Engvall’s Splinter

Subs have taken the sting out of the game. Gone flat last 5. 

Interesting how Wells stated that this type of basketball football suits are team. Who would’ve thought it. That’s how Pearson set us up. 

Sykes off ? FFS

Sykes. He really has developed in to a solid championship player. 
 

Dickie very good too. 

TGH involved. Who would’ve thought it. 

Dropped a huge Bollock here Lansdown. All for the sake of your ego. 

Just now, Malago said:

Lansdowns out

Tinnion out

Manning out

This. 

FFS. 

I can’t see us making the TGH signing permanent at this rate. Manning may be looking to reallocate the funds I reckon. 

2 hours ago, robinforlife2 said:

I would agree that Sykes, Dickie, and Knight are good signings, and they fit the model of the buy to sell type players. TGH, is on loan, we have not signed him yet. I'm sure it will become permanent in January, but at present, he is only a temporary player.

I wasn't laying any poor recruitment at Nigels feet, but the recruitment team. This is a collective of people. Ironically the same recruitment team will work with Manning, whether they identify diamonds in the rough or turds in the meadow remains to be seen.

I do think though, that there has been a few poor additions. Lets not forget Kyle Wilson who was in and gone within a year. Cornick who looks a league one player at best, Mehmeti who doesn't look up to the task. Now not every signing will be successful, but whilst praise can be given when you find a gem, it would appear, people are willing to ignore the same recruitment strategy that found that gem, also found a few duds, or a few possible duds.

You can also ask, did we need Andy King & Danny Simpson? Could their wages have been utilised better elsewhere? I am not going to judge Atkinson, because he has been a bit hit and miss for me, but is now injured. McCrorie we've not seen. Tanner, I like going forward, but defensively he worries me a little.

I think in Nige's time there was good and bad recruitment, like with any manager, but of his signings since Janaury and there have been 7 of them, I would argue only Knight, Dickie & TGH look as if they are good enough for this level on what we have seen, and if 4/7 in 12 months are questionable or failures, then you are not creating a progression, as more haven't done a job, then have done a job. That is of course my own opinion. 

TGH is a signing. Whichever way you frame it, Nige agreed to his signing.

Alex Ferguson one of the most successful managers of all time signed some duffers. Kleberson, Djemba Djemba, Bebe etc. I don’t actually think Cornick is that mind you - the guys serves a purpose when he often comes on or during his limited starts. In fact, many our suggesting he starts currently instead of Conway or alongside him. Mehmeti I’ll give you. I think you are trying to force your argument with Atkinson. 1.5m for what has turned out a good championship performer yet to hit his peak years is not bad business at all. 
 

Whether you agree with the signing of Simpson owing to his past or not, he was a stop gap. Probably on barely a wage. Andy King looks (from the outside looking in) to of been more of a standard setter and you need people like him in the dressing room to change and push cultures in the right direction. We will never know the impact King has had on the development of the youngsters, in particular Scott and Conway. In the games King has played, has he often let us down? I very much doubt too that he is on a ridiculous wage.

So are the 4/7 poor signings Nigel’s recruitment or the collective recruitment team? As your post is slightly contradictory.

2 minutes ago, slartibartfast said:

Seriously, did he actually say that ?  if true he's a grade one idiot !

"Without talking at length about the neighbours [Bristol City] they've shown what is achievable of football clubs in Bristol and traditionally, historically, Bristol Rovers is as big a club as you get in this city."

2 hours ago, Ska Junkie said:

They're 'bigger than City' according to their new guv'nor so should sweep little clubs like Crawley aside with ultimate ease in front of 1000's.

I saw that. What a whopper. He’ll suit them. 

@Graham c @Mr Popodopolous I know, strange comment. 
 

What I think I’m trying to say is, if Alex would have stayed, we may of had regular flirtations with the top 6 however I don’t think we’d of ended up there. Also, I think we would’ve been a bit more pleasant on the eye. 
 

Without Scott, I think we would’ve scrambled in to the top 10 as a more hardworking outfit. 
 

If Pearson would’ve been given the green light to get a couple of extra bodies following Scott’s sale, again - I think we’d of made the top 10. 

2 hours ago, Ghost Rider said:

I'm trying to piece together a few things and wondered about everyone's expectations for this season. What would have been a reasonable finish this year under Nigel?

Nigel himself stated, 'We feel that we've got a really good chance of being in the promotion race.' I don't believe he was criticised for this at the time, unlike JL.

So, let's consider if Pearson was in charge now; would we be experiencing all this commotion? And where would you have expected Pearson to have finished this year?

Do you think Pearson would have guided us into the playoffs? If so, why is JL receiving criticism for saying we have a top 6 squad when Pearson essentially said the same thing himself (as mentioned above)?

Top 10. 
 

Oddly, I don’t believe Alex Scott would’ve been the difference between that and a play off place. 

