Bristol City remain a riddle under Nigel Pearson, or at least a puzzle in which there are several opinions over how it should look but no defining solution other than perhaps time.
At times thrilling and inspired, then maddeningly bad and disorganised; sometimes in the space of a single week. We still don’t quite know what they are as a team, although it feels as if we’ve witnessed every possible version of what they could be.
Such uncertainty - both good and bad - naturally leads to debate and with the World Cup now having kicked off and Championship teams having a breather, it’s a time to reflect and gauge opinion and expectations.
We spoke to 10 Robins fans for their take on the opening 24 games of the season; what’s stood out, what needs to improve and how they feel about City in 2022/23…
How would you rate City’s start to the season out of 10?
Patch Warner, 41, Emersons Green: 6/10. I had predicted a top of the bottom-half finish at the start of the season and although we are below that, we are only four points off that position. We have been largely inconsistent and have performed better in some games that we have drawn and even lost, so it is very fine margins in a very tight league.
Joe Newman, 24, Bath: I think we started well and had glimpses in the earlier games of some really good, attacking football. I’d say since two defeats, but good performances, at Norwich and Burnley we’ve looked a shadow of that attacking team. The defence all season has been leaky and far too many individual errors have cost us at the back. Overall I’d rate the start a 4/10.
Ryan Harris, 23, Yate: I think I'd rate City's season so far to be a 6/10. There have been some putrid performances, especially as of late but I think we've been unlucky to not get more points out of certain games. We went away to Norwich and Burnley in the same week and mostly played up to their level and got nothing out of it, which I think sums up the season well so far. Inconsistency has been our killer.
George Petrie, 17, Avonmouth: 4 out of 10. The reason why is because we are one point off the bottom three. At the start of the season we were playing really good football, playing out from the back with Kal Naismith key to that, but from the previous international break we’ve turned back into the team from the majority of last season by making costly mistakes and not taking chances and having a win in every so often which could see us go down.
Trevor Harvey, 68, Cheddar: At the start of the season, we played well and there seemed to be the basis of a good season ahead. Then latterly came the injuries and numerous changes in starting the line-up resulting in a loss of consistency. Probably, overall, a 6/10.
Josh Meredith, 21, Hanham: 4/10. I feel with Pearson having another window under his belt, this side now surely has more of his stamp on it, personnel-wise, and there is little to no improvement to show for it in terms of results. Five out of the six clubs below us have changed their manager already. Should this change those clubs’ fortunes, we could really get drawn into a relegation scrap.
Harry Baylis, 14, Clevedon: 5/10, it has been another frustrating start to the season. We have seen glimpses of what this team can do, take the Blackburn result for example, but then there have been games like Birmingham where we have looked dreadful. The start of the season has been very inconsistent.
Ronald Scott: I would rate them 6 out of 10. I would have liked to have given a higher score but the inconsistencies prevented it. Hopefully a higher score for the second half of the season.
Mark Van Neste, 58, BS5: A comfortable 7/10. We are having to do more with less, and that’s not easy. We have developed a settled way of playing that is both cohesive and attractive. Players know their jobs. We are fit, play high energy, attacking football and the players work very hard for each other.
We lack a bit of quality in some areas but that’s something we currently can’t help. That said, we probably don’t have the points we deserve at this stage, but that shouldn’t detract from the credit the players and staff deserve. There is palpable progression at the club in so many important ways, both on and off the pitch.
Ashton Adams, 27, Chepstow: 5/10. Started well, performed to a high standard and set a bench mark, but Naismith's injury has hampered our style, in all honesty; we’ve dropped off the boil, lost our way in terms of confidence and style and we’ve not been able to recover. The game against Watford before the break showed a bit of fight but it’ll take more than just fight to turn performances around at this level
How have they performed against your pre-season expectations?
Patch Warner: Broadly in line with expectations if not slightly below, but once again we have suffered injuries to key players notably Tomas Kalas, Naismith and Kane Wilson.
Joe Newman: I didn’t have high hopes coming into the season and was expecting a low to mid-table finish. 7/8 games in, the lads were definitely performing above my expectations but the table speaks for itself and results just haven’t been good enough and consistency seems to be the real issue. We’ve picked up points in places I thought we wouldn’t (WBA away, Blackburn away) but ultimately have lost games at home we should be winning and thrown results away when on the road.
