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Chaos at Ashton Gate
Wednesday, 01/09/2010
by Shoot's Bristol City blogger, Mark Tovey.
Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Ipswich marked City's worst start to a season since 2004/05. Four league matches, nine goals conceded and our ever present defensive quartet still can't gel. No wins and two paltry points gained. Welcome to purgatory.
If you think that's too strong, tough. City are the victims of their own misfortune. Despite our much hyped injury problems and influx of new players, basic errors on and off the pitch have cost the team dearly.
For instance, four days before City's opening day defeat against Millwall, the official site reported that Nicky Hunt would miss the first two to three weeks of the campaign.
The ex-Bolton right back made a miraculous recovery to complete 90 minutes against the Lions, albeit displaying obvious discomfort which made him culpable for at least one of the three goals conceded. And milk could have turned quicker than Hunt during the Barnsley match. Is he really fit?
A healthy and capable Joe Edwards could easily have deputised for the former Premier League defender. The untried Edwards may only be 19, but as the saying goes, 'If you're good enough, you’re old enough.' Case closed.
Item number two is Jamie McAllister's inexplicable lunge to concede a last minute penalty and away win at Doncaster. The Scot looked well off the pace in this and each of City's league fixtures, exposing our left flank to constant attack, a barrage of crosses and countless goal attempts. Why hasn't he been dropped in favour of Tom Williams?
Our central defensive pairing of Fontaine and Stewart have been equally guilty. If they’re not failing to pick up the second ball from corners (the first and third goals against Millwall), the duo’s tackling has lacked real conviction making them a soft touch.
And what of our goalkeeper? David James arrived at City to a reception befitting a visiting monarch, but has appeared extremely irritated with his paper-thin back four.
During the Barnsley match, England’s former number one made repeated attempts to launch counter attacks by throwing the ball to his defenders, but was defeated by their inability to face the right way. Now the calamity tag has returned to haunt James following a pair of howlers at Portman Road.
An airshot and soft hands cost City two goals that looked farcial on anyone’s outtake DVD.
But the biggest mystery of all was the departure of midfield maestro Paul Hartley on a free transfer to Aberdeen back in July.
Why was the Scot allowed to leave before a replacement was found? And how did City let a player who was widely rumoured to desire a return to Scotland at the start of the year, fester uneasily until weeks before the start of the new season? Keith Millen must take some of the blame.
Despite our awful form City can turn their season around – if Millen is ruthless with his team selection and recruits a left back, left winger and a creative midfielder.
Without them the Robins won’t be competitive in this season’s Championship and could easily struggle.
Cross those fingers when the emergency loan market opens next week.
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Total comments: 1
BRISTOL BOY
Wednesday, 01/09/2010
Fair summary of a poor start. KM should return to HIS tried and trusted formula from his caretaker spell last season now that he has Louis Carey & Christian Ribiero available.
The signings of Stead & Pitman have helped add to a decent forward line at AG however the error you mention in allowing Hartley’s release without a replacement and taking no less than a year in signing a left winger & a left back, make the squad as unbalanced as the day GJ left, leading to Coppell’s arrival & subsequent shambolic departure.
A quality CB & Leader would be useful but is not as essential as the above positions.
If we can loan a LB/LWB & Creative Midfielder and we can get all of our injured players back apart from long term casualties in Wilson, Vokes, Maynard & Nyatanga, then we’ll start to progress.
Add Carey, Haynes, Ribiero & Skuse to the team defeated at Ipswich and that’ll help especially if bolstered by quality loans (2) in the aforementioned positions.
Then get the team shape & tactics right.
Vokes should return in 3-4 weeks IF the early diagnosis of his injury & rehabilitaion period proves correct.
Of the above, only Maynard would be a certain starter in our best XI, so it’s time to put our best team together (On form not reputation or cost) and move up the table.
It can be done but the organisation, selection, spirity & quality needs to go up a notch or three.