First impressions post Nige

[Redtucks]

2 hours ago, Randy Marsh II said:

Firstly, this isn't a reflection on Manning or anything regarding him. 

It's been 13 days and two games against the bottom two. Today was probably the worst performance of the season and last week wasn't great against ten men. If the Lansdown's believe this side is capable of promotion then based on the last two games it's because of the work Pearson was doing. Pearson has these players performing above their ability on the evidence of the last two weeks. 

Robins TV commentator at one point said today that both sides showed why a change in manager was needed, for us at least it proved the exact opposite. 

The last thing Tinnion and the Lansdown's wanted was Pearson winning two games against the bottom two, it was why they acted when they did. Well they got their wish, only four points when it would have been six in all likelihood with NP. 

It'll be interesting how Manning can build on what Pearson has done but evidently the side were well behind Pearson and fighting for him - potentially to the maximum of their abilities. 

I think that just suits your agenda!

 

[And Its Smith]

2 minutes ago, Monkeh said:

We also had those injuries while nige was here at least the team we're committed, today they didn't look like wanting to play for the "head coach"

Early days but you can't use the I juries as an excuse and at the same time not use it as one for nige

I wasn’t. Someone else was but the other way around.  
 

The players were up for it today no doubt about that. 

[Major Isewater]

1 hour ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

You'll be committed for insanity

And crimes against the soul.

[Sir Geoff]

Just now, And Its Smith said:

I wasn’t. Someone else was but the other way around.  
 

The players were up for it today no doubt about that. 

There's being up for it and also giving that extra ten percent which we saw at Cardiff. That extra hunger just wasn't there today.

[Davefevs]

1 hour ago, BCFC Rich said:

I think the simplest thing to do is take this as the baseline for Manning.

Not a great performance, but a point and a clean sheet.

No point judging him directly on this in isolation, or trying too hard to compare him to NP. We can use this performance to see what effect he has over the international break. I would expect to see a significant improvement and the beginnings of his style of football. I think from a fan's perspective it's actually a really good opportunity to see what impact he can have. 

Well said Rich.  Shouldn’t be too much criticism tonight, nor should there be too much defence either.  People just need to chill and wait a few games and then start to form views.

1 hour ago, WayOutWest said:

Well that was not a good start
 
If you are going to high press you have to high press as a unit. 

If you are going to play a possession based game players have to be able to pass the ball 10 yards. 

We did neither and looked at times completely clueless. Whilst we may not have played a "Manning" style game under Nige perfectly understandable, it was was too much of an ask for these players to change in 3 coaching sessions. 

Personally I would sacked Nige today (well I would not have sacked him in the first place) and used the international break for multiple sessions with the players to get new messages across. 

Timings all wrong on his sacking 

We pressed well in spells first half, made them clear a fair bit.  Second half not so much until last 20.  They got past our side forwards too easily and Kakay / Paal the ball into Smyth and Willock too easily to leave them one v one.  Tanner did well versus Willock, Pring has a bit of a beast, but at least he stuck at it.

I think we have to wait and see what type of system / identity we go with.  You don’t turn into a Russell Martin team overnight, nor might that be the intention.

[formerly known as ivan]

All I can say is that I hope this “progressive football” is more… “progressive”!

One game in and it’s a step back.

[And Its Smith]

5 minutes ago, Sir Geoff said:

There's being up for it and also giving that extra ten percent which we saw at Cardiff. That extra hunger just wasn't there today.

Plenty of games under Nige with same hunger as today.  Today was good from a hunger point 

Edited November 11, 2023 by And Its Smith

[spudski]

This is going to be an interesting watch. 

Have we got the players in the squad that are capable of playing Manning's way? Are they able to be developed into his way of playing?

If he try's to play the same way he did at Oxford, then imo, we don't have those players, especially in midfield. 

In the process of coaching and trying to get his way of playing, you are going to have players learning new ways. Whilst in the middle of the season. In doing so, mistakes will be made and points will be dropped. It is after all a learning process. 

He may well find we don't have the players to play his way. 

The Club have said there will be little or no movement with players in January. 

So where does that leave us?

If our players can't adapt to his way...how do we expect to progress this season?

It already feels like a survival season again, and a slow transgression. 

How JL and Tins think we are a top 6 squad is beyond me. 

Manning has a tough season ahead imo. 

