Punching above your weight

[Roygbiv]

On the subject of the ref, I followed a City fan out the ground and he was on the phone relaying his view of the game. Apparently the ref gave us everything.

Funny lot, football fans...

Yeah just read that they were the better side and we were long ball. All football fans are embarrassing in their bias at times but some of the Bristol comments are beyond ridiculous. To be fair most agree that were totally outclassed so certainly not tarring them all with the same brush.

I think both sides are punching above their weight and I think both will struggle to get into the top 6. If we finish below them then I highly doubt we will be in the play offs put it that way.

 

[Dellas Cowboys]

Morning all,

Punching above your weight was how I viewed your boys before last night. Don’t get me wrong, that’s my view of us too, we’re both doing better than our wildest dreams might have predicted. But I hadn’t seen any of your football prior to last night.

I thought you were a good side. On paper what might read a journeyman front two looked dangerous and well drilled. The marauding centre half - I really liked him, and the gingery blonde lad caused us all sorts of issues... boy was I glad when Wilder made the inexplicable decision to substitute him on about 75 mins.

The game as a spectacle (from your perspective) was ruined by the red card - which lets face it is a red all day long. Sounds like you lost your best midfielder to a horror challenge a couple of weeks back, so a little disappointed to hear the boos from the crowd when Korey was substituted, clearly incapable of walking off himself, we can only hope that it’s a few weeks out and there’s no broken leg. We clearly made the numerical advantage count, although complete credit that it didn’t stop you from causing us all sorts of problems.

8 times out of ten you’d have beaten us playing like that so all due credit. I can certainly see why you don’t draw many games and all respect to Wilder for throwing the kitchen sink at us with his substitutions, it’s evident he’s a gamble or bust kinda guy - which isn’t the worst thing in the world when you compare the difference between 3 points and 1 point and 1 point and no points. Although Wilder does come across as a very bitter man - although given the nature of your defeat I suppose I’m inclined to give the benefit of the doubt to him.

I’ll watch your progress with interest. You’re a good team there and hopefully you’ll take some point off our rivals at the top. I imagine we’ll both be in the playoffs at the end of the season.

Well done, chin up and keep punching above your weight.

Oh, and for anyone still doubting the red...

Duffy is from Merseyside and so he has to be home by a certain time due to his electronic tag.

Well that's the only reason I can see why he's regularly subbed at that point in games.

But then I'm not a football manager.

 

[stringer]

Duffy is from Merseyside and so he has to be home by a certain time due to his electronic tag.

Well that's the only reason I can see why he's regularly subbed at that point in games.

But then I'm not a football manager.

Or he’s 32 and works his bollocks off as one of the focal points in the high press, and is constantly moving into space.
But because he’s not crawling off the pitch half-dead, the resident fitness experts deem ‘he didn’t look tired’

 

[EddieColquhoun]

We’ve spent 60 years in the top flight and 42 years in the 2nd tier.
When in the 2nd tier an amazing statistic is that over 80% of those seasons we’ve finished in the top 10. So historically we expect to be challenging for promotion because in this division invariably we always challenge. However based on the current playing staff then I can understand the “punching above our weight” comment. These lower league players shouldn’t be this good but they consistently play well. In fact with the injured Coutts back we probably have the best passing midfield in this league. We outplayed and comfortably beat Wolves not that long back ago (altho they did have a man deservedly sent off).

Bristol City have only spent 9 seasons in the top flight, much lower gates and are historically a smaller club.
Sheffield United are traditionally a top flight club, whereas Bristol City clearly aren’t
Would be nice to see Bristol City in the top flight, don’t mind seeing a new set of fans enjoying some time in the PL.

In Roygbiv's "view from Bristol" many of them seemed to be arguing that they are a bigger club than us. They're third in the Championship but their away following last night was comparable with Yeovil's.

