Popular Post Olé Posted April 23, 2022 Popular Post Report Share Posted April 23, 2022 One team already relegated, another with nothing to play for - of course this was the recipe for City's best performance of the season as Nigel Pearson's demand for the visitors to finish the season brightly found very little resistance from a much changed Derby side and Antoine Semenyo had his way with the strugglers in a one sided win. (Un)Remarkably this was the first time this season City won by more than one goal and it was fully deserved after a one sided first half as Weimann & Semenyo got in behind the defence repeatedly - to score twice in front of 1000 travelling fans. In the second, Derby picked on Sam Bell, got a goal, but Tim Klose's header made it more realistic. City were on top from the word go. After just 3 minutes Klose volleyed over from James' right wing free kick. Before 10 Weimann was sent away by Martin in the left channel and faced up the keeper before slamming home for his 20th of what must be one of the most brilliant individual seasons of any player. In front of away fans the visitors celebrated. Minutes later Weimann again got behind the disorganised hosts and got to the byline to force a corner. On 17 Chris Martin volleyed wildly over as City yet again broke, and the away side once more went at their hosts as make shift wing back Benarous toyed with defenders, shimmied to cross far post where Alex Scott went down holding his face. The teenager went off with a broken nose to be replaced by striker Sam Bell reprising his wing back role. Derby's best chance came midway through the half as they got behind from the right and slipped to the edge of the box to where Ravel Morrison sent a perfect curling shot goalwards only for teammate Cybulski to stick out a foot to divert well over. On 26 City, comfortable at the back, robbed the home side and Weimann strode away to feed Semenyo down the left who got right to the byline to cut back for Joe Williams who reprised his Blackburn goal winning miscue and sent a wayward volley out to the right - which was returned into the box to where Semenyo could not control under pressure. After a half hour Joe Williams powered over tackles and through midfield before setting Bell clear down the right and in on goal - yet his square ball was quickly cut out before Semenyo could finish. Minutes later the all action striker cut in from the right, teased defenders before slamming a low shot in on goal that deflected wildly away for a corner. Semenyo was the dangeman and within five minutes he had City's second. Robbing full back Nathan Byrne and racing clear again in the left channel, looking up for the square pass then choosing to rocket it into the far corner and wheel away toward the adjacent away fans. Two goals. One sided first half. In front of away fans. This was a rare treat. It might have been three as Semenyo flicked on and Martin sent Benarous down the left channel from where yet again his dangerous cross to the far post was headed behind for a corner. Before halftime Bentley needed to make a rare but stunning save from range from Morrison - while Semenyo in injury time stung keeper Allsop's hands from 25 yards. With City 2-0 ahead the second half was an altogether tamer experience although early on star man Semenyo tested the keeper yet again from range. But Derby were starting to combine well and City relied on in form Atkinson making crucial interceptions at the back - time and again inch perfect tackling to stop Derby advances before they started. Before the hour Benarous got down the left and fed Semenyo who screwed back to the edge of the box for Weimann to volley well wide. City could have been out of sight but stood off the next (first) well worked Derby attack down the right, offering no challenge as Ebiowei swung a cross over to the far post where Forsyth headed in unchallenged. On the hour there was an almost immediate answer, Weimann strode into space through the middle and put Semenyo clear on goal in the box but his shot facing down the keeper at the right post was deflected back for Bell to drill in on goal again, Weimann at the far post almost diverting the well angled shot in on goal with a speculative last gasp backheel. In a game City dominated by now it was all Derby and on the midway point of the half Ebiowei skipped past midfielders from our right and drove a decisive shot goalwards through a crowd but just past the post. And sub Bell was giving the ball away in terrible positions to compound a feeling a collapse was incoming despite City's dominance. Duncan Idehen came on for his City debut for Benarous with 20 left and again it was the visitors that went close - a nuisance all day Semenyo roared down the left channel and laid the ball off for Weimann to get to the byline and square the ball back where Semenyo fired past the post. No surprise also as Han Noah Massengo replaced Bell. Suddenly City had 3 - Massengo clattered on his first forray down the left and Matty James deep free kick swung into the box to where Tim Klose steered a