McInnes still hopeful of adding a defender to Bristol City squad
BRISTOL City manager Derek McInnes is confident he will have a new centre-half on board by the time his team returns to npower Championship action against Blackburn Rovers on September 15.
The Scot has spent all summer scouring the transfer market in his quest to sign a dominant right-sided defender, but without success.
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Derek McInnes
Although McInnes, pictured, was close to completing a deal with an unnamed player last week, he was unable to do so before the transfer window closed on Friday night.
City's manager will now wait until the window for loan signings reopens next weekend and then renew his efforts to bolster a defence that has yet to keep a clean sheet in five games this season.
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McInnes watched his team concede a soft goal and lose 1-0 to Barnsley at Oakwell on Saturday and then told reporters: "I'm hoping to have a new player in before we play Blackburn.
"I was hopeful of getting one in before the Barnsley game but, after a lot of to-ing and fro-ing, it did not happen.
"But I'm still hopeful of getting one when the window reopens, ideally before the end of the two-week international break."
But that player will not be Swansea City captain Garry Monk, who last week turned down the chance to move to Ashton Gate.
City have also missed out on Richard Keogh, who left Coventry to join Derby County, and Anthony Gerrard, who moved from Cardiff to Huddersfield, this summer and McInnes has now switched to other targets.
Although McInnes was clearly concerned at the ease with which Jacob Mellis scored with a free header to earn Barnsley victory at the weekend, he felt his team still created enough chances to have returned with at least a point.
Barnsley were reduced to ten men when Bobby Hassell was shown a red card for a two-footed lunge on Robins striker Jon Stead, after which the visitors laid siege to the home goal.
But their attempts to force an equaliser were frustrated by referee Steve Rushton, who turned down strong claims for a penalty when substitute John Stones used his arm to deny Martyn Woolford a goal in the 65th minute.
McInnes and his players clearly felt let down by the Staffordshire official, believing he should have awarded a penalty and sent Stones off.
McInnes said: "For me, it was a penalty all day long. Stones has done brilliantly to come across and keep the ball out, but I've seen it again and he has used a combination of his hip and his arm.
"If it does not hit his arm, then the ball goes over the line for a goal.
"You could tell by Sam Baldock's reaction that it was hand ball – he is stood just a couple of yards away and sees it all perfectly.
"Although we don't want to see players sent off, that would have been the likely outcome and we would have been level against nine men."
But McInnes admitted his team had not played well enough to warrant winning the game.
He said: "As the away team, you need to be dominant in the middle of the park to give yourself a platform from which to go forward and we didn't do that.
"We started with 4-4-2 and then went with 4-3-3 to match up with Barnsley, but I don't think either worked particularly well.
"I thought we were much better in the second half, but the game changes when they go down to ten men. I cannot fault the boys' efforts to go and get the goal that would have made it 1-1."
Comments
by piledriver
Monday, September 10 2012, 3:35PM
“Having missed out on Keogh, Gerrard & Ward we're now in for Hall (Tottm former BHA) who sounds the part and, apparently, Buzsaky is back on so there may be hope?”
by ashtonalf
Monday, September 03 2012, 12:24PM
“Your dead right Piledriver wev'e been crying out for a Midfielder ever since Hartley went and havn't replaced him.Even Withers can see that in the Green Un everybody bar Derek, perhaps that's why he can't see to give James Wilson his chance.If the guy isn't given a chance and he's done ok in the past you may as well scrap the ACADEMY.Midfield wise we havn't got anybody who can hold a ball it stands out a mile they all wan't to get rid of it or pass back.With the strikers we now have,they need good service from midfield.”
by Frankclack
Monday, September 03 2012, 12:23PM
“Perhaps this is a repeat lesson yet to be learned.
DMc says, (if this article is to be believed), "As the away team, you need to be dominant in the middle of the park to give yourself a platform from which to go forward and we didn't do that."
So why start with 4-4-2, and then go 4-3-3 "to match up with Barnsley". If we simply wanted to match up to Barnsley perhaps we would have done better if we had withdrawn one and gone down to "ten men"!
I believe that the two good home results, and the prospect of playing a Barnsley team reduced to the bare bones, led City to think that all they had to do was turn up and Barnsley would roll over.
Well, it didn't happen Saturday and is unlikely to happen in the future. Not in the championship at any rate.
This was an opportunity to consolidate. A starting 4-5-1 set up would have allowed City to frustrate the home side during the first half by smothering the midfield (Elliot and Morris rather than Adhomah and Baldock), with the strikers used as impact players later in the game if necessary.
As to the CB, we now have to make do with a loan player for yet another season(if we can get one).
Somebody needs to review the priorities at AG. A clean sheet guarantees a point, two or three goals scored guarantees nothing.
City have started infinitely better than for some time, but if they are not careful they will founder for the want of "a ha'porth of tar".”
by FromMendip
Monday, September 03 2012, 12:22PM
“Whether the ball was going to cross the line for a goal or not the referee still has to be satisfied the handling of the ball was intentional.
An accidental ball handling on the goal line is no different to an accidental handling elsewhere on the pitch in terms of being penalised.
In short was it hand to ball (an offence) or ball to hand (not an offence)?
I've often thought that if the ball hits a hand it should be penalised whether delibererate or not. It would remove a number of controversies in most matches. Hockey has something broadly similar when the ball touches a player's foot, whether deliberate or accidental, though in that sport it's a bit more complicated and depends on whose foot the ball touches and where.
Very disappointing overall nonetheless and I write as a City fan.”
by rocketbob
Monday, September 03 2012, 11:48AM
“looks as if we were out gunned in midfield again.we must have someone who can put their foot in and pass.”
by piledriver
Monday, September 03 2012, 11:47AM
“Don't blame the defence as much as the front six who who all either very average or appalling in the first half with one or two no better in the second.
Yes we need a CB but we need a midfield general a whole lot more.”