City V Blackpool

[Bristol Boy]

Different manager, same old problem defending set pieces and an adequate demonstration of why the change of manager should also bring a change of assistant manager.

Be in no doubt, forget all this old pals act, they've bu**ered up the job and MUST leave.

Different defence, same non existent marking 7/8 yards in front of goal.

Plus points:

We condeeded six less goals than last week!

Our defence was better as a unit.

Partridge had a far better game.

We passed a bit more.

The problem was, for all of our possesion, the final ball was sadly lacking, the worst demonstration of which was Murray carrying the ball instead of squaring it for Stewart, who was unmarked in front of goal in the first half.

Fot the record, if that XI starts at Forest & Brentford, our return will be zero points as we stumble towards relegation.

What's needed?

Well the two players we can probably do with loosing least, Brooker & Heywood, must return to full fitness and we desparetly need Russell, or similar, pulling the strings in a midfield totally bereft of creativity.

Then, sharp intake of breath, we need to sign a striker on loan, who is pacy and strong and we can fund that by getting rid of any of the ones we have, apart from Brooker and Cotterill, who it may even be an idea to pair.

And yes, I do mean Bridges, Stewart & Gillespie.

Marcus is a bit deceptive to be honest.......deceptively slow, as he struggled to outrun Butler & Edwars who are hardly Rio Ferdinand & Sol Cambell, let's face it

All this stuff about getting fit for him and Bridges is actually nonsense and players who've scored goals at a higher level and this level, like Sean Goater & Akinfenwa, are scoring regulary-Goater's got 5 in 5 for high flyers like Southend and I think Akinfenwa's on 7

Support say, Andrews & Brooker with a hard working midfield and a tight defence and we'll improve and that's the target for a new manager on whom the fans appear quite divided although, I didn't find many who were all that enamered with Lennie Lawrence.

A few people even suggested Lawrence of Arabia & Gertrude Lawrence would fair better

Ratings

Phillips:6/10 Didn't have all that much to do but his command of the area seems to be getting worse as his his dithering on crosses.

Carey:6/10 Nothing going forward, but did his defensive duties OK.Not great, OK.

Woodman:7/10 Pushed Partridge for MOM,defended well and tried to get forward.Didn't waste the ball and kept the distribution simple.

Heywood:6/10 What was wrong with him this week? For a big lump, I'm getting a bit worried that he's a sick note.

Partridge:8/10 Looked solid and played even better when Heywood disappeared.

Murray:5/10 Awful final ball and little threat.Clearly not the player he was and should be transferred asap.

Brown:6/10 Worked hard but didn't have his best game with the shooting missing and the passing radar well off.

Skuse:6/10 Worked hard and tried to get forward.Some neat passes, although the final third isn't really his best area of the pitch and I still see him as a central defender, in the future or at best a defensive midfielder in a three.

Smith:6/10 Neat enough, combined well on occassions with Woodman and won plenty in the air, but where are the free kicks, shots, goals, crosses & final balls? Did well to chase a lost cause to set up Stewarts' cross for Cotterill, but little end product, other than that.

Gillespie;6/10 Another one on one and a goal goes begging.Was it one shot on target in 90 minutes A better game, but without a stone of muscle and better finishing, he won't get us out of this League, this season.

Stewart:6/10 See above comments.Booked again.

Cotterill:7/10 Simple goal, but looked the threat that Murray wasn't.

Orr:7/10 Right back or Right Wing Back is where I'd play him at Forest.Shot on target and looked calm.

[MATT BCFC]

Id give Gillespie a 7 I thoguht he was one of are better players.

[robins72]

Cotterill and Brooker would be a great striking partnership. One who is physical and one pacey. How long is it before Brooker is back to full fitness??

[GrahamC]

Can't see what Murray did to justify even 5, that was at least 2 too many.

A piece of advice for whoever gets the managers' job, only ever pick him in the first team again if we only have 9 other fit outfield players available.

[robins72]

Murray has lost his confidence. Hes half the player he was 3 seasons ago. Unless he scores goals he loses the plot. He even finds it hard to beat his defender nowaways

[Bristol Boy]

Murray has lost his confidence. Hes half the player he was 3 seasons ago. Unless he scores goals he loses the plot. He even finds it hard to beat his defender nowaways 

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Scot Soundbite

Surely not, Sir

[Guest roejowland]

BRISTOL CITY TEAM PERFORMANCE - 7, battled hard, closed down well & dominated the match.

FANS - 4, ridiculously stupid, as usual, some even booed at the end.

