Bristol City FC had a full house today and needed to show the floating fans what they could offer today sadly that did not happen. A hugely disappointing first home game. A golden opportunity wasted- For me and I am still backing Nigel Pearson but he is going to have to let some of our so called more valuable players go. He needs to raise cash to reinvest. For me watching the first two games in full I would say Bentley can go -so slow releasing the ball holds the whole game up. Been doing it for season after season.Try and get a decent fee for him. Vyner needs replacing just not a championship defender. Naismith needs more time but needs to get the basics right and stop the fancy football when bringing the ball out. Atkinson definitely keep going to be a very good player. DeSilva certainly improved over the last 12 months but I would not be worried if he went. Williams I’m afraid in the time he has been here not been that impressed with him-be interesting to see if he stays injury free.-Don’t think him and James are the answer in the middle. James can be the playmaker but for me he has no pace and that is going to be a big problem. Don’t think him and Williams are the answer. Messengo for me is a headless chicken no end product-shame nobody has come in and made a offer. Scott for me is a prospect but he is a luxury player all okay when we are on top-if a decent offer came in take it. Sykes look a good prospect look okay at Hull but today was poor. Wilson did not really get a go at Hull but today looked way of the pace-Time will tell. Weimann definitely a player to keep. Martin I have been a big fan of his but the last two games he has done nothing-this is a area that needs addressing now.We need a new centre forward.His time has come to be a back up player. Semenyo we need him back he has improved massively and will cause all teams a headache. Kalas has been fantastic over the years and is still the best Centre half at the club if Baker is finished.Need his leadership in defence. Wells in my opinion has never showed his credentials at Ashton Gate Stadium never produced and clearly is well down the pecking order behind Conway.Need to get those massive wages of the books and invest in another striker to help out or replace Martin. Sadly if we lose at Coventry in the cup and lose two more league games the pressure will be on Nigel Pearson and the axe could come within the next 5 games of 10 played if nothing improves.
Sadly I’ve been chewing and trying to digest all the ‘progress’ bullshit since LJ was sacked for failing to achieve the playoffs. Basically we are still clueless despite having a ‘pedigree’ manager in charge. I expect better from a Nigel Pearson side to be frank. I’m starting to think he may be a one season wonder (like Danny Wilson) - living on past achievements
I know Bentley can be a little inconsistent at times but he pulled off two quality saves in the game today, he has kept us in so many games over the years, I think without him we’d be a lot worse. I know it’s early and only two games in and I’ve never said this before or was even concerned at this stage over the past few years but for me this season feels different and I do worry about us this year, I think we are in big trouble.
I agree, Simms looked a handful, time will tell against other teams how good he is. I question if NP even really looked for a striker this summer.
My take on the game as with many over the last few seasons.. we have spells where we look really good yesterday was no exception.. but then we seem to zone out, lose concentration, incapable of anything when the opposition poses a threat. We then struggle with answers with very little leadership within the team to get us refocusing. We then run out of ideas and the concentration completely disappears, hence the reason he concede so many late goals.. I’m really surprised that with the experience of a defensive minded manager in NP why we haven’t managed to address our problems.. I believe he needs to change things really quickly, we can’t go on with the tactics hes imposing, it’s become a bad habit..
