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Relegation Battle Next Season

Discussion in 'Bristol City' started by wizered, May 4, 2022.

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  1. wizered

    wizered Ol' Mucker
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    Sky Sports pundit fears Bristol City could be involved in relegation battle next season
    Don Goodman and David Prutton have been underwhelmed by City's season and believe there is a big task ahead of Nigel Pearson in the summer.

    Sky Sports pundit and former striker Don Goodman believes Bristol City have underachieved this season and could face relegation if they don't strengthen in the transfer market this summer.

    The Robins' run of five games without defeat has cemented 17th spot in the Championship heading into the final game of the season at Huddersfield on Saturday.

    Despite the difficulties faced throughout the campaign, there have been numerous positives including prolific attacking trio Andi Weimann, Antoine Semenyo and Chris Martin plus the emergence of the youngsters coming through the ranks, with Alex Scott the most notable name.

    City's recent form has provided room for momentum heading into the summer and into next season. Victories over Stoke, Derby and the 5-0 victory over Hull saw Nigel Pearson's side win by two clear goals for the first time this season and pick up their first back-to-back victories.

    However, Goodman believes the results shouldn't provide a false narrative and suggests Nigel Pearson could have a relegation battle on his hands should they fail to improve and retain key players such as Antoine Semenyo.

    Speaking on the Sky Sports EFL podcast, the former West Brom, Sunderland and Wolves forward said: "I think they are a million miles away to be honest with you. I file them in the category of underachievers along with the likes of West Brom, Stoke, Cardiff, Birmingham, Reading, teams like that.

    "Underachieved and I’m going to have a keen eye on which players they are able to retain this summer. You know, the likes of Semenyo. Andreas Weimann has been sensational again, incredible and his shot to goal ratio is off the charts isn’t it.

    “I just wonder whether they are a little bit hamstrung by FFP because there has been over the last season a lack of maybe investment.

    "And as things currently stand, you’re talking about they’re unbeaten in five games they have just beaten with respect Hull, Derby County, a good draw with Sheffield United, beaten Stoke and drawn with Peterborough.

    “These aren’t really sort of massively eye-catching results I don’t think. So I think this is a club that if it doesn’t improve over the summer will be in a relegation battle next season.”

    Sky Sports presenter David Prutton also suggests City have to improve but suggests there have been enough positives to build a springboard to help catapult their position higher in the league table next season.

    "They must do better. With the players that they've got and one in particular without his goals, they would probably be in real trouble," he added.

    "As much as it's underwhelming finishing 17th, it could have been a lot hairier going into the last six months of the season. It's an intriguing one because it's a big city with two clubs who are fierce rivals both with a great following so it's a real hotbed of football that has flirted with the upper reaches of that division in the past.

    "I'm intrigued to see what the positives of this season can springboard into the next."

    On Saturday, CEO Richard Gould suggested the club have underachieved on the back of their pre-season targets having expected the side to finish closer to the top half of the league.

    Gould was complimentary towards the work Pearson has done in terms of bringing through young players but was hoping to see the side with more points on the board.

    He told BBC Radio Bristol: "All windows are important windows and all seasons are important seasons, in terms of league tables, we’re around nine points below where we would have wanted to be ideally, Nigel will say that himself in terms of looking at the division, it’s not where we want to be in terms of points.

    “In terms of performances, there are some positive signs there. Those are ones that we want to build on.

    “When Nigel took over the club was in a very difficult stage and it’s not all plain sailing but the amount of hard work that goes on behind the scenes, and amongst the supporters, they’ve been amazing this year because we’ve had some difficult games and lost a lot of games and some beyond the 90th minute and they’ve been there and we’ve been grateful for it.”
    https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/sky-sports-bristol-city-relegation-7034618
     
    #1
    wizered, May 4, 2022
  2. AshtonRed

    AshtonRed Well-Known Member

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    What the f**k do they know?
     
    #2
    AshtonRed, May 4, 2022
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  3. wizered

    wizered Ol' Mucker
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    That's just how it grabbed me and it is headlined in our local press but I always try to show both sides of the story, even if only for a reaction.
     
    #3
    wizered, May 4, 2022
  4. Red Robin

    Red Robin Well-Known Member

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    Top 10 wait and see :1980_boogie_down:
     
    #4
    Red Robin, May 4, 2022
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  5. invermeremike

    invermeremike Well-Known Member

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    We all know that if Nigel doesn't get us off to a reasonable start he could be gone by November and he knows it too. The transfer market will be difficult at best given our financial restrictions and having to possibly sell off the better players to finance players of unknown calibre is a snake pit of vipers. How nice it would be if we knew for sure that the top 7 or 8 players from this season will definitely stay and we can find some right shaped pegs to complete the puzzle, but reality is not quite that simple. I suspect there could be some questionable departures but we have to live with the facts of life down in BS3 and only what, and who, shows up for the kick-off will supply the answers, so let's hope they are close to what we want. :1980_boogie_down:
     
    #5
    invermeremike, May 4, 2022
  6. Redprintt

    Redprintt Well-Known Member

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    'Million miles away' - I agree with Goodman.

