Bouncing back in Bristle? You must be off your Bristol Cities. Bristol City v Bolton 26/9/2017

[bristol_Wanderer3]

Personally I find it pretty cruel that the EFL's fixture computer has put our next match a mile away from where I live. So I will be enduring what looks like another thrashing tomorrow along with another 150 (as of Saturday, according to the ticket office) brave souls.

Promoted in 2015, they have managed to scramble to safety in the last two seasons, but this year look they have found their feet in this division. The gamble of paying £3m for an unknown striker from the French league in their first season back paid off as not only did they avoid relegation but then sold Jonathan Kodjia to Aston Villa for £11m, thus stabilizing the whole club off the pitch. After Tammy Abraham more than filled that role last season, they have tried a similar ploy, signing Famara Dhiedou for £5.3m in the summer from French club Angers. However it is the coming of age of a number of longer standing players such as home grown youngsters Joe Bryan and Bobby Reid, and long standing players Aden Flint and Korey Smith that has seen them develop into a seemingly decent Championship side.

Last home game out Bristol City played superbly well to defeat Derby 4-1. The same Derby who should have led 7 or 8 nil at half time at the Macron a few weeks ago. Hard then to be optimistic about our chances, and every chance we will see the "Bounce around the ground" anthem (to the tune of yellow submarine) in full flight.

Karacan is suspended for this one, meaning even less options in central midfield. Surely anybody authorized to enter Lostock in a playing capacity has a chance of being selected for this one? Can any team selection avoid defeat? How about:

Alnwick; Little, Wheater, Burke, Taylor; Noone, Pratley, Earing, Morais, Robinson; Madine. 4-5-1. Robinson as an attacking left sided midfielder as I can't think of anyone else to play there. Beevers dropped, Cullen dropped as both have proved to be not up to it in this league so far. Youngster Earing to get his chance, with absolutely nothing to lose imho.

Hard to see this not being a depressingly long evening, but mustering a weary COYW.

[BWFC_Insane]

King ahead of Earing, surely?

Morais has an inury...and was absymal Saturday. I'd 100% leave him out. My 4-5-1

Alnwick, Little, Wheater, Beevers, Taylor, Burke (DM), Pratley, King, Noone, Robinson, Madine

[Peter Thompson]

Bristol City 3 Bolton 0....

But don't worry we'll be fine with Parky

[truewhite15]

Bristol City 3 Bolton 0....

But don't worry we'll be fine with Parky

Give it a rest. Your childish, churlish sarcasm is even more wearisome than being beaten every Saturday.

You'd get more respect and less abuse if you just played it straight.

And yes, I'm expecting you to tell me where to go, and call me a this-or-that - but at least BWFC-I is constructive when he's challenged.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

PP pre=match press conference quotes, per Twitter:

We were very disappointed at the weekend. It was a long Sunday but we came in this morning and are ready to go again. We had some tough times last year too but we maintained our spirit and resilience. We need to get back to that tomorrow. No-one has had the same problems that we have had but we are better than we showed at the weekend. We need to prove that.

Sammy will be on the bench tomorrow. It's too early for him to start but he's determined to get involved and training well. Jem Karacan is suspended. Filipe Morais has a tightness in his hamstring but we have a few more bumps and bruises.

We'll have Josh Vela, Derik Osede, Will Buckley and Stephen Darby after the international [break]. With Sammy too, it'll be a huge boost for us. We need a lift but we have to work hard for it. We can't feel sorry for ourselves.

Bristol City had a horrible run last year but came through and enjoying a good start. We need to make sure we're in the game. We know how [they’re] are going to play. We need to set ourselves up to create chances and get it right.

It's good to have another game. We need more leadership out on the pitch. The players who keep their places need to show we're right to retain them, the ones who come in need to grab the opportunity.

[Bruce Rioja]

Have we a worse record away at anywhere other than Ashton Gate? I doubt it.

I really don't see this altering this week either. 2-0 to Brizzle. Zup up thy zider!

[boltonboris]

5-0. They go for it and we're shithouses

[LeverEnd]

They're in form right now
Pants down and six of the best. Again.

[Prufrock]

They're in form right now
Pants down and six of the best. Again.

Possibly literally. Someone on Twitter pointed out that both our last game v City and Parky's (w/ Bradford) were 6-0 defeats.

