Semenyo - Unnecessary Pressure

[Mr Popodopolous]

25 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Johnson has been backed....he’s been allowed to recruit to near the limits of FFP.  In all reality, he should’ve had to sell one of Bryan or Flint last January, but allowed to wait until the summer.

There was probably funds to do a bit of business this January, but it’s difficult to get deals over the line.  Look at Swabsea’s James at Leeds!

Exactly right.

In these days of FFP etc- backing a manager can mean different things. The traditional view of backing a manager is a big budget. However it can mean holding onto players at key times- given the desperation of clubs in January, selling Flint, Bryan and Reid in Jan 2018 may have made more financial sense from a pure cash POV but we didn't. Why? Because we were in a strong position and therefore keeping them was a statement of intent. 

Indeed we did back- within the limits of FFP. From memory (and remember amortisation doubles the following season when signed in Jan e.g. £250k 2.5 year deal=£50k in half of season, £100k per season following 2 seasons).

Anyway, with all that in mind between Jan 2017 and Feb 2018 we signed:

• January 2017- Wright, Hegeler, Djuric and Taylor Jan 2017. (Loans for Giefer and Cotterill too).
• Summer 2017- Pisano, Baker, Eliasson and Diedhiou.
• In between that and Jan 2018, Steele on a free.
• Jan 2018- Walsh  
• Oh and loans for Woodrow (full season), Leko (half-season as it turned out) plus Diony and Kent (roughly half season).

We held onto Flint in Summer 2017 when he was strongly touted with moves away and then January nobody we wanted to keep left.

Within the limits of what was possible there was strong backing. This summer was inevitable, but feel there may have been wriggle-room in January.

Also add Fer to that too Dave- he was off to Lille at first then Villa came in...then Swansea I think put the kibosh on it! Definitely can be tough to do deals in January.

It's also worth noting. We kept Kelly, O'Dowda and Semenyo this window.

[Spike]

I think the issue is less about how good he is compared to players that are currently in our team, the pressure comes from comparing him to what a lot of fans expected; a quality striker with a Championship goal scoring record to his name. 

It's totally unfair in so many ways but a lot of our fans expected a "big name" and instead they've got a 19 year old youth player with a fairly low scoring rate to say the least. I think it's further frustrating a lot of fans that we paid just under £2m for a prolific goal scorer and we're not using him meaning Semenyo needs to hit the ground running as he's being compared to a proven goalscoring championship striker who was expected, a proven goalscorer who we paid a couple of million for and also being compared to our £5m record signing striker. That's a fair bit of pressure for a 19 year old who has only had a bit of time in League 2.

[Davefevs]

4 minutes ago, billywedlock said:

Excellent move by the club. This is exactly what a youth system should look like. We cannot go on losing this level of player every time a Premiership club comes calling. I would sooner we offer the lad a new contract with all the money than waste millions on rubbish. This boy is the real deal and if he can become a regular at our level will get his Prem move at 21/22 and we will get the correct fee. I applaud the club at this, as wholeheartedly as I would have been furious if we had let him go for 2 m. Now the lad needs to know he was never going to play for Chelsea just be part of their money machine. City throw a proper contract at him now. As I am quite sure they are doing. 

Agree BW.  Now we’ve got to show him some minutes.  He’s not gonna start, but he could force his way in.  You never know.

[mozo]

Bakinson in the squad next season n all?

[RedRock]

4 hours ago, Red Army 75 said:

Hopefully he gets his chance. Young professional footballer playing with no fear . Exciting times for the lad . Let’s see what he’s got 

Let’s hope his apparent natural flair and talent doesn't get coached out of him ala Rashford. 

Within bounds, need to nurture natural skill rather than suppress it.

[The Bard]

I find it bizarre that people refer to unnecessary pressure.  It's necessary pressure if you're a top player.

[Selred]

1 hour ago, Spike said:

It's totally unfair in so many ways but a lot of our fans expected a "big name" and instead they've got a 19 year old youth player with a fairly low scoring rate to say the least

That's the fans problem, not the club.

I think the majority of the fans will understand Semenyo is not here to score 10+ goals this half of the season. And those who do will soon forget about the window if we win the next 2 games. 

[The Bard]

5 minutes ago, Moor2Sea said:

Let’s hope his apparent natural flair and talent doesn't get coached out of him ala Rashford. 

Within bounds, need to nurture natural skill rather than suppress it.

Rashford has not had anything 'coached out of him' .  It's a lazy term which tries to lay responsibility for an individual player's poor performance at the feet of the coach/manager.  He looks to me to have loads of natural flair and talent and this is being honed nicely.  He's not lost anything.  He isn't as good as some think he is, but he is very, very good nonetheless...

[Bristol is red]

The only reason I can see that Eisa is not involved is because his all round play just isn't up to standard yet, despite his L2 goal scoring exploits.

Perhaps that is where Semenyo is ahead of Eisa and deemed more 'Championship' ready.  Just seems the most plausable answer to me. 

Only other thing it could be is we've promised Semenyo first team games in a bid to make him want to stay over going to a top 4 prem club.  Would make sense why he was recalled and not sold with the reported bids coming in.

[Merrick's Marvels]

1 hour ago, mozo said:

Bakinson in the squad next season n all?

Some way off yet.

[Merrick's Marvels]

34 minutes ago, Bristol is red said:

The only reason I can see that Eisa is not involved is because his all round play just isn't up to standard yet, despite his L2 goal scoring exploits.

Perhaps that is where Semenyo is ahead of Eisa and deemed more 'Championship' ready. 

That's how I see it too.

[CyderInACan]

24 minutes ago, Merrick's Marvels said:

That's how I see it too.

