Get a grip, someone

[Ivorguy]

With the owner and the manager speaking independently of each other and clearly not from the same hymn sheet, and with the team languishing near the bottom of the table, and, finally, with the January window nearly upon us we need someone to take charge at Ashton Gate before even more (long term) damage is done

It is the Chairman's responsibility surely at this point to provide desperately needed leadership in the cause of unity.

Fans will begin voting with their feet - just read some of the comments on otib

Come on someone, get a grip of the situation

['Orns]

It doesn't look good right now, does it?

After last season I cannot believe how bad things have got

[Super]

1 minute ago, Woodsy said:

It doesn't look good right now, does it?

After last season I cannot believe how bad things have got

Usually what happens with City a high is always followed by a low! What happens off the pitch next month is as important as what happens on it.

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

12 minutes ago, Ivorguy said:

Fans will begin voting with their feet - just read some of the comments on otib

Come on someone, get a grip of the situation

Well-  reading yours has been more than explanatory

 

3 minutes ago, Woodsy said:

 

"After last season I cannot believe how bad things have got"

said Mr J. Mourinho as he switched the lights off

[reddogkev]

Get a grip of what situation?  Nothing has changed since day 1 - we are playing football in an extremely competitive league and trying to survive.  We've lost 4 - 0 to a fantastic team with proven pedigree and before we've beat one of our main competitors on their own patch.

Think we have a good grip of the situation.

I don't understand why after every single defeat we have to read the same nonsense on OTIB - and I do mean after every single defeat!

[reddogkev]

And what long-term damage is currently being done?

Even if we get relegated this season, I can't see any long term damage.  Things were far worse 3 years ago, and looked what happened last season.

We were promoted again in record time with an incredible tally of points.

['Orns]

10 minutes ago, Super said:

Usually what happens with City a high is always followed by a low! What happens off the pitch next month is as important as what happens on it.

Bang on. Cannot put an emphasis on how big the next 6 weeks are for our club

6 minutes ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

Well-  reading yours has been more than explanatory

 

said Mr J. Mourinho as he switched the lights off

Someone switched the lights of here in May, and I'm beginning to think some wag moved the frigging lightswitch and we still can't find it

[Robbored]

11 minutes ago, Woodsy said:

It doesn't look good right now, does it?

After last season I cannot believe how bad things have got

No it doesn't good right now and everyone knows that the failure to strengthen over the summer is the reason why City are struggling. 

Despite what some fans think and say the entire City  heiracy are singing from the ame hymn sheet.

Question is tho'- how do the club go about changing things?

i really can't see any quality players signing for us in January. It'll be the loan market again.

['Orns]

28 minutes ago, Robbored said:

No it doesn't good right now and everyone knows that the failure to strengthen over the summer is the reason why City are struggling. 

Despite what some fans think and say the entire City  heiracy are singing from the ame hymn sheet.

Question is tho'- how do the club go about changing things?

i really can't see any quality players signing for us in January. It'll be the loan market again.

Loan market fills me with dread, although we can't argue that Baker and Bennett in particular have been good signings this summer

[Lanterne Rouge]

2 hours ago, Ivorguy said:

With the owner and the manager speaking independently of each other and clearly not from the same hymn sheet, and with the team languishing near the bottom of the table, and, finally, with the January window nearly upon us we need someone to take charge at Ashton Gate before even more (long term) damage is done

It is the Chairman's responsibility surely at this point to provide desperately needed leadership in the cause of unity.

Fans will begin voting with their feet - just read some of the comments on otib

Come on someone, get a grip of the situation

Here we go again, different thread, same agenda.

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

2 hours ago, reddogkev said:

Get a grip of what situation?  Nothing has changed since day 1 - we are playing football in an extremely competitive league and trying to survive.  We've lost 4 - 0 to a fantastic team with proven pedigree and before we've beat one of our main competitors on their own patch.

Think we have a good grip of the situation.

I don't understand why after every single defeat we have to read the same nonsense on OTIB - and I do mean after every single defeat!

To be fair though- it's pretty much the same people with the same negative comments every time. They have acquired a consistency which SC can only dream about.

[Lanterne Rouge]

10 minutes ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

To be fair though- it's pretty much the same people with the same negative comments every time. They have acquired a consistency which SC can only dream about.

And appear to be `utility` posters who can adapt to any situation. They can shoehorn their negative vibes into any thread on any subject you care to mention.

