City V Preston Match Thread

[cityexile]

Very disappointing.

 

They did a job on us, getting the goal then defending well. Sounds like we created enough chances to have won it, and if you miss em all...

 

No need for panic, but need to bounce back now.

[Northamptonshire Red]

Those weirdos along the M4 will be getting all excited tonight.

[054123]

Cotterell has to be aware of this. Any team with sense will play like Preston we have to be smarter and sharper in front of goal.

[Gakoe]

Pretty poor today. Missed too many chances! Weak up front. Aggard looked well off the pace. PNE were not good but city allowed them to play!

[BRISTOL86]

Got exactly what we deserved today. Preston came to do a job and did it superbly.

Too many individuals had bad games. Woedul decision making in the final third all day.

[Red Wardy Returns]

Agreed Kim. Today was a chance to throw down a marker and show that last week was just a blip. Oh Dear! Time to knuckle down and start getting some wins back on the board. We are a very good footballing side but in the back of my mind, I have been concerned about how we would handle the cold, dark days of Winter. Come on City, time to bounce back - at least we are still top.

[City_USA]

On the up side, we loose two straight and still in 1st place. And if MK win all games in hand still in 2nd. Important match on Friday....COYR

[And Its Smith]

When will the first serious 'Cotterill out' post happen? I reckon 2 weeks time

[Red Wardy Returns]

RedDave, they started a year ago Mate.

[Lordofthebling]

**** off. What an utterly miserable day. Just about every result has gone against us. Hope we can forget about it asap.

True, but a lot of times this season so far results have gone for us.... Our season starts now.

[RedJim]

Time to keep the faith and bounce back next week. Long season, and all teams will have bad spells.

[fanjita]

Agard,,,, is the jury still out on him?

We need to go in big in the transfer window and get a proven striker on board

[Spike]

In all honesty I don't know why everyone seems to think these games won't happen. If you look at our record we're one draw better off than Swindon. I stick by what I've been saying all along, we may have gone on a long undefeated but once we lost a couple we're only a point or two off of second and third and that's down to drawing games we should have won because we can't keep the goals out. The last two games were essentially the most important games to win and both of them kept a clean sheet against us whilst we failed to score.
I was being called "negative" and told I was "panicking" when we failed to keep the ball out of our net but in these big games that is where you need to be able to do that. Had we kept clean sheets in both of those games the league would be:

1 Bristol City 38pts
2 Swindon 33Pts

3 Preston 32 Pts

 

instead of 

 

1 Bristol City 36 Pts

2 Swindon 35 Pts

3 Preston 34 Pts

 

We would have been 5 points clear instead of 1, it just goes to show the difference keeping clean sheets makes. I still maintain defensively we can improve and if we can improve then having a dry spell in front of goal will not hit us so hard.

 

I hope in January we show our intention to push for the top two spots by strengthening, if we stick with what we have I honestly think there will be disappointment as I don't think we'll get a top 2 spot.

Oh and just in case the reaction to this post is "knee jerk", it's not, I've said this for a while and was waiting for this to happen as it was inevitable that we'd have a dry patch, it just so happens to have come against the two teams pushing for the top spot.

[cityexile]

In all honesty I don't know why everyone seems to think these games won't happen. If you look at our record we're one draw better off than Swindon. I stick by what I've been saying all along, we may have gone on a long undefeated but once we lost a couple we're only a point or two off of second and third and that's down to drawing games we should have won because we can't keep the goals out. The last two games were essentially the most important games to win and both of them kept a clean sheet against us whilst we failed to score.

I was being called "negative" and told I was "panicking" when we failed to keep the ball out of our net but in these big games that is where you need to be able to do that. Had we kept clean sheets in both of those games the league would be:

1 Bristol City 38pts

2 Swindon 33Pts

3 Preston 32 Pts

 

instead of 

 

1 Bristol City 36 Pts

2 Swindon 35 Pts

3 Preston 34 Pts

 

We would have been 5 points clear instead of 1, it just goes to show the difference keeping clean sheets makes. I still maintain defensively we can improve and if we can improve then having a dry spell in front of goal will not hit us so hard.

 

I hope in January we show our intention to push for the top two spots by strengthening, if we stick with what we have I honestly think there will be disappointment as I don't think we'll get a top 2 spot.

Oh and just in case the reaction to this post is "knee jerk", it's not, I've said this for a while and was waiting for this to happen as it was inevitable that we'd have a dry patch, it just so happens to have come against the two teams pushing for the top spot.

 

 

Well, I equally get frustrated for trying to get some comment going when we win as being to negative, but we do need to keep some perspective.

