City vs reading

[Madejski]

Flint lucky not be sent off? Two at least yellow card offences in two minutes. Got both of our centrebacks down injured, though look OK to continue.

 

[Luke_ciderhead]

What absolute dog shit.

Year after year, this football club proves itself to be utterly incapable of competing at this level. I don't know why we even bother trying, we only get turned over every week. We may as well have just stayed in league 1 and won another title.

 

[Madejski]

2-0 FT.

Got 2 early goals, sat back and saw out the game without too much to speak of for the remaining 75 minutes. Were closer to scoring a third than Bristol were to catching up.

 

[Luke_ciderhead]

This football club is pathetic. Falls to bits whenever it gets to this level. And how many times..? We aren't called f**king "Bristol". Do you call Man Utd Manchester or Forest Nottingham?

 

[Madejski]

Shockingly we allowed Bristol City a shot on target today. That's 13 against us in 8 league games so far this season. Must do better!

 

[Aaron-Bcfc]

This football club is pathetic. Falls to bits whenever it gets to this level. And how many times..? We aren't called f**king "Bristol". Do you call Man Utd Manchester or Forest Nottingham?

You're seriously getting that offended? Who cares

 

[Ciderhead]

That was awful today, properly shite. Reminiscent of our relegation season, tempted to say as bad as. Praying it was just a one off but we looked utterly devoid of confidence today.

 

[Madejski]

And how many times..? We aren't called f**king "Bristol". Do you call Man Utd Manchester or Forest Nottingham?

I only see one Bristol in the Championship forum.

 

[JJH]

Seen Chris Coleman and Mick McCarthy walking out of the ground at around 85 minutes, probably gone for a celebratory drink on Mick's behalf - he'll enjoy playing us next week I'll tell ya.

I'll elaborate on the performance when I get back, I have so many words of distaste in all departments, it wouldn't be mobile-friendly.

 

[BCFC David]

That was awful. Not one player came out of that with any positives. It was as bad as our relegation season. Dont want to take anything away from Reading, passed the ball well (take note) closed down very quickly ( take note). I can't believe he still didn't change the shape at all throughout the game. Beggars belief. Fingers crossed it was a one off, but it was that bad I'm not so sure.

 

[JJH]

That was awful today, properly shite. Reminiscent of our relegation season, tempted to say as bad as. Praying it was just a one off but we looked utterly devoid of confidence today.

A one off? I'm sorry, but we've been serving up the same old shite for every home game so far. It's totally and utterly predictable.

 

[Ciderup]

That was shockingly bad, truly awful City.
Yes, the ref might have dropped a couple of bollocks but it didn't really matter. Reading were far better on the day and I think they could have scored again if they needed to.
Well played Royals, deserved victors.
Where we ģo from here gawd knows!

 

[Ciderup]

Oh FFS, now Gloucestershire have won to compound my misery.
Fook off today!

 

[Aaron-Bcfc]

So many of our players are out of their depth. Despite thinking it would work Ayling is hopeless as a wing back, Smith and Pack have on the whole been shit all season, Wilbraham as we suspected is completely inept at Championship level. And what the fuck was Flint doing on their first goal, imagine letting Nick Blackman stroll onto his left foot like that. Fontaine-esque.

 

[JJH]

Oh FFS, now Gloucestershire have won to compound my misery.
Fook off today!

Aye, absolutely gutted I didn't elect to go to that rather than watch the served up shite we all witnessed today.

 

[Ciderhead]

We've been unlucky in several games this season, and our points tally doesn't quite reflect how we've played, but today we were simply outfought and outplayed in all departments and tbh Reading ought to have won by a bigger margin.

It was the worst possible start, going 2 down to the first 2 shots of the game. The 1st was a recurring problem: losing the ball in midfield and being caught far too open. The 2nd: I'm not quite sure how Fielding didn't save it. It was a decent enough strike but from a fair way out and wasn't particularly powerful, when he hit it I was expecting a pretty routine save and somehow it sneaked in. It was almost as if he pulled his hands away thinking it was going wide.

But from then on they played high up the pitch and strangled us, and we were unable to get any kind of rhythm or passing going. You'd have thought that would have allowed space for Kodjia to get in behind but he was well marshalled by a strong centre back pairing and when we did get the chance to slip him in we lacked the vision or the craft to pull it off.

Wilbraham had a shocker alongside him. Off the pace and just couldn't control the ball at all. Was great for us last season and a good guy to have around but he simply doesn't look good enough for this level, sadly. Freeman was completely anonymous and Bryan had his worst game in a long while, routinely getting caught too high up the pitch and really hanging Williams out to dry. I thought Derek did well considering that, a few last ditch challenges from him were all that kept the score respectable.

Reading were physically strong and had some really dangerous movement up top with Blackman and Vydra, can see them doing well, but we were really awful. Hopefully it was a one off, and it was by a distance the worst we've played so far this season, but the worrying thing is the real lack of beilef on display. Cotterill's got a big job now picking them up because if that becomes the norm we'll be in a relegation battle make no mistake

 

[JJH]

Well that was awful.

