FBC Podcast: STOKE [H] the verdict .... play offs not out of the question!

[headhunter]

https://foreverbristolcity.podbean.com/e/stoke-h-the-verdict-play-offs-not-out-of-the-question/ [Also on Spotify, Apple & Google]

Opening title comment made somewhat tongue in cheek!! This has become more about Pearson's comments on "trust". Who would have thought 6 months ago that Zak Vyner would now be seen as the first choice central defender?! Fair play to him plus Pring & Wells too who both did OK yesterday

At 3.45 I looked at the league table and thought, hang on to the three points and we're just 4 points off the play offs but the eventual defeat and aspects of our performance sees us looking over our shoulders rather than upwards.

A flat atmosphere came to life with Scott's shot that was saved then the Wells, Weimann 1-2 that saw the Austrian hit the post when a goal would have been a just outcome. The goal from Wells, his 8th, was down to a superb cross from Pring. More of this please

45+2 and King loses out in a challenge that a recognised central defender would have cleared and the same naturally attacking midfielder hashed his clearance on the hour with James unable to reach the ball and the Stoke striker pounced to score the winner.

We had chances to draw level but never tested the keeper.

The main talking point however was the content of Pearson's post match interview with BBC's Ali Durden in which our manager publicly threw under the bus the defender he paid £1.6M for with his "need to have players I can trust" comment as justification for selecting King.

Atkinson & Klose didn't make the matchday 18, Tanner made way for Vyner when it would have made more sense to play Tanner at RWB rather than Weimann. But then how do you accommodate the Austrian without leaving out Scott or one of Conway or Wells.

Ian & DaveP analyse the situation and are in agreement in their lack of confidence in Pearson to spend wisely any money he might have in January.

Can City deny WBA a sixth successive win on Boxing Day? Not impossible in this division where the margins between success and failure are finer than usual. How will everyone feel if three weeks today we are out of the cup and in the bottom 3?

 

[Davefevs]

I still don’t get the lack of confidence in Pearson to spend any money when he’s not had any to spend so far across three windows (this one about to be the 4th)…Atkinson aside.  How do you reach that opinion?

Based on free transfers?  Some of which are lower league players at that or aging OOC players outside of the windows?

He’s not really had much chance to prove one way or the other.  That’s the reality.  Before I get Atkinson thrown back at me…the criticism yesterday also contained three words “at the moment”, so he hasn’t written him off.

No team in the champ recruited less players than us in the summer!

The usual suspects of teams that recruit well all spent more than us not just this summer but last summer too (Luton, Millwall, Preston, Coventry, etc).  Most of them did in the summer of 2021 also.  Our finances have completely hamstrung us for three summers!

If he does generate some usable transfer funds from whatever avenue, then I think he gets deserves the opportunity to spend some if it himself.  We will see Tinnion’s recruitment come under scrutiny now.  He’s now fronting this up.  The clarity of the recruitment accountability hasn’t been there in the past, and led to it being the blame of one or more people (without going over old ground).  It’s now Tinnion’s cock on the block.  Maybe it’s the set up we needed, I hope so.

[W-S-M Seagull]

Ian was asked a question that he clearly didn't know the answer and replied "I don't care" incredibly rude. He came across as very passive aggressive this week. 

[W-S-M Seagull]

11 hours ago, Tafkarmlf said:

Dave with all due respect, your continued support, or devil's advocate stuff about Nige is beginning to wear really thin. 

Judge him on players? 

Tanner, fee, bit part, seemingly frozen out

Atkinson, fee, seemingly frozen out. 

Kane Wilson, fee, frozen out before injury 

I seem to recall we've paid a fee for Ewan Clark too. 

We've also worked some bosman magic. 

However his signings are where?? 

We've had Danny Simpson, epoch defining fail. 

Duncan Idehen, come through, play, get bombed out

Tim Klose, went from astute signing to wreck within 6 months. 

Sykes in and out like a yo yo before injury 

Bajic 1,appearance after being injured, nothing of note since. 

