Observations From Last Nights Game....

[Portland Bill]

So away teams have an advantage because their fans are by the tunnel?

How many times have we lost at home this season then ??

[Monkeh]

So away teams have an advantage because their fans are by the tunnel?

How many times have we lost at home this season then ??

since 1994...........

[Phileas Fogg]

So away teams have an advantage because their fans are by the tunnel?

How many times have we lost at home this season then ??

Certainly has potential to be one. How is it not one?

[Super]

Are people still moaning about where they away fans are? Yes it's really affecting the team isn't it?! Some people just want to find something to bloody moan about!

[Monkeh]

Certainly has potential to be one. How is it not one?

because we've lost twice at home, against oxford and against preston, oxford was our own fault and the preston game we would of won by 4 goals on another day,

 

it hasn't effected the players at all otherwise they would be commenting on it,

 

people are trying to find fault simply because they can't moan about the team at present

[Phileas Fogg]

because we've lost twice at home, against oxford and against preston, oxford was our own fault and the preston game we would of won by 4 goals on another day,

it hasn't effected the players at all otherwise they would be commenting on it,

people are trying to find fault simply because they can't moan about the team at present

How do you know what the players think?

I'm not trying to moan for the sake of it, I say it with us top and I'd say it with us bottom. I don't feel like the club truly grasps supporter culture in this way. The point is it has "potential" to render some sort of advantage to the opposition, because of this its a mistake.

It's basic, absolutely basic, that the home crowd should be around the tunnel. I appreciate the logistics of the ground make things tricky, but feel this sort of thing could have been avoided if they'd played away supporters differently.

The club can add this to a few similar issues that they've got wrong in the last 18 months; putting disabled supporters in block E of the Williams last year, the placement of this years "singing section", problems with staffing of bars etc.

Just because things are great on the pitch doesn't mean they are off it.

I don't understand how any gripe anyone has about the club or the way things are run is discarded because the team are doing well. Seems absolutely obvious that ANYTHING that has POTENTIAL to give an away team advantage is wrong!

[spudski]

It's obviously not ideal having the away fans where they are...plus SC also see's it that way, as he said yesterday in the BP...mentioning how hard it is for the home fans to create an atmosphere...and with Telford and Coventry all gathered together under one end...that it will feel like a home game for them. He's spot on.

 

It's not just people on here not liking it...fans all around me in the Williams were being very vocal about it last night.

Plus you could visably see how much it affected the players during warm up.

 

Quote...

 

Fans have their part to play in cup clash, says Cotterill

By The Bristol Post  |  Posted: December 10, 2014

Steve Cotterill

{C}

{C} Comments (0)

BRISTOL City boss Steve Cotterill fears a reduced attendance inside Ashton Gate could play into the hands of Coventry in tonight's Johnstone's Paint Trophy southern area semi-final.

The promotion-chasing Robins have become accustomed to playing in front of near-sell-out crowds for League One fixtures in BS3 this season.

But less than 7,000 fans turned up for Sunday's home FA Cup second-round tie against AFC Telford and even fewer are expected to pay at the turnstiles this evening. At close of business last night, City fans had purchased just over 2,000 tickets, while Sky Blues supporters had snapped up in excess of 700.

With City potentially three games away from a Wembley final, Cotterill is concerned that any advantage his team may derive from playing at home will be undermined by a low turn-out.

He admitted: "I don't like it that we are not going to have many fans there for such an important game.

"I understand there is the question of cost when we have three home games in six days and that people may have decided to watch the FA Cup game against Telford and the League game against Crawley and give this one a miss.

"We've nearly sold out Crawley (on Saturday) and we've sold out Yeovil (on Boxing Day), but the stadium is going to be half empty for this game.

"I don't know if anything could have been done about that, but it doesn't look as though we're going to have a big crowd behind us."

Telford fans had the Atyeo Stand to themselves on Sunday and Coventry supporters will be housed behind the same goal, leaving Ashton Gate regulars to occupy the Dolman and Williams Stands.

Certainly, the home fans were unable to generate the kind of intimidating atmosphere that has greeted other visiting teams to Ashton Gate this season.

