Robin101

Mehmeti frustrates 

Please don’t pass around the back for next 30 mins City. What a golden opportunity to win. West Ham still have the quality to nick a goal.

Just now, Boston Red said:

We never really went for the win at the end against Birmingham, even though they were completely there for the taking, for fear that they would nick it on the break like against Norwich. With hindsight we should have, bearing in mind what has just happened now. 

Not at the game today. But I was against Norwich. Sounds like a carbon copy - hopefully Manning learns his lesson here then that when you don’t try to win, you inevitably lose.

Never ever bloody changes at Bristol City does it. Year after year after year of this boring midtable shite.

Haha ffs - city are back.

5Live just went to Steve Cotteril at Ashton Gate… to discuss Norwich City. Presumably sums our game up well then.

Do we look tired? Or are we just not playing well?

This feels very familiar territory for us vs. Birmingham.

Normally we lose 1-0 to a 70th min headed corner.

This is a game that on relative form, context etc. we should absolutely be looking to win.

How many times over the last 10 years have we threatened to gain momentum and then lost a game like this?

We need to go there and win. Come on City.

P.S. 17th last season was their highest finish in seven years? Blimey, and I thought we’d had a boring few years. 

4 minutes ago, Robin101 said:

I’ve supported City long enough to know we’ll definitely concede in the first 15 mins of this half.

What happens next is the unknown.

**** sake

Four minutes

I’ve supported City long enough to know we’ll definitely concede in the first 15 mins of this half.

What happens next is the unknown.

1 minute ago, INCRED said:

Looks so comfortable at this level, I can see him getting a move to a big club in the next 18 months if he continues like this

Semenyo on the other hand plays exactly as he did at City, in fits & starts 

Either I’ve just genuinely had a case of serious de ja vu or I read this post last season too. 

1 hour ago, Robin101 said:

Every team seems to try and play it. The best chances every team creates each week seems to be when they nick it off the opposition centre back trying to play like Xavi.

And Man City have just scored a third against Spurs in exactly this fashion…

I have a bad feeling about this appointment, but many of the reasons are nothing to do with Manning himself particularly.

I feel he reminds the fan base very much of LJ already. And as such he’s starting with a massive barrier to overcome already. Let alone anything to do with NP’s departure. 

1 minute ago, Dr Balls said:

The way to beat it is to have a player in midfield who is willing to commit players and go past them taking them out of the game and getting the ball forward quickly. Gardner-Hickman and Knight both have it in them to do this but they need to be encouraged to do so rather than coached to take the “safety first” possession pass.

Someone like Alex Scott maybe?

3 minutes ago, Dr Balls said:

It is the Pep effect. The problem is that if you don’t break all the FFP rules to get the best players available at top price, it doesn’t really work so well. 

And as for that goal kick routine where the central defender plays it back to the goalkeeper centrally in the front of the goal to then either play a defender into trouble or kick it long  to the opposition from further  back in the 6 yard box, wff?!

Both sides played it and it was a complete waste of time. In terms of risk v reward, the risk is far too high for any notional reward. It just doesn’t achieve anything.

Yes, exactly what I mean. I’d have been much more frustrated with City playing silly GKs if it wasn’t for the fact Norwich returned the favour.

I said to my friend, the overriding sense I couldn’t shake during that was that we were watching a training match. Both teams going through the drills. He said it’s because that style of play is much more coachable - you do the patterns over and over again. No idea if that’s true or not.

And additionally, it’s not like when we played it around their front 3 we were suddenly bursting through at them. That would have made sense. Instead the whole pattern just seemed to shift up the pitch, until we’re on the halfway line and they’ve still got 11 men behind the ball - or vise versa.

1 minute ago, Andrew_V1 said:

Very good point here, results aside the last few games have been incredibly dull to watch.

The modern trends of possession at all costs is typified by the amount of times a full back gets near a crossing situation then checks inside and passes back and within 3 passes you are back at the keeper recycling back out to the other side.

That’s why it’s refreshing to see a side like Luton achieve what they did by playing a completely different style to what’s ‘trendy’ 

I think we should hire Warnock, and seek to replicate 2010 era Stoke City.

The Simpsons eerily predicting the future once again. 

3 minutes ago, JoeAman08 said:

It is like the 4-5th game and half of our attacking options are L1 standard. It is building for the future. A good style of play will help atmosphere, recruitment and eventually points. 

But we’ve been building for the future for literally 40 years now 

I’d actually be interested to read more about why this style of football suddenly seems to have completely swept through the football league like a new strain of Covid. 

Every team seems to try and play it. The best chances every team creates each week seems to be when they nick it off the opposition centre back trying to play like Xavi.

Is this Pep Guardiola’s influence or something else?

10 minutes ago, Lew-T said:

Sunday early KO. Was hardly going to be River Plate was it?

People always go on about the atmosphere. But apart from a couple hundred in the corner, they do absolutely nothing about it.

I do think more people would get involved if we sang some more of the classics though - haven’t heard ‘red flag flying high’ or EIEIEIO for years and years. Then again, not been much to sing about in truth.

1 minute ago, Alessandro said:

In which case, what’s the ******* point?

And why do you let the club take you for a fool, taking your time, commitment and money, telling you we’re going for top 6 when we’re nowhere near?

Not bothered but you’re on here during a game.

What’s the point of fans even turning up and getting excited if you don’t think we have a hope?

Honestly this sort of sheep attitude, apathy, is why we’re still where we are and the club get away with the stunts they pull.

 

Didn’t say it was a good thing did I? Just explaining why Ashton Gate feels so flat. You could hear the hubbub of people talking for the first 10 mins of the second half ffs.

And I wasn’t on here during the game, for what it’s worth. 

But what would you like me to do? I’ve previously said I think it’s time for new ownership - I don’t think much is going to change til it happens. 

2 minutes ago, fanjita said:

Don’t be too sure of being guaranteed championship football, this squad is heading for a fight for survival after a performance like that.

Personally disagree. We were much the better side and will survive comfortably- probably finish higher than last season too i’d have thought.

1 minute ago, Red Exile said:

100% - sums it up. And if that is what football IS these days -tippy tappy Russell Martin style - if that's what the new chap wants us to play, well I can't see me bothering in future. It's so dull to watch even when done well. If that was what football had been back in the day I'd never have gone in the first place!

It’s not exactly blood and thunder is it. Made me laugh when Sheff Wed tried to play it the other week - lads, you’re 10 points adrift why are you taking the goal kick short.

It could be a really exciting style of football if it was a bit more mixed up with just running at someone when in the final third.   

1 minute ago, fanjita said:

Much as it pains me to say but this squad is nowhere near good enough, we offer no threat in the final third whatsoever 

Agreed it’s a midtable squad. And we all know it. I honestly think that’s why the majority feel not that bothered/upset - at the end of the season, we’re 100% guaranteed to still be in the championship. Getting a bit boring really - anyone up for a spell in League One and looking good again?