Wurzels v STFC - Official Matchday Thread

[Coca Fola]

Saw a rather glum looking Kevin Amankwaah tonight in our end. Also saw Paul Trollope before the game. What's he up to now? Scouting?

[carbonwhite]

Saw a rather glum looking Kevin Amankwaah tonight in our end. Also saw Paul Trollope before the game. What's he up to now? Scouting?

Birmingham's first team coach isnt he?

[Frigby Daser]

Don't want to get carried away with last night - it was only 1-0 and City just didn't look up for it. Time and time again we won the ball and our reaction was "how easy was that?". That said, it was good to get Sunday partially out of our system, and good to see certain players put  in some really solid performances.

We were good, not exceptional. One noticeable flaw is that the players aren't quick enough to offer themselves and provide an easy ball out for whoever is in possession. Real signs of the team coming together though and the Town fans were superb. Very surprised they had us down as 1400 - it seemed twice that. Great acoustics in that stand as well - it was like singing into a megaphone.

It has to be said as well, di Canio is a lunatic. Never seen so much hand waving or punching of the dugout in my life, and his theatrics at the end were like we'd just won promotion. I'm not complaining, it's great to see someone really care, and it's quite entertaining.

Smith - didn't put a foot wrong. Commanded the box better than he has done in the past and a top save low to his left down at the far end in the second half.

Caddis - I've seen criticism of him (here or the Adver, not sure) which I can't understand. I thought he was one of our better players - he got forward and supported Ritchie really well, great run in the first half and offered Ritchie an option more often than not. The difference between the support he gave Ritchie to what Kennedy gave Gabilondo was noticeable.  

Devera - beat Pitman in the air 90% of the time, but very poor distribution. Comazzi and Boateng breathing down his neck.

Flint - my MoM, he was a rock.

Kennedy - a lucky man that Adomah's couple of runs came infield rather than down the line. I think he may have caused Callum a few problems. He was ok, couple of decent free kick deliveries, but distribution wasn't up to scratch and ended up pumping it into the left channel over and over again, or just down the keepers throat. In the same situation, caddis was finding Ritchie, finding the man inside, or going past him.

Ritchie - looked a threat, probably more so on the right than the left, which I didn't think I'd be saying. Was always looking to cut in, and caused problems all night. Unlucky not to score at the end of the first half with a shot that Gerken saved down to his left.

Ferry - solid enough, harried them, and used the ball quite well. He and Smith in the first half had a lot of work to do tracking across what was a huge pitch, seems much wider than the CG, when City switched the ball and was often behind the play. Did enough to show he should start though, along with McCormack.

Smith - flashes of a very good prospect, but use of the ball wasn't as efficient as Ferry. Likes to run with it through the middle perhaps a bit too much. That said, iron out a few wrinkles and its clear there is a player there.

Gabilondo - wasn't expecting him to be a 'real' player for us as his signing was a bit on the quiet. fair to say he's going to feature a lot this year. Di canio's chat about him being good on a one-on-one is spot on - whether it's actually beating the man or shaping one way to give space to cross the other, he gets the ball in the box. He is lightweight, and could do wioth bulking up a bit. Will drift in and out of games. Calm for the goal - which was all a bit too easy.

Clarke - the ball stuck to him, and he caused problems all night - deceptively quick for a guy his size. It'll be good to see him notch his first for us at the weekend.

Connell - missed an absolute sitter in the first 3 minutes which must have played on his mind. Other than that, looked tidy, seemed to link well with Clarke - each playing the other in on a few occasions. Better than De Vita.

De Vita - other than the goal, I can't see the attraction. That's not to say the guy is without ability, but Connell didn't deserve to come off.

McCormack - first I've seen of him, and has to be first choice alongside Ferry. gets stuck in, plays the easy ball.

Magera - Didn't see much, but what we did see suggests he's not a donkey and may well have actually played international football.

£10 well spent.

[the washbag]

Our match report on the Slave Traders v Swindon Town Carling Cup 1st Round tie:

http://thewashbag.com/2011/08/25/swindon-v-bristol-city-town-reap-the-rewards/

[Ginginho]

Skysports saying we had to survive and early onslaught from Bristol City. Clueless cunts.
We had 2 or 3 great chances in the first 10 minutes and how we weren't 2-0 up by then I do not know.
I only recall City having one half chance when Pitman shot wide.

[welshred]

Skysports saying we had to survive and early onslaught from Bristol City. Clueless cunts.
We had 2 or 3 great chances in the first 10 minutes and how we weren't 2-0 up by then I do not know.
I only recall City having one half chance when Pitman shot wide.

Phil Smith literally didn't touch the ball until just before the 20 minute mark. Some onslaught!

[phelpsieboy]

Its games like this that makes me love football! Favourite game since Charlton in the playoffs, even though this was only a cup game, it felt such a relief to have got our first win in 3 and to play absolute superbly.
Flint looks like hes been knocking about the leagues for years as he looks so composed, even though he is only 20.

