Is promotion likely?

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

6 minutes ago, BS4 on Tour... said:

And your patronising comparison between the clubs who have coached Flint and Magnusson...you obviously aren't aware that Flint never played for Altrincham...

 

 

I love moments like this.

[One BCFC]

1 minute ago, BS4 on Tour... said:

Fair enough, I've been to four of our five league games so far this season, haven't seen much of what you have obviously seen...it's just very interesting how fans can view the games and players so differently.

Right from the start I've said he is a good/promising player so we obviously agree on that.

He can take a free kick? I've seen one sail into the South Stand...but I suppose he did 'take' that free kick...which other ones prompted you to say he can 'take a free kick'?

I've seen Flint pass the ball 40 yards, are you saying he can't do that? Ive also seen Flint score a hatrick...

And your patronising comparison between the clubs who have coached Flint and Magnusson...you obviously aren't aware that Flint never played for Altrincham...

 

 

My mistake Alfreton then, got it wrong I will admit. Yes I was there the day Flint got a hat trick, his ability on the ball has improved greatly since when he first came into the club. Magnusson is just more comfortable with the ball at his feet from what I have seen and will get better. Jury not out for me.

[JoeAman08]

29 minutes ago, BS4 on Tour... said:

Fair enough, I've been to four of our five league games so far this season, haven't seen much of what you have obviously seen...it's just very interesting how fans can view the games and players so differently.

Right from the start I've said he is a good/promising player so we obviously agree on that.

He can take a free kick? I've seen one sail into the South Stand...but I suppose he did 'take' that free kick...which other ones prompted you to say he can 'take a free kick'?

I've seen Flint pass the ball 40 yards, are you saying Flint can't do that? I've also seen Flint score a hatrick...

And your patronising comparison between the clubs who have coached Flint and Magnusson...you obviously aren't aware that Flint never played for Altrincham...

 

 

I think the few videos of Magnusson scoring free kicks from 30-35 yards out for previous teams and the fact he did take one for us and then was respected enough to put the keeper off while Tomlin scored his is his evidence that he can indeed take free kicks and successfully. If you can't tell the difference in on the ball ability between Magnusson and Flint then you're not watching them properly with an unbiased attitude towards them. Magnusson isn't phased while on the ball. Always knows where he can go with it so if pressure comes he can release it. His passes have less air under them meaning they arrive quicker giving the receiver more time to touch it down. The way he can effortlessly switch the ball to either foot to keep play moving quickly. He's probably the calmest and most smooth CB I've seen in the championship. He's not quite the perfect defender and can do with a bit of muscle but it's why the pairing is so good. Flint makes up for HM deficiencies and vice versa. Flint has come on leaps and bounds as a defender and on the ball but he'll never be HM on the ball. HM has every bit of defensive potential as Flint and maybe more as he's a bit more agile. 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, BS4 on Tour... said:

Is it just me who thinks the jury is still out on Magnusson?!

Promising yes, top bloke yes, but part of the 'best CB partnership in the championship' to which the OP alludes? I'm not sure yet...

 

For me the jury is in and unanimous, the guy's got 'it'. He's very quick to adapt his game and positioning dependent upon the other side's setup, oozes a calmness and collected confidence, has good feet on him which will only come better once better accustomed to his teammates and let us not forget only weeks in to building an understanding in a position whereby organsation and communication is key - in his second non-native country. 

I thought of Kodjia this time last year we might only see him for 12m. I saw no more potential in Kodjia than I do him, but I'm only more reserved in the 12m guess because he's Scandinavian perhaps. Nonetheless, I think he's a lad destined for the Prem if that's where he wants to be.

I honestly don't think he could have impressed me more. Making no mistakes is fantastic, but at his age what's far more impressive is making mistakes, learning from them during the game and adapting. It's that fine tuning and knowing when to step up and step off which is remarkable. Take Wigan, couldn't win a header first half an hour, couldn't miss one next hour. 

