But still bottom.

Clueless punts by clueless - well you know the word

Capn Dan has had his time. He’s rarely looking for a quick ball away. Time and time again he has the opportunity to set up an effective attack with a quick one. He did it once yesterday, preferring to dance about with the ball in his hands to then roll it to one of the central defenders who - if they’re not caught in possession - Naismith ala Sunderland? - they punt the ball aimlessly forward.

If that tactic pays off and we get the free kick in the target zone what then happens? We **** up the set piece. Christ. Joe Williams straight out for a goal kick anyone?

I can count on one hand who deserved the back seat on the Bears Big Blue bus on the way back to Planet Lansdown. Sykes, Andi, Conway and Big Rob. The rest? Thumbing for a lift outside of Nando’s, KFC or the Asda car park.

How can a team sandwich a 4-1 midweek victory with such poor performances against Sunderland and Wigan?

This isn’t negative bollocks. It’s what I see from where we sit. Front row behind the goal. Might be if we sat further back and got a better view of the entire pitch we might see it differently

Anyway looking forward to Tuesday evening! 

[ashton_fan]

13 hours ago, Street red said:

Think I'm the only one that's glad of a crap start,We seem to start off well end up at the top of league only to be disappointed and everything going tits up by Christmas.

Didn't do Forest any harm last year

[RedRock]

Football is a simple game. I look at players as ‘counters’ each with a unique set of characteristics. The Manager’s job is to select and arrange the ‘counters’ in a way that adds value, so the sum of the total is greater than that of the individual parts. We need to be set-up well before the match and then adapt during the match. 

We have enough ‘counters’ to be competitive. 

I’m pro-Pearson. However, he does baffle me sometimes with his selections/formations and in-game changes (or lack of them).

I can only assume Martin is selected and kept on for full games for his defensive abilities (height) as he looks increasingly like a bit-part player up front. The absence of Wilson, Tanner seems odd, if we are wafer thin squad-wise why recruit players in positions that aren’t crucial to our game-plan? I’m still struggling despite the squad and coaching overhaul with the fact our fitness is still lacking, have an ‘iffy’ injury record, our structure and pattern of play is still unclear …plus our Achilles heal of both losing leads and conceding late still exists. 

Anyhows, I still trust Pearson to sort it out … but we need to see tangible and consistent progress soon.
 

[Bedred31]

14 hours ago, mozo said:

If we beat Luton we can say that the tide has turned with three unbeaten and four points from 6 in the league.

BUT... fail to beat Luton, it'll be hard not to worry. 

We rarely beat Luton! Time to take stock will be the first international break from 17 September- we’ll be 11 league and at least 2 cup games in by then. Either way, SL’s a reluctant sacker, so NP’s safe until Christmas, when I think things will look a lot better. (For a start, Strictly, which my wife is addicted too, will be off the telly).

[firstdivision]

1 hour ago, Son of Fred said:

So much "information" on the forum post Wigan - so much noise.

Accepting that all of life is 6/4 against (including following City) this is the area I'm genuinely concerned.

Sorry, Son of Fred, I don’t understand your reply. 

[winsaw]

I thought we played well for most of the game yesterday, is some players had there scoring boots on we could have very easily put 3 past them, 

This is why I am not as worried as some seam to be as I think as long as the very good attacking build up play keeps progressing like it is the goals will come and we will be winning,

The defence dose look better than last season but still a little weak at times, I think some at the back seam to switch off in games and get caught out most of the play at the back is good it's just individual avoidable errors that are letting us down at the moment hopefully something we can cut out soon,

I do think we are progressing well and would be very surprised if we didn't finish the season safely in mid table, 

[cidered abroad]

9 minutes ago, winsaw said:

I thought we played well for most of the game yesterday, is some players had there scoring boots on we could have very easily put 3 past them, 

This is why I am not as worried as some seam to be as I think as long as the very good attacking build up play keeps progressing like it is the goals will come and we will be winning,

The defence dose look better than last season but still a little weak at times, I think some at the back seam to switch off in games and get caught out most of the play at the back is good it's just individual avoidable errors that are letting us down at the moment hopefully something we can cut out soon,

I do think we are progressing well and would be very surprised if we didn't finish the season safely in mid table, 

That is the problem. We need to score at least three in every match to even get near a draw.

