So pleased for Liam

[BobBobBobbin]

Look, I'm with a lot of you, I am still so unsure about whether Liam is good enough. I have doubts, I have concerns and I have criticisms. 

But today, my overarching feeling following the game is that I'm delighted for him. Delighted he got to pump his fists at full time, delighted he got his subs right and his half time team talk right. Delighted for him personally.

For all his polite protestations, I bet he's absolutely buzzing to win that one. 

Now, the match itself begs many questions, I think it should spell the end of the Twine inverted from the left because second half, with more balance to our shape, we were superb. I think it should spell the end of Bristol City naming a starting eleven without our majestic number 7 in the starting line up and I think it should spell the end of seeing Max Bird anywhere but dictating possession from deeper (What a Rolls Royce of a player he is btw)

I hope beyond all hope that today was a turning point for us and Liam. I want, more than anything since thinking we should sack Cotts for signing Adam El Abd, to be proven wrong. 

We've had many a false dawn, but maybe this is the first brick in the wall. A man can dream!

 

GET IN THERE CITY!!!

[cidercity1987]

Well done Liam Manning

[The turtle]

Start the next game with twine as the 10. End the madness.

From there anything is possible. You saw it in the second half. He simply has to get out of his own way.

Edited September 21 by The turtle

[1team]

Oh **** off that was generally a shambles. We defend in panic mode and were lucky with the penalty. Play like that a decent team will thump us.

[BobBobBobbin]

Just now, The turtle said:

Start the next game with twine as. A10. End the madness.

From there anything is possible. You saw it in the second half. He simply has to get out of his own way.

I think rather than Twine being impressive it was the balance that having Anis and Yu playing in wide positions that helped us. 

[Kodjias Wrist]

Just now, 1team said:

Oh **** off that was generally a shambles. We defend in panic mode and were lucky with the penalty. Play like that a decent team will thump us.

Still gonna get games like that throughout the season. Off the back of two 3-0 defeats I think that’s a much needed confidence boost especially coming from behind.

[BobBobBobbin]

1 minute ago, 1team said:

Oh **** off that was generally a shambles. We defend in panic mode and were lucky with the penalty. Play like that a decent team will thump us.

We defended well second half. Tanner and Zak were very good. McNally was a bit shakey first half but fine second half. 

[RUSSEL85]

Credit where it’s due, started with incorrect line up in my opinion but subs were good. If I’m honest it papers over the cracks but I hope I’m wrong.

[bissellredhead]

5 minutes ago, 1team said:

Oh **** off that was generally a shambles. We defend in panic mode and were lucky with the penalty. Play like that a decent team will thump us.

You wanted us to lose today, didn't you?

[mozo]

Given the pressure today, for Manning to see his side play good stuff and come from behind to win avainst his old club, it must be a huge relief for him.

Manning deserves credit today.

8 points after 6 games is still a little below what I'd hoped (10 would be fine), so we need to get some points from the next 3 games to edge up the league.

[Jeez]

10 minutes ago, 1team said:

Oh **** off that was generally a shambles. We defend in panic mode and were lucky with the penalty. Play like that a decent team will thump us.

You're being too dismissive of Oxford - they recruited well & a well set up team. We showed we're better than that when set up to the players strengths but you need to get your head out ya butt & show them a little more credit.

[Dastardly and Muttley]

It took a penalty to beat a team that have been poor away from home all season.

We should have been 0-2 down after they missed an open goal.

Pleased for him that he won his cup final, but ultimately, he has to learn from that and get even better still if he’s going to keep his job for much longer.

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

Cardiff:

ONE POINT

Fantabulous evening

[Major Isewater]

I’m still not convinced by Liam, even less so Tinnion and Jon boy,  but I am relieved that we stepped back from the edge of the brink and hopefully this can be the springboard for better things. 
Well done to all concerned today in front of our supporters of the future. 
Tough titty Oxford, we got Liam Manning and you got a lesson. 

