Marlon Pack

[The Lone Gunman]

It's a real shame Pack got injured when he did yesterday, but doesn't it speak volumes about Warnock's transfer business this summer if the team's prospects hinge on the availability of a player who was apparently signed with only minutes of the transfer window remaining?

The defence at Reading looked absolutely woeful. Morrison appears to have got slower and the fact that he's already conceded two penalties in three games doesn't bode well. Meanwhile, Flint looks a real carthorse by Championship standards. You can see that pair being beaten for pace time and time again this season. Without Pack in front of them, you have to fear the worst.

The lack of creativity going forward yesterday was hardly a shock, but I was genuinely surprised by how poor the defence looked. If Reading had won 5-0 it wouldn't have flattered them. City didn't concede a single goal in the first three matches of the 2017/18 campaign. They've conceded seven already this season and it could easily have been a few more.

[Croesy Blue]

It's mad to me that our last 2 summer deadline days have seen us sign Pack, Camerasa and Arter.

We would have been completely ****ed each season if we hadn't got them in.

[The Lone Gunman]

It's mad to me that our last 2 summer deadline days have seen us sign Pack, Camerasa and Arter.

We would have been completely ****ed each season if we hadn't got them in.

To me, the craziest thing about the Pack transfer is the fact that he was playing for a club based just 40 miles away, and yet signing him was apparently a last-minute job. That screams poor preparation to me, especially as it seems the player concerned is already integral to the team.

[NYCBlue]

It's mad to me that our last 2 summer deadline days have seen us sign Pack, Camerasa and Arter.

We would have been completely ****ed each season if we hadn't got them in.

We were still ****ed last season.

This is not against you personally, but there seems a general consensus on this board that the club, the team and the manager get a pass for last season.

[Croesy Blue]

We were still ****ed last season.

This is not against you personally, but there seems a general consensus on this board that the club, the team and the manager get a pass for last season.

I think they should have invested more but I think they do get a slight pass. But I had considered we'd invested in players who could get us back up.

[the other bob wilson]

I think they should have invested more but I think they do get a slight pass. But I had considered we'd invested in players who could get us back up.

I think a lot of people gave them a pass because they came closer to avoiding the drop than the 13/14 side, but I apologise for mentioning this again, it's just that I feel it's very relevant - we are the only side to have spent more than one season in the Premier League with a 100 per cent relegation record. Staying up is difficult, but clubs like Bradford, Oldham and Blackpool managed it, so why couldn't we?

[Steve the Tea]

I think a lot of people gave them a pass because they came closer to avoiding the drop than the 13/14 side, but I apologise for mentioning this again, it's just that I feel it's very relevant - we are the only side to have spent more than one season in the Premier League with a 100 per cent relegation record. Staying up is difficult, but clubs like Bradford, Oldham and Blackpool managed it, so why couldn't we?

Lack of investment, Bob.

StT.
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[Tuerto]

I think a lot of people gave them a pass because they came closer to avoiding the drop than the 13/14 side, but I apologise for mentioning this again, it's just that I feel it's very relevant - we are the only side to have spent more than one season in the Premier League with a 100 per cent relegation record. Staying up is difficult, but clubs like Bradford, Oldham and Blackpool managed it, so why couldn't we?

Because we are awful in the transfer windows. I wonder if it's anything to do with not having proper football people behind the scenes? There's no philosophy at the club, never has been and i've been watching since 1982. There's so much wrong in my opinion. Why haven't we produced a championship level player since Ramsey? I don't include Ralls as he came to the club at 16, unless i'm forgetting someone-Please don't mention Declan John!

[Bluebina]

I think a lot of people gave them a pass because they came closer to avoiding the drop than the 13/14 side, but I apologise for mentioning this again, it's just that I feel it's very relevant - we are the only side to have spent more than one season in the Premier League with a 100 per cent relegation record. Staying up is difficult, but clubs like Bradford, Oldham and Blackpool managed it, so why couldn't we?

If Sala hadn't boarded the plane, I think we would have stayed up, it's not just the loss of the player and his goals, it's the whole tragedy, it took a lot out of warnock, he will probably never get back to his 100% best!

