Pearson must stay

[Superjack]

20 minutes ago, aa_bcfc said:

IMO we afford Pearson to many excuses. He gets a free pass despite the poor quality of performances and dreadful overall win ratio. 
 

Would you say that generally our performances since the international break are bottom 3? 7 points from 7 games suggests that to me.

And 7 points from the last 9 games definitely is bottom 3 form. 
 

And we had top three form before that with the same squad and the same manager.

[Mr Popodopolous]

15 minutes ago, Superjack said:

And we had top three form before that with the same squad and the same manager.

We were never likely to maintain a top 6 push or a serious one IMO but yeah good point you raise.

We will have good spells, we will have bad spells. Good and bad games, it's where we are at right now. When Naismith returns the attacking threat and fluidity can improve but when we were going for top 6...we were good but it didn't feel sustainable.

Edited October 23, 2022 by Mr Popodopolous

[Davefevs]

10 minutes ago, aa_bcfc said:

IMO we afford Pearson to many excuses. He gets a free pass despite the poor quality of performances and dreadful overall win ratio. 
 

Would you say that generally our performances since the international break are bottom 3? 7 points from 7 games suggests that to me.

And 7 points from the last 9 games definitely is bottom 3 form. 
 

Not the win ratio…again.

The thing is people think that because I don’t go all-in Pearson is bad / sack Pearson that I’m some form of happy clapper.  I’m not.  I critique the performances on the pitch by the players, the decisions made pre-game, in-game by Nige (and his staff), but I think he’s doing a relatively ok job.  It’s not great, but it’s not bad either.  But I also look at other dynamics too, and that does buy some credit.

If you want to pick a poorer run and nail yourself to that, that’s fine. Yep, we are currently in relegation form over your selected period, if that continued over a whole season.  If that continues over a longer period, then maybe my view changes…but you could take the last 4 games and say we are now top 10 form (1.5 PPG) and say we are now out of that poor run.  Over the season we are mid-table, you’ve totally disregarded some of our form, results, performances this season.

Where did you expect us to be?  What win ratio do you expect a bloke to have for a team that is mid table?  What win rate do you expect a bloke to have that’s taken over a car-crash situation.  Let’s compare him to XYZ manager in League One, or someone who didn’t take over the club in a downward spiral. Come on???

[JoeAman08]

1 hour ago, Davefevs said:

Usually that results in us playing Lg1 football.

When we get past next summer, the OOC have left or re-signed new, reduced deals, we will likely have a squad where we can begin to trade again.  We aren’t there yet, we are looking in the middle aisle at Aldi / Lidl, hoping that a bargain comes along…and that we want.

We need to muddle on through til then.

Compate Bristol City squad to Reading squad, when all fit…we have lots of similar ability players to theirs, then they have Joao, Ejaria, Moore, Dann, Hendrick, all superior to anyone in ours on their day.  Okay you may dispute one or two, but I don’t think I’m being too “choosy”.

I don’t see how you can call it the bargain aisle. Matty James and Rob Atkinson were seem as very strong championship signings. So were Naismith and Wilson. That is 4 players to go along with some good ones already here. All the signings I mentioned the likes of Preston, Luton, Coventry and Millwall would be thrilled with. They also do not generally have the likes of Wells, Kalas, Semenyo, Scott and Bentley that they are adding that to. 
 

I am not saying ideally we could have signed a couple more per window. That is finances but what he has brought in to a core of good players that he has chose to keep around is enough in my mind to not have these ups and downs.

I have looked at the likes of clubs in similar scenarios and their XI and bench don’t generally equal ours in talent terms. Fully fit I count 17 strong championship players. This does not include 2 good back up keepers, Pring, Tanner, King or Benarous who have all featured for us in important league games. 
 

Pace and power I agree with but he largely has not favoured this anyway. In recruitment, James, Naismith, King and Sykes are not pace and power. In his selection of players he often overlooks pace and power with Pring, Wilson(jury out I know but I feel a player that gets up to speed with minutes), Massengo and last season Wells. 
 

I think we could probably go back and forth. I get many people will see it from your point of view but the forum views seem to be more NP in credit than a lot of city fans I know. I want to truly be convinced with NP before we hand him the first summer of true improvement. I know you don’t agree but when I say I want to see us push playoffs(again meaning within 4-6 points with 3-4 games left at minimum) I don’t think that is expectation. I think that is overachievement but overachievement is what I would feel comfortable with. Though I’ll admit a finish from 10-14 would be a harsh sacking all things considered. I think you start talking 15th or lower it is a real concern going forward. 

[cidered abroad]

6 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Not the win ratio…again.

The thing is people think that because I don’t go all-in Pearson is bad / sack Pearson that I’m some form of happy clapper.  I’m not.  I critique the performances on the pitch by the players, the decisions made pre-game, in-game by Nige (and his staff), but I think he’s doing a relatively ok job.  It’s not great, but it’s not bad either.  But I also look at other dynamics too, and that does buy some credit.

If you want to pick a poorer run and nail yourself to that, that’s fine. Yep, we are currently in relegation form over your selected period, if that continued over a whole season.  If that continues over a longer period, then maybe my view changes…but you could take the last 4 games and say we are now top 10 form (1.5 PPG) and say we are now out of that poor run.  Over the season we are mid-table, you’ve totally disregarded some of our form, results, performances this season.

Where did you expect us to be?  What win ratio do you expect a bloke to have for a team that is mid table?  What win rate do you expect a bloke to have that’s taken over a car-crash situation.  Let’s compare him to XYZ manager in League One, or someone who didn’t take over the club in a downward spiral. Come on???

