Olé

As per the post you were replying to - that Stevenage one... wow. As brilliantly as they've done and as romantic as the story is, that penalty could have gone either way and was anything but clear cut. For it to be penalty and red card when it's exactly the sort of indifferent and (to referees at least) debatable shout we continually don't get penalties for. It's like we are being trolled by all of football.

Little quirk, today marked our 100th game in all competitions since that day at Millwall (I was actually there for Famara's penalty!). This means we've now officially reached the 1 in 100 games mark (in a competition that hovers around 1 in 10 frequency for award). And what better way to do it than with just the 3 shouts (Atkinson one looked nailed on to me, Semenyo less so but does on video).

The only thing that will top this is I guarantee there will be some old timers trying to scan these today too.

This has finished me. ?

Can confirm the tickets today are hand drawn. It’s unlike anything experienced ever even in non league. It’s like you’re carrying a prescription from a doctor to the steward. I estimate all fans will be in their seats by about 14.30 on Tuesday.

Exact same thing happened for the Lincoln game. No ticket on the purchase email and got to Bristol last minute and had to do a full lap of the ground at kick off (from Dolman B Block) to get my ticket from the ticket office. I’m annoyed that not only is this a bad omen after how badly that game went but I also said to the person in the ticket office “is there some way to test this to make sure this doesn’t happen again in future to people” and they stared blankly at me and in that moment in my soul I already knew exactly the same thing was going to happen the next time.

And also nice to see Basso celebrating at full time ?

True story when we signed him the fee could not be agreed and went to a tribunal. He'd played his first couple of games under LJ before the tribunal sat, at which point they decided how much Scunthorpe should pay us.

