Match Report: City sacrifice their game at the altar of Warnock-ball

[Olé]

Been a while since I did an away match report but while they've all been on TV so it would have been self-indulgent to think anyone needs my version of events.

Today we finally weren't on TV at an away game and it's probably for the best as Sky subscribers would cancel their contracts if they were forced to sit through such shite.  

Let's do the easy bit first - I couldn't watch Warnock ball for a whole season. But but but they're in second. But nothing. That is not winning, it's an artificial advantage.

If you're still not familiar with Warnock ball after all these years, let me recap:

 

1. If the ball is not in the final 10 yards of the pitch get it there immediately

2. If the ball is on the floor get it in the air immediately

3. If the ball is in the air challenge for it

4. If you look like winning the ball from an aerial challenge, see rule 1

5. If you look like not winning the ball, dive to the floor clutching your face so you get a set piece opportunity to revert to rule 1

6. If the opposition has the ball on the floor of all places foul them and take your chances with weak refs (or at set pieces) 

7. If the opposition gives up and puts the ball in the air repeatedly revert to rules 3-5

And that's it. 

 

Warnock's masterstroke is identifying that if you kill football and turn it into 2 teams hoofing it back and forth, you just need an aerial defence at one end and wait for an eventual mistake at the other. Hence all the late winners.

That's why, as for many years, Warnock doesn't translate to the Premiership because there's far less mistakes. And that is why it's an artificial advantage, not a serious future for a football club, and not one I could follow around the country.

Let's do the hard bit next - we were awful. I can't think of many worse ways to lose, we might have lost by more playing our game but at least we'd have taken it to them, done ourselves justice. We didn't.

And this is awkward, but we did NOT have a go. Hate to say it, but we really didn't. LJ for the first time this season has some explaining to do. In nothing other than putting an extra striker on did we go for it, and that turned into a disaster.

By the time it was clear Diony really IS dire, we were reduced to punting it up to Diedhiou and asking him to win it, bring it under control, and bring others into play. He can do it on a good day but not vs big Cardiff centre halves with zero support.

At this point anyone feeling sorry for Diony would he well reminded that at about 43 minutes, his latest complete non attempt to control or win the ball not once but twice in 20 seconds resulted in Flint losing his mind. The players can see it.

Normally by now I'm into full flow describing our chances and everyone is really impressed by my memory. Anyone could do it this week. There weren't any. It will come as no surprise that Cardiff are better at making something out of a 45 yard ball with snow on it.

In the second half we did come out and try to string a few passes together and play with a bit of pace, but it followed a routine of springing Joe Bryan on our left breaking forward, defenders closing the space, and us ultimately crossing it into Diedhiou with his usual array of large centre halves to deal with. (Diony at this point was a passenger).

There was the odd moment of excitement as we broke out of midfield (there is no doubt in my mind that Korey and Bobby were our best players but the latter largely wasted) yet all too often we didn't see a way through their defence and reverted to punting it over the top of them like a poor Cardiff tribute act.

That is not our game and we are awful at it. Johnson opted to stick with what was at best an ugly point, making no changes, but forgetting that Warnock ball ratchets up the pressure for a late mistake.

And so they arrived. First Magnússon under hit his attempt to pass back from a Cardiff attack and they swarmed into the box before Frankie could claim. Then City had to desperately clear their lines after Cardiff raced inside Flint.

At the other end City's only response was a break on the right that in a low Korey Smith shot from the edge of the box, and then a right wing cross hooked agonisingly just the wrong side of the far post by sub Paterson.

But in a match dominated by long balls punted up to forwards, the mistake Cardiff play for arrived in the closing stages. The ball was swung out to the left wing where Wright, poor all game, tried for the third time to simply bundle his opposite number out of play.

Twice previously he'd been penalised with free kicks but this time he'd fail to stop the player altogether and he had room to slip a teammate into the box on the byline, who cut it back for Zohore to finish.

In all honesty it was the only clear chance of the game, but that is Warnock football when you suffocate the game as a spectacle and make sure you are ready to capitalise on the one mistake when it arrives.

Belatedly we threw on subs but there were few City there who really thought we'd get back into it with less than ten minutes to play: we had yet to employ our own brand of football and had no idea how to play through their defence.

In the end we surrendered meekly. Having done little to affect the game and shown only that we can't do a very good impression of Cardiff when trying to play their ugly ugly game. And that's the really sad bit - we sacrificed our football for absolutely F all.

