Simply sensational. A Match Report.

[Wanderingred]

My god... my wifi went down just before I was about to stream the game... I thought it was a mystical force trying to spare me a night of torment. Then it came back just after full time and I checked to see we'd won 4-0. Somebody up there is laughing at me!!

[Esmond Million's Bung]

3 hours ago, Olé said:

 

I don't normally post after home games as most of you will have seen it, more so when Sky broadcast the game to the unfortunate viewing public, but if ever a season contrived to throw up a performance that deserved some comment, it was that. Simply sensational. Don't worry that the fourth goal wasn't a penalty or that Huddersfield were shaken by a horrific injury to one of their players, or indeed that the wind and rain swirled unpredictably around Ashton Gate in search of victims that might think they can play football. 

What mattered is that for the first time in nearly six months (and I have no idea where this performance came from other than backs to the wall grit and sheer bloody mindedness) we played ninety minutes where everyone knew their role with or without the ball, everyone BELIEVED in themselves, and everyone said - bar a 20 minute first half spell of glue-like one touch passing from Huddersfield - we are not going to break, we are going to present them with a solid wall of defenders and we are going to (faint now) break with pace.

 

I won't dignify told-you-so type posts by Johnson supporters with a direct reply as frankly it is childish to suggest there is precedent or evidence that a performance like that was coming or that this was some kind of reward for patience. This was an end of days, all or nothing display of guts and self belief that owed a lot to long forgotten features of City's football - saying City's football in of itself a revelation as we took the game to Huddersfield rather than the usual respect of adapting around them. Features of City's football like:

 

- Tomlin genuinely playing off Tammy Abraham in as close as we will get this season to a conventional 4-4-2. Not having to sit so deep and do so much to unlock the opposition, actually being on a defenders shoulder knowing the right pass or turn will present openings for Tammy. As per usual, he didn't always pick that pass, but given the ball right in front of the backline, he had space and time to cause panic and allow other City players to push up and create attacking options - uncharted territory for us this season

- Not passing backwards. When we got the ball, it was like the team had been told to be brave and be bright. After months of midfielders getting the ball and the ground sighing as the player stopped, panicked, and passed backwards, it was like they were on instructions to only go forward. We had the remarkable sight of midfielders battling to make room to find a forward run or pass, actually becoming more of a catalyst for an attack rather than a piece of furniture good for only ushering the ball back or sideways

- Full backs who got tight to their opposite numbers and didn't give them a second to pick crosses or bring others into play, full backs who made it their business to make the flanks their land and fought for and used the ball brightly (winning and then charging forward) in a manner that has been utterly non existent this season 

- Defenders buzzing around like hawks who knew when to go to the player and stop them - none of this standing off and off ball watching (okay, perhaps a little, particularly as Huddersfield's attacking passing was very good) but actually sending a player to the ball to intercept it when they got anywhere near the box and before they could shoot 

- Breaking with pace, trying to routinely get them on the back foot, get the ball threaded through to Tomlin or Tammy, who created the time and space for one another to cause problems and bought us not before seen time to sustain proper serious attacking football.

 

Football is a beautiful game when City actually play THEIR football and take control of a game so convincingly. Win all the individual battles and impress OUR football on the game, not spend 90 minutes trying to contain and admire theirs. ****ing brilliant!

 

If anything, what Huddersfield did to make that game, was play so open and attacking - routinely 3 forward players over the halfway line and another 4 pushing up in midfield. They moved quickly with the ball and tried to press us at times further up the pitch. The difference for once was we were solid at the back and first to every ball around the box before they could cross, particularly Korey - now embarrassing every other right back at the club - and Bryan - who pulled a 10 out of nowhere after months of below average.

 

This was the first game where we looked like we had Championship full backs that hunted down opponents with support from the midfield, and then bombed forward with confidence, pace and power, backing themselves to retain the ball and shift the football upfield, rather than the traditional hoof upfield from Flint. Flint, by the way, was making busy leaping for and tackling anything that came near him. That was one thing that hasn't changed, but when the other players all work with him, he looks a class act.

