2 minutes ago, Edgy Red said:

To be fair he had funds because we had consistantly raised money by selling players... Kodjia, Magnússon, Kelly etc.

The FFP debate annoys the hell out out of me but at least LJ gave players a chance who went on to make us decent profits.

If Nige has to cash in on Massengo or Bentley to bring in a couple of forward options then so be it

This ignores the tens of signings made under LJ and MA's purview that didn't make it with us. Engvall, Szmodics, Eisa, plus a multitude of others.

2 minutes ago, Dynamite Red said:

Not when you look at the mess of a wage bill he and Ashton left. 

This

13 hours ago, Top Robin said:

Every post match interview he highlights our weaknesses and faults but I wish he'd ******* sort them out at some point.

 

We shall see.

Simpson and Downing being booted out means something must be in the works, or at least being sorted, with regards to coaching setup.

I quite like the way NP is diagnosing the issues piece by piece. Communicating that with the fans in an open and honest manner.

I think by clearing our the deadwood he wanted to see how KD and PS dealt with a smaller core group, as in theory the time per player should've been higher and the training and instructions more effective.

Obviously (as we've seen) things improved initially this season, and have now nearly reverted to last season's awful standard, in spite of said smaller core of players. Ergo he pulled the trigger on both.

A note on Recruitment, I think he's handed over to Gillespie, and barring his own connection signings (Simpson, King, James), and the supposed shabby running or replying to agents on the former's part that were commented on here, I have to say that Tanner and Atkinson have been very astute bits of business. Can't criticise in that respect. Hopefully if that keeps up and we can sign lower league gems with the same dedication and the odd PL cast offs, can only improve.

Onwards and Upwards.

1 hour ago, Redrascal2 said:

How can you write you want Nige to succeed when virtually every post turns in to a rant against him. If you want him out  that's your opinion but please don't pretend you want him to succeed. That is pure bull.

 

 

 

 

 

This.

23 hours ago, Hampshire reds said:

For me super nige has to get a win on sat. another defeat and for me changes will be needed. only my opinion. the usual ones who dont have an opinion will be giving me stick for this post. It will be 18 games which is not good enough. believe it or not i want him to be good for city but so far it is not good enough. Or have i missed something 

'Don't Have An Opinion'.

If we didn't have an opinion you wouldn't be fishing. Woe is me, people disagree with me. Do you want everyone to simply agree with your view? - I which case - narcissism of the highest order, congrats.
Never mind the fact you consistently say he should be sacked if X, then say the second part in bold - which evidently is not true, otherwise there's no point to this thread, you evidently think he should be sacked.

Just say who you want to replace him, I'll wait.

A driver can't do much to save the car when the wheels have been stolen, engine's not turning over, and the brakes are seized. Just try to keep it rolling and fix things a step at a time. We need patience as a fanbase.

If that can't be managed, politely, bugger off.

Also, yet another pointless thread.

8 minutes ago, Top Robin said:

Just half of it

A fifth of it more like.

2 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Not listened to any interviews, first post I’ve really got to tonight, been out watching the Bristol Flyers lose 81-82 to Surrey, which rounded off my sporting Saturday “nicely”….not.

My summary:

For some reason or another we’ve gone away from the basics of early season., where we looked well drilled, committed, etc, without looking hugely cohesive, but it was enough to get results.  I liked that we stuck with 442/4411, changing personnel to suit, e.g. Cardiff where we went Baker at LB, rather than go back 3 to accommodate him.  We looked flexible within a framework.  I felt encouraged.

I hate looking at formations as the root cause because that makes me hypocritical as at best I think formations are 30% at most, and 70% is about the players.

But….I see big issues with the way we play a back three at times.  I don’t mind it per se, but I don’t like how we go about playing it.

Not enough marking by the 3 CBs. Against a front two, there should be no reason why Grant and Hugill are not marked tightly at all times by Kalas and Baker (in the main) knowing that Atkinson is spare.  There really shouldn’t be a case where Grant comes short and Kalas doesn’t go right up his arse.  He shouldn’t be able to turn and slide Furlong in under no pressure.

If they don’t mark it means someone else trying to drop back like James, and therefore there is no pressure then into midfield, where we get passed around and can’t get enough pressure on the ball.  Playing three seems to result in a bit of buck-psssing, e.g. if I don’t mark my man, surely the other two will bail me out.  I don’t like that.

I generally don’t like Dasilva at LWB, I think he gets caught playing it a bit in no-man’s land.  I know plenty on here don’t like him defensively, but I think if you get him with the play in front of him you see a better player and I think he positions himself better defensively too, even if he might have some weaknesses….at least you get the best of him on the ball….and you can build passing moves off of him.  Whether Pring could play LWB better I don’t know….but I thought he played really well at LB today.  Will observe more.

