BUTOR

1 minute ago, LondonBristolian said:

He's not going to get through eight games without a yellow. I know you're not supposed to do this but it might be about working out whether there is a tactical decision about when to earn the ban...

Saturday wouldn’t be a bad shout. Doesn’t get any easier than home to bottom of the league three days later. If not spoken it will be in the back of his mind.

Norwich battered today. No reason why we can’t take 6 from the next two home games. No reason why we can’t fire up the table.

Chris Martin gave his all for City. I will remember him fondly. The first home Severnside derby after covid was a special game and his performance that day won't be forgotten.

Although Scott is integral to us this season, seeing what we are doing with just a slither of the Semenyo money has made very excited to see what Pearson and Tins will do with £20 million in the summer... 

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

From what I've seen from Man City, they can struggle in away games where there is a passionate home support. 

The league Cup semi 2nd leg game wasn't the best of atmospheres but if we can produce the Man Utd atmopshere then we have a chance. 

Yes it was strangely flat that night. There were so many big games in a small period that season that I wonder if we were all a little worn out and used to it. 
 

What bugs me about the highlights is the fact that all you can hear is metallic rustling coming from those plastic flags when the players come out

Could this be hijacked?

A winger? Do we need him and Cornick? 
 

Sorry somehow know nothing about this kid. Right or left sided?

Any good?

1 minute ago, !james said:

5th round are all midweek fixtures from Monday 27th February...

Happy with that now! Better atmosphere and no chance of a shitty Sunday. 

Southampton at home in the trial draw. A decent tie. So Burnley away in the real one. 

4 hours ago, Percy Pig said:

I think the current situation is a perfect storm of many different factors.

We have a manager who has bought into the club's long term rather than being fixated with his own job security.

We have a long standing "aspiration" from the Lansdowns to have a functioning academy, we all mocked the "pillars"... whilst we have deviated from the pathway at times the investment has always stood firm which is to his credit.

We have had a period of ridiculously serious financial issues. It's hard to imagine us being that far from a points deduction over the last couple of seasons.

We have Covid destroying the transfer market.

We have a started to get both our academy recruitment and coaching right and the pathway between 16's, 18's, 23's and pro football is as defined yet as flexible/targeted as possible.

Having worked in and around academy football I'm of the belief that its the phase between 12 and 16 that's the most important- before that you can pretty much teach any athletic/sporty kid with a decent attitude to learning how to be a decent technical footballer. From 12 it's about developing resilience, tactical knowledge, team work and building on the fundamental technical aspects taught/developed in the first phase of development. We've started to get that bit right more often than not.

We are still not that far removed from some very worrying stories coming out of the academy, particularly with regard to aftercare/releases. It was painful to be a City fan and also a coach trying to piece together the fragments of another young man who missed the cut. It was probably the thing that kickstarted me falling out of love with youth football... 

Just happy to see it all coming together at the perfect time for the club. 

Agree, lots of immediate factors at play as to why there is an influx of young players getting opportunities, but let’s not forget this is the fruit of plans put in place a decade or so ago coming to blossom. The club deserve a lot of credit for making consistently good appointments along the way. The right people at the right time almost always. We have the blueprint in the academy of how to develop a highly successful organisation and needn’t look much further for inspiration. 

2 hours ago, Wanderingred said:

Our last 5th round appearance was actually against Sheffield United two seasons ago. It might be forgotten by many since nobody attended. It was the behind closed doors Covid season. We’d beaten Portsmouth then Millwall to get to the 5th round but we lost 1-0 at Bramall Lane.

Oh yes I remember. First and only game we’ve played with VAR? 
 

Also remember Williams having a blinder

I actually think Bivol could crumble against Beterbiev if he gets backed up into corners the same way Yarde did tonight. Underrated toughness and chin on the boy AY. 

Fair play to Yarde though, set of bollocks on the lad! Get some domestic match ups going with our light heavies now, some crackers waiting to happen. Our strongest division in terms of depth. 

22 minutes ago, View from the Dolman said:

Downsy posted a positive Covid test this morning so presumably whoever it was performing the duties today was a very late call-up. 

Emergency loan from Buzz Bingo? 

Completely agree, but don’t forget that the fruits of the academy project we are seeing blossom now isn’t just down to Tins. So many deserve praise for laying the foundations on which we could build before he even re-joined the club. Sean O’Driscoll, Amy Kington, in later years Gary Probert, without their hard work there would be no conveyor belts of young talent at Bristol City.

Huge respect to visionary Tinnion and all he’s done to excel our youth setup, but our biggest asset isn’t just him, it is the academy and all those who have worked exceptionally hard within it from 2012 to now. It is the present and the future of our football club 

Who do we want in tomorrow’s draw?

Surely the only answer can be a very winnable tie at home? Then another one, saving our big day out for Wembley… 

I think we will pull away and be fine in the league, let’s hope for some cup memories this year.

A Block is the only part of the Dolman and South Stand sold out for Saturday, good work that!

25 minutes ago, Winterstoke toad said:

Luton absolutely love us

 

I don't think we see ourselves as sleeping giants if he's referring to the fans? We are more likely to eye roll at that tired broadsheet tag. 

The rest though is deadly accurate. And one hang up about Cornick type recruitment is that players at the stage of their career he and Naismith are in now often have come here purely for a payday in the past, a place to cosy up and drift through their final few years at this level without intense pressure. 

Don't forget, over the course of 2012/2013/14 seasons we picked up quite a few 'proven' and 'sensible' Championship level signings in the latter half of their twenties, and they quickly became mercenaries here. 

I guess that's where you have the trust the pillars of culture we are told are being constructed by Pearson. And the biggest difference from periods past is that whoever the manager they will have a pool of young talent to dip into to balance the squad. Our academy is really what will set us apart from other 'mid-sized' second tier clubs in the near and hopefully distant future, and certainly from Luton. 

Wouldn’t be surprised if we’ve looked at emulating parts of Luton’s recruitment strategy in the last couple years. Obviously the easiest way to do this is just buy their best players. 

7 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

 

Wouldn’t put him in goal 

I for one am glad to see us taking a decent transfer fee while it’s there for once, not hesitate and end up with a Massengo/Maynard/Diedhiou situation. I’ve felt that the ability to make unpopular decisions in transfer markets, particularly when it comes to moving players on, has long been lacking here. Disappointed to be losing a thrilling talent, but I don’t see an issue with what the club has done here at all.  

Is there genuinely anything more boring in football than a transfer saga? 

2 hours ago, Davefevs said:

Pretty good example of his handling here.

Nige's brooding presence when he strolls over to watch made me laugh. No pressure son

As much as many (including myself) were a little indignant towards Pearson’s comments about the lack of atmosphere and positive support in AG, you have to wonder how much they’ve impacted the improvements in recent games? 

Wow surprised to hear the above.. atmosphere if quieter still so much better than the rest of the season, songs spreading around the stadium again, atmosphere today better than any ‘winning’ atmospheres we’ve had all season