Sizzle or fizzle in the drizzle in Brizzle? - 12/1/2019 - 3pm

[officer_dibble]

Fair result from the stats and general pattern of play as commentated - lucky it wasn’t more.

Sooner we get put out of our misery in this division the better, roll on May.

We’re probably not a bad league one side in terms of the core XI (most of whom will be out of contract but won’t get championship offers) and we might at least see the football there. Just hope we actually try and play some (football) next season.

This is like the gap a promoted team used to try and bridge in the premiership now. We got lucky last season and haven’t improved the squad. At least the budgets are more manageable when we go down this time I suppose!

[nicholaldo]

Fair result from the stats and general pattern of play as commentated - lucky it wasn’t more.

Sooner we get put out of our misery in this division the better, roll on May.

We’re probably not a bad league one side in terms of the core XI (most of whom will be out of contract but won’t get championship offers) and we might at least see the football there. Just hope we actually try and play some (football) next season.

This is like the gap a promoted team used to try and bridge in the premiership now. We got lucky last season and haven’t improved the squad. At least the budgets are more manageable when we go down this time I suppose!

The gap between this level and the level below is even bigger, in my opinion.

[Enoch]

On a positive note, The Lions lost.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

On a positive note, The Lions lost.

Still only six points and 12 goals clear of us then – which seems a a surmountable gap until you check and discover we've had two league wins since August and 12 league goals since September 1. So at that rate, with a following wind, we might just about catch Millwall by May, provided they don't get any more points and we get a Football League exemption from conceded goals staying on the record.

My God.

[TonyDomingos]

Tbh, I enjoyed D1 last time around. I saw more games than in any of the previous 6 or 7 seasons. More importantly, I actually enjoyed going because I saw wins!

Of course, I don't want us to lose in the Champ and I'd rather we didn't get relegated, but if/when we do, I can live with it.

[Jugs]

Tbh, I enjoyed D1 last time around. I saw more games than in any of the previous 6 or 7 seasons. More importantly, I actually enjoyed going because I saw wins!

Of course, I don't want us to lose in the Champ and I'd rather we didn't get relegated, but if/when we do, I can live with it.

It could go totally tits up next time though

[TANGODANCER]

Every week we lose. We lose to attacking teams. Afer a spell of 49 losses in a row, we attack one week and score 5. The following week we lose (afer being in front again) to an attacking team. Might the soloution be for us to become an attacking team ourselves?
Not much to lose really, is here?

You’ve got to be good enough to retain possession. Control the game. Against wallsall we had the better players. Against BC we did not.That’s the basic problem. Even good sides struggle to go away from home and dominate. Frankly looking at the goals we conceded both were poor ones. Do better and who knows?

We're not good enough because Parky plays damage limitation as a priority. It's mandatory and every manager in the league must know it by now. We lose (or at worst draw) every game home or away, are second bottom below supposedly poor teams, are skint and have just lost a couple of players who left and went home. We have injuries amongst those left, fans are talking mutiny and these are "all" basic facts, not just problems. If we were holding our own, fine, carry on, but we're not are we? 1-0 or 10-0 still gets the same points (nil) and we're like tin cans behind a wedding car, getting battered and eventually falling by the wayside. I wish it were't so, but it is!. We can't change the players, but we can change the method. Losing either way is no different.

[Enoch]

Tbh, I enjoyed D1 last time around. I saw more games than in any of the previous 6 or 7 seasons. More importantly, I actually enjoyed going because I saw wins!

Of course, I don't want us to lose in the Champ and I'd rather we didn't get relegated, but if/when we do, I can live with it.

Why oh why can't more folk see the positive?

[nicholaldo]

Every week we lose. We lose to attacking teams. Afer a spell of 49 losses in a row, we attack one week and score 5. The following week we lose (afer being in front again) to an attacking team. Might the soloution be for us to become an attacking team ourselves?
Not much to lose really, is here?

You’ve got to be good enough to retain possession. Control the game. Against wallsall we had the better players. Against BC we did not.That’s the basic problem. Even good sides struggle to go away from home and dominate. Frankly looking at the goals we conceded both were poor ones. Do better and who knows?

We're not good enough because Parky plays damage limitation as a priority. It's mandatory and every manager in the league must know it by now. We lose (or at worst draw) every game home or away, are second bottom below supposedly poor teams, are skint and have just lost a couple of players who left and went home. We have injuries amongst those left, fans are talking mutiny and these are "all" basic facts, not just problems. If we were holding our own, fine, carry on, but we're not are we? 1-0 or 10-0 still gets the same points (nil) and we're like tin cans behind a wedding car, getting battered and eventually falling by the wayside. I wish it were't so, but it is!. We can't change the players, but we can change the method. Losing either way is no different.

Nah, it's not that. My thoughts are that the following two things are both basically true:

1. Parky is a naturally conservative manager who's unlikely to ever set a team up to dictate the play by dominating possession, or to open up the opposition by manoeuvring them out of position and exploiting the space by passing to feet.

