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Match Day Thread Bristol City v Nottingham Forest .

Discussion in 'Bristol City' started by wizered, Apr 8, 2021.

  1. wizered

    wizered Ol' Mucker
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    'Pride and futures to play for' - Pearson
    Thursday, April 8th 2021

    Nigel Pearson insists there is still everything to play for as he gets his side ready for their next Sky Bet Championship fixture against Nottingham Forest.

    The Robins manager says that with every game between now and the end of the season there is professional pride and players’ futures on the line.

    City host Forest at Ashton Gate live on Robins TV this Saturday (April 10th, 3pm KO), with both sides sitting side by side in the table (City 14th, Forest 15th), separated by just a single point.

    Performances and results have been disappointing of late with hopes of the play-offs having all but slipped away as City find themselves in the mid-table mix.

    Mindset
    Asked if a mid-table mindset had crept in, Pearson told Robins TV: “I don’t buy into this mentality that there’s nothing to play for because every time you take to the field there is professional pride at stake and that’s a really precious thing. There are players playing for their futures so there’s always something to play for.

    “I’m the manager so I don’t enjoy it at the moment in terms of people asking questions and me questioning us as well, it’s not a situation I enjoy. However, we have to work together to find solutions and that’s the key message.”

    The Robins are looking to find the winning formula after back-to-back defeats over the Easter weekend, which followed a seventh loss at home prior to the international break.

    But Pearson remains committed to finding the solutions over the remaining matches and he was open about conversations with the players.

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    Motivation
    He said: “We’ve been talking about a response for a while but it’s a situation that’s not a good one, in terms of how we feel about ourselves. The motivation the players need to bring to the pitch has been lacking and we’ve spoken about that. It’s simple in my mind now, we have six opportunities to finish the season with a more positive feeling.

    “The criticism that comes is justified and we have to deal with it, but we can’t keep talking about it over and over, it’s about actions and the players are aware of the need to change our fortunes at home as much as anything.

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    Drive
    “You do draw on past experiences but there’s no point trying to replicate how you dealt with a different situation because circumstances now are different. It’s really an unusual situation in that we’re not safe yet but we’re relatively comfortable and that’s a problem.

    “Moving forward we need a greater drive to make things happen on a daily basis, never mind the current situation and the run we’re in. To be a success as a club we need to develop a drive that everyone shares, it’s a big challenge but it’s not the priority at the moment. The priority is to turn around our form both in terms of performances and results.”

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    Young guns
    He continued: “It’s about what we can do to put it right, we’ve trained hard again this week and I want us to be more clinical and more game effective. The players have to accept that and bring more. I’ve had conversations with individuals and groups this week and time will tell.

    “For me, it gives some clarity and it’s important to look at what’s happening, then finding the solutions. We won’t see lots of changes in terms of how things happen during the rest of the season because of our personnel but that’s okay because as I’ve said, with some of the younger players it always gives people opportunities. You need to be able to take those chances when they come and that’s a positive element, a side effect of our current malaise and good for them. Let’s hope they all take them.”

    Academy graduates
    Striker Tommy Conway was the latest Academy player to be handed his opportunity when he came off the bench against Coventry City on Monday. He became the sixth graduate to do so this season after Ryley Towler, James Morton, Sam Bell, Sam Pearson and Owura Edwards.

    “Those individuals are tenacious,” Pearson said. “They’re opportunists too and they have a strong team mentality and personal drive to achieve. That’s a real positive and as I say it’s about getting the balance between giving them chances but not putting them into a situation where it can have a negative side effect. It’s never a perfect scenario.”

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    Squad update
    While Conway will be competing for another appearance this weekend, Bell is “unlikely” to feature again this season after suffering a hamstring injury on Good Friday, with Pearson also offering an update on Liam Walsh and Nathan Baker.

    He explained: “It’s fair to say it’s unlikely we’ll see Sam again this season, likewise with Walshy. They won’t be available. Nathan is a possibility but we’ll see. I try not to waste much energy with people who aren’t available and it’s not that I’m not bothered about them, but it’s more about drawing a line under it and thinking about what we can do with those players who are available.

