Shuffle

12 minutes ago, redsocks said:

Played ok deserved a point for the effort they gave.what the hell the linesman was doing for their goal the winger was miles off side.and Sam Bell needs to be rested as he and Andy w offered nothing 2nite.now onto cardiff sat.

Agree with Weimann & Bell being our least effective players & Cornick was decent when he came on but for all his enthusiasm Yeboah offers little in terms of end product.  Weimann has to play centrally for me or not at all although understand with injuries he has to. 

1 hour ago, petehinton said:

Pearson’s comments make it even more confusing tbh. Says he was limping, but seemingly was a minor injury that he didn’t trust him to play though 

Yep not sure if he was bad enough to be brought off he would be available for Saturday. Didn’t hear the trust him to play through it comment but that is certainly a vote of no confidence .

I know it wasn’t like for like but why didn’t we bring on Memehti for last 5 as 1-0 down & whilst congratulations to James on debut we ended up with 2 x 17 year olds on our left. God knows where Memehti’s head is at the moment but how do we get the player back we all saw when signed without playing him.

Now I haven’t been Pearson biggest fan and was one of those calling for his dismissal after West Brom game on Boxing Day. I can admit I was wrong.  He’s significantly reduced our costs and worked with handcuffs on due to Lansdown tightening the purse strings.  We have a club that has players who want to be here and fight for the shirt and a clear style of play & a pathway for academy.  The fans are united behind Pearson so it would be so Lansdown like to shoot us in the foot by not extending his contract.

 I’ll always support this club as it’s mine and yours (despite our owners thoughts)and whilst I’ll be grateful to Lansdown for investment in infrastructure just let common sense prevail and give him a new contract. I fear from Pearson words that he knows he won’t get that and that is suicidal from a football perspective.  

Lansdown is in huge damage of people forgetting all the good & be remembered as the man who couldn’t be challenged or see sense when faced with a football decision.

7 hours ago, ZiderEyed said:

Was thinking about this today with the obvious benefits of a righty and a lefty at CB (always loathed an RR/LL pairing), balance in the midfield when RA is back and KN can be moved forward, but when we have a fully fit side - does genuinely look really good for us.

                     

                        O'Leary

McCrorie - Vyner - Atkinson - Pring

               James - Naismith

                        Knight

Sykes/Weimann - Conway - Bell

 

Probably need an upgrade on Bell if we're being brutal imo, as Anis hasn't done it for us yet on current showings, but that side looks every inch like it'll be one of the better mid table sides to me, all we need is a bit of luck and it could go our way. Plenty of reasons to be cheerful!

1 hour ago, Davefevs said:

You have to extend him at some point this season, or summer 24 he only has one year left.  Might as well be now…and you wanna get it done before January too, as you start to open yourself up to interest getting more serious, agents and even player getting itchy.

Need to do the same with Conway now.  Signed his deal similar time to Bell and his profile greater.

edit: congrats to Sam btw.  Needs to keep his upward trajectory

Good player that Sam Bell

1 hour ago, Davefevs said:

You have to extend him at some point this season, or summer 24 he only has one year left.  Might as well be now…and you wanna get it done before January too, as you start to open yourself up to interest getting more serious, agents and even player getting itchy.

Need to do the same with Conway now.  Signed his deal similar time to Bell and his profile greater.

edit: congrats to Sam btw.  Needs to keep his upward trajectory

Good player that Sam Bell

His best game for me on Saturday as was brilliant.  The balance in midfield not quite right for me as we lack creativity but Knight/James are certain starters with the other place up for grabs.

27 minutes ago, Lew-T said:

That aside, I thought he did well when he came on. 

Last week at Leicester, I thought he was very good & used the ball well but yesterday I thought he was really poor & wasteful.  Also could have done better to stop cross for third goal.  Whilst he can cover RB, I thinks it’s clear that he’s a CM.  All about opinions and maybe I’m being harsh but his two recent performances were like chalk & cheese.

Naismith in general defends well but come the last 15 mins seems to lose his discipline and becomes loose in his passing. Ultimately, we all knew we were light at CB with Atkinson injured & compounded now by Vyner injury. We have such limited options & Lansdowns budget strategy needed us to remain injury free which we aren’t.  Naismith does need to be better as a senior pro but let’s not lose sight of the tightened budget as that’s the only reason he’s at CB as no options. 

