Bristol City v Notts Forest

Nottingham Forest are set to hand debuts to £13.2m record signing Joao Carvalho and £6m striker Lewis Grabban at Ashton Gate. Defender Michael Dawson could feature for his boyhood club after re-signing from Hull this summer.

Bristol City are without striker Famara Diedhiou, who starts a six-game ban for a spitting incident in April.
Forward Andreas Weimann is one of seven players who could make their debut for the Robins.

• Since a run of 14 consecutive matches in all competitions without a home win against Nottingham Forest between 1976 and 2011, Bristol City have won each of their past four, scoring twice in each win.

• Nottingham Forest have lost five of their past seven Championship encounters with Bristol City (W1 D1).

• Championship matches at Ashton Gate saw 69 goals scored in 2017-18 - only Hull's KCOM Stadium saw more (73).

• Forest manager Aitor Karanka has managed three Championship matches against Bristol City previously (D1 L2), winning none and failing to see his sides score in those games (Middlesbrough twice in 2015-16, Nottingham Forest in April 2018).

• In each of the past two seasons, the team facing Bristol City on the opening day of the season has gone on to be relegated from the Championship; Wigan Athletic in 2016-17 and Barnsley in 2017-18.

• Karanka will be the seventh different manager to take charge of Forest in their past seven league trips to Ashton Gate since 2010-11 after Billy Davies, Steve Cotterill, Rob Kelly, Dougie Freedman, Philippe Montanier and Mark Warburton.

 

Forest seem to be trying a Wolves-like approach & they could well be a tough team this season. Potentially a tough start but maybe a good thing to play them early before their new players are better acclimatised to the team & the Championship.

 

Apart from the usual home single point how did we look?

 

Points noted today

Goalkeeper great first game,much more confident with his kicking and distribution.

Hunt looks a quality defender(MOM)

Bryan did not look interested.

Eliasson was okay reasonable first half.

Patterson very quite hot or cold.

Weimann did well.

Webster had a decent game.

We looked powder puff up front.

 

We surely don't need attitude from Joe Bryan and the quicker he moves on the better. Nice to hear the new goalie looked O.K. but the poor up front performance is concerning because it regularly seems to be our downfall and, perhaps with better goal poachers, we could have got a second after popping in the first very early and sealed all 3 points. I would like to have seen Eisa get some time because there's no point in signing someone for a million and not giving them a chance to prove their value. All in all just the start I expected - no more no less, and so it's on to the next opponent.

 

Eisa came on for the last 10 minutes or so, so can't say much about him, the new signings looked good, I'm just not sure on the performance overall to be honest. We were good first half but completely a different team in the second half, awful watching it, quite depressing at times and we'll lose a lot of games this season playing against better teams if we play like we did the 2nd half.

But It's only game one so we'll see after a few more games what's likely to happen.

 

Bryan made a chance. Worked the Keeper with a shot. Good and bad and if anything forcing it a bit trying to be clever to make things happen.

 

I just wish he truly wants to stay but has had his head turned in another direction. Possibly having him around for the rest of the season would sit well with me but only if his heart and mind are focused solely on Bristol City. Anything less could be detrimental to the overall squad.

 

I thought we were ok , a bit disjointed, only to be expected really, I wasn’t overly impressed with our keeper and thought we looked suspect at corners , defensively I thought we are a work on progress. Paterson didn’t impress today , I liked Eliasson. Hunt didn’t start well but grew into the game and overall he looked solid. Marlon was my MOM , everything went through him. Mo only on for 10 mins so unable to judge him , he looked confident and skilfully. He did take a couple of wacks , a kind of welcome to the championship type tackles , I was quite impressed by him though and think he will be ok once he gets used to the higher level . Personally Glad the season has started and can’t wait to see how we develop over the coming months.

 

It's only game 1 so hopefully things will bed in, however there is a clear theme emerging with some players in our side only playing for half the game, namely, Bryan and Patterson, this was so evident last season, when they are playing they are unstoppable, but when they are off their game they are awful. This affects the team and so many times last season the match reports talk of a game of two halves in terms of City's performance and it sounds the same again today reading these comments.

 

I predicted a home defeat against a team who I still believe will be there or thereabouts come next May.

I'd have ripped your arm off for a point beforehand, so I'm very pleased with the result.

Some unexpected results yesterday. I really didn't expect West Brom or Sheffield United to lose at home.

 

It’s was often opposition adapted but we didn’t have a plan b, something Lee had to address this season. In his defence we did have a lot of injuries which at times made it difficult to affect the game to much with substitutions , but it’s an area Lee has to improve on.

 

Agree that it was a good point yesterday. Like many, with the money Forest have spent I expect them to be play off material this season.

 

The clear theme yesterday was that the team played differently in each half. The passing of the first half broke down to be replaced by long balls.That was not of Bryans making who continued to play to feet. The lack of movement second half In front of the ball was problematic and lead to aimless long ball. Bristol City need a team that has a consistent game plan that sees the team not lose focus.

Positives the Keepers distribution. Pack dropping in to distribute the ball. Webster looking to play out. Good.

 

Guys on the Forest forums they are well chuffed with a point.

They rate us and expect us to be up there come the end.

Today was two new teams adjusting with many new players.

Both teams will get better and better.

First half we looked good.

Second half Forest looked good.

Long way to go.

Goalkeeper looks good that was a big bonus from yesterday as I did not have a clue how good or bad he would be.

He fills his goal and looks proper imposing.

 

Only the first game I know , Forest do look good on Possession but they look suspect at the back , early days , but the amount of money they spent I imagine they will be there abouts come the end of the season.

 

I’m not reading to much into yesterday’s game, like most said good first half and not so good second half. The amount of money Forest spent I was expecting a loss and to be honest by more than one goal. So on the scale of things was we really bad or did we just contain them?
I liked Elliasson and he’s got a fantastic crossing ability, his corners worked them. He will continue to get more confidence, just needs to be a bit forceful in the challenge.
Hunt had a good first half and ok second half but he is great at forcing free kicks.
Bryan looked good but was in and out of the game, but like been said forced a good few attacks.
Maenpaa looks good on his distribution and made one good save but I’m wondering if most people’s thoughts on his game are based on not kicking the ball out. As this play to move CB into full back position and Pack to drop centre to move the ball around is a training move that FF could of done? FF gets hammered on his distribution but quick reaction saving has never been in doubt and I’m wondering if he would of done better on their goal. But time will tell on that one.
LJ said that we was a bit weak up front and Diedhiou or maybe Marley Watkins would of held the ball up more.
Weinman I liked he looked busy and does a lot of running similar to Reid.
Webster I liked, he looks good on the ball, once the team gel’s better could see players running into space a bit more.
MOM for me was Pack
But FairPlay to both teams on playing in that heat, I’ve come back from Spain but sitting throughout that yesterday was uncomfortable, it was no surprise with the ref taken them to the side for a drink break.