Fuber

1 hour ago, Superjack said:

I'm a big fan of Nahki Wells and the last two games are examples of why.

But what I really want to say is that I thought Vyner was excellent today. 

They were all excellent.

Going to work very happy.

Worth Noting Zak was really shaky the first 20 along with Williams.

Key thing a few in S19 noticed is, both Bents and especially Naismith gave them both an earful and encouragement.

Culture difference to last season appearing, at least, to be night and day better. More collective. Same vibe as pats on the back when theyve done well. I.e. Bents and Nais to Atkinson at Luton after the save by the former.

Kal's very communicative and combative just what we needed. Him and Klose very good communicators overall.

That and game management much better as the season has progressed.

12 minutes ago, Selred said:

My man of the match. Fantastic movement, fantastic attitude. Tree points as he would say! Happy days!

Suites the narrow forward three we play to a tee.

That aside, cracking day out.

Tommy Conway is a red.

Onwards we go. Forza City. Playoffs here we come.

29 minutes ago, TomF said:

According to Ian Gay we had to win because of Nigel’s unnecessary changes to the side 

I think his view is that we apparently had to win, period.

Which I don't really understand, Id have taken a draw before the game.

Problem is, he slags off Nige immediately, "better tell Nige", etc - on posts merely questioning why Scott is RWB, and insists Wilson in for Williams.

Issue being Nige will do it for the next game and Ian will criticise him for it, he can't win.

Is it that difficult to question the team without sarcastic remarks until after the game? - will be interesting to see if he gives any credit to Nige in the next pod but I assume not.

16 hours ago, Wanderingred said:

That was a more complete and controlled performance than anything we’ve seen in the last two years. The fact that the sending off didn’t phase us was massive. Definitely a reason to be optimistic of better times ahead.

Up until the red for Sykesy, probably one of the most commanding performances since Man United, to be honest.

20 minutes ago, And Its Smith said:

Jacki, Goodridge, Dave Smith spring to my mind 

Adomah also. Christian Roberts for me was a personal favourite. David Cotterill.

1 hour ago, GrahamC said:

100%.

At present we have Weimann, Conway & Wells who can all play parts of his role & it is also worth pointing out we’ve scored in all 4 of our games without him, largely thanks to Andi.

There is an argument therefore & I think it’s yours (?) that if we were stronger defensively and/or in midfield that would be more beneficial & is where to prioritise any funds.

Just to make it clear I’m not saying that Conway or Wells are as good as Antoine, because if they were someone would be offering us £10m+ for them instead, but they could do a better job replacing him than our current options at the back or in midfield.

Final point, if we did look at a striker I’d want someone who could lighten the load on Martin myself, not replace Antoine, at 34 in October we are ready asking a lot of him at present.
 

Also worth pointing out signing Sykes and Wilson for the right and side has given us muckers more pace as a team, add in Pring over JD and it's even more so.

If we can add a mobile right sided central defender and a central defensive midfielder, and loan a CAM/ST to replace Semenyo for the season and I think that will have been a solid window.

2 hours ago, City oz said:

Top Robin I totally agree with you. Listening today NP is starting to repeat himself on various web sites. " I-am frustrated and disappointed with some of the official decisions and our inability to stay a head when we are winning"

The last two years we all think give him a chance. How many chances does he get ?. We finished 17th last season and with even taking on board the pre season friendlies it looks like no improvement on 17th again as what have we seen that is better.

NP  in his earlier years was a fair to great defender at Shrewsbury, Middlesborough and Sheffield Wednesday in his playing days. Later being successful with Leicester City but will it happen at BS3?? 

Time for NP to hang up his boots and hand back the keys to his car and office if we are all honest as it looks like we will struggle again this season. I feel sorry for all the fans that week in and week out turn up and leave disappointed where their expectations have diminished.

Not sure who can replace NP but something needs to happen or take place where some wins are on the board in the next few weeks.

Can any one on here honestly say we are in a better position now than in season 2019/20

Issue being we have weapons on socials saying get Corboran (Ian Gray for example) and others actually having the audacity to mention Dyche.

The aboslute Womble should be aware the former is already at Olympiakos, but then he thinks he's god gift to football debates.

I don't see who replaces Pearson. Better sometimes the evil you know than the one you don't. It may be we appoint a renowned coach rather than a manager from youth levels with the younger squad we have (Swansea with Cooper for example).

We have an owner who isn't interested and ultimately at fault for our current position.

The most realistic are Lee Bowyer, David Wagner, and Tony Mowbray, if we want championship experience.

Otherwise it's then outside shouts like Roy Keane, Xabi Alonso, or Philip Cocu.

However, with it being us, the most realistic proposition is Euell getting the managers post.

Expect it may be King and Scott in midfield, so something akin to;

Bentley, Vyner, Klose, Naismith, Sykes, Pring, King, Scott, Weimann, Conway Martin?

Just now, Davefevs said:

Yes, sorry…meant to add from last set of accounts….my bad.  Completely ok now.

No worries, was questioning whether I'd imagined those transfers briefly and had to double check. 

