Before the Dawn - recording of Forever Bristol City live podcast 22 August

[Davefevs]

1 hour ago, Portland Bill said:

Very good podcast, and I 100% agree with Ian re points after 10 games. In fact, I found myself agreeing with Ian on every point he made, he was also correct when he stated that Ashton did say that we had top class applicants from all over the World.

So for DH to get given the job, he’s either an exceptional coach/manager who has hidden behind LJ and JM for four years, ( which is basically what Ashton is telling us) or Ashton wanted him because he knows he was the easiest candidate to manipulate. Time will tell.

As for the ‘we have a new manager and he needs time to bed in etc’, I don’t agree, he has been here for four years, we have basically exactly the same squad, he’s been given the job because he knows the players etc etc. So why did 90% of the podcast’s contributors say they would be content with a mediocre season ?. 

I certainly didn’t say that!  So that’s 2 out of 4 (5 if you include Headhunter - the compère) aren’t content with a mediocre season that’s 40-50% of the contributors .  I expect a top 6 challenge, as I said so on the pod.  Plus no point getting GJ’s 17 points from 10 games if at some point you get 2 points from 9.  Those were the points I made.  I expect us to build momentum and add steel, and avoid the horror run we saw under LJ pretty much every season in some shape or form.

Thats most definitely not anything along the lines of being content with a mediocre season.

[daored]

52 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

I certainly didn’t say that!  So that’s 2 out of 4 (5 if you include Headhunter - the compère) aren’t content with a mediocre season that’s 40-50% of the contributors .  I expect a top 6 challenge, as I said so on the pod.  Plus no point getting GJ’s 17 points from 10 games if at some point you get 2 points from 9.  Those were the points I made.  I expect us to build momentum and add steel, and avoid the horror run we saw under LJ pretty much every season in some shape or form.

Thats most definitely not anything along the lines of being content with a mediocre season.

I agree with your comments, the expectations for me are:

1). Consistent team selection and formation , a team can be coached to play a formation and certain style but only really works with a settled side and not numerous changes every week 

2). improved home performances, the majority of any clubs fan base watch home games, get that right and the majority will be satisfied

I do think Ashton has put Holden under greater pressure with his comments. Hopefully Dean has learnt from Lee’s mistakes  

[Midlands Robin]

Really good, engaging podcast Gents. 

I agreed with the point regarding the appointment of Holden with regards to not wanting to step back to go forward. If the expectation under Johnson was a top six finish then that should be the expectation this season under Holden. 

Having said that, I also agreed with the points about building into the season and ending the streaky nature of the Johnson era. 

Plenty of good debate there and always great to hear lots of different views. 

[Sheltons Army]

3 hours ago, Portland Bill said:

Very good podcast, and I 100% agree with Ian re points after 10 games. In fact, I found myself agreeing with Ian on every point he made, he was also correct when he stated that Ashton did say that we had top class applicants from all over the World.

So for DH to get given the job, he’s either an exceptional coach/manager who has hidden behind LJ and JM for four years, ( which is basically what Ashton is telling us) or Ashton wanted him because he knows he was the easiest candidate to manipulate. Time will tell.

As for the ‘we have a new manager and he needs time to bed in etc’, I don’t agree, he has been here for four years, we have basically exactly the same squad, he’s been given the job because he knows the players etc etc. So why did 90% of the podcast’s contributors say they would be content with a mediocre season ?. 

 

54 minutes ago, Midlands Robin said:

Really good, engaging podcast Gents. 

I agreed with the point regarding the appointment of Holden with regards to not wanting to step back to go forward. If the expectation under Johnson was a top six finish then that should be the expectation this season under Holden. 

Having said that, I also agreed with the points about building into the season and ending the streaky nature of the Johnson era. 

Plenty of good debate there and always great to hear lots of different views. 

