Jimbo76

I'm usually a Manning optimist but on the back of this performance, it would be refreshing for him to come out and take some of the responsibility. 

It's not all on the players and he's got his tactics wrong today. 

Don't think he will though.

This is not an opinion based upon this game alone, and I'm gonna get flack, but I don't get the obsession with Conway. 

I really feel like everyone else is seeing something I'm not. 

Not at all bothered if he goes and hopefully we sign one or two strikers that are more effective than him. 

Lacks so much to his game and it seems everyone relying on the fact that he is young and has 'potential' and that's what everyone is pinning their hopes on. 

Shield up.

Cue the return of the Seagull.....

If I was a Huddersfield fan, I'd be fuming.

I thought we got a lot of soft decisions. 

Huddersfield more up for it physically. Feel a bit for them.

Couldn't see the pen but comments on here suggest it wasn't? 

I just want us to keep winning so a certain Seagull has to try and keep coming up with new ways of pushing his irrational hatred of Manning on here.

Imagine if we play well enough for long enough that he has to come on here and actually say something positive about Manning. 

That's gonna hurt.

2 minutes ago, ChippenhamRed said:

Presumably by “bedwetters” you are referring to the large majority of fans who wanted him gone? And by “a couple of poor performances/defeats” I assume you mean an extended run between Christmas and March with few wins and even fewer convincing performances?

It was an entirely reasonable position to hold at the time. No one is impressed with I-told-you-so smugness.

I'm not sure you can say 'majority' with any confidence. Vocal minority maybe. There were plenty of us that said throughout that some patience was needed. 

I never had an issue with criticism. I just couldn't believe how quick to judgement some were and how personal and over the top the criticism was. 

I don't think it's 'I told you so' as lots of people were saying he might not be right but we need some patience. 

8 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

I’ll have no issue fronting up Jimbo if he proves to be a good appointment for City.

I would’ve sacked him after Cardiff.  I made a big call.  Not like me to do so. no fun in doing so either.

But we have played differently in this weekend’s games, I feel it’s right to try to understand why.  Have you seen differences?  

I’ll still review each game objectively.

 

As I say, I wasn't sure which way it was going to go with him. Just felt a bit uncomfortable with the timing and nature of the backlash.

He might not be the answer but I get the impression that he has a work ethic, ambition and the players are playing for him and believing in him. Can't ask much more than that.

If he succeeds, I think most of us think it will be despite those above him, not because of them.

I think he's shown a lot in the last two games of what people were berating him for in terms of tactics, game management and subs.

I'm not being all knowing after the event. I think most of his critics, you included, gave a rationale for the criticism.

Some weren't quite so measured.

2 minutes ago, The Swan and Cemetery said:

Sort of get your point at the edges, but think most have called bad performances and good performances what they were. Always exceptions as there were with NP and all before him, a few more interested in being right ahead of anything else. 

It's worth revisiting some of the 'Manning Out' posts to see how it lost perspective, at least from some.

Maybe a vocal minority.

As I say, just fun watching the u turns from those that were so anti Manning. Or at least I think it will be.

The odd 'Manning Out' zealot turning up with a hint of humility.

Maybe, as I previously suggested, a little premature in the judgement and definitely inappropriately personal in nature.

I wasn't 'Manning In'. I said give him some  time and limit the personal abuse.

I am however enjoying the subtle first efforts at U turns that are now cropping up.

Some of the big guns still holding out though.

Need to sub Conway. Don't mind trying anyone else up front. Twine? Cornick?

Something not right with Conway. Either confidence or unsettled at the club but not been at it for a while.

I know hindsight and all that. But how did we let Szmodics go. Another 2 already today!

45 minutes ago, ohhhshauntaylor said:

Nope, I wouldn’t. As I said, this has been the best we can be, but we are still 0-0 and history suggests, what we saw for 25 mins is not the norm. 
 

anyway- back to the game Liam. 

Why is this the best that we can be?

If either pen given, we're winning, against arguably the best team in the league.

You just come across as desperate for Manning to lose.

Effort is there. Quality better than normal.

Be a supporter and save the criticism for when we play badly.

4 hours ago, Davefevs said:

No, Jimbo, his interviews are just a reflection / a sideshow in many ways of what we are seeing on the pitch.  And that is why he is getting critiqued.

You’re mistaking being passionate, hard working and hungry for success for competence.  Some of us think passion, hard-work and hunger isn’t enough to be a success here, assuming he even does have those three capabilities.

By all means be optimistic, but don’t come out with crap like “we want City to play badly”.  That’s just a “I’ve not got an argument here” stuff.

 

 

Ok. My first statement is obviously exaggeration and just refective of frustration. 

My point is, by all means, criticise the play, results, tactics whatever....it's all there to be attacked and I can't make a great defence of it. I hope (very optimistically) that he needs time to build his own team and that the results and, as importantly, the entertainment follow.

This whole thread seemed like a rather desperate attempt to keep kicking him, in an unnecessarily abusive way, over something (lack of charisma) that I couldn't care less about.

I echo one of the previous posts in that all of this criticism seems to relate to 4 games.

I'm ready to join the calls for him to be replaced when he's had a sustained bad run but until then I'm backing him and hoping it comes good.

