Win Or Bust

[Major Isewater]

almost there as a team ? oh my god, almost where League 2 ? FFS you are talking shite. Team full of players not good enough, you dont go 5 games in league 1 and be unlucky. Not one player in this squad would have got in Gary Johnsons team, I'll come back in October if you like and say "look I told you so".

I don't think that will happen fella

[Gazred]

Bradford, Rangers, Wolves and Palace yes.........

So apart from Palace reserves which game did we play well ?

Dolman Block E. Every game for last 5 years or so. Worst City team for many a decade.

Worst than the last couple of seasons? Get real.

[Rob k]

almost there as a team ? oh my god, almost where League 2 ? FFS you are talking shite. Team full of players not good enough, you dont go 5 games in league 1 and be unlucky. Not one player in this squad would have got in Gary Johnsons team, I'll come back in October if you like and say "look I told you so".

JET is better than anything GJ had and Elliot is still playing, I think J Bryan would have played under GJ and pack and Wynter would both have had a shout at getting in the GJ side.

The defence is the only area where there is a clear winner for me under GJ.

[BRISTOL86]

Bradford, Rangers, Wolves and Palace yes.........

So apart from Palace reserves which game did we play well ?

Dolman Block E. Every game for last 5 years or so. Worst City team for many a decade.

Rangers - irrelevant.

Bradford we were comfortable until gifting an equaliser, first game of the season for a brand new team, draw not a bad result though should have won

Wolves poor first half but very hard done by on second half performance. We could and should have had more in the second half

Palace, possibly best performance I've seen from any city team in the last 5 years. And 'palace reserves' as you put it, could easily compete in the Championship, we were just brilliant that night.

Save your crap for the radio bristol phone ins.

Worst team in many a decade? Honestly what planet are you on?

[Port Said Red]

http://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/article/20130904-sodprerovers-1033956.aspx

Look at that smile, what do you mean, dour?

[CotswoldRed]

Some attempt at impartial and objective would go down well and drop the blood pressure too.

[Rocky]

Leave it lads he's fishing.

[Monkeh]

almost there as a team ? oh my god, almost where League 2 ? FFS you are talking shite. Team full of players not good enough, you dont go 5 games in league 1 and be unlucky. Not one player in this squad would have got in Gary Johnsons team, I'll come back in October if you like and say "look I told you so".

you are a ******* idiot full stop,

Liverpool havent won the prem after 3 games

Swansea haven't been relegated after 3 games

City haven't won the carling cup after 2 games

Get a grip you moron

[spudski]

you want tonight over with because of the ramifications of a derby day defeat. This is reputations on the line tonight, if the players really dont want this game as you've said then were are screwed. Mark by words, it's a super occasion tonight, the atmosphere will be brilliant and a defeat a f;ing disaster. Local derbies are what football are all about.

I'd prefer we didn't have the Derby mate.

As for the Ramifications... it means **** all in the big picture. Just bragging rights amongst fans... which means nothing to our position as a Club.

Now if the Derby was in the League or the 3rd round of the FA Cup for example... then it may mean something.

But it's the JPT... We've won it in the past and we all had a jolly day out... but it means nothing.

I'm sure the Atmosphere will be fun... If drunk Blokes singing and chanting at one another is your thing.

I get a bigger kick out of watching our team develop under SoD... and if in that development we end of losing tonight, i'm not going to lose any sleep over it. What will be will be...

[BCFC_Mike]

Lets face it, this thread should have had 0 replies, rather than the 38+ he was looking for.

Just leave it ffs.

[The Right Honourable Les Q]

you want tonight over with because of the ramifications of a derby day defeat. This is reputations on the line tonight, if the players really dont want this game as you've said then were are screwed. Mark by words, it's a super occasion tonight, the atmosphere will be brilliant and a defeat a f;ing disaster. Local derbies are what football are all about.

Perhaps leylandsroad is having a bad case of the derby day wobblies. I do think SOd, more than anyone, could do with a win tonight, as there will be some, already quite twitchy, who will take defeat tonight as confirmation that he is not up to it.

But, it is, in the end, the cup you have to play in when you aint in the top two leagues. Defeat will be a "disaster" if you deem it so. Not everyone will think about it like that. Perhaps it depends on how much 'banter' and grief you have dished out to any div.four gassholes you are lucky enough (!) to be an aquaintance of? Today is a, sort of, day of reckoning, possibly time to have it chucked back in your face, or, hopefully, a day for commendable restraint and just the merest hint of a smug grin sneaking across yer chops.