We have been extreamly unlucky!

[The Lone Gunman]

I think a lot of people gave them a pass because they came closer to avoiding the drop than the 13/14 side, but I apologise for mentioning this again, it's just that I feel it's very relevant - we are the only side to have spent more than one season in the Premier League with a 100 per cent relegation record. Staying up is difficult, but clubs like Bradford, Oldham and Blackpool managed it, so why couldn't we?

Immediate relegation also means the club only gets two Premier League parachute payments instead of three. I didn't know that until yesterday, when it was mentioned in commentary.

[LeningradCowboy]

I think a lot of people gave them a pass because they came closer to avoiding the drop than the 13/14 side, but I apologise for mentioning this again, it's just that I feel it's very relevant - we are the only side to have spent more than one season in the Premier League with a 100 per cent relegation record. Staying up is difficult, but clubs like Bradford, Oldham and Blackpool managed it, so why couldn't we?

Blackpool were relegated after their only season in the Premier League. Bradford haven't played in the Premier League since 2001. Oldham haven't played in the Premier League since 1994. They are completely irrelevant comparisons.

[thehumblegringo]

It saddens me how much I've read about Marlon Pack in the last 24 hours like he's Diego Maradona ffs.

It severely highlights Warnock's limitations in the transfer market if we're completely dependent on a guy Bristol City were more than willing to unload.

We are regressing rather than progressing as a squad and he seems to still think that football can be played without a midfield as long as you have a squad with 26 wingers!

It was not only our defence that was frightening yesterday but the gaps in our midfield and the distances between them.

Add to this how easy it is to get down the sides of our centre backs and it tells me that Warnock has got a massive job ahead of him if he's gonna stop the rot.

I suggest he starts with abandoning the strategy of adopting long throw ins as our only way to create.

[Bluebina]

It's a real shame Pack got injured when he did yesterday, but doesn't it speak volumes about Warnock's transfer business this summer if the team's prospects hinge on the availability of a player who was apparently signed with only minutes of the transfer window remaining?

The defence at Reading looked absolutely woeful. Morrison appears to have got slower and the fact that he's already conceded two penalties in three games doesn't bode well. Meanwhile, Flint looks a real carthorse by Championship standards. You can see that pair being beaten for pace time and time again this season. Without Pack in front of them, you have to fear the worst.

The lack of creativity going forward yesterday was hardly a shock, but I was genuinely surprised by how poor the defence looked. If Reading had won 5-0 it wouldn't have flattered them. City didn't concede a single goal in the first three matches of the 2017/18 campaign. They've conceded seven already this season and it could easily have been a few more.

Agreed we looked lost without him and so vulnerable when we send everyone up for a corner or long-throw, we leave Vaulks and Bacuna back and when they break the opposition can fly passed them with absolute ease, it looks like out biggest strength (set plays which have been terrible) is our biggest weakness!

[The Lone Gunman]

Agreed we looked lost without him and so vulnerable when we send everyone up for a corner or long-throw, we leave Vaulks and Bacuna back and when they break the opposition can fly passed them with absolute ease, it looks like out biggest strength (set plays which have been terrible) is our biggest weakness!

That struck me too - Reading looked at their most dangerous when City had a set-piece, and that's before they were chasing the game.

[Bluebina]

That struck me too - Reading looked at their most dangerous when City had a set-piece, and that's before they were chasing the game.

I think in the past, Gunner, Bamba and especially Manga has given us a bit of protection and losing them has left a massive hole.

[Rock_Flock_of_Five]

Agreed we looked lost without him and so vulnerable when we send everyone up for a corner or long-throw, we leave Vaulks and Bacuna back and when they break the opposition can fly passed them with absolute ease, it looks like out biggest strength (set plays which have been terrible) is our biggest weakness!

There's more chance of the opposition scoring indirectly from our own long throws, than is of us scoring from them.