[LeverEnd]

They're in form right now
Pants down and six of the best. Again.

Possibly literally. Someone on Twitter pointed out that both our last game v City and Parky's (w/ Bradford) were 6-0 defeats.

Yes yes! Hence 'again'.

Although I didn't know about Bradford I'll grant you.

[Mar]

Tuesdays game is looking a much better proposition now. Boosted by Ameobi coming back into the fold and also by signing Karl Henry, it looks like we're getting ready to get things moving again.

[LeverEnd]

Tuesdays game is looking a much better proposition now. Boosted by Ameobi coming back into the fold and also by signing Karl Henry, it looks like we're getting ready to get things moving again.

I'm going to revise my prediction from a six to a five nil defeat and a red card for Henry.

[Mar]

Well there's a bit of strength in depth now so we can get players fighting for squad places now so hopefully that will be a good motivation for those that want it.

[officer_dibble]

Wonder how fit Henry is? Might get a game instead of suspended Karacan or the invisible man.

[WTW]

I worked at Bristol Old Vic in the early 1990s (part time about 3 days a fortnight) so made a good number of friends amongst the Robins fans... So have had messages of 'good luck' over the last couple of weeks... My answer is all we have to do to lose is show up... And, it seems to me, was ever thus at Ashton Gate, where our record is abysmal...

I live in hope... I've given up on expectation...

[LeverEnd]

I worked at Bristol Old Vic in the early 1990s (part time about 3 days a fortnight) so made a good number of friends amongst the Robins fans... So have had messages of 'good luck' over the last couple of weeks... My answer is all we have to do to lose is show up... And, it seems to me, was ever thus at Ashton Gate, where our record is abysmal...

I live in hope... I've given up on expectation...

I remember that spanking at Wembley when I was a kid as well.
Apparently we didn't win there from 1907 until Rioch's team broke the hoodoo in 1994. Last 5 visits though has produced 2 wins 2 defeats and a draw, even if the 6-0 is the one to dominate the memory.

[Prufrock]

feck sake, it's tonight?! Is there no fecking rest?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

feck sake, it's tonight?! Is there no fecking rest?

Yep - after Villa on Saturday I reckon we can go almost a fortnight undefeated

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

No idea what Parky will do, although I’d guess changes are to be expected. He’s said Ameobi will be on the bench and Lee Anderson seems to have hinted that Morais’ hamstring will be OK. There are fitness doubts over Burke and Robinson, while Karacan is suspended.

It’s always difficult to balance attack and defence – especially when you’re using weaker players than the oppositional average – but it strikes me our best chance of creativity comes from wide, which makes wingbacks a weird idea. I’d revert to a 4-2-3-1, flattening into a solid 4-5-1 out of possession but equally with the wide guys expected to support the front man (inevitably Madine despite Parky being prompted into good words for Wilbraham on his return to Ashton Gate).

There will be many who demand the inclusion of ALF but I just can’t see how to do that without fatally weakening what is already not a very good team. Instead, support for InevitablyMadine will have to come from breaking midfielders – Vela after the international break, but also a rotating cast of wingers including Sammy, Noone, Morai and eventually perhaps even Buckley for the odd half-hour. Make them work hard for an hour, rotate them for fresh legs, ask different questions. Meanwhile the “2” should help impose some sort of defensive discipline – Henry will hopefully help here, although this game may be a bit early – and try to nick one off a set-piece. It’s not glamorous, it’s not original, but it’s the most likely route from what is hardly a glowing bunch of options.

At the back, ideally I’d like full-backs who might be a threat going forward, although that’s a balance with defensive liability. With Darby still not match-ready it’d have to be Little anyway on the right, but on the other side I’d understand if PP went for Taylor over Robinson, doughty over darting.

Big question is whether we can continue with Wheavers as a partnership. Personally I’d always be tempted to have at least one centre-back who can turn, but again I’d understand if PP gave Burke a break and reverted to experience. We’d have plenty of that in a back six of Taylor (31), Beevers (27), Wheater (30), Little (29), Pratley (32) and Henry (34) but it’s very easy to imagine them all looking at each other in “I’m-too-old-for-this-shit” disappointment after being outmanoeuvred by a slip of a forward.

[officer_dibble]

DSB
You have got the job.

If by some miracle we can only lose 2-0 tonight that would be nice.