The Official Burnley v Bristol City Match Day Thread

[CityCiderEd]

Quite a few people have said to me," what did you expect in a tougher league this season" Well my answer is a bloody lot more than what I've seen this year to be honest.I knew it would be tough but this is a getting painful now.

 

[Hartcliffe red]

Check out @andybcfc2013's Tweet: https://twitter.com/andybcfc2013/status/681500544956022784?s=09

Check out @andybcfc2013's Tweet: https://twitter.com/andybcfc2013/status/681503093545168897?s=09

Check out @andybcfc2013's Tweet: https://twitter.com/andybcfc2013/status/681513799300575232?s=09

Check out @andybcfc2013's Tweet: https://twitter.com/andybcfc2013/status/681515962680655875?s=09

Hard to watch i know,but seen the goals on twitter so thought id share

[Red Cloud]

2 minutes ago, BristolPete said:

Can't help wondering if Hargreaves Lansdown have made their billions by sticking with traders who always got it wrong and just made excuse after excusefor their failure. In his business Mr Lansdown hasn't thought twice about ditching a loosing player, maybe he ought to have the decency to apply the same rules to the club too.

SL is hopefully beginning to see the real possibility of League 1 and a 27K stadium

[Shtanley]

Bryan, Reid and Burns to all start in my preferred team next game

[HoldenBall]

Fair play to Cotts, 3-0 down and putting on Little made a huge difference.

[havanatopia]

4-0 FT ... thought we would lose but also thought we might come out angry after Charlton.. seems like a depressing whimper. Lacking quality all across the pitch, confidence is obviously a major worry now and dispensing with Wade Elliott and a bunch of other players close season before their replacements were brought in is looking somewhat awkward on the Cotts copybook. I am sure he has reason but surely you have to hold on to what you have before finding a replacement.

January is do or die now for him and for City.. got to get it right.

Edited December 28, 2015 by havanatopia

[Atlanta_Red]

I've heard that Cox will be put in charge of guarding the corner flags at the next home game.

[Chairman Mao]

another gutless and inept display away from home

[Slippin cider]

Utterly embarrassing .......how much longer!??????

[Nogbad the Bad]

22 minutes ago, Atlanta_Red said:

 

 

9 minutes ago, Super said:

.

 

2 minutes ago, ten minutes of rough said:

Enough... Get him gone.

Interesting view but RB telling us Cotterill was applauded by the travelling supporters.

Our squad isn't strong enough, something acknowledged by fans, manager and Chairman alike.

Those responsible in the club have to get it right this time, with new players arriving as early in January as humanly possible.

[Esmond Million's Bung]

On the plus side only 30 minutes to go to the next instalment of LVG torture.

[KeepUpLino]

5 minutes ago, havanatopia said:

4-0 FT ... thought we would lose but also thought we might come out angry after Charlton.. seems like a depressing whimper. Lacking quality all across the pitch, confidence is obviously a major worry now and dispensing with Wade Elliott and a bunch of other players close season before their replacements were brought it is looking somewhat awkward on the Cotts copybook. I am sure he has reason but surely you have to hold on to what you have before finding a replacement.

January is do or die now for him and for City.. got to get it right.

Your kidding right... Cotts needs to go and now, new manager, new ideas..

 Let's get someone who can attract decent players in this league

[Lack of Action Man]

Its getting very hard now to maintain belief in the manager as a fan, when he can't seem to drag our lads heads out pf the sand. We are bereft of confidence and I am failing to see how the current management and coaching staff are addressing or at least hope to address this.

[NorfolkInChance]

For all the people that keep saying out squad isn't strong enough, etc just look at how Preston seem to be doing with what is a squad like ours or even worse....  The time for excuses is now over and it's time to act.  Do we give Cotts money in Jan (can't see anything exciting happening anyway) or do need need aa change at the top?  Difficult one but there should be no sentiment involved whichever way it goes...

[lenred]

6 minutes ago, 'keepuplino' said:

Your kidding right... Cotts needs to go and now, new manager, new ideas..

 Let's get someone who can attract decent players in this league

Exactly this. Why people are still defending him and his inept running of our football team is beyond me. He needs to go and we need a proven champ manager brought in preferably before next weekend. We are certain to go down if we don't do it. We still have a chance if we make the change. 

