The Exiled Robin Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 My latest blog for the Bristol Post looks at the lack of flexibility shown by boss Steve Cotterill in both team selection and substitutions Is it time to stop being so loyal to the team that got us promoted? If we make any signings, will they get a chance or left to rot on the bench like Cox and others?? Lots of questions... http://m.bristolpost.co.uk/BRISTOL-CITY-BLOG-Groundhog-Day-giving-cause/story-28284645-detail/story.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cidered abroad Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 How very accurately you portray what is happening or more accurately, what isn't happening at Bristol City. I know I keep saying it, but I genuinely fear that we are going to drop back to League One without a real fight to stay up. Loyalty from one's employer and immediate manager is fine in any business but not if the machine is not operating as it should. Some essential maintenance and parts replacement is urgently needed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin phantom Posted December 4, 2015 Admin Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 Very well written @The Exiled Robin 100% agree with your points Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marina's Rolls Royce Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 Grim reading Exiled Robin- yet accurate as ever. I posted a number of comments last season about SC's baffling use of subs ( Jet in particular) and that was when we were cruising. This season it has turned from baffling to frustrating. If something is clearly not working or a player clearly not performing then I just don't see why changes aren't made with time enough to make a difference. SC still has my support but in this matter at least, he is testing my patience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivorguy Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 If he has a plan B he is leaving it late to implement More worrying does he have a plan A !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big C Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 Does Cotterill have a Plan B? Surely we want footballers and not rappers?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nomad Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 To quote SOD, 'stupid question'.......... We all know Cotts Plan B is 'revert to plan A' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
... Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 What would success look like this season for City? Staying up? Staying up without it going to the last few games? Mid-table? One of these must be plan A, so he'll only need a plan B if plan A fails. Uncle TFR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hortonred Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 It doesn't look like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slippin cider Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 Plan B....would that be 4-4-2? ......so no then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spudski Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 What frustrates me most is the comments Managers, Owner and some players come out with....that contradict reality. It wasn't many weeks ago that SL and SC spoke about getting Promotion again this season....only last week Freeman was talking about making it to the play offs. This week SC talks about the struggle regarding size of squad, wages, quality, and an ever increasing gap between certain teams in the league. What bothers me, as a manager and owner, surely you should know the quality of player that is needed in this league to achieve anything. We seemed to go into this season, not knowing whether our players were good enough or not to compete. We went in hoping. Rather than being proactive we seem reactive. I've said for ages, that I don't think SC is the man to take us forward....and I seriously doubt our owner and board, as to their knowledge of how to run a successful football team. I get the impression they are side tracked with the stadium and Bristol sport....rather than solely focussing on developing a sustained successful football team. What worries me, is that SC is too pig headed in his belief and will cut off his nose to spite his face. No problems for him, contract paid and would find a job somewhere else....where the club on the other hand could easily get relegated again. Imho, we need to find a manager that players of Championship quality would find attractive to work with. A new school manager. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pongo88 Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 3 hours ago, The Exiled Robin said: Lots of questions... http://m.bristolpost.co.uk/BRISTOL-CITY-BLOG-Groundhog-Day-giving-cause/story-28284645-detail/story.html Lots of questions but unfortunate I'm not convinced Cotts has the right answers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 1 hour ago, Taxi for Rennie said: What would success look like this season for City? Staying up? Staying up without it going to the last few games? Mid-table? One of these must be plan A, so he'll only need a plan B if plan A fails. Uncle TFR Don't think success would be us finishing 21st but pretty sure most of us would take that now, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roe Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 If most of us would take 21st come the end, why are so many panicking about us being 20th right now? If we were adrift at the bottom then I could understand the "going down without a fight" comments but that's really not the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickJ Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 2 minutes ago, roe said: If most of us would take 21st come the end, why are so many panicking about us being 20th right now? If we were adrift at the bottom then I could understand the "going down without a fight" comments but that's really not the case. It's very easy. If you are one of those who made particularly vitriolic comments aimed at Cotterill upon his appointment, you seize on any opportunity to prove you were right all along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Orns Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 1 hour ago, spudski said: What frustrates me most is the comments Managers, Owner and some players come out with....that contradict reality. It wasn't many weeks ago that SL and SC spoke about getting Promotion again this season....only last week Freeman was talking about making it to the play offs. This week SC talks about the struggle regarding size of squad, wages, quality, and an ever increasing gap between certain teams in the league. What bothers me, as a manager and owner, surely you should know the quality of player that is needed in this league to achieve anything. We seemed to go into this season, not knowing whether our players were good enough or not to compete. We went in hoping. Rather than being proactive we seem reactive. I've said for ages, that I don't think SC is the man to take us forward....and I seriously doubt our owner and board, as to their knowledge of how to run a successful football team. I get the impression they are side tracked with the stadium and Bristol sport....rather than solely focussing on developing a sustained successful football team. What worries me, is that SC is too pig headed in his belief and will cut off his nose to spite his face. No problems for him, contract paid and would find a job somewhere else....where the club on the other hand could easily get relegated again. Imho, we need to find a manager that players of Championship quality would find attractive to work with. A new school manager. I'm still hopeful SC will get us safe, and I think it's absolutely possible My concern is with the owner and board, as highlighted in another thread this week. I would also add Bristol Rugby to the list of things to be side tracked by. Only really hit me this week, the players being linked with BR while we make only one permanent summer signing is worrying. No one seems to be out of bounds of the rugby chequebook Worries me, particularly as I'm not a Bristol fan! