Match Report: Carrying too many players over the finish line

[Olé]

If this is the match where City's season ultimately fizzles out, it didn't really fit the bill for the requisite howling derision, being caught in the uncontroversial no mans land of being someway better than recent away non-performances and competitive to the end, yet still largely typical of the second half of this season in its anonymity and lack of end product.

Boro were the better side for long periods but City were never disgraced and you always felt this was the sort of stuttering stop-start game that could easily have provided a smash and grab point or even unlikely win - highlighted by our surprise early opener and then more so Bobby Reid's blazing miss on 90 minutes from City's best move of the match. 

What the match reflected most is quite how many players we are carrying in all areas of the pitch - Flint, Pack and Reid let down by significantly worse contributions from each of their respective positional colleagues. Indeed if there is any derision to be directed from today, it should be at the clubs recruitment policy, leaving us today with the same team that started the season and zero January reinforcement.

The game started scrappily with neither side stringing a convincing move together until a quick reverse from Kelly released Bobby Reid down the left, and his cross drifted over Boro's static defence without an attempt from them to win the first ball. Pack saw his chance and pushed up to the edge of the box to nod the ball back over the back four, Djuric getting clear in behind and taking a seeming age to bring the ball down and hook it past the keeper.

A fortuitous City lead from a non-descript opening and for a moment City's pride seemed to swell with a chance to defend a lead. It didn't last long. Boro were fast to get the ball out to the wings where in our attacking formation we had little cover, and very quickly our two full backs were under all out - and continuous - assault. 

Traore was racing past Kelly at a rate of knots (and would continue to do until we adjusted the team) and worse, their left back, George Friend, was overlapping Downing and muscling past Bryan at will, as he would do to spring his way into the box and win the corner from which he'd score. The set piece would only be lifted to 7 yards from the near post, but Baker crumpled to the floor and Diedhiou stood motionless rather than compete, so the decisive header came from Friend.

It was mostly one way traffic after that, punctuated by a horrific injury to Patrick Bamford, who swung a boot at a ball out on the flank to the right of City's box. Flint put his head in bravely to win the same ball, then reacted with shock as Bamford appeared to slip backwards to avoid the connection, only to fall awkwardly on his neck. Flint, the consumate professional, was first to urgently wave medical help on, and for a second it looked like the guy had swallowed his tongue, and he left the field 11 minutes later in a neck brace. Of all the players they could bring on, Assombalonga back from injury was an added problem for us.

Play resumed with a continuation of Boro dominance moving the ball quickly to both wings, Kelly increasingly outpaced by the impressive Traore and Friend still looking solid on the left. On 45min (albeit with 11 added on) the home team would create a succession of chances in the box, a series of desperate and increasingly implausible diving blocks from City defenders keeping the score despite the Boro goal appearing imminent.

But as a feature of the game, at the other end City had the chances against the run of play, to remain competitive. Most fell to the patchy Diedhiou, the first worked from Smith on the right, Fam running across the edge of the box before unleashing a wild shot that spun high and wide. His second would sandwich a couple of Bobby Reid half chances, Fam getting some space from left right before half time, and looping an early 20 yard shot directly into the grateful keepers hands.

At half time City very obviously needed to adjust to stem the flow of rapid attack on either wing. Retaining the formation from Tuesday was cavalier in the attacking bias it'd given us, but we were not getting twice the value from having 2 big men up front, while leaving our full backs badly exposed. And so it was goalscorer Djuric was sacrificed to add Pisano at right back and allow Bryan to switch flanks and offer badly needed cover in front of Kelly versus the irrepressible Traore.

From then on City lost all attacking shape and it really became a more one sided but predictable battle between the fast paced Boro breaks and our more organised lines of defence - a stalemate the most obvious outcome as both teams got blocks in on shots (Brownhill the closest for us after great work from Bryan to steal possession and feed Korey) while their forwards repeatedly blazed high and wide to make little of their dominance.

That was until another corner from the left was met with the same poor set piece defending by our defenders and Boro went in front on the hour. This time the ball was to the back post and it looked like it was Baker at fault again, now yards off his man, who headed back across the face of goal, leaving little to stop the ball being turned home on the line, Smith with no real intervention on the line.

City threw on O'Dowda and Taylor, with Famara our withdrawal in attack, but it just made our lack of presence to build a foothold up front even more stark (memo to Johnson, as much as Diedhiou can drift in and out of games, we do need someone we can aim at). O'Dowda at least gave us more willing defensive legs on the flank Traore was abusing us on, so at least we were starting to mass numbers behind the runs and turn Boro's wing threat inside.