 

The first came from a fantastic bit of advantage from the referee but typical of the problems our two forwards were causing running off the defenders and making themselves available. Abraham was regularly bundled over, but on this occasion Tomlin didn't wait for the whistle and just scooped up the ball and (as so often before he tired) ran on goal, this time with the easy chance to score.

 

If the first was a fortuitous break in the game - but in my opinion earned just by the manner in which our front two were drifting and working the defence as opposed to the recent best of knocking it up to Wilbraham while everyone else in red was static -  then the second goal was pure class. We got the ball to Cotterill on the right who raced forward and played an early, fizzing low cross into the box (again, something we just haven't been doing). Begging our forwards to win it. Putting the Huddersfield defenders into problems. 

 

Tammy got his split second timing right to get goal side of his marker as it arrived and bury it first time in the bottom corner. Simply sensational, a Premiership finish for a goal of speed and strength that oozed class and was a testament to pace and movement we haven't seen from a City team since, well, September? And right on the stroke of a 59th minute half time, exactly what Lee Johnson needed to setup a rallying half time team talk. We've thrown away two goal leads several times, but not being this bright.

 

And so it was, we came out after half time like a team possessed. A slick move saw O'Dowda denied a near certain goal with a header at close range. Huddersfield had been open from the start but more so in the second half and this played to City's forgotten strengths. Without two banks of four to break down, and with Korey and Joe Bryan getting tight to and closing down attacks and then powering forward with the ball, we got situations where we had options and could release Tammy, Tomlin or O'Dowda at will.

 

Flint and Wright, beasts the pair of them, were first to everything that came near them, Pack and O'Neil were streetwise to everything in midfield, and we weathered Huddersfield attempts to get into the game. If anything it was like seeing the City team of the past six months - run out of ideas and reduced to pot shots from 25 yards. So the third wasn't a surprise. From a corner we had their defenders in full on panic mode, O'Neil knocked the second ball back into the box and Flint applied the backheel. Delerium. Limbs everywhere.

 

Before the end we had a fourth, Joe Bryan, a player possessed by god knows what - a throwback performance to our promotion season - raced forward with a never say die attitude that was so typical of him last night and so atypical of him this season. Inside the box with a defender closing he rode the challenge and launched himself to the floor. By a stroke of luck, the referee, who had allowed the Huddersfield number 10 to dive all game, got into the party spirit and awarded the penalty. Cotterill nearly took the roof off the net off. Pandemonium!

 

A well oiled Ashton Gate crowd, long since boisterous and noisy, had their Friday night made. If ever a group of fans deserved a night like this it was City. We've been well and truly through the mill home and away with awful football and ever worse results with no sight of the kind of football that dominates games and opposition. This wasn't just respite, this was a performance that was earned and hopefully season defining. We have 8 more games to play with the same guts, determination and self believe, and we'll be fine.

 

Well done Lee Johnson - I didn't think you had it in you, I still don't, but I take my hat off to you for whatever you said to the players before that one. Keep it simple, play to your strengths, believe in yourselves, play you game, don't worry about what Huddersfield want to do. Whatever it was, it was unlike anything I've seen since Fulham away (better, arguably) and more than enough evidence that if you play a settled team with 2 up top, hard working full backs, and back yourself going forward... you're far too good to go down.

 

Fielding 7 Wasn't overworked thanks to the stellar defending but had a few things to do including a save at his near post at 2-0 and did it well. Looks so much less fragile and prone to error that Giefer

Korey Smith 10 CHAMPIONSHIP FULL BACK SIGHTING ... picked up where he left off at Wigan. Barring when he was rusty post injury, this has been going on for years, I love this guy, it's like he steps onto the pitch wanting to be one of the best players on the pitch and puts the work in required to do so. No one gets the better of him. Just a class act.

