Where do we stand? And what next?

[The Journalist]

I make no apologies for dragging this post from 10 August back to light - just as I suggested I might do at the time of writing.

So, if we're judging ourselves at the midway point, where do we actually stand?

The facts are we've won 10 and lost 13 in all competitions - let's be fair, a slight deficit owing to a pretty unpleasant few weeks.

That said, I did speculate that 14th in December would actually probably be alright - and, if we win at Ipswich and Brentford and Wolves both drop points in their next games, that's exactly where we'll end the year. And, let's be fair again, the general consensus was that the original post wasn't so far off.

So, the ultimate question - what next?

Against my original forecast, sacking the manager for being marginally behind where I and many others saw us sitting at this point in time would probably be a little harsh, no? Sure, it looks like we're only heading in one direction, but momentum in football changes like the wind - and swapping the manager doesn't necessarily make sure of altering the path that you're on.

Either way, do we really want to be 'that club' that continues rotating managers in the way we have over the past six years or so? What happens if the board do act now, we bring in a popular choice, but we end up sitting here having the same conversation 12 months down the line?

Others will argue the board are the problem - even as a Lee Johnson supporter, I acknowledge the concerns over the timing of the contract extension - yet I can't get past the feeling that any current anti-board sentiment is redundant until someone else wants to match Steve Lansdown pound for pound.

Even looking further down the chain, I'm not sure I'm watching a group of players that aren't up to the level. Some are falling short currently, of course, and for some that pattern may never be broken.

But the majority are relatively young and surely have room for growth, even if we're all feeling those growing pains at the moment - as I and others did suspect we might do. Are some really writing Joe Bryan off as a League One player? Are we sure that Korey Smith can't survive this league? Have we already given up on players like Gustav Engvall and Callum O'Dowda just because the head coach doesn't think they're ready right here, right now?

And so, as painful, frustrating and infuriating as the current run of form feels to all of us, backing the current board, staff, head coach and players still just seems like the right thing to do to me. It might not be easy, but it just feels right.

I see a group of people, from top to bottom, trying their backsides off for us to make our team and club better. That's not always enough, I'll concede, but, going back to the original point, we've not really given them as a unit a proper chance to succeed or fail either.

To conclude - we're probably a bit behind where we all hoped. And a couple of tweaks are needed, undoubtedly, to turn confidence, performances and results around.

But let's keep faith in people who are, in simple terms, very evidently just trying their very best on behalf of us. Besides, it's Christmas!

[cidered abroad]

What you say is all correct but you are forgetting the unknown and what I call the "sod" factor in professional football. We are developing a losing mentality; at the moment, we cannot buy a win and the fixture list does not look any easier over the coming five weeks. 

If the confidence continues draining at the present rate then the scrappers at the bottom will be gaining enough draws and the odd lucky win to catch us up. As they will have been involved in the scrap all season, they are battle hardened to fight all the time whereas we will be like little boys lost in the fog.

I raise again the memory of 1979-80; 8th in the First Division in October 1979 but 22nd at the end of April 1980. It could never happen again, could it?

PS. I'm not saying LJ out but a lot has to change very quickly. 

[AshtonGreat]

3 hours ago, The Journalist said:

I make no apologies for dragging this post from 10 August back to light - just as I suggested I might do at the time of writing.

So, if we're judging ourselves at the midway point, where do we actually stand?

The facts are we've won 10 and lost 13 in all competitions - let's be fair, a slight deficit owing to a pretty unpleasant few weeks.

That said, I did speculate that 14th in December would actually probably be alright - and, if we win at Ipswich and Brentford and Wolves both drop points in their next games, that's exactly where we'll end the year. And, let's be fair again, the general consensus was that the original post wasn't so far off.

So, the ultimate question - what next?

Against my original forecast, sacking the manager for being marginally behind where I and many others saw us sitting at this point in time would probably be a little harsh, no? Sure, it looks like we're only heading in one direction, but momentum in football changes like the wind - and swapping the manager doesn't necessarily make sure of altering the path that you're on.

Either way, do we really want to be 'that club' that continues rotating managers in the way we have over the past six years or so? What happens if the board do act now, we bring in a popular choice, but we end up sitting here having the same conversation 12 months down the line?

Others will argue the board are the problem - even as a Lee Johnson supporter, I acknowledge the concerns over the timing of the contract extension - yet I can't get past the feeling that any current anti-board sentiment is redundant until someone else wants to match Steve Lansdown pound for pound.

Even looking further down the chain, I'm not sure I'm watching a group of players that aren't up to the level. Some are falling short currently, of course, and for some that pattern may never be broken.

But the majority are relatively young and surely have room for growth, even if we're all feeling those growing pains at the moment - as I and others did suspect we might do. Are some really writing Joe Bryan off as a League One player? Are we sure that Korey Smith can't survive this league? Have we already given up on players like Gustav Engvall and Callum O'Dowda just because the head coach doesn't think they're ready right here, right now?

And so, as painful, frustrating and infuriating as the current run of form feels to all of us, backing the current board, staff, head coach and players still just seems like the right thing to do to me. It might not be easy, but it just feels right.

I see a group of people, from top to bottom, trying their backsides off for us to make our team and club better. That's not always enough, I'll concede, but, going back to the original point, we've not really given them as a unit a proper chance to succeed or fail either.

To conclude - we're probably a bit behind where we all hoped. And a couple of tweaks are needed, undoubtedly, to turn confidence, performances and results around.

But let's keep faith in people who are, in simple terms, very evidently just trying their very best on behalf of us. Besides, it's Christmas!

I think pretty much every club rotates managers on a regular basis. Even Swansea, beloved of so many on OTIB, have had five managers in the last five years. So much for being a stable club

[Guest]

"WHAT NEXT"  probably a re-run of the previous 50 odd years I`ve witnessed. I found this club in the 2nd Division back then and after sticking our noses in the top league we had a mix of down up down, eventually i.e now, we are back where I found us........probably where we belong.

Managers will continue to come and go as will the players, much more money around now and posh new grounds.

 Foreign money,managers and chairmen have taken over our top league, which is already reflecting on our national team. We could do a Bournemouth and shake up the prem for a season or two but if I was a betting man I would go for us being just about where we are today when the next 50yrs has past.

Many highs and lows have been and gone and many more are yet to come, I would say enjoy them for what they are footballing days and memories for you, you and you all.

We all want a better position for our club but so does millions of other fans want the same for their clubs........chill enjoy the journey while you`re still here. 

 

[The Journalist]

2 hours ago, glos old boy said:

"WHAT NEXT"  probably a re-run of the previous 50 odd years I`ve witnessed. I found this club in the 2nd Division back then and after sticking our noses in the top league we had a mix of down up down, eventually i.e now, we are back where I found us........probably where we belong.

Managers will continue to come and go as will the players, much more money around now and posh new grounds.

 Foreign money,managers and chairmen have taken over our top league, which is already reflecting on our national team. We could do a Bournemouth and shake up the prem for a season or two but if I was a betting man I would go for us being just about where we are today when the next 50yrs has past.

Many highs and lows have been and gone and many more are yet to come, I would say enjoy them for what they are footballing days and memories for you, you and you all.

We all want a better position for our club but so does millions of other fans want the same for their clubs........chill enjoy the journey while you`re still here. 

 

Great words - and, I think, all the more reason to support those trying everything they can to make our club and team better.

We've got some really good people at Bristol City Football Club - not always making the right decisions, but always, always making those decisions for the right reasons.

Let's get behind them and enjoy the journey!