Chokers

[Bristol Boy]

we just aren't good enough.

A friend on mine said yesterday:

" Can you imagine the embarrassment of THAT team playing in Div One?"

The current team in neither better than our last promotion team and, more importantly perhaps, is worse than the team that was subsequently relegated.

The play offs beckon, as next week, I predict that:

QPR will beat Swindon to go four points clear

City will blow up at Barnsley, have a player or two sent off leading to a gate of around 12/13,000 v Blackpool.Another defeat will see us finish 3/4th and next season will see us in Div 2.

It's not that these clubs are better than we are, it's just that we don't have the ability to go with our big time charlie, big fish in a little pond, image.

QPR are much the same but they haven't lost at home, because they can score goals.

Two ways of looking at that:

1.Bound to sooner or later and those odds increase every week.

2.They should be good enough to beat Swindon who must be dispirited after yesterday.

I've no faith in the manager or the team to gain automatic promotion and even less in their ability to win the lottery that is the play offs.

[Guest eviltaxman]

That's what I like to hear... a positive attitude

Shut up and get behind the team. Now is not the time to slate the players

[rumbellow]

Nobody wants promotion more than I do.

But, The truth is out there, Our progress during 4 years under Wilson has been minor to say the least, The board has backed him to the hilt recently and his signings have been less than mediocre, His tactics and substitutions are mystifying and he treats the fans with an air of arrogance.

Finally it is clear that the players have no respect for him, As stories still persist of players being drunk out on the town 2 days before important matches.

I'm sorry but even if we do gain promotion this season, It will be because the teams around us are worse than we are and not because of Wilson's genius.

[Bristol Boy]

That's what I like to hear... a positive attitude

Shut up and get behind the team. Now is not the time to slate the players

:Sleep12:

Yeh, we're still 3rd.

Your moronic, excusal philosphy is pathetic. :@

It causes constantly lowered standards and much of the malaise that surrounds our clubs inability to perform when the chips are down.

It's common is public service and leads to dumming down of all activity from those bodies.

I support THE CLUB, not some transient manager, who'll preach loyalty, then jump ship as soon as "an opportunity" beckons.

If you don't like it, don't read it or post a considered, counter argument, not some crap about applauding failure.

I get behind the team at AG by making a 300 mile round trip for home games.How about THEY do something, that they're highly paid for, FOR ME

[rumbellow]

Here, Here Bristolboy.

Except that as far as I am aware there has only been one approach for 'THE STINKERMAN' Wilson and that was Derby (I think, I'm sure somebody will correct me). They are mega millions in debt and reduced to playing a lot of 16 year olds.

So I doubt very much that a better offer will release us from our agony and enable us to watch him jump ship, It's more likely that we will have to force him to walk the plank. With a hefty pay off (we can ill afford).

[RedUn]

A friend on mine said yesterday:

" Can you imagine the embarrassment of THAT team playing in Div One?"

On the basis of the opinion of my Watford supporting friends who witnessed the way we outplayed them in September, I have no doubt that the current team is so well-organised defensively that it would certainly not be an embarassment in Div One. The attack is a different kettle of fish, however.

Perhaps what we have is a reflection of the preponderence of defence-minded coaches on the training ground, including the complete absence of anyone to mentor the strikers on how, when and where they should be moving?

And I'm sure half the reason our defence gets caught napping at set pieces so often is because all week on the training ground they can only practice keeping out "floaty" type free kicks aimed at our static forwards.

[Bristol Boy]

On the basis of the opinion of my Watford supporting friends who witnessed the way we outplayed them in September, I have no doubt that the current team is so well-organised defensively that it would certainly not be an embarassment in Div One. The attack is a different kettle of fish, however.

Perhaps what we have is a reflection of the preponderence of defence-minded coaches on the training ground, including the complete absence of anyone to mentor the strikers on how, when and where they should be moving?

And I'm sure half the reason our defence gets caught napping at set pieces so often is because all week on the training ground they can only practice keeping out "floaty" type free kicks aimed at our static forwards.

It's the lack of creativity on the field that bothers me.

Why not give Caskey a try in a three man central midfield?

It's not like we look like scoring and I'd rather win games 4-2 than 1-0.

Where was this superb defence at Luton?

[RedUn]

Where was this superb defence at Luton?

I would have put money on you not bothering to read what I said (clue: Luton was about set pieces wasn't it?)