Joe Bryan 10 CHAMPIONSHIP FULL BACK SIGHTING PART 2.... or even just a JOE BRYAN SIGHTING.... Wow, just wow, no idea where that came from, best performance of the season by a country mile, it was like he had woken up to all the criticism this season, OR had seen how Korey performed at Wigan and decided, I want a piece of this. Just brilliant.

Flint 9 As per, an absolute warrior, wins everything, battles for everything, will be kicking anything that comes near him in his sleep this weekend.

Wright 8 Really getting an understanding with Flint, they hold their shape and know who should go to the ball. Streetwise and solid.

O'Neil 7 Sounds odd to say, but easily our poorest play on a night when no one really was. A couple of brilliant runs in midfield offset by some careless or even chaotic passing or lazy flicks at other times. Certainly the weakest link but a big part of the momentum when we built forward.

Pack 8 Wasn't passing backwards today, backed himself and got his foot on the ball and looked to go forward. Vintage Pack. Also towards the end streetwise enough to take the foul and break the game up. Huddersfield's open play gave him the time and space, and he kindly obliged.

Cotterill 8 As he has been since he returned, pace and determination, leads by example, and importantly gets his head up and sees what is happening and who to get the ball to, unlucky with two dangerous breaks in the second half that we didn't thread the ball to him as he was clear, but consistently a willing runner, and as emphatic a penalty as you will see!

O'Dowda 9 Has been great for weeks now, am always surprised when he is dropped, shaping up to be a class act who starts with the most important attribute: work - knows where to get back and be when we haven't got the ball, and when we have got the ball is deceptively strong and confident on the ball getting forward, is going to be a real asset 

Tomlin 9 Absolutely knackered after an hour, but what an hour it was. Playing off Tammy up front he caused all sorts of problems, when you get him into space with just defenders to beat, as opposed to working deep out of midfield having to create miracles, he is a different player, full of smart touches and the self belief to take players on. Doesn't always get it right, but a dream for a poacher like Tammy to play around, creates the panic which others can then thrive on, gives defenders too much to think about.

Abraham 9 Grew up a little today, class act who beats players for fun with his first touch, but today we saw a more streetwise performance too, buying fouls in the second half (to be fair he was getting kicked about something rotten) but just love his movement and hustle, always looking to spring the defence and his goal was pure instinct and pace. They had a torrid time marking him.

 

All errors and omissions excepted, as I have been celebrating for most of the night 

Agree with all of that, we know distribution will never Fielding's, Flint's or Wright's forte but when afforded proper midfield protection they showed how good they can be for their 'day job' of defending, Smith just looks up for the fight to me and playing him at right might be a season saver if he stays fit, I would also say after a few early dodgy moments where Bryan never got close to his opponent a light seemed to switch on and he just got better and better as the game progressed.

Pack and ONeil were efficient and tackled well and protected the defence and in general committed fouls in the right areas for once, just guilty of the odd sloppy short pass that put us under unnecessary pressure, next year we need more mobility in midfield between Tomlin, Pack and Neil there is absolutely no pace whatsoever and that is always a worry.

Cotterill and Tomlin were a constant threat and Tammy is just a class act and boy how will we replace him?.

ODowda well what can I say, full of energy and another constant threat, maybe should have scored with the header and should have played in an unmarked Cotterill late on instead of Tomlin, but hopefully those things will come.

Encouraging but will count for nothing if we revert back to our bad old ways of midfield surrender, midfield and full backs are the key to staying up and both need serious strengthening in the summer along with a striker.

[Toffee dog]

Fantastic report Ole, Iam a happy City fan at the moment! A lot of good performances by the players last night, just a thought I wonder if JM had an influence on JB performance last night?

[Ska Junkie]

Great report Ole.

