It 'might have woken a few Up'. Part II

[BobBobSuperBob]

Before anything else , over the moon with tonight's result and particularly the performance

Im inclined to say 'Where the ****k did that come from

We had some strokes of fortune / run of the ball when Frankie parried etc but I felt tonight was absolutely about making your own luck, players doubling up all over the park Fielding through to Tammy generally excellent , vibrant , committed , brilliant finishes by LT ,TA (Fantastic cross by the way - take a bow DC ) and AF I could go on but more importantly......

 

 

As delighted I was with just about everything tonight it raises serious questions about the attitude of at least some of the players in recent months

A week or so back I started a thread when LJ made a comment that dropping into the relegation zone might wake a few of the players up

Have to say I found his comment strange and bizarre as I could not believe that any player needed 'waking up' to the predicament we were firmly in 

 

Tonight , pre match there was an interview with Joe Bryan on RB and guess what he had to say

I was again astonished that he said (And I'm not quoting him verbatim) that dropping into the bottom three had 'woken a few up ' and implied , (can't remember his exact words) that the players had decided to put everything to one side and to sort it out basically

So as astonished as I am , there appears to be some real truth in what LJ said 10 days or so ago

Basically,  there was an admission from JB , that some players were woken up by the fact we were in the bottom 3 , and it appears there must have been some sort of meeting between the players at least (Possibly LJ and the coaches - didn't LJ allude to something similar recently ?)

I went into ground somewhat sceptical as I chewed over what JB had said ...... and then THAT 

It reminded me of the comments I made about Vardy on the Leicester thread

It literally looked like we had indeed 'woken up' , ran harder , quicker , tackled threefold , broke with pace , worked as a team (Even LT was chasing closing down WTF !!!!)

I came home shocked I have to be honest and as much as I want to pat every player on the back for tonight's display I also want to grab a few by the throats and ask what the ***** has been in their heads for the last 5 months !!!

Accepting that something , fractions within the squad ? With LJ ? ??? has raised a whole new set of questions

Continue to Play like that and we won't be relegated - tonight is the first time since Xmas that I actually thought we may pull out of this

It looked like whatever has been thrashed out had the players playing for one another , the cause , and indeed perhaps LJ too 

Ill just be happy that whatever was broke may be fixed or being fixed and I couldn't be happier

For what it's worth I don't think tonight's win had much to do with tactics although Lee got everything right incl substitutions - What I saw was players giving that extra %10 all over the pitch

Thats not a dig at or minimising any role LJ may have played and if the players continue to play with that same attitude we may actually have a better idea of LJs failings or not

I think some of his faults this season are there for all of us to see but I have to say it's quite clear that these players or should I say some of them clearly havnt been doing Lee any favours 

And I say that as one of Lees most earliest and most vocal critics 

I still have serious concerns about him but tonight the players reinforced the argument that the last 5 months are far from Lees fault alone

 

Any thoughts fellow reds. ? ( Particularly JBs interview and then that performance )

 

 

Finally I've just got to say - Tammy Abraham  - Can't like this lad enough , class as a footballer and as a lad - it almost choked me up tonight that we will only case him in a City shirt for another few games 

What a fantastic attitude this kid has - I hope he gets all the rewards he deserves on and off the pitch

 

[Pezo]

Wow that's long.

[cityexile]

Good post.

My own pet theory is LJ has dropped back to a core of our lge 1 side, which certainly had spirit, supported by a few better new ones. Pretty much what Preston have done over a couple of seasons. Might have been a case of to many new toys all at once.

Great result today. Still in the brown stuff, but there is now hope.

[BobBobSuperBob]

Could have kept my post shorter and summed it up in two words

 

Lee Tomlin       !!!

 

• Wtf - chasing , closing down ..........  !!!!!

[BobBobSuperBob]

23 minutes ago, cityexile said:

Good post.

My own pet theory is LJ has dropped back to a core of our lge 1 side, which certainly had spirit, supported by a few better new ones. Pretty much what Preston have done over a couple of seasons. Might have been a case of to many new toys all at once.

Great result today. Still in the brown stuff, but there us now hope.

Play like that for the run in and I'd be amazed if we went down

[Offside]

There was a definite sense of commitment and togetherness in the team tonight - crunching tackles, tracking back, covering, pressing...all things that have been missing far too much this season. The players also seemed to be celebrating at the end as a group.