[Davefevs]

1 hour ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

Out of interest Harry- let me know which Manager in BCFC history who has taken over believed that they had the players to play the way they wanted. FFS- Nige didnt after almost 3 years and 6 transfer windows!

Sorry, jumping in.  Manning has been specifically brought in to continue what Nige / RG and more latterly Tins has helped progress.  They have recruited players to a plan.  They have now recruited a head-coach for that, one who will hopefully improve it / progress it quicker than Nige.  That was the criticism of Nige that led to his sacking, not that the plan was wrong.  Tins said that pre-game on BBCRB in as many words,

That post is not an opinion on Nige, Manning, far too early for Manning, and directly comparing to Nige is futile, it is what we’ve been told since Nige was sacked.  The new Head-coach wasn’t brought in to change things too much, the club recruited to the plan.

Tonight is not a time for anyone to say “told you so” or start making excuses or suggesting the plan was to “rip it up”.  If Nige’s time taught us anything it’s that things take time to improve.

I’m really relaxed.  Quite happy we’ve taken 4 points from 2 games, 2 clean sheets, and now have a break to allow further embed things.

[Davefevs]

1 hour ago, red panda said:

Positives for me were the clean sheet and we no longer simply hoof balls in the general direction of Sam and expect him to work miracles. Work in progress. 

Yep, we’ve not agreed on much of late, but that’s the optics tonight for me.

[Davefevs]

50 minutes ago, luke_bristol said:

Depends how stark the gap is between their style and his I suppose. He couldn’t have taken over Harry Redknapp’s Spurs side and had Crouch running through at pace and latching onto cute through-balls in the space behind the CBs  

 

One for Fevs?

He’s no longer on OTIB.  He sends his

Back to @Frenchay Red’s post and George Elek’s interview with James P.  I think there are principles in his play that he’ll want to bring out, but roles / positions / formations, we will, have to wait and see.

33 minutes ago, Cristored said:

What and you believe them? They have mugged you off good and proper.

Maybe they have.  If so, I can add it to a list of lies.  Would prove damming evidence for a number of people who have put a lot of support into the hierarchy.

I’ll give Tins the benefit of the doubt for now, thanks.

It’s funny that it took you til tonight to be honest about the plans.  

Edited November 11, 2023 by Spreadsheet Boy

[GrahamC]

12 minutes ago, spudski said:

This is going to be an interesting watch. 

Have we got the players in the squad that are capable of playing Manning's way? Are they able to be developed into his way of playing?

If he try's to play the same way he did at Oxford, then imo, we don't have those players, especially in midfield. 

In the process of coaching and trying to get his way of playing, you are going to have players learning new ways. Whilst in the middle of the season. In doing so, mistakes will be made and points will be dropped. It is after all a learning process. 

He may well find we don't have the players to play his way. 

The Club have said there will be little or no movement with players in January. 

So where does that leave us?

If our players can't adapt to his way...how do we expect to progress this season?

It already feels like a survival season again, and a slow transgression. 

How JL and Tins think we are a top 6 squad is beyond me. 

Manning has a tough season ahead imo. 

Couple of points;

The bottom 4 (including the side we played today) are poor, miles adrift, so we would have to completely implode to be in any sort of relegation danger.

They believe he can coach what we have better, I’m not forming any judgment based on 4 days but that’s obviously a very tough ask.

You’re spot on with your last point, only the seriously deluded or liars think this is by any means a top six squad, even if we had Klopp in charge I don’t think most believe that.

[yipikiaye33]

Poor boring performance hope I don't have to watch that all season 

Pearson built this team to play his tactics not that crap I seen today 

Things will improve give him time but we're far off a top 6 finish this year from our poundland manager

[Finley_Smith10]

2 minutes ago, Tafkarmlf said:

0-0 away at QPR

Clean sheet and points on the board.

It's a start even if it was 'dull af'

Not getting the 'hate' for a result 

Take a point away considering he’s probably had around 3 sessions to work with the players. No shots on our goal and a point away from home. Take it and move on to the next game with 2 weeks to go through stuff etc

[spudski]

4 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

Couple of points;

The bottom 4 (including the side we played today) are poor, miles adrift, so we would have to completely implode to be in any sort of relegation danger.

They believe he can coach what we have better, I’m not forming any judgment based on 4 days but that’s obviously a very tough ask.

You’re spot on with your last point, only the seriously deluded or liars think this is by any means a top six squad, even if we had Klopp in charge I don’t think most believe that.