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

1 minute ago, Dastardly and Muttley said:

It took a penalty to beat a team that have been poor away from home all season.

We should have been 0-2 down after they missed an open goal.

Pleased for him that he won his cup final, but ultimately, he has to learn from that and get even better still if he’s going to keep his job for much longer.

just a little bit gutted you didn't have a chance to be all over OTIB like a rash tonite? 

[BobBobBobbin]

Just now, Dastardly and Muttley said:

It took a penalty to beat a team that have been poor away from home all season.

We should have been 0-2 down after they missed an open goal.

Pleased for him that he won his cup final, but ultimately, he has to learn from that and get even better still if he’s going to keep his job for much longer.

 

I think that's an unfair reflection of the game I just watched. as likely as being 2-0 down could have been, we could also have won that by a fair margin if Anis brought his shooting boots. 

Performance wise, especially second half, there wasn't much to criticise. It was aggressive, it was fast paced, it was entertaining and it that didn't come at the cost of defensive frailty. 

I guess the point is we need to start the next game with the team we started the second half with. 

 

[The turtle]

12 minutes ago, BobBobBobbin said:

I think rather than Twine being impressive it was the balance that having Anis and Yu playing in wide positions that helped us. 

Also true! But you can only get to those two being where they are by twine not taking up one of the wide spaces.

He's not THE reason. But it's where you build from.

(If he's not the 10, the simply he's not in the side - for the reasons you said) 

 

[Dastardly and Muttley]

1 minute ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

just a little bit gutted you didn't have a chance to be all over OTIB like a rash tonite? 

I’ll still be here. The man is still not the right man for the job. I’m not convinced that a 2-1 win with a penalty is all that convincing.

[BobBobBobbin]

Just now, The turtle said:

Also true! But you can only get to those two being where they are by twine not taking up one of the wide spaces.

He's not THE reason. But it's where you build from.

(If he's not the 10, the simply he's not in the side - for the reasons you said) 

 

Agree on that, Turt. I'd be intrigued to see Earthy in that role when back fit. Twine was a touch disappointing for me today, but only a touch. 

[Dastardly and Muttley]

1 minute ago, BobBobBobbin said:

 

I think that's an unfair reflection of the game I just watched. as likely as being 2-0 down could have been, we could also have won that by a fair margin if Anis brought his shooting boots. 

Performance wise, especially second half, there wasn't much to criticise. It was aggressive, it was fast paced, it was entertaining and it that didn't come at the cost of defensive frailty. 

I guess the point is we need to start the next game with the team we started the second half with. 

 

Fair enough, I’d agree with most of that. 
He has to learn from it and play that team going forward.

Given that he still started with Twine wider after two weeks of abysmal performances, I doubt that he will.

[Bazooka Joe]

Oxford missing that open goal was Manning's "Get out of Jail Free" card.

It would have been a lot different if they had scored a second goal.

Grateful for small mercies.

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

Just now, Dastardly and Muttley said:

I’ll still be here. The man is still not the right man for the job. I’m not convinced that a 2-1 win with a penalty is all that convincing.

Possibly....

But bear in mind that I'm a forelock tugging Lansdown loving happy clapping  chappy.

[BobBobBobbin]

Just now, Dastardly and Muttley said:

Fair enough, I’d agree with most of that. 
He has to learn from it and play that team going forward.

Given that he still started with Twine wider after two weeks of abysmal performances, I doubt that he will.

Yeah, I hear you, mate. I hoped he'd do it from the start. It's a black mark that he didn't. 

Perhaps the positive nature of our performance second half will help convince him to change tact.

[Dastardly and Muttley]

1 minute ago, BobBobBobbin said:

Yeah, I hear you, mate. I hoped he'd do it from the start. It's a black mark that he didn't. 

Perhaps the positive nature of our performance second half will help convince him to change tact.

I don’t think anything convinces him to change tack.

He’s sooo stubborn and is always convinced he’s the smartest man in the room.