 

Fielding 6 The fact he wasn't really worked is only a feature of the non-event both teams turned the game into

Wright 5 Worst game I can remember, clumsy at the back, long balls going forward

Magnússon 6 Composed in places but a mistake never too far away

Flint 6 Met his match with the aerial battles at both end

Baker 6 Ditto

Smith 7 Our best player because the calm tidy football he brings to the team transcends however bad everyone else is trying to make it

Brownhill 5 Didn't quite justify the abuse from the bloke behind me (which was bordering on the psychotic) but not a good game by his standards

Reid 7 Can see what he brings to midfield and he nearly started a few moves but sadly the ball was in the air most of the time it was in his part of the pitch, and he was badly missed up front

Bryan 7 Did more than most to affect the game in the second half but denied the space that he really thrives on when up in left wing

Diony 4 Not sure what to say, hoped this would be his day, want to like the guy, and you could say the service was not good, which it wasn't, but he looks so utterly raw and clumsy it's hard to believe there is a footballer in there

Diedhiou 6 A few nice touches but all too often was just too much for him and never really caused them serious problems

Subs - too little too late

[Red-Robbo]

9 minutes ago, Olé said:

Been a while since I did an away match report but while they've all been on TV so it would have been self-indulgent to think anyone needs my version of events.

Today we finally weren't on TV at an away game and it's probably for the best as Sky subscribers would cancel their contracts if they were forced to sit through such shite.  

Let's do the easy bit first - I couldn't watch Warnock ball for a whole season. But but but they're in second. But nothing. That is not winning, it's an artificial advantage.

If you're still not familiar with Warnock ball after all these years, let me recap:

 

1. If the ball is not in the final 10 yards of the pitch get it there immediately

2. If the ball is on the floor get it in the air immediately

3. If the ball is in the air challenge for it

4. If you look like winning the ball from an aerial challenge, see rule 1

5. If you look like not winning the ball, dive to the floor clutching your face so you get a set piece opportunity to revert to rule 1

6. If the opposition has the ball on the floor of all places foul them and take your chances with weak refs (or at set pieces) 

7. If the opposition gives up and puts the ball in the air repeatedly revert to rules 3-5

And that's it. 

 

Warnock's masterstroke is identifying that if you kill football and turn it into 2 teams hoofing it back and forth, you just need an aerial defence at one end and wait for an eventual mistake at the other. Hence all the late winners.

That's why, as for many years, Warnock doesn't translate to the Premiership because there's far less mistakes. And that is why it's an artificial advantage, not a serious future for a football club, and not one I could follow around the country.

Let's do the hard bit next - we were awful. I can't think of many worse ways to lose, we might have lost by more playing our game but at least we'd have taken it to them, done ourselves justice. We didn't.

And this is awkward, but we did NOT have a go. Hate to say it, but we really didn't. LJ for the first time this season has some explaining to do. In nothing other than putting an extra striker on did we go for it, and that turned into a disaster.

By the time it was clear Diony really IS dire, we were reduced to punting it up to Diedhiou and asking him to win it, bring it under control, and bring others into play. He can do it on a good day but not vs big Cardiff centre halves with zero support.

At this point anyone feeling sorry for Diony would he well reminded that at about 43 minutes, his latest complete non attempt to control or win the ball not once but twice in 20 seconds resulted in Flint losing his mind. The players can see it.

Normally by now I'm into full flow describing our chances and everyone is really impressed by my memory. Anyone could do it this week. There weren't any. It will come as no surprise that Cardiff are better at making something out of a 45 yard ball with snow on it.

In the second half we did come out and try to string a few passes together and play with a bit of pace, but it followed a routine of springing Joe Bryan on our left breaking forward, defenders closing the space, and us ultimately crossing it into Diedhiou with his usual array of large centre halves to deal with. (Diony at this point was a passenger).

There was the odd moment of excitement as we broke out of midfield (there is no doubt in my mind that Korey and Bobby were our best players but the latter largely wasted) yet all too often we didn't see a way through their defence and reverted to punting it over the top of them like a poor Cardiff tribute act.

That is not our game and we are awful at it. Johnson opted to stick with what was at best an ugly point, making no changes, but forgetting that Warnock ball ratchets up the pressure for a late mistake.

And so they arrived. First Magnússon under hit his attempt to pass back from a Cardiff attack and they swarmed into the box before Frankie could claim. Then City had to desperately clear their lines after Cardiff raced inside Flint.

At the other end City's only response was a break on the right that in a low Korey Smith shot from the edge of the box, and then a right wing cross hooked agonisingly just the wrong side of the far post by sub Paterson.

But in a match dominated by long balls punted up to forwards, the mistake Cardiff play for arrived in the closing stages. The ball was swung out to the left wing where Wright, poor all game, tried for the third time to simply bundle his opposite number out of play.

Twice previously he'd been penalised with free kicks but this time he'd fail to stop the player altogether and he had room to slip a teammate into the box on the byline, who cut it back for Zohore to finish.

In all honesty it was the only clear chance of the game, but that is Warnock football when you suffocate the game as a spectacle and make sure you are ready to capitalise on the one mistake when it arrives.

Belatedly we threw on subs but there were few City there who really thought we'd get back into it with less than ten minutes to play: we had yet to employ our own brand of football and had no idea how to play through their defence.

