Bristol City Vs Swindon Matchday Thread

[chalkies_shorts]

If we play at that tempo in our remaining games and do some work on the training ground around tightening the defence, we should be ok going into the playoffs. What happens then is anyone's guess.

Its a bit late for that. the defence is fucked regardless of who plays there. I'm not sure what you can do on the training ground with this lot. We've learned fuck all over the season and the defence is actually getting worse. Look at the 3 yesterday, all very preventable and pretty easily defended. Getting caught out like Branco isn't down to the way we play. Giving Bryan acres of space to pick his spot isn't down to the way we play. Giving Freeman and Wilbraham acres of space isn't down to the way we play. Its down to rank shit individual responsibility and no fucking idea of how to operate as a unit. We're soft and any team who goes for it down our flanks will do us - moreso the right.
Tactically against MK we got it so wrong and they got it so right. Last night we huffed and we puffed and we blew our own fucking house down, like we have been doing all this year. We work so hard for our goals and concede so easily. Cooper may say we played well yesterday but we scored fuck all and conceded 3. It would be ok if it was like boxing and you could win on points if you last the distance but it isn't. We needed 4 goals to win yesterday and despite 21 efforts got fuck all. This is not an isolated game as there have been others where we've created as much and got fuck all.

[Bewster]

As others have said I think we would have taken the play offs at the beginning of the season so shouldn't be too disappointed. However, having said that being top and then slipping away has lead to the rather flat feeling that is currently about.

We've been effected hugely by the international breaks and injuries at key times to key personnel. Now is the time to re-group, get the suspensions out of the way and maybe look to change our formations/tactics in order to gather momentum going into the POs.

[Costanza]

I don't like to hide behind excuses but the international break definitely killed the buzz and potential momentum of the dramatic Doncaster win.

[Nomoreheroes]

Its a bit late for that. the defence is fucked regardless of who plays there. I'm not sure what you can do on the training ground with this lot. We've learned fuck all over the season and the defence is actually getting worse. Look at the 3 yesterday, all very preventable and pretty easily defended. Getting caught out like Branco isn't down to the way we play. Giving Bryan acres of space to pick his spot isn't down to the way we play. Giving Freeman and Wilbraham acres of space isn't down to the way we play. Its down to rank shit individual responsibility and no fucking idea of how to operate as a unit. We're soft and any team who goes for it down our flanks will do us - moreso the right.
Tactically against MK we got it so wrong and they got it so right. Last night we huffed and we puffed and we blew our own fucking house down, like we have been doing all this year. We work so hard for our goals and concede so easily. Cooper may say we played well yesterday but we scored fuck all and conceded 3. It would be ok if it was like boxing and you could win on points if you last the distance but it isn't. We needed 4 goals to win yesterday and despite 21 efforts got fuck all. This is not an isolated game as there have been others where we've created as much and got fuck all.

I sort of agree, but....

I think if we'd scored 1 we wouldn't have conceeded 3.

The hard thing for us seems to be to score one. If we had, I think that City would have pushed forward leaving them more exposed and holes at the back that we may have taken advantage of. We then might have scored 2 or 3 as City did.

I think we have had a good season, developed some players for other teams, sold a decent player (Thompson) for a tidy sum and possibly getting a bit now for Luongo. That will give some cash to get someone else in to develop.

Autos was our best chance of promotion. I don't like our chances in the play offs.

The thing that I haven't seen anyone post about is missing Louis Thompson. I think that he has been the biggest loss in the team. I hope that we can replace him with someone like him next year!

[joteddyred]

I don't like to hide behind excuses but the international break definitely killed the buzz and potential momentum of the dramatic Doncaster win.

Totally agree.  It's also not been helped by Luongo looking slightly disinteresed since his return.  I think his mind is already elsewhere.  It has a similar feeling to Paynter in 2010.  In fact, I almost feel like we've rewound the clock 5 years in lots of ways.

[Batch]

I hope every single fucking player is feeling the hair dryer treatment from cooper. almost every one of them needs to up their work rate and commitment. I'd especially put kassim and Luongo into that category

[4D]

It's ok, we won't be playing millwall at Wembley 

[Reg Smeeton]

Totally agree.  It's also not been helped by Luongo looking slightly disinteresed since his return.  I think his mind is already elsewhere.  It has a similar feeling to Paynter in 2010.  In fact, I almost feel like we've rewound the clock 5 years in lots of ways.

Mass was injured going into the last break, didn't play in the first game and looks a bit short of full fitness....it happens. 5 years ago at this stage we were in the autos, and still had that chance going into final game.  We're somewhere altogether different atm. Cooper needs to get the players focusing on the merits of finishing 3rd or 4th at least, so that we can get the home game second in the PO's....we've yet to lose a PO tie when that has happened.

[kerry red]

Thing is, though, can we expect to get auto promotion playing the style we do?

I'm starting to think not. The 3 at the back need to be exceptional players and I very much doubt that when Turnbull/Stephens go back that we will get another 2 young players that are as good.

So, next season the back 3 could be worse. Branco is always going to get caught out playing a 3.

Also I think the inexperience of our squad is showing itself more so now. Chuck injuries and suspensions into a very small squad and this is what we get.

The question is:

Are we playing 3 at the back because it is what we believe in or is it just so we can attract the top youngsters from the PL?

[Reg Smeeton]

It's ok, we won't be playing millwall at Wembley 

However we could get Chesterfield.....

[kerry red]

Quite right, Reg.

I feel more confident beating the Blades over 2 games than I do Franchise.

And, Chesterfield have beaten them twice this season.

So we have a chance Chesterfield could beat Franchise for us and worse case is a one-off game at Wembley against Franchise

[Arriba]

Last night's game was very fine margins between the two sides. They are just that bit better than us. The performance wasn't at all bad despite the mistakes and clear shortcomings.
We will still make the play offs then it's a lottery. If the forwards can click then we have a good chance.

[4D]

If we get franchise in the play off semis I wonder how many tickets we'd get for their gaff? 

[adje]

but when we lost to chesterfield at wembley,that was down to playing loan players......oh shit

[Oaksey Moonraker]

Mass was injured going into the last break, didn't play in the first game and looks a bit short of full fitness....it happens. 5 years ago at this stage we were in the autos, and still had that chance going into final game.  We're somewhere altogether different atm. Cooper needs to get the players focusing on the merits of finishing 3rd or 4th at least, so that we can get the home game second in the PO's....we've yet to lose a PO tie when that has happened.

And statistically since the Wembley final format in 1990 the 3rd and 4th placed teams have won the play offs more times than 5th and 6th. 4th place is now level pegging with 3rd after 4 successive final wins but never has the play offs been won 5 times in a row by one league finishing position.

Interesting how lazy journos present the play offs as a complete lottery. Yes teams can upset the league position but generally the better teams by league position win.

Our recent failures in the playoffs have been from mucking up the home game and then a gallant failure on pens. Charlton being the exception but think the 2010 team knew they couldn't beat Millwall.