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Thank You Steve Lansdown.

Discussion in 'Bristol City' started by wizered, Mar 1, 2021.

  1. wizered

    wizered Ol' Mucker
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    Thank you Steve Lansdown - now let's make plans with Nigel Pearson
    Our fan columnist is in raptures following the appointment of Pearson at Ashton Gate and two away wins on the spin.

    What a week! In last week’s column I appealed to owner Steven Lansdown asking him to do all that he could to make the Head Coach/Manager appointment as soon as possible and get a proven Championship/Premier League man in. I asked for an equivalent Pat Lam type of manager with experience and know how at this level. Thank you, thank you, and thank you Mr Lansdown. Step forward Mr Nigel Pearson (our Nige).

    The rumour started to gather pace late on Sunday evening that the former Leicester City, Derby County and Watford Manager was the man that Mr Lansdown and his board wanted to take charge and by Monday evening it was a confirmed appointment until the end of the season.

    It was a watching brief at the Riverside on Tuesday evening but the new Manager did speak to the players before the game and during half-time and what a transformation. We saw a team committed in everything that they did, a new found confidence and we deservedly ran out 1-3 winners.

    I’m sure that every Bristol City fan that watched and listened to the press conferences on Wednesday will have been impressed by what they heard. The intelligence and measured thoughts of Mr Pearson and the way he talked of “us”, “we” and “our” made me feel that we have someone who is determined to succeed. “People might want to talk about potential, what we have to try and do now is make that happen”.

    There was training ground footage on Thursday and Friday and you could see the smiles on the players faces. New focus and ideas and the confidence that the Middlesbrough win gave the players was clear to see.

    There was no surprise in the Manager’s first team selection away at Swansea City’s Liberty Stadium but in truth he doesn’t have too many options. Youngsters Tommy Conway and Alex Scott were named on the bench, a bench that had an average age of 19.8. How proud must Player Pathway Manager, City Legend and friend of the 3 Peaps In A Podcast Bonus show Brian Tinnion be?

    Look make no mistake but for an outstanding goal keeping display from Dan Bentley in the first half we could easily have been 3 or 4 nil down at the break. The double save from a Conor Hourihane point blank header just before half time was brilliant. Swansea are a lovely footballing side who play the game the right way. Bentley has been superb this season and if I was Steve Lansdown and Mark Ashton I would be looking at a new deal for the City no.1.

    Youngster Ryley Towler was walking a tightrope after being booked on 25 minutes and after getting away with a second challenge on Swans striker Andre Ayew, who also seemed to want to ref the game, the Manager made his first big call of the day. He withdrew the youngster, to protect him and the team. Of course Towler will have been disappointed, but I thought that he was composed on the ball, yes, he got caught out but has an eye for a pass and he has a bright future at the club. As the Manager pointed out afterwards, Ryley has been part of a team who has picked up two wins on the road and he will learn from it.

    How many times over the last few seasons have we seen a second half follow the pattern of the first? Not on Nige’s watch. Peason adjusted the shape of the team switching to 4-5-1 with Zak Vyner pushed in front of the back four and Nahki Wells and Kasey Palmer pushed into wider roles. We got on the front foot and started to create our own opportunities. It was a really good start but then came a blow when Kasey Palmer was adjudged by ref Keith Stroud to have handled a fairly harmless long ball into our area. Kasey did admit afterwards that he did control it with his arm, but my disappointment was that Stroud was behind the play and couldn’t have had a clear view of it. Up stepped Ayew and even the heroic Bentley couldn’t keep the ball out of the net.

    What would our reaction be? A week ago I would have expected us to capitulate but not on Saturday. The side look galvanized, determined and within less than ten minutes we were level.

    Zak Vyner intercepted a Swansea ball, burst forward and showed a real desire to drive into the box and cut the ball back to the edge of the area for the on rushing Nahki Wells who finished with aplomb, finding the bottom corner of the net with a perfectly placed shot. We’ve seen Vyner in midfield under Holden but in this game he was driving forward.

    Momentum had swung massively, Kasey Palmer was keen to get on the ball and we had midfielders running beyond the man with the ball in Bakinson, Nagy and Vyner. Vyner had a couple of shots from distance, Bakinson had a shot wide when he looked to have been fouled in the box and Wells also had a first time effort deflected for a corner. Could we take advantage of our dominance, you bet we could, up step Kasey Palmer for an Olympic goal (that’s what it’s called apparently) when his corner was whipped in over the head of Swans keeper Woodman finding the far top corner. Palmer whose partner is expecting their second child any day now, celebrated by shoving the ball under his top. Aftewards he didn’t claim that it was deliberate but that whipped in routine was something that had been practiced the day before with Paul Simpson.

    Swansea were guilty of wasting two opportunities to equalize and it was left to Antoine Semenyo to seal the win and calm mine and thousands of City fan’s nerves with a last minute third, charging Woodman’s clearance down and tapping it over the line for his first League goal for the club.

    I loved listening to the Manager’s post-match interview, he admitted that Swansea City were by far the better side in the first half, dominating possession but he praised the players desire to keep the ball out of our goal and commit to what the team was trying to do. He talked about how it was important from here on in to strive and create a culture which is based on sound values, wanting to work hard for each other and enjoying it. He talked about his staff being supportive and also recognised the job that Dean Holden had done. What a class act.
    https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/thank-you-steve-lansdown-now-5057292
     
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  2. wizered

    wizered Ol' Mucker
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    Pretty fair summary, well done all concerned, it feels like we've got a good 'un at last.
     
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  3. invermeremike

    invermeremike Well-Known Member

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    The appointment was made quickly and with little fuss which to me means a needed job very well done. Thanks Steve.:emoticon-0137-clapp
     
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  4. realred1952

    realred1952 Well-Known Member

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    the fact it was so quick and only for 14 games indicates there was no time to go into contract discussions and the way forward.. the likelihood is that they took an opportunity to fill the gap and stop the rot. Both sides can now relax [ sort of ] and discuss the way forward. A rolling contract is an insecurity, maybe a 2 or 3 year one is often a anchor. In June? they can finalise the situation and take on a contract that is befitting where we are! Nige will have had a good period to see the depth that City have strived for got used to the training facilities and other staff …………….. DH had a rolling contract ...did S&D? …..
     
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