Davefevs

Yes and no. Part of me thinks yes, more as a “consultant”, but the contracts, budgets, etc, that’s a no. I don’t see Tins doing that either. Tins as HoR rather than DoF makes sense. I suspect we will have people filling roles with titles that don’t quite fit the true nature of their titles in the normal world. We already have one in “Chairman”. Just move aside, and be the head of Fever Pitch, that’s his niche.

They are probably in the middle third, lower end, they cut back a bit last summer when Ayew left. We shall see what all the loans costs them!

One fan suggested Weimann was limping. According to Nige, Kalas had a tight calf and they decided (as a precaution) not to include him. Sensible, having just come back.

No, I see them (generically) as 2 years further into their evolution than us, reaping the benefits of a good plan, recruitment, solid financial management etc. Swansea had PPs don’t forget until this summer, we’re paying Ayew £60-90k p.w! Once again. It’s all one-sided argument, where are your thoughts on why we have won games, are sitting mid-table. If we were as you state, wouldn’t we we in the bottom three for example. We’re our tactics and coaching crap a few weeks back. ??????????

Everytime I listen to Wilkins on BBCRB he comes on all guns blazing, then backtracks, contradicts himself, usually under challenge from Geoff. Although GM looks like he’ll ride shotgun with RG for the next 3 months, I wonder if we will now go with a DoF model. We will still need a CEO though, but might be one where some of the football side will be less onerous. Since MA has gone and taken several with him, the non-football (pure football) side has been trimmed also.

But that is why on a forum or a pod, if you word it like…”I would like us to go and get someone like [insert name] because….x, y, and z]” then you give credibility to why you might want Pearson gone. If your inserted name is Dyche, Moyes, etc, your credibility is lost too. Someone progressive like, Paul Warne (now Derby), Liam Rosenior, Matt Taylor (now Rotherham), etc, shows you have a grasp of the situation / reality. Someone like Nigel Pearson, an experienced manager, out of work to continue a rebuild, shows you have a grasp of the situation / reality. Dyche is not who I’m thinking of here, he’s still PL capable.

…and if so, did you make that point on the pod? If so, what was the response?

Usually that results in us playing Lg1 football. When we get past next summer, the OOC have left or re-signed new, reduced deals, we will likely have a squad where we can begin to trade again. We aren’t there yet, we are looking in the middle aisle at Aldi / Lidl, hoping that a bargain comes along…and that we want. We need to muddle on through til then. Compate Bristol City squad to Reading squad, when all fit…we have lots of similar ability players to theirs, then they have Joao, Ejaria, Moore, Dann, Hendrick, all superior to anyone in ours on their day. Okay you may dispute one or two, but I don’t think I’m being too “choosy”.

I agree btw, just wondered. What you really want is two aerially dominant CBs either side of Kal. We may see that next Saturday.

Yep, fair points, from a trending up position, we are slightly trending down at the mo’…although 2 wins in 4 is a nice plateau. We are a very gentle log-flume ride at the mo’….no rapids yet, no big chain assisted rise to the peak. No arguments there. I think if you took the same approach for all 23 other clubs, ie put their best 18 on paper, we are about “where we are”. I think you’d be surprised how competitive a lot of other Championship squads are! Experience isn’t the be-all and end-all, power and pace is better imho.

TM has been back playing in the back 3 over the last 5 or 6 games.

Yep, and look at what we paid out in fees and wages too…I don’t believe he was the great negotiator made out, just a market that looked favourable to him. But if you look at the accounts…he overspent. It’s there in black and white.

Not saying it’s one thing but Naismith got the ball through the opposition’s initial press which meant we could get our midfielders facing up theirs.

Why, Pete? he got exposed for pace on the break a couple of times as we chased a result? Otherwise he was decent enough, wasn’t he? Possibly gonna be the first time all 5 CBs are fit for selection this coming match.

