tin

4 hours ago, Port Said Red said:

Lucky your tail wagged by the look of it. 

Gloucestershire looking very aggressive with bat and ball so far, Surrey seem very lethargic in comparison. 

Lethargy has long dogged Surrey and their internationals. Glos have been much the better side in the first two days. The top three did very well today, Overton had a mare with the ball and in the slips. Looking good for us so far.

Get in, Jonny. Great finish. 

1 hour ago, Globe Trotter said:

What odds on the words ‘Joey Barton’, ‘fight’ and ‘Bristol city centre’ appearing together in the news in the next year?

Barton’s due in court in June on charges of assault. 

www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-england-south-yorkshire-52881290

This leopard hasn’t changed his spots. 

1 hour ago, grifty said:

You should. You just need to balance it off with looking at other clubs who have had success with new owners, both on and off the field.

Man City, Leicester, Brighton, Brentford to an extent. That's the only ones I'd class as having true success on and off the pitch in terms of playing and infrastructure. Man City is an extreme example too as they were essentially bought by a country...

There's teams that have benefitted on the playing side only (as far as I'm aware) - Cardiff, Watford, Swansea, Villa, Bournemouth, Wolves.

The flip-side is Portsmouth, Derby, Sheff Wed, Birmingham, Forest, Coventry, Sunderland, Hull, Charlton, Ipswich, Wigan, Bolton. Teams who can't/couldn't pay players, fire-sale of players, points deductions, administration, tumbling down the leagues.

I believe SL has focussed on the infrastructure side first, and once this is done (is the training ground the last piece?) then only has the playing side to focus on. He hasn't 'neglected' the squad, still spending on wages and transfer fees, but I think that is to keep us constant in the championship so we are in a. good position to push.

On the balance of probability (and our luck) we'd be taken over by someone who would see us go backwards rather than forwards. I don't fancy risking the future of the club for a season or two in the prem and then 25 years trying to recover.

In your opinion. 

1 hour ago, tommy_b said:

Just came to share this. Well outlined as you say. 
Burnley have been the example of well managed financial stability for a decade. Now it’s gone.

Anyone who wants ansdown out for a “lack of ambition” should be very aware of how most takeovers occur these days. What would our Plan B for ownership be?

For most owners there is no pot of money to back a club. It is serviced by the club and future incomes are sold off accordingly (witness all the financial problems in our league) when you start to hit problems. 

With respect, I don't buy into this 'without SL, we'd be worse off' narrative. The fact is nobody knows where we'd be without SL; we might be better off, we might be worse off. It's all guesswork.

Take a look at the new training ground thread, specifcially at Leicester's new facility. In 2007/08, they were relegated to League One while we lost the Championship play-off final. Look at what they've achieved since - first through Mandaric, then through the Thai money - while we stagnate. 

Obviously, there's no guarantee that a change of ownership would lead to success, but I'd rather enjoy the ride than have decades of going round in circles as the current owners fail to learn from their previous mistakes.

As Einstein said: "the definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result." 

It was interesting watching him on the right (I refuse to use the term 'wing' because he almost always tried to drift inside) against Pompey. Because of that, I think he's pretty easy to defend against if you show him inside and ask him to shoot from distance, often with his weaker foot. 

He's far more effective getting to the byline on the left and firing across goal, that how he's got most of his assists so far this season but he seems reluctant to do it. He has all the raw attributes to be a decent player, but he's not a natural finisher and it frustrates me when he chooses to shoot when a teammate's in a better position to receive a pass. The lack of a football brain is pretty obvious, but he's not the finished product. 

5 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Haven't read the UEFA FFP? 30m euros plus allowable costs per 3 years the limit.

I haven’t, no. Far too technical for me and I don’t fully understand it. That said, I don’t think it’s unrealistic for a club of our stature to allocate a large chunk of our budget towards paying a manager who’s been there and done it, and let them choose which players within that budget they want to sign. 

5 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

One of the most respected coaches around, cited by many at top clubs. 

Bielsa was also on in excess of £60k p/w last season when Leeds were in the Championship. That gamble clearly paid off, regardless of FFP. Not for a second do I think we could get someone of Bielsa’s stature at little old Bristol City, by the way. I strongly suspect we’ll continue to shop for managers in Poundland while the current board is in place and we’ll continue to go round and round on the pitch as a result. 

2 hours ago, Major Isewater said:

Carlo Ancelotti: Second and smiling - Everton’s ‘Hollywood’ appointment paying off

Absolutely. It’s not rocket science to appoint the best manager out there and pay the going rate to do that. The rewards far outweigh the risks, especially if those appointments are on short-term deals. If the PL was to end today, Everton would stand to get £36m in prize money for finishing second plus more money for getting into next year’s Champions League group stages and that’s before all the TV money. That more than pays the wages of Ancelotti, for example. 

25 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

Totally.

But without Kalas, Baker & Mawson, Holden doesn’t trust a Vyner/Moore 2 man central defensive pairing, which in the case of the latter, is probably just as well.