[Randy Marsh II]

Our midfield and defence looks like it did under McInnes more and more each week.

It might not be this season, but he will take us down like McInnes would have if he was allowed to. 

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

Just now, BobBobBobbin said:

Yeah, I hear you, mate. I hoped he'd do it from the start. It's a black mark that he didn't. 

Perhaps the positive nature of our performance second half will help convince him to change tact.

Change tack as in sailing. Tact as in skill/sensitivity in dealing with others.

 

Let's keep it shipshape and Bristol fashion.

[JoeVa]

28 minutes ago, 1team said:

Oh **** off that was generally a shambles. We defend in panic mode and were lucky with the penalty. Play like that a decent team will thump us.

I’m sure you’ll be hoping for that 

[mozo]

7 minutes ago, Bazooka Joe said:

Oxford missing that open goal was Manning's "Get out of Jail Free" card.

It would have been a lot different if they had scored a second goal.

Grateful for small mercies.

If we want to be retrospectively creative, had Williams not needlessly given away a pen v Hull, we'd now be 9th and 1 point behind 5th. Fine margins in this league.

I do appreciate though that the margins weren't at all fine enough in the two games prior today.

 

Edited September 21 by mozo

[Supersonic Robin]

27 minutes ago, BobBobBobbin said:

For all his polite protestations, I bet he's absolutely buzzing to win that one. 

Now, the match itself begs many questions, I think it should spell the end of the Twine inverted from the left because second half, with more balance to our shape, we were superb. I think it should spell the end of Bristol City naming a starting eleven without our majestic number 7 in the starting line up and I think it should spell the end of seeing Max Bird anywhere but dictating possession from deeper (What a Rolls Royce of a player he is btw)

I hope beyond all hope that today was a turning point for us and Liam. I want, more than anything since thinking we should sack Cotts for signing Adam El Abd, to be proven wrong. 

21 minutes ago, BobBobBobbin said:

I think rather than Twine being impressive it was the balance that having Anis and Yu playing in wide positions that helped us. 

 

Agree with all of these comments, OP.

I think we looked much better with Twine central and Bird & Knight deeper. I also think we benefitted from having 2 wingers who both looked threatening, something we've struggled to achieve for a long time.

Currently torn between feelings of "Well done Manning for changing things" and "Why has it taken so long given that the above seems fairly straightforward?!".

[Spike]

I said the following in the Oxford thread and I stand by it:

---

The reason for that is that Oxford is playing a man-to-man marking system with zonal pressuring which means we can play the ball around without being pressured off of it, against Derby and Blackburn we were up against a three-man rolling press where one player would press and the other two would cover close passing options, upon a pass the next three would step into the position and one would be pressuring the player as they received the pass constantly forcing us back and giving us no time to play the pass. 

This is what I've been saying about Mannings tactics, they work against this type of man-marking zonal press as you have time on the ball, however, it fails awfully against a well organised three man rolling press as we saw in our back to back three nil losses. My concern is I can see this, a coach I know who is still in the early stage of his badges can identify this when he was watching with me and a lot of everyday fans can identify this early into a game and yet he doesn't have a change of tactics when that effective pres is in place. This was an issue with Nigel Pearsons team when he joined us and so he changed it up, removed the 3 man formation because of the weaknesses it presented and set us up with the counter-attacking football because it meant we were not pressured out of a game when the opposition could press effectively. At this level of football, a lot more teams can play that effective press, this type of possession-passing play works at League One level because the quality of pressing is a lot lower but in the Championship you need a backup tactic ready for when the opposition comes out with that good press.

I still have major concerns with Manning, today we may get a result due to Oxford being unable to press effectively at this level which allows us to play our game, however, I expect more organised and well drilled teams to be able to press us out of our game.

----

There can be all the discussion we want about players positions, who should start etc but ultimately for me the issue is his tactics and inability to deal with teams that can press us effectively. We're also far weaker when teams play through the middle of us this season, we're also very prone to fast counters. I just see too many tactical weaknesses to be consistently getting the points we need. 