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spudski Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 17 minutes ago, Woodsy said: I'm still hopeful SC will get us safe, and I think it's absolutely possible My concern is with the owner and board, as highlighted in another thread this week. I would also add Bristol Rugby to the list of things to be side tracked by. Only really hit me this week, the players being linked with BR while we make only one permanent summer signing is worrying. No one seems to be out of bounds of the rugby chequebook Worries me, particularly as I'm not a Bristol fan! And I also think SC is capable of just keeping us up. But there in lies the problem. As an owner...do you want a manager to just keep you up, or someone who could make a bigger impression and get you forward momentum up the league and continued success? I get the impression on here, that many just want to reward SC for getting us up, but really don't have any faith in him, as a manager to achieve future success in this league. For me....I'd rather get someone else in now, get some players in the January window to 'survive' and recruit in the summer for next season....just as SC did when he took over and got us promotion. But in all honesty, I really don't have any faith in the club at the moment in making the right decisions. Way too much sentiment involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Orns Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 51 minutes ago, spudski said:t And I also think SC is capable of just keeping us up. But there in lies the problem. As an owner...do you want a manager to just keep you up, or someone who could make a bigger impression and get you forward momentum up the league and continued success? I get the impression on here, that many just want to reward SC for getting us up, but really don't have any faith in him, as a manager to achieve future success in this league. For me....I'd rather get someone else in now, get some players in the January window to 'survive' and recruit in the summer for next season....just as SC did when he took over and got us promotion. But in all honesty, I really don't have any faith in the club at the moment in making the right decisions. Way too much sentiment involved. To be honest, I'm probably as bad as anyone else who is behind SC, in that he deserves the chance to see what he can do with us a this level. I'd have no problem if we finish 21st and we decided to part ways in the summer, providing there was a viable option to replace him. I was one of the many that didn't want SC anywhere near my club, so I'm happy to be proved wrong again! I said we'd finish 15th this season, and I'd have been happy with that. If we get that now I'd be amazed On the playing side I think maybe there are one or two of the lads who done so well last year who need to be moved on, again, providing there are viable alternatives. My concern is that the chequebook won't come out for those and SC will have to fight his corner with what he's currently got. Maybe they are giving him just enough rope to hang himself? Can't say I would be supportive of sacking SC now and getting someone in, although Steve Clarke could be attractive..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChippenhamRed Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 2 hours ago, roe said: If most of us would take 21st come the end, why are so many panicking about us being 20th right now? If we were adrift at the bottom then I could understand the "going down without a fight" comments but that's really not the case. Because if you finish 21st, you have survived. If you're 20th in December, the threat of relegation is still very real. Obviously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shtanley Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 Do we need a plan B? Whats so bad about plan A? If 442 lump it up is plan B like so many on here have asked for then I'll risk it with plan A thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeAman08 Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 His Plan B, C, D and E are look at Plan A. This goes for tactics, substitutions, starting lineups, and post match interviews. I'm all for consistency but he is stubborn to the fullest. I like that our club is stable financially and we've had a manager for 2 years now which I think is good for clubs. Patience I think can pay off but the club's needs an injection of energy. Has Cotterhill taken Bristol City as far as he can? I think it's a valid question and one that the board needs to figure out(not that I have much faith in them at the moment). I'm all for him staying but let us know a bit of the plan!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superjack Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 The OP must have fat fingers... ...they seem to have inadvertently hit 'shift' and 'b' before posting... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cidered abroad Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 2 hours ago, NickJ said: It's very easy. If you are one of those who made particularly vitriolic comments aimed at Cotterill upon his appointment, you seize on any opportunity to prove you were right all along. Not a fair assumption. I was underwhelmed by his appointment BUT readily admit how well he did last season. But he is not the Messiah of Football and if he had any plan for consolidation in the Championship, it is not apparent to me. Just more of what was done last season but apparently without regard to the fact that every team we play is so much better than what we faced last season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Leigh of Somerset Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 The second half of the 2013/2014 season (the one where we were bottom just before Xmas and came close to the play-offs by the end) and the whole of last season (the one where we romped the league, won the JPLT cup at a canter and competed superbly against a Premier League team in the FA Cup) must have been so very disappointing to some of the posters on OTIB. They just knew from the start that Cotts wasn't the right man for the job but he kept shoving the results right back down their throats. How double-dare he! Still, now they can let rip and start to conspire against one of the best managers City has had in my 50+ years of supporting them. I take it that the tag-line 'COACH' under Spudski's name refers to the transport he uses to get to the game as it can't have