Naismith is a highlight 

King and James are disasters in many eyes. 

We're playing a knackered cm as Cb, a striker as a rwb, something he's done before see Sam Bell etc

We've sidelined talent, cutting our noses to spite our faces. Because contract, or fall out or 'trust' . (LJ did that spiel after we got dicked at Preston and blamed Maggers for everything despite being thrown to the wolves, sound familiar??) 

The football is shit, one of the reasons I've stopped watching, we're tactically naive after nearly 3 years and still get taken apart by basics. 

Yet still here we are trying to defend him. 

The impressive progression of young players has stopped or reversrd massively in some cases and were at the GJ / LJ tombola stage of picking the team. 

The radio interview was unbelievable. 

Unless a miracle happens, I'd venture NP not long before the chop. Someone else who ever that is will have to finish his work, because Pearson isnt currently it. 

 

 

Tanner - Brought as one for the future. Just about starting to get in the team. 

Atkinson - He himself admitted he struggled to recover from illnesses. Pearson clearly feels he could be more enthusiastic about recovering from them. 

Wilson - Sykes fine early form kept him out. Then got injured. 

Danny Simpson - Can understand Pearson bringing him in to help install his culture in the club. 

Idehan - Not bombed out, just needed to go away and play which he failed to do which vindicates the decision to not play him. 

Klose - Something clearly happened in his personal life over the summer that has affected him. Not been the same player since. 

Sykes - Did well up til his sending off. Not been the same player since.

Bajic - Terrible game against Lincoln. 

King and James - King has done his absolute best at CB. We are a much better team with James in it than without him. 

The football really isn't shit. Should have beat the likes of Watford, Swansea etc. Your letting results cloud your judgement. Maybe if you watched you'd know that? 

The progression of young players has reversed? Are you actually for real? 

Tombola? We made 1 change from the week before. 

Why was the interview unbelievable? You clear want us to improve but you find a manager giving a player a kick up the ass as unbelievable? 

[glynriley]

4 hours ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

Tanner - Brought as one for the future. Just about starting to get in the team. 

Atkinson - He himself admitted he struggled to recover from illnesses. Pearson clearly feels he could be more enthusiastic about recovering from them. 

Wilson - Sykes fine early form kept him out. Then got injured. 

Danny Simpson - Can understand Pearson bringing him in to help install his culture in the club. 

Idehan - Not bombed out, just needed to go away and play which he failed to do which vindicates the decision to not play him. 

Klose - Something clearly happened in his personal life over the summer that has affected him. Not been the same player since. 

Sykes - Did well up til his sending off. Not been the same player since.

Bajic - Terrible game against Lincoln. 

King and James - King has done his absolute best at CB. We are a much better team with James in it than without him. 

The football really isn't shit. Should have beat the likes of Watford, Swansea etc. Your letting results cloud your judgement. Maybe if you watched you'd know that? 

The progression of young players has reversed? Are you actually for real? 

Tombola? We made 1 change from the week before. 

Why was the interview unbelievable? You clear want us to improve but you find a manager giving a player a kick up the ass as unbelievable? 

Just to point out,from the absolute nonsense you replied to (Ewan Clark )

It’s not nearly 3 years, it’s 2 at the end of February. 

[daored]

6 hours ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

Tanner - Brought as one for the future. Just about starting to get in the team. 

Atkinson - He himself admitted he struggled to recover from illnesses. Pearson clearly feels he could be more enthusiastic about recovering from them. 

Wilson - Sykes fine early form kept him out. Then got injured. 

Danny Simpson - Can understand Pearson bringing him in to help install his culture in the club. 

Idehan - Not bombed out, just needed to go away and play which he failed to do which vindicates the decision to not play him. 

Klose - Something clearly happened in his personal life over the summer that has affected him. Not been the same player since. 

Sykes - Did well up til his sending off. Not been the same player since.

Bajic - Terrible game against Lincoln. 

King and James - King has done his absolute best at CB. We are a much better team with James in it than without him. 

