Championship and Lower League Discussion 2010/11

[Fatty Facesitter]

You can't look at it like that Nicko,otherwise you'll sit there shitting yourself until next May. In this division there are 44 difficult games and Leicester.

 

True, but at first glance it seems like that particular set of games is quite the run in. It's not quite as spread out as one would like.

 

Have to say im really impressed with QPR and especially Ipswich (always had a soft spot for those guys) this season. Would be nice to see one if not the two of them get promoted at the end of the season.

 

Heathen!

 

In all seriousness, I too have been impressed with Ippy so far this season. I don't think they quite have enough in the tank for a top two finish but certainly a spot in the top 6. For me, QPR and Cardiff will be the top two come the end of the season based on the early evidence. Come November at Carrow Road, it promises to be the tastiest old farm derby in quite a while.

[Majik]

Well, it's a bit of a big one for me today, as I have plenty of friends who are Tigers fans. I've put some decent money on a Cov win, as I've got a feeling we're starting to get our fire back. Good luck Rick!

 

In closing. Fuck Marlon King.

[seph]

(Apart from Stephen Caulker, who looked more than alright) - Good. Fucking. Grief.

[Pinc]

Went to Palace/QPR today. I'm told by those who were sat around me that that Zaha lad is only 17. If that's true there's no reason he can't be a world beater in 5 years time. Troublesome and unpredictable all game and made the goal out of nothing. Apologies if the sentiment is less than original.

[Ravenhill Promotions]

Swansea vs Derby was dreadful today, Derby turned up to draw, they man-marked everyone of our players!

 

Congratulations to Alan Tate, 300th match for Swansea, a true legend!!

[Fatty Facesitter]

Apologies to sephjnr, but what a result for us! We were second for a short time today since Cardiff were drawing. Absolute magic. Three goals and a clean sheet away from home would've been unthinkable just over a year ago. Now we're going into the international break in third. Fucking yes!

 

As for the game, from listening to the radio coverage we didn't start the brighter and it took a while to find our rythm, but once we did it was pretty much go go go from there. Very surprised about the third goal, sounded like the very definition of route one football. Very un-Norwich like from recent times but there you go. I still expect Bristol City to eventually climb back up the league personally. As chuffed as I am with our current league position, it's only October and the table could look completely different in May. Going to the QPR away game now, should be a good game.

 

seph, our radio coverage of the game mentioned the plans for a new stadium for your team and the possibility of ground sharing with Rovers. What's going on there?

 

Leicester fans, just spotted this on SkySports.com: http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11688_6423155,00.html

[patiirc]

Apologies to sephjnr, but what a result for us! We were second for a short time today since Cardiff were drawing. Absolute magic. Three goals and a clean sheet away from home would've been unthinkable just over a year ago. Now we're going into the international break in third. Fucking yes!

 

As for the game, from listening to the radio coverage we didn't start the brighter and it took a while to find our rythm, but once we did it was pretty much go go go from there. Very surprised about the third goal, sounded like the very definition of route one football. Very un-Norwich like from recent times but there you go. I still expect Bristol City to eventually climb back up the league personally. As chuffed as I am with our current league position, it's only October and the table could look completely different in May. Going to the QPR away game now, should be a good game.

 

seph, our radio coverage of the game mentioned the plans for a new stadium for your team and the possibility of ground sharing with Rovers. What's going on there?

 

Leicester fans, just spotted this on SkySports.com: http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11688_6423155,00.html

 

El Nicko Loco.. How is winning at a team in free fall a great result? We are bottom of the league and havent won at home all season.

 

Unthinkable a year ago? Gunn had been sacked and Lambert was in charge and had started his magic. Narwick fans short of memory then? You also have much of the same squad you went down with and some cracking signings to boot. I suspect you will be playoffs or promotion if Cardiff or QPR implode around Xmas

 

We are shit and WILL go down Im not buying we need a centre mid bollocks. until last season we never had decent one and we were still shit then The Bristol City fans especially most of those on the 'official' forum are a complete bunch of useless condescending pricks

 

Martin O'neill was seriously being suggested by some as manager tonight? They are quite clearly fucking mental

 

Dont ask about the ground as is a complete clusterfuck and is completely dividing support. ( The Chairmen has completely lost the fucking plot to get us to move grounds and is brainwahsing the fans to do the same) and no we arent sharing with the Gas either.

