Bristol City fan's view by Matt Withers: Hard to find anything positive about home defeat to Doncaster
Bristol City fan Matt Withers: I had to delay writing this week's column just so that I was calm when doing so and could write a balanced column. Even some 20 hours later, it is difficult not to be completely overtaken by emotion.
What I witnessed on Saturday afternoon at Ashton Gate was just not acceptable. I saw a team lacking any leadership on or off the pitch and a defensive performance that was possibly the worst I have seen for many a year.
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As a City fan writing this column, I have a responsibility to comment on what is happening at the football club, however, I am not a 'boo-boy' and try as much as possible to be positive and support the manager and players. After the performance and result against Doncaster, it is difficult to find anything positive to say.
City fans have already been subjected this season to a totally inept performance at Ashton Gate against Cardiff City, who put six past us and while that night was a terrible display, Cardiff were at least pushing for promotion and had two very in-form strikers. Donny Rovers were two places behind us and had struggled on the road this season, and yet they were allowed the freedom of City's penalty area and could have scored a further four or five goals.
The City defence had an absolute nightmare, with Arsenal loanee Jay Emmanuel-Thomas causing numerous problems. Too often the midfielder was left unmarked, despite his eye-catching red boots, scoring his first goal, with no City defender near him, and he was again unchallenged when scoring his second and Rovers' fourth.
Lewin Nyatanga and Liam Fontaine were at sixes and sevens all afternoon and I find it absolutely incredible that both played the full 90 minutes. I have to question the sense in leaving 21-year-old defender James Wilson on the bench when two of the defenders starting the game were having a torrid time. Nyatanga and Fontaine were too casual throughout the game and one at least should have been replaced. Gary Johnson will state that Wilson is a young lad and that it wouldn't have been right to introduce him at that stage. This doesn't wash with me. Why is age a barrier when playing for Bristol City? There are numerous 18- and 19-year-olds playing in the Premiership so why not for us.
You have to question the prowess of City's scouting network, when a club like City cannot attract players like Emmanuel-Thomas and yet Doncaster can?
The midfield was over-run and Jamal Campbell-Ryce must wonder what he has come into, having played in two games and seen his side concede six and five. Chris Iwelumo worked hard and it is vital that we hang on to the big striker for as long as we can. Nicky Maynard did not look fit and struggled to make much of an impact on the game.
So what next? Gary Johnson must know that his job is under threat and looked like a man who was running out of ideas. Ten wins in the last 46 league games cannot be masked.
Can Gary motivate this current group of players and get them back to winning ways? This is a massive couple of weeks for Johnson and his players, with games against teams currently below us in the table. City have to take something from each game.
City are trying to encourage fans to take up season ticket offers for next season and unfortunately the results and football that is being played on the pitch are not helping the cause. Steve Lansdown is a businessman and while, like me, I am sure he wants to remain loyal to Gary Johnson, it is getting more and more difficult to do so.
4 Comments
by David Hill, United Kingdom
Tuesday, March 09 2010, 11:22AM
“I think Matt's and other comments just about sum up the position. Gary Johnson has no doubt proved his worth in the lower Divisions and we must thank him for saving our Division One membership and quickly getting us into the Championship. It was a very shrewed move by Steve Lansdown to get him to Ashton Gate at that time. We were on a high during our first season in the Championship by eventually reaching the play-off final. One must however bare in mind the mediocre content of clubs to compete with during that season and it was probably our best chance to get to the Premiership although how we would have survived there is very debateable.
Loyalties unfortunately can reach breaking point and I certainly would not like to be in Steve Lansdown's position at this time. Perhaps however we should be seeking a Manager who has a good track record at both Premiership and Championship level but such a person may be difficult to find especially at this late day in the season. Also by changing the Management now may cause further disruption and loss of confidence and risk and would not necessarily guarantee a turn around in fortunes. Gary Johnson has at least proved that he can motivate players and perhaps it is our only hope that he will achieve this. We need an attitude repeat of the WBA match when we controlled in mid field in the second half and were very quick in going forward and the late substitutions of Sproule and Hartley were spot on to control things in the dying minutes of the game, unlike the surrenders to last gasp goals from the oppostion on so many occasions this season. The players must also realise that their own jobs are at risk and should therefore be fighting for their future employment. Perhaps it is time to show some faith in bringing in the youngsters. The next three away games will be crucial(all against teams below us also fighting for survival) and unless we bring home at least four points from these encounters things will truly begin to look bleak with the further prospect of home matches against Newcastle, Notts Forest and Swansea City on the horizon.
Stackpool Red, Exeter
(Supporter since 1948)”
by bob, outer bristol
Monday, March 08 2010, 1:32PM
“we get many wind ups and over the top comments re both City and Rovers. The reviews expressed so far are in my view both honest and accurate. Mr Lansdowne must now ask serious questions of the manager, coaching system and scouts. We can all see for ourselves the issues we have on the field.We have come a long way in the past few years off the pitch. A complete review of all aspects of the club are needed to gain impetus, especially with the opportunities the new stadium will bring.”
by Tony, Somerset
Monday, March 08 2010, 11:44AM
“Yes the defence were terrible but you only had to look at the team sheet to know that this would happen. We went into the game with 2 wide players which left basically left one and a half players players to control midfield. Skuse tried to be everywhere as Johnson Jnr (the half) cannot win headers, cannot tackle and looked completely lost in the role he was given. If he had not been the Manager's son, he would have been off the pitch after half an hour. If you give up control of the area 30 yards out from your penalty area then of course your back 4 are going to be under constant seige. I'm sorry but this club under Johnson and Millen is going backwards fast. Our best team in recent times was the one that got us into the Championship. Despite bringing in 30 new players in the past 4 seasons (14 strikers!), very few have improved the squad . I'm sorry but the current Management set up is totally out of their depth in the Championship and that includes the scouting network. Let's see a new Manager before it is to late, one who will use Championship tactics, not seen at City for a long time, and let's give the youngsters a try, they cannot be worse than some of the current players.”
by WESTBURY PARK RED, BEDMINSTER
Monday, March 08 2010, 8:54AM
“Matt obviously wrote this wearing al least two pairs of kid gloves.”