Silvio Dante

I don’t hate Manning. I doubt him as a manager. But we’ve just proved we were in relegation form this year pre Easter. It’s not controversial it’s factual. And yes, if you extend it to Watford or Hull then we go up that table - I’m happy to accept that. We were in relegation form pre Easter. We were in relegation form in 2024 prior to Easter. Anything else is fundamentally dishonest. Any reasonable person would say that 13 games from start of year is a reasonable gauge of “form” - and “form” by nature can’t be infinite. Check how often journalists, and this forum even, use form since x date. And the start of the year is quite an established date - ie “Liam you’ve been in good form this year/bad form this year” But you carry on. I’m not going to convince you that 11 points from 13 since the start of the year is relegation form. Hope we don’t have to explain the offside rule next, that’ll blow your mind!

As you’ve mentioned 5/6 games as a reasonable arbiter of form, once more I agree. And in the six games pre Easter (which was the whole point - we were in relegation form pre Easter) this is the table. So, as you’re happy 5/6 games is a reasonable arbiter of form, this isn’t an intentionally selective dataset - we were in relegation form pre Easter. It’s not even close to being a controversial point, and when it’s extended to year start it remains the same issue.

Do I have to say the word “form” again? I took the six pre Easter because - hint - they were the last six games pre Easter. I then extended the sample to the start of the year. The whole point was we were in bad form pre Easter - and we were. Selecting the games post Easter to prove pre Easter form kind of defeats the object! Objectively 13 games is a reasonable form sample as it’s over a quarter of a season. It’s not as if I’ve cherrypicked games, this is what happened at the time!

You are totally right.

If you want a bigger sample, since the start of the year up until Easter it was P13 W3 D2 L8 Pts 11 Over a season that’s 39 points. Whatever way you cut it, that gets you relegated. Relegation FORM pre Easter. Edit - I’m more than happy to say if we got 26 points from 13 that’s promotion form. 11 from 13 is relegation form however it’s cut!

I’d argue that five defeats in six would have been relegation form, but each to its own! Course of a season that gives you about 23 points at best.

To quote John Maynard Keynes - “When the facts change, I change my mind”. And pre Easter, the facts were that we were in relegation form, performances were dire and we looked directionless. We were also playing without any “intent”. Since Easter, having not seen Sunderland (so I won’t pass comment there), in three games we’ve had a bit more “intent” about us. Yep, we’ve been helped by terrible Vardy finishing and a horrific Blackburn, but we’ve had intent and we’ve won the games. I’m not convinced we’re sustainable but what it has done is buy the head coach time. I’m not going to say I think he’s the right man long term, but I’m happy with the “intent” improvement however that has come about. The approach has definitely changed post Easter. Does that make me Manning in? Not at present, no. But I’m now in the place that he’s here for the rest of this season and those first 10-12 games of next season as a minimum (unless he obviously loses the first six!). What he needs to do is continue the pattern of “intent” as a minimum for that timeline. The broader question is why the head coach changed his approach. My gut is he knew his arse was on the line and sedate, Swansea style games would see him gone. But a lot of football positives come from desparate circumstances. The trick now is sustaining it.

Yep. It actually looked quite tidy, wish I could find a picture!

I believe I said that in the rest of the post which you snipped off in your quote….

Last night - Earns the penalty Plymouth - Involved in the goal Leicester - Sets up a goal I didn’t see Sunderland but in three games of the last four he’s had a goal involvement, and as two of those were 1-0 I’d say he’s been key. Not our best performer last night but off the bench against both Leicester and Plymouth I thought he was very good. So, disagree

The irony of the original post here is that I don’t think there were any posts giving “negatives” last night - save for the OP stating people didn’t have a clue. The reaction was positive. There were a few people trying to wind things up unnecessarily - which is what the OP is. But even in the context of a win, it’s a bloody forum. And there are a few things that were fair points but not negative - Did people say Blackburn were shit? Yes, and they were. But that was coupled with people acknowledging we’ve played well so isn’t negative - Were people treating the result with caution? Yes they were. It was pointed out that we had beaten a poor side and had come off a superhuman Max performance at Sunderland and could have lost vs Leicester so people weren’t saying “we’re great now” - they were looking at the “EBI’s” If every time we win people have to just go “yay” and not discuss the improvements that could be made/factors in the win, we’d just as well close the forum. Similarly, if every time we lose then people have to go “boo” we’d just as well close the forum. But saying “Yappers who don’t have a clue” with no discussion, no context, is frankly, bollocks.

I’m going to show my age here, but does anyone remember in the 90s the club put four or five options for kits out in the Evening Post, and one of them was red and white halves on the shirt?