    “We’ve had issues which I think have limited our ability to build on success but it’s something we have to resolve in the medium-long term. It’s about concentrating on the players who are available and trying to change the run we are on.”

    City versus Forest will be streamed live on Robins TV with the Matchday Show starting at 2.30pm.
    https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/pride-and-futures-to-play-for-pearson/
     
    #1
  2. wizered

    wizered Ol' Mucker
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    #2
  3. wizered

    wizered Ol' Mucker
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  4. BCFCRob

    BCFCRob Well-Known Member

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    I have to say the latest form, combined with the lack of crowds, has seen me fall out of love with City a little bit in recent weeks/months. Football isn't what it used to be, but thankfully things seem to be changing at least in terms of the crowds coming back.

    And on that note, all streaks have to end at some point, good and bad. We've been woeful at home, but hopefully Pearson will have finally gotten underneath their skins a bit, and maybe rile a few of them up in the right way. 2-0 win tomorrow for me. Why not. :emoticon-0148-yes:
     
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  5. Jiffie

    Jiffie Well-Known Member

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    I felt the same for the Stoke and the Coventry game, in fact I was really looking forward to them, those 2 games sort of kicked the crap out of me.

    If Forest crowd midfield and bully us they will win IMHO, we have no strength in midfield and no width whatsoever, needs to play Wells down the middle for starters, Diedhiou maybe on the bench if he's lucky.
     
    #5
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  6. bcfcredandwhite

    bcfcredandwhite Well-Known Member

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    Sorry but I've lost all confidence. I agree with Rob's prediction of 2-0 but the other way around :(
     
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  7. realred1952

    realred1952 Well-Known Member

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    understatements …... I love them ……… all but! = IS GONE! ......our maximum points are 67 Reading need 1 point and DEFEND a GD of +28 AFC need 2pts and defend a GD of +37 !
    Cardiff down to PNE /Blackburn are mid table Derby down are relegation candidates.
    CITY SHOULD BE LOOKING TO FINISH at top of the mid table teams … but can not! Fixtures of surrounding teams mean it is out of reach … but could finish 12th!!!!!
     
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  8. Redprintt

    Redprintt Well-Known Member

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    I can't put myself through watching Robins TV anymore.
     
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  9. oneforthebristolcity

    oneforthebristolcity Well-Known Member

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    Part timer <laugh><laugh><laugh>...
     
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  10. wizered

    wizered Ol' Mucker
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    MansionBet Match Preview: Nottingham Forest (H)
    Friday, April 9th 2021

    Saturday sees City and Nottingham Forest go head to head, two teams who sit side by side in the Sky Bet Championship, separated by just one point.

    City sit 14th (49 points) ahead of 15th-placed Forest (48 points) with the teams set to meet seven months after the Robins' 2-1 win at the City Ground.

    It was a confident start from City, both in terms of the game and their overall start to the campaign, as they look to draw on those times and get out of the sticky form of late.

    The win in the East Midlands maintained a 100% winning run heading into the first international break. City were quick off the mark and made Forest pay for a sluggish start as goals from Andreas Weimann and Nahki Wells put City 2-0 up before a spirited fightback beginning with Luke Freeman’s well-hit strike.

    Dan Bentley kept City in it that day as the visitors pushed in the second half but the win was secured to ensure a fourth consecutive league victory.

    That meant Forest endured a five-game losing streak in all competitions before Chris Hughton’s appointment and their first points on the board in a 1-0 away win at Blackburn.

    That would be their only win from the first 10 games and another seven games without victory followed in the run up to Christmas. There was better form heading into January with nine wins in 2021, compared with just four before the turn of the year, indicating some soul searching and a reality check as they look for an improved finish under Hughton.

    As stated, the gap between the two teams stands at just one point and they meet in differing form. City’s struggles at Ashton Gate have been well documented and a response is needed after back-to-back defeats over Easter, with defeat to Coventry last time out ending their positive away run.