I really don't know where to start in all of this, and to be honest, I don't think the players are the problem, and the blame lies solely in Cotterill electing to stick with this fucking 3-5-2. I said before we even got promoted last season that if we go up, we have to change and adapt, and we didn't. 3-5-2 doesn't work in the Championship, I've said it before, and I'll say it again, it's a fucking disaster. Every team we have faced at AG have been far, far more compact than us, and they can pick us off with absolute ease. Today was the same old story - we got exposed at the back, piss-arsing around with the ball or getting caught on the break where the wing-backs have bombed on ridiculously high, or for the first goal, the centre back has pushed on, leaving Flint at the back on his own without a leg to stand on.

As for the second goal, I was sat directly behind the post it went off and in, and Fielding should be saving it. Admittedly - how the fuck he managed to pick up this sort of space and was allowed to get the shot off I don't know, but Fielding was heavily left on his goal and the bloke's about 3'7, so he didn't get near it. No idea why Hamer was dropped after a heroic performance up at Middlesbrough, because Fielding always looks like he has a mistake in him, and I really have no confidence in him. He's too short, he has no commandment of his box, and his shotstopping is nothing spectacular. He's a L1 keeper at best, and even in L1 he had a fair few dodgy moments. He is not a Championship number one, not by any stretch of the imagination.

We actually started well, as we always do, but it was inevitable we'd concede pushing numbers forward and getting caught on the break, like we do every single week under this shit formation. The most frustrating part as well, is that it took Cotterill 45 minutes to change it having just witnessed us go 2 down in a familiar fashion to how we do every week. Even when he did change it, he persisted with this shameful 3-5-2, and played Ayling and Williams alongside Flint, which I was of the understanding that it didn't work, as I thought Cotterill had grasped, but clearly fucking not.

Also, if I'm looking at in-depth, like the management staff should do; the way we use the ball compared to our opposition is absolutely terrible. Cotterill keeps rambling on about the possession stat, but the teams we play against use the ball far more effectively than we do, and they're far more penetrative with it. Admittedly, this is massively helped by how shite we are from the midfield backwards in terms of defensive organisation, but the point still stands.

No players could really come away with great credit today, Kodjia got absolutely no service and looked frustrated as fuck, and Bryan looked uninterested, baring in mind he was getting 50 yards punt from the back for him to run onto and flick into space for Wilbraham, who can't run to save his life. Pack and Smith were alright, I have no idea why people making Pack the scapegoat, that's beginning to get on my tits, because he's doing nothing worse than anyone else. Ayling is anything but a right wing back, he doesn't have the pace or the stamina for it. He also doesn't have the midfield protection to play on the right side of a back three, and he's looked pretty poor this season, but then again, I have absolute faith that he'd slot perfectly into a back 4 and be absolutely fine.

It took until the 84th minute to register a shot on target, and even that was incredibly tame and meaningless. Reading looked alright, they were compact and organised, and they did their homework and executed a gameplan on us, just like every other team have done at AG this season, it's just not rocket science.

Everyone else can see the problems except from Cotterill at the moment, and it's not going to be long before questions are going to be asked, especially if he is the stubborn bastard that we know and persists with 3-5-fail.

Oh - and for all these superfans on BBC Bristol and Social Media alike going on about leaving early and the 'Cotts will get it right, we know he will #alwaysbelieve #comeonyoureds' brigade, fair enough, keep the faith, but don't pull a superiority act on those taking note and acknowledging the glaring problems that we currently have on the pitch.

Over and out.

 

[SamScfc]

Knew Bristol City wouldn't do as good as everyone was making out with Cotterill as manager.

 

[Ciderup]

I agree with every word of that JJH. Cotterill MUST change from 352, 451 for me.

 

[JJH]

I agree with every word of that JJH. Cotterill MUST change from 352, 451 for me.

4-5-1 would work. 4-2-3-1 is potentially exciting as well.

Anyway, it's inevitable we'll turn out at Portman Road in a lacklustre 3-5-2 and get turned over.

 

[JoshBCFC]

I could go on and on, but i'll just say that everything went wrong today, and everyone (apart from Bobby Reid) was utterly abysmal.

The first goal was a confidence crusher for us. Why, just flipping why, is Williams so far up? He may aswell just say "Come on then, out pace me and score." . We were far too open today, and we payed the price against a Reading side that didn't do great after the 2nd goal TBH. I agree that the formation needs to be changed. 4-5-1 or 4-4-2 are both possible.

Anyway, the big thing that I have to say is why didn't we get a big man in the summer transfer window? If Cotts really wants a big man up top, then at least make a fucking bid for him and prioritize him over Andre Gray and Dwight Gayle, for god's sake. And TBH we shouldn't have sold Cunningham, i'll be completely honest and say that I didn't realize that actually he would've been really helpful (I think I forgot about his quality) . Because now we can't move Bryan up to wide midfield, because we have nobody there! Keeping JET would've been nice aswell, but oh well, nobody can be 100% sure he wanted a new deal TBH.

