The negativity

[J-mat]

1 hour ago, mozo said:

To be fair though, I think the bi-polar reaction on this forum is reflective of City's Jekyll and Hyde form. 

One minute we've found our identity and beating Fulham, next thing you know we're a mess and losing to Millwall at home.

It's driving me crazy, I tell you...

It's not bi-polar, it's just those who get the knives out after a defeat don't post when we play well. 

Because they don't like Lee. You can tell it's personal from the weird disparaging nicknames they use. Johnson Jr, Little Lee etc. It's all very transparent. 

If you take Lee's achievements and put a different name at the top of the CV or offered fans what we've had for the last 5 years when Cotterill left they'd have bitten your hand off. 

Progress in every season. Sold players at a massive profit to help bring the club back closer to the black. An amazing cup run and national exposure. Fruitful relationships with massive clubs and a reputation for developing both local and elite/premier League players.

If you'd have asked what I wanted this club to be there's ain't much missing from that list.

There's a weird revisionism of what football is. We play better stuff now than we did under Cotts in this division. Under Wilson, Gary, McInnes, Millen, Tinnion and anyone else in my lifetime. 

It's fine. It's not amazing, it's not terrible. It's just the game. We are one of the best sides in the most competitive division in the world. Despite a small budget comparitavely. 

Maybe those who think our football is terrible should watch the opposition next home game, rather than us. It will be the same. It's the same everywhere really. 

Again, Cowley, a really highly respected manager, highlighted Lee as our biggest asset because he makes average players better. So much evidence for that that I can't be bothered to reel them off. 

 

[Mr Popodopolous]

2 minutes ago, J-mat said:

It's not bi-polar, it's just those who get the knives out after a defeat don't post when we play well. 

Because they don't like Lee. You can tell it's personal from the weird disparaging nicknames they use. Johnson Jr, Little Lee etc. It's all very transparent. 

If you take Lee's achievements and put a different name at the top of the CV or offered fans what we've had for the last 5 years when Cotterill left they'd have bitten your hand off. 

Progress in every season. Sold players at a massive profit to help bring the club back closer to the black. An amazing cup run and national exposure. Fruitful relationships with massive clubs and a reputation for developing both local and elite/premier League players.

If you'd have asked what I wanted this club to be there's ain't much missing from that list.

There's a weird revisionism of what football is. We play better stuff now than we did under Cotts in this division. Under Wilson, Gary, McInnes, Millen, Tinnion and anyone else in my lifetime. 

It's fine. It's not amazing, it's not terrible. It's just the game. We are one of the best sides in the most competitive division in the world. Despite a small budget comparitavely. 

Maybe those who think our football is terrible should watch the opposition next home game, rather than us. It will be the same. It's the same everywhere really. 

Again, Cowley, a really highly respected manager, highlighted Lee as our biggest asset because he makes average players better. So much evidence for that that I can't be bothered to reel them off. 

 

Think the problem for some is the rise in expectation after the rise in expenditure in recent years.

That and the fact AG isn't a fortress- there are pros and cons, mitigating and aggravating factors- but think this is a bigger issue than antipathy towards LJ from his playing days tbh- though there is also an element who aren't keen verbatim, I do believe.

[J-mat]

33 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Think the problem for some is the rise in expectation after the rise in expenditure in recent years.

That and the fact AG isn't a fortress- there are pros and cons, mitigating and aggravating factors- but think this is a bigger issue than antipathy towards LJ from his playing days tbh- though there is also an element who aren't keen verbatim, I do believe.

We've not spent anything like we've brought in. In real terms, there isn't a rise in expenditure. In comparison with other side's in this division, there isn't a rise in expenditure. Our record fee is £8m for Kalas. Our highest paid player is £25k pw on Kalas. 

Assombalonga cost £15m and is on £40k a week and that transfer happened 3-4 years ago. 

Mitrovic is on £60k a week.

The only big spend we've made really is on Bentley, £4m for a keeper is a lot and he's been worth it. He's probably our only prem ready player. 

[Mr Popodopolous]

7 minutes ago, J-mat said:

We've not spent anything like we've brought in. In real terms, there isn't a rise in expenditure. In comparison with other side's in this division, there isn't a rise in expenditure. Our record fee is £8m for Kalas. Our highest paid player is £25k pw on Kalas. 

Assombalonga cost £15m and is on £40k a week and that transfer happened 3-4 years ago. 

Mitrovic is on £60k a week.

The only big spend we've made really is on Bentley, £4m for a keeper is a lot and he's been worth it. He's probably our only prem ready player. 

Compared to expenditure under Cotts I mean.

2017 the Assombalonga transfer- summer 2017, so 2 seasons ago- nonetheless point taken.

How often do we see it stated on here and possibly elsewhere- and I'm playing Devil's Advocate a bit granted- but we do see it at times, "If Cotterill had been given the budget of LJ". It's an interesting counterfactual but Cotts did himself few favours 4 seasons ago. So yes, demonstrably- by our standards, LJ has been very well backed. It isn't of course so simple given revenue streams now vs then, FFP compliance now vs then, etc etc- all factors in to combine for LJ having more cash to play with than his predecessors at this level.

[J-mat]

30 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Compared to expenditure under Cotts I mean.

2017 the Assombalonga transfer- summer 2017, so 2 seasons ago- nonetheless point taken.

How often do we see it stated on here and possibly elsewhere- and I'm playing Devil's Advocate a bit granted- but we do see it at times, "If Cotterill had been given the budget of LJ". It's an interesting counterfactual but Cotts did himself few favours 4 seasons ago. So yes, demonstrably- by our standards, LJ has been very well backed. It isn't of course so simple given revenue streams now vs then, FFP compliance now vs then, etc etc- all factors in to combine for LJ having more cash to play with than his predecessors at this level.

But you've got to look at finances in real terms and comparitavely. For all the extra money we've spent, we've also lost more talent. 

For all the extra money we've spent, our rivals have spent more. 

I don't buy that weve spent big at all.

[IAmNick]

1 hour ago, J-mat said:

But you've got to look at finances in real terms and comparitavely. For all the extra money we've spent, we've also lost more talent. 

For all the extra money we've spent, our rivals have spent more. 

I don't buy that weve spent big at all.

That argument makes no sense to me.

Take two clubs. Club one spends £2m on a player then sells them a year later for £20m and reinvests most of that in the team. Club two spends £2m on the player and then sells them a year later for £2m.

Which club at the end of that year is better off on the pitch? Same net level of spend, but one has £20m or so more of talent on the pitch than the other.

I'd also argue that some of our players are bought for their future value - so comparing us selling Kelly for £15m or whatever it was isn't a direct like for like with the cost of about 6 of our other first team starters - i.e. his loss wasn't a £15m shaped hole to replace in our first team.

[RobintheRed Red]

On 15/12/2019 at 13:57, glen humphries said:

I’m moaning because I’m sick to death of watching absolute dross at home matches for nearly 2 seasons, lj has no idea how to set us up at home we’re so predictable and ponderous, with the time and money he’s spent I don’t think it’s to much to ask for us to have a set way of playing, lj is always banging on about our identity, that’s complete bullshit, we haven’t got 1.

Exactly mate i can take losing providing we put in a shift but cant stick this  borring shit

[Street red]

On 15/12/2019 at 18:14, glen humphries said:

Unearthed Tammy do me a favour, most clubs in the league knew about Tammy, we done well to get him I’ll give you that, but to say lj unearthed him is bullshit 

Tammy already had the quality that was getting noticed just needed games your right nothing to do with LJ even though he likes to think it is.