Stoke City at home match thread

[Out of his pie crust]

Put us at 50/50 to stay up. Hopefully comes up heads

[Offside]

Yet another game where we contrived to lose against poor opposition without making them really work for it. Our defending for their goals was so soft. 

We were lacklustre for a lot of the game,  but once we got ahead we should have won. 

[Redrascal2]

14 minutes ago, bexhill reds said:

Get your point about young and upcoming managers, we recently had 2 of those, but it is a massive punt and at the time Pearson was appointed we perhaps needed an experienced head to calm things down and steady the ship. If we were going to change then it should have been at the start of the WC break, I’m not sure a change so soon to the start of the transfer window makes sense, there are obviously some plans made, for me he’s got this window and until the end of the season, unless form totally drops away and we go into free fall.

What is the saying about you keep doing the same thing and expect different results. How many times have we said a team were there for the taking or they were a poor team. But we still keep losing to these teams. If Pearson is not up to the job he should go. Why give him another window to keep producing the same rubbish.

[Mr Popodopolous]

Thought we performed significantly better vs Watford and Sheffield United at home.

Was it just me or did everything seem a bit flat today? Performance, the crowd. Vs Watford was genuinely quite impressed with both, we even scored first today and had little spells in 1st half. Ultimately though we were not good enough although perhaps still didn't deserve to lose.

[winsaw]

For me the biggest worry from today is the managers comments on radio Bristol after the game, he seams to have fallen out with a number of players as he said they are a number he can't trust, this is stopping him picking his best team, and cost us the came today as he wouldn't pick a fit center back , this is not good at all 

[redsquirrel]

1 minute ago, winsaw said:

For me the biggest worry from today is the managers comments on radio Bristol after the game, he seams to have fallen out with a number of players as he said they are a number he can't trust, this is stopping him picking his best team, and cost us the came today as he wouldn't pick a fit center back , this is not good at all 

why doesnt he start the ones he 'cant trust'  and hook them off after 15mins if they arent performing, players must have some sort of agreement in contract to play to their best ability, if they dont turn up,breach of contract and bin them out or dock wages

[W-S-M Seagull]

2 hours ago, Ska Junkie said:

Not a great deal to be positive about today NR.

I'm not one to ask for the Manager's head but strong questions need to be asked now. It was a terrible 'performance'.

We could be in trouble, sadly.

Terrible performance? Nah. 

Once again it was a performance that should have seen us take the 3 points. But yet again we lost. 

2 hours ago, Bazooka Joe said:

At that very moment Stoke knew they had won the game.

And our long-suffering fans knew it was time to head off home.

 

Bizarre cos we had one or two very good chances after he came on. 

[redysteadygo]

37 minutes ago, Dan Robin said:

They can say what they want, but the reality is that their teams have gained points also  from penalties, red cards, offside decisions, etc. whereas our team simply CAN'T.  Surely other teams make defensive mistakes too or fail to score, but our errors are more costly because we have to do more than others.

The players and Pearson's weaknesses are a different matter, and DON'T JUSTIFY referees behaviour and the constant decisions against us. 

39 minutes ago, Dan Robin said:

They can say what they want, but the reality is that their teams have gained points also  from penalties, red cards, offside decisions, etc. whereas our team simply CAN'T.  Surely other teams make defensive mistakes too or fail to score, but our errors are more costly because we have to do more than others.

The players and Pearson's weaknesses are a different matter, and DON'T JUSTIFY referees behaviour and the constant decisions against us. 

Only a naif/blind football supporter can think that this element is not having an impact on our results/table.

 

 

And school boy defending coupled with p*** poor distribution ( I counted 6 misplaced shortish passes and happened to look at my watch, 6 minutes played) doesn't have an impact?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ska Junkie]

7 minutes ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

Terrible performance? Nah. 

All about opinions WSM, nothing wrong with differing views. I thought it was awful but totally respect your opinion.

