Pre Season - Excitement or slight dismay?

[Son of Fred]

1 hour ago, bristolcitysweden said:

We were going to bring in "steel". The reason for to many up and downs last season was missing it. This has not happened.

Lansdown call himself "advisor". He don't know anything about football.

A midfield 'enforcer/playmaker.....we've been waiting a while now!

[Red-Robbo]

2 hours ago, JoeAman08 said:

It is possible to be sustainable and competitive. We are getting closer and pretty soon we will be able to sustain ourselves with a sale per summer. 

 Which clubs are you thinking of, Joe?

To progress rather than stand still, it seems you have to spend big, like Wolves did.

 

https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/wolverhampton-wanderers-fc/2018/03/09/revealed-wolves-spend-67m-in-bid-to-make-the-premier-league/

[CalgaryRed]

Very evident that despite a very successful season last term by historical standards (though we fell away badly after the cup run ended) we cannot keep our best players from leaving for Premiership or even higher profile Championship teams, in most cases for few multiples of their annual wages. Flint, Reid and soon Bryan. We're not seen as a big club or one that's going to be. I am very grateful for what SL has done for Bristol City however if he was going to get us to the Premiership it would have happened by now. Lee Johnson like his dad is an honest manager but not exactly top drawer. 

I foresee a tough season. I think we'll look back with fondness on last season for a few to come..

 

[JoeAman08]

16 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

 Which clubs are you thinking of, Joe?

To progress rather than stand still, it seems you have to spend big, like Wolves did.

 

https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/wolverhampton-wanderers-fc/2018/03/09/revealed-wolves-spend-67m-in-bid-to-make-the-premier-league/

To do it quickly you probably have to gamble more but personally think it can be done over a longer period of time. Think we are getting there and possibly we can start next summer paying a couple of bigger fees to bring in game changing type players. Even Wolves had to build over a couple seasons on top of their championship squad. 

[Red-Robbo]

43 minutes ago, JoeAman08 said:

To do it quickly you probably have to gamble more but personally think it can be done over a longer period of time. Think we are getting there and possibly we can start next summer paying a couple of bigger fees to bring in game changing type players. Even Wolves had to build over a couple seasons on top of their championship squad. 

 

Fair point.

[steviestevieneville]

4 hours ago, PFree said:

I get why SL wants to run City as a business, it isn't a Charity after all. That' said if City is his real passion as he suggests, I do wonder why he doesn't go after that Premiership dream whilst he still has his youth and health?

I've followed City for over 30 years and been a ST for most of those but being honest, I try not to expect anything going into a season as at least then I am never too disappointed!

What saddens me most is to see home grown and developed youngsters leaving as they too don't see us reaching the promised land anytime soon (If ever). It's great that we invest in the "talent of tomorrow", it helps balance the books as far as possible but will it realistically ever get us to the ultimate level?

I look at what Leeds and Forest have done in the closed season and having seen what Wolves did the season, I can't help but be envious of how excited their f as must be. Okay, you can't buy success but on the balance of probability, it certainly significantly improves your chances?

You’ve supported us for over 30 years but perhaps don’t listen to anything being said. 

We have to be sustainable , we can’t chase the dream. We tried that after the play off final defeat and ended up with a £50m debt. 

Its the way we have to do it. 

[core321]

4 hours ago, PFree said:

I get why SL wants to run City as a business, it isn't a Charity after all. That' said if City is his real passion as he suggests, I do wonder why he doesn't go after that Premiership dream whilst he still has his youth and health?

I've followed City for over 30 years and been a ST for most of those but being honest, I try not to expect anything going into a season as at least then I am never too disappointed!

What saddens me most is to see home grown and developed youngsters leaving as they too don't see us reaching the promised land anytime soon (If ever). It's great that we invest in the "talent of tomorrow", it helps balance the books as far as possible but will it realistically ever get us to the ultimate level?

I look at what Leeds and Forest have done in the closed season and having seen what Wolves did the season, I can't help but be envious of how excited their f as must be. Okay, you can't buy success but on the balance of probability, it certainly significantly improves your chances?

Agree, but not sure how many City home grown talents have actually balanced the books over the years with big money transfers except one..BR.

Wolves were brilliant last season, an experienced manager backed with money, the right scouts and players signed. That's exactly what I want City to do.

