Match Report: Two points - and our dignity - lost

[Olé]

89 days ago City waved the white flag at Villa Park and were taken to pieces, losing 5-0. Today we actually managed to allow a poor side to have far more chances than even Villa enjoyed during that battering, and yet escaped with a scarcely deserved draw, having produced probably our most chaotic performance of the season. Even with a last minute equaliser this was not a point gained. This time, unlike Villa, there was not fitness or any other excuse to be so exposed. Framed by our defending (or lack of), it was an undignifying spectacle. 

 

It was apt that Josh Brownhill scored the decisive goal to snatch a point because from the very start he was the only player who could be proud of his efforts. He was badly let down by most of his teammates, who appeared to still be on international break even at 430pm. In particular our defence, who produced probably the most amateur and calamitous afternoon of defending that I can remember since the McInnes / Foster / Fontaine days.

 

It is no surprise that we had to come from behind twice, as we appeared determined to let Barnsley run up a Villa style score, in fact either side of half time despite having plenty of players in the box we contrived to let Barnsley create 3 or 4 free headers yards out, it was only their propensity to head straight at Frankie that meant we weren't well out of sight within the hour. As it was, we scored two superb goals but  you certainly couldn't tell which team was competing at one end of the table and which the other.

 

From the start Barnsley came at us, led by a giant Steve Jones looking striker leading the line and another two making diagonal runs in behind us. Moncur was racing out of midfield to tee up moves as they made us look distinctly average when they got 4 strung across the front and had the spare man for both the cross and the header (something we failed to do all game). An early corner was met at the near post by Frankie and one of our defenders, sadly they met each other and Steve Jones lookalike headed in.

 

The most we offered in return was a brief incursion as Paterson got in on the right and his quick cross flashed across goal and was cut out quickly by their defender - something ours would fail to do all game.   But on the whole Pack was dropping deep to get his foot on the ball and we were reduced to long balls - Reid in particular as poor as I've seen him for control - and poor touches or passes whenever we got out of our half, while at the other end Barnsley's forwards were dragging us all over the shop by fair means, or foul (dive).

 

We'd spend half an hour looking like the relegation threatened team, second best with the ball. Second best without the ball.  We had a big away following and made a lot of noise but the football did not justify it. Yet after the half hour it would change. First we cut out an attack and sent Pato down the left. He slowed things down and let players pour forward, before sending a cross deep to the right. Brownhill took on the ball and flicked it over not one but two defenders in the box - shades of Gazza 96 - before firing a shot at the keeper.

 

A minute later Pack collected the ball in their half - further forward than his by then customary position starting attacks in front of our own box with no one to pass to. He ran crossfield before slipping it into Famara outside the box on the left. Fammy, who had struggled to get into the game, had his first chance to run at a defender. It was decisive. Two strides, past the defender, looked up, fired a rising shot into far corner from 20 yards. Truly fantastic goal. But largely fortuitous for what we contributed to the match.

 

Before half time our defence would remind us they were still on international break. Barnsley would break through the middle and City would drop six into the box all racing after the same ball like headless chicken. The home side would spread the ball wide right, switch play to the other wing and cross into the box from where the big striker would have a free header on goal from yards out. All this whilst we had six across the box. Our ability to let Barnsley craft clear chances in spite of all our players was both embarrassing but a feature of the game we'd see more of.

 

After half time we emerged with purpose and Bobby Reid in particular looked like he had been reminded to find space. A quick attack saw him control the forward ball, switch left, drag his marker, exchange the ball with Joe Bryan, who raced inside on the edge of the box, and lifted a cross to the far post which flashed just wide. That was all it took for Barnsley to remember that our defenders were still on their week off. Within ten minutes we'd see two more point blank Barnsley headers off crosses, Fielding saving one at close range that for a second looked all the world a goal.

 

City had a few periods of attack aided by Pack and Smith out of a midfield we were often second best in, but with nothing like the incision that Barnsley achieved. And on the hour another loose City touch was cut out and quickly sprung the impressive Moncur, who raced upfield before looping the ball into the big Steve Jones nuisance up front, who went clear on goal and drew a desperate block from Frankie.

 

City had a couple of chances - often from the work of Brownhill or Pack, our only two players of any note. First Bryan would take down a clearance outside the box after a smart move and flash a shot just over, and later Pisano of all people would steal in at the far post and almost glance a header in on goal from the best of what had been an afternoon of poor crosses. But these sandwiched yet another Barnsley free for all as City defenders watched them break, cross and head at goal without action.