[Dan Robin]

24 minutes ago, redysteadygo said:

And school boy defending coupled with p*** poor distribution ( I counted 6 misplaced shortish passes and happened to look at my watch, 6 minutes played) doesn't have an impact?

 

Obvously yes (a different matter = it has an impact too), but from some supporters comments/reactions it seems that refereeing is not part of a football match and doesn't count. It counts, especially if it remains unbalanced for a long period of time (more than 2 seasons), becoming even suspect.

Honestly ignoring this fact means being uninterested/superficial about something that is damaging the team and the club. It shouldn' be necessary to explain it...

Our team's inconsistency worries me, but thinking that Rotherham, Hull and co. will win/draw some matches thanks to penalties etc. whereas we won't have that possibility worry me too.

 

Edited December 17, 2022 by Dan Robin

[Jerseybean]

2 hours ago, Bas's perfect hattrick said:

We showed enough in parts of that match to stay up. But terrible defending again has let us down. Special mention for Pring, who had a decent match

And showed a glimpse of quality with his assist 

[Banjo Red]

3 minutes ago, Ghost Rider said:

I didn’t want to write this straight after the game, as I wanted to sit and reflect and not “knee jerk” into a reaction. Enough is enough for me now. I actually love Pearson, but I can’t keep defending the obvious. We are absolutely rubbish, and I don’t think we should be. IMO we’ve got a squad that is packed full of talent, but I’ve never been so bored of the football we play (maybe SOD and the last few games of the Holden reign). I can’t keep defending Pearson’s record either. Is it time for someone with fresh ideas? I think so, as it’s clearly not working with NP. I’d be sad to lose him, but we just look lost as a team and he’s had long enough now. 
 

Really didn’t want to post that, but it’s how I feel. I hope I’m wrong and he turns it around. 

Sadly I have to agree there has been no progression in the football being played. And publicly saying you can't trust certain players causes further issues within the camp.

[redsquirrel]

2 minutes ago, Banjo Red said:

Sadly I have to agree there has been no progression in the football being played. And publicly saying you can't trust certain players causes further issues within the camp.

if any manager said that about anyone,how could they possibly expect a player to start working his socks off knowing he isnt favoured

[Banjo Red]

Just now, redsquirrel said:

if any manager said that about anyone,how could they possibly expect a player to start working his socks off knowing he isnt favoured

Agreed

[RoystonFoote'snephew]

6 minutes ago, Ghost Rider said:

I didn’t want to write this straight after the game, as I wanted to sit and reflect and not “knee jerk” into a reaction. Enough is enough for me now. I actually love Pearson, but I can’t keep defending the obvious. We are absolutely rubbish, and I don’t think we should be. IMO we’ve got a squad that is packed full of talent, but I’ve never been so bored of the football we play (maybe SOD and the last few games of the Holden reign). I can’t keep defending Pearson’s record either. Is it time for someone with fresh ideas? I think so, as it’s clearly not working with NP. I’d be sad to lose him, but we just look lost as a team and he’s had long enough now. 
 

Really didn’t want to post that, but it’s how I feel. I hope I’m wrong and he turns it around. 

I understand where you're coming from and it's a decent reflection on our current state. Today we contrived to lose to a side that created SFA.. Its not as if we didn't have opportunities. We were unlucky with the move that ended with hitting the inside of the post but all other efforts were weak. How did Semenyo miss the free header from 6 yards in the second half. I think we'll stay up but it is liky to be touch and go. 

[bexhill reds]

31 minutes ago, Redrascal2 said:

What is the saying about you keep doing the same thing and expect different results. How many times have we said a team were there for the taking or they were a poor team. But we still keep losing to these teams. If Pearson is not up to the job he should go. Why give him another window to keep producing the same rubbish.

Because a new manager usually needs time to assess the team and bring in their own people. I suspect the club has already done all the planning and spoken to agents to determine interest / availability. 
 

There is a team in there as referenced by some of the performances this year, he has this window to resolve some of the issues, regardless of what you say about his tactics he had produced teams.