Cotterill is urging Robins supporters to lend his team vocal backing as they fight for the right to contest the two-legged southern area final against Gillingham next month.

He said: "If Coventry have seven or eight hundred fans behind one goal, it is going to be like a home game for them.

"That makes it difficult for our players. When we've used all three sides of the ground, the atmosphere has been fantastic. When we only use two sides, it is a bit more difficult to create an atmosphere.

"Ideally, you want your fans in both ends and, if not, then in one end with the away fans up in the rafters where they cannot influence the game and have an impact."

 

[Nogbad the Bad]

How do you know what the players think?

I'm not trying to moan for the sake of it, I say it with us top and I'd say it with us bottom. I don't feel like the club truly grasps supporter culture in this way. The point is it has "potential" to render some sort of advantage to the opposition, because of this its a mistake.

It's basic, absolutely basic, that the home crowd should be around the tunnel. I appreciate the logistics of the ground make things tricky, but feel this sort of thing could have been avoided if they'd played away supporters differently.

I don't understand how any gripe anyone has about the club or the way things are run is discarded because the team are doing well. Seems absolutely obvious that ANYTHING that has POTENTIAL to give an away team advantage is wrong!

 

You're obviously right Phileas.

 

Our players, and manager, were pelted with abuse AND missiles at the Preston game. Of course that would have upset them.

 

If away fans HAVE to be in that corner of the Atyeo at least put netting over the seats by the tunnel unless they are absolutely necessary beccause the away section is a complete sell out.

 

Which it wasn't for Preston or Coventry, so there's no reason at all to allow them the opportunity to lambast our players at close range.

 

And our players warming up within earshot of the away fans? Ridiculous beyond words.

 

I really can't imagine any other club putting the home players in a position where they can be intimidated by the away fans like that.

[RedRaw]

Ill tell you what......lets just ban away fans altogether as they are purely there to try and give the away team an advantage

 

 

This all sounds just any like another / the next "issue" to be dreamt brought up by the usual suspects

[Monkeh]

ITS FOR TWO ******* SEASONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

We've been told there will be disrupstion just get over it, it hasn't effected us on the pitch as we are top of the league

[A Horse With No Name]

Read spudski's post above

I think you are just disagreeing for the sake of it. As I said, seems obvious to have home support around the tunnel. If it has potential to even give us a 1% advantage it's worth it.

To use a coaching analogy I heard recently about the importance of 1% tiny details. In the World Cup, if Gerrard had jumped 1% higher he wouldn't have headed the ball back to Suarez for his goal which effectively doomed England.

In sport, where percentages count and add up, at home surely you do all you can to increase odds in your favour. Would Man United put away fans over tunnel? Of course not!

And if his studs had been 1% longer, he wouldn't have slipped and let Chelsea score and Liverpool would be Champions now.

[Nogbad the Bad]

It's obviously not ideal having the away fans where they are...plus SC also see's it that way, as he said yesterday in the BP...mentioning how hard it is for the home fans to create an atmosphere...and with Telford and Coventry all gathered together under one end...that it will feel like a home game for them. He's spot on.

 

It's not just people on here not liking it...fans all around me in the Williams were being very vocal about it last night.

Plus you could visably see how much it affected the players during warm up.

 

Quote...

 

Fans have their part to play in cup clash, says Cotterill

By The Bristol Post  |  Posted: December 10, 2014

Steve Cotterill

{C}

{C} Comments (0)

BRISTOL City boss Steve Cotterill fears a reduced attendance inside Ashton Gate could play into the hands of Coventry in tonight's Johnstone's Paint Trophy southern area semi-final.

The promotion-chasing Robins have become accustomed to playing in front of near-sell-out crowds for League One fixtures in BS3 this season.

But less than 7,000 fans turned up for Sunday's home FA Cup second-round tie against AFC Telford and even fewer are expected to pay at the turnstiles this evening. At close of business last night, City fans had purchased just over 2,000 tickets, while Sky Blues supporters had snapped up in excess of 700.

With City potentially three games away from a Wembley final, Cotterill is concerned that any advantage his team may derive from playing at home will be undermined by a low turn-out.

