Another utterly wretched performance. Our defensive clearances are hoofed to a vague concept of midfield, where possession is neither received nor fought for. This is a fundamental failing that has dogged us for years, since Parker, Bowyer and Andy Reid.
Oddly enough, we have improved our accuracy of passing on the floor. A year ago we were so wayward that we retreated to continuous sideways passes along the halfway line; howls from the stands have put a stop to that nonsense. What appals me is that we still have absolutely no physical technique or mental understanding of how to advance. No muscle, no acceleration, no wit or cunning. No moves; nothing rehearsed.
Incompetent managers aside, as a team we are familiar enough with going 1-0 down at home. Yet the players themselves are simply incapable of organising a counter-attack, mounting an assault. In the entire 90 minutes today, our threats on goal amounted to one shot from Lookman - comfortably saved - and Gudmundsson's free-kick from 20 yards out - slammed carelessly into the wall. This weakness of ambition and effect would be unforgivable even in the Conference South.
The one meagre redeeming feature from this dismal afternoon was Chris Solly getting forward, pointing while sprinting to make the essential triangles, deceiving defenders and sending an accurate cross - to Lookman who headed weakly instead of hammering with his left boot.
A fellow Lifer nailed it succinctly a few days ago on another thread. He compared us with Middlesbrough. Both clubs have strong traditions and healthy support. Both have fantastically wealthy owners, and neither is buoyed by parachute payments. Boro, too, have a manager previously unknown to English football. And - crucially - while Gibson buys Jordan Rhodes, we borrow Rod Fanni and Yaya Nogoals.
Less said best mended on today's debacle, we are doomed on that showing.
Interestingly I travelled on the train with the Cardiff and Burnley scouts who had been at our game. We play Cardiff next week and Burnley last game of the season. They were very sympathetic to our plight and said that sadly we are a laughing stock in football circles under RD, Cardiff's problems were minor by comparison. To be fair the Burnley guy did say he thought we actually played better today than when he watched us at Huddersfield and I agreed with him because that was the nadir for me. He also felt that Bristol just edged it were better organised and looked more of a team.
Neither rate Big Mak or Tex on his display today and feared for us if we get relegated with the squad we have. The view was we would need a massive clear out along similar lines to the one Chris Powell orchestrated 4 years ago. Henderson also came in for some criticism for not only the penalty which went through him but the Blackburn goal he conceded just before half time previous home game.
It'll be interesting to see how we get on against both teams and how those players mentioned perform after this chance meeting.
All of them were a disgrace from Hendersons non save of the pen and frightened little boy Fox to Jackson half a yard behind and anonymous Cousins through to the waste of height Mak. None of them are fit to wear the shirt. And on one of the windiest days this year whose idea was it to keep heading or kicking the ball in the air for 85 mins. Fuck off Roland fuck off Meire and take those poor excuses of footballers with you. To those that weren't there, league one is where we will be playing next season, we don't have any men in our team for a relegation fight! Tossers!
Cousins wasn't anonymous, in my opinion. Was always wanting the ball and had two runs through the middle stopped by fouls (for which one player was booked and the other not!?)
Wow 2 runs I've had the runs today's more times than that
The point I was making is that he wasn't anonymous. If he had been allowed to continue with the runs rather than being pulled back then we may have had some scoring opportunities.
Less said best mended on today's debacle, we are doomed on that showing.
Interestingly I travelled on the train with the Cardiff and Burnley scouts who had been at our game. We play Cardiff next week and Burnley last game of the season. They were very sympathetic to our plight and said that sadly we are a laughing stock in football circles under RD, Cardiff's problems were minor by comparison. To be fair the Burnley guy did say he thought we actually played better today than when he watched us at Huddersfield and I agreed with him because that was the nadir for me. He also felt that Bristol just edged it were better organised and looked more of a team.
Neither rate Big Mak or Tex on his display today and feared for us if we get relegated with the squad we have. The view was we would need a massive clear out along similar lines to the one Chris Powell orchestrated 4 years ago. Henderson also came in for some criticism not only the penalty which went through him but the Blackburn goal he conceded just before half time previous home game.
It'll be interesting to see how we get on against both teams and how those players mentioned perform after this chance meeting.