In the end we surrendered meekly. Having done little to affect the game and shown only that we can't do a very good impression of Cardiff when trying to play their ugly ugly game. And that's the really sad bit - we sacrificed our football for absolutely F all.

 

Fielding 6 The fact he wasn't really worked is only a feature of the non-event both teams turned the game into

Wright 5 Worst game I can remember, clumsy at the back, long balls going forward

Magnússon 6 Composed in places but a mistake never too far away

Flint 6 Met his match with the aerial battles at both end

Baker 6 Ditto

Smith 7 Our best player because the calm tidy football he brings to the team transcends however bad everyone else is trying to make it

Brownhill 5 Didn't quite justify the abuse from the bloke behind me (which was bordering on the psychotic) but not a good game by his standards

Reid 7 Can see what he brings to midfield and he nearly started a few moves but sadly the ball was in the air most of the time it was in his part of the pitch, and he was badly missed up front

Bryan 7 Did more than most to affect the game in the second half but denied the space that he really thrives on when up in left wing

Diony 4 Not sure what to say, hoped this would be his day, want to like the guy, and you could say the service was not good, which it wasn't, but he looks so utterly raw and clumsy it's hard to believe there is a footballer in there

Diedhiou 6 A few nice touches but all too often was just too much for him and never really caused them serious problems

Subs - too little too late

 

Spot on buddy. I'd probably give Korey an 8 because we could've been in such trouble without him, but that's pedantics. 

Johnson's team selection and substitution timing again looking as out-of-kilter as it was last season. 

[Murraysrightplum]

Warnock called us out for playing long ball, which is pretty much not true so did Warnock double bluff LJ? Or did he actually want us to play proper football thinking they had a better chance against us if we are keeping it on the ground?

 

[And Its Smith]

Good report Ole.  Saw it pretty much the same. Smith, Bryan and Reid are our only players who perfom to top end Championship level on a consistent basis, other than Flint and Baker. 

Johnson doesnt need to match Warnock.  He needs to think about what Warnock would least like us to do.  I would expect that to be pass it around like we can and expose them on the floor.  We fell into a trap today

[REDOXO]

We definitely tried to play them at their game.

The inevitable defeat was so easily predictable.

We need Pissano and Djuric and to play our own game. Today just reminded me of how GJ reverted to Hoof ball as soon as he signed Adebola!

[Cowshed]

46 minutes ago, Olé said:

Been a while since I did an away match report but while they've all been on TV so it would have been self-indulgent to think anyone needs my version of events.

Today we finally weren't on TV at an away game and it's probably for the best as Sky subscribers would cancel their contracts if they were forced to sit through such shite.  

 2 teams hoofing it back and forth, 

That is not our game and we are awful at it. 

But in a match dominated by long balls punted up to forwards, 

 we sacrificed our football for absolutely F all.

 

 

I took a few points there ... Possibly out of context. 

The long ball football is not a recent occurrence. The long ball was very much part of the game v Leeds. 

[Redstreet]

59 minutes ago, Olé said:

Been a while since I did an away match report but while they've all been on TV so it would have been self-indulgent to think anyone needs my version of events.

Today we finally weren't on TV at an away game and it's probably for the best as Sky subscribers would cancel their contracts if they were forced to sit through such shite.  

Let's do the easy bit first - I couldn't watch Warnock ball for a whole season. But but but they're in second. But nothing. That is not winning, it's an artificial advantage.

If you're still not familiar with Warnock ball after all these years, let me recap:

 

1. If the ball is not in the final 10 yards of the pitch get it there immediately

2. If the ball is on the floor get it in the air immediately

3. If the ball is in the air challenge for it

4. If you look like winning the ball from an aerial challenge, see rule 1

5. If you look like not winning the ball, dive to the floor clutching your face so you get a set piece opportunity to revert to rule 1

6. If the opposition has the ball on the floor of all places foul them and take your chances with weak refs (or at set pieces) 

7. If the opposition gives up and puts the ball in the air repeatedly revert to rules 3-5

And that's it. 

 

Warnock's masterstroke is identifying that if you kill football and turn it into 2 teams hoofing it back and forth, you just need an aerial defence at one end and wait for an eventual mistake at the other. Hence all the late winners.

That's why, as for many years, Warnock doesn't translate to the Premiership because there's far less mistakes. And that is why it's an artificial advantage, not a serious future for a football club, and not one I could follow around the country.

Let's do the hard bit next - we were awful. I can't think of many worse ways to lose, we might have lost by more playing our game but at least we'd have taken it to them, done ourselves justice. We didn't.

And this is awkward, but we did NOT have a go. Hate to say it, but we really didn't. LJ for the first time this season has some explaining to do. In nothing other than putting an extra striker on did we go for it, and that turned into a disaster.

