BFTG Bristol City Away

[RoyalBlue]

Quite happy with the performance. Could have easily nicked it.

Had we won today and also win at Barnsley and didn’t lose to Burton we’d be up Stam’s backside.

Back the boys and make some noise.

URZ

I very much doubt we would be up his backside. Whether we had won today is irrelevant. He's driving fans away from games with this turgid bullsh+t. All I heard after the Burton game was "my god that was awful" and "cant believe I paid 5 quid for that". You maybe happy sitting in a half empty stadium watching turgid dull 1 nils but clearly a large element are not. That's of course if we are capable of actually winning a game 1 nil.

Were you at today's game?

Support was good - at one point after we had gone a goal down, Stam turned and clapped us as we turned the volume up and out sang the home support.

The mass exodus when we conceded the second with moments left to play was perhaps understandable, particularly given the shit weather and it being Boxing Day, but a bit disappointing nevertheless. I think the players earned FT applause today. The players have been accused of not caring for club and fans but affinity is probably a bit more difficult when they play reasonably well but then turn to an empty stand.

[bobby1413]

Knock the Madejski down, including the hotel, relocate prospect park to Junction 11, rebuild elm park circa 1986 ish (Inc spread), free on street parking everywhere, delete recent 'success' and you've got me every week, regardless of how shit we are. As it stands, I'm out....

I get that sentiment.

I will always have a season ticket. Even if we went into the lower leagues, to Sunday league standard.

However now I'm feeling more resentful going and my vocal support is turning more to vocal abuse.


Any fan other than the hardcore 10k+ who keep season tickets and the 500ish who go to every single away game it's really depressing to see that fans are being driven away.

Anyway. I've just realised I'm talking nonsense on the wrong
Thread .

[bobby1413]

[
Were you at today's game?

Support was good - at one point after we had gone a goal down, Stam turned and clapped us as we turned the volume up and out sang the home support.

The mass exodus when we conceded the second with moments left to play was perhaps understandable, particularly given the shit weather and it being Boxing Day, but a bit disappointing nevertheless. I think the players earned FT applause today. The players have been accused of not caring for club and fans but affinity is probably a bit more difficult when they play reasonably well but then turn to an empty stand.

That's great to hear

I sometimes wish Jaap and players would make a bigger deal of thanking fans.

Some clubs seem to go mad on it. Manager comes right over with all players. Not just in the direction and then walk off.

[Crowbar6753]

Quite happy with the performance. Could have easily nicked it.

Had we won today and also win at Barnsley and didn’t lose to Burton we’d be up Stam’s backside.

Back the boys and make some noise.

URZ

I very much doubt we would be up his backside. Whether we had won today is irrelevant. He's driving fans away from games with this turgid bullsh+t. All I heard after the Burton game was "my god that was awful" and "cant believe I paid 5 quid for that". You maybe happy sitting in a half empty stadium watching turgid dull 1 nils but clearly a large element are not. That's of course if we are capable of actually winning a game 1 nil.

I suppose the cynics will say that if Reading did get promoted then every prawn sandwich eating casual and his fashionable dog would go to games and we wouldn't have a problem with attendence. Actually, if you were being even more cynical you would say that the owners wouldn't give a cr*p if only one man and his dog turned up if we were getting Premier League money.

If you ask me (and no one does) that defeat to Burton did far more long term damage to Reading than any set of bad results. It sent a message to thousands of people that the team doesn't care about entertaining fans or fighting for results; and that the quality of football at the Mad Stad is extremely poor.

Good point, after the turgid crap served up against Burton i wonder what the attendance against Birmingham on Tuesday will be? i guess Brum may bring 1,000, so lucky to hit 14,000 at a push....

[RoyalBlue]

Quite happy with the performance. Could have easily nicked it.

Had we won today and also win at Barnsley and didn’t lose to Burton we’d be up Stam’s backside.

Back the boys and make some noise.