Quite clearly a bitter ex employee, no other explanation for thinking that.
Well, I wasn't expecting anything like a good game today considering the two poor teams involved and the rotten weather but I really felt like gouging my own eyes out sitting through that.
I reckon we need to win at least 8 more games this season. To be honest, I can't see us scoring 8 more goals all year.
If Duchatelet really has no intention of selling up I fear we will end up like Tranmere or Grimsby.
@RedChaser. As most clubs do not pick up future opponents until two weeks prior to their fixture, the Burnley scout would have been watching a player or two, probably anticipating the premier league money coming their way if they get promoted.
Well, I wasn't expecting anything like a good game today considering the two poor teams involved and the rotten weather but I really felt like gouging my own eyes out sitting through that.
I reckon we need to win at least 8 more games this season. To be honest, I can't see us scoring 8 more goals all year.
If Duchatelet really has no intention of selling up I fear we will end up like Tranmere or Grimsby.
We need to average over 1.5 points a game from hereon in. Currently we average 0.8, and in the last ten games that drops to .233 a game.
Well, I wasn't expecting anything like a good game today considering the two poor teams involved and the rotten weather but I really felt like gouging my own eyes out sitting through that.
I reckon we need to win at least 8 more games this season. To be honest, I can't see us scoring 8 more goals all year.
If Duchatelet really has no intention of selling up I fear we will end up like Tranmere or Grimsby.
We need to average over 1.5 points a game from hereon in. Currently we average 0.8, and in the last ten games that drops to .233 a game.
@RedChaser. As most clubs do not pick up future opponents until two weeks prior to their fixture, the Burnley scout would have been watching a player or two, probably anticipating the premier league money coming their way if they get promoted.
You might think that they would have seen our opponents' players before.
Sadly, these days, at Charlton it's very much "Move along there, nothing to see here, move along..."
@RedChaser. As most clubs do not pick up future opponents until two weeks prior to their fixture, the Burnley scout would have been watching a player or two, probably anticipating the premier league money coming their way if they get promoted.
He could well have been, he did mention JBG, who although not firing on all cylinders of late, was the only one who would command a decent fee in a fire sale if we got relegated unless someone was prepared to take a punt on Lookman that is. He also felt that Cousins development had stalled somewhat.
Well, I wasn't expecting anything like a good game today considering the two poor teams involved and the rotten weather but I really felt like gouging my own eyes out sitting through that.
I reckon we need to win at least 8 more games this season. To be honest, I can't see us scoring 8 more goals all year.
If Duchatelet really has no intention of selling up I fear we will end up like Tranmere or Grimsby.
We need to average over 1.5 points a game from hereon in. Currently we average 0.8, and in the last ten games that drops to .233 a game.
Not going to happen, is it.
Maybe not but it could still be a low points total required to stay up.
Absolute rubbish being spoken on here about players
The bully boys are at it about Fox (Wilson/pope/Green) Totaly over the top in both the comments and booing when he came off. He made some bad passes going forward but defensively was more than ok. The trouble is that fans are looking for a scapegoat and he is firmly in the firing line.
There was others in the team that fans look through rose tinted glasses as offensively only a couple of crosses (from Solly) what did the front 6 contribute. In some cases it would appear the they also make wrong decisions. Bergidich had a chance to put Fox through at one point in the second half and played a really terrible pass to their defender and doesn't get the pelters that Fox does. Flicks from Big Mak,JBG and Bergidich didn't come off and Cousins and JJ didn't add anything and again they don't get the pelters he does.
He (Fox) may need to be rested, he may not be quite at the standard required but slating him continiously does not help because finally when these bully boys force him out of the club they will move onto another poor soul.
Pissed off with the poor performance, pissed off with the regime but listening to those at the ground today and the venom written on this forum is worse.
Support the team and not the regime will never work when we have supporters he turn on their own !!
In a decently run club, someone like Fox would either go out on loan to a lower division or he'd be making infrequent 1st team appearances, allowing him the opportunity to grow into his game and allowing the club to assess his suitability and longevity with us.
RD's youth policies will ruin the careers of some of our Academy players and ultimately ruin the reputation of our Academy. He doesn't care though. If he did, he'd change.
