pongo88

On 04/12/2023 at 22:22, cidercity1987 said:

Yes would have been a better fit for us than Manning, although I think he would prefer a Northern club

He would have fitted the current players and style of player but I can’t imagine him being a fit with Tinnion and JL. 

Back in the 50s there were back to back matches on Christmas Day and Boxing Day that drew big crowds. Luckily it doesn’t happen now but, in the future with big TV money, a Christmas Day match might come back. Unlikely but who know when it comes to mega bucks 

Ok, he only cost £300k and his salary must be low if he came from Luton, but I don’t see that as being a very good reason for signing him. Basically he hasn’t got any of the attributes needed of a forward - he’s not fast, not particularly good in the air against big defenders, ok ball control but nothing exciting and, most importantly, he’s got a poor goal scoring record over his entire career. He had one good season at Luton when he scored 12, but that’s it. I could understand the signing if he was a young player who might improve with the right coaching, but he’s now 28. 
 

I would have preferred a spend (perhaps pushed the boat out to £500k!) on a player from the lower leagues who could at least hold up the ball when batting as a lone forward against big defenders. That’s what we currently don’t have. They are around, probably wouldn’t score many at Championship level, but neither does Cornick 

You’ve all got it wrong. As LJ said when he was Sunderland manager:

“can't be too displeased with the performance, on the data - percentile wise, it was a win, although it wasn't.".

I recon I could nock up one of these for only a few pounds. The issue, I imagine, is how much Network Rail would charge me to use the line to and from Parson Street 

Some people have a life beyond football 

34 minutes ago, Midlands Robin said:

I thought it would be interesting to look at a graph of our average points per game over a 5 game period….,

Please don’t, you’ll only encourage you know who to do even more 

1 hour ago, 22A said:

Yeovil walking away with Nat Lge S. Torquay up to 2nd, Bath down to 8th, WsM 12th.

I wouldn’t say Yeovil are walking away with the league. Seven points is a useful gap but Gary Johnson’s Torquay are only 7 points behind with half the season still to go. Torquay is also the current form team with 15 points from 6 games against Yeovil’s 9 from 6 

1 hour ago, eardun said:

Don’t talk about stats - you’ll set some people off on here! 

Exactly - if you’re not careful you’ll end up with spreadsheet overload 

As Winston Churchill once said:

”Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”

What has this to do with Mehmeti? Well, he seems to be on a journey from when he signed. He had talent and skill but little application. Gradually he’s got better, so perhaps it’s the end of the beginning of his development 

This is a classic 
 

. I expect Sky has chosen the match as they anticipate it will be relegation threatened team at home to a team chasing promotion 

I will be well prepared for City’s match against Sunderland as I’m going to a pantomime in the morning. At the second panto at Ashton Gate in the afternoon I will be ready with shouts of “he’s behind you” and “oh no he isn’t” etc 

5 minutes ago, Bernard Lerring said:

Ridiculous. And yet thoroughly, depressingly predictable. 

The Lansdowns track record favouring familiarity over capability is astounding when you stop to think about it.

I'm still frequently baffled thinking how was SL so successful in business with that kind of decision making 

He was successful at Hargreaves Lansdown because, as the company grew, there was a proper structure with the right people appointed to make the key decisions. Steve Lansdown and Peter Hargreaves had ultimate control but they didn’t make the big decisions in isolation. This was all done at a slightly lower level. The link below shows the current structure. This is obviously different to when SL was there, as things have moved on, but the principle was the same. All the people in the senior roles were recruited because they had financial management experience. (It’s interesting that there is, as expected, a risk committee - something lacking at City) 

When Steve Lansdown took over at City he forgot all he had learned in the business world and decided he didn’t really need any help as he knew everything. I can remember, when he spoke to supporters in a pub before an away match, he said he liked a committee of one - himself. When this didn’t work he went to the opposite course of action and delegated everything to Mark Ashton without any governance. Now MA has gone he’s implemented plan C with Brian Tinnion and Jon Lansdown making the decision. Two people lacking in the skills required to do the job. 
 

https://www.hl.co.uk/about-us/board-of-directors

If City play as they have done in recent matches it will be Malice in Blunderland  

He has achieved something - he makes SoD sound cheerful 

It’s working but I’ve got to disagree about the pundits Naismith and Wells. They might be knowledgeable, and add some useful insights, but both are very dull and don’t seem to have any enthusiasm. There’s more to being a pundit on TV or radio than what is said. It would be nice to have someone a bit lively with a bit of passion. (It would also be nice if City had a bit more life)

9 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

2,675-point deduction incoming for Man City.

....minus 2,674 points because the owner is a jolly nice chap, with the remaining 1 point deduction suspended for 1 year.

@Jerseybean - another great match day thread with one excellent part:

Head-to-head record

Won: 22

Lost: 16

Drawn: 14
 

However, you’ve let yourself down again by saying “Their distinctive blue and white quartered shirts….”  They don’t play in quarters. Da famous blue and white quarters belong to that lot at Horfield. Blackburn play in blue and white halved shirts 

24 minutes ago, Fordy62 said:

You should all try not caring. It makes losing a whole lot less stressful. 

I’ve tried not caring and the fact that I don’t care just makes it worse. 

From what I can remember of him he was a Mk I version of Neil Kilkenny who was a bit slower, passed the ball much shorter distances and did just as much pointing 

1 hour ago, harvey54 said:

We've lost the best manager we've ever had. Should have been given a new contract and money to spend in January.  The squad were overachieving but they played for him. Just ask a Leicester City fan why they won the Premier League. 

A ******* travesty

I agree with the sentiments of your post but not the bit about Pearson being the best manager we’ve ever had. Although he was good we’ve also had some other good ones over the years. Terry Cooper worked wonders with a mix of non league and cast off players. Before him Alan Dicks got the club into the Division 1. The big difference with Dicks is the board stuck with him (sometimes only just) and he was given time. 

I think part of the problem is that average managers watch teams like Man City and try to replicate their style of play. Unfortunately they ignore the fact that the players at their disposal haven’t got the same quality as those at the top of the Premier League. It would help if a bit of pragmatism was thrown into the mix and teams played to their strengths. If Manning is given plenty of time and money his style of play could easily work at City. On the other hand, if he’s got to work with a meagre budget he may struggle 

1 hour ago, Andy082005 said:

The club is rotten through to the core 

I personally couldn’t give to shits anymore. Haven't for a long time 

Lansdowns getting exactly what they deserve 

I agree with the first sentence. Unfortunately I do still care which makes the current situation all the more depressing.