[Lack of Action Man]

2 hours ago, reddogkev said:

Get a grip of what situation?  Nothing has changed since day 1

Its the fact that nothing has changed since day 1 that is the issue though isn't it? That we  failed to add to a squad that needed bolstering and that we have failed to use the momentum we had from last year to propel us to a more respectable position. 

[RumRed]

27 minutes ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

To be fair though- it's pretty much the same people with the same negative comments every time. They have acquired a consistency which SC can only dream about.

The consistency is the key though, even last season some of us were questioning Cotts use of subs for example.  The doubters have not just come out of the woodwork, we've been here all the time, win or lose there are still the same underlying issues at the club and that's what some of us feel strongly about.

The last win was a sticking plaster over the troubles of the season and it's SL and us fans that can only dream about consistency, looking back over SL's tenure it's been a 'bumpy ride' to say the least.

 

Nice Rugby stadium though.

[GrahamC]

2 hours ago, Robbored said:

No it doesn't good right now and everyone knows that the failure to strengthen over the summer is the reason why City are struggling. 

Despite what some fans think and say the entire City  heiracy are singing from the ame hymn sheet.

Question is tho'- how do the club go about changing things?

i really can't see any quality players signing for us in January. It'll be the loan market again.

Really? 

Do you honestly believe that the messages from the owner and manager are completely consistent at present then?

If you do, you know even less than I thought..

What does "quality players" mean? From above league one? Seeing what SL said yesterday that just appears self evident.

I would have thought seeing as you knew all about Korey Smith when we signed him you'd be overflowing with ideas about what we do next...

[BCFC_Dan]

Or we could accept that it's nearly always going to be a struggle for a newly-promoted team to compete right away, especially one composed largely of young players, and that we're far from dead and buried. In face we're not even in the relegation zone.

Better recruitment would have seen us in a better position and I don't think we can doubt that but we have no idea what the circumstances were or what was possible. It's not as though Preston and MK Dons are in the promotion places and we're 20 points adrift.

I don't think it's anyone at the club who needs to get a grip.

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

18 minutes ago, RumRed said:

The consistency is the key though, even last season some of us were questioning Cotts use of subs for example.  The doubters have not just come out of the woodwork, we've been here all the time, win or lose there are still the same underlying issues at the club and that's what some of us feel strongly about.

The last win was a sticking plaster over the troubles of the season and it's SL and us fans that can only dream about consistency, looking back over SL's tenure it's been a 'bumpy ride' to say the least.

 

Nice Rugby stadium though.

D'you know- up until your fatuous final comment- I was thinking- well ok , fair enough comments and then you have to expose yourself as ,imo, a otib troll by belittling Ashton Gate- probably the only thing our football club has got that's looking really good. Shame on you.

[Davefevs]

We tried to bring in players on permanent deals but they didn't come off.

Maguire and Lees officially or unofficially?  So we got Baker and Moore on loan. 

We got Kodjia, but failed on Gray and Gayle.  Re Gray, ask yourself -  Burnley for 40k pw or City 20k?  None of us know how true the figures are but we are happy to band them around to suit our argument for or against Cotts / Club. As for Gayle I think it was Palace touting their player to get around the Bolassie percentage should he have gone to Spurs. They seemed to be getting a great deal financially although Gayle would've been a good addition. 

We got Fredeicks and then replaced with Bennett. No arguments there. 

We git Hamer as competition for Frank, but it didn't work. 

My main gripe is that we didn't strengthen the midfield. 

But ultimately I'm trying to say that we did bring in players, more on loan than we probably hoped to, but also how bloody difficult it is to bring in the right players when you're not established in the championship (or on a parachute and throw £ at it).  It's not Amazon!!

we were big fish in L1.  Smith, Freeman, Ayling etc all saw City as bigger and better clubs than their previous employers. We are the Oldham, Stevenage, Yeovil of the Championship at this point in time. 

In some ways I think we have done amazingly well to get in who we have.  But I don't think many will share my view  

With those players we should probably be a bit higher in the league, but not massively so. 

'Get a grip' is an emotive topic heading. You have your view,I'll have mine. 

[RumRed]

12 minutes ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

D'you know- up until your fatuous final comment- I was thinking- well ok , fair enough comments and then you have to expose yourself as ,imo, a otib troll by belittling Ashton Gate- probably the only thing our football club has got that's looking really good. Shame on you.

Fair enough, I'll give you that one, it was uncalled for, I hope my other comments make sense however.

[Nomad]

1 hour ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

To be fair though- it's pretty much the same people with the same negative comments every time. They have acquired a consistency which SC can only dream about.

