2021/22 Matchday No. 1 - Bristol City v. Blackpool

[Banjo Island]

Overall much better than last season created lots of decent chances alex scott looks a top prospect not convinced by vyner the right back position looks to be a problem vyner and simpson not convinced by either dissapointed but fairly optimistic coyr

[SouthS22]

41 minutes ago, chinapig said:

Our best bet for the season is keeping clean sheets given we don't have goals in us.

Sadly we still look like a scared team when the pressure is on. Nigel isn't going to change that mentality overnight.

Overnight? He’s been in charge since Feb - 7 months and we are still have no backbone.  How long are you suggesting he needs. Good pre season and all was supposed to be different.   

[winsaw]

I thought taking Alex off changed things, we lost some of the purpose up front there was less closing down and Blackpool started to play it out from the back, still lots of positive today though , 

[Jeez]

35 minutes ago, The Original OTIB said:

I thought Williams added to the panic when he came on, very rusty indeed.

Agreed, Williams seemed too rusty compared with the rest of the team. 

We were weaker once Scott & Palmer went off.

[italian dave]

26 minutes ago, Alessandro said:

A performance that probably sums up where we are right now.

Decent and well organised, we’ll create chances, but will need to create a lot given we look pretty toothless up front.

Defence is a concern. We will have games where we’ll hang on for a win and times when we won’t, like this afternoon.

Mid-table stuff, better if we can fix either the conversion rate or chances conceded. Worse if we don’t. 
 

Work to be done.

I share that concern about the defence. We failed to pick up runners, gave away sill free kicks (in positions we conceded from so many times last year), failed to be first to the ball, and got away with it because they weren’t great in the final third. Against better sides we’d have been punished. 

[Portland Bill]

What was the crowd please ?

[Jeez]

41 minutes ago, And Its Smith said:

Not really. Williams not fully fit. Nagy rumoured to be off. 

What have you heard about Nagy?

He’d have been who I’d have brought on if we were trying to get better control of the midfield late into the game so there probably is some truth in the rumour wherever it might be

[pl00peh91]

2 minutes ago, Portland Bill said:

What was the crowd please ?

I’d say excitable but faded towards the end 

[Phileas Fogg]

Newly promoted sides are always a bit awkward. Lack of goals and the RB position are a worry though.

Williams will be a key player when fit. As will HNM. It’s only 1 game so slightly surprised at the reaction on here. 

[Redrascal2]

9 minutes ago, SouthS22 said:

Overnight? He’s been in charge since Feb - 7 months and we are still have no backbone.  How long are you suggesting he needs. Good pre season and all was supposed to be different.   

It is different the transfer budget was 1.5million and we cannot afford the striker we desperately needed. How long do you think it takes to turn a team around from relegation form to a quality team. I think it is longer than 7 months.

[The Original OTIB]

13 minutes ago, Red Alert said:

Agreed, Williams seemed too rusty compared with the rest of the team. 

We were weaker once Scott & Palmer went off.

Didn't need changing.

[BigTone]

Think the result is pretty much what most of us expected. Disappointing to concede so late but hey ho upwards & onwards.

Edited August 7, 2021 by BigTone

[chinapig]

8 minutes ago, SouthS22 said:

Overnight? He’s been in charge since Feb - 7 months and we are still have no backbone.  How long are you suggesting he needs. Good pre season and all was supposed to be different.   

A culture of fear was built up over years by Johnson and and Holden. It can also infect new players coming in if they sense their teammates are panicking.

It's a lot easier to improve physical fitness than mental. It took Klopp a couple of years to change the mentality at Liverpool for instance.

It's going to be a long haul I suspect.

[The Original OTIB]

4 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

Newly promoted sides are always a bit awkward. Lack of goals and the RB position are a worry though.

Williams will be a key player when fit. As will HNM. It’s only 1 game so slightly surprised at the reaction on here. 

Some fair points being made amidst the inevitable hysteria.

[Lew-T]

Felt like we controlled the game overall but we’ve got to do more to hurt the opposition. Blackpool probably deserved that, they got through us multiple times near the end. 
 

Some good stuff but some stuff that needs work. 

[nellie]

9 minutes ago, Redrascal2 said:

It is different the transfer budget was 1.5million and we cannot afford the striker we desperately needed. How long do you think it takes to turn a team around from relegation form to a quality team. I think it is longer than 7 months.

