hinsleburg

Think you have to get Maddison in there the way he's started the season for either Foden or Grealish. I'm a big Grealish fan but think Foden has started the season better so would start with him left, Saka right and Maddison in the midfield 3. Playing Maddison, Bellingham, Saka and Foden allows Kane to drop deeper if he wants as well because all 4 of those can get in behind him. Ramsdale is still behind Pickford for me at the moment too. Hope Stones stays fit and Colwill really kicks on this year as our potential 11 for the Euro's could be fantastic, sadly we'll end up with a midfield 3 of Rice, Phillips and Henderson though...

Only 29 as well! Thought he looked incredible against us a few times in that Brentford team, but then he was playing a very specific role in a team with a clear plan and identity. As highlighted above he's not been able to replicate that anywhere since! Weirdly, at the right price is one I would have considered a gamble on here but is probably one of those players that looks better to opposition fans rather than those who watch him week in week out. (Barry Bannan...) Lots of passing, looks very pretty but little end result and playing in a team with lesser players will contribute even less and have weaknesses exposed.

O'Leary Tanner Vyner Naismith Roberts James Knight TGH Sykes Wells Bell If fit though I'd be amazed if Weimann didn't start, I would probably play him on the right for Sykes but can also see a scenario where Sykes starts at RB... Gone for Bell over Mehmeti simply for speed and give us an outlet on the counter.

People round me saying they were just as poor as us must have been watching a different game. Very tactically astute, physically dominant at the back with pace and creativity to burn out wide. Very good side and one to keep an eye on as outsiders. We were very poor but as a team they were so much better

Having scary visions of our away kit being that template with a White background and red robins/Purple with lime robins...

Bristol City F.C. 1) Where will City finish this season, Top 2, 3rd - 6th, 7th-12th, 13th - 18th, or 19th -24th? 7th-12th 2) What will be City's exact final League position? 9th 3) How many points will City get this season? 68 4) Will City win 18 (or more) league games this season? No 5) Will City score 60 (or more) League goals this season? Yes 6) Will City concede 60 (or more) League goals this season? No 7) Who will finish as City's top scorer, League & Cups? Andi Weimann How many goals in total will City's top scorer (whether the player named in Q7, or not) get? 17 9) Who will be City's 2nd top scorer, League & Cups? Tommy Conway 10) How many goals in total will City's 2nd top scorer (whether the player named in Q9, or not) get? 15 11) How many academy graduates will make their City debuts this season in League or Cups? 2 12) Who will make more 1st team apps. in all competitions, Harvey Wiles-Richards or Stefan Bajic? Bajic 13) Will City sign a new goalkeeper this season, either permanently or on loan? Yes 14) Will Alex Scott still be a City player on the last day of the season? No 15) Will Zac Vyner still be a City player on the last day of the season? Yes 16) Which of the new signings, McCrorie, Dickie, Knight & Roberts, will make the most appearances. this season in League & Cup? Knight 17) Which of these 4 players will make the least number of appearances? Roberts 18) Will Jason Knight score 5 (or more) goals in all competitions? Yes 19) Will Anis Mehmeti score 7 (or more) goals in all competitions? No 20) Will Harry Cornick score 8 (or more) goals in all competitions? No 21) Which month will Ayman Benarous make his first on - field 1st team appearance for City this season? November 22) Which month will Rob Atkinson make his first on - field 1st team appearance for City this season? December 23) Will City sign a striker either in this window, or the January window? No 24) Will Seb Palmer-Houlden score 10 (or more) goals for Newport in all competitions? No 25) Will he be recalled in January? No 26) Who will be City's player of the season? Jason Knight 27) What will be the Official attendance for City's first home League game against P.N.E. to the nearest thousand? 23k 28) What will City's average League attendance be this season to the nearest thousand? 20k 29) In which round will City be knocked out of the F.A. cup? 6th 30) In which round will City be knocked out of the Carabou Cup? 2nd 31) How many City players will be sent off in all competitions this season? 2 32) Who will be the first City player to be sent off this season? Tanner 33) How many penalties, in all competitions, will City be awarded this season? 4 34) How many penalties will City score? 4 35) How many penalties will be given against City this season in all competitions? 7 36) How many penalties will the opposition score? 6 37) Will any City player score a 1st team hat-trick this season? No 38) Which young City player out of Araoye, Yeboah, Leeson, Knight-Lebel, Francois & Taylor-Clarke, will make the most 1st team apps, in all competitions? Araoye 39) Will Nigel Pearson still be City manager on the last day of the season? Yes Gas 1) Will Rovers finish in the top half (1-12) or bottom half (13-24) of League 1? Bottom half 2) What will be Rovers final league position? 19th 3) What will be Rovers official average League attendance to the nearest thousand? 7k 4) Will Kane Wilson score against Rovers? No 5) Will Joey Barton still be Rovers manager on the last day of the season? Yes Rivals, Cardiff, Swansea & Plymouth 1) Who will finish higher, Cardiff or City? City 2) How many points will City get against Cardiff, 0,1,2,3,4 or 6? 3 3) Who will finish higher, Swansea or City? City 4) How many points will City get against Swansea, 0,1,2,3,4, or 6? 4 5) Who will finish higher, City or Plymouth? City 6) How many points will City get against Plymouth, 0,1,2,3,4 or 6? 4 Lee Johnson's Hibs 1) What position will Hibs finish in the SPL this season? 5th 2) Will Lee Johnson still be Hibs manager on the last day of the season? No Ashton's Ipswich 1) Who will finish higher, Ipswich or City? Ipswich 2) Will Ashton still be at Ipswich at the end of the season? Yes Old Boys 1) Will Joe Bryan score for Millwall against City this season? No 2) Will Antoine Semenyo score 7 (or more) goals for Bournemouth in all competitions? No 3) Will Kasey Palmer score against City this season? No 4) Will Callum O'Dowda score against City this season? No Championship 1) Which club will finish top of the Championship? Leicester 2) Which club will finish bottom of the Championship? Sheffield Wednesday

