Beat Birmingham, anyone?

[tinman85]

9 hours ago, Davefevs said:

I don’t think our players have downed tools, it just isn’t happening and they’re bereft of confidence.

Hope there’ll be a feeling that they want to put right recent games.

I’m going to AG with optimism.

I really hope we set up with an attacking line up. Time to go gung ho. 

[tinman85]

7 minutes ago, Super said:

Reckon the last time was when Wayne Allison bagged a hat trick early 90's!

Remember it well. Remember 99 when Ndlovu scored. We played well that day. Akinbiyi missed some sitters 

[Mr Popodopolous]

7 minutes ago, tinman85 said:

Remember it well. Remember 99 when Ndlovu scored. We played well that day. Akinbiyi missed some sitters 

Mike Dean and an abysmal penalty decision helped put the nails in the coffin...

We rallied well before that in the month-- beat Port Vale, late winner at Portsmouth on Boxing Day IIRC, hammered Grimsby from a goal down then got a fighting draw at Stockport...the great escape looked like it maybe on!

[spudski]

26 minutes ago, Drew Peacock said:

65,999,998 people in UK not attacked by Russian nerve chemical. 

:laugh:...how is our life any different between knowing something like that, or not knowing?

What are we going to do about it? Apart from talk about it down the pub ;-)

[woodsy62]

58 minutes ago, Super said:

Reckon the last time was when Wayne Allison bagged a hat trick early 90's!

Spot on if only we had him now

[cidered abroad]

1 hour ago, spudski said:

Whilst our form and results have dipped...we are still only 4 points off a play off place with 5 games left.

If you had said that of the beginning of the season we would have snatched peoples hands off.

It's natural to feel disappointed...however...don't we all follow football to be entertained?

How entertaining is this season.

With five games to go, there are a whole multitude of outcomes, with many teams vying for the same spot as us, all playing against one another.

It's exciting to see what happens. the high's the low's...

It could be a whole lot more boring.

We still have a chance...we can be entertained by what's happening in the league, we've only lost 11 games in the league,  8th highest scorers in the league, have the 8th best goal difference and have been entertained for pretty much the majority of the season.

However...to many on here, we are absolutely dire and have a manager and whole club set up that doesn't work. After only 2 seasons up.

I can't imagine how this forum will be if we end up in this league for many years bobbing about in different positions.

Enjoy the ride and football, and remember it's not worth getting so annoyed about it all.

Like I said....you've been programmed to except that thinking.

I fight it after realising that's how the world is being programmed to think.

Perhaps if the 'Big News' being spoken about was all positive and shown the good things happening, peoples general mindsets would be different.

 

It's not a case of modern thinking or being programmed. 

Bad news is of more use to any animal because knowledge of it may save that animal's life. This goes all the way back to our origins as the way that life forms developed on earth was to kill another life form for food.

Hence, no danger is not news but any bad news can impact on so many.

My answer to it now is to see what is happening in the world but then forget it, at my age I cannot do much to prevent or change things, so I just ignore it.

But poor performances and so on at BCFC are excluded as the older Ibecome, the more important it has become in my life. Old age is boring otherwise.

[Major Isewater]

11 hours ago, reddogkev said:

Fed up reading about the last bad 3 games, now looking ahead to Tuesday.

When I bought the ticket for this game, I was hoping to see a cracking night match with us giving our all to edge closer to the play-offs.  Now I don't know what's going to happen or whether the players will be giving everything they have.  Please tell me we will win this game and the atmosphere will be good!

 

 

We will win this game and the atmosphere will be good .

[spudski]

9 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

It's not a case of modern thinking or being programmed. 

Bad news is of more use to any animal because knowledge of it may save that animal's life. This goes all the way back to our origins as the way that life forms developed on earth was to kill another life form for food.

Hence, no danger is not news but any bad news can impact on so many.

My answer to it now is to see what is happening in the world but then forget it, at my age I cannot do much to prevent or change things, so I just ignore it.

But poor performances and so on at BCFC are excluded as the older Ibecome, the more important it has become in my life. Old age is boring otherwise.

