My opinion is thus, the following 10 are not and never been good enough or consistent enough. Hunt Nagy Diedhiou O’Dowda Rowe Adelakum Watkins Hinds The following 2 of the following 3 need to be let go. Baker is far to injury prone to risk another contract on. Paterson just not strong enough or consistent enough, certainly since January 2018. Massengo I feel sorry for him, the decision not to send him out on loan is a ridiculous decision, he is absolutely nowhere close to being a consistent championship player. And finally. Mawson as much as I like him, he is another fitness risk like Baker. Mariappa not his fault that he is not a left back and never will be, but his legs have gone. Sessegnon OK I will admit we have not seen much of him, but the little I have seen hasn't impressed me. Lansbury A desperate typical BCFC let's sign him for the fans even though he has barely played 30 games in 3 years type signing, has the look of player living on past glories who still believes that he is probably too good for us. 14 players who we need gone and 1 who needs a totally new direction, not a pretty sight IMHO.
I disagree with 5 of those....but we all have our own opinions. Personally, I would keep Nagy, Adelakum, O'Dowda, Paterson and Massengo from that list.
I would keep Massengo and said so, we just need a far better strategy, he needs to go out on loan, he is not championship quality. Nagy puts in effort but truly has 1 really good game all season, lacks consistency. Adelakum is plainly not championship quality, he wasn't even 100% starter at Hull or Rotherham. ODowda has probably has had 1 really good game all season, the same game as Nagy, I am not sure what he actually offers us and again not consistent. Paterson started off the season well but is weak and will never be consistent, unless we build a midfield around him capable of doing the stuff that he is incapable of doing, tackling, defending and tracking runners, otherwise he only weakens our midfield. For me the 4 players above sum up why we are not even a bang average championship team at the moment, they have all had a chance and all are inconsistent.
Like I said we all have opinions, for me with the 5 I've mentioned would offer so much more with decent players around them....I would also include Palmer & Semenyo with flair that would improve vastly.
I agree with Jiffie. Massengo might be a player in 3 years. Laughable how lightweight he is currently in a challenge. Palmer, I find it hard to believe he'll be worth his place even with better players. He has developed a want to fight players rather than play against them. His temperament has become suspect. Adelakum, I'd be amazed if he's kept on. Surely there's better.
I would agree with the last 2 but the 4 that I mentioned have had more than enough chances, but hey opinions.
Here's the thing about players like Palmer and Semenyo, at least when they get in and around the opponents box they actually try a forward pass attempting to actually create a chance. Paterson, Nagy, Bakinson, ODowda and every other midfielder pretty much immediately passes sideways or backwards and far too often ending at the feet of Bentley, it's soul destroying. Palmer managed it successfully twice against Huddersfield the first Mariappa managed to put his into the car park and the 2nd Diedhiou scored. I know that this is very easy to dismiss but the last time we scored from playing balls into the box on the ground is November 4th at Huddersfield and we managed it twice, most of our meagre goal total have come from crosses and 2 own goals from crosses, but football in and around the box is appallingly ****e.
The saddest thing about us talking whether certain players should still be with the team or not is the fact that it highlights the truth that Bristol City have a very poor track record for finding and keeping good players. Perhaps we are just lousy at rating players that we bring to City or even worse could be the fact that decent players will give us a wide berth leaving us to select from the also-rans and over the hill mob looking for a final cheque. After all the hype put out by our management team over the last 5+ years it has become obvious to me that we will only ever be a contender when the current apathy and misdirected corporate guff has been totally eliminated from our mindset. Under our current regime we will continue to splutter and gasp for reasoning but the fact remains that decent managers and players will rarely, if ever, want to further their individual dreams and ambitions by joining Bristol City. Change is needed but don't hold your breath too long because it is detrimental to your health and well being.
I don't think we have done that badly at bringing some quality players through to Premier league level in recent years, Ayling, Bryan, Reid, Webster, Kelly, Freeman, Kodjia, Bolasie, Adomah, not a bad list of names
3 of those are academy players. You left out Brownhill, but who was the last player that we signed who moved on for a profit? Webster 3 years ago. How many of the players that we signed with the Kelly/Webster money are worth more now?, maybe Bentley if we are lucky.
