Match Thread Bristol City (A) 24th August 12:30 KO (12 Viewers)

Boicey

Well-Known Member
Can't see us keeping a clean sheet. Can see us scoring goals. God knows which way it will go. Except against the really big clubs like Leeds I always think we have a chance of a win.

Key decisions
Bidwell v Da Silva - Bidwell every time, even off form, and particularly away from home

Central defence - Thomas and Kitching for me, but it will be as per Oxford, which puts a high onus on Binks to deal with the aerial stuff

Attack - Haji plus two from Simms, EMC and Sakamoto. Might just tinker with EMC on the right and use Saka as an impact sub against a tiring defence.
We need the stability and flair of Saka and MVE down the right. It would be mad to break that, especially early on when we'll probably be under pressure.
Kitching did well against their lot. So I'd put him in for Lati.
 

SkyblueTexan

Well-Known Member
Hope we practice defending set pieces. Dickie scored against us last season and Armstrong is also good in the air and big and strong. Mayulu is also dangerous. If we turn up and stay compact and counter effectively, I think we can nick this.
 

fatso

Well-Known Member
Take a draw!
Why??? All the money we've spent on players, the number of extra training staff we've employed, the investment in our training ground, the record numbers of season tickets sold, and the expectation level of our owner etc etc and you'd really be happy with a draw!!!

You need to raise your ambition.

If we're serious about finishing top 6, you've got to go to Bristol and expect 3 points.

Burnley fans, along with Luton, Sheffield utd, and Leeds fans would all expect 3 points at Bristol and we have to be the same.
 

Jamesimus

Well-Known Member
Why??? All the money we've spent on players, the number of extra training staff we've employed, the investment in our training ground, the record numbers of season tickets sold, and the expectation level of our owner etc etc and you'd really be happy with a draw!!!

You need to raise your ambition.

If we're serious about finishing top 6, you've got to go to Bristol and expect 3 points.

Burnley fans, along with Luton, Sheffield utd, and Leeds fans would all expect 3 points at Bristol and we have to be the same.

Did I miss something or does covcity4life play for us? Not sure he does, it’s not really on him to be ambitious?! He’d take a draw, I’m fairly certain he’d prefer a win!

All of the teams you have mentioned have just come down from the Premier League.

A draw away from home against this Bristol team would be a good result if backed up by a win at home against Norwich.
 

fatso

Well-Known Member
Did I miss something or does covcity4life play for us? Not sure he does, it’s not really on him to be ambitious?! He’d take a draw, I’m fairly certain he’d prefer a win!

All of the teams you have mentioned have just come down from the Premier League.

A draw away from home against this Bristol team would be a good result if backed up by a win at home against Norwich.
Leeds havnt just come down, they never went up, and we took 4 points off them last season.

The 4 teams I mentioned are all tipped for a top 6 finish, that would mean there's only 2 places left, so we have to compete with those teams if we want success.

Drawing away and winning at home is never a bad return of course, but we are 100% capable of winning at teams like Bristol.
(And Stoke tbf, so we are behind the points average)
 

Jamesimus

Well-Known Member
Leeds havnt just come down, they never went up, and we took 4 points off them last season.

The 4 teams I mentioned are all tipped for a top 6 finish, that would mean there's only 2 places left, so we have to compete with those teams if we want success.

Drawing away and winning at home is never a bad return of course, but we are 100% capable of winning at teams like Bristol.
(And Stoke tbf, so we are behind the points average)

Ah yes forgot about Leeds. Hopeful that they never go back up

I still think a draw is a good result, but yes you’re right about losing at Stoke. It now makes it a “must win” to keep up the points average 😂

We are capable, but I don’t expect it yet.
 

Sky_Blue_Dreamer

Well-Known Member
MR probably won't change a winning team.

Some have said Dasilva for Bidwell. Not for me. Away from home I like a bit of defensive solidity and Bidwell is more likely to offer that even though he has made a couple of errors this season.

On that same note I could understand preferring Kitching and Thomas to Binks and Lati.

Ashton Gate is another one of those grounds I feel we tend to perform poorly at (though I'm sure someone will produce stats showing we don't) so I'll go with 2-2 and hope it's better.
 

TomRad85

Well-Known Member
Thomas for Lati please. I'd also be tempted to bring Dasilva in for Bidwell at this point.

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk
 

StrettoBoy

Well-Known Member
I’ll end this on a positive because Binks’ work in possession is the best we have.

It is, which is why I wonder if he could fill in for Sheaf while he is out injured.

If it works - and I accept that it might not - pairing both of them together when Sheaf is back could shore up our defensive capabilities.
 

Ashdown

Well-Known Member
Surely going to keep a winning side.
Da Silva for Bidwell ….no thanks.
Kitching for Binks ….no thanks.
The only one who looked a bit out of sorts on Friday was Simms but I’d back him to score again at Trashton Gate 👍
 

StrettoBoy

Well-Known Member

That’s a very interesting choice that hadn’t occurred to me.

We need some divine intervention to help us keep a clean sheet, so probably an excellent suggestion.

Would you play Him as a CB or a holding midfielder?

What next? Doubting Thomas in for Bobby Thomas?
 

SwanLane

Well-Known Member
That’s a very interesting choice that hadn’t occurred to me.

We need some divine intervention to help us keep a clean sheet, so probably an excellent suggestion.

Would you play Him as a CB or a holding midfielder?

What next? Doubting Thomas in for Bobby Thomas?
We could re-sign Godden. And if we also got Nuno Espirito Santo in as manager, we could boast the holy trinity.
 

fatso

Well-Known Member
Surely going to keep a winning side.
Da Silva for Bidwell ….no thanks.
Kitching for Binks ….no thanks.
The only one who looked a bit out of sorts on Friday was Simms but I’d back him to score again at Trashton Gate 👍
I thought Binks could of done better for both Oxford goals. (not the only one though)
For me Kitching starts, along with Thomas, I just hope Thomas has his passing boots on.
 

StrettoBoy

Well-Known Member
Blinks at dcm? He can tackle, head the ball, is good in possession and has a good range of passes, all the things we’re looking for. Might be worth a try, win the ball, give it Rudoni to progress it.

As I said, I definitely think it’s worth a try. I have long held the view that good footballers should be capable of playing in more than one position.

Look, as an example, at Dion Dublin and how he converted from being a striker to a very good centre back.
 

Seaside-Skyblue

Well-Known Member
I like both Da Silva and Bidwell but they offer different things. I feel like we've seen the best of Da Silva when used as a sub so far. His footwork and ball retention is usually very good and he offers an attacking option when we need to turn it up a notch against tired opposition. I would keep Bidwell as startingwho is generally quite solid. No player in the world plays well every game.

Sent from my SM-A346B using Tapatalk
 

Ashdown

Well-Known Member
I thought Binks could of done better for both Oxford goals. (not the only one though)
For me Kitching starts, along with Thomas, I just hope Thomas has his passing boots on.
He usually does, he usually passes it to one of the opponents attacking midfielders 🤦‍♂️
 

SwanLane

Well-Known Member
Binks could be ok as a CDM. Touch, passing, tackling… all good. What I’d be worried about is the positioning and intensity required. Haven’t seen that from Binks. He still needs to learn where to be as a CB. Also, CB is less intense when you’re usually a unit of 4 up against 3 forwards.

Different thing altogether in the engine room at the base of midfield with stuff going on all around you and the need to be aggressive and intense at times, even for those who make it look easy. I think he’s got more to learn as a CB before he was tried in midfield.
 

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