Didnt NP himself say it would that 3 seasons to be competitive when he joined ?

[robin_unreliant]

11 minutes ago, Redrascal2 said:

It is different the transfer budget was 1.5million and we cannot afford the striker we desperately needed. How long do you think it takes to turn a team around from relegation form to a quality team. I think it is longer than 7 months.

What about the striker he left on the bench?

[RedM]

49 minutes ago, Super said:

Kicked ball away i thought

He did.

[Bedred31]

NP’s current brief seems to be yes, you can sign a new player, one we evidently need to be remotely competitive, but you’ll have to sell one first and, oh yes, he’ll have to be a free. Not blaming anyone for this- except the Chinese chap who thought wild bat was a good barbecue option- but how long do you think that LJ would have lasted under the same conditions?

[chinapig]

6 minutes ago, robin_unreliant said:

What about the striker he left on the bench?

Whichever striker was left on the bench, or even if he had started them both, the fact remains he wants another. Hardly surprising given our scoring record.

Unfortunately we don't have any money. So I imagine he will rotate Martin and Wells and hope for the best.

That is the position the previous regime has left us in.

Edited August 7, 2021 by chinapig

[Jeez]

4 minutes ago, robin_unreliant said:

What about the striker he left on the bench?

Wells looked frustrated warming up, especially as the game went on; we thought he was getting the nod & even Williams looked surprised when he was called back to get ready to come on. 

[The Bard]

34 minutes ago, SouthS22 said:

Overnight? He’s been in charge since Feb - 7 months and we are still have no backbone.  How long are you suggesting he needs. Good pre season and all was supposed to be different.   

Yeah sack him. We conceded a goal. Completely unacceptable 

 

 

[Roadrunner]

We are still unbeaten in the league. Yes very disappointing. But Nigel will get it sorted over the coming matches.

[Red22]

Did anyone work out the identity that Pearson was on about during the week? I'm still trying to work it out.. also Sam Bell is a ridiculous sub when trying to see out a game with tomas kalas on the bench 

[Red Exile]

Perfectly respectable performance today. I enjoyed long sections of it. We so easily could have won, and should have.

But that's football. A last minute concession to concede points is SO Bristol City I'm surprised anyone is surprised by it - myself included!

It's a long season, a season of consolidation. Not sure what some people were expecting. We'll be fine.

Great to be back at the Gate!

[The Bard]

I think Vyner did well at right back.  Massive improvement on the what we've had previously.  For me the problem is inside of him.  We have to play a right footed centre half.  Baker's card was insane.  He didn't go with the runner for their goal when he was nearest.  It's either Baker or Atkinson with Kalas for me.

[HappyClapper]

1 hour ago, WolfOfWestStreet said:

We're in a relegation scrap. Strap in. 

 

What a load of absolute nonsense. There are 45 games to go. Do you have this knee jerk reaction every season?

Weirdly embarrassing.

[RedM]

30 minutes ago, Red Alert said:

Wells looked frustrated warming up, especially as the game went on; we thought he was getting the nod & even Williams looked surprised when he was called back to get ready to come on. 

Did Sam Bell even warm up, from the Dolman I didn’t notice him doing so? Only saw Kalas, Simpson and Wells at various times. And why sub Palmer, I thought other players were more obvious? Get Kalas on to shore up the game, or Wells to try to get another goal. Bell didn’t make the best sense for me.

[RoystonFoote'snephew]

Gutted. By and large we controlled the game, looked quite assured at the back and should have won easily. but while we played some delightful football we didn't get enough balls into the box and didn't test their shaky keeper anything like enough. Nevertheless a great improvement on the back end of last season. All the new boys played well, I particularly liked Atkinson's positioning and young Alex Scott put in a really good shift. We definitely lost something when he and Palmer went off. Understood the Scott substitution as he looked knackered at but Palmer's withdrawal seemed unnecessary to me. 

Disappointed to drop 2 points but we go again. 

[Midred]

1 hour ago, Super said:

Kicked ball away i thought

Bloody hell, the number of times it happens against us or the offender picks up the ball and walks away and it's ignored! If only refs could be consistent. The only player I saw get booked for diving last season was our very own Wells.

