Millwall at home match thread

[exAtyeoMax]

Two mulled wines and a punch-up couldn’t save the day. Heading back to  London

[italian dave]

46 minutes ago, Ivorguy said:

Oh I wish I had been born in Manchester! !

 

I was…..or very nearby….and still ended up a City fan.

So things could be worse! 

[Woofyourkipper]

35 minutes ago, Out of his pie crust said:

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

just remember that is exactly what oxford fans said..manning always plays safe possession keep ball

 

[Offside]

City were dull in the first half and woeful in the second. We got worse as the half went on. The Millwall goal had a sense of inevitability about it. 

We had a real lack of quality today. 

[pj76]

Starting with weimann in midfield is bizarre. He didn't compete, gave tanner nothing in terms of runs in that channel. It was the same in the Norwich game. Tanner can get forward but it's always a dead end.

[bearded_red]

Torturously boring football, I’m taking a Wisden to the next home hame to keep myself amused.

Mind numbing rubbish.

[stortfordred]

Agree with many of the comments on here but for me, there was also the element of Manning and co being out-thought by their management team. They soaked up all our possession first half and then decided to change formation and give it a bit of a go. Their no 17 started to give Pring a torrid time. Manning failed to work this change out and then compounded it by taking James off. 
We then lost the control we’d had in the first half even if that control had been a bit toothless. 
We badly missed Sykes first half and his injury looked like a hamstring which could mean he’s missing for a while. 
Hugely frustrating game and although you need patience, all that passing back once we’d broken the first line drives me mad. I can’t believe that’s down to Manning. It’s the lack of bravery on the ball-they’re just so afraid to lose possession. 

[Roger Red Hat]

1 minute ago, bearded_red said:

Torturously boring football, I’m taking a Wisden to the next home hame to keep myself amused.

Mind numbing rubbish.

Agreed. Utterly tedious.

[chinapig]

9 minutes ago, Jimbo76 said:

But when we're 8th and we lose a game, everyone loses their sh*t. Therefore not recognising that that's what happens to a mid table team. I'm as disappointed as anyone with today's game but unless there is investment in the squad, this is our reality. Has been like this for the last 30 years that I've had to endure it. 

But that is a different matter. I was responding to you saying 'Why does everyone keep thinking we're likely to get top 6?'

You'd be hard pressed to find fans who think anything of the sort. Perhaps JL and BT have to believe it is true so they can convince themselves they have made the right decisions. We're not so easily persuaded.

[cellist]

30 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.

Because that's what Jon said! I don't think many believe him - simply want to hold him to account for the decision he made and the rationale given.

I agree with your assessment of the squad - maybe tad harsh on tanner because he hss no options, and mehmeti might come good. But given that we have an industrious but technically limited group, I don't think it's wise to try and dominate the ball and probe for an opening. NP had us hard to breakdown and dangerous on the break which is probably right  

[Woofyourkipper]

1 hour ago, Super said:

Williams alongside James at home ffs. Truly dreadful decision.

Exactly what i said to my sons, you cant play those 2 together in midfield, too slow, no penetration or tactical cutting edge at speed.

 

[milo1111]

We were abysmal second half after an average first half.

better team won and no complaints from me.

i was hoping the Watford game was the beginning of something exciting but today has left me struggling for optimism.

one things for sure is that the points rarely come in the games you expect them to in this league 

[pj76]

I felt the referee didn't help. The fight at the end was the most exciting thing for the whole game, but it would never have happened if he'd taken action over the constant cynical fouls throughout.

Edited January 1 by pj76

[old_eastender]

1 minute ago, stortfordred said:

Agree with many of the comments on here but for me, there was also the element of Manning and co being out-thought by their management team. They soaked up all our possession first half and then decided to change formation and give it a bit of a go. Their no 17 started to give Pring a torrid time. Manning failed to work this change out and then compounded it by taking James off. 
We then lost the control we’d had in the first half even if that control had been a bit toothless. 
We badly missed Sykes first half and his injury looked like a hamstring which could mean he’s missing for a while. 
Hugely frustrating game and although you need patience, all that passing back once we’d broken the first line drives me mad. I can’t believe that’s down to Manning. It’s the lack of bravery on the ball-they’re just so afraid to lose possession. 

Agree with this, James was at least giving some element of control, which went out of the window with TGH & a tired looking Williams anchoring the midfield.

Weimann in preference to Sykes was a piss poor decision unless Sykes was carrying a knock - in which case he should not have been on the bench either.

 

[westonred]

Anyone else think the players were out on the p*ss last night celebrating NYE   That might explain the awful performance

[pj76]

1 minute ago, old_eastender said:

Agree with this, James was at least giving some element of control, which went out of the window with TGH & a tired looking Williams anchoring the midfield.

Weimann in preference to Sykes was a piss poor decision unless Sykes was carrying a knock - in which case he should not have been on the bench either.

 

Weimann is an impact sub, game management. That's where he is now.

Last time he started in that position - Norwich - it was equally shit and only Sykes coming across led to the goal.

[Simon bristol]

21 minutes ago, archie andrews said:

And thats saying something..... Bar 2 or 3 games been like that for 3 to 4 years..... 

its been like that since 2015,,, and really, for the last 100 years!

[Roger Red Hat]

1 minute ago, pj76 said:

I felt the referee didn't help. The fight at the end was the most exciting thing for the whole game, but it would never have happened if he'd taken action over the constant cynical fouls throughout.

I'm at a loss to understand what a foul is now! Shove in the back no foul, tackle from behind no foul. WTF.

[Robbored]

14 minutes ago, BigTone said:

We need to sort out this mentality of conceding in injury time.  Need to concentrate until the final whistle for once,

We’ve seen City lose late on several times over recent seasons at AG and we were all thinking that Millwall would nick a late winner and they did just that.