And when we score early on like Hull and Wigan, it's then 85 minutes of desperate defending.

Edited August 14, 2022 by cidered abroad

[Mr Popodopolous]

It's a decent point, Wigan were competitive vs both Preston and Norwich- in fact so far all the newly promoted sides have competed well.

Bennett gets sent off in the 1st 15-20 was it, we win. We were ahead and solid at this stage- the opposition chasing the game a man down in that heat could have been very useful for us.

Great assist by Conway, still young and developing. Finishing or knowing when to pick the right shot- that'll come.

Edited August 14, 2022 by Mr Popodopolous

[firstdivision]

8 hours ago, Davefevs said:

@Marina's Rolls Royce

@BigAl&Toby

@firstdivision

Not aimed at you three, but just reading the latest quotes back to me, but it’s an interesting insight for me.  I read pretty much every OTIB thread and try to read every individual post, although sometimes I scroll quickly…and generally see tonnes of negative bollax written, baseless bollax written, etc, and people think it’s fine.  So I thought I’d start a thread with an element of positive bollax and see how it landed. One thing is for sure and I’m no Freud, is that It’s easy to write negative, baseless stuff.  It’s harder to write substantiated stuff whether it be positive or negative.  I love conversing with those that put a bit of effort in.

MRR - I don’t really care how my perceived pro-Pearson view works out.  It’s not really pro-Pearson, for me it’s the reality of a very difficult situation he’s taken over in….and I think he deserves to have the time to at least get a chance once the shit has been cleared up.  That may be next summer - contract talks with the usual suspects might define that timeline to be a bit quicker.  He might not get that time.  I think he is steadying the ship, and whoever replaces him, whenever that will be, will pick up a football club in a better position than it was in when he took over.  For me it is already in a much better state…but financially we have the “legacy” of SL / MA / LJ still lingering over us.

Next summer there won’t be any players that Nige hasn’t had a chance to move on or re-contract.  Not many managers get that full timeline of seeing all the players out they don’t want.  But he will also have lost players he probably would’ve liked to have kept around, plus he isn’t able to bring in much beyond free transfers, bar Naismith, not even free transfers proven at this level.  That’s a major drawback.  When LJ had to sell players he was able to replace.  Generate £23m transfer profit on Webster, Pack, Brownhill and Eisa, spent at least £25m in fees on 17 players….and a hefty wage bill increase that went with it.  Christ, £5.5m amortisation of this season’s amortisation is LJ / MA recruitment.

He deserves some slack…imho.

He far from perfect, but he’s sorting us out for a better future.  When the time comes to appoint a new manager, we might be seen as an attractive opportunity.

 

If we stay up, Dave, will we able to spend any money next summer? 

I always enjoy your posts btw.
 

As for me, I have a questioning attitude to most things. I try to be realistic and even handed.  I am naturally sceptical. For example before the season, I didn’t see much justification for the ‘push for the play-offs’ sentiment. I thought bottom line: ‘just stay up’. I’m concerned that might be beyond us. By no means impossible - and we might do ok - but I can see a path that takes us to relegation and the season has started exactly as I feared. Same mistakes, same fallibility. Also, this has happened in games against less intimidating opposition (although I always think it’s best to avoid promoted sides early). 
We do have Semenyo to come back though. 
 

What I would say on positive/negative and NP or no NP is that there is always more than one way to do most things. Therefore, I think it’s fair enough for posters to be NP sceptics. And to question his ability (as against someone else’s) to solve our problems despite the contraints he is working under. I’m sure you do too. Stick or twist? One of life’s enduring questions. 
 

[BigAl&Toby]

3 minutes ago, winsaw said:

I thought we played well for most of the game yesterday, is some players had there scoring boots on we could have very easily put 3 past them, 

This is why I am not as worried as some seam to be as I think as long as the very good attacking build up play keeps progressing like it is the goals will come and we will be winning,

The defence dose look better than last season but still a little weak at times, I think some at the back seam to switch off in games and get caught out most of the play at the back is good it's just individual avoidable errors that are letting us down at the moment hopefully something we can cut out soon,

I do think we are progressing well and would be very surprised if we didn't finish the season safely in mid table, 

We must have been watching different games. I thought we were absolute bollax - as @Davefevssays….