 

Our Troubles run far deeper than just an unproven manager and unbalanced squad. No one really dare question it though

[bAzTNM#1]

Weren't Leicester pleading poverty a few months back? I wonder where they are getting the green for this Sven deal. You know he'll want a bit of money to spend.

 

Seven managers since 2007 is mental. Mandaric needs to back off a bit. Makes them look like a joke.

[Fatty Facesitter]

El Nicko Loco.. How is winning at a team in free fall a great result? We are bottom of the league and havent won at home all season.

 

Regardless of that, I still thought it would be a tough game. you guys were touted by many, myself included, as play-off contenders at the start of the season. I still think that's possible. Regardless of your league position, I considered it a tough game.

 

Unthinkable a year ago? Gunn had been sacked and Lambert was in charge and had started his magic. Narwick fans short of memory then? You also have much of the same squad you went down with and some cracking signings to boot.

 

I said just over a year ago, not a year exactly. I'm talking about the horrendous summer of 2009 and the epic fail of Colchester at home. And what do you mean much of the same squad? We've kept a few, sure, but for the most part it has completely changed from our relegation. Brilliant signings obviously have helped our cause and we're a much better outfit now. But don't forget just last season we were in League One. Prior to the start of this season I'd have considered beating Bristol City and Leicester to be great results and that opinion hasn't changed despite the respective league positions.

[patiirc]

Regardless of that, I still thought it would be a tough game. you guys were touted by many, myself included, as play-off contenders at the start of the season. I still think that's possible. Regardless of your league position, I considered it a tough game.

 

You wont have an easier away win all season! if you do then the home team are doing it wrong and should look to us for an example Were you also paying attention towards the middle and end of last season when we had the worst form in the league? if the league had started at Xmas we would have been relegated by March ( or some such bollocks brought up around the time of the Plymouth dressing room scuffle)

 

I said just over a year ago, not a year exactly. I'm talking about the horrendous summer of 2009 and the epic fail of Colchester at home. And what do you mean much of the same squad? We've kept a few, sure, but for the most part it has completely changed from our relegation. Brilliant signings obviously have helped our cause and we're a much better outfit now. But don't forget just last season we were in League One. Prior to the start of this season I'd have considered beating Bristol City and Leicester to be great results and that opinion hasn't changed despite the respective league positions.

 

You have at least 5 players from the team when you went down (not including youth who would have come through since and would have been at the club then), most of whom are in the first team or there abouts considering the turnover of players last year and in general for a relegated team Id say that was a 'core' who made the step back and didnt retire or were moved on. A lot of the other players were signed early doors by Lambert so have had a while there. Today 5/11 1st 11 were new signings (this season) and you had to get a new keeper as Forster had gone back to NUFC.

 

As for the shat start or 'just over a year ago', you only had a shit 1st game, the end.. lost 4 in 12 and then went 14 matches unbeaten. Utter disaster, complete disarray :laugh: . Especially since in that seasons pre season you didnt lose either. Crap summer was it too???

 

The relegation season, Yes, Ill grant you. Last season, other than game 1... I dont think so.

 

There seems to be a misnoma, no doubt enhanced by the cockney barrow cunt that we were some how good. Other than our first season up we have been very much on the decline and it shows.

 

The reason I know a bit about Narwick is that, the Inlaws and the Missus are both fans 'On the Ball City'

[widowmaker23]

Swansea vs Derby was dreadful today, Derby turned up to draw, they man-marked everyone of our players!

 

Congratulations to Alan Tate, 300th match for Swansea, a true legend!!

 

 

Anyone who turned up for that game got what they deserved, the day anyone takes it to Swansea at the Liberty will win. I've got respect for the club as half my family lives there but still, think the way they go about they're business on the pitch is shit, when will they ever go and get a decent striker?

 

Alan Tate is such an unprofessional fucking sleazbag its unreal, he has been hanging onto Swansea for 300 games because he's so shit he wont ever be wanted anywhere else. The man is hated with a passion up here and for what he did he deserves nothing less than a good punching in, he's an idiot and makes Swansea City look a disgrace as does Lee Trundle, but the fat boys left now so we'll leave it to Tate. Disgrace of a player.

 

Good win for the bluebirds today, great to see Craig Bellamy back and scoring, quiet today but fantastic player all overall. Hope we go up and perhaps have a chance to hold onto him.

