Millwall at home match thread

[Natchfever]

1 minute ago, ChippenhamRed said:

If you’re implying that Pearson was guaranteed to win today because they won the away fixture, it just doesn’t work like that.

Was he implying that ?

[Ivorguy]

Supporting City over the decades is like living through some Gothick novel, where, whatever we do to go forward, we land up exactly back where we began (add in any date in our less than illustrious history you care to)

[Out of his pie crust]

Very very poor today. I like to have seen city just go for it the last two games , I’d imagine we’d have probably won one and lost one but the football we played is way too safe going forward and we got exactly what we deserved today

[Natchfever]

17 minutes ago, Ivorguy said:

Would Williams have dared to do that under Nige?  I very much doubt it.

Indiscipline like that is a very poor sign

To prove he isn’t football’s equivalent of the Prime Minister, Manning needs to fine Williams and drop him until he can get his attitude right.  If he doesn’t know how, just phone down to Somerset

 

I would imagine players have done that under Pearson who has grappled with players whilst in the dugout Ivor.

A limp performance that was not defined by Williams losing his rag at the death.

Edited January 1 by Natchfever
Typo

[ChippenhamRed]

2 minutes ago, Natchfever said:

Was he implying that ?

Yep I think so. See his next post a bit further down.

[The Swan and Cemetery]

13 minutes ago, Northern Red said:

It's almost as if we're a middle of the table team who will sometimes play well and sometimes won't....

Agree, assuming all other things equal (opponents, injuries etc), this season’s NP 18 points from 14 games and LM 15 points from 11 games are both rock solid mid table, no more, no less. Think broadly three paths are most likely:

- spend a bit to allow us to break down defensively minded/low press teams (chance of top eight).

- maintain current squad and cohesion and middle 8 finish likely.

- lose cohesion/effort and bottom 8 more plausible.

One key criticism I’d have of both the NP and LM periods this season, is there seems to be a lack of cohesion between players who might play a forward pass and those who might receive it, as to whether the ball is going to be played short or long. Defenders consistently beating us to short balls and longer balls often into no man’s land. Whilst Tanner (appears to be top of the scape goat league table currently) is part of this problem, I struggle to see anyone who isn’t. 

[Hocca]

We are the one of the slowest, weakest and least creative attacking unit in the league it’s actually pathetic. Needs a good 3 attacking players brought in with pace and creativity or we will continue to suffer against poor opposition like Birmingham and Millwall. Time to move on players like James and Weimann good servants but clearly their best days are behind them.

[Fjmcity]

18 minutes ago, FNQ said:

14 shots and a win away at Millwall back in August… 5 at home and a loss today. Happy New Year..

David Moyes will be crapping himself..

Yeh that’s how football works 

[RedM]

4 minutes ago, hertsexile said:

A very frustrating watch we are just unable to unlock a team that parks the bus.We are lightweight in the tackle devoid of an ideas going forward. Messing around at the back and overall just too slow. No punch or grit in the midfield. We need something in the transfer window 

I think we believed we could nick a goal at the death (God knows how), but that was the aim I think. Run Millwall into the ground, add the fresh subs relatively early then pounce. Trouble is we didn't account for Millwall doing the same.

[cellist]

4 minutes ago, ChippenhamRed said:

It doesn’t make them meaningless, because if you lose them too you end up relegated.

I know no one wants to hear balance or perspective right now, but this is the Championship. The margins between most teams are fractional, which means you win games you might expect to lose and lose games you might expect to win.

So we didn’t play well today. But it’s a first defeat in five, and we don’t need to instantly dismiss a play off push off the back of one result against Millwall when we’re only 4 points away with 60 points still to play for - any more than we should suddenly assume we’re going to Wembley after an excellent win away at Watford.

Neither does it mean Manning is suddenly hopeless again, when he was Guardiola a few days ago.

Let’s at least try to keep some perspective on where we are. We are a midtable team doing midtable things. We will play poorly again and we will play well again. But the last few weeks have offered some encouragement and one poor result doesn’t undo all of that. 

You're talking a lot of sense - the reaction post match is always a bit extreme, but it has been exacerbated by the communication from the club regarding the change of manager. Win and Manning is a genius, lose and we are doomed. In the grand scheme of things yes, we are pretty safely midtable, and there are plenty of clubs worse off in terms of points, including today's opponents. 