The idea of pre season friendlies is to ensure that the players are physically and mentally fit for the new season, and have the necessary stamina. Nige refers to players switching off and not concentrating game after game, when we concede goals, lose matches or let the opposition back into games. Naismith was on another planet for Sunderland’s first and he’s a seasoned and experienced professional, so is hardly setting a great example from someone who should be leading from the front,
After some time to cool down I reflected on yesterday's match and the overall feeling is one of disappointment and serious concern. There were limited phases in the game, rather like the first 15 minutes against Hull, when we looked as if we had finally learnt how to play the game, only to totally fall apart at the merest of pressure. I so wanted us to put on a stellar performance in front of what we knew would be the largest crowd of the season but right on cue the whole thing fell apart badly and our defending resembled a pub league. Once Sunderland got up and running I saw our back line crumble with particular emphasis on our right back who gave acres of space on most occasions and I saw the writing was on the wall. There were many who failed the test, and few who earned praise and as the game went on we looked like the ghosts from the past struggling to produce anything of note for the remainder of the second half. I am starting to see many of the old cracks reappearing along with the usual excuses after the facts and try as hard as I can I fail to see the expected improvement under Pearson's experienced guidance anywhere on the horizon. Seeing all of the good players that left us over the last 5 years achieving good things on a consistent basis highlights the fact that not only can we produce top players who will make it at a higher level than we can ever provide we are also willing to sell them on for high fees to hopefully improve our financial situation. The biggest problem for me is that we have no idea what to do with these funds and certainly don't seemed concerned about top class replacements and for me that is solely down to Lansdown and possibly his designate. Blaming the past and all of the suspected culprits will do us no good until SL decides to fully back his manager with funds to bring in the players needed by the on-field boss, that being NP. Having said that I feel miffed as to why NP has not been able to get more from a squad that actually does have some talent buried under the mess which makes me wonder if his heart and soul is truly in the job. Every time we put in crap performances, which essentially is most if not all games, I wonder if we have any chance of improvement under the reign of Nigel Pearson with Lansdown and Gould looking over his shoulder because I believe NP has possibly got to the point where it's all about a good salary and using the right comments about a very sorry lot in life. The next 2 months will show the mettle of Bristol City, and it's component parts, and we have to hope the wheels don't fall off the band wagon.
you do crack me up Red Robin, a week ago you said on here that you believed this squad with NP at the helm could get promoted this season. Now 2 games in, you’re saying that pretty much the whole squad needs replacing
Clearly not read it correctly-NP has no funds dealing with a overpaid underperforming set of players. Watched both games now and clearly they are not the answer. Nobody wants wells or massengo i wonder why, He needs to raise funds and the only players that he can raise significant funds are Semenyo or Scott. He is on a hiding to nothing-even the centre half from Luton looks a different player in a Bristol City shirt. Cocky comes to mind. Lansdown wants out and yes things are not looking to clever. This is still the nucleus of the old brigade and in my opinion not a good enough set of players -concerning times.
Maybe the coaching and management at BCFC is not as good as at Luton? You always blame the players since NP took over, a stark contrast to when it was LJ. The bottom line is, NP has had quite a bit of money - at post-pandemic levels anyway. He also has not generated any money from player sales in the way the previous regime did. I want NP to succeed, as I do all BCFC managers, but I don't see any hope of improvement so far in his 18 month tenure. He steadfastly refuses to use the loan system, saying he doesn't believe in it, but to me, that is a big flaw. How can you say the nucleus of the old brigade? A large % of the matchday squad on Sat are either NP signings, or have come through the system, and didn't feature much under the last 2 managers. Wells was given 3 minutes and added time, rubbish management. Everyone could see that Chris Martin was not the answer. I said to my old man at HT, I would take Martin off; a long ball up to him against 2 big CBs wasn't working, we needed pace down the sides and through the middle to hurt them, and the guy behind me said "spot on", yet Martin played the 90 mins. It's not Wells fault that NP is blind to when tactical changes and styles of play are required. And don't even try to use the argument that Martin scored... One day you will wake up to the reality that we are in a far worse state as a club than we were 2-3 years ago, that is an undeniable fact. Just because you never wanted LJ here, or liked him, doesn't make us better because he's gone. Too many on here have fallen into that trap of wanting to believe it's better because he's no longer at the club; however, the evidence suggests otherwise...
You still defeat your own statement of a week or so ago, that NP and this squad could get promotion. Now you say they are all overpaid, underperformers?
This statement is so spot on, but many just wouldn't want to admit it, especially RR, as he believed NP was footballs god.....but actually shows that he's not all that......bit like Hughton..IMO.. Players, not having funds, tied to what he has.......All bloody poor excuses and shows his coaching and tactics currently aren't working and will be interesting to see, if he has any other methods...... I actually think we do have decent players, certainly better than the performances suggest...
Man Ure always start the seasons badly, but they are always up there at the end of the season That's my straw and I'm clutching it tightly......
That's a tenuous straw R&W....... From what I've noticed over the years, you've generally been the other way around - starting quite well but falling away as the season went on. Some memorable seasons under LJ typified that. Starting as you have this season, if history repeats itself you'll be down by Christmas..........
how can BCFC STATE SELL OUT and only declare 24543 ... capacity is 30,000 temporarily reduced to 27000 .. Sunderland brought at least 3300 fans so only 21243 BCFC fans at game!