[Ravenhill Promotions]

Swansea vs Derby was dreadful today, Derby turned up to draw, they man-marked everyone of our players!

 

Congratulations to Alan Tate, 300th match for Swansea, a true legend!!

 

 

Anyone who turned up for that game got what they deserved, the day anyone takes it to Swansea at the Liberty will win. I've got respect for the club as half my family lives there but still, think the way they go about they're business on the pitch is shit, when will they ever go and get a decent striker?

 

Alan Tate is such an unprofessional fucking sleazbag its unreal, he has been hanging onto Swansea for 300 games because he's so shit he wont ever be wanted anywhere else. The man is hated with a passion up here and for what he did he deserves nothing less than a good punching in, he's an idiot and makes Swansea City look a disgrace as does Lee Trundle, but the fat boys left now so we'll leave it to Tate. Disgrace of a player.

 

Good win for the bluebirds today, great to see Craig Bellamy back and scoring, quiet today but fantastic player all overall. Hope we go up and perhaps have a chance to hold onto him.

Jeez, I feel embarrassed for you.

 

Poor little boy.

[Fatty Facesitter]

You wont have an easier away win all season! if you do then the home team are doing it wrong and should look to us for an example

 

We haven't been to Fratton Park yet. (Or Portman Road. Bwahaha)

 

As for the signings, it is still almost a completely different team and squad from when we went down, save for one or two. With the exception of Hoolahan our entire frontline is different from that relegation season. Even Chris Martin was away on loan. Aside from the permanent transfers, we've also had our share of loans coming and going as well. It's not quite 2008/09 levels of utter stupidty, but it's still radically changed.

 

Last season we didn't win in the league for another two attempts, and at that point alarm bells were starting to ring even with Lambert in charge. Financially we could've gone anywhere. The club revealed just this week that we were this close >< to administration. If we hadn't achieved promotion, we definitely would've been.

 

As for pre-season, you kind've answered your own point. We had an uneaten pre-season, yet still lost 7-1! Pre-Season results mean nothing. I can understand your negative vibes coming from your camp at the moment, but I don't think you're that shit at all. There's some talent in that squad and they can turn it around. If you're still in the shitter around Xmas time, the it'll be panic stations.

[patiirc]

You wont have an easier away win all season! if you do then the home team are doing it wrong and should look to us for an example

 

We haven't been to Fratton Park yet. (Or Portman Road. Bwahaha)

 

As for the signings, it is still almost a completely different team and squad from when we went down, save for one or two. With the exception of Hoolahan our entire frontline is different from that relegation season. Even Chris Martin was away on loan. Aside from the permanent transfers, we've also had our share of loans coming and going as well. It's not quite 2008/09 levels of utter stupidty, but it's still radically changed.

 

Last season we didn't win in the league for another two attempts, and at that point alarm bells were starting to ring even with Lambert in charge. Financially we could've gone anywhere. The club revealed just this week that we were this close >< to administration. If we hadn't achieved promotion, we definitely would've been.

 

As for pre-season, you kind've answered your own point. We had an uneaten pre-season, yet still lost 7-1! Pre-Season results mean nothing. I can understand your negative vibes coming from your camp at the moment, but I don't think you're that shit at all. There's some talent in that squad and they can turn it around. If you're still in the shitter around Xmas time, the it'll be panic stations.

 

 

We got whumped 3-1 at Fratton Park and hammered at Ipshits as well.

 

I could be anal and point the signings that were there from relegation and who helped you get promotion but I wont Cos its boring and pointless agree to disagree.

 

So you didnt win in the first 3 3 and then lost only 2 out of the next 25 again I fail to see how this is a disaster Loss vs Colchester, draw vs Exeter away, narrow loss vs Brentford... Then only losing vs MK DONS and Leeds...

 

The club afaik have been skint for a long while your last prem stint didnt help and signing the likes of Helveg on horrendous wages and Strihavka when you were down again .. really didnt help matters. Given your attendence and low spends.. Its got to be signing on fees wages and your academy? Your attendences are solid and have been for at least 5 years

 

 

As for answering my own point. You said shit summer. 1 game does not a shit summer make. if you had been tanked all preseason then lost 7-1 then Id see your point. But basically on that score your talking out your ass even, if you dont count pre season as being that important I cant see how its shit, losing what would be 2 in 10 games with a manager change inbetween.

