v Bristol City (H) Match Thread

[Gandalf's shin pads]

It's only game four and I'm sure we will improve. I think Cocu will prove an astute appointment if given the time. Whether we can improve enough to challenge for top six this season is yet to be seen. We appear to lack dynamism and creativity in midfield and cutting edge upfront although the return of Holmes and Marriott should address this to some degree. 

Replacing Mount and Wilson was always going to be difficult at this level. The final day of the transfer window probably didn't go exactly to plan. We were reportedly in for multiple quality attacking midfielders and wingers but came out with a goalkeeper and Paterson (he gets my support because he wears the shirt but I can't help thinking he was 4th/5th choice). That's not a dig at the club. Sometimes it's just how the cards fall. The window had gone pretty well up to then. 

Lots of plus points to be taken from tonight. Beilik looks very promising, there are clearly multiple game plans and if we had had our shooting boots on we may have come out of the game with more, not to mention Bogle, Holmes and Marriott to come back which will open up more possibilities. 

 

 

 

 

[Ruud Aralliss]

3 hours ago, nfb said:

Oh well, Brisle have been decent for a few seasons now, and so after tonites game I must conclude that because of coming in late plus injuries, Cocu has yet to decide on who is who, whats what and should now be seeing who should really figure in his top 14 and those that need to make up the squad. . . Cos for me, that wouldnt have been my starting line up. 

Just out of interest what would your starting lineup be? Nobody asked.

[Ruud Aralliss]

4 hours ago, Andicis said:

I really dislike Bristol fans. Tinpot bunch, cider is poo anyway you twits. 

We were awful tonight. That first half was the worst we've played in some time. Huddlestone was miles off the pace, as he was at Stoke. If he isn't dropped on Saturday, then I'll be shocked.

Dowell was shocking too. Sloppy passing, dribbling when he should be moving the ball on quickly. Nightmare performance.

Bielik, good second half, first half was a bit slack with his passing. 

Malone just isn't good enough. Subbed off at Stoke at half time, and subbed off today. Don't like him at all.

I'll start with the obvious question, what the hell does Marriott have to do to earn a start?! The guy is far too good to be on our bench, and if we don't start playing him, he'll leave. Waghorn was pretty piss poor tonight. Why does Jason Knight not get the nod over Huddlestone? He's much more mobile, and looks much more hungry whenever he plays. When will we next get more than a 5/10 performance from Lawrence?

 

Spot on

[Ruud Aralliss]

3 hours ago, w8sey said:

 

Joz - Cant even be bothered to find the spelling of his name....

 

???

[Ruud Aralliss]

4 hours ago, Finch said:

What has Martin done to not be in contention. He's at least as good as Waghorn (or was). 

What has he done?

[Harrowram]

4 hours ago, desirelines said:

Didn't see the Lawrence missed chance. Was it a bad'un? Just seen that it clocked 52% XG. 

He hit the target and the goalkeeper made a good save. It wasn't a bad miss. The problem is that we generated very few clean cut chances and that was one of them.

[admira]

That was one of our most error-strewn first halves for many a year, with the second marginally better. 

I’m not sure the players understood the formation, especially when Malone went off. I struggled at times. The one shining light again was Lawrence. Jozefzoon had one of his better games and Keogh was Keogh. Other than that, pretty poor. Disappointed in Belik who got caught out time and time again trying to be too clever.  

As someone else said though, it’s only game 4 but we need more goal threat in this team. Unfortunately he is sitting on the bench for most of the game. 

[Dimmu]

8 hours ago, Andicis said:

Are you joking? Huddlestone and Dowell were the worst players on the pitch for us, by some margin. They were both awful in possession. Waghorn wasn't great either, but those two both had awful games at the same time, meaning our possession game was terrible.

Just watch the game again after you've come over the disappointment of the result and you see it wasn't that bad. Huddz pass accuracy 80,8 and Dowell 76,3. Latter is always going to be lower, 'cause at least he tried to make something happen. Dowell 2 key passes, Huddz 1.

