Bristol City fan writer David Pottier on a frustrating January transfer window and a concern the Robins will be soon be playing catch-up in the play-off race.
As the January transfer window enters its latter stages, there is a general feeling of disappointment among Bristol City fans.
They had been hopeful that at least some of the money from the Antoine Semenyo sell-on might lead to a signing which would signal some degree of ambition from the owners to reach the play-offs for a second successive season.
The spark provided by any new addition to the squad that is better than what we already have is very much needed.
Saturday's bore draw against Oxford at the weekend saw a team performance that was abject, and that is being polite.
With perhaps one or two exceptions, no-one was on their 'A' game and were it not for a fine save by fit-again goalkeeper Radek Vitek in the dying minutes they would have come away with nothing.
City's form, like most teams in the top half of the table, is erratic, but if the 14 points from the last 10 games is not improved upon then last season's feat will not be matched.
I am predicting 73 points as the likely requirement to secure sixth position and so, to not be chasing a requirement to secure two points per game, City are going to need to have a run of three wins in succession pretty soon.
The signings in the window so far are welcomed by most City fans. Sam Morsy brings experience to a midfield that continues to suffer with the ongoing absences of Max Bird and Joe Williams.
George Earthy is a known quantity from his initial loan spell, having already demonstrated that he will shine more under Gerhard Struber's more expansive playing style than the more cautious approach required by Liam Manning.
That being said, would City fans prefer to have seen Josh Stokes be given first-team minutes rather than be loaned out to Stockport County?
While we are talking about outgoings, there was some shock at Yu Hirakawa's loan move to Hull City. "Why would we let one of our play-off rivals have our player?" cried some sections of the fanbase.
Personally, I was not concerned, as the Japanese international has been a bit of a misfit since his arrival.
He was billed by technical director Brian Tinnion as an out-and-out winger but neither Manning nor Struber feature that position in their preferred formations, so instead we have played the lad, whose attitude cannot be faulted, in a number of alternative roles which have not allowed us to see him at his best.
If rumours are to believed there was another player from Middlesborough, Delano Burgzorg, who was going to join team-mate Neto Borges at Ashton Gate.
If he was the best the recruitment team could come up with as the solution to the club's need for extra firepower up front then I'd give them a C-minus in terms of effort.
Are my expectations of the club pulling off a surprise transfer coup before the end of the month going to be realised? I think not.
More likely is them being "typical Bristol City" by being the team that sees Sheffield Wednesday end their winless run in Saturday's game at Ashton Gate!
You can hear more from David Pottier on the Forever Bristol City podcast.
Category: General Sports
