RoystonFoote'snephew

At current performance levels it would be madness to sign him (so we probably will). Injuries and lack of game time in the past couple of seasons indicate a player in decline and I think there are better options to be had. 

10 hours ago, Dr Balls said:

So unbeaten in the last 5 games, which is good, but the results have generally been better than the performances. Dreadful first half against Huddersfield today, a copy of the Swansea game last month, with not a single shot in the first 45 minutes. Last weekend indebted to Max for keeping a clean sheet against Sunderland. Good win against Leicester, decent performance versus Plymouth, while the Blackburn defence was giving away more gifts than Santa at Christmas!

Happy we have the points, and defensively we look pretty good, accepting that we were missing both Dickie and Vyner today. However, still unconvinced that Manning has really cracked how to get us playing forward, particularly how to break down teams that sit in and play 2 banks of 4 across the pitch and are happy to watch us huff and puff in front of them with minimal penetration. Also very lucky to come away with a point this afternoon.

And I hope that trend continues into next season. I want us to perform well, of course I do, but I'll take points over performances if it gained us promotion at the end of it. 

The way results are going this season there's a real chance that someone is going to get relegated with 50 points. 

1 hour ago, ExiledAjax said:

I don't think these final four games mean anything at all. Someone the other told me that every game matters...which really isn't true. These last four don't matter to us, not beyond the final whistle anyway.

I agree that squad churn will be a factor of course.

I think also - your form before the "strong finish" should factor in as well. There's a big difference between a team that has been strong all season "finishing strong", and a team that was recently in relegation form doing so.

I just think it's a meaningless phrase trotted out because it sounds like the right thing to say.

I wrote it the other day. Every player, every Coach/Manager and every passionate supporter believes it and so do I. Confidence and pride in performance matter. 

1 hour ago, cidercity1987 said:

Never seen us line up without a CB before 

We played Sean Dyche and Julian Watts together and based on their performances we didn't have a CB then. 

2 hours ago, Robbored said:

It was excellent - but look who the opposition were. Another great atmosphere at AG was when Christian Roberts scored the winner against the Monkey Hangers and the Dolman Stand shook! That’s probably the best atmosphere that I’ve experienced at AG.

That said in the average league match the atmosphere can be non existent. It’s rare to see AG rocking. However for a league match on a Wednesday night against Blackburn the ‘buzz’ around AG was pretty good as City romped to victory.

There have been plenty of occasions where the ground has shook but atmosphere is always better when you're winning. In addition to the monkey hangers and Manure games against Portsmouth and Liverpool immediately spring to mind, as well as several occasions against the SAGS as Beadle scored twice, and JET and Bryan scored stunners. it doesn't surprise me though that away fans rate the atmosphere at the Gate higher than we do. Over the years many an opposition manager has said that it can be an intimidating place to play. 

As someone who has been watching City for over 60 years I now try to take all the complaining (or adulation) in my stride, albeit I don't always succeed. I remind myself that in dealing with Bristolians the normal factory setting is pessimism and constant moaning, so a win, particularly of such magnitude is so unexpected it is met with exhilaration that goes beyond mere joy. As I'm only half Bristolian (mother from Bristol, father from Melksham) and born and raised in the land of the Moonraker I will try to curb my enthusiasm and simply say Proper job last night... Next. 

1 minute ago, RoystonFoote'snephew said:

Yes. I've lost ITV HD. 

Just come back on. 

1 minute ago, phantom said:

Good to see a bit of a shake up of the team tonight 

Has anyone else lost ITV HD? 

Having to watch on SD on sky 

Yes. I've lost ITV HD. 

Dickie was a good replacement for Jack Connor as, like Connor, he could man mark centre forwards out of the game. Despite a lack of height he had a predigious leap that saw him wins aerial battles he had no right to win, and was intelligent enough to know when not to compete but pick up the second ball. The only downside was that too many refs used to mark his card and give fouls against him when he moved forward for corners. A honest, hardworking and strong player who was rightly popular at the Gate. RIP Dickie and heartfelt condolences to family and friends. 

21 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

As I say

Focussing on performances is not "tosh".

Is also like promotion with 30 1-0 wins. However, if all of those were like the win v Swansea then I'd be worried about getting a big fat 0 points in our following season, because we'd look like absolute frauds.

I never said focusing on performances was tosh. If you read the post correctly you would see that was a reference to decisions evening out over the season. 

4 hours ago, ExiledAjax said:

Always performances, regardless of what stage of the season we're at.

Look after the performances and the results will look after themselves.