By the time it was clear Diony really IS dire, we were reduced to punting it up to Diedhiou and asking him to win it, bring it under control, and bring others into play. He can do it on a good day but not vs big Cardiff centre halves with zero support.

At this point anyone feeling sorry for Diony would he well reminded that at about 43 minutes, his latest complete non attempt to control or win the ball not once but twice in 20 seconds resulted in Flint losing his mind. The players can see it.

Normally by now I'm into full flow describing our chances and everyone is really impressed by my memory. Anyone could do it this week. There weren't any. It will come as no surprise that Cardiff are better at making something out of a 45 yard ball with snow on it.

In the second half we did come out and try to string a few passes together and play with a bit of pace, but it followed a routine of springing Joe Bryan on our left breaking forward, defenders closing the space, and us ultimately crossing it into Diedhiou with his usual array of large centre halves to deal with. (Diony at this point was a passenger).

There was the odd moment of excitement as we broke out of midfield (there is no doubt in my mind that Korey and Bobby were our best players but the latter largely wasted) yet all too often we didn't see a way through their defence and reverted to punting it over the top of them like a poor Cardiff tribute act.

That is not our game and we are awful at it. Johnson opted to stick with what was at best an ugly point, making no changes, but forgetting that Warnock ball ratchets up the pressure for a late mistake.

And so they arrived. First Magnússon under hit his attempt to pass back from a Cardiff attack and they swarmed into the box before Frankie could claim. Then City had to desperately clear their lines after Cardiff raced inside Flint.

At the other end City's only response was a break on the right that in a low Korey Smith shot from the edge of the box, and then a right wing cross hooked agonisingly just the wrong side of the far post by sub Paterson.

But in a match dominated by long balls punted up to forwards, the mistake Cardiff play for arrived in the closing stages. The ball was swung out to the left wing where Wright, poor all game, tried for the third time to simply bundle his opposite number out of play.

Twice previously he'd been penalised with free kicks but this time he'd fail to stop the player altogether and he had room to slip a teammate into the box on the byline, who cut it back for Zohore to finish.

In all honesty it was the only clear chance of the game, but that is Warnock football when you suffocate the game as a spectacle and make sure you are ready to capitalise on the one mistake when it arrives.

Belatedly we threw on subs but there were few City there who really thought we'd get back into it with less than ten minutes to play: we had yet to employ our own brand of football and had no idea how to play through their defence.

In the end we surrendered meekly. Having done little to affect the game and shown only that we can't do a very good impression of Cardiff when trying to play their ugly ugly game. And that's the really sad bit - we sacrificed our football for absolutely F all.

 

Fielding 6 The fact he wasn't really worked is only a feature of the non-event both teams turned the game into

Wright 5 Worst game I can remember, clumsy at the back, long balls going forward

Magnússon 6 Composed in places but a mistake never too far away

Flint 6 Met his match with the aerial battles at both end

Baker 6 Ditto

Smith 7 Our best player because the calm tidy football he brings to the team transcends however bad everyone else is trying to make it

Brownhill 5 Didn't quite justify the abuse from the bloke behind me (which was bordering on the psychotic) but not a good game by his standards

Reid 7 Can see what he brings to midfield and he nearly started a few moves but sadly the ball was in the air most of the time it was in his part of the pitch, and he was badly missed up front

Bryan 7 Did more than most to affect the game in the second half but denied the space that he really thrives on when up in left wing

Diony 4 Not sure what to say, hoped this would be his day, want to like the guy, and you could say the service was not good, which it wasn't, but he looks so utterly raw and clumsy it's hard to believe there is a footballer in there

Diedhiou 6 A few nice touches but all too often was just too much for him and never really caused them serious problems

Subs - too little too late

Nailed . Ole can you apply to replace the Bristol Post BCFC  match reporters ? The Fulham report plumbed new depths .  

[Chappers]

Pretty much spot on, one of the key positives this season has been the movement of Reid, and the ability to draw fouls, which would have been useful against the two big centre backs. He was wasted playing deep, and the formation seemed to be devised to fit Diony into the team. On evidence to date, why? And why have 3 wingers on the bench and no forward, with Diony and Fammy unlikely to last 90 minutes. Bizarre selections, bizarre tactics, horrible game.

[Portland Bill]

This is how Colin gets his success, managers change the way their teams play when they play Colin’s teams. Which in turn suits Colin perfectly. 

Surely as a football manager you have principles in the way you play the game, my message to LJ is to stick to the football that has served us well for most of this season and don’t pander to the likes of Colin, it just doesn’t work. 

Cardiff didn’t deserve any respect from us, but by changing how we play, we gave them it.

[Cowshed]

53 minutes ago, Murraysrightplum said:

Warnock called us out for playing long ball, which is pretty much not true so did Warnock double bluff LJ? Or did he actually want us to play proper football thinking they had a better chance against us if we are keeping it on the ground?

