Silvio Dante

First Vyner steal I remember first half was on the edge of 18 (think it’s on the Sky highlights as first item) so I’d have to disagree there. What I think it does do - if we’re going to play this way (and I agree with @The turtle on another thread that I think it may not be accepted based on the clubs DNA) is bring Max further into focus. His distribution remained poor today - notably one where there was an easy Tanner ball but he played a dodgy ball to Dickie, and the “floaty” distribution remained. If we’re playing it around more and out from the back then his weakest suit becomes all the more apparent and I wouldn’t be shocked to see Beadle about in January. You do raise a very important question though - if Manning did expect the higher press to happen, the players didn’t follow instructions. That may be again because they’re being asked to do something that (as yet) they’re not comfy with.

First half hour was really two sides playing the same game. Hold off, play it around the back, look for an opening. Boro did it better than us though, for a couple of reasons - we weren’t as comfortable/used to it, and their pressing was better. Again, no issues with playing from the back but it wasn’t playing from the back - it was frequent short passes to Vyner and Dickie, both of whom got caught more than once. I’m not someone who thinks we need to launch it (and we don’t have the players for that), but what did need to happen was to play with more pace - and that’s when that ten minutes arose. The overplaying you mention happened in the first half as well, we just weren’t punished (and Manning mentioned post match that they expected Boro to be higher in their press half two). (NB half time in the concourse heard multiple conversations to that effect, also reflected in forum thread from a glance) The issue there inherently is you can have a gameplan, but so do the other side. I think it’s a stretch to suggest the TGH goal came from anything other than a moment of individual genius - it wasn’t really a worked opening and xG would be on the floor for it. No issue on patience but it has to come with penetration. That was lacking for long periods today and although I can appreciate that first half tactically, it is a very risky tactic - had Boro capitalised on one of the robs from Zak or Rob, we’d be having a very different debate tonight. Thats why for me today probably raised more questions than answers - I saw play being enforced on a team who didn’t look fully comfortable with it. And they may do with time. But today, I think a spirited second half and some quality at the end of half one has somewhat shielded what for a long part - even though appreciative tactically - was a meh performance at best.

Thanks for that

Well. That was an odd old game. First things first - three points against Boro is an undoubted good result. However, there is a large part of me that sees it as achieved in spite of what we were doing as opposed to what we were doing. That first 35 minutes were as bored as I’ve been at Ashton Gate for years - I’m talking Osman era bored. I have no objection to, and am more than happy to, play out from the back. But that wasn’t that. It was safe, 90-10 risk balls across the back line (and even then we got caught a couple of times). Two incidents epitomised that period - when TGH turned and played backwards and was roundly booed, and when Sykes, on the right and looking for a pass, threw his arms up in exasperation as there were no options. Literally, our only out option appeared to be a Dickie carry, and it was awful with no penetration even in the middle let alone the final third. Tactically, I’m not sure that a plan is for your CM to hit a 30 yard worldie every game, but post that it was positive because we played front foot pressing for the last 10 - and were a better side because of it. Half time in the ground the consensus was that we were lucky. And when the two goals came in quick succession (again by some bad playing out from the back) there was another muted shout against Lansdown. The base issue is this. We have a side and squad built for a high tempo pressing game. When we do that - and when we did that today - we can be very good. However, we tried to play a passive, stand off game which is nowhere near our strength- and other sides are better than us at it. Boro waited first half and just picked off the errors as we played far too slow. In the end, sheer bloody mindedness got us through (and a quality Sykes finish). But it wasn’t great. Safe for the bits we did what we’re good at. Liam is getting used to the team and the club. The club historically have never accepted negative football which is what that was to start with and against QPR - so hopefully he’s learnt that. More pertinently, hopefully he’s learnt that as a coach you may have a philosophy but if other teams have the same philosophy- and players more versed in executing that - you end up with that 35 minutes. However, if you play to the squad strengths, there is a real chance of success.

That’s probably the side I’d have picked (liked to have seen Naismith but not sure where he’d fit) so no complaints from me in personnel. Now it’s a case of how they operate.

