[Archived] Bristol City Match Thread - 5Th December 2015

[Newera]

Strange how when you have a manager of any standing in the game decisions tend to go for you more often than not..

[Crimpshrine]

Interesting that PL chose Brown over Koita on subs bench or was he injured?

[AggyBlue]

Very poor first half.

It took the man advantage for us to gain the upper hand.

I thought Henley was very poor and doesn't seem to have made any progress since breaking into the team.

[RevidgeBlue]

I don't accept that the upturn in results is purely down to getting a bit of luck or is merely coincidental. It was clear to me that under GB the players were more or less going through the motions and that they were leaving a good 20% in the dressing room and that if we lost or drew on any particular afternoon it was a case of "so what."

I always hoped a decent manager could squeeze another 20% out of the same set of players and whilst (two) swallows don't exactly make a summer, early signs are reasonably encouraging.

Now we have to keep it up and show it's not merely down to new manager "bounce".

[Paul]

I very much agree with Revidge's thoughts. I've only seen the Wednesday game when the first half performance was very encouraging and the second we reverted to type - in some respects no bad thing as it showed Lambert the problems. Two excellent away wins and positive reports of the performances suggest three things:

Lambert is having a real influence and getting more from the players

The players know the have to give 100% when clearly under Bowyer they didn't give a toss

The new manager bounce is very much in evidence all around the club

I don't think we should lose sight of the fact this is still an average squad which would struggle in the PL. If we can reach the playoffs it would be a huge achievement. Promotion would mean an almost complete team rebuild would be needed and also give us the financial life line we need.

Perhaps the biggest point recent form demonstrates is while we should be grateful to Bowyer for steadying the ship he was a terrible manager for Rovers.

[tonyoz]

After recent criticism of both our central defenders it's good to see that they were the two most highly rated players on the pitch yesterday (whoscored.com). Hanley was given Man of the Match and the top 6 most highly rated players were all Rovers.

http://www.whoscored.com/Matches/958859/MatchReport

[Jimmy612]

Very poor first half.

It took the man advantage for us to gain the upper hand.

I thought Henley was very poor and doesn't seem to have made any progress since breaking into the team.

This post stands out in a sea of rising euphoria Well done for injecting some much needed reality by sticking to the facts aggyblue. I don't want to pour cold water on everyone because 7 out of 9 was much needed, but it's still very early days, we should proceed with caution and bear in mind the fact that under PL we haven't played significantly better than before, we haven't beaten a team above us and importantly we haven't beaten a team with 11 men yet.

[Tallrover]

Crickey, the Preston lads dismissal was in the 90th minute!!

Some are getting carried away but no-one will thank you for pouring cold water on the enthusiasm.

[DE.]

This post stands out in a sea of rising euphoria Well done for injecting some much needed reality by sticking to the facts aggyblue. I don't want to pour cold water on everyone because 7 out of 9 was much needed, but it's still very early days, we should proceed with caution and bear in mind the fact that under PL we haven't played significantly better than before, we haven't beaten a team above us and importantly we haven't beaten a team with 11 men yet.

2 wins out of 3, 7 points out of 9, without Rhodes making a significant contribution in any of the matches is cause for optimism. Coupled with the lifting of the embargo and hopefully some good new arrivals in January, we're probably in the best overall position as a club since Venky's potted Sam in 2010.

All too often we faltered under Bowyer in games we should have won. The draw with Huddersfield, the draw with Bolton, losing to Fulham, not to mention past season disasters like the draw with Yeovil and being comfortably beaten by the likes of Rotherham.

Of course it's early days, but after 5 years of negativity and dumbing down you can't blame people for being excited or optimistic. What's the point in supporting the club if you can't enjoy victories and hope for a better future? There's still a lot wrong with the club, mostly above management level, but there is a glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel, so if there was ever a time to be irrationally optimistic this is probably it.

[Neal]

This post stands out in a sea of rising euphoria Well done for injecting some much needed reality by sticking to the facts aggyblue. I don't want to pour cold water on everyone because 7 out of 9 was much needed, but it's still very early days, we should proceed with caution and bear in mind the fact that under PL we haven't played significantly better than before, we haven't beaten a team above us and importantly we haven't beaten a team with 11 men yet.

Ha! Bloody hell. Some people were just born miserable it seems.

[Pedro]

This post stands out in a sea of rising euphoria Well done for injecting some much needed reality by sticking to the facts aggyblue. I don't want to pour cold water on everyone because 7 out of 9 was much needed, but it's still very early days, we should proceed with caution and bear in mind the fact that under PL we haven't played significantly better than before, we haven't beaten a team above us and importantly we haven't beaten a team with 11 men yet.

Don't confuse 'reality' for an opinion that simply matches your own.

The facts are we have won two and drawn one, cut a massive gap into something VERY achievable. Possession, sendings off, shots on and off target and aesthetically pleasing performances are (in the grand scheme of things) irrelevant...as our Worthington Cup win will tell you ☺

[Gav]

This post stands out in a sea of rising euphoria Well done for injecting some much needed reality by sticking to the facts aggyblue. I don't want to pour cold water on everyone because 7 out of 9 was much needed, but it's still very early days, we should proceed with caution and bear in mind the fact that under PL we haven't played significantly better than before, we haven't beaten a team above us and importantly we haven't beaten a team with 11 men yet.

