From general comments an equaliser would have been thoroughly undeserved. Preston who until today had only scored 8 goals at home all season. According to reports they could have had 6 in the first 45 minutes. Very poor from City and unacceptable. I genuinely feel sorry for the away support that travelled to witness that turgid performance.
RH reported that Snodgrass said to Burnsy, if we play like that we will blow promotion. Look, there are lots of people that need to take a close look at themselves. Lets start with Bruce, he has to ask himself if he is respected by his team, does he have the class and the wherewithal to get the job done again, would they run through a wall for him, unfortunately the answer is no!!! Then the players, for those that have had to take pay cuts but hoped against hope that a club coming calling would enable their agents to get their salaries back to where they feel they should be, they've shot themselves in the foot and I think we all know who we're talking about. No one is coming calling!!!!! Then lastly, the Allams and their so called advisors. As business people not getting promotion this season will be a disaster for them. It will cost them a) £130 million b) the potential to get market value for the club. Non promotion this year will see this club languish in this division for years to come as parachute payments diminish. We are stronger financially than 20 of the other clubs in this division based on revenue. Balancing the books is one thing, being able to compete is another.
A stupid, pointless, foul for the free-kick, none of ours awake while they executed a simple training ground exercise to score .............. a terrible goal to concede.
He must have had a bust up with Bruce, it's incredible that he's not getting a look in in a match like todays. Is he no good in training or what? When I've seen him he's looked well up to the standard required. Where has Luer gone too?
Beat Burnley 3 0 with Hernandez and Diame up top - so what does Brucie do - drop them both and put in Kakpong and Maloney - ****ing idiot
When I so the the team Clucas and Akpom up front then tell me which one is going to old the ball up and bring others into play? having said that listening to the radio did we get the ball forward much because it didn't seem like it, the midfield and defence were shocking and they could have been four or five up first half, Tv said our chance at the end was a foot over the line, it seems to me we are lacking a leader someone who is going to grab somebody around the neck and bollock them if they are not doing their job properly, somebody like Ash I once so Elliot go in for a tackle like a right fanny near the corner flag Ashbee raced over belted the player and ball into touch then turned on Elliot and give him a right rollicking. Ashbee got a booking but Elliot never jumped out of a tackle the rest of that game. When Dawsons out who's the leader now, we haven't got one.
I'm no sports psychiatrist or conditioner, but it strikes me that many sportsmen and women play on adrenalin. How many teams in the football league today changed a winning team. I'm guessing next to none. When you're winning the game is easy and for our brilliant manager to say that this squad aren't dealing with the pressure is disrespectful to everyone, you, me and the club. Saturday was pressure, an immediate competitor with a great win behind them coming here and a bogey team for us. Today was essentially the free hit. Get the 3 today and then play QPR where a point would be a great result. But no the lumux decided that today was a good point and we'd try and win at QPR. What the **** is he trying to prove. He's inept. End of.
That for me is unforgivable not playing Hernandez he is our top scorer, this rotation **** is killing us promotion wise, do other promotion teams leave out their top scorer out after he's played a man of the match performance in the previous game.
This is an important point really, no leaders on the park as Davies obviously isn't bothered anymore thanks to Bruce putting his nose out of joint
I don't think Akpom is a bad player, but we can't stick him up top on his own. We learned that he couldn't play upfront on his own at least two months ago, but we continue to try it. To be fair we also learned that Maloney was never a left winger, but we tried that again too.
We certainly scored an equaliser, I was at the bottom of the stand and couldn't believe it wasn't awarded - the referee and the left hand side linesman were abyssmal throughout. Part of me is pleased we didn't get the equaliser, we didn't deserve anything - Preston out-battled, out-muscled and out-played us, it was Rotherham away all over again. The boy Keane epitomised their team spirit, he was never still, chased every ball and gave our CB's not a minutes peace. Akpong take note!
Akpom didn't play upfront on his own. Clucas won his fair share of headers and did alright. Akpom was either off side or no where near him when he won them though.
That was truly terrible today. Preston really should have dicked us. It's sad to say, but combining the points haul we already have, the occasional glitzy home performance, the workmanlike home match norm and the current truly hopeless away form - means we will finish about eighth this season. Which would be a disappointment for many, including the absent owners, I should imagine. Steve Bruce looked a bit hapless on the touch line today. And just a shade unbothered, which is an unwelcome new feature. There is a malaise that needs curing. It's probably contract related.
When Dawson comes back, Maguire should be dropped indefinitely, absolutely awful. McGregor helped him numerous times today.