That could have been it, but it really was not the meltdown the implications of the result would suggest. Although we were second best for the remainder of the game, we again had our chances to steal a point. O'Dowda flashed a curling cross that Reid nearly met at the far post, and Taylor did really well to hound their right back from a rare foray forward, closing him down and forcing him to surrender the ball to Bryan, who squared to Pack with players making runs out of midfield, only for his pass to be intercepted, with City having more players forward than at any time in the half. 

Minutes later we'd get the ball dropped into to Brownhill to the right of goal, but his inside pass was behind Taylor in the box when a ball into his path would have invited the finish, Taylor needing an extra touch and seeing his attempt at a shot then blocked - and he let Brownhill know how unhappy he was with the pass. Amazingly for a half that we were by far the more anonymous in, that was not it, and we would create our chance of the game at the death. 

Pack, our stand out player, collected a clearance in central midfield and looked up (one of our few players who actually does) and slipped a fizzing low ball round their full back and into O'Dowda's path on the left wing. Callum raced to edge of the box before whipping a deliciously curling cross over the crowded box, where Flint - already pushed up to compensate prior removal of big forwards - rose highest to nod down the pin point cross into Reid's path just outside the six yard box. It was a carbon copy of our second on Tuesday and the script was written - in front of the away enclosure - but Bobby snatched at the shot leaning back, and blazed our best chance of the game over the bar.

That was it. In the end a game we were very clearly second best in, but one with more than enough suspense to suggest a City smash and grab point was possible against profligate Boro. A lot better than Burton and Barnsley. A lot worse than the first half of the season. It's been a topsy turvy season for performances and today leaves an oddly calm feeling, being as it was at least a minor improvement on the recent poor form, and certainly not the sort of meltdown to befit what could be the tame end to a promising season.

My hot take on it all - we have overrated our players something chronic. We talk about busy and fast but Traore and Friend show what that really looks like to a high standard. We're relatively slow for a team moulded to be "busy". In reality I think we have a lot of promising footballers that have a long way to go to be considered winners. Most obviously Baker, a big money signing who looks good as a unit behind the ball when things are going well, but looks like he is going through the motions at the business end of the season when opponents want it much more than him.

I'll leave the final word to the body language of players like Flint, and today Pack, who left literally everything on the pitch, while others around them let them down by being so much off their games - and their frustrated reaction at the effort of their colleagues showed. It is proof that true winners are in far shorter supply than we'd like to believe. Whether it is Baker, or Korey - a hero in so many ways at the club but at the moment hesitant and caught in possession time and again - or Diedhiou - who swings wildly from quick thinking to clumsy - we are sadly carrying too many players and it is a miracle that Reid and co kept us in it - and on a knife-edge today.

Shame on those who had the chance to compliment our winners in January via the transfer market and added utterly nothing to a young and mentally exhausted squad. They are your talking point tonight, not the players who took part at the Riverside.

 

Fielding 6

Kelly 5

Bryan 5

Flint 7

Baker 4

Pack 8

Smith 5

Brownhill 6

Reid 6

Diedhiou 5

Djuric 5

 

Pisano 5

O'Dowda 6

Taylor 5

[Bristol Rob]

Epic as usual Rob.

Thank you.

[CotswoldRed]

City were never disgraced? 

I thought they were utterly abject and devoid of talent, other than Kelly. 

As the old adage goes "good job there isn't a war on". Passion? No risk. 

If they are a talented group of players then they did a bloody excellent job of disguising it. 

No danger of any footballing brains being exposed today. 

Pub football at best most of the match. 

Utter dross. If you can't show talent, do the basics right. 

[Super]

Agree with most ratings apart from reid bryan and smith all one too high. Smith and bryan were awful today. Good write up as usual.

[Shtanley]

Smith genuinely useless once he got into Boros half. So important when defending/playing in our own half but useless going forward. Ruined more attacks than anyone else. 

[Dynamite Red]

We might as well drop Smith and Bryan and give others a game. Put Brownhill in the center and start Elliason and O'Dowda.

[BCFCinNW6]

Great write up except it is impossible to swallow one’s tongue. It’s a myth. 

[Wolf Island]

Eliasson Bakinson Edwards in for the next games let’s at least get something positive out of this season. 

[And Its Smith]

5 minutes ago, Ser Davos Ciderworth said:

Eliasson Bakinson Edwards in for the next games let’s at least get something positive out of this season. 

Yeah there are none so far are there. 

I hate finishing in the highest league position for a decade and beating the biggest team in the country.  

[Wolf Island]

4 minutes ago, RedDave said:

Yeah there are none so far are there. 

