We can’t compete

[Northern Red]

Players seemingly now can't just have a poor run of form, it has to be something more noteworthy like "gone backwards".

[Lew-T]

49 minutes ago, Northern Red said:

Players seemingly now can't just have a poor run of form, it has to be something more noteworthy like "gone backwards".

Do you ever add anything?

Apart from picking posts apart.

[Northern Red]

5 minutes ago, Lew-T said:

Do you ever add anything?

Apart from picking posts apart.

Eh?

I don't set out to pick posts apart, but equally I think that some of the reaction since full time yesterday is OTT, and I don't think it's wrong to point that out.

[Numero Uno]

15 hours ago, Simon bristol said:

No one thinks we are going to spend 10 million on a player, getting twine in for 3-4 ought to have been possible though. to get some championship quality in will likely cost 3/4 million these days. If the club sells scott and isnt willing to finance these types of signings we might as well give up.

Fair points but we’ve got to remember that if the money isn’t spent then the responsibility lies beyond the Manager. He’s not saying the squad doesn’t need money spent on it, more a case of the money won’t be made available. Notwithstanding our injury issues which will improve us when they improve the squad is still one or two light imo. We desperately need a ball carrier for a start. A midfield three of James, Williams and Knight doesn’t help us in attacking areas.

[Numero Uno]

1 hour ago, Lew-T said:

Do you ever add anything?

Apart from picking posts apart.

Treating every defeat like the world has caved in isn’t adding much though. It’s the polarisation of everything that grates on many. We will lose games, fans will dissect it but bagging lads like Bell as not good enough cos he had a poor game isn’t adding much either. If it was his  fifth shit game in a row then by all means form the opinion but not after one!! The truth is he shouldn’t have been played centrally and when he went out wide Bacuna played him well, that happens - oppo players are allowed to have a great game.

[Lew-T]

4 hours ago, Numero Uno said:

Treating every defeat like the world has caved in isn’t adding much though. It’s the polarisation of everything that grates on many. We will lose games, fans will dissect it but bagging lads like Bell as not good enough cos he had a poor game isn’t adding much either. If it was his  fifth shit game in a row then by all means form the opinion but not after one!! The truth is he shouldn’t have been played centrally and when he went out wide Bacuna played him well, that happens - oppo players are allowed to have a great game.

I get that. Who has bagged Bell though?

I agree I don’t think Bell should have played centrally either. He is much more effective on the left, and we nearly scored with him running down the wing and putting in a lovely ball for Nahki.

[Guest]

As Brighton and Brentford are currently 1st and 3rd in the prem, can I ask what are we doing so wrong that we are not in the same league as them, at least? poor manager/staff selection can only be the reason, we have the supporter numbers.

[RedRoss]

On 19/08/2023 at 19:13, Topper 123 said:

But by by I’m sure you’ll miss me 

always found in bs3 just inside door before games if you’d like a conversation  just ask for Steve maggs always willing to accommodate 

Chill out Ronnie Pickering..

[formerly known as ivan]

On 19/08/2023 at 18:38, Gert Mare said:

Spending vast sums of money guarantees nothing.

What if we fork out £9 million on a proven goal scorer only to find out that he has done his ACL at the training ground and is out for the rest of the season?

Shoving youngsters into the team is a bad idea? Where would the £25 million from Scott be if we had stopped doing that and had paid over the odds to sign someone who probably wants a hefty wage to go with it?

Losing Tommy and Andi Weimann is a big blow to us, but spunking money on Championship players would end up with us failing FFP and having points deducted.

There is the talent in League One and Two so if we were to spend I’d be happier to spend it there.

Just need to find the right type of replacement for Scott and it won’t necessarily have to cost millions.

Not spending money guarantees something… another poor season!

Youngsters are great. We’d all love the see a starting 11 of academy players get us promoted, but reality is that won’t happen. They need to play when they are ready/good enough, not just because we don’t want to spend any money!

[BCFCGav]

Worth noting a win on Friday, which is far from impossible by the way, and we're 2W 1D 1L. And through in the cup. That's a strong start. 

