Bristol City v Millwall Match Day 19

[pillred]

1 hour ago, spudski said:

A simple game plan of getting the ball forward, being physical and winning the second ball....

Kinnel...that's what they do on the downs league.

Let's be honest...we are going backwards and have been for a while. All the signs have been there for a couple seasons.

This is going one way...think Milne, Tinnion.

Think fans are losing interest...exasipated by virus restrictions. 

Think there will be a lot less renewing season tickets.

 

I agree once the habit gets broken the club will find it hard to attract the same level of support, and let's be blunt here the fayre on offer at the moment is not exactly going to tempt anybody out on a wet Wednesday in January is it. 

[Phileas Fogg]

The only two times I can think of in recent-ish history that we've had the correct blend of grit, ability and physicality were the Johnson 05/06-07/08 era teams and the Cotterill 14/15. Both recruited for a mix of styles.

Under LJ we recruited far too many 'busy bee' midfielders who have technical ability but lack conviction and aggression. 

[Sheltons Army]

1 hour ago, The Horse With No Name said:

It always hits home when you see the teams in the tunnel before games, for example Rotherham and Birmingham all these 6ft 3 monsters are lining up and then you see the likes of Nagy, Patterson, DaSilva, Hunt, even Wells all of 5ft nothing.

Blame Mark Ashton

He chose them and signed them all ...........apparently

And then forced them on ‘poor Lee‘

 

And someone should print off Rowetts quote and get it on changing room wall in 2 foot type - embarrassing to hear if you are DH or a player 

 

 

[pillred]

1 hour ago, TomThumb84 said:

Having not watched Millwall or Rotherham every week I wouldn’t know, however I’d wager they don’t set up like this against every side in the league.

Specifically against us I would imagine.

All week training, licking their chops, bad run about to come to an end with Bristol City to play at the end of the week. Get fired up, get amongst them, win your personal battles, be strong, and you will turn them over.

Sadly its that simple.

Their records before they played us says it all going nowhere but down, then they play the bountiful Bristol City how many times has it happened I have ceased being surprised when it does.

[LondonBristolian]

I honestly think our team is better than this thread suggests and the issue is not so much the players we have as the players we don't. Stick a dominating centre-back and a midfield general in the team with nine of the other players in the squad and we look like a completely different team.

Injuries don't help but the worry for me is the fact we've been a couple of quality players from a good team for a long time and they never quite arrive. It feels for a few seasons now we've assembled the supporting case but failed to bring in the key players.  Maybe Williams or Mawson will be the answer if they ever get fit and start playing regularly for us but, if not, we need to look at a serious deficiency in the squad. Throw in the fact that we seem to have gambled all our chips on Paterson being fit and in form as the source of our creativity and I feel it explains where our problems lie. 

[luke_bristol]

the days of Jamie Mccombe and Carey are well behind us sadly

[Clutton Caveman]

We are a team put together by a vertically challenged control freak.

Nobody too tall and nobody with a personality that may disagree with the minuscule maestro.

Unfortunately DH seems to have bought into the same plan.

Many things are confusing and we are all frustrated by all the square passing at the back BUT when you get the ball, look up and everyone in front of you is either static or hiding behind his marker you have little choice but to pass back or lump it forward.

I can't remember a time when we had some decent movement off the ball.

This is so simple and obvious, why can't our coaches see it. From under 7's pass and move is pretty easy to understand

 

[WolfOfWestStreet]

16 minutes ago, luke_bristol said:

the days of Jamie Mccombe and Carey are well behind us sadly

Even Flint / Wilbraham ...

Not many players in the current squad I wouldn't back myself to beat up if it came to it ...

[italian dave]

2 hours ago, Curr Avon said:

If we were in any doubt, this says it all and it's bloody painful.

Extracted from:  Bristol City 0-2 Millwall: Tom Bradshaw & Mason Bennett give Lions win - BBC Sport

 

I reckon he's been listening to OSIB, @Shtanley. Pretty much the Rotherham game as described on there!

[Malvern Red]

Alex Neil has given his analysts the rest of the week off and is feeding his players raw meat and asking them to binge watch violent movies 

[sh1t_ref_again]

You don't have to go toe to toe in a physical battle to win, you can pass the ball quickly and with pace and play through them or run at them and draw fouls around or in the box, unfortunately we don't do either

[deadredfred]

2 hours ago, Curr Avon said:

Seems a strange thing to say, almost a loaded comment. Was Rowett ever in the running for the job before Holden got it? He's absolutely right in how we've struggled, but to pretty much say it took little effort on his behalf to know how to beat us, is quite a dig.

Concerning too that its been spelled out as plain and simply as that in the media. Not like future opponents wont do their homework on us regardless, but having it confirmed by an opposing manager like that sure does half Alex Neil's job for him. 

Couldn't think of a worse team to face next than Preston, who always get the upper hand. If Holden is in tune with the fans as he wants to be, I hope to see a reaction on Saturday.

[42nite]

I am well aware of the gap between the 'clubs',  but if we by any chance had to play the sags 'team' at the moment.... I would be worried.

 

[Roger Red Hat]

1 hour ago, EstoniaTallinnRed said:

Yes! and it probably will, Murphy's Law.