 

 

In fairness gents Host Daves question was , how many points did we think have / expect after 10 games

That total does not equate to a mediocre season 

O think four of us made the point that we wanted to see DH have a plan and system and get the 'pieces in the jigsaw ' (as opposed to being too hung up on a first 10 game point total ) , which should serve us well over the whole season and make us more consistent

 

1 hour ago, daored said:

I agree with your comments, the expectations for me are:

1). Consistent team selection and formation , a team can be coached to play a formation and certain style but only really works with a settled side and not numerous changes every week 

2). improved home performances, the majority of any clubs fan base watch home games, get that right and the majority will be satisfied

I do think Ashton has put Holden under greater pressure with his comments. Hopefully Dean has learnt from Lee’s mistakes  

As daoreds points

 

[Midlands Robin]

7 minutes ago, Sheltons Army said:

O think four of us made the point that we wanted to see DH have a plan and system and get the 'pieces in the jigsaw ' (as opposed to being too hung up on a first 10 game point total )

That's what I agreed with when I said I agreed with the point about "building into the season" I.E. Building up, getting some momentum and keeping that rolling. 

There was a wider discussion about overall expectations that was tied into this point. I'd hate to feel we'd accept a 12th place finish now at the end of the season. 

 

[frenchred]

Good listen I enjoyed it. Keep up the good work guys

[mozo]

3 hours ago, Davefevs said:

I certainly didn’t say that!  So that’s 2 out of 4 (5 if you include Headhunter - the compère) aren’t content with a mediocre season that’s 40-50% of the contributors .  I expect a top 6 challenge, as I said so on the pod.  Plus no point getting GJ’s 17 points from 10 games if at some point you get 2 points from 9.  Those were the points I made.  I expect us to build momentum and add steel, and avoid the horror run we saw under LJ pretty much every season in some shape or form.

Thats most definitely not anything along the lines of being content with a mediocre season.

To be fair, it sounded like everyone laughed at Ian when he said 18 points from the first 10 games, and a couple of you equated that to demanding 30 points. I thought that was interesting. 

[Davefevs]

19 minutes ago, mozo said:

To be fair, it sounded like everyone laughed at Ian when he said 18 points from the first 10 games, and a couple of you equated that to demanding 30 points. I thought that was interesting. 

Not me!

But I guess there is a difference between:

- how many points do you think we’ll have, and

- how many points do you want, and even

- how many points do you want us to have to meet your expectations.

My opening gambit was “I’m not looking beyond Exeter in the cup”.  From the chat I had with Dave Headhunter the night before I was expecting more of a game by game prediction conversation, but that was my misunderstanding.

I don’t think 18 points is beyond us at all (532 / 460 / 604).  I expect a playoff challenge.  I believe that our squad will look stronger than last season, by virtue of one or two signings, and a system to balance the squad against.

But I won’t be saying “Holden out” if we are sat there with 13 points after 10 games.

 

[mozo]

5 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Not me!

But I guess there is a difference between:

- how many points do you think we’ll have, and

- how many points do you want, and even

- how many points do you want us to have to meet your expectations.

My opening gambit was “I’m not looking beyond Exeter in the cup”.  From the chat I had with Dave Headhunter the night before I was expecting more of a game by game prediction conversation, but that was my misunderstanding.

I don’t think 18 points is beyond us at all (532 / 460 / 604).  I expect a playoff challenge.  I believe that our squad will look stronger than last season, by virtue of one or two signings, and a system to balance the squad against.

But I won’t be saying “Holden out” if we are sat there with 13 points after 10 games.

 

Completely agree. 12 points, mind...

[headhunter]

5 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

 

But I won’t be saying “Holden out” if we are sat there with 13 points after 10 games.

 

That would be acceptable for him but if it had been Hughton would we have looked for, say, more like 17 points

[mozo]

1 hour ago, headhunter said:

That would be acceptable for him but if it had been Hughton would we have looked for, say, more like 17 points

I guess, as was kind of mentioned on the pod, it depends on the context of that 13 point haul. If we play good football, don't get the breaks, but can see that Holden has had a positive influence, then 10-14 points is acceptable, but would have to improve in future 'blocks'. 

If, however, the formation and tactics are a shambles and we scrape those points from the jaws of defeat, then Holden would be under the cosh big time.

[Notbarrymanc]

Sammy says what?