What A Joy To Watch...

[Sargent Pepper]

I agree Swansea were easily the best team I've seen this season. But that kind of football doesn't come overnight. They've played as a unit for ages and know that system inside out.

They have no star names yet they can produce football like that. It may not win them much but it must be nice to watch every week.

[arpaul]

...Swansea, the best footballing side i've seen at the Gate for many a year.

I've got to the point now, where i go to watch City, and think, 'Right just enjoy, regardless of how we play or the result'. It's a lot less stressfull, and although we lost...I thoroughly enjoyed tonight.

Yes, Swansea were excellent, but as good as they were, we were shocking!

Little or no effort.

Little or no passion

Little or no motivation.

Little or no interest.

Little or no movement.

Little or no guidance from the side line.

Little or no idea how to change it, when it was clear our tactics were all wrong.

Little or no hope of staying up??????????

[Robbored]

Yes, Swansea were excellent, but as good as they were, we were shocking! Little or no idea how to change it, when it was clear our tactics were all wrong.

So in your opinion what should Millen have done, given the options available to him?

[SC_Red]

So in your opinion what should Millen have done, given the options available to him?

matched up against there midfield and drilled and motivated the players to press the ball and make things difficult, rather than letting them stroke it round like a training session while we backed off.

[rockin-robin]

So in your opinion what should Millen have done, given the options available to him?

Personally, I would have gone 4-5-1. Like we did when we beat them 1-0 at the Liberty.

Did anyone honestly believe that Swansea were going to play any different? We needed to suffocate the middle of the pitch, get 9 or 10 men behind the ball, and when we knick it, hit them on the break.

What we did was allow them space to play. Swansea don't create many chances, but they keep the ball so well that it wear teams down. Once they went 1-0 up, it was game over.

[cityfan]

Swansea alongside QPR are the best teams to have come to Ashton Gate this season

What impressed me with Swansea was that they played at a high tempo, played pass and move football and most passes were forward and progressive. How many times did they play balls inbetween our centre back and left back? Channel balls and their forwards ran on to receive that pass nine times out of ten.

Simple football. Stuff we were taught in our early teens. They played triangles.

Now we have a fit bunch of lads so stamina shouldn't be the problem

We train most days, year after year and presumably this is what our managers and coaches drum into the players? They should know it off by heart! This is why I have a trouble with footballers earning so much money when they cannot and do not execute the basics

Sadly, last night we continued to play long lofty balls for a best chance 50/50 win with our back to the goal. Our passing on the deck at best was sideways and often backwards. We chased the ball all night and we looked very very poor.

Keogh looked lightweight in his first game for us, but to be fair, too early to judge.

Our midfield, as we all recognise is non existent. Huge spaces, no command of the middle of the pitch, no creativity, no leadership.

People like Paul hartley rarely come along and even rarer still, come to Bristol City. We should have made him stick by his contract and appeased his wife any way necessary. Exactly what every club needs.

There is only one redeeming feature in our team and it is Albert Adomah. He is getting better and better, tracking back more, tacking and winning balls more, but most of all, when he receives a pass to feet or chest, he has already adjusted his body shape to put himself into forward play. His receiving the ball to moving forward in attack is so quick and so seemless that he is becoming a quality player. Teams are doubling and trebling up on him as they realise the threat. If City don't improve, someone will make a reasonable bid for Albert and we will have no choice but to sell him

[spudski]

Swansea wore us ragged in the first half.

We ran around, huffed and puffed and looked physically and mentally knackered.

KM made the changes at the beginning of the second half. We pressed hard, had a purple patch for 5 mins, but for all the effort didn't have the quality to make the difference.

Swansea soaked it up, remained in shape and started to play again. You can't keep that type of football up for 90 mins, of continually harrassing further up the field. Hense our tendency to sit back.

KM kept urging his players to push up, but they were having none of it.

The exchanges of words between certain players in our team, spoke volumes. Most noticiable Carey with LJ.

Personally, I don't think KM and SW are going to be able to motivate or change how we play with who we've got.

A case of hanging on this season, hoping results go our way, and have a big clear out in the Summer. Or we get someone in now to help Motivate?

