Guess what our players are going to become stronger as a group and we will all benefit as time goes by, our dressing room is full of winners from Cotts down . Yet another meaningless statement from Cotts, I honestly think it's time to stop feeding us mundane and repetitive comments. I don't doubt you or our players but stick to football Steve and I'll stick to the library.. http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/ll-stronger-group-ndash-Steve/story-27790033-detail/story.html
The start to this season by City has rammed home to me how big the gulf now is between League One and the Championship. The ease with which we won League One almost certainly gave most of us a false sense of security about how good the squad and it's component parts was. That's OK for us fans as we do not have to actually do anything but turn up. The Club management however should/must have realised this and the fact that the squad really needed stiffening up. Yet our recruitment in the summer was poor to say the least. Now we as fans, are facing a year of very hard labour. For the players it will be even worse. We have already conceded more goals direct from corners, given away more very soft penalties and been hit on the break far too often, than during the whole of last season. The cavalier 3-5-2 which was so effective against poor Lge One sides is now a monkey on our back because managers and players at this level are very capable of knowing how to unlock us and are scoring for fun. If any confidence remains with our squad, it will soon have vanished and with that, our hopes for safety will go out of the window. Is the management and squad we have, capable of keeping us up?
He's in a no win situation and he has to remain positive I guess. He can't very well turn round to the media and say 'I honestly don't know where our next result is coming from' now can he ? We the average fans all said that the gulf from L1 to this division was huge. But it seems the club didn't, and that for me is the most disappointing aspect of all. I know it's still early in the season, but if we are still struggling badly at Xmas, then no-one will want to come here when the transfer window opens again.
Lets hope the club don't live to regret the head in the sand approach they seemed to take after the end of last season. No criticism of SC from me though in all of this nonsense, I think he's been severely hampered by those in power in his attempts to bolster the ranks with permanent and quality signings.
It is very easy to go back over comments like I made last season, and say I told you so .... How ever a couple of things I did say was I was never at ease with SC only 80 -90 % and I hope he doesn't do a Florest and lose his way! when SOD was drafted in to help out! Cider comments about 3-5-2 something I was an advocate of before SC and SOD but stood us in very good stead as we had the "best of a bunch" lge 1 squad ... ... the brummie manager commented we played a system that got our wingers up to the corners and hence the result! SC HAD A COMPLETE PACKAGE for the lge 1 but now needs I feel, to start playing championship football which is "we are not the dominant team here, so you need to fear us " to one that can adapt to the successful teams we play .. .. they love it, ah Bristol City great, we get a goal and let them keep the ball for the rest of the game, and might even get another couple or three on the break if the opportunity arises.......... time for a change!