Yet we defended them pretty well first half. But… …we do give away cheap ones. At times the lack of anticipation coupled with not being smart when near the goal-line really bugs me.

Interesting post… …and I’ve long time worried about a plateau of the TV deal, even it’s decline. I don’t foresee another on-digital scenario, but along with transfer fee reduction, a tv deal reduction would really focus the minds of sustainability and how to achieve. When this summer comes around we will be better positioned to react than the last two summers. Wages down (as the OOC player leave or accept reduced contracts), amortisation down from £14m to £1m…a more realistic lower cost base that can be supported by revenue and SL backing.

I’d rather he stayed, signed a new deal, regained his form and then moved on. No. Do you think there’s one single reason for our inconsistency, and OTIB knows that one reason, that it’s so obvious, but the pros don’t? That it’s all down to Nige’s motivation one game and all down to his lack of it the next. Agree. Think 1) he didn’t get the ball in those positions and 2) when he did get on the ball the runs around him weren’t great.

Does Dave B have the skillset?

Cynically you are making out Gould has the traits of Mark Ashton and neither could be further apart!! Believe that Pearson’s preference at the time RG was appointed was Adrian Bevington. As big a blow as it will be if / when Gould goes, as per player sales it’s about how you replace them. I wonder if there are any in-house that could fill in temporarily, e.g. Kelly, Marshall, Griffiths????

I want suggesting he’s still injured, just struggling to regain form.

Today, I think the subs were being lined up after a poor opening 5 minutes of the second half, and probably based on the logic of - we aren’t looking sharp, players had a hard night on Tuesday, I wrote in my notes at 50 mins “sloppy start to 2nd half from both sides”. Williams had just not got onto a ball from Scott on the counter which led to the first of two corners from where they scored. He was probably waiting to see how far into the game he could go. Semenyo and Wells had quiet games. Seemed reasonable subs in the circumstances, but looked panicky as we conceded whilst they were being readied. That happens. There’s no way this squad goes from where it was to pushing for a playoff as “meeting expectations”. That would be a huge over-achievement. From last season and the ins and outs I think 16th and upwards is realistic (into the middle 8), 13th and upwards a good “stretch target” for end of season. That’s taking into account our financial position, squad ability, etc. We will have to adjust as we go into and out of January too. Who knows what might happen following WC and the Jan window.

I said elsewhere we have a lot of similar ability players, we don’t have many who can lift the whole team off the back of a stunning individual performance. That’s not saying we don’t have any, Semenyo is probably our one true “maverick”. He looks out of touch (against my expectation) at the mo’. He might be struggling from his shin break…which isn’t unsurprising either.

Exactly. So many want to put everything down to the manager (mostly those laying blame, but a few giving credit, albeit a much smaller number). I don’t think it’s being motivated one game and not the other either…football just isn’t like that. The Championship isn’t either, is it really? It’s lots if things, not one thing. The team that plays better on the day, generally gets the result. Norwich without a win in 5 btw!!

I think there is something to be said for this, but I’d say it’s more about not having enough “inspirational” players, the ones who can turn a very average team performance into a winning one with a bit of magic. I think we have a squad of very similar ability players in the main, age regardless. But I guess ultimately there are lots of reasons!

The whole league is inconsistent. How do you explain today? The better team won. Just like we did on Tuesday. Give Reading credit for being that bit sharper, that bit better in the final third / set plays. Lots of things to pick City up on today, but sometimes an opponent has to be given credit for nullifying us. We are a team in a rebuild. Have you not learned anything other than to expect inconsistency in this phase? I take heart we are mid-table, gradually getting players back fit, having seen a squad get stretched over a condensed fixture period. So many fans started the season with “Nige has til the World Cup, if we are in relegation trouble, he’s got to go”. Well, we aren’t in trouble, we’ve showed some great football at times this season, and some below par…but the focus is negativity. What do people realistically expect? Moon on a stick it seems. Blige, I do ???