URZ

I very much doubt we would be up his backside. Whether we had won today is irrelevant. He's driving fans away from games with this turgid bullsh+t. All I heard after the Burton game was "my god that was awful" and "cant believe I paid 5 quid for that". You maybe happy sitting in a half empty stadium watching turgid dull 1 nils but clearly a large element are not. That's of course if we are capable of actually winning a game 1 nil.

I suppose the cynics will say that if Reading did get promoted then every prawn sandwich eating casual and his fashionable dog would go to games and we wouldn't have a problem with attendence. Actually, if you were being even more cynical you would say that the owners wouldn't give a cr*p if only one man and his dog turned up if we were getting Premier League money.

If you ask me (and no one does) that defeat to Burton did far more long term damage to Reading than any set of bad results. It sent a message to thousands of people that the team doesn't care about entertaining fans or fighting for results; and that the quality of football at the Mad Stad is extremely poor.

Only today I thought they clearly showed they did care and the supporters responded. Perhaps it's not surprising that we pick up some good results away from home because the support is much better. I'm getting thoroughly pissed off with some of the negative, moaning, abusive twats who sit near me at The Mad Stad and am beginning to think about concentrating on attending away games instead.

[bobby1413]

Only today I thought they clearly showed they did care and the supporters responded. Perhaps it's not surprising that we pick up some good results away from home because the support is much better. I'm getting thoroughly pissed off with some of the negative, moaning, abusive twats who sit near me at The Mad Stad and am beginning to think about concentrating on attending away games instead.

Can not accept that. Support at home isn't great but it's similar to many home grounds week In and week out.

I think it's poor form to even consider this a factor. And it also takes away the sheer insulting performance on Saturday as it's giving some sort of reason.

Support away from home will always be more supportive. Whether that's 100 or 4000 fans. That's football.

[RoyalBlue]

What even was the challenge on Barrow that apparently was deserving of a red? Looked like he was second in a 50/50 although I haven't seen a replay.

Barrow had got to the ball first and Pack arrived as late as a South West Train, completely wiping him out.

[RoyalBlue]

Only today I thought they clearly showed they did care and the supporters responded. Perhaps it's not surprising that we pick up some good results away from home because the support is much better. I'm getting thoroughly pissed off with some of the negative, moaning, abusive twats who sit near me at The Mad Stad and am beginning to think about concentrating on attending away games instead.

Can not accept that. Support at home isn't great but it's similar to many home grounds week In and week out.

I think it's poor form to even consider this a factor. And it also takes away the sheer insulting performance on Saturday as it's giving some sort of reason.

Support away from home will always be more supportive. Whether that's 100 or 4000 fans. That's football.

Unless you sit near to me your are not in a position to say you can not accept that! I am surrounded by some complete and utter Cs who are on the backs of individual players from the moment the teams are read out before kick off.

I also suggest you talk to some independent sports psychologists before dismissing out of hand the effect that this sort of negativity and abuse can have on most sports persons.

[Steve_Upper_West]

Well at least everyone appeared to be giving 100% today unlike Saturday - plenty of passion on display and several players came over to acknowledge the fans. Evans made a difference but it would be good to see Bacuna playing through the middle too, we should bring Richards in swap Gunter over AND drop JVDB! Bristol did not even look that special and if we were not held back by Stam's unfathomable tactics, we would almost certainly have earned a point. Reading fans were in great voice today - although not sure the players need even more encouragement to pass it backwards...

PS WHAT IS THE POINT of the shooting practise in the warm-up it's a total waste of energy !

[Dr_Hfuhruhurr]

Had we won today and also win at Barnsley and didn’t lose to Burton we’d be up Stam’s backside.

Yeah, but you know, we didnt.

[Dr_Hfuhruhurr]

City are a good footballing team but also nasty and cynical.

The Championship has, every year, produced a few teams like this. It is our job, as a competing championship side to provide a counter to it. We're not playing at a level where we can hope that the opposition will play how we want them to.