I agree with elements of what you say. We were able to get the ball into crucial, practiced and trained for parts of the pitch where, once we’d done that, we’d win the free kick or opportunity to take advantage of that.

But what happened then? The individual errors that you talk about happen. Think about the one in the first half. Deep in the right in the Wigan half.

I think we were 1 up. In the ascendancy. Huffed and puffed to get the ball there - I think by running with it rather than a Capn Dan punt, or roll to Naismith to punt. 

Then what happens? Well having presumably practiced and trained all week on the Failand hallowed turf Joe Williams ***** it up and puts the ball out for a goal kick….

**** me I could have done that. I’m a 55 year old, slightly over weight father of 3 who hasn’t played footy in anger for years. I’ve got high blood pressure and was wearing my shearling Birkenstocks! 

And I had a BCFC win and Andi anytime goal scorer……

Anyway on to Tuesday and back to Planet Lansdown. Surely it wouldn’t happen again. Would it…….

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

1 hour ago, billywedlock said:

So what is your expectation of any manager in our current situation ? 

A perfectly fair question.

My expectation of any Manager ( given our circumstances) after several transfer windows and 1 1/2 years is that there are incremental improvements- that there are clear indications that the team performances are improving, that the same mistakes are not being repeated, that the Manager is giving the team an identity and the fans something to buy into.

It's not just me that feels the above is just not happening. If we were looking at this 3 game season in the League so far then its ridiculous to take this in isolation but when taken in context with the 63 previous games- it's hardly a knee jerk reaction.

My original comment was purely in respect of anyone, who for their own reasons or agenda , no longer see NP as the answer and should be allowed their opinion without having to name his successor- speculation that is as irrelevant as it is pointless.

[Davefevs]

4 hours ago, redsquirrel said:

sad thing is Dave, when that  time does come round, and it will, Pearsons time here will be seen as a total waste of time because loads of fans are only interested in the good times, not whats been done to get there

Yep, can totally see that happening.

3 hours ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

@Davefevs

You stated that people had put so much of a rider on one game. 

I answered that it wasnt just one game- it was a culmination of over 60 games spread across 2 part seasons and one full one.

I get the steadying of the ship reference, I understand legacy issues . 

There are many ,if not the majority, of Championship clubs who are having real issues off the field when it comes to financial sustainability. I can't see where the tangible on field improvement is. NP has also managed to break a few unpleasant records along the way and defensive frailties are baffling along with players out of position and substitutions.

I really think that after having lost over half his 66 games whilst winning 18 in one and a half years as Manager , fans are not over reacting when they question the performances. There aren't too many Managers who have had as much "slack" as Nigel Pearson has at our club.

I asked one person why put so much emphasis on the result of one game, they’d laid out each scenario?  I wouldn’t be sitting there on Tuesday night if we beat Luton thinking everything is sorted, just like I won’t be saying Nige out if we lose.  The bit in bold is the bit I’m trying to contextualise.

I’m fine with your view over 60 odd games.  But the first bunch of those games (to me) are pretty irrelevant.  Last season was the real starting point and I see progression…slow progression overall admittedly.

I’ve been disappointed by results this season, but not performances, I’ve seen enough in all of them.

Tough season ahead.  You betcha, but that’s where we are.

When you have a thin squad then versatility is very useful.

Lets wait and see over the next 4/5 games whether the likes of Wilson or Tanner can start to cement minutes over Sykes.  I’m trying to think of any other position we’ve played players in that’s not their position.

I do think Wednesday’s game and short recovery made it tough for Wilson to start yesterday.  Tanner could’ve started though.

We shall see.

2 hours ago, RedRock said:

Football is a simple game. I look at players as ‘counters’ each with a unique set of characteristics. The Manager’s job is to select and arrange the ‘counters’ in a way that adds value, so the sum of the total is greater than that of the individual parts. We need to be set-up well before the match and then adapt during the match. 

We have enough ‘counters’ to be competitive. 

I’m pro-Pearson. However, he does baffle me sometimes with his selections/formations and in-game changes (or lack of them).

I can only assume Martin is selected and kept on for full games for his defensive abilities (height) as he looks increasingly like a bit-part player up front. The absence of Wilson, Tanner seems odd, if we are wafer thin squad-wise why recruit players in positions that aren’t crucial to our game-plan? I’m still struggling despite the squad and coaching overhaul with the fact our fitness is still lacking, have an ‘iffy’ injury record, our structure and pattern of play is still unclear …plus our Achilles heal of both losing leads and conceding late still exists. 

