samo II

I would be if we've not just won two games without O'Neil. The fact we can call on him from the bench is a bonus, but think the fact we have a mobile looking side facing a team who've been repeatedly exposed by pace is a good thing.

Tremendously mobile team; interested to see Pack, Brownhill and Reid in that central area. Having watched Forest this season, they've been exposed by pace, so I see the logic here - plus that is a hell of a bench if we need to freshen things up. COYR!

Have fond memories of the one all draw during the promotion season under GJ; Forest's cocky manager dismissing chances of promotion pre-game, saying they'd win all their games and over take us - was nice to see them capitulate and have to go to the play offs. Blimey; hide the bleach. Some seem to think the return of key players will make them more competitive, but sounds like Fulham should have beat them, and considering we battered Fulham, that's not the worst sign.

Tremendous. Another hard-fought three points on the board, and an improved result on the same game last season; fantastic. Also another clean sheet too; excellent to hear. Really excited by this team; still think we're not seeing the full potential either. COYR!

A bit of context; you edge past a team at home who six years ago were a midtable league two side, while we hit four without response against a team who at the same point six years ago were Europa Cup finalists, and more recently than that a premier league side, and you think that is some kind of proof of your progress/comparable to our efforts? Back in your box, lad. I've always said you would level out at league one, and haven't changed my mind; I think you'll likely finish comfortably midtable, and then next summer we'll see if the momentum that took you from non-league gets built on. Frankly; I doubt it - your owner seems fly-by-night, and I don't fancy him dropping the sort of coin that will be needed to stop your best players leaving or to replace them. Cue your manager getting poached, an inability to replace him with someone capable of galvanising the free transfers and loans they'll be left with, and the inevitable slide back to the fight for survival. The concept your club are in anyway close to catching us in terms of facilities, playing staff, resources and just any aspect you can imagine is genuinely laughable; if I were a sag (a terrifying thought) I'd be GLAD I wasn't in the championship and getting directly compared to our own set up - would only add emphasis to the epic chasm between us. And BTW - we've more points than you, a better goal difference and are two points off the playoffs spots in our division to the one you are in yours; the fact you consider your position cause to speak about you "coming for us" while we're not here talking about moving even further ahead of you speaks volumes about the mentalities of our respective fan bases. Your unhealthy obsession with reaching parity due to the scored of years spent in our shadow compares badly to our desire to build a club able to support itself and bring sustained success. It's slightly depressing to see, in all honesty. We were also missing two of our most influential midfielders in Korey Smith and four-time Championship promotion-winning captain O'Neil, yet still kept a clean sheet and scored four - that your top striker (who has scored the majority of his goals outside of league football and who turned his back on his boyhood club after agreeing a move there, and then proceeded to mock them when next playing them; classy fellow) was missing doesn't really mean much to us. Especially when we have the top scoring player in the football league who is a good eight years Mr Taylor's junior. I'm not prone to the sort of bragging that the above looks like, but when the supporter of some former non-league mob (who for all intents and purposes stole their ground from another sports team and now bulked this out with tents, and who's Chelsea fan owner seems adverse to buying players despite his apparently bottomless wealth and the club having two promotions in two years) tries to talk about them even coming close to emulating the progressive and professional set-up we're putting together at City, I think it's worth pointing out how ridiculous that is, and reminding them of a few choice facts.

Clean sheet, four goals, biggest win in the division today, we now have the league's top scorer in our squad - what an afternoon. Good night for Lee J to be a guest on the Channel 5 show too; imagine we might be higher up the pecking order than the last or second to last game, which seems our default postion. Roll on Leeds; work with several fans of theirs, and really could do with us getting a result there, as I'll never hear the last of it if we lose... COYR!

Sound like a bunch of dirty ****s - glad we're trashing them. Hope we can now grab another.

Also sounds like Tomlin completely mugged them off to set it up. If he's back to his old self, we're in business.

Delighted for Freeman! Weirdy, last time he scored was the last time we had this ref!

Could have done with a fit Smith or O'Neil, but I like that team and that bench. Certainly gives the Fulham defence a lot to think about, that's for sure. COYR!

Yup.

Is the 3rd repeated match up Dundee United against Morton? Think it is a switch from home to away for Morton, but otherwise they play again (league cup in the week; Scottish Championship this weekend).

We lost the corresponding fixture last year, and sounds like another sloppy mistake cost us, with one notable change (Frankie starting) paying off, at least in the sense that he kept us in it - great to have two decent keepers jousting for a first team postion. Not the best week results-wise, but probably valuable for Lee - knows much more about his squad, and with the cup game at Fulham giving him another chance to try combinations. Let's not forget; Derby are one of the fancied teams, who might have been on bad run but weren't a bad team. We've no right to take points off them. Good week now to assess what progress we are making - think we'll see most of the squad play a fair bit, and end it with a better understanding of who will be key going forwards.

I almost expected a change in keeper after the second goal on Tuesday night. Good opportunity for Frankie.

Sure, but think we're a long way from being so desperate for defenders we need to recall people.

Isn't Vyner out on loan?

Hope we aim for an early goal to try and force Derby to confront their lack of goals. Fancy they'll not be much in it; either us or Derby to win by a goal - hoping for City 2-1. COYR

Just happy we scored first!

Bloody hell - Tammy!

Can't argue with that. Was screaming at O'Dowda to take his man to the line in the second half, but as is our flaw he often went inside instead. And considering how poor Rotherham were dealing with crosses and corner, even just looking to force one of those situations would have been a better option. His pace and quick feet did make their defence scared to tackle him though, and from what I've seen of Wednesday this year, they do not have pace in the full back areas, so the hope would be O'Dowda might simply breeze past them. Would be interested in seeing him wide left too, as feel he really could stretch teams if on his favoured foot and able to get into crossing postions.

Lee Johnson said in the pre-match press conference they'll not be. Prefer to take the team home.

I would like to see both Paterson and O'Dowda start at Wednesday. Their pace will give us an edge on the break, and when you look at the Wednesday back line I think that will hurt them.

That would have been a huge mistake, and not just saying that based on his goal. He turns over play real well and get the ball moving and into dangerous areas. His weakness is defending, no question, but think you move him into the three behind the strikers and he'll be far more effective. Get the impression him being in there next to O'Neil is a short term fix, and am genuinely excited at the prospect of Reid and/or Tomlin playing in front of the 'bed rock' pairing of O'Neil and Smith.

Not the thrashing many predicted. Kodjia seemingly not immediately out the door. Newcastle with a day less to prepare than us. A few more days to perhaps bring in one or two more faces. Can't wait for the next game.