I hate finishing in the highest league position for a decade and beating the biggest team in the country.  

I hate finishing 11th when we’ve been 2nd. 

I hate wasting time and money on poor loans whilst our own players kick their heels on the bench. 

I hate watching our back 5 punt balls up to the strikers or out of play. 

I hate watching our best player run down his contract cos his talent doesn’t match our ambition and we’re too tight to pay him what he’s worth. 

I enjoyed the cup run but it is scant consolation. 

[BobBobSuperBob]

11 minutes ago, RedDave said:

Yeah there are none so far are there. 

I hate finishing in the highest league position for a decade and beating the biggest team in the country.  

Two good things on the face of it Dave

But how the hell do we go on a 3 1/2 month car crash and end the season looking a complete shambles in just about every respect 

As soon as we start to lose form under LJ we have the cycle of

Signs of loss of form >  Strange selections & substitutions > further decrease in performance >   bizarre tactical strategies  > further decrease in performance > more tinkering > abandon any playing philosophy > all  rounded off by a Apparent lack of spirit 

Alarm bells are ringing 

[And Its Smith]

16 minutes ago, Ser Davos Ciderworth said:

I hate finishing 11th when we’ve been 2nd. 

I hate wasting time and money on poor loans whilst our own players kick their heels on the bench. 

I hate watching our back 5 punt balls up to the strikers or out of play. 

I hate watching our best player run down his contract cos his talent doesn’t match our ambition and we’re too tight to pay him what he’s worth. 

I enjoyed the cup run but it is scant consolation. 

You said there are no positives but there are loads.

Choose not to see them if you like

[cheshire_red]

Again we were very limited (yes I only watched a stream today) we have ben limited for some time, the invention, slick passing, movement and energy has simply waned away since Xmas. That fact cannot be disputed by even the most rose tinted of supporters.

I'm not bothered, very happy competing in the Championship, however, we have hardly competed for months and that is very disappointing for everyone at this club.

[JoeAman08]

5 is harsh on Kelly. Yes he got by him at times(he gets by anyone) but Traore was kind of anonymous. Kelly stood his ground and thought he was unlucky on a few occasions where crosses went between his legs(a con of being so tall?). That was a hell of a test for him and again with not much help from the “winger” whether that was Reid or Fam. 

 

[Olé]

9 hours ago, CotswoldRed said:

City were never disgraced? 

I thought they were utterly abject and devoid of talent, other than Kelly. 

I guess my baseline was a low one. After Burton and Barnsley just creating chances (tick) and getting bodies between opposition shots and goal (tick) was a positive, as was still being "in the game" in the 90th minute against a side that were clear favourites. We started the game at 5-1 for the win. Whether you agree with it or not, that's the longest odds we've been in a long time and is mismatch or lower division cup upset territory. In that context we ran them much closer than expected.

Yes, yesterday and falling to 11th is a hell of a gut punch for this season but let's get it straight, we really were not disgraced - in the context of recent form this should've been a complete collapse, whether through luck or endeavour, we were in the game to the end. The match people are imagining we surrendered is the one where the opposition tickles our tummy and we roll over and lose by two or three. That didn't happen, because several of our players fought to keep the game close. 

I know it's little consolation, but that's why I said I was strangely calm in the end about yesterday's outcome. How can you come out of a game that you're expecting to get much more comprehensively beaten in, and be furious about the fact you had more than enough chances (both to defend set piece corners or to score in the 90th minute) that would have produced at least a point. It wasn't a pretty game where our football was concerned, but it offered enough to be another Sheff U (A).

[CotswoldRed]

2 minutes ago, Olé said:

I guess my baseline was a low one. After Burton and Barnsley just creating chances (tick) and getting bodies between opposition shots and goal (tick) was a positive, as was still being "in the game" in the 90th minute against a side that were clear favourites. We started the game at 5-1 for the win. Whether you agree with it or not, that's the longest odds we've been in a long time and is mismatch or lower division cup upset territory. In that context we ran them much closer than expected.

Yes, yesterday and falling to 11th is a hell of a gut punch for this season but let's get it straight, we really were not disgraced - in the context of recent form this should've been a complete collapse, whether through luck or endeavour, we were in the game to the end. The match people are imagining we surrendered is the one where the opposition tickles our tummy and we roll over and lose by two or three. That didn't happen, because several of our players fought to keep the game close. 

I know it's little consolation, but that's why I said I was strangely calm in the end about yesterday's outcome. How can you come out of a game that you're expecting to get much more comprehensively beaten in, and be furious about the fact you had more than enough chances (both to defend set piece corners or to score in the 90th minute) that would have produced at least a point. It wasn't a pretty game where our football was concerned, but it offered enough to be another Sheff U (A).