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    As for Forest, they are unbeaten in their last three matches with six points taken over Easter thanks to wins against Cardiff City (1-0) and QPR (3-1).

    Meanwhile, Nigel Pearson has confirmed he will be without the injured Sam Bell and Liam Walsh who are "unlikely" to feature again this season. Nathan Baker could return before May but it remains to be seen if he will be involved this weekend.

    MATCH DETAILS
    Where: Ashton Gate Stadium
    When: Saturday, April 10th, 3pm KO
    Competition: Sky Bet Championship

    Referee: Stephen Martin
    Assistants: Bhupinder Gill and Matthew McGrath
    Fourth official: Sunny (Sukhvir) Gill

    DOWN MEMORY LANE
    Bristol City 2-1 Nottingham Forest
    Ashton Gate
    Saturday, October 1st 2016
    Sky Bet Championship

    Jamie Paterson scored his first Bristol City goal against his former club to help his new employers chalk up a fourth straight victory in all competitions.

    Trailing to Apostolos Vellios’ first-half strike, a double change at the interval helped turn the tide in favour of the hosts.

    Tammy Abraham capitalised on an underhit backpass to equalise with his 11th goal of the season before Paterson struck the winner just three minutes later.

    HEAD TO HEAD*
    Bristol City v Nottingham Forest

    Played: 95
    City won: 22 (23%)
    Drew: 32
    City lost: 41

    Bristol City goals: 47
    Forest goals: 36

    Bristol City top goalscorer: Famara Diédhiou and Nahki Wells (10)
    Forest top goalscorer: Lyle Taylor (5)

    Bristol City most assists: Antoine Semenyo (7)
    Forest most assists: Joe Lolley and Cyrus Christie (3)

    Bristol City clean sheets: 11
    Forest clean sheets: 13

    League positions
    Bristol City: 14th (49 points)
    Forest: 15th (48 points)
    https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/mansionbet-match-preview-nottingham-forest-h/
     
    #10

  11. Supcon72

    Supcon72 Well-Known Member

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    I used to be football mad, but as football has moved on, I’m too becoming disillusioned. From VAR to no crowds is not helping, as it just kills the excitement
     
    #11
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  12. invermeremike

    invermeremike Well-Known Member

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    I am not expecting any miracles for this match and my zest for everything Bristol City is fast disappearing down the toilet. There have been too many years where we have piddled around with corporate buzz words and very little else when we should have been zeroing in on the moving target that is the Championship. Supposed re-builds have led to nothing and with the current bunch that deem themselves to actually be footballers I suspect that Pearson may very well walk because, let's face the truth, who in their right mind would want to attempt to change years of neglect brought on by poor decisions at every level.

    The dream of us actually achieving some kind of success has all but vanished in the mist of confusion and apathy.
     
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  13. wizered

    wizered Ol' Mucker
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    #13
  14. wizered

    wizered Ol' Mucker
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  15. RedorDead

    RedorDead Well-Known Member

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    Pinky
     
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  16. Jiffie

    Jiffie Well-Known Member

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    I must admit it's a real chore these days in fact with a very few exceptions the past 18 months or so has been shocking, but I always live in hope.

    The worse thing for me is the abject struggle during that time against teams struggling against relegation.
     
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  17. RedorDead

    RedorDead Well-Known Member

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  18. Jiffie

    Jiffie Well-Known Member

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    About what I expected to be honest, I think it was obvious when they were substituted at Coventry he wasn't happy with the Mariappa, Diedhiou, Sessegnon and Nagy.
     
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  19. Supcon72

    Supcon72 Well-Known Member

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    I would have Nagy in over Lansbury if it were me. Glad to see Fammy displaced, he has been woeful since the transfer window closed!
     
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  20. Jiffie

    Jiffie Well-Known Member

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    I understand where you are coming from but Nagy was shocking at Coventry, looked unfit.
     
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