My question is, will LJ, rightfully, keep this side together for Brentford or will he tinker again? Injuries permitting obviously. Just go with the same team / performance and we will be happy. 

My other concern is the recruitment. Just 3 of last nights side are from the many permanent recruits signed since last May. I find that concerning TBH. Not a stick to beat anyone with but a concern none the less.

[Port Said Red]

17 minutes ago, Toffee dog said:

Fantastic report Ole, Iam a happy City fan at the moment! A lot of good performances by the players last night, just a thought I wonder if JM had an influence on JB performance last night?

Maybe, I think with most positions that there are subtle points about the position you take, and reading of the game, having someone who played that position for his whole career as the coach could benefit him greatly.

[Port Said Red]

5 minutes ago, 8menhadadream said:

Great report Ole.

My question is, will LJ, rightfully, keep this side together for Brentford or will he tinker again? Injuries permitting obviously. Just go with the same team / performance and we will be happy. 

My other concern is the recruitment. Just 3 of last nights side are from the many permanent recruits signed since last May. I find that concerning TBH. Not a stick to beat anyone with but a concern none the less.

Bailey Wright
Gary O'Neil
Callum O'Dowda
Lee Tomlin
Tammy Abraham (on loan admittedly but a player that LJ put a huge amount of time and effort to get to the club)

+
5 of the 7 on the bench.  

I think you are under selling the recruitment there.

[Davefevs]

@Olé nice write up.

I wasn't there last night (Joe at routine hospital appointment so too knackered to go), but watched it on sky with him.  I guess you see different things on the telly to at the ground and also what part of the ground you watch from.

It was a good performance, I liked that we did the dirty, grafting stuff well last night.  At times it was us breaking up the play with petty fouls to break their rhythm.  At times it was us just helping the ball forward when taking that extra touch would've caused us to be closed down and options gone.  I liked that.

In terms of players:

Fielding 7 - assured, good positioning, strong hands when needed (Wells shot), and solid kicking on a horrid night of weather

Smith 8 - up against their real danger man, got better as the night went on.  Got tight when needed,  importantly a 'footballing' option to receive the ball at right back.  I posted somewhere else that having played in MC he knows where to move the ball with his first touch.  He rarely has his angles cut out, he knows he can wait to move the ball, he's unhurried.  Played some lovely floor passes into Tom and Tam.  Just a good footballer isn't he, infectious!

Bryan 9 - defensively assured, and helped by COD, and measured on the ball.  Not barnstorming, but thoughtful when to burst forward, one for the penalty and before that for the cross for the melee that resulted in Flint's goal.

Flint 8 - solid, tight, more physical than of late.  Hate seeing him bullied, it should never happen.  Last night he looked confident in the unit around him, allowing him to concentrate on doing the things he's good at.  The goal was just a bonus, and at a crucial time.

Wright 7 - much like Flint but covers well, gets tight and strong enough to get nibbles in.

Pack 7 - quiet in a good way.  We didn't need him to be a quarter-back last night, we needed him to keep in simple when we had it and the screen when we didn't.  The pass (first time) inside the full back for `Bryan and our third was immaculate.  His performance reminded me of his against Leeds.

O'Neil 10 - seems he was better on to than live (!!!), but I thought he was immense.  Did so much off the ball, but infectious energy and desire to get to balls on the deck and in the air, and thoughtful balls into the front two too.  This was a performance like in August and September.  Thought he has been pivotal recently in our ability to keep the ball moving. I do buy the view that he struggles to get back at his man if beaten.

Cotterill 8 - back in a traditional wide Right role.  Great energy, good technical stuff on the ball and a super cross for Tammy.  Confident pen.  Clever loan signing.  Did he find Flint with every set piece?  It looked that way.

O'Dowda 8 - great partnership and hard work with JB, which gave JB great support.  So confident to receive the ball up against his man.  Manoeuvres it well to create that half a yard.  The chance against bar (great save Ward) would've been the icing on the cake.  My one criticism is that he gives away too many cheap fouls.  Needs to be move clever / sly in this area.  Really coming on now....regular games will help.  Are you reading Lee?