 

By now Kent was on, doing his clown act of flying around at 100mph without doing anything of any use. Our only hope to win the game came from Pack's distribution out of midfield and Brownhill's endeavour around their box. For no good reason LJ destroyed that by not only taking Pack off, but surrendering a midfield that we were already second best in, in order to add an extra striker in an area where Fam, and in particular Reid, had achieved very little.

 

Djuric's presence was nothing compared to the foolhardy abandonment of midfield and when added to the lethargy and flat-footedness of City's defence - bordering on the comical - it was a small miracle we weren't 4-1 down. Yet Barnsley would get a deserved lead with ten to go, thanks to yet more of the same hopeless defending. Not for the first time Pisano would show the winger inside, then let him go, and again from the cross City would watch as Barnsley reacted fastest, the Steve Jones lookalike nodding down and his teammate finishing amongst a static defence, when to he frank our back line was so poor he could have setup two teammates for the finish too. The home fans erupted.

 

This was abysmally poor defending and effort set against such loud and positive away support, and for a moment I thought I heard a semblance of booing - this was certainly the poorest that we have looked since the darkest days of last season. The sort of display that'll have the beds sheets out again. And that was that - or at least it should have been. We were even more disjointed for the final stages of the game with even less midfield presence, Kent in full on headless mode, and Barnsley well in control of our three isolated strikers.

 

But Brownhill, who had put teammates to shame with his will to actually affect the game, wasn't finished, and although there were very few chances for us to turn the game, Joe Bryan was seeing some joy on the left, and when his cross was nodded back across the box, Josh, by far our best player, stretched every sinew to get his head under the ball and arch a looping header into the far corner. Brownhill deserved the goal. City didn't.

 

Barnsley continued to look the more likely to add to their lead in the last exchanges and the final whistle was probably greeted by more relief from City than Barnsley, for whom our central defenders may have for a moment woken up and thought it was a whistle for kick off, such was their failure to participate in the preceding 90 minutes.  It was a lucky point in the context of the game itself, but measured against the season it should be alarming, easily the worst we have defended for years and as angry as City have made me this season.

 

Fielding 6 - Poor for the first, some bad decisions with chance to release the ball quickly, but decent handling behind a non existent defence

Pisano 4 - Very poor defensively, added little going forward

Wright 4 - Very poor defensively, added little full stop

Baker 4 - Very poor defensively, added little full stop

Bryan 5 - Added something going forward and did a bit better 1-on-1 at the back, but part of an awful defence

Smith 6 - Tidy in places with his close control on the ball, but too often drifted out of the game with Pack deep and everyone else marked

Pack 7 - Apparently our only player who can pass the ball more than 5 yards. The only one with any poise but had to drop so deep to participate

Brownhill 7 - For effort alone, no one was on his wavelength nor as interested as him in competing. Must surely wonder why he bothers.

Paterson 5 - A few nice runs but little impact and less effective out left. Hurt himself before going off.

Reid 5 - One of his poorest games this season, touch and decision making way off in the first half, a bit better second half but shows how influential he is when he and we are so bad

Diedhiou 6 - Cracking goal did very little else 

 

Kent 4 - Headless chicken

Djuric 5 - Little time or service

[GrahamC]

Be very interested to see what all this means for Monday’s side.

Presumably it makes Flint a certainty to make an immediate return and maybe Kelly will come back in too?

Most people would pick the midfield four & front two that started, especially with O’Dowda not back yet, but maybe Paterson needs a rest, but definitely not for Kent, who has been dreadful.

It has been a strange old season, prior to Xmas we had a truly remarkable away record, since then it we have reverted to last seasons awful one.

Great write up as ever, Rob..

[bearded_red]

I agree @Olé it really was terrible.

I note you mentioned McInnes in your report and funnily enough during the first half I remember saying that it was so bad the thing that sprung to mind was the type of ‘performance’ we would put in most weeks under that clown.

[Ivorguy]

Thanks for clarity of report

[tinman85]

Yet Johnson can still do no wrong in some people's eyes. I said it in another thread but the tactics are similar to the Fawthrop, Burnside and Rosenior spell. Johnson, Holden and McAllister remind me of that. 