2. Even if he were, the players that we have currently wouldn't be good enough to play that way. They would be forced into making errors by better players closing them down and cutting off the space, and, when not losing possession as a result of those errors, they would end up either passing backwards or hitting it long out of desperation because their decision-making isn't quick enough.

That's not to say that we can't improve how we go about creating things further forward. For one, I'm not convinced that we're better off playing with inverted wingers rather than with wingers who go on the outside and cross in with their naturally stronger foot, especially now that we aren't playing with proper wing-backs. Neither am I convinced that we shouldn't be getting more out of our set-pieces. And I'm not necessarily against playing with two up front either, but now that Doidge isn't with us it's probably less effective anyway.

Presumably two up front would mean we play a 4-4-2 though, and I would worry about how we would then solve the problem of being outnumbered in the centre of midfield given that most teams play with a middle three of some description. I have pondered whether we could accommodate an extra forward up front by weaponising Williams' and Vela's energy and playing a bastardised version of a 4-3-3, with Ameobi, Doidge (or now Donaldson), and Magennis as the three further forward, possibly with the right-back pushing up in attack, however I think that's probably asking too much of our players, and besides, Williams looks like he might be leaving.

But no matter which formation or system we go with, I do think it's fundamental that we don't even attempt to play it out from the back or try and pass through the middle. I realise that I've made this point on here before but I still think it's true that we're at our best when bypassing the midfield by going long to a target man, from who's hold-up play and flick ons we can win possession fairly deep in the opposition half, and then going from there. That's where our strength lies. And even then it might not be enough to keep us up.

[officer_dibble]

He’s got to get some youth on the bench - the state of the bench yesterday with the goalkeeper coach, dyer and Donaldson. We will need young players coming through - we need them to play and/or selll them - parkys record with youngsters is pretty poor.

[Jugs]

There's always an excuse for why Bolton can't put youth on the bench. "We're fighting relegation, so it wouldn't be fair to use them in this situation," or "We're pushing for promotion so can't trust youth."

Heard these 2 excuses for far too long now from numerous managers.

[TANGODANCER]

Reality check 239 or...A Sherlock:

Despite conflicting views it's pretty obvious we all agree that, unless we win some games (any which way loose or tight and quick) and get some points, as things stand right now, we're getting relegated. That's the reality. In a so-far totally shxt season for every reason you can think of, the basic rules of football never go away: losing means just what it says and the losing for B.W.F.C is of a worse kind than for many a season.

The biggest penalty for it is the fans being so disheartened they stop supporting the club financially, and that's a death sentence for any club. How the 300 or so faithful who gave up their weekend to travel all the way to Bristol and lose must feel, I know not.Whilst full of admiration, I feel desperately sorry for them.


It also makes me laugh when anyone talking relegation claims we've been there before; we haven't on the same level. We're not just a town stadium on Manchester Road anymore with Bromwich Street round the corner(oh how I wish) paying working wages to players driving courtesy Ladas' , but a fully fledged business with a top stadium outside the town boundaries, real estate, a fair-sized interest in hotel, marketing, rugby ground sharing, boxingand pop concert venue and all the trimmings of football 2019 and its millionaire players, agents and owners that relegation can hardly support. Fur coat and no drawers doesn't begin to describe us right now. There is but one answer that's any use, we need to win games. Unless we do, we are in all sorts of trouble. Now there's a N.S.S if ever there was.

Answers wilI be joyfully received and I await trial and sentence with less than exuberance....

[Lost Leopard Spot]

[quote=TonyDomingos post_id=1066747 time=1547330381 user_id=1497]
Tbh, I enjoyed D1 last time around. I saw more games than in any of the previous 6 or 7 seasons. More importantly, I actually enjoyed going because I saw wins!

Of course, I don't want us to lose in the Champ and I'd rather we didn't get relegated, but if/when we do, I can live with it.
[/quote]

It will be even better in League 2. By the time we reach the Conference (or whatever it's called these days, Division 5 ), it will be like summer all through winter. We might even achieve as fanatical a home support as our away support by that point too.

I salute our travelling fans who went yesterday.

[Enoch]

We might even achieve as fanatical a home support as our away support by that point too.

You thinking of handing out MDMA at the turnstiles?

[bristol_Wanderer3]

View from the Atyeo Stand:

No drizzle, a burst of unexpected sizzle, before the inevitable larger dose of fizzle.

A typical BWFC Parky performance. Lots of effort, close to zero attacking intent, a challenge to a more cerebral Bristol City side to break us down. As we see more often than not in this league, there was enough enterprise from both management and players to unlock the door. Not before a euphoric moment from our only real attack, resulting from a mistake from their talented left back Lloyd Kelly, who had coasted through the game until this point, when he allowed Noone to nick the ball off him and Ameobi's cross shot was headed in by Buckley. Cue delirium amongst the few hundred spirited whites fans which is what you pay your money for. Sadly on the pitch we seemed almost shell shocked by this event and not helped by what looked a terrible mistake by Alnwick, promptly fell apart. 2-1 represented us getting off lightly.

