Date: Sunday 21st August KO: 12:00 Competition: Football League Championship Venue – Ashton Gate Ok, on to game #5 of the league season and the West Country derby... it's South Wales v the South West, Wales v England and Mr Brizzlebluebird v Mrs Brizzlebluebird. Once again we have a televised Sky game, can we get the same kind of result as our last v Brum? The Bluebirds head into this derby game in decent form, having lost only one of their opening 4 games. Our hosts on the other hand have had a slightly indifferent start, picking up their first win of the season last weekend with a solid display and deserved win v Luton Town. it's fair to say Bristol City have been a tad unfortunate in some of their games so far this season, with good penalty shouts going unheard and soft awards going against them. Combine this with a horribly deflected winner for Hull very late in the game and you begin to see why their fans were fearing the curse of recent seasons whereby they have conceded late in games was returning yet again, but the Luton performance and result has provided some renewed optimism for our Local Yokel Cousins. The Robins have shows themselves to be more than capable of scoring goals having notched in every game so far this season. Andreas Weimann appears to be continuing his good form, having scored 4 goals in 5 games already on the back of his best ever return in a season of 22 goals last year. Suspensions and injuries may be a concern for the host though, with Mark Sykes seeing red in that Luton win. Last season of course saw a blip in the recent trends, with the West Country side coming out winners in both games. Something of a rarity in recent years, with the Bluebirds definitely having the upper hand over the last decade or so in these ties. Over the full history however, the Robins hold the advantage with 41 victories to the Bluebirds 36, with 21 games drawn. There have been a few memorable victories for the Bluebirds at Ashton Gate, none more so than the 0-6 score-line inflicted on the Robins in January 2010. What would us City fans give for a repeat of that on Sunday? The Bristol City team bus pulls up outside the CCS last season. Early Team News The Bluebirds face a bit of a selection dilemma having lost Jamilu Collins to a season ending ACL injury. The left back will be a huge loss for the Bluebirds having started the season in impressive form and earning rave reviews already. The likelihood is that Steve Morison will bring young Joel Bagan into the starting line up as replacement, however, having flourished in a back 5 / wing back system previously, will he be able to have the same kind of impact in our currently preferred back 4 system? Cedric Kipre is likely to return at CB with JB Simpson probably dropping back to the bench. In midfield I can see a return to the starting 11 for Romaine Sawyers in place of Joe Ralls and up front, with the limited options available it is likely to be a straight shootout between Watters and Etete for the starting birth. This game also sees Callum O'Dowda return to his old club for the first time. It's fair to say that there weren't many tears shed by the Wurzle Faithful when he departed, however, having started the season in great form for the Bluebirds, if selected he is no doubt going to want to prove the Robins apathy towards his departure wrong. He may though have to settle for coming off the bench having been forced into the fray in mid-week to replace JC at full back when the gaffer was looking to give him some rest. Prutton Predicts The Sky pundit again called it incorrectly in mid-week, expecting a Bluebirds victory but the game seeing the spoils shared. This weekend he has plumped for a 1-1 between the two sides, highlighting the Bluebirds solidity and the improved performance of the Robins. This Bluebirds head is telling him that Davey boy may have got this one correct. Sharing The Love There have of course been many players to have donned the shirts of both the Bluebirds and our hosts over the years, especially in recent times where the Bluebirds seemed to develop a habit of nicking quite a few of Bristol City's players. Probably one of the most revered for both teams though would be Brian Clarke, having made 195 appearances for the Robins and 203 over two spells for the Bluebirds, with the most famous of goals v Real Madrid being scored in our 1-0 victory over the Spanish giants. What a goal... What a night... Other notable players to have "crossed the divide"; Player Cardiff Apps Bristol City Apps Marlon Pack 101 244 Aden Flint 86 209 Lee Tomlin 51 89 Christian Roberts 23 94 Bobby Reid 28 135 Tom Heaton 50 43 Will the Bluebirds right the wrongs of last season? Will Mrs Brizzle stop talking to me for the evening and "shut up shop" if I'm all excitable after the game?? Will the travelling masses of Bluebirds "soldiers" get the beach head well established for a full scale take over later on?? C'mon City, do us proud... Bloooooooooooooooooooooobirds.... Who do you think you are kidding Mr Pearson, if you think we're on the run..... Bar stools reserved in the Pick & Shovel for Mrs Brizzle and I already... not sure we'll be sat this closely together by full time!
Might have just got this up in time Brizzle. Me and Sparkey were already being seduced by the dark side, commenting on Wiz's thread on the Brizzle board. We've been saved......
Brilliant Brizzle. A great read as always. I'd just like to say that I waited patiently for your offering rather than jump to the opposition's board like some on here Collins will be a big miss for us but SM had it covered at WBA in midweek. It'll be interesting to see if O'Dowda does start given that he was going to be rested in the last game. Everyone ready for the deluge?
Another excellent matchday thread Brizz, if somewhat a bit late... Only joking pal - well worth waiting for. Been across to the dark side and it's all very quiet over there. Except that is for wiz who seems to be talking to himself.......
We're just weaker minded than you cling. I bet jedi mind tricks don't work on you. Can imagine O'Dowda starting on the bench given he didn't get the planned rest on Wednesday. Still got a feeling we might see simpson at LB. Will SM want defence or attack in the LB slot? I await the deluge with eager anticipation.
Still another sleep before our game, so thinking about how we deal with losing Collins for tomorrow. With me having talked up 4231 for over a year, now we've got it, wondering if a change would help in the short term having lost collins and the games coming thick and fast. 343 anyone? Harris Watters Philogene Bagan Rinomhota Wintle Romeo Simpson Kipre Ng Gives us O'Dowda, Ojo, Etete, Sawyers, Colwill as needed off the bench. Or the left footed Ralls if we needed a bit more stopping power in midfield.
Sincere apologies for my tardiness gents. Had every intention of getting this done last night but ended up spending about 4 hours at Southmead hospital with my father in-law. He's recently come out of hospital after a cancer op but has taken a bit of a backwards step in his recovery this week and so was going in for a check up at 9am. I dropped him and the mother in-law off early doors and then went back in at tea time with the overnight bag for him as he was told to hey want to keep him in for the weekend now to pump him with antibiotics. Personally I think they've kept him in so he can't watch the game tomorrow and give himself a coronary. He's doing ok though. Will be back in to visit him later this evening.
Another excellent post Brizzle. I too went over to the dark side and most of their supporters are predicting a Wurzels win or a draw. I think we’ll do enough to bring back the three points.
Oh am out shopping with Mrs Brizzle now too. Calm before the storm and hoping a bit of retail therapy will buy me some brownie points with her to help with her disappointment tomorrow!
Hey Brizzle, hope your F-i-L is up and about soon. No need to appologise and no need for explainations when personal issues get in the way. Things like that are more important and no one elses business. The quality of your posts more than makes up for your tardiness. Must go, got to remove a post on the Brizzle board suggesting swapping you for Wiz.
Hope your father in law is on the mend soon Brizzle. You’re right. He doesn’t need the added complication of a local derby!
A SWAP deal???? Jeez, if you'd said you were bringing him in on a free to replace me and relegating me to the reserves I could have lived with that... Please don't send me the other way though.... Send me out on loan to Forest Green or something instead!
Oh wow! That old chestnut! I think I mentioned on another thread that we are all hypocrites to some extent. It's just a question of scale. They have a belief and they do what they can. They certainly don't force their philosophy onto anyone else. Players are free to have their own diet and if fans have meat withdrawal symptoms after 90 minutes of abstinence, Stroud has a great variety of places to eat.