The football really isn't shit. Should have beat the likes of Watford, Swansea etc. Your letting results cloud your judgement. Maybe if you watched you'd know that? 

The progression of young players has reversed? Are you actually for real? 

Tombola? We made 1 change from the week before. 

Why was the interview unbelievable? You clear want us to improve but you find a manager giving a player a kick up the ass as unbelievable? 

When it comes to recruitment we’ve got to consider how much we’ve actually spent and where buying from. Wilson, Klose, Naismith, James, King all free transfers. 
 

Tanner and Atkinson cost us about £2.5 million together , either played at this level before - Atkinson was playing non league football couple of seasons back, Wilson also highest level played at (personally would send him out to a league 1 club for second half of season for regular football and at a higher level played at).

Pearson is shopping in the free transfer market and a spending money on untried players at lower levels. Should we be doing better , yes. Is Pearson the right man I’m not totally sure but I do agree with his comments if he goes the same problems persist 

[GrahamC]

37 minutes ago, daored said:

When it comes to recruitment we’ve got to consider how much we’ve actually spent and where buying from. Wilson, Klose, Naismith, James, King all free transfers. 
 

Tanner and Atkinson cost us about £2.5 million together , either played at this level before - Atkinson was playing non league football couple of seasons back, Wilson also highest level played at (personally would send him out to a league 1 club for second half of season for regular football and at a higher level played at).

Pearson is shopping in the free transfer market and a spending money on untried players at lower levels. Should we be doing better , yes. Is Pearson the right man I’m not totally sure but I do agree with his comments if he goes the same problems persist 

Atkinson & Tanner cost less than £2m combined & as the former was the vast majority of that, we have no idea how that specific deal is structured.

So the £1.6m could be a £1m flat fee, rest based on appearances, for instance.

People can rightly criticise Pearson for not playing him, but he’s spent very little.

[Sir Geoff]

52 minutes ago, Tafkarmlf said:

Sorry didn't see this yesterday.

Tombola.Do we play with a CM at CB and a Striker at Right Wingback?

Have we played many different players out of position all season Tanner as CB when signed as a Right Back who can play on the left.

Previous managers have been hailed over the Coles for this from playing Pitman as winger, Carey In Midfield. Brunt as CM Sam Bell as a Wing back ... And so on

Whether Kings done his best at CB is irrelevant he isn't a CB and we have actual CBs frozen out for whatever reasons.

Idehen has totally been bombed out, attitude I believe.

Progression of young players reversed. Alex Scott seems to have reverted to his yellow card machine 9 this season eh?, Semenyo can't start and is often out of sorts, people have blamed agent change, prior to that world cup.not the same player .  

Tommy has scored 2 in 15 from a quick count on Soccerbase https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=134873

The football is shit, it's the major reason I've stopped watching. Same mistakes, same tactical naivety 

The interview on radio Bristol and subsequent clarification is literally s'od levels of derision 

Take the blinkers off mate, respectfully

 

Not a good example seeing that Tanner spent time in the summer training / working as a CB. Pearson trying to improve a player and stated (not wrongly imo) that  a full back should be able to switch inside and play in the centre. He did it the other way with Baker and people on here were purring after his performance at Cardiff. Other examples include Vyner / Kalas playing both positions.

Hauled over the coals.

 

[Clutton Caveman]

19 hours ago, Davefevs said:

I still don’t get the lack of confidence in Pearson to spend any money when he’s not had any to spend so far across three windows (this one about to be the 4th)…Atkinson aside.  How do you reach that opinion?

Based on free transfers?  Some of which are lower league players at that or aging OOC players outside of the windows?

He’s not really had much chance to prove one way or the other.  That’s the reality.  Before I get Atkinson thrown back at me…the criticism yesterday also contained three words “at the moment”, so he hasn’t written him off.

No team in the champ recruited less players than us in the summer!

The usual suspects of teams that recruit well all spent more than us not just this summer but last summer too (Luton, Millwall, Preston, Coventry, etc).  Most of them did in the summer of 2021 also.  Our finances have completely hamstrung us for three summers!