What I find extraordinary is that the 'Club' feel that Manning can make us top 6 this season. 

With what we have, little or no movement in January, how do they think Manning's way can be implemented this season? 

Surely Tins would have looked at our midfield, compared it with Oxford, and seen a big difference.

We aren't a possession side. We don't have the players in midfield or in the '10', technically skillful enough to play fast, front footed, possession football at this level. 

How Weimann fits in, is beyond me. 

James, Knight etc in midfield...I can't see how he intends to change to his way, effeciently and successfully, top 6,at this level. 

Surely they looked and compared?

Imo...Nige should have been kept for the season,and if they wanted change, done at the very end of the season, to allow weeks of training and adapting, and new players brought in. 

Rather than do it, during the season, and expecting top 6. 

That's mad thinking imo. 

[W-S-M Seagull]

1 hour ago, steviestevieneville said:

**** me pot kettle applies here.  

Have you switched from Manning in to Manning out yet Tony? 

[Graham76]

Nige was clearly overachieving with this squad, which is evident from the last two games.  JL and his pet snake must be dreaming if they think we are a top 6 side. 

[bearded_red]

My ‘first impressions post Nige’ are that was absolute ******* rubbish, worst football we’ve played in 18 months.  
 

We haven’t looked worse then the shit teams in this league for a long while, we did today.

Abysmal.

[W-S-M Seagull]

51 minutes ago, Spreadsheet Boy said:

There were some, not many.  We defended pretty well, we finished the game strongly.  Dickie might need to take more responsibility on the ball than LM thought unless he gets TGH in as a distributor.

We saw several negatives too.  Both full-backs left one on one far too many times.  We have to be more compact.

It is far too early to judge Manning.  He should’ve learned a lot today.  That’s a positive in some ways.

Leicester and Leeds away we defended well. 

Today we defended well against one of the leagues poorest teams so I did have a chuckle when Manning stated it as a positive. 

Did you have a chance to go back and listen to some of his interviews following defeats? My take away from them was that he does like to focus on positives. We played well etc.

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

28 minutes ago, Spreadsheet Boy said:

 

Tonight is not a time for anyone to say “told you so” or start making excuses or suggesting the plan was to “rip it up”.  If Nige’s time taught us anything it’s that things take time to improve.

I’m really relaxed.  Quite happy we’ve taken 4 points from 2 games, 2 clean sheets, and now have a break to allow further embed things.

Exactly.

I genuinely had never heard of Liam Manning until he appeared in the "possibles" list- way below everyone else. 

I want to give him a reasonable and genuine chance and will utterly support him. I think he's taken over a relatively ok situation and  he does need some time to sort everything out - just not another 3 seasons!

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

3 minutes ago, bearded_red said:

My ‘first impressions post Nige’ are that was absolute ******* rubbish, worst football we’ve played in 18 months.  
 

We haven’t looked worse then the shit teams in this league for a long while, we did today.

Abysmal.

Classic.

Deluded, wrong and bitter but classic.

My favourite post of the day.

[Davefevs]

3 minutes ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

Exactly.

I genuinely had never heard of Liam Manning until he appeared in the "possibles" list- way below everyone else. 

I want to give him a reasonable and genuine chance and will utterly support him. I think he's taken over a relatively ok situation and  he does need some time to sort everything out - just not another 3 seasons!

I know it’s just words and you may not have meant it this way, but I don’t think “everything needs sorting out”.  This should be a bit of evolution, growth.

Two weeks to Ashton Gate v Boro.  Gonna be a long fortnight for numerous reasons.

[IAmNick]

I just wish the idiot club just hadn't made that top 6 comment, they've made a rod for their own back there and put unnecessary pressure on Manning and given easy ammo to his detractors.

Generally I see managers as earning their keep if they're getting the squad performing at or preferably above their expected level - so our side (hah!), a top 6 side finishing in the top 6 is just par, it's not even impressive... it's expected. That's clearly pretty ridiculous as we all know, but that's what they've laid out. I feel for the bloke.

Wasn't going to take much away from this game but he's clearly got his work cut out - but it'll be evolution rather than revolution and compromises will have to be made on the playing style he wants I suspect.

The performance was poor but it's still an away point and could have been much worse. In the circumstance it was a bit of a banana skin game if anything... nobody would have been impressed if we won, disaster if we lost.

A couple of weeks now to get some of his processes and behaviours in place. Fingers crossed!

