Sandhurst Red

39 minutes ago, spudski said:

I was surprised to see he had by a considerable margin, the worse pass accuracy of our outfield players against Stoke. 45% accurate. 

https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1732132/LiveStatistics/England-Championship-2023-2024-Bristol-City-Stoke

 

Genuinely shocked by that - and makes my original post look a tad daft - albeit on only one area. His overall game I felt was very good, and as ever, stats can be manipulated and presented to distort the reality of the situation. 

14 minutes ago, Henry said:

Agree with a lot of that, really like him.

But passing ability and vision? Not seen enough of that yet and that’s what our midfield is missing.

Id have love to have sign a midfield three of Knight, Scott and James. 

His ball for Sykes goal v Plymouth was outstanding and 2nd half v Stoke - everything was going via him and Pring that turned into genuine chances. The match highlights did him a disservice, in terms of his contribution

Having allowed the frustration from Saturday to have dwindled over the past 24 hours, I feel more able to post this. Apologies for making a thread on it's own, but was surprised to not see one about him TBH. 

Despite the avoidable and annoying nature of the result we saw, there was however something to take away from this game - and actually, this could be said for at least 4 other games already this season.

Jason Knight - what an absolutely outstanding footballer.

To think he is only 22, is quite extraordinary - as he for me was the stand out performer for both teams on Saturday.

Work rate, passing ability, passing vision, tackling to break up play, positioning in transition - his performance was simply superb and he deserves all the plaudits he will receive. I'm calling it now - he will be both Young Player and Player of the Season for us, should he stay fit and not get injured.

It helps Knight that alongside him, he has the cool and calm head of Matty James, meaning he can perhaps be a bit more free in role, but not since Brownhill have I seen a player dominate a midfield like Knight does.

6 hours ago, Davefevs said:

Nige recently said October.  I’d guess after the international break.

What video was that?  Didn’t see anything yesterday.

It was a video about the new Fifa/EA FC24 game. He was walking out with all the other players, which is promising.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cxsvc7ioHbX/?igshid=NjIwNzIyMDk2Mg==

Do we know when Conway is back? Was good to see him out training with other players in a video released yesterday, so hopefully not far away. We've really missed him IMHO. 

It's staggering that their home fixture v Swansea is being allowed to kick-off at 7:45pm on a Saturday night and yet, we repeatably have our games with both of them moved to early mornings or a Sunday....
 

7 hours ago, CyderInACan said:

This is one thing that City have got spot on - the free shirt with the U12s season ticket. 

On this very subject, (and sorry if this has been discussed) any idea how to claim them this season? Both Children will want to get theirs when we head to the Gate this weekend (stock depending) but not sure if I have missed on how to claim for the shirts like previous seasons. Thanks. 

1 minute ago, Monkeh said:

Has he got a gambling problem? Should we be mocking that regardless of player? Or should there be help available for people with these problems?

 

True - but if you actively celebrate an opposite teams player getting sent off in the way he did, then he needs to take the rough with the smooth. 

Tell me I'm mad, but the 3 goals v Blackpool away seem to be absent?!

10 hours ago, Percy Pig said:

The stats that the average fan focuses on tell you precisely nothing about a player. 

The stats that are useful help us understand performance and reaffirm or counter the most important aspect, the eye test. 

People are hoodwinked by the daftest stats, like assists (worst stat ever). What's actually important is tactical roles. There's every chance that we(the club) have seen something in Knight that makes us(the club) believe he can contribute in a role he may yet have played in his career. As Dave has pointed out, the third man runs from midfield is something we don't have and will absolutely need if we are going to play with a more possession dominant mindset next season. 

Those runs from deeper positions (like Mason Mount and peak Henderson of a few years ago) will compliment players like Mehmeti (under laps create space for a "take on" ) and Cornick (holds the ball at his feet and likes to flick inside or outside with both heel and outside of the foot). 

Much as many struggle to see it or refuse to accept football at the pro level is any different to the "Four Four ******* Two" of their grassroots days, there is a detailed and formulated "plan". Every player is, especially now, recruited to fit into that plan or evolve that plan. 

The usual suspects will criticise and talk down about all of our signings, that's their right. But I'm gonna give the team of Nigel Pearson, Jason Euell, Curtis Fleming and Brian Tinnion some credit and say maybe, just maybe, they know a bit more about football, footballers and tactics than even the best posters on here. 

Couldn't agree more PP.

I'd go as far as saying most football fans know very little about the intricacies of football full-stop.

We all have that person sat near us at the Gate who just spouts drivel, about the player should do this, or that player was never offside. 

On paper - a simple game. In reality, football has become increasingly tactical based on shape (changing when defending and attacking), retaining possession through movement and line breaks, along with sending time to study opponents to spot patterns of behaviour that will allow you to spot a weakness you can take advantage.