Very fair points. 

My assessment is borne of frustration with couldn't / wouldn't implement the basics of what was required. Couldn't / wouldn't work to our strengths. 

For that LJ AND the team bear responsibility. Firstly, it's a disgrace and a desertion of responsibility to play hoofball with the squad we have. Next, to continue to play hoofball having taken your 2 target men off is a disgrace by probably LJ and/or the players. 

Their footballing brains were akin to a pub team yesterday. For a group of players who clearly have talent who are coached every day we're so much less than the sum of the parts. You need to go some to achieve that for so long. 

[bearded_red]

2 hours ago, CotswoldRed said:

For that LJ AND the team bear responsibility. Firstly, it's a disgrace and a desertion of responsibility to play hoofball with the squad we have. Next, to continue to play hoofball having taken your 2 target men off is a disgrace by probably LJ and/or the players. 

You do have to say going away to a Neil Warnock team with our squad and trying to beat them by launching it from back to front is one level of stupid, but to then try it again away at a Tony Pulis team is beyond belief really. Oh look, we lost both of those games.

I genuinely laughed when I saw the team yesterday, absurd selection. I do have to be honest and say I was equally as appalled when I saw the team selected on Tuesday, but to be consistent I thought the football we played against Birmingham was dreadful anyway.

[bearded_red]

Good report @Olé.

I agree wholeheartedly with the comments abouts recruitment. Four transfer windows of Johnson signings and in the last three games we have had four players in the team who weren’t at the club when Johnson got the job. Another seven windows and we might have a team.. Not that I’d want one mind as barring a couple of exceptions our best players were all here before Johnson.

My hunch and it could of course be complete rubbish is that Smith is currently carrying an injury and trying to manage it until the end of the season. His form since the Burton game where he possibly was the worst I’ve seen him, has been dreadful and the only time previously in his City career when he has had numerous poor games back to back was when he was carrying the injury in the second half of our first season at this level.

I’d personally question describing Diedhiou’s performance as ‘patchy’ as I think dreadful does the job better unfortunately. I think Johnson was correct to bring on Pisano at half time as I felt we desperately needed a right footer to defend George Friend’s runs down that side from left back and we also needed Bryan over on the left in front of Kelly offering him some help in dealing with Traore. The centre forward he took off was the wrong one in my eyes though.

[Ska Junkie]

10 hours ago, cheshire_red said:

Again we were very limited (yes I only watched a stream today) we have ben limited for some time, the invention, slick passing, movement and energy has simply waned away since Xmas. That fact cannot be disputed by even the most rose tinted of supporters.

I'm not bothered, very happy competing in the Championship, however, we have hardly competed for months and that is very disappointing for everyone at this club.

This is what worries me TBH for next season. In August will we see the slick, free flowing, easy on the eye, high intensity pass and move football of 2017 or the utter dirge being served up since the turn of the year?

If it's the latter, we might just have a problem next season as we've been in relegation form since January. 

[Super]

34 minutes ago, bearded_red said:

Good report @Olé.

I agree wholeheartedly with the comments abouts recruitment. Four transfer windows of Johnson signings and in the last three games we have had four players in the team who weren’t at the club when Johnson got the job. Another seven windows and we might have a team.. Not that I’d want one mind as barring a couple of exceptions our best players were all here before Johnson.

My hunch and it could of course be complete rubbish is that Smith is currently carrying an injury and trying to manage it until the end of the season. His form since the Burton game where he possibly was the worst I’ve seen him, has been dreadful and the only time previously in his City career when he has had numerous poor games back to back was when he was carrying the injury in the second half of our first season at this level.

I’d personally question describing Diedhiou’s performance as ‘patchy’ as I think dreadful does the job better unfortunately. I think Johnson was correct to bring on Pisano at half time as I felt we desperately needed a right footer to defend George Friend’s runs down that side from left back and we also needed Bryan over on the left in front of Kelly offering him some help in dealing with Traore. The centre forward he took off was the wrong one in my eyes though.

I think we have seen enough of Pisano to suggest he joins the "poor buy" club. Useless.

[Fatalist]

3 hours ago, Super said:

I think we have seen enough of Pisano to suggest he joins the "poor buy" club. Useless.

What an unfair comment! I can't imagine what you've seen to call Pisano useless.

At the start of the season he was impressive going forward and solid with a"professional" edge in defence - just what many on here asked for. He hasn't yet recovered the form he had before his prolonged injury, but he is feeling his way back slowly.

