Fuber

7 minutes ago, mozo said:

Interesting comparison with LJ's road warriors. I remember that being all about soaking up pressure, die hard defending and hitting teams on the break.

But this season we seem perfectly comfortable just taking control of matches, dominating for long periods away from home and just generally looking technically superior.

That's not to say we're obliterating opponents, and obviously we're not defensively solid enough to do that, but at this level, with this youthful squad,  it's remarkable. 

Different players are stepping up. Semenyo didn't get in a rhythm when he came on and definitely at fault for the first goal conceded. He tried to do too much when he was surrounded.

But his superhero attack play wasn't needed because Conway, Scott, Wells and others were already sizzling.

What a treat

Just to point out, Blackburn had a team that was on average over 2 years younger across the pitch than us tonight. Just an oberservation.

Cracking game, result and performance and I pray for many more like it.

1 hour ago, Davefevs said:

Think James started pretty steadily for us last season, but then played for several games with his injured foot (Plantar???) and that seemed to lower our evaluation of him.  Think he formed a reasonably decent partnership at the back end of the season, but for many the die was cast.

Dont get me wrong I don’t think he’s been brilliant overall, but when fit I think he’s got some unfair criticism.  He is good positionally, and he actually closes down well, just not great on the turn!

Was good on Wednesday, better today…just that Alex Scott was so good!

One of those solid players that tends to give a 6 minimum, 8 at the max.

Does the simple stuff well and gives us license to press. Seasoned professional and assured in possession.

3 hours ago, ExiledAjax said:

I maintain that his signing was unnecessary, profligate, kneejerk, and made for the wrong reasons.

He's hit form, and that's good, I'm delighted for him and us. However, for his wages and amortisation cost we could have had two players of Championship quality in the side for the past two years. If we are playing to his strengths now then it's because we now have the other players to allow us to do that. When he signed we weren't doing that, and couldn't, so therefore the signing remains open to ridicule.

For me he will always be the overrated symbol of the Ashton age.

I'd sooner use the likes of Palmer as the adage of the MA era.

Overrated, lazy, huge wages, stupid fee, for a position that was simply not needed.

2 hours ago, Davefevs said:

I do think some of that is contract situation - Nige has said he’ll use players if / when he needs to.  At the mo’ Han is giving him an easy decision not to start him.

Agreed, a part of me think he feels his time at City has run its course and feels its more cultural than football reasons, I.e. moving back to France wouldn't shock me.

It's a possible self fulfilling cycle aside anyway, he may not sign on citing lack of game time, but due to said contract situation, and the form of James, Williams, Scott, how do you start him?

19 minutes ago, maxjak said:

Why are certain posters obsessed with Scott  and Semenyo  leaving?.  And to which clubs, and for how much?   Let's be honest ,there is nobody on here that has the slightest idea?  Lets just enjoy watching them play for our club...and fate will dictate what happens to their careers?  I  find the whole fixation as boring  As ****!

I think it's namely where there are some who do not want a repeat of the MA/LJ wastage, Under any circumstances, where possible. Concern-driven.

1 hour ago, redsince1994 said:

Was exceptional today. Single handedly beat their press a number of times, inc some fantastic footwork for our first.

Was also impressed by how many times he won the ball back with a range of tackling. Don't think a season being played at RWB has hurt his long term prospects in that regard!

Seriously exciting player

Said alot when I think the Blackburn forum commented themes along the lines of being reality-checked with regards to Adam Wharton's ability by Scott today.

It's ironic as usually its Massengo oppositons fans don't shut up about. Good position for us to be in.

33 minutes ago, Cardy said:

What’s the odds on Massengo changing his mind all of a sudden??

No much if he cant get in the squad or start to be honest.

Think its more likely we sell in Jan for a nominal fee i.e £1m.

1 hour ago, Redtucks said:

I wouldn't say it's all down to Big Nige.

Development of the youngsters over the past few years has been a big plus and much of that has been down to Tinman.

 

True - but to be fair to Nige, he could have held the Mourinho line and avoided the acid test of the youth.

He's managed them as best he can and chucked them in the deep end, but with as much support as he can give and not been afraid to take out the firing line (see Towler last season). Equally given them time to intergrate with the first team over time and chucked them in and they've risen to the challenge (Conway).