I bet SOd is a bit wobbly, too, probably wishing it was tomorrow, next week (Christmas Day, April 1st, National Do-the-conga day, anything). More to lose for him than Wardie, perhaps?

If Baldock is out, though, are we not fielding something like half a first choice team?

[CotswoldRed]

Perhaps it depends on how much 'banter' and grief you have dished out to any div.four gassholes you are lucky enough (!) to be an aquaintance of?

That might explain it.

[spudski]

Perhaps leylandsroad is having a bad case of the derby day wobblies. I do think SOd, more than anyone, could do with a win tonight, as there will be some, already quite twitchy, who will take defeat tonight as confirmation that he is not up to it.

But, it is, in the end, the cup you have to play in when you aint in the top two leagues. Defeat will be a "disaster" if you deem it so. Not everyone will think about it like that. Perhaps it depends on how much 'banter' and grief you have dished out to any div.four gassholes you are lucky enough (!) to be an aquaintance of? Today is a, sort of, day of reckoning, possibly time to have it chucked back in your face, or, hopefully, a day for commendable restraint and just the merest hint of a smug grin sneaking across yer chops.

I bet SOd is a bit wobbly, too, probably wishing it was tomorrow, next week (Christmas Day, April 1st, National Do-the-conga day, anything). More to lose for him than Wardie, perhaps?

If Baldock is out, though, are we not fielding something like half a first choice team?

If there are 'Some' who think that defeat tonight will confirm SoD is not up to it, then imho, they know **** all about football.

Of course he's up to it... his CV proves it.

The problem we have, is that we have too many numbskull fans who worry and sing about the Gas ( at every friggin' game )

than actual fans that understand football.

He's the best manager this Club has had in years.

It's going to take a few years to turn this Club around.

We were a laughing stock. From the bottom up.

It's about time fans took stock of that and realise tonights result means **** all.

If they do... then based on them, we deserve to be down with the Gas... because that's their mentality.

It's time to rise above taunts and see the bigger picture... surely?

[Rocky]

If there are 'Some' who think that defeat tonight will confirm SoD is not up to it, then imho, they know **** all about football.

Of course he's up to it... his CV proves it.

The problem we have, is that we have too many numbskull fans who worry and sing about the Gas ( at every friggin' game )

than actual fans that understand football.

He's the best manager this Club has had in years.

It's going to take a few years to turn this Club around.

We were a laughing stock. From the bottom up.

It's about time fans took stock of that and realise tonights result means **** all.

If they do... then based on them, we deserve to be down with the Gas... because that's their mentality.

It's time to rise above taunts and see the bigger picture... surely?

Bravo that man.

[BRISTOL86]

If there are 'Some' who think that defeat tonight will confirm SoD is not up to it, then imho, they know **** all about football.

Of course he's up to it... his CV proves it.

The problem we have, is that we have too many numbskull fans who worry and sing about the Gas ( at every friggin' game )

than actual fans that understand football.

He's the best manager this Club has had in years.

It's going to take a few years to turn this Club around.

We were a laughing stock. From the bottom up.

It's about time fans took stock of that and realise tonights result means **** all.

If they do... then based on them, we deserve to be down with the Gas... because that's their mentality.

It's time to rise above taunts and see the bigger picture... surely?

Spot on

[Anglia Red]

Maybe because you live in East Anglia? Not many Sags to bitch at you constantly up there I would guess?

Believe me I get my fair share of stick from the Tractor Boys like when we lost 6-0 at Portman Road -just after I moved..

In 90 minutes anything can happen -it's where we are heading in the long term that is the important thing and I for one feel we should give SOD plenty of time. If we are still getting poor results at this time next year, then of course you would have to question it, but we have almost an entirely new squad -you can't expect them to gel after 7 games for goodness sake!

[Gazred]

Spudski, you've gone completely the opposite way to the original poster, both are views which to each poster are valid, however neither at this stage have any semblance of proof about them

GJ got turned on after Cardiff thrashed us, re the Derby match results and was the tipping point for many

SO'D hasn't got the best record over his career and is appalling for us thus far, . No matter how you dress it up.