Tomlin 7 or 8 okay 8 - much more like it.  Still not fit nor 100% on it, but put in a decent shift, coupled with some lovely touches.  At times a bit greedy and chooses wrong option, but more like the loan version of last season.  We'll taken goal, and linked well with Tammy.

Tammy 9 - very, very good.  Top goal, peel off the back of your marker and then nip in front.  Text book, but the finish was not easy, yet went in at pace.  Once again, prepared to take the hits from big, ugly DCs.  The ball stuck so much better, but that was because he had willing runners, and good, pacy passes into him.

Subs.  Hard work done before 81 minutes!

 

[samo II]

13 minutes ago, Port Said Red said:

Bailey Wright
Gary O'Neil
Callum O'Dowda
Lee Tomlin
Tammy Abraham (on loan admittedly but a player that LJ put a huge amount of time and effort to get to the club)

+
5 of the 7 on the bench.  

I think you are under selling the recruitment there.

I'd personally exclude Tomlin, as his time here started prior to LJ, but I do agree with you to an extent.

We did have a thin squad before, so it is understandable we may have needed a bit of 'bulking out' numbers-wise, but I do hold issue with the fact that it isn't as it the bench players you mention are like-for-like in key positions - most are central or attacking midfielders; we have little strong full back cover, for example.

But ultimately; we need to stay up at all costs right now - the squad can get sorted in the summer.  All I will say is we'll need an excellent right back to allow Korey back into the midfield, a striker to replace Tammy (unless Taylor and/or Engvall step up), and probably a right winger of similar stature to Cotterill on a permanent basis, if not the man himself.

[Port Said Red]

2 minutes ago, samo II said:

I'd personally exclude Tomlin, as his time here started prior to LJ, but I do agree with you to an extent.

We did have a thin squad before, so it is understandable we may have needed a bit of 'bulking out' numbers-wise, but I do hold issue with the fact that it isn't as it the bench players you mention are like-for-like in key positions - most are central or attacking midfielders; we have little strong full back cover, for example.

But ultimately; we need to stay up at all costs right now - the squad can get sorted in the summer.  All I will say is we'll need an excellent right back to allow Korey back into the midfield, a striker to replace Tammy (unless Taylor and/or Engvall step up), and probably a right winger of similar stature to Cotterill on a permanent basis, if not the man himself.

Yep can't argue with that assessment, I would like to bet that the failure to get a right back (wasn't their some Danish guy sat in the stands during January who went to  aclub in the CL?) was as frustrating to LJ as it was to the fans, hopefully Korey will stay fit and maintain his form until we can go back into the market in the summer.

[Leveller]

One more vote for O'Neil - he seemed to be all over the place. OK it was mostly scrappy, battling, niggly stuff, but that's what made the team performance.

[MarkRed!]

To be honest I did not see the performance coming. I thought LJ was a dead man walking. However, I am glad to see him turn it around. He is a lucky lucky boy though - there cannot be any manager in English Football who would have survived such a run. Thus, perhaps for now credit to the board for holding firm in the face of growing rebellion. Including from myself. I hope that my views on LJ will be proved wrong as I cant believe anyone wants him to fail.

Whilst we are still in trouble, there is room for optimism. What I cannot understand is how a group of players can be so abject and then all of a sudden turn it on. We made Huddersfield look poor and there cannot be many teams who will say that this season. Credit to LJ for the team he put out and his tactics. Long overdue and I think that we have now found our best starting 11. The contrast with the Fulham game, which is when my confidence in LJ was shot, was unbelievable - pressing, good tempo, well organised, dangerous going forward....where has this all been.

I felt we would be lucky to get 3 points from the 4 games played. We have obtained 8 points out of 12, and have conceded in only 1 out of the four, when before it was only a matter of time when you felt a team would score against us.