Wouldn't be surprised if this has come from us to encourage any late comers to the party! The deal probably is close with Bournemouth but making it clear that the door is still open for anybody else for now

Agree it was a different role but the formation was exactly the same, 3 in midfield with Weimann the furthest forward sometimes operating as a second striker and sometimes dropping deeper. We need to be sensible, we aren't going to find anybody like Alex Scott, so we need to look at what we currently have available to us and adapt how we play. With any two from James, King, Williams, Knight and Naismith holding we can win the ball and get it forward quickly to our 'front 4'. So I don't think we will even try replacing Scott, I do think we will shift and adjust how we play and if that means we go back to utilising Weimann in that role again then I'm all for it. We have the pace in wide areas and the finishers up front so don't think we need a 'creative 10' and think the way Weimann is able to play that role, arrive late into the box and find space to score will be a much more effective output then trying to find Alex Scott 2.0

Seen somebody mention we had a behind closed doors friendly today, looks like it's against 'Supersport Utd'... Would have been quite an interesting game to watch and good marketing activity to have it accessible I think, certainly more interesting than the other games Assuming we will be predominantly using U23s but potentially Naismith/McCrorie if fit?

I think a large part of our issues with Target Men is how we use them We resort to pinging 45 yard balls above their head or smashing it at their chest and hoping it sticks, feel like if we did have that sort of player now we would utilise them much better than we had in the past. That being said one of the key parts in this team is that press and fast counter attacking football so the need to hold the ball up is less important than those attributes. Too often in the past we stuck on somebody to hold the ball up when leading by a goal and then you lose the press and invite too much pressure. Now we run and run for 90 minutes and the best way to get out of our half is to press and hurry the opposition which we do really well. Weirdly, I think one of the best 'Target Men' we've had in recent times was Matty Taylor... Despite being small the way he used his body meant he won and disrupted a lot in the air, when it came into him it stuck and he also worked bloody hard. Always felt like he made an impact off the bench (albeit less than when he started) and was a shame every time he started putting some consistent games together he would pick up an injury. But he had the skillset of a Target Man and the work rate and press of a Nige striker, think he would have done really well in this team! So I agree we don't need an old fashioned 6 foot 6 lump, but we also need to find a way to retain possession without disrupting the pressing strategy. I will say that I thought at times last year Wells was excellent at this and really seems to have adapted his game from the 'Poacher' I thought we were signing.

Good spot! 33 and hopefully no penalty deductions...

I make my score 34 Wish I'd done a £5 double on the City and Rovers final league position!

Max McCrorie Dickie Naisimith Pring James Scott Sykes Conway Bell Wells Extremely harsh on Tanner but think McCrorie gives us more flexibility to tweak in game. Harsh on Weimann but think Bell finished the season well, has allegedly put a lot of work in during the off season and his pace is a real asset. Team feels more balanced than last season with a bit more physicality without compromising the pressing and energy. I prefer Naismith at CB and think having Dickie there will help but I don't see a scenario in which Vyner doesn't start first game (unless injured or sold). So hard to predict though when not everybody is even back for pre season yet and unknowns like Kalas/Scott, would be surprised if I've got more than 5 right in that starting lineup...

What a delivery! Great game so far and sets up a fantastic series, two good teams playing different ways and fighting the weather as well

Without wishing to be cryptic, I was told in good faith and don't feel comfortable sharing currently. The person that told me has been a good friend for a long time and works at the club in question so whilst unlikely to impact them I don't wish to take that chance. I only posted as there's been a few comments that it seems really quiet currently on the AS front but think there's more happening than is currently being reported.