That people are polarised in both directions, in so much as people either become acolytes of S'oD blindly following inspite of the evidence and lambast anyone who doesnt share their view, no matter how grounded in proof or what not they are. Or, they see the destruction of the club because of SO'd's failure to change things. It's absolute either way and there is no need for it.

Where there is proof on both sides, for sure, discuss. However hype on both sides is getting boring. He's not the devil, yet, He's not the messiah, yet. He is underperforming and that has to change. Simples.

Appalling? Really? How is he underperforming in your opinion if also in your opinion he doesnt have the best record anyway?

Your posts are quite possibly the most consistently negative on here.

[The Right Honourable Les Q]

Bloody hell. It is traditional to at least wait until the game, and we're losing to the blue clowns, and maybe the second half, and one of our's guffs a sitter, before turning on each other. Nows not the time for picking over the manager, or other poster's differing views. Nows the time for linking arms, girding our loins, stiffening our resolve, and warming our vocal chords. And maybe getting down there nice and early, case they bugger it up at the turnstiles again.

Come on you lot! Cmon you Reds!

[Gazred]

And I rest my case above people just being so polarized there is no give. Straight to the your view is different so must be 'wrong' approach.

The stats are woeful. I've gone over that many times. People will keep putting whatever spins on it they want, they are just stats. 1 win in 17 league games, 0.8 ppg average is cack, which ever way you want to look at it. wqe've had two cup successes this season but that needs to be changed into league form, pretty soon ish or more will post as per original OP,.

Defensive stuff still needs to be sorted, and tactics before half time need to be addressed, as well as getting the team to be more consistent, which is confirmation of underperformance. It doesnt mean we will win every game as some will immediately suggest, hen right, it just means that he isnt performing to his strengths as role as head coach. I have suggested before that out of the whole unit that SO'D is the one out of form at present and that requires addressing. So by those grounds he is underperforming.

Where's the negative?

As you say, they are just stats, so im not sure why you base your opinion on them. I think the general concensus is that SOD would not of been expected to keep us up last season and in his own words just tried to make us tough to beat. Had we stayed up it would of been a fantastic bonus in my opinion, the damage was already done and both on and off the pitch the club was desperate for an overhall.

So onto this season, he's brought some new young talent into the side, changed the style of play, brought in his own back room team. For any football fan worth their salt would know, instant success when this happens would be unexpected and it is a slow process to rebuild both players, back room and footballing philosophy.

I think your expectations are just too high right now.

For the record you come across as an intelligent and articulate poster, which is why i read your posts, surely you can be a little more optimistic than unrealistic in the future?

[Red_Jim]

Can we please leave this after the game? I'm depressed and we haven't even kicked a ball yet!

[spudski]

Spudski, you've gone completely the opposite way to the original poster, both are views which to each poster are valid, however neither at this stage have any semblance of proof about them

GJ got turned on after Cardiff thrashed us, re the Derby match results and was the tipping point for many

SO'D hasn't got the best record over his career and is appalling for us thus far, . No matter how you dress it up.

That people are polarised in both directions, in so much as people either become acolytes of S'oD blindly following inspite of the evidence and lambast anyone who doesnt share their view, no matter how grounded in proof or what not they are. Or, they see the destruction of the club because of SO'd's failure to change things. It's absolute either way and there is no need for it.

Where there is proof on both sides, for sure, discuss. However hype on both sides is getting boring. He's not the devil, yet, He's not the messiah, yet. He is underperforming and that has to change. Simples.

You can't compare. and this sin't aimed specifically at you. However...

We are totally under a new set of financial rules... money isn't being thrown about and we have had to offload a few players on good wages.

The Club is in a total transition from top to bottom.

New players coming and going.

Players having to learn SoD's system of play.

Results, may have not gone our way yet... but you only have to watch for yourself, to see how better we are playing as a team.

Blooding youngsters and playing them. Another positive.

This season isn't about results... if we finish near the bottom and avoid relegation playing football and learning all the time, then we will improve.

Since GJ's time all we have done is plug gaps in a slowly sinking ship.

Why fans can't see what's happening at the Club is beyond me.

We actually have a Blueprint and plan in place now... it's going to take time and patience.

Enjoy the transition and don't base every game on results.