The football was woeful at Preston, similar yesterday by all accounts, but 7 points from 9 is a tremendous return and a great start by Paul and his team.

But I understand the tone of your post Jimmy, airing on the side of caution, nowt wrong with that.

[Pedro]

The football was woeful at Preston, similar yesterday by all accounts, but 7 points from 9 is a tremendous return and a great start by Paul and his team.

But I understand the tone of your post Jimmy, airing on the side of caution, nowt wrong with that.

I totally understand the tone of it, but I think Rovers fans have been well and truly cautioned out under the Bowyer years. We just want to dream again 😆

[BlueMonday]

Goodness me, I've started checking the League Table again. What on earth is going on?

[donnermeat]

Goodness me, I've started checking the League Table again. What on earth is going on?

I haven't looked at the league table in at least two years, until recently.

[matt83]

Goodness me, I've started checking the League Table again. What on earth is going on?

Yeah. What's even stranger is looking at the teams above and thinking about going past a few. Rather than worrying about the teams below or just hoping teams above mess up more then us.

[onlyonejackwalker]

Goodness me, I've started checking the League Table again. What on earth is going on?

Me too. Long time since I was looking up at the teams above us.

What a difference having a manager the players actually believe in and want to give their best for. Two wins in three compared to three in seventeen. Shame the decision to remove Bowyer wasn't taken earlier.

[Amo]

Time will tell if this is new manager bounce, but the fact we're grinding out results without playing particularly well is already a noticeable improvement.

I was going to ask if we're playing with higher intensity and quicker pressing, but from the sounds of it Rhodes cut a solitary figure upfront yesterday?

[BlueMonday]

I haven't looked at the league table in at least two years, until recently.

Same here. It's early days on the football side but one thing Lambos appointment has brought is, unity and given us the buzz back That's the great thing. If the results keep coming so will returning supporters.

I'll always be a Rover, but honestly thought I'd lost my passion for football and the Saturday buzz.

Long way to go, but Happy Days.

[tomphil]

Great win, a grinding performance, clean sheet and comfortable victory in the end. Just the type of effort that was needed and now needs to be a regular thing, I couldn't really give a stuff about the performances at the min, just get some wins by being solid but unspectacular and it'll do me.

[adsfortheblues]

This post stands out in a sea of rising euphoria Well done for injecting some much needed reality by sticking to the facts aggyblue. I don't want to pour cold water on everyone because 7 out of 9 was much needed, but it's still very early days, we should proceed with caution and bear in mind the fact that under PL we haven't played significantly better than before, we haven't beaten a team above us and importantly we haven't beaten a team with 11 men yet.

That 'Euphoria' you mention is something that this football club has lacked for 5 years. I welcome any euphoria amongst the fans, even if it doesn't turn out to be a play off push or whatever. Just like I and everyone on here welcomed the euphoria around the fa cup run last year. That kind of euphoria is what gives the team belief of which then rubs off on the fans and the fans start to believe, in turn that generates a better atmosphere at Ewood Park and helps the team to push on. Give me that kind of positive euphoria any day of the week, over that doom and gloom we've endured for 5 years.

We've gained 7 points out of 3, with two winnable home games next week, now even if we take a minimum of 4 points from them two home games, that's 11 points from 5 games, something that we wouldn't have seen under the previous management team. Even if that isn't the case most of us now have confidence that Lambert will gain enough points over Christmas to at least keep us within distance of the play offs, and thereafter he can then recruit sensibly and strengthen the squad. For most of us on here, that is all we have been looking for, for 5 years, and that gives us something to cheer about.

[Gav]

I totally understand the tone of it, but I think Rovers fans have been well and truly cautioned out under the Bowyer years. We just want to dream again 😆

Posters can have some middle ground, I fully respect that, as I do complete euphoria and even doom and gloom.

But yes Pedro, we just want to dream again, nowt wrong with that pal

[riverside returns]

Despite not playing well, never underestimate the power of a positive run and getting points on the board. In this game it is imperative to grind out results in the first instance and to then earn the right to play your own brand of football once the train starts moving forwards. Little acorns and all that.

[only2garners]

Back tonight from an excellent weekend in Bristol, only slightly marred by going to a very average game of football. I'm at a bit of loss to see where those who seemed to see a much improved performance saw this. I do expect Lambert to improve the performances in time but it certainly wasn't there at Ashton Gate.

Rhodes was anonymous all game. Lawrence looked sharp for about 15 minutes before fading completely. He should probably have been substituted earlier than he was and very nearly got himself sent off completely needlessly.

There was precious little between the teams in the first half and it took an equally needless sending off to change the game. I'm not sure I buy into the theory that Lambert had told the team to niggle Baker, unless there was a lot of off the ball chatter. The first two bad fouls in the first half were lunges he didn't need to make.

Cotterrill's comments after the match to BBC Bristol were hilarious though. Talking to City fans after the game they reckon his days are numbered unless there is a very quick turnround.

[Newera]

Why do I get the impression from some that they cant enjoy the game, even one we've won relatively comfortably, if Rhodes hasn't scored..