[Silvio Dante]

35 minutes ago, BobBobBobbin said:

I think rather than Twine being impressive it was the balance that having Anis and Yu playing in wide positions that helped us. 

Yup I’d agree with that. There wasn’t a huge amount that could be pointed to that Twine did second half but the balance of round pegs in round holes made a real difference. 

[Malago]

28 minutes ago, Dastardly and Muttley said:

It took a penalty to beat a team that have been poor away from home all season.

We should have been 0-2 down after they missed an open goal.

Pleased for him that he won his cup final, but ultimately, he has to learn from that and get even better still if he’s going to keep his job for much longer.

We should have been 1-0 before they scored (Armstrong header).

Swings and roundabouts.

[Mr Popodopolous]

Credit where it is due.

The substitution at HT certainly helped. The side looked much better balanced for one.

[Supersonic Robin]

Just now, Malago said:

We should have been 1-0 before they scored (Armstrong header).

Swings and roundabouts.

In fairness, Oxford's sitter (0.86xG) was a much bigger chance than Armstrong's header (0.12xG).

[8 men had a dream]

46 minutes ago, 1team said:

Oh **** off that was generally a shambles. We defend in panic mode and were lucky with the penalty. Play like that a decent team will thump us.

I thought we were the better team in the first half and unlucky to go in behind.
Second half was much better. The balance was there and we were a threat down both wings (particularly Yu!) and through the centre.

Biggest problem is the defensive pairing with Vyner. McNally looked pretty suspect today.

But I don't think it was a shambles by any means.
I know stats only tell half the story - but I think they accurately tell the story today

[Monkeh]

First half performance was poor, and predictable,

Credit for bringing Yu on, it just saved his job,

I want manning gone, but happy to be proved wrong and him to turn  it around 

Crikey for the out of character sub well done Liam 

[1team]

43 minutes ago, bissellredhead said:

You wanted us to lose today, didn't you?

Well that's predictable. If they hadn't hit the bar and missed an open goal that would have been embarrassing. Granted it was entertaining, but primarily because every time they attacked we looked in panic mode. 

[Monkeh]

Just now, 1team said:

Well that's predictable. If they hadn't hit the bar and missed an open goal that would have been embarrassing. Granted it was entertaining, but primarily because every time they attacked we looked in panic mode. 

Give credit where it's due, Manning got the subs right and deserves plaudits for it,

 

[Totterdown's Finest]

Decent game, for me. Yu definitely the difference and agree that Twine is better centrally. Oxford, if anything, were better second half. Dembele was a threat and our defence shaky at times (we really miss Dickie)

But, pleased for the manager and the team. Really needed the win.

[mozo]

1 minute ago, 8 men had a dream said:

I thought we were the better team in the first half and unlucky to go in behind.
Second half was much better. The balance was there and we were a threat down both wings (particularly Yu!) and through the centre.

Biggest problem is the defensive pairing with Vyner. McNally looked pretty suspect today.

But I don't think it was a shambles by any means.
I know stats only tell half the story - but I think they accurately tell the story today

Some of our passing through the thirds was brilliant today. Roberts kept bombing up and hiving good options. Movement in the final third was good.

Also... well done Armstrong. He's now scored 2 goals in 360 minutes of Championship football this season, and has been a real presence up front.

I make that 5 goals from strikers in 6 games, which is actually not bad.

[BeggyBlaggers]

Manning getting his arse out the dugout for the 90 minutes and actually being a coach instead of a rabbit in the headlights will have helped.

 

Hope thats the end we see of williams, knight and bird all starting.

 

1 win doesnt change it for me though, he can still go

[LondonBristolian]

I’m pleased we got a win. And pleased Manning could beat his old club. But it has to be start of consistent improvement. We can’t go back to the Johnson days of a manager scraping a win each time he looks like being sacked and us accepting that as good enough.