He admitted: "I don't like it that we are not going to have many fans there for such an important game.

"I understand there is the question of cost when we have three home games in six days and that people may have decided to watch the FA Cup game against Telford and the League game against Crawley and give this one a miss.

"We've nearly sold out Crawley (on Saturday) and we've sold out Yeovil (on Boxing Day), but the stadium is going to be half empty for this game.

"I don't know if anything could have been done about that, but it doesn't look as though we're going to have a big crowd behind us."

Telford fans had the Atyeo Stand to themselves on Sunday and Coventry supporters will be housed behind the same goal, leaving Ashton Gate regulars to occupy the Dolman and Williams Stands.

Certainly, the home fans were unable to generate the kind of intimidating atmosphere that has greeted other visiting teams to Ashton Gate this season.

Cotterill is urging Robins supporters to lend his team vocal backing as they fight for the right to contest the two-legged southern area final against Gillingham next month.

He said: "If Coventry have seven or eight hundred fans behind one goal, it is going to be like a home game for them.

"That makes it difficult for our players. When we've used all three sides of the ground, the atmosphere has been fantastic. When we only use two sides, it is a bit more difficult to create an atmosphere.

"Ideally, you want your fans in both ends and, if not, then in one end with the away fans up in the rafters where they cannot influence the game and have an impact."

 

 

Couldn't agree more with Cotts. here.

 

Giving the whole Atyeo over to away fans after the rebuild is a very regrettable backward step.

 

City fans should be behind both goals, and preferably just City fans.

 

Give the away fans the worst seat in the house, as out of sight and out of mind as possible.

[spudski]

ITS FOR TWO ******* SEASONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

We've been told there will be disrupstion just get over it, it hasn't effected us on the pitch as we are top of the league

Did you not read what SC said?...it has an affect. Funnily...imho, I think we've played better away from home.

 

Quote...

 

He said: "If Coventry have seven or eight hundred fans behind one goal, it is going to be like a home game for them.

"That makes it difficult for our players. When we've used all three sides of the ground, the atmosphere has been fantastic. When we only use two sides, it is a bit more difficult to create an atmosphere.

"Ideally, you want your fans in both ends and, if not, then in one end with the away fans up in the rafters where they cannot influence the game and have an impact."

[spudski]

Couldn't agree more with Cotts. here.

 

Giving the whole Atyeo over to away fans after the rebuild is a very regrettable backward step.

 

City fans should be behind both goals, and preferably just City fans.

 

Give the away fans the worst seat in the house, as out of sight and out of mind as possible.

Yep...stick em in a corner like at Old Trafford.

[RedRaw]

It's obviously not ideal having the away fans where they are...plus SC also see's it that way, as he said yesterday in the BP...mentioning how hard it is for the home fans to create an atmosphere...and with Telford and Coventry all gathered together under one end...that it will feel like a home game for them. He's spot on.

 

Why is it hard for home fans to create an atmosphere? We outnumbered them almost 7-1 yet Coventry managed to create an atmosphere (as did Telford, Preston, Oxford) in one corner of what some fans will tell you is a crap stand for creating a noise/atmosphere

 

This isn't about where the fans are located or the gradient of the roof or the acoustics, this is all about the will of the fans to generate an atmosphere. Clearly cup games with lower attendances are likely to have an effect but that should'nt stop the people who want to create an atmosphere creating one.........sunday was embarressing

 

 

It's not just people on here not liking it...fans all around me in the Williams were being very vocal about it last night.

Plus you could visably see how much it affected the players during warm up.

 

 

 

Just as a thought and not a dig at you personally but if people in the williams were being "vocal" about what the away fans were doing, rather than moan about it, why did they not just expend that energy signing and supporting the team and outsing the away fans?

[Monkeh]

Just as a thought and not a dig at you personally but if people in the williams were being "vocal" about what the away fans were doing, rather than moan about it, why did they not just expend that energy signing and supporting the team and outsing the away fans?

since when has the atyeo been able to create a wall of noise i've been told all these years that its crap and you can't produce an atmosphere in there,

[RedRaw]

RedRaw, on 11 Dec 2014 - 10:36 AM, said:

So where do you suggest we should have placed the away fans during the construction period that would have provided enough capacity, seperate / secure access, seperate toilet and catering facilities etc?