 

[Dr Balls]

1 hour ago, The Swan and Cemetery said:

Frustrating performance which think is broadly reflective of the season to date, ie frustrating rather than awful (or good). King will get blamed for the two goals, which is fair up to a point, but he was distinctly hindered, rather than helped, by his team mates, including Max who I think delivers quite a low percentage of saves from eminently saveable chances. If enough wages freed up, think a GK might be on NP’s priority list. Also think we need to get more clinical at creating good chances, we often get into good positions, but create half chances or no chances from those positions. 

With this system, I’d drop Weimann as playing him too far out of position for him to contribute effectively. And not sure he’s the ideal captain as seems to get frustrated with refs (admittedly today’s was awful), rather than try to win them over or understand what they like/don’t like. 

Overall, season to date, think we’ve seen both enough promise and enough weaknesses to think relegation is unlikely, but so is getting to the top half. Very few teams in this league are consistent, maybe only Burnley, and a lot of that is do with reasonably evenly matched teams, meaning results are often determined by an incident here or there, rather than total domination by one side or the other. Don’t really see that changing either positively or negatively for us.

Don’t drop Weimann, just don’t play him at right wing back where he is wasted. 
 

That’s one of my biggest gripes with Pearson. Too many players played out of position, in some forlorn hope that they will somehow pick up how to play there, instead of trying to forge a team that is greater than the sum of its parts. The latter is what I perceive good managers do, and that usually means playing players in their best positions, not trying to shoehorn them into some formation that doesn’t best suit the players you have.

 

Edited December 17, 2022 by Dr Balls
Spelling

[robin_unreliant]

12 minutes ago, Ghost Rider said:

I didn’t want to write this straight after the game, as I wanted to sit and reflect and not “knee jerk” into a reaction. Enough is enough for me now. I actually love Pearson, but I can’t keep defending the obvious. We are absolutely rubbish, and I don’t think we should be. IMO we’ve got a squad that is packed full of talent, but I’ve never been so bored of the football we play (maybe SOD and the last few games of the Holden reign). I can’t keep defending Pearson’s record either. Is it time for someone with fresh ideas? I think so, as it’s clearly not working with NP. I’d be sad to lose him, but we just look lost as a team and he’s had long enough now. 
 

Really didn’t want to post that, but it’s how I feel. I hope I’m wrong and he turns it around. 

I was excited when NP took the job but am just starting to lose the faith. I think what concerns me most is that NP is always adamant that he isn't a coach. He says his strength is in man management and creating the right environment.

Saying he chooses people he can trust,for me, is not good man management. I accept I don't know Atkinson and Nige does. Maybe he believes this approach will work with him.

Whatever, the weaknesses to me appear to be about decision making and organisation. Putting players in their right positions who are comfortable there and instinctively know what they should do would surely help. He seems not to do this on a regular basis which is puzzling. No use motivating everyone if you then don't make best use of them.

If Nige's amazing man management skills are not what we need to sort these basic issues then maybe he is not the right man for this situation.

[hollydog]

2 hours ago, Andy082005 said:

100%. This club has needed new owners for some time 

How is SL to blame for the utter failure of our defence (whoever is selected) to do the basics week in and week out? He brought in an experienced manager who was also a highly regarded defender to address this problem (which has been an issue since we were printed) and has been let down. Down to the management team and players - not the owner.

[Mr Popodopolous]

2 hours ago, Andy082005 said:

100%. This club has needed new owners for some time 

What difference would a new owner make in the short to medium term- we couldn't spend anymore this season for a start. Say we are set to just about comply now, and can spend I dunno another £100k on strengthening this season to remain within FFP.

Well that would be applicable to a new owner too.

Edited December 17, 2022 by Mr Popodopolous

[Mr Roper]

Its time for NP to go .He does not inspire me as a fan and cannot see how he inspires the players. I also think some of the younger players may be intimidated by him .

[Super]

45 minutes ago, Ska Junkie said:

All about opinions WSM, nothing wrong with differing views. I thought it was awful but totally respect your opinion.

Even though he's wrong...