This forum is amazing to debate and offer contrasting views, but a lot of what is stated, should really be taken with a pinch of salt. 

The bigger frustration for me has been that this season has been a very average, I'd even argue poor, standard.

Any of the teams coming down from the Prem will be strong, and you'd argue that League One will be sending up teams with genuine quality and depth.

The championship will be a harder legaue next season. 

Howeys is worth it for the incredible story about Asprilla being in charge of the VHS video player on the team bus when they used to get a coach to away games.

One week, he casually swaps up his usual offering of Disney films, to play a homemade porn film.

My text version reciting the story does not do Howey the justice of how he tells it. 

24 minutes ago, SBB said:

From around his time, Martin Kuhl by an absolute mile. 

He used to go to the same Gym as me in a place called Yateley, which is on the Hampshire/Berkshire border - I think he stayed local, following his time at Aldershot. May still be here.

Anyhow, he was an absolute UNIT - very imposing in the gym, legs like tree trunks, Tattoo's all over the legs and arms and came across as someone you would not want to mess with.

Very personable and had a few chats with him about football, but he's certainly bulked up, post football and as you say - was tough back as a player. 

Shaun Taylor for me all day long. I remember him v Millwall on Boxing Day in our promotion season where he was a juggernaut and went head first in for every ball, despite some questionable arms from their strikers. 

I still believe that had he not been injured (Taken out) in the Easter Monday game v Watford at home, we would have won the league under John Ward that year.

Our dip in form, and goals leaked in the last 3 games of the season were no coincidence of him being absent. Mind you, we'd sold Goater by then too - so that didn't help matters.

Talk about an own goal.

If that's the quality of the marketing output you get from DNRG, then upon watching that, you'd struggle to want to place any actual work with them. 

Beyond cringeworthy. 

1 hour ago, Welcome To The Jungle said:

The way Ashton Gates redevelopment has been executed has been poor in my opinion. I was in favour of the move to AV and wish we still could

Interesting perspective, I respect your opinion but feel we have to look back at pictures from 15 years ago and remind ourselves how much has changed. And for the better.

I frequently bring friends with me who support other clubs - from across the football league spectrum, and ALL of them comment how much they like our ground and set-up.

1 hour ago, robinforlife2 said:

why I feel it is vital that we do not sell the crown jewels in the summer.

Scott will sadly be gone. He's already being actively shopped. 

Though that is sad, it will give Nige some money to invest in weak areas and make us a more overall package. 

The future does look incredibly positive.

3 hours ago, bpexile said:

Good job you kept it quiet then 

I don't think me posting it in a forum will make a jot of difference - those that do work in the game will know what is happening, it is more the PR handle of it. 

I remember when O'Neill's used to supply our university football team kits..... so have to admit, not a brand I would outline as premium for us.

That said - if we want custom kit, at present the choices are slim pickings unless you go to a 'lower' manufacturer brand or can sell in excess of 50,000 shirts - and the club would have had to take on that risk to do so. That's per shirt template, NOT collective Home, Away and 3rd Kits. This leaves us with little choice, if we want bespoke which is something that has been sighted and referenced in fans forums and feedback sessions as a critical part of the BCFC identity. 

Where they may be hope is with what they have done for Wycombe - https://www.oneills.com/uk_en/shop-by-team/soccer/soccer-clubs/wycombe-wanderers-fc.html

It is a real shame that the Hummel tie-up has come to an end, the last few years shirts have been very good - with the designs and options, and in particular, other clothing like warm up tops and over jackets etc. being unique and of a decent quality. 

It feels like something is definitely amiss.

https://www.bcfc.co.uk/partnerships/our-partners/

No sign of Hummel anywhere to be found, which would suggest a change might be imminent.

7 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

We are gonna need 4 or 5 at least with the OOC players leaving.

Currie will be an interesting one.  Does the summer give us different opportunities as the contract fate of other players is known?  Do Wimbledon try to play silly buggers (their prerogative)?  I’m in no way ITK but the stories of them wanting £1.2m were not true according to what I heard.  £600k is still a lot for a Lg2 player, but the loan-back was the killer.  We wanted to do it now, even at a fee slightly higher figure of £600k than we wanted to go, because we could’ve then moved Dasilva on and that would balance the finances.

Re Fees, think we are still in the relatively small fee range, ala Mehmeti.

A friend of mine knows some of the top brass at Wycombe and the fee was around £900,000 with some add ons. They initially wanted more than double that, but wanted to sell to the right club and their own financial situation meant they needed to do something, Ainsworth was very keen to see him go and play for a club that had a proper approach about its ways with a respected manager at the helm. In hindsight, I bet he'd have preferred to not sell, get the QPR job and take him to Loftus in the summer. Mehmeti was held in very high regard by all at the club. We are lucky to have him and will develop into a top player - his last 2 games have shown us that promise already. 