 

I can though understand the frustration today when I think we managed 1 shot on target all game. Given what we've been promised and what we have shown at times this season 

[ProfitInMyPocket]

We keep playing the same way, back to Dickie or Vyner once our forward options don't show for it.

Weimann goes hiding in behind markers and looks like he is running through sludge. Knight hasn't got the strength/pace to hold off or get beyond players and hold it up. Mehmeti not consistent enough.

Conway isolated and the subs are always like-for-like so nothing changes. The opposition can stay in their set-up and defend as it was and we don't look like changing it up.

Wells on his own like Conway fighting battles they'll rarely win. Sykes looks crocked, Cornick and Bell not in favour, Yeboah won't get an opportunity now.

The players aren't being played to their strengths and that's evident with this tippy-tappy hot potato 'front-foot-football'. 

Can see what Manning is trying to do. Just isn't what I like to watch, I like to see teams mix it up a bit and we are so predictable.

I don't mind losing to better teams or teams with a clear plan that counter us but Millwall really didn't do that much to beat us today and that is deflating.

[redkev]

1 minute ago, Bazooka Joe said:

Agree, but we have three top-of-the-table idiots running our club.

Dumb, dumber and dumber-than-dumb.

However dumb they are and I’m not saying your not right but that performance was down to the players 

good enough to take the plaudits for Watford should now Kop the flak for that , as other posters have said that was a typical Bristol city bank holiday biggish crowd performance , seen many performances like that in all my years watching them and will no doubt see more , and will keep watching them that’s what supporters do , makes me laugh these peo0le that say that’s it I’m done with it hopefully said in a moment of frustration 

[Cidre Monita]

The Watford result has proved to be another false dawn. Same old, same old City. 

[Redrascal2]

31 minutes ago, Wanderingred said:

I’m actually amused that people are angry and surprised by this. Anyone who didn’t see this coming is incredibly naive. This is Bristol City!!! 

Occasionally hope rear it's head, even to those who have seen it all before, but it never hangs around for too long. 

[ChippenhamRed]

1 minute ago, cellist said:

You're talking a lot of sense - the reaction post match is always a bit extreme, but it has been exacerbated by the communication from the club regarding the change of manager. Win and Manning is a genius, lose and we are doomed. In the grand scheme of things yes, we are pretty safely midtable, and there are plenty of clubs worse off in terms of points, including today's opponents. 

 

I can though understand the frustration today when I think we managed 1 shot on target all game. Given what we've been promised and what we have shown at times this season 

I agree the managerial change has made the mood swings here more volatile, and to be clear I’m not here to defend the sacking of Pearson.

Just trying to counterbalance the usual kneejerk nonsense.

[Jimbo76]

We have a mid table squad. Why does everyone keep thinking we're likely to get top 6?

We have an industrious set of players (with the odd exception). We lack top 6 quality. Max probably not good enough. Tanner, good defender but SO negative. Mehmeti, league one show pony. James and Wells probably showing their age. Bell, lightweight. Cornick, squad player.

But I'm not moaning cos I know that is our squad and so mid table is about right. To do a Brentford or Luton needs all the planets to align. Other than that, Steve would need to spend money and we all know that won't happen. 

So I'm keeping realistic expectations for the average squad we have. But some entertainment wouldn't go a miss. Struggling to recall two worse back to back games than that.

Shame, cos I'd like to see what Manning could do if backed with some cash.

[HoldenBall]

Are people still in denial about the ability of Conway? Looks out of his depth in every single game. 

[Red Billy]

No urgency in our play today and looked as if we were the away team.  So many times our players had space to move the ball forward into and chose to pass backwards or side ways instead of carrying it and driving forward. It’s one thing having a game plan but sometimes you need to read the moment. Far too safe.

[Piccolo]

1 minute ago, ProfitInMyPocket said:

We keep playing the same way, back to Dickie or Vyner once our forward options don't show for it.

Weimann goes hiding in behind markers and looks like he is running through sludge. Knight hasn't got the strength/pace to hold off or get beyond players and hold it up. Mehmeti not consistent enough.

Conway isolated and the subs are always like-for-like so nothing changes. The opposition can stay in their set-up and defend as it was and we don't look like changing it up.

Wells on his own like Conway fighting battles they'll rarely win. Sykes looks crocked, Cornick and Bell not in favour, Yeboah won't get an opportunity now.

The players aren't being played to their strengths and that's evident with this tippy-tappy hot potato 'front-foot-football'. 

Can see what Manning is trying to do. Just isn't what I like to watch, I like to see teams mix it up a bit and we are so predictable.