7 minutes ago, Northern Red said:

He always seemed a bit of an odd fit there, completely different in style to what they've been used to and the fans never took to him.

Interesting …

4 minutes ago, Charlie BCFC said:

Fair point around Edwards but McKenna still took a while in League 1 to adjust to management. First full season his side were relentless and accumulated a similar points total to Cotterill did with us 

They were I agree, however he was also supported during the season with 15+ signings. 

4 hours ago, Clevedon Red said:

Go to any entertainment venue and they charge the earth.

Huh?

5 minutes ago, Charlie BCFC said:

Obviously but the best examples are McKenna and Edwards, Edwards not managed above league 2 before last season but took Luton up to the prem and McKenna doing as well as he has in his first managerial gig. Also the manager with our highest league finish since we last finished in the playoffs? Came from League 1.

Actually agree regarding Norwich but don’t with QPR, with their new manager bounce I think we’d have lost. Also Pearson has lost 3 and drawn once when he’s faced Russell Martin in the league, I think we would’ve lost by more but guess we’ll never know

Whilst doing very good jobs, McKenna had a pretty solid base and was backed with a number of signings. We have been told we are at the top end of our budget already so you would assume very little wiggle room in Jan (which would be crazy!). Edwards again had a very solid base having taken over from Nathan Jones, who to be fair to him had done a great job there in the seasons previous. 

38 minutes ago, Charlie BCFC said:

It was poor timing for me and harsh but we have to move on whilst thanking Nige for the foundations he’s put in place. Do think it’s harsh to emphasise on the league he comes from as anyone has to start somewhere, there are some examples of lower league managers succeeding in this league in the last couple of years (after all it’s probably what attracted the Lansdown’s to this appointment)

This is the thing, Chaz - I think those “foundations” will need to be ripped up and started again if we are to change the way we play. By that I mean a number of new signings in January/Summer. Then we drop back in to the “we need time to bed the new guys in” etc etc mould. 

1 hour ago, NcnsBcfc said:

Yep that was me @REDOXO

What I can't stand is limp defending.

Hence my rant around Vyner on the 2nd goal. Either you win the ball or you take your man out. What you don't do is passively let the ball bounce, then through poor body shape and lack of physicality allow you man to get away from you.

Both Tanner and Vyner have through either poor defending or lack of application given away 4 goals in our last 2 home games. 

Mark and Ian may disagree on their first goal "See it in the prem each week". But that doesn't make it right, does it? I was still angry on the podcast. Tanner isn't good enough, that's why NP bought McCrorie, unfortunately things haven't worked out so far.

I would love to see Tanner's stats re passing the ball backwards @Davefevs. There were periods in the second half where our players stopped passing the ball to him in open positions, as I'm I'm sure they knew that they would just be given it straight back.

He was the worst culprit (although not the only one) in a negative approach to our attacking play yesterday. The worst moment for me though is  when we won a thrown in on the edge of their box and Weimann threw it back to Vyner on the half way line "AAAGGHHH"

Re Tanners stats around passing backwards, context is required here. Very rare do we see any movement in front of him. Conway often runs in straight lines, if not sat on the centre halves toes. Our wingers are often very narrow with Bell offering an outlet more so than Sykes.. However he is a 50 yard switch away. 

Be interesting today if the FBC boys call today’s showing (2nd half) for what it was. Listened to the first couple and it’s clear there was an anti- Pearson agenda. You has been incredibly pro Manning to suit the agenda, I’ll be listening intently as it unfolds. I absolutely hope FBC are right and the change becomes a positive one. As you say though, we are being used as he learns on the job at championship level. 

Just now, GrahamC said:

He took a knock not long beforehand & went off a Saints with cramp.

I knew there would be a Weimann pile on because we lost, he was ok today, offered far more than either Mehmeti or Bell did when they came on.

Pretty low bar there fella. Scott Murray would’ve offered more. 

12 minutes ago, Charlie BCFC said:

Whilst today wasn’t a great result some of the stuff I’ve seen online and at the Gate thrown at the manager is incredibly clueless.

 

Manning is very clearly playing a new style of play to Pearson which we have seen since he’s been in charge. We may not be as direct but we look a lot better on the ball and in the Boro game and first halves of Southampton and today we look very threatening going forward. We now need to improve on second halves and putting away more chances.

 

I was always behind Pearson, but for the people who want Manning out now. Why doesn’t he deserve more of a chance than Pearson did in his opening few games?

Not a case of Manning out, as it wasn’t with Pearson. The board though have dug themselves a large hole here and it’s them I would suggest is where the frustration lies. Not that it really matters as the Lansdown won’t give two hoots what the fans think. 
 

The reasoning may be different but this has the potential to be a similar situation to LJ. 

I’ll await the “that’s on the manager” thread. 
 

Manning has dropped one there. 

Norwich are terrible.