Alessandro

@transfer reader - so if @Silvio Dante had said - during some seasons over the last 10 years, that period of PPG extrapolated over a season would be ‘relegation form’ - would that be acceptable?

Well I’m sure they’ll all be glad now he’s gone, giving us nothing but mediocrity! Can’t wait for all the exceptional progress and football we have to look forward to now Pearson won’t be holding us back!!

Yep - a couple of seasons of mediocrity saving our club from points deductions, potential relegation and fines because of the mismanagement of the owners that you so unconditionally support…. Oh and developing on the pitch the best young player we’ve ever had, the money from which your also don’t dare criticise Liam Manning will be benefiting from….

R.E Style and Principles etc - clearly something was going to give, wasn’t it? The style Manning seemed to be pursuing, for whatever reason, was not bringing results. Simply put, the manager and squad/club model were not aligned IMO. If the club are recruiting to a model, and have been for some time, either: A) BCFC change that model for the each manager. or B) The manager has to adapt to our model. (Or get sacked - or be so good they prove their model is better) Since the international break, (again) for whatever reason, Liam has fallen back into a style closer to our ‘model’ and one that was bringing more results. Whether he came to that realisation himself or has been given an ultimatum by the club, I don’t really mind - it’s working for now - but as you say, time will tell if the style changes again.

Hi Mrs Manning - Liam will be home for tea in a minute!

I bow to your superior tactical knowledge! I was referring more to the tactic of running the channels and looking to capitalise from that, which worked for the first two goals at least. EDIT - given we’re discussing “how good city were” vs “how bad Blackburn were” - in terms of the 5-0 win - what’s your opinion?

Thank you, good post - this is the reality - not some sensitive nonsense about people apparently saying, which I haven’t seen, that we were lucky, just because we’re discussing us capitalising on school boy defending.

out of likes today It was clearly a tactic last night and it was executed excellently - regardless of their mistakes.

I kind of know what you’re saying but for me a high press, say from a goal kick being played out from back, which results in a turnover from a good press is different to a ball into the channel IMO which isn’t a press. The intensity and intent however is the same granted, willingness to run those channels and force mistakes with your pace and positioning yes, but that’s not a press. A straight out foot race between defender and attacker is not the same as the modern press. Regardless of if the attackers intent can force a mistake, like a poor touch or back pass.

As I said on another thread, you lose 5 nil if you collapse or meet a far superior team. Blackburn have the 2nd worse defence in the league and we’ve got the 8th worst goals scored in the league, so, it clicked for us last night, but they were awful. For our level of football those are gift wrapped chances. Credit for our running and energy in the channels, but the first two goals didn’t come from a press but from balls over the top. From a defensive perspective, they both should have been cleared easily. First goal, awful first touch actually (it was a mis control, not back pass IMO) to let Tommy in. Second, mis-kick then reckless diving challenge when the angle was tight for Sykes anyway. Third was good pressing, but Mehmeti isn’t outmuscling Hyam, he’s misjudged it and played for a foul and gone down like a child. Very poor. Then his team mates seem to wait for the whistle and just watch - lovely skill and finish from Anis to capitalise though. 4th - I mean, come on. 5th - lovely goal, but they'd collapsed.

#allthefeels

There’s a few on here using that win last night as justification to say they’re vindicated for their strong support of Manning - and sticking the knife those who’ve, rightly ImO, been critical of an otherwise underwhelming, and at times little streaky, reign under Manning so far. As I said in another thread, the last 4 ‘results’ have been very good - but in those 4 games we’ve been the beneficiary of some poor finishing (Vardy) and top keeping from Max (v Sunderland in an otherwise pretty poor showing) and we were literally gift wrapped 4 goals last night. So all I’m saying is, within that nice run, it’s not all been perfect sailing - we’ve ridden our luck at times and despite the clean sheets we’ve continued to give away big chances, statistically that will catch us up. That’s not taking away however from a big improvement from Manning, playing a footballing style that is better suited to the squad finally and more akin to what was suggested the club wanted when they appointed him. Hopefully that means he has adapted (voluntarily or otherwise) which would be very good news. Big improvement but as I say, I’m not celebrating anything yet….long way to go. EDIT - I dare say the results uptick have also been helped in part by the return of a player we don’t have next season too…

Yes it’s nice win but you’re absolutely right. I don’t think you can understate how poor Blackburn were tonight. If a team wins 5-0 either you’re meeting a hugely talented attacking team or the losing team have capitulated. Given the fact we’ve only won a game by more than 2 goals 3 times all season and only 8 teams in the league have scored less goals than us… Add in Blackburn’s current bottom 6 form and the fact they have the 2nd leakiest defence in the league. Suggests more of the latter. A nice win yes, credit for that - but IMo people probably shouldn’t get too carried away though on the back of tonight…

A little run of good results is nothing particularly new, we’ve been streaky for years. Can Manning make us more consistent? Personally (not getting heady after winning 5 nil) I’m reserving judgment for a longer sample of games - especially as in the last few results we’ve been on the right end of some awful finishing (Vardy), Max at his best on multiple occasions and a Blackburn side that gifted, literally handed us 4 goals tonight. False dawn or not? Eitherway, we’ll find out next season as Manning will have his shot…

Am I right, they’ve had £19 MILLION of tax payers money, just to “clear the site”? This ******* country…..

