Swede

4 hours ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

Joe Bryan- agree 100%

Players leaving to further their careers like Maynard ,Fam and Massengo- it's just a tiny weeny bit funny when they don't especially when they find that BCFC was their finest moment.

Bryan scored both goals in Fulham's play off win v Brentford and then went on to play in the Premier League. I think he's furthered his career. Massengo got a move to a Premier League club & despite not playing, its down to him to prove himself.

Maynard got his move to West Ham, got promoted with Cardiff so I think he furthered his career also.

If you're asking me to cheer for a player who cost us £5.3M, gave him a platform to ultimately go towards him playing & winning the AFCON for his country, refuse to sign a new contract and ultimately proceeded to run his contract down so we got nothing for him, then proceeded to allow his performances to dip towards the end of that contract and was one of the numerous reasons why we've suffered FFP since then, it will be a no for me.

Yes, he scored 50+ goals for us [that will earn polite applause] but he could've done a whole lot, lot more but sadly he chose not to do so.

2 hours ago, Open End Numb Legs said:

No mention of the missed planning application, the missing seats, the missing concourse, the missing toilets, the unhappy residents, the mud, the pillars.

At least the long suffering fans can sit in the dry I guess.

I was speaking with a local resident today who's friend's house backs onto that monstrosity. It completely overshadows their sightedness and we'll being. The majority of local residents absolutely detest what they've done.

I think the problem for Manning is that he's never coached at this level so how on earth can he achieve consistency? He's basically putting his faith in his own coaching techniques and hoping, with a better calibre of player, that they learn a lot quicker. He must be doubting his ability now. The club think the same way. There is no doubt he can coach but at this level you have to manage, not just coach, as well. Everyone hangs on your word, you have to paint a positive picture, manage player and club aspirations as well as fans. That's an awful lot of work to get through. There is no doubt he has felt the backlash of being the coach to follow such a popular manager, that's not his fault of course, but I don't see an upturn in form either and his game management skills have been questionable whether it be changing style/ formation to substitutions, that's squarely down to him.

Rose tinted glasses. At the time we were trying to make KP45 permanent and I believe he went on Chelsea's Irish pre season tour so we signed SS and we ended up with Palmer as well. I don't think SS set the world alight in the limited game time he had and the rest is history. Ultimately our loss it has proved to be.

If that ever happened it would be extremely funny listening to Tinman talking to the new owners in English with a Dutch accent aka the Walley with the brolly and trying to impress them by regailing the time he scored at the Kop.

Says it all really. He may be young and a bit raw but he has valuable  first team experience at Championship level and with Sam Bell's injury surely he would have more opportunities? Now binned off to Bath City never to be seen again until he pops up and scores a hattrick for Cardiff against us.  I thought we hired a bright young enthusiastic coach? Try telling that to the likes of Roberts and Yeboah.

4 hours ago, Davefevs said:

Very good post @Swede

I'm just tired of the rinse and repeat rubbish from the club, Dave. This is my team and at this moment I have never felt so disillusioned about the short term aims let alone the long term. I have always backed the manager/coach but find myself increasingly not taking to the "Manningisms" and if I'm not believing it then I'm damn sure the likes of James, Wells, Williams, Cornick & King aren't either. I just can't buy into it especially when we had it all ready to go with Pearson.

On the subject of Andy King, he's done his badges, he has the respect and more importantly the playing experience, he's very articulate and as a bonus he's a fan of the club so giving him the role of head coach I'm pretty sure we'd be in a better place than where we are now but he probably knows too much and would be seen as an adversarial threat for the BT/JL cosy club.

So we have to bin off yet another season and look to restart again. I jokingly once said that in ten years time we will still be finishing 12th - 15th in the league but we will stand out as the only current Championship team never to play in the Premier League such is the ambition of the owners.

I think the drop in performances says it all really.

Imagine you're a player who's played at the highest level,won the Premier League, or even for your country, and been managed by people who inspire you and then in comes this young inexperienced guy who's never even managed at this level who tells you that you need to play a different way or that you're not in the side because the player you replaced is unfit but he plays anyway because he likes him, I think your performance levels will drop.

Others on here have already alluded to this.

We may laugh at the sags who are rotten from top to bottom but we have similar growing internal problems at the other end of the spectrum.

