[Archived] Bristol City At Home

[adsfortheblues]

I Completely agree but you can hold it against the player. If you shove a bog standard centre half with few other attributes at left back what can you expect.

Fair point mate. Does beg the question as to why the young Doyle wasn't played at LB.

[K-Hod]

Id have got a taxi

After the second one I was tempted Gav, I'll be honest!

[Proudtobeblue&white]

Another totally underwhelming performance having been in the position of 1-0 up. Meltdown to a team we will be vying for a relegation spot next season. The Loons need to get their rich ars*s in gear - put up, or feck off!

[aletheia]

Positives? Hanley sharp, a leader, no-nonsense at this level (just got to watch the red mist). Graham class but needs a partner. Marshall also class at this level but needs direction. Lowe solid and at least energetic.

Otherwise, utter shambles, particularly the second half and highly dispiriting. No coherence at all in terms of shape or personnel. Not to mention a lack of appetite. Felt sorry for Kilgallon. He was disgruntled all game and seemed to me to have words with Lambert and Marshall. Whilst he did make a horrendous error for the second goal, he wasn’t the only one responsible. I lost count of the times he was fed the ball on the line with utterly no option on at all. He is no left back. Evans and Gomez strolled. Gomez walked off past Lambert stony faced. There was utterly no desire or work rate needed for a passing game. Conway as a midfielder? What exactly was the system in that second half? Many of the basics just don’t happen and there is no excuse for that. Money, backroom staff, off field nonsense doesn’t mean you can’t pick a side with a sensible shape, motivate them and make sensible substitutions. 2 decent crosses, Graham shows his quality and scores. Flattered us. Bristol were like several sides who have been here this season –easy on the eye, organised, hard-working, trying to play the right way on the deck but just lacking that bit of quality at either end to make a real difference. The fact that such a side was allowed to score twice tells you what you need to know.

In terms of money or facilities, are we any worse off than Burnley, Brighton, Ipswich, Brentford, Preston, Huddersfield, Rotheram and Bristol City, all of whom are performing much better or certainly not worse than we are?

[Athlete]

Disregarding the ridiculous amount of dark clouds hanging over the club, and give or take 5-6 players, this is the lineup we should be using most games next season. Best way to gain both a defensively solid midfield and a versatile attack.

Against a Bristol city side also on the beach

[VinjayV4]

Positives? Hanley sharp, a leader, no-nonsense at this level (just got to watch the red mist). Graham class but needs a partner. Marshall also class at this level but needs direction. Lowe solid and at least energetic.

Otherwise, utter shambles, particularly the second half and highly dispiriting. No coherence at all in terms of shape or personnel. Not to mention a lack of appetite. Felt sorry for Kilgallon. He was disgruntled all game and seemed to me to have words with Lambert and Marshall. Whilst he did make a horrendous error for the second goal, he wasn’t the only one responsible. I lost count of the times he was fed the ball on the line with utterly no option on at all. He is no left back. Evans and Gomez strolled. Gomez walked off past Lambert stony faced. There was utterly no desire or work rate needed for a passing game. Conway as a midfielder? What exactly was the system in that second half? Many of the basics just don’t happen and there is no excuse for that. Money, backroom staff, off field nonsense doesn’t mean you can’t pick a side with a sensible shape, motivate them and make sensible substitutions. 2 decent crosses, Graham shows his quality and scores. Flattered us. Bristol were like several sides who have been here this season –easy on the eye, organised, hard-working, trying to play the right way on the deck but just lacking that bit of quality at either end to make a real difference. The fact that such a side was allowed to score twice tells you what you need to know.

In terms of money or facilities, are we any worse off than Burnley, Brighton, Ipswich, Brentford, Preston, Huddersfield, Rotheram and Bristol City, all of whom are performing much better or certainly not worse than we are?

Bigger club with better facilities than the whole lot of them. Brighton and Huddersfield have good stadiums too but I'm sure they don't have better training facilities. Preston's is neat enough though the stands aren't exactly massive. The other clubs are nothing special with stadiums (though obviously Rotherham's is new and better than the dump they had before) and Burnley have one of the most boring, unmarketable names in football. As far as I know though none of them have a 100 million debt. I'm sure Ipswich have a considerable debt and have been cutting some costs (recently posted a link on FUP thread about their situation) but the owner certainly has a better reputation.

[Athlete]

Rovers played 4-3-3 and we passed it at times very well. Is this going to be the way we will play from now on?

I felt that Taking Mahoney off was wrong. We losted our shape and formation for the mad 10 mins.

For the mad 10 mins I didnt understand what shape or formation we were playing. Look like Conway was up front and us playing a diamond formation. But why?

We need to sign Danny Graham permanent. He is such a class act. Would be my 1st choice signing for the position and role.

Hopefully he signs but had it on good authority he ain't gonna do

For one we can't match his wages or anywhere near

BTW our class goalscorer has long gone

[Ewood Spark]

I've been bringing my youngest since he was a 'babe in arms' he is eight now. He assumes hearing the sound of boos at half and full times as a normal part of the Ewood experience. He has never known good times. I was getting worried that he would not want to go in future. I need not have worried ... today he came off the ground absolutely buzzing ... "In all my life that's the best game I've ever seen" ... Danny Graham's equaliser was celebrated by him as if we had won the cup. I was probably one of the few people walking away from Ewood with a smile on my face!

[chaddyrovers]

Hopefully he signs but had it on good authority he ain't gonna do

For one we can't match his wages or anywhere near

BTW our class goalscorer has long gone

Graham has gone 6 goals in 16 games. So over a season he would have got 17 goals on avearge. But he also bring other attributes to the game like strength, work rate, bring in other players to the game.