Sadly I do not! I think it's the structure of the deal that is making clubs wary at the moment. We want 'x' amount plus add on's whereas I think post COVID clubs are relying more and more on add ons to finance deals over a longer period of time. If he goes this summer it'll be on terms we are happy with and unless Scott throws toys out (unlikely) we won't sell for the sake of selling

I know of at least one very interested club that hasn't been mentioned in the press as of yet. Whether or not a formal bid materialises remains to be seen but more clubs are putting feelers out there for him. Gut feel with Scott is he stays this summer, I'm not sure people will be willing to pay what we want currently. I wouldn't be surprised if he stays for now but then there be a lot more interest in January. The January window is a weird one, but if he's playing well a club may gamble to get him before a 'bidding war' in the summer.

Yes, we definitely need another CB in my opinion! Atkinson is injured and have no idea how he will recover, Pring is currently our only senior LB, Naismith may be needed in other areas, Roberts is unproven at this level and McCrorie has stated he wants to play right back. I think we are still a CB short, a fully fit Kalas walks into this team still. So for me it's Kalas or one other, if the medical team are confident he's fit and can potentially stay fit then I would love to see him stay.

Fair play to our resident 'ITK' @Bcfcshags who said earlier this week we were in talks for a Championship CB. Seems like it would be a really sensible signing on paper!

I think Eze is quality and glad to see him in. Sadly though, all I can think about every time I hear or see his name is Adam Nagy tracking him half the length of the pitch and making an unbelievable challenge on his home debut, thought we had a star. Sadly he did his ankle doing it and the rest is history...

Edwards feels like one that 5 years ago we would have given a 3 year deal but not sure we will now. Had an OK season in SPL which I would say is between league 1/Championship standard, however he is now 22 and doesn't feel like he's anywhere near the first team picture. Gut feel is he goes but may end up being one that makes a decent career at L1/Championship level

I believe he also only had 1 year left on his contract and wasn't going to sign a new one so was actually a sensible decision from the club! Always felt he was a player who we missed when he wasn't playing, but then didn't consistently deliver enough when he did!

To be fair, this is one of the most enjoyable reads I've had for a while. Not just the result and description of our performance but found myself chuckling all the way through. I'd like the author added to our summer transfer targets!

I think the big word that's come up in this thread for me a few times is 'identity' and I now feel we know the sort of team we want to be but it's also not a 'one size fits all' approach. Think it's important to differentiate between identity and 'tactical' approaches and think the identity and culture of the club goes much further than 11 players that step onto the pitch. Kind of feels like all the hard work that's gone in from various people across the last few years is now in a position to hopefully propel us forwards! As a club we have a clear 'pathway' from academy to first team and if players are deemed good enough they will get their opportunities and exposure they need! It's a really joined up club and process from top to bottom and seems a really exciting place to be. It also gives us as fans a group of players we can really relate to and get behind, seeing local people thrive and excel in a high pressure environment and watching my little one run around the house singing 'Tommy Conway baby' has been exciting and makes me proud. We've got a clear strategy in terms of signings which is young, hungry players with a couple of exceptions to form the spine and experience that's needed. Seem to have a really good balance and with some of the younger players maturing and developing we are set up so nicely for next season. We seem to be targeting players with pace and hard work ethics which allows us to do what Nige wants tactically which is a combination of high pressing and counter attacking football. I don't think we want to be a team that has 65% possession every week but instead want to have high intensity and a ruthlessness when we do have the ball. Nige keeps mentioning that he doesn't want anybody to be comfortable and think that's clear every week, the players seem to get on, work hard for each other but know they have to be on it for every minute or there is somebody else waiting to take their place. I think we are also quite a forward thinking club behind the scenes as well, since his arrival there's been a few lazy comments saying Nige is a 'dinosaur' and not adaptable for the modern game. How anybody can possibly think that though if they've watched any interview with him is beyond me and feels like a lazy dig based on his perceived persona. He puts a lot of faith in Dave Rennie and the sports science guys and really think we are starting to see the benefits of that on and off the pitch. Bigger picture, the work we have been doing to engage fans and the community still isn't perfect but it's a lot better than it has been and seems to be a real determination to do this properly. The work we've been doing with food banks for away games is phenomenal and a really great thing to see and by all accounts a lot more is done by the club as a collective but also individuals that goes under the radar. For all this to be worth anything though, we have to continue progressing next year. We still have to contend with FFP and our financial situation but the work that's gone in so far puts us in a better position. There's also the obvious Alex Scott caveat at the moment, what we do there will really define our season. Right now though, we have a club and group of players I feel proud to support and excited for whatever is coming next.

I spent most of my points earlier this year on the Mascot draws for my little one and the calendar. Didn't win any draws and the calendar never arrived (will blame Royal Mail for that...) so I don't think I've utilised my points well this year...