Steve Torpey - fills a gap in our squad…..

No offence but I don’t think that is good analogy at all. No one is on here moaning about “Lansdown said we were getting promoted and now we aren’t, I want my promotion they promised” No one is complaining because we aren’t getting promoted this season. No one is saying that’s what they expected. It’s the club talking about promotion. 99% knew it was unrealistic. The issue for me is the disconnect between what they say and the reality. Why do they say it? Does that matter? That’s the whole debate, should they be held accountable for their comments? I suppose it depends on what you think of their role as stewards of the club? Is Bristol City there simply to exist or to genuinely strive to get as far up the pyramid as possible? I think when the club say one thing and do another they open themselves up to criticism and I think it’s fair for fans to ask those questions about the methodology - especially if the aim is more than simply ‘existing’

Yes there is no direct “top 6” quote (although to all but the most belligerent, top 6 is implied in the word promotion) - actually I think what they said was worse - “promotion” specifically mentioned on numerous occasions. So note for everyone on OTIB - yes the club didn’t want Manning to simply get us into the top 6 - they wanted PROMOTION. Just for future yard stick reference in discussions regarding his performance. Happy for mods to pin this comment to avoid future confusion.

Really? Why do people keep saying they never said this?!?…..: “We all wanted Nigel to achieve our ambition to be promoted but, with our recent results, feel that now is the time to make a change to give the club the best possible chance of success.” - JL ‘We want to get promoted this year' - Bristol City board on decision to sack Nigel Pearson - from Gavin Marshall https://www.bcfc.co.uk/video/interviews/jon-lansdown-talks-about-coaching-change/ Takes JL 30 seconds to mention premier league and best squad we’ve had here in my time - to name a few quick quotes.

Presume you’re referring in first paragraph to Pearson? Second Manning. I don’t disagree with you - but my point is what do both those statements have in common? The one denominator - Steve Lansdown and his board - A) Pearson and Gould clearing up THEIR mess and B) Manning getting it from the fans because THEY again set him up for failure with their top 6 comments.

As I say, one man’s context is another man’s excuses… The second paragraph is more examples of mismanagement and underachievement - yes Steve did, relatively, have a go a few years ago. I say relatively, because it was still upper mid table budgets and we basically spent what we sold. But does that mean we don’t ever have a go again? Or rather should the club learn from its mistakes and not gamble on putting unproven people in hugely important positions in the club? Maybe bring in someone trustworthy and experienced as CEO…like Gould instead of Ashton. And a manager who’s been there and done it, like Pearson instead of Johnson. Oh wait, we had those, but now we’re back to unproven again in Tinnion and Manning - and without the investment - and we should all just say oh well, it is what it is.

I agree with much of your post, it's a very sensible, realistic one. But I just want to pick up on your sentences in bold - I've seen this kind of comment quite a lot on here recently: Something along the lines of "this is the way it's alway's been with City" or "it used to be much worse" and "it's football, it's tough, nothing's a given" etc etc. And I just don't like it. At all - it's so...defeatist. So unambitious. So mediocre. Do you think that's the attitude Ipswich have at the moment? Or Luton before them. Or Brentford before them? I could go on. Yes it's a tough league and nothing is a given, but we should as a club and a fan base, be striving and demanding so much more from the club, even with the level of investment, IMO, we should be competing higher up the league. The reason's for that have been done to death - but I personally don't subscribe to this "it is what it is" attitude. I believe the "10 seasons in the championship" is not necessarily the badge of honour you think. Why: Well IMO mid-table championship is Bristol City's par - the fact we've spent so much time under that level shows how we've underachieved as a club and the fact we've been talking about 'potential' for 20 years shows every year more at mid-table in the championship is not fulfilling our potential.

Of course - but gives them the funds to push FFP to the limit. Look at us, we must have a nice buffer in our FFP, but if Lansdown uses the revenue from Scott and Semenyo, for example, to pay for wages and other running costs, instead of ploughing back into squad, that FFP buffer means nothing. Ipswich can afford to spend what they earn, and Ashton will no doubt be maxing those revenue streams, all the while there is little jeopardy over the funds. Can they not also use it for development, academy etc? Go cat 1 and use the funds to outgun other clubs in area for best youngsters etc etc.

Phrased as investment “up to” - so presume that’s staggered over a period or even subject to clauses, promotion etc? Either way, even if they don’t go up this season, that’s Ipswich propelled to a higher level of spending that we could never match. And another championship club getting serious investment - despite us advertising for it, doesn’t seem anyone is interested? Bit depressing.

This is a favourite comment when someone find themselves in the minority of opinion and as the proverbial kite in a hurricane on here. I would suggest the mood here is a pretty good representation of the wider fan base and is seen on social media too - this is also reflected in the general poor atmosphere and unrest at times at Ashton Gate at the moment, coupled with the increasing number of empty seats clearly visible recently.