BUTOR

If we’re taking about continuing to improve the culture towards a serious Championship side, players and staff laser focused on the task at hand etc, then Edwards and his back room staff from what I know of his time at Forest Green are not the men for the job. A ‘culture’ very much suited to the lower leagues. 

Who, who, who?

We are talking about one of the most bleak out of work lists in recent memory and we an incredibly unattractive proposition for most in work who we may have once been able to poach. 

Most alternatives would increase the likelihood of relegation significantly. I don’t think Pearson has an endless piece of string to work with but neither do I believe, unless the entire club is complacent, that he would relegate a side from the Championship. 

12 minutes ago, Carey 6 said:

Said in another thread the other day he seems to have lost any sort of composure he had last season. It reminds me of the Semenyo we had in 20/21 season where everything has to be hit as hard as possible. 

Needs a goal soon because I think more will follow when he gets one.

I think the issue is he is not getting time on the ball to terrify defenders or take them on before shooting. If you look at his goals they are not typical strikers finishes, Conway style. He needs time to pick up the ball and gather momentum. That’s what he’s not getting at the moment because teams have worked out how to stifle him. I believe he works better with a physical defender drawing strike partner who can do the dirty work off the ball. 

1 minute ago, maxjak said:

Warlock? FFS.......are you clinically insane?

Would rather go down 

Just now, Rossi the Robin said:

This isn’t a normal league this season. 2 wins and you can be just off the play offs 

It’s not the usual scenario of being bottom 3 or near bottom 3 

That is precisely the kind of mentality that will end with us in deep shit

1 minute ago, BCFCGav said:

On a serious note, I’m desperate for us to win this. Can’t see the league giving us too much joy this year (though I think we’ll be fine).

Think there needs to be some rotation due to the crazy past few weeks, maybe we’ll see Massengo return and Martin get a start. COYR.

Bajic 

Sykes, Tanner, Low, Pring, Dasilva 

King, Kadji, Massengo 

Martin, Semenyo

Good point against a side with their tales up. I still think talk of relegation is a little way off, the performances aren’t bad and the wins will come. 
 

A couple of things today re-affirmed how decent Boro are as a club after getting in early to applaud the Ashton Gate eight last season, so props to them and their supporters. 

Welcome to the Championship Micheal Carrick 

Why are people so inflexible with ideology? It’s perfectly acceptable to be a Cardiff hating, proud English Bristol City fan and see perfect sense in this decision. You can’t just take pride in the accomplishments you had nothing to do with that are good and spurn the things you had nothing to do with that are bad.

56 minutes ago, Rocking Red Cyril said:

I find Webster's ratings funny. I not often watch him for Brighton and possibly I am alone in my view that I did rate him much playing for us.

Oh how we all see things so differently with football 

Didn’t rate him for us? How so?

A long time ago in bristol town 

so the western daily said 

the bristol rovers ran away 

as the eastend came out to play 

Plymouth have always ******* hated us and the gas, but we’ve never tended to give too much of a shit about them. Not exactly a Derby even if they are south west. So why such hostility? Jealous? 

22 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Definitely agree wirh this point.

It seems to me like a lot of stadiums (in this league anyway) have picked up on this recently and worked with their supporters to improve atmosphere. I haven’t been anywhere this season that is as quiet as the Gate to be honest. Huddersfield and Reading are two I can think of that had a seemingly new section of vocal support implemented in recent years. And next to the away fans of course.

There seems to be an appetite to improve it looking at the reaction to Saturday on social media (many were quite embarrassed), but it will have to be fan led. As stated previously the club have, as a matter of fact, been actively against this type of thing lately. I can definitely see a move to A block being appetising if it was put together properly. 

I do wander though about the change in demographics across the last ten years and whether we are just a slightly posher, quieter Fulham type club these days. The eye test would tell you so on match days. Less ugly *******, more £50 replica shirts and mass club merchandise donners. 

52 minutes ago, Mad Cyril said:

Anyone give 2 ####s about those couple of hundred longstanding season ticket holders currently located in block A?

Just kick them out, move in the singing crowd and drop the prices by a tenner?

Bit harsh???

I'm one of them, and wouldn't be against it. Most of the old faces have started to relocate or stopped attending now. A lot of the time the student paper ticket brigade rock up there (cheapest seats in the stand) and irritate the life out of myself and others around me. On occasions its still lively and harks back but those occasions are few and far between. Get the dynamic back between vocal support and away fans I say. S82 demographic isn't exactly the Eastend of old and I doubt there'd be more trouble. And what ******* trouble? Nothing ever happens. 

