Nibor Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 Tomorrow night's game is a big test for us make no mistake.Amid all the cup hysteria of a possible encounter with the north Bristol gypsies, and a superb fightback against Premiership Boro you could be forgiven for thinking that home to Cheltenham was small potatoes. No way Jose. The league is of overriding importance to us and we have the opportunity to go joint top with a game in hand over S****horpe.Local rivals Cheltenham have beaten us once already this season, are in a relegation scrap, and have just signed one of our players whose main attributes are tenacity and goals from midfield. They haven't won this year, they haven't won away for nearly four months.We're on an 18 game unbeaten run, on the back of good results against teams from the two divisions above, we've just paid more money for one of their players, signed a loanee and one of the better players in league two and our home form is the best in the country. The script is obvious: Plucky relegation candidates defeat distracted and complacent form side in derby.Thankfully judging from this article that's something that GJ is well aware of and will be trying to get through the players' heads.This is exactly the sort of game we have always cocked up in the past, and the test is whether we will be able to focus after recent distractions and play with the same work ethic and without complacency. A Danny Wilson side would lazily waltz through the first 80 minutes, until Cheltenham score, and then spend the last 10 minutes playing with application to scrape a draw at the death. A Tinnion side would be 3-0 down at half time, come back to 3-2 but never quite make it. What will a Gary Johnson side do?If we turn in a performance and a win, then Mr Johnson you've made a believer out of me and I will truly think it's our year to take the title. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HambrookRed Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 Great post, and I agree wholely.If the boys can get a convincing win over Cheltenham, and then get at least a point away to one of our biggest rivals, I too will start to really "believe". 3 points at Scunny and i'll dance down my street wearing only my city boxer shorts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i_am_red Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 you know we will be losing at half time and end up winning, its no surprise anymore!chelt h/t city f/t 28/1 on ladbrokes is ever so tempting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bh_red Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 after the exploits of Saturday, I'll just be happy with the 3 points, alot of the players are going to be very drained from that game, if we get 3 points it will be good stuff, then we have a little break before the big game on monday against S****horpe! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolman Block B Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 Tomorrow night's game is a big test for us make no mistake.Amid all the cup hysteria of a possible encounter with the north Bristol gypsies, and a superb fightback against Premiership Boro you could be forgiven for thinking that home to Cheltenham was small potatoes. No way Jose. The league is of overriding importance to us and we have the opportunity to go joint top with a game in hand over S****horpe.Local rivals Cheltenham have beaten us once already this season, are in a relegation scrap, and have just signed one of our players whose main attributes are tenacity and goals from midfield. They haven't won this year, they haven't won away for nearly four months.We're on an 18 game unbeaten run, on the back of good results against teams from the two divisions above, we've just paid more money for one of their players, signed a loanee and one of the better players in league two and our home form is the best in the country. The script is obvious: Plucky relegation candidates defeat distracted and complacent form side in derby.Thankfully judging from this article that's something that GJ is well aware of and will be trying to get through the players' heads.This is exactly the sort of game we have always cocked up in the past, and the test is whether we will be able to focus after recent distractions and play with the same work ethic and without complacency. A Danny Wilson side would lazily waltz through the first 80 minutes, until Cheltenham score, and then spend the last 10 minutes playing with application to scrape a draw at the death. A Tinnion side would be 3-0 down at half time, come back to 3-2 but never quite make it. What will a Gary Johnson side do?If we turn in a performance and a win, then Mr Johnson you've made a believer out of me and I will truly think it's our year to take the title.Could,nt agree more Nibor.Was discussing the same thing with a mate earlier, and both said the "old" City would probably draw or lose wed night.This lot seems to fight for every cause now, so lets wait and see........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbored Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 This is exactly the sort of game we have always cocked up in the past, and the test is whether we will be able to focus after recent distractions and play with the same work ethic and without complacency. A Danny Wilson side would lazily waltz through the first 80 minutes, until Cheltenham score, and then spend the last 10 minutes playing with application to scrape a draw at the death.Spot on and Johnson is aware of it as well.Hence the re-assurering words on the mainsite.Lets hope Johnson doesn't have to fire another half-time bollocking into the players tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boadle Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 I agree with the post. Very important game. Let's keep our eye on the ball, and we (as fans) can do our bit from the stands. YOU REDS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OmegaSnake Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 I'd like to think we would win this game, and comfortably, based on league position and current form.But this game i fear will be far from it, we seem to be doing well against the better teams in this division, and against champ/premiership oppersition. But we don't seem to to well in the derbys. I still think we will win, but i don't think it will be easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downendcity Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 I'd like to think we would win this game, and comfortably, based on league position and current form.But this game i fear will be far from it, we seem to be doing well against the better teams in this division, and against champ/premiership oppersition. But we don't seem to to well in the derbys. I still think we will win, but i don't think it will be easy.I agree Omega. I also worry that it will be a scrappy affair where Cheltenham won't let us play any football if they can help it. If we were playing Scunny tomorrow night