[Gazred]

That's just it though. I don't want 'instant' success. I'd thought I'd made that clear over several posts. I want a platform to build upon, and by that I mean something a bit more consistent than what we have now. Which is anything but. Every other team, has made transfers, got new tactics and whatever bedded in, changed managers and so on. We continue to flounder in the name of progress.

I've used Benny as an example before and he threw the kids into it, even he started to pick up wins within a 3/6 month period even if we did get dicked on to start with. This is a similar thing, in terms of change. Yet there is no footing to start from, that's what concerns many, we appear to be sinking without a trace in their eyes and a period of 6 wins or so out of 10/15 and may be few draws along being consistent would be the start to progress from. That's not sky high, that's lower mid table form 12th-15th. We aren't even showing that at the moment.

Agree with most of that, but I still think your expectations are too high. You may not want instant success in the classic sense but you are already expecting the shoots of recovery to be showing mere moments after the seeds have been planted.

Acorn to oak takes time, we just have to be patient. SOD can't be judged on results only at this point in time as his remit when coming in was more than just that. He looks to be getting the other stuff right, so lets have faith and see where we are a little later in the season.

[RedZoneJim]

This is the bloke that doesn't think getting broke Bournemouth almost in the play-offs playing great football and then getting Doncaster promoted and keeping them in the Championship with probably a fifth of the budget GJ had at the time was any sort of achievement, but would rather judge him solely on win percentages, which take nothing into context at all. Ignore him, he ain't worth it.

[Opeth67]

Even Man U gave Ferguson time after he first took over as manager. If the club had listened to the negative supporters he would have been sacked. Look what he eventually achieved for that club.

SOD's stats are not brilliant THIS season, but how many league games have we played? Less than a handful. You can't include last season because the scenario was so much different than the one we are now experiencing. A c50% change in our playing personnel due to wage restraints and other rules. I believe that most of the other teams in this division have not had to make such dramatic changes to their playing staff as we have had to this season, so that puts us at a distinct disadvantage compared to them. Some people are looking for miracles - nice if the happened, but unlikely. We are now a league 1 club, and we might be for a season or two yet.

So bit of realism is required and a little more patience the order of the day.

Having said that - I do desperately want us to win tonight because I hate City losing any matches - even pre-season friendlies.

[Eco]

Leylandsroad is usually a sound poster, I'm sure there may be something in what he says but disagree in this instance, we're on a decent League Cup run for starters.

[GodEmperor Palpatine]

almost there as a team ? oh my god, almost where League 2 ? FFS you are talking shite. Team full of players not good enough, you dont go 5 games in league 1 and be unlucky. Not one player in this squad would have got in Gary Johnsons team, I'll come back in October if you like and say "look I told you so".

After 5 league games this season? Clearing the absolute mess left by the previous managers (including Johnson towards the end of his tenure)?

Have a word with yourself pal...

[Port Said Red]

almost there as a team ? oh my god, almost where League 2 ? FFS you are talking shite. Team full of players not good enough, you dont go 5 games in league 1 and be unlucky. Not one player in this squad would have got in Gary Johnsons team, I'll come back in October if you like and say "look I told you so".

October? That's your definition of a long term plan? Perhaps I am being unfair, you didn't say which year after all............

[pikeysrobins]

If there are 'Some' who think that defeat tonight will confirm SoD is not up to it, then imho, they know **** all about football.

Of course he's up to it... his CV proves it.

The problem we have, is that we have too many numbskull fans who worry and sing about the Gas ( at every friggin' game )

than actual fans that understand football.

He's the best manager this Club has had in years.

It's going to take a few years to turn this Club around.

We were a laughing stock. From the bottom up.

It's about time fans took stock of that and realise tonights result means **** all.

If they do... then based on them, we deserve to be down with the Gas... because that's their mentality.

It's time to rise above taunts and see the bigger picture... surely?

Wow! Somebody talking sense!

I can't believe the absolute tosh on this forum. Too much emphasis is placed on our rivalry with the Rovers when we should be focusing on OUR team. Last night I watched the game with friends in London and they were impressed at the way City played despite being Arsenal and Spurs fans. They thought it was a great game and very entertaining. How embarrassing were the scenes at the end though?! I just wanted to hide....ruined everything....bloody idiots.

I agree.....Leave SOD alone and let him get on with it! Do you think the likes of SOD, Baldock, JET are going to want to stay around at a club with fans like that? If these fans want success forget the Gas and focus on supporting our team. Was it really worth it??