The team are at the bottom because that's where they deserve to be. The fans expectation is greater than what they can achieve. Who has set the expectation of a decent Championship side with some chance of promotion? Why, RD of course. He doesn't care though.
He really does have to go. Sooner would be good but later may just have to do.
Preferably taking with him the idiots who boo players who've been put in (unfairly) over their heads.
Well, I wasn't expecting anything like a good game today considering the two poor teams involved and the rotten weather but I really felt like gouging my own eyes out sitting through that.
I reckon we need to win at least 8 more games this season. To be honest, I can't see us scoring 8 more goals all year.
If Duchatelet really has no intention of selling up I fear we will end up like Tranmere or Grimsby.
We need to average over 1.5 points a game from hereon in. Currently we average 0.8, and in the last ten games that drops to .233 a game.
Not going to happen, is it.
Personally, I'd be inclined to think our only hope of staying up is a sniper with a .22....
However, that is apparently illegal, so it's back to the drawing board.
Well, I wasn't expecting anything like a good game today considering the two poor teams involved and the rotten weather but I really felt like gouging my own eyes out sitting through that.
I reckon we need to win at least 8 more games this season. To be honest, I can't see us scoring 8 more goals all year.
If Duchatelet really has no intention of selling up I fear we will end up like Tranmere or Grimsby.
We need to average over 1.5 points a game from hereon in. Currently we average 0.8, and in the last ten games that drops to .233 a game.
Not going to happen, is it.
Personally, I'd be inclined to think our only hope of staying up is a sniper with a .22....
However, that is apparently illegal, so it's back to the drawing board.
Well, I wasn't expecting anything like a good game today considering the two poor teams involved and the rotten weather but I really felt like gouging my own eyes out sitting through that.
I reckon we need to win at least 8 more games this season. To be honest, I can't see us scoring 8 more goals all year.
If Duchatelet really has no intention of selling up I fear we will end up like Tranmere or Grimsby.
We need to average over 1.5 points a game from hereon in. Currently we average 0.8, and in the last ten games that drops to .233 a game.
Not going to happen, is it.
Maybe not but it could still be a low points total required to stay up.
The average points to avoid relegation the last 5 years is 45 points, that's 7 wins for us. I still think we'd need more to make up for the horrible goal difference. We have to go from a 16% win percentage so far this season, to 45% for the remainder of our games, which include 5 of the top 6 teams.
Well, I wasn't expecting anything like a good game today considering the two poor teams involved and the rotten weather but I really felt like gouging my own eyes out sitting through that.
I reckon we need to win at least 8 more games this season. To be honest, I can't see us scoring 8 more goals all year.
If Duchatelet really has no intention of selling up I fear we will end up like Tranmere or Grimsby.
We need to average over 1.5 points a game from hereon in. Currently we average 0.8, and in the last ten games that drops to .233 a game.
Not going to happen, is it.
No, we need to get more points than 3 other teams in the league. I think a team will finish 4th bottom with a pathetic points total this season, there are several other rubbish teams in this league this season, it's about sneaking wins here and there
Well, I wasn't expecting anything like a good game today considering the two poor teams involved and the rotten weather but I really felt like gouging my own eyes out sitting through that.
I reckon we need to win at least 8 more games this season. To be honest, I can't see us scoring 8 more goals all year.
If Duchatelet really has no intention of selling up I fear we will end up like Tranmere or Grimsby.
We need to average over 1.5 points a game from hereon in. Currently we average 0.8, and in the last ten games that drops to .233 a game.
Not going to happen, is it.
No, we need to get more points than 3 other teams in the league. I think a team will finish 4th bottom with a pathetic points total this season, there are several other rubbish teams in this league this season, it's about sneaking wins here and there
We just lost to ones of those rubbish teams today, unfortunately. Optimism was much easier last week, with 3 points in our pocket.
Afraid I'm not myself tonight so my usual thoughts on the match will not be forthcoming.
Unlike Lincs, I'm not poorly or sick.
Just totally sick to the stomach with the regime that has brought our Club to its knees and continues to do so, week on week.
I've been called a cynic by a Lifer recently, and criticised by another for defending my views to the detriment of others' opinions.
I'd be the first to hold up my hands if that is the case but I merely say what I see ...there's a useful catchphrase!