I think we should challenge the Dickie red card, but if not we can use Naismith and Vyner centrally and hopefully get back to the strong defending of the first three matches of the season, and scrap another good away win.

[Grey Fox]

To answer this thread’s question, we can do enough to stay in this league, but there is no intention/ ambition to do any more than that.

[wheretheheartis]

For me, the first attack they had, showed what they had more than us. We don't seem to have anyone that can go past someone and drag people out of position.

[Fred89]

On 19/08/2023 at 17:46, Topper 123 said:

For all those happy clappers out there take heed , for the top brass to come out with a statement like that “ we cannot compete “ shows that they expect defeat , well us city fans have had years of that and are fed up to the back teeth with being served up SHIT week in week out , we sell the Crown Jewels and then  invest in Lidl , if you keep buying league 1 or 2 players we become a league 1 or 2 team we need quality weather from abroad or here , one minute owners say we don’t have to sell , then cop £25 million but can’t invest ? Does that make sense , let’s please get some owners in that have the FOOTBALL CLUB in the forefront of their agenda and not just buying investments in properties ie training grounds and pushing 17 year old under developed youngsters onto the pitch 

Completely agree we will watch Ipswich this year which I will take satisfaction from with all the Ashton/Johnson bashers on this forum who seem to forget we were underachieving long before they had a go 

Another club to add to the long long list of clubs to have been to the Premier League or had a promotion challenge in the time we have had one tilt in 30 years (not even competitive for play offs apart from 18-19) then we sold our best players again!

I don’t understand it we are told we have to sell but Luton and Brentford made play offs or looked good for years and built they didn’t have to sell!

Why every time a hint of Premier League interest comes for one of our players do we all just have to accept “oh he’s off in the summer for sure” these players are ours contracted to play for us!

If we told Scott /Webster/ Reid/Bryan listen we are keeping you for another season we’re not far away and we’re taking a gamble with you to get us to the next level! They aren’t the type of lads to say I’m not playing !

You don’t succeed selling your best players it’s madness and pathetic. Let’s pluck another player from League 1 and sell him if he’s any good  

The lack of ambition is exhausting. Even Pearson vented frustration at losing Scott publicly so I imagine he was further pissed behind the scenes 

[Fred89]

4 hours ago, wtf said:

As Brighton and Brentford are currently 1st and 3rd in the prem, can I ask what are we doing so wrong that we are not in the same league as them, at least? poor manager/staff selection can only be the reason, we have the supporter numbers.

Quite simply if we have a player who has one good season we sell them immediately! Who cares if they leave on a free Reid/Bryan perfect example of this they had one good season each at this level and were key players ! Lansdown couldn’t wait to sell

And he has previous all the way back to selling Scott Murray and Leroy Lita one good season we cash in that’s not how you succeed!

Brenford and Brighton don’t sell unless they have a replacement in ! We sell because the money is too good to turn down! Well turn it down because we want success 

Edited August 21, 2023 by Fred89

[bcfc01]

2 hours ago, BCFCGav said:

Worth noting a win on Friday, which is far from impossible by the way, and we're 2W 1D 1L. And through in the cup. That's a strong start. 

I think we should challenge the Dickie red card, but if not we can use Naismith and Vyner centrally and hopefully get back to the strong defending of the first three matches of the season, and scrap another good away win.

I don't think clubs can challenge yellow or second yellow cards, just straight reds.

[Sir Geoff]

31 minutes ago, Fred89 said:

Completely agree we will watch Ipswich this year which I will take satisfaction from with all the Ashton/Johnson bashers on this forum who seem to forget we were underachieving long before they had a go 

Another club to add to the long long list of clubs to have been to the Premier League or had a promotion challenge in the time we have had one tilt in 30 years (not even competitive for play offs apart from 18-19) then we sold our best players again!

I don’t understand it we are told we have to sell but Luton and Brentford made play offs or looked good for years and built they didn’t have to sell!

