Looking back over the last several years, and taking in to account the press surrounding our matches, I have noticed a strong negativity towards Bristol City at all levels. I rarely see truly positive comments about my club and in a recent televised match versus Cardiff the commentators mentioned several times that we tend to come with too many draws to be included in the list of true contenders. Is it my imagination or do we get a wide berth from the pundits unless they have something negative to say or are the doubters right in ruling us out over the long term? From a personal observation we do tend to shoot ourselves in the foot just when it seems we are about to break free from the pack and it would be interesting to see if our resident statistician could come up with some proof of our inability to do the business when it really matters, or is it just a figment of their imagination?
Afobe out for the season was the biggest blow to city’s chances off top two and top six. Such a massive blow Mike. The problem being we don’t have a replacement off his quality.
The problems as I see them is that we don't seem capable of putting games to bed while we're leading comfortably (Barnsley), and as I put on another thread earlier, we also seem to lack the drive and ability (or maybe luck ?) to keep pushing and pushing for a winner when scores are level, like other teams seem to do successfully. We don't lose many games but we draw way too many that we should be winning like Wigan, Barnsley, and Swansea. It could cost us dearly come the end of the season.
I agree with that and it feels like we compete well, but just lacking that little bit of the quality required to push on..
We had it when Afobe arrive that was a fantastic bit of business then it went petong sadly. The problem being nobody is as good as him up front.
We either need to hope Fammy becomes a 25 goals a year striker, recall Taylor from Oxford, or we dip our toes in yet another transfer window and break the bank for a proven quality striker which is much easier said than done in terms of finding the right player. Given how even this division is this season, this might be the best chance we get.
We always appear to be talking about our next new player that will give us what we need, or about next season and the golden opportunity to give us all we need. Sometimes I wonder if we are just wandering some unknown territory looking for some other force to get us where we want to be sometime in the future. Forget the past and move on to the reality of the here and now if you truly want success, unless you are prepared to accept that you are stuck in the mud and quite like it there. On the subject of Lee being our boss for the long term it would obviously be down to Lansdown to decide if his budget spent on transfers, and the real lack of progress over his entire reign, would lead to his departure at the end of the season. Despite the learning curve since Lee's arrival I fail to see the positive move forward to achieve at least a playoff spot and would expect failure to extend our season a reason for changing the helmsman. Getting us to a playoff spot should be Lee's mandate with nothing else being acceptable.
Be careful of what you wish for.......we've had the most consistent run in the 2nd tier since Alan Dicks.......just saying
I agree Mike, and as I've said previously this could be the season to take advantage of others failing and what is again a very even division. The likes of Derby are under performing, whilst Middlesbrough, Stoke, and Huddersfield who were all strongly tipped have had nightmare starts to the season. A little bit of extra quality in our squad could make all the difference. I dare say most pundits would have backed West Brom and Leeds to be there or thereabouts come next May, but we could be contenders if we get the decisions right.
Leeds proved the point again last night about never giving up by getting the winner at Reading with 3 minutes to go. Should we lose at West Brom tonight, suddenly we'll be 10 points behind them and 8 points behind dirty Leeds.