It's a common theme for injury prone players as well re Williams.

He may not be the best manager tactically, which I'm sure even NP would admit, but he's a fantastic delegator and man manager. I cant remember the last time we got as much from a squad of players. relative to investment and league reputation.

5 minutes ago, robin for life said:

Yes, but HE'S ALWAYS had it!!! We were playing him out of position and not to his strengths and giving him 5 minute cameo's. The problem was NEVER Wells, it was Bristol City not using him correctly. 

Our recruitment was the problem - we weren't recruiting to a system but clubs in the bag.

Luckily, the counter and press system Nige is implementing suites Wells' game, but I would also point out credit for Wells for going with system, improving his fitness, and most importantly his work rate.

He's one of those players whereby I feel he's happy when he's playing well and trusted, which is now the case. He's bought into the system.
 

7 hours ago, ExiledAjax said:

Personally I think Bentley would be the hardest to replace. He's not perfect but I think he's about as good a keeper as we can hope to get (bar a loan from the Prem which seems unlikely under Gould and Pearson).

Think Bajic has possibly been bought in to replace in case he doesn't sign on. Much more sweeper style, but also a decent shot stopper which appeared ironically to be O'Leary's weakness when stepping up last season.

Future planning seems like to me, I.e. get Stefan conditioned up to speed first 6 months and settled, then possibly loaned out to League One/Two in Jan if possible.

Or I'm hopelessly wrong and this post can be ignored. Who knows.

14 hours ago, And Its Smith said:

Who you playing in the Weimann role then?

Could easily rotate between Wells and Semenyo in turn. I would have said Benarous if not for the injury and where/if Weimann needed a rest.

Scott doesn't get involved enough when played there I need my opinion.

Just floating random thoughts to be honest.

4 minutes ago, Logical-City said:

Conway has to be dropped simple IMO Semenyo is undroppable at this time 

I'd honestly drop Weimann before Semenyo.

Last of the Man United team left departs the building, and one the best parts of it for me.

Exact kind of defender we're missing atm, brave committed, no-nonsense.

Hope the club leaves the door open for him to do his coaching badges with us if that's an option he's thinking of taking up.

Best of luck Bakes.

42 minutes ago, pl00peh91 said:

Also it feels like he’s aged five years in three months having watched him play this season 

Its plausible his minds been elsewhere to be fair. His biggest strength has been his football intelligence since he's been with us.

Add to that he's never played wide defender in a three, etc.

40 minutes ago, 2015 said:

I really do not miss the Johnson days. Most of the time we were scraping wins and playing on counter attack. We have a side who actually look to effect games now and are worth getting behind. I'd take how we are playing right now above 80% of his reign

Most of the time we were crap and knicked a goal.

Don't think we even really played on the counter attack - that would qualify as an identity and we never had one under LJ. 

3 minutes ago, cellist said:

I missed the first half - why was Massengo taken off? Injury?

Wondering if Pearson could have done anything differently with the subs. Obviously a good call to bring Semenyo on when he did. You can point to Weimann playing at RWB for a while instead of Wilson but would it have made a difference to the goal? Maybe bringing Klose on for Vyner to see things out (but we brought King on to see things out, and look how that went)

Klose wasn't on the bench to be fair. Nothing NP could really change to counter their balls into the box. No idea if it's a knock, injury etc.

Usually quite positive. However;

Too many 5/10 performances today. Lazy and wasteful in possession and it's cost us. Weimann missing much of the game, possibly the knock.

Didn't think much of Blackpool to be honest. They were there for the taking in spells.

Naismith pass put Vyner in trouble, never mind the touch he took was the worst possible he could have taken in that scenario, the latter was literally something you'd see in park football. Shocking. Then gets outpaced and out muscled. Unfortunate as it's undone all the positives I thought he achieved at Cardiff.

Atkinson must improve or he risks losing his place. Thought he was very poor today.

Conway my man of the match, Semenyo, Wells, and Williams did well. Naismith one of the best on the pitch until their third.

DaSilva, Scott, Massengo - on balance all did OK.

Atkinson, Vyner, Bents, Weimann, all pretty poor compared, to at least, their individual standards and what we know they can do.

1 minute ago, Sheltons Army said:

Blimey - sounds like we are very lucky not to be four down

I'm probably skewed by the Luton/Cardiff performances and being too harsh. But a lot of basic errors.

