Thoughts On Yesterday

[Chivs]

Just a few random thoughts on yesterday's game...

I wasn't going to go but the DJ fuss got the better of me. Perhaps if we'd told Blackpool and Holloway about the DJ fuss then they might have turned up as well?

Blackpool were just awful. For sure it was a friendly but that's no excuse to continually pass the ball out of play etc.

I was surprised, and a little disappointed, that James stayed on the pitch for only 10 seconds. I can only guess he was a little embarrassed and didn't want to hog the limelight from our two debutants.

Hunt played OK. Looked a tidy player but hard to judge on one viewing. I suppose I should say the same for Stewart but he did look "rusty" with one swipe in our box landing right at the strikers feet. Hopefully he will improve with better fitness.

Ironically the best players have been around a long time. Fontaine was superb. He looks better every time I see him. Skuse gave a captain's performance whilst Elliot was on one of his "thou shalt not pass" days.

Clarkson is an anomaly. I can't warm to his play. He isn't fast, doesn't really win anything in the air, and doesn't add too much around the box. But he keeps scoring!!

Finally, I want to know who has kidnapped Sproule? He took his goal very well but also gave a great team performance, tracking back when necessary. Perhaps Coppell and/or Orr coming and going will give him a new lease of life. Has he played every friendly so far?

I'm warming to the idea that this might be a season to remember. Ideally, with a left back, a left sided midfielder and a big lump up front (Akinde is not quite there) we would have playoffs firmly in our sights. As it stands, I think we have some interesting times ahead...

[_Bristol-City_]

Clarkson and elliot played well IMO

[A Horse With No Name]

Just a few random thoughts on yesterday's game...

I wasn't going to go but the DJ fuss got the better of me. Perhaps if we'd told Blackpool and Holloway about the DJ fuss then they might have turned up as well?

Blackpool were just awful. For sure it was a friendly but that's no excuse to continually pass the ball out of play etc.

I was surprised, and a little disappointed, that James stayed on the pitch for only 10 seconds. I can only guess he was a little embarrassed and didn't want to hog the limelight from our two debutants.

Hunt played OK. Looked a tidy player but hard to judge on one viewing. I suppose I should say the same for Stewart but he did look "rusty" with one swipe in our box landing right at the strikers feet. Hopefully he will improve with better fitness.

Ironically the best players have been around a long time. Fontaine was superb. He looks better every time I see him. Skuse gave a captain's performance whilst Elliot was on one of his "thou shalt not pass" days.

Clarkson is an anomaly. I can't warm to his play. He isn't fast, doesn't really win anything in the air, and doesn't add too much around the box. But he keeps scoring!!

Finally, I want to know who has kidnapped Sproule? He took his goal very well but also gave a great team performance, tracking back when necessary. Perhaps Coppell and/or Orr coming and going will give him a new lease of life. Has he played every friendly so far?

I'm warming to the idea that this might be a season to remember. Ideally, with a left back, a left sided midfielder and a big lump up front (Akinde is not quite there) we would have playoffs firmly in our sights. As it stands, I think we have some interesting times ahead...

I want to know what happened to the 13 minutes added on time we should have had. Two injuries , to Southern and Nyatanga, and around 12 second half subs and we get less than one minute extra. We wuz robbed.

[yardy]

i agree to all of the above.

fontaine was very good as was sproule and marv seemed to be at his best.

i love to see players like marv when he is on top of his game he seems to give everything to win balls he shouldn't win and more often than not he wins them.every team should have a player in midfield like him.

the main point i agree with you is about clarkson,he seems to have alot of fans here and i am surprised.to me he doesnt get involved enough and when he does most of the time it isnt very productive.yes ok he scores and he is a good finisher but i cant see him scoring anywhere near 20 goals a season which a good scorer/poacher should be aiming for givin a long run of games.

i hope to be proved wrong by clarky only time will tell.

[Simon79]

Just a few random thoughts on yesterday's game...

I wasn't going to go but the DJ fuss got the better of me. Perhaps if we'd told Blackpool and Holloway about the DJ fuss then they might have turned up as well?

Blackpool were just awful. For sure it was a friendly but that's no excuse to continually pass the ball out of play etc.

I was surprised, and a little disappointed, that James stayed on the pitch for only 10 seconds. I can only guess he was a little embarrassed and didn't want to hog the limelight from our two debutants.

Hunt played OK. Looked a tidy player but hard to judge on one viewing. I suppose I should say the same for Stewart but he did look "rusty" with one swipe in our box landing right at the strikers feet. Hopefully he will improve with better fitness.

Ironically the best players have been around a long time. Fontaine was superb. He looks better every time I see him. Skuse gave a captain's performance whilst Elliot was on one of his "thou shalt not pass" days.

Clarkson is an anomaly. I can't warm to his play. He isn't fast, doesn't really win anything in the air, and doesn't add too much around the box. But he keeps scoring!!

Finally, I want to know who has kidnapped Sproule? He took his goal very well but also gave a great team performance, tracking back when necessary. Perhaps Coppell and/or Orr coming and going will give him a new lease of life. Has he played every friendly so far?

I'm warming to the idea that this might be a season to remember. Ideally, with a left back, a left sided midfielder and a big lump up front (Akinde is not quite there) we would have playoffs firmly in our sights. As it stands, I think we have some interesting times ahead...

All in all, i was quite impressed with yesterdays performance. I thought we looked like we were fairly organised and had a good pattern of play. We tried playing the ball out from the back, when the oppurtunity was there and cleared a lines when needed.

With regards the two debutants, i thought they both did ok considering the lack of preperation that they had. Hunt looked comfortable on the ball keeping his touches down to a minimum( which all good players do), along with good distribution. My only concern was that he looked slightly light weight on occasions. Stewart again did ok IMO. Looked strong and quite quick( which posssibly surprised me!), along with being fully commited in the tackle. My only concern with him would be his on the ball moments( didnt look 100% comfortable).

The starting 11 wouldnt be too far off the starting 11 for Millwall IMO with the exception of James in goal and a decision too make between Williams and Campbell Ryce to go along with Skuse and Elliott in midfield.

But through out pre season i believe we have made steady progress culminating in a good performance yesterday leading us into the new season.

[Red_Jim]

I thought Campbell-Ryce was excellent yesterday, involved in a lot of the play. He'd be starting on the left for me. Then it's a toss up between Sproule and Adomah on the right - I thought both had decent games. I really think Adomah's got something, his play is very instinctive and I think he could be a really shrewd signing.

Fontaine and Skuse - class as usual. These two would be the first two names on my teamsheet every week, they do the basics so well and rarely make a mistake. Big players at Ashton Gate for years to come, I hope.