 

Bristol City have been playing long ball football recently. It has been route one. And there has been use of long throws into the mixer ... Mr Johnsons choice. It was a decision taken before the match v Cardiff.  

[Fatalist]

Isn't it the case that we often HAD to use long balls because every time the ball came to any of our players, he had someone in his face and didn't get a second to pick a pass. Just a couple of times we did get hold of the ball and make progress, but made nothing of it. I couldn't believe it when we finally got a cross in and Fam let it run with no City player behind him.

[Bristolcityyatton]

30 minutes ago, Cowshed said:

Bristol City have been playing long ball football recently. It has been route one. And there has been use of long throws into the mixer ... Mr Johnsons choice. It was a decision taken before the match v Cardiff.  

well according to the post (and Opta) we've played the second highest number of long balls in the championship this season....

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/bristol-city-really-long-ball-1258303

 

[downendcity]

36 minutes ago, Portland Bill said:

This is how Colin gets his success, managers change the way their teams play when they play Colin’s teams. Which in turn suits Colin perfectly. 

Surely as a football manager you have principles in the way you play the game, my message to LJ is to stick to the football that has served us well for most of this season and don’t pander to the likes of Colin, it just doesn’t work. 

Cardiff didn’t deserve any respect from us, but by changing how we play, we gave them it.

For far too long, successive City managers have concentrated too much on countering the opposition's tactics and strengths, rather than making the most of ours ( I concede that in too many seasons we have not had too many strengths to maximise). 

Against Premier league opposition, and in particular against Man U and even more so against the best team in the country we went out and played our game plan and even though Man City had loads of possession and pressure we competed in both games.

Is an automatic trait that sees managers and/or  players under pressure resort to hoofing the ball long, in the same way we always seem to drop back deeper and deeper when trying to defend a lead?

Perhaps the way out of our slump is to get back to the pressing game that served us so well earlier in the season and not worry about the opposition. 

[Cowshed]

9 minutes ago, Bristolcityyatton said:

well according to the post (and Opta) we've played the second highest number of long balls in the championship this season....

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/bristol-city-really-long-ball-1258303

 

It should be x via possession and total passes. City play the ball shorter than a Cardiff and make more passes. A case of mixing it up. The football recently has clearly altered to more direct and less possession based. Kick and boot.

[Frenchay Red]

2 hours ago, Olé said:

Been a while since I did an away match report but while they've all been on TV so it would have been self-indulgent to think anyone needs my version of events.

Today we finally weren't on TV at an away game and it's probably for the best as Sky subscribers would cancel their contracts if they were forced to sit through such shite.  

Let's do the easy bit first - I couldn't watch Warnock ball for a whole season. But but but they're in second. But nothing. That is not winning, it's an artificial advantage.

If you're still not familiar with Warnock ball after all these years, let me recap:

 

1. If the ball is not in the final 10 yards of the pitch get it there immediately

2. If the ball is on the floor get it in the air immediately

3. If the ball is in the air challenge for it

4. If you look like winning the ball from an aerial challenge, see rule 1

5. If you look like not winning the ball, dive to the floor clutching your face so you get a set piece opportunity to revert to rule 1

6. If the opposition has the ball on the floor of all places foul them and take your chances with weak refs (or at set pieces) 

7. If the opposition gives up and puts the ball in the air repeatedly revert to rules 3-5

And that's it. 

 

Warnock's masterstroke is identifying that if you kill football and turn it into 2 teams hoofing it back and forth, you just need an aerial defence at one end and wait for an eventual mistake at the other. Hence all the late winners.

That's why, as for many years, Warnock doesn't translate to the Premiership because there's far less mistakes. And that is why it's an artificial advantage, not a serious future for a football club, and not one I could follow around the country.

Let's do the hard bit next - we were awful. I can't think of many worse ways to lose, we might have lost by more playing our game but at least we'd have taken it to them, done ourselves justice. We didn't.

And this is awkward, but we did NOT have a go. Hate to say it, but we really didn't. LJ for the first time this season has some explaining to do. In nothing other than putting an extra striker on did we go for it, and that turned into a disaster.

By the time it was clear Diony really IS dire, we were reduced to punting it up to Diedhiou and asking him to win it, bring it under control, and bring others into play. He can do it on a good day but not vs big Cardiff centre halves with zero support.

At this point anyone feeling sorry for Diony would he well reminded that at about 43 minutes, his latest complete non attempt to control or win the ball not once but twice in 20 seconds resulted in Flint losing his mind. The players can see it.

Normally by now I'm into full flow describing our chances and everyone is really impressed by my memory. Anyone could do it this week. There weren't any. It will come as no surprise that Cardiff are better at making something out of a 45 yard ball with snow on it.

In the second half we did come out and try to string a few passes together and play with a bit of pace, but it followed a routine of springing Joe Bryan on our left breaking forward, defenders closing the space, and us ultimately crossing it into Diedhiou with his usual array of large centre halves to deal with. (Diony at this point was a passenger).