A lot of other Championship sides will have had a similar, or greater turnover in the past 4-5 years, it's the nature of the beast in the modern game. Players come and go, and agents bank accounts get bigger as the player's loyalty gets smaller! Don't kid yourself it's just us. I think 9 out of 60 players is a good return.
I have amended the original reply above to the one below to better explain what I am getting at. 3 of those are academy players. You left out Brownhill, but who was the last player that we signed who moved on for a profit? Webster 3 years ago. How many of the players that we signed with the Kelly/Webster money are worth more now?, maybe Bentley if we are lucky. A lot of money has been wasted.
Jiffie I'll have to look again, if I can stomach the game tomorrow night, because of the players you mention I think Bakinson attempts forward passes more than most. He's a mystery to me because pre Covid I thought we had a potential top player in our midst.
I don't expect him to play Palmer, Holden is another Paterson devotee, if he does play Paterson lets hope it's his one in 8 games to play half decent, I will watch because it's part of my season ticket repayment but I am not expecting anything other than defeat or 0-0 bore draw because I cannot see exactly where a goal could possibly come from in my sweetest dreams.
Here's my guess of Holden's team against Reading. Bentley Hunt Vyner Kalas Mariappa Nagy Paterson Bakinson Semenyo Fammy Wells Think he's forced into a back 4, Mawson injured, Taylor Moore not up to it. Suppose Mariappa could play in a 3 (he's not a LB for me) but don't think he'll select Towler as LWB. He was unlucky to have Moore alongside him at Watford. Saying that I wouldn't be afraid to go with Mariappa in a 3 and give Towler a chance at LWB again. You pay to learn. Anyway whatever side he picks it's a really tough game for City in our current form. A point would be a welcome surprise and then only 10 more to safety this season.
I agree Massengo is lightweight but many times I've seen him put a foot in at the right time....IMO just needs to work on his distribution. It's funny as you rate Bakinson.......I don't really see it of the games I've seen him play, bit of a lump/awkward and quite often makes costly mistakes.....but to be fair to him, he's not had that most game play, so maybe struggling to gel...
I agree with RPs back 4 selection, but I see Nagy as being more central than wide. I would drop Semenyo to left wing and swop Paterson and Nagy around to play 4-4-2. I wouldn’t start Diedhiou at all. I’d give Palmer a chance to redeem himself and play him behind Wells as a ‘feeder’ a bit like he was with Afobe. So: Bentley Hunt Vyner Kalas Mariappa Paterson Nagy Bakinson Semenyo Palmer Wells We know we are lightweight in centre midfield so we need to keep the ball out of there. Paterson and Semenyo can do a job out wide and trying to cut in from the wings with Palmer trying to feed Wells from behind. Wells hasn’t had the chance to do what he was good at at QPR because he’s been played too wide. He needs to be central but Diedhiou isn’t a great partner for him because he has no first touch. If it’s not working and we need to go ‘direct’ then I’d bring Fammy on for Wells with 15 mins to go and lump high balls forward to him to head, as a ‘plan B’. No point in playing the ball to his feet. I might even start Massengo over Bakinson. Massengo isn’t my favourite player as you all know, but he’s been eating a few pies recently and is now just poor as opposed to being useless, so that makes him the same as the others - and he does run at the opposition sometimes. Whatever formation and selection we choose we will be up against it.
R&W This isn't my team, just suggesting and showing the standard of player Holden has to select from. I like the thought process regarding your team selection. I suggested Holden might play a back 4 for the very reason that imo Taylor Moore will never make a Championship central defender. I rated Bakinson from his performances pre his Covid illness, perhaps I'm making an excuse for him, time will tell. Massengo can put on another stone, for me he's just imbalanced. The slightest challenge puts him on the grass. He runs around with plenty of energy but I don't see anything else. Being kind he might make it one day, I hope he does. Jiffie suggests we need the Lord's help. Is there any 11 from the current squad that Holden doesn't need help from above?
Did anyone hear any of the interviews last night? Fair to say Gregor battered Holden in his interview. I feel sorry for Holden, clearly a decent bloke, but we're not good enough. Simple as that.