Millwall defended well particularly out of possession when they cut off Citys passing option and poor ol’ Tanner was getting grief because he kept passing back - fact is he had no other options. That was good play from Millwall. City had no plan B which is disappointing as they faced a similar defence at St Andrews mid week and failed to score there either.

I guess Tanner could have flicked one over the defence but to do that requires runners and there weren’t any,

Away in the cup next week - a bit of relief from the Championship

 

[Red_Alligator]

6 minutes ago, old_eastender said:

He was well marshalled by their 2 very experienced CBs, who the ref allowed to plough through him too. He had sod all decent service, Wells got no change out of their CBs either.

If, and I seriously doubt we will, we go for a striker then it needs to be a true target man, to offer us something different.

 

I would agree, and if possible I'd like to see us bring a couple of target men in. Not popular with the "modern thinkers" I know, and not young Manning's preferred style I appreciate .

BUT - this is Bristol City and not Manchester City. We don't have players with the quality to stroke the ball around the pitch, patiently looking for the pocket to open, for the killer ball, and clinical finish. If we develop such players, they are of course sold onward, and we clearly have neither the mechanism and/or inclination to spend the kind of money needed to bring quality "tippy-tappy" merchants in. 

Let's get the ball into the opposition's penalty area. It works. Not only in creating chances, but also in taking pressure off of the defence if needed late on - those pesky 93mins+ equaliser/winning goals tend to be less common.

Data says so.

Onward to unparalleled glory fellow Reds!!

Now, where did I put that glass down......

 

 

 

 

[Numero Uno]

That football, if repeated, would be a guaranteed way to make people find an alternative hobby tbh. It won’t be repeated every week because it’s not what we do but like I said earlier that was as bad as it can possibly get and I hope Manning acknowledges that. People paid good money and had foregone family stuff on the last day of the holiday (for many) just to be literally sat there bored out of their minds.

I think the mini run we had did raise expectations for some, unrealistically, but if you are going to get done by Millwall at least match them and give it a ******* go!!

[Mr Popodopolous]

First half meh, 2nd half worse still.

All felt flat today- both sides, fans- Millwall a bit better if anything but neither side really deserved to win.

[pj76]

1 minute ago, Red_Alligator said:

I would agree, and if possible I'd like to see us bring a couple of target men in. Not popular with the "modern thinkers" I know, and not young Manning's preferred style I appreciate .

BUT - this is Bristol City and not Manchester City. We don't have players with the quality to stroke the ball around the pitch, patiently looking for the pocket to open, for the killer ball, and clinical finish. If we develop such players, they are of course sold onward, and we clearly have neither the mechanism and/or inclination to spend the kind of money needed to bring quality "tippy-tappy" merchants in. 

Let's get the ball into the opposition's penalty area. It works. Not only in creating chances, but also in taking pressure off of the defence if needed late on - those pesky 93mins+ equaliser/winning goals tend to be less common.

Data says so.

Onward to unparalleled glory fellow Reds!!

Now, where did I put that glass down......

 

 

 

 

Yeah so much for dry January after that shitshow.

 

At one point I thought they may as well just do route one. What a mess.

[The Journalist]

17 minutes ago, italian dave said:

Well, except that it there may have been a point….we just haven’t been told what it was. 

Just following Robbored‘s advice.

[Tomo]

I wasn't getting carried away with those 3 wins on the bounce as 2 of them were fairly lucky....mid table side as previously mentioned but annoying as that 6th play off place could be anyone's this season.

15 points from Mannings 11 games = 1.36PPG so there has been no real improvement so far on Pearsons stats this season.

[Numero Uno]

2 minutes ago, Robbored said:

We’ve seen City lose late on several times over recent seasons at AG and we were all thinking that Millwall would nick a late winner and they did just that.

Millwall defended well particularly out of possession when they cut off Citys passing option and poor ol’ Tanner was getting grief because he kept passing back - fact is he had no other options. That was good play from Millwall. City had no plan B which is disappointing as they faced a similar defence at St Andrews mid week and failed to score there either.

I guess Tanner could have flicked one over the defence but to do that requires runners and there weren’t any,

Away in the cup next week - a bit of relief from the Championship

 

Spot on with Tanner. He could have knocked Weimann out because he literally had nobody to pass to ALL first half. We sacrificed our right hand side first half because Tanner was getting plenty of the ball and his side was empty.

[Numero Uno]

Just now, Tomo said:

I wasn't getting carried away with those 3 wins on the bounce as 2 of them were fairly lucky....mid table side as previously mentioned but annoying as that 6th play off place could be anyone's this season.

15 points from Mannings 11 games = 1.36PPG so there has been no real improvement so far on Pearsons stats this season.

Same squad in same results shocker. At least Liam has kept the ppg the same though. Only two people have their head up their arse and, unfortunately for us, they run the whole operation

[Woofyourkipper]

14 minutes ago, pj76 said:

Starting with weimann in midfield is bizarre. He didn't compete, gave tanner nothing in terms of runs in that channel. It was the same in the Norwich game. Tanner can get forward but it's always a dead end.

when was the last time you saw tanner going forward?

i agree you with ref weiman though,very static today

 

[pj76]

1 minute ago, Numero Uno said:

Spot on with Tanner. He could have knocked Weimann out because he literally had nobody to pass to ALL first half. We sacrificed our right hand side first half because Tanner was getting plenty of the ball and his side was empty.

Exactly. So much space there, AW sat fifteen yards infield, usually gesturing.

[Numero Uno]

2 minutes ago, pj76 said:

Exactly. So much space there, AW sat fifteen yards infield, usually gesturing.

A blind person could see it although it seems 15k of our fans missed it and abused Tanner instead