decisive header into the far corner. In a minute the defender nearly teed up City's fourth - playing Martin down the left channel to funnel Massengo in and cut back for James to screw it wide. In the final ten minutes of exchanges a long ball saw Martin turn inside his marker and feed Semenyo who had just keeper to beat but fired straight at him. Before the end Joe Williams was replaced by Andy King and in what was Derby's last serious threat, debut man Idehen executed a perfect goal saving tackle in the box to deny a right wing incursion. So entertaining fare at Pride Park where City bossed most of the fixture against relegated opponents - highlighting an attacking threat led by Semenyo but also a comfortable last gasp defence evidenced by in form man of the match Atkinson who again looked head and shoulders above all around him. Three games to go, and our best of the season. Bentley 7 Klose 7 Atkinson 8 Cundy 7 Scott 6 Benarous 7 Williams 7 James 7 Weimann 7 Martin 7 Semenyo 8 Bell 4 Idehen 7 Massengo 6 15 11 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
East Londoner Posted April 23, 2022 Report Share Posted April 23, 2022 For the second it was Steerman who Semenyo robbed 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyderInACan Posted April 23, 2022 Report Share Posted April 23, 2022 Cheers Rob, always good to read your reports. I wonder what impact on Bell’s confidence/progression these mistakes will have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristol Rob Posted April 24, 2022 Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 Thanks @Olé Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedM Posted April 24, 2022 Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 13 hours ago, CyderInACan said: Cheers Rob, always good to read your reports. I wonder what impact on Bell’s confidence/progression these mistakes will have. It’s harsh but I don’t think we will see him for a while. Earlier in the season he was ‘double subbed’ and has slowly managed a come back but I think that’s it now. He made at least 2 errors that would have been punished by a team with more confidence. I wanted Bell to do well but he was just making me increasingly nervous. I hadn’t appreciated we had an extra sub due to Scott’s injury but to be honest it sadly was a relief when Bell was subbed off. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcfc01 Posted April 24, 2022 Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 13 hours ago, CyderInACan said: Cheers Rob, always good to read your reports. I wonder what impact on Bell’s confidence/progression these mistakes will have. He's a youngster who is a forward not a defender, it showed before and it showed yesterday. Not his fault (other than the dreadful passes he made) and that's what he'll be told - forget it and now concentrate on your forward game. He'll put it behind him soon enough. Playing Benarous as LWB is also asking a lot of him, especially when Pring is available (I assume he is). But he had a good game tbf. Both will love being involved and would be desperate to play anywhere. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davefevs Posted April 24, 2022 Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 14 hours ago, CyderInACan said: Cheers Rob, always good to read your reports. I wonder what impact on Bell’s confidence/progression these mistakes will have. I would imagine he will be buzzing to have got 54 minutes in a 3-1 away win, and will be being told to focus on the positives in his performance playing at RWB, whilst working on any flaws in training. Imagine the team bus home, Wells and Conway with no minutes, versus Sam with 54, and some good contributions first half have down the right. Most, if not all young players want to play in the first team (at any level of football) and will take whatever minutes they can get, in whatever position. You just want to be part of it. Think too much much is made of a “sub being subbed”. Had he came on at h-t and been subbed off that’s a bit different. But he came on first half (23 mins) for an injury. Had he started and got 54 minutes nobody would’ve batted an eyelid. It was a tactical sub. When Pearson could’ve easily picked Vyner or a returning Tanner on the bench, he chose Bell yesterday, and several other games too. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olé Posted April 24, 2022 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 2 hours ago, bcfc01 said: Playing Benarous as LWB is also asking a lot of him, especially when Pring is available (I assume he is). But he had a good game tbf. I hate to say this in respect of Bell, but there is no comparison. Benarous (like Scott) has a different level of composure and technical ability and therefore can look comfortable wherever he is played, even out of preferred position. Bell strikes me as someone like Wes Burns before him, who simply has a standout natural attribute (pace) but confidence will quickly get eroded in the wrong position. Doesn't mean he can't have a good career, borne out of hard work. @RedMis spot on. I