[milo1111]

Makes for depressing reading. What the hell has happened since we lost at home to wolves god only knows. Clearly LJ doesn’t know or if he does he doesn’t know how to rectify it and get us playing the way we were pre Xmas again.

[Northern Red]

1 hour ago, tinman85 said:

Yet Johnson can still do no wrong in some people's eyes. I said it in another thread but the tactics are similar to the Fawthrop, Burnside and Rosenior spell. Johnson, Holden and McAllister remind me of that. 

The Fawthrop, Burnside and Rosenior spell that was reasonably successful, results wise, and a vast improvement style wise on what had preceded it?

And no one, not even Lee Johnson himself, thinks that he can do no wrong. 

[Wolf Island]

Flint Magnússon Eliasson Kelly in for Monday. Players need to know they can’t perform like this. 

[Marlborough Red]

I suffered as you did today. First half hour we looked as if we had never played together before Just couldn't cope with their big CF. (. Voted MOM by the Barnsley fans.). Maybe just me but the pitch looked very wide and the surface seemed to be dry ,heavy ,and had have no pace .Needed some water  to get some zip  and speed up our passing game.

Very lucky to get a point ,..amazingly other results went our way and we still have a great chance of making the playoffs

Great support from the travelling fans too . We deserved better.

Onward to Monday.

[hoxton casual]

1 hour ago, Olé said:

89 days ago City waved the white flag at Villa Park and were taken to pieces, losing 5-0. Today we actually managed to allow a poor side to have far more chances than even Villa enjoyed during that battering, and yet escaped with a scarcely deserved draw, having produced probably our most chaotic performance of the season. Even with a last minute equaliser this was not a point gained. This time, unlike Villa, there was not fitness or any other excuse to be so exposed. Framed by our defending (or lack of), it was an undignifying spectacle. 

 

It was apt that Josh Brownhill scored the decisive goal to snatch a point because from the very start he was the only player who could be proud of his efforts. He was badly let down by most of his teammates, who appeared to still be on international break even at 430pm. In particular our defence, who produced probably the most amateur and calamitous afternoon of defending that I can remember since the McInnes / Foster / Fontaine days.

 

It is no surprise that we had to come from behind twice, as we appeared determined to let Barnsley run up a Villa style score, in fact either side of half time despite having plenty of players in the box we contrived to let Barnsley create 3 or 4 free headers yards out, it was only their propensity to head straight at Frankie that meant we weren't well out of sight within the hour. As it was, we scored two superb goals but  you certainly couldn't tell which team was competing at one end of the table and which the other.

 

From the start Barnsley came at us, led by a giant Steve Jones looking striker leading the line and another two making diagonal runs in behind us. Moncur was racing out of midfield to tee up moves as they made us look distinctly average when they got 4 strung across the front and had the spare man for both the cross and the header (something we failed to do all game). An early corner was met at the near post by Frankie and one of our defenders, sadly they met each other and Steve Jones lookalike headed in.

 

The most we offered in return was a brief incursion as Paterson got in on the right and his quick cross flashed across goal and was cut out quickly by their defender - something ours would fail to do all game.   But on the whole Pack was dropping deep to get his foot on the ball and we were reduced to long balls - Reid in particular as poor as I've seen him for control - and poor touches or passes whenever we got out of our half, while at the other end Barnsley's forwards were dragging us all over the shop by fair means, or foul (dive).

 

We'd spend half an hour looking like the relegation threatened team, second best with the ball. Second best without the ball.  We had a big away following and made a lot of noise but the football did not justify it. Yet after the half hour it would change. First we cut out an attack and sent Pato down the left. He slowed things down and let players pour forward, before sending a cross deep to the right. Brownhill took on the ball and flicked it over not one but two defenders in the box - shades of Gazza 96 - before firing a shot at the keeper.

 

A minute later Pack collected the ball in their half - further forward than his by then customary position starting attacks in front of our own box with no one to pass to. He ran crossfield before slipping it into Famara outside the box on the left. Fammy, who had struggled to get into the game, had his first chance to run at a defender. It was decisive. Two strides, past the defender, looked up, fired a rising shot into far corner from 20 yards. Truly fantastic goal. But largely fortuitous for what we contributed to the match.

 

Before half time our defence would remind us they were still on international break. Barnsley would break through the middle and City would drop six into the box all racing after the same ball like headless chicken. The home side would spread the ball wide right, switch play to the other wing and cross into the box from where the big striker would have a free header on goal from yards out. All this whilst we had six across the box. Our ability to let Barnsley craft clear chances in spite of all our players was both embarrassing but a feature of the game we'd see more of.

