Red-Robbo

Nice to read that Scott came back from such an abject game versus the Baggies, to such a pivotal role at the New Den. When that lad is on song, it makes a massive difference to us. The old cliche about form being temporary but class being permanent is proved once again.

Yeah. Or I'd like a Marvin Elliott type midfielder. Doesn't have to be a world-beater, just dominant right in the centre of the pitch, very difficult to get past, pushes any attackers headed our way into the narrow wings where things get congested.

I agree. I won't be wailing or gnashing my teeth if he stays. Providing we stay in the Championship of course. He does have some good qualities. But once you lose confidence in someone, it takes a lot to get it back. Maybe he will have a stunning January.? Maybe a Matt Smith type loan (not Matt Smith and not an attacker, but you take my analogy) will perk up this season? Stranger things have happened. But my opinion of Pearson has shifted to the negative and when that happens, the errors, missteps, rudeness, arrogance, that you were prepared to overlook before, gets thrown into sharper focus. I'd raise a glass if he was sacked, although I don't expect him to be.

It's in Croydon. 'Nuff said...

But after that we had Millen, Tinion, Holden, not to mention the brief Fawthorp disaster. And Joe had an incredible pedigree and respect in the game. A bit more than Jason Euell, no offence to him. It may be naive to think the board won't make another blunder, but pro-Nige posters can't really have it both ways. You can't say the board always get everything wrong...... apart from Pearson, where they got it totally right. FWIW these discussions are pretty theoretical, because I agree with you that the board is very unlikely to take any action unless we fall into the relegation zone. If the rest of the season is as dire as it currently is, he might go even if we've retained Championship status. But that's an "if".

Although it's ludicrous to suggest all pro-Pearson votes are Gasheads; it's equally insulting to suggest that those wanting him gone think so because of social media. I'd reluctantly come to the conclusion that he has to go, after a long, mostly silent car journey back from Monday's game. It wasn't until I came on here that I realised that lots of my fellow fans were having the same thoughts.

Hopefully, they've learned from the Holden appointment fiasco that clubs run by adults take discrete soundings first and then give the manager the push. You can minimise or even cut out the time you need a caretaker to come in. Promoting a number two (no jokes please!) to be permanent head honcho has never worked out very well here either, so I trust that wouldn't be the route we go down. As our set routines and basic marking seems to be at sixes and sevens, I'd not be unhappy to see the First Team coaches depart with Pearson: Whatever they are trying to impart, it isn't sinking in Fear of who might replace him though is a poor reason to stick with NP. You have to take that leap sometimes and be brave. If I hadn't, I'd still be stuck doing a job I'd grown to hate, with a miserable marriage and living somewhere I'd fallen out of love with.

I get nada. Maybe it's EE that's the culprit? That said, if Glastonbury Festival can provide working WiFi for 200,000 people wandering around, (as they do these days), City should be able to cater for 20,000.

"Whilst not avoiding that iceberg, the captain of the Titanic met the remit of his job in many other ways".

It might explain a lot if he did....

Hmm, still finished first and then third in the Swiss league, qualified for Europe and beat Man U.

Wagner has left Young Boys. I'm not sure if that's a bit of sports news or just gossip.

It would be As You Like It, if he came here, for sure! [Sorry, I'll get me coat...]

Could've been worse: Pearson gone, Barton appointed

It's worth remembering that although Luton are now "fan-owned" - one "fan" owns 82% of their shares - during the time we've had Lansdown they've had two rogue owners who were more or less forced out due to fan disquiet and they spent 4 seasons in non-league, while Coventry's issues with its owners are well-known. Personally, I'd like to see an expanded, more football-savvy board and that probably means someone either buying in or buying up, and a reorganisation. Bristol Sport isn't a bad idea, but it seems to have developed as some sort of unwieldy version of the Civil Service, rather than following the model foreign clubs have.