want all our young players to thrive but I'm a nervous wreck watching him play now, he's always got a mistake in him, opponents pick on him, and I was also relieved when he went off. Could have been 2-2 before long. 3 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedM Posted April 24, 2022 Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 4 hours ago, Davefevs said: I would imagine he will be buzzing to have got 54 minutes in a 3-1 away win, and will be being told to focus on the positives in his performance playing at RWB, whilst working on any flaws in training. Imagine the team bus home, Wells and Conway with no minutes, versus Sam with 54, and some good contributions first half have down the right. Most, if not all young players want to play in the first team (at any level of football) and will take whatever minutes they can get, in whatever position. You just want to be part of it. Think too much much is made of a “sub being subbed”. Had he came on at h-t and been subbed off that’s a bit different. But he came on first half (23 mins) for an injury. Had he started and got 54 minutes nobody would’ve batted an eyelid. It was a tactical sub. When Pearson could’ve easily picked Vyner or a returning Tanner on the bench, he chose Bell yesterday, and several other games too. I’m not slamming him, but there is always a bit of a stigma that sticks when a sub is subbed due to errors. But I did say yesterday, and forgot to add it into my post, that he did indeed get 54 minutes and at his level of development that’s probably about all that would be expected of him anyway. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REDOXO Posted April 24, 2022 Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 (edited) The kid is a good player. The fact he is tried out of position is a testament to the kids ability and what the staff is trying to do. Give them games. The lad is a professional and we all know who is father is, so I don’t buy any theory regarding his confidence being damaged as he has been around professional football all of his life and he’s doing the one thing he wants…play…albeit not in his preferred role yet. Edited April 24, 2022 by REDOXO 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davefevs Posted April 24, 2022 Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 3 hours ago, Olé said: I hate to say this in respect of Bell, but there is no comparison. Benarous (like Scott) has a different level of composure and technical ability and therefore can look comfortable wherever he is played, even out of preferred position. Bell strikes me as someone like Wes Burns before him, who simply has a standout natural attribute (pace) but confidence will quickly get eroded in the wrong position. Doesn't mean he can't have a good career, borne out of hard work. @RedMis spot on. I want all our young players to thrive but I'm a nervous wreck watching him play now, he's always got a mistake in him, opponents pick on him, and I was also relieved when he went off. Could have been 2-2 before long. Burns was the exact comparison I made a few weeks ago when people were slagging off Nige for playing him there. Funnily enough Burns is now one of the best RWBs in Lg1, possibly gonna get Ipswich’s player of the year. He might never have had the career he’s had if he’d insisted on playing as a forward. I don’t like being critical of our youngsters (because they all develop differently and at different rates), but I don’t see the same level of ability in Bell as I do Conway for example…but as you say, he has pace. Pace can get you a long way in the game. Bell 311 mins, Conway 69 mins. That flexibility ain’t doing him any harm imho. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eardun Posted April 24, 2022 Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 21 hours ago, East Londoner said: For the second it was Steerman who Semenyo robbed What a shame. I was hoping it was Nathan Byrne given his antics all those years ago v Swindon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1960maaan Posted April 24, 2022 Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 I thought Benarous was very good yesterday. I thought Bell did some good things, but can struggle positionally, but that exact thing happened when Scott was WB with ( I think )Benarous in front of him. They got ran and found it difficult, which is understandable playing a new position with different responsibilities . Bell has a lot about him, whether it's enough I have my doubts. For me , technically and positionally Conway is the most exciting. It's a real shame he had the injury, and he's missed out on minutes due to others injuries. I hope he gets a run in the final 2 games. I want to see Bell in a more forward role, nearer to his "natural" position, before I criticise too much. Unfair to judge when he's only filled in positions. Wes Burns at least had a few games up front before he went wider, and he had more games altogether . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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