Dwell on negatives and you feel negative.

Dwell on the positives and you feel positive.

Learn from the negatives to make things better and more positive.

That's why the players get an app showing all the things they do right, rather than all the things they do wrong.

It's the same in any sport...you focus your mind on what you did well. Positive thinking and focus the mind and replay it in your head.

Do that with a negative focus and it often ends in a negative outcome.

However...you need to learn from both and not got go to one way or the other.

Imo...we need to focus more on positives, but introduce better discipline and work ethic. Find a mix of both worlds.

We seem to focus on negatives and have taken it to far the other way when it comes to everyday education that work and discipline can be hard and it's not wrong to going to be easy and handed you on a plate....and that negative comments of feeling offended aren't going to hurt you.

Just my look on life ;-)

[wendyredredrobin]

It's gone tits up since Christmas and Lee doesn'tseem to have a clue what to do about it. I therefore can't see tomorrow being any different to the Brentford or Millwall games.

Perhaps he needs to pick 11 players from his squad who actually want to play as a start and that doesn't include too many who played on Saturday.

The problem nowadays is that footballers get paid so much that win bonuses don't mean a lot to them any more. Is there anything left in the kitty to offer a playoff or promotion bonus?

[Robin Ashton]

Hmm, beat Birmingham, you say?  That would be the Birmingham that are in a relegation fight, battling for their lives, right? We haven't done too well against sides like that this season, have we? That would be the Birmingham that are something of a bogie side; you know the Birmingham we haven't beaten since 1993, right?

Well, in all honesty, Reddogkev, I'm not feeling very optimistic about our chances.

 

[Robin Ashton]

2 hours ago, spudski said:

It's almost like we are programmed to be like it.

 

[Mike Hunt-Hertz]

12 hours ago, Cheesleysmate said:

And no doubt quite a few players will be poached over the summer!

They would have to be addled, to want to stay!

[Nogbad the Bad]

3 hours ago, spudski said:

I wonder why it's in so many peoples 'DNA' ;-) to seemingly enjoy wallowing in negativity?

The papers, media, news, talk in the pub, is full of it...negativity and bad news. It's almost like we are programmed to be like it.

This forum is at it's most active when it's not going well. People trying to find the reasons to make it better. They cover nearly every aspect of the football club.

When we were playing well and getting results, there were way less posts about why we were doing well and what had caused it.

It's a strange old  world.

You do seem to be selective in your moods spud. When Cotts. was manager I seem to remember you posted prodigiously and going through the club with the finest of critical tooth combs.

Apparently not so keen to do that now with LJ at the helm, or to read the posts of others who have similar concerns to those you expressed under a different manager?

Were you not in the 'depths of despair' at one time, and constantly voicing it?

2 hours ago, spudski said:

It's natural to feel disappointed...however...don't we all follow football to be entertained?

Yes, indeed but terrible football and no shots on target is hardly entertaining, is it?

[spudski]

10 minutes ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

You do seem to be selective in your moods spud. When Cotts. was manager I seem to remember you posted prodigiously and going through the club with the finest of critical tooth combs.

Apparently not so keen to do that now with LJ at the helm, or to read the posts of others who have similar concerns to those you expressed under a different manager?

Were you not in the 'depths of despair' at one time, and constantly voicing it?

Yes, indeed but terrible football and no shots on target is hardly entertaining, is it?

At least LJ is trying to do the right thing, I would have been more supportive of SC  if wasn't doing things behind the scenes that weren't positive for the long term health of the club.

[Nogbad the Bad]

Just now, spudski said:

At least LJ is trying to do the right thing, I would have been more supportive of SC  if wasn't doing things behind the scenes that weren't positive for the long term health of the club.

No doubt he is, but then he's been clearly failing for quite a while.

The football we are seeing, and the desire of the team is as about as bad as it could get.

Surely if you're going to criticise others for being 'negative' you have to admit you were extremely negative yourself when it suited you.

You can't be happy with what you are seeing - why are you not critiquing LJ in the same way you did SC?

[spudski]

49 minutes ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

No doubt he is, but then he's been clearly failing for quite a while.

