Dastardly and Muttley

16 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

We had our chances v Leicester tbh, perhaps maybe a point there would've been fair.

That’s not what I meant, though. I meant the clean sheet was lucky, rather than through quality defending.

Just now, Jose said:

I’d rather see a performance than a point to be honest. I see no signs that the football will get any better. Grabbing a lucky point against a team on an atrocious run just papers over some major cracks in my opinion. 

That’s all these last three games have done. It’s like throwing Poundland wrapping paper over the Grand Canyon.

Never seen a game where we’ve lost nearly every one on one battle, every second ball and the Sunderland players have outmuscled us in every duel.

There was no fight there at all and we’re lucky to escape with a point.

Some will point to the run of clean sheets, but to me that’s fool’s gold. Vardy would bury his chances 70-80% of the time. Sunderland would have scored those chances more often than not. That’s luck rather than good defending.

2 minutes ago, Street red said:

Max is saving us again in that first half some great saves.

Helps when the strikers hit it straight at him.

We are absolutely clueless again. No shape, no gameplan. And this is against a team that just lost 1-5 at home to a relegation threatened team.

The good work of the last two games is being undone. Absolutely shockingly bad and lucky not to be 3/4-1 down.

Just now, mozo said:

League position or points off playoffs, which is a better standard? Subjective I guess.

Whichever is closest to our stated goal of promotion. Which we’ve failed to achieve, or come close to, again because of a mid-season self-inflicted derailment of a season. 
Fair to say, I don’t see NP as a hero either. The Danny Simpson signing really stung me. But, I’ve argued for years and years that the one thing this team lacked was players, managers and executives with top flight experience. We had it in NP, Alexander, King, Weimann and James, and we now look to be getting rid of all of that within a season.

Hard to get there if you don’t know what “there” is all about.

1 hour ago, mozo said:

I think we should be prepared for a tough game and not expect to run wings round them!

Obvs I disagree with lots of that, but you talk about improvement being the target, well that's still in our gift this season. I don't think we can catch up with 10th but if we did, that's a decent season.

I meant improvement on where we were when NP left us - 4 points off the playoffs.

We won’t end up 4 points away.

I’m 100% with @W-S-M Seagull on this, and am probably Manning’s harshest critic even with Seagull included.

The decision to shift from NP to LM was definitely done with the aim of improving this season.

Also, with the return of players from injury, you’d have expected any half-competent manager and coaching staff to have improved us.

That’s not what we’ve seen, though. We’ve seen inconsistency and the most boring football served up since Pulis. Next season can’t come quick enough, if we could jump to his sacking in October right now, I would. Just hope he’s not given the nest egg to blow in the summer.

2 hours ago, Davefevs said:

Just to point out, Semenyo was £9m and in 22-23s accounts and stopped us breaching FFP for that cycle.  This year’s accounts include £20m for Scott, but against the backdrop of an owner saying he’s no longer happy to cover losses to the extent he has in the past.  So £20m isn’t available.  In fact I’d go as far as to say not much of it is, and it’s being used over the next two seasons to offset what SL has to put in.  However it does decrease the need to trade heavily, and allows us to be proactive in going after players.

Personally I wouldn’t be spending £5m on him.

I’m pleased that we pivoted to Azaz for £2.5m.  That shows the right player is out there even if we didn’t get him.  I think Burnley overpaid for Twine, and we are being asked to pay for that.

Sykes and Mehmeti (plus Stokes) ain’t bad either.

What’s your thoughts on Murphy, Dave? Will he be around the first team next season, or are we waiting for 25-26 in League One?

The next Tomlin. We’ll spend big on him to back Manning, and he’ll revert to L1 standard at best whilst being undroppable due to the fee and being Manning’s man.

Whilst having a discussion about Manning with George Elek on X, he pointed out that the recruitment team would be the same for Manning as any other manager, which is pretty obvious.

I’m certain that Adam Murphy and Max Bird were linked prior to Manning’s appointment and would have been brought in regardless of who’s in charge.

This just made me think. People are asking for a summer where Manning can bring in players who fit his style. These guys, and likely any other targets, were already predetermined. Do they fit Manning’s style? Are they players he’d have wanted? Or are we going to end up spending big on players with potential to grow and sell on, but don’t fit the way Manning wants to play?

Such a strange result and performance. Delighted to have won and to see Mehmeti do well again - there’s a player there.

But, can’t help but feel that was the worst thing that could have happened for the long-term future of the club.

Massively unconvinced by Manning and do not believe he’s the man to take us forward. This win almost guarantees he’ll be there next season and will probably be given the nest egg to waste this summer.

Especially as this was a win where Leicester could easily have scored 3/4 (deservedly). And remember, this is a Leicester team which has also recently lost to QPR…

Strange feeling. Delighted to win, but just worried.

2 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

I have my suspicions about influences above Manning. He often speaks quite well of the senior players.

Well, he doesn’t rate youngsters, so if he didn’t like senior players either then he’s more screwed than I thought

2 hours ago, ChippenhamRed said:

It’s a relatively inexpensive way for families in particular to watch some of the best players in the world in one of the biggest stadiums in the world.

The spectacle of watching England v Brazil at Wembley would not be forgotten by any young person, even if it’s not a particularly great game.

When I say relatively inexpensive - that’s in comparison to a high profile premier league game at a big stadium, which is less easy to get tickets for, tickets are more expensive, and generally requires a club membership to give you a chance of buying one.

An England friendly against a top team is probably the most accessible way of watching elite level footballers.

Yep, taking my 3 kids to their first ever game at Wembley on Tuesday. For me, my wife and the kids, the total of the tickets was £94.

For me and one kid to go and see City vs Millwall was heading into the region of £60.

I live in Maidenhead, so travel in isn’t that bad. Just a bit gutted with injuries robbing us of the chance to see Kane, Saka, Grealish and De Bruyne.

Problem is, you have to go to Stoke once a fortnight.

4 minutes ago, Fontaineofallknowledge said:

Its poor but I understand the context and believe in giving a manager at least one pre season (which are huge with squad building)

There’s only one thing which annoys me more about this club than Manning, and that’s the fools who say “give him a preseason”.

Why?! What has he done on the grass or in the transfer market to prove he’s worthy of anything!

5 minutes ago, CityCiderEd said:

This was from a Coventry City fan after the Wolves game....food for thought. 

Because Robins is a good manager who’s been allowed time. Wonder where NP would have had us after 7 years.

Shame we didn’t just sing “we beat Southampton” all the time.

46 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

"City have survived another season but I dont know how cuz they're not very good"  Gas scum

Not wrong, though, is he.

14 minutes ago, And Its Smith said:

Definitely worth doing this after every single game! 

It is if it builds even the slightest pressure on our spineless board.

Imagine if this was happening at the Gas. We’d be laughing them out of town and praying he didn’t get sacked.

4 minutes ago, Out of his pie crust said:

Expect to lose the Leicester game, but lose that plus the 2 after they will surely have to pull the trigger

Sadly, they won’t. He could take us to League 1 and they’ll still stand by their man. Idiots.

10 minutes ago, Major Isewater said:

TBF the stats are not bad. It’s just the result . 
 

Doesn’t tell the story when WBA have been crap as well.

Just now, George Rs said:

Probably have, doesn’t change the fact that haven’t though. 

Mannings inability to come out for the second half well strikes again. 

We clearly haven’t though. WBA have been at walking pace and are still 2-0 up. 
We’re crap.

Just now, The Original OTIB said:

Manning interview will mention hitting bar twice. Might start with it. 

No, it’ll start with “remember, we beat Southampton”