[maxjak]

So in your opinion what should Millen have done, given the options available to him?

Turned off the Floodlights

[Bigdave60]

Yes, Swansea were excellent, but as good as they were, we were shocking!

Little or no effort.

Little or no passion

Little or no motivation.

Little or no interest.

Little or no movement.

Little or no guidance from the side line.

Little or no idea how to change it, when it was clear our tactics were all wrong.

Little or no hope of staying up??????????

Very true, i have supported City since 1953. I was seriously thinking about cancelling my Season Ticket in the Dolmoan this season.

Then when Copello was signed my joy my passion was awakened, and i like the other poor souls offered up my dosh.

I have been trying to see what will keep me turning up a good hour before the game.

And after last night (yes i did leave early after Swansea scored their second goal). Bristol City will NOT be getting any more money from me unless some serious decisions are taken.

I do not have the answers, but that lazy shower of a TEAM will NOT be receiving any more money from my pocket.

[westred1]

I would say we made them look good but we didnt have to! Swansea were a breath of fresh air!

Nathan Dyer on the right terrorised our defence and in the first half Fontaine didn't know whether he was coming or going!! Exactly the same with Campbell-Ryce!

Leon Britton controlled everything in midfield and between him and Pratley they have a perfect partnership which is what we needed to find during the transfer window. I thought Elliott did well at stages as did Johnson (second half) but both are very inconsistent in a game and go missing for large parts and get overshadowed.

Normally a team of such attacking qualities struggle in defence but they were solid; Ashley Williams coped with everything on the floor and in the air and didnt give Keogh (who i think looks promising) and Pitman a chance; the same with Gower, Rangel and Tate - as soon as Adomah got on the ball he had at least 2 of them and Pratley chasing him down causing mistakes.

Fair play to them and Brendan Rogers for finding that equal balance within the team - very exciting football!

One thing to add which is kind of a positive, in all the games i've seen Scott Sinclair play against City I still havent seen him do anything ... gashead scum!

[arpaul]

So in your opinion what should Millen have done, given the options available to him?

What he should have done, is changed tactics.

It's not a weakness to admit you got it wrong. He could've gone 4-5-1, or he could've gone 3-5-2....

Everyone could see that our midfield was being over run, and we needed to man up to stop the flow of the ball through midfield.

Quite simply Robbored, he could've withdrawn the useless Campbell Rice, brought on Cisse, and pushed Keogh wide left. With the three central midfielders it may have allowed Adomah and Keogh to break from wide with Pittman up front on his own?

But why wait until half time to make changes? We had a good 10minute spell at the start of the 2nd half once he'd made the change.

Millen can't keep hiding behind the "Coppell signings" excuse........

Adomah, James and Stewart were the only three of Coppells signings who started. Millen picked them!!

James wasn't at fault for either goal, and without Adomah, we wouldn't have escaped from our half.

Cisse, when he came on did more in his 45 minutes than Elliott and Johnson combined.

As for Stewart, Millen picked him ahead of Fontaine at Centre half, while he played Fontaine left back. Surely Fontaine is a better centre half? with McAllister ( who was on the bench) at left back...But of course you have an issue with McAllister so would disagree with this. Mind you, even with your blinkers on will admit he handled Dyer a little better?

I don't quite understand you. You clamour for the head of our previous "conference manager and bully" (I thinks how you described Johnson) and yet feel that Millen is the man? Yet the entertainment served up by both is dreadful?

[bcfcnick]

...Swansea, the best footballing side i've seen at the Gate for many a year.

If i was SL, i'd be saying 'I want some of that'. Get back to the drawing board, and get some Spanish coaches in. Learn to play attractive, controlled football.

Sometimes, you just have to hold your hands up, forget the result, and admire what the opposition has achieved.

I've got to the point now, where i go to watch City, and think, 'Right just enjoy, regardless of how we play or the result'. It's a lot less stressfull, and although we lost...I thoroughly enjoyed tonight.

[Robbored]

I don't quite understand you. You clamour for the head of our previous "conference manager and bully. I thinks how you described Johnson) and yet feel that Millen is the man? Yet the entertainment served up by both is dreadful?