2 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

…but very much like last summer where we did:

• Sykes - 16th May
• Naismith - 27th May
• Wilson - 10th June

…in the winter window we had to wait for Semenyo to go and the certainty of his money coming in before we could move for Mehmeti and Cornick.

That Semenyo money is the catalyst for early summer recruitment, rather than Scott, imho.  That’s not saying Scott won’t leave, just that we can get ahead of the game recruitment wise because we have created budget by selling 1) Semenyo, 2) renegotiated better for us (cheaper) contracts for any players we keep and 3) let OOC players go.

Good points Dave and agree with what you say. The Semenyo deal was the cork in the bottle, which allowed the pre-discussed business to be concluded.

You are right - this summer, some of the Semenyo money will allow initial trading, but our summer recruitment will also be built on an FFP model where we know the minimum amount that we will get for Scott, to allow for additional investment. I don't think we will spend massive amounts, but can see 4/5 new players in easily - of which at least 3 will be with a fee attached. 

By getting a deal done soon, it allows us to plan well ahead. I can foresee that when we are definitely safe, and not in contention for play-offs (I don't feel we are, but mathematically remain so at present) - Scott will be rested significantly to avoid any injury ahead of a transfer and to give us time to learn how not to play without him there. 

From what I am led to believe by someone who works in the game, Scott is being actively shopped around by us to about 4 PL clubs. He will 100% be sold this summer and our recruitment plans are being based on this exact scenario.

Rightfully, we want to secure those deals (and have been told that 2 are pretty much done - one being Jack Currie at Wimbledon) before Scott's departure is confirmed - to prevent purchase inflation being applied, simply due to the fact that we get a big amount for Alex.

The job between now and then is get the most we can, but at least 2 of those 4 clubs will already do a deal around the £20m mark, with additions like England Caps etc. Rightfully, this will be done and our new players in, very early in the window (unlike the one just gone) so Nige and the team have the longest time possible to get the club prepped for the 23-24 season. 

Full credit to Alex, he deserves the opportunity, testament to the club that we are nurturing and developing talent, and despite his loss - this is another window where Pearson can use his nous to make us into an overall stronger unit.

Next year, could just be the long awaited year that we have been awaiting for - I'm genuinely excited to renew next year, and see how we can kick on and maintain/develop the style/system/attitude that Pearson has long mentioned are critical elements for a successful squad. 

 

8 minutes ago, TheReds said:

None of us will know, but before he left he did lose 4 from 5 and that was against Brum, Coventry, WBA (they were awful back then)  and Hudds, and that was the start of their rapid downfall. I still cannot see them being anywhere close to where they are now though if he did stay, but think they have had a lot of injuries as well. The new manager really needs some sort of bounce as player and club confidence must be so low, if they don't get some points soon it could get very twitchy for them.

Fair point - they had gone on a blip - but 3 of those games were during time where speculation was rife about his future which may have impacted performances. As you say, we'll never know.

I had seen them early on v Hull City and they were excellent. Organised, attacking minded and very comfortable with ball at foot. Quite the contrast to now, it must be said. One of my best friends is a QPR season ticket holder and can't believe what they are serving up at present.

I think they have just got enough to see them safe, but if there is another weekend like this one just gone, where all the bottom sides got points - they will be soon looking over their shoulder, unless the new manager can come in and get the best out of the group. 
 

8 hours ago, Ronnie Sinclair said:

Got rid of Warburton for finishing 9th, and are now in the brown stuff - no sympathy another club with a revolving door on the manager's office

That's a bit harsh. They brought Beale in, who was a shrewd appointment. Warburton had done ok, but they'd had a really poor finish to the latter part of last season, with some issues behind the scenes apparently.

Hardly their fault that Beale decided to leave after 3 months when Rangers came calling. Was he still at the helm, I've no doubt QPR would comfortably in the top 6. Based on what he had at his disposal, they were over performing.

That said, they are in turmoil now, and someone needs to come in quickly. The hoops fans I know, want answers from the owners and what DOF Les Ferdinand's plan is - both short and long term. The main issue they have is around revenue generation. Due to location, they can't use Loftus road for anything but football, and added to that is the costs of London - wages etc. Supposedly they are being bailed out to the tune of £1.8m a month, and also have to pay off the huge FFP fine (42m!) they got given 5 years ago. They still have over £25m of that to pay off.... so little income, not sold many players for profit and it's looking quite bleak. 

Another example of why we should be very grateful for what we have.