Next up - Bristol City away

I won't say that you've been right all along ......but I certainly agree with you now.

 

True, I'll be amazed if we keep hold of Bart, Webster and Lawrence for long.
So the fact that we are a bit s***e these days, is this MM's fault or ME's? I don't think Mick is blameless but surely the evidence points more towards ME? If Mick could've held onto the likes of Mings and Murphy, or at least been able to replace them with quality, would we be in this position? I'm just saying that this is a tough gig for Mick too.

Mick could turn around though and say that the club needs to show more ambition and he feels he's taken us as far as he can under the financial restrictions. But he won't, his job is safe working with an owner who's happy as long as we keep Championship status. You can't blame the man for wanting to keep his job but it's not necessarily about what's best for the club.

 

Good point Castro.
Doesn't look like Mick wants to rock the boat too much but I feel he's hinted at it several times in interviews over the last couple of years. I read some of the things he says and they come across as a sly dig towards Marcus, or at least deflecting criticism from himself by playing the budget card. Olly was right about looking elsewhere to point the finger. Those two must have had a chat after the game. He may have asked Olly to come out and say something on his behalf. He's not likely to get in trouble then.

Selling the best, replacing with cheaper and fleecing the fans on the cost to attend. Something's terribly wrong.

 

I don't know if I'd wish for that but I get the sentiment.
Something needs to change and I feel that even a new manager wouldn't solve it. Who would Marcus and Milne choose? A wildcard or a safe pair of hands who won't bitch about the budget but will happily pick up a wage and help us tread water?

 

Exactly - Mick or no Mick, we're a club going pretty much nowhere. While 7 off play offs, 7 off relegation and not 100% knowing how this season is going to end up, the fact 19 games in we haven't won back to back games is laughable at best.

Milne basically when I met him before the Bristol City game last year stated " wait for youth, we're adhering to FFP other clubs aren't " .... so the policy to me was made pretty clear that day of - barring 14/15 miracle, we absolutely have no chance in hell.

Three other managers before Mick blew probably £50 - £60 mill and didn't make the play offs. Mick isn't backed financially, take Jan 15 when top 2 - we didn't go for it. Painful. Mick isn't blameless he's done enough wrong too but it doesn't help this campaign selling Murphy a day or two before the transfer deadline and hoping, praying Leon Best 1- stays fully fit.......... 2 - actually has any desire to want to play.

We have the makings of a good side but jesus christ uptop it's painful. 17 goals in 20 I'm sure I recently read, I mean what the actually hell? 4 vs Barnsley and 3 vs QPR! We've score hardly any away all season too.

Realistically this feels like 10 - 15 this season, however I'll remain hopeful we can beat Cardiff and stay intouch until January. If we don't open the wallet up somewhat in Jan, the seasons done and it's completely irrelevant whom we have in charge.

I have much more anger to Evans than Mick. Sadly the three previous idiots decided to piss the clubs ££££ up the wall and set us back years. Dire times.

The only ray of light being the academy is finally working again.

Fair play Bristol City and a lovely goal by Freeman. Great strike that.

 

Whilst I agree with your sentiments about finances, there's a couple of points I'd like to raise:

1. Apparently our wages are on par or above many in this division, which makes me think we need to get better players

2. Despite the fact we've spend very little money Mick is still not playing or giving many chances to the youth which means if he's ever given funds it makes it less likely that's he'll give them the chance, if he's not giving them the chance now when is he likely to?

3. We actually have a better team now than when we finished in the playoffs

4. I think no matter how much money Mick gets the football will still be uninspiring and crap

 

1 - we do throw ££££ at wages granted, but without fees we're still going to be limited in who we get so it's a not always helpful. Bit of a catch 22.

2 - How ready are they? He played Bish when ready. Are the others? Dozza may have scored at Hillsborough but was invisible the rest. Emmanuel at times looks it however according to many was pants vs Forest. Cannot really talk as didn't see any of it due to flying sadly.

3 - For the most part yes however lacking a main man striker. Sadly the rest of the division is on heat / spending even more than back then.

4 - Agreed. It's never going to be free flowing sexy footy ala Joe Royle.

Fun times right now hey?

 

I think MM knows his players are second rate and there's no point asking them to play a style of football which is beyond them, some people are saying they don't care about results they just want attacking football, so it's OK to lose 5 - 3 every week is it? To coin a phrase " you can't polish a turd " and yes I'm as fed up as anyone with our standard of play.
As for a change of manager, whose available who hasn't been unemployed for months or even years? We've been there with Jewell, who would leave a Club to work without a transfer budget at a Club that sells it's best players for vast amounts of money that disappears without trace?
I don't particularly care who the manager is but we finished in the play offs two seasons ago and 7th last season and now the self destruct policy is taking effect and results are bearing this out, so do we change the manager? It could be the right move but frying pans and fire come to mind, or of course Evans could take this Club forward if he would only stop this reclusive bullshit, communicate with the fans, remember us ME? And lead from the front

 

1. We have to offer ridiculous wages just to get even the freebies to join us.

2. Mick doesn't trust the youth enough. He can't 'lay his hat on them' yet. He never will be able to if they don't get a chance to prove it. I thought Emmanuel did some good things in the Forest match. Got forward, got crosses in and looked strong and composed for the most part. Mistakes I can overlook because he is new to the first team. I would start him every match at this point of his career.

3. We have a different team that's still being used badly. Other teams have improved more than us over the last two years and that's why we're being left behind.

4. Agreed.