Just what we need for the games ahead.

[BobBobSuperBob]

3 minutes ago, Offside said:

There was a definite sense of commitment and togetherness in the team tonight - crunching tackles, tracking back, covering, pressing...all things that have been missing far too much this season. The players also seemed to be celebrating at the end as a group.

Just what we need for the games ahead.

Agree - definite noticeable change in all sorts of things as you've said

What struck me was the number of times our player would challenge for a ball backed up by one often two if he lost it , or to pick up second balls 

We must have scooped up about %75 of 'loose ball' / second ball tonight

What a difference that made

[ScottishRed]

My pet theory, for what it's worth, is the players were really not putting everything in as they didn't rate the Head Coach and hoped he would be gone weeks ago.

They have now woken up to the fact that as that was not going to happen and they needed to get their act together otherwise they were going down.

something was very different tonight and long may it continue to see us safe.

 

Lets not pretend however that all is now well, LJ should not be in charge of this club and that does need to be resolved .

[cidered abroad]

Good post Bob....

That performance tells me that we have been right to be so scathing in our comments about the last five months. Let's not get too carried away yet as complacency is a big leveller. I still want an H/C with more stature and experience but tonight has put everyone at BCFC into a better light; Coaches, Players and Crowd. COYREDS and continue this commitment until the end of the season.

[CrazyInWeston]

But surely any good team of players know, that it takes effort to win, and to keep that effort for the full 90 minutes?

Not go "oh we are 2 up at half time, dont worry lads, we can rest easy now." - surely as soon as you concede at that point it should be the "waking up" moment?

I fully understand you can play at your best and be outplayed, but numerous times this season, its been a game of 2 halves like theyre totally different teams. I just feel the "waking up" moment is when you're 3 up and suddenly 2 down (and similar scores what ever.) - Not 5 months later.

[BobBobSuperBob]

4 minutes ago, CrazyInWeston said:

But surely any good team of players know, that it takes effort to win, and to keep that effort for the full 90 minutes?

Not go "oh we are 2 up at half time, dont worry lads, we can rest easy now." - surely as soon as you concede at that point it should be the "waking up" moment?

I fully understand you can play at your best and be outplayed, but numerous times this season, its been a game of 2 halves like theyre totally different teams. I just feel the "waking up" moment is when you're 3 up and suddenly 2 down (and similar scores what ever.) - Not 5 months later.

Quite bizarre but it appears to be the case

[CrazyInWeston]

6 minutes ago, BobBobSuperBob said:

Quite bizarre but it appears to be the case

Apart from Brighton, I'm not convinced. If over the next 7 games (see I'm discounting Brighton here but who knows, its possible like we did tonight) we see more losses than wins, then no, we never woke up and tonights game was a fluke.

[RedM]

7 hours ago, BobBobSuperBob said:

Agree - definite noticeable change in all sorts of things as you've said

What struck me was the number of times our player would challenge for a ball backed up by one often two if he lost it , or to pick up second balls 

We must have scooped up about %75 of 'loose ball' / second ball tonight

What a difference that made

That was a huge and noticeable difference. The ball seemed to drop for us tonight because we made it happen and and not just stood around waiting for it to land at our feet. If we lost it two players went to get it back, they covered for eacother, had each others backs.

I remember playing a high flying Swansea team quite a few years ago the same way. We didn't give them an inch and it unsettled them, they just couldn't get into their game. I don't know how much Huddersfield were affected by the injury to their player, or the fact they could have gone within a point of Brighton (I think) for a win, or maybe they thought they could just turn up fir the points as others have proved, but they looked a much poorer side than I expected. I actually predicted a 4-0 score line just before the match, but not in our favour!

So we can turn it on against a promotion hopeful infront of the cameras, a few players now go on international duty too, why do these breaks often come just as we find a bit of form. So let's see if we can continue this as on tonight's performance we need to find a few more like this, but there's no reason not to now the players have unbelievedly 'woken up'

Edit: And let's not kid ourselves, a few clubs will have taken notice of some of our players tonight, and sitting where we are they might be easy pickings. 

[Strawberry2157.]

7 hours ago, ScottishRed said:

My pet theory, for what it's worth, is the players were really not putting everything in as they didn't rate the Head Coach and hoped he would be gone weeks ago.