[Bar BS3]

1 hour ago, CalgaryRed said:

I am very grateful for what SL has done for Bristol City however if he was going to get us to the Premiership it would have happened by now. 

 

What an utterly ridiculous comment..! 

Have you not noticed the progress, on and off the pitch, that’s been made over the last 3-4 years..?! 

[core321]

1 hour ago, CalgaryRed said:

Very evident that despite a very successful season last term by historical standards (though we fell away badly after the cup run ended) we cannot keep our best players from leaving for Premiership or even higher profile Championship teams, in most cases for few multiples of their annual wages. Flint, Reid and soon Bryan. We're not seen as a big club or one that's going to be. I am very grateful for what SL has done for Bristol City however if he was going to get us to the Premiership it would have happened by now. Lee Johnson like his dad is an honest manager but not exactly top drawer. 

I foresee a tough season. I think we'll look back with fondness on last season for a few to come..

 

Great post. It seems 'maybe' SL does not trust LJ with big money, as proven in this seasons January window....what a joke.

2 minutes ago, Bar BS3 said:

What an utterly ridiculous comment..! 

Have you not noticed the progress, on and off the pitch, that’s been made over the last 3-4 years..?! 

Sorry, off the pitch yes....on it......well that is very debatable.

A club record losing streak, and relegation form from Christmas until the end of the season....

[Bar BS3]

57 minutes ago, core321 said:

Great post. It seems 'maybe' SL does not trust LJ with big money, as proven in this seasons January window....what a joke.

Sorry, off the pitch yes....on it......well that is very debatable.

A club record losing streak, and relegation form from Christmas until the end of the season....

It’s not debatable whatsoever..! Fact! 

We’ve got from bottom of L1, to runaway winners of L1, to looking out of our depth in the Campionship, to staying up and then to finishing in the top half, along with reaching the semi finals of a major cup competition. 

We are generating £10’s millions of profits from player sales and reinvesting millions in the next batch of players. 

In what possible world is all of that not showing progress..?! 

[chinapig]

24 minutes ago, Bar BS3 said:

It’s not debatable whatsoever..! Fact! 

We’ve got from bottom of L1, to runaway winners of L1, to looking out of our depth in the Campionship, to staying up and then to finishing in the top half, along with reaching the semi finals of a major cup competition. 

We are generating £10’s millions of profits from player sales and reinvesting millions in the next batch of players. 

In what possible world is all of that not showing progress..?! 

A world where the massive debt we accrued doing what is being demanded didn't happen, where fans spend tens of millions of the owner's money and where FFP doesn't exist I imagine.

[Murraysrightplum]

Quietly optimistic but quite prepared for a season of mediocrity in mid table 

[downendcity]

1 hour ago, Bar BS3 said:

It’s not debatable whatsoever..! Fact! 

We’ve got from bottom of L1, to runaway winners of L1, to looking out of our depth in the Campionship, to staying up and then to finishing in the top half, along with reaching the semi finals of a major cup competition. 

We are generating £10’s millions of profits from player sales and reinvesting millions in the next batch of players. 

In what possible world is all of that not showing progress..?! 

...when you (core321 that is) choose to ignore all of those bits, and focus only on the losing streaks and make up your own interpretation of anything that happens so that it comes across as a problem with LJ, SL not trusting LJ etc. etc.

It also appears that not showing progress is  that we could have secure promotion for certain if SL had thrown all caution to the wind, appointed a Portuguese Manager, who had a worryingly close ties and arrangement with  major Portuguese agent, who then secured Portuguese players with abilities ( and fees) way beyond championship level, raising concerns about who really owns and controls said players, and also resulted in other championship clubs raising  their concerns about the management and financial arrangements at the club.

That is what not showing progress seems to be.

 

[Dastardly and Muttley]

I think what we now have is a squad suited to play the way LJ wants to play.

No doubt last season’s cup run would have boosted our reputation. We’ve used that to sign three first team players from established Championship clubs in Webster (Ipswich), Hunt ( Weds) and Weimann (Lampard). When was the last time we signed a true established Championship player?

When you look closely at our squad, we seem to have a range of options in different positions, especially in attack. COD, Adelakun, Paterson, Weimann, Watkins, Eliasson... all promising options. Whether they’ll all turn out the way we hope, no one knows but it’s an exciting group.

