Red-Robbo

People say that about Rich Hoskins as well, but it's just how he expresses moments of excitement. We all have our favourites and preferences, and when John Motson retired there was a tribute thread here with people going on about how he was "the voice of football" but I always disliked Motty's commentaries, with their clumsily shoehorned uninteresting facts, fake chuckles and utter lack of ever seeing humour in the game. Others thought he was great. So, the tone of voice of this lady commentator is obviously dividing people, but that's to be expected. It doesn't have anything to do with her being female, hopefully. I'm sure people have moved beyond that.

Could be worse. You could work for National Air Traffic Control IT... ?

We can only hope that City are right on, right on in their next game, not right off... It gives me a headache beginning to imagine what a headache that was for Clik.

I know they all write these nowadays, but Tomas's one is very eloquent and reads like it's very genuinely heartfelt. Can't blame him for going to Schalke. Massive club. Fourth most successful in German history and second most registered supporters. In the second tier this season, of course, and TK might see some parallels with the club he's just left... https://www.dw.com/en/schalke-relegated-from-the-bundesliga-the-inside-story-of-a-royal-case-of-the-blues/a-57184763

So did the fans!

I think we knew as matters stand, we couldn't compete with PP recipients, but I'm concerned about Pearson saying he can't get more in because he's at the limit of what he can spend on wages when, by your estimate, we're bottom third of the Championship, for overall wages. Sort of suggests the club's prepared to settle for a bottom-third finish, which fans, and Pearson, certainly won't be happy with.

So is it your view, Gray, that we're not among the top wage-payers in this division? That's my view, but we've heard that line trotted out in the media.

They must be!

I can't see how our club is allegedly in the Top 10 for wages in this division. Surely Wells, James and King cannot be costing us SO much it means no one else, no matter how inexperienced at this level, can be brought in? We know Weimann's wage was trimmed, others salary will have risen somewhat as players become established first-team regulars, but we're hardly fielding a team of galacticos. Do the wage considerations include Pearson's doubtless not inconsiderable salary? Are they taking into account the seemingly endless number of Bristol Sport employees??

Certainly the pattern thus far. Unfortunately poor and (perhaps just as bad) boring performances, combined with lack of major excitement about new players, will lead to dwindling attendances, quieter crowds and the whole thing will be a bit of a negative spiral. Whenever I hear Nigel Pearson on the radio, he sounds just as hacked off as I feel. Hope it all clicks into place one home game, but right now, it looks as if we're just on hold waiting for Tommy C to reappear.

It's sad to see Scunthorpe, Southend, all manner of other clubs you've known over the decades in English football struggling. True, clubs have gone bust in the past or suffered the decline into permanent non-league status. More seem to be on the brink now. It makes me wonder with the unsustainable model of English football and our current economic downturn, how much longer can we have five leagues of very well-paid full professionals - with pros even featuring at NL North and South level at some clubs. A hard rain's gonna fall.

Trifecta suggests they are winners. ?

If my auntie had ... etc. Hypotheticals. Fact is, the three players people complained the most about last night were Pearson signings. Tinnion does the background availability stuff, Alexander - in consultation with the owner - sets the budget, but Pearson brought them here. I'd argue that neither Mehmeti nor Cornick have been success stories and they've had quite a lot of gametime now, each. Tanner, the other current whipping boy, is not as bad as people make out and has been MOTM in the past. We know he can do it, he's out of form. He can't spend what we need and I'd agree with everyone who says new ownership/new co-owners/an injection of at least interest in building the club up, is needed much more than a change of manager. But Pearson makes mistakes. He's very stubborn at acknowledging them to himself as well. I don't think he's beyond criticism on that front.

Funnily enough, as I do not work professionally in football, I don't have a database of who may or may not be available. Thing is, we have staff at BCFC who do that, and I don't believe that there would be no one available or affordable in the entire world of football who could play the role of linking our defence and deep midfield with our forwards. Because, you see, we aren't really doing that at our club at present - the pitiful number of goal attempts per game shows that. So, would I rather have had one really useful central player than three who all fulfill roles that can be done by other players already here (one of whom, tbf, hasn't yet had time to show what he can do), well, yes, I would. It's hypothetical anyway, as we've got who we've got. We can't time-machine them back.

So Pearson has no say in player recruitment? Is there anything he does do? I mean, we are allowed to say his three up-front with Cornick and Mehmeti either side of Wells or Bell doesn't look like it's working, right?

As Cornick is regularly subbed, it seems he's already replacable.

I can't help but think the money spent - fees, wages - on Cornick, who has never really done it for me, Mehmet, who's gone backwards since coming here, and TGH, someone not wanted by a club in the same division as us, might have been better spent on acquiring one genuine attacking central midfielder. Now that is the manager's call, not Lansdown's.

It's almost as if whatever we're coaching him to do has completely squashed out the natural flair we saw last season.

Barton's probably tried to!

It's his distribution that is his weakness. He hasn't got the strongest kick and over distance they are often wayward. I know this is an area he's been working on, but more to be done there. He's a good shot stopper though and his anticipation is pretty good. Rooted to his line he is not.

I'll make a statement: A drink's too wet without Rich Tea biscuits...

They will be, and as I say, no one is demanding they know confidential medical details about players, but we've quite often only had networks of rumours and supposedly ITK posters to find out if injury absences are going to be short-term, very long term or whole season out. @eardun reminded me that the club doesn't yet know if surgery is needed, so the uncertainty about how serious this infection is in this case may be understandable. If we do know he'll be out for the season I'd - as a fan - quite like to be told, rather than relying on the rumour mill.

Dud's Army.

Agree. That's why having Scott behind him was ideal for Bell - and another reason why a forward-sitting midfielder who can knock those perfectly weighted balls behind their defence would be very welcome in our current set-up.

We don't. But perhaps something more official might be needed to address the rumours that he is going to miss the whole season. If it's as serious as is being suggested here, but they do not know the precise timeframe, something like "McCrorie faces a substantial period on the byline because of an infection" would suffice. "I don't know when he's back," could mean he's back next week.