BRISTOL CITY MATCH REPORT Well, fellow Reds’ fans, we really should be proud of the whole team after today’s performance, sad though it is that it was yet another defeat. There was a passion throughout the team and pretty much throughout the ninety-six minutes which has been missing, or part-missing from most performances since the now seven defeats started. Even when going down 2-1 at half time, heads did not drop and we battered away relentlessly until the final whistle. You have to say ‘well done’ to the players, as it would have been not easy to raise their morale for this one, neither before the kick-off, nor during half time. I followed the team bus to the ground – it overtook me, actually, having the advantage of the bus lane down Portway and under the Clifton Suspension Bridge. The following team took the pitch at 3 pm: Collins Andersen Helik Kitching Brittain Moon Gomes Jordan Williams Cole Woodrow Leya Iseka It was good to see Andersen back to give us, in my opinion, our strongest back three, which I thought was proved throughout the game, as all three put in redoubtable performances in terms of winning key headers and making effective tackles, occasionally last ditch ones, but rarely, as City didn’t threaten much. The first half was dominated by the Reds. The wing-backs were key in this, often being the outlet, as well as the source of crosses into the box and shots as well. City hardly got in the game at all, although they had a close call towards the end of the half when a combination of Collins and a last ditch tackle by Moon squeezed the ball out for a corner. The players all looked switched on for this one, which makes a change from some of the efforts in games at Middlesbrough and home to the Blades. It was the ‘front foot’ mentality which brought about our goal. A throw in taken quickly by Brittain caught the City defence a bit flat footed and, next thing they knew, Woodrow had fed Cole near the by-line and he expertly cut back the ball to the incoming Leya Iseka, who smashed it beyond Bentley. Were we going to sit on our lead? Not a bit of it, although, towards the end of the half, that was our undoing. We keep playing on the front foot. The back three were taking no chances and winning almost all tackles and headers. The wing back buzzed and boiled. The strikers were mobile and looking to get shots away. Then came the undoing. I did think that this was not good game management on our behalf (easy to say with hindsight, I know), because we kept on pushing forwards when it might have been better to see the game safely to 0-1 at half time and then go again. The wing backs who had been so instrumental in so many of our attacks now became something of the weaknesses, as space was found first down our left and then down our right and the chances thus created were snaffled up by Weimann in a highly professional manner. Schopp is responsible for game management and he had criticised the team for its performance in the last five minutes of the half, but see also my later comment. So, from 0-1 up and cruising untroubled, we found ourselves 2-1 down going into the interval of a half which we had dominated and played some very good stuff. Benson came on for Gomes at half time, so like-for-like. I thought that Gomes has done okay in flashes. He certainly is a busy player and play-maker, very mobile at getting between the lines. However, I was glad to see Benson back, as I rate him highly. It was pleasing to see that heads did not drop from the start. City were somewhat buoyed by their two goals, but we quickly got at them again. I could see that, if we went gung-ho again as we did at the end of the first half, we could very well end up losing 3/4 -1, but, if we kept going with controlled football, we ought to be able to get at least a point from it. As the half progressed, we started to go very much route one, as in the days of Ismael. Adeboyejo replaced Leya Iseka and we truly gave City a battering fror much of the last half hour. To say that the City goal led a charmed life was an understatement. Helik scrambled a shot against the bar. Bentley’s instinctive save with his right leg kept out Benson from point blank range. It was all action stuff and all the action was at our end. At one point, it looked as though Collins, who had stayed up for a corner, might equalise – lovely bit of skills to move the ball into space and shot saved by Bentley at his near post. However, that killer touch which we deserved didn’t come, but we had to be proud of the players, who gave their all and, on other days with the same level of performance, will trash a team, or two. I hope it’s sooner, rather than later.
Note sure if you're pillocking here but why should we be proud of a team that has a lost another game to make it 6 on the bounce? I'm furious, play well and we lose, play crap and we get murdered. It's an utter shambles all round.