Tbf it’s not a bad idea, but I’d go further. I realise the club aren’t looking to make money on the £1 tickets - moreso on the adult tickets - but the thing here has to be bums on seats, and try and hook kids for the future. Go out to all the local clubs in the Hanham Minor League and offer them, say, 25 free tickets. Put them in half the Atyeo. Get the bums on seats, get the merchandise sold, get the money from the concessions. Be imaginative. Rotherham aren’t selling it out so you can use the space at limited costs and maybe snare a load of future fans and income.

First off - I thought the ref (Bobby Madley) was excellent throughout. Secondly, I didn’t realise he was a last minute appointment. And the reason being he’s a Huddersfield fan and was originally supposed to ref Birmingham vs Cardiff and Blues protested in view of potential bias so they moved Sam Allison there!

Yate draw 2-2 with Larkhall tonight after leading twice. Realistically in view of the number of teams with a shout the playoffs now seem out of reach. Next and last home game is on 20th April against Cribbs where any ex players are welcome to come along for free for a reunion. I’m sure there was someone on here who said they used to play for the bluebells but I’m drawing a blank as to who and there are no familiar names in the club history that would marry up - anyone help?

I don’t think it’s Bristol Sport. It’s following a similar well worn path that will end tomorrow with it flouncing off and asking for its account to be deleted, then signing up again the next day with a different IP address. Regular as bloody clockwork.

He’s the baddest man in the whole damn town! He’s bigger than old King Kong and he’s meaner than a junkyard dog My mistake - that’s Joe Jordan!

I’m not sure it could tbh as they were really poor going forward as well and I didn’t see them scoring - other than that Sunderland game I think they’ve not scored in 4 or 5 games. Undoubtedly we did score at a good moment but that I think was more based on possession as opposed to them threatening. As I said, you still have to convert and the goals were a mix of rank defending and a good press. But there were defensive errors for 4 of 5 goals, and the Sykes/3rd Conway chances in the first half were also given to us. Bottom line for me is this - I think we win that game 99 times out of 100 based on how poor they were and the quality of the press. And if the season was 48 and not 46 games long, I’d be putting the house on Blackburn going down.

Theres loads of threads on this. Im sure you’ve been a member long enough to remember them or find them.

I said in the pre match thread that LM was noticeably more relaxed in his presser than he had been at any point (and it was better for it), and the question would be whether that relaxed state would lead to “handbrake off” or reversion to what had been the preferred “possession” style as he felt secure. Thankfully, it was the former. We had less possession than Blackburn but harried and pressed 20 yards further up the pitch than seen in prior games. Yep, they were awful defensively - and as so said at half time, it was a mix of bad defence and a good press; you still have to capitalise. I think it’s too simplistic to say “he needed time” as that implies he needed time to get the players playing his way (or his players). What I am seeing over the Leicester, Plymouth and Blackburn games is a coach who has pulled himself more away from his base principles - and is better for it. Whether that’s been the treble sub at Plymouth or the willingness to be without the ball tonight, and to press higher up (leaving yourself possibly more vulnerable at the back) it’s been positive signs. Maybe the time he needed was, in Liams words, to allow him to be “braver”. He’s being braver. It’s getting results and all credit to him - we could easily have lost to Leicester and I’d still be saying that as the intent in the performance was better. I’d rather lose like a lion then draw like a lamb. So I go - cautiously - on signs of change. But that change has been exercised in part by a release of pressure. And I think it’s a change in the managerial approach. If that was borne of necessity due to how things were going I don’t care - just realise that we’re better this way and keep going down that track and people, including myself, will be happy.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/apr/03/the-knowledge-footballers-marriage-proposals-during-match Came up last week - Mick Channon amongst others.

Bit from A and a bit from B. We haven’t created masses off our own steam but don’t need to - in addition to the two goals the Sykes chance comes from an abysmal header straight to us and Tommys hat trick chance is a back pass. We’re pressing them higher because they’ve got a huge number of mistakes in them and that’s leading to openings. They also look pretty toothless up top. Goals came at a good time as they were getting on top but if you’ve got that level of mistake in you as a team you’ll lose more than you win. Column A - they’ve given us our four best chances Column B - at least two of those, maybe three, don’t happen without the higher press Oh, and can someone please attack the back stick on Twines corners..

It’s a must see. I learnt how to make Halloumi wrapped in Cornflakes the other day and according to Marcus Brigstocke, who wasn’t getting paid to say this, it was “delicious”. Sod the football, get me the ninja.

Whether it’s the weather, end of season nothing to play for vibes or Channel 5 showing “Air Friers: Sunday Dinner Made Simple” it’s far less busy than normal down here.

I think you may be wrong there. I certainly remember in the 80s City being as bad as anyone for the “You Black *******” chants. Thankfully long since gone but when I started going it was definitely there.