Ryan Harris: I expected a mid-table side in pre-season and I'd say we're not too far off of it. I think it's easy to feel pretty down on City right now but we have played some better football at times this season than we have at any point in the last few years. With the context of the financial issues and injuries to some key players, I think we're fairly close to expectations.
George Petrie: My expectations for this season was top 12; this was because of the “three-year plan” that Nigel had said when he joined which would have also shown progression from the previous year and would get closer to achieving the main goal from the club which is promotion and was also based on the signings he made. They’ve performed below my expectations but there have been some more consistent performances at times this season, more towards the start of the campaign.
Trevor Harvey: Obviously, expectations are high at the beginning of a season, but it is Bristol City and going on last season’s performance I hoped for the best, as Pearson’s now had enough game time to work out where our strengths and weaknesses were. So, I would say, guarded optimism.
Josh Meredith: Results-wise, they have fallen short of my expectations so far. I had us down for around 12th position, which is five points away. Performance-wise, our ability to score goals pleasantly surprised me, as in pre-season Nahki Wells seemed still an outcast and Tommy Conway hadn’t broken through.
Harry Baylis: My pre-season expectations were to get a top half-finish. I wasn’t necessarily expecting play offs, but I was hoping for good progress after a solid transfer window.
Ronald Scott: They have performed as I expected they would. Obviously, I would have liked them to play every game like they did last Saturday against Watford.
Mark Van Neste: The signs in pre-season were excellent. I used to bet for a living and still have the occasional dabble and backed City in the season points total spreads, specifically with the idea of trading out after the easy opening run of games through to the end of September. At one stage we were one win away from going joint top. I thought injuries and a toughening schedule would knock us back down thereafter, so it’s gone pretty much how you’d expect. We are currently a few points below the curve but I expect us to close out the season somewhere around mid-table and that would be a fair reflection.
Ashton Adams: Disappointing, in terms of expectations, not so much in form or league position sense, but in terms of the things I desire to see in a city shirt by the side. I’ll never knock the effort because they are making it, however I truly feel we need to be able make an impact after the World Cup to bring ourselves up to the standards I personally would like to see as I know we are capable of.
What’s put a smile on your face the most?
Patch Warner: It has to be Tommy Conway’s season so far. 18 months ago Tommy joined us on 3 Peaps to talk through his first goal away at Millwall in May 2021, his appearances the following season were limited but this term Nigel Pearson has given him the opportunity to show exactly what he can do alongside Nahki Wells. Tommy is developing into a role model striker on and off the pitch.
Joe Newman: I’d say probably seeing the young lads do well. Alex Scott has been outstanding for most and Conway’s goal against Cardiff are the highlights for me.
Ryan Harris: The best part of the season so far has to be the emergence of Conway. It's been a while since I've seen a striker play so hard, he seems to put his body on the line every game and is rightly rewarded with being our top goal scorer. Vyner's improvement and the redemption of Wells are definitely up there as well.
George Petrie: Before the first international break, when we were producing really good performances and competing against the top teams in the league. At Norwich, where we deserved to get all three points, we dominated Blackburn and while Burnley were the better team, overall, we were still in the game and creating chances.
Trevor Harvey: The thing that has made me smile is Pearson giving the youth players a chance to shine and having watched the under 21 team there are several more players there who could break through by the end of this season.
Josh Meredith: Individually, Conway’s goal against Cardiff was enjoyable, and beyond that, the academy as a whole. We are seeing another level of youth come through, who continue to exceed expectations.
Harry Baylis: One thing that stands out is seeing Conway score goals. I thought he had it in him, he just needed a run of games and that’s exactly what he has had and we are starting to see why he is rated so highly. Other things that have impressed me has been the attack in general, especially at the start of the season.
Mark Van Neste: The development of the academy talent and younger players, not least Vyner. Scott is going from strength to strength, Tommy is learning his trade and looks a fine prospect. Sam Bell, Max O’Leary and now Zak, what a season he’s having. The board should be on their knees thanking Brian Tinnion and the academy and the whole coaching set-up at the club. The club spirit and the relationship the players have with Nige was evident in the most uplifting way against Watford. Great to see.