The difference is that Millen has not had enough time in post to develop and build his own team. Since he took over he's been dealing with other people's signings. Woolford is his first actual signing I think.

Johnson had almost 4 seasons to build a team and last season in particular probably had the strongest looking squad we've seen at AG for ages. Despite that and his time in post Johnson still managed to serve up pretty much two seasons of the same boring boring football. There was little hope that it would get any better.

I agree that recently its been dreadfull but as I said in another thread I have some sympathy for Millens position and am prepared to stick by him. He turned it around earlier this season and I believe he'll do it again.

[View from the Dolman]

Woolford is his first actual signing I think.

So he went back in for Stead and Pitman for the hell of it?

[bcfcnick]

Good posts Spudski. I like that idea of Spanish coaches although it has to be said Brendan Rogers has taken it on a step further since Paulao Sauso when they scored very few goals. I wonder if Swansea don't go up whether Brendan Rogers could be recruited (SL has the resources if he wanted to) to head a new era implementing Swansea's approach. I guess a lot will depend on the outcome of the new stadium.

I like KM but if the end product is dire football and losing then we have to look at different alternatives. I love the fact that Swansea and a few other teams have shown that good football and success aren't mutually exclusive. The worrying thing is that KM is saying that the team will have "to scrap' to get results. I think that's the wrong approach - when he had his run last season he actually got the team playing some good football as well.

[Nogbad the Bad]

So he went back in for Stead and Pitman for the hell of it?

Millen didn't 'go back in' for Stead and Pitman, both had been negotiating with City for some time before KM took over.

Woolford is indeed the first permanent signing KM has instigated, and signed.

[View from the Dolman]

Millen didn't 'go back in' for Stead and Pitman, both had been negotiating with City for some time before KM took over.

Woolford is indeed the first permanent signing KM has instigated, and signed.

But the BP and JS signings had apparently "collapsed" at points so I'd call that going back in.

[Nogbad the Bad]

But the BP and JS signings had apparently "collapsed" at points so I'd call that going back in.

Both players were talking to other clubs, but in the end accepted City's offers.

The two deals were protracted but I'm not aware that a deal for either player 'collapsed' at any point.

[Redcliffe 78]

...Swansea, the best footballing side i've seen at the Gate for many a year.

Fair play to them. They played us off the park, and it was like watching a Spanish league outfit.

Leon Britton, played just in front of their back four and controlled the game from start to finish. What a great little player.

If i was SL, i'd be saying 'I want some of that'. Get back to the drawing board, and get some Spanish coaches in. Learn to play attractive, controlled football.

Sometimes, you just have to hold your hands up, forget the result, and admire what the opposition has achieved.

I've got to the point now, where i go to watch City, and think, 'Right just enjoy, regardless of how we play or the result'. It's a lot less stressfull, and although we lost...I thoroughly enjoyed tonight.

On the way home was thinking were Swansea that good, or are we that poor at the moment, mixture of both i think but some of there play was a joy to watch. It hurts to say it but you have to hold your hands up from time to time. and say fair shout.

[Robbored]

So he went back in for Stead and Pitman for the hell of it?

Millen didn't sign either of them.

[spudski]

Good posts Spudski. I like that idea of Spanish coaches although it has to be said Brendan Rogers has taken it on a step further since Paulao Sauso when they scored very few goals. I wonder if Swansea don't go up whether Brendan Rogers could be recruited (SL has the resources if he wanted to) to head a new era implementing Swansea's approach. I guess a lot will depend on the outcome of the new stadium.

I like KM but if the end product is dire football and losing then we have to look at different alternatives. I love the fact that Swansea and a few other teams have shown that good football and success aren't mutually exclusive. The worrying thing is that KM is saying that the team will have "to scrap' to get results. I think that's the wrong approach - when he had his run last season he actually got the team playing some good football as well.

I would love City to try and go down the 'Continental' way of playing. Go back to the drawing board, whole new coaching team and quality foreign players, mixed in with some British footballing talent.

Each year, Championship teams, play the same style of football, with the same mentality, with the same players chopping and changing Clubs.

I remember when Swansea took on Martinez not long after their move to the Liberty. I watched their transformation with interest. The style of play and tactics. Then the appointment of Paolo Sauso...again they continued to develop. Now...they have a team playing good football, but with a backbone and bite.