Their coach looks great at league 1 level (a bit like Manning) but has struggled at our level.

The hierarchy will back him to the hilt because sacking him now( which is what is needed) before any more damage is done such as being drawn into a lower end flirt with relegation or poor season ticket renewals, will just further underline what a poor and undercooked appointment this was from the start and just further demonstrates a total lack of football knowledge & ineptitude made by the people at the top. 

They seem to have this misguided view & want to think that we only want a coach to coach so that all control over transfers, finance and football related decisions are in their complete control. At lower league level you can probably get away with that. But NOT at this level and above.

This club's immediate future had a firm foundation with an experienced chief exec in RG or PA plus a highly experienced manager, coaching team and backroom staff. Now we have all of the ingredients of a league 1 set up in waiting in now being run by an inexperienced son in business and a failed ex manager along with a few of his ex player mates from the old league 1 days.

The writing is there on the wall when he says one thing about gradually introducing players back from injury and then starts two of them who clearly weren't fit, leaving other players on the side lines.

There is so much more about being a coach/manager at this level which he's now finding out to his cost.

There is a worrying trend developing against the bottom sides and Manning doesn't seem to have the coaching knowledge to overcome these teams, that's down to his lack of experience at this level. Some questionable selections today as well such as Sykes and especially Pring starting. I am sure that's done Roberts' confidence a world of good. Motivating your team against the bottom sides shouldn't be an issue, if you are a good coach. It feels like we're back to the LJ days of learning on the job. There is so much more to managing a club at Championship level than just being a coach. This team reflects the coach, which is weak and tepid.

We've changed the manager mid season and are trying to change the style of how we play, also mid season with largely the same calibre of players. We were a mid table team without proper investment with Pearson before and we're much the same with Manning now. When I say proper investment I mean we've missed a big opportunity in selling both Scott and Semenyo, two of our best players, and not re investing properly. Scott is a generational talent. We simply just haven't replaced him and kicked on. He was our springboard to propel us upwards. Pearson knew that. He also knew that we needed that investment to get there. The board baulked "Cottrellesque" and reverted to type.

With the popular Pearson he had the experience to navigate these times, Manning doesn't. I've said before that the problem for the unfortunate Manning is that fans will always be even more critical when matters go awry simply because of the way the club finally dealt with Pearson. Crucially, you won't hear Manning giving out barbed comments about investment, he can't, he's just the coach.

The season is pretty much over now. On a positive note you can see the shoots of progress, but missing key players like Sykes has definitely cost us. 

Can he sort out matches against the so called lesser clubs or will he go on one of those LJ type losing runs & never to be seen again, who knows. I don't think even he knows. 

I didn't go today (glad I didn't) but I had a feeling this was on the cards. It seems like they wanted it more, had something to defend and had a real sense of purpose and deservedly won the match. it seems with the changes he made it just unravelled LJ esqe before his very eyes and makes it look like he's a mug out of his depth. Its a bit of an enigma developing for Manning, how to play successfully against the so called lesser opposition. Its something he has to address and quickly. Until he can get that belief into the players for a routine win, matches like today just underlines that we are a mid table team going nowhere.

He's had a good grounding at Brighton. Its pretty obvious he wants to play in the Premier League,he's come from there! A little bit "left field" but nothing phases him. He is a very good player. It's up to the coach to manage his expectations 

I'm a season ticket holder & I now live outside of Bristol so tend to miss the midweek games especially the 8pm kick offs with work commitments the following day. Having spent many years when I lived there navigating the chaotic traffic conditions in Bristol, such as the Cattle Market Road access into the City being closed off, its just a complete ball ache getting out of Bristol for a night match.

I chose to support the club by buying my season ticket knowing that I would miss quite a few midweek matches. It's my choice.

I know others who use the park and ride services which can be just as chaotic especially the closer you get to kick off the buses inevitably use the same council congested roads.

It always makes me laugh when you can get 60,000 fans out of the London Stadium quicker & with the minimum of fuss than the 24,000 in Bristol. The city is so backward thinking when it comes to public transport. The clue is the successful underground/overland train.

Make it reliable so people don't have to think about it and it will get used, simple.