What I do see is a Club teetering on the brink of self destruction brought about by an owner who cares not a jot for his "purchase". And will inevitably walk away one day , shrugging his shoulders as if to say " Well I tried but hey, there's always another juicy experiment on the horizon ! "
What he will leave behind, apart from debt, will be the remains of a football club that might just be too far down the road to revive. Most of us can see the writing on the wall and have done for some time whilst others criticise us for denigrating everything "they" do.....
Well, one look at today's performance should tell the unbelievers that the rot emanates from one man , and one man only. And it is unstoppable. No need to list the reasons or areas of the Club that are affected- they speak volumes for themselves.
I was given a great piece of news just before kick off today - one which I believe will please a lot of fans and which I'll elaborate about tomorrow when I feel more upbeat.....and one that will probably indicate a degree of capitulation by "them" and a tick in the "fans' column" on the balance sheet.
But the smile on my face at 2pm today is long gone & I can't bring myself to spread some positivity at this moment in time. Pathetic, I know.
Call me a drama queen , or what you will - I'm big & ugly enough to take it on the chin ( well one of them)
But these are heartbreaking times for the faithful & keeping the faith has rarely been so hard.
If I didn't know any better, that performance looked like Carol was still in charge. Football without brains. Sideways and backwards to Lennon, who hoofed it up field to Big Mak, who won a few headers but lost the majority. That was it.
For those of you guessing at the formation and coming up with 4-4-3 (lol). We started 4-4-2. Bristol city were 4-2-3-1. We pulled Bergdich infield to pick up the third central midfielder to a lop-sided 4-4-2 We changed at half time to 4-2-3-1, with JBG in the middle of Lookman on the left and Bergdich on the right. I gave up after Reza came on and played in every position across the front line, but nowhere in particular.
Always interested to hear your informed analysis Tutt-Tutt. I know nothing, but every time I looked it seemed like Bristol were playing with a back 5. They also seemed to be playing a very high line, but our laboured build-up or aimless hoofs forward were not troubling them in the slightest. Our tactics seemed ineffective and we lacked the nous or invention to trouble them. To me it seemed the head coach did not do anything effective to change things. I did wonder whether Igor with his ability to sometimes turn defenders and break free would have made a difference, but probably not. Bristol offered nothing until the debatable pen and maybe if we had scored first it would have been different. Having said that the ref bottled a stone wall pen for them shortly after. 5 January signings and none of the remaining 4 played. It would be hilarious if it wasn't tragic.
What an awful performance today. The team were just not good enough. No idea what to do. The same applies to the management as well. So much for RM saying there were errors made in recruitment. The problem is that KM has no idea about running a football club. The regime is determined to run at the prescribed budget and to hell with everything else. They have done nothing to change the situation by appointing another network coach. ( don't be fooled Riga who is regularly used by RD) The only new recruit in this transfer window that was used today was the Portugeezer . Poyet hasn't been used. (I saw him leave the Valley after the game and I think his facial expression said it all. "What am I doing here". Fanni and Sanyogo aren't match fit. Same old get them in on the cheap. I remember saying to KM at a VIP meeting that couldn't she see that Yoni Buyens didn't want to be here. At the final whistle he just walked off regardless of the result. To which she replied he has to play he is under contract. She just dosent get it. No wonder we are in this mess.... I reckon the players have already asked their agents to find them a new football club for next season. They are fed up at being waiters and ushers....
Absolute rubbish being spoken on here about players
The bully boys are at it about Fox (Wilson/pope/Green) Totaly over the top in both the comments and booing when he came off. He made some bad passes going forward but defensively was more than ok. The trouble is that fans are looking for a scapegoat and he is firmly in the firing line.
There was others in the team that fans look through rose tinted glasses as offensively only a couple of crosses (from Solly) what did the front 6 contribute. In some cases it would appear the they also make wrong decisions. Bergidich had a chance to put Fox through at one point in the second half and played a really terrible pass to their defender and doesn't get the pelters that Fox does. Flicks from Big Mak,JBG and Bergidich didn't come off and Cousins and JJ didn't add anything and again they don't get the pelters he does.
He (Fox) may need to be rested, he may not be quite at the standard required but slating him continiously does not help because finally when these bully boys force him out of the club they will move onto another poor soul.