Onwards and upwards. I would also say that the use of Korey Smith as a right back was inspired and he looked superb in that role. For me, he was the man of the match yesterday, they got nothing down his flank. Perhaps there was more to the sacking of Pemberton than meets the eye.....

COYR!

[Ska Junkie]

49 minutes ago, Port Said Red said:

Bailey Wright
Gary O'Neil
Callum O'Dowda
Lee Tomlin
Tammy Abraham (on loan admittedly but a player that LJ put a huge amount of time and effort to get to the club)

+
5 of the 7 on the bench.  

I think you are under selling the recruitment there.

I did miss LT out of the permanent deals tbh PSR,. As he was here last season, I forget that he signed in the summer. Thank you for correcting me. Just a concern and as I said, not a stick to beat anyone with.

[havanatopia]

Thanks for taking the time to write an in depth report Olé.

[Port Said Red]

59 minutes ago, 8menhadadream said:

I did miss LT out of the permanent deals tbh PSR,. As he was here last season, I forget that he signed in the summer. Thank you for correcting me. Just a concern and as I said, not a stick to beat anyone with.

It's OK, I actually think of all the signings that LT was the least likely to be an LJ choice and one that was possibly made as a marquee signing to excite the crowds more than anything. I think it was brave of LJ to say yes to bringing him here as he will have already had a taste of how frustrating he can be.

[GoodridgeandGoater]

What a great read, olé.

Could Korey become our James Milner and convert to a film-time fullback? Agree certainly well ahead of anyone we have on that showing. 

Agree that this felt like a big night for Tammy. His development playing for us was really visible. Remember that QPR away game when he got done on the half way line - we were exposed as Bryan bombed on - and we lost the decisive goal. No sign of that vulnerability holding the ball up last night. 

Ashton Gate crowd also delivered. Great atmosphere and felt like the arena we know and love. 

[Olé]

Having now watched the game back (which was an infinitely more enjoyable two hours than the prior three hours driving home) and read the other posts, I'd like to offer my sincere apologies to Gary O'Neil.

All of you who pointed it out are spot on, my bad. I was distracted by several loose passes he made in dangerous areas, but you're absolutely right he had a role in 3 of our goals and battled the entire time, the tenacity of the whole team was a surprise but he in particular just kept working. I've really underrated him.

The first goal is an absolutely brilliant piece of team work from Cotterill, Korey and O'Neil all closing down and hounding the Huddersfield player on the wing, with O'Neil eventually winning it and releasing Tomlin. Whoever said "hunting in packs" was quite right. And talk about turning defence into attack. 

Please god they reproduce this level of energy and self-belief for the rest of the season.

[chipdawg]

The key to the performance was in the flanks. Bryan and especially Smith were stepping up and playing as midfielders- winning balls and using the ball sensibly, higher up the pitch. They were both helped ably by Cotterill and COD tracking back and giving them options. Huddersfield we're almost constantly on the back foot. Tactically and in terms of individual performances it was magnificent and it has to be assumed that Johnson instructed them to play there. But if that is the case, why hasn't he been asking his full backs to play like that all bloomin' year?! 

[Sleepy1968]

12 minutes ago, chipdawg said:

The key to the performance was in the flanks. Bryan and especially Smith were stepping up and playing as midfielders- winning balls and using the ball sensibly, higher up the pitch.

I was amazed - Smith was maurading into the Huddersfield half hunting the player with the ball. I don't remember seeing am orthodox full back attacking the ball that far forward before. Just brilliant.

[reddogkev]

If you've got a bit of time on your hands, read Ole's review again. Makes your mouth water! 

Can't wait to see if City can play this way again and garner such high praise against Brentford.

I know I've said it before, but damn these Int. Breaks take far too long!

[RUSSEL85]

Brilliant, well written piece.