Spot on & said the same on another thread as was embarrassing.  

Luke Thomas has suffered from mental health & this is bullying in the workplace and gross misconduct. What a disgusting bloke Barton is & as a player who in their right mind would want to play for him as it could be your turn next.  In fairness even the most biased Rovers fans who defend them at all costs are calling this out.  Can the PFA do anything about this?

7 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Thought Weimann looked really sharp playing left forward, lots of good bits from him.

What was Naismith’s fault on their first, was a good header back-pedalling…unfortunately Leris got a lucky bounce off of Pring and then a wonder strike.

+++++

Their strikers took Naismith out, every long ball…no attempt to play the ball at all.  Ref missed it every time.

I have no issue with Weimann coming on as a 10 or advanced 8 but not as a left sided attacker.  He did well to play in TGH when he took a ridiculous first time shot and worked hard to keep ball in play but struggling to think of anything else that stood out.  Flip side he hesitated in mix up with Max that could have been a pen and sat on the floor pleading for a foul that wasn’t as players from Stoke were pouring forward.  Still protesting with ref after Stoke winner.

Just watched third back & watch Naismith recovery run after missing header he just walks.  Prings header puts us under big pressure and again we don’t track runs and leave a tap in for their sub.  It came from their goal kick and was a shit show. 
 

What I’m puzzled over is how the hell do we get Memehti back firing as looked really good when signed.  At a time where money is tight we need to find a way to get our £1m signing on the grass. I know his decision making is suspect but he must feel lower than a snakes belly seeing Weimann/Bell in front of him. I’m not saying he deserves a start but seems not to be trusted.

8 minutes ago, The hand of RO'D said:

THIS 100%. I’m still struggling to get my head around how we’ve come away from that game with a 3-2 loss, we were terrific in every department.

Can’t be terrific in every department when you concede 3 in any game.  Granted we should have won but just lost to a poor side 

10 hours ago, Silvio Dante said:

Because things can get lost in the normal match thread and it’s useful to reflect. Few things:

Max - I have been critical but excellent today. No chance with the goal. One poor kick but overall distribution far better - my MoM and his best game of the season for me

Tanner - Excellent defensively, got dragged once or twice but really solid overall - again, best game of the season

CBs - we missed Zak in pace and bringing the ball out but I think we did well. No easy shots, good blocks - it was a penalty but I don’t think that distracts from KN overall

TGH  - An odd pick out maybe but I really like this kid. He always had time, played with head up and generally picked the right ball. He, more than any other sub, drove us forward and I think he’ll be a big player moving forward 

Overall, very good and the containing nearly worked. My only negative was our fans who, when the penalty was given, decided to rush towards the barrier between us and the Leicester fans, knocking kids out of the way. And then spent 20 minutes staring at Leicester fans and not the game. Well done lads.

 

 

 

Good post & agree with players singled out especially TGH.  He came on & demanded the ball & tried to drive us forward & was positive throughout. Looks a good player & gives us legs in midfield that both James & Williams struggled to provide admittedly against a top side .  I agree midfield hasn’t got the right balance & TGH looks like he could be more creative than current 3. 
 

You cannot change it yet as would be unfair after some good performances but TGH is wasted at RB & will force himself in probably at expense of Williams.

Also said we had good squad depth which if you’re considering 17 outfield players enough then fine.  Then said we need to be lucky with injuries but what if we aren’t Phil as surely we needed to plan for that & I don’t just mean TGH to cover RB.  Seems the fact that Nige consistently said that Knight was signed to play with Scott that there wasn’t a plan B if he went,  as Scott had to be sold as we already had purchased his replacement & added to squad.  
 

Geoff Twentyman was a hard act to follow but felt interviewer didn’t challenge or probe further.  Fine if Lansdown doesn’t want to fund it as his choice but move the club on then Steve & drop this our budget is higher than Luton’s and they went up,so we can on comparable budget.

Spoke to a couple of City analysts on the way back and their view on crucial decisions were as follows:

2 disallowed goals for offside were correct

Disallowed goal by Knight should have stood

Yellow card correct decision as man on cover

Sykes - should have been a penalty for push in back

Naismith handball - should have been a pen

What a performance & some awayday & the lift we all needed

City were 1-0 up v Notts Forest a couple of seasons back  when the assistant referee put the board up with 5 added minutes to play.  City then proceed to concede 2 goals and inexplicably end up losing the game.