[GrahamC]

1 hour ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Thought we performed significantly better vs Watford and Sheffield United at home.

Was it just me or did everything seem a bit flat today? Performance, the crowd. Vs Watford was genuinely quite impressed with both, we even scored first today and had little spells in 1st half. Ultimately though we were not good enough although perhaps still didn't deserve to lose.

We did play better in those games, though I didn’t think we were worth a point today.

[GrahamC]

1 hour ago, headhunter said:

Is this not a poor indictment of Pearson managerial capability 88 games into his time as boss? The alternative view is that the players are a bunch of wasters just picking up a wage

Got anyone in mind with that comment?

I mean before he scored 22 goals in a season you used to say that Weimann just “ran around” so you must be thinking of some of them in particular?

James? King? Wells? Be interested to know.

[bcfc01]

15 minutes ago, Dr Balls said:

Don’t drop Weimann, just don’t play him at right wing back where he is wasted. 
 

That’s one of my biggest gripes with Pearson. Too many players played out of position, in some forlorn hope that they will somehow pick up how to play there, instead of trying to forge a team that is greater than the sun of its parts. The latter is what I perceive good managers do, and that usually means playing players in their best positions, not trying to shoehorn them into some formation that doesn’t best suit the players you have.

 

100%

A midfielder at centre back and Weimann at wing back. We got away with it at Rotherham and possibly a couple of other games, but I'm fed up of seeing it. 

Absolutely no need for it and its to the detriment of the team.

About time he played his strongest team, not try to shoe horn certain players into the team. That means square pegs in square holes and dropping players he likes or "trusts" . If we play three at the back, select three f****** centre backs, if we have wing backs, then play f****** wing backs or at least players who can play wing back.  When things started going pear shaped, LJ used to bleat about players he can trust, that ended well and it looks like this might go the same way.

Just play the best players in their best positions ffs.

We have no option but to keep going with NP as getting rid is probably beyond the club financially. But he needs to up his game or we will be looking at a Bristol derby for the first time in decades.

 

 

[Rob k]

That was as bad as it gets today - we concede the worst goals and it’s not getting any better 

[Bristol Oil Services]

3 hours ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

I am always asked to name a new Manager so I'd like you to name a new owner please.

Ben Stokes

[Wrongagain]

Last season weimann scored for fun - this he is taking throw ins when he should be a receiving forward! This and other strange decisions is on NP’s head as is the reliance on his out of position old boys club - FFS as bad as we are playing now we could pass the gas on the way down - FFS try some man management Nigel, you of all people know how stupid some of your selections are! King was an ok stop gap defender but he is not and never was suited to that role - you talk about trust, how about you earn it?

[The Swan and Cemetery]

55 minutes ago, Dr Balls said:

Don’t drop Weimann, just don’t play him at right wing back where he is wasted. 
 

That’s one of my biggest gripes with Pearson. Too many players played out of position, in some forlorn hope that they will somehow pick up how to play there, instead of trying to forge a team that is greater than the sum of its parts. The latter is what I perceive good managers do, and that usually means playing players in their best positions, not trying to shoehorn them into some formation that doesn’t best suit the players you have.

 

Weimann is clearly in our best XI players, but not sure we’ve got the squad for anything other than 5-3-2 for now, and don’t think he fits into that without dropping Conway or Wells. Doesn’t reflect his abilities, just the overall state of the squad. 

[W-S-M Seagull]

1 hour ago, redsquirrel said:

if any manager said that about anyone,how could they possibly expect a player to start working his socks off knowing he isnt favoured

Imagine the sheer embarrassment amongst your peers if your manager said that about you in public and that's exactly why Pearson has said it. He wants other players to fear that happening to them. 

Hopefully it will also give the lad a boot up the ass. We've been far too nice at Bristol for far too long. These players need to hear some home truths and if they can't handle it then they don't have the right minerals to be a Bristol City player. 

We're a football club that should be striving to achieve. Not a football club where its just a nice play to play football, nice place to live etc. 