The other problem is so far this season, for all the moaning by some on here, Wells is the only one of the 4 who looks like a consistent scorer, so he has to start & not out wide, either..

I’m out of likes but agree with this post, Graham.

The question I have is if Holden doesn’t fancy Vyner/Moore as a central two, why bring in Mariappa and not play him - despite telling everyone he’s kept himself fit and is ready to go straight in? 

Wells is a proven goalscorer at this level. I keep repeating the need for him to start as the central striker, playing the width of the six-yard box where he can utilise his instincts. The problem is where his supply comes from.

26 minutes ago, Lrrr said:

Perhaps Pail Cook could be interested

If he goes there at this moment in time, I give up with football. He's good enough for us right now, let alone a team 18th in the league below.

I can see someone like Cowley taking it on, but I sincerely hope Cook doesn't go there. 

2 hours ago, phantom said:

No offence, but that is just a personal opinion there can't be any facts that back this up

Ironically a crowd of us have been going home and away with Somerset for years, and one of those is a Rovers supporter that hasn't missed a game in decades. One constant is that when he wears his shorts and his Rovers tattoo on his leg is visible he gets the piss taken all over the country

None taken. I live five minutes away from the Glos ground and know more City-supporting Glos fans than Sags. That’s not to say I don’t see Sags at Glos, but the whole concept of Glos=Gas is completely false. 

Also, you’d might be surprised about the amount of City fans heading on the 73 bus down Gloucester Road to the Gate on a match day. Lockleaze is probably the last Sag stronghold in Bristol, IMO. 

10 hours ago, Harry said:

Didn’t happen. I was there with loads of City fans. 

I didn’t hear anything at Lord’s that day either, but wouldn’t say that it didn’t happen.

Generally more City are Glos fans than Sags, it’s just the Sag/Glos fans feel the need to stand out more. I know of one middle-aged chap who goes on England tours and has to wear Gas kit every day along with his massive flag. It’s a bit like small-man’s syndrome  

39 minutes ago, Robbored said:

Incredible achievement. 600 test wickets the first seamer and only six deliveries more than spinner Murali

Truly remarkable.

And Jimmy would’ve got there sooner if it wasn’t for those four dollies being dropped. Proud moment. 

9 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

Thanks, I was trying to figure out who RB was - we've had 4 weeks of being told Vyner will play midfield.

Has he gone off Liverpool's 433 and decided this week for a Brazilian 424 formation? A 424 is bold. LJ wants us to be bold.

I don’t think it’s a 4-2-4, my best guess thinks it’s a 4-3-3/4-5-1.

It looks like either Afobe in on the left again in a front three, or Weimann and COD will be on the wings in a four-man midfield. 

Either way, more square pegs in round holes. 

8 minutes ago, RUSSEL85 said:

Not sure what’s more staggering, the fact COD starts again or it seems Johnson is going with Afobe on the left again. 

                   Maenpaa

Vyner   Williams   Baker   Dasilva
                Smith    Nagy
                   O’Dowda
  Weimann                      Afobe

                      Wells

 

Wonder how many arrests were made for invading the pitch/goading opposition fans after Lambert's winner at The Mem in 2007?! Yet the Assistant Police Commisioner talks of wasting resources.

Just wish City had signed Lawrence from Mansfield about 5 years ago when several of us on here were suggesting it.

By the way, reckon Lee Croft would be a good signing Gary.

Agree on both parts. I mentioned Croft on here a few weeks ago and think he'd be an ideal target for us this summer presuming Norwich would be open to offers.

Lawrence was one of a few players showing promise in the lower leagues. Him and Bullard stood out for me. I remember going to Peterborough away a few years ago when we lost 4-1 and Bullard got two screamers and his ability was there for all to see.

Sadly, Lawrence did go down very easily but McAllister should've been wise enough to stand him up in the knowledge Stoke play for these set pieces and that he wouldn't get done on the outside for pace. Canny play by the winger though but that's what Premier League experience brings to your team, especially when they were looking to play to their strength's by winning set pieces around the box.

Marvin Elliott for me all the way. People say it takes time for a player to settle in at a new club and he's taking to it like a duck to water whilst adding another dimension to our midfield.

Carey second, McIndoe third.

sorry everyone, but it is going to be me...

after my succesful 4 seasons on championship manager, which has seen us lift 3 titles and win almost every cup - i am being pedigreed to take tinman on as my assistant and lead us to glory...

Haha. I've done the same. With Tinman by my side we've won the Div2, Div1, back-to-back, and finished 3rd in Premiership plus grabbed the league cup(2) and the FA cup all in 3 seasons! Now its time for a raid on the Champions League. Me and Tinman would bring unprecedented glory to the Gate.

Has to be Tinman with an experienced sidekick. Someone like Jim Smith or something. Finally we'd have a manager who lives and breathes BCFC and kicks every ball on the touchline instead of shirking away under the dugout!

I'm a student down in Southampton, 20 years old. I reckon we'll get done over again this year and I got an awful feeling that Swindon will swindle us out in a derby day final in Cardiff! Sorry!