City are well set for the 23/24 season with 15k season tickets sold & a talented squad giving everyone huge optimism after a few years struggle.  City then proceed to sell their best player for £25m & suffer injuries to key players.  City (Lansdown) then inexplicably choose not to reinvest any of the monies or to address star boy leaving or injuries thus turning a fan base full of optimism to pessimistic supporters overnight.

Both the situations above caused me massive grief but I can forgive the first as us being naive & not deliberate but the second is sheer stupidity and spiteful to not just Nige but to everyone who follows OUR beloved reds. 
 

I will be eternally grateful to the Lansdown family for the amazing infrastructure that they have delivered & years of financial support.  I think what should be a fantastic legacy is or will become tainted with many for the decision to cut the budget.
 

I get that you want costs down prior to a sale but Lansdown will be remembered for turning his back at a time when his club needed him as we are a couple of injuries away from this season that started with huge optimism becoming a disaster and struggle.

Now as a fan of many years & seen the lows of 82 & 3 back to back relegations, I keep going because I’m Bristolian & whilst they tempt your patience I genuinely love the club. 
 
As a fan, I’m bemused by the timing of wage constraints after an extensive focus on squad reduction & raising £25m for Scott.
 

We clearly need signings & help & Pearson after doing everything he’s been asked to do must be thinking what’s the point as the club could be perceived as setting him up for failure. 
 

If I was Nige with no financial imperative to work & no long term affinity with club & my boss kept asking me to deliver when asking me to cut costs & lose my best players then I’d think why bother & walk. 
 

Perhaps it says more about me but what is the motivation for him to stay?  Genuinely can’t see why you’d stay & nobody could blame him if he did walk unless he knows that’s what Lansdown wants. 

He seems a shadow of the player who joined the club & looks a terrible signing for a £1m when we all thought we’d got a bargain.  Clearly has ability and there’s a player in there but his decision making is terrible & not sure how you coach that. Seems to be playing with fear & confidence has completely drained.  Coupled with Cornick on the other side & we are toothless.

The big positive  on the night was Yeboah who was very good.  We were well beaten & carry no threat at all. The signings of Cornick & Memehti look poor now & King can’t influence a game anymore & certainly not last 90. Thought Dickie (rolled again for goal), Roberts & Tanner were dreadful & expect TGH to start at RB on Saturday. 
 

it’s going to be a long season & night made more depressing by news that no new signings as squad not good enough as it is. 

1 hour ago, redkev said:

Being a bit old fashioned me Dave and lifelong city fan , I thought a bit of loyalty / thanks might have come into it - how silly of me 

Unfortunately the fans are the only ones loyal.  I would have loved him to stay as a top defender for me.

1 hour ago, 1960maaan said:

So 21 OOC and another 5 go back to their parent Clubs. Joey planning for the future then. 
What with making money from his Twitter paywall for Club News or whatever it was, he really could leave the club in a mess.

In fairness to Barton any money made from Twitter paywall is going to Nick Anderton 

1 hour ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

This is fair, I've always thought an optimum squad size is about 25. 24, 25.

O'Leary, Bajic, Wiles-Richards

Tanner, McCrorie, Vyner, Dickie, Atkinson, Pring, Roberts

Naismith, James, Williams, King, Knight, Gardner-Hickman

Sykes, Cornick, Bell, Mehmeti, Benarous

Conyway, Wells, Weimann

Okay maybe then. If we add Murphy as well.

That’s fine & you should work on premise of 2 players for every position so at face value we look fine. The reality is that at GK we have 2 understudy’s who have never played a league game & have Atkinson, Conway out until November & Benarous out again after 2 ACL injuries & unfortunately we have McCrorie out for an unspecified period.  That’s before you add in other injuries that will happen on top of the above & suspensions.  I think we all know we are light & even if we have numbers in certain positions the jury is still out regarding quality. Just seems we are taking an avoidable risk. Nobody is expecting multiple signings but to stop at TGH is crazy although I know you agree.

Just curious but does the £700k loan fee cover his wages or are they on top? 

12 minutes ago, Claverham_Red said:

Never done it myself, but I'd park on Weston Road, by the houses. Short walk around the corner to the HPC.

Head past the HPC which will be on the left & take first left at Lights & park on the main road.  Not sure if this is Weston Rd as advised by @Claverham_Red