[Shtanley]

I'd give him until after Middlesborough at home, if things haven't improved I think I'd be edging into the Cotts out camp. That way it allows the new manager to have the back end of January

[samo II]

We now have fewer points than after 24 matches compared to last time we were at this level (21 compared to 22), and we all know how that season panned out.

In our home game against Burnley there was a case to be made we were undone by a couple of slack moments on set pieces, and we at least fought to get a consolation goal - today we were brushed aside; that does not equal progress, by any measurement.

Also worth noting that Burnley were also in a run of form as poor as our own before this game, so it's not like we've met them at the 'wrong time' - they'll probably not hit as bad a patch as this for a while, so this was likely an opportunity for us, despite the fact I had no faith we'd get anything today.

I don't know what to think right now; I don't any other manager is getting more from the players we have, as I don't think the players we have are good enough to keep us up on their own - we need players of the right quality to make us competitive, and need them now (and several of them) - without quality additions, we should accept it will be a long remainder of the season, and that relegation is highly likely.

[Ivorguy]

Criticised by some on otib before ko for being a pessimist, I answered that I, and others, were in fact realists 

It gives me little satisfaction to say I was right

SC must go.  If he has any decency he will resign, but sadly I guess he will have to be sacked

Yet I despair of our Board, of whom I have been consistently critical, for their deafening silence, this season.  But now they MUST act

I really fear that, again as I have been saying for a long time, I think SL and The Board are happy with third division football

I haven't felt like this since we hurtled down from first to fourth division in successive seasons

Please someone, anyone, cheer me up but please don't mention the January window; Even if we identify the right players and make an acceptable bid, who would want to come and join this sinking ship ?

[wallaceboy]

30 minutes ago, Nube Rojo said:

SL is hopefully beginning to see the real possibility of League 1 and a 27K stadium

Premiership derbys with Gloucester and bath could well be tho.

[steviestevieneville]

3 minutes ago, Shtanley said:

I'd give him until after Middlesborough at home, if things haven't improved I think I'd be edging into the Cotts out camp. That way it allows the new manager to have the back end of January

What good is that. If we are going to get someone in then he will need the whole month of the transfer window.

I hoped it would work out for him but it isn't. Serious lack of flexibility to his management

[joe jordans teeth]

If he hasn't lost the dressing room God forbid when he does,4 nils will be good results,gutless and spineless the lot of em

[Flagon]

I completely get why some want Cotts gone but I don't think another manager coming in would make any difference other than shifting some players around in different formations and maybe giving other players a chance. I don't personally feel the current squad in whatever formation is good enough. It might just about be good enough to avoid relegation but that's it. Any new manager would need exactly the same as Cotts. New players. 

I just hope we can get some in before it's too late. God knows what happened that the summer transfer window went spectacularly wrong but we really need to move on and focus on what is in front now. 

Right now I think a change of manager would be even more disruptive. They've got to focus on getting some players, stay in the division, add in the summer aswell and then we will see where Cotts can take them. 

[ChippenhamRed]

Unless we already have someone lined up, there would be absolutely no point in dismissing Cotterill now - though I completely understand the temptation. We simply cannot have a period without a manager with the transfer window just days away. On that basis I think we will stick with him.

My biggest concern therefore is how do we expect a manager who had an entire summer and the momentum of a title-winning season to buy players, and failed, to now sign players in a single month with the side in the relegation zone?

[havanatopia]

Loved what Terry had to say... not all accurate but thats not the point.. loved his passion. Good on you mucker.

[Guest EDoubleD]

I think we need to give cotts money to spend. We bought the lowest number of players of any championship club this season - and that's in a division that includes Blackburn and forest who were on embargoes plus Bolton and Birmingham city who have no money. 

 

we're in a league with 9 (I think) teams that have been in the prem in the last 5 years, and Add to that Brighton, boro, Wednesday, Derby and Leeds who all have a net spend for this season of over £4million. This is a tough league, but the manager has not been supported to improve the team.

 

If he doesn't improve it in Jan then he should go. spending money paying him off then giving the new manager money would be an even bigger gamble. We'd be better letting cotts spend the money.

[Shtanley]

12 minutes ago, steviestevieneville said:

What good is that. If we are going to get someone in then he will need the whole month of the transfer window.

I hoped it would work out for him but it isn't. Serious lack of flexibility to his management

Yeah but I don't want to get rid of him. Although I do blame Cotts for the general transfer failings. Clearly a bit too optimistic with his targets.