[BITW]

Big result for LM I feel he would have been under some serious pressure if we lost today. Got the changes right at HT but it’s slightly still slightly concerning to me he didn’t start the game with the second half team/formation when it’s been glaringly obvious it was needed particularly after the previous two results! Anyway let’s hope we can build on today (not holding my breath.) 

[redkev]

He has a lot of players to play with especially when Dickie , earthy and big rob are available but he needs to choose what ones to play with and where to play them , trying to be over clever and shoeing players in for the sake of it , if played correctly and with the right attitude this squad definitely has potential to be in and around top 6 , a lot of if and buts I know 

[numbeast]

1 minute ago, Monkeh said:

Give credit where it's due, Manning got the subs right and deserves plaudits for it,

 

Yep deserves credit for bringing on Yu that changed the game. Now we have to see if he has learned anything and this win doesn't just paper over the cracks. Like a lot of people I'd like to see Twine played in the position he was signed for, Yu has to start, he has the quality we've missed and Joe Williams goes to the bench to be brought on if we need to be more defensive. Wanting LM to be successful is a by-product of wanting City to be successful.

Let’s hope the second half is a new dawn for Manning and also gives him the confidence to change things when plan A doesn’t work. Also I hope he sees he has all the puzzle pieces he just needs to put them together the right way.

[Bar BS3]

1 hour ago, 1team said:

Oh **** off that was generally a shambles. We defend in panic mode and were lucky with the penalty. Play like that a decent team will thump us.

What part of that penalty was lucky..?

Good build up, great position & stone wall penalty. 

[W-S-M Seagull]

1 hour ago, 1team said:

Oh **** off that was generally a shambles. We defend in panic mode and were lucky with the penalty. Play like that a decent team will thump us.

I wouldn't go as far as saying it was a shambles. The chances we conceded is worrying as was our first half performance. 

Job done today with a huge slice of luck but nothing more than that. 

I'm not sure I understand the huge celebrations for todays win. 

Play like that against a slightly better team and we lose. 

[TDarwall]

Just now, W-S-M Seagull said:

I wouldn't go as far as saying it was a shambles. The chances we conceded is worrying as was our first half performance. 

 

Until they scored, I thought the 1st half was fine. We created some good chances & they didn't have a sniff until a slightly fortuitous goal. Conceding def effected us but for once the ht team talk had a positive impact.

[W-S-M Seagull]

34 minutes ago, Malago said:

We should have been 1-0 before they scored (Armstrong header).

Swings and roundabouts.

Armstrongs chance required quite a level of technique to head and direct the ball past the keeper. 

Their chance was an absolute sitter that just required being tapped in. 

[Silvio Dante]

8 minutes ago, redkev said:

He has a lot of players to play with especially when Dickie , earthy and big rob are available but he needs to choose what ones to play with and where to play them , trying to be over clever and shoeing players in for the sake of it , if played correctly and with the right attitude this squad definitely has potential to be in and around top 6 , a lot of if and buts I know 

There was a bit of a red flag in the post match Radio Bristol interview. The interviewer stated about Twine playing in number 10 second half and Liams answer (paraphrasing) was that Scott was playing as a 10 in possession first half and he likes to attack on his right from the left hand side. It wasn’t the sound of a man who thought that the move of Twine centrally gave better balance as he thought the balance was already there due to the differing shape in and out of possession.

@Davefevs thought it played very much to your recent posts.

 

[Atyeo's Love Child]

33 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Credit where it is due.

The substitution at HT certainly helped. The side looked much better balanced for one.

Seems obvious that he should have started that way, Bird, Knight and Williams playing together makes no sense to me at all

[Mr Popodopolous]

2 minutes ago, TDarwall said:

Until they scored, I thought the 1st half was fine. We created some good chances & they didn't have a sniff until a slightly fortuitous goal. Conceding def effected us but for once the ht team talk had a positive impact.

Was it the talk or the substitution?

[W-S-M Seagull]

2 minutes ago, TDarwall said:

& they didn't have a sniff until a slightly fortuitous goal. 