Couple of good VAR decisions in the Olympics when the ref changed his mind about penalties. 

[Ostrich]

Switched off on the 90th minute expecting you to hold on, only just seen it finished 1-1. You should been out of sight first half, just a real lack of quality in the finishing and final ball. I expect King to bury that header and the wild attempt from Weimann was desperately poor. It was a reasonably controlled if unspectacular performance that should have been a comfortable win. Looked a mid-table side for me and that’s surely where this season is headed.

Thought Scott was good and solved a problem I saw at the end of the last season in terms of nobody getting between the lines.

For me the problems were, and it’s not too dissimilar to what I saw the end of last season, you need some pace or at least some runners. I don’t see anyone really looking in behind or picking the ball up and carrying it. Also RB looks a big problem, Vyner was woeful going forward and Simpson is very much defensively minded.

[Ziderarmy]

2 hours ago, Ivorguy said:

A long long season beckons.

One positive.  We may yet get a striker if we can offload Kalas/Nagy.

 

Who would want them for anywhere near what we paid for them? Serious question. 

[Alan Dicks]

1 hour ago, Portland Bill said:

What was the crowd please ?

18729

[Jeez]

54 minutes ago, RedM said:

Did Sam Bell even warm up, from the Dolman I didn’t notice him doing so? Only saw Kalas, Simpson and Wells at various times. And why sub Palmer, I thought other players were more obvious? Get Kalas on to shore up the game, or Wells to try to get another goal. Bell didn’t make the best sense for me.

Yeah he was warming up throughout the 2nd half along with Wells

[Bristol Oil Services]

2 hours ago, mozo said:

 

I think the 'where will the goals come from?' question remains unanswered.

 

They will keep coming from looped crosses to the back stick, where Chris Martin will inexplicably always be in acres of space, and where he will power headers back across goal into the far corner of the opposition net, past the despairing dive of each and every Championship keeper this season. 

[sludge]

1 hour ago, KingswoodReds said:

Did anyone work out the identity that Pearson was on about during the week? I'm still trying to work it out.. also Sam Bell is a ridiculous sub when trying to see out a game with tomas kalas on the bench 

Some of our players actually made tackles today if that helps 

[YGBjammy]

No need to panic with just that result, but would quite like a new striker and winger in. Maybe someone on loan could work? 

So pleased for Alex Scott, and Pearson seemed to have confidence in him in the post match interview. Although that's a marked change from last season, were he said repeatedly that we shouldn't have to rely on youth players and they should only come in when it's easy for them to play and less pressure. And yet here he is starting Alex Scott in the first game of the season? I don't mind at all, and think it's great for Scott to be honest, but just noticed that was a marked change in stance from Pearson.

[BTRFTG]

Today was a microcosm of our season to come. We'll concede few, yet score fewer. We were better organised, though that's cold comfort. A poor Blackpool deserved a point.

Martin did OK & won more headers than City did the final dozen games last season, as did the kid. Grealish wanabee maybe but socks and barnet aside he showed good aerial skills, balance and commitment. Brightest aspect on show today.

King & James were unspectacular though were decently negative in stopping Blackpool playing.

Atkinson looks no natural athlete and reminds of Flint. Did little wrong but Webster he ain't, so don't expect that of him.

Vyner looked under pressure all afternoon, DaSilva coped with what he needed to, though their strikers were always ahead of our line and troubled us more than we did they.

O'Dowda is one of WeeLee's 'Carousel' remainders and although only lasting 12 mins reminded why we never should have renewed his contract when we did. Could be the last we see of him. If so, that's not a bad thing.

Palmer flatters. He does good things but gifts the ball far too easily and not in a creative, attacking sense. Pearson doubtless took him off for his final two, soft, ceded defensive passes. Either way it didn't work or matter.

Flappy Wiemann flapped as always. Nearly gets there, never does. Wastes chances when given the opportunity.  I personally would have subbed him after 50 in favour of Wells. We desperately needed to take the game to them and didn't. We're impotent upfront and the 1 in 6+ Flappy offers does us few favours. To those who say he isn't a stricker I'd counter then what is he? Nearly man, that's what.

Bentley - needs to learn to how 'own the box' and 'catch and collect'. Until then we'll struggle as a defensive unit with speculative balls into the box. Were I an opposition manager I'd be exploiting his weakness all afternoon.

