downendcity

......Is what City fans might think, but never say, based on bitter experience and disappointment!

I did offer his Mum (Mrs Downend) in part exchange!

Sod's Law says that parachute payments will end the season we are relegated from the prem!

Ask somone much younger to do it for you? It's why I asked my son to stay at home - even though he's in his late 30s and married with 2 children!

...especially so if ignoring/getting round the rules leads yo promotion and premier league riches.

To paraphrase the great Eric Morecambe, you've got all the right words (well nearly!), but not necessarily in the right order!

Did we get a penalty?

You missed out the 'h' !

Football's Sod's Law gods will probably ensure they go through the season relatively injury free!

I know we've had a change of personnel in the back 4 but also think that one of the reasons we look more solid at the back is that defenders are more confident with Max behind them than they were with Bents between the sticks.

Is it against Bristol City? Yes Therefore no penalty!

Sod's Law! Leicester is the closest " home" game for me in Fenland, but I will be staying overnight with my sister in Downend en route to Cornwall.

If ever you wanted the definition of "money talks", that's it!

On OTIB? Not a chance!

Would we be discussing Vyner's tackle if they were still wearing the really baggy shorts from 10 years or so ago?

If he comes on for the last 45 minutes is he a half Nelson? I'll get my coat!

Birmingham was the first home game Ive been able to get to for ages. I've read NP's comments about us having to learn how to break down teams that come to AG and set up defensively. My take from the Birmingham game was that while possession based football is fine, the speed of our build up was the problem. By the time we had passed back and across the back 4 in our own half Birmingham were easily able to get men back behind the ball and into shape. This also negated Bell's pace, as when he did eventually receive the ball he was closely marked and with no space to run into. Our frustration then led to the likes of Vyner trying to play long balls out of defence, mishitting the pass and giving the ball to Brum. Naismith's long passing is far better, and might enable us to spring attacks from deep and in particular getting the ball earlier to our runners when they can attack space in front of the defence.

Cornick, Mehmeti, Dickie. McCrorie, Knight and Roberts in 2023 doesn't strike me as providing Pearson with a lack of support. The elephant in the room is, of course, Alex Scott - or more importantly his sale. Pearson is on record as saying that he had a plan with Alex Scott and one without, and I think think that many fans have interpreted the plan without AS as being one with a replacement for him. However, the harsh reality is that, at our level, AS is irreplaceable - at least within the sort of budget we have. Perhaps NP's plan for life without Scott wasn't to bring in a direct replacement, but to bring in someone like Knight and change the playing style a little, although I understand that this would not fit the narrative with which this tread seems jam packed. I've read many posts where it appears posters have Mystic Meg like powers , as they seem exactly what SL is thinking, what he thinks of NP , why SL will not offer NP a new contract and that SL is personally pocketing the £25m from Scott's sale and all of this is implied as being fact. It all reminds me of Donald Rumsfeld's famous quote "There are known knowns, things we know that we know; and there are known unknowns, things that we know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns, things we do not know we don't know. "

Dublin saying that England need to learn how to break down teams playing 4 and 5 across midfield. It reminded me of City playing at Ashton Gate. Slow and predictable build up from the back allows the opposition to get players back behind the ball and into their shape, thereby making it difficult to break them down. Breaking them down perhaps involves quicker build up play so not allowing the opposition to funnel players back so easily.

Now then, now then!

Remember when we were kids playing football, and one of the lads would go home in a huff 'cause he was losing, but it was his ball so it's game over? This is a step up from that!

...but they wouldn't be hitting today's high tech balls, wearing high tech boots and playing on billiard table pitches. Also back then, today's strikers would not have a fitness and nutrition regime to keep them at their peak, they would probably be smokers and drinkers and the same would apply to today's goalies, were they playing back in the day.

.... and if today's players "enjoyed" playing on muddy ploughed fields for half a season, and being subject to the type of tackling that was allowed in Greaves' time, with little to no protection from referees, many would only play for half a season, let alone manage nothing like the goals they do today.

Jimmy Greaves must turn in his grave every time Shearer is lauded as the all time premier league top goal scorer.

Neil Warnock says "hold my beer"!