tin

Yeah, I feel the same. If there’s one thing this current crop has shown us this season, it’s that they get a result when we least expect it. When the pressure’s on, it’s another story, mind! Let’s hope we’re right.

Assuming his stock is still relatively high, I’d try to cash in on Semenyo in January and find suitors for Massengo and Bentley. I’m resigned to losing Scott in the near future, but Conway is the one we need to keep longer term IMO.

I think you’re giving the board too much credit there, Cyril. They have a track record of not having a succession plan going back 20+ years. The last time they got it right, with Cotts, was down to Keith Dawe.

Holden signed Williams.

You beat me to it about Neil at Stoke. I was speaking to a Mackam recently who said Sunderland made Neil two contract offers to stop him going to Stoke, the latter would’ve made him the second highest paid manager in the league. So your figure ties in with that. Stoke’s financial position was hugely helped by the timely sale of Nathan Collins to Burnley for £12m, and probably a sell-on percentage from his subsequent sale to Wolves for £20m. The business they’ve done shows they’re in a better position than us.

Semenyo’s playing a dangerous game IMO. If he’s not scoring goals, what chance as he got of playing at the WC or moving to a bigger club? His performances have nosedived since he changed agent. Martin’s been sulking ever since the emergence of Conway and the resurgence of Wells. He’s no longer the main man and he doesn’t like that IMO. For an experienced pro, I’m disappointed in his attitude. Sykes doesn’t do it for me. He offers little going forward and I feel for whoever the poor sod is at RCB as he offers them no protection. Yes, he’s a Nige signing, but he’s also a reflection of us shopping in Poundland because of our financial situation IMO.

I don’t think this is a simple question at all. We simply cannot ignore the FFP implications as it directly affects who is realistic and who isn’t. Nobody would want to come in and have no cash to spend, nor work with an unbalanced injury-hit squad unless they were angling for a payout in the event they get sacked after inheriting the same problems. Nige used up one of his lives last night, that was a real shit show. But I do think we are nailed on to go down if we roll the dice now. The risk is too high. The bottom line is we have no strength in depth within the squad, but we have a competitive first XI at this level with everyone fit as evidenced earlier this season.

This is SL’s legacy.

Ta. Got to get a dig in at his gas dad somewhere! ?

He’s big, he’s bad, he’s better than his dad, Joey Low, Joey Low!

Bajic; Vyner, Low, Klose, Dasilva; Sykes, Massengo, King, Pring; Semenyo, Martin. My XI, 4-4-2.

What is this XI? Williams in the back three with Scott and Pring at WB, or Weimann and Scott at WB? Can’t work it out and it looks unbalanced right now. I’d rather have Low start in the back three and have Pring at LWB than shunt Weimann there, if that is the case, and bench Semenyo.

Great insight, this. Thanks, @Davefevs. Amazing what answers he gives when interviewed by bright journalists. We’re on the right path.

It’s all about opinions and I thought he did well, second only to the ref we had at WBA. Why awful out of interest?

They all did well but for balance, they weren’t challenged physically or aerially which is their weakness.

A point was a fair reflection of the game, and Andre Marriner was excellent IMO. Semenyo should’ve buried that golden chance early on, but Swansea created bugger all despite their possession.

Holden was out of his depth, should never have got the job in the first place. Six weeks it took Ashton’s rigorous process to find a new manager, with “candidates from all over Europe” (Ashton’s words, not mine), and we ended up with Holden. I don’t blame him for taking it, who wouldn’t in his position, but I fail to accept that’s the best the board could come up with at that time.

Big blow, this. Let’s see what the Lansdowns have learnt from putting all their eggs in Ashton’s basket and if they have a succession plan in place for Gould, something they’ve been guilty of lacking throughout their tenure.

A couple of my thoughts to add to this debate: 1) I think the games coming thick and fast due to the stupidity of scheduling a winter World Cup is a big contributory factor to the inconsistency across the whole league, eg Blackburn being top with seven defeats already this season; 2) and this is by no means a criticism, but look what is Vyner doing for Reading’s first today? He’s upped his game this year but he’s ball watching again and this is real weakness in his game, yet we have to pick him because of the lack of depth in the squad.

Are they, though? They were able to start Baba Rahman, who’s on loan from Chelsea on wages of £120k pw, and bring on Andy Carroll who won’t be on a pittance either. The way they’ve fiddled their financial position is a disgrace IMO.

Bentley, Vyner and Kalas are the only ones I’d consider to be in the prime of their careers. The rest have either yet to reach their prime or are past it IMO.

Exactly (and that’s overlooking my typo about two draws when I meant two defeats). We ain’t going up, we ain’t going down. But we’re always in games, which can’t be said a lot in recent years.

Would you rather have four draws from the last four games or two wins and two draws? I know what I’d prefer. We’re inconsistent, accept it and support the City.

Unchanged side

The jury’s still out for me, but he did well at the Hawthorns.