I don't think that's true. 

[east sussex red]

11 minutes ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

I wouldn't go as far as saying it was a shambles. The chances we conceded is worrying as was our first half performance. 

Job done today with a huge slice of luck but nothing more than that. 

I'm not sure I understand the huge celebrations for todays win. 

Play like that against a slightly better team and we lose. 

Because it meant relagation zone or 3 points from playoffs in midtable

[REDOXO]

1 hour ago, BobBobBobbin said:

Look, I'm with a lot of you, I am still so unsure about whether Liam is good enough. I have doubts, I have concerns and I have criticisms. 

But today, my overarching feeling following the game is that I'm delighted for him. Delighted he got to pump his fists at full time, delighted he got his subs right and his half time team talk right. Delighted for him personally.

For all his polite protestations, I bet he's absolutely buzzing to win that one. 

Now, the match itself begs many questions, I think it should spell the end of the Twine inverted from the left because second half, with more balance to our shape, we were superb. I think it should spell the end of Bristol City naming a starting eleven without our majestic number 7 in the starting line up and I think it should spell the end of seeing Max Bird anywhere but dictating possession from deeper (What a Rolls Royce of a player he is btw)

I hope beyond all hope that today was a turning point for us and Liam. I want, more than anything since thinking we should sack Cotts for signing Adam El Abd, to be proven wrong. 

We've had many a false dawn, but maybe this is the first brick in the wall. A man can dream!

 

GET IN THERE CITY!!!

Yes I am too. 
 

Today we played with intent and I’m looking forward to seeing more of it for 90+ minutes!

[Numero Uno]

21 minutes ago, TDarwall said:

Until they scored, I thought the 1st half was fine. We created some good chances & they didn't have a sniff until a slightly fortuitous goal. Conceding def effected us but for once the ht team talk had a positive impact.

I agree we were the better team overall.........by a distance too. However a team that I expect to amass 15 points absolute maximum away from home this season (on what they showed today anyway), playing pretty agricultural football looking for one ball over the top for large parts, scored, hit the bar with Max beaten all ends up and missed the Mother of all sitters at 1-0. not to mention two or three Keystone Cops moments.........

Edited September 21 by Numero Uno

[TDarwall]

3 minutes ago, Numero Uno said:

I agree we were the better team overall.........by a distance too. However a team that I expect to amass 15 points absolute maximum away from home this season (on what they showed today anyway), playing pretty agricultural football looking for one ball over the top for large parts, scored, hit the bar with Max beaten all ends up and missed the Mother of all sitters at 1-0. not to mention two or three Keystone Cops moments.........

They also pushed Cov all the way (96th min winner I think).

I thought they were average but they are 100% at home & haven't been abysmal away either.

[Bar BS3]

25 minutes ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

I wouldn't go as far as saying it was a shambles. The chances we conceded is worrying as was our first half performance. 

Job done today with a huge slice of luck but nothing more than that. 

I'm not sure I understand the huge celebrations for todays win. 

Play like that against a slightly better team and we lose. 

Relief. A huge & much needed win, after the last 2 outings.

No problem atall with celebrating wins & generating a geel good factor.

We need to follow this up now though with a minimum 5 points from the next 3 games.

Hopefully 6 or 7 points, of course - but we either need a win & 2 draws or 2 wins to build on it.

2, if not all 3 of the next 3 games are winnable, so that has to be the expectation if we are to consider the previous couple of results as just a blip. 

[Numero Uno]

1 minute ago, TDarwall said:

They also pushed Cov all the way (96th min winner I think).

I thought they were average but they are 100% at home & haven't been abysmal away either.

They haven't got a point yet though (away) and as the season goes on and the excitement wears off I don't see too many coming for them. We had no issues opening them up and they have tougher teams than us to stop. If they do stay up it will be because they have got 30+ points at home. Just my view.