 

[Sean Thornton]

They’ve spent three quarters of fuck all and are fourth in the Championship. That’s punching above their weight. As the manager says, budget-wise his side should be where Millwall are. The fact they’re not is testament to players, staff and manager but in the first season back, after six years in the Pub League, fourth is punching. A top half finish after spending circa £1.5m on key players, against teams paying defenders £50k a week, would be remarkable

They’ve spent three quarters of fuck all and are fourth in the Championship. That’s punching above their weight. As the manager says, budget-wise his side should be where Millwall are. The fact they’re not is testament to players, staff and manager but in the first season back, after six years in the Pub League, fourth is punching. A top half finish after spending circa £1.5m on key players, against teams paying defenders £50k a week, would be remarkable

Based on the 15/16 accounts they're nowhere near to a reasonable comparison with Millwall, probably spending around double on salaries. (Around twice ours as well) Doubt whether Millwall have spent £8m on players over the last couple of years either. Spending wise more on a par with Ipswich and similar clubs entrenched in the division. They aren't a "plucky little club" battling all the odds as you try to make out. They have what looks like a decent side with some very accomplished players. And but for Flecks bad tackle I'd have bet on us beating them last night.

 

[sitwell]

What the fuck does punching above your weight mean ?
As for Bristol ,their most famous employee was a Dick ,which isn't surprising.

 

[Tunstall Fred]

What the fuck does punching above your weight mean ?
As for Bristol ,their most famous employee was a Dick ,which isn't surprising.

And Isambard Kingdom Brunel wasn't even born there

 

[UnitedBlade]

Based on the 15/16 accounts they're nowhere near to a reasonable comparison with Millwall, probably spending around double on salaries. (Around twice ours as well) Doubt whether Millwall have spent £8m on players over the last couple of years either. Spending wise more on a par with Ipswich and similar clubs entrenched in the division. They aren't a "plucky little club" battling all the odds as you try to make out. They have what looks like a decent side with some very accomplished players. And but for Flecks bad tackle I'd have bet on us beating them last night.

Bristol City becoming the new myth of not piling millions in to compete.

From those accounts they lost £13M. Ok their turnover is less than the Pigs but it looks like they are running a similar model of sailing as close to the FFP limits as possible ie lose £39M over 3 years to push their wage bill to the maximum. From memory wages were about 130% of turnover.

It helps when the owner, Lansdown, is worth £1.5bn.

Kev and the Prince don’t have access to the same investment.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Bristol City becoming the new myth of not piling millions in to compete.

From those accounts they lost £13M. Ok their turnover is less than the Pigs but it looks like they are running a similar model of sailing as close to the FFP limits as possible ie lose £39M over 3 years to push their wage bill to the maximum. From memory wages were about 130% of turnover.

It helps when the owner, Lansdown, is worth £1.5bn.

Kev and the Prince don’t have access to the same investment.

Employee costs five million more than turnover last year.

 

[diplomat]

In Roygbiv's "view from Bristol" many of them seemed to be arguing that they are a bigger club than us. They're third in the Championship but their away following last night was comparable with Yeovil's.

In fairness tho there is no way in the world I’d go down to Bristol just before Christmas on a Friday night for a game that’s on sky.

 

[Kevincarterversion2.0]

We are punching above our weight relative to our budget and squad. We are not punching above our weight in terms of size of our club (which should at the very least be challenging for promotion to the PL).

 

[stringer]

Based on the 15/16 accounts they're nowhere near to a reasonable comparison with Millwall, probably spending around double on salaries. (Around twice ours as well) Doubt whether Millwall have spent £8m on players over the last couple of years either. Spending wise more on a par with Ipswich and similar clubs entrenched in the division. They aren't a "plucky little club" battling all the odds as you try to make out. They have what looks like a decent side with some very accomplished players. And but for Flecks bad tackle I'd have bet on us beating them last night.

I was on about United. Hence ‘fourth in the Championship’. Bristol are third.

 

[Sean Thornton]

I was on about United. Hence ‘fourth in the Championship’. Bristol are third.

My bad then, apologies.

(That's what you do when you get something wrong, put your hand up. Try it, it doesn't hurt)

 

[stringer]

My bad then, apologies.

(That's what you do when you get something wrong, put your hand up. Try it, it doesn't hurt)

That was uncharacteristically patronising, are you feeling ok?