[Pedro de la Rosa]

Agreed we looked lost without him and so vulnerable when we send everyone up for a corner or long-throw, we leave Vaulks and Bacuna back and when they break the opposition can fly passed them with absolute ease, it looks like out biggest strength (set plays which have been terrible) is our biggest weakness!

We've always been susceptible to that under Warnock. Remember his first few months we got done on the break constantly. Barnsley 4-3 springs to mind.

[thehumblegringo]

I wrote this on another forum yesterday and I think it applies here

(There's*a reason why teams play "tippy tappy" short passes that a lot of our fans seem to frown upon.*

The reason is so you're not so exposed in transition. If you*have 3 or 4 men within 10 metres of the ball then you're less likely to be exposed on the counter attack.

Teams in the championship (apart from us) have top quality analysts who study the weaknesses in the opponents and teams are set up positionally to exploit you. (Swansea have just appointed a guy who was head analyst for Man City for*7 out of the last 8 years)

When we launch a long throw in, teams know where the ball is likely to go and they know where the spaces are left,*hence why we are so vulnerable.*

Our midfield looked all over the place, why do people think that is?

We're fragmented cos they're asked to chase balls which have travelled 60 yards and it's much harder to do this with*cohesion.)





I don't think Pack is as big a saviour as is being made out. Yes we were in the game for the first 20 but the game was still in its feeling out phase.

As soon as the game got a bit stretched and we started continuously started launching 50 yards throw ins the the inevitable gaps appeared in our defensive unit and unless Pack can run like Usain Bolt with the stamina of Mo Farah I don't see much changing.

[Delbert]

When relegation from the Premier League was confirmed Dalman said of the season “I think we should have planned much, much more ahead than we have done. That’s something we have learned”.

Unfortunately that just about sums the club up and there’s no evidence anything has changed. The club appears to make it up as it goes along without any long term strategy. Warnock gets away with anything because the club has failed to appoint anyone who could credibly challenge him.

[J R Hartley]

When relegation from the Premier League was confirmed Dalman said of the season “I think we should have planned much, much more ahead than we have done. That’s something we have learned”.

Unfortunately that just about sums the club up and there’s no evidence anything has changed. The club appears to make it up as it goes along without any long term strategy. Warnock gets away with anything because the club has failed to appoint anyone who could credibly challenge him.

Dalman is just a schmoozer. Full of soundbites.

He said we were going to keep our best players and give it a right good go this season.

Well if this is giving it a right good go then god help when we bring in a Russel Slade type to cut costs.

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Let's be honest, there was no real effort to sign players that would have kept us in the Premier League and the signings for this season show an equal lack of ambition. Tan has gone from being profligate to doing things on the cheap - and it shows.

[Tuerto]

Let's be honest, there was no real effort to sign players that would have kept us in the Premier League and the signings for this season show an equal lack of ambition. Tan has gone from being profligate to doing things on the cheap - and it shows.

Completely agree.

[DubaiDai]

Let's be honest, there was no real effort to sign players that would have kept us in the Premier League and the signings for this season show an equal lack of ambition. Tan has gone from being profligate to doing things on the cheap - and it shows.

Not completely sure Tan is behind all this.
Warnock has spent some decent money in the last 2 years but his signings are usually over priced lower league players.

[the other bob wilson]

When relegation from the Premier League was confirmed Dalman said of the season “I think we should have planned much, much more ahead than we have done. That’s something we have learned”.

Unfortunately that just about sums the club up and there’s no evidence anything has changed. The club appears to make it up as it goes along without any long term strategy. Warnock gets away with anything because the club has failed to appoint anyone who could credibly challenge him.

Ever since we won promotion, we've been a club that gives the impression that our manager has a job until he decides he no longer wants it - nothing that happened last season and so far this time around justifies such an approach.

[thehumblegringo]

When relegation from the Premier League was confirmed Dalman said of the season “I think we should have planned much, much more ahead than we have done. That’s something we have learned”.

Unfortunately that just about sums the club up and there’s no evidence anything has changed. The club appears to make it up as it goes along without any long term strategy. Warnock gets away with anything because the club has failed to appoint anyone who could credibly challenge him.