[Herbsley]

Forgive me as I don’t post that often. Sat there today which could easily be described as poor to say the least. Sat next to mate discussing the Pearson conundrum and thought he hit the nail on the head. For as long as I’ve been watching City and it’s been pre Div 1 promotion we’ve consistently demanded a ‘big name manager’ to sort us out! Well we’ve now had one for best part of two seasons and still no further forward. 
In my opinion we have the makings of a feckin good squad but for some reason we get beaten up by teams like Stoke, and sorry but 2 years in I reckon there only lies one fault!

All this toilet about Lansdown out is quite frankly laughable. The man has put us into what I appreciate at the mo ain’t great but we are an established Championship side which for the 40 years plus I’ve been watching we’ve never managed until now.

back to the original bent. IMHO I think Pearson had his day and to go forward I’d quite like someone who gave a sh1re!!

 

off to put Helmet on 

[headhunter]

33 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

Got anyone in mind with that comment?

I mean before he scored 22 goals in a season you used to say that Weimann just “ran around” so you must be thinking of some of them in particular?

James? King? Wells? Be interested to know.

Hey Graham, listen to the pod tomorrow at 10 and you'll have a load of ammo to wade in with  your usual assassination of OUR opinions!

[GrahamC]

6 minutes ago, headhunter said:

Hey Graham, listen to the pod tomorrow at 10 and you'll have a load of ammo to wade in with  your usual assassination of OUR opinions!

No I won’t be listening or replying, don’t worry.

Still didn’t say who you think is a waster though, did you?

[Barrs Court Red]

1 hour ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

What difference would a new owner make in the short to medium term- we couldn't spend anymore this season for a start. Say we are set to just about comply now, and can spend I dunno another £100k on strengthening this season to remain within FFP.

Well that would be applicable to a new owner too.

There’s more to owning a business than just finance.  

[headhunter]

Just now, GrahamC said:

No I won’t be listening or replying, don’t worry.

Still didn’t say who you think is a waster though, did you?

No one in particular, I was just throwing the comment out there! 

No complaints from you today then? 

[eardun]

24 minutes ago, The Swan and Cemetery said:

Weimann is clearly in our best XI players, but not sure we’ve got the squad for anything other than 5-3-2 for now, and don’t think he fits into that without dropping Conway or Wells. Doesn’t reflect his abilities, just the overall state of the squad. 

We’ve coped with 5-2-1-2 in the past (with Weimann the 1). In addition Sykes and Pring are comfortable moving into midfield areas to add weight there so at times it would be 3-4-1-2

[Mr Popodopolous]

4 minutes ago, Barrs Court Red said:

There’s more to owning a business than just finance.  

Oh absolutely. 

Drive, strategy, new ideas, energy to name a few- fresh impetus. I am just saying that not much would change inn the short to medium term as far as who we could attract goes, IMO of course.

[Barrs Court Red]

1 minute ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Oh absolutely. 

Drive, strategy, new ideas, energy to name a few- fresh impetus. I am just saying that not much would change inn the short to medium term as far as who we could attract goes, IMO of course.

For one it removes the uncertainty. 

[Bas's perfect hattrick]

1 hour ago, Jerseybean said:

And showed a glimpse of quality with his assist 

Ridiculous that he's been frozen out by Pearson the whole season

[GrahamC]

7 minutes ago, headhunter said:

No one in particular, I was just throwing the comment out there! 

No complaints from you today then? 

That’s a ridiculous comment then, no one in particular is a waster but I’ll still say it anyway.

I thought we were poor & didn’t agree with those who thought we were worth a point & think we are in a relegation scrap.

I understand the context of why we are where we are but we still need to do better than we did today.

Difference is I won’t just “throw something out there” & then have absolutely nothing to back it up with.

[AppyDAZE]

1 hour ago, Rob k said:

That was as bad as it gets today - we concede the worst goals and it’s not getting any better 

Oh my word, are you in for a big surprise.

Unless it was a typo and you meant to say cold.

