Bristol City lack a clear identity under Nigel Pearson as bold prediction about his tenure made BristolWorld fan columnist Ian Gay looks back over Nigel Pearson’s managership at Bristol City after defeat at Barnsley Arriving on an interim contract, many people were surprised when Nigel Pearson, after a poor run of results in 2020/2021 season was awarded a three-year contract, although many blamed our horrendous injury situation. Talk of a three-year plan followed which would include six transfer windows. It is a case of two down and four to go with the next one commencing in June 2022 which is fewer than three months away. Should Pearson be trusted to deliver that? Well, based purely on his record, the answer is no. Supporters have heard ‘we are where we are and we know where we are’ from Pearson on numerous occasions, too often after a defeat some confronted Pearson who was understanding of their opinion, indeed, agreed with most of it following defeat at Barnsley. I rarely disagree with Pearson’s post-match comments, however what I don’t see or hear is a solution to the same reoccurring problems. It is like déjà vu all over again or even a broken record. Of course, there are better performances but some might say a broken watch is right twice a day. So, how do we assess where City are? Firstly, we look at Pearson’s record last season after Dean Holden was fired and Paul Simpson and Keith Downing leading City to a 3-1 away win at the Riverside with both men leaving the club the following season. This season, Pearson’s record makes for better reading than last season - but that was a low watermark in the club’s recent history and Pearson himself said that if the season had been a month longer, we’d have gone down: P38 W12 D7 L19 GD -20 Pts 43 His record, since taking over, would put most Championship managers under huge pressure, in fact, let’s not mince words here, he’d be gone albeit you don’t get that sense around Ashton Gate or in the boardroom even after he and Jon Lansdown appeared to have different views on how well the club should be doing. P52 W14 D10 L28 GD-27 Pts 52 out of 156 One school of thought oft heard goes like this: “You can’t blame Pearson. He’s had no money to spend, had to let players go.” Some fans also blame Lee Johnson, Jon or Steve Lansdown with whom final responsibility must lay as as they appointed Mark Ashton, Johnson and Holden. Pearson seems to be in the enviable situation of being responsible when we win whilst ‘the situation’ is to blame when we lose at least in the minds of some City fans. Pearson’s poor record and City’s position in the table is a matter of fact, however the interpretation from different supporters is widely different. So, is his record good? No, it’s not. Have our performances improved? Yes, at home from the win against Barnsley on October 30 which was a damn close-run thing at 2-1 with many supporters telling me after the game that Barnsley should have won. No, away from home with a host of unacceptable performances that I’ll list. I’ve followed City for over fifty years and believe me, I’ve seen us lose on plenty of occasions. There are acceptable ways to lose a game often based on bad luck or a refereeing decision even an outstanding goalkeeping display. Bad performances away include at Sheffield United, Fulham, Blackpool, Nottingham Forest and, more recently, Barnsley. Other performances at Luton and Swansea City away, plus Coventry City and Huddersfield Town at home were decent in part but saw avoidable defeats, and you can add Forest at home to that with two ridiculous late goals. It is no surprise when City can’t match Fulham in particular or other Year 1 & 2 ‘Parachute Clubs’, but one wonders why City’s record doesn’t match Luton (8th), Blackburn (4th) QPR (5th) Coventry (10th), Millwall (11th) & Huddersfield (3rd), for example? Blackpool have taken four points off Fulham despite having only two shots on target over both games. Huddersfield are a massive twenty points ahead of City with a game in hand. Those clubs also have a clear playing style or ‘identity’ as it’s called today normally created to fit the coaches ‘philosophy or winning mentality’ - I genuinely don’t see that at City. Clearly it isn’t just money because West Bromwich Albion sit 12th six points off the play offs and Sheff Utd 7th one point off sixth place - both after early season managerial changes. I fully expect City to stay up if they can gather a bare minimum of six points more (they may already be safe now) but that’s no achievement. I also expect that Pearson will lead City into next season (2022/2023) although there can be no doubt that our recruitment will have to be significantly better than last summer if we are to once again, survive, as a Championship club. https://www.bristolworld.com/sport/...-as-bold-prediction-about-tenure-made-3615476
Purely looking at the stats only tells half the story. Plainly you also have to consider other factors. We are in a transitional period with no players that have long contracts who are not performing and need to be moved on, that coupled with COVID and the bottom falling out of the market making impossible to either move players on, whilst therefore not having cash or wage capacity to bring others in. I’ve been disappointed I have to say with NP’s inability to make the most of the players we have, but for the reasons mentioned he should be given more time. The summer is crunch time for me though, he has to recruit cleverly, and next season we must start to see a big improvement, or else we surely must begin to question whether he’s the man to take us forward.
