The only people who appear surprised by yesterday's result are those who swallowed the hype that we were, perhaps, at long last the real deal (despite having a woeful run of results amidst decent performances.)
First half Sunderland were utterly without merit; we should have been 5 up. We were undone by our usual combination of failings: wasteful in front of goal, too ponderous and over-elaborate, indisciplined and dodgy set-up.
Upfront: perm any 8 from 10 and with the exception of Flint's touch we were wasteful. Diggeridio should have scored a hat trick, Kent's Diony's and Patterson's finishing left everything to be desired and Bryan needs to understand his rocket wonder strikes are as rare as rocking-horse. Reid sparkled best when he dropped back looking for the ball to where he should play and where he's most productive. Offensively he again wasn't remotely a threat.
Ponderous: Diony doesn't fit Weelee's pattern of play (don't know why we acquired him but that doesn't make him a bad player,) and for all the neat triangles we would have created dozens more chances had we someone with speed of thought and vision to get the ball upfront quicker. In that respect we're akin Arsenal, flatter to look good yet will win now't trying to walk the thing into the net. First half our mids didn't get overrun as The Mackams were still on the coach; second half we showed our anticipated failings once equalised numbers were restored. WeeLee needs to decide whether it's stick or bust.
Indiscipline: 3 up cruising yet on the card front 2 down, all from stupid, niggly and unnecessary offences and that's before Bryan again opened his gob. Smith's all about combat but he needs to better pick his battles. Needless yellow and he's then always a yard on the defensive and it cost us. Digeridoo's card was utter stupidity. Ref very lenient on Wright who walked a tightrope after several reckless challenges and who although escaping a yellow looked on several occasions as if a red was coming his way. It cost us as it has on many occasions this season and WeeLee needs to get a grip.
Set-up: Brownhill is the new Skuse, Weelee's go to fill-in but give the kid a chance. Find his best position (clue - it ain't Right Back) and let him play there. Reid is not an out-and-out striker; play him in the hole. Bryan is an absolute and utter liability at Left Back. He may be one of our own, at Left Back we should wish he was one of theirs. Not sure if he believes his own hype but he sure as hell thinks he can stand 5 yards off his opponent (strange a grammar school boy is unable to work out why the ball keeps going past him.) He also believes he's quick enough to react when standing off his opponent - yeah, in your dreams lad. The free-kick for their second (yes I know the ref failed to make them take it from the right spot,) came from him arrogantly assuming he'd got the guy for pace. Wrong. The equaliser - oh yeah, same problem.
In respect of open play perhaps some of you hereabouts can answer a question that's been bothering a few of us for months: when we are forced on the defensive why does our back four go so narrow? They all fit inside the 6 yard box. For the life of me I can't fathom why our competent centre backs are unable to mop up balls in, with full backs going wide to shut out supply? Our mids, there are enough of them, should easily pick up the offensive runs into the centre of the box. It's clearly a well worked WeeLee drill but too often sees the full backs marking nothing more than the junction of the 6 yard box. They've no influence over high balls in or those pulled back to the edge of the box.
It's not all doom and gloom, we didn't lose although it felt as if we had. But Fearless, for Christ sake sort that kicking out. ...
The Bristol City v Sunderland Match Day Thread 31
in The Havanatopia Match Day Archive
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