[steviestevieneville]

1 hour ago, BobBobBobbin said:

Look, I'm with a lot of you, I am still so unsure about whether Liam is good enough. I have doubts, I have concerns and I have criticisms. 

But today, my overarching feeling following the game is that I'm delighted for him. Delighted he got to pump his fists at full time, delighted he got his subs right and his half time team talk right. Delighted for him personally.

For all his polite protestations, I bet he's absolutely buzzing to win that one. 

Now, the match itself begs many questions, I think it should spell the end of the Twine inverted from the left because second half, with more balance to our shape, we were superb. I think it should spell the end of Bristol City naming a starting eleven without our majestic number 7 in the starting line up and I think it should spell the end of seeing Max Bird anywhere but dictating possession from deeper (What a Rolls Royce of a player he is btw)

I hope beyond all hope that today was a turning point for us and Liam. I want, more than anything since thinking we should sack Cotts for signing Adam El Abd, to be proven wrong. 

We've had many a false dawn, but maybe this is the first brick in the wall. A man can dream!

 

GET IN THERE CITY!!!

Like your post as it’s not blinkered in either way . I too am still very unconvinced by manning . There are a few reasons but main one being , it’s taken him 6 league game to figure out that you can’t give twine any defensive responsibility . Really harsh on Pring to be dropped for not being able to control one side of the pitch all on his own . Plus , after having to play bird or knight in a ten at hull ( because he wants to play one ) he shoehorns players into a side making it unbalanced . Well done for today & he needs to enjoy it. I genuinely hope a switch has flicked with him . However I do worry that he’s very much like Johnson in overthinking things. 
major plus is Yu . Needs more brains around him but a very encouraging , positive display .  

[The turtle]

1 hour ago, Supersonic Robin said:

In fairness, Oxford's sitter (0.86xG) was a much bigger chance than Armstrong's header (0.12xG).

0.12? I'm stunned at that...?

In essence a striker is expected to score that 12/100??? 

Absolutely any striker should be expecting to score that at least half the time.

I get I'm bringing feelings into it, but it looked a bad bad miss.

 

[petehinton]

On a human level - I’m so pleased for him. Just moved his family (again) for a new job and he was potentially staring down the barrel of waiting to see where he moved again next, he’s just beaten his ex girlfriend’s new boyfriend in a game.  
 

On a professional level - thank **** for that, on another day we’re 2-0 down after 60 mins, and thank **** that’s hopefully the last we ever see of Twine our wide. 

[Davefevs]

41 minutes ago, TDarwall said:

Until they scored, I thought the 1st half was fine. We created some good chances & they didn't have a sniff until a slightly fortuitous goal. Conceding def effected us but for once the ht team talk had a positive impact.

Agree Tone.  We created many chances first half (in fact more than we did second half!!!), but we didn’t test the keeper enough.  Roberts hit the first man with low crosses about 3 times.  I thought we played quite well.  A rocky 5-10 mins when we went behind…undeservedly.

40 minutes ago, Silvio Dante said:

There was a bit of a red flag in the post match Radio Bristol interview. The interviewer stated about Twine playing in number 10 second half and Liams answer (paraphrasing) was that Scott was playing as a 10 in possession first half and he likes to attack on his right from the left hand side. It wasn’t the sound of a man who thought that the move of Twine centrally gave better balance as he thought the balance was already there due to the differing shape in and out of possession.

@Davefevs thought it played very much to your recent posts.

 

I almost screamed at the radio.  

This might be a churlish comment from me, but his answer to Ali Durden’s question about playing Twine as a 10 second half was piss-poor imho.

He knew he changed Twine’s position second half, why give a w-anky answer?

Wish I’d been able to take up Richard Hoskins offer to be called on the show after the game, but I didn’t want to talk and drive.

+++++

@BobBobBobbin I’m not pleased for Manning tonight, I’m pleased for Bristol City.  I will be pleased for Liam Manning if I think he’s learning some things from the past few weeks.

 

[Engvall’s Splinter]

The title of the thread should be edited to “Remain baffled by Liam”.
 