There was the odd moment of excitement as we broke out of midfield (there is no doubt in my mind that Korey and Bobby were our best players but the latter largely wasted) yet all too often we didn't see a way through their defence and reverted to punting it over the top of them like a poor Cardiff tribute act.

That is not our game and we are awful at it. Johnson opted to stick with what was at best an ugly point, making no changes, but forgetting that Warnock ball ratchets up the pressure for a late mistake.

And so they arrived. First Magnússon under hit his attempt to pass back from a Cardiff attack and they swarmed into the box before Frankie could claim. Then City had to desperately clear their lines after Cardiff raced inside Flint.

At the other end City's only response was a break on the right that in a low Korey Smith shot from the edge of the box, and then a right wing cross hooked agonisingly just the wrong side of the far post by sub Paterson.

But in a match dominated by long balls punted up to forwards, the mistake Cardiff play for arrived in the closing stages. The ball was swung out to the left wing where Wright, poor all game, tried for the third time to simply bundle his opposite number out of play.

Twice previously he'd been penalised with free kicks but this time he'd fail to stop the player altogether and he had room to slip a teammate into the box on the byline, who cut it back for Zohore to finish.

In all honesty it was the only clear chance of the game, but that is Warnock football when you suffocate the game as a spectacle and make sure you are ready to capitalise on the one mistake when it arrives.

Belatedly we threw on subs but there were few City there who really thought we'd get back into it with less than ten minutes to play: we had yet to employ our own brand of football and had no idea how to play through their defence.

In the end we surrendered meekly. Having done little to affect the game and shown only that we can't do a very good impression of Cardiff when trying to play their ugly ugly game. And that's the really sad bit - we sacrificed our football for absolutely F all.

 

Fielding 6 The fact he wasn't really worked is only a feature of the non-event both teams turned the game into

Wright 5 Worst game I can remember, clumsy at the back, long balls going forward

Magnússon 6 Composed in places but a mistake never too far away

Flint 6 Met his match with the aerial battles at both end

Baker 6 Ditto

Smith 7 Our best player because the calm tidy football he brings to the team transcends however bad everyone else is trying to make it

Brownhill 5 Didn't quite justify the abuse from the bloke behind me (which was bordering on the psychotic) but not a good game by his standards

Reid 7 Can see what he brings to midfield and he nearly started a few moves but sadly the ball was in the air most of the time it was in his part of the pitch, and he was badly missed up front

Bryan 7 Did more than most to affect the game in the second half but denied the space that he really thrives on when up in left wing

Diony 4 Not sure what to say, hoped this would be his day, want to like the guy, and you could say the service was not good, which it wasn't, but he looks so utterly raw and clumsy it's hard to believe there is a footballer in there

Diedhiou 6 A few nice touches but all too often was just too much for him and never really caused them serious problems

Subs - too little too late

Totally agree, but somewhat generous markings for our two French forwards, neither of whom really affected the game.

And Engval must be very very poor to be considered worse than Diony, as he is continually overlooked.

[AshtonGreat]

I'd actually welcome some more direct football. I miss the days of Dave Smith or Alan Walsh bombing down the wings and getting crosses in. The way we play this season reminds me of Spain - all tippy-tappy quick passing but lacking in excitement.

As for Diony, he's clearly not in a fit state to spearhead a promotion-chasing team this season. So either it was incompetence on the part of the scouting team, or they've signed him purely with the intention of making a few quid. 

[BCFC Grim]

Good summary, although a couple of points. Again I think people are making too much of ' our ' football. I think while we obviously play more football in general than we did today, we still pump balls forward more frequently than Id like. Flint being the main culprit.

Secondly, while isolated, Fam, along with Diony, was atrocious. Constant awful touches. Again, not helped by our style but to give him 6 is generous to say the least. Has to be one of the worst front two performances I've seen by the pair of them. God knows what Engvall would of thought watching that.

[Cowshed]

1 minute ago, AshtonGreat said:

I'd actually welcome some more direct football. I miss the days of Dave Smith or Alan Walsh bombing down the wings and getting crosses in. The way we play this season reminds me of Spain - all tippy-tappy quick passing but lacking in excitement.

As for Diony, he's clearly not in a fit state to spearhead a promotion-chasing team this season. So either it was incompetence on the part of the scouting team, or they've signed him purely with the intention of making a few quid. 

That is an altogether different proposition. The reason there are very few teams playing with wingers let alone two is they have no space to operate in, and two wingers leave the centre of the pitch overloaded. Does any team play with two true wingers in this division? 

Bristol City play nothing like Spain. 

Alan Walsh hardly bombed anywhere ... 

[Fordy62]

Awful Cardiff tribute act. Brilliant!

[Trueredsupporter]

Tried to play football versus the best in the land. chucking it away for Cardiff!!! 