Indeed they do. And then the happy clappers rally round with the same old positive comments. They seem so upbeat about things currently that I'm not sure how they survived last season - were they all prescribed sedatives? 

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

49 minutes ago, RumRed said:

Fair enough, I'll give you that one, it was uncalled for, I hope my other comments make sense however.

Yes they do- no one who supports City can be having anything but a fairly miserable season- I certainly am.

It's just that a degree of balance would be great, Cotts ( of all people) does not deserve some of the vitriolic criticism levelled at him nor Lansdown. Whilst things may be grim- the wheels haven't come off and there's still much to play for.

One thing that has struck me about Mourinho is that his players stopped playing for him. There is not the slightest sign of that being the case with Cotts- yes, they may not be of enough Championship quality yet but they play for him and , thank god, they play for the shirt.

[REDOXO]

The usual hilarity!

Happy Clappers, doubters, I told you soers, SL's faulters, SC's faulters....Who is to blame for a brand new stadium, a club that is fiscally responsible within reason, a benefactor that is trying to build not only a club but a whole stable of clubs and facilities across South Bristol, employment and sustained employment, a Championship a JPT, promotion, young players that have value that have largely been picked up for what we got for Baldock....I could go on and on. While I am very aware that this is a forum of views some of them seem entrenched in dogma about either the majority shareholder or the manager. 

Yes I am the first to say we cocked up with transfer policy (and I just did on another thread) and it seems an individual has fallen on his sword (pushed on to it) over that, but lets wait and see what the window brings as the club attempt to get us away from clubs at the bottom who most of whom would love to be in our position.

  

[JoeAman08]

The fear has always been there for me that Steve Cotterhill isn't quite the genius he seems to be. I know he's done wonderful things but those were in League 1. Even then the signs were there. His substitutions for example. They've always been a bit odd. This leads into his inability to adapt. He has very few ideas. When it isn't working for us, it isn't going to get any better. Look at Sheff U last season at the gate. One of the few teams in that league with quality, the beat us on the counter time and time again. Are we surprised it happened this year? 

I've said it in previous posts. We struggled against the top 5 of League One compared to the rest of our season. We still ended up with a good points total against them but they'd all be lower championship sides at the time. Then you ask us to do better with a squad at best, the same quality as last last season. Don't know whose fault it was for the summer but I know we've played poorly even last season against quality opponents. Cotterhill should've seen it and sharpened us up for it. Maybe played with a new formation but it's the same old story. Now every game at the gate feels more like that drubbing we took by Sheff U. 

Everyone wants to look at all the positives of last year and so they should but there were warning signs even last season that this squad needed work. Granted most would've thought a few more of our boys would've made the step up more seamlessly but even with them struggling we needed help. And who knows, if we had signed another few players, they may have had positive impacts on the likes of Freeman and Bryan. 

I don't think you can place blame on just the board or just Cotterhill. You do have to look at SC though a bit harder. There are changes he can make and he doesn't use them. Who knows what a back 4 would hold? Who knows how many Simon Cox could've scored or not scored? Who knows how Bobby would be playing with a run of games? Who knows how a pairing of Burns/Cox/Robinson and Kodjia will work? These are all questions we don't know the answer to because Steve won't make changes. You look at young guys like Alex Mowett at Leeds or the young striker at Rotherham who scored 2. Young guys that are getting chances and taking them. Our club isn't doing that either. All this talk that our squad is small but it is still in the 20 range yet we only use what 13? 14? Something has to give. 

[GrahamC]

Cox apart isn't that exactly what he did in the last two games, though?

Made 4 changes against Huddersfield, then 3 more at Derby...

No one ever thought that he was a genius, by the way our record against the top five last season really wasn't too shabby, either. Beat MK and drew with them, drew at Preston, beat Sheffield U away and of course thrashed Swindon at home. Losing 1-0 away to them after playing 89 minutes with ten men was really no disgrace, either.

If Lansdown's some conflicting message in midweek (we miss Wade Elliot's experience but League one wages are what are affordable to us) means that we are back to filling the squad out with more players from that level I'm really not sure what more he (or any sensible alternative come to that) can do.

As others have said there is absolutely no evidence at all of poor team spirit or players not giving their all for him, either.

Final point, tomorrow's side is almost too easy to predict:

Fielding, Bennett, Ayling, Flint, Baker, Williams, Smith, Pack, Freeman, Wilbraham and Kodjia.

If his options are so great when we are only out of the bottom three on goal difference, then why exactly is that?