If he does generate some usable transfer funds from whatever avenue, then I think he gets deserves the opportunity to spend some if it himself.  We will see Tinnion’s recruitment come under scrutiny now.  He’s now fronting this up.  The clarity of the recruitment accountability hasn’t been there in the past, and led to it being the blame of one or more people (without going over old ground).  It’s now Tinnion’s cock on the block.  Maybe it’s the set up we needed, I hope so.

I just think that it is never good when a player gets thrown under the bus. Consider Pring, why did he have to be on the naughty step for months when DaSilva has hardly beat his man all season.

I wonder if King will on the naughty step now? No because he is one of the favourites and is allowed to make mistakes that are not tolerated in others.

To me it feels like a toxic environment with a scapegoat mentality. Bottom line is, we are worse off than this time last year. Our problems are largely the same as last year and that has to go down to management.

[GrahamC]

1 minute ago, Clutton Caveman said:

Bottom line is, we are worse off than this time last year. Our problems are largely the same as last year and that has to go down to management.

After 23 games last season we had 27 points, after 23 games this season, we also have 27 points, so whilst we can all have an opinion about various players, this bit is clearly not true.

[2015]

I might be in the minority but I think there has been a MAJOR overreaction to the BBC interview with NP. No wonder this club has always been a soft touch

[daored]

40 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

Atkinson & Tanner cost less than £2m combined & as the former was the vast majority of that, we have no idea how that specific deal is structured.

So the £1.6m could be a £1m flat fee, rest based on appearances, for instance.

People can rightly criticise Pearson for not playing him, but he’s spent very little.

I don’t disagree that he’s spent very little and in many ways is taking a gamble on players who’ve never played at this level before. I thought Atkinson was £2million 

[2015]

On the game on Saturday anyway - Deservedly took the lead. Individual errors from King and O'Leary cost us going in 1-1 at the break, we then start the 2nd half slowly and concede a soft goal. 

We were by no means awfully bad, it was just a poor result. Been a major overreaction

[GrahamC]

2 minutes ago, daored said:

I don’t disagree that he’s spent very little and in many ways is taking a gamble on players who’ve never played at this level before. I thought Atkinson was £2million 

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/brilliant-defender--bristol-city-5607762.amp 

[lenred]

4 minutes ago, 2015 said:

I might be in the minority but I think there has been a MAJOR overreaction to the BBC interview with NP. No wonder this club has always been a soft touch

I think your view would fit with the non vocal majority.

[2015]

12 minutes ago, lenred said:

I think your view would fit with the non vocal majority.

It's annoyed me more than our defeat at the weekend. Our fanbase must be the most reactionary bunch in the Country, or certainly up there. 

I don't think people realise how big the job was that NP took on in February 2021. The whole culture within the club has to change i'm afraid, none of this getting upset over our manager being rude, none of this bedwetting over a narrow defeat to a club at a similar level to ourselves. The culture needs to change and reading Adam Baker's tweet - I am now glad he has left the building.

[Kingswood Robin]

Play-offs? One home win since August. One that I couldn't get to !

I'd just like to see us win a game. 

 

[daored]

22 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/brilliant-defender--bristol-city-5607762.amp 

The ironic thing is on this very podcast not so long ago - it was being stated that the player wasn’t performing and wasn’t championship standard and was held up as a bad purchase by Pearson - this week Pearson is wrong for not playing him 

[GrahamC]

Just now, daored said:

The ironic thing is on this very podcast not so long ago - it was being stated that the player wasn’t performing and wasn’t championship standard and was held up as a bad purchase by Pearson - this week Pearson is wrong for not playing him 

Why are you remotely surprised?

It would only have been one of two on there who said this, either Waldorf or Statler..

[BrizzleRed]

20 minutes ago, 2015 said:

I might be in the minority but I think there has been a MAJOR overreaction to the BBC interview with NP. No wonder this club has always been a soft touch

Spot on.