Two points in two games might not make up for City boss Nigel Pearson claiming that it may be better if his side played away from home following 2 poor showings at Ashton Gate, and yet despite failing to grab a much needed win, a second successive committed display on the road in 4 days showed more evidence why City can still compete with higher flying opponents and prove their credentials. Despite an anonymous start, City's ability to lift it directly into Andi Weimann and Antoine Semenyo, quickly put a competitive Coventry side on the back foot, rocked by pace. This after Pearson's side gave up a shameful opener, carved open without breaking sweat - but once they settled they had their hosts rattled as City's two forwards roared onto a succession of swift balls into the channels. The visitors, in desperate need of a positive result, were in total control within moments of going behind on 12 minutes. Semenyo was full value for his equaliser inside half an hour and City won a succession of corners and seemed destined to go ahead. But after the break Coventry gave as good as they'd got but found Zak Vyner amongst others on top form, and more than deserving of their point. For such a good display it was odd that City started the New Year out of sorts - and facing one way traffic as Coventry won a series of corners, including when ex midfielder Kasey Palmer slipped a ball into Martyn Waghorn's path left of the box to force Max O'Leary's point blank save. At the other end George Tanner spun Weimann away down the right but his cross evaded Semenyo's lunging header. It was all the hosts early on and in little more than ten they would embarrass City defenders by pouring through the lines from the right - Kal Naismith particularly weak - and squaring into the box where O'Leary pushed out Jake Bidwell's first attempt and Tanner daydreamed as Bidwell stabbed in the rebound. It was Pearson's men at their worst - static, zonal and brushed aside for a quick opener. Helpfully it was a much needed wake up. On the quarter hour they won the first of a large number of corners which Weimann far post headed back across goal. City quickly got it back to Nahki Wells who laid the ball off for Tanner, whose low shot edge of the box was wide right. Midway into the half Palmer was robbed for Wells to sprint clear but keeper Ben Wilson beat Semenyo to claim his centre. By now City had Coventry on the back foot and a deserved equaliser followed. Wells had been a nuisance in the middle third and allowed Weimann to again work space on the right before his deep cross found Pring in the opposite channel, a first cross blocked, a second into a crowded box fired goalward by Wells but blocked, Semenyo swivelling decisively to slam the rebound into the bottom corner. Pearson’s side were now in full control and the Sky Blues rocking. Wilson came to claim Pring’s deep ball but lost out to Semenyo who laid it off for a cross which forced a desperate corner. Seconds later Semenyo blocked Wilson’s goal kick from a back pass. And then Rob Atkinson met Naismith’s left wing corner - the only time he’d beat his first man - but saw his finish headed clear of the top corner. Before the break Semenyo was now virtually untouchable, back to his very best holding the ball up and dancing whichever way he wanted with Coventry players unable to get close to him. But there was a warning as Tanner gave it away cheaply following another slick City attacking move, former teammate Palmer almost threading the Coventry striker clear on goal - but well against the run of play. By half time City should really have been ahead - but after the break Coventry came out with confidence renewed. Within five minutes Viktor Gyökeres danced seemingly unstoppably past City tackles from the left of the box but his lay off to Palmer was easily tidied up by City. Minutes later the ex-Robin pushed up and fed Waghorn on the left of the box, who dragged a shot across the front of goal. Up the other end Wells squandered possession at the worst possible time having found himself in space on the right, and from the resulting break Coventry fashioned a rapid 3 on 3 - Atkinson doing brilliantly to use all his muscle to slow down Gyökeres run before Vyner raced across and performed a goal saving tackle on the highly rated striker to block the shot. Accomplished defending from City. Before the hour a curious exchange as Naismith’s free kick in his own half was blocked at close range by the head of a Coventry player clearly not ten yards back. Naismith put it out of play for him to receive treatment, but from the restart not only was the free kick not permitted to be re-taken, but Coventry steamed into the drop ball at Naismith’s restart, showing a distinct lack of class and awareness. The final quarter of the match was end to end. Vyner sent Semenyo roaring away again down the right but his dangerous ball into the box was beaten away. At the other end Coventry capitalised on a poor City free kick and O’Leary saved at the second attempt from Fábio Tavares stinging diagonal shot. Next Tanner did well to block after Gyökeres got in down the left and cut back for sub Ben Sheaf to finish. But the chance of the match - and what should have been winner - fell to City inside the last quarter hour as the again unplayable Semenyo powered clear from the right, reminiscent of his explosive runs at Fulham last season, and steamed clear of his marker into the box before poking a cross-shot past the keeper which Weimann tried to bundle home on the goal line but somehow overstretched the ball. Before the end midfielder Alex Scott - a quietly assured part of City’s quick thinking forward play - found himself making a succession of mistakes with clumsy square balls that surrendered possession to his opponents with players out of position, on the second or third occasion of the half keeper O’Leary was forced to save from Tavares shot on the run. City yet again at risk of being their own worst enemy. Two late Coventry free kicks - in a match where City had dominated set pieces but seen largely poor delivery from Naismith - threatened to give Pearson’s men the sort of sucker punch they have become used to, but both were well mopped up as the visitors threw bodies between ball and goal to protect their point, indeed the final action was in their favour, a last gasp Naismith right wing corner headed clear. For the briefest moments Coventry’s home fans might have thought this was going to finish like the equivalent fixture a season ago - with them roaring in a late winner. But the CBS arena felt quieter and more sparsely packed than a year ago and despite recent pressure, Pearson will feel this was another strong point on the road in a performance where City, and Semenyo in particular, was worth three points. O’Leary 7 Vyner 8 Atkinson 7 Naismith 5 Pring 8 Tanner 6 James 7 Scott 6 Weimann 7 Semenyo 8 Wells 6 Conway 6

I hadn't seen the stats (although Millwall 0 shots on target tells a story) I just shared what I'd seen. As in the report, I remember being worried only 3 times. Before HT when Atkinson blocked a shot onto the bar, in the second half when O'Leary tipped over from a left wing cross (but presumably it was going over for it not to be a SoT), and then Cooper's shot in injury time and that was only because, you know, last minute City. Conversely we absolutely took the game to them, kept getting balls forward and looked like a threat throughout, I'm sure their defenders will have felt like they were in a game. Millwall did absolutely nothing with all their possession and their fans left early. In the pub afterwards (I live locally next to one of their main pubs) their fans were not impressed with their team and the consensus was that we were much the better side.