[havanatopia]

12 minutes ago, Ivorguy said:

Criticised by some on otib before ko for being a pessimist, I answered that I, and others, were in fact realists 

It gives me little satisfaction to say I was right

SC must go.  If he has any decency he will resign, but sadly I guess he will have to be sacked

Yet I despair of our Board, of whom I have been consistently critical, for their deafening silence, this season.  But now they MUST act

I really fear that, again as I have been saying for a long time, I think SL and The Board are happy with third division football

I haven't felt like this since we hurtled down from first to fourth division in successive seasons

Please someone, anyone, cheer me up but please don't mention the January window; Even if we identify the right players and make an acceptable bid, who would want to come and join this sinking ship ?

Right about what exactly? You were a pessimist before, you still are; you wanted Cotts out, i think you said that before, and you still want him out. Criticism or fact matters little; I do not see any reason to attempt to be deferential given its your own opinion. You look more smug than anything. Odd.

Go and enjoy new year.. more things in life than football. There. Cheer up, its not the end of the earth.

[Red Exile]

If we get out of this it will be little short of a miracle. I've followed the club through some dreadfully depressing seasons in the past…early 80s taking the biscuit…and what they've had in common with this season is the simple fact that from the off the squad hasn't been up to the job.

I feel sorry for the fans…and for the players who did such a good job earlier in the year. 

Shambles.

 

[Phileas Fogg]

24 minutes ago, Shtanley said:

I'd give him until after Middlesborough at home, if things haven't improved I think I'd be edging into the Cotts out camp. That way it allows the new manager to have the back end of January

Is this you on RB now @Shtanley?

[steviestevieneville]

2 minutes ago, Shtanley said:

Yeah but I don't want to get rid of him. Although I do blame Cotts for the general transfer failings. Clearly a bit too optimistic with his targets.

No sentiment in football though. He doesn't change formation, he's pig headed to say the least. Look at today, 2-0 at half time we obviously need to go for because we were getting thumped anyway. We have a proven championship striker on the bench and he doesn't even get on.

As regards the summer, you are right. Who chooses the transfer targets, the manager. SL has already stated the money was there for wages.

[Shtanley]

3 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

Is this you on RB now @Shtanley?

Yeah mate, rambled on a bit.

[Phileas Fogg]

2 minutes ago, Shtanley said:

Yeah mate, rambled on a bit.

Sounded good, agreed with what you said - apart from you not being a huge fan of otib !

[ChippenhamRed]

13 minutes ago, EDoubleD said:

I think we need to give cotts money to spend. We bought the lowest number of players of any championship club this season - and that's in a division that includes Blackburn and forest who were on embargoes plus Bolton and Birmingham city who have no money. 

 

we're in a league with 9 (I think) teams that have been in the prem in the last 5 years, and Add to that Brighton, boro, Wednesday, Derby and Leeds who all have a net spend for this season of over £4million. This is a tough league, but the manager has not been supported to improve the team.

 

If he doesn't improve it in Jan then he should go. spending money paying him off then giving the new manager money would be an even bigger gamble. We'd be better letting cotts spend the money.

Why do we keep hearing this "manager has not been supported to improve the team"?!

The board sanctioned enormous bids for players last summer, bids that shocked us all at the time. Very few other clubs in the division were bidding those sort of sums. Furthermore Lansdown has gone on record since to say that wages were not the issue with Gray, it was his preference to join a rival with realistic promotion prospects. 

If that isn't support, what is?

[hollydog]

This team is beaten before kick off. SC has effectively undermined any residue of self confidence by saying in the press that he can't ask any more of his players. So they were as good as they could be and couldn't beat bottom of the table Charlton - how could they win today? He sent out similar message before the Derby game through his team selection and - in particular - dropping Kodja. He had effectively signalled before kick off that we weren't even going to try and win.  Ditto when we went down to ten men v Blackburn. The reshuffle effectively signalled to Blackburn that we didn't think we could win the game. Ditto the lack of subs until it is too late - the message is that the potential replacements are no better than the first ii which he's admitted aren't good enough. 

I've been prepared to back SC until now but I honestly think that squad morale has been mortally wounded and it is difficult to see how that can be reversed without a change of manager. 

[Murraysrightplum]

Now or never to go as need to give new guy the whole window. If SL sticks with him fair play but he'll have to live with that decision 

[tts_city]

He thought we were the better team first half and doesnt want to talk about signing new players in case it upsets his group of lads, mystifying.

