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Interesting article, this. Perhaps a role Danny Simpson, then possibly Andy King could play for our U23s in future seasons? I think us using this sort of scheme would have a double benefit in helping to bring through the youngsters and creating a pathway for coaches.

Like you mate, I was too young to assess Jacki's overall impact back then. But I was at the Wolves game in '92 when he scored twice late on, and that clearly lives long in the memory 29 years' later. Like JET and Noble, he was a mecurial talent.

I don’t think many of us are willing to accept “alright”. I’m sick of having a manager/head coach learning their trade. We’ve been there so many times with substandard candidates, it’s a source of frustration for me. LJ should never have got the job, IMO. He coasted the wave of a very decent squad assembled by SOD and Cotts. We can talk about that until the cows come home, it makes no difference. With NP, I felt we finally have some direction, a clear plan; even when with those insipid performances and woeful results last year. We all know the mitigating reasons for that, and the tide is turning — faster than I thought it would. Survival is still the goal IMO this season, anything else is a bonus. As long as we’re building, I’m happy. There’s no excuse for the wasted funds under LJ/MA, IMO, and it’s a shame NP didn’t have those resources as I’m sure he’d have made far better use of them.

I never had any doubt about Pearson’s ability to whip our club into shape. IMO, we’ve been crying out for an experienced appointment like this since Cotts left and possibly before. The impact he’s having behind the scenes, from the first-team squad, to the academy, to the women, is all really positive from what I’ve heard. We’re in good hands, and while we’ll be inconsistent for a while yet I firmly believe he’ll leave us in far better shape than the mess he inherited.

Anyone who watched Williams play against us, either for Bolton or Wigan in recent years, knows what he’s capable of when fully fit. I was impressed by him every time he played against us, either through his tenacity or set pieces and it’s great to see him starting to show that quality in a City shirt at long last. The fitter he gets, the better he gets.

We all know what follows the end of an LJ winning streak…

Just to temper expectations somewhat, he was playing against a side that will almost certainly be in the bottom five come May and I’m not sure that’s a yardstick by which to judge him. On the flip side, he’s not 100% fit so the perhaps there is more to come. I’ve always suspected there is a player in there, but he’s in the last-chance saloon this season IMO. Time to step up or be bombed out in the summer.

As if it was ever in doubt.

If we had a fully-fit squad and I expect us to get three points today. But if the XI that finished the game at Millwall starts today, I’m fearing the worst. Their home record is decent, so I’d take a point right now.

Fair points. Mind you, two things: 1) being offered head of recruitment/sporting director is still a promotion from being an international scouting and recruitment manager at whatever club; 2) why would he ever leave Man City if he was that attached to the travel and his wages? I doubt his new role at West Ham will offer the same travel opportunities and I can't imagine West Ham paying much more than Man City. Maybe he just fancied a new challenge. IMO, the HoR/SD position is one we've needed filling here for some time and if you don't ask, you don't get.

Didn't realise Newman was at Man City for 12 years. I can't help but think he'd have been perfect for the head of recruitment/sporting director role down here.

Bentley Tanner Kalas Atkinson Dasilva James Williams Massengo Semenyo Pring Wells

There's a difference between balancing players' good/bad attributes and carrying them, IMO. The reason we lost the game last night is essentially because we were carrying three players. That's the fine margin. At the very least, and especially in games against the likes of Millwall, we need players to stand up and compete. Bar a few positive moments on the ball, Bakinson did nothing. Bakinson's got all the natural attributes to be a quailty player, but I doubt he has the desire or tactical awareness to make the most of it. I hope the penny drops and he proves me wrong.

I don’t think his work on the ball has ever been in question; it’s what he’s like without it, combined with his lackadaisical style, that prompts criticism. He needs to offer much more than the occasional slide-rule pass IMO. For context, Martin and Weimann were both very poor last night as well, so Bakinson wasn’t alone in that regard.

He’s a stroller, and strollers only get away with it if they deliver the goods. He needs to pull his head out of his arse or be bombed out IMO.

You’d think so, wouldn’t you? Just pull the bloody trigger. I don’t care if it goes high and wide, at least have a dig and give yourself a chance or scoring a goal. They both played well tonight. I don’t think Williams looked injured. Hopefully that’s just a bit of cramp or wrapping him up in cotton wool.

Yep. We always struggle against these types of workmanlike sides who are also short on quality but beat us on application. Same old story. I don’t actually think we deserve to lose this tonight. Both Weimann and Martin were clean through and did nothing. Martin and Bakinson have watched the game pass by, Weimann hasn’t got into it at all.

Yep, and bone-idle Bakinson dropped Atkinson in the shit.

Jed Wallace, it had to be.

Not a lot in that first half. Weimann had the best chance, seizing upon a missed header which put him clean through on goal and he failed to get a shot off. Bentley made a couple of good saves to thwart Afobe. Impressive 45s for both Williams and Dasilva; Martin and Bakinson both watching the game pass by. Pring in the back three is a concern, but I’d have Wells and Palmer on pretty sharpish IMO. It’s there for the taking.

Think it was Matty James who had a tame shot from distance which curled just wide (their ‘keeper had it covered). EDIT: I misread your post ? Must’ve been Weimann then.

Pring coming on for Baker. Reverting to a back four or Pring as LCB? I hope it’s the former.

Fair. I expected him to open his body up onto his left foot there and roll it in the far corner. He certainly had the time to do that.

Poor from Weimann there. Possibly had too much time to pick his spot when clean through and ended up not even getting a shot off. Should be 1-0 up.

And it's no coincidence the City content on Bristol Live has drastically improved since Piercy's been doing it. Funny how Nige's answers in BL are more in-depth as well. Decent questions get decent answers.