Nothing is decided yet for play-off chasing Bristol City, but things need to change A trip to Burton Albion was more like the lower leagues than the top divisions of the English Football league Nothing is decided yet and those writing off our play-off chances are premature but there is no doubt that at the moment we are not playing with the energy, confidence and swagger that we were before Christmas and our form is nowhere near good enough to achieve a top six finish. It’s often said that a point away from home is not a bad point but when you are at the business end of the season, pushing for a play-off place and the opposition is a team near the foot of the table with no form to speak of, it’s difficult not to be a little disappointed. In truth this 0-0 draw away at Burton Albion won’t live long in the memory. We could only muster two shots on target and we never really got going. please log in to view this image Jamie Paterson of Bristol City shoots at goal against Burton Albion I don’t think I have ever seen Marlon Pack, Korey Smith and Jamie Paterson give the ball away as much as they did. It’s true that the pitch was awful and not conducive for fast flowing football but that’s no excuse for some of our passing. This was my first visit to Burton’s Pirelli stadium and it was somewhat of a walk down memory lane, a ground more akin to the lower leagues than the top divisions of the English Football league. There was a crowd of just over 4,500 and nearly half of that was City’s travelling contingent. The fans were superb cheering the team on, even though there was little to cheer. With Aden Flint and Joe Bryan suspended, there were recalls for Nathan Baker and Lloyd Kelly. Baker could only last until half time and you have to question how he could pass a stringent fitness test. Paterson was given a free role but too often the pitch narrowed and we were desperately crying out for some width in the team. please log in to view this image Lois Diony of Bristol City controls the ball against Burton Albion I was amazed that the Ryan Kent or Niclas Eliasson didn’t come on in the second half and instead once again the manager opted to give Lois Diony some game time. I just don’t see it in Diony and I am not the only one. I have to question how on earth Johnson could bring Diony on and push Bobby Reid back into midfield when he could have brought Kent or Liam Walsh on instead and kept Bobby up front. I am surprised and disappointed at the lack of game time Walsh is seeing especially when our midfield passing was so off yesterday. The likes of Brownhill and O’Dowda struggled at times last season but the game time helped them improve this season. Eliasson and Walsh need the same opportunities. Neither team really created too much but it was Burton who had the best chances and City could easily have gone behind in the first half with Frankie Fielding making one good save and then seeing the resulting chance land safely in his arms. please log in to view this image Milan Djuric of Bristol City returns against Burton Albion City just lacked quality on the day and even against the poorest opposition if you can’t pass the ball ten yards you are going to struggle to make opportunities. No one is really too sure why City’s form has taken the turn that it has, players are not taking responsibility and the manager is making some strange team selections and even stranger substitutions. However, we are not out of it and with Milan Djuric back we have a different option. We have to inject some width into the team and if we can string a couple of wins together we will be right back in the hunt. The Fat Lady may be gargling but she is certainly not singing yet and we have to all still believe, especially the players. https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/nothing-decided-yet-play-chasing-1325863
The season still has a long way to go, we have hit a desperate run of form, the Burton match performance was appalling but we have got injured players returning Pisano, Djuric, O'Neil, Baker, Taylor, Hegeler and O'Dowda becoming available, we have suspended players Flint and Bryan available, we have a better run in than most. If LJ get's his selections and systems in order, our strengths are all there, the same as earlier in the season, full and fit squad, right tactics , easier run in, only 3 teams in top group to play hope is not over yet, we've still got a chance.
What is it with you wiz? I've made a decent, serious and well intenioned comment on your thread about the fact that you have every chance at a playoff spot and you react. I'll repeat - you have a great chance of making the playoffs if you return to your pre-Christmas form and style of play - altering it recently seems to have been the problem as said by many of your posters. I've got no intention of ruining any of your threads unlike others.
Having so much spot light on our team over the Christmas period I fear has taken it's toll on our momentum, also the 5.0 drubbing by Villa didn't help...a big slap in the face with all that was going on in the League cup.. Maybe the pressure of expectation by everyone incited LJ to try and force results instead of playing to our strengths that made us so good up until that time. We lost our flow, the football suffered and so did the results. LJ now needs to dig deep to bring back belief in the players, it's now, that he needs to show the manager he is aiming to be. It doesn't help with the injuries & suspensions of key players, it doesn't help with new players coming in trying to gel with what was a winning formula. I wonder how much disruption that created? Will we get our mojo back to make the playoffs? It will take a run of form that we had before Christmas to get there IMO......not sure I would put my house on it!!