The problem is, @Davefevs that too many on here still do not understand how close we were to imploding financially after the departure of the previous CEO' appalling financial management and involvement with player recruitement. We are very fortunate that SL chose a proper manager for a change and that he has managed to keep us up last year and is doing a good job this season to keep us away from the bottom, at least at present.

[Mr Popodopolous]

3 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

The problem is, @Davefevs that too many on here still do not understand how close we were to imploding financially after the departure of the previous CEO' appalling financial management and involvement with player recruitement. We are very fortunate that SL chose a proper manager for a change and that he has managed to keep us up last year and is doing a good job this season to keep us away from the bottom, at least at present.

Proper manager and a proper CEO, in tandem these two might have steered us clear of the rocks.

Edited October 23, 2022 by Mr Popodopolous

[Sheltons Army]

39 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Proper manager and a proper CEO, in tandem these two might have steered us clear of the rocks.

But with Richard Gould off Mr P , wouldn’t it be a great time to bin Nigel Pearson as well ?

 

 

Some believe so

[Davefevs]

2 hours ago, JoeAman08 said:

I don’t see how you can call it the bargain aisle. Matty James and Rob Atkinson were seem as very strong championship signings.

yeah, maybe Lidl / Aldi is wrong supermarket analogy, accepted.

So were Naismith and Wilson.

Naismith undoubtedly, Wilson from Lg2 could not be described as such, albeit lots of potential.

That is 4 players to go along with some good ones already here. All the signings I mentioned the likes of Preston, Luton, Coventry and Millwall would be thrilled with. They also do not generally have the likes of Wells, Kalas, Semenyo, Scott and Bentley that they are adding that to.

Firstly that’s signings over two seasons.  It’s easy saying they’d be thrilled with our signings this summer, but look what they actually did this summer alone, might we in turn have been thrilled with theirs?

Millwall - Flemming, Honeyman, Afobe, we’d have been happy with

Preston - Woodman, Parrott and Brady, ditto

Luton - went bigger this season from a position of strength built - Freeman, Morris, Doughty, Woodrow, McAtee (Man City loan).  We can’t dream of this at the mo.  They now have a very tidy squad outside of the PP clubs.

Coventry - are struggling for investment, I concede your stance on this, but they still got Panzo and Doyle on loan.  (I didn’t mention Palmer )

I am not saying ideally we could have signed a couple more per window. That is finances but what he has brought in to a core of good players that he has chose to keep around is enough in my mind to not have these ups and downs.

don’t get me wrong it’s not a crap squad..I expect that if we keep most of the core fit it should finish around mid-table.  So we are doing in line with my expectations.  But I see many more better squads than ours.  I also accept clubs like Rotherham really punching and you can rightly ask why can’t we be the one punching.  Our recent overspending might be the reason holding us back.

I have looked at the likes of clubs in similar scenarios and their XI and bench don’t generally equal ours in talent terms. Fully fit I count 17 strong championship players. This does not include 2 good back up keepers, Pring, Tanner, King or Benarous who have all featured for us in important league games.

if you think those 4 are strong Championship players, I am very surprised.  “Featured” isn’t anything like “strong”.
 

Pace and power I agree with but he largely has not favoured this anyway. In recruitment, James, Naismith, King and Sykes are not pace and power. In his selection of players he often overlooks pace and power with Pring, Wilson(jury out I know but I feel a player that gets up to speed with minutes), Massengo and last season Wells.

And I think that’s why I used the Aldi comparison, you end up buying something because it’s there and buy it anyway…did I really need that barbecue that’ll work once.  Bad analogy, granted.
 

I think we could probably go back and forth. I get many people will see it from your point of view but the forum views seem to be more NP in credit than a lot of city fans I know. I want to truly be convinced with NP before we hand him the first summer of true improvement.

And I think we will know by then.  I’d be happy with 13th and give Nige the next phase.

I know you don’t agree but when I say I want to see us push playoffs(again meaning within 4-6 points with 3-4 games left at minimum) I don’t think that is expectation. I think that is overachievement but overachievement is what I would feel comfortable with. Though I’ll admit a finish from 10-14 would be a harsh sacking all things considered. I think you start talking 15th or lower it is a real concern going forward.

A small league position improvement would feel disappointing but lots of things in the mix before concluding that.  Firstly where we finish, then accounts (due shortly surely), Jan window where lots of things can happen, if it’s none out, it’s likely none in.  Likes of Kalas and Massengo could go “pre-contract” too.  

 

[Loosey Boy]

1 hour ago, Sheltons Army said:

But with Richard Gould off Mr P , wouldn’t it be a great time to bin Nigel Pearson as well ?

 

 

Some believe so

The appointment of our next CEO will be key - not only in terms of continuing the great work that RG has achieved but also….whether NP can work with them.

Wonder if Bevington may be back of the agenda? 

[Mr Popodopolous]

6 hours ago, Sheltons Army said:

But with Richard Gould off Mr P , wouldn’t it be a great time to bin Nigel Pearson as well ?

 

 

Some believe so

Very true Sheltons, that some believe it but seems crazy to me as sure we agree!

Richard Gould going has potential to destabilise, so getting rid of Nigel Pearson in tandem would do this again, not least as he is an experienced manager...that's before we even get into the on-field arguments which I largely think come down in favour of keeping him and seeing what he can do when he has more license in the market.

Edited October 23, 2022 by Mr Popodopolous