[Batch]

Skysports saying we had to survive and early onslaught from Bristol City. Clueless cunts.
We had 2 or 3 great chances in the first 10 minutes and how we weren't 2-0 up by then I do not know.
I only recall City having one half chance when Pitman shot wide.

Its OK, BBC say we bossed the game and deserved to win.

We were good, not exceptional. One noticeable flaw is that the players aren't quick enough to offer themselves and provide an easy ball out for whoever is in possession.

Thanks for your post (and to the others too). Some of us couldn't go so its good to get an honest appraisal. On the above, part of it is probably the team getting to know each other. But part of it has to be that we were going there on the back of three straight defeats. Confidence must have been a bit lower than a team flying high.

Very important win yesterday. Fan confidence was sliding a bit, but the signings we've made, the Oxford performance and the City result should see optimism return. If we can get a point or three against the plastic STFC then the season is GO!

[london_red]

Cheers for the recaps from those that went, sounds like a really good performance with the result to back it up as well this time! We seem to be getting closer to an idea of what the best XI is, hopefully they can follow it up with a result at the Shrews on saturday.
 

[leefer]

Its games like this that makes me love football! Favourite game since Charlton in the playoffs, even though this was only a cup game, it felt such a relief to have got our first win in 3 and to play absolute superbly.
Flint looks like hes been knocking about the leagues for years as he looks so composed, even though he is only 20.

My man of the match,and putting in Connell ahead of De Vita was a good move,De Vita was fired up played really well and withMegara,Clarke,De Vita and Kerrouche things look promising to say the least.
Best away night i have had in ages.

[Batch]

I'm sure you'd all like to read what whathisface (City manager) had to say:

http://www.bcfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10327~2428528,00.html

Keith Millen apologised to City's supporters after the 1-0 home defeat to local rivals Swindon Town in the first round of the Carling Cup.

Rafaelle De Vita scored the only goal of the game 19 minutes from time, but it was the home side's lacklustre display that concerned Keith most.

Speaking on Bristol City Player, the manager said: "Swindon were the better team and deserved to win.

"Right from the start we never got going. They had a few early chances and we were never able to fight our way back into it.

"We were fortunate to be in at 0-0 at the break. We needed to liven up because we were there to be beaten.

"The second half was a little better but it still wasn't enough. They had more hunger and scored the winner. The goal they scored summed us up.

"Just when you think we're going in the right direction we put in a performance like that. We had to make a few changes but we had enough quality out there to win the game."

He continued: "They've let themselves and the club down tonight. You could see the fans' reaction at the end. If you lose and you've worked hard, people understand, but we didn't have enough desire to take the game to them.

"They're weren't many out there who did themselves justice. When that happens you get a performance like that; no one took the game by the scruff of its neck. We excepted it too easily and we'll have a long season ahead if that's the case.

"We've a lot of thinking to do and so have the players because that performance isn't acceptable.

"I apologise to the fans because they pay good money to come and see us and we haven't put on a show.

"I apologise to the fans because they pay good money to come and see us and we haven't put on a show."
Keith Millen
"It would be nice to get a consistent run together. We go one step forwards and one step back all the time."

Refreshingly honest.

[jimmy_onions]

This may be a little premature but am feeling unbelievably postive this morning about the rest of the season....its a combination of many things that culminated to a massive high last night, namely:

The result
The performance
The turn out  - there seems to be a real appetite for STFC at the moment (I also expect a bigger than average turnout at shrews)
the arrival of Magera
the arrival of Boatang
Gabilondo
the team we are building in general
PDCs antics
Jeremy Wray

I think things are really coming together and we are at a fork now...if we can take this form and apply it to the league II style game to get a win at shews, I seriously feel we rip this whole league a new one...

A loss at shrews, well normal service is resumed.

[Bewster]

This may be a little premature but am feeling unbelievably postive this morning about the rest of the season....its a combination of many things that culminated to a massive high last night, namely:
The result
The performance
The turn out  - there seems to be a real appetite for STFC at the moment (I also expect a bigger than average turnout at shrews)
the arrival of Magera
the arrival of Boatang
Gabilondo
the team we are building in general
PDCs antics
Jeremy Wray
I think things are really coming together and we are at a fork now...if we can take this form and apply it to the league II style game to get a win at shews, I seriously feel we rip this whole league a new one...
A loss at shrews, well normal service is resumed.

Yes I am with you on this - there is a strange buzz that we haven't had around the club for ages. Not since Macari/Hoddle have we had such an expectation or a have we sung a managers name with such unconditional belief.

[Luci]

From my City supporting supplier:

This didn’t take long…  we were pathetic and I’m totally embarrassed. You guys were average but fair play.. I’ll never be able to win any debate around City and Swindon now you have beaten us..

[welshred]

Yes I am with you on this - there is a strange buzz that we haven't had around the club for ages. Not since Macari/Hoddle have we had such an expectation or a have we sung a managers name with such unconditional belief.

There was a great buzz even before kick off last night, which is strange considering the last couple of results.

Felt like a real team effort last night. 1500 fans, 14 players and one mental manager.