[Phileas Fogg]

I don’t think anything can be read into today really. Games immediately after an appointment are usually a bit of a dead rubber.

What is very apparent though is that Manning needs to start getting wins or a significant section of the support will turn. 

[Numero Uno]

12 minutes ago, spudski said:

What I find extraordinary is that the 'Club' feel that Manning can make us top 6 this season. 

With what we have, little or no movement in January, how do they think Manning's way can be implemented this season? 

Surely Tins would have looked at our midfield, compared it with Oxford, and seen a big difference.

We aren't a possession side. We don't have the players in midfield or in the '10', technically skillful enough to play fast, front footed, possession football at this level. 

How Weimann fits in, is beyond me. 

James, Knight etc in midfield...I can't see how he intends to change to his way, effeciently and successfully, top 6,at this level. 

Surely they looked and compared?

Imo...Nige should have been kept for the season,and if they wanted change, done at the very end of the season, to allow weeks of training and adapting, and new players brought in. 

Rather than do it, during the season, and expecting top 6. 

That's mad thinking imo. 

I think you are giving Jon Lansdown and Tinnion way too much credit tbh. It will take time AND MONEY to get anywhere near the top 6. We all know it but unfortunately the situation these two absolute jokers have created, nobody else, means that the less sensible fans amongst us will now be on Liam Manning's back from today onwards (in fact some started from the moment he was appointed). I mean, anyone who has formed a judgement after today really needs to have a serious word with themselves and also has pretty much no grasp of how things work when a new manager is appointed BUT we and every other clubs has these fans and the two complete and utter morons talking about Top 6 really should have thought of that before opening mouth.

All I am looking for is some significant improvement on what we saw today when we have the ball by the time we next play and given there will probably be circa 10 sessions for the non-international members of the squad that shouldn't be too much to ask.

[Harry]

2 hours ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

Out of interest Harry- let me know which Manager in BCFC history who has taken over believed that they had the players to play the way they wanted. FFS- Nige didnt after almost 3 years and 6 transfer windows!

The answer is None. 
However, here’s the thing. None of those other managers were brought in on the proviso that the players they have at their disposal are promotion material. 
Which of those other managers had been brought in to fit a specific criteria laid down by the club? 
 

Again - I reiterate the point I’ve made from day 1 - This is NOT on Manning. This is on Jon, Brian and Sean. 

[bearded_red]

30 minutes ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

Classic.

Deluded, wrong and bitter but classic.

My favourite post of the day.

You reckon we played well?

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

4 minutes ago, Harry said:

However, here’s the thing. None of those other managers were brought in on the proviso that the players they have at their disposal are promotion material. 

Agreed. But we know that statement for what it it is/was. I've been quite clear on what I believe happened and it's pointless for anyone ( not aimed at you) to forever state that anyone at BCFC genuinely believed that the squad as it is , is promotion material. Jon told a corporate lie and Nigel got sacked for other reasons. End of. It's just a case that, unlike the majority on here- I don't care and largely agree with the sacking but just not the timing.

[redkev]

1 hour ago, Monkeh said:

We also had those injuries while nige was here at least the team we're committed, today they didn't look like wanting to play for the "head coach"

Early days but you can't use the I juries as an excuse and at the same time not use it as one for nige

Disagree , if your not for it in this league regardless of the opposition you lose games , simple as that 

[redordead1]

I agree with many others.

This isn’t a personal attack, but the guy will naturally only come across at best a novice, or worst, a pretender at this level and in front of our players.

How can he be expected to gain respect from the players when he’s had no playing career of note or any managerial success at this level to date? He’s simply not qualified for the job and completely out of his depth which is clear in his communication to date.

He’s never managed in this division and yet, he’s been asked to stand up in front of the players and pretend he’s the same calibre as Nigel Pearson, a manager whose team not only gained promotion, but went on to win a historic Premier League title based on the quality and foundations he built. 

Understandably, he can’t  look the players or any interviewer in the eye by the looks of the content we’ve seen so far. He knows he can’t possibly expect to garner anyone’s respect yet and sadly, he’s been set up to fail and it’s only ever going to end one way. 

Again, I don’t blame him for taking the job and hopefully goes on to have a very successful career, but he’s been given an impossible task by the idiots that run this club.

It’s not fair on him, the players, or the fans for him to be expected to take this club on anything other than a downward trajectory. 

He’s nowhere near Pearson’s class and everyone knows it. This could prove to be a very difficult end of season.