Merrick's Marvels

It would be very "Bristol City" if we dispensed with an employee only for them to speed past us in no time at all, straight to the Premier League. Just something else to add to the list marked "You couldn't make it up". There is such a thing as being promoted too quickly though. But good luck to them, if not him. And, yes, there's also not being promoted quickly enough. We are world champions at that one.

Doubt there's anything on line that covers friendlies. Was there a game in particular you were looking for?

He's been manager of MK Don's so I'd say his comments are genuine.

It'll be some tactical bollix. Something that's been over thought and made far more complicated than it needs to be for a team that's trying to beat shite like Huddersfield.

If we'd found an answer to their 2nd half tactics and continued to dominate by building from the back successfully, we'd likely have scored more goals - rendering our individual bloopers irrelevant. But we didn't. They blocked off Dickie. We had no answer. Our first half level dropped off, we lost control of the game and allowed Norwich back into it. This wouldn't have happened if we were capable of reacting to some pretty basic tactical tweaks by the opposition. And I'm disappointed that someone who talks a good game, has been coaching for 18 years, gives it the big one about working in Prem academies and for the Man City lot, didn't have an answer. As I say, early days. Perhaps he has hidden depths that will wow us in the fullness of time. If so, he'll need a new midfield for starters, "top 6" squad or not.

A coach for 18 years but unable to react to Norwich's tactical readjustment, resulting in a mess of a second half and defeat. Our individual errors may not have been so costly if the collective, coaches included, had found an answer to the opposition's second half tactics. This is grown up football now, not some lower league kick about. It's still early days but the jury remains out.

Thanks for the tip. Not interested in podcasts. What do they say?

Hull having a good season. Good players, good manager No reason to think they'll fall on their arse. So if we wait until the summer, he'll either stay at Burnley because they've been impressed by his form or Hull will buy him. So January is our only window to gazump them.

Half a season of bedding new signings in to our tippy tappy sideways patterns in competitive games, rather than off season training and friendlies. Ideal scenario is we ofload the out of contract ones we don't want and sign their replacements all in January. Then we wake up and it was all a dream. Most likely, no departures but Pearson's budget is miraculously increased and the new boy is allowed a few quid to spend. A tippy tippy CM and a LW would be handy. Then play Sykes in his best position and Conway or Wells should score enough goals to stave off a relegation battle. Hardly top 6 though is it. "See you in the Prem"

Wrong so many incorrect assumptions its laughable. Not been a fan of his since he stopped playing. And his career here before that is now irrelevant and should never be part of the conversation about his current value to BCFC. Unless you want to continue being soft cosy City who give jobs to old boys for sentiments sake. I'll leave it there or else the thread will be sidetracked.

So Tinnion's conveyor belt of endless world class youngsters is going so well, we have 2 trialists in the team today.

No, I'm Spartacus!

Indeed, so what on earth to make of it all. Are we cursed? Whatever the reason, Naismith is precious little use to us.

Might as well change his name to Darren Anderton. Or Nathan Baker - good player, top wage earner, who improves our side. But is never available often enough. Running a small squad with liabilities like this and our injury record in general, is not a recipe for success. Two for every position? Nowhere near enough for us!

Harry Thickett. England International (Full Back), then managed City to an FA Cup final and highest ever finishing position in the football league (finishing 2nd on both occasions but what the heck). Not as thick as he sounds, clearly. More like a miracle worker.

Check the 'Frank Lampard' thread. 50 pages of embarrassing him her them it self.

We'd have won it if Frank Lampard was manager though. Or have I just made that up? What sort of person says "I'll never post again if Lampard isn't appointed" and then writes this, or any of the other dribble you've come out with since. Everything you ever put on here will now be judged by that. Utter belter.

Very true. We might need to call on Nigel Pearson again!

But we're maxed out on the wage budget. Isn't that what Pearson was told (bar a little room for a short term, out of contract signing to cover for injuries) ? He wasn't told porkies, was he? Were we told porkies, too? Or has the budget been magically re-adjusted in the last couple of weeks?

We're already in a position where the sooner this season is over the better and we're just killing time until May. January isn't the time to be doing significant transfer business, so we have to wait until the summer to improve our "top 6 squad". Manning might be able to make incremental adjustments in the meantime but to what effect? Some lads getting fit and staying fit would help just as much but that seems unlikely. Conway finding his shooting boots would help too. In the meantime, we'll win some lose some, treading water in midtable. Unless something goes spectacularly right or spectacularly wrong. Top 6 my arse - and these people expect to be taken seriously??

Not in March 1975!

They won 1-0 with a dodgy penalty. John MacPhail's hand was down by his side, the cross hit at him point blank. VAR today says no pen, hand in a natural position. It wasn't a pen back then either but wtf does George fukin Courtney of Spennymoor know. F all that's what. Not that any of this still annoys me, mind. Courteney had already sent Big Joe off by then, just because Joe had put a ballboy on his ass, chinned their keeper and offered out their entire home end. All at once. Or some other minor infringement. Approximately. Didn't help that we'd already missed a penalty by then, of course. A lively day out for sure, on and off - golf balls sent our way on arrival? Fore! On the back of a lively day at our place earlier, of course. We annihilated them but allowed Archie fukin gasscuntStephens to score twice. Ffs Coops, can we not defend? So, a heck of a day, both. 1987. Blimey. Coach loads of ours marching north for the away game but kettled by old bill before they'd even left town (before kettling was even a thing). Heck of a season, ending with Swindon and Wembley. Gordon Owen says hello.

Yes a shame, he's got a little bit of x factor about him, certainly compared to our other midfield options. Haven’t given up on him yet but the odds on him fulfilling his potential are certainly lengthening.

We await Tinnion's expert medical analysis in due course.

The Ignore button is your friend.