I also think playing 2 CMs and 1 AM is asking for trouble against better teams (QPR / WBA).  You might get away with it against lesser sides.  We got dominated playing Massengo in-front of James and Bakinson at QPR (but got a smash and grab win) and ditto today with Weimann in-front of James and Massengo. Two different opponent styles, we couldn’t cope with either.  Playing them as a flat three would’ve made more sense, at least we’d have had a back eight in two main banks.  As it was we had pockets of space for West Brom to find far too often.

Back to basics next week please Nige.  Disappointed today tactically…even more so with application and commitment.

Pring and Wells gave good accounts of themselves today.  I didn’t always come off for Wells but at least he carried a threat.

An interesting week ahead.

I do question whether the reason for the switch to more a 3 is the sheer unavailability and or number of wide players in the squad.

Alternatively however - I'd be interested in a comparison between games where we've played Baker-Pring compared to JD. I always feel Jay flatters to deceive going forward and is a liability defensively.

2 minutes ago, And Its Smith said:

Did you watch the game? Every player put in their worst performance of the season, hence I said they are all better players than they showed today. That’s all I’ve said. I’m puzzled how you can disagree with that really. They were all incredibly poor today and are all better than they produced. 

I think your reply shows we are talking at cross purposes 

Apologies, my view was in the context of the last few games as well as today.

I was more referencing that I believe some on this board massively overestimate how good a few of our players are. Quoting your post in particular was likely just short sighted of me while I unknowingly went on a tangent.

2 hours ago, Edgy Red said:

As supporters/fans/customers we are entitled to our opinions and unfortunately Bristol City (my club) always flatters to deceive.

Nige still has my support but the excuses regarding the mess he inherited, can only go on for so long.

We have seen very little improvement in the time he has been here and his reluctance to add at least one offensive player (loan or otherwise) during the summer was wrong.

We are in a relegation battle (along with probably 10 other teams) and i'm not quite sure how we can put a run of results together at this moment in time.

I will be at The Gate on Saturday for the Barnsley game but it will be in hope, more than expectation.

Think it's this that needs addressing.

Why only so long? The mess he inherited will stay that way until he has room to maneuver and resolve - it's as simple as that.

Fact if the matter is that, until someone/players are sold - we won't see any such movement, aside from end of season windows when some wages will be freed up.

Hence why no offensive player was signed in the summer. We still have the likes of Moore, O'Dowda, Palmer, DaSilva, on very good contracts. Not forgetting Kalas and Bentley.

We needed, from last season's squad, to cut wages by at least 40%.

That hasn't happened yet as far as I can tally, I make it a third.

Until two or three of the aforementioned are sold, we're stuck, unless we risk FFP punishment - which could be done, but Gould and SL will likely play it by the book.

1 hour ago, And Its Smith said:

They are all better than they showed today.

Disagree with this. If I'm being honest.

Kalas, for me, while he can be a good defender does not communicate enough - period. Especially with more inexperience players either side of him in Atkinson and Tanner.

Jay and Kasey have provided a return nowhere near the £6m we forked out for the pair.

Bents has wonder saves and howlers in equal measure. Theres a reason Brentford upgraded to Raya. Arguably his distribution has been woeful lately. For me he needs dropping - but then he's also captain.

Martin and Weimann simply aren't good enough physically in the former's case and technically in the latters.

I could go on.

I realise there is a degree of, if they could do all of X y and Z they'd be PL,  true, it'd be good if they could prove to just be solid at this level. Which none of proven whatsoever, there been zero consistency.

Of this squad, the only ones I'd look at keeping are O'Leary (Never had a string of games since Villa), Atkinson, Pring, James (who I think must need a rest), Tanner, Massengo, and Scott.

While as squad options I'd keep the academy prospects such as Semenyo, Vyner, Towler, Bell, Conway, Janneh, and Benarous. With a couple to be loaned out as need for gametime. Purely on a cost basis.

Everybody else could be binned, sold, or released, and I don't think I'd bat an eyelid.

O'Dowda, Bakinson, Palmer, King, Simpson, DaSilva, Weimann, Wells, Weimann, Martin, Moore, etc etc. Wouldn't care, if anything I'd be glad if the wages saved.

If we could get money from any of Kalas and Bents, Id snap their hand off. Think we may see some really cutthroat transfers over the next 18 months.

I've said it before, but for me, we - along with Millwall and Hull, must have one of the most technically inferior squads at this level.

5 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

What I'm disappointed at, is you'd think Nigel Pearson would be better at lifting morale after a crushing blow like Tuesday's loss. A vetran manager, you'd think he had the man management skills to lift players back up so they do, indeed, go again. Play to their best ability. 

But here we are, in a sort of last season death spiral again.

Against decent oppo admittedly, but the belief just seems to have gone from the side.

 

 

To be fair, two of these recent games (writing this one off as a loss) are against teams who profit from an utterly broken financial aid system.

Until that Cancer is removed from the league, we struggle and paper and in the literal sense to compete.

Same for us, Preston, Millwall, etc.

Ta least half of this league have had the equivalent of £60m+ for free in the past 11 years.