[CountryRoyal]

Only today I thought they clearly showed they did care and the supporters responded. Perhaps it's not surprising that we pick up some good results away from home because the support is much better. I'm getting thoroughly pissed off with some of the negative, moaning, abusive twats who sit near me at The Mad Stad and am beginning to think about concentrating on attending away games instead.

Can not accept that. Support at home isn't great but it's similar to many home grounds week In and week out.

I think it's poor form to even consider this a factor. And it also takes away the sheer insulting performance on Saturday as it's giving some sort of reason.

Support away from home will always be more supportive. Whether that's 100 or 4000 fans. That's football.

I think the value of support is over estimated at times. Don't get me wrong it CAN help for sure, it can also hinder.

Leeds have 50 billion fans and that hasn't stopped them being shit for the last 15 years.

[Sutekh]

Well at least everyone appeared to be giving 100% today unlike Saturday - plenty of passion on display and several players came over to acknowledge the fans. Evans made a difference but it would be good to see Bacuna playing through the middle too, we should bring Richards in swap Gunter over AND drop JVDB! Bristol did not even look that special and if we were not held back by Stam's unfathomable tactics, we would almost certainly have earned a point. Reading fans were in great voice today - although not sure the players need even more encouragement to pass it backwards...

PS WHAT IS THE POINT of the shooting practise in the warm-up it's a total waste of energy !

Tim and Mick actually made comment on the shooting practice before the game. They pointed out that it was pass, pass, pass, shoot instead of just shooting.

This would seem to contribute to the malaise about the team as I believe Reading are one of the worse, if not the worse, in the division at having shots from outside the penalty box

[Ascotexgunner]

Quite happy with the performance. Could have easily nicked it.

Had we won today and also win at Barnsley and didn’t lose to Burton we’d be up Stam’s backside.

Back the boys and make some noise.

URZ

I very much doubt we would be up his backside. Whether we had won today is irrelevant. He's driving fans away from games with this turgid bullsh+t. All I heard after the Burton game was "my god that was awful" and "cant believe I paid 5 quid for that". You maybe happy sitting in a half empty stadium watching turgid dull 1 nils but clearly a large element are not. That's of course if we are capable of actually winning a game 1 nil.

I suppose the cynics will say that if Reading did get promoted then every prawn sandwich eating casual and his fashionable dog would go to games and we wouldn't have a problem with attendence. Actually, if you were being even more cynical you would say that the owners wouldn't give a cr*p if only one man and his dog turned up if we were getting Premier League money.

If you ask me (and no one does) that defeat to Burton did far more long term damage to Reading than any set of bad results. It sent a message to thousands of people that the team doesn't care about entertaining fans or fighting for results; and that the quality of football at the Mad Stad is extremely poor.

Agree on every point there.......There's nothing you can ever do to change the Prawn Sandwich Brigade. Sadly the moment you get success they will turn up, I've been to the likes of Bournemouth in the Lower Leagues and Burnley, neither were ever close to selling out. I'd love to see us challenge every season with a good philosophy. Was gutted we lost the playoff but it wasn't the end of the world. Same as when we left Elm Park. We've moved on. I don't care what anyone says I love the Mad Stad, its a great football stadium. We have all the facilities and infrastructure to achieve much more, but it breaks my heart to see what a mess this team is in and how we play.

[FiNeRaIn]

The only positives I can take out of how the club has been run in recent times is to do with pricing. The first to introduce £20 for an away ticket and at least they are doing incentives like Burton where tickets are a fiver. That's good stuff, get people coming in to see local football and even if it means boosting away attendances. Problem is we are useless on the pitch and so disjointed with player receuitmet it's a big mess. I also have no idea of the long term vision of the owners.