 

We have created less chances in games this season and won. Sure, if we had kept a clean sheet we would not have lost (!), but equally, the issue certainly today was not scoring. We have had games this season where we have done exactly that, and won.

 

Worried about our strength in depth for sure, but would not swop our position for anyone elses.

[Slack Bladder]

We couldn't hit a barn door with a banjo today.

[BRISTOL86]

Surprised to hear Cotts talk so positively after that.

I'm as optimistic as anyone but today was very poor and we just couldn't adapt when PNE made it clear they weren't going to allow us to play the game we wanted and dwell on the ball.

Came away from the ground hearing everyone talking about how we were the better side and played nicer football, but today was the classic example of the result being more important than the performance, and I think PNE deserved the result.

They came to do a job and did everything right.

Yes our finishing was woeful and I think if Wilbs scores that open goal we would have been talking about a different outcome.

But teams are wising up to how to play against us, and we don't seem to have much versatility when we need to mix it up.

Also did Freeman pick up a knock? He was the one bright spark today and was surprised to see him make way for JET rather than Wilbraham.

[cityexile]

SC Interview

 

Had the chances to win by a country mile. First 15 minutes were good. Then got stuck in a long ball game, and got scrappy, with no quality.

 

Second half we were excellent, without taking our chances. Thought it was only matter of time before we scored in second half.

 

We were snatching at things, and needed to relax more. Tried to force things to much. Ball retention was good. Important we learn from the period when we allowed ourselves to get involved in a long ball game.

 

League table still healthy, still on target for what we want. Proud of this group of lads and when we were unbeaten. Young team today, need to learn from the first half today.

[BRISTOL86]

Thought it was only matter of time before we scored in second half.

Old Cottsy and I must have been watching different games! I thought we could have played til midnight and still not score!

[petehinton]

More annoyed this week then I was last. For me PNE for very comfortable, their keeper didn't need to make any saves. Agard and Albie missed some sitters, some very forced passes as well. Taking Freeman off for me was insane, our only attacking player that could pick the ball up and make something happen.

Not sure why Little played, clearly not fit, struggled getting up and down the pitch today. Also how does Derrick Williams get away with some of the mistakes he makes?? Last few games he's been poor for me.

Go again against Peterboro next week, would take a point now ahead of our fairly easy looking December (famous last words!!!)

[Aizoon]

Look on the bright side. Look where we were this time last year!

[reddogkev]

Damn it, football is utter rubbish when you lose.  Great when you win, but really, really crap when you lose.  It's just not right for the top team to lose two games in a row, you wouldn't see Chelsea do it, would you?

[PHILINFRANCE]

Well, I equally get frustrated for trying to get some comment going when we win as being to negative, but we do need to keep some perspective.

 

We have created less chances in games this season and won. Sure, if we had kept a clean sheet we would not have lost (!), but equally, the issue certainly today was not scoring. We have had games this season where we have done exactly that, and won.

 

Worried about our strength in depth for sure, but would not swop our position for anyone elses.

 

I don't recall that particular game.

[RedYoshi]

I don't recall that particular game.

 

Sure ya do - it was that game when we used our Microsoft Playstation points during the warm up to give us a 3 goal lead.

 

Couldn't hit a barn door throughout the actual match, but saving up those points instead of splashing out on updated stadium images really paid dividends.

[cityexile]

I don't recall that particular game.

Maybe not clear, but the 'done exactly that' was referring to the previous sentance about creating less chances and winning.

Or something like that.

[Guest NathanPNE]

Shit. We failed to score against one of the worst defences in the league.

We missed an open goal.

We seemed clueless how to change.

They were a nasty dirty side - Classic Grayson - and with cocks like Davies, Kilkenny and Garner deserve to stay down. Horrible side.

 

 

Worst defences? conceded the same amount of goals as yourselves.

[1960maaan]

This is fair I think;

SC: "By a country mile we had enough chances to win that. We had enough chances to win that game, the one last week and the one next week."But that's what happens if you don't take your chances. We started the game really well for 15 minutes, I thought our passing was excellent. "Then, all of a sudden, we got embroiled in a long ball, second-ball game and they're better at it than us.

"We lost a little bit of concentration for the goal and then it's nip and tuck and a scrappy game from about 20 minutes onwards."

I thought we were OK , no more, but that would and should have been enough had we taken one of the easy chances we made.Bryan and little were poor/average the defence was ok , midfield was OK but not greatand the forwards were ineffective even though we still created several decent chances. The Ref was inconsistent , very lenient with PNE on a few occasions.