If such a move were to be made it would have to be done independently through fans, club aren't interested. Would shut S82 down if they could. Jon has tried. 

Really, bizarrely, embarrassingly bad yesterday. Passive. To the point where it was awkward. What is happening? We would never allow ourselves to get outsung to such a blatant extent by rivals in the past, and I’m talking 5 years ago not 20. Something has changed and I’m not exactly sure what it is. 

But what can we do about it? Push the club into extending S82? **** off the club and start a fan led movement to another block in the ground, nearer the away end? Is anyone actually arsed enough to make it happen? It’s such an easy place for away teams to come right now. And I don’t buy that it’s ‘the same at every Championship ground’ because even ******* Reading were louder than the Gate last weekend. I haven’t been anywhere as quiet this season and most grounds have actually made a bit of noise. We need to get on top of it, surely we’d all rather be in an engaging and noisy space than a dull and lifeless one.

Linesman and police should be ashamed of themselves. Took far too long for the medics to arrive. Hope the bloke who got wrestled to the floor going on the pitch to stop play doesn’t get banned. 

4 hours ago, steviestevieneville said:

Off on tangent here but. Why have our fans , especially those in s82 started singing the song sung at us by millwall & Cardiff ? The I can’t read I can’t write hilarious ditty and all calling themselves w️‘S as is the song . Bizarre to say the least . 

I see it more as owning the Wurzelly stereotype that teams think is an insult but we’re all actually quite proud of. Think it’s quite funny. 

17 minutes ago, italian dave said:

Do you think that heralds a more regular use (in the staring XI at least) of three genuine midfielders - from Scott, King, Williams, James, Massengo (if back on the bus), Kadji (if not)??

It's too early to call as we have fluctuated wildly from game to game this season, but based on last night and our solidity as a collective unit, yes I would absolutely say we should continue with three CMs even if it is at Weimann's expense. It is just best players in their best positions after all, which is a cliche but so often the way to achieve a less wayward front. 

1 hour ago, italian dave said:

Certainly, if you stick to the principle that you only lose your place based on performance then Vyner stays in at the moment - even if that means leaving Kalas out (IMO).

I think the reality probably is that a combination of injuries and suspensions means that there won't be too many occasions when NP has five (I'm counting Naismith too) to pick from.

The equally interesting dilemma now is what he does with Weimann. We looked so much better last night with a proper three in midfield. If that continues into the next few games then I'm not sure where Weimann fits into the team - at least as long as we're playing with wing backs. 

If we continue looking as solid as we did last night I think Weimann joins the queue of strikers for now (which he will inevitably break into with Semenyo’s questionable availability record and Conway’s fluctuating form) and as a very good utility sub in which he can cover pretty much every position but CB and GK! So he will still likely be featuring in every game but maybe off the bench for now. 

12 minutes ago, Jerseybean said:

Post match reaction from NP and our goal scorers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m sure the players are appreciative of our support, the mandatory awkward ‘fan’ question at the end of every single interview we do is a bit grating though. 

Shout out to Zak Vyner. Getting more comfortable, more vocal and more confident with every game. Written off by many, put up for sale but showing he’s made of stern stuff. An unlikely and unsung hero developing this season. 

You can’t say Nige isn’t a survivor. Last week was the second time in his tenure I’ve started to lose faith but he’s pulled me right back in tonight. He got it near enough spot on; starting line up, subs, game management, everything. 
 

We are inconsistent but what is consistently clear is we rely on a few players to make us tick as a unit. They’re coming back in now. 

The winning away chant. Yuck 

Awful game chances wise but playing well in possession. Just need to have the confidence to take it forward a little more. They’re looking doubtful but first goal for them will get their tails up. Can’t let it happen. 

Nothing I believe is based on a RoyDe Alien tweet but I don’t think Pearson will have another 4 or 5 game winless spell in him without coming under quite a lot of pressure. It was barely fair to judge him on last season but there was murmurings of discontent from above even then. Players now look to me like they aren’t running through walls for their manager. Creeping feeling of inevitability about the situation. 

Also heard the first shouts of Pearson out within the stadium for the first time on Saturday. Fan pressure may speed up the situation if AG turns as it has in the past.

Only thing that makes me doubt a change is getting closer is a severe lack of viable alternatives.