 

Ill get a post from one of the BCFC that confirms the state of play for us more eloquently than I ever could

[patiirc]

This is an inquest from one of the Bristol City Forums from a fan called 'Ole'

 

I don't ever remember a City team whose thinking is so slow and reaction time is so poor. Maybe a few times under Pulis but never this sustained run of players yards off the game week in week out. That mental weakness has been the difference this season, we have talented players and yet they seem to be slow minded and unable to see how play is developing or what their next move should be, which means dominating possession is a meaningless statistic.

 

 

Let's be clear, all 3 goals were against the run of play and we had bad luck with the run of the ball several times which you can do without the way we are at the moment, but both with and without the ball there was so little intelligence and initiative in our side and right until the end loose balls in the opposition box were gobbled up by Norwich players with our lot motionless, when in any other club 3-0 down in the land you'd expect the chasing players first to everything.

 

It's not just a coincidence that attacking, wide and passing players from opponents are looking outstanding every time we lose, it's because they're reacting to opportunity amidst slow, reactive opponents in us and then playing with a confidence you can only enjoy when you've recognised how mentally slow opposite numbers are. At times today even in meaningless spells our inability to read the game was breathtaking, even from players who did so well in the past.

 

And that's the worrying thing. The Coppell fiasco has undoubtedly damaged the club but when players get dramatically worse and less prepared to play, that is a glaring reflection on the manager. Unfortunately, having been a supporter of Keith Millen's appointment, his management and setup of the team this past month has been nothing short of bizarre and I don't believe anything besides saving face on the 3 year contract award is gained by allowing him to continue.

 

He doesn't know what he's doing and it's so blindingly obvious to everyone. The shape of the team and use of players in the past month have been laughable and the use of substitutions even worse. We're playing multiple wide players and throwing additional wide players into the side during the course of the game out of position, which is why a feature of all our defeats is we haven't rallied to the end but expired with a whimper, which at least never happened under GJ.

 

Danny Rose was brought in for the left side so is played centrally as well as on the right, we also take off the one out and out striker when 3-0 down rather than supplementing the frontline (the effect of which was palpably obvious from cut backs and knockdowns to nobody in the last 20 minutes) and we don't even bother to use a third sub, which I suppose we should be grateful for given how poor Millen has used half of his previous substitutions in September.

 

Jamal Campbell Rice would be a decent player in a dominant attacking performance but a wing back in a struggling team - he's being put in positions to fail by the manager which means his display degenerates from incisive to increasingly chaotic as games develop. But then Millen seems to be trying to find a way to accommodate the excess of wide players we have in a way that detracts from each of their skills such that the players are weaker than the sum of their parts.

 

And then we punt long balls forward and don't seem able to predict the best route to goal or use any vision, just get wide players into space and then try to get the ball into the box where, err... we don't have a great deal because all the wide players are, err.. wide. Again, it isn't coincidence Stead has gone from a bright addition to pretty anonymous and careless today working with this. There were arguably at least 4 wide players today, adding Johnson was too little too late.

 

Goals were against the run of play but again, we put ourselves in that position because each time we try the direct/wide/direct/nothing-in-the-middle show, it results in surrendering possession with advanced players upfield and doing that when you're playing with such mental slowness and lack of vision will result in the kind of breakaway free-flowing goals we keep conceding. But the bottom line is you expect Millen to address this, yet things are getting more fractious.

 

And tell me something else. What the **** has McAllister got to do to stay out of the bloody side? For that reason alone Millen needs to walk. I'm sick and tired of him popping back up in the team and then making the same mistakes and leaving us chasing games. Quite simply we're not making best use of our squad and are tactically inept in how we line up what we do select. Today was poor not because of the score but how little he's able to produce from good players.

 

It may only be 10 games but the signs are there that this is something that should be stopped now. Yes a season of hire and fire makes us the laughing stock but a transient period of instability hasn't done QPR any harm has it? For various reasons mainly related to investment and squad size, this is the most soul destroying and unacceptable period of performances in living memory and it's abjectly a mental problem and the manager far from resolving is exacerbating it.

 

A word for Albert Adomah who doesn't deserve to play in this mess and if the club's players do read this message board, carry on as you are and Albert can be presented with the Player of the Season and Young Player of the Season awards before the Christmas decorations are up.