[Andy082005]

3 hours ago, BS4 on Tour... said:

Is it just me who thinks the jury is still out on Magnusson?!

Promising yes, top bloke yes, but part of the 'best CB partnership in the championship' to which the OP alludes? I'm not sure yet...

 

I'm with you mate. Talk of having the best CB partnership in this division is ludicrous . Our centre halves have a mistake in them each game. They are decent...but best? Crazy talk

As is talk of us getting promoted the season.

anything top half is an achievement 

[INCRED]

Last season we were leaking goals and our goal difference was pretty poor, this season I think we have improved our defensive shape and whilst we may ship the odd goal in games, we have a lot more goal threats in the team to get goals from all areas of the team with options on the bench.

if we can continue our early season form and points ratio then there is no reason why this group cannot improve and threaten the top 6. If we don't kick on and have inconsistent performances or key injuries then I think we will float around mid table 

[Guest]

Very un-likely i.m.o. 12 signings are unlikely to hit the ground running and this tougher than ever league will soon find them out if we don't get it together pretty quick.

A top half finish and a season free from the dog fight at the bottom would be a step in the right direction.

We have shown we can match some of the best in this league, but the season has hardly started its a long way to go yet, lets see how we are by xmas.

[ciderbeans]

What's important is we have kept our core which stands us in good stead. We have lost kodjias goals granted, but have replaced him with a promising international striker. I think we are likely to see goals throughout the team rather than just from our forwards. We have added more attacking threat in Patterson/ o'dowda/engvall et al so I think we will have a solid campaign and could well be fighting for top 6

[bristolcitysweden]

Promotion would be a lot to ask for but we have the potential to upset quite a few teams in the division as proved. Some good football, top half and we will beat the 20,000 average crowd mark by miles. 

[JamesBCFC]

31 minutes ago, glos old boy said:

Very un-likely i.m.o. 12 signings are unlikely to hit the ground running and this tougher than ever league will soon find them out if we don't get it together pretty quick.

A top half finish and a season free from the dog fight at the bottom would be a step in the right direction.

We have shown we can match some of the best in this league, but the season has hardly started its a long way to go yet, lets see how we are by xmas.

Have we not hit the ground running so far?

9 points from the first 5 having played the 3 toughest teams in the league 

[Bobfish]

Why not, I say. The happiest thing I see lately is a large percentage of fans starting to believe in this club and what it can achieve, perhaps for the first time, whilst the saddest thing is to see all the negative posts still going up from the same people as they have for years. This club is all change now. Young hungry players are not only coming in, but being specificially, well, almost exculsively, targeted. Why do you think they are coming here when premiership clubs are going for them, if not because they believe that this team can achieve and get promoted? And they want to be a part of that. The days of boring 80's type football are leaving this club, thus why kodjia leaving is not the nightmare to those fans who see this. They know the club no longer has to rely on an individual player, because it is progressing throughout the team. This is also why kodjia leaving appears a nightmare to fans who think that football revolves around a solitary player, the multi-million pound striker, as if they were the only people allowed to, or even involved in, scoring, or more importantly, winning. This is also why they wanted ten million pound odd spunked away on a player on deadline day, blind to what that would do to the intelligent team and team tactics that are evolving here.

Will we come top two? Probably not, as Norwich and Newcastle will mostly likely achieve that honour. Can we get in the play offs? Why not? And if we do win promotion, we can only gain money and experience. The academy's "pull" can only increase. Players may be poached from us if we come down, but this club's recruitment policy and improving academy is the vaccine against that. The club no longer puts all its egg in one basket. Players will be waiting in the wings for their chance, young and hungry.  

Hearing people say we are more likely to get relegated than promoted makes me wonder if they have paid any attention at all to what has happened to this club since LJ and MA have arrived.

