JoeAman08

I'm worried about today. Pacy wingers and tricky little striker. Totally different to QPR when it was lumped up to Smith often. We will see how it works out but their team could be the perfect team to catch us out, imo. 

Just now, REDLEE said:

A team who finished that season about 10 points behind us, and since then have spent about 15 million less than us! 

Exactly. I've tried to stay positive and have been pretty laid back about LJ. He could've went a long time ago but he hasn't and we haven't been embarrassed most of the season but surely a hiding at Brentford and Preston will bring pressure to sack him. Especially the manner of them. A break and then whacked by Brentford first half. Then stumbled in at HT in the game at Preston and down 3 10 min after. 

3-0 after 55 minutes in a match with a team that came up with us 2 years ago. Surely if there was a breaking point it's now

3 minutes ago, ciderbeans said:

O'dowda should be starting imo and maggs for Bryan.

I don't really see Mags as a LB but in this lineup I'd agree. I'm assuming 442 with Tomlin on the left. Would be good to have a natural defender behind him. 

I know people will slate it because LJ is the one who made it but it's about as attacking as we can get. Harsh on O'Dowda but obviously wanted to fit Tomlin in the side. The one thing I fear is Joe Bryan. Not a good defender and won't  get help from Tomlin who will be out left assuming 442. 

I think it's a must win if we are serious about staying up and looks as if the staff think that as well. I want to stay in the division so I hope this is when LJ turns it around. 

1 minute ago, BRISTOL86 said:

Sounds like it would have been Djuric but for an injury

 

On the bench

Thanks for that. Didn't read about Djuric. I like Wilbs but it's Newcastle. Rotherham, Preston or Burton fair enough. 

Im not looking forward to Korey and GON in midfield together though. They tend to stand 5 yards from each other and pass sideways to each other or back to the centre halves. 

I have high hopes for our right and left sides though. Think this could be our strongest lineup on the wings. Banged on for months about how COD in front of Bryan may bring the best out of both as CODs work will allow Joe to get forward more comfortably while knowing he'll be covered. Cotterill has been brilliant and Vyner will be hungry to impress. 

I'm glad I came all this way to see Wilbraham start up front on his own after not playing for 2 months as a 37 year old. I'm sure this team will try very hard but we are playing the best team in the league. 

Yes but that's what we've been missing. People make mistakes good on Flint stopping play and taking the card for the team.

What's funny reading this is the opinions of people that didn't go. We were quite 4-4-2 yesterday with Tomlin and Tammy which is what everyone has called for. I'd even wager that Tomlin was on average further forward than Tammy until Wilbs came on late. He wasn't stuck on the left at all. So yea 4-4-2 which is what many call for. 

Then he started Brownhill one of those young ones that are a "waste of money" to some. O'Dowda off the bench who won the header that lead to the goal line controversy. 

To be honest, LJ can't win with most of you and possibly the club can't either. I guess that's football. Everyone has a different opinion on your club. The club is going in the direction the feel fit. It may not fit your agenda but why not try and support them. LJ, MA and SL cleaned up the mess last year. Then invested heavily in playing staff. Now they're trying to fast track the club by buying youth, developing them and trying to keep good results on the pitch. It's a massive job and personally think we're lucky to get this set up. Most clubs would be envious. Sure many teams spent much less but they looked for cheap experienced championship players with no real ambition other than staying in the league. We are working for more than that but unfortunately when we started this we were so far removed from promotion that it's still looking shaky. January will be here soon. A couple then will see us through and secure us a good finish in the end and hopefully some momentum. Next season and beyond I think the real fun will start. 

Anyway, this is how it's going to be so let's support them a bit. There are still players not up to scratch for what we want to be but you can't build a winning team in one window. It's a process of a few windows and good player development. I'm sure the youth are learning and we are shielding them until they are 99% ready and not just throwing them into the fire at 50%. Protecting our investments you can call it. 

5 minutes ago, bristolcitysweden said:

Perhaps I had to high thoughts of him coming in from Norwich. I expected a leader who could dictate the game helping the youngsters out. It turned out he hardly made it.

I'm with you a bit though wouldn't have chosen the same words. There have been quite a few games where he's been phenomenal and I expect that today. I think he's been used a bit too much at times and that's where I think he hasn't been as good as I expected. 

Why Golbourne is sat is beyond me but the decision to put Tomlin on the left seems the only decent choice. Don't have a good enough left sided midfielder. This team does tell me we will be on the ball quite a bit. Whether we can turn possession into chances and goals we will see. 

