Perspective

[Swede]

I think as Bristol City fans we have to keep things in perspective.

I know things seem a little disappointing for some at the moment but if you said to anyone at the start of the season sixth after Christmas we'd all be more happy.

Have we got a bright head coach? The answer is yes.

Is the club moving forward? Yes it is.

Are we getting the right playing staff? Yes, the ones that have left either went for good fees or just didn't fit in.

We are playing bright football and are picking up an enviable reputation.

I maintain finishing 8th or 9th represents real progress.

The cup run was a bonus.

Let's keep it positive.

[phantom]

8 minutes ago, Swede said:

I think as Bristol City fans we have to keep things in perspective.

I know things seem a little disappointing for some at the moment but if you said to anyone at the start of the season sixth after Christmas we'd all be more happy.

100% I would have been delighted with our position if you'd have offered me it before the season started, what bothers me is how we have plummeted like a stone since we played Wolves. When we were good nobody could live with us, but when we are off our game we STILL really struggle to get so many of the basics right

[BRISTOL86]

There are 5 teams better than us so far this season

Wolves, Aston Villa, Cardiff, Fulham and Derby

All have bigger budgets

All have been established at this level (or higher) considerably longer than us

All have played us twice and failed to beat us twice 

Perspective indeed. A superb season that’s a long way from over. COYR. 

[And Its Smith]

I agree that perspective is needed and I am happy with the season and Johnson, and the players.

My slight worry is how streaky Johnson is as a manager.  I would be willing to bet that there has never been a manager in the history of the game that could show the ups and downs he has since he started at Oldham.

During his seasons at Oldham, Barnsley and here, every season I believe, he has gone on long unbeaten runs and then struggled to win even a couple of games in 10.  

What is it about Johnson that allows for these big highs and lows?  It cannot be a coincidence  

[BRISTOL86]

1 hour ago, RedDave said:

I agree that perspective is needed and I am happy with the season and Johnson, and the players.

My slight worry is how streaky Johnson is as a manager.  I would be willing to bet that there has never been a manager in the history of the game that could show the ups and downs he has since he started at Oldham.

During his seasons at Oldham, Barnsley and here, every season I believe, he has gone on long unbeaten runs and then struggled to win even a couple of games in 10.  

What is it about Johnson that allows for these big highs and lows?  It cannot be a coincidence  

It’s a bit odd for sure, but I think the ‘streak’ this season doesn’t really compare to the others. Yes we’ve only won 1 in 10 or whatever but wins vs Sunderland and Leeds would have completely changed the complexion of this run. Even with the results as they stand we’ve still not been an easy side to beat. 

I think other sides do it, we maybe just done notice it as much? For example Sheff U won 11 of 16 games then went on a run of only 1 win in 10 with I think 5 defeats in 6.

 

 

[poland_exile]

it's been a brilliant season during which time we've seen fantastic football and enjoyed once-in-a-lifetime highs. Further, never before has our media profile been higher. Can't think of a time I've been more proud of being City. 

For me, the biggest disappointment of the season won't be finishing outside the play-offs (personally, I think we still will make the top 6), but the realization that we have some real idiots following us. You really wonder what kind of perverts and snakes we have in our ranks, I genuinely get the impression there are some people on this board that are delighted about this run.  

[JamesBCFC]

2 hours ago, Swede said:

I think as Bristol City fans we have to keep things in perspective.

I know things seem a little disappointing for some at the moment but if you said to anyone at the start of the season sixth after Christmas we'd all be more happy.

Have we got a bright head coach? The answer is yes.

Is the club moving forward? Yes it is.

Are we getting the right playing staff? Yes, the ones that have left either went for good fees or just didn't fit in.

We are playing bright football and are picking up an enviable reputation.

I maintain finishing 8th or 9th represents real progress.

The cup run was a bonus.

Let's keep it positive.

Views of a Villa fan below 

 

"If Lee Johnson is in trouble - then so must the majority of managers in this league, I think the guy is destined for great things in the game and would not be surprised if at some point he gets the top job.

He is still very much learning and has so much time on his hands in which he can progress and develop into a really top drawer coach imo"

[poland_exile]

5 minutes ago, JamesBCFC said:

Views of a Villa fan below 

 

"If Lee Johnson is in trouble - then so must the majority of managers in this league, I think the guy is destined for great things in the game and would not be surprised if at some point he gets the top job.

He is still very much learning and has so much time on his hands in which he can progress and develop into a really top drawer coach imo"

and completely correct - i'm amazed some of our own can't see what's blatantly staring them in the face. With the run we're on disappointment and despondency are to be expected, especially after the insane peaks and highs of november / december, but the wider picture has never been better. For the first time ever the club seems to be following a clear and coherent forward-facing path. Mistakes happen (and I'm sure the transfer window will prove to be one of them), that's part of the learning curve we find ourselves on, it's how we deal with them that is important. 

[Olé]

2 hours ago, RedDave said:

My slight worry is how streaky Johnson is as a manager. 

Agreed - American sports, where streaks are much more commonly measured and discussed, would make much more of his record.

I searched previously to see if US folks had written any analysis of what makes some teams so susceptible to this, but found nothing.

Is it because LJ plays a high intensity game and his players stop recovering their fitness enough to maintain standards at mid season?

Is it because he lacks ability to adapt or hit the reset button with his team when confidence dips? Perhaps he's not a natural motivator?

Or is it for the opposite reason, that he changes too much when form deteriorates, and he's over-coaching the players (his own words).

 

Or perhaps it is just one massive coincidence and each season has had various different ingredients including both luck and bad luck. 

I'd love to understand it. After last season I do not want to be going to Preston next Tuesday still on a bad run. 