It’s a point I’ve made a few times but in a lot of ways Liam is on a total hiding to nothing here. He doesn’t have the new manager excitement or currency, and as this thread shows the feeling seems to be disillusionment as opposed to excitement. Thats not his fault - it’s a function of the manager prior not being wanted to be changed by the majority of fans, and also the ham fisted way things have been done. A performance like QPR can’t happen tomorrow. I’m not in the boat of he needs to get top six, but he does need to get an uptick in performance at the very least from Nige even if results are consistent to justify the decision. I don’t consider myself excited for tomorrow. But that’s down to Lansdown and Tinnion, not Manning, and he has my full support to hope this works. But if it doesn’t - and quickly - this could go very bad very very quickly. Draw as a minimum with a positive performance is required. With this and Southampton, it feels like he’s been thrown to the wolves. Hopefully he can learn from the prior occupant and fight them off.

In terms of “bants” he appears to be right up there with Mrs Browns Boys!

Don’t know, don’t overly care. Just seems very odd and slightly needy behaviour.

Any reason why you’ve changed your handle and avatar to try and foster deliberate confusion with @Davefevs?

I believe now Lee Tomlin no longer plays for us that Cliff may be happy to be engaged.

Kavanagh LinkedIn:

One thing there can’t be is a downturn. I think most people would take similar results to achieved by Nige if performances improved. History has shown though we’re less patient to accept results if performance is poor (I’m thinking Holden). The QPR game was one where we expected a point minimum no matter who was in charge but the poor nature of the performance reflected badly. Summary: I think, unless results go through the roof with worse performance, we’d take performances improving primarily. If, however, results stay the same/marginally improve or worsen and performance takes a downturn, then I think that’s what causes the most potential issues

Full interview here:

Here’s the assist…played for and got…

Congratulations for not reading the post.

Theyve moved quickly to appoint a new manager who always delivers. Well, not always….

It may sound silly, but in a game of small margins I don’t think Liams demeanour will do him any favours (and again I’d note that what he is like with the players will be different to how he projects to the fans). If you read any Oxfords fans views the consensus is that he is relatively dispassionate in interviews and gives little away. It certainly won’t be “box office” like Nige, and although he wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, he was a character who many warmed to. I don’t want to rake over the circumstances of his appointment again, but it is a fact that he’s not coming in with a lot of “new manager currency”. A relatively dour interview style won’t be something that galvanises and gets fans onside - and I think he needs that positive on the pitch start all the more in view of that.

I’ve got an easy solution to that one, my sons the goalkeeper

I’ve long thought a team is a reflection of the coach at youth football. To me, of course I want to win, but it’s secondary to the teams development as people. We’re at U12 now and have had pretty much the same group since age 7/8 - one addition on each of the last two seasons because they were school friends of existing players as opposed to getting them in based on ability. It’s the whole “no *********” rule - they have to fit with the group ethos. It is difficult sometimes - I’ve turned away players (or said they can train only to start with until there is a space) when I know they are very good footballers and will improve the team. Against that, if I got them in it means less playing time for the kid who’s been with me since seven and is part of the team. So I come down on that kids side every time. I guess what I’m saying is that you can have a side in the higher levels of youth football where the kids/parents are still nice and play genuine. But it needs the parents to really buy into it and as a coach, you need to be totally up front with what you’re doing and why. It’ll certainly mean more to me if we win something with a group I’ve taken through than with a cherrypicked squad.

I reffed a game for one of our U11 teams yesterday - was more of a “development” level and you can’t help but see the difference - it’s part age and part level. Even though it’s only a year from where we play, the intensity and pressure is far less - and the kids were far more polite. Theres definitely a difference between - not even HML and AYL - but moreso the top 3 -4 divisions and the bottom 3-4. I think at the lower levels you tend to get more kids (and managers) playing for the love of football. At our level, it is more intense and you do end up with more coaches and players who are “win at all costs”. That leads into worse behaviour to officials from players and coaches alike, which is a shame. But if any of our lot ever get done for dissent, then I don’t think I’ll ever be more disappointed. It’s not how you do things.

As Frasiers father in law is a City legend, I think he has an open invitation

Did you deny being Robbored from the forum or have you stopped doing that to club representatives now?

In the studio tonight and BBCRB are soliciting questions. Unclear if fans will get the opportunity to ask in person, or if Liam will walk out in disbelief after Tony Wilkins gets through.