Back from the game - Bristol

[PieEater]

Well that was a very comfortable win, we played with confidence and that scoreline doesn't reflect how much we dominated. I can't understand how Bristol are above us as they really didn't threaten all game.

We played 4-5-1 which put a lot of pressure on Long, but he played the lone striker very well and we got support from both flanks and Gylfi from midfield. Great games from Mills, Berty, Tabb, Gylfi and Long, everyone else did OK and put in a shift.

We really look confident and are playing as a team. Roll on QPR.

[Royal Lady]

I posted this on the match thread as I didn't think there was a Back from the Game thread, so I'll repeat it here:

Good first half, didn't convert our chances second half. Tabb was MOTM for me - didn't stop running and tackling all game.

Can't even single out one player that I thought had a bad game, but I did think Gunnar was looking very tired and maybe should have been subbed with 15/20 mins to go.

I don't know why people are getting excited about the Play Offs though, if we did the unexpected and actually won, who the hell would we have for our team next season - it's going to be difficult enough for us next year in the Championship - we're losing the backbone of our team, due to loans, I suspect Gunnar, Ingi, Matejovsky - at least - will be off and we have little to no money to spend on replacing the outgoing players. Don't mean to p!ss on your bonfire, but we've got to be a bit realistic!!

[The Cap]

Roll on QPR. As I said in another post we know one of the original Bushwackers and he'll be down here with his Shepherd's Bush muckers on Tuesday.Can't wait for it. Soopa Hoopsa. My arse.

[Snowball]

I posted this on the match thread as I didn't think there was a Back from the Game thread, so I'll repeat it here:

Good first half, didn't convert our chances second half. Tabb was MOTM for me - didn't stop running and tackling all game.

Can't even single out one player that I thought had a bad game, but I did think Gunnar was looking very tired and maybe should have been subbed with 15/20 mins to go.

I don't know why people are getting excited about the Play Offs though, if we did the unexpected and actually won, who the hell would we have for our team next season - it's going to be difficult enough for us next year in the Championship - we're losing the backbone of our team, due to loans, I suspect Gunnar, Ingi, Matejovsky - at least - will be off and we have little to no money to spend on replacing the outgoing players. Don't mean to p!ss on your bonfire, but we've got to be a bit realistic!!

IF we made the play-offs and then IF we won the Wembley final

We'd have a good chance of keeping the two FBs, and maybe AK47

and Noel will be back. We'd have a decent shout at staying up

[Royal Lady]

Where will the money come from though? We sold all our high wage earners off - what do you think Griffin, Bertrand and Zurab are on?!!

Don't get me wrong, I want us to climb up the table and it would be great for Mcd and the team if we got to the play offs - but the bigger picture, would be that we'd be struggling from day one of the new season. And it's not going to be a cakewalk in the Championship either.

[The Cap]

The age old dilemma remains. Fun in the Championship or hanging on in the Prem?

[Gordons Cumming]

Bristol City manager Gary Johnson:

"We didn't do enough to win the game. We didn't do enough to be unlucky.

"I think if Reading keep that going there's every chance of them putting enough points together to make a run for third place.

Comedy Gold. Johnson is wasted as a manager.

[biscuitman]

Johnson says We're gonna get third place, we're gonna get third place. First time I was actually quite annoyed with the away fans, just no effort at all from them, so poor.

[NR_Royal]

Bristol City manager Gary Johnson:

"We didn't do enough to win the game. We didn't do enough to be unlucky.

"I think if Reading keep that going there's every chance of them putting enough points together to make a run for third place.

Comedy Gold. Johnson is wasted as a manager.

I was just about to post this here.

WHAT THE oxf*rd? 3rd?

[SHORT AND CURLY]

Dont recall it being fun prior to December

However today was as comfortable 2-0 win as your likely to see.

Bristol City were woeful, rubbish and clueless.(Delete as appropriate)

Is it me. Are we playing well or are our opponents poor?

Bring on the fake hoops. The team really owe the fans one after the debacle on 20th October

[Wimb]

It's so nice going to the ground full of optimism these days and that coupled with the good weather made it a nice pre-match feeling.