    As for Gould's comment we 'underachieved' - I just laugh, he's playing the board's party line. They're kidding themselves and hope City fans will believe them.

    What hope have we got with Norwich, Watford and either Leeds, Burnley or Everton coming down with their fiscal shed loads.

    I think the recent results are about who we've played thinking more about sun and beaches than playing City.

    Pearson will need luck and money for signings this summer, we're relegation fodder without it.
     
    #6
    Redprintt, May 5, 2022
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  7. Red Robin

    Red Robin Well-Known Member

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    Disagree if he can keep the nucleolus of players and get his signings we will do well.
     
    #7
    Red Robin, May 5, 2022
  8. oneforthebristolcity

    oneforthebristolcity Well-Known Member

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    IMO if we end up in a relegation battle it will be down to the manager, with a couple of additions we should be comfortable with the players we have.. I'm getting tired with all the excuses if I'm honest....
     
    #8
    oneforthebristolcity, May 5, 2022
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  9. bcfcredandwhite

    bcfcredandwhite Well-Known Member

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    We won’t be in a relegation battle at all unless FFP makes it happen.
    On the pitch we just need to stop conceding goals. We have been scoring them for fun. In fact, 3rd in the table for scoring - relegation my arse.
    The pundits have tipped us for relegation ever since we arrived in this league so this is nothing new.
     
    #9
    bcfcredandwhite, May 5, 2022
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  10. Red Robin

    Red Robin Well-Known Member

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    Absolutely Nige has got them playing -3rd highest goalscorers only top two have scored more.
     
    #10
    Red Robin, May 5, 2022

  11. Reliant Robin TC2

    Reliant Robin TC2 Well-Known Member

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    Personally, I think that's a bit unfair but it will be interesting to see what happens on Saturday when playing against a team who really do WANT the points!

    I actually think that City will win that one!!
     
    #11
    Reliant Robin TC2, May 5, 2022
  12. Red Robin

    Red Robin Well-Known Member

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    Me to.
     
    #12
    Red Robin, May 5, 2022
  13. Supcon72

    Supcon72 Well-Known Member

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    I have never seen Prutton tip us as a favourite to win any game he has commented on, and routinely tips us for a relegation struggle. Not sure what his issue is with City?
     
    #13
    Supcon72, May 5, 2022
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  14. Supcon72

    Supcon72 Well-Known Member

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    I think it's more true than not, Sheff Utd as the exception, with Hull proving the theory. I think Huddersfield will have more than an eye on the Play-Offs and no player wants to get injured/suspended for that, so if we aren't in an 'on the beach' mindset, we can get a point here, possibly more.
     
    #14
    Supcon72, May 5, 2022
  15. AshtonRed

    AshtonRed Well-Known Member

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    That’s a bit harsh, we could equally have been thinking about sun and beaches, especially since we’re mathematically safe now, that we haven’t is a good sign of the type of discipline needed, hopefully it’ll continue into next season. If we can learn to see games out we’ll be fine.
     
    #15
    AshtonRed, May 5, 2022
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  16. Angelicnumber16

    Angelicnumber16 Well-Known Member

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    Where we finish and how we compete next season is in the lap of the gods and dependant on so many factors
    As for Gould, and his retarded comments Redprintt is spot on but should we expect anything from a Lansdown ‘yes’ man
    Only Nige seems to have the balls and the foresight to tell the owner he’s full of sh*t
     
    #16
    Angelicnumber16, May 5, 2022
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  17. AshtonRed

    AshtonRed Well-Known Member

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    I don’t imagine NP’s comments when JL suggested we were underperforming earlier in the season went down too well.
     
    #17
    AshtonRed, May 5, 2022
  18. Red Robin

    Red Robin Well-Known Member

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    He called them out and I agree with him.
    Deluded to say we should have been higher.That football team had struggled for the two previous seasons.
     
    #18
    Red Robin, May 5, 2022
  19. Supcon72

    Supcon72 Well-Known Member

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    No, only this season and last season did they struggle. Not the season before, unless you mean struggle to get in the play-offs, which I agree was a struggle 2 seasons ago. Oh to have that struggle now...

    You also need to make your mind up about the team, one day it's NPs team and he's doing a great job, then the next day it's the rubbish that NP inherited.
     
    #19
    Supcon72, May 5, 2022
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  20. invermeremike

    invermeremike Well-Known Member

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    There's too many components to our persistent failures and it's time to move on from the purposeless blame game and focus on how to change our future fortunes. Nigel has the summer of questions to answer and right shaped pegs for the right shaped holes are needed to advance on the rubbish served up for too many years. A fortune is not necessarily needed if you can find the right balance of experience and youthful dreams at the right price and it has long been my main question as to why some of the other lesser teams can do it, then why not us?
     
    #20
    invermeremike, May 5, 2022
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