 

After half time we emerged with purpose and Bobby Reid in particular looked like he had been reminded to find space. A quick attack saw him control the forward ball, switch left, drag his marker, exchange the ball with Joe Bryan, who raced inside on the edge of the box, and lifted a cross to the far post which flashed just wide. That was all it took for Barnsley to remember that our defenders were still on their week off. Within ten minutes we'd see two more point blank Barnsley headers off crosses, Fielding saving one at close range that for a second looked all the world a goal.

 

City had a few periods of attack aided by Pack and Smith out of a midfield we were often second best in, but with nothing like the incision that Barnsley achieved. And on the hour another loose City touch was cut out and quickly sprung the impressive Moncur, who raced upfield before looping the ball into the big Steve Jones nuisance up front, who went clear on goal and drew a desperate block from Frankie.

 

City had a couple of chances - often from the work of Brownhill or Pack, our only two players of any note. First Bryan would take down a clearance outside the box after a smart move and flash a shot just over, and later Pisano of all people would steal in at the far post and almost glance a header in on goal from the best of what had been an afternoon of poor crosses. But these sandwiched yet another Barnsley free for all as City defenders watched them break, cross and head at goal without action.

 

By now Kent was on, doing his clown act of flying around at 100mph without doing anything of any use. Our only hope to win the game came from Pack's distribution out of midfield and Brownhill's endeavour around their box. For no good reason LJ destroyed that by not only taking Pack off, but surrendering a midfield that we were already second best in, in order to add an extra striker in an area where Fam, and in particular Reid, had achieved very little.

 

Djuric's presence was nothing compared to the foolhardy abandonment of midfield and when added to the lethargy and flat-footedness of City's defence - bordering on the comical - it was a small miracle we weren't 4-1 down. Yet Barnsley would get a deserved lead with ten to go, thanks to yet more of the same hopeless defending. Not for the first time Pisano would show the winger inside, then let him go, and again from the cross City would watch as Barnsley reacted fastest, the Steve Jones lookalike nodding down and his teammate finishing amongst a static defence, when to he frank our back line was so poor he could have setup two teammates for the finish too. The home fans erupted.

 

This was abysmally poor defending and effort set against such loud and positive away support, and for a moment I thought I heard a semblance of booing - this was certainly the poorest that we have looked since the darkest days of last season. The sort of display that'll have the beds sheets out again. And that was that - or at least it should have been. We were even more disjointed for the final stages of the game with even less midfield presence, Kent in full on headless mode, and Barnsley well in control of our three isolated strikers.

 

But Brownhill, who had put teammates to shame with his will to actually affect the game, wasn't finished, and although there were very few chances for us to turn the game, Joe Bryan was seeing some joy on the left, and when his cross was nodded back across the box, Josh, by far our best player, stretched every sinew to get his head under the ball and arch a looping header into the far corner. Brownhill deserved the goal. City didn't.

 

Barnsley continued to look the more likely to add to their lead in the last exchanges and the final whistle was probably greeted by more relief from City than Barnsley, for whom our central defenders may have for a moment woken up and thought it was a whistle for kick off, such was their failure to participate in the preceding 90 minutes.  It was a lucky point in the context of the game itself, but measured against the season it should be alarming, easily the worst we have defended for years and as angry as City have made me this season.

 

Fielding 6 - Poor for the first, some bad decisions with chance to release the ball quickly, but decent handling behind a non existent defence

Pisano 4 - Very poor defensively, added little going forward

Wright 4 - Very poor defensively, added little full stop

Baker 4 - Very poor defensively, added little full stop

Bryan 5 - Added something going forward and did a bit better 1-on-1 at the back, but part of an awful defence

Smith 6 - Tidy in places with his close control on the ball, but too often drifted out of the game with Pack deep and everyone else marked

Pack 7 - Apparently our only player who can pass the ball more than 5 yards. The only one with any poise but had to drop so deep to participate

Brownhill 7 - For effort alone, no one was on his wavelength nor as interested as him in competing. Must surely wonder why he bothers.

Paterson 5 - A few nice runs but little impact and less effective out left. Hurt himself before going off.