[bristolcitysweden]

No reason not to be very positive. We got a young hungry manager with determination. In 1998 Benny Lennartsson took over from John Ward In October/November. The team was in a very poor condition with players complaining about having to train twice a day as it would  disturb their golfing, players throwing up at training after having been out partying in Birmingham all night. Pre season training had to start in November. We got relegated, 

[bristolcitysweden]

The Chinese are likely to move for any missmanaged club in the UK 

[One BCFC]

21 hours ago, JoeAman08 said:

I think the few videos of Magnusson scoring free kicks from 30-35 yards out for previous teams and the fact he did take one for us and then was respected enough to put the keeper off while Tomlin scored his is his evidence that he can indeed take free kicks and successfully. If you can't tell the difference in on the ball ability between Magnusson and Flint then you're not watching them properly with an unbiased attitude towards them. Magnusson isn't phased while on the ball. Always knows where he can go with it so if pressure comes he can release it. His passes have less air under them meaning they arrive quicker giving the receiver more time to touch it down. The way he can effortlessly switch the ball to either foot to keep play moving quickly. He's probably the calmest and most smooth CB I've seen in the championship. He's not quite the perfect defender and can do with a bit of muscle but it's why the pairing is so good. Flint makes up for HM deficiencies and vice versa. Flint has come on leaps and bounds as a defender and on the ball but he'll never be HM on the ball. HM has every bit of defensive potential as Flint and maybe more as he's a bit more agile. 

This.

[bs16bcfc]

On 2 September 2016 at 10:15, Tuggin over Tomlin said:

Now when LJ first came in he said that he would need 3/4 transfer windows. Now judging by his first, come the 4th we'll be a force. I look at the team now and for the first time in our more recent championship days we look like a serious top 10 team. I honestly wouldn't swap Flint and Magnusson for any other teams central defenders. When Smith is back and 100% him and O'Neil arguably one of the best midfield duos in their positions. Obviously we would have liked that quality striker to replace Kodjia but Abraham looks as though he'll hit the 20 mark and Engvall could yet turn out to be a gem.

Now top 10 teams are promotion contenders. Do you reckon we can finish in the play offs this season? We're off to a cracking start and what seems like 3 of our hardest fixtures behind us, which we came out of with our heads held high, can we keep it up for the rest of the season?

I think we'll have a top half finish, be disappointing if we don't considering the amount of money we've spent. Which if we do, we then might be able to attract that next level of player which will boost us up and we can have a real go at it, if we did finish in the play offs it would be a season to early for us. I know some fans might want here and now success but I think this season we'll get top half and then next year LJ and co will really go for it. Certainly exciting ones ahead. 

Never say never. All is possible. Dare to dream

[OldlandReddies]

Not many would have expected 9 from 5 (3 very tough) which is automatic form let alone playoffs. A similar tally from our next 5 and we can all seriously dream. A very, very long way to go though. Always believe.

[REDOXO]

On September 2, 2016 at 05:09, Sir Colby-Tit said:

What's all this "not ready yet" all about?

I'm definitely ready, and I reckon SL is too.

Besides, even if got promoted and then relegated we'd pocket £100m.

Come on people, we're not Rag Ass Rovers.

Sir CT you have restored my faith that intelligent life exists on OTIB at least on this question!! 

Im bloody ready and as long as SL is (and he is) we are golden. He did not spend millions on players, stadium, training ground and Rugby to be a feckin also ran. 

If we should go up and go back down we trouser 100m and go again. Look how far Hull have gone since 08. 

We are changing and as long as we can sustain momentum bums will be on seats. The wise man said you are either growing or shrinking status quo is not an option (cue status quo puns) we are growing we have momentum so think big!