much to do with his footballing nous! It won't be pretty but we will just about stay up this year (just like Brighton did last season) and then watch us go next season (just as Brighton are doing now). My questions to all of you negative posters is this; Do you really think that the Board, Cotts and everyone involved in running our club isn't absolutely focused on what needs to be done to keep us in the Championship this season and take us further on next? Do you really have such little faith? Should you perhaps be 'supporting' some other team who deserve all the negativity (eg The Gas)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickJ Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 3 hours ago, spudski said: And I also think SC is capable of just keeping us up. But there in lies the problem. As an owner...do you want a manager to just keep you up, or someone who could make a bigger impression and get you forward momentum up the league and continued success? I get the impression on here, that many just want to reward SC for getting us up, but really don't have any faith in him, as a manager to achieve future success in this league. For me....I'd rather get someone else in now, get some players in the January window to 'survive' and recruit in the summer for next season....just as SC did when he took over and got us promotion. But in all honesty, I really don't have any faith in the club at the moment in making the right decisions. Way too much sentiment involved. Football as a spectator sport owes its very existence to sentiment. 1 hour ago, Sir Leigh of Somerset said: My questions to all of you negative posters is this; Do you really think that the Board, Cotts and everyone involved in running our club isn't absolutely focused on what needs to be done to keep us in the Championship this season and take us further on next? Do you really have such little faith? Like all of your post but what a pertinent question to finish with. Cotterill like any other manager has only one plan that matters, that is to send teams out prepared to the best of his ability. Overall over the past 2 years, as the remainder of your post points out, his plan appears to be working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivorguy Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 We must see things as they are not as we might wish them to be. Sadly for us questions of promotion and relegation are not decided over a two season period This season three wins out of eighteen matches simply doesn't cut the mustard Moreover there is little either on or off the field to suggest this is going to change anytime soon unless something positive is done to change the present situation we find ourselves in The next two matches are for me the final chance for the manager to show that he can cope in this league Anything less than four points would most likely place us in a very serious position indeed after last week's disaster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob k Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 5 hours ago, roe said: If most of us would take 21st come the end, why are so many panicking about us being 20th right now? If we were adrift at the bottom then I could understand the "going down without a fight" comments but that's really not the case. Because we just got battered by a poor Rotherham team Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REDOXO Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 A decent read, not sure about the 'wallowing introspection' comment as the writer is the one doing it, but without being pedantic, he does actually state the high level problems we have and the fact our supply line to goal is strangled and our finishers are not finishing....Even The Codge misses a high ratio of chances ala Baldock under anyone except SC. It appears Cox is in the same semi-fit category as Agard was until recently and only Freemans most fanatical supporters could argue that he is anywhere near his best form....Thus you gotta think Reid must be thinking 'how long boss?' The Pelling inspired transfer non signing saga continues to wreak havoc with a club that had a massive amount of momentum and that is what is so depressing for most of us!...I would be mad as hell if I were a certain tax exile! The players brought in are for the most part squad players and the disappearance of the boy to Fulham is as strange as well anything really.... So Plan A being players not coming in failed, Plan B is playing largely with what we have in a way they can play, being what we have, I firmly believe what we are lacking is Plan C. I would argue when the registration window reopens there will be an opening of check books, and the reconstitution of Plan A, but getting to that point in the best shape is really the key right now! So do you play back four? Not sure I would as the three sitting in it are building a rapport despite us getting twatted (which I dont necessarily blame them for) at Rotherham looked very decent under almost constant pressure against Hull. We look out of our depth in midfield...Smith, Freeman, Pack between them loose far to much ball, dont win enough of it and have supplied little by way of assists or goals (As of course has Flint and the others in the back 3) and to be frank are a bit slow compared to some sides......SC has a reliance on stats and he knows this without anecdotes from moi!...However the question is...Is it a form issue or a class issue? The wingers have done well, but sometimes Williams lacks energy and the pace of some of his colleagues, but I still see a big career for this boy as he adds another string to his bow...Codge is a good player that can lack the composure that might have netted him another five goals minimum and as someone said to me earlier is starting to look a bit off the boil....We could talk about the relative merits of Wilbo Agard Wes et al ad infinitum, however I would start Wes with Codge (hears screams) as they both have the stature to pay a big man role and both have lightening pace....Which I think is our under utilized asset right now....little Bryan Elliot bennet are quick and I feel we need to inject pace as much as possible...watch teams break on us...For all the possesion we have had in some games we get done on the counter by pace an power....The Power is where we lack in midfield and I can see an addition to that area asap and a much vaunted forward if Wes is never to get his chance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CotswoldRed Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 Cotts needs to be sorting out his January transfers right now. I'm not sure if it's allowed, buy a pre-contract agreement here and there wouldn't go amiss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanterne Rouge Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 29 minutes ago, CotswoldRed said: Cotts needs to be sorting out his January transfers right now. I'm not sure if it's allowed, buy a pre-contract agreement here and there wouldn't go amiss. I`m sure it goes on and I`d be surprised if we haven`t got a few things sorted already. There`s no way SL or SC are going to put up with looking as clueless and amateur as we did in the summer so I can see signings announced in the first week or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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