It is clear we need cover/options up front. When this was mentioned on other threads the noise from the happy clappers was deafening, but we have no plan B in regard to strikers. Wilb's was not great and being a little bullied with little protection from the ref until late on. Agard was poor and yesterday was the day no-one stepped up to save the day. 

Unlucky all around but on other days this year everything has gone our way so we can't complain too much. The Jan' window needs to be used to get cover up front and maybe a midfielder. I would like to see Freeman used further up the pitch, but my main concern is the forwards, the worry was injury but equally loss of form leaves us with no alternatives.

I'll probably be put down as a nay sayer but I don't much care, that's as I see it. Disappointed but not despondent.

[Preston N.E]

Playing a horrible brand of hoofball.

Not a pleasant side at all to watch.

It's League 1.

You're not exactly Barcelona yourselves mate.

[Aaron-Bcfc]

It's League 1.

You're not exactly Barcelona yourselves mate.

Agreed if anything we were hoofing it more than you, especially 1st half. To be fair we do usually try and keep it on the deck, with the occasional punt to Wilbraham. Don't need to play good football to get out of this division though

[1960maaan]

Cott's said it best (as I posted before) resorted to a long ball, second ball game. 

At times we did pass it quickly and well , over all dominated but credit to them (and this could well become a theme) they closed us down well.

All if's and But's , but if we scored and if the Ref had been firmer...... who knows.

I said it on a previous thread about needing to score 2/3 to win games and the defence needed to improve. The last 2 games they have been OK , Swindon brought it's own issues and yesterday was one of 'those' days all be it we never really battered them.

The game was crying out for a change, 2nd half we did a little better at keeping the ball but didn't create clear chances. They did a good pro away job, all be it niggly and nasty. Why would they stop if the ref seemed happy with what they were doing.  

If we were to win Friday , I wouldn't be too disappointed with November all things considered. 

[chipdawg]

Only just had a chance to comment on the game, but that was frustrating in the extreme. I think if Wilbs had put that chance away early doors we would have won comfortably. Preston were generally poor and all of their chances were created by our sloppy play. Unfortunately, that sloppy play also afflicted us at the other end of the pitch where too often the final pass was lacking and when iwe did get it right, the finish was poor. I haven't seen the post match interviews, but did Cotts explain why he took Freeman off? I thought he was the man looking most likely to unlock a pretty well organised Preston back line.

As for the others, Little was great, Ayling was excellent bringing the ball forward but a bit dodgy in defence and Bryan and Smith were good in spells. Pack was very poor- I'm of the opinion that he has talent but he constantly tried to over complicate things and ended up having a shocker. Similarly. I thought Williams looked like he needed a rest, as did Wilbs. Agard is frustrating in that there are flashes of a great player there, but he doesn't seem to be able to do it for 90 mins

All in all, I don't think there's any need for panic because on a different afternoon I think we may have one that game, but we need to tighten up out play and stop this blip turning into a slide

[Kid in the Riot]

If we were to win Friday , I wouldn't be too disappointed with November all things considered. 

 

Agree with that. 6 points from 4 tough games in November would be fine for me.

 

Only just had a chance to comment on the game, but that was frustrating in the extreme. I think if Wilbs had put that chance away early doors we would have won comfortably. Preston were generally poor and all of their chances were created by our sloppy play. Unfortunately, that sloppy play also afflicted us at the other end of the pitch where too often the final pass was lacking and when iwe did get it right, the finish was poor. I haven't seen the post match interviews, but did Cotts explain why he took Freeman off? I thought he was the man looking most likely to unlock a pretty well organised Preston back line.

As for the others, Little was great, Ayling was excellent bringing the ball forward but a bit dodgy in defence and Bryan and Smith were good in spells. Pack was very poor- I'm of the opinion that he has talent but he constantly tried to over complicate things and ended up having a shocker. Similarly. I thought Williams looked like he needed a rest, as did Wilbs. Agard is frustrating in that there are flashes of a great player there, but he doesn't seem to be able to do it for 90 mins

All in all, I don't think there's any need for panic because on a different afternoon I think we may have one that game, but we need to tighten up out play and stop this blip turning into a slide

 

Agree with everything you say bar this! I thought Little looked unfit and played poorly. No idea why SC took Freeman off, our most creative outlet - bizarre. Definitely no need to panic, I thought we looked a better team than them.

[chipdawg]

Agree with everything you say bar this! I thought Little looked unfit and played poorly. No idea why SC took Freeman off, our most creative outlet - bizarre. Definitely no need to panic, I thought we looked a better team than them.

He definitely faded and probably wasn't 100% but I thought he had a very good first half and got beyond the full back/winger double team a fair few times