I don't think belief is the problem, the issue is that for all the effort we can try and leave on the pitch, we're a small squad with zero technical ability with some wasters still on the books.

Just now, BasSavage88 said:

Litterally anyone ATM. Anyone defending Pearson is a ******* idiot 

Anyone wanting him gone with no one to replace him, with this squad, is a bigger one.

1 minute ago, The Dolman Pragmatist said:

Pearson working his magic then?  Anyone want to mention ‘progress’.  Sack him tonight.

No manager is the solution to this show.

Ashton's management with regards to player recruitment and managerial appointments, in combination with a nationwide pandemic, has left us up shit creek without a paddle.

1 minute ago, billywedlock said:

All long ball from us, it is a tough watch. We cannot keep the ball, we get pressed and .. bang. Shows the lack of technical ability . 

What it comes down to.

2 hours ago, And Its Smith said:

That is surely Murray. We advertised the under 23s job as a £35,000 per year job. Why is a kit man on more than that?!  Cos he’s funny? 

Because he's also a club ambassador. Most likely.

https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/micky-bell-joins-city-full-time/

MICKY BELL JOINS CITY FULL TIME

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22ND 2021

Micky Bell has joined City full time as a Professional Development Phase coach.

The appointment of Bell, who has been working part time with the Robins’ Under-18s and Under-16s, will further strengthen the Academy’s coaching structure.

Bell made 330 appearances for City between 1997 and 2005 as arguably one of the club’s finest left-backs.

And with managerial stints at Clevedon Town and Weston-super-Mare under his belt, he brings local knowledge and valuable experience to the role.

Bristol City Academy Director Brian Tinnion, whose partnership with Bell on the pitch was legendary, said: “Bringing Micky in full-time to work across the age groups is a huge boost to the Academy set-up and the club as a whole. He is very highly regarded and well known and will really help the development of our young players.”

Transition continues.

2 hours ago, VT05763 said:

Virtually every new manager inherits a "mess".

But you may well be right re time scale.

Depends.

Managers inherit players who aren't playing for the manager, may not be good enough, or it may be the previous manager was playing incorrect tactics.

Not many if them inherit such a mess of a playing squad as we have, with no previous style of play, destroyed morale, a contractual epidemic, bloated wage budget, with way to address it, etc.

Just now, Sturny said:

But on the other side of the argument let’s say he’s worth 5m and it pushes them to 8m? I see your point though and fair enough 

My understanding is that said release clauses tend to be up front. Which is less useful from an FFP standpoint.

I.e. Webster was £19m rising to £24m with clauses, said £19m was split in three equal installments.

Similar with Kelly.

Whereas if we wanted money up front we likely would have got less.

52 minutes ago, Rocking Red Cyril said:

Yes I do agree 

Attack is the best firm of defense.

Keep the ball in their half. They are not scoring from there

Therein lies the issue.

This squad sucks at actually playing football. It's kind of important at this level.

Theres a reason we try and play on the counter.

3 minutes ago, Sturny said:

To make sure we get enough dough if we sell

That doesn't make sense.

Release clauses are dodgy unless your aim is to keep a player and you set it to a hugely unrealistic level. Let's say hypothetically we out on a release clause of say £8m.

All that does is mean if he's worth £10m (assuming that could happen) we'd be losing profit.

With respect Sturny, I'm glad you aren't in charge of contract clauses. 

Trust the Club. Selling players is one area where I'd argue we've conducted good business the past 5 years.

31 minutes ago, Coxy27 said:

Is it?

I think you have a short memory in the relative history of the club.

Being an established championship club is no disgrace.

Issue is the mess has put this at risk.

This squad is not mid-table with regards to quality.

12 hours ago, watkins1983 said:

Bang on. Atkinson is another example of this. Great signing.  Massengo coming on at a rate of knots. You would think with the balance we have of youth and experience brought in we would be lighting up the league……

We have good potential players in defence and midfield, such as the above.

However for each prospect playing well, the more experienced squad members are letting them down.

3 hours ago, BS3_RED said:

While I agree with the sentiment, There was no need to make the changes he did last night. Swansea were absolute dog sh!!e against us but managed to see the game out by keeping the ball for long periods of time in the last few minutes. We can not do that cos we panic and thats on the manager.

Is it?

The players have no technical ability. That comes with development coaching as youngsters. We've panicked on the ball for three years under three managers. The only constant in that is the squad.

Not much you can do to improve the link up play of 30 year olds who simply don't have the composure to play possession football.

12 hours ago, harrys said:

Are you joking, it could barely be worse, how come Cooper can go to Forest with just 1 point from 7 games and immediately turn it around yet Pearson cannot win a home game in 8 months, like Hughton and most of the older managers around they are way behind the times, I said in the summer that we missed a trick by not going for Cooper or the new Swansea manager

Forest have players with actual technical ability. As for the comparison with Hughton, sometimes it can be right manager right club and vice versa.

We, on the other hand, are left with tryers with no technical ability.

Of whom we barely have a hope of shifting.

Can thank MA for that.