Reid 5 - One of his poorest games this season, touch and decision making way off in the first half, a bit better second half but shows how influential he is when he and we are so bad

Diedhiou 6 - Cracking goal did very little else 

 

Kent 4 - Headless chicken

Djuric 5 - Little time or service

Id give bobby a 7, Pack a 6 for his defending.

[bexhill reds]

Usual dull suspects having a go at LJ. You really like it when we don’t play well. 

Definitely was not a fluid performance and one I thought that Barnsley deserved all 3. Their Djuric type big man played his role very well and was more than capable with the ball at his feet. We had no answer to him all afternoon. Definitely a game where Flint was needed.

JB was wasted at LB, in fact Barnsley were targeting him in the first half, trying to play long diagonal balls behind him. I think I’d much prefer Kelly at LB and perhaps JB in front of him.

i was worried everytime Barnsley broke forward from our own corners and free kicks. That definitely seems to be our Achilles heel.

Ryan Kent, absolute waste of time putting him on, offers nothing and if anything is a liability with playing pointless crossfield balls or misplaced passes. I can’t see anything he adds when on the pitch. 

We currently seem to have little movement up front currently, so we either end up passing sideways or backwards losing the break at pace impetus we had earlier in the season. You could argue that Fam coming back is a cause of this, but you can’t fault his scoring record since he returned.

It is still all to play for with the results tonight. My own gut feeling is that we are still not quite good enough to warrant a playoff place. I still think we need something wide and we need to be more creative in centre mid, but definitely heading in the right direction

 

 

[hoxton casual]

Great report as usual btw. Thanks

[fgrsimon]

The Steve Jones look-alike would have been Kieffer Moore I believe? Couldn't hold down a place in the FGR team last season and was loaned out to Torquay.... No offence and he's a big strong lad but more than a bit alarming if the defence can't deal with a player of his level.

 

[Garland-sweden]

Barnsley looked better than us. Only Brownhill, Pack and FF was good.In many games we have been poor but we take a draw or a win. Its a strenght when nothing is working we take a point anyway. Wonder why Kent plays, cant understand it. In the defence Flint is missing, Bobby tried but was not his day. Famara showed class with his goal, Bryan good delivery to Brownhill, thats it, and we got one important point. Boro and Derby were losing, we are still in the race for top six. Funny old game football. Always believe, COYR!!!

[Major Isewater]

8 hours ago, Olé said:

89 days ago City waved the white flag at Villa Park and were taken to pieces, losing 5-0. Today we actually managed to allow a poor side to have far more chances than even Villa enjoyed during that battering, and yet escaped with a scarcely deserved draw, having produced probably our most chaotic performance of the season. Even with a last minute equaliser this was not a point gained. This time, unlike Villa, there was not fitness or any other excuse to be so exposed. Framed by our defending (or lack of), it was an undignifying spectacle. 

 

It was apt that Josh Brownhill scored the decisive goal to snatch a point because from the very start he was the only player who could be proud of his efforts. He was badly let down by most of his teammates, who appeared to still be on international break even at 430pm. In particular our defence, who produced probably the most amateur and calamitous afternoon of defending that I can remember since the McInnes / Foster / Fontaine days.

 

It is no surprise that we had to come from behind twice, as we appeared determined to let Barnsley run up a Villa style score, in fact either side of half time despite having plenty of players in the box we contrived to let Barnsley create 3 or 4 free headers yards out, it was only their propensity to head straight at Frankie that meant we weren't well out of sight within the hour. As it was, we scored two superb goals but  you certainly couldn't tell which team was competing at one end of the table and which the other.

 

From the start Barnsley came at us, led by a giant Steve Jones looking striker leading the line and another two making diagonal runs in behind us. Moncur was racing out of midfield to tee up moves as they made us look distinctly average when they got 4 strung across the front and had the spare man for both the cross and the header (something we failed to do all game). An early corner was met at the near post by Frankie and one of our defenders, sadly they met each other and Steve Jones lookalike headed in.

 

The most we offered in return was a brief incursion as Paterson got in on the right and his quick cross flashed across goal and was cut out quickly by their defender - something ours would fail to do all game.   But on the whole Pack was dropping deep to get his foot on the ball and we were reduced to long balls - Reid in particular as poor as I've seen him for control - and poor touches or passes whenever we got out of our half, while at the other end Barnsley's forwards were dragging us all over the shop by fair means, or foul (dive).