Really pleased for Cornick. He really is a team player. What people have to realise is that he's being asked to do a certain type of job when he comes on. I hope some of his previous detractors realise this before binning certain City  players off.

9 hours ago, slartibartfast said:

Is this bloke a ******* idiot, or what !

Simple answer, yes. Exaggerates league position, attendances, history. Fits in quite nicely with the average sag specimen.

Just where do they find such specimens as "club legend" He/she/it really ought to get a hobby like trainspotting or measuring rainfall in Filton over the last 50 years.

On 03/02/2024 at 08:00, Bedminster said:

This weird notion that the football was brilliant under NP needs to end. It was dreadful at times. This time last year, everyone wanted him out.

He was sacked as he had poor health and he’s slagging his employers off in the press  

Right call for him to go, possibly wrong man to replace him. 

I can't agree with this at all and can't work out where you've based your post on. 

Actually most wanted him to stay and carry on what he started. He was very popular. He is a proper experienced Premier League manager who was able to bring in backroom staff of the calibre of Dave Rennie who is highly respected in his field. He was brought in to clear up a complete shambles of a club that had spiralled FFP financially out of control through previous mismanagement. His no nonsense approach brought him respect from the playing staff and fanbase. He never let his ongoing health issues get in the way and certainly never used it as an excuse.

He was asked to come up with a plan with and without Scott which he did and the general feeling was that we were on the cusp of something very exciting by reinvesting that money into quality signings and be able to compete better with the parachute payment clubs but the board baulked and changed their mind, he had little investment to work with which in turn affected the team on the pitch and they wouldn't offer him an extension of his contract.

This gradual fallout culminated on him being asked for a debrief on the Cardiff away defeat and him telling the club's hierarchy where to stick their job. Hence the shambolic and undercooked presser the following day which just underlined how amateurish it made the club's hierarchy looked. No one knows this for sure but it certainly points that way.

We've reset once again and "top six squad" comments by JL & "I'll be back when we're in the Premier League" comments by BT were ill thought out & just underlines how out of depth and out of touch with the fanbase the board really are.

It wasn't the right call for him to go, certainly not mid season, and to change playing direction and replace him with a complete novice at this level as well shows a complete lack of understanding and shows us in a poor light.

It is thanks to Pearson, not Manning that we are comfortably mid table this season. 

Such is the man, I don't recall anywhere where I've seen him slagging off his employers.

This is where we are at the moment.

A still popular ex manager with a still largely counter attacking under invested based squad having to change to a possession based style mid season coached by an unknown novice who now is being funded with some sort of investment, playing a style which the fanbase can't really identify with. Already the club are backtracking on statements made and of course Manning has to get used to coaching at this level, hence the generally mediocre results.

On 03/02/2024 at 08:39, GrahamC said:

What a petty, tinpot outfit they are.

It’s like describing the late Bobby Charlton as the former Preston manager.

Its so petty. Its this type of small minded airbrushing of history which holds them back big time. Why not acknowledge that whilst at Bristol City he was an experienced player and coach at Championship level to show his experience and credibility. Not like them to make things up or fabricate the truth is it.

As you say tinpot.

12 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Why us Pring, contracted until 2026 getting sold seemingly.

We are not under pressure to sell as such, we know this. I know sometimes it can be inevitable ie Scott but that should've been the last big sale for a while IMO.

Accept Conway is a greater risk given the lack of contract progress but maybe just maybe one year after 2 seasons of heavy lifting keep your best, add a bit more depth and go for the top 6, more specifically the playoffs.

Because Mr Pop contracts mean nothing if West Ham or bloody Bournemouth dangle £15M or £20M in front of SL. Also Cam's agent will be pushing to cash in on a big pay day and lastly, Cam's head will be turning at the chance of a massive wage increase and set up for life.

At this point City would do well to argue to justify any increase on any transfer price simply because we may not get a percentage of any future dealings if he goes on a free in the future, just like potentially Lloyd Kelly. They got him for a snip at £18M plus we negotiated a sell on clause. All pie in the sky if he runs down his contract.

1 hour ago, 1960maaan said:

I get that, and I did think that before posting, but it's not the only game we have made so many basic passing errors. There have been plenty of times in League games, where we struggle with a simple 5 yard pass, been caught in possession or made bad choices. Last night exaggerated it because they were very good, but it's not just down to them. 
We have looked good at times playing quicker, but it seems they are so concentrated on keeping possession any flowing football is out of the window. 