Amen. It's weird, under LJ everyone used to tear their hair out that he basically rolled the dice and rearranged the team every week looking for something that would work. It was a feature of those long losing runs. NP doesn't do knee jerk and gives players a run of games to establish themselves or not (King kept a clean sheet vs Watford, played in the win at Rotherham, had a mare versus Stoke, and was not automatically dropped and got one more game before the change was made). I have a feeling players appreciate their opportunity better by being given a small run without chopping and changing, and the stability it affords the team. It might be why you only ever hear glowing endorsements from players who have played for NP.

Changed it for you. ? I didn't have a strong opinion on Atkinson, my main view was Vyner was brilliant and conversely Naismith repeatedly looked like a mistake waiting to happen. I did Atkinson a disservice by him being somewhere scored in between.

Good summary @Port Said Red - I thought for someone given his chance he was awful in the first half. Far too easily muscled off the ball for a player with his attributes and bar one occasion unable to get a yard on his marker. The way we played he should have been roaring into space and perhaps bagging a winner, but as you say he kept plugging away and turned out to be influential for our best chances in our best spell with 15 left. Overall I don't think he did himself justice and is capable of more, but after talking about defensive mistakes for weeks, perhaps it's an improvement to talk about he and particularly Weimann wasting chances to win it.

"Popular demand". Get over yourself FFS. Pearson didn't select Atkinson because RedNachos on OTIB told him to, nor did he drop him for such a spurious reason either. Maybe, just maybe, Pearson makes decisions based on things that happen at the club that none of us have visibility of, that he's not about to share with the rest of us (to protect the players) and which all evidence suggests players don't resent and, respond to.

On a cold night at the New Den the heat was on Nigel Pearson after impatient sections of City's fans turned on him following two clumsy back to back defeats at Ashton Gate - but as has been the the way under the veteran manager, City came out swinging, taking the game to their in form and play off chasing hosts, dominating for almost ninety minutes in all phases of a one-sided goalless draw. With Andi Weimann back behind the strikers and George Tanner and Rob Atkinson in defence, City were not about to curl up and die - working the ball around their hosts from the off, although it wasn’t until the quarter hour that Antoine Semenyo was clattered spinning away from a marker on the reverse - Tommy Conway wriggling clear of the last man to drag the first clear shot low past the far post. Millwall hadn’t landed a punch on City in a one sided first half although a rusty looking Semenyo was miscuing up front whenever presented with forward balls, and with five left in the half the striker was easily beaten in midfield as Danny McNamara overlapped Andreas Voglsammer, skipped easily past Cam Pring and drilled a low cross into the box that Alex Scott had to desperately turn behind. A minute later and against the run of play chaos for the visitors as from the resulting corner - and with their first and perhaps only real threat of the night - Volgsammer swivelled on the edge of the box and slammed a rising shot goal bound which Atkinson dived into desperately to deflect onto the crossbar, the rebound looping back down into a crowded box but claimed well by Max O’Leary in traffic. Five minutes after the half time break City were yet again back on the front foot and this time attacking their massed fans in the away end - working the ball carefully around the box with Weimann putting midfielders on the back foot before releasing Tanner in from the right flank who had space to drill a low cross into the box that home keeper George Long had to smother and claim under some pressure. Minutes later Semenyo, starting for the first time since the long trip up to Middlesbrough two months ago and always looking City’s biggest threat going forward - albeit also remarkably rusty and lightweight when challenged - stole a yard in midfield when picked out by Tanner and used the space to turn and blaze an awful shot wildly over and into the away fans. But the visiting supporters noise did not stop. Ten minutes later, and past the hour mark, the tireless Weimann sprung free of his marker and ran at Millwall before threading Semenyo into the box, the physical forward too easily bundled over in the area but no penalty given. At the other end from a right wing throw in the hosts lobbed the ball into the box where O’Leary was forced to tip the resulting header over. Still all the noise came from City’s massed ranks. City were consistently on top and keeping their supporters in full voice - and with new-contract man Nakhi Wells on for Tommy Conway and less than 20 minutes remaining they should have gone in front as Cam Pring fed Scott into the box, the teenage midfielder showing wonderful balance to duck and weave past opponents before pushing a beautifully weighted ball toward the bottom corner that Long claimed. With less than a quarter hour remaining City had their best two chances - first Wells connected with a forward ball and hooked it quickly inside defenders and into the path of an unmarked Semenyo with just keeper to beat, Long battering it clear, then from an end to end move, Wells roared onto the ball before laying it off for Weimann in all kinds of space who like Semenyo before him smashed wildly over. Before the 80th minute Semenyo won a free kick just inside Millwall’s half and dominant City threw everyone forward. For the steep bank of away fans it had the timing and position of the Jamie Paterson inspired late win three and a half years ago. Semenyo flicked on the lifted ball into the box and like Diedhiou on that wild 2019 night, Weimann was free with just keeper to beat, but on the bounce turned it wide. In a three or four minute spell City, who had been on top all night, had contrived three clear cut chances right in front of their vocal travelling supporters and could scarcely believe they were not in front. Inevitably a touch of panic set in as Millwall enjoyed their only spell of pressure at the death as City reasoned they could not squander at least a point - and into injury time Jake Cooper slashed over from a corner. This was far from the feeble end to Pearson’s tenure than some City supporters had predicted. Millwall, among the play off places and fresh off a win at Watford, were made to look very ordinary by a relentless City display that took the game to their South East London hosts right from the start and created all the clear cut chances. It was cruel on them that Semenyo and more so Weimann’s finishing was way off. O’Leary 7 Vyner 7 Atkinson 7 Naismith 6 Tanner 7 Pring 6 James 7 Scott 7 Weimann 6 Conway 5 Semenyo 6 Wells 6