As for the game itself a great start and we did what we needed to do nice and early. Gunnar looked a little off the pace and JCR gave him a few troubles but generally we defended very well, Mills looking very good again.

Second half we should have scored 3 or 4 but just couldn't finish our chances. Fed made his 1 key save and otherwise Citeh didn't really threaten.

Generally not much to say, good win, decent performance and onwards and upwards.

[Snowball]

Where will the money come from though? We sold all our high wage earners off - what do you think Griffin, Bertrand and Zurab are on?!!

Don't get me wrong, I want us to climb up the table and it would be great for Mcd and the team if we got to the play offs - but the bigger picture, would be that we'd be struggling from day one of the new season. And it's not going to be a cakewalk in the Championship either.

If Cisse and Matejovsky went... aren't they fairly big earners?

I could live with "struggling in the Prem"... and fourth bottom would be fine!

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Thge money will come from Sky, they pay enough to keep ANY team in The Prem, however three teams HAVE to go down, it is the clever ones that manage to stay up and prosper longer term, it is all about cloth cutting and good management.

[woodley_royal_124]

Since watching us get beat at home by Cardiff under the management of Brendan Rogers, last year, and watching the style of football that was being played too, made me decide that enough was enough.....especially when the expense can be quite prohibitive, especially for myself. With the change in management and the ongoing success in the FA cup and league, I decided I would go to the midweek match against Derby and the match today. After having been twice now, under Brian McD's management, I sense there is a feel good factor once again. Some fans were already talking about it but I am convinced it is back and it is a pleasure once again to go to a match and not have to squirm and nail bite, wondering when we are going to concede but now sit with positive expectation and wonder when we are going to score. We did terrifically today although the second half relied more upon our back four to impede the opposition; yes we had chances in the second half but for whatever reason didn't put them away as clinically as we have done.

[under the tin]

So what if we are ill equipped at the mo to compete in the Prem?

There is a bigger picture.
The prize money gained from promotion, and the sky revenue is an income stream that is not to be sniffed at.
So what if we were relegated again after 1 season?

Surely the lesson to be heeded is to keep a tight grip on player wages/contracts.
It is player wages that are sinking pro football clubs in this country.

A few years as a yo yo club would make the club stronger financially (with the wages proviso), and would also raise the profile to make it more of an attractive proposition to would-be buyers.

Let's be completely, brutally honest. The kind of money required to sustain Premiership status. and actually be competitive there is never going to be forthcoming with JM at the top. Let's just give it a bash, and see how we get on.

[FiNeRaIn]

Good win.

Sig was horrendous second half, not sure if he was too keen to get the hat-trick but he went from a 9 to like a 5 IMO. Misplaced passes, silly tricks in and around the box and woeful finishing to boot. Usually composed but his finishing there reminded me of the Scunthorpe game.

I think we played well as a team but no individuals really stood out, I think long had a semi off day as well.

I'd give mom to either bertrand or tabb, both quality throughout. Big save from Fed too.

No chance of the play-offs, can people stop mentioning it.

[Snowball]

IF we could win our two games in hand on Blackpool we'd be 8th behind them only on goal difference
and just behind Cardiff, although then they'd have a game in hand.

Cardiff look to be on the wane a bit, and we could win there. It's certainly POSSIBLE now.



I actually think QPR might bring a shiny pin on Tuesday, but IF we beat them, who's
to say we couldn't get 4-5-6 points from the three games after that?

[boycey]

[quote="FiNeRaIn"

No chance of the play-offs, can people stop mentioning it.[/quote]

why the heck not??

[Jerry St Clair]

Thge money will come from Sky, they pay enough to keep ANY team in The Prem, however three teams HAVE to go down, it is the clever ones that manage to stay up and prosper longer term, it is all about cloth cutting and good management.

'greed. Wealthy clubs can get away with poor management (Liverpool, anyone?) but the smaller clubs don't have that luxury.

[FiNeRaIn]

why the heck not??

Because there is absolutely NO chance of it happening. Despite what people are saying we are nowhere near strong enough. At times today we still looked very vulnerable at the back. The three games after QPR may well bring people back down to earth.