Fuber

2 minutes ago, chinapig said:

Should have kept Niki Maenpaa. Much more reliable with crosses.

Not with his injury record and our finances.

Just now, nickolas said:

Shock. O’Leary flapping. 
any chance of Bentley again please. Sod ur distribution, give me saves. 

Bentley is literally just as guilty of sticking to his line and not attacking the ball - its literally what I'd be most critical of him on. Max needed to do better more with regards to it being near straight at him. I'm not sure he can try claiming it through the crowd with it being in-swinging.

The big question is who on earth was marking him; nobody.

Just now, Paulton Red said:

The commentator on red button keeps saying it’s a positive start by Luton-does he think we are Luton???

I've yet to hear a Sky commentator even comment when we play well.

So typically the one time we do they've given the commentator a negative filter on his contact lenses.

QPR are the model we need to follow with regards to recruiment, at least under Warburton. Smart reinvestment of funds from sales, nothing extravagant, older players on largers wages only on loan - mitigating longer term financial risk, etc.

Read some daft stat earlier that out of the top 6, most squads cost are over £120m (Fulham, Bournemouth, WBA).
QPR's first 18 (including bench) was something like £7m (not including any loan fees).

Dickie, Dykes, Johansen, Field, and Willock cost a combined figure in the region of £4.7m - essentially for that same fee we bought Palmer and DaSilva.

Austin, Odebajo, Dunne, Adomah, on frees; McCallum and Gray on loan.

No fee for a single player over £2,5m essentially, plenty of frees - difference being, Eze aside, their Academy has no where near our profligate output with regards to our pathway system (O'Leary, Vyner, Towler, Scott, Benarous, Conway, Bell, Edwards, Pring, etc). The advantage to the latter being two fold - cheaper wages and greater profit margins (when/if sold). This summer will be huge.
 

20 minutes ago, Red Army 75 said:

Tanner and Atkinson relatively low transfer fees for the championship. Both young both with potential to make profit on. Low risk. And this will be the model the club will use for years to come. Fees for older players will rarely happen and we will sign them on a free and rotate the wages season after season. Player after player. 

I'd actually say it was quite expensive; when you consider QPR signed Dickie, arguably a more complete player - albeit 2 years older - for only £300k more, in consideration of cumulative losses caused by COVID.

We need to ultimate focus on wages, wages, and wages. Need to cut the high earners, or at least renegotiate contracts, or sell where we can maximise profit based on age/contract situation, i.e. Wells, Kalas, and Bentley as respective examples of each. Added to which others we need to make decisions on whose contract run out this season - O'Dowda, Martin, etc.

Greek - Taka Taka, The Athenian.

Indian - Coronation Curry House, Urban Tandoor.

11 hours ago, Marcus Aurelius said:

Going against the grain here but I think Bentley is better with the ball to feet + distribution. He’s been trying to hit statues behind mobile defenders most of this season.

Bents passing isn't anywhere near as accurate as Max imo. And the stats back this up massively.

Massive difference in passing and kicking, as a keeper.

1 minute ago, Robbored said:

Tbh - the thought of resigning Pack (or stopper Flint for that matter) never ever crossed my mind. Both did okay for City but they’ve moved on just as numerous other players do.

City’s regular midfielders all offer more than Pack ever did. No room for him nor BB for that matter……………..

Of the same mind Robbered, but others in the thread have a differing view.

Wouldn't go back.

He's on a fair wedge, and more importantly He wasn't a fast player with us. Apparently for Cardiff hes slowed up even more. I'd also argue that with Nige's aim of making us a cohesive counter attacking threat, Pack slows the game down simply too much to suit the system, not does he have the mobility to sweep up second balls.

He was a good servant. But now is not the time to entertain a comeback when we're mid rebuild just because he went round and clapped our fans and is one of the Cotts title winning team.

Plenty of other midfielders who are out of contract in the summer. Rinomhota, Laurent at Reading for example, who are younger.

12 minutes ago, Better Red said:

But right.

Some people have a bit decorum 

Then there's this complete cock-waving.

1 hour ago, GrahamC said:

12 out of contract this summer as well.

Us last season then, essentially, with FFP closing in much more.

3 hours ago, frenchred said:

Id raise you: Gary Collier

I meant to amend that to the Lansdown era. 

8 hours ago, Simster said:

We have progressed because the club have thrown millions at the right things.  A proper infrastructure (not just a stadium but also the training facility and an extensive behind the scenes hierarchy.) For this reason, I'm genuinely more worried we will lose our head of recruitment Dan Ashworth to Newcastle than of losing Yves Bissouma in the summer.