[REDOXO]

20 hours ago, Bobfish said:

Why not, I say. The happiest thing I see lately is a large percentage of fans starting to believe in this club and what it can achieve, perhaps for the first time, whilst the saddest thing is to see all the negative posts still going up from the same people as they have for years. This club is all change now. Young hungry players are not only coming in, but being specificially, well, almost exculsively, targeted. Why do you think they are coming here when premiership clubs are going for them, if not because they believe that this team can achieve and get promoted? And they want to be a part of that. The days of boring 80's type football are leaving this club, thus why kodjia leaving is not the nightmare to those fans who see this. They know the club no longer has to rely on an individual player, because it is progressing throughout the team. This is also why kodjia leaving appears a nightmare to fans who think that football revolves around a solitary player, the multi-million pound striker, as if they were the only people allowed to, or even involved in, scoring, or more importantly, winning. This is also why they wanted ten million pound odd spunked away on a player on deadline day, blind to what that would do to the intelligent team and team tactics that are evolving here.

Will we come top two? Probably not, as Norwich and Newcastle will mostly likely achieve that honour. Can we get in the play offs? Why not? And if we do win promotion, we can only gain money and experience. The academy's "pull" can only increase. Players may be poached from us if we come down, but this club's recruitment policy and improving academy is the vaccine against that. The club no longer puts all its egg in one basket. Players will be waiting in the wings for their chance, young and hungry.  

Hearing people say we are more likely to get relegated than promoted makes me wonder if they have paid any attention at all to what has happened to this club since LJ and MA have arrived.

If I could give ten likes I would have top post Steve!

[Sir Colby-Tit]

26 minutes ago, REDOXO said:

Sir CT you have restored my faith that intelligent life exists on OTIB at least on this question!! 

Im bloody ready and as long as SL is (and he is) we are golden. He did not spend millions on players, stadium, training ground and Rugby to be a feckin also ran. 

If we should go up and go back down we trouser 100m and go again. Look how far Hull have gone since 08. 

We are changing and as long as we can sustain momentum bums will be on seats. The wise man said you are either growing or shrinking status quo is not an option (cue status quo puns) we are growing we have momentum so think big!

With our current owner, CEO, manager and stadium, I would argue that we have never been more ready for top flight football! 

[BS4 on Tour...]

On 3 September 2016 at 20:01, Bobfish said:

Young hungry players are not only coming in, but being specificially, well, almost exculsively, targeted. Why do you think they are coming here when premiership clubs are going for them, if not because they believe that this team can achieve and get promoted?

Who has joined us in preference to a premier league club who also wanted them? 

Apologies if I've missed something obvious - just think no player would choose us over a premier league club...

[JamesBCFC]

13 minutes ago, BS4 on Tour... said:

Who has joined us in preference to a premier league club who also wanted them? 

Apologies if I've missed something obvious - just think no player would choose us over a premier league club...

I think I heard Stoke were after Engvall

https://www.google.co.uk/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=0n7MV9C0NqLA8gfemaWYCg&gws_rd=ssl#q=engvall+stoke

[Guest]

4 hours ago, Sir Colby-Tit said:

With our current owner, CEO, manager and stadium, I would argue that we have never been more ready for top flight football! 

Ready for £100m and a mulligan for two years in parachute payments to get back... 'Ready' is absolute codswollop 

[BS4 on Tour...]

6 minutes ago, JamesBCFC said:

I think I heard Stoke were after Engvall

https://www.google.co.uk/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=0n7MV9C0NqLA8gfemaWYCg&gws_rd=ssl#q=engvall+stoke

To be fair none of those reports suggest he had a firm offer from Stoke and chose us over them...

[JamesBCFC]

3 minutes ago, BS4 on Tour... said:

To be fair none of those reports suggest he had a firm offer from Stoke and chose us over them...

One of them has him down as training at Stoke with a fee agreed by the clubs.

It was earlier in the close season, but if he decided to not join them, but did decide to join us albeit later on he has chosen us over them.

Alright it wasn't directly choosing Bristol City or Stoke. But he joined one not the other at the end of the day.

[Bobfish]

 

10 minutes ago, BS4 on Tour... said:

Who has joined us in preference to a premier league club who also wanted them? 