Fair play to Reading, they saw the game out decently with a solid defense (even though they were rarely troubled by us) and deserved the win by a country mile. If they'd have been playing to the best of their ability for the whole match then we would've been well and truly thumped. We should've conceded more anyway, never mind if they played to the top of their ability!

 

[Aaron-Bcfc]

Knew Bristol City wouldn't do as good as everyone was making out with Cotterill as manager.

As good as who was making out? We could see this coming from a mile away after the summer we had

 

[BCFC Jordan]

The amount of people (mainly on OTIB and twitter) that gave me stick for moaning over the summer months. Hope they're all happy with the 1 win in 9 games now.

 

[BCFC Jordan]

Just reading some of the other comments in here. I don't think the system is the probably - I genuinely think it's the mental factor of all confidence around the club being zapped away after our dismal summer. Played well in a few of the opening games, weren't clinical and got caught on the counter/set-pieces with goals let in. However, if we'd have strengthened the team adequately and not signed just one player permanently, I really feel we'd have started off much better. Psychology plays a large part in football.

We can go 4-5-1 and try to be more defensive but I don't think it would help us. It would be like when McInnes went really negative after a few bad results and never attempted to replicate how we played in the first 5 or so games of 12/13.

 

[Jack Synx]

Fuckng hell none of our team looked even Sunday leauge standard today !! This fucking 3-5-2 just won't ever work out in the championship cotts!!!!! You could see that when we were attacking reading had a strong base and would pressure us into either a stupid mistake or passing backwards. Whereas when they were attacking they had more space than Carlisle to Plymouth. That's how they got there second! Pack was shit. Wilbs was shit. And now because of these shitty shows people don't want to come on loan here so we can't make our squad any better.

I feel like there has been a back room fallout between people urgo that was why we bought fuck all in the tranfer market and everyone seem so deluded. If I see one more game in which we play that shitty formation Does anyone want a free season ticket?

 

[JJH]

Fuckng hell none of our team looked even Sunday leauge standard today !! This fucking 3-5-2 just won't ever work out in the championship cotts!!!!! You could see that when we were attacking reading had a strong base and would pressure us into either a stupid mistake or passing backwards. Whereas when they were attacking they had more space than Carlisle to Plymouth. That's how they got there second! Pack was shit. Wilbs was shit. And now because of these shitty shows people don't want to come on loan here so we can't make our squad any better.

I feel like there has been a back room fallout between people urgo that was why we bought fuck all in the tranfer market and everyone seem so deluded. If I see one more game in which we play that shitty formation Does anyone want a free season ticket?

What did Pack do wrong to deserve singling out?

And offer it to a Rovers fan mate. Even the shite that's been served up at the moment would be far superior to anything shown at The Mem recently.

 

[TTOCS]

Didn't go today as I was otherwise engaged at Lords.

Still, changes to be made based on what I have seen this season...

1. Reid in for Freeman as we looked better with him in the team and he creates stuff. The latter has done fuck all this season other than throw away 3 points v Brentford and was apparently awful today.

2. Agard to replace Wilbraham, who has been poor in every game I've seen.

3. Loan player to replace Pack, can't believe our midfield options are weaker than in League One! 3-5-2 with 2 holding midfielder absolutely works on paper but obviously need better personnel.

 

[TTOCS]

Oh FFS, now Gloucestershire have won to compound my misery.
Fook off today!

Support your local team...

Today was fantastic! Up the 'Shire.

 

[JJH]

Didn't go today as I was otherwise engaged at Lords.

Still, changes to be made based on what I have seen this season...

1. Reid in for Freeman as we looked better with him in the team and he creates stuff. The latter has done fuck all this season other than throw away 3 points v Brentford and was apparently awful today.

2. Agard to replace Wilbraham, who has been poor in every game I've seen.

3. Loan player to replace Pack, can't believe our midfield options are weaker than in League One! 3-5-2 with 2 holding midfielder absolutely works on paper but obviously need better personnel.

You lucky bastard. In hindsight - I would have much rather been at Lords. I managed to catch the first 15 overs of our Innings, and then the final 10 of theirs. Looked fantastic there, such a fitting send off for Jones.

As for the football - Freeman is getting unwarranted criticism, he absolutely ran the show last week at Brum. As for Pack - he was one of our better players again today, he's certainly been no worse than many others this season, but he'll always be the scapegoat much like Skusey was here, because he does the dirty work rather than provide the fancy flicks.

Anyway - glad you enjoyed your day!

 

[Aaron-Bcfc]

Smith has been worse than Pack this season. And it's blatantly obvious to me that you can't play them both. You need a ball carrier alongside one of them as they're both sideways and backwards passers only. Wade Elliott anyone?