I would give him 2 years contract at least

[Stuart]

I've been bringing my youngest since he was a 'babe in arms' he is eight now. He assumes hearing the sound of boos at half and full times as a normal part of the Ewood experience. He has never known good times. I was getting worried that he would not want to go in future. I need not have worried ... today he came off the ground absolutely buzzing ... "In all my life that's the best game I've ever seen" ... Danny Graham's equaliser was celebrated by him as if we had won the cup. I was probably one of the few people walking away from Ewood with a smile on my face!

You're doing a cracking job with him mate. That's above and beyond.

My oldest is 12 and next season will be his 10th season ticket. He just about remembers the "good times" of Hughes and Allardyce. He isn't quite so forgiving.

My youngest isn't so lucky and is in the same boat as your lad. It's so so sad that we have to hand this shell over to them. But at the same time, I'm so proud that they understand what it means to support their home town club regardless of what their friends think or who they support. I really hope that they get to see better games than today, and better times in future.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I've been bringing my youngest since he was a 'babe in arms' he is eight now. He assumes hearing the sound of boos at half and full times as a normal part of the Ewood experience. He has never known good times. I was getting worried that he would not want to go in future. I need not have worried ... today he came off the ground absolutely buzzing ... "In all my life that's the best game I've ever seen" ... Danny Graham's equaliser was celebrated by him as if we had won the cup. I was probably one of the few people walking away from Ewood with a smile on my face!

That's great to read. Stuff like that gives me a bit of hope for the future.

[Husky]

4 goals. Nice to see there was some entertainment for those that went. Hic!

[JAL]

I've been bringing my youngest since he was a 'babe in arms' he is eight now. He assumes hearing the sound of boos at half and full times as a normal part of the Ewood experience. He has never known good times. I was getting worried that he would not want to go in future. I need not have worried ... today he came off the ground absolutely buzzing ... "In all my life that's the best game I've ever seen" ... Danny Graham's equaliser was celebrated by him as if we had won the cup. I was probably one of the few people walking away from Ewood with a smile on my face!

Why do they boo ES ?

[LewisF]

Don't know if it's been pointed out, but the most worrying thing is that today we were actually TRYING, and still couldn't win, whereas against Hiddersfield we lost but couldn't be arsed

[tomphil]

To put a positive spin on it Paul Lambert and Danny Graham have gone a long way to keeping a very poor side up this season, a bit like Bowyer and Rhodes did a few seasons ago.

Anything else was always going to be a bonus with what Venkys have indirectly reduced us to. Honourable mentions to Hanley and Marshall but the rest of em been crap as many times as they've been good or average. I'm really looking forwards to next season, possibly minus the 3 players I've just mentioned......

[LewisF]

So from today's atrocity

Steele - shocking (threw the ball directly to one of their players once)

Lowe - decent

Ward - solid

Hanley - solid

Kilgallon - did he pass to a Rovers player all afternoon?

Akpan - shocking, the amount of times he gives the ball away is unreal he can do one in the summer

Evans - doing the job of two CMs due to Akpan's inability to show himself, hard job to do but poor

Mahoney - didn't do much of note but nothing bad either

Gomez - had a better match than most of his recent ones

Marshall - was alright but should have scored

Graham - terrific

Conway - didn't do much

Lenihan - didn't do much

Jackson - didn't do much

[tomphil]

Ever since that West Ham game Akpan has been awful, it's like he gave up that day and has been trying to hide ever since. He wants out I'm sure and he can do one tomorrow for me, he's no better than Williamson.

[Ribble Rover]

I actually think he has real potential in the right team,

[tomphil]

I actually think he has real potential in the right team,

He seemed more comfortable in the role Bowyer used him in, just getting a foot in around the middle of the park. He's never looked as happy in PL's system and I think he can be filed under one who isn't giving it his best under this manager.

[Tom]

Again I thought Akpan was clearly one of our better players today but football is all about opinions.

If he could pass better he'd be in the premier league, many times he picked up the ball deep and strode out and eased the pressure; when he went for a simple pass it was fine but when he got adventurous it went wrong.

[tomphil]

Again I thought Akpan was clearly one of our better players today but football is all about opinions.

If he could pass better he'd be in the premier league, many times he picked up the ball deep and strode out and eased the pressure; when he went for a simple pass it was fine but when he got adventurous it went wrong.

Your probably right in fairness as it's the bad passes that stick in the mind. When the onus is on him to do something with the ball he's often useless but when the pace is a bit rougher and he just wins the ball and gives it short he's quite effective. Still think he can do better though.

[Tom]

I don't get why he often is played in an advance role though as he isn't going to thread a pass or ping one in from outside the box

[A cup of beans]

The lack of work rate and movement 2nd half was disgraceful.

Even Tugay would've struggled to pick a pass.

That said, Crap passers like Lowe, Kilgallon, Akpan and Evans struggled to play it simple, and contributed to the compilation.

They didn't take the sting out of the game, and weekly surrendering possession gave Bristol City belief

[harryhealless1928]

Well at least Lambert has kept us up this season.

So now we are secure,how about giving the youngsters a real chance,say Hanley,Marshall,Graham and eight from the reserves/home produced(Lenihan,Lowe,Mahoney,Doyle,Wharton,Tomlinson,Raya & Mansell or Forrester) for the next game ? Bet he wont though

[Neal]

Oh, was there a game today?