He has a point .... This time. Bristol City ... Lee Johnson has abandoned the style the team was using effectively, and also being admirable to the eye. The team now are ineffective and frequently ugly to watch. The above highlights two very separate systems of play. It is light and shade.
The problem we have is that while we've surrendered winning positions in certain games those teams who were a good distance behind us not very long ago have now closed in, and some have overtaken us by hitting form themselves. Luckily for us Preston lost to Fulham at the weekend otherwise we'd have dropped another place down the league. Some big games tonight as well with Villa, Cardiff, Wolves and Sheff Utd all playing. It's still all to play for with 9 games left, but personally I don't think we'll finish in the top 6.
Take your point about some big games tonight but as far as you achieving a playoff spot, probably the only one that's going to affect you is the Sheff Utd game. I think the other three you named are more or less nailed on for the top 6, although we could do you a big favour tonight by holding Brentford up there. Those still in contention for a spot besides yourselves are the two teams immediatey above you, and the four below. Mbrough will be the most difficult to haul in - Derby are not at the races at the moment and I can see them struggling to hang on. Of those below you, they are all capable of accumulating sufficient points to trouble the teams above them at the moment. Brentford have had an indifferent run lately like you, but if they beat us tonight, they'll become a big factor again along with Millwall who are actually a very good side despite the bad press they often get. I note you play both those clubs shortly, and beating those two could make all the difference come May - could be true "6 pointers".
It looks like 2 from 4 for the autos with the other two in playoffs leaving 2 from 6-7 for the other 2 playoff slots. Usually one team makes a late dart into the top 6. Coming into the playoffs on a run of form is often better than just missing out on autos. Time for LJ to have the courage of his convictions. No reason why you can't put a string of results together.
Yes that is true, but due to injuries and everyone calling that the players were tired after the cup runs, LJ had to bring in players, either within the squad or from the transfer window. that was always going to cause disruption of a sort......of course bringing in the right (like for like) players, to slot straight into our system/style would have been the answer, but with our budget, I'm unsure that was possible.
No reason why you can't put a string of results together. That's true, but our indifferent results and performances are going to make it a big ask if that continues as the number of games left dwindles away. Brentford have had an indifferent run lately like you, but if they beat us tonight, they'll become a big factor again along with Millwall who are actually a very good side despite the bad press they often get. Yes indeed. Millwall have been quietly accumulating points and could yet overtake us before game 46, especially if the beat us in London. At the start of the season everyone on this side of the bridge would have bitten your hand off for a place in the top 4 of the Championship at Xmas and a LC Semi Final place. Unfortunately the latter run, plus injuries, suspensions, and a huge dip in form since we threw away a winning position against Wolves with just a few mins to play has undone a lot of the feel good factor for me. Johnson is suddenly trying to play everything down by saying we are punching above our weight. Which may be true in terms of resources and crowd bases when compared with the likes of Villa, Wolves, Boro, Leeds etc but it doesn't fool me I'm afraid and he's trying to save face. I'd say Boro under Pulis will finish in the top 6 along with Wolves, Cardiff, Villa and Fulham, so for me, there is only one position left to play for between loads of clubs. Derby, Sheffield Utd, Preston, Millwall, Brentford, Ipswich and us. Talking of Ipswich, should they (currently in 12th spot in the league), beat Hull tonight and us on Saturday, then they would be level on points with us - it's that open further down. We were in a very favourable position at Xmas and we've blown any chance of a top 2 finish ever since. So whether we can even make the last play off place is very debatable given our overall form. But it will be interesting, starting with the results tonight.
The results largely went according to the form book/league position with the exceptions of Villa losing to QPR and Ipswich being battered at home by Hull. Villas defeat means the Cardiff bus has to have a major malfunction in the last 9 games not to get automatic promotion with them now 7 points clear of 3rd place.
9 games = 27 points. All to play for and in our hands. We need to turn those wasteful draws into wins. Out of our recent games the Bolton defeat was the only shock for me - I expected Cardiff and Preston to beat us. The most frustrating for me of late from the draws were the Sunderland and Leeds results - letting a decent lead slip is something we were doing last season on our dreadful run of form. Burton I kind of understand because they are fighting for every scrap they can get, so whilst disappointed I am not actually dismayed. Looking at last season, we turned it around quite impressively in the end. Hopefully we can do the same very soon and reignite our season.
R & W - not sure of the points accumulated in those final games of yours last year but I think you'll probably need to do better than that. A playoff place this year will need more points to secure than it took you to get clear of the strugglers last season - but it's still wide open for you to do it.