1 minute ago, Davefevs said:

Not just wage budget, but amortisation costs halved last season and this…and will be a tenth next season as it stands.  That’s some overall budget cut isn’t it?  No wonder we have a thin squad.

I think we are generally trending up from the start of last season, when we had to go backwards to go forwards.  I don’t take 3 league games in isolation.  Last season we never took less than 3 points in a four game run…ie. We never had a bad run of results….below par sometimes, absolutely. But never a bad run, we always found a result.

The win percentage for those of you that like those things is generally on the up too (5 game rolling average type stuff).

So I think it is coming, and continues to come.

Not to the extent we are and not to the extent we had to last summer when we bailed with players like Diedhiou.  We are in a small group of clubs really struggling financially.  We have addressed this but this takes a while to play out.

I thought we’d have resolved the contract situations of Wells, Massengo, Bentley, Dasilva, Kalas by now.  Trying to gain a signature to reduce a wage isn’t gonna be something a player does in a timeframe we can push.

 

 

But here’s the big positive:

At least None of us are as completely delusional as Ian Gay, who thinks we should be approaching Carlos Corberan!

What fantasy world does he live in?

I’d hate to tell him that he’s manager of Olympiacos, but that’s irrelevant, as he would never come to a club in our situation.  Christ, he would stay at Huddersfield.

Next he'll suggest Dyche.

17 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

I think there are only 3,4,5 clubs in our situation.  Forest would’ve been had they not got promoted.

Stoke, Reading, Derby (now relegated), possibly Boro are the others in the mix.  Birmingham I’m not sure either. All the others have massive headroom either through PPs or because they’ve played within sensible budgets, e.g. Millwall. Luton, even Cardiff, etc.

So not that many really.

It bugs the hell out of me that it’s happened to us…luckily we started turning the financial oil tanker around…just takes a while.

Didn't Boro get alot of money for Tavernier and Spence?

3 hours ago, nickolas said:

Or we could just not be so negative and play forward rather than constantly go back to Bentley?

Poor tactics and lack of bottle from the players which causes too many negative back passes. 

It's not just the matter of passbacks.

A counter attacking style which we are leaning on requires quick distribution by it's very nature. Even at this level Bent's distribution is pretty damn poor compared to other keepers in the league (Bachmann, Bursik, Steffen, Nicholls, Johansson).

21 minutes ago, Keepers Ball said:

Well if he could do all the things you want as well as shot stopping he wouldn't be here. 

Call me old school but I prefer my Goalkeepers to protect the goal. That's what they are there for.

Bents is currently 22nd for save percentage compared to shots faced in the league.

1 hour ago, Bar BS3 said:

Under LJ we progressed each season,  until the end. 

We were regularly at least outside hopefulls of a playoff challenge. 

Please show me the stats from LJ's time here against those of NP... 

Show me the increases and decreases in wage spending with regards to the same correlations, namely in context of turnover.

We mathematically progressed sure.

However, aside from the cup run, after the Wolves game that season it was a slow disaster unfolding ranging from tactical suicide and finances to culture and dressing room in unrest, a prime example of a statistic with no context being used to paint an incorrect picture.

Pearson, on estimate (and @Davefevs can feel free to correct me) has probably probably had his wage budget reduced by around or at least 35% of that of LJ's final season due to the asinine strategy employed by JL and MA on their tenure.

It's much easier to have problems solved chucking money at it than cutting costs.

1 hour ago, cidered abroad said:

Very good reading of the way they got their second goal. But 90% of our fans can only blame one player. The same one that gets slagged for every goal we concede!

Because irrespective of Sykes not tucking in, Vyner both played Simms onside, and didn't keep himself goalside and got sold on the latter cutting in for a pack of biscuits.

Simms is simply aerially and on the ground a handful of a striker at this level. Him and Stewart caused Zak and Naismith all kinds of problems.

5 hours ago, sh1t_ref_again said:

Han was excellent 1st half, until he took a knock on 42 minutes and could see he was struggling and stopped running, with James injured in warm up, maybe Han was asked to keep going or maybe hoped he could run it off in the 2nd half to try and keep his place, but obviously could not.

I am no fan of JD playing in defence but thought he did OK against Sunderland after being poor at Hull, but would much rather have Pring back there.

I wouldn't have said he was excellent, he was chasing shadows at times even first half - he was OK, poor after the knock. Him and Williams as a combination just don't see to work neither are as good as James positionally. But it's all opinions at the end of the day.

Point with regards to Jay was if, as mooted in another post, he was moved to fullback in a 4atb system. He's been fine if unspectacular at Wingback.

57 minutes ago, Bouncearoundtheground said:

A little trepidation. The wrong owner, Saudi Arabia style, could certainly be enough to kill my love for this club. But it’s clear that a change at the top is needed to move forward.

True. It would depend on who and their conduct.

I'd be happy if they can just keep us stable and appoint a consultant on football matters who could chair the club.

Ironically think an American would be ideal for us with the Bristol Sport framework in mind, just weather that's the style of investor that materialises.