[Andy082005]

2 minutes ago, tts_city said:

He thought we were the better team first half and doesnt want to talk about signing new players in case it upsets his group of lads, mystifying.

Please tell me he didn't say this?

Please tell me this is a "whoosh" moment by me?

Edited December 28, 2015 by Andy082005

[hollydog]

42 minutes ago, samo II said:

We now have fewer points than after 24 matches compared to last time we were at this level (21 compared to 22), and we all know how that season panned out.

In our home game against Burnley there was a case to be made we were undone by a couple of slack moments on set pieces, and we at least fought to get a consolation goal - today we were brushed aside; that does not equal progress, by any measurement.

Also worth noting that Burnley were also in a run of form as poor as our own before this game, so it's not like we've met them at the 'wrong time' - they'll probably not hit as bad a patch as this for a while, so this was likely an opportunity for us, despite the fact I had no faith we'd get anything today.

I don't know what to think right now; I don't any other manager is getting more from the players we have, as I don't think the players we have are good enough to keep us up on their own - we need players of the right quality to make us competitive, and need them now (and several of them) - without quality additions, we should accept it will be a long remainder of the season, and that relegation is highly likely.

Spot on. Burnley had only one once in seven before today (v Charlton) and yet they rolled us over with barely a whimper. All vey well Cotts dying how good their squad is but their form was as poor as ours. asSamo says - we're going backwards rather than making progress.

[exAtyeoMax]

19 minutes ago, Shtanley said:

Yeah mate, rambled on a bit.

Shame we couldn't hear your final statement though. What were you saying?

[EstoniaTallinnRed]

42 minutes ago, wallaceboy said:

Premiership derbys with Gloucester and bath could well be tho.

But we all know Bristol Rugby will bottle it in the playoffs again!

[Red Exile]

3 minutes ago, Andy082005 said:

Please tell me he didn't say this?

Please tell me this is a "whoosh" moment by me?

Sadly that's exactly what he said. 

[samo II]

1 minute ago, cynic said:

He said thought we played better football than them second half.

 

At this point the quality of our football is of no concern if we lose, certainly by a margin rare enough to constitute a thrashing by any standard.

If what has been quoted is true, I'm very concerned - in his position I'd be telling the squad everyone of them is expendable, as if they contour to fail as they are, they should be.

[EstoniaTallinnRed]

27 minutes ago, cynic said:

He wasn't entirely accurate re SC or SL being chairman but what he said about SL trying to do things on the cheap was pretty accurate I'd say.

SL stated that we aimed too high in the transfer market and should be looking at good L1 and L2 players - which is a recipe for disaster in my view. 

There was obviously some confusion between SL and SC in this respect and they need to sort that out- if they can. Yes, get younger players in but we are desperately short of experienced quality championship players and we either need to shell out for that or accept we are a league 1/championship yoyo club.

 

Yo Yo club?  it took us 9 years to get out of L1 the time before.

[Shtanley]

12 minutes ago, exAtyeoMax said:

Shame we couldn't hear your final statement though. What were you saying?

Just saying how many people overreact and are overstating the current plight. Like people saying SL should quit and we should abandon the academy

[collier]

17 minutes ago, cynic said:

Another view;

He said he thought we played better football than them second half.

He alluded to his players not wanting to read about their manager signing players to replace them. In that respect, he wouldn't give anything away regarding that.

 

Heaven forbid our players get wind of any new players coming in, this could upset our current form and nobody wants that. If I was him I would be singing the names of any potential new players, maybe then the current squad would get the required rocket up the bum they need!!

[brad blit]

IF it was Cotts fault no-one came to us in the summer and he told SL the players would be good enough then you could understand SL saying "thanks for everything but goodbye"

However I do believe it's more the chairman/DOF fault and thats why he will stay and given another transfer window to fix things.

It was always gonna be hard going Burnley and getting something today, it's the results like last Saturday that has left us in the awful position.

I can understand people wanting Cotts to go but the club is better in his hands now with the window this close, but if it was obvious he 'lost the players trust' then I'd hate to be in SL shoes 

[Frenchay Red]

Definitely didn't want to upset his players by talking about new players coming in. They were his players and he could see them improving week by week (really?). They always gave everything, win, lose or draw.

Very loyal to his team.