Conversely Naismith, Williams and Conway playing very well.

Massengo, Scott (assist aside), Weimann, Vyner and Atkinson pretty poor.

DaSilva, Conway and Wells trying to make things happen.

Bents pretty poor, crosses apparently mean hot-potato.

Hope Pearson sticks the boot into them a bit at half time, Blackpool there for the taking.

The Robins TV commentary is woeful. If I wanted nothing but propaganda I'd watch Russian State TV.

1 hour ago, miagsygas said:

Nibble.

Fairplay for it - dont mind the banter personally.

Just a shame your forum is like mentioning the war in Ukraine in Russia when it comes to tongue-in-cheek comments or any kind of satirical banter.

Been banned three times in three posts on three differing accounts. 

2 minutes ago, Cardy said:

Tanner hasn’t covered himself in glory there.

Got unlucky with the ricochet, Kadji got under it, didn't know where his man was.

On 21/08/2022 at 21:18, headhunter said:

In our latest episode DaveP is in the chair talking with Ian ,Lezz & Rob Pickles about today's hugely impressive win against Cardiff:

LISTEN HERE: https://foreverbristolcity.podbean.com/e/cardiff-h-reviewed-if-this-style-can-be-maintained-then-the-sky-s-the-limit/ [Also on Apple, Google & Spotify]

Never mind Scott, Semenyo & HNM as our star trio, you have to add Tommy Conway to that list as he scored for the 2nd time at home this week. Cardiff were no mugs but they lacked firepower in the final third and when they got within a whiff of a goal Bentley was on hand at his usual shot-stopper best.

We mustn't get carried away with the positivity we expressed in the content of this episode but this side [OK, based on just two games] looks like it knows what it's doing and that's something you couldn't say has been evident for a while.

Must give a shout out for the referee Thomas Bramhall whose eagerness to let the game flow was a pleasure to behold!

 

Apologies for the wordy post as I'm tapping out notes as I go along with it.

Wish the pod was this measured when there's a defeat would be my only point.

Good counter arguments and points made re team selections (DaSilva Vs Pring) and other points.

Not sure I'd have been as easy on Ian with regards to the Weimann 70% mooted sale, thought defending it with Exiled's tweet speculating interest wouldn't shock was a weak deflection - who is the source dammit! 

Sykes/Freeman was not as serious as the Blackpool/Burnley incident imo. Maatsen was much much more forceful, but that's just my opinion.

Re the relegation to playoffs prospect swing in view. There's ebbing and flowing, then there's whiplash. Think the pod needs to prerequisite someone to look at the bright sides to any draw/defeat to compare and contrast to allow more balanced conversation, as so far when there has been a defeat it's just a fairly predictable droning critique usually blaming the manager (rightly or randomly).

Bryan rightly written off on a return as unrealistic pending wages.

Disagree crowding the ref. Luton barely did it and Sykes got sent off for example, simply off of Freeman's reaction. Gamesmanship is fine, but pressuring officials and 'bullying' them is a step too far imo, but again, that's personal opinion.

Good Listen Overall.

13 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

Can someone explain why Cardiff were allowed to make 6 subs?

I know the first one was a concussion substitution but is it really now the rule that they can still make 5 more as a result?

They did so using 4 breaks as well, which when we copied them by making 4 in 4 separate substitutions really did break the game up.

Concussion subs have carried over from last season.

Base subs moved from three to five.

1st is concussion sub, further five allowed.

They made the further 5 subs in 3 breaks hence allowed.

4 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

Me too.

Excellent ball in for the disallowed goal.

Couldn’t work out why they kept switching him to the right, but thought he was one of their better performers.

To be honest I've always preferred him on the right.

His outside foot isn't bad at all, and it gives him an option to to cut inside.

Think Morison was just trying to switch it up trying to be clever, but ended up not allowing their forward players to get into a rythem.

13 minutes ago, Engvall’s Splinter said:

O’Dowda fully justified NP’s decision to move him on today. Pretty non-existent. Typified the majority of his time here. 

Ironically I thought he was one of their best threats first half.

Then in typical Callum fashion got bullied a bit second half and vanished.

Shame it didn't work out, but just needs to be more ruthless and aggressive.