1 hour ago, RudiRed said:

Also the midfield being completely over run which could contribute to individual defensive errors.

Have to point fingers at Han yesterday, he was woeful.

27 minutes ago, TomF said:

I really do wonder if a change to 4-3-3 might help us at back 

Think we'd need Pring back for that - Jay gets massively targeted at FB for his height.

1 hour ago, Agard Days Night said:

How far are you (personally) happy for the rot to set in until it’s clear it has not worked out?

It's been relative under different managers.

O'Driscoll and Cotts it was the bust ups with fans which killed it. LJ would have been the second losing streak (end of second season). Holden was the wrong appointment.

The key issue this season has been stupid individual errors.

If we have three or so games in a row where we are outright outplayed, and we don't shift shape, I'd probably be done.

The one thing I'll say for Nige is that, he's not really (barring first season) had any horrible runs, anything close to those under LJ at least. Added to which, there's never been a collective utterly poor series of performances.

It's when that does happen, now that he's recruited a fairer portion of this squad and how he reacts that will dictate my view.

My support of any manager is not endless. It simply depends on the context of their position and performances. And in the scope things at the minute, it's been stupid errors and individuals not playing well enough that's causing problems.

Error for the goal, although I'd add there was no reason for Bents to play him that ball in that situation.

Didn't see the same pace issue everyone else seems to see, didn't seem any slower than Vyner, more the fact that Simm's is pretty rapid. Added to which both him and Stewart are very strong in the air - which showed today.

Personally would move Atkinson central, or put Klose in, and judge him when at LCB where he played for Luton where the aerial weakness is less of a problem.

13 hours ago, italian dave said:

Got to disagree about Klose. He may be slow but, unlike Naismith who’s equally slow, his reading of the game and his calm head allow him to get away with that. He was only on the pitch for 20 minutes today but he exuded more confidence and assurance than our other three defenders put together. 

Timm in a nutshell - also worth pointing out that same gate was shut while Naismith was alongside him, not replacing the latter.

I think he's just the player Naismith needs alongside him. They both communicate, which Kalas not Vyner really do.

If we could try converting Rob to the right, I really wouldn't mind a back three of Atkinson, Klose, Naismith. But that's highly unlikely due to balance.

For myself.

- Bents still needs better decision making with regards to distribution. Albeit Naismith's fault, no reason to go short in that situation.

- Vyner just isn't good enough, struggles with any mobile target man.

- Martin simply isn't mobile enough, it's fine when supplemented with Semenyo available, but otherwise simply does not work. Simms would've  been perfect for us.

- Thought Sykes looks a solid bit of business.

- Need a partner for Willams. Massengo not good enough in a two with James injured. Scott should have dropped back earlier.

Think as long as we get competition for Martin (ideally shifting Wells on), and a DM, with TK fit, we'll be OK.

1 hour ago, RudiRed said:

His reputation was going down the pan and be realised this may be his last chance to prove himself at Championship level. 5 years ago NP wouldn't have touched BCFC, but after  dire time at derby and in Belgium, plus an unsuccessful but challenging gig at Watford, his career trajectory is firmly downhil. He hasnt arrested that slide with us. 

So ultimately I think he had every reason to take us on, a solid Championship side on a poor run giving him the opportunity to try and turn around his flagging managerial career.

I'd argue he could've easily held out for another EPL job. I think his spell out with COVID, more than anything, limited his chances in that regards.

23 minutes ago, Agard Days Night said:

I’m not stamping my feet, I’m voting with them. 

Question, then - did you do the same with O'Driscoll?

2 hours ago, Agard Days Night said:

Personally I can’t find any reasons to like the bloke, he hasn’t endeared himself to the fans (can’t and don’t speak for everyone but that’s what I hear). Not a good enough record and he’s afforded too many chances and excuses are made for him and by him. I don’t think he represents the Bristol City I know and love and I won’t go back to the Gate whilst he’s in charge. 
 

Before I get pelted with ‘who else is there?’ posts, the truth is I don’t know. But I’m firmly ABP.

The only thing I would say, is that Nige had no reason to take this on. I think early on he realised the size of the task. IN spite of his own ill health, he's fighting to see it through.
Added to which, first half today we played some passages of play that topped anything I've seen with regards to fluidity in the last 4 years.

I understand he's a marmite character, and it may not work out - but he's our manager - I'll (personally) support him until it's clear it has not worked out, or there's no coming back.

13 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

We were missing three “power” players today…Semenyo and Kalas as starters and Pring as a squad player.  I do think getting them into the 11 / 18 gives us a different complexion.

Even though people are scapegoating Vyner today, he played ok today…but I think Sykes or Wilson outside him might prefer Klose.  That bit of leadership / comms imho would help the, as they settle in. That’s a bit harsh on Zak though…but needs must.

Add James as well Fevs.

34 minutes ago, Flagon said:

Would probably look good in a good team

One of those midfielders, similar to Nagy, that in a three I can see how it would work.

Tactic doesn't help him. Square peg round hole etc.