[REDOXO]

8 minutes ago, Trueredsupporte said:

Tried to play football versus the best in the land. chucking it away for Cardiff!!! 

I am afraid this but, EXACTLY!

Seems someone needs to get back on track!

[WelshRobin]

I just feel sorry for the junior on the sports desk tonight who has to edit today into 3 minutes of highlights.

[CotswoldRed]

Wright's worst game, Rob, and he gets a 5? That's more like his best 

[Dr Balls]

I had hoped that we would play with a 4-5-1 formation, playing Smith, Brownhill & Bryan in the middle with Paterson & Kent out wide, with just Bobby up front. That way you completely negate the big Cardiff centre halves, plus speed & inventiveness out wide & up front. Then leave Diedhiou to come on as an impact sub to mix it up with their centre halves.

But no we go with Diony who looks like he could go a whole season without scoring at this rate. And LJ just falls into the trap set by Colin, so that he can get us playing badly then mug us 1-0.

What worries me is that we are back in an LJ prolonged slump, just as has occurred in each of his last 3 seasons as a manager.. If we carry on like this we could end up as low as 14th or 15th this season, which given where we were at Christmas, would I am afraid be disastrous. Yes I know we have had injuries but successful managers cope with these, and get their teams to play for a whole season, not just a run that lasts for part of a season. I hope that LJ proves me wrong & gets back on track, and keeps us in a playoff position, but after today's performance I am even less sure than I was before.

[Jack Dawe]

3 hours ago, Chappers said:

Pretty much spot on, one of the key positives this season has been the movement of Reid, and the ability to draw fouls, which would have been useful against the two big centre backs. He was wasted playing deep, and the formation seemed to be devised to fit Diony into the team. On evidence to date, why? And why have 3 wingers on the bench and no forward, with Diony and Fammy unlikely to last 90 minutes. Bizarre selections, bizarre tactics, horrible game.

Unorthodox. I'm not sure how many other sides are moving their top scorers deeper, away from goal. And putting in up front instead of him a low on confidence loanee without a goal all season (or whatever it is?) Looked at in isolation, this smacks of LJ's over thinking/over tinkering of last season.

Sooner we get Pack back, CO'D fit, a right back and Reid back where he has been a revelation this season, the bloody better. 

[Esmond Million's Bung]

4 hours ago, Olé said:

Been a while since I did an away match report but while they've all been on TV so it would have been self-indulgent to think anyone needs my version of events.

Today we finally weren't on TV at an away game and it's probably for the best as Sky subscribers would cancel their contracts if they were forced to sit through such shite.  

Let's do the easy bit first - I couldn't watch Warnock ball for a whole season. But but but they're in second. But nothing. That is not winning, it's an artificial advantage.

If you're still not familiar with Warnock ball after all these years, let me recap:

 

1. If the ball is not in the final 10 yards of the pitch get it there immediately

2. If the ball is on the floor get it in the air immediately

3. If the ball is in the air challenge for it

4. If you look like winning the ball from an aerial challenge, see rule 1

5. If you look like not winning the ball, dive to the floor clutching your face so you get a set piece opportunity to revert to rule 1

6. If the opposition has the ball on the floor of all places foul them and take your chances with weak refs (or at set pieces) 

7. If the opposition gives up and puts the ball in the air repeatedly revert to rules 3-5

And that's it. 

 

Warnock's masterstroke is identifying that if you kill football and turn it into 2 teams hoofing it back and forth, you just need an aerial defence at one end and wait for an eventual mistake at the other. Hence all the late winners.

That's why, as for many years, Warnock doesn't translate to the Premiership because there's far less mistakes. And that is why it's an artificial advantage, not a serious future for a football club, and not one I could follow around the country.

Let's do the hard bit next - we were awful. I can't think of many worse ways to lose, we might have lost by more playing our game but at least we'd have taken it to them, done ourselves justice. We didn't.

And this is awkward, but we did NOT have a go. Hate to say it, but we really didn't. LJ for the first time this season has some explaining to do. In nothing other than putting an extra striker on did we go for it, and that turned into a disaster.

By the time it was clear Diony really IS dire, we were reduced to punting it up to Diedhiou and asking him to win it, bring it under control, and bring others into play. He can do it on a good day but not vs big Cardiff centre halves with zero support.

At this point anyone feeling sorry for Diony would he well reminded that at about 43 minutes, his latest complete non attempt to control or win the ball not once but twice in 20 seconds resulted in Flint losing his mind. The players can see it.

Normally by now I'm into full flow describing our chances and everyone is really impressed by my memory. Anyone could do it this week. There weren't any. It will come as no surprise that Cardiff are better at making something out of a 45 yard ball with snow on it.

In the second half we did come out and try to string a few passes together and play with a bit of pace, but it followed a routine of springing Joe Bryan on our left breaking forward, defenders closing the space, and us ultimately crossing it into Diedhiou with his usual array of large centre halves to deal with. (Diony at this point was a passenger).