But what about some loyalty to the club, the owner and the fans?

If what you have isn't good enough no amount of loyalty is going to improve the situation.

[collier]

11 minutes ago, cynic said:

I'm not defending SC, just stating it as I heard it - which was different from the other poster.

My view is that the players aren't stupid and know that the squad needs strengthening throughout anyway but I wouldn't expect SC to say "we need to improve on what we have in midfield" for instance. Sends out all the wrong messages.

I wasn't having a go mate, just responding to the quote.

 

If telling the players to buck up their ideas or they will be replaced is the wrong message though, what messages are they getting from the management team at the mo??

[Guest Redrobbin]

I think cotts spat his dummy out massively with regard to the lack of summer signings . Both him and Langsdown have been contradicting each other's statements ever since. 

Cotts pig headed approach on tatics, inflexibility on formation, and his refusal to make substitutions at key points in games, is him showing two fingers to Langsdown.  

"I have nothing on the bench to effect the game Mr Langsdown so i'm leaving the club out to dry!" 

Edited December 28, 2015 by Redrobbin

[Numero Uno]

Just got back as staying with family up North. Flint at fault for first two goals, Pack and Frank were embarrassing on the third and they took the p1$$ out of us on the fourth.

Smith and Baker head and shoulders above the rest. Wes and Bobby did alright at the end. Flint was jekyll and hyde, Williams ok and the rest stunk the place out tbh.

Got to tell the truth and say that Pack and Freeman were literally stealing a living today. Absolute disgrace the pair of them. Kodjia wasn't much better and is clearly playing for himself.

New GK, two midfield players and a replacement for Wilbraham otherwise totally convinced it's Div 3 football next season. And the way I feel after that trip today Bristol Sport FC can stick a L1 season ticket up their arse.

[BS4 on Tour...]

3 hours ago, nickolas said:

Quality keeping by Fielding again. Rooted to his line. Useless. 

New GK required in Jan please. 

I assume from the timing of your post you were talking about their third goal?

If so, Frankie was about 8 yards off his line as he came out to meet the attacker. He wasn't rooted to his line.

I know frustrations are rife tonight but posting inaccurate stuff to criticise individuals doesn't help.

But I get your disappointment mate, it's a terrible shame that we are in this situation after last season. To find ourselves back in the third div with a big new stadium is just unthinkable...

Edited December 28, 2015 by BS4 on Tour...

[Numero Uno]

8 minutes ago, BS4 on Tour... said:

I assume from the timing of your post you were talking about their third goal?

If so, Frankie was about 8 yards off his line as he came out to meet the attacker. He wasn't rooted to his line.

I know frustrations are rife tonight but posting inaccurate stuff to criticise individuals doesn't help.

But I get your disappointment mate, it's a terrible shame that we are in this situation after last season. To find ourselves back in the third div with a big new stadium is just unthinkable...

Frank came off his line far too late. The players were looking at him as if to say wtf including Pack which I didn't like as he made the first mistake himself.

The forty yarder that Barton hit the bar with right in the centre of the goal was also embarrassing. How does a pro keeper get beaten for pace from 40 yards?

[aa_bcfc]

6 hours ago, Chairman Mao said:

another gutless and inept display away from home

It might have been inept but totally unfair to say gutless. 

[Smokey]

3 hours ago, BS4 on Tour... said:

I assume from the timing of your post you were talking about their third goal?

If so, Frankie was about 8 yards off his line as he came out to meet the attacker. He wasn't rooted to his line.

I know frustrations are rife tonight but posting inaccurate stuff to criticise individuals doesn't help.

But I get your disappointment mate, it's a terrible shame that we are in this situation after last season. To find ourselves back in the third div with a big new stadium is just unthinkable...

he should of read the danger from that long pass and been ready to come and gather the ball or smash it upfield, he's to indecisive. Just like he is with crosses or any sort of ball into our box

[Alex_BCFC]

16 hours ago, BS4 on Tour... said:

I assume from the timing of your post you were talking about their third goal?

If so, Frankie was about 8 yards off his line as he came out to meet the attacker. He wasn't rooted to his line.

I know frustrations are rife tonight but posting inaccurate stuff to criticise individuals doesn't help.

But I get your disappointment mate, it's a terrible shame that we are in this situation after last season. To find ourselves back in the third div with a big new stadium is just unthinkable...

No idea why Fielding didn't come out straight away to clear it.