Robins Don’t Soar, Wolves Don’t Roar & It’s A Bore!

Auto Promotion Hopes Diminish As City Lack A Killer Finish

Bristol City 0 v 0 Wolverhampton Wanderers  

By Bristol Boy

In a game that probably told us more about our team & manager than anything else, there were some pluses. A clean sheet, a point and a better performance than last week although, in all honesty, had we played three of the youth team, it wouldn’t have been worse.

The table also tells us that two of our rivals needed last minute goals to salvage points, but we can hardly complain about that & could the binary boy still have the laugh last?

In terms of effort, we were OK, but in terms of quality, guile & creativity we were, once again, severely lacking as we have been for the last three months. Sorry to write the same thing again, but GJ must get tired of saying it!!

It riles me when I hear City fans, who are steeped, moreover, content in mediocrity saying how happy we would have been to be in this position in August 2007 - so what, look where we were before we played Southampton and now two games and one point from six later, we look like everyone’s settled for that! We’ve had a jolly nice season that isn’t really for the likes of us and we should be grateful!!

Both teams especially City, could have done a great deal more than they did to win the game and City settled for a draw at 3pm when they selected two midfielders to stop Olifinjana & Henry as opposed to two that could hurt Wolves in the final third.

Our set pieces looked poorly thought out and Wolves nullified the famous City “dink” into the box by running out and catching us offside -didn’t the taker think of dummying or playing the ball to a runner who wouldn’t have been active in that phase? The rest were poorly delivered and City’s defenders must have wished that Wolves were as badly delivered as they bravely headed away some pacey efforts.

Lee Johnson’s absence was felt as the diminutive midfielder was rested on specialist's advice and one could ask if his return when clearly not 100% has robbed us of his services for this season?

I can only remember one shot from the lacklustre Sproule that cause any concern for Hennessey in the Wolves goal, who had denied a rare forward run by Skuse, then tackled Brooker in the only memorable moment from a dull, yet nervous first half.

Basso made two good saves, one in each half as City were second to the ball in the first half on the majority of occasions and the referee came to City’s rescue when he waved away what looked a clear penalty as the tricky and pacey Jarvis was bundled over by the retreating Carle after he beat Orr for the umpteenth time after his introduction along with Adebola with a paltry eight minutes to go.

Watford’s draw with WBA softened the blow, but it’s our form (7 points from 24) that’s the concern and our lack of a goal difference could yet be the deciding factor come May.

I’ll settle for the same result next week and at Sheff Utd and against PNE, but it’ll take a win at Stoke and a performance to make me start believing we can take an opportunity that may not come around for another thirty years. It’s a question of bottle and I’m not convinced that we’ve got enough to take us over the line. 

Subs (used)

Carle

Adebola

Fontaine

Not used:

Weale

Trundle

TEAM RATINGS

Passing: 5/10

Set Pieces: 2/10

Creativity: 2/10

Commitment: 7/10

Entertainment Value: 6/10

Defending: 7/10

Attacking: 4/10

PLAYER RATINGS

BASSO: 8/10 Two good saves and a confident display.

ORR: 5/10:Another poor display of both defending & passing. Taken to the cleaners by Jarvis. The odd surge forward with zero quality in delivery, but at least he tried

CAREY: 6/10 Lost form over the last two games, but still tried to lift the others.

MCCOMBE: 6/10 Seemed to want to gift the game to Wolves in the first fifteen minutes as he bumbled & stumbled along, but recovered to play a part in keeping another clean sheet.

MCALLISTER: 6/10 Poor distribution but defended well enough until his injury, which looks like ending his season.

SKUSE: 5/10 Worked hard but lacked quality throughout. Improved in the second half, but the game pretty much passed him by apart from one key challenge.

ELLIOTT: 6/10 Looked stronger & fitter and more on his game than of late, but created nothing.

SPROULE: 4/10 One tackle and a shot on target mark him up from a three. Won’t endear himself to Ashton Gate fans by backing out of challenges either. Had plenty of opportunities to run at the defender and even with his marker on his backside, he couldn’t hit the byeline and deliver any quality

MCINDOE: 5/10 Never in the game and probably his worst game for City. Talks cheap without the performance to back it up and I don’t want to see any more “All the lads are up for it” proclamation from MM or anyone else.

BYFIELD: 5/10 Another ineffective start and it must be difficult for any striker with the shocking service and lack of creativity on offer. Never looked like scoring and shouldn’t be more than a sub at Stoke.

BROOKER: 6/10 MOM according to some. Well, if you’re a striker without an assist or a goal or a shot on target, sorry mate I can’t mark you higher than six. Worked hard, made some willing runs and it’s great to see him back and lasting ninety minutes.

SUBS:

CARLE: 5/10 Ten-minute cameo and should have started if we were really trying to win it. Almost blew it when he fouled Jarvis.

ADEBOLA: 5/10 Ineffective cameo.

FONTAINE: 6/10 Did what was needed as a late replacement for McAllister.

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