Our form isn't that surprising. We didn't play great to start the season. We won ugly which is fine but as soon as Tammy's goals dried up the confidence started dipping. We are a quality side with 1 or 2 mistakes in them per game that get punished every time. We need to be a quality side with 1 or 2 mistakes per month. I don't know how you cut the mistakes out. I guess it would be better players. Who would've thought our most ample position we are probably at our weakest with CM. Only Bobby Reid has played consistently well all year but gets dropped when someone else gets fit. GON is mostly quality I think has just played a bit too much at times. They'd be my starting pairing from now on if we insist on 442. Bobby has proven time and time again he'll track back and help the team out and has the energy to do so. The attacking he's always looking forward and getting into good positions. 

How bad are we calling out for proper wide players as well. Tell me Van La Parra wouldn't be a gem for us. Their defense didn't look great either other than Smith. What a performance from him. Need Matthews to get to that level which he's capable of. 

2 minutes ago, Esmond Million's Bung said:

it's like watching a ******* downs league match, Fielding is shocking today, Golbourne looks lost, Pack the worst player on the field, Smith awful, Freeman did little or nothing and is Tomlin playing?.

Tomlin had a few good touches first half that opened up space but he didn't want to let the ball go to Abraham and he lost it. Mooy looking about 5 times the player either Smith and Pack is. Still harsh Reid has been dropped. I'd still play him over Korey in a deeper role. Just as adept in tight areas and Korey seems reluctant to go in 100% on that ankle still. Was clutching at it against Ipswich after a tackle. 

Soft goal to concede as has been the story most of the season. Think it's clear that goal keeper needs to be on our list next summer if we want to improve. Whether that be internal(Lucic) or in the transfer market is up to the club but neither "#1" is good enough. 

Don't mind the lineup at all. Fresh legs in midfield. 2 strikers and 2 full time full backs. Hate seeing Reid on the bench but with two strikers it's a better idea to go with more defensive minded midfielders 

5 minutes ago, Big C said:

It's disappointing but Reading were third had won 4 games on a trot got a sift penalty and scored a cracking goal but we still had enough chances to get something out of the game. We are on a poor run but for some reason the footballing God had arranged for us to play 5 away league games in 7. That was always to be tough especially when one of the two home games were against one of the best teams in the division. We are still mid table six points clear of the relegation zone and we now have home games coming up. No need to panic yet.....

It's very true Reading are a good side but we can be just as good. We've been a few times. Soft penalty, I've heard that before as well. It's not a go at you but we need to battle through a few tough teams and tough decisions before anything will change. I think it's more a mindset than ability at the moment. I can't remember the last away game we won where I didn't really fancy us. Fulham last year we had all sort of momentum. Every away match feels hopeless. It's always the same things being said as well. We were unlucky, deserved a point, ref was woeful, etc. Something has to change in the group because the grit doesn't seem to be there away from home. 

And yea I get over dramatic at times but when does bad form turn into worrying form? For me we are in worrying form and I can't see light over the horizon just yet with our next few fixtures. 

Again, more of the same. Need goals and bring AW on. I think any manager would've seen the last 5 matches and have plenty of answers for AW in mind. He would've been talked about watching game tape of the upcoming opponent. It's deja vu. Getting flashbacks to last season. Seems chances are being made as well but now we'll change that and just go long. 

3 minutes ago, Port Said Red said:

Ok I'm off. Time to take a break from OTIB, because the people on here who lack any belief constantly want to throw the baby with the bath water. You would all make great foreign chairmen, no patience, no understanding of how football works outside of the video game world and constantly wanting the long term plan to yield short term results. 
I really hope our chairman is more sensible than the rest of you. 

Long term plans is fine. I said as much but there hasn't been any improvement since the start of the season. We've been poor most matches and while winning ugly is a part of it, it masked our very average performances. Short term performances are just as important in this league, if not more, than the long term. We can plan all we want for the next 3 years but those plans go away if we are relegated. Not to mention the process depends on our league position in transfer windows. We finish 18th this season do you think it's likely we'll add the same type of quality we would if we finished 9th? No we don't. We're getting the same team and formation thrown out there each week yielding the same results. We all slated Steve Cotterill for it and all I'm saying isn't LJ is currently on the same path. We are in relegation form with no match coming up I'd feel confident in picking up 3 points from. Ipswich will be no easy task then we get top 6 Huddersfield, dangerous Brentford and the in form preston who always give us a tough time. Results now are important so don't pretend they aren't. 

32 minutes ago, Ivorguy said:

They really can't afford to lose today.  If they do it will prove very difficult to reinvigorate the season, and any transfers in January will be recruited less for a push towards playoffs this season and nearer to promotion next; instead it will be yet another relegation battle.

Oh dear how often have City promised  only in the last analysis to fail.