That's a common fallacy. Just like the tosh that decisions will even out over the season....they don't! I understand that people want to be entertained but flashy football doesnt always cut the mustard at this level. You have to get the boring basics right and earn the right to play because nobody is going to roll over. Some on here seen to want Manning to go gung-ho bombing forward like kids in the school playground and hang the result as it no longer matters. Every game matters! I'd like us to win every one of the last 5 games and finish with 69 points. It'd be nice if all were won by 3 goals or more and included volleys, overhead kicks and rebolas but if we scrape a 1-0 with a shot going 5 yards wide until it deflected off the ugly centre backs arse that'll do for me. Give me promotion with 30 1-0 wins over relegation with 30 3-2 defeats any day of the week. 

I'll take results over performances for the last 5 games. Finish as high up the league as possible and instil some confidence for something to build on for next season. We have plenty of time in the summer to work on style. 

McKenna would be my Championship manager of the season with Dewsbury-Hall the outstanding player over Summerville and Szmodics. Playing in the engine room of midfield is for me a tougher gig than winger or up top, albeit that Szmodics has done it in a bang average team. 

Archie Gray has to be my young player of the season. I can't help being impressed every time I see him play. 

We are nowhere near the most fickle fans. If we were we'd be marching out if Ashton Gate with our feet and that's not happening. Our away support is also holding up well. There are clubs in the EFL and Prem whose crowds hugely inflate during the good times and quickly dissolve when the going gets tough. For a near example look at the SAGS league crowds compared to what crawls out of the woodwork on a, trip to Wembley.. 

31 minutes ago, Silvio Dante said:

I thought yesterday, as was said, he was peripheral again. I’d be putting a degree of that down to fitness. It is noticeable he likes a bit of a moan when tackled, even if fairly - wins a good number of free kicks but when he doesn’t is pretty incredulous!

The question on Twine really is this - he spent a large proportion of last season injured, and this season did “ok” for Hull but they were happy enough to let him go and then he’s had two months injured and three “ok” games for us.

So, we’re now two seasons away from where he did fantastically for Dons at the level below, with a couple of bad injuries and a patchy record at our level.

There is a player there no doubt. But I’m not sure at present that we should be spending a significant fee on him bearing the above in mind. The next six are very much an audition, but if his name wasn’t Scott Twine, how many of us would spunk £5m (alleged) on a player with the above record?

But if he's likely to be injured for half the season we're bound to buy him! 

And Tins said that having grown through the academy together Conway and Bell would be the City front two for years to come! 

5 hours ago, Midlands Robin said:

Nope, HMS Bristol was a Type 82 Destroyer whose final role in the Navy after leaving Frontline service in 1991 was as a harbour training vessel in Portsmouth. She is now berthed at the top end of Fareham Creek in Portsmouth harbour with a number of other ships, awaiting disposal by scrapping. 

Bang on! I used to love seeing her berthed in Portsmouth on my visits during my nearly 40 years in the MOD. HMS Bristol looked like the sort of warship that every young boy of my generation drew, and a far cry from today's modern naval ships. 

I can't say I'm bothered about this although I imagine there'd be huge violent protests outside Nike HQ if they took such liberties with the Stars and Stripes. Anyone buying the official England shirt has more money than sense. 

6 minutes ago, slartibartfast said:

Is that the same Challis who played for the gash a few years ago ?

Yes. Before my retirement I named my computer terminal at work Trevor Challis as like the persona it too was slow and cumbersome. 

City have no interest in maintaining the website with all news posted via social media forums such as Facebook and X. it used to be excellent with all sorts of features such as Away Days which gave accurate information on numbers of City fans at each game, the website gave accurate details of bookings, suspensions and injuries, players profiles were kept up to date etc. It's now not even good for player signings which are leaked long  before presented on the website  

It's a farce as things stand with owners considering violations of FFP a risk worth taking. Clubs will continue to gamble and break the rules hoping they won't be caught but will fess up if they are for a lenient penalty. The system isn't working for anyone, the owners, the clubs, the footballing authorities or the fans. 

Is the UK the only nation in Europe that has these loan rules? It's certainly common in Spain and Germany for loan players to play against their parent club. I certainly wouldn't have a problem with Weimann playing. It doesn't say much for the confidence of a team that they're running scared about their own player beating them. 

3 hours ago, Pip King said:

How ******* funny would it be if we got battered by Swansea, Liam gets the heave-ho and the Three Wise Men replace him with Joey Barton 

Not ******* funny at all. 

Whatever one thinks of Manning, and I think he needs more time, City's support remains strong especially away from home where they're turning up in their droves. WBA is sold out and over 700 tickets sold for Argyle so far.