cellist

3 minutes ago, Robbored said:

Preston are something of a bogey team for us. I vaguely remember winning at Deepdale some years ago but struggle to remember the last time we beat them at AG.

Im sure someone on here will know.

Did the double over them last season

23 minutes ago, Alan Dicks said:

We’re 14th in the table, where were we the day we sacked Nige????

we had 18 points from 14 games. Manning I think is 15 from 11. But having failed to score for 3 league games in a row, especially given that it includes Rooney's Birmingham and this lot, I for one feel less optimistic than I did on 28 Oct.

8 minutes ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

Am I watching the same game as the Robins TV commentators? 

 

 

 

"We've been by far the better team"

 

"It's the finer details that have let us down" 

 

 

Laughable.

I know a recently sacked manager who is all about the finer details!!

BBC's version: "The Lilywhites are good value for their lead since racing out of the blocks in the second half and Keane drills left footed into the net following Emil Riis' cross."

All about opinions. But still...

Really don't think a striker is the first priority. Which of Conway's many chances today would Erling Haaland have scored?

static defending. very poor second half

Feels very Bristol City this doesn't it

hmm. defensive shambles and we're behind. struggling to create, got even scrappier. going to have to dig deep now

Just now, George Rs said:

Will this end up being another low on confidence low block team we fail to break through? 

Maybe. But compared to Millwall/Brum we have had shots - their keeper has made 2 smart saves and we've had a few other half chances. We look capable of scoring and have a bit of urgency about our play. Just hope HT doesn't kill our momentum as it has done in the past

Good effort by Knight. Often seems to find half a yard of space from a corner. Clever player

2 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

Pitch not only looks bad, it looks slow. Passes don't look like they've got much zip on them at all. 

Sometimes we could do with just kicking it a bit harder!

Hope somebody has a moment of magic in them today, a little like this from last season

We look like creating a few chances today, couple of sniffs already. Pitch looks poor as others have said - what's their excuse? can't see any rugby markings on it. 

Wells' body language has never looked good. The circumstances of his signing (to help get the Brownhill deal over the line - despite not being what we needed at the time, typical of our dealings in those days!), often being out of the team or played out of position, having been settled and enjoying his football on loan at QPR led to a general feeling that he didn't really want to be here and we didn't really want him. He doesn't radiate enthusiasm in his body language or his post match interviews.

All that goes to show looks can be deceiving and that there is more going on than we often realise - I recall lots of praise for his work behind the scenes with Conway before his breakthrough, and he has really forced his way back into the picture when I recall thinking his time at City was done. Certainly wasn't among those 'problem' characters shipped out by Pearson - consider him now a solid pro and one I'm glad to have around at the club. His contribution isn't what it once was but he's still a useful player who works hard and has experience at this level. Will always remember his late winner at QPR a couple of years ago.

May be lacking a bit of match sharpness but glad to have him back around the first team - wouldn't worry about 10 quiet minutes at West Ham.

What a moment

Well done Liam and the lads. Was pretty despondent after Millwall - good to see that we still have it in us to raise our game not only in terms of sharpness and quality (Williams pinging that through ball for the goal) but also in battling - bodies on the line, throwing ourselves in front of shots etc. Determination to defend our box was good to see.

Pring really deserves amazing credit - commentator made reference to his many loans. None of us would have predicted him putting in a performance like that against a top player in Bowen a few years back.

Gutted not to be there. Great moment to savour for those able to get a ticket. Record crowd for an fa cup game at that stadium thanks to our travelling horde.

5 hours ago, Rocky said:

 

Harsh on Millwall- we started it!

16 minutes ago, Bedred31 said:

Thought Sky’s analysis hit a new low on Monday with Merson’s explanation  for Rooney’s failure, viz that ‘they’re not his players’. 

Merson speaks utter garbage when it comes to anything outside the premier league. His comment on us sacking Pearson was that it was understandable given the money we'd spent over the summer. Doesn't seem to be any accountability for saying things that are accurate or reflect reality in any way

30 minutes ago, Jimbo76 said:

We have a mid table squad. Why does everyone keep thinking we're likely to get top 6?

We have an industrious set of players (with the odd exception). We lack top 6 quality. Max probably not good enough. Tanner, good defender but SO negative. Mehmeti, league one show pony. James and Wells probably showing their age. Bell, lightweight. Cornick, squad player.

But I'm not moaning cos I know that is our squad and so mid table is about right. To do a Brentford or Luton needs all the planets to align. Other than that, Steve would need to spend money and we all know that won't happen. 

So I'm keeping realistic expectations for the average squad we have. But some entertainment wouldn't go a miss. Struggling to recall two worse back to back games than that.

Shame, cos I'd like to see what Manning could do if backed with some cash.

Because that's what Jon said! I don't think many believe him - simply want to hold him to account for the decision he made and the rationale given.