 

[Davefevs]

Williams / Bryan?

[Donkeeebles]

56 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

Cox apart isn't that exactly what he did in the last two games, though?

Made 4 changes against Huddersfield, then 3 more at Derby...

No one ever thought that he was a genius, by the way our record against the top five last season really wasn't too shabby, either. Beat MK and drew with them, drew at Preston, beat Sheffield U away and of course thrashed Swindon at home. Losing 1-0 away to them after playing 89 minutes with ten men was really no disgrace, either.

If Lansdown's some conflicting message in midweek (we miss Wade Elliot's experience but League one wages are what are affordable to us) means that we are back to filling the squad out with more players from that level I'm really not sure what more he (or any sensible alternative come to that) can do.

As others have said there is absolutely no evidence at all of poor team spirit or players not giving their all for him, either.

Final point, tomorrow's side is almost too easy to predict:

Fielding, Bennett, Ayling, Flint, Baker, Williams, Smith, Pack, Freeman, Wilbraham and Kodjia.

If his options are so great when we are only out of the bottom three on goal difference, then why exactly is that?

 

You're probably right on that team,I'd say it's a little Harsh on Moore as I actually thought he did ok at Derby considering he was right back.

[Nomad]

1 hour ago, JoeAman08 said:

The fear has always been there for me that Steve Cotterhill isn't quite the genius he seems to be. I know he's done wonderful things but those were in League 1. Even then the signs were there. His substitutions for example. They've always been a bit odd. This leads into his inability to adapt. He has very few ideas. When it isn't working for us, it isn't going to get any better. Look at Sheff U last season at the gate. One of the few teams in that league with quality, the beat us on the counter time and time again. Are we surprised it happened this year? 

I've said it in previous posts. We struggled against the top 5 of League One compared to the rest of our season. We still ended up with a good points total against them but they'd all be lower championship sides at the time. Then you ask us to do better with a squad at best, the same quality as last last season. Don't know whose fault it was for the summer but I know we've played poorly even last season against quality opponents. Cotterhill should've seen it and sharpened us up for it. Maybe played with a new formation but it's the same old story. Now every game at the gate feels more like that drubbing we took by Sheff U. 

Everyone wants to look at all the positives of last year and so they should but there were warning signs even last season that this squad needed work. Granted most would've thought a few more of our boys would've made the step up more seamlessly but even with them struggling we needed help. And who knows, if we had signed another few players, they may have had positive impacts on the likes of Freeman and Bryan. 

I don't think you can place blame on just the board or just Cotterhill. You do have to look at SC though a bit harder. There are changes he can make and he doesn't use them. Who knows what a back 4 would hold? Who knows how many Simon Cox could've scored or not scored? Who knows how Bobby would be playing with a run of games? Who knows how a pairing of Burns/Cox/Robinson and Kodjia will work? These are all questions we don't know the answer to because Steve won't make changes. You look at young guys like Alex Mowett at Leeds or the young striker at Rotherham who scored 2. Young guys that are getting chances and taking them. Our club isn't doing that either. All this talk that our squad is small but it is still in the 20 range yet we only use what 13? 14? Something has to give. 

Well put Joe.

I think your last paragraph sums up my frustration - Cotts inability to make changes (and starting Agard up front alone doesn't count, I want to see positive and/or bold changes). If that fails then at least he's given it a shot. the current way seems like trying to keep a cat alive knowing it's had its day.

[Shtanley]

I wouldn't play baker tomorrow. They have some lightning wingers and I'd rather see Williams or Moore or Ayling and Bryan on the left side. Would like to see Reid and Burns involved too 

[shelts]

Really bored of the soap opera at Ashton Gate. Lots of people to blame, board , players and manager. Fans have been decent, how long will that last?

 

[Chappers]

After 37 years of watching City, very little surprises me. It was so obvious that we screwed up in the summer, and we have a ridiculously small squad, far too little experience at this level, and no real options for change. Some fans seem to see positives in anything, others doom and gloom at every setback. Our season rests on Bolton going into administration, Rotherham continuing to struggle and finding one other team even worse than us.

I am not sure on Cotts, he can certainly motivate the players, and I'm not sure if his tactical inflexibility is his way or just lack of options. But, bringing in loanees who barely get a kick is a waste, and will make clubs wary of lending us players.

Onwards and whatever. Since 1985 we have been stuck between being a struggling Championship team and a good League One team, very occasional flirts with promotion/ relegation, but that seems to be our fate. League games at Man U or Dagenham remain a dream/ nightmare!