Although there was some momentary excitement, and it ended in a narrow scoreline, we lose this game ten times out of ten. We simply set out to defend, and when we get possession it is just a break from defending. There is no intention whatsoever to construct an attack. Personally, I don't think man for man we are much worse than many of these teams. If anyone in the Championship sets out to purely defend they are going to win very few games.

Bristol City weren't great, it is easy to see why they are mid table. They do play with some intelligence, and think about the passes they make, the runs they make, how they might break teams down. They aren't good enough for it to work all the time, but you aint going to be able just defend against them, and for them not open you up in a game.

Oh hum. Some chants "feck the anderson's", and curiously "it's all our fault", with some angry responses, of "support your fcuking team". A geezer impressively slept all the way through the first half, and I can personally recommend the Thatchers Haze.

[BWFC_Insane]

View from the Atyeo Stand:

No drizzle, a burst of unexpected sizzle, before the inevitable larger dose of fizzle.

A typical BWFC Parky performance. Lots of effort, close to zero attacking intent, a challenge to a more cerebral Bristol City side to break us down. As we see more often than not in this league, there was enough enterprise from both management and players to unlock the door. Not before a euphoric moment from our only real attack, resulting from a mistake from their talented left back Lloyd Kelly, who had coasted through the game until this point, when he allowed Noone to nick the ball off him and Ameobi's cross shot was headed in by Buckley. Cue delirium amongst the few hundred spirited whites fans which is what you pay your money for. Sadly on the pitch we seemed almost shell shocked by this event and not helped by what looked a terrible mistake by Alnwick, promptly fell apart. 2-1 represented us getting off lightly.

Although there was some momentary excitement, and it ended in a narrow scoreline, we lose this game ten times out of ten. We simply set out to defend, and when we get possession it is just a break from defending. There is no intention whatsoever to construct an attack. Personally, I don't think man for man we are much worse than many of these teams. If anyone in the Championship sets out to purely defend they are going to win very few games.

Bristol City weren't great, it is easy to see why they are mid table. They do play with some intelligence, and think about the passes they make, the runs they make, how they might break teams down. They aren't good enough for it to work all the time, but you aint going to be able just defend against them, and for them not open you up in a game.

Oh hum. Some chants "feck the anderson's", and curiously "it's all our fault", with some angry responses, of "support your fcuking team". A geezer impressively slept all the way through the first half, and I can personally recommend the Thatchers Haze.

Its going to get ugly in the stands. Protesting an owner is IMO pointless. They are an owner - and cannot leave unless they transfer ownership or place the business into administration.

Ken isn't doing either just because some people shout. He's not even attending matches anymore it seems.

But the fans will turn on each other since there is nowhere else to go. I get the protesters are angry and I get the "support the team" fans just want to see the team do well. Somehow both have to let the other co-exist. However, we know human nature, particularly in 2019 doesn't work like that.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

We might even achieve as fanatical a home support as our away support by that point too.

You thinking of handing out MDMA at the turnstiles?

Multi-Dimensional Mind Alterers!
If only. I would, but I can't afford them for myself, never mind free gifts... Ken? You listening? Way forward...

[bristol_Wanderer3]

Its going to get ugly in the stands. Protesting an owner is IMO pointless. They are an owner - and cannot leave unless they transfer ownership or place the business into administration.

Ken isn't doing either just because some people shout. He's not even attending matches anymore it seems.

But the fans will turn on each other since there is nowhere else to go. I get the protesters are angry and I get the "support the team" fans just want to see the team do well. Somehow both have to let the other co-exist. However, we know human nature, particularly in 2019 doesn't work like that.

Yes it is a very difficult situation. Us fans are the ones who really care, and are motivated to call people out who are aren't running the club as well as they should, but what do you do?

In general terms I think fans have unrealistic view of owners. It seems the norm to expect them to sink millions into our clubs and then take all the flak when success doesn't happen. I really struggle to understand the stick that the likes of Marcus Evans at Ipswich gets when he sinks £50m into the club over ten years, and gets so much abuse, when all it seems he is guilty of is not overseeing a club that overtakes 15 or so others on much higher budgets.

In terms of Ken a lot comes down to whether you view the mistakes he might be making as a bloke doing the best he can with an almost impossible financial mess, or if he is acting in a more sinister or negligent fashion. I don't blame supporters for whatever they think, or whatever they do, it is hard to know what the facts truly are. We are in an awful mess however, and it isn't an easy time to be a supporter.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

In general terms I think fans have unrealistic view of owners. It seems the norm to expect them to sink millions into our clubs and then take all the flak when success doesn't happen.

Especially in this division, which brings to mind the old saw "the only way in this business to make a small fortune is to start with a large one". If Ken thought he was on to riches by financing a football club, he's stupider than we think. If he thought he was on to reflected glory by running a football club somebody else finances, he's not found anybody as gullible as he thought.

Here's some Championship figures from our relegation season (our lines are blank because we hadn't released our accounts).

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C9C0uOQXsAIRgJB.jpg (104.96 KiB) Viewed 2321 times