We wanted to see the back of the BCFC cosy club for a long time and maybe this is Pearson’s way of making this happen.

it could be he wants to see how people respond to a good kick up the arse and the ones who respond well will get his undying trust.  Maybe Andy King has been in that position in the past and has passed the test.

Hopefully we’ll benefit from that in the long term, but not looking great in the short term though, but can’t see what orher options we have.

[2015]

Just now, BrizzleRed said:

Spot on.

We wanted to see the back of the BCFC cosy club for a long time and maybe this is Pearson’s way of making this happen.

it could be he wants to see how people respond to a good kick up the arse and the ones who respond well will get his undying trust.  Maybe Andy King has been in that position in the past and has passed the test.

Hopefully we’ll benefit from that in the long term, but not looking great in the short term though, but can’t see what orher options we have.

Problem is our simple fans like a smiley smiley manager who says cracking jokes after defeats and stupid punchlines to make themselves sound clever. 

Now we have a Manager who is seriously unhappy after a defeat and says things how he sees fit and it doesn't go down well. How's he supposed to act? All happy about the situation.

NP can't win with our fans

[Kingswood Robin]

6 minutes ago, 2015 said:

It's annoyed me more than our defeat at the weekend. Our fanbase must be the most reactionary bunch in the Country, or certainly up there. 

I don't think people realise how big the job was that NP took on in February 2021. The whole culture within the club has to change i'm afraid, none of this getting upset over our manager being rude, none of this bedwetting over a narrow defeat to a club at a similar level to ourselves. The culture needs to change and reading Adam Baker's tweet - I am now glad he has left the building.

Agree with all of this with the exception of the fanbase comment. We're not even close to being the worst, I'm amazed how tolerant we've been and continue to be. 25/30 years ago the crowd would have been far more vocal in expressing it's displeasure. 

[lenred]

12 minutes ago, 2015 said:

It's annoyed me more than our defeat at the weekend. Our fanbase must be the most reactionary bunch in the Country, or certainly up there. 

I don't think people realise how big the job was that NP took on in February 2021. The whole culture within the club has to change i'm afraid, none of this getting upset over our manager being rude, none of this bedwetting over a narrow defeat to a club at a similar level to ourselves. The culture needs to change and reading Adam Baker's tweet - I am now glad he has left the building.

Certain people just either still don’t want to understand or must be so unbelievably naive and stupid as to not realise.  It has been talked about and explained time and time and time again until people are blue in the face. But apparently those who do so are just ‘NP disciples’ and not just very understanding of the complete and utter **ck up of a position that we are currently in.  Yes Saturday was not much fun for anyone but shit happens when you are in our position.  There will be plenty more of that for at least the rest of this season and quite possibly into next. It’s where we are and as long as we stay up that all that currently matters.  

[2015]

1 minute ago, lenred said:

Certain people just either still don’t want to understand or must be so unbelievably naive and stupid as to not realise.  It has been talked about and explained time and time and time again until people are blue in the face. But apparently those who do so are just ‘NP disciples’ and not just very understanding of the complete and utter **ck up of a position that we are currently in.  Yes Saturday was not much fun for anyone but shit happens when you are in our position.  There will be plenty more of that for at least the rest of this season and quite possibly into next. It’s where we are and as long as we stay up that all that currently matters.  

When Mr P took over we were barely getting a shot on target in our home matches and our performances had been like this for a good 18 months before his take over in the majority of home games. 

Has anyone of us said NP has been perfect or not done a thing wrong in his time? No, we haven't. The job he has at hand was just a much bigger job than instant success. We're absolutely ****** on the FFP front and unfortunately stability and survival was his main task of his job here. That's the truth

1 minute ago, Tafkarmlf said:

People are more than aware of the job taken on 

People are judging on what they are seeing, there's calls all over the shop for change.

Sometimes the one that starts change doesn't get to finish it, and those giving a complete free pass are enabling this.