There was the odd moment of excitement as we broke out of midfield (there is no doubt in my mind that Korey and Bobby were our best players but the latter largely wasted) yet all too often we didn't see a way through their defence and reverted to punting it over the top of them like a poor Cardiff tribute act.

That is not our game and we are awful at it. Johnson opted to stick with what was at best an ugly point, making no changes, but forgetting that Warnock ball ratchets up the pressure for a late mistake.

And so they arrived. First Magnússon under hit his attempt to pass back from a Cardiff attack and they swarmed into the box before Frankie could claim. Then City had to desperately clear their lines after Cardiff raced inside Flint.

At the other end City's only response was a break on the right that in a low Korey Smith shot from the edge of the box, and then a right wing cross hooked agonisingly just the wrong side of the far post by sub Paterson.

But in a match dominated by long balls punted up to forwards, the mistake Cardiff play for arrived in the closing stages. The ball was swung out to the left wing where Wright, poor all game, tried for the third time to simply bundle his opposite number out of play.

Twice previously he'd been penalised with free kicks but this time he'd fail to stop the player altogether and he had room to slip a teammate into the box on the byline, who cut it back for Zohore to finish.

In all honesty it was the only clear chance of the game, but that is Warnock football when you suffocate the game as a spectacle and make sure you are ready to capitalise on the one mistake when it arrives.

Belatedly we threw on subs but there were few City there who really thought we'd get back into it with less than ten minutes to play: we had yet to employ our own brand of football and had no idea how to play through their defence.

In the end we surrendered meekly. Having done little to affect the game and shown only that we can't do a very good impression of Cardiff when trying to play their ugly ugly game. And that's the really sad bit - we sacrificed our football for absolutely F all.

 

Fielding 6 The fact he wasn't really worked is only a feature of the non-event both teams turned the game into

Wright 5 Worst game I can remember, clumsy at the back, long balls going forward

Magnússon 6 Composed in places but a mistake never too far away

Flint 6 Met his match with the aerial battles at both end

Baker 6 Ditto

Smith 7 Our best player because the calm tidy football he brings to the team transcends however bad everyone else is trying to make it

Brownhill 5 Didn't quite justify the abuse from the bloke behind me (which was bordering on the psychotic) but not a good game by his standards

Reid 7 Can see what he brings to midfield and he nearly started a few moves but sadly the ball was in the air most of the time it was in his part of the pitch, and he was badly missed up front

Bryan 7 Did more than most to affect the game in the second half but denied the space that he really thrives on when up in left wing

Diony 4 Not sure what to say, hoped this would be his day, want to like the guy, and you could say the service was not good, which it wasn't, but he looks so utterly raw and clumsy it's hard to believe there is a footballer in there

Diedhiou 6 A few nice touches but all too often was just too much for him and never really caused them serious problems

Subs - too little too late

I agree with the report but if Wright was 5 then Magnússon should have been a 4 imo, I can recall 4 mistakes that could have ended with conceding a goal but others luckily to corrected his mistakes, he is far too casual. Bryan a 6 (really a 5 but uprated to 6 because he had to cover for Magnússon most of the game) and Diedhiou was barely a 5 for me.

[TV Tom]

9 minutes ago, Esmond Million's Bung said:

I agree with the report but if Wright was 5 then Magnússon should have been a 4 imo, I can recall 4 mistakes that could have ended with conceding a goal but others luckily to corrected his mistakes, he is far too casual. Bryan a 6 (really a 5 but uprated to 6 because he had to cover for Magnússon most of the game) and Diedhiou was barely a 5 for me.

All in all a good report from Ole as usual, Wright and Magnussen though are always a mistake waiting to happen, Wright’s countless needless fouls and general sloppiness and Magnussens constant mistakes are catching up with us 2 out of 10 for the pair of them, yet again Korey and Bobby were the stand out players

[Bluebird65]

Cardiff fan in peace here, yes we do get the ball forward quickly, but we do play some good stuff in the final third of the pitch. Hoilett is a premier league player and tha'ts why he will get player of the year. Bamba and Manga along with Morrison  are the best defenders in the league, thats why the Bluebirds are where they are.

You were beaten by the better team in a poor game today, take it on the chin and move on.

[Esmond Million's Bung]

2 minutes ago, harrys said:

All in all a good report from Ole as usual, Wright and Magnussen though are always a mistake waiting to happen, Wright’s countless needless fouls and general sloppiness and Magnussens constant mistakes are catching up with us 2 out of 10 for the pair of them, yet again Korey and Bobby were the stand out players

Last 2 games 2 shots on target says it all for me, we run out of ideas in and around the opponents box and slow play down to sleep walking pace.

I am still interested to know what sort of free kick training we do because ours are awful.

[Bluebird65]

Ok no problem