The football we are seeing, and the desire of the team is as about as bad as it could get.

Surely if you're going to criticise others for being 'negative' you have to admit you were extremely negative yourself when it suited you.

You can't be happy with what you are seeing - why are you not critiquing LJ in the same way you did SC?

I don't count our position in the league as failure. Whilst recent performances haven't been up to what it was like pre xmas, we still aren't failing imo.

He's sticking to a plan agree with SL, for the long term future of the club.

No one said it would be easy, and there are bound to be tough times.

However...as a season we have improved.

LJ is doing everything within those confines and what was agreed.

SC went his own way....he went feral.

If SC was doing the same thing as LJ then it would have been different.

I was negative towards SC, because I thought he was ruining the club long term.

I'm less critical of LJ because I can see he's doing it for the long term benefit. That's the difference.

[Son of Fred]

20 minutes ago, spudski said:

I don't count our position in the league as failure. Whilst recent performances haven't been up to what it was like pre xmas, we still aren't failing imo.

He's sticking to a plan agree with SL, for the long term future of the club.

No one said it would be easy, and there are bound to be tough times.

However...as a season we have improved.

LJ is doing everything within those confines and what was agreed.

SC went his own way....he went feral.

If SC was doing the same thing as LJ then it would have been different.

I was negative towards SC, because I thought he was ruining the club long term.

I'm less critical of LJ because I can see he's doing it for the long term benefit. That's the difference.

Should we be scrabbling around again next season in the bottem half which I see as quite possible I'm not sure too many will be Seing the 'plan',or the benefit....or even 'the difference.

Last season SL was clear that even if the worst happened there would be no change,I'm not convinced that would necessarily wash again.....could be interesting times for all !!

[phantom]

25 minutes ago, spudski said:

I don't count our position in the league as failure. Whilst recent performances haven't been up to what it was like pre xmas, we still aren't failing imo.

 

I'm less critical of LJ because I can see he's doing it for the long term benefit. That's the difference.

On the whole the league position isn't that bad - what is bad is how we have capitulated so badly since Christmas

2nd spot was achievable at the turn of the year, now we look like a side that won't win another game this season

As for the long term, not sure looking at how many signings we've made and how many of them are actually likely to impact the first team is that great either !!

 

[gordie]

Going expecting a defeat but hoping for a return to our free flowing attacking football, long shot I know 

[spudski]

10 minutes ago, phantom said:

On the whole the league position isn't that bad - what is bad is how we have capitulated so badly since Christmas

2nd spot was achievable at the turn of the year, now we look like a side that won't win another game this season

As for the long term, not sure looking at how many signings we've made and how many of them are actually likely to impact the first team is that great either !!

 

We were in second spot, but as to whether it was achievable over a season, imo, Very doubtful.

A bit like a 400m runner leading after 200m's and getting overtaken by the runners behind. All well and good starting quick...but you have to have the quality and experience and a bit of luck to win over 400.

Things are not perfect, and of course LJ will make mistakes, like any manager.

However...he's agreed to SL's plan...he's doing as he's been asked and agreed to it. Of course that means different restrictions and longer term thinking.

When fans talk about possible replacements, it's futile, as whoever is in charge will have to agree to SL's plan first. Not have the short term run of the club like so many have now.

[Tinmans Love Child]

We will win tomorrow, and no doubt Millwall and Boro will lose, and the hope of promotion will return, only to be shattered on Saturday when we lose to Boro

[cidered abroad]

25 minutes ago, spudski said:

We were in second spot, but as to whether it was achievable over a season, imo, Very doubtful.

A bit like a 400m runner leading after 200m's and getting overtaken by the runners behind. All well and good starting quick...but you have to have the quality and experience and a bit of luck to win over 400.

Things are not perfect, and of course LJ will make mistakes, like any manager.

However...he's agreed to SL's plan...he's doing as he's been asked and agreed to it. Of course that means different restrictions and longer term thinking.

When fans talk about possible replacements, it's futile, as whoever is in charge will have to agree to SL's plan first. Not have the short term run of the club like so many have now.