Yes, I agree. My thoughts are that through the change in direction coaching wise we are moving towards that posession based style but with it we need to recruit that type of player as well that's why the there seems to be  focus on the defensive midfield which needs to be more dynamic to compete. Its no surprise that King, Williams & James are mentioned quite a lot as they have all of the experience and knowhow but what they lack now is legs and longevity. I think the club are looking to revamp and freshen that up.

I agree that the free flowing football isn't there and it makes for a hard watch sometimes but we are a work in progress (again).

Pearson, with all of his experience got the club back on its feet and there was an opportunity to use the Bournemouth war chest of money to re invest in quality and go for it short term but the hierarchy baulked & changed tactics and are now only reinvesting a portion of that war chest and looking more long term. 

Its frustrating at times but the recent transfer dealings are positive and we all have to be optimistic that we are moving in the right direction (slowly)

32 minutes ago, 1960maaan said:

 

While I get that , what did the WHU squad cost, what did Forest pay for their squad, you can probably add Leicester & Southampton though they sold some of their best.
I'm not saying we should be rolling over Leeds, but up there we were in the game, against the teams I mentioned we were in the game and competing. 
Last night was the most "2nd best" I've seen us for a considerable time .

The cost of squad, or even the talent and work rate , even the very good pressing Leeds did, none of that excuses some of the misplaced passing and bad choices we made.

I worry , are we getting the best out of the system or to put it another way, is the system best for us?
I would say Knight doesn't look the player he did in that role and even playing more strikers is pointless if they rarely get the ball in good areas , let alone if we're making chances.

I worry that they are playing too much in their heads. When we have time on the ball, and see a runner,  see a pass , several times whoever it is will turn away wave an apology and pass it short. 
Bell had the ideal opportunity for a cross behind a retreating defence but cut back again. Watching Leeds move the ball at pace with runners through the team, that is nothing like what we are are watching . We are playing the slower Man City game, which is fine if you can keep and dominate the ball like that, but they still have movement to give options .

I worry that we seem to start well in games, create (and miss) a chance of half chance , then slowly start to settle .
The start of the 2nd half continues to be our most dangerous period. I think the goal last night was the 6th time we have conceded in the 45-60 minute mark under Manning . But we continue to look frail in that period, not sure what the half time team talk is , but it needs changing.

I worry if we continue with the same players in the same roles in the same system, the season will (at best) just peter out into a mid table none event. 

We are either relying on a young unproven kid, or a loan player who has had just 90 minutes for us , to turn the season around. Or , the coach produces something out of the hat. 
I said a while ago that February will be the time for judgement , not started well .

Actually I beg to differ, I think the way Leeds pressured us, the precise crispness of their passing, their movement and quick thinking was the contributory factors in the misplaced passing, slow thought process, distribution and passive play by our players. It was like they were from a higher league and effectively they are with the value of their squad. Unlike us they won't be hampered by FFP because they won't be in this league long enough.

Forest were missing quite a few players and West Ham were the same so we took advantage, rode our luck a bit and got results with our 15 man squad. Anyone who thinks differently really need a reality check.

Realistically we competed as well as we could when given the opportunity. I don't think we can fault our players at all because the same players played extremely well at Coventry in the previous game and were unlucky not to get the win at a much fancied side.

I too take your point re LM's half time team talk and whilst he impacted the match with the subs that improved us, we were caught out by what I thought at the time was an overhit Leeds pass and that first period after half time remains a vulnerable time for us.

The coach is learning. We are a mid table side. Its yet another reboot. Stay positive 

Leeds are a Premier league team. Its very difficult and getting harder to compete with the parachute teams.

They were very quick, confident, moved effortlessly and were very competitive. We simply don't have the players to compete. How the club can say we have a top six squad is beyond me.

I am not going to say that they gave us a football lesson because anyone could do that with the amount of money they've been given for effectively failure. If we had the same investment then its a different matter. Its onesided games like this that makes you wonder where football is ending up. It's that colossal financial disparity which is ruining the game.

We simply don't have enough depth in the squad to compete. You can't fault the player's efforts. Unlike some on here I won't be losing much sleep over this match.