LOGIC HAS NOW ENTERED THE GAME. Nothing like some thoughtful simplicity @The Constant Rabbit at a time of collective hysteria. We've been a soft touch to players for years. Everyone desperately wanted someone to toughen up our standards. Someone does so and everyone throws their toys out of the pram on behalf of affected players or in presumption of stubbornness or agendas against certain players. As you say, absolutely zero evidence this is what's happening and plenty of evidence that players come back (Wells, DaSilva, Pring) but not literally every other game as that is precisely the chaotic match to match chopping and changing that LJ made an art form of during endless death cycles, which isn't very stable for players or team. Yes the past game and a half of football has been frustrating - but NP this season and last has arrested runs of defeats far quicker than his predecessors (our longest losing run in that period is 3), and is doing so with a lot of young players and lower division signings. And people don't want to hear it, but we lost 3 in a row last season, NP moved Weimann to RWB, the usual people had a tantrum, but we ground out a brilliant away win and he was MoM and in space to bag the winner. And as you also point out, those who've been bombed out i.e. Wells have come back frankly as much better contributors than before. I understand why some are exasperated, but in my view there is too much of a collective paranoia and meltdown (not helped by NP's explicit "I'm not bothered" interview persona) that he is on some sort of arrogant or spiteful deathwish to get us relegated. Thinking and watching rationally, I don't see it, I see a promising young team making an awful lot of stupid mistakes in games they really ought to take something from, and struggling for consistency. There will be people secretly hoping we lose tonight "to get rid of the manager" - for a team that has lost two games in a row. It's utter insanity but that is mob mentality.

Might need to update his Twitter username https://twitter.com/philpalace

Wait so NP is responsible for him playing at RWB but not responsible for the system and setup that gave him the season of his life and made him top scorer in the first place? And Andy King is "holding down" a CB position (which started literally only 4 games ago when both Atkinson and then Klose were unfit). What exactly did you want NP to do? Regarding us all nodding along in agreement to NP, I seem to recall the Churchill dog quite clearly spent the entire time shaking his head, so you might want to look in a mirror. No no no no don't like this manager wan't another one........ No no no no don't like that manager wan't another one........ No no no no don't like this manager wan't another one.

That must have been a hell of an interview he gave when he jumped from Head of Marketing at League One Swindon to CEO of Crystal Palace.

BRISTOL LIVE: Man who appointed Neil Warnock twice to take over as Bristol City CEO.