I would have been perfectly happy this season with consolidation via a Win, Draw, Lose sequence throughout the season giving us 60 points and complete safety. We could have given Vyner, Kelly, Walsh, Eliasson, O'Leary and others, regular sub appearances to build their experience and confidence.

But this boom & bust scenario every season, cannot be any good for the club, players and supporters. We all got too high at Christmas only to be dumped at the top of a never ending helter-skelter from then until probably, the end of the season. The real fear for many now, is that it carries on in August and we end up back where Cotterill started about five years ago, staring the Third and Fourth Divisions in the face. I know many will shoot down that scenario as being unrealistic. But in football, anything is possible. In October 1979 when we were 8th in the First Division, did anyone foresee three consecutive relegations and 92nd by December 1982? NO, not in our wildest and most horrible nightmares.

I really do not believe that we could slip that far again in a hurry, but in my life I have learnt never to say never! IMO Lee Johnson cannot cope with managing/head coaching at this level so on this forum, I'm perfectly entitled to state my case.

[redapple]

Always expect the unexpected at Ashton Gate. We might win 6-0 , lose 3-0 or draw 1-1. Who knows. Brum are very beatable. We’re very fragile in confidence but that can change with a bit of luck or just one player lifting a few others. 

I just want to see some effort and a few players with smiles on their faces. 

[Mr Popodopolous]

10 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

I would have been perfectly happy this season with consolidation via a Win, Draw, Lose sequence throughout the season giving us 60 points and complete safety. We could have given Vyner, Kelly, Walsh, Eliasson, O'Leary and others, regular sub appearances to build their experience and confidence.

But this boom & bust scenario every season, cannot be any good for the club, players and supporters. We all got too high at Christmas only to be dumped at the top of a never ending helter-skelter from then until probably, the end of the season. The real fear for many now, is that it carries on in August and we end up back where Cotterill started about five years ago, staring the Third and Fourth Divisions in the face. I know many will shoot down that scenario as being unrealistic. But in football, anything is possible. In October 1979 when we were 8th in the First Division, did anyone foresee three consecutive relegations and 92nd by December 1982? NO, not in our wildest and most horrible nightmares.

I really do not believe that we could slip that far again in a hurry, but in my life I have learnt never to say never! IMO Lee Johnson cannot cope with managing/head coaching at this level so on this forum, I'm perfectly entitled to state my case.

Think a repeat of the late 70's to early 80's slump is a bit drastic.

Also think the club is in a much better place off the pitch than it was in our decline from 2010-2013. Then we had an annually rising wage bill, falling revenue, a squad with a lot of journeymen and a number of aging players.

Would be surprised if we're in a relegation scrap next year- provided we don't lose any key players. Maybe we wouldn't be near the playoffs but disappointing results and performances aside, we don't seem in a fundamental mess as a whole IMO.

[cidered abroad]

1 minute ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Think a repeat of the late 70's to early 80's slump is a bit drastic.

Also think the club is in a much better place off the pitch than it was in our decline from 2010-2013. Then we had an annually rising wage bill, falling revenue, a squad with a lot of journeymen and quite a lot of aging players.

Would be surprised if we're in a relegation scrap next year- provided we don't lose any key players. Maybe we wouldn't be near the playoffs but disappointing results and performances aside, we don't seem in a fundamental mess as a whole IMO.

Yet if the season ran from January 1 to December 31, we would be hovering just above and being very afraid of the dreaded "R" word.

We could have another great first half season in August but football is not like piped water; one cannnot just turn form and confidence on and off like a bathroom tap. 

[Mr Popodopolous]

7 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

Yet if the season ran from January 1 to December 31, we would be hovering just above and being very afraid of the dreaded "R" word.

We could have another great first half season in August but football is not like piped water; one cannnot just turn form and confidence on and off like a bathroom tap. 

Do you think we are better run now...or in the 3, 4 years up to and including the relegation under McInnes/O'Driscoll?