 

spudski, on 11 Dec 2014 - 10:45 AM, said:

It makes me sad to read a sentence like that... in this day and age...anyone would think we were dealing with an ebola outbreak...

 

 

Nogbad the Bad, on 11 Dec 2014 - 12:29 PM, said:

Give the away fans the worst seat in the house, as out of sight and out of mind as possible.

 

 

Yep...stick em in a corner like at Old Trafford.

 

 

 

Youv'e changed your tune

[lou-peters-dive]

As I said, its a matter of seconds in and out the tunnel. For the vast majority of matches, the netting has been further over so the tunnel is within the home fans seating

 

Really dont see where an away team can gain any form of advantage from this situation

 

If it affected the players then those who made the decision to put the away fans there

should ask them what the best alternative is.

[BCFC_Dan]

Given Steve Cotterill's attention to detail and the measure of control he's been allowed over club decisions (choice of hotel, how long to stay over on away trips, new bus etc.) it strikes me as a bit odd that he'd put up with his players suffering stick in the warm-up if it has a detrimental effect. If he can't get the away fans moved he'd surely move the players?

 

The fact that he's not done anything suggests to me that whilst he may agree that it's not ideal, he can't consider it important enough to make a fuss over. I think it's safe to say that if Steve Cotterill considers a detail to be important then he does his utmost to get it fixed.

[spudski]

I find it incredible that RedRaw and Monkeh are ignoring the fact that SC has said it does affect the players.

 

I Would actually prefer no segregation...but because of football rules you have to.

 

If the manager feels it affects the players, then as a Club I would find the best possible way to negate any negative affects on our players.

[RedRaw]

I find it incredible that RedRaw and Monkeh are ignoring the fact that SC has said it does affect the players.

 

I Would actually prefer no segregation...but because of football rules you have to.

 

If the manager feels it affects the players, then as a Club I would find the best possible way to negate any negative affects on our players.

 

Read BCFC-Dan's post above

[Monkeh]

I find it incredible that RedRaw and Monkeh are ignoring the fact that SC has said it does affect the players.

 

I Would actually prefer no segregation...but because of football rules you have to.

 

If the manager feels it affects the players, then as a Club I would find the best possible way to negate any negative affects on our players.

the fact is spud there is simply no where else we can put them,

Put them in the williams you lose some of the prem seating use of the legends bar and players bar,

put them in the dolman and you have turn styles issue

put them the other side of the atyeo and you have flash point situations where people are queueing for the dolman,

 

there is no where else they can go so why people are moaning about it is beyond me

[spudski]

Read BCFC-Dan's post above

So why did he feel it necessary to speak about the situation yesterday, and bring it up, if it wasn't a problem?

 

 

the fact is spud there is simply no where else we can put them,

Put them in the williams you lose some of the prem seating use of the legends bar and players bar,

put them in the dolman and you have turn styles issue

put them the other side of the atyeo and you have flash point situations where people are queueing for the dolman,

 

there is no where else they can go so why people are moaning about it is beyond me

Has the Club actually come out and said that mate? If so...then so be it.

 

But I can't see any difference to the flash points as you put them, so where they are now tbh.

 

Looking at the Williams, I can't see why sections E, F and G can't be used...It wouldn't affect the Prem seating as far as I can see.

[RedRaw]

the fact is spud there is simply no where else we can put them,

Put them in the williams you lose some of the prem seating use of the legends bar and players bar,

put them in the dolman and you have turn styles issue

put them the other side of the atyeo and you have flash point situations where people are queueing for the dolman,

 

there is no where else they can go so why people are moaning about it is beyond me

 

 

Maybe ShedMan can accommodate them?

[Monkeh]

So why did he feel it necessary to speak about the situation yesterday, and bring it up, if it wasn't a problem?

 

 

Has the Club actually come out and said that mate? If so...then so be it.

 

But I can't see any difference to the flash points as you put them, so where they are now tbh.