I think we’re missing our version of Kante- someone who can tackle, grab the game by the scruff of its neck and give the ball to the aforementioned attackers. But these players are in short supply, for now a combination of Pack and Smith will have to do until we find/develop that player. For all our academy has produced, it’s yet to deliver a true, quality midfielder - I have hopes that Bakinson may be that man, though.

It’s been an interesting off season, and I’m a couple of Scotch’s in to my Saturday night now, so I’m really looking forward to what is going to happen in the coming months. We knew Reid and Flint were going, the way we’ve replaced them is different to the way in which City have normally operated in the transfer market. Let’s see how it goes.

[elhombrecito]

4 hours ago, core321 said:

Great post. It seems 'maybe' SL does not trust LJ with big money, as proven in this seasons January window....what a joke.

Sorry, off the pitch yes....on it......well that is very debatable.

A club record losing streak, and relegation form from Christmas until the end of the season....

We've improved our league position year on year in every single one of those seasons. That's not even slightly debatable, that's indisputably progress. 

[downendcity]

1 hour ago, El Hombrecito said:

We've improved our league position year on year in every single one of those seasons. That's not even slightly debatable, that's indisputably progress. 

With core321 nothing  is indisputable.

[core321]

Well I hope you all happy with continued huge turn over of players, continual rotation of players to find a winning formula, continued buzz word crap from LJ and a season of continual struggle. What happened to everyone's dream of the PL? Your all happy with Johnson family love in..I just don't get it. I guess you would all walk away and never return if a major investor took over and pumped in millions to the playing staff and management? Yeah..no thanks, as long as I can bounce up and down for little Lee and have my pint of gold each Saturday, break out your bubble's, you will get a shock this season.

[Northern Red]

3 minutes ago, core321 said:

Well I hope you all happy with continued huge turn over of players, continual rotation of players to find a winning formula, continued buzz word crap from LJ and a season of continual struggle. What happened to everyone's dream of the PL? Your all happy with Johnson family love in..I just don't get it. I guess you would all walk away and never return if a major investor took over and pumped in millions to the playing staff and management? Yeah..no thanks, as long as I can bounce up and down for little Lee and have my pint of gold each Saturday, break out your bubble's, you will get a shock this season.

Bye then.

[downendcity]

46 minutes ago, core321 said:

Well I hope you all happy with continued huge turn over of players, continual rotation of players to find a winning formula, continued buzz word crap from LJ and a season of continual struggle. What happened to everyone's dream of the PL? Your all happy with Johnson family love in..I just don't get it. I guess you would all walk away and never return if a major investor took over and pumped in millions to the playing staff and management? Yeah..no thanks, as long as I can bounce up and down for little Lee and have my pint of gold each Saturday, break out your bubble's, you will get a shock this season.

You mean like Xia did at Villa?

Sounds like a plan!

[steviestevieneville]

51 minutes ago, core321 said:

Well I hope you all happy with continued huge turn over of players, continual rotation of players to find a winning formula, continued buzz word crap from LJ and a season of continual struggle. What happened to everyone's dream of the PL? Your all happy with Johnson family love in..I just don't get it. I guess you would all walk away and never return if a major investor took over and pumped in millions to the playing staff and management? Yeah..no thanks, as long as I can bounce up and down for little Lee and have my pint of gold each Saturday, break out your bubble's, you will get a shock this season.

?

[Ayteomike2]

excited about new season as always as long we  are not 3-0 down after 15 mins believe in slow but sure 

[kevthered]

On 28/07/2018 at 15:01, robin_unreliant said:

My suspicion is LJ feels threatened or undermined by experienced players and that is partly why we aren't going down that route.

This.....When things are not going well I think he has a problem with motivating older players who may have more experience than him

[Drew Peacock]

I am dismayed by the number of injuries before the season even starts.

[Andy082005]

Far to much negativity on this thread! Bloody whingers 

[PFree]

On 27/09/2017 at 18:34, Phileas Fogg said:

Rightly or wrongly, i’m always a bit cynical about these sort of things and don’t often take the club or messages they put out at face value. 

It wouldn’t be admitted - but I suspect there’s some sort of commercial benefit (subconsciously showing fans the concourse refreshment areas are open?) or it’s to do with the CCTV and catching people misbehaving.