I actually don't think the club themselves are pushing the "got no money" narrative unless I've missed something. Neither am I. The point is however as a result of this we do have a smaller squad with a lot fewer players who are Championship (or equivalent league) ready and even the players that we all rate who you are calling out above, are in the infancy of their careers and lacking experience. Which DOES make a difference when it comes to things like a) consistency b) flaws in concentration and mistakes, and c) not holding onto leads. Coinci-bloody-dentally, precisely the things that are literally the difference between NP being a success or not. Pearson doesn't go on long losing runs, but has few long unbeaten runs (August and the end to last season, August this season) as consistency is hard to come by We are, for two seasons running now, a team that is among the top 2-3 in the league for taking the lead (or points at half time) and the worst for throwing away points The last 7 defeats (in 14) which seems to have done for most people shouting "Pearson Out", literally 6 of them were down to frankly pathetic schoolboy mistakes And that's the difference. It's not that on paper we can't put together a really positive 11 players today that matches up to 19/20, it's that compared to LJ's a-la-carte squad selection we have absolutely no strength in depth of any experience at all positions if we need to move things around (and that's before everyone howls in derision at playing Weimann over L1/2 RWB's or King at CB) and even within that 11 the brightest assets we have are all either early in their career and still learning and making mistakes* or at the twilight of their career and visibly fading (does anyone think we're getting the best version of Matty James even vs last season)? Also, since you're calling out the like for like players from 19/20 "Todays team still contains 6 of that team" let's just have a bit of context (again). Bentley (out of contract, trying to build MO'L as long term choice), Kalas (consistently injured), Dasilva (do you dispute he has regressed?), Massengo (out of contract and refuses to sign a new one - and I might add, a player you have never rated, or is NP wrong about that!?), plus Weimann and Wells. So actually, I think NP has had the run of only two players on a like for like basis, and SHOCK HORROR, I would politely suggest that NP has got MUCH more out of Weimann and Wells than in any LJ team. *and on the subject of young players making mistakes, god forbid NP talks about trust and doesn't pick everyone's favourite players. Remember when LJ was called all sorts of things for hanging Lloyd Kelly out to dry for his errors, which didn't do Kelly's career any harm. Wind the clock forward and we're a team that makes an inordinate about of unforced individual errors, and I honestly think whoever NP drops the mob will say he's fallen out with them or being stubborn, god forbid he try to toughen up players and set certain standards. It was quite clearly the message with Tanner @ WBA last season and remains something NP does from time to time, but no, everyone knows best and NP is falling out with people left right and centre.

I love you @Harrybut this is selective reasoning and engineered commentary to contrive a point to suit an agenda. Don't worry, I only know this because (as you well know) I do it too - you've used all the tricks in the book on this one. Make the stat do the work. Choose the optimum date for a results based argument (before one of LJ's collapses) Simultaneously choose another factor (in this case a set of players) that most contrasts your point, even though one is not responsible for the other (where's Brownhill?) Reduce players down to their own worst caricatures as a commentary to help emphasise your point (Diedhiou "pretty useless" was top scorer and player of the season) Do the opposite to build a contrast with the second set of players and manager (Semenyo, Scott, Conway "generational talents" + James, King "premier league studs") Conveniently forget stuff. Like err.. doesn't Pearson get credit if Semenyo, Scott, Conway are generational talents? I thought King is someone everyone hates him playing? Lists. Lists are great. When you write a long list of things, it's simply got to be true. So you define the criteria then rattle off a long list off players (without Brownhill, obvs) Just to prove it - flip the lens around and I can give you some lists too: Players who got us to 7th in 19/20 stat who are now same or higher level than us: Diedhiou, Brownhill, Eliasson, Paterson, Walsh, O'Dowda, Palmer, Nagy, Szmodics, Wright, Pereira, Benkovic Players who got us to 3rd in 22/23 (8 games played) with little or no Championship experience: Scott (36 starts), Atkinson (29 starts), Conway (5 starts), Sykes (0 starts), Wilson (0 starts) Context. Never mention it. i.e. 19/20 season also included experienced players like Baker, Rowe, Hunt, Mariappa and a squad coming off a cycle that saw them play alongside Webster, Kelly, Pack, Brownhill months earlier i.e. 22/23 squad 16 players 25 or under including 7 of our top 10 appearances: Vyner, Scott, Dasilva, Conway, Atkinson, Sykes, Williams, O'Leary, Semenyo, Pring, Massengo, Tanner, Wilson, Bell A comparison that involves Kalas, a £9m club record signing, consistently injured under Pearson, is clearly not playing fair (I'd argue Kalas/Bentley are NP's only players at peak age of their career) There is plenty of merit to debating how effective Nigel Pearson has been but surely we can do so by referencing what is in front of us as the starting point? There is no doubt we're defensively worse than much of the LJ period, with Zak Vyner (a player LJ never trusted) as our most consistent and experienced defensive player (no Kalas, no Baker, no Webster, no Kelly etc). Conversely, the days of zero shots on goal and with no discernible style of play and constantly changing, I think we are better than. We have a clear style of play, create chances, and score goals (and created a 20 goal striker out of one of LJ's squad players). Finally since this is unavoidably an LJ comparison, I think you were more sympathetic to him than most, which is not unreasonable, I always praised some of the amazing away wins he orchestrated, and tried to be balanced. I'm somewhat ambivalent about Pearson (though still feel people are going way OTT about present form) but the thing I really despise is the same people who piled on LJ and DH, now hysterically piling on NP at the first opportunity with this self-entitled bloodlust for sackings. No strategy. No patience. Apparently want a young coach like LJ again. It's embarrassing how much the mob charges round in circles.