Not perfect, but worst players by margin is just ridiculous.

[Harrowram]

The positive is that we are a much better side when Bogle and Marriott are in it. Neither winger contributes enough for my liking and Malone will be consigned to the ranks of the disappeared together with Anya and Martin , lord Lucan and Sheergar if he doesn't pull his finger out! The second goal killed the game and it was his fault and is inexcusable.

[Andicis]

12 minutes ago, Dimmu said:

Just watch the game again after you've come over the disappointment of the result and you see it wasn't that bad. Huddz pass accuracy 80,8 and Dowell 76,3. Latter is always going to be lower, 'cause at least he tried to make something happen. Dowell 2 key passes, Huddz 1.

Not perfect, but worst players by margin is just ridiculous.

A pass accuracy of 80% isn't hard to achieve when you mainly play the ball backwards and sideways, when Hudds went forward, he gave it away. Dowell just didn't move the ball quick enough. You can hide behind that stat for them if you want, but I don't think they played well at all. In fact, I'll double down on the worst players on the pitch by a margin, statement.

[BathRam72]

This is how I see it.

Several new managers at the start of the last few seasons (for what ever reason) does not create stability.

This year on the back of an illustrious career both as a player and manager, expectations have once again soared. However the manager has come into what on paper is a team who with the right guidance and loans are or should be a top 6 team. He only had a short introduction and pre-season. This did not help him both in terms of assessing the team and deciding where we need strengthening, also put him on the back foot with regards the time to find the right replacements. He has inherited new signings that he didn't sanction but has to live and manage that.

Only time and a couple of transfer windows will really tell whether his philosophy works. So he needs time and I hope he is afforded that. 

Bristol have had a certain amount of stability and have a manager who has experience in the championship. All this meltdown by certain people after 4 games and our first loss smacks of panic, those who can't look at or see the big picture in life. Heaven forbid you get a position of authority.

Yes there were more than a few poor performances, probably down to getting their heads around a new system and playing style. Some maybe are getting towards the end of their career. There are those who just don't perform regularly. We still have some very good players coming back from injury.

I for one will look back in December and then decide whether it is going to be successful season. Even then, teams have a late burst.

Chill everyone

 

[angieram]

If we are going to start with such a defensive line up, then the very least we can expect is a team that is able to defend. At the moment we can't. 

I'd rather see us going gung-ho and getting caught out occasionally than playing a six man defence that still messes up.

[Ambitious]

One thing that needs pointing out, it's absolutely ridiculous how quick a large proportion of fans have gone into crisis mode because we've lost. It's always been a virus of our fanbase as far back as I can remember. It's a long season - a bit of perspective could do the world of good. 

[Sexydadbod]

What we can gather is that Cocu is a very stubborn manager according to PSV and Fenerbache fans so we shouldn’t be surprised if he continues to play two defensive midfielders. I’m so glad we’ve got a manager of his calibre but I hope Mel wasn’t fooled into thinking he was this free flowing manager who likes playing sexy football as ruud Guillit would put it, just because Cocu said he likes possession football. Cocu seems to use possession in a defensive way with the ideology if we have the ball, the opponent can’t hurt us and to take the sting out of a game.Ajax fans seemed to dislike Cocu, not just because they’re rivals but because he tried to suck the life out of the ajax-PSV games- the opposite of Cruyff’s total football what some were expecting like we saw under McClaren.

[RamNut]

12 minutes ago, angieram said:

If we are going to start with such a defensive line up, then the very least we can expect is a team that is able to defend. At the moment we can't. 

I'd rather see us going gung-ho and getting caught out occasionally than playing a six man defence that still messes up.

I agree but its finding five decent gungs and hoers thats the problem. 

 

[IlsonDerby]

Found it quite ironic that after his letter to all of the other clubs in the league it was a Bristol player who went down like he’d been ran over only to be up and back on the pitch after 30 seconds with their physio. 

