Manager admits his players are finding it tough. Steve Cotterill admitted his return to former club Burnley was a tough day at the office for his players. The game was goalless until the 37th minute, yet City went in at half-time trailing 2-0 to two goals from Andre Gray. Gray, a summer transfer target of Cotterill, completed his hat-trick after Scott Arfield struck Burnley’s third in the second period, as the hosts ran out 4-0 winners. “In the first half we were only okay – that slope is quite strong and we had to keep them at bay a little bit,” the manager told Bristol City Player HD. “Had we got to half-time 0-0, I’d have fancied us. “The second goal before half-time was a real kick in the teeth, but I thought we started the second half very brightly and we were the better team. “As the through ball happened (for the third goal), I need to look at it again but I think Frank (Fielding) needs to come out and take that – I think he was the closest to the ball – and that one was a real sickener. “Deep down, whether we like it or not, even the players know we’re not going to come back and score three or four goals because we haven’t had a record of doing that this year – there haven’t been enough goals in the team for that to happen. “They keep playing and they keep going because they’re honest, but they’re playing with broken hearts then. “Collectively, we don’t have enough out there when the game gets a little bit scary for us. And that’s tough at the moment. “They’ll be better for it, but in the meantime we’re going to have days like today and we’re going to have sleepless nights – probably throughout the season. “The last thing my players need is me talking about any other players. I’ll keep working with them because they’ve all improved massively – we’re just not seeing that at the moment in the league table." http://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/article/cotterill-rues-difficult-day-at-burnley-2871489.aspx
This might upset some who want a change in manager, still has the support from the majority http://www.otib.co.uk/index.php?/topic/173697-only-one-steve-cotterill/
What he is saying- I am getting the best out of what i have at my disposal. I have to go with what i have. I do feel sorry for him, but he don't help himself. Subs are very strange,almost i do not have belief in what i have on the bench.
I agree, I do feel like he has been hung out to dry to an extent but he hasn't helped himself by not playing half of the players bought in to either improve us or give us strength in depth. What is going on with that...? The point I thought somewhat naïve was the comment about not wanting to talk about other players. I get that this is his bunch and he is very proud of them and their achievements last year but new signings are a universal constant in football and indeed, isn't it this very fear that promotes competition and self improvement to keep your place as a player...? We as supporters were also very proud of the team last year but however much we like them, we are floundering at the moment so the balance of probabilities suggests that the current squad is not going to be able to keep us up so, what else can we do but try and strengthen...?
Prem you read it right IMO, with all the opinions on here tonight I put up this thread up word for word as Cotts said it....
I think that there will be a mutiny amongst us fans if we do nothing in January. We need change - whether is the manager - or players - or both - is not 100% clear, but what is definitely clear is that without change we will be back in L1 next season.
I must admit, I am getting fed up now of the standard " I thought we were better than them" line that always pops up in his interviews...
We were seemidly the better team in the 2nd half until they scored their 3rd against the run of play- That one also seemed to kill us off
All of the 'we played better than them' or 'we deserved more from that game' or 'we dominated possession' or any of the countless other excuses don't change the results of football matches after they've been played, and even if the remarks are true, it's no good bleating about how unlucky we've been when the opposition score more goals than we do. If we score a goal at all that is. People don't remember who came second, just the winners, which we used to be last season.........
I personally thought we were by far the better team, both before and after the game. Outside the 90 minutes Burnley never got a touch of the ball, let alone a sniff of our goal.......
I feel quite painfull now, as I have just started to sit on the fence.....the pain will only last 2 more games though as by then i will have both feet in 1 camp. Two more defeats on the bounce and thats it I'm afraid, and you have to wonder if the board feel the same at the moment.
That's quite right. Who were the runners up in last years League cup? Who were the beaten play off finalists last year? -Got No idea me, without looking them up
WHO SAID THIS...... "I think clean sheets bring confidence, as well as helping to win games." Nice statement, last bit obvious! but you cant lose if you do! "We need to concentrate on keeping clean sheets because that is at least a point" ________________________________________________________ 1 second after kick off both teams are not equal, one has possession and head for goal the other needs to stop that goal and get possession. Until that first goal both teams are under opposite pressures so, first goal means you need to concede 2 and there you have it... 0, 1 or 2 are the most commonest numbers on the result pages, score 2 and you rarely don't get at least a point! we rarely score at all 6 times (1 in 4 games) we have conceded 3 or more 7 times we have conceded 2 5 times we have drawn 1-1 twice 0-0 on 5 occasions we have kept a clean sheet to give us points, in fact 11 of our points ( more than half ) have come from these 5 games 3 wins and 2 draws
