So, what's the starting XI after today's win?

Any of the subs do enough to make a start next Saturday?

Ameobi injured?

Th'East Midlands Whites are just back and are drinking heavily, but with cautious optimism

Bringing ALF on a mistake. Should have shut up shop at 2-1.

 

Thought it was encouraging in many ways. Not sure it’s same old at all. We have a striker who is doing the job. Look better in midfield. Bristol played well but we still could have won. Decent enough start. Ahead of expectation.

Struggling to see where we've improved in midfield. Vela still there. Pratley going obviously a bonus, but Henry miles better than all 3 defensive midfield replacements. I'm in the same old camp...parky can't attack to save his life.

Would have snapped out hand off for a point before the game. And on the balance of things would still have taken it, regardless of the annoyance of throwing the lead away.

 

They were a bunch of shithouses and the ref played in to their hands. Must be so frustrating when he’s so inconsistent with his decisions and in particular yellow cards.

 

We do need to do much more going forward - credit to Vela for the quick free kick for the second but he was pretty anonymous otherwise - but I’m finding it encouraging that we’re converting such a high percentage of our chances.

 

Took the lad to club shop and left at about 3 minutes to 3 and the queue for the ticket office was still all way up to stairs up to middlebrook.

 

What the fucks all that about?

People turning up at gone half 2 having not been smart enough to buy online and Print@Home (or for the more technologically advanced, taking a screenshot of the PDF and scanning your phone at the turnstile).

I'd have taken 2-2 at start but then, having witnessed the worst most one sided ref since Barry the Bastard, I reckon 2-2 is a great result. In fact, I was surprised he acknowledged the goal-line technology rather than ignore it.

Ref absolutely shocking but we got a point because of the penalty he didn't give them, 5 minutes later we were 2 up. Huge decision.

Pratley going obviously a bonus.

It’s only obvious to half wits

14 fucking thousand, looked less

It's tickets sold, not attendance. 7 season ticket holders in our house and next door but only 4 of us went. All counted in the 'attendance'. Not as misleading as PNE though, kids season tickets are free and how many bother to turn up?

Struggling to see where we've improved in midfield. Vela still there. Pratley going obviously a bonus, but Henry miles better than all 3 defensive midfield replacements. I'm in the same old camp...parky can't attack to save his life.

Attack? Fooking hell! We would have ended up losing the game about 7-2, we are where we are, a team full of freebies and a striker from League1 for about 200K and  a point is a good result today.

The refs just get shitter and shitter

 

No more than Bristol deserved to be honest. Much the better side throughout.

 

Thought their first loooked offside. I'd like to see that again

It's tickets sold, not attendance. 7 season ticket holders in our house and next door but only 4 of us went. All counted in the 'attendance'. Not as misleading as PNE though, kids season tickets are free and how many bother to turn up?

holiday season I know, 14k first home game after a fantastic away win is poor

parky cost us that win. noone off for alf was crazy.

 

still happy with 4pts from 2 games mind.

 

far from convinced about lowe and murphy.

Me too. How are they an improvement on Henry?

Me too. How are they an improvement on Henry?

About 10 years of improvement in Lowe’s case. Who I thought did well last week and again today. Nothing flashy, maybe needs to take a bit more of a look forward but provides good protection for the back four.

As has been said, first half was utter drudgery, would have taken a draw after 20 mins and still woul have at half time.

 

Somehow found ourselves in dreamland at 2-0 but never secure, both goals conceded were poor, especially 2nd, criminal when we're winning to toss one when it was our corner. Olkowski did get caught up field I think for that but otherwise a cut above rest of our lot, confident, composed and quick.

 

Magennis, fair play, wasn't that excited when he signed but can't fault him, effort, commitment, prepared to have a contest with their CBs and took his goal very well.

 

Otherwise, same old same old at the back, Beevers and Taylor dreadful on ball, no pace in either of those or Wheater.

If Hobbs has any amount of pace and a grain of confidence to pass it forward to one of ours surely to god he should be in front of Beevers.

 

Only difference between Murphy / Lowe and Henry/Pratley is they're younger. Neither got a decent forward pass in them on today's showing.

 

On the atmosphere, Parky can't keep waving his arms about and trying to get it going when what's happening on the pitch is mind numbing. I was bored shitless by half time. People need something to get into, a few chances, a good move, couple of shots, there was nothing at all. If all he's going to do is stick rigidly to his game plan from last year and just freshen up the personnel it isn't going to enthuse people and put bums on seats.

 

I get that we pay our money to see results, and we've got four points, which I'd have snapped up from these two fixtures, but I was hoping that we might be trying to play a bit more football from the off this season.

Great summary. Burton away was final straw for me with parky. Never going to change is it? In his world Vela is better than ALF and 2 poor defensive mids are a safer bet than Oztumer or Wildshut. And Buckley is a good winger.

Their first goal was at least a yard off. If that gets called we win that game. They had a lot of possession but like most teams resorted to long balling it last 5 mins.

 

Disappointing to not get all three points but it's still a good start

Didnt see any long ball from them all day. Just us. Quality play mostly on the deck from them 1st minute to 96th.

Me too. How are they an improvement on Henry?

Were you at burton?

 

Henry looked about 95. It was only the occasion that got him through the forest match.

 

He was shagged. Our training staff monitor every player, every single day. If he was fit enough, he’d still be at club.

 

Or at another club in the championship for that matter.

 

The two midfielders have done fine imo. The only area lacking is in front of them imo. I like vela but if he’s mopping up from JM’s knock downs and second balls, that’s where our problems lie in an attacking sense.

Didnt see any long ball from them all day. Just us. Quality play mostly on the deck from them 1st minute to 96th.

Well according to the stats, they played 89 long balls, with 44 successful against our 63 long balls, 18 successful.

 

Overall they were miles better and it will be definitely a point earned. I think they will have a good season. Just disappointing in out mid field how we were second to everything up for grabs, sometimes surrendering a few yards as well.

About 10 years of improvement in Lowe’s case. Who I thought did well last week and again today. Nothing flashy, maybe needs to take a bit more of a look forward but provides good protection for the back four.

About 10 years of improvement in Lowe’s case. Who I thought did well last week and again today. Nothing flashy, maybe needs to take a bit more of a look forward but provides good protection for the back four.

Age is irrelevant. I wouldn't mind speed, djorkaeff, Bergsson, campo, klasnic in their mid 30s. Henry simply a