Pissed off with the poor performance, pissed off with the regime but listening to those at the ground today and the venom written on this forum is worse.
Support the team and not the regime will never work when we have supporters he turn on their own !!
We are always hopeless at breaking down teams who park the the bus at the Valley. Until such time that we get a creative and willing runner from midfield, that will never change. All is not lost, we are still only three points from seeing safety. Diarra back in midfield could make a huge difference, as would Vetokele who was also a big miss today. I have confidence that Riga will quickly realise that we cannot continue with Jacko in midfield and that he will start giving Harriott more game time. We may well be more effective away from the Valley playing on the counter attack. It may also be easier to break down mid table teams rather than teams battling relegation like Bristol. Still plenty of points to be played for, keep the faith and get behind the team.
Clueless today, all last weeks good work out the window. We are a joke under this regime and will go down.
The decision to loan out Watt and take on a new forward who is apperantly injured seems another top managerial decision.
Sadly Lookman was totally a wasted today and seemed to be continually been given advice from the bench, not played in the right position particularly second half imo, don't have a clue what Riga was doing.
Thought we would bombard them late on, to bring Ba on was a joke.
A game we needed to win and we hardly had an effort at goal. Many challenges bottled particularly by Gudmundson and Fox was back to his normal pathetic self.
Pinocchio was walking around by the shop before the game, if she was a bloke I would probably have hit her.
The whole set up is rotten to the core and all those staff who continue to back the regime are mad and sadly many will probably loose their jobs next year as further cutbacks will be made to cut costs.
How many of our players are even capable of performing at Championship level? I’m not talking about the occasional flash of inspiration because they’re all capable of that. I’m talking about being consistently good in seven or eight out of every ten games.
Of yesterday’s appearances I’d say that Lennon (at the moment) Fox, Jackson, Bergdich, Ba, Makieok and Reza are simply not up to it. Sure every team will have weaknesses, but no team can sustain this amount of passengers - its not rocket science.
Waiting in the wings we have Sarr, Johnson and Ceballos who I would add to my list and the new acquisitions Sanogo and Fanni who are not even ready to appear on the bench.
The biggest problem at the club is lack of British football knowledge. RD has systematically dismantled that - starting with CP and then foolishly replacing with a string of second rate foreign wannabes. TBF I like Riga but he will have no more sway with RD than anyone else.
Roland with all his money and all his business acumen needs to concentrate on what he’s good at … and that ain’t football and it ain’t working with people. Please, please Mr D, do the honourable thing and go.
Free kick one yard outside area 1+18 =19 19-10 yards from ball = 9 Penalty spot =12 Six yard area = 6 Halfway between 12 and 6 =9 Why was the wall allowed to be 1 yard behind penalty spot =11 19-11= 8
Can't any of our players point that out to the ref .
Not that it matters we still wouldn't have scored
Great numbers and support from Bristol city , proper away contingent
Wasn't at the game. Was at Rotherham last week. Watched the highlights on C5 which didn't feature one single attack from us. Despite reading through this thread I'm finding it hard to explain why or how this performance could be so bad compared to last week. All I can guess is we just got lucky at Rotherham. Unless it was down to the small stadium and a different atmosphere - again guessing as I wasn't there. Last week I thought we had turned things around and our luck had changed. A different team would have buried the penalty and would have won 3 - 2. Now agree with most on here. We are probably going down unless Sanogo proves to be mustard and Vetokele remains injury free. We still need a couple of good championship players in but that's not going to happen. The midfield is so inconsistent that it appears the forwards have nothing to feed off. Or as I'm reading our defenders are just hoofing it up to Mak. We don't have players with strength, brains or ability for the fight. #thankskarel
Last week Rotherham left big gaps when they attacked which allowed us to counter. Plus our final ball and finish were superb.
Bristol didn't leave many gaps because they didn't commit too many forward. They won enough of their individual battles to make it a stalemate as a contest with the added bonus for them of having got the penalty.
Two big moments for me....the penalty award and the non red card for the foul on Reza. In another season both might have gone the other way.