Apologies if I've missed something obvious - just think no player would choose us over a premier league club...

That Swedish chap was being reported as being scouted by a few, Stoke was one, I think I read? Plus most on Des's list would have been on Bournemouth’s first. I concede to your point though, being scouted by and receiving an offer from, is not the same. And I am in no way in the know, so I would not know if actual offers were made. My bad. This glaring error aside though, they have joined us over offers from other clubs, or remaining at their clubs, because they must feel we can achieve. I know Gary O’Neil’s may have been linked to a 2 year contact and maybe hints of coaching, but still he has joined us from a club that was considered far, far above us not so long ago. Paterson from forest too if a move no one would have believed in a previous season. And lets not forget the elephant in the room (figuratively, not literally), Tomlin joined us from the premiership and stated he did not want to wait for other offers. And however the Adam Matthews thing may play out, that is another. Moore is a young international and Tammy has been impressed enough to have convinced him, his friend, to join us permanently. And Chelsea were impressed enough with MA's pitch to trust Tammy in our hands, a player they rate highly. We have a republic of Ireland international, had an Ivory Coast one recently, a Welsh u21, an Icelandic one, two u20 English ones, and perhaps more than I can recall off the top of my head. Some are loans, sure, but the only ones I can remember as a kid were the mighty David seal and Paul agositino.

My mistake aside, it is still exciting times I feel.

 

[Lanterne Rouge]

3 minutes ago, Bobfish said:

 

 

That Swedish chap was being reported as being scouted by a few, Stoke was one, I think I read? Plus most on Des's list would have been on Bournemouth’s first. I concede to your point though, being scouted by and receiving an offer from, is not the same. And I am in no way in the know, so I would not know if actual offers were made. My bad. This glaring error aside though, they have joined us over offers from other clubs, or remaining at their clubs, because they must feel we can achieve. I know Gary O’Neil’s may have been linked to a 2 year contact and maybe hints of coaching, but still he has joined us from a club that was considered far, far above us not so long ago. Paterson from forest too if a move no one would have believed in a previous season. And lets not forget the elephant in the room (figuratively, not literally), Tomlin joined us from the premiership and stated he did not want to wait for other offers. And however the Adam Matthews thing may play out, that is another. Moore is a young international and Tammy has been impressed enough to have convinced him, his friend, to join us permanently. And Chelsea were impressed enough with MA's pitch to trust Tammy in our hands, a player they rate highly. We have a republic of Ireland international, had an Ivory Coast one recently, a Welsh u21, an Icelandic one, two u20 English ones, and perhaps more than I can recall off the top of my head. Some are loans, sure, but the only ones I can remember as a kid were the mighty David seal and Paul agositino.

My mistake aside, it is still exciting times I feel.

 

They are indeed exciting times.

Going back as well, how could you forget our Barbados international, Gregory Goodridge?

[Shtanley]

I said 6th before the start of this season. Although we've sold Kodjia I think finishing top 10 is likely, sometimes a few wins can be the difference between playoffs and 10th so I don't see us being far away from playoffs. We could easily spend big in January if needed

[Bobfish]

2 minutes ago, Red Right Hand said:

They are indeed exciting times.

Going back as well, how could you forget our Barbados international, Gregory Goodridge?

Legend. I'm getting misty eyed. But would he get into our team now? Wayne Allison wouldn't even stand a chance. Junior bent, maybe.

 

[EnderMB]

On 9/2/2016 at 15:39, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

My point was based around your statement that we're 'more likely to get relegated than promoted'. I just don't think we're likely to do either this season and I'm fine with that so long as we're heading North.

This is purely on the basis that we've got a lot of new players in that need to gel, and because last season we finished closer to the bottom of the table than the top. For me, it's still too early to judge this season.

[Ivorguy]

Junior Bent would git into this team - you're joking, surely?