Anyhows, I still trust Pearson to sort it out … but we need to see tangible and consistent progress soon.
 

See above re Wilson / Tanner.

1 hour ago, cidered abroad said:

That is the problem. We need to score at least three in every match to even get near a draw.

And when we score early on like Hull and Wigan, it's then 85 minutes of desperate defending.

We haven’t spent 85 mins desperately defending in those games.  We e had spells where we’ve had to defend undoubtedly.  Even the Hull game, we’d wrestled back control after their equaliser, looked more likely to grab a winner going into injury time…until…..

1 hour ago, firstdivision said:

If we stay up, Dave, will we able to spend any money next summer? 

I always enjoy your posts btw.
 

As for me, I have a questioning attitude to most things. I try to be realistic and even handed.  I am naturally sceptical. For example before the season, I didn’t see much justification for the ‘push for the play-offs’ sentiment. I thought bottom line: ‘just stay up’. I’m concerned that might be beyond us. By no means impossible - and we might do ok - but I can see a path that takes us to relegation and the season has started exactly as I feared. Same mistakes, same fallibility. Also, this has happened in games against less intimidating opposition (although I always think it’s best to avoid promoted sides early). 
We do have Semenyo to come back though. 
 

What I would say on positive/negative and NP or no NP is that there is always more than one way to do most things. Therefore, I think it’s fair enough for posters to be NP sceptics. And to question his ability (as against someone else’s) to solve our problems despite the contraints he is working under. I’m sure you do too. Stick or twist? One of life’s enduring questions. 
 

The likelihood is yes.  The contract situations of Bentley, Massengo, Dasilva, Kalas, Wells etc…who take up a large proportion of the playing budget…will be known, resolved one way or the other.  The fate of Semenyo will be known too.  Ditto Scott.

Its possible those things above may be known by Sept 1st when the window closed, but I suspect will drag on.  No player wants to take a paycut quickly do they?

 

 

 

back to Pearson:

I totally get the Pearson criticism.  Some of it I agree with.  Pring on for Dasilva yesterday, Martin off for one of the WBs and met Sykes play in the hole.  That’s what I’d have done.  But that’s not to say Pearson was wrong either, it’s just my thoughts on what I’d have done.  Nobody ever comes on here and says that  “their subs” might not have worked do they.  “Our subs” are always 100% right aren’t they?

How many people said Klose should play CB3 and Naismith LCB3 over the past few games…yet yesterday that’s exactly what happened, and we went from 1-0 up to drawing 1-1.  Correlation rather than causation, maybe….but we are a hypocritical bunch because we use correlation rather than causation to justify our negativity, that’s if we even bother to justify it.

No hands up, I was wrong from OTIB is there?

[pillred]

17 hours ago, Bristol Oil Services said:

Two unbeaten. Andi on fire. Getting the goals shipped average down, slowly. We equalise today and draw 1:1 and it'd feel different. 

I agree but it's rarely us that equalise is it.

[Son of Fred]

2 hours ago, firstdivision said:

Sorry, Son of Fred, I don’t understand your reply. 

After cutting through the 'muzak' on this forum post match,,your concern re; thinness of squad is for me the salient point..

The actual number of usable players/balance of squad is of real concern.

Were walking a tightrope.

[RedRock]

My worry is someone comes in for Andi. Either that, or he gets injured or loses form.  Can see a Cardiff or Swansea bid incoming and, frankly, that could seal our fate.

That is where we are, dependent on one player for survival. 
 

A concern as I would have hoped by now we would have built something resembling a team. If we aren’t recruiting to a plan, just picking up ad hoc what are perceived to be cheap ‘bargains’ then we need to adapt/tweak our system(s) in a way that uses these players strengths. What seems to be happening is we are sticking to a pre-set system and hoping that the players can adapt to a different role. Not sure that approach is working. 

OK, give it more time as I respect Pearson as a manager (highly), but we’re some way behind where I thought we would be and don’t seem to be much nearer having a cohesive team or style of play than when he started. To be dependent on just one player to determine your season is one massive risk.