Edited December 17, 2022 by AppyDAZE

[Dredd]

It's great how NP moans at the interviewer for not asking the right questions, then gives an answer which does nothing other than open up a can of worms as to what's happened with Atkinson. 
Nobody here will say Atkinson has been poor this season, I'd say he's been decent, so why not say RA has been poor in training, or his attitude sucks, or he removed NP as a friend on Facebook. Don't ask for a better question then give an ambiguous answer. 
 

I've been very much NP in until now on the basis that he's had very little to spend and he's not working with his players. But if he's not playing the CB he spent 1.5m on, leaving him and the other CB he signed in Klose out of the squad, then I'm fast losing support for him with the way we are playing and the poor results. 

[Rob k]

2 minutes ago, AppyDAZE said:

Oh my word, are you in for a big surprise.

Well been going for 38 years or so, so not much surprises me anymore with City 

Edited December 17, 2022 by Rob k

[italian dave]

1 hour ago, bcfc01 said:

.

We have no option but to keep going with NP as getting rid is probably beyond the club financially. But he needs to up his game or we will be looking at a Bristol derby for the first time in decades.

 

 

If we’re lucky…..on recent form we could be swapping divisions with them.

[The Swan and Cemetery]

18 minutes ago, eardun said:

We’ve coped with 5-2-1-2 in the past (with Weimann the 1). In addition Sykes and Pring are comfortable moving into midfield areas to add weight there so at times it would be 3-4-1-2

Just about coped and with quite different personnel/style, including a reasonably in form Martin and Semenyo up top. Not sure going back to that, even with different players, is the way forward. But a fair point that if we can get our back 5 working well, the need for 3 more traditional centre mids is less compelling, but right here, right now, don’t think we’ve got that luxury. Maybe some Jan movements can help, but will need a really good 5 at the back (and GK) to enable 2 from Williams/James/Scott to be sufficient. 

[Kingswood Robin]

33 minutes ago, Barrs Court Red said:

There’s more to owning a business than just finance.  

Absolutely. The club needs an injection of enthusiasm and drive. 

Some match day presence and connection with supporters would go a long way too. We look like a club that's just functioning and nothing more. We need to look like a club that's functioning and means business.

[Red_Alligator]

1 minute ago, Kingswood Robin said:

Absolutely. The club needs an injection of enthusiasm and drive. 

Some match day presence and connection with supporters would go a long way too. We look like a club that's just functioning and nothing more. We need to look like a club that's functioning and means business.

The enthusiasm and drive for the "business" is there, I'm certain, Kingswood. Trouble is, the business concerned is Bristol Sport, not Bristol City Football Club.

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

3 hours ago, exAtyeoMax said:

No it’s not. It could be any Tom, Dick or Harry buying the club. 
 

has there been any news as to who is replacing Richard Gould?

Replacement of a manager, CEO, Chairman or owner is, imo, about change. As fans we can invariably identify that change is necessary but rarely who with.

[OldlandReddies]

Really disappointed today. Played poorly against a very poor side . Not good at all. No positives from me. 

[cidered abroad]

15 minutes ago, OldlandReddies said:

Really disappointed today. Played poorly against a very poor side . Not good at all. No positives from me. 

Complete agreement.

[Top Robin]

35 minutes ago, OldlandReddies said:

Really disappointed today. Played poorly against a very poor side . Not good at all. No positives from me. 

Could be said about many games this season and last - it's just not good enough.

[Ska Junkie]

3 hours ago, Super said:

Even though he's wrong...

To be fair super, while I agree with you, any poster is entitled to their opinion, even if we disagree.

[Keepers Ball]

So we have a manager that is losing the plot. It looks apparent, the most people no longer have any trust in Pearson.

I

[Cov 77]

9 hours ago, OldlandReddies said:

Really disappointed today. Played poorly against a very poor side . Not good at all. No positives from me. 