Perchance he was a bit too fussy, seeing that we had a smallish squad and there's no way we were going to get long into the season before injuries starting to limit his in-house options?

Euell after Yule. I, for one, would be festive.

Sadly, it wouldn't surprise me to see no one come through the door. Summer seems the best time for sorting out really exciting loans; January is when you do the fire-fighting, filling-a-specific role short-term loans.

It's only Leicester where he's really done it. With different personnel. Different owner. Different regulatory regime. Different finances. Did well at Hull, but they'd been relegated, had parachute payments and he was able to bring in the likes of Solano, Koren, Harper etc. At Southampton, he faced a problem club and took them down to L1 for the first time in their history. Didn't uproot any trees managing in the Belgian second division either, although I accept that there are challenges with managing abroad. Failed to stop Watford's decline as well. I personally think that there are all sorts of managers who can and have undertaken long-term rebuilds. If NP goes, I'll be glad for the work he's put in beginning this process. The real restructuring began when Mark Ashton took another job however.

Quite. But a bit late for him to salvage this season. Maybe, at 59, that granite-hard self-assurance is starting to crack and he has started to learn the error of his ways in that respect. I never thought he was a stupid man. Just a stupidly stubborn one at times.

Pt 1: Let's be honest: we aren't a big or physical side. West Brom are, and with 5ft 8 Nakhi Wells effectively marked out by a (very good) man-mountain, we only had Conway's physicality to rely on. For me, Weimann's speed and poacher's instinct had to be put forward where he's got most of his goals. Yes, he can play RWB - unlike many forwards, he has defensive ability - but swap Wells' declining speed and positioning, for Weimann's. Have Antoine starting as a battering ram, holding balls for AW to run on to. Wells would make an excellent second half sub in such a game. Addendum: Syksey did well when he came on versus Stoke. Play according to matchday form. Pt2: Because he knows Andy King of old, he trusts Andy King and because of that - and the fact Kingy is a mid-30s married man he can probably relate to better than youngsters - he was left in a position he should not have been made to do once Atkinson and/or Klose were available. The fact he got injured doing it, just shows its folly. I'm all for imposing squad discipline BTW but not if it costs us points. Other ways to do that. Pt3: Of course, he has flaws, but in this one particular game you wanted someone to take the ball away from the midfield area that was a happy hunting ground for the Baggies. Get it in their half and maybe win a free kick. Han can do that. He was custom-made for the role when Scott and Williams offered nothing. Ultimately, if all he offered was fresh legs, he could be no worse! I'm of the opinion that Massengo might meet the right coach and fit into the right team and he will become the real deal. Just a hunch, mind you. Pt4: I think the vast majority of managers not working with PP millions utilise loans and as most in the Championship are above us, often with loanees as crucial parts of their team's equation, they seem to work for them without destroying the team's equilibrium or cohesion. Imagine foregoing Tammy Abraham or Steven Caulker. Or Andy Cole! I don't dispute a lot of your post and it isn't a case of me thinking we're doomed with Pearson. It's just I can't see any progression, We seem less able to compete with good teams than under Holden, and although Nigel faces particular money challenges, so do others, more successful others. If NP keeps us up this season, I foresee more of the same - or worse.

Liking the line-up - well, not liking, but it is the best we can achieve. I might be tempted to bring Bents back, assuming he isn't imminently about to depart. I seem to remember when he got dropped in the past, he was excellent when he got his place back. Just gets complacent when not challenged.

I like both, so no one can disappoint me there. Can't see the attraction of caged birds however.

Cheers. And tbf @GrahamC is right about most things. It would be depressing to think Pearson is untouchable because we can't afford to get rid of him though. As I've said, I just cannot explain some of his decision-making recently and - taken as a whole - it's costing us more points than any number of individual mistakes bad luck and reffing incompetence. However, I don't expect Lansdown to pull the trigger unless we fall into the relegation zone and stay there for a few weeks though. That man has the turning circle of an oil tanker.