[And Its Smith]

1 hour ago, BRISTOL86 said:

It’s a bit odd for sure, but I think the ‘streak’ this season doesn’t really compare to the others. Yes we’ve only won 1 in 10 or whatever but wins vs Sunderland and Leeds would have completely changed the complexion of this run. Even with the results as they stand we’ve still not been an easy side to beat. 

I think other sides do it, we maybe just done notice it as much? For example Sheff U won 11 of 16 games then went on a run of only 1 win in 10 with I think 5 defeats in 6.

 

 

Other teams have streaks for sure but has any other manager or team had 5/6 streaky seasons in a row?

As some may know on here, I work in Oldham and when we appointed Johnson my workmate said "good appointment but look forward to long winless runs".  He couldnt give a reason for it either!

[And Its Smith]

19 minutes ago, Olé said:

Agreed - American sports, where streaks are much more commonly measured and discussed, would make much more of his record.

I searched previously to see if US folks had written any analysis of what makes some teams so susceptible to this, but found nothing.

Is it because LJ plays a high intensity game and his players stop recovering their fitness enough to maintain standards at mid season?

Is it because he lacks ability to adapt or hit the reset button with his team when confidence dips? Perhaps he's not a natural motivator?

Or is it for the opposite reason, that he changes too much when form deteriorates, and he's over-coaching the players (his own words).

 

Or perhaps it is just one massive coincidence and each season has had various different ingredients including both luck and bad luck. 

I'd love to understand it. After last season I do not want to be going to Preston next Tuesday still on a bad run. 

Its an absolute puzzle. @BRISTOL86 said it wouldnt be too bad a streak if we had beaten Sunderland and Leeds. The fact is we didnt and I think Johnson was to blame for the first of those at least.

I am a massive fan of LJ but nobody can say he doesnt have flaws. Is he learning quickly enough? Who knows for sure

[BRISTOL86]

1 minute ago, RedDave said:

Other teams have streaks for sure but has any other manager or team had 5/6 streaky seasons in a row?

As some may know on here, I work in Oldham and when we appointed Johnson my workmate said "good appointment but look forward to long winless runs".  He couldnt give a reason for it either!

Odd. I know nothing of Johnson’s time at Oldham at all but I think overall he probably did as well as they could have expected under him didn’t they? With the greatest respect to Oldham I think most manager would struggle to avoid winless streaks there. 

The recurrence of his Barnsley run here last season was nothing short of bizarre! 

[BRISTOL86]

3 minutes ago, RedDave said:

Its an absolute puzzle. @BRISTOL86 said it wouldnt be too bad a streak if we had beaten Sunderland and Leeds. The fact is we didnt and I think Johnson was to blame for the first of those at least.

I am a massive fan of LJ but nobody can say he doesnt have flaws. Is he learning quickly enough? Who knows for sure

He made tactical errors but at 3-0 up, the players have to shoulder a lot of the blame from that day. I think 49 times out of 50 if we replay that game from HT we get a different outcome. 

But you’re right, ultimately. Ifs and buts, but the reality is we didn’t win it.

But I’d still maintain that this streak is very different to the ones at Barnsley and last season. Big difference between not winning many games and losing them all - thankfully! 

[CotswoldRed]

4 hours ago, phantom said:

100% I would have been delighted with our position if you'd have offered me it before the season started, what bothers me is how we have plummeted like a stone since we played Wolves. When we were good nobody could live with us, but when we are off our game we STILL really struggle to get so many of the basics right

This. 

I'd prefer to win a few, lose a few, rather than the terrific runs followed by diabolical runs. 

It shouts "we don't know what's gone wrong or how to put it right".

[phantom]

1 hour ago, poland_exile said:

You really wonder what kind of perverts and snakes we have in our ranks... 

PERVERTS??? 

What the heck are you on about, people are allowed a differing opinion you know 

[CotswoldRed]

1 hour ago, Olé said:

Agreed - American sports, where streaks are much more commonly measured and discussed, would make much more of his record.

I searched previously to see if US folks had written any analysis of what makes some teams so susceptible to this, but found nothing.

Is it because LJ plays a high intensity game and his players stop recovering their fitness enough to maintain standards at mid season?

Is it because he lacks ability to adapt or hit the reset button with his team when confidence dips? Perhaps he's not a natural motivator?

Or is it for the opposite reason, that he changes too much when form deteriorates, and he's over-coaching the players (his own words).

 

Or perhaps it is just one massive coincidence and each season has had various different ingredients including both luck and bad luck. 

I'd love to understand it. After last season I do not want to be going to Preston next Tuesday still on a bad run. 

I think more than anything (during this run in particular) we've stopped doing the basics right. 

Its always the elaborate, threaded, failed pass under pressure when a simple pass was on a second before. Keep the ball! My god do we give it away unnecessarily. 

Losing the ball removes the pressure from the opposition, straight back to out-of-position team mates. That tires the hell out of you. 

[Dullmoan Tone]

6 hours ago, BRISTOL86 said:

There are 5 teams better than us so far this season

Wolves, Aston Villa, Cardiff, Fulham and Derby

All have bigger budgets

All have been established at this level (or higher) considerably longer than us

All have played us twice and failed to beat us twice 

Perspective indeed. A superb season that’s a long way from over. COYR. 

This is certainly true however it depends who you benchmark, why not compare City this season vs Huddersfield who had a much smaller budget, attendance, squad and (possibly) recent history in the Championship?

They also struggled in this league and very nearly went down to League One when Tomlin scored his screamer at the end of the season before last..but they learnt quickly.

Arguably the difference between Huddersfield (who prove budget is not everything) and us is the capability of their Manager and their ability to build a team around a brilliant midfield. Despite all the worries about losing our midfield in January and the strange links between Wolves and Pack (surely agent talk) I'm not sure our midfield would have got into their promotion team?