[RedTauntonian]

Don't really think city can be called 'bottlers' after yesterdays game, brighton came and did as they wanted, if this game had been in november, everyone would of said it was a good point.

The pressure is still on QPR, and we have just got to keep on going, now is not the time to slate anyone! Lets all get behind the team for the last 2 games, and untill then lets have just positive messages untill then!

COME ON CITY YOU CAN DO IT!

[RedUn]

... if this game had been in november, everyone would of said it was a good point.

Trouble is that in and around November we were turning in similarly dominant performance against the likes of Luton and Peterborough without getting the three points off them either.

[RedTauntonian]

yeah but we were nowhere near as good a footballing side then, as we were yesterday.

[BCFC Taunton]

i admire your comments on this forum red tauntonian! you must be a true blue

[RedTauntonian]

havn't seen many of your posts, but if they are like this one, then they are pointless, i wouldn't be seen dead in any sh ity blue!

also you know your talking crap!

[Guest bristolbred]

The reality check is that yesterday, should of been party day at Ashton gate, but look at how many points we have thrown away all season, along with a worrying dip in form, after a far from convincing 11 match unbeaten run!!, the ability to beat or draw with the best teams in this division, only to throw it all away when you play someone down the bottom!!

We have been poor defending set pieces all season, then there is the lack of creativity, and of course, it goes without saying, the lack of goals!!!

We have on more than one occasion thrown away the chance of automatic promotion, and all Danny Wilson can say is let QPR throw away theirs!!

If QPR win next Saturday, can the City side battle to victory against a Barnsley side that will no doubt play like Brighton, and be happy for a point!

Then QPR have to go to Sheff Wed who are going to trial a load of yougsters, so thats a QPR win their then!!

If we go up, are we good enough to stay up with the current team and Manager??

If we stay in Div 2 next year, will we finish in the top 2? top6? or end up mid table??

If we don't go up, how many hundred fairweather fans will disappear??

Lets hope that results between now and May 8th go our way!!

And remember, those who write positive, or negative comments on this forum all have one thing in common,

They love a team that plays at BS3!!

[Bristol Boy]

yeah but we were nowhere near as good a footballing side then, as we were yesterday.

Sorry, but that's nonsense.

When we play at pace we look a good Div 2 side, but yesterday, we didn't do it enough and any organised team could have stopped us scoring.

Just for the record, I don't go along with this DW attacking,positive, passing football crap.With a few exceptions, it's no better than under Pulis and nowhere near as good as the promotion seasons under Ward & Jordan.

[Guest Spike]

I'm still behind City but lets face it.. yesterday was a HUGE opportunity to get that automatic promotion spot and because we havent we have now given QPR more confidence.

I love City but in all fairness even if we are good enough to get into division 1 I dont think were good enough to stay there

[Spud55]

I think on the most parts our players are good enough for division 1 but our coaching set up is not. nobody seems to have botheres to tell our strikers how to attack balls into the box, it often ends up that both go and the ball ends up behind them, or they both stay back and the ball ends up too far infront of them, more usually robbo puts the ball in because nobody else will and Peacock is left on his own.

Equally the same applies for defending free kicks, if they let Doherty take them it's no wonder they can't defend descent balls in as he gently floats the ball in every time and even a conference defence could clear his balls into the box.

We have little movement at set pieces, Robbo, Peacock and Miller make moves to try to shake their marker, but the rest of them stand like statues making it very easy for the defence to marshall them, we seem to learn nothing from our opponents in the past 3-4 years. Wigan the perfect example, they had both strikers moving looking for position, while De Vos would every time peel off and come from deep, we do not have anyone who isn't a striker who does that.

Phillips i think has been badly let down by our Goalkeeping coaches, he was very weak on crosses when he first started, but when Mercer came in his game in that area noticably imrpoved, and continued to do so until mercer Retired, now Phillips has stagnated, he can get better because in certain games his command of the box has been good, so he knows what to do, but does not have to coaches to instill the confidence in him to be able to do it, and his defence are by no means helpful, as if Phillpis flaps at a cross it all to often ends up with a goal, because of poor marking and general defensive play. Phillips knows he can rarely afford to cock up on crosses, so he is either too eager to come of his line or like Luton too hesitant and hopes to rely on his superb shot stopping ability. We need a good expirenced keeper to come in, someone who is better than Phillips, to challenge him for his place, but also to act as a mentor/coach like mercer was to bring him on as our goalkeeping coach for me is failing in his job.