It was either Martinez or Sauso who said that in their opinion, English coaching was at least 10 years behing Spain and Portugal. They estimated it would take between 5/6 years to turn an English team around, in it's coaching philosophy.

I'd personally love it if SL went down this route.

Here's an article that's worth a read... http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jun/01/football-coach-shortage-england

[swansfan]

Must admit I would pay very good money to watch football being played properly to that level every week unlike the total abject rubbish that we have to put up with?

Pratley and Britton totally dominated our non existent midfield and Richards (Where did you get him from????) was a constant threat on the left.

Your performance was as good as ours was dire, just hope you play the same against our "mutual" friends Crapdiff on Sunday

We've been rubbish in recent weeks, especially away from home.

Richards is actually a midfielder playing at left back due to our defences injuries. Hes a local boy so has come up through the ranks.

Thanks. We could do the very first welsh derby double!!

I think you'll stay up though.

[View from the Dolman]

Millen didn't sign either of them.

Who did then?

[SC_Red]

The difference is that Millen has not had enough time in post to develop and build his own team. Since he took over he's been dealing with other people's signings. Woolford is his first actual signing I think.

Johnson had almost 4 seasons to build a team and last season in particular probably had the strongest looking squad we've seen at AG for ages. Despite that and his time in post Johnson still managed to serve up pretty much two seasons of the same boring boring football. There was little hope that it would get any better.

I agree that recently its been dreadfull but as I said in another thread I have some sympathy for Millens position and am prepared to stick by him. He turned it around earlier this season and I believe he'll do it again.

what was Johnson doing after 5 months when you called him a conference manager?

last season we had the strongest squad in ages but this season its unbalanced and poor?

glad to see your not blaming Johnson for the state the squad is in right now anymore. Progress at last.

Johnson got us to a play off final but you wernt prepared to support him at all or have faith in him to do it again. You were rubbing your hands with glee when we went "backwards" and finished 10th.

Double standards throughout your post.

[arpaul]

The difference is that Millen has not had enough time in post to develop and build his own team. Since he took over he's been dealing with other people's signings. Woolford is his first actual signing I think.

Who signed Stead? Who signed Pittman? Who brought in Caulker, Rose and Keogh?

The issue isn't about the signings he has or hasn't made. It's about his ability to manage the players. It's about his abilitly to be able to motivate the players, it's about his ability to identify difficiencies and deal with them. It's about his ability to have his team....NO our team playing good entertaining football.

In truth, he's been on the sidelines of the first team since Tinnion first promoted him (if not before!) and has stayed through the Johnson era and the Coppell weekend.

He should know everything there is to know by now.

Johnson had almost 4 seasons to build a team and last season in particular probably had the strongest looking squad we've seen at AG for ages. Despite that and his time in post Johnson still managed to serve up pretty much two seasons of the same boring boring football. There was little hope that it would get any better.

I agree with you in that Johnson seemed to stagnate, and the fear of losing overuled the thrill of victory. But your "boring boring football" tag can easily be pinned to Millens reign. What about "UTTER GARBAGE"? As previously said only Tinnion and Osman have served worse fare than this, and in his defence, at least we were organised under Osman.

Let's take Swansea as a comparison. When did they appoint their manager? Answer.July 2010..maybe 4 weeks prior to Millen being appointed; Yet we are light years behind them in footballing terms, passing, and moving.

What hope is there that it will get any better under Millen in future?

I agree that recently its been dreadfull but as I said in another thread I have some sympathy for Millens position and am prepared to stick by him. He turned it around earlier this season and I believe he'll do it again.

Not sure why you show such empathy toward Millen, but in truth I'm sure all City supporters would love him to succeed, with entertainment being the key objective AFTER safety has been secured. In truth Robbored it's been dreadful all season, but you only see what you want to see.. Yes he turned it round earlier this season, but he has allowed the club to slip back into it's old ways, and must be held responsible if we slip back into the third division.

[Robbored]

""Let's take Swansea as a comparison. When did they appoint their manager? Answer.July 2010..maybe 4 weeks prior to Millen being appointed; Yet we are light years behind them in footballing terms, passing, and moving.''