 

We'd spend half an hour looking like the relegation threatened team, second best with the ball. Second best without the ball.  We had a big away following and made a lot of noise but the football did not justify it. Yet after the half hour it would change. First we cut out an attack and sent Pato down the left. He slowed things down and let players pour forward, before sending a cross deep to the right. Brownhill took on the ball and flicked it over not one but two defenders in the box - shades of Gazza 96 - before firing a shot at the keeper.

 

A minute later Pack collected the ball in their half - further forward than his by then customary position starting attacks in front of our own box with no one to pass to. He ran crossfield before slipping it into Famara outside the box on the left. Fammy, who had struggled to get into the game, had his first chance to run at a defender. It was decisive. Two strides, past the defender, looked up, fired a rising shot into far corner from 20 yards. Truly fantastic goal. But largely fortuitous for what we contributed to the match.

 

Before half time our defence would remind us they were still on international break. Barnsley would break through the middle and City would drop six into the box all racing after the same ball like headless chicken. The home side would spread the ball wide right, switch play to the other wing and cross into the box from where the big striker would have a free header on goal from yards out. All this whilst we had six across the box. Our ability to let Barnsley craft clear chances in spite of all our players was both embarrassing but a feature of the game we'd see more of.

 

After half time we emerged with purpose and Bobby Reid in particular looked like he had been reminded to find space. A quick attack saw him control the forward ball, switch left, drag his marker, exchange the ball with Joe Bryan, who raced inside on the edge of the box, and lifted a cross to the far post which flashed just wide. That was all it took for Barnsley to remember that our defenders were still on their week off. Within ten minutes we'd see two more point blank Barnsley headers off crosses, Fielding saving one at close range that for a second looked all the world a goal.

 

City had a few periods of attack aided by Pack and Smith out of a midfield we were often second best in, but with nothing like the incision that Barnsley achieved. And on the hour another loose City touch was cut out and quickly sprung the impressive Moncur, who raced upfield before looping the ball into the big Steve Jones nuisance up front, who went clear on goal and drew a desperate block from Frankie.

 

City had a couple of chances - often from the work of Brownhill or Pack, our only two players of any note. First Bryan would take down a clearance outside the box after a smart move and flash a shot just over, and later Pisano of all people would steal in at the far post and almost glance a header in on goal from the best of what had been an afternoon of poor crosses. But these sandwiched yet another Barnsley free for all as City defenders watched them break, cross and head at goal without action.

 

By now Kent was on, doing his clown act of flying around at 100mph without doing anything of any use. Our only hope to win the game came from Pack's distribution out of midfield and Brownhill's endeavour around their box. For no good reason LJ destroyed that by not only taking Pack off, but surrendering a midfield that we were already second best in, in order to add an extra striker in an area where Fam, and in particular Reid, had achieved very little.

 

Djuric's presence was nothing compared to the foolhardy abandonment of midfield and when added to the lethargy and flat-footedness of City's defence - bordering on the comical - it was a small miracle we weren't 4-1 down. Yet Barnsley would get a deserved lead with ten to go, thanks to yet more of the same hopeless defending. Not for the first time Pisano would show the winger inside, then let him go, and again from the cross City would watch as Barnsley reacted fastest, the Steve Jones lookalike nodding down and his teammate finishing amongst a static defence, when to he frank our back line was so poor he could have setup two teammates for the finish too. The home fans erupted.

 

This was abysmally poor defending and effort set against such loud and positive away support, and for a moment I thought I heard a semblance of booing - this was certainly the poorest that we have looked since the darkest days of last season. The sort of display that'll have the beds sheets out again. And that was that - or at least it should have been. We were even more disjointed for the final stages of the game with even less midfield presence, Kent in full on headless mode, and Barnsley well in control of our three isolated strikers.

 

But Brownhill, who had put teammates to shame with his will to actually affect the game, wasn't finished, and although there were very few chances for us to turn the game, Joe Bryan was seeing some joy on the left, and when his cross was nodded back across the box, Josh, by far our best player, stretched every sinew to get his head under the ball and arch a looping header into the far corner. Brownhill deserved the goal. City didn't.

 

Barnsley continued to look the more likely to add to their lead in the last exchanges and the final whistle was probably greeted by more relief from City than Barnsley, for whom our central defenders may have for a moment woken up and thought it was a whistle for kick off, such was their failure to participate in the preceding 90 minutes.  It was a lucky point in the context of the game itself, but measured against the season it should be alarming, easily the worst we have defended for years and as angry as City have made me this season.