 

[Sean Thornton]

That was uncharacteristically patronising, are you feeling ok?

Fine thanks. Still a bit annoyed at the manner of last nights defeat - no argument with the red card so no need to post that still of yours again - but other than that, hunky dory.

 

[Fanny magnet]

They do like a dive and a scream don't they?
Hope our players don't carry on like that next season
Maybe they believe their Billy big time with the hilarious gifs
Can't think of anything less funny than watching bearded tattooed athletes showing their mental age

 

[Tyler Durden]

My bad then, apologies.

(That's what you do when you get something wrong, put your hand up. Try it, it doesn't hurt)

Ah the old Bramall Lane/Hillsborough mix-up. 'Memries'

Which definitely wasn't his mistake. It was everyone elses lying eyes.

 

[stringer]

Ah the old Bramall Lane/Hillsborough mix-up. 'Memries'

Which definitely wasn't his mistake. It was everyone elses lying eyes.

Yeah, I’ve only been going to the Lane 20 years so the blue seats threw me. Never mind the caption said ‘Blades fans at Hillsborough’ or anything. And since you were so keen to discuss the dying art of the English language on another thread, it’s else’s. Possessive, you see.

Fine thanks. Still a bit annoyed at the manner of last nights defeat - no argument with the red card so no need to post that still of yours again - but other than that, hunky dory.

Good stuff. If you do ever need it, give me a shout

 

[Tyler Durden]

Yeah, I’ve only been going to the Lane 20 years so the blue seats threw me. Never mind the caption said ‘Blades fans at Hillsborough’ or anything. And since you were so keen to discuss the dying art of the English language on another thread, it’s else’s. Possessive, you see.

In an article about Bramall Lane....

It's ok though, it's our fault for noticing. In the same way that your 'mardy and tight' readership are to blame for the continuous decline of The Star. Nothing to do with piss-poor journalism....

 

[stringer]

In an article about Bramall Lane....

It's ok though, it's our fault for noticing. In the same way that your 'mardy and tight' readership are to blame for the continuous decline of The Star. Nothing to do with piss-poor journalism....

Yeah, that was definitely serious and 100% not a joke in a speech
It’s a bit like me blaming you for Jezza Hunt’s fuck-ups, is this...

 

[Tyler Durden]

Yeah, that was definitely serious and 100% not a joke in a speech
It’s a bit like me blaming you for Jezza Hunt’s fuck-ups, is this...

Oh it's not your fault for your poor organisation, just your responsibility for a poor article, but then that's the sticking point isn't it?

Anyway, must dash, I'm out on a works do in Sheffield. I might post some pictures later.

Of Rotherham.

 

[stringer]

Oh it's not your fault for your poor organisation, just your responsibility for a poor article, but then that's the sticking point isn't it?

Anyway, must dash, I'm out on a works do in Sheffield. I might post some pictures later.

Of Rotherham.

Do your jokes improve when you’ve had a few?

 

[Punk Blade]

As for Wolves, they’re really good. I’ve seen them several times this season and they’ve ranged from good to unstoppable. And rightly so given that their team is full of £15m ringers!

Like I said, no obligation to fawn over Wolves just because they've spent ludicrous sums of money.

 

[Rodley]

In fairness tho there is no way in the world I’d go down to Bristol just before Christmas on a Friday night for a game that’s on sky.

Agreed. We wouldnt take any more than a 1,000 down there in those circumstances.

 

[super_pig]

They do like a dive and a scream don't they?
Hope our players don't carry on like that next season
Maybe they believe their Billy big time with the hilarious gifs
Can't think of anything less funny than watching bearded tattooed athletes showing their mental age

you forgot the perma tans

 

[nopigfansintown]

To answer the Op: no we're not punching above our weight.This division is mediocre and has actually deteriorated in the time we were last in it. Anybody who was watching our brand of football last season, who new the modern Championship, couldn't be remotely surprised at our current league standing. We're actually punching below our weight, given that we've dominated many games that we've ended up losing.Losing Coutts was a big blow though. Take one of any of the top teams top players out for the season, though, and expectations would have to be dampened.