Comments
Oddly enough, we have improved our accuracy of passing on the floor. A year ago we were so wayward that we retreated to continuous sideways passes along the halfway line; howls from the stands have put a stop to that nonsense. What appals me is that we still have absolutely no physical technique or mental understanding of how to advance. No muscle, no acceleration, no wit or cunning. No moves; nothing rehearsed.
Incompetent managers aside, as a team we are familiar enough with going 1-0 down at home. Yet the players themselves are simply incapable of organising a counter-attack, mounting an assault. In the entire 90 minutes today, our threats on goal amounted to one shot from Lookman - comfortably saved - and Gudmundsson's free-kick from 20 yards out - slammed carelessly into the wall. This weakness of ambition and effect would be unforgivable even in the Conference South.
The one meagre redeeming feature from this dismal afternoon was Chris Solly getting forward, pointing while sprinting to make the essential triangles, deceiving defenders and sending an accurate cross - to Lookman who headed weakly instead of hammering with his left boot.
A fellow Lifer nailed it succinctly a few days ago on another thread. He compared us with Middlesbrough. Both clubs have strong traditions and healthy support. Both have fantastically wealthy owners, and neither is buoyed by parachute payments. Boro, too, have a manager previously unknown to English football. And - crucially - while Gibson buys Jordan Rhodes, we borrow Rod Fanni and Yaya Nogoals.
Port Vale beckons.
Interestingly I travelled on the train with the Cardiff and Burnley scouts who had been at our game. We play Cardiff next week and Burnley last game of the season. They were very sympathetic to our plight and said that sadly we are a laughing stock in football circles under RD, Cardiff's problems were minor by comparison. To be fair the Burnley guy did say he thought we actually played better today than when he watched us at Huddersfield and I agreed with him because that was the nadir for me. He also felt that Bristol just edged it were better organised and looked more of a team.
Neither rate Big Mak or Tex on his display today and feared for us if we get relegated with the squad we have. The view was we would need a massive clear out along similar lines to the one Chris Powell orchestrated 4 years ago. Henderson also came in for some criticism for not only the penalty which went through him but the Blackburn goal he conceded just before half time previous home game.
It'll be interesting to see how we get on against both teams and how those players mentioned perform after this chance meeting.
Good joke though.
Sounds like illness was the better option.
I reckon we need to win at least 8 more games this season. To be honest, I can't see us scoring 8 more goals all year.
If Duchatelet really has no intention of selling up I fear we will end up like Tranmere or Grimsby.
Not going to happen, is it.
Sadly, these days, at Charlton it's very much "Move along there, nothing to see here, move along..."
RD's youth policies will ruin the careers of some of our Academy players and ultimately ruin the reputation of our Academy. He doesn't care though. If he did, he'd change.
The team are at the bottom because that's where they deserve to be. The fans expectation is greater than what they can achieve. Who has set the expectation of a decent Championship side with some chance of promotion? Why, RD of course. He doesn't care though.
He really does have to go. Sooner would be good but later may just have to do.
Preferably taking with him the idiots who boo players who've been put in (unfairly) over their heads.
However, that is apparently illegal, so it's back to the drawing board.
I've seen some dross over the years but never, ever anything quite so bad as that.
I really don't feel like going again, but I will, just because I'm not going to let those Belgian arseholes break my club.
Unlike Lincs, I'm not poorly or sick.
Just totally sick to the stomach with the regime that has brought our Club to its knees and continues to do so, week on week.
I've been called a cynic by a Lifer recently, and criticised by another for defending my views to the detriment of others' opinions.
I'd be the first to hold up my hands if that is the case but I merely say what I see ...there's a useful catchphrase!
What I do see is a Club teetering on the brink of self destruction brought about by an owner who cares not a jot for his "purchase". And will inevitably walk away one day , shrugging his shoulders as if to say " Well I tried but hey, there's always another juicy experiment on the horizon ! "
What he will leave behind, apart from debt, will be the remains of a football club that might just be too far down the road to revive. Most of us can see the writing on the wall and have done for some time whilst others criticise us for denigrating everything "they" do.....
Well, one look at today's performance should tell the unbelievers that the rot emanates from one man , and one man only. And it is unstoppable. No need to list the reasons or areas of the Club that are affected- they speak volumes for themselves.