Of course I’m relieved to get three points. Absolutely could’ve gone the other way (rode our luck). 
 

However, most of the supporter base have been calling for Bird to be partnered with Knight, play Twine as an actual “10” in the middle and I was confident that we’d see Yu starting. So very disappointed (not surprised) to see the set up and Yu benched. Thankfully, we got there in the end albeit late. Finally we saw some balance across the side.  

[BobBobBobbin]

3 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Agree Tone.  We created many chances first half (in fact more than we did second half!!!), but we didn’t test the keeper enough.  Roberts hit the first man with low crosses about 3 times.  I thought we played quite well.  A rocky 5-10 mins when we went behind…undeservedly.

I almost screamed at the radio.  

This might be a churlish comment from me, but his answer to Ali Durden’s question about playing Twine as a 10 second half was piss-poor imho.

He knew he changed Twine’s position second half, why give a w-anky answer?

Wish I’d been able to take up Richard Hoskins offer to be called on the show after the game, but I didn’t want to talk and drive.

+++++

@BobBobBobbin I’m not pleased for Manning tonight, I’m pleased for Bristol City.  I will be pleased for Liam Manning if I think he’s learning some things from the past few weeks.

 

That's fair, Dave! I'm just saying, it must have been a rotten feeling seeing us go a goal down undeservedly (as you say), hear Oxford fans' abuse and our stands emptied because of the rain... To come away from that game and those moments with a win & performance must be a relief and I'm glad about that!

[Davefevs]

6 minutes ago, BobBobBobbin said:

That's fair, Dave! I'm just saying, it must have been a rotten feeling seeing us go a goal down undeservedly (as you say), hear Oxford fans' abuse and our stands emptied because of the rain... To come away from that game and those moments with a win & performance must be a relief and I'm glad about that!

Aye.  

[tin]

I couldn’t give a toss about Liam Manning, but I’m bloody relieved we scraped past newly-promoted Oxford - who’ve got a woeful away record - at home. Is that what’s it’s come to? 

[TheReds]

1 hour ago, 1team said:

Well that's predictable. If they hadn't hit the bar and missed an open goal that would have been embarrassing. Granted it was entertaining, but primarily because every time they attacked we looked in panic mode. 

Why not mention any of our misses for a bit of balance?

If Sinclair didn't go right for the corner and just flicked his header from Roberts cross we would have been in front, if Mehmeti hadn't have hit multiple shots at their keeper we would have been in front, if Mehmeti didn't hit shots over the bar and scored them we would've been in front. If Oxford didn't get a nice rub of the green for their goal then they don't score do they? If my Auntie had balls.....

The worrying things for me is the defence looks a bit shaky, the stubbornness with Twine, and the lack of changing tactics when it is clearly not working.

[RED4LIFE]

4 minutes ago, tin said:

I couldn’t give a toss about Liam Manning, but I’m bloody relieved we scraped past newly-promoted Oxford - who’ve got a woeful away record - at home. Is that what’s it’s come to? 

Scraped a win? Not what I saw today, result aside.

We were very much the dominant team all game.

As I've said in another post we had more possession, more shots, more shots on target and more corners in both halfs.

Yes, they should've been 2 goals up at one point, hut it would've been very much against the run of play.

Take the game only on control, chances created and pressure, if anything, the scoreline flattered them.

[Numero Uno]

3 minutes ago, RED4LIFE said:

Scraped a win? Not what I saw today, result aside.

We were very much the dominant team all game.

As I've said in another post we had more possession, more shots, more shots on target and more corners in both halfs.

Yes, they should've been 2 goals up at one point, hut it would've been very much against the run of play.

Take the game only on control, chances created and pressure, if anything, the scoreline flattered them.

We are a better team than Oxford (but so we bloody should be!!), today showed that yet we could still have found a way to get zero points out of that game............can we tighten up, be better than 15 plus teams in our division over a season and get the points to prove it is the real question.