I don't mind losing to better teams or teams with a clear plan that counter us but Millwall really didn't do that much to beat us today and that is deflating.

That is a bit unfair, as I think we executed our plan perfectly. Edwards has got us playing counter attack football and that is what we did today. 

[The Swan and Cemetery]

1 minute ago, ProfitInMyPocket said:

 

We keep playing the same way, back to Dickie or Vyner once our forward options don't show for it.

 

Think we have to find a system (unless the St Patrick’s lad turns out to be Scott 2.0 instantly) to give both Dickie and Vyner confidence to bring the ball further themselves. They’ve both shown they’re capable (maybe not Hansen in his pomp, but decent), but need to have confidence they’ll be covered effectively. 

[redkev]

1 minute ago, Cidre Monita said:

The Watford result has proved to be another false dawn. Same old, same old City. 

Agree , I think a few on here let it go to there head 

[Coxy27]

1 minute ago, HoldenBall said:

Are people still in denial about the ability of Conway? Looks out of his depth in every single game. 

I assume you mean, apart from all those games in the past, when he didn't?

[petehinton]

1 minute ago, HoldenBall said:

Are people still in denial about the ability of Conway? Looks out of his depth in every single game. 

He absolutely killed us today. Not helped by the isolation, but his hold up play was absolutely dreadful. Couldn’t get us up the pitch at all. Cant play as a sole striker at all. 

[Piccolo]

6 minutes ago, Hocca said:

We are the one of the slowest, weakest and least creative attacking unit in the league it’s actually pathetic. Needs a good 3 attacking players brought in with pace and creativity or we will continue to suffer against poor opposition like Birmingham and Millwall. Time to move on players like James and Weimann good servants but clearly their best days are behind them.

To be fair to us (Millwall), we have been a top half Championship side in all but one of the last six seasons, and top nine in four of those.  And I can see us finishing top 12 again this season too. 

 

[Mike Hunt-Hertz]

11 minutes ago, Ivorguy said:

Supporting City over the decades is like living through some Gothick novel, where, whatever we do to go forward, we land up exactly back where we began (add in any date in our less than illustrious history you care to)

More like Fred Karno's Circus.

[Dr Balls]

Just now, petehinton said:

He absolutely killed us today. Not helped by the isolation, but his hold up play was absolutely dreadful. Couldn’t get us up the pitch at all. Cant play as a sole striker at all. 

This has been said ever since Tommy returned from injury. His goals are coming from penalties rather than open play. He’s not a lone striker and as long as we play 4-2-3-1, and especially without Gardner-Hickman in midfield, we are going to struggle for goals, especially against teams that “park the bus” like Millwall.

[Northern Red]

5 minutes ago, HoldenBall said:

Are people still in denial about the ability of Conway? Looks out of his depth in every single game. 

Those goals last season and against Rotherham were down to luck then?

[2015]

6 minutes ago, HoldenBall said:

Are people still in denial about the ability of Conway? Looks out of his depth in every single game. 

Totally agree. He's been terrible for weeks

[Andy082005]

3 minutes ago, Jimbo76 said:

We have a mid table squad. Why does everyone keep thinking we're likely to get top 6?

We have an industrious set of players (with the odd exception). We lack top 6 quality. Max probably not good enough. Tanner, good defender but SO negative. Mehmeti, league one show pony. James and Wells probably showing their age. Bell, lightweight. Cornick, squad player.

But I'm not moaning cos I know that is our squad and so mid table is about right. To do a Brentford or Luton needs all the planets to align. Other than that, Steve would need to spend money and we all know that won't happen. 

So I'm keeping realistic expectations for the average squad we have. But some entertainment wouldn't go a miss. Struggling to recall two worse back to back games than that.

Shame, cos I'd like to see what Manning could do if backed with some cash.

I think it’s just frustration more than anything. Frustration that we are on course for another meaningless season where we just ‘exist’ in this league. Supporting City really is boring as **** 

A couple of good wins gets people excited because let’s face it, we haven’t had anything remotely exciting happen since 2017. But reality very quickly slaps people back in the face with performances like today 

I’ve said it before - we are a nothing club in this league . Simply there making up numbers 

[old_eastender]

2 minutes ago, Piccolo said:

To be fair to us (Millwall), we have been a top half Championship side in all but one of the last six seasons, and top nine in four of those.  And I can see us finishing top 12 again this season too. 

 

Yep and probably with a bottom 6 budget too.