 

Fielding 6 - Poor for the first, some bad decisions with chance to release the ball quickly, but decent handling behind a non existent defence

Pisano 4 - Very poor defensively, added little going forward

Wright 4 - Very poor defensively, added little full stop

Baker 4 - Very poor defensively, added little full stop

Bryan 5 - Added something going forward and did a bit better 1-on-1 at the back, but part of an awful defence

Smith 6 - Tidy in places with his close control on the ball, but too often drifted out of the game with Pack deep and everyone else marked

Pack 7 - Apparently our only player who can pass the ball more than 5 yards. The only one with any poise but had to drop so deep to participate

Brownhill 7 - For effort alone, no one was on his wavelength nor as interested as him in competing. Must surely wonder why he bothers.

Paterson 5 - A few nice runs but little impact and less effective out left. Hurt himself before going off.

Reid 5 - One of his poorest games this season, touch and decision making way off in the first half, a bit better second half but shows how influential he is when he and we are so bad

Diedhiou 6 - Cracking goal did very little else 

 

Kent 4 - Headless chicken

Djuric 5 - Little time or service

Pretty much how I saw it.

Good font size as well.

[Guest]

As normal a poor mid term transfer window, when we choose to spend no money and poor management by LJ, costs us dear. Not for the first time either most players we have, choose not to turn up.

The hype and build up for the next game and the one after will now begin, the result will be the same....disappointment. If nothing changes Steve, everything will stay the same.

[old_eastender]

Excellent and balanced report from Ole as per usual. 

One extra point I'd make is that LJ through substitutions has tried putting two up front and dropping Reid back to midfield 4 or 5 times now, it's not worked once. Would have made far more sense to take Fammy off and get Reid close to Djuric to pick up the pieces from Djuric's flicks. As it was although Djuric won virtually every high ball he contested, no team mate was anywhere near him to take advantage of this. 

[Robbored]

9 hours ago, tinman85 said:

Yet Johnson can still do no wrong in some people's eyes. I said it in another thread but the tactics are similar to the Fawthrop, Burnside and Rosenior spell. Johnson, Holden and McAllister remind me of that. 

Absolute nonsense. 

Jeez.........

[Redstart]

The report says it all but it also looks exactly like the game we played at Brentford at the start of the season - absolutely battered by a team that were then to go on and struggle for some time, but again, as at Barnsley, we played shite and ground out a point. Look where we went on from there.

These scraped points do add up, we are still a difficult team to beat having lost only 9 all season, don't forget we lost 22 games last season so a massive step in the right direction - we have just drawn too many games at the wrong time this season (noted Sunderland and Leeds).

I still feel Derby are keeping our spot warm for us - I'd rather be City than Derby, win our home matches and draw the away matches and we will be there or thereabouts at the end of the season 

[CotswoldRed]

9 hours ago, milo1111 said:

Makes for depressing reading. What the hell has happened since we lost at home to wolves god only knows. Clearly LJ doesn’t know or if he does he doesn’t know how to rectify it and get us playing the way we were pre Xmas again.

The start of next season concerns me. 

[RedM]

@Olé That is EXCACTLY how it was. I’m in awe of how you write match reports like this, I could no more write like this than run a marathon or swim the channel. Anyone who wasn’t there please be assured of its accuracy.

 

[aa_bcfc]

An absolutely spot on match report from Ole. If anything the players marks are a bit generous probably because we got the late draw and that masked some of our ineptness. 

Watching wright and Baker you have to be relieved that somehow we didn’t lose Flint back in the summer. Why LJ took off pack and dropped bobby back is an absolute mystery. In opinion pack was our best midfielder and we’ve watched Bobby for 5 years not good enough in midfield. Kent was so poor it would have been laughable if it was funny. On one occasion his passing was so poor he managed to put a through ball beyond our defence putting their forward through on goal which somehow they failed to score. It was clear to everyone around where I was sat that Johnson should have bought on Kelly for Patterson and pushed joe forward. In fact that’s how we should have started.  

Thinking back to the Brentford away game early in the season. They had numerous chances and we stole a point with a late goal in a similar manner to yesterday.  Who knows we might go on a decent unbeaten run as we did then and somehow sneak into the play offs. 

[mozo]

Sounds like another clumsy, disjointed  performance but again it seems to be enough to strengthen our prospects of making the playoffs! Bizarre!