Ashton Adams: The thing that has put a smile on my face most personally, is the success of Conway - a real gem in the making and the boy has a huge future, for sure.
And what’s frustrated you the most?
Patch Warner: Apart from our inconsistency, it has to be our delivery from set-pieces and wide positions. If you could bless Jay Dasilva, Mark Sykes and Alex Scott with the delivery of Niclas Eliasson, I honestly believe we would be in the top half of the league.
Joe Newman: Consistency and poor individual errors that have cost us. The consistency within results is frustrating because, like I said, up until maybe Burnley away I generally believed we had something good cooking and thought hey, we are really starting to look like a decent side. Since then we have picked up the odd win or draw scattered by defeats. One game we look like world beaters and the next it looks like they’ve never trained together in their lives.
Ryan Harris: The most frustrating part of the season has no doubt been the inconsistency. One week we look like a good competent squad, we maybe start thinking how many points we are off of playoffs. The next week we're losing 3-1 to Lincoln City at home. It's absolutely what is holding the team down, and it seems Nigel is equally frustrated by it.
George Petrie: The thing that has been the most frustrating for me and probably every other City fan is the mistakes that keep cropping up, and this season there have been quite a few from Naismith. Yes, I like the way we played when Naismith was in the side but the amount of goals we’ve conceded from him losing the ball is a joke. Sometimes it needs to be long and in the air ball and not a pass along the floor.
Trevor Harvey: The thing that has frustrated me is his reluctance to play Wells and Pring more often.
Josh Meredith: Our lack of consistency on the road, where we put in performances where we seem to be back to square one with no identity: Birmingham (A), Reading (A), and even Middlesbrough, but for a great goalkeeping display to be thankful for there.
Harry Baylis: Well, not getting penalties is frustrating! Poor defending from set pieces is an obvious frustration and one in which we need to improve because we are becoming a team where that area gets targeted by the opposition. The general inconsistency of the team has also been frustrating and needs to be changed. The shortage of fit centre backs has been disappointing because we have lost many points because of it.
Ronald Scott: Giving needless goals away with individual mistakes is what frustrates me and other supporters most. I’ve been very frustrated with the inconsistencies from one week to the next.
Mark Van Neste: The number of goals conceded; especially our frailty at defending set plays and some gross individual errors at the back. We are getting better, but remain vulnerable to any team that floats in decent balls to big aggressive forwards. Losing Kalas, Nathan Baker and Robbie Cundy has been tough for us as we simply can’t currently afford to replace them. We’ve had to sit and suffer and we can all see it’s holding us back.
Ashton Adams: It has to be our reluctance to have any suitable plan B. We never change styles or tactics within games unless we’re chasing and we go gung-ho and ironically that said gung-ho actually kills momentum because we lose composure.
Which player (or players) have stood out for you?
Patch Warner: Apart from Tommy Conway, it has to be Zak Vyner. To come back from the depths of the bus station closet, Zak has cemented his position right of a back three. It is always great to see players improving and showing resilience especially when they are products of the academy.
Joe Newman: Vyner has been good. Yes, he’s got a mistake in him and he’s not perfect by any means but the improvement in him compared to last season has been good to see. He’s stepped up and I’d say he’s been one of the better performers. Scott speaks for himself. The lad will go right to the very top and I think all City fans know that. Conway has been good and also Cam Pring has looked solid since he has been back in the mix.
Ryan Harris: Not something I expected to write at the start of the season but over the past couple of months, Vyner has really stood out. He's become far more defensively competent and more confident since Naismith has been injured. We've hypothesised that he does better when he's the man in charge at the back, so we'll see if it continues when Naismith returns from injury.
George Petrie: Vyner, because he has been very consistent this season and he hasn’t hardly made any mistakes and when he was playing in the middle of the back three, with Pring and George Tanner either side of him, he was helping them through and showing leadership.
Conway, because he’s progressed massively from only getting a few substitute appearances last season and in the summer it looked he was going to go on loan with Sam Bell. Wells, because he’s taken his opportunity which got him a regular place in this team this season and looking like why we first signed him a few years ago by getting goals and being a menace against opposition defences.
Trevor Harvey: Stand out players would be Scott Conway and Atkinson, who would be in my starting 11 every time.