And that’s not necessarily a problem is it. Give him time. There’s more to being a goalscorer than just getting on the end of stuff. Apparently 

[Bristol Rob]

This is great news. We add to the first team squad a young players in form and people are moaning, and further proof that the youth development and loan approach is working.

Imagine if we were pinning our hopes on a free transfer from Coventry who isn't good enough for their first team.

[Davefevs]

13 minutes ago, Bristol Rob said:

This is great news. We add to the first team squad a young players in form and people are moaning, and further proof that the youth development and loan approach is working.

Imagine if we were pinning our hopes on a free transfer from Coventry who isn't good enough for their first team.

It’s a bit bizarre, JC-H can be a right handful, really expected him to have a decent career at Chsmp level.  Has he had injury problems

[Merrick's Marvels]

54 minutes ago, CyderInACan said:

And that’s not necessarily a problem is it. Give him time. There’s more to being a goalscorer than just getting on the end of stuff. Apparently 

Yeah, it's amazing what you learn on here innit!

[bristolcitysweden]

What pressure? Will he even make the bench?

[bristolcitysweden]

Having seen Semenyo live and on stream several times he definately is a player that can affect games and I would pick him over Fam. As a player he is more like Bobby.

[Spike]

7 hours ago, Selred said:

That's the fans problem, not the club.

I think the majority of the fans will understand Semenyo is not here to score 10+ goals this half of the season. And those who do will soon forget about the window if we win the next 2 games. 

Yes it is the fans problem but it won't stop the fans from putting that pressure on Semenyo if he doesn't perform straight off of the bat.

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

So... and in summary:

BCFC would be a selling club and lacking ambition by selling its prize assets

BCFC having kept hold of Semenyo and adding him to the senior squad shows lack of ambition and the cheap option.

 

This football stuff is so confusing

[INCRED]

Wouldn’t it be great if Semenyo comes on and plays a part in the rest of this seasons games and helps get us a spot in the play offs and promotion. It would vindicate the belief the club have in him and also Chelsea’s interest. 

If he is good enough then age/experience doesn’t matter. There have been many pundits and ex professionals who have singled him out for praise this season and noted his ability to play at a higher level than L2. 

If we have another gem on our hands then let’s give him a chance over the next 3 months and see if he can be that player 

I am sure all of us will back him 100% and support him when he plays, he is our player, a product of our development path for young players at City. 

I hope he rips this division up and proves what a talent he is to our ultimate benefit even if it means we have to let him go to Chelsea 

[Robbored]

26 minutes ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

So... and in summary:

BCFC would be a selling club and lacking ambition by selling its prize assets

BCFC having kept hold of Semenyo and adding him to the senior squad shows lack of ambition and the cheap option.

This football stuff is so confusing

Fickle fans MRR.

Every club has them.

[downendcity]

29 minutes ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

So... and in summary:

BCFC would be a selling club and lacking ambition by selling its prize assets

BCFC having kept hold of Semenyo and adding him to the senior squad shows lack of ambition and the cheap option.

 

This football stuff is so confusing

In summary, some fans have found not only a stick with which to bet the club, but that they can use both ends.

[downendcity]

6 minutes ago, INCRED said:

Wouldn’t it be great if Semenyo comes on and plays a part in the rest of this seasons games and helps get us a spot in the play offs and promotion. It would vindicate the belief the club have in him and also Chelsea’s interest. 

If he is good enough then age/experience doesn’t matter. There have been many pundits and ex professionals who have singled him out for praise this season and noted his ability to play at a higher level than L2. 

If we have another gem on our hands then let’s give him a chance over the next 3 months and see if he can be that player 

I am sure all of us will back him 100% and support him when he plays, he is our player, a product of our development path for young players at City. 

I hope he rips this division up and proves what a talent he is to our ultimate benefit even if it means we have to let him go to Chelsea 

Semenyo could score a goal a game from now until the end of the season, see us through through to the play off final in which he misses a gilt edged chance to win the game, which we lose in extra time, and some fans would then criticise the club/SL for not having the ambition to shell out for Assombalonga or Hogan, who would have certainly secured us promotion.

[Robbored]

Lots of speculation on here as to why Semenyo was recalled.....Firstly it was because he was off to Chelsea but the deadline came and went and he’s still at AG........lots of wild speculation there............

Next it’s assumed that he’s going to fill the vacancy to support Famara followed by accusations of him being the cheap option, too much pressure on a youngster...........blah, blah..............

In reality very few if any of us know what the actual reason is why he was recalled.

Me? I’m going wait and see and the first thing I’ll look out for is whether he’s in the matchday squad later today.

[INCRED]

43 minutes ago, Robbored said:

Lots of speculation on here as to why Semenyo was recalled.....Firstly it was because he was off to Chelsea but the deadline came and went and he’s still at AG........lots of wild speculation there............

Next it’s assumed that he’s going to fill the vacancy to support Famara followed by accusations of him being the cheap option, too much pressure on a youngster...........blah, blah..............

In reality very few if any of us know what the actual reason is why he was recalled.

Me? I’m going wait and see and the first thing I’ll look out for is whether he’s in the matchday squad later today.

I was thinking the same, if he’s not named in the squad today then it begs the question why recall him. 

The intention based on his performances should be to give him game time as a sub and see what impact he has on games.

if we have a comfortable lead with 15 min to go and he is in the squad then I expect him to be brought on

[Lorenzos Only Goal]

You lot are mental, if we had signed Clarke you would have been raving about the intent it showed.  I think he would have flopped this season for a number of reasons not least his age and lack of game time.  You would have then been ranting about why we didn't give this boy a chance at the same age we gave Lloyd Kelly his etc etc etc.  Football fans collectively are neurotic.