marcofisher

Midfield is anonymous

We’re Bristol City; the sun will implode wiping out civilisation as we know it first.

Hard to disagree with any of that really.

Yes and we paid £8.5 million and many more millions on wages and are set to receive no return on that investment. I did not say he was a bad player, he is one of the best in the squad when fit. Same as Massengo.

For all those saying Pearson froze him out. Didn’t he have a lot of issues? I remember one match he had apparently gone to NP and said he is not in the right mindset to play, and then at the start of this season he was really struggling for fitness?

I could see Wells staying on reduced terms like Andi did a few years ago. As for Kalas, another monumentally bad investment, just like Massengo, when we look at how it will eventually result for us. Both talented players, but not worth what we have invested in them and what we have got/will get in return over their time here. Most important now is just getting them off the books, regardless of fee, and freeing up a lot of wage budget for next year.

What I will say, is that I think he is far better at 8 than number 10. He is more of an exceptional all round midfielder to me, and I sometimes think with Williams and James he is expected to be the one dropping into the number 10 position, and it doesn’t suit his game as much.

Post match reaction aside. If we were to finish in 18th regularly playing academy players such as Vyner, O’Leary, Conway, Pring and Scott, with some of them written off by City supporters in the past, as well as slashing the wage bill significantly and then giving us the chance to offload the last batch of big wage players in the summer (Kalas, JD, Massengo), then I would consider that about where we. Not an exceptional season but one that we can springboard off. I imagine NP and SL probably see it that way too. This season was always going to be about cost cutting, giving academy players a chance, and hopefully freeing up some wiggle room to bring players in next season. I think there are teams below us who will struggle a lot more than us in the second half of the season. Maybe I am being optimistic, but I don’t see us being dragged into a serious relegation scrap.

He seemed to pick and choose which fouls to give. Bizarre.

I wouldn’t sell him on the cheap just because he is out of form. He is an international now so will want to regain that form. Certain we should wait until the summer to move him, and see if he can regain some form before the end of the season, as I don’t see any large bids coming in for him in Jan.

If Atkinson is not fit for WBA, I would like to see Tanner at RCB and Zak in the middle.

Looked ridiculously lucky from them, appeared to roll off the attackers back straight to the goalscorer’s feet. We were by far the better team and they were very fortunate to get that chance as had done nothing else. Seem some on here have missed having something to moan at for the last month.

Pring is unbelievably slippery and direct. Such an upgrade to Dasilva in a system that plays with wing backs.

Yep, but a centre back by trade.

I agree with you entirely that Phillips was bizarre. I could just understand the Maguire one more as he may only be considered a squad player anyway. I would like to see White as one of the centre halves.

The saving grace for Maguire is that he has been exceptional in England tournament football where a completely style is played. For United he is expected to play a high line with little protection in front of him, which exposes his weaknesses. For England he plays deeper so doesn’t get caught behind and has Rice sitting in front of him. Plus he has done a lot more on an international stage than Abraham where there was nothing between him, Wilson and Toney really.

He hasn’t really had an extended stay at an English club since then however. Derby he didn’t agree with Mel Morris and Watford he was doing well and had them on track to avoid relegation before telling the board some home truths.

I think generally offloading big earners is just as important than making a big sale. Kalas, Massengo are two not playing and commanding a lot more than some of the current regular starters.

Literally none of them. Look at what happened with Wilder at Boro, complaining constantly about funds and signings, and it’s clear to see that he would be an awful fit here in the situation we are in! Scott Parker even more so, one of the most overrated managers around!

Yes, the Championship and League 1 with Leicester.

Critchley is a decent shout although I’d question his desire quitting a management job to be an assistant again. If you see Wilder’s behaviour and complaining at Boro regarding signings and funds, you would see he would be an awful appointment for the point that we are at now.

I would suggest that most know they are for the exit door regardless of the manager.

I don’t disagree with the fact we have some decent players. But when most of our back line is injured or never properly fit, I don’t know what is it be expected. Vyner is our only centre back who was starting by the beginning of our season. Even then most wouldn’t have listed him as a starter if we had a fully fit squad and would have put Kalas there. We are stacked in expensive defenders (Kalas and Dasilva), who have been injured all season or woefully out of form. We are well equipped in forward areas and have a decent midfield when fit I agree. But if Naismith, Kalas, Atkinson and Klose had been fully fit for this season would we be in the position? I don’t think so. It’s all great saying we have a decent squad for this level when we have all of first choice players in certain positions injured or unfit. If we had four strikers injured, we would be equally as ineffective going forwards! I would think we would be far better after the World Cup where we have a month off to really focus on training and getting our players in a good window of match fitness. For me, once we have these players fully fit again, we start putting wins on the board and move comfortably towards mid-table. We have been putting In decent performances in the league often this season but conceding sloppy goals and not coming away with 3pts. Better personnel and rotation in those defensive positions slightly improves that. Changing the manager does not help doing that for me.

Any idea about wages Dave? Which would be just as relevant too

In hindsight, this could be really good for Joe. Giving players a chance in the first team, whether they perform or not on their first outing, will give them the boost they need if they are of the right character. He will now know the level he needs to be at and will have that extra bit between his teeth if there was anything about him.