I always looked at Bristol City as a club who are going in the right direction, but then you brought in Nigel Pearson who seemed a baffling appointment.  Mind you, success at a football club doesn't begin and end with the manager these days, that's for sure.  There's no doubt that clubs like our two clubs can compete at the top level simply by being very well run.

We had a completely overblown squad situation caused by our previous inexperienced manager and our absolute useless scumbag of a CEO that led to wages being over 200% of turnover.

Nige's premise was to sort us out, not spend money due to FFP, and rebuild. I.e. releasing 11 players over the summer.

If we avoid relegation this season and see progression of some kind of style of play, any of us would take it.

This season was a write off before it began.

As for Webster - best centre back in a City shirt bar none.

If wage reductions on relegation were standardised at 50%, across the EPL, it would avoid situations where PP are required.

Ultimately there are many measures that could be taken, that won't occur, due to the inherent greed of the EPL. 

In some ways English Football at this stage would be better off without the Premier League. The gulf has grown substantially due to ring-fencing. It's heading towards a closed shop bit by bit.

4 minutes ago, Major Isewater said:

Bentley, Massengo, Scott, Semenyo, Kalas, Pring, Weimann, Atkinson, Benarous… 

Of those the only ones I would consider Jewels are Scott, Pring, Benarous, young - and long contracts, two of whom are in decent form - that we can build a core around, arguably Atkinson also.

To be sustainable we can't afford 30+ on over £10kpw going forward (especially paying fees for said individual), nor those running down contracts (Massengo, Kalas) as stands.

We also need to know when to maximise profit and when to hold onto a player. I.e. Bentley, for whom we have seemingly an adequate deputy in Max.

All players have a price, what we need is a strategy in how to mitigate and improve on said individuals going forward.

8 minutes ago, Tafkarmlf said:

Sadly that squad has League 1 written all over it. 

If we did business in that way, next season would be very difficult providing we actually stay up this year. 

Smtp would work in our favour a little bit but the hit on fimances at that point may prove too much 

It's the same way in which we did business under Cotts, even under LJ we didn't spend bucket loads that first January. 

What choice do we have?

It was the players we stuck with and developed that earned us funds that Ashton then all but burned in a furnace.

Our best players the last few years, i.e. those that were sold on for the most part, were all lower league signings, academy players, or free agents, I.e. Flint, . The only exception was Webster. Even Eisa, Szmodics, and Adelakun we just broke even on and they didn't work.

There's enough free agents to provide a base, I.e. Barbet, Bidwell, for example, alongside Kalas, Atkinson, Tanner, Pring. Sign a right back and I'd consider that a marked improvement over Vyner and DaSilva.

You mention in bold as if spending bucket loads on wages and fees and signed established Championship players and EPL youngsters has worked. For the large majority it hasn't. The wages at the top tier, even for academy players as per JD and Palmer are simply unsustainable for us, we need to soak up releases and avoid amortisation costs on such risks going forward - Brownhill being the big example for us in this model.

12 hours ago, Major Isewater said:

I like the fact that Gould is challenging the EFL and prefers à points deduction to selling the family jewels.

 

What family jewels?

I'd argue we could replace anybody we sell currently, there a huge market this summer.

12 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Maybe I'm overstating the risk- well it wouldn't be the first time. 

Think we'll be fine to 2021/22 but the trouble if it arises is likely to be to be the season. Owing to monitoring of the future as well as the past and importantly the present, what I can see as possible is EFL and club sitting down in the summer, Gould even alluded to it.

If we are on track to fail to 2023, we will be expected to fill the hole. To remain at or below £39m (adjusted for allowances and Covid costs).

Unfortunately for us and I assume a range of clubs, the Covid number that had been mooted is £5m!!

I have a few ideas on how to fill that hole though some are fairly unpalatable. The contract extensions subject to wage limits can also pose an issue.

Bentley- Sell

Kalas- Seek to extend, even by 1 year but maybe longer.

Massengo- Extend or sell.

Purpose of extension for these 2 was mentioned by @Davefevs a while back was to smooth the amortisation. Obviously they're 2 of our better players too

What of the out of contract? Simpson, Cundy, King, O'Dowda and Martin. Simpson can probably go but what about the rest? Decisions to be made.

Now for some of the more unpalatable bits. Subject to fees and possibly sell on clauses we use part of them to restructure.

Eg a bit of a windfall and perhaps we look to loan out Wells or pay him off and accelerate the Impairment hit.

Palmer. Wasn't there a link with Dean? Perhaps we trade and accept the amortisation hit- Dean we can maybe use due to fears over Baker's long term fitness or we look to flip- he would join at zero Book Value, that could be pure profit.

Some of these options are less than desirable but trying to think outside the box a bit- over to you lot.