Those players who didn't figure one assumes are the quid pro quo for the awful financial figures we'll post soon. We have to take anything for anybody of value, it'll be that bad. Pearson knows that.  WeeLee's legacy pervades.

It wasn't bad. It wasn't good. It'll be a long, hard season.

 

 

[WolfOfWestStreet]

4 hours ago, HappyClapper said:

What a load of absolute nonsense. There are 45 games to go. Do you have this knee jerk reaction every season?

Weirdly embarrassing.

Not knee jerk at all, take your marina Dolman sunglasses off and tell me who on this squad as a whole is scoring more than 45 goals this season because I can't see it. I'd love to jump on the love train but this squad is shit and will do nothing in this league (in my opinion)

[HappyClapper]

I appreciate you’re probably a glass half empty kind of guy but surely this is a bit much. Are you a city supporter? I suggest you look up what the word means. It seems to me that you’re just looking to be negative.

[City oz]

12 hours ago, Simon79 said:

Presume you meant Covid, as I’m not that embarrassed to support City! My lad is in the vulnerable category. So we are just going to see how things develop & go from there. Certainly won’t have anything to do with City starting to win, can never rely on that! COYR 

Simon, apologies

[BS4 on Tour...]

9 hours ago, BanburyRed said:

When did Benik Afobe sign for Millwall?!

2nd July 2021 ...

[HappyClapper]

39 minutes ago, WolfOfWestStreet said:

Not knee jerk at all, take your marina Dolman sunglasses off and tell me who on this squad as a whole is scoring more than 45 goals this season because I can't see it. I'd love to jump on the love train but this squad is shit and will do nothing in this league (in my opinion)

I appreciate you’re a glass half empty kind of character but I’m hard pushed to see you as a Bristol City supporter. If you think I’m being harsh look up the definition. I don’t doubt we all want what’s best for the club but give it a rest. Time will tell if you’re proven right but surely even you is hoping not.

[Mr Hankey]

Be surprised if we play a team worse than Blackpool this season.

[BS4 on Tour...]

48 minutes ago, WolfOfWestStreet said:

Not knee jerk at all, take your marina Dolman sunglasses off and tell me who on this squad as a whole is scoring more than 45 goals this season because I can't see it. I'd love to jump on the love train but this squad is shit and will do nothing in this league (in my opinion)

I confidently predict no player in our squad will score more than 45 goals this season ...

[Supersonic Robin]

Just had a quick skim through the most recent pages of the matchday thread on the Blackpool forum.

Comments include:

"I thought City were poor. They were gifted a soft goal. We started the brightest and finished the brightest. If we’d have had a full strength team today we’d have beaten them."

"In fairness you could say we had more opportunities i think most bristol fans will be thankful for the point."

 

It's interesting how differently each teams' fans see the game! I felt we were quite comfortably (and clearly!) the better team today. Weirdly, I don't seem to recall our fans looking jubilant and relieved to have claimed a point at full time!

[SouthS22]

9 hours ago, The Bard said:

Yeah sack him. We conceded a goal. Completely unacceptable 

 

 

The critical factor we bought Pearson in to sort out is character.  He has himself given it the big I am on strength of character and our transfers have been about bringing characters into the team. And yet 7 months in and we still fail on … guess what? Character!

 I know there were massive issues to sort out and it will take longer than 7 months for us to play great football.  But after what was supposed to be a critical summer and pre-season, we totally bottled it yet again - lumping the ball long, not being brave to find space and  retain possession, not taking individual responsibility for winning those battles.  It was a massive fail whichever way you look at it and I suspect Pearson will be more disappointed than anyone.

 It’s the most fundamental thing he has to get right and the very first requirement.  He’s got time to sort it but he’s got to get it done because the team doesn’t have any longer to break this shite cycle we’re in.  

[Simon79]

7 hours ago, City oz said:

Simon, apologies

No worries mate. Didn’t take any offence to it. COYR 

[CyderInACan]

Best things about yesterday:

Alex Scott

The Pub 

Magic Roll delivery on Uber Eats

 

[Bazooka Joe]

9 hours ago, BS4 on Tour... said:

I confidently predict no player in our squad will score more than 45 goals this season ...

Duh! You're sooo negative.

Always believe.

[mozo]

Does anyone know the xG for yesterday? 