They have now woken up to the fact that as that was not going to happen and they needed to get their act together otherwise they were going down.

something was very different tonight and long may it continue to see us safe.

 

Lets not pretend however that all is now well, LJ should not be in charge of this club and that does need to be resolved .

Totally agree with this as it's how I went to the game.  Getting behind the players who gave us something to cheer about . Blocking out the touchline, hoping that if he's ignored for long enough he'll go away. 

[Geordie in Oz]

Hello Bristol City fans. Excuse me for intruding in your private space (temporarily). I'm an exiled Geordie in Sydney Australia, lifelong Newcastle United supporter, just wanted to offer congratulations to you and your team for your magnificent hammering of Huddersfield Friday night. What a sensational result. The entire Geordie Nation expresses its gratitude - you have done us a power of good! Most Geordies would have been delighted with a draw, with Huddersfield dropping 2 points. Four-nil was beyond our wildest hopes.

Many thanks again, and we wish you well in your current battle against the dreaded drop.

Best wishes

Steve C, alias Geordie in Oz

 

[Engvall's Splinter]

I'd say LJ may of finally woken up. Some consistency in the back four. Players of Championship quality in the 11 (O'Neil & Tomlin) again, balance on both flanks and sticking with the formation for the duration of the game rather than the constant tinkering. We've returned to basics something many have been screaming for for months! 

Last night was great but I still expect LJ to go back to Championship Manager mode in our next fixture. 

Fingers crossed I'm proved wrong. (and then I'll have to apologise on that wally "say sorry to Johnson thread"). 

[RedM]

13 minutes ago, Geordie in Oz said:

Hello Bristol City fans. Excuse me for intruding in your private space (temporarily). I'm an exiled Geordie in Sydney Australia, lifelong Newcastle United supporter, just wanted to offer congratulations to you and your team for your magnificent hammering of Huddersfield Friday night. What a sensational result. The entire Geordie Nation expresses its gratitude - you have done us a power of good! Most Geordies would have been delighted with a draw, with Huddersfield dropping 2 points. Four-nil was beyond our wildest hopes.

Many thanks again, and we wish you well in your current battle against the dreaded drop.

Best wishes

Steve C, alias Geordie in Oz

 

No problem, happy to help. I had such a great time in Newcastle recently and am greatful for the point it seemed only right we should help you out. I'm not aware of your remaining fixtures but now that we have this 'understanding' between    teams if they are against our rivals please remember this and assist us!

PS, as far as being exiled, Sydney can't be bad I would imagine!

[redsquirrel]

great win but

1.the cameras were there for any 'want aways' to perform

2;even if it was the players,LJ is the manager and it is his job to sort out any problems,not let them run for 5 months hoping they will iron themselves out.

 sorry mr johnson,5 months of tripe firmly cemented no hope of apology from me at least until you break our consecutive win record

 

[DT The Optimist]

I have been consistent in my posts and few weeks backs with a 'fake news ' post and also stated with the strength of the squad and options available I would be surprised if we ended up bottom 3. 

That said no matter what outcome is I hope we have a proper open and honest assessment of the season from the club , to account for why we ended up in the mire and how and why we were so poor, for so long.   Certainly the rub of the green evens itself out over 46 games but the Burton home game for example should have been 3 points in the bag,  The number of games we lost points from winning positions. (Cardiff Reading Derby). The right back slot.  Has KS solved that one.  The left back slot. Our style of play. And so on. Just have consistency.

8 points from our last 8 games would keep us up. The last 3 years 46 points would keep you up, might be different this year. It will be an interesting watch again this summer as his third transfer window happens.

[Geordie in Oz]

Thanks, RedM. Well for a start, Newcastle have to play Birmingham Saturday afternoon, they're not all that far above you. Then Wigan on April Fools Day. Then Burton a few days later. Those are our next three matches! So if we can nail a few points in those three, it should help Bristol City somewhat. Later on, we still have to play Ipswich. Rafa and the boys are with you, I'm sure, after that tremendous scoreline v Huddersfield.

You're right about Sydney. Great place to live. Loved it at first sight.

Will be watching the Championship table. If the three points your lot got last night turn out to be the three points that give us automatic promotion and save you from the drop, I'll probably fly over and start buying beers for Bristol City fans in randomly selected pubs.

Best wishes again,

Steve C, alias Geordie in Oz