Fuber

7 minutes ago, MelksRed said:

Down to motivation - no career enhancing opportunity like Southampton....players only want to turn up if they have a chance of being scouted for Prem clubs...irrespective of the input of the manager this macks of a total lack of professionalism.

Gone are they days when players played for the shirt. Just a stepping stone.....and we have clueless, spineless pr1cks in charge. What could go wrong?

Wasn't any issue before Manning with this group.

Fact of the matter is - with the players we have available, Manning's style of play and lack of plan B doesn't make sense for this squad.

More the fact I do not believe a few players leaving and coming in are going to fix everything. His style of play only works when your players are (tehcnically) better than the oppositions - similar to So'ton - a style which it should be noted can be very easily found out at this level as long as you have a fit and fast team capable of closing them out of a game.

We lack the creativity needed across the pitch to make such a thing work, so we should be focusing on the margins. Being able to mix it up, channels, transition, set pieces.

All of the above are what NP was trying to implement, sure it wasn't pretty - he was cucked with the sale of Scott without adequate replacements or reinvestment into the midfield, and an (impact) injury crisis that culminated in a loss at Cardiff where Cornick was up front, a green Joseph James at right-back for his debut, and Sykes at left-back. The hierarchy who had cause.  said circumstances then sacked him.

Luton showed the blueprint, you don't need creativity as long as the opposition makes mistakes and you can take advantage.

Sadly the only part the leadership seem to have realised is you can do it on the cheap - which isn't what they should have taken away from it.

10 hours ago, Big C said:

Fair enough but what games under Nige have you enjoyed this season?

Plymouth, Swansea, Hull (a), Millwall.

More, in the league, than under Manning.

7 minutes ago, ProfitInMyPocket said:

The few times we've added control at the back with the counter attacking elements of the old regime we've looked good against better opponents. 

Every time he's reverted to type with the behaviours and patterns he wants we've been dreadful and mindnumbing to watch.

Rather be mid table with a paper thin squad with academy lads getting opportunities and pressing every team that we play then watch this almost fully fit squad amble about trying to play a boring style of football.

Just my opinion on the style, don't have to agree. It just isn't for me.

Oh 100% agree.

Would just have rather they would have gotten another coach in to adjust to NPs system rather than chuck out the book as it were.

We're mindnumbing under Manning at times.

2 hours ago, ChippenhamRed said:

Pearson at City:

P131 W42 D32 L57 (32% win%)

Manning at City:

P23 W7 D7 L8 (30% win%)

Mitigation for Pearson:

- Inherited a mess, Covid, financial restrictions, player sales, substantial injuries

Mitigation for Manning:

- Not his squad yet, no summer, lack of time, change of playing style

So, overall, very similar records for both managers and mitigating circumstances in both cases. It looks to me like two managers getting roughly the same from the squad - mixed, mid table results with a mid table squad.

This is not a defence of the sacking of Pearson nor is it particularly a defence of Manning. But it doesn’t suggest Manning is the total disaster some seem keen to make him out to be, when his record compares very closely with Pearson who is widely regarded to have done a good job.

Once again the recency bias of two poor results seems to be preventing the forum from making a more objective analysis. Eight days ago we were speculating about a play off push. And even now we are in the top half. We also shouldn’t let the “top six” comment from the board distract from the reality. Manning has been stitched up by that comment, but that’s not his fault.

I can’t see the point of making a change and expecting much better from anyone else when all the other fundamentals at the club remain unchanged. Especially when we are in the relative safety of 12th position.

 

They key thing is the bit in bold for me.

The safer option for him was to add to the style we already had then integrate his style once he has a preseason.

His approach is incredible inflexible for what essential doesn't suite the players we have - and that's down to him and his inexperience as a manager - which was always a possibility.

7 hours ago, Port Said Red said:

 Yes, come on back, I don't care if you only turn up for match days like you did for your last 8 weeks in charge. I don't care that you ruined 2 years of hard work creating a team spirit and a good relationship across the club, by suggesting you were being undermined by senior management, when they asked if you needed any help during your illness/injury bringing the wrath of the forum down on the senior Management. 

