Kibs

Yep, both good players, but defenders by their very nature. We’ve struggled to score and create all season, and relying on Pring and McCrorie to solve that won’t see any improvement IMO.

I agree it’s not an about formations, but those 5 “attackers” included Williams and James. I like them both as players but how many real goal contributions are they and the “defenders” likely to provide? If you listed the players from our starting XI yesterday, and looked at the goals/assist across their careers, how many are going to contribute and pop up with a goal/assist. I bet it doesn’t make pretty reading. I was really hoping to see some attacking intent at home with Mehmeti and Twine in the same team.

But it’s now inevitable isn’t it. The players which have been previously recruited have been recruited to play out of possession, on the break etc…. We could not have picked a manager with a more different approach. It’s absolute insanity and goes against everything we have been told previously about head coaches being able to come in and not needing to rip it all up. This isn’t a dig at LM btw, I actually quite like him (as do the players I believe) but like it or not, we’re now going to have to go through another period of transition.

I didn’t like the set up today (not talking about the formation), but a home league game and we’re essentially starting with 5 defenders and 2 holding midfielders so not surprising to me that we struggle to create from open play. We’ve struggled for goals all season but for me, Manning has to get more players on the pitch who are comfortable getting ahead of the ball and being an option - especially if he wants to get the best out of Twine.

Still don’t see where the goals and creativity come from, and I don’t think taking out Mehmeti and TGH at home really help with that.

It is disappointing isn’t it. Im sure it’s been mentioned earlier but can someone explain the benefit to Burnley and the player in this? If he performs well for a few months, very unlikely remains with us IMO.

Only Bristol City could work so hard to patiently manage their way out of a pretty dire situation, avoiding any real threat of relegation in the process, and then completely rip it all up just when things are starting to look up. It’s unbelievable. I’m not going to jump on the bandwagon and rip Manning apart - thought I’d hate his interviews but I don’t actually mind them. The performance second half yesterday was dreadful, and he should have reacted but it was a howler from two fairly reliable players that put us behind. Also easy to forget how we performed against Preston earlier this season at home. That was just as bad (IMO) and the comments on here are a stark contrast from last weekends. The week to week over reaction (on both sides) is tiresome. He’s going nowhere though, the players seem to like him, the club have their “yes man” and he’s now going to get the budget that should have been given to his predecessor. I only hope he uses it well because it’s going to get very messy if things don’t pick up once he has some of his own players in place.

This is true to an extent, and I was going to say exactly the same, but he also has to support this from the sidelines. As a player, your first focus is on your individual performance/battle. Manning can see the bigger picture.

It feels like we’re reaching new season lows in recent weeks, despite players coming back from injury, which is worrying. Really disappointing. If they want this front foot/controlling football, they had better spend some money because this lot are simply not capable of it - which is probably why NP was happy for us not to have the ball!!!!

Goals and creativity been a problem all season. Not enough throughout this squad. Feel Manning has to be braver and more positive with his changes too.

Agree with this. I also think that LM has more players coming back from injury too, so there is less necessity to chuck them in quite so early. There were times when NP literally had no alternative!!! Definitely his best press conference so far too. I quite like how open and honest he is about injuries (when asked).

Really like Joe Williams, like most players, he really benefits from a run of games but I think with all his injury issues, it’s even more important for him. If we do sign an Attacking Midfielder this month, who drops out? I assume Knight will play deeper so potentially leaves one place between Joe Williams, Matty James and TGH!!

Unless you are playing for a Top 3 club, not that many players actually score 20+ league goals a season in the Championship. If he was playing up front for Leicester, he’d score a bucket load. Let’s not forget he’s suffered a couple bad injuries which has hindered his progress a little bit too.

He’s just trying to hook the ball, eyes only on the ball. It’s madness. If you slowed down and reviewed every single challenge during a game, there would be several instances where it suddenly “appears” dangerous in super slow mo and “endangers” the player. We’d end up with 7-aside!!

Could have been a lot worse, sounds like he’ll only miss 2 league games assuming no set backs.

Great first interview. Confident, well spoken, thought about his responses and came across really well. Seems to have a good head on his shoulders to go with his obvious talent. Good luck to him

Back to reality everyone!!! We rarely lack effort, but we are seriously lacking in quality.

Why are people reading so much into possession stats anyway, and assuming they KNOW Liam Mannings intention? NP was quite happy not to have the ball, yet there were games when we had more possession than the opposition- and LOST!!! We suddenly have slightly less possession against 2 good teams, which was expected for me, but we’ve apparently now abandoned “Manning ball” and reverted to how we used to play!?? So have improved??? Or is it possible Manning takes it a game at a time? Or that the players are now carrying out his instructions more accurately? Or that there’s two teams which dictate how a game goes, not one!!! Or that Manning has made adjustments due to what he’s learned over the last few weeks!? Any of the above could be true. Can we please stop with the tiresome comparisons which are based only on prejudice, and best guess!!?

I get that Pops! But you’re comparing results from last season when there is: Different squads Different Managers Different injuries/suspensions Teams are in different runs of form/momentum. Its a completely pointless comparison IMO. And no, I wasn’t alarmed before these 3 wins. It was similar to many runs we have gone on over the last few years. And after 3 wins, I still don’t see us as playoff contenders, but I’m going to bloody enjoy it and I hope I’m wrong!!

You keep saying stuff like this Mr Pops, but what the **** has last year got to do with this year? So much has changed (for all teams, not just us). Why even look to compare? It’s completely pointless. Regardless of what’s gone on (didn’t agree with the NP sacking, and he’s my second favourite all time City manager behind Cotterill), but why can’t we just be content and hopeful that NP has put some brilliant foundations in place, and that LM can continue to build on those. 3 wins in a row, over Christmas, absolutely unbelievable. Goals galore too which has been my concern for ages. Massive respect and thanks to both managers, COYRs.

Rumour has it that Nige rang around a few players early Friday and told them to ignore everything that LM says!! Well done NP, we’ll chalk that one off as another win for him!!! COYRs!!

I think that’s nonsense, and I don’t know why people keep saying it. I’ve defended LM a lot when he’s come in for some unfair criticism but I honestly think the results/points return would be roughly the same. And for me, that’s a positive because it shows the players have reacted the right way to LM coming in.

The difference being, I don’t think there were 9 sub spots when Cotterill was in charge.

I thought it was interesting position to take. To be fair, there were occasions Nige only selected 8 subs, and there are 3 very young players on the bench so it’s not as though they aren’t getting a sniff. Aside from the fact that 9 subs is ridiculous, or am I just old fashioned