[RamNut]

Right now i think its back to the missionary position of 442 - and with the usual problem of no left winger, evans filling in for bogle

until holmes and bogle are fit. Maybe lawrence can still have a license to wander with shinnie and lowe covering.

   

                                       Roos

              evans     Keogh     Bielik     Lowe

mitchell-lawson   Knight   Shinnie    Lawrence

                          Waghorn   Marriott

.      

[GenBr]

9 hours ago, dcfcfan1 said:

I dont blame cocu, not much he can do with league 1 standard midfielders and wingers (bar beilik and lawrence when he decides to turn up)

The recruitment team needs sacking. Failed to get a winger who can at least not lose the ball every time, failed to get an energetic box to box midfielder and failed to get a Number 1 keeper 

A complete disaster of a market, our midfield balance is a disaster. Too slow. Huddlestone past it

We signed a box to box midfielder as a like for like replacement for Bryson in the form of Shinnie. He just doesnt make the squad.

[Raich Carter]

First half was poor all round pretty much. We couldn't really pass or control across all positions.

Bielik didn't look all that in the first half but got MUCH better in the second half once he settled so signs are good with him.

Joflo - pointless player. Just awful. I'm done with him. How can a winger not be able to cross. At all! He's just awful. Poor decision maker, extremely poor crossing ability - oaf.

Malone - oh dear. His confidence has gone. Time for a rest. Negative most of the time then tried to be clever and it went wrong. I'm not one for getting on a players back but he's struggling. Give Shinnie a go. 

Lowe was ok but at times didn't know what to do - there's a player in there somewhere. He had a lot of time and space and really didn't make the most of it but I rate him at this level.

Dowell struggled throughout. He's got potential but Rooney can't come soon enough (oo'er).

I wish people would stop going on about Marriott - the lad had food poisoning 2 days before. Cocu rates him and is thinking longer term - It's covered ground, let go. 

The ref was a complete clown. The amount of time he wasted by waiting for everyone for him to be ready and let them waste was very annoying. He's clearly a ref who likes to be part of the show. His decisions were generally shocking too. 

Bristol - very poor sportsmen. The amount of time wasting, an instruction clearly from the top was deliberate and extremely cynical so, Johnson, who I previously quite liked, can do one. 

When Hunt (their RB) was down and they were huddled over him like he had broken his back for what felt like an hour- literally a minute later, he was charging about and clearly there was no injury at all. The ruling bodies keep bringing rules in which is quite irritating but they do need to look at time wasting. Feigning injury and time wasting takes the fun out of the game - we want to be entertained and watching a grown man writhe around like they've been anally probed by a water melon or play dead like a possum and then spring into life like they've been defrib'd is not what we want to see.  

We clearly need more players. PC was never going to build the side he wants in half a transfer window. We've got a young LB playing RB, limited options in wide positions, a young loanee (Dowell) trying to step into Mount's shoes and so on. I felt our passing was the main issue last night - we just couldn't pass a few yards - even Hudds made a number of mistakes. It was one of those nights...

I thought our fans were quite good tho for a change. 

 

[nottingram]

20 minutes ago, Sexydadbod said:

What we can gather is that Cocu is a very stubborn manager according to PSV and Fenerbache fans so we shouldn’t be surprised if he continues to play two defensive midfielders. I’m so glad we’ve got a manager of his calibre but I hope Mel wasn’t fooled into thinking he was this free flowing manager who likes playing sexy football as ruud Guillit would put it, just because Cocu said he likes possession football. Cocu seems to use possession in a defensive way with the ideology if we have the ball, the opponent can’t hurt us and to take the sting out of a game.Ajax fans seemed to dislike Cocu, not just because they’re rivals but because he tried to suck the life out of the ajax-PSV games- the opposite of Cruyff’s total football what some were expecting like we saw under McClaren.

So stubborn he has changed formation completely at half time in both of our last two games?