 

[oldblade]

It’s a weird one regards “punching above our weight”.
As a club? Certainly not, we expect the PL sooner or later because of our history.

We’ve spent 60 years in the top flight and 42 years in the 2nd tier.
When in the 2nd tier an amazing statistic is that over 80% of those seasons we’ve finished in the top 10. So historically we expect to be challenging for promotion because in this division invariably we always challenge. However based on the current playing staff then I can understand the “punching above our weight” comment. These lower league players shouldn’t be this good but they consistently play well. In fact with the injured Coutts back we probably have the best passing midfield in this league. We outplayed and comfortably beat Wolves not that long back ago (altho they did have a man deservedly sent off).

Bristol City have only spent 9 seasons in the top flight, much lower gates and are historically a smaller club.
Sheffield United are traditionally a top flight club, whereas Bristol City clearly aren’t
Would be nice to see Bristol City in the top flight, don’t mind seeing a new set of fans enjoying some time in the PL.

That would be invariably apart from the uninvariable times that we get relegated....

 

[oldblade]

It’s a weird one regards “punching above our weight”.
As a club? Certainly not, we expect the PL sooner or later because of our history.

We’ve spent 60 years in the top flight and 42 years in the 2nd tier.
When in the 2nd tier an amazing statistic is that over 80% of those seasons we’ve finished in the top 10. So historically we expect to be challenging for promotion because in this division invariably we always challenge. However based on the current playing staff then I can understand the “punching above our weight” comment. These lower league players shouldn’t be this good but they consistently play well. In fact with the injured Coutts back we probably have the best passing midfield in this league. We outplayed and comfortably beat Wolves not that long back ago (altho they did have a man deservedly sent off).

Bristol City have only spent 9 seasons in the top flight, much lower gates and are historically a smaller club.
Sheffield United are traditionally a top flight club, whereas Bristol City clearly aren’t
Would be nice to see Bristol City in the top flight, don’t mind seeing a new set of fans enjoying some time in the PL.

Bristol are probably the only major city in the country that can outperform Sheffield in the under performing stakes with regard to football clubs.....if you see what I mean.

 

[blade67]

Fulham are only good if you play an open attacking game. Sit back and they overplay struggling to break down a defence.
When we played Fulham we attacked them most of the match (like normal) and they kept catching us on the counter attack.
In hindsight we should have tried to frustrate them and been more defensive BUT Wilder has said he’ll always attack and play for the win.

We beat Wolves 2-0 in a really dominant display. Wolves looked very ordinary that night and think only had 1 proper shot at our goal.
Our midfield controlled the game and gave Wolves a bit of a lesson. Although in fairness Wolves had a man sent off, so were always going to find it tough.

Best sides we’ve seen this season have been Brentford (but that was the first game of the season so a bit of a culture shock)
And Fulham (but we played to their strengths and attacked them enabling them to use their fast counter attacking game).

In addition we gifted Fulham 2 of their 1st half goals and allowed the full back a free shot after CCV slip on the 2nd as well.

 

[Balham]

In relation to Duric’s ‘elbow’, that yellow card in itself was an awful call from the ref. There was no elbow used at all, he was essentially penalised for being much taller than his opposition. I’ve watched it time and time again I just can’t see it being a foul let alone a card.

There's the natural inclination of the football fan to view things to the benefit of their side then there's serious myopia.

Djuric wasn't penalised for "being taller", he was penalised for leading with an elbow. Only a lack of arm movement saves him from seeing red there.

FWIW I didn't see anything malicious with Fleck's tackle but I accept that it deserved a red. What it doesn't deserve is a three game ban: one would be more than sufficient for a tackle where the man got the ball but was unfortunate to ricochet off the ball into the opponent.

Oh, and if you didn't want to be viewed as patronising why not use a thread title like "impressed" or "opinion changed"? Football isn't certain; all spending vast sums of money does is bring in players with better reputations. It doesn't buy team chemistry and it doesn't necessarily buy better players. United, City and Cardiff are prime examples of this, just as Sunderland, Wednesday and Norwich show the other side of the coin.