Usually glass half full but yesterday was not a good experience, cold and dank day , had the game in the bag until the equaliser then all changed , first shot  they had , the atmosphere which for all the whinging on here has in my opinion has  been ok in recent times but yesterday was terrible, what the hell the so called ‘singing section’ was doing i don’t know , but singing wasn’t it for sure , managed to piss off for their 38th minute drink as usual though so the ground was empty for the last five minutes of the half which really helps

For all that I am starting to worry about Pearson, been right behind him as know what a tough job he’s doing , no money because of the complete cock up of previous administrations, brought a lot of our excellent young players through and still looking like progress being made , but the likes of putting out to grass anyone who he falls out with and square pegs in round holes is getting concerning .

One thing on the ‘new ‘ manager front is I know a Coventry fan who thinks Mark Robins is getting exasperated with the situation there , just saying would be a good fit 

[Lack of Action Man]

Is it bad that I far more enjoy the social aspect of Matchday (I.e. meet up in pub beforehand, half time pasty, post game pub pit stop) than the actual football on offer? 

[One Team]

22 minutes ago, OddBallJim said:

Is it bad that I far more enjoy the social aspect of Matchday (I.e. meet up in pub beforehand, half time pasty, post game pub pit stop) than the actual football on offer? 

Not at all, this has always been the case for me. Quite often the actual game itself is an interruption, sometimes good, sometimes not. For me it’s always about seeing friends, having a beer, having a laugh, the match day banter with fellow fans and opposing ones etc. 

Edited December 18, 2022 by One Team

[RedM]

A poor showing from two poor teams, not a great advert for Championship football.

Not sure how the club is meant to sell Half Season tickets when they have this to show people. The seats in front of my ST seats are vacant so I get different people there most games. Yesterday there was what I assume was Dad and two young boys, probably around 5 and 8 years old. It was obviously their first visit to AG and likely their first professional football match, although one of them had a West Ham  bobble hat. The children looked cold and bored and they didn't return to their seats after HT. I might be wrong but it looked to me like that's 3 that won't return. 

I know you aren't going to get wins every game, but yesterday had very little entertainment or atmosphere either. Maybe the youngsters I saw would have been better off in the family area. All I know is that I felt sad for them, or maybe they've just had a lucky escape?

[lenred]

14 minutes ago, RedM said:

A poor showing from two poor teams, not a great advert for Championship football.

Not sure how the club is meant to sell Half Season tickets when they have this to show people. The seats in front of my ST seats are vacant so I get different people there most games. Yesterday there was what I assume was Dad and two young boys, probably around 5 and 8 years old. It was obviously their first visit to AG and likely their first professional football match, although one of them had a West Ham  bobble hat. The children looked cold and bored and they didn't return to their seats after HT. I might be wrong but it looked to me like that's 3 that won't return. 

I know you aren't going to get wins every game, but yesterday had very little entertainment or atmosphere either. Maybe the youngsters I saw would have been better off in the family area. All I know is that I felt sad for them, or maybe they've just had a lucky escape?

Atmosphere was absolutely dreadful yesterday I thought.  Even when we were winning.   As someone has said above there just seems to be a general malaise around AG these days but yesterday it really stood out for me.   

Edited December 18, 2022 by lenred

[Unan]

Alex Neil really is the shitester king in unsportsmanlike conduct, master of dark arts, a cheat

[frenchred]

3 minutes ago, Marcus Aurelius said:

Alex Neil really is the shitester king in unsportsmanlike conduct, master of dark arts, a cheat

But he wins

[GrahamC]

14 minutes ago, lenred said:

Atmosphere was absolutely dreadful yesterday I thought.  Even when we were winning.   As someone has said above there just seems to be a general malaise around AG these days but yesterday it really stood out for me.   

Agree, the combination of Black Saturday, it being on the red button & it being absolutely freezing of late (I know a fair few who are unwell) meant it was a low crowd who seemed like they were there out of duty, not good all round.

6 minutes ago, Marcus Aurelius said:

Alex Neil really is the shitester king in unsportsmanlike conduct, master of dark arts, a cheat

He is, but as he’s been doing this stuff for years when at Preston, (the masters of the fake head injury) then briefly at Sunderland, it should hardly have come as a surprise.