I would have thought that it was notably higher than 1?

[Sleepy1968]

32 minutes ago, mozo said:

Does anyone know the xG for yesterday? 

I would have thought that it was notably higher than 1?

We had two missed chances in the first half that must have had an xG of about one between them ...

[mozo]

Just now, Sleepy1968 said:

We had two missed chances in the first half that must have had an xG of about one between them ...

Yeah I think the Weimann one had an xG of 8...

[Davefevs]

5 hours ago, billywedlock said:

Much improved performance even if we gifted a late equaliser , taking away the opportunity to end a terrible run of home form. We were far better organised and looked for the majority of the game in control. Until the Blackpool subs , we were rarely troubled. Confidence is a big thing , and we still look short of that , that shows with our passing . We only showed glimpses of incisive moves , and too often conceded possession , by going back to Bentley , who launched long. Martin had a decent game , but as a lone striker with minimal pace, it is always going to be a limiting factor. We lacked width at times, and looked narrow. As we are playing 4 at tha back, that constrains the full backs , not that Vyner will excel as an attacking full back, but it loses also JD as an attacking threat.  With the players available , that is going to be a compromise this season. JD is going to get targeted at the back post all season . Midfield , James and King did ok , King better than I had anticipated and both will only get better. Great cross from King for the goal. Scott and KP were in and out of the game neither really creating much. Weimann , worked hard, created little, missed a great chance. I also felt we tired badly in the last 10 minutes. Maybe due to Blackpool opening us up, but that was a surprise after all the fitness talk. 

It is going to need a boost of confidence to see this group come alive. For periods we were most workmanlike, with little flair or pace in our game. Scoring goals and creating chances will be the greatest challenge as everyone knows. Blackpool are going to struggle , that is the nature of the league, but first game of the season will not define our season either. It was more important that we showed some semblance of cohesion. We did that , and also showed glimpses of where we can become very good. The fall out of the Ashton transfer work , combined with our dire FFP situation means we cannot simply spend our way out by signing the 2/3 players we need. So this season it is important we compete in every game and take every point we can. We do have HNM and Antoine to some back, both have great energy . Kalas we might want to sell for financial reasons, but no way Baker going to last a season with his full on attack mode . Williams looks a fair bit away from his best , but that will come. We really need a forward , Wells , how does he fit in ?How can we afford a forward ? We cannot . So it is a bit of a struggle to see how we solve that. 

Shame we did not get that confidence boosting home win, but much to work on and build on. This team will get better . 

Good, sense of realism post.  It’s gonna take a bit of time to knit together, but there were plenty more positive signs than negative signs weren’t there?

1 hour ago, mozo said:

Does anyone know the xG for yesterday? 

I would have thought that it was notably higher than 1?

 

[Mihai]

19 hours ago, Red DNA said:

Not sure how to tell you this - and your enjoyment of your evening, the result will be the same if you watch it or not. 
 

Making comments like that is almost at the low level of an opportunist ‘plastic fan’. It’s about supporting your club through thick and thin - so man up!

Your comment is pretty mean and I bet you don't understand what I am talking about.

Some of us are maybe not strong enough mentally to get through games like that.

A plastic fan won't even come to write here and won't even bother to get angry. My both football teams are pretty shite for years and yea, I am frustrated double times than you are. I like two clubs that are not doing anything for years, it is my total right to make any comments I want. 

I saw a lot more idiotic comments around here and I was not calling them out.

 

[pillred]

14 hours ago, Mr Hankey said:

Be surprised if we play a team worse than Blackpool this season.

will be surprised if FGR are better than Blackpool.

[Mr Hankey]

18 minutes ago, pillred said:

will be surprised if FGR are better than Blackpool.

Was thinking in the league.

[Wiltshire robin]

Didn’t manage to make the game yesterday but going by stats and peoples opinion of the 92 mins before the equaliser we were a lot better and more attacking than last season ?

or is it all doom and gloom still?

[mozo]

6 minutes ago, Wiltshire robin said:

Didn’t manage to make the game yesterday but going by stats and peoples opinion of the 92 mins before the equaliser we were a lot better and more attacking than last season ?

or is it all doom and gloom still?

Definitely better in most departments.

Perhaps losing the lead highlights, however, that we still have issues with our fitness or our mindset or both.