Let's just call it water under the bridge and you can pop in whenever you feel like and give the press a hard time and the fans a giggle.

 

I've seen some awful takes this year, this may take the bakery, never mind the cake.

Some of the anti NP fiction is surreal. No 'suggestion' about being undermined. They had to use the excuse of an injury crisis to sack him ffs.

3 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Hiring GJ, hiring NP?

Good is more than outweighed by the negatives football wise but two quite good calls.

GJ Ill give you. But equally we're talking about a decision almost twenty years, so not sure how relevant it is to now.

Nige is irrelevant as metric in that argument seeming as all the good work has been reverted due to a lack of trust in his own appointment.

4 hours ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

Indeed. He's allowed these idiots to run the club. 

But Lansdown Snr has shown in the past he's the only one who's capable of making the right calls (sometimes) 

Think it's been covered before - but he's never made the right calls, infrastructure (eventually) aside.

All of his footballing involvement and decisions have been poor. The main exception were the decisions taken by Dawe who oversaw 2013-2018.

2 hours ago, Phileas Fogg said:

I don’t think Pearson would consider coming back in any circumstance - I’d be surprised if he managed again actually, seems content to relax.

Leicester thought the same. So who knows. But I don't think it's a close and shut case.

1 minute ago, Puckle_red said:

I generally like us to stick with Managers and give them time.

But I'll happily put my kneck on the line, Manning is not the one. In an ideal world he'd be gone tonight.

The problem being with that is, we get Tinnion and JL picking the next one, and around we go again.

Nige had 2 spells at Leicester...would he?!

If I was JL I'd sack Tinnion, get a proper CEO in - and get Horseman back into the club under Tinns former role ASAP.

Then make the overtures to get NP back. Olive branch etc.

If that fails - make him a consultant on all footballing decisions off the book going forward.

15 minutes ago, Lew-T said:

Manning has to stay until the season. But at this moment, my anger is with those above him.

He doesn't if the run is bad enough.

Pearson got a pass due to the diabolical hand he was played with regards to squad culture, Manning inherited the precise opposite.

3 minutes ago, George Rs said:

Currently has 0.4 ppg less than Dean Holden btw, cup run masking how poor this really is. 

Sounds about right.

Just now, JBFC II said:

To play devil's advocate, if you'd been given 6 points from the last 4 games would you have taken it?

I agree that he's yet to prove himself as having the sort of tactical acumen needed at this level, can't see him being relieved now and if he is, I'd fear about what would happen next

For me it's more the performances, despite the win we clung on against Boro and we're utter carp against Millwall, QPR, Wednesday.

One unexpected win against Southampton makes it worse, to be honest, as it shows that the players can play well. Which means it's down to setup, tactics, and selection - all down to the Manager.

24 minutes ago, Northern Red said:

And would anybody trust the people making the decision?

Think the last of any goodwill left the building with Pearson, Rennie, and Euell for me.

4 minutes ago, joe jordans teeth said:

Think you should change the title from Manning to Tinnion 

All of the management and leadership preferably.

Don't think I've been more apathetic about a result this season. Just has a certain inevitability about it all.

Its incredibly grating.

3 minutes ago, Lanterne Rouge said:

Owls down to ten

That's us losing then. Never seen us play better against ten versus eleven.

2 hours ago, CityReds said:

The statement was “9 days off” not 9 days not on the grass

That's my point.

7 hours ago, CityReds said:

Off grass doesn’t need to be off site, plenty to do in the gym, film to watch, none full throttle work that can be done. 

Tell that to the ownership who specifically implied and insinuated Pearson wasn't on the training pitch enough.

Meanwhile Manning now isn't getting the time he wants due to fixture congestion.

7 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

FFS.

All the best to Sam, it never rains but it pours eh.

How many hamstring injuries is that this season now?

Think thats what? - Sykes, Atkinson (two recurrances), and Bell with pretty serious Hamstring injuries since Rennie left in the last 6 weeks. Compared to two over 5 months inluding preseason for Ayman (rehab) and Conway (end of pre-season?)...