MILLEN - 7, got the players actually passing the ball to feet. he got the players solid and organised, but made one error when taking off gillespie.

PHILLIPS - 6, made no testing saves, maybe at fault for goal.

CAREY - 6, lazy as usual in the 1st, but improved in the 2nd.

WOODMAN - 8, proved that he can play at this level. showed composure on the ball and linked well with smith and stewart.

HEYWOOD - 7, solid as usual, not much to do. is he a sick-note?

PARTRIDGE - 8, very solid and organised. was first to every ball and worked hard for the cause.

MURRAY - 5, offered little in attack however wasn't given much support from carey.

SMITH - 6, out of position but average. his persistance paid off for the goal.

BROWN - 6, battled hard and stayed solid in the middle.

SKUSE - 7, played some excellent ground passes and generally solid. the midfield did well because we passed the ball to feet.

GILLESPIE - 7, worked his socks off for the team and unlucky not to score with the quality lob over the keeper from distance.

STEWART - 7, had to work too hard to cover too many positions. IMO, skuse and brown failed to get forward enough to support him.

[MATT BCFC]

Murray really needs to stay back after training and practise his crosssing.

[Guest Ron]

Where were you guys sitting who thought Woodman was good? You could see from the Williams that in the 1st half he let his marker go on repeated occasions, and stood in random positions not closing down or marking. He looked lost at times, did NOTHING going forward and was in my opinion possibly our worst player, after Murray.

[Nibor]

My ratings

Phillips - 6 - not alot to do

Carey - 4 - defended poorly by running away from his winger, distributed abysmally, walked about - shocking

Heywood - 6 - unremarkable

Partridge - 7 - did well, looked more like what we thought we were getting

Woodman - 5 - ok going forward, poor defensively

Smith - 6 - good midfield performance, pity he was on the wing

Brown - 7 - showed battle, defended well, worked hard

Skuse - 6 - flashes of quality and some nice passes, lacks experience

Murray - 5 - no pace, no skill to beat his man, poor crossing, passes and controls ok but thats about it

Gillespie - 6 - worked hard with little decent service, good vision

Stewart - 6 - was the victim of a number of late passes when in good positions, worked hard and linked well as always but lacks pace and let his frustration show a bit

Orr - 7 - did very well as right back and should start there next game

Cotterill - 7 - did well when he came on and looked dangerous

Wilkshire - no time really

Ref was awful in every way.

Millen's decision to try and close out a 1-0 win was understandable and in my view the right thing to try. The lapse that lead to the goal was disappointing.

Nibor

[rumbellow]

The marking for the equaliser was schoolboy not 1 but 2 uncontested headers in the penalty box.

And why when in shooting positions don't players actually hit the bloody thing instead of stroking it, Carey in the first half his shot was pathetic.

[gazareth]

You've been generous to Carey. Watch him next time a winger runs at him - he just backpedals and backpedals, inviting pressure onto himself and the rest of the defence. It was a marked contrast with Bradley Orr who got stuck straight in when confronted with a runner.

[Bristol Boy]

You've been generous to Carey. Watch him next time a winger runs at him - he just backpedals and backpedals, inviting pressure onto himself and the rest of the defence. It was a marked contrast with Bradley Orr who got stuck straight in when confronted with a runner.

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See my time for Forest and see where BO would play.

Then see Millens and that's why he MUST go along with Tins.

[Grandad48]

Id give Gillespie a 7 I thoguht he was one of are better players.

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Is he really that badly injured or just staying out of the way so that the poor displays don't fall on his shoulders.

I can always remember a comment made years ago by Alex Lockhart the then City Trainer /Physio.

You can always tell how the results are going by how many players I have on the treatment table.

[sambessey]

Well I was pleased that the players actually LOOKED like they wanted to win far more than when Tinnion was here (IMO). When we kept the ball on the ground and went forward we looked GOOD, but just couldn't get into scoring situations (maybe a confidence thing?)

Defensively we looks very disorganised- we are not poor through lack of ability but through lack of organsiation.

Phillips had nothing to do all game and wasn't at fault for the goal- it was poor defending as usual.

I am sure Stewart will come good for us, as his positioning and some of his passes are sublime but he really needs to calm down a bit as I can see him getting a few red cards this season....

Oh and Blackpoo's keeper can't kick to save his life!

Those 'fans' who booed at the end are a disgrace- We haven't even got a manager and aren't settled at the moment the last thing they need (or deserve) is the crowd on their backs!!