I would really fancy us to get a result, as the player's confidence must be sky high after recent results and perfromances. A scrappy match against Cheltenham might just take away our momentum, even if we get a win and make the S****horpe trip a much tougher one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robins72 Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 What I don't understand is why cant Johnson get the players motivated before the game but can at half time? Surely if your a good manager you should be able to motivate the team at any time not just half time? There shouldnt be any need to give players a rollocking after 45 minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redhyde Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 Johnson's aware of the danger, and i'm glad he's made sure that we know he's aware. Means we won't blame him if it goes wrong! Although both times this season we could have gone top we've messed it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red to the world Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 Tomorrow night's game is a big test for us make no mistake.Amid all the cup hysteria of a possible encounter with the north Bristol gypsies, and a superb fightback against Premiership Boro you could be forgiven for thinking that home to Cheltenham was small potatoes. No way Jose. The league is of overriding importance to us and we have the opportunity to go joint top with a game in hand over S****horpe.Local rivals Cheltenham have beaten us once already this season, are in a relegation scrap, and have just signed one of our players whose main attributes are tenacity and goals from midfield. They haven't won this year, they haven't won away for nearly four months.We're on an 18 game unbeaten run, on the back of good results against teams from the two divisions above, we've just paid more money for one of their players, signed a loanee and one of the better players in league two and our home form is the best in the country. The script is obvious: Plucky relegation candidates defeat distracted and complacent form side in derby.Thankfully judging from this article that's something that GJ is well aware of and will be trying to get through the players' heads.This is exactly the sort of game we have always cocked up in the past, and the test is whether we will be able to focus after recent distractions and play with the same work ethic and without complacency. A Danny Wilson side would lazily waltz through the first 80 minutes, until Cheltenham score, and then spend the last 10 minutes playing with application to scrape a draw at the death. A Tinnion side would be 3-0 down at half time, come back to 3-2 but never quite make it. What will a Gary Johnson side do?If we turn in a performance and a win, then Mr Johnson you've made a believer out of me and I will truly think it's our year to take the title.Totally agree with that ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shamussy Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 We'll win easily. In Danny Wilsons day and more recently, it has been dodgy away games that we stuff up in. We'll give Cheltenham a right stuffing!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OC 1645 Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 A great post from Nibor.Indeed, tomorrow night's game is the game of the season so far just as every league game to follow will be. We must get promotion from this poxy division and establish ourselves in the Championship or else we'll continue to be a third tier footballing backwater. Up the City Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nibor Posted January 31, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 If tonight's game truly were a test it would have a big red D at the bottom and the words "See me" scrawled illegibly across it.Johnson's selection was as expected, but he clearly failed to get the point through the player's heads about the "after the Lord Mayor's show" performance because this game followed the script to the letter. Dogged and plucky first half from Cheltenham, scrappy goal from awful defending of a set piece, and then 45 minutes of us unable to break down a 10 man defence.We clearly didn't do our homework and seemed to be caught off guard as Cheltenham came out of the blocks battling. We didn't contest the first half. Second half after the now predictable rocket from Mr Johnson and we had a bit more fight about us but there was a distinct lack of any real quality in the final third. Too many times we resorted to pumping aimless long balls when there was every opportunity to bring the ball forward on the deck and our only real chances came when we managed to play football. This only happened after the substitutions - disappointly late on in the game IMO - but it still looked like we could have played until midnight and not put it away.It must be said in mitigation that that was the 8th game we've played in January, we haven't had a mid week break for the last 3 weeks - signs of fatigue were there. However if we want to use that as an excuse we'll find we've shot ourselves in the foot by doing so well in the cups because the next midweek break we get is in the third week of March and that's if we lose to Boro. People will inevitably focus on the admittedly gash refereeing from Premiership nobhead Styles, who seemed to think football had become a non contact sport and clearly has family in Cheltenham - but the truth is that we wouldn't have won that game with Collina in black.Still there are positives. We've got the unbeaten run b***ocks out of the way. Now we can forget about it and focus on the next game without fearing to lose some meaningless statistic.We've hicupped in a game that will not cost us much if we win the next couple. Forest lost, we've a game in hand on Scunny and we're playing them next - it's still in our hands. This might serve as a kick up the arse, and at least it didn't happen in an embarrasing manner against Rovers. Betsy beat people several times and put the ball in well, though I'd like to see him get to the byline more in future. Carey somehow managed to avoid a booking despite his best efforts to get one.Our game against S****horpe now takes on even more importance (if that were possible) and three points there absolutely must be the target. I hope Brooker is back fit for that one because we missed him severely tonight and Enoch looks ready to collapse.So, no, not a believer yet. We failed a crucial test. There's a make up exam on Monday though and if we pass that this result will be quickly forgotten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dezgimed Posted February 1, 2007 Report Share Posted February 1, 2007 We looked knackered..Why not play Noble, Russell, Williams, Betsy, Fontaine, Keogh etc..They've all had reasonable rests, if our squad has so much strength in depth why cant we use our squad players and give the first 11 a rest? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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