Swansea having been playing 'continental' football since Martinez first took over. Sousa carried on playing the same way and Rodgers has inherited a club whose ethos is now on that style of play. He hasn't had to change much. New players signing for the Jacks quickly adapt to the style.They were all comfortable on the ball and reminded me of Arsenal. I thought they were superb and sooo much better than City.

In my memory City have never played that in that 'keep the ball' and 'pass and move' way. Most of the past 40 odd years has been either long balls upto a big front man or counter attacking using nippy wingers. Its a City mindset regardless of who the manager is.

Three times last night Carey took a free kich from wide near the half way line. Three times he lumped the ball into the Swansea box to no effect. Swansea had two free kicks from similair positions and twice they played it back to the defence and started a move forward. There lies the difference.

If Millen wants City to play like Swansea he ain't going to do with the current bunch of players.

[spudski]

""Let's take Swansea as a comparison. When did they appoint their manager? Answer.July 2010..maybe 4 weeks prior to Millen being appointed; Yet we are light years behind them in footballing terms, passing, and moving.''

Swansea having been playing 'continental' football since Martinez first took over. Sousa carried on playing the same way and Rodgers has inherited a club whose ethos is now on that style of play. He hasn't had to change much. New players signing for the Jacks quickly adapt to the style.They were all comfortable on the ball and reminded me of Arsenal. I thought they were superb and sooo much better than City.

In my memory City have never played that in that 'keep the ball' and 'pass and move' way. Most of the past 40 odd years has been either long balls upto a big front man or counter attacking using nippy wingers. Its a City mindset regardless of who the manager is.

Three times last night Carey took a free kich from wide near the half way line. Three times he lumped the ball into the Swansea box to no effect. Swansea had two free kicks from similair positions and twice they played it back to the defence and started a move forward. There lies the difference.

If Millen wants City to play like Swansea he ain't going to do with the current bunch of players.

Totally agree...

Not only that.

They have had 2 players who have played for and been part of Barcelonas set up. Another from Espanyol, and others who have been educated in the Spanish philosophy of coaching. All Spanish sides base their coaching on what has been developed at Barcelona, from when Cruyff managed their.

They also have Dutch players who have been brought up on play a pass and move game.

The philosophy has rubbed off on the other players and transformed the way they think and play.

[NOTR]

Yes Swansea were a decent side,but what they're very good at is minor little fouls.Every time we went past one of thier players[which wasn't very often]they would do a little ankle tap or slight tug of the shirt,stopping us in our tracks.Very clever,not enough to get booked but enough to stop any counter attacks.

[A Horse With No Name]

...Swansea, the best footballing side i've seen at the Gate for many a year.

Fair play to them. They played us off the park, and it was like watching a Spanish league outfit.

Leon Britton, played just in front of their back four and controlled the game from start to finish. What a great little player.

If i was SL, i'd be saying 'I want some of that'. Get back to the drawing board, and get some Spanish coaches in. Learn to play attractive, controlled football.

Sometimes, you just have to hold your hands up, forget the result, and admire what the opposition has achieved.

I've got to the point now, where i go to watch City, and think, 'Right just enjoy, regardless of how we play or the result'. It's a lot less stressfull, and although we lost...I thoroughly enjoyed tonight.

Exactly. I hung behind after the final whistle to see how many City fans clapped them off the pitch. By the time they had done their after-match huddle, the ground was nearly empty, but about 10 fans were clapping them from the tunnel area. Be fair, they looked the best side down here this season, and they did it without resorting to diving, fouling or cheating in any way (maybe their keeper was taking too long over his kicks but hey ho).

[Superjack]

Exactly. I hung behind after the final whistle to see how many City fans clapped them off the pitch. By the time they had done their after-match huddle, the ground was nearly empty, but about 10 fans were clapping them from the tunnel area. Be fair, they looked the best side down here this season, and they did it without resorting to diving, fouling or cheating in any way (maybe their keeper was taking too long over his kicks but hey ho).

Brendan Rodgers acknowledged that the home fans applauded his side off the pitch.

Ref: Sky text - football - championship - Swansea.