Stam is not the answer. He's had a season and a half and the team is going backwards. Get a British manager who has played at this level in who will organize from the back and play a direct style. If Michael O'Neill leaves Northern Ireland, that type of manager. Maybe even Martin. We have a couple of quick wingers, get a powerful striker and play with purpose, that's how you get out of the championship.

[Hound]

I think you’re massively underestimating how good the club is with the ticket pricing etc. It is exceptional and a real credit to the club. The owners appear to have stabilised the club and are investing a bit of money - no complaints there at the moment. As for the future it is just speculation

‘British’ managers who play ‘British’ football has on the whole been found out. Warnock does his thing, Dyche is doing an exceptional job (but think his style has evolved this season), but other than that the world has moved on. The successful British managers have generally moved on with it

Trying to think of the last team who got out of the championship (the right way) playing that football. Certainly not last year.

[FiNeRaIn]

I think you’re massively underestimating how good the club is with the ticket pricing etc. It is exceptional and a real credit to the club.

I said what the club is doing here is positive, which it is, so I am not underestimating anything. Peculiar comment this one.

The owners appear to have stabilised the club and are investing a bit of money - no complaints there at the moment. As for the future it is just speculation

That wasn't my point though, what is their vision? What is the plan? Who is deciding the recruitment because its extremely disorganized and unbalanced.

‘British’ managers who play ‘British’ football has on the whole been found out. Warnock does his thing, Dyche is doing an exceptional job (but think his style has evolved this season), but other than that the world has moved on. The successful British managers have generally moved on with it
.

You can find many more examples of British styles of play being successful in the championship than you can with styles like Stams approach. Swansea and Bournemouth are probably the only two in recent memory this has worked for and at a push Wolves who have spent astronomical sums to achieve this. Stams style is not working, we are losing to crap teams or good teams who happen to put a crap performance in against us and still win consistently. We are leaking goals and not scoring anywhere near enough. How do you suggest we fix this? If we had signs of progress it would be easier to swallow, we don't.

[Hound]

Fair enough on the club stuff

In terms of style though, Huddersfield are probably the only example in recent years of a club going up without spending a shit load or already having peen standard players. Stam almost achieved this last year

Cardiff might go up playing hoof ball, but alternatively so might Brizzle or Leeds who don’t. Trying to think of who has been successful in the champ recently - really can’t think of one other than Cardiff who have achieved nothing yet, who plays ‘typical British’ with a British manager. It isn’t successful in this division.

I don’t think anyone really wants to see Pulis-ball here do they? And the whole academy set up is based on playing on the floor. Plus we’d have to have yet another clear out and get different players in

[Vision]

The owners appear to have stabilised the club and are investing a bit of money - no complaints there at the moment. As for the future it is just speculation

That wasn't my point though, what is their vision? What is the plan? Who is deciding the recruitment because its extremely disorganized and unbalanced.

I think that's one thing that is pretty obvious. Tevrenden and Gourlay take care of field matters relating to scouting, contracts etc. I suspect that Gourlay may have more influence as time goes on.

And that's why I suspect even if we sack Stam I will guarantee you won't get a McCarthy/Pulis/Warnock type in charge. The plan and direction is clearly in place. If Stam can't consistently implement it then they will find someone else who can. And actually when we do get it right then it is entertaining to watch. We just haven't got it right consistently enough and for whatever reason ( Stam's reputation perhaps intimidating the players a bit) there's a lack of freedom and confidence in this side too often for it ever to be really successful.

FWIW I like Hound's shout of Dean Smith actually. It doesn't have to be a foreign boss but I'm pretty sure it will have to be someone who seeks to play a certain way.

[Hound]

Agree with all of that Vision and not just because you agreed on Dean Smith

The complete inability to keep a clean sheet has really sapped the Confidence this year. The players and fans expect the oppo to score now if it’s at 0-0. Think this leads to us playing in a very inhibited way. The Burton first goal was utterly inevitable for example

The biggest failing this season has been the lack of concentration at the back. Can’t get on any sort of run if you keep conceding cheap goals