On the other side, naming rights for AG, individual stands and so on? All suggestions welcome :laugh:.

Forgot to add, Moore- to Hearts again, permanent deal there or perhaps elsewhere owing to his good form there perhaps.

We've done some of the heavy lifting granted.

Realistically the coming summer is the big one.

We may have to suck up naming right for AG, no matter how much I/we may despise the idea.

We (for FFP) would need to sell pretty much all the high earners. To that regard, we'd basically almost be forced to sell Kalas (the only one whom I think we need to keep), and Bentley (for whom we have adequate cover). We would need to find a way to then also offload Wells, Palmer, DaSilva, with Moore (where viable) permanently going to Hearts.

Massengo would need to be sold if no agreement forthcoming on the contract negotiations.

Realistically (nor would I think) any of those expiring will be offered further deals on a cost versus performance basis. O'Dowda possibly the exception, but also on the highest wage.

That would leave a squad of;

O'Leary, Wiles-Richards.

Tanner, Vyner, (Kalas), Baker(?), Atkinson, Pring, Towler(Loan?).

James, Scott, Benarous, Williams, Bakinson.

Semenyo, Conway, Weimann, Janneh.

Would leave us in the need to conduct smart business in the summer. Would basically need one player for every position across the pitch aside from Keeper, near all where possible would need to be free, loans, or reinvestment of a portion of funds received depending on how much we were to actually receive.

On the likes, where applicable, of examples such as Kabongo Tshimanga, Festy Ebosele, Elliot Moore, Harry Darling, Josh Martin, Matt O'Riley, or players of that ilk.

Supplemented by free transfers. Yoann Barbet or Bidwell for left back as examples who will be aware all clubs are cutting cloth.

Worth noting there are also players who qualify for WP abroad with expiring contracts also, i.e. Anos Pieper, among others. 

This just highlights the sheer reason as to why parachute payments need scrapping. The gulf between relegated teams (who are yoyoing) and lower championship is so, so stark.

It's a good sign for us if nothing else, that it's gotten worse since he left them.

Onwards and upwards.

1 hour ago, Davefevs said:

Which is why I’d not bother with a striker this window, keeping them out is more important at this point in the season.

With the (speculated) scenario ingoing with Bakes, possible Long Covid with Atkinson, and Towler needing more league experience before the step up to first team duty (Imo).

Assuming (big if), we get rid of Palmer, loan out JD, possibly offload Moore...

Should we expect a CB in on loan, perhaps? Or RB, shifting Vyner as necessary?

All hearsay obviously. My point being Fevs, based on your current feelings, what position if any would be your immediate concern?

3 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

No. They don't deserve to stay up for all the financial fiddling they have done in the last four/five years.

I'd rather Derby win on the basis that both suffer end of season for the shenanigans with regards FFP.

1 hour ago, aa_bcfc said:

You think not. Probably at fault got the 5’9” ish bloke scoring the header and dreadful challenge for the pen. He might make it but miles off at the present. 

To be fair, that was a fantastic whip by Wallace, it was one of those that, I'd argue, is nigh indefensible.

The same 5"9 bloke who is also in fairly exceptional form if I'm incorrect.

Challenge for the penalty 100% a straight error. Young and Rash.

3 hours ago, swanker said:

I don’t care what and who was playing in front of him I’ve got a funny feeling he won’t play in that position for City again.  

There's some of that OTIB optimism.

Jesus Christ on a bike,

36 minutes ago, petehinton said:

Seen a lot of this, if he is then he’s not doing it very well. 
 

“Look at how much we’re struggling, I’m having to use Towler at CB. Can I have some money please? I’m desperate”

”uhh…we gave you £2m for Atkinson this summer. Why aren’t you using him? We also gave you money for Simpson, where is he?”

”…..ummm. Yeah fair points, sorry” 

I never mentioned Towler.

By all means the penalty was 100% the error of a young defender. 

I actually thought Benarous and Vyner played worse first half.

1 hour ago, dREDful said:

Gotta say I thought the starting line up looked shocking defensively and so it played out but well done to him for not only making the changes but firing up the side at half time leading to a brilliant turnaround.

I hope this is the wake up call the club needs. Before the likes of Bryan and Reid the Academy produced no one of real note for most of the previous 20 years. We've now gone to believe we can almost wholly rely on it where it is quite clear a number of the youngsters aren't ready or maybe never will be for this level in all reality. 

Let's invest in some transfers and kick on to give us some hope for the next season now. Well done Nige. 

With all due respect we shat on LJ for doing the same consistently.

I do wonder if he was making a point with regards higher ups re reliance on the academy, as well as to us as fans.

Either way. Onwards and upwards.