I was given a great piece of news just before kick off today - one which I believe will please a lot of fans and which I'll elaborate about tomorrow when I feel more upbeat.....and one that will probably indicate a degree of capitulation by "them" and a tick in the "fans' column" on the balance sheet.
But the smile on my face at 2pm today is long gone & I can't bring myself to spread some positivity at this moment in time. Pathetic, I know.
Call me a drama queen , or what you will - I'm big & ugly enough to take it on the chin ( well one of them)
But these are heartbreaking times for the faithful & keeping the faith has rarely been so hard.
I know nothing, but every time I looked it seemed like Bristol were playing with a back 5.
They also seemed to be playing a very high line, but our laboured build-up or aimless hoofs forward were not troubling them in the slightest.
Our tactics seemed ineffective and we lacked the nous or invention to trouble them.
To me it seemed the head coach did not do anything effective to change things.
I did wonder whether Igor with his ability to sometimes turn defenders and break free would have made a difference, but probably not.
Bristol offered nothing until the debatable pen and maybe if we had scored first it would have been different.
Having said that the ref bottled a stone wall pen for them shortly after.
5 January signings and none of the remaining 4 played. It would be hilarious if it wasn't tragic.
So much for RM saying there were errors made in recruitment.
The problem is that KM has no idea about running a football club. The regime is determined to run at the prescribed budget and to hell with everything else. They have done nothing to change the situation by appointing another network coach. ( don't be fooled Riga who is regularly used by RD)
The only new recruit in this transfer window that was used today was the Portugeezer . Poyet hasn't been used. (I saw him leave the Valley after the game and I think his facial expression said it all. "What am I doing here".
Fanni and Sanyogo aren't match fit. Same old get them in on the cheap.
I remember saying to KM at a VIP meeting that couldn't she see that Yoni Buyens didn't want to be here. At the final whistle he just walked off regardless of the result. To which she replied he has to play he is under contract. She just dosent get it. No wonder we are in this mess.... I reckon the players have already asked their agents to find them a new football club for next season. They are fed up at being waiters and ushers....
The decision to loan out Watt and take on a new forward who is apperantly injured seems another top managerial decision.
Sadly Lookman was totally a wasted today and seemed to be continually been given advice from the bench, not played in the right position particularly second half imo, don't have a clue what Riga was doing.
Thought we would bombard them late on, to bring Ba on was a joke.
A game we needed to win and we hardly had an effort at goal. Many challenges bottled particularly by Gudmundson and Fox was back to his normal pathetic self.
Pinocchio was walking around by the shop before the game, if she was a bloke I would probably have hit her.
The whole set up is rotten to the core and all those staff who continue to back the regime are mad and sadly many will probably loose their jobs next year as further cutbacks will be made to cut costs.
Of yesterday’s appearances I’d say that Lennon (at the moment) Fox, Jackson, Bergdich, Ba, Makieok and Reza are simply not up to it. Sure every team will have weaknesses, but no team can sustain this amount of passengers - its not rocket science.
Waiting in the wings we have Sarr, Johnson and Ceballos who I would add to my list and the new acquisitions Sanogo and Fanni who are not even ready to appear on the bench.
The biggest problem at the club is lack of British football knowledge. RD has systematically dismantled that - starting with CP and then foolishly replacing with a string of second rate foreign wannabes. TBF I like Riga but he will have no more sway with RD than anyone else.
Roland with all his money and all his business acumen needs to concentrate on what he’s good at … and that ain’t football and it ain’t working with people. Please, please Mr D, do the honourable thing and go.
19-10 yards from ball = 9
Penalty spot =12
Six yard area = 6
Halfway between 12 and 6 =9
Why was the wall allowed to be 1 yard behind penalty spot =11
19-11= 8
Can't any of our players point that out to the ref .
Not that it matters we still wouldn't have scored
Great numbers and support from Bristol city , proper away contingent
100% Down
100% Roland out
You can talk formations all you like but, whatever 'system' we played, our execution was atrocious.
Bristol didn't leave many gaps because they didn't commit too many forward. They won enough of their individual battles to make it a stalemate as a contest with the added bonus for them of having got the penalty.
Two big moments for me....the penalty award and the non red card for the foul on Reza. In another season both might have gone the other way.
It was a crap game in crap windy conditions.