Yes, we're playing Preston next!

[Roger Red Hat]

3 hours ago, cidered abroad said:

I am beginning to realise how much time I used to waste going to watch this boring drivel. It's the same as Johnson Rot.

The annoying thing about last evening is that after the Rotherham rubbish, I only decided to buy my Robins TV ticket about 30 minutes before kick off. What a plonker I am as that was worse than anything I ever watched when we were in Division 4 back in 1982!

I have to say, I don't think it was worse than Rotherham, which was utterly appalling and the worst I've watched for many years. Millwall, whom nobody likes apparently, was slightly less appalling.

[Dr Balls]

37 minutes ago, LondonBristolian said:

I honestly think our team is better than this thread suggests and the issue is not so much the players we have as the players we don't. Stick a dominating centre-back and a midfield general in the team with nine of the other players in the squad and we look like a completely different team.

Injuries don't help but the worry for me is the fact we've been a couple of quality players from a good team for a long time and they never quite arrive. It feels for a few seasons now we've assembled the supporting case but failed to bring in the key players.  Maybe Williams or Mawson will be the answer if they ever get fit and start playing regularly for us but, if not, we need to look at a serious deficiency in the squad. Throw in the fact that we seem to have gambled all our chips on Paterson being fit and in form as the source of our creativity and I feel it explains where our problems lie. 

You have hit the nail on the head. To use the golf club analogy, there is no point having a lot of different clubs in the bag, and trying to negotiate the course, if they are all 8 and 9 irons, with only one sand wedge that’s quite fragile and inconsistent, when what you actually need is a few woods and a 3 iron to bash it down the fairway.

[Dr Balls]

12 minutes ago, deadredfred said:

Seems a strange thing to say, almost a loaded comment. Was Rowett ever in the running for the job before Holden got it? He's absolutely right in how we've struggled, but to pretty much say it took little effort on his behalf to know how to beat us, is quite a dig.

Concerning too that its been spelled out as plain and simply as that in the media. Not like future opponents wont do their homework on us regardless, but having it confirmed by an opposing manager like that sure does half Alex Neil's job for him. 

Couldn't think of a worse team to face next than Preston, who always get the upper hand. If Holden is in tune with the fans as he wants to be, I hope to see a reaction on Saturday.

The reaction by Saturday will be more exasperation amongst the fans at another limp performance against our bete-noire team on Friday night!

[Portland Bill]

2 hours ago, headhunter said:

So are Dean's Assistant's helping him by applying their experience to address this situation? 

Probably can’t, they won’t have experience of coming up against teams that are basically stronger, and have more desire and fight than us. 

Coaching youth football at the highest level does not prepare you for these scenarios. 

[BanburyRed]

If ever a team down on a confidence, goals etc is heading to the Gate, odds on they'll come away with 3pts.  Simple game plan, 2 banks of 4 or 5 in midfield and 1 lone striker, soak up the pressure, the longer it goes they better they feel, play with some more freedom, then hey presto, the sucker punch goal....seen it soooo many times!  Been soft for way too long.

[petehinton]

38 minutes ago, deadredfred said:

Seems a strange thing to say, almost a loaded comment. Was Rowett ever in the running for the job before Holden got it? He's absolutely right in how we've struggled, but to pretty much say it took little effort on his behalf to know how to beat us, is quite a dig.

Concerning too that its been spelled out as plain and simply as that in the media. Not like future opponents wont do their homework on us regardless, but having it confirmed by an opposing manager like that sure does half Alex Neil's job for him. 

Couldn't think of a worse team to face next than Preston, who always get the upper hand. If Holden is in tune with the fans as he wants to be, I hope to see a reaction on Saturday.

he was approached i believe but Millwall rejected

[bexhill reds]

30 minutes ago, sh1t_ref_again said:

You don't have to go toe to toe in a physical battle to win, you can pass the ball quickly and with pace and play through them or run at them and draw fouls around or in the box, unfortunately we don't do either

I thought this last night, I recall from some of the pre-season build up interviews and output, that the coaches were working on quickly passing the ball forward, not necessarily lumping it.

Our current passing pattern is slow and mostly involves defence and midfield interchanges, ultimately with a lump up to Martin / Fammy or O'Dowda running into someone, there is absolutely no evidence of what the coaches were trying to implement, and you're not going to beat Rotherham nor Millwall like that if your passing game ultimately is a lump forward. 

Appreciate we are lacking in the creative department, although it shows what we're missing with Jamie Paterson not being in the team, but in the past few games arguably from Reading onwards, we just don't seem to have any form of cohesive forward thinking mentality. The performances have been abject and totally uninspiring.

[Banjo Red]

Board are weak, players are weak no horrible bastards like mowatt at Barnsley good physical player someone our current midfield could learn from.

Nothing will change anytime soon the board picked their man and will stick by him.

Makes you think that Ashton has full control of all transfers which other experienced managers were not happy to work with.

[nickolas]

20 hours ago, Kodjias Wrist said:

Oh god. No going back from a comment like that. Another delusional coach.

Im all for being positive but blimey, if thats improved then hes been on the natch!