Terms like 'bedwettters' are thrown like confetti as those with narrow blinkers on seem to forgive the unforgivable and inexcusable time and time again.

People aren't reactionary, they've had enough same shit different day, excused in the name of progress, when they see none

 

You've wanted him gone the day he signed Danny Simpson so I would class you as reactionary.

[lenred]

2 minutes ago, Tafkarmlf said:

People are more than aware of the job taken on 

People are judging on what they are seeing, there's calls all over the shop for change.

Sometimes the one that starts change doesn't get to finish it, and those giving a complete free pass are enabling this.

Terms like 'bedwettters' are thrown like confetti as those with narrow blinkers on seem to forgive the unforgivable and inexcusable time and time again.

People aren't reactionary, they've had enough same shit different day, excused in the name of progress, when they see none

 

Yet in this very thread you've said you don’t watch anymore.  

[BrizzleRed]

4 minutes ago, 2015 said:

Problem is our simple fans like a smiley smiley manager who says cracking jokes after defeats and stupid punchlines to make themselves sound clever. 

Now we have a Manager who is seriously unhappy after a defeat and says things how he sees fit and it doesn't go down well. How's he supposed to act? All happy about the situation.

NP can't win with our fans

Oh, so true!

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed about our current situation and how slowly we are turning round and there are times NP really doesn’t help himself.

That said, I’ve never underestimated how big a job NP inherited and there was bound to be a lot of pain along the way.

There are a good few fans who just don’t and never wanted him here, that’s for sure.  I wonder how many of them are delicate flowers who don’t like being told if they aren’t doing their job properly?

Looking back at past successes at the club, Alan Dicks, Joe Jordan, GJ and Cott’s were all pretty forthright, so I’d definitely rather see that type in charge.

I just hope NP can start to get some results on the pitch to ease the pressure, as the generally aweful performance against a poor Stoke side definitely isn’t helping his case.

[lenred]

Just now, Tafkarmlf said:

Hence why I said people. jesus christ

I read something, something, free pass, cheap and widely disproven cheap dig, because you don't like that currently project NP isn't working 

It's amazing the lengths people will go to to keep the emperor's New Clothes going

Was the same with S'OD and took a change to get the best out of the changes he started.

Unfortunately like before it looks like it will take either more shite and stagnation before there's any sense of realisation.

SOD got us relegated and nearly relegated again before we changed direction.

Do we want to repeat for old times sake??

 

 

 

Oh dear ‘Jesus Christ’ what? You sit here telling us all how awful Pearson and the City are but you can’t even be bothered to watch us.   Kind of makes all your diatribes pointless.  

[exAtyeoMax]

26 minutes ago, 2015 said:

Problem is our simple fans like a smiley smiley manager who says cracking jokes after defeats and stupid punchlines to make themselves sound clever. 

Now we have a Manager who is seriously unhappy after a defeat and says things how he sees fit and it doesn't go down well. How's he supposed to act? All happy about the situation.

NP can't win with our fans

There’s a difference between being angry and saying something constructive, and being belligerent and rude. Why does everything have to be extremes? People being fed up with rudeness do not want a smiley happy clapper response!

I didn’t think the interview was any different to previous ones, perhaps the journos have had enough of his behaviour? I don’t know

[frenchred]

No matter what position we are in as a club and we appear to be in a shit state I agree, our situation is being exasperated by a coach with dated ideas who insists on playing players out of position.

People would (I believe) be more forgiving if he was not so pig headed and appeared to be helping our situation 

Until that happens I am firmly in the Pearson out camp

 

 

 

[pillred]

36 minutes ago, 2015 said:

Problem is our simple fans like a smiley smiley manager who says cracking jokes after defeats and stupid punchlines to make themselves sound clever. 

Now we have a Manager who is seriously unhappy after a defeat and says things how he sees fit and it doesn't go down well. How's he supposed to act? All happy about the situation.

NP can't win with our fans

Can't seem to win with our players either. (yes I know I know).

Edited December 19, 2022 by pillred
Punctuation.