bearded_red

I’m not saying it’s right, as it isn’t, but warm up games have largely died off for all countries. It’s not unique to this tour, it’s happens pretty much all the time now.

This England team didn’t even arrive in the country until earlier this week as they decided they’d rather train (play golf) in UAE.

Used to love watching Somerset play games before the test series against the touring team, unless I’m forgetting one they haven’t had one since Pakistan in 2016 as like I said, warm up games don’t really exist anymore.

Don’t want to be too harsh on Hartley, but Simon Kerrigan only went for 53 off his first 8 overs in test cricket and he was literally never allowed to bowl another ball.

It seems to be breaking news to Pietersen that Leach and Hartley aren’t as good as Ashwin, Jadeja and Axar Patel.

Really glad they allowed us to get a few easy runs before bringing the spinners on.

His performance in the League Cup against Palace probably the best I’ve seen from a City centre forward of that type, absolutely unplayable.

1 hour ago, Markthehorn said:

Let’s hope it does spin as expected then and Mark Wood can hold up fitness wise all game .

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/68078567

With Root we have 4 spinners really !

Stokes to bowl a bit ?

 

Said in his press conference yesterday he’s not bowling until the summer.

Absolute disgrace, just as it was during the World Cup when journalists of Pakistan origin were being denied visas.

We should be refusing to play until the issue is sorted, absolutely no chance the game would be taking place if roles were reversed.

Of course, nobody will actually find any backbone to stand up to India though.

1 minute ago, Supersonic Robin said:

It's incredibly that we have fans who genuinely believe Pearson didn't move the club forward

Genuinely staggering isn't it.

Nothing more ridiculous than comparing what’s happening now favourably with the first few months of Pearson’s tenure.

Have a look at what both managers were inheriting if you wish to make such comparisons. 
 

Or, and I I know this is a mental shout, you could just judge the current manager on what you see before you without worrying about what anybody else has done.

As it happens I think results are broadly fine, it’s absolute bang average and that’s what this squad is. Entertainment however is almost nonexistent.

1 minute ago, Sir Geoff said:

Now it's just saunter around a bit pass the ball aimlessly between the defenders and when everyone's bored lump it long into a corner or in Zak's case out of play.

Yeah but you have to say they’re coached to do this excellently!

1 minute ago, And Its Smith said:

You think this on the Manning’s style of football? The atmosphere has been poor for years now. 

Literally didn’t mention Manning did I.

Maybe when the team don’t spend every other Saturday afternoon boring people to tears the atmosphere may improve, just a thought.

Wouldn’t expect anything less from the same club that on Tuesday night showed the goals from the game at the London Stadium and Downsy the clown said ‘to once again celebrate our 1-1 draw’. Celebrate!

No wonder we never achieve anything ever. A club absolutely over the moon with complete mediocrity.

What a bloke.

When you take into account the nightmare time he’s had I thought he was very impressive tonight.

'worked up' 'meltdown' 'upset'.

Literally no evidence of this is there. 

2 minutes ago, UncleRed said:

So loans work for everyone else, but because this club has a poor history of loaning players we shouldn’t ever do it again?

Just trying to see what one point you’re making through the rest of the mess.

I haven't made any point champion, I've quoted our former CEO who our current Technical Director appeared to agree with.

I remember just over a year ago Tinnion sat there nodding along next to Richard Gould as Gould explained why loans for Championship clubs from Premier League clubs was such a huge waste of time and money. In fact he even chipped in at one point asking the fans in the crowd to name just how many successful loans from the Premier League we'd had as a club? The crowd was rather struggling as after the absolute tap in shouts of Caulker and Abraham someone had to go back 30 years to name Andy Cole. 

What happened Brian?

Just an aside, and no doubt I'll be accused of not moving on or something, but Gould made the case against expensive PL loans and explained perfectly why it isn't beneficial to us as a club. Won't ever stop the utterly simpleton shouts of NiGe DiDnT lIkE LoAnS!!! though..

9 minutes ago, Finley_Smith10 said:

Don’t wanna keep going on but **** me. 11 stone

Find yourself someone that loves you as much as Ian Gay loves stating the height and weight of professional football players.

Best midfielder in Premier League history.

1 minute ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

Apart from die hard Manning ball fans, I'm not sure anyone is enjoying 0 goals in 3. 

Well I’d completely agree, but on Twitter (not really on here oddly) I keep reading how much better the football is and how better coached the team looks.

Just now, Numero Uno said:

We all know that was bollocks from the hierarchy so why not put some heat on them……just FOR ONCE in the last 25 years of the Lansdown’s average ownership?

I am absolutely desperate for them to sell up and leave so I can’t imagine that’s aimed at me.

For what it’s worth, results under Manning are fine, just like they were under Pearson, the squad is fine.

I don’t blame Manning or Pearson for why it’s clearly impossible to ever be any better than fine at this level. The club needs a change of owenership if it is to ever progress.

I do blame Manning for playing a style of football that utterly bores me, but that’s a side issue, and it seems plenty of other people actually enjoy it so good for them.

Just now, And Its Smith said:

How are people moving the goalposts?  If fans want to judge him when he gets his own players that is up to them. They aren’t the fans goalposts, they are the owners and Tinnions 

He wasn’t brought in to bring his own squad, he was brought in to get more out of the current squad.

6 hours ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

I've heard Owers and Ian Gay and now posts like this say Manning needs to be able to bring in his own players. 

 

Sorry but wasn't the change made in order to bring in a head coach who could get more out of our current set of players? So why the f are people speaking about him needing money to spend just to get us back to where we were? 

I have no problem with us bringing in 2-3 in the window as that's what you'd expect in every Jan window. 

My issue is with the excuses people are using for these poor results and performances. 

 

 

 

This is spot on.

Fine, let him sign the one or two players in January that Pearson should have been allowed in August, but people seem to be moving the goalposts and talking about ‘judging him with his squad’ and seemingly believing he needs to bring in a whole new raft of players to play ‘Manning ball’ (my god that phrase irritates me).

If we are only able to judge him with his squad or he does need to completely overhaul the squad to play his preferred style of football effectively then it is in actual fact an open admission that it was the wrong appointment.

The change in manager was supposedly to get more out of the squad we had. I can’t believe for a second that Jon Lansdown and Brian Tinnion were lying again.

I reckon the only thing more boring than ‘be careful what you wish for’ is actually watching City play football.