[RedM]

6 minutes ago, aa_bcfc said:

An absolutely spot on match report from Ole. If anything the players marks are a bit generous probably because we got the late draw and that masked some of our ineptness. 

Watching wright and Baker you have to be relieved that somehow we didn’t lose Flint back in the summer. Why LJ took off pack and dropped bobby back is an absolute mystery. In opinion pack was our best midfielder and we’ve watched Bobby for 5 years not good enough in midfield. Kent was so poor it would have been laughable if it was funny. On one occasion his passing was so poor he managed to put a through ball beyond our defence putting their forward through on goal which somehow they failed to score. It was clear to everyone around where I was sat that Johnson should have bought on Kelly for Patterson and pushed joe forward. In fact that’s how we should have started.  

Thinking back to the Brentford away game early in the season. They had numerous chances and we stole a point with a late goal in a similar manner to yesterday.  Who knows we might go on a decent unbeaten run as we did then and somehow sneak into the play offs. 

I don’t know if it has but that Kent cross deserves a thread of its own. Infact I might start one...

[westonred]

Yes we played badly but still gained a point on the two sides above us so thats a plus.

Now we need a big shake up bring in Flint, Mags, Kelly maybe Eliason, O'Dowda (if fit) and O'Neil and drop the players looking tired like Wright, Pato and Pack. 

Brentford are on a poor run so are there for the taking if we get it right COYR 

[cidered abroad]

36 minutes ago, CotswoldRed said:

The start of next season concerns me. 

And me. This season is dead even if we're still in with a chance of play offs. We'd need a lot of help from the gods if we did go up.

It's the start of next season in the Championship that I'm scared of. A poor start will see us stuck in the bottom three. How will "Wunderkind" get us out of that?

[italian dave]

9 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

This season is dead even if we're still in with a chance of play offs.

One sentence that seems to say two entirely contradictory things?! 

And personally I'm less worried about the start of next season than I was about the start of this. Overall we'll have had a good season, achieved more than I ever expected from the season, we'll (hopefully) start with a fully fit squad of players, we'll have had another good summer transfer window. 

[italian dave]

10 hours ago, tinman85 said:

Yet Johnson can still do no wrong in some people's eyes. I said it in another thread but the tactics are similar to the Fawthrop, Burnside and Rosenior spell. Johnson, Holden and McAllister remind me of that. 

I don't think anyone believes he can do no wrong, and that includes the man himself, who has said as much recently. He's a young man, still learning. 

However, there are some on here who appear to think he can do nothing right, or at least who won't acknowledge the things he does right, whilst leaping at every opportunity to relish the things that go wrong.

[italian dave]

Good report as always @Olé. I thought Barnsley got their tactics spot on. I expected them to tire more than they did. They dictated the pace of the game for long spells and that's something we haven't allowed teams to do as a rule this season. I'm not a huge Flint fan, but yesterday was a game made for him and it was Sod's law that it was one of the ones he missed. And we need a game when both Bobby and Fammy decide to perform on the same day. Recently ones had a good game when the other has decided to have a stinker, yesterday I thought Diedhiou did well, possibly better than your points suggest, but Bobby was awful. 

[BanburyRed]

21 minutes ago, italian dave said:

Good report as always @Olé. I thought Barnsley got their tactics spot on. I expected them to tire more than they did. They dictated the pace of the game for long spells and that's something we haven't allowed teams to do as a rule this season. I'm not a huge Flint fan, but yesterday was a game made for him and it was Sod's law that it was one of the ones he missed. And we need a game when both Bobby and Fammy decide to perform on the same day. Recently ones had a good game when the other has decided to have a stinker, yesterday I thought Diedhiou did well, possibly better than your points suggest, but Bobby was awful. 

Barnsley did tire, hence all their pathetic time wasting attempts, players collapsing to the floor at the merest hint of breath, let alone a worthwhile challenge. Then all the cramps and stretching, supposed to be fit professionals for goodness sake....

Will disagee about Fammy and Bobby, Fammy provided the only real moment of quality in the first half, possibly the game, he drifts in and out of the game too much and doesn't make his presence felt, in a similar way to Benteke at Palace, has the build & strength but doesn't seem to use it to his best advantage? Maybe he's still learning the rough n tumble of the Championship compared to the French League.....

.....and Bobby just got no service or even scraps yesterday. Don't think you can single him out as awful. The whole team was pretty rank yesterday.