"Pearson seems to be in the enviable situation of being responsible when we win whilst ‘the situation’ is to blame when we lose at least in the minds of some City fans" Well there's a few on here, one in particular
THIS comment is giving credit where not due . in NP'sown comments stated "primarily down to PS & KD as he was involved in getting settled/ getting organised in the 3 days before the game from Midlands to Bristol.. P51 W13 D10 L28 GD-27 Pts 49 out of 153 is the closer to truth analysis = less than 1 point a game @ 0.96 It can be rolled around to look good or bad ... the truth is over the seasons the majority on here have stated dont worry about the opposition results it is ours that count .... weird now the comments can be thank goodness for the points deductions / other teams being so c******. I am beginning to believe there is more wrong than we see? ... the gazumping of 2 coach's in favour of a mate, no real replacement of them in fact no replacement at all. Since PS got ill and replaced in his absence as assistant coach/manager we have bombed, when irrespective of ilness/injury we should have been above the stature we are now. CM gets a new deal, just a year so assume a little less £pw and put in pot for say AS? HNM & AS & AS should have new contracts @least till June 2024 [ pref 2025 ] with 1 year options ANYONE under 24 in squad should be under contract till 2025 with 1 year opt: [2026] Any player in squad for next season should be on contract till 2025 incl the 1 year option. WE DO NEED TO OFF LOAD... maybe sell 1 to prem £ good AND 4 others? £ a fee ... last 2/3 day of Transfer window players "not required" can be be released. Getting the ship in order before it sails is far better than trying to repair in foul weather under way...........
I expected survival and no more-next season will be a different proposition. We need to see improvements that Ladies and Gentleman is down to the right players arriving. NP can then be properly judged.
You are already starting to give him slack RR from previous comments, now it's down to the right players arriving... So again we will witness if we win it's down to NP but if we lose it's down to dodgy players..
bit of easing off there RR! One would have expected the players NP brought in would have sealed the back door, and the midfield become pretty stable. Certainly there has not been to many concerns about the attack and it has done well ...above average considering. Interesting comments floating about regarding NP not being in the modern day football climate... been a manger!? since 2008 previous was short dabbles .... Southampton 18 February 2008 30 May 2008 ------------- 14 3 7 4 --------- 21.43 ... avoided relegation and sacked Leicester City 20 June 2008 29 June 2010 ------------------ 107 55 30 22 ---- 51.40 WON DIV 1 Hull City 29 June 2010 15 November 2011 --------------------64 23 20 21 ---- 35.94 moved on to Leics Leicester City 15 November 2011 30 June 2015 --------------182 85 38 59 -----46.70 won CHAMPIONSHIP angry outbursts and just avoided relegation Derby County 27 May 2016 8 October 2016 ------------------- 14 3 5 6 ----------21.43 left/sacked over angry outbursts and drones .. 20th in Championship OH Leuven 22 September 2017 3 February 2019 ------------- 56 18 15 23 ------32.14 was sacked by the "b" team OH leuven Watford 6 December 2019 19 July 2020 -----------------------22 7 5 10--------- 31.82 sacked with 2 games to go and Watford relegated Bristol City 24 February 2021 Present --------------------------54 14 11 29 ------25.93 ...... to be honest hardly inspiring, the win % fair but Loss is quite high. Above average should be something like 50-55% win [ of "54" 27 wins! ] 25 -30% draw 15- 20% loss. Draws should be less than losses but higher wins [60%] should be draw conversions so draws less than losses! VERDICT needs to improve or admit not any good outside of Leicester ... and was a far better player than manager ... the younger generation seem good at management but just average footballers ...... !