Why every time a hint of Premier League interest comes for one of our players do we all just have to accept “oh he’s off in the summer for sure” these players are ours contracted to play for us!

If we told Scott /Webster/ Reid/Bryan listen we are keeping you for another season we’re not far away and we’re taking a gamble with you to get us to the next level! They aren’t the type of lads to say I’m not playing !

You don’t succeed selling your best players it’s madness and pathetic. Let’s pluck another player from League 1 and sell him if he’s any good  

The lack of ambition is exhausting. Even Pearson vented frustration at losing Scott publicly so I imagine he was further pissed behind the scenes 

£33 million for Watkins may have helped. They then went and spent money on Toney to get them up.

[Fred89]

15 minutes ago, Sir Geoff said:

£33 million for Watkins may have helped. They then went and spent money on Toney to get them up.

Right but they signed Watkins from Exeter for £3m before selling him. And they went out and got Toney beating us to his signature if I remember correctly 

[Fuber]

On 19/08/2023 at 17:54, Simon bristol said:

Ffp is surely no longer a problem, within reason?

To be fair - think it's less FFP and more SL.

That interview and the Luton references, NP aside, is still giving the the shivers.

[BUTOR]

3 hours ago, BCFCGav said:

Worth noting a win on Friday, which is far from impossible by the way, and we're 2W 1D 1L. And through in the cup. That's a strong start. 

I think we should challenge the Dickie red card, but if not we can use Naismith and Vyner centrally and hopefully get back to the strong defending of the first three matches of the season, and scrap another good away win.

I would put Pring centrally, Roberts LB and utilise Naismith in midfield but apart from that I completely agree. This level of meltdown should come out when it’s really warranted. I know we’re all beaten down at the prospect of another lower mid table boring season but I’ve never known such negativity this early into a campaign. From now to Christmas we will find out whether the Pearson era has legs to run, we will have our answers re reinforcements in the next week. In that sense there’s more certainty than there has been for a while, the expectations are set, we know where we’re aiming. Let’s just get behind the team see how it plays out. 

[Mr Popodopolous]

4 minutes ago, BUTOR said:

I would put Pring centrally, Roberts LB and utilise Naismith in midfield but apart from that I completely agree. This level of meltdown should come out when it’s really warranted. I know we’re all beaten down at the prospect of another lower mid table boring season but I’ve never known such negativity this early into a campaign. From now to Christmas we will find out whether the Pearson era has legs to run, we will have our answers re reinforcements in the next week. In that sense there’s more certainty than there has been for a while, the expectations are set, we know where we’re aiming. Let’s just get behind the team see how it plays out. 

I agree about Naismith in  midfield but Pring at LCB in a back 4 just feels like a square peg in a round hole.

[Mr Popodopolous]

36 minutes ago, Sir Geoff said:

£33 million for Watkins may have helped. They then went and spent money on Toney to get them up.

Brentford sold many many players, did well, recruited well, coached well good tactics etc.

Watkins fee minus remaining Book Value and sell on fee of course.

[BCFCGav]

47 minutes ago, bcfc01 said:

I don't think clubs can challenge yellow or second yellow cards, just straight reds.

Ah that's a shame. Fingers crossed we don't pay the price Friday and whoever takes Dickie's place tries to put down a marker of their own.

[bcfc01]

23 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

I agree about Naismith in  midfield but Pring at LCB in a back 4 just feels like a square peg in a round hole.

He played 14 games there last season and didn't really put a foot wrong.

I don't like square pegs in round holes, but I'll make an exception in his case.

The alternative (or maybe the first choice) is Naismith at LCB which isn't too shabby.

[City1984]

On 19/08/2023 at 22:57, Davefevs said:

2 1/2 years.

This is not his squad of choice.

This is a squad of compromise.

This summer should really have been the kind of squad he took over with a solid set of finances behind the club, to allow him to build “his squad” in “his image”.

 

 

As usual I find myself in complete agreement with @Davefevs.

You seem to have a knack for posting sensible, balanced well thought out opinions - Not Allowed here I don't believe