King was an ankle(?) recurrance iirc. Zak was a ligment strain. Tanner impact injury at Stoke, with Sykes lacerating his foot the same game (https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/bristol-city-injury-rotherham-united-8797849)

Almost as if a certain former head of medical and ex-manager mostly had to content with an unfortunate number of impact injuries but had the right idea reducing grass time over the international break to avoid over-stressing player fitness in a congested schedule.

I'm getting irritable again, so I'm going to stop there.

32 minutes ago, alexukhc said:

Seems Millwall are very happy with this choice, odd bunch

Depends - he steadied them at this level in the first instance and sounds as if the players confidence is at an all time low - at least with Harris they know what to expect.

7 hours ago, Tim Monaghan said:

This discussion seems rather nonsensical. Isn’t it ironic that we’re criticising someone for expressing their opinion on a forum specifically designed for discussing opinions? Unlike Ian, who is open about his views, @W-S-M Seagull was invited on the pod to discuss his, but he has declined an invitation. That speaks volumes. Maybe the username W-S-M Chicken would be more appropriate? 

@headhunter mentioned that anyone could participate in the conversation, so why not step up if you’re fed-up of Ians view? Unfortunately, it seems unlikely anyone will.

While Ian is undeniably opinionated, aren’t we all? The real issue lies in hiding behind anonymous usernames while sharing our perspectives. At least Ian doesn’t do that. 

I won't speak for WSM.

But HH invited me on a while back and the timing due to my work schedule was completely unfeasible. Otherwise I would've absolutely loved shutting down some of Ian's made up references and anecdotes.

22 hours ago, Cole Not Gas said:

This is really kettle...calling... I dont know who Gray is and like most other City fans dont listen to podcasts by individual people. I talk/message City opinions amongst a set of people i've known are good, die-hard City fans for many a decade. Only recently joined OTIB

BUT for some people to criticize an individual for expressing an opinion when about a dozen people on OTIB post so regularly they must mistakenly think that others want to constantly hear their opinions, is quite weird.

Also, people banging on about "Nige this Nige that" have totally missed the plot. Our club didnt rate him in '22 nor '23, most fans didnt like his football nor his results over 30 months and are mostly pleased we have moved on to someone different. And, as for a tiny minority of City fans who seem to think they are ITK and cool by knocking one of the Club's all time legends,Tinman, they should ask themselves what they have done make true fans happy? 

i love the variety of opinions on here but knocking fellow social media fans like you are better than them is really childish. Hopefully content stays grown up

No issue with others nor myself being 'knocked' if and when blatantly being contradictory or non-objective, if the content of others doesn't keep views of other in check then what's the point of forum debate.

Could make the counter point of contradicting yourself in that one post.

You knock some on here as if we consider ourselves better than Ian (we don't, just differing views), then do the same yourself calling a portion of the same posters childish.

Literally pot kettle. Ironically.

4 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

FGR have got some real 6 pointers coming up - Doncaster, Grimsby and Sutton before the end of March. 

Cracking result against Barrow in midweek.

On 14/02/2024 at 12:44, ExiledAjax said:

I just wonder if one has to be sacrificed in order to free up wages for the striker that I think we need.

With Bird coming in, and I guess with Benarous hopefully finally being fit, we may find that we can let someone from CM go. If that's one of the higher earners then maybe that allows expansion elsewhere.

I'm not saying I want either James or Williams to leave, but if we need to free up some budget to increase depth up front that will mean difficult decisions elsewhere in the squad.

Think it would be more likely that we sign a free agent on lesser wages than James to save money who has progression chance, to compete with TGH and Williams.

Noticed the other day Shandon Baptiste is out of contract at Brentford end of the season- another Oxford connection (for example) if we chose to go that way.

Signed in the Championship for them and had no promotion wage rise clause. So not a long shot salary wise - rumoured to be on £12kpw. Unlikely, but just highlighting where the clubs thought process could be.