His teams are a dreadful watch but he’s effective, people will put up with it when you’re winning but it’s not much fun when you’re on a poor run.

[Red_Alligator]

1 hour ago, OddBallJim said:

Is it bad that I far more enjoy the social aspect of Matchday (I.e. meet up in pub beforehand, half time pasty, post game pub pit stop) than the actual football on offer? 

Not at all Jim. I'm sure most of us feel the same way. 

[Bazooka Joe]

Thinking about those two free-kicks in the first half, where we tried to do something clever instead of getting the ball into their box, and badly cocked it up.

Why do our players keep gettong it so terribly wrong?

Either these "rehearsed" free-kicks simply don't work or our players are totally incapable of implementing the coaching they've received.

By the way, I'm not just suggesting we should have pumped a high ball into the box for the giant Souttar to head away.

But, even that would have been better than what eventually transpired.

 

 

[Lew-T]

18 hours ago, Northern Red said:

And, lo, the narrative was set.

As I said earlier, manna from heaven for certain people. Absolutely revelling in it.

You can take the piss at others, but you can’t ignore that shite yesterday.

[Red-Robbo]

3 hours ago, frenchred said:

But he wins

 

Well, Stoke only have two more points than us, so he's no master-at-work.  A competent ref would've carded some of their simulation, punished their fouls off the ball and potentially awarded us a penalty. Not to mention the corner he missed.

We were poor as a unit, and it wasn't the ref's fault we lost though.  Pearson's duff decisions hobbled us unnecessarily. Man-for-man I thought we had better player - at least in midfield and attack - but poor selection, poor coaching, poor subs, meant we were unable to take the point we deserved. 

[Midred]

Remind me not.to go on Robins tv again, my win rate is 10%!

[RedM]

59 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

Well, Stoke only have two more points than us, so he's no master-at-work.  A competent ref would've carded some of their simulation, punished their fouls off the ball and potentially awarded us a penalty. Not to mention the corner he missed.

We were poor as a unit, and it wasn't the ref's fault we lost though.  Pearson's duff decisions hobbled us unnecessarily. Man-for-man I thought we had better player - at least in midfield and attack - but poor selection, poor coaching, poor subs, meant we were unable to take the point we deserved. 

Agreed. I don't think we did enough to win the game, but we shouldn't have lost it either.

Yes Stoke were negative with their gameplay but as the home team we should be able to impose ourselves onto them instead of being sucked in and forced to play their way. And not only Stoke, this seems to happen too much. We try to play a bit of attractive football then get respondent and give up, we don't have a plan B that works. If we can't match a physical team then we got to unlock them a different way, be smarter.

[Red-Robbo]

4 minutes ago, RedM said:

Agreed. I don't think we did enough to win the game, but we shouldn't have lost it either.

Yes Stoke were negative with their gameplay but as the home team we should be able to impose ourselves onto them instead of being sucked in and forced to play their way. And not only Stoke, this seems to happen too much. We try to play a bit of attractive football then get respondent and give up, we don't have a plan B that works. If we can't match a physical team then we got to unlock them a different way, be smarter.

 

An example was the 10-player handbags incident near the end of the 90.  It was just what Stoke and Alex Neil wanted. Wasted about 45 seconds with pointless jostling and the ref trying to calm the situation. I bet precisely 0 seconds were added to the clock for that.

You gotta be canny, ignore the noise and just focus on getting the ball up the pitch and into their net. 

Edited December 18, 2022 by Red-Robbo

[RedM]

14 minutes ago, Midred said:

Remind me not.to go on Robins tv again, my win rate is 10%!

I haven't checked it out but someone said to me that our win rate on Saturday at 3pm was fairly non existent too.

[italian dave]

7 minutes ago, RedM said:

I haven't checked it out but someone said to me that our home win rate on Saturday at 3pm was fairly non existent too.

1 point from 5 games after yesterdays game.