STEVE Cotterill made a point of denying his Bristol City players permission to speak to the press following last weekend's dismal 3-0 defeat to Sheffield United at Bramall Lane. Although his decision went down like a lead balloon with waiting journalists, it was not altogether unexpected, given the manner in which his team had just performed. In retrospect, it can be seen as the right thing to have done. After all, the time has surely arrived when the players are required to do their talking on the pitch. That was certainly the message City's manager was eager to put across to his charges following their shambolic showing in South Yorkshire. A majority of City's players are only too happy to accede to interview requests. But talk is cheap when you are lodged firmly in the relegation zone and coming off the back of a performance Cotterill justifiably described as "abysmal." Those who pay at the turnstiles are tired of talk; awake to the looming threat of a second successive relegation, City fans are demanding action before it is too late. Certainly, the 888 fans who made the long return journey to Sheffield and back last weekend are entitled to expect better. There is no doubt the players owe the supporters a decent performance in the wake of displays against Tranmere and the Blades and the Ashton Gate crowd have every right to demand a more committed and passionate showing against Gillingham tomorrow. When players and supporters alike are reduced to hoping fellow strugglers drop points, the extent of City's fall from grace is laid bare. Relegated from the Championship alongside the Robins at the end of last season, Wolves and Peterborough United are second and seventh respectively and showing every sign of returning to the second tier at the first attempt. In stark contrast, City are engaged in an increasingly desperate fight for League One survival. Hard-pressed fans have long since resorted to studying the league table and poring over the remaining fixtures in search of reassurance. Crystal ball gazing can be a treacherous pursuit at the best of times, but a glance at the fixture list suggests there are sufficient "winnable" games still available to a City side that must play fellow strugglers Shrewsbury, Crewe, Notts County, Stevenage and Crawley between now and the end of the campaign. Consecutive contests against Notts County, Stevenage and Crewe in April will very likely seal City's fate one way or the other. Yet the task of picking up points has to resume forthwith if those fixtures are to be meaningful when they come around. And there can be no better place to commence that process than at Ashton Gate this weekend. After all, a home game against a Gillingham side that remains too close to the drop zone for comfort is one a majority of City fans will expect their team to win. Although talk of "must-win" games is unhelpful to say the least, serving only to heap further pressure on players who are already finding their day job difficult enough, it is perhaps apposite in this case. True, nothing will be decided tomorrow. Nevertheless, it is important for City to muster a positive response to last week's fiasco and the players' attitude and body language will come under close scrutiny from those in the stands. Supporters need to be convinced that the players care and are prepared to sacrifice themselves for the cause. Anything less is likely to incur the wrath of season ticket holders and render the situation in which the team finds itself even more uncomfortable. On the flip side of that particular coin, a victory, no matter how it is obtained, will serve to bring the fans back on side and restore confidence and belief among players who cannot afford to lose faith in what they are doing. This is the time for deeds, not words, and the players know they have to do their talking on the pitch or risk the opprobrium of those who help pay their wages. Read more: http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/ACTION-TALK-NEEDED/story-20724236-detail/story.html#ixzz2uesSkIer So Remember. * This is the time for deeds, not words, and the players know they have to do their talking on the pitch. * Those who pay at the turnstiles are tired of talk. * Supporters need to be convinced that the players care and are prepared to sacrifice themselves for the cause. * Talk is cheap when you are lodged firmly in the relegation zone. * The Ashton Gate crowd have every right to demand a more committed and passionate showing.
Tomorrows performance will give us a very good indication of what the rest of the season will bring. Another like Sheff U and Tranmere will seal the drop. Some real fight and commitment means we can still have hopes of reaching the end of the dark tunnel.
Echoing what wiz, massive , cidered abroad and others on different threads have said about how crucial the result and performance v Gillingham is............... Every season there is a handful of games which appear to be highly significant in epitomising how the season pans out and will be remembered... the game v Gillingham is one such...... defeat and City will find it difficult to escape the trap door.... victory in style and the marker is set for survival. so COYR
This is clearly the day when City have to show up and produce the goods that we have waited for all season. A "must win Game" has never been used and applied as it does today and I wonder which team will show up, apart from Gillingham. Lose today and I think our goose is cooked and the repercussions aren't worth thinking about because the future will be so bleak. A win on the other hand will make things look slightly better, depending on other results, but unless we can use the result as a springboard to better things it will be a waste of effort. Come on City and win today please.
Hard to take in that we are already talking of L1 survival on the first of March............what the hell has happened to us?