The answer is now by a country mile tbh. The form is a major concern, undoubtedly but the way we crashed down the Leagues or narrowly surviving in 11/12 under Millen/McInnes to bottom of League One or bottom 2 League One December 2013, the club is in a totally different place. We are better than Barnsley, Bolton, Burton, Sunderland, Birmingham- the newly promoted sides from League One will likely be 2 of Blackburm, Wigan and Shrewsbury and whoever wins the playoffs. Rotherham. Oh yeah, that Rotherham? One of the worst sides this level has seen- not saying they will be as bad again but they're sure to struggle. (3 of those 5 Barnsley, Burton, Sunderland, Birmingham and Bolton will drop- but that means 2 won't).

As to who comes down...who knows? Whoever will could have problems with aging squads or FFP, and they aren't demonstrably big enough clubs to bounce right back like a Newcastle, therefore they may struggle.

My point is, that provided we lose no key players, I don't think we'll go down next year...Forest seem to try to kick on but stand still, QPR under Hollowhead won't be tearing up trees, Norwich will soon be retrenching owing to FFP and Ipswich have no cash- replacing McCarthy could see them crash oh and Sheff Wed have FFP issues. It really could be much worse.

[reddogkev]

21 minutes ago, redapple said:

Always expect the unexpected at Ashton Gate. We might win 6-0 , lose 3-0 or draw 1-1. Who knows. Brum are very beatable. We’re very fragile in confidence but that can change with a bit of luck or just one player lifting a few others. 

I just want to see some effort and a few players with smiles on their faces. 

I agree with everything you say, so I'm going to add all your potential scores and gladly look forward to a thrilling 7-4 City win.

What a game we have in store!

[Wrongagain]

1 hour ago, gordie said:

Going expecting a defeat but hoping for a return to our free flowing attacking football, long shot I know 

With you in that, current form shite, due for a change?

Has to be best time to change history with a win against BCFC

Perhaps LJ will  bench those most likely to leave in the summer - don’t want to damage the stock, perhaps the slump is due to the possibility they don’t want it either!

we are City always believe 

 

[Wanderingred]

Birmingham are 23rd in the away form table. We have absolutely nothing to fear, except our own demons. I just want to see an improved performance regardless of the result and some signs that we aren't quite on the beach yet.

[cidered abroad]

3 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Do you think we are better run now...or in the 3, 4 years up to and including the relegation under McInnes/O'Driscoll?

The answer is now by a country mile tbh. The form is a major concern, undoubtedly but the way we crashed down the Leagues or narrowly surviving in 11/12 under Millen/McInnes to bottom of League One or bottom 2 League One December 2013, the club is in a totally different place. We are better than Barnsley, Bolton, Burton, Sunderland, Birmingham- the newly promoted sides from League One will likely be 2 of Blackburm, Wigan and Shrewsbury and whoever wins the playoffs. Rotherham. Oh yeah, that Rotherham? One of the worst sides this level has seen- not saying they will be as bad again but they're sure to struggle. (3 of those 5 Barnsley, Burton, Sunderland, Birmingham and Bolton will drop- but that means 2 won't).

As to who comes down...who knows? Whoever will could have problems with aging squads or FFP, and they aren't demonstrably big enough clubs to bounce right back like a Newcastle, therefore they may struggle.

My point is, that provided we lose no key players, I don't think we'll go down next year...Forest seem to try to kick on but stand still, QPR under Hollowhead won't be tearing up trees, Norwich will soon be retrenching owing to FFP and Ipswich have no cash- replacing McCarthy could see them crash oh and Sheff Wed have FFP issues. It really could be much worse.

There is a big positive difference between the way the club operated in 2013 and now. So much has changed with new stadium, modern administration, the way the Academy is progressing. A big difference. 

But what a sweeping statement to make that we are better than Burton, Barnsley, Birmingham, Sunderland and Bolton. We've won three out of nine games and may well lose another tomorrow. Or do you mean better administration and management? 

At the moment we're higher up the league but playing better? Not as far as I can see. We will lose one or more key players, I am convinced of that. The body language of at least two, tells me they are not here in spirit even if the body is on the pitch. 

Things are better than the days when senior players ran this club a few years ago, but all is not as wonderful and running as smoothly as some on here would have us believe.