Last week he popped up on the left and was inches from scoring. Yesterday he made a couple of important hard tackles and several good runs into good positions, only to be ignored by the player on the ball.Not MoM, but certainly not "useless".

 

[maxjak]

Quote from today's Sunday Observer...........'They [bcfc] failed to hold onto an early lead, and seem to be low on the  andrenaline and invention that made them so exhilarating during the first part of the campaign'.... Damn right, it's like two different seasons in one?  They are young, fit and mostly quality footballers, so if it isn't fitness and ability, it must be poor mental preparation, low standard tactics and indecisive management?  As someone else said,  'What a missed opportunity'.

[Esmond Million's Bung]

17 hours ago, Olé said:

 

 

Fielding 6

Kelly 5

Bryan 5

Flint 7

Baker 4

Pack 8

Smith 5

Brownhill 6

Reid 6

Diedhiou 5

Djuric 5

 

Pisano 5

O'Dowda 6

Taylor 5

Great report as usual and I agree with all of it, Kelly worth a 6 because he kept at it despite a difficult day and a day when several of his team mates were hiding. Flint 4 for me as bad as I have seen him for us people are blaming Baker for both of their goals I thought Flint was at fault for both he went to sleep twice. Pack 6 tried but failed IMO. Diedhiou 4 a passenger and so weak for a big guy. Djuric 6 great goal and should have stayed on not Diedhiou. Pisano 4 looks worse with every game.

I felt sorry for Taylor all he had to work with long hopeful high balls.

[Super]

3 hours ago, Fatalist said:

What an unfair comment! I can't imagine what you've seen to call Pisano useless.

At the start of the season he was impressive going forward and solid with a"professional" edge in defence - just what many on here asked for. He hasn't yet recovered the form he had before his prolonged injury, but he is feeling his way back slowly.

Last week he popped up on the left and was inches from scoring. Yesterday he made a couple of important hard tackles and several good runs into good positions, only to be ignored by the player on the ball.Not MoM, but certainly not "useless".

 

Never seen him have a good game.

[Hampshire Red]

Super, did you see any of his first games for BCFC before he was injured? I know full backs get described as useless at every level (eg Walker at Man City) but he cost £65m and has a Champions medal so probably care what some people say. Thankfully i suspect Pisano doesnt waste his time ready our views!

[Jerseybean]

Great report Rob as always thank you.

Looking forward to next season my top three hopes would be we:

1. Strengthen the squad, particularly with a couple of experienced/proven players who would  have the right personality to positively enhance our youngish squad
2. Revert to the identity/style of play that served us well in the first half of the season and stick to it
3. Cultivate a ‘harder edge’ (I don’t mean physically but mentally) which makes us much more resilient and far more difficult to beat

Be very interested to hear what things others would want (other than hearing LJ out)

[Super]

1 hour ago, Hampshire Red said:

Super, did you see any of his first games for BCFC before he was injured? I know full backs get described as useless at every level (eg Walker at Man City) but he cost £65m and has a Champions medal so probably care what some people say. Thankfully i suspect Pisano doesnt waste his time ready our views!

Couldnt care less tbh. Pisano was average before injury and horrendous after. Another that needs shipping out.

[Chappers]

A case of seeing who leaves before deciding on recruitment. There are a few of our players out on loan who should be pushing for places next season, then presumably the usual mix of up and coming players, plus an older head or two. There is no magic formula, just a case of right player right time. Probably the biggest change this season was loss of creativity by O'Dowdas injury and Pattersons loss of form (He's not looked fully fit to me). 

Match report was fair, might disagree on a few of the marks, didn't think Pack had a great second half, but ultimately we could have snatched a point at the end. Was not a bad game to watch, quite why we put our top scorer in midfield to accommodate the sluggish Djuric eludes me, and Kelly was left coping alone with Traore first half. But for all that, it was poor defending at two corners that cost us, not team selections or formation.

Now it's just see out the season, hoping for 9 points with blind optimism, then moving on to next. The Championship is a League of small margins, so who knows what next season will bring. One thing seems certain, none of our 4 loanees will return.

Onwards and onwards into the unknown aboard The City Journey, that has been stuck in the middle two divisions for 34 years.

[Mr Popodopolous]

Wrong thread, I think.

[REDOXO]

The last bit of @Oléoriginal post is what is most relevant. Our transfer activity in January was awful and did not support the core team that were running on empty and still are. LJ and Mark Ashton step forward! You are the managers of this area and as such take that responsibility! Own this second half it’s yours. My lord Steve must be fuming!