Not sure I agree! Our run prior to the international break was the most convincing I've seen us play in a long time at this level and was an elevation (I thought) of what NP was trying to do. Last season we started okay and hit 8th place by late September (P9 W3 D4 L2 GF11 GA10). This season in a similar period we peaked at 3rd after Blackburn (P8 W4 D2 L2 GF16 GA11). The latter (significantly improved) was done without Kalas, Baker and Benarous (injured), O'Dowda, Palmer, Bakinson (off wage bill) and Martin (bit part), but with Tommy Conway (20) and perceptibly unproven Championship players like Sykes and Vyner (and a rejuvenated Wells). Even after losing the next two to promotion favourites (Norwich, Burnley) we looked convincing and were still top ten. In other words we were doing more with less this season and with a clear identity. That is progression. That is change. If I take the Norwich and Burnley games out (again, anyone who went to them - and I know you will have done - will have seen us give both teams a really good game), then our record SINCE the international break, is as follows: P14 W3 D4 L7 GF12 GA18. Absolutely not good enough, but let's look at the defeats: 1-2 (H) to QPR - two early goals conceded to a form side 0-3 (A) to Birmingham - absolutely calamitous from 3 set pieces 1-2 (H) to Millwall - mistake by O'Leary for winner 0-2 (A) to Reading - conceded opener from another set piece 0-1 (H) to Sheff Utd - mistake by Vyner/Tanner 1-2 (H) to Stoke - mistakes by King/O'Leary, King/James 0-2 (H) to West Brom - mistakes by O'Leary/Vyner, Naismith 7 defeats and 18 conceded and only one defeat (QPR) not down to our players making simple mistakes or failing at set pieces. 10/18 goals out and out mistakes by City players. 6 out of 7 winners too. None of this excuses Pearson, but what is unreasonable about his commentary of this (selectively calling out or protecting players) and what else can he do if players keep making these simple, basic mistakes? Take out the errors and we're closer to the team that started the season getting up to 3rd using a cheaper and younger side on paper vs last season. That is and could still be an improvement in my book.