Josh Meredith: Vyner and Wells have been great in their respective circumstances; one being a revival of form and one coming from an outcast position, both being odds-on to leave in the summer. Beyond that, Scott has continued to look a cut above in many games.
Harry Baylis: Wells, Conway, Vyner, Atkinson and Scott are the five players that, for me, have stood out for me the most. Out of the five, I would probably say I have been most impressed by Conway. He has been consistent and looks like the real deal. His partnership with Wells has been a real positive. It has also been nice to see Vyner go from strength to strength and rebuild his city career after things looked like they were over for him and Atkinson has been Mr Consistency.
Ronald Scott: Scott, with his amazing skill stands out for me as does Joe Williams with his defensive work. Andreas Weimann is Mr. Consistent and Conway is another star in the making. Vyner has also proved the doubters wrong with his performances so far this season.
Mark Van Neste: The unsung hero is Matty James. If you look at our results we are just a better side when he plays - as soon as he’s missing we start to lose control of midfield and the defence comes under pressure. Vyner is another; so cultured on the ball but now finally developing the defensive game to go with it. He’s been improving all season and is still going up a notch. He’s benefitted from Naismith but you can see mentally he’s matured and developed a harder edge. Scott and Conway are blossoming and driving each other on, learning on the job. If we can keep those two together in red and white at BS3 we can build around them.
Do you still have faith that Nigel Pearson can improve this team?
Patch Warner: Yes. Nigel will hopefully have a full squad (less Wilson) to choose from come December 10, five games then a transfer window to add a few more players to the relatively small squad. He should only be judged come the end of his three-year plan. One concern, however, is the lack of improvement in some basic areas such as delivery, set piece attack/defence and shot selection.
Joe Newman: It’s a tough one. Some of me says yes, he’s obviously got a clear plan and financially as we have seen the club are making improvements. But under Pearson I really don’t see us going anyway on the pitch. Results mount up and the pressure rises. Ultimately, I’d say the faith has been lost and it’s his time to go.
Ryan Harris: I think the squad right now is better than it was when he took over, and it's far cheaper too, so I think it's fair to believe he'll continue to improve us. When we hopefully have some money, it'll be interesting to see how he uses it. And even if I didn't believe he could make us better, I'm not sure who we could realistically bring in that would.
George Petrie: I think Nigel can still improve this team for now, especially because we have seen much better football at times this season but if the bad performances like the ones against Birmingham, Middlesbrough and Lincoln continue and we do drop and stay in the bottom three, he will have to go for me; even if I do think at some point we might see performances like the ones before the first international break again.
Trevor Harvey: The only hope that Pearson has is if we don’t sell in January and we can put a very long run together with no serious injuries leaving main players out for a maximum of 1/2 weeks.
Josh Meredith: I do not have faith, unfortunately. With the time he has now had, he’s shown a lack of ability to get the most out of players who weren’t his, which is easily forgiven. But, beyond that he isn’t improving us after being given opportunities to bring in his own type of player.
Harry Baylis: I do. It would be easy to lose faith in him because of results, but I feel we should stick with him until at least the end of his contract. He has had no money to spend and has had to work with a small squad. The club seems fully behind him, so unless there is a dramatic run of terrible form, I will continue to stand by him.
Ronald Scott: I have always had faith that Pearson is the right man in charge. He has brought in better players for no big outlay and got rid of the big earners who were not pulling their weight. I'm sure that, if he has some funds available in the transfer window, he will secure the services of the right sort of players that we need.
Mark Van Neste: Absolutely. Since he’s arrived the club is infinitely better run. He knows his onions and has driven improvements everywhere, on and off the pitch. He’s sorted out the dressing room, got the fitness right, brought in experience and leaders on free transfers, developed a settled playing style and a cohesive approach that is joined up throughout the club. What little he’s had to spend he’s spent wisely.
His very presence at the helm attracts quality and makes us a desirable place to come. It’s not his fault there’s no money for new players, but until we do have that he’s putting the elements into place we can afford and control. Crucially too, when the chips were down against Watford and we needed a performance, the players responded to a man. That tells you all you need to know.
Ashton Adams: I do still have a slight bit of faith in Nige. After Lincoln, I honestly admit, he’d lost me but since then, last Saturday's performance against Watford restored my faith a bit.