I'm genuinely starting to think that the majority of posters on here would rather we play badly so they can carry on their obsession with criticising Manning rather than he actually turns things around.

It's getting ridiculous. Yes, his press conferences are a bit monotone. So what, I couldn't care less. 

It all seems to get so personal. He's clearly passionate, hard working and hungry for success.

The contents of this forum will filter through to him and the team, directly or indirectly. What do you think this constant negativity will achieve, other than drag down morale within the team?

If Manning does get success, which I appreciate most have already dismissed, do you think he'll be sticking around for long after this unjustified campaign of personal abuse?

Wish there was a happy clapper forum in existence. Potentially misjudged optimism seems preferable to this obsession with negativity and abuse.

He must have known having to follow Pearson would bring challenges but I bet he never thought it would still be going on.

58 minutes ago, cotswoldred2 said:

Some of you should question your suitability in calling yourselves City supporters. 

Cynical doesn't even come close...miserable lot.

Completely agree. I'm embarrassed by some of the comments on here. 

We've had a bad run. Lots of teams do. Has Manning taken us backwards? Yes.

But none of us know if it's short term or long term.

I for one am going to carry on being positive and supporting the team in the hope that, over time, Manning comes good. Might not, but I can't do all this negative sh*t all the time.

One thing that won't help the players, is this level of negativity and booing. No wonder Williams reacted today. From what I saw, there was no lack of effort.

I really don't care that Manning isn't telling jokes in the press conferences.

I don't know if he'll turn it around but I would love to see how some of the posters on here would struggle to accept it.

2 hours ago, JP Hampton said:

 You may well be right, but taking that comment in light of his comments about players being at fault, it’s very easy to see, why that interpretation might be the first one. 

 The fact we’ve not really seen him (in the games we’re losing) make any effective changes tactically , it again adds weight to his comment. Subbing players seems to be a by the clock event, not necessarily a tactical move well if it is, it’s lost on me  and again adds to his comment.
 So whereas you may be proved right in the future, for now, that seems to me to be a pretty reasonable interpretation of the comment, given all the above.  
 

Not really sure what the second part in bold has to do with LM’s performance?

 

Because I think a lot of the vitriol on this forum towards him is based on the fact that Pearson was treated badly, which is nothing to do with Manning whatsoever.

Any chance you're all overlooking the context and he means he can't do anything in terms of how they're prepared for the game once they step on the pitch?

I think it's pretty ludicrous to suggest that he doesn't think he can change tactics/formations, sub players or address individual players.

I'm finding the whole anti Manning thing a bit OTT. 

I'm not saying he'll be a success, I'm probably as worried as most, but he's clearly passionate, he's working hard and I'm not sure who our saviour is meant to be at this stage.

If, and it's a big if, he turns things around, a lot of the comments on here are gonna seem, again, pretty OTT.

Its not his fault that Pearson was so badly treated. I, for one, am gonna stay positive, and give it a few more games before declaring a disaster.

Tin hat well and truly on.

A few weeks ago, post West Ham, Forest and Southampton, this forum read very differently.

I'm getting concerned at the performances under Manning as well but to change now brings no guarantees. Football history has many managerial success stories that didn't go well in their first season. 

As I say, I'm concerned, but sometimes sticking with a manager and giving them time, brings rewards. Teams go through bad runs. Not sure you can sack the manager every time you have a bad run.

Concerned? Yes. Bored? Hell yeah!

Keen to change those above Manning ? Definitely.

Totally given up on Manning? Not at the moment.

Why do we always do this? Change to back 5 and sit back. Invite pressure and the inevitable will happen.

There is a west country team in the top 6, well sort of.

Didn't need to see that in my feed on a Monday morning.

Really surprised by some of the comments on various threads tonight.

We lost 1-0 to a team that are basically a premier League team and will be again next season.

If we play well against West Ham or Forest and then have an inferior performance, it's not because we have a bad team, it's because we don't have a strong squad.

Leeds can bring players off the bench that we couldn't buy for the first team.

Key injuries plus 7 games in 3 weeks, or whatever it is, means our lack of squad depth is exposed. The likes of Williams, James, even Pring, can't play at the required intensity in so many games.

For me, it was most evident in the back 3 tonight. All 3 making so many errors despite high praise recently. Bottom line, they have to play every game because we have no choice. But the result is inevitable. 

I have no criticism of Manning or the players. Our current squad lacks the quality in depth to have sufficient rotation and to play quick succession matches at the required tempo.

Wow, we really need to work on that final ball, well the final third really. We've played well recently and things are going in the right direction but we could be so much better with a bit of quality in the final third. Frustrating.

Anyone know if this match is gonna be televised anywhere?

Max got away with one of those charges in the first half.

Obviously didn't learn from that.

Just now, chinapig said:

Nobody does. Unless by everyone you mean JL and BT who seem to pretty much alone in their opinion.

But when we're 8th and we lose a game, everyone loses their sh*t. Therefore not recognising that that's what happens to a mid table team. I'm as disappointed as anyone with today's game but unless there is investment in the squad, this is our reality. Has been like this for the last 30 years that I've had to endure it.