Your and my views historically have seemed to be fairly aligned so I'm going to take this one on as I'm just not seeing this as the same magnitude of compounded failure and disaster that clearly you and many others are (and some others are even going as far as to wheel out the fatal "players look clueless". "don't know what we're trying to do" which might have been a feature towards the end with LJ/DH but is nonsense to say is a feature now - we're making some shocking mistakes but it's ridiculous to say it isn't clear what our formation or style is, or that the players do not understand what their jobs are. They do.) But in respect of your points regarding peculiar decisions - Weimann at RWB. Frustrating but let's not forget he played there and scored in wins last season; this season goal scoring via Conway and Wells has NOT been a problem for us, but at RWB we've had Sykes who briefly started the season well but has deteriorated into a lower division player who is well out of his depth; Wilson is injured; and Tanner NP doesn't believe is ready yet and clearly doesn't have qualities going forward that Weimann offers. This is best player not best position. Add into this in the 3-5-2 when we need to press as well as go compact without the ball, fitness is so key and Weimann is. King at CB. Like most people I am not a fan but it is indisputable we are without Kalas, we lost both Naismith and Atkinson to injury, so he had to come into the equation - it's only the persistence with him that is questionable. But the story doing the rounds on Atkinson's delayed return / trust relates to (allegedly) breaching the club's Covid policy and bringing the infection into the squad as a result. Whether true or not who knows, but shows that trust isn't just about performances. Klose I have no idea, that is a mystery, I assume he has fitness issues as I'm struggling with the idea NP is doing this deliberately. HNM. I'm someone who enjoyed some of his breakout performances and wanted him to be a success, but others have long since highlighted his flaws and ability to give possession away in the worst positions, I think had he signed a deal off the back of playing an important role when we were on top form through the Cardiff etc games, think he could have settled into a first team role, but not doing so, then being an absolute mess away at Birmingham when we were abysmal, probably did for him. And if you have other midfielders even from the academy, what's the point of persisting with someone who wants out. Loans. For me at least, NP's explanation of this has always made sense and I thought he covered it very eloquently on one of those feature length Geoff Twentyman interviews regarding squad culture. None of these to me are clear cut or suggest NP doesn't know what he's doing. You can make a good case for why he's taken every one of the above decisions, and if baked into each of them is setting an example and trying to make other players realise what is required, then I'm all for it. He hasn't been blessed with much ready-made Championship recruitment, if he's trying to enforce standards on invariably inexperienced and new-to-the-division players then - good. Not playing 3 "ones for the future" he signed until he can rely on them isn't that unusual and a far cry from LJ chopping and changing 20 £1m+ signings. It seems to me NP isn't going to win friends when things are going against him because his interviews come across as arrogant and dismissive. But then we all found a way to be triggered by each of the interviewing styles of the last several managers who got sacked, so it's all a bit self fulfilling. Personally while I respect others frustrations, I'm not engaging in yet another pile on - as we've got to trust someone to build through the transition. NP has so far avoided the death spiral of LJ losing runs and has turned around patches of bad form. I see very little in what he says that is inconsistent with what we need to do to improve.

Keep - there is a massive overreaction to two poor performances at home either side of Xmas for which mistakes by individuals have done for us. This season there have been 5 unacceptable performances - Birmingham and Reading away in October, Lincoln in November and then these two. What they all have in common is comically bad defending and individual mistakes, for a team that otherwise if it defends well, can be competitive. We've only lost 1 match this season when conceding no more than one goal - against a very good Sheff Utd team - so if we stay tight we are fine. When we've sacked managers (i.e. Holden, LJ) it is because there was no longer clear direction and the teams looked confused and disorganised. It's nonsense to say that's where we are now - it is very obvious how we are trying to play, we are simply underperforming as a squad of players. Up to and including losing away at Norwich and Burnley we were playing among the best football I can remember us playing in the Championship. We play a 3-5-2 which is compact out of possession and goes direct on the counter to spring players down the channel and crosses into the box. We stay solid, but try to take the game to opponents early to nick a goal (which is why we're still even after yesterday top 3 in the division at HT). What has happened over Xmas since 1-0 up vs Stoke is we've made a series of calamitous defender/keeper cock ups (or Naismith when pressed). At home making big mistakes, confidence drains rapidly to the point our direct style is slow and laboured (5 sideways passes then overhit it long). None of this is a manager who doesn't know how to turn it round, a manager who has lost the dressing room, and all that crap we've seen before. Remember when LJ or Holden football was at its worst, it was zero shots and no idea what our style of play is or what we're hoping to try and do. Anyone who claims that's the case now is telling porkies. The instructions and approach is clear (and was evident from how we play from kick off). We've got players who need to cut out basic errors that put us on the back foot. Brum/Reading at set pieces. Stoke/WBA defender/keeper comms. Players need to take some effin responsibility. I'm not a fan of Pearson's spiky deflective interviews, but is he really that wrong with what he says?