 

14 minutes ago, Andy082005 said:

Far to much negativity on this thread! Bloody whingers 

I just wonder whether it's realism or negativity Andy, personally, I'm concerned but at the end of the day season ticket sales have increased hence I feel my scepticism over the direction and future is in the minority, which is probably a good thing of course!

[BS4 on Tour...]

On 28/07/2018 at 13:40, bristolcitysweden said:

In of the last interviews before the end of the season LJ said he would bring in "steel"....

Too late, he let that decent ‘keeper go.....

[Guest]

On ‎28‎/‎07‎/‎2018 at 13:29, Bar BS3 said:

I’m excited. I quite like our summer businesses. 

Players who didn’t want to stay have been shifted on for good money. We’ve signed players to fit our style, to add to those we already have and we will hopefully see a few with “potential” stepping up this season. 

We have tied a few more players down to long contracts and overall I’m looking forward to the season. Especially without having to tolerate seeing Pisano in the team regularly..!

 

We`ve signed 2 more lower div strikers, totally unproven at champ level, that's our style is it? crying out for an exp goalie unwilling it seems to splash the cash for one; mid field general and captain also should have been signed to back up an injury prone Smith and a hard working Pack.

Doing the championship on the cheap wont work and its only a matter of time before we come a cropper and pay the price.

It costs big bucks to challenge for promotion as you will see by the clubs who will be at the top this season, there is no magic formula/plan to make the prem...just spend money if we want a chance at it, or continue being the "nearly club". SL`s plan was clear last xmas window.

[Mr Popodopolous]

I'm less concerned than a couple of weeks ago. Then I was in doom and gloom but now not quite so much. We all knew Flint and Reid would go- Bryan also highly likely and I seem to recall quite a few on here were thinking Pack maybe off too- that said perhaps the 3 year contract to protect his value a bit. Maybe? Who can say.

A few weeks on and the signings are not bad. Hunt seems better than Pisano but even if Pisano was to improve you need 2 bona fide right backs and particularly in this League.

Webster brings the ball out, Adelukan (sp) and Eisa good young prospects. Weimann can play across the front line and a bit behind, Watkins to a lesser extent but not merely an out and out winger.

We have a lot of options, different types of players so I should be excited- get a keeper (linked to Ruddy on loan) so I should be excited...and yet, why do I have some nagging concerns despite all this?

It is because of the churn factor- and not just the fact it's Flint and Reid gone who undoubtedly were key, it's the fact I don't think you can build and progress with constant chopping and changing.

Said it for the last 2 years, the swift turnaround of players under LJ..don't see us going down but at the same time, will surely take at least half a season to bed in- can't really see any serious top 6 tilt this season as it stands.

[Dullmoan Tone]

Rod Liddell wrote today that you can get out of the Championship with a tight defence and a 20 goal a season target man. I think Cardiff showed that you don’t need to play like Wolves to get promoted.

Does anyone think we have one of the best defences or a prolific Championship ready striker ?

 I know we would never have thought Bobby could have done it last season, but someone stepping up from nowhere is so rare it’s unlikely to happen again especially here. We haven’t changed the midfield, we have replaced Bobby with someone who is hardly prolific and our best striker can’t play until Sept.

i’m even nervous about our chances of mid table obscurity right now. There’s a lot of big clubs in the division we won’t get another basket case like Sunderland this year so the relegated clubs have massive budgets.

[downendcity]

1 hour ago, Bri Stool City said:

We`ve signed 2 more lower div strikers, totally unproven at champ level, that's our style is it? crying out for an exp goalie unwilling it seems to splash the cash for one; mid field general and captain also should have been signed to back up an injury prone Smith and a hard working Pack.

Doing the championship on the cheap wont work and its only a matter of time before we come a cropper and pay the price.

It costs big bucks to challenge for promotion as you will see by the clubs who will be at the top this season, there is no magic formula/plan to make the prem...just spend money if we want a chance at it, or continue being the "nearly club". SL`s plan was clear last xmas window.

I've  rearranged your last 2 paragraphs:

It costs Villas big bucks to challenge for promotion. There is no magic formula/plan to make the prem...just spend money if we want to become a cropper and pay the price. 

As for doing the championship on the cheap, more accurately that should read doing the championship within what the club can afford ( that's Bristol City FC, not billionaire Steve Lansdown ). Villa didn't do it on the cheap and have almost been put into administration because they cant pay the taxman - not what I want for my club!