On those pre-season expectations, have they changed at all?
Patch Warner: Not really. I expected us to be an established mid-table team, even when we reached third place in September. I don’t get carried away, I have been a city fan for 35 years and know better.
Joe Newman: Survival now is surely the first thought? If we have a fully-fit squad post World Cup then I think it’s a given we stay up, as there are plenty of worse footballing sides in the league. But I’d say a mid-table finish is the expectation still.
Ryan Harris: My pre-season expectations haven't really changed at all. I still think we can be a mid-table side if not on the lower end of it now, which I think is acceptable. It'll be interesting to see if we do any business in January as that could be a great sign of what the team is thinking as well.
George Petrie: No, my expectations haven’t changed from the summer. This is because Pearson said that he wants to be in the promotion race before the third year and to do that we need to keep progressing and to do that we need to finish higher in the league, so my top 12 expectation is staying.
Trevor Harvey: Let’s just say my original pre-season hopes are not as optimistic as they were at the start.
Josh Meredith: Despite my initial expectation still being a very realistic one, I have lowered it slightly to the 15-17th area. Barring a mass January exodus, our squad is comfortably a Championship squad, and should it be pulled into a fight at the bottom, it would be very disappointing. And as for finishing any higher, unfortunately it has been proved after 21 games that it would be a massive stretch.
Harry Baylis: It feels unlikely that we will get a top-10 finish this season, but I am not somebody who lowers their expectations and I feel this team still needs to aim high. Times may be tough, but you have always got to keep consistent in your expectations. Our injury problems from previous seasons seems to have continued into this season.
Ronald Scott: I don't really know how to answer this one because I had no pre-season expectations.
Mark Van Neste: See above. It felt like a mid-tableish year and I think that’s where we will end up. The moment we cut our goals conceded down to a workable level we will progress to being a top-six club, but for now we are too light defensively and lack the squad depth to be consistent.
Ashton Adams: Yes, they have changed, if I’m honest. I was fully expecting a kick on after the first break but now I feel we just have to readjust and make sure we have stability.
What do you want to see the most from City after the World Cup break?
Patch Warner: Exciting football, consistent effort levels and performance… and better deliveries from set pieces/wide positions… and Cam Pring driving the bus.
Joe Newman: Fight, passion and some consistency! (Although not constantly playing poorly and losing).
Ryan Harris: Pretty much everybody back healthy so we can hopefully put out a proper first team for once! Hopefully then that'll lead to a bit more consistency from week to week. I also want somebody to practise free kicks and corners for the entire month. James, Scott, Joe Williams - I don't care who.
George Petrie: Probably the most simple answer, and the thing I want to see the most from City after the World Cup break, are performances like we were witnessing before the first international break. Because eventually we will get the results to see us back nearer to the top half/mid-table section of the Championship.
Trevor Harvey: As I said earlier, we need to get a settled side and formation with a minimum of injuries and we could get into the play-offs.
Josh Meredith: An adaptable City squad who consistently puts in hard-working performances, easier said than done I know, but, I do feel we have enough to travel to games and see at least a shot on target every time, and not see our attackers have to attempt a shift at wing-back, which is unfortunately things that have happened in the first half of the season.
Harry Baylis: I would like to see players step up to the job at hand. For all the players whose deals finish in 2023, I would like to see them going that extra mile to try and earn a contract. I would also like to see some more youngsters integrated into the first team if there is the right opportunity. Overall, I want a strong end to the season so we can take a step forward.
Ronald Scott: What I would like to see after the World Cup break is more consistency in their performances. Less mistakes in defence and of course more points on the board. I also want Nigel and his staff to be given the time to take the team to the heights they deserve.
Mark Van Neste: We need to show more quality in the final third. Teams realise they need to keep things tight against us and are just getting everyone back and putting up a wall. Since that’s happened the goals have dried up. We need to solve the lack of quality in our crossing, left and right. We are being forced to play down the sides and not getting enough good balls in. We also miss Naismith’s dead ball ability; having him back fit and firing would be a major plus.
Ashton Adams: I want to see a raised performance level and just the ability to make sure we can stay in games consistently rather than be one-in and one-out in terms of displays.
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