I can cope with City failure, after all I have had lots of practice, it's the hope that does me in.

Don't be daft we're only a few points off top 6. That's what you'll get on here anyway. I said the same last week and I'll say it again. All these promises about good football and the 1 and 2 percent that make the difference yet we are getting beat by what we don't do well. Cross into the box, goal. Set piece, goal. We don't cross and are awful at set pieces. Those other half a percents mean nothing when you're awful at 40% of the game. 

Anyway, we seem more likely to be in a relegation battle than a promotion push. It's been like that all year. We've had a few good performances but most have been poor but late goals and Tammy Abraham gave us the illusion we weren't doing badly. We were and now the same mistakes are costing us because we can't score. January will be a wasted window as well because no one is going to want to join a mid table to relegation battle type team. The improvement hasn't been there and while it's not all about this year, we haven't gotten better from August until now. 3 months of the same football. No progress, same formations and same under performing players out there every week. Sounds a bit like this time last year only with a summer full of investment behind it which makes it worse for me. Just a more graceful losing manager this time out

10 minutes ago, Red Exile said:

Trouble is Joe, we don't pick the order in which we play matches. Cardiff had a new boss and raised their game. QPR, we always struggle there and could have won a very tight game. Today...I couldn't see us winning and it sounds as if we did better than I expected. Next week I'lll be at Reading, they're on fire. Brighton are in a different league. These are all tough games...and it was obvious they'd be tough games before this run started. Even Barnsley pulled one back with more or less the last kick of the game. As I said elsewhere, perspective needed. We don't have the squad to walk this division, but we can compete. I see that as improvement.We are, as everyone has said, a work in progress...

I get emotional after a loss and today sounded a good performance. I get that and I'm glad we've played well and created chances against a very organised team. 

And I get we've had some interesting scenarios these last few weeks but I don't think it changes things in my mind. QPR and Birmingham haven't been happy hunting grounds but that's all in the past and has no bearing on the current squad. We have the power to change all that and IMO we have the squad to compete with anyone. That's why I get frustrated. I don't want to get complacent with them. They're talented and can finish top 8-10 right now. 

Ive said it a thousand times. It's not all about this year and I get there will be ups and downs. I just feel games like today and QPR are matches we need to start winning every once in awhile to grow as a club. It's just as important as improving the stadium, or the academy or adding new coaches. It's all part of growing as a club. A few wins at places like QPR and Birmingham or Leeds helps the club grow as well. I want to see us get a few decent away wins and then we'll really be on our way. We have a chance next week but it won't be easy. 

4 minutes ago, iamalagerdrinker said:

 

 

11 minutes ago, Fiale said:

Still don't understand why we bring on Wilbs instead of Engvall ?

I'm with you. We weren't struggling to create chances today which is what Aaron is best at. He occupies defenders when they're tough to break down. Birmingham were beaten today and maybe a quicker more mobile target would've been the better shout. I get LJ said he isn't ready yet but 15-20 minutes today wouldn't have hurt and IMO would've been a better option than AW today. 

3 minutes ago, petehinton said:

Not good when we need a goal? Like when he came on to win us the game against Blackburn, and equaliser against Fulham? Or when he bossed Burtons defence to help Tammy score the winner?

You mean the lucky deflection against Blackburn? Or when Kodjia done all the work to get it to Tammy at Burton? He's a striker I expect him to score here and there but he's 37 years old and not known to be a goal scorer. It's not the solution when we need a goal every game. Today chances were being made and we didn't need Aaron on the pitch. Love the guy and in certain situations has his uses but he doesn't fill me with confidence that he'll make something happen. I'm all for being positive and supporting the lads but there are a number of better strikers on benches in this league that being more than Aaron. The sooner we upgrade, the better off we'll be. 

We've gotten really poor at set pieces. Can't defend them and can't take them. It's killing our chances at mid table let alone a top 8 finish. All this talk about a percent here and half a percent there but we can't get a big piece of the game like set pieces right. 

Now our lack of striking options is biting us as well. Need a goal and Wilbraham comes on again. He's not the answer to any question involving needing a goal. Yea he's got a few but let's not pretend that makes him a good option when you need a goal. 

I'm all for the future of the club but something needs to change for the now. Next weekend won't be easy to pick up a point let alone 3. A loss next week and a few other results against us and we're only 5 above the relegation spots. It's not a foregone conclusion we stay up. Yes today we played a tough team but we had them and couldn't put it away and got punished. Need to sort this out quick. 1 win in 7 against beatable teams is not good enough for a team that spent 10-11m on playing staff in a summer. Yea we need more to be contenders but that's enough to be beating teams like Birmingham, Cardiff and QPR. It's not good enough at the moment.