 

Looking at the Williams, I can't see why sections E, F and G can't be used...It wouldn't affect the Prem seating as far as I can see.

which means no legends bar

[RedRaw]

which means no legends bar

 

and another move next season.......to where? Oh, yea....the Atyeo!

[spudski]

which means no legends bar

Big deal...it's not like you can't get a drink around the ground. It only holds a few people anyway.

[Cowshed]

Big deal...it's not like you can't get a drink around the ground. It only holds a few people anyway.

Moving the away fans into the Williams would have required, increased segregation, partitioning of the stand internally, work on turnstiles, moving City fans including the disabled section, loss of facilities for City fans ...

The point about marginal gains is interesting. Thought should be used to gain any advantage at home.

[Aizoon]

Couldn't agree more with Cotts. here.

Giving the whole Atyeo over to away fans after the rebuild is a very regrettable backward step.

City fans should be behind both goals, and preferably just City fans.

Give the away fans the worst seat in the house, as out of sight and out of mind as possible.

Absolutely right. In the days when I regularly travelled to away games, this is what I expected and usually got.

Just one thing, though. How about a retractable roof section so the away fans get a soaking? It used to test my ardour to be stood on a rain-lashed terrace. Today's fans might not cope so well

[EnclosureSurge]

.... firstly a great win and eventual team performance.

 

In the first 20 mins we hardly touched the ball.

 

Coventry pulled there wide men in and dropped a forward back...so it was like they were playing with 5 midfielders quiet narrow. Our three Elliott, Freeman and Smith worked there socks off to chase the ball, but found it very difficult. We eventually got into the game by stretching them wider by getting the ball to Bryan and Little.

 

Which brings me onto some constructive criticism... imho, Bryan had a fantastic game, getting wide, whipping in some great crosses and also cutting inside and providing some great link up play.

When it came to Little...hmmmmmm...it's becoming all a bit predictable. Can't knock his work rate...and he's an Athlete...but come on fella...you are a footballer...you must have at least some sort of skill to get past your player apart from kick and run? Not even a drop of the shoulder...just kick and chase...so many times he ran into a brick wall because of it.

 

A quick word about Matt Smith...obviously he hasn't played much...and he's a big old lump. I hope his work rate improves and his timing of headers improves too. Without being offensive...he looks to be carrying a bit of surplus... It was so apparent what we had been missing when Agard came on to replace him. Both Agard and Wilbs work there bollox off chasing and closing down...which led to a much improved performance. Our midfield definitely miss it, when a forward doesn't hassle from the front.

 

One thing that has been mentioned before, which I don't think the Club realise, is the negative effect the away section is having on the players. Even during warm up, you could see certain players getting demoralised with the abuse they were getting... Don't know how they can change it though.

 

Funny thing with ticketing...the row just down from me had been sold 3 times over...seeing fans with the same printed tickets playing chase the chair was quiet amusing...not for them though...

 

Good performance though generally.

Good summary, Spud.

 

I spent a large part of the game thinking, re Mark Little, how the exiled robin's post, with views from a Peterboro fan (http://exiledrobin.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Mark%20Little) were absolutely spot on:

 

- athleticism, work rate, pace, power

 

- can deliver a good ball in but this is infreqeunt

 

- can be caught out of position, often you don't notice this till he's made a recovering last-ditch tackle after having gone to sleep

 

- the last person to know what M Little is doing sometimes ... is M Little

 

He does tend to sometimes think he'll just run through a brick wall/two defenders...and then loses the ball and finds himself out of position, but I like to concentrate on the times such as in the first half last night that he skinned their George Elokobi-esque left-back (which brought a foul, a yellow and -  may be wrong - the opening goal?)

 

Not sure Wagstaff can do the up-and-down as effectively as M Little (I'm talking without the ball) and, although I admire and like Waggy's commitment, it shows how much we've moved on that he looked a decent starter last year but, in my eyes, is only a sub at best this.

 

Thought we did everything we needed to last night, Spud. Cov better than when we descended on them in Oct, but they couldn't have been worse.

 

And their boring Top of the league...having a laugh...fire drill...Your support is ******** etc etc was just laaaaame.

 

#"Always stick together!"# Not really lads, not when you've got 1000 at your games last year...

 

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