I agree with your assessment of the squad - maybe tad harsh on tanner because he hss no options, and mehmeti might come good. But given that we have an industrious but technically limited group, I don't think it's wise to try and dominate the ball and probe for an opening. NP had us hard to breakdown and dangerous on the break which is probably right  

4 minutes ago, ChippenhamRed said:

It doesn’t make them meaningless, because if you lose them too you end up relegated.

I know no one wants to hear balance or perspective right now, but this is the Championship. The margins between most teams are fractional, which means you win games you might expect to lose and lose games you might expect to win.

So we didn’t play well today. But it’s a first defeat in five, and we don’t need to instantly dismiss a play off push off the back of one result against Millwall when we’re only 4 points away with 60 points still to play for - any more than we should suddenly assume we’re going to Wembley after an excellent win away at Watford.

Neither does it mean Manning is suddenly hopeless again, when he was Guardiola a few days ago.

Let’s at least try to keep some perspective on where we are. We are a midtable team doing midtable things. We will play poorly again and we will play well again. But the last few weeks have offered some encouragement and one poor result doesn’t undo all of that. 

You're talking a lot of sense - the reaction post match is always a bit extreme, but it has been exacerbated by the communication from the club regarding the change of manager. Win and Manning is a genius, lose and we are doomed. In the grand scheme of things yes, we are pretty safely midtable, and there are plenty of clubs worse off in terms of points, including today's opponents. 

I can though understand the frustration today when I think we managed 1 shot on target all game. Given what we've been promised and what we have shown at times this season 

First half ok - see what we are trying to do, some sort of style, work in progress.

Second half abysmal. Worst I've seen in a long time - though I don't get to many. Best attacking moment was winning a corner that we then whacked straight out for a throw in.

Williams was bloody stupid in the last minute. One huge disappointment for me was the so called singing section which I moved to after HT - no atmosphere because they're all singing different songs! Stupid songs about our subs. We needed a huge wall of come on you reds. Only time they made some noise was when joe Williams started a pointless fight that wasted time and wil probably see us fined. Brilliant. 

Back down to earth with a bump. Just so frustrating. 

What does he say to them at half time? Not the first time that we have been unrecognisable after the break

8 minutes ago, Robin101 said:

Do we look tired? Or are we just not playing well?

Yes

Less control second half

Not bad first half. Crowd getting a bit ratty with tanner playing inside to Vyner all the time, but Weimann  is obviously being told to play v narrow so he doesn't often have an option ahead of him. Sometimes wish we would move the ball a bit quicker to try and catch them out of shape. James and Williams together aren't very mobile but 'twas ever so

Would be interested to see no of minutes played by Sykes and TGH in comparison to the rest of the squad. Two of our stringer performers - have they played significantly more than others? Why do they need a rest over tanner or pring? Or is it a case that we've no one to bring in for those two?

14 minutes ago, johnheadbcfc said:

People that say he isn't qualified, he has to learn somewhere. He's a bloody club legend I'd rather have him than some faceless suit l. For all we know in a couple of years time he might be fantastic at this role and will be gutted when he leaves.

Anyway 3 points today  

Maybe he'll improve. Hope he does. Have very fond memories of him as a player. It's very possible that Manning will prove to be a shrewd appointment - last few weeks have been encouraging. And he can take some credit for that if it works out that way.

But regarding "he has to learn somewhere" - what exactly is this role that he's learning? Is it a business/administrative role? Replacement for Gould/Alexander? Because 500 football league appearances don't qualify you for that. Yet we seemed to think Tinnion "growing into his role" was reason enough for a restructure when Alexander left.

According to the Bristol Post article after Alexander stepped down: "Tinnion will continue to oversee footballing decisions of the men’s side of the club, alongside manager Nigel Pearson and his coaching team." Sounds like a Director of Football role. But usually you'd expect to see an experienced manager take a DoF role to support a young head coach. This is what rankles with fans I think - why should Pearson have had to work "alongside" (and then seemingly be sacked, at least in part by?) Tinnion? Compare Tinnion and Pearson's achievements in the game and Tinnion doesn't come out well - though I loved watching him as a player. We seem to have a failed ex-manager who has a close relationship with the ownership who is able to call the shots - that's not healthy.

He's clearly in Lansdown's ear with regard to hiring and firing the manager and squad building - but his track record of those sorts of decisions is poor/non-existent. We gave him a shot at being manager as a young up-and-comer to learn the ropes and it ended pretty spectacularly in failure. That was well over 10 years ago and he hasn't gone away and proven himself elsewhere - as far as I know he's not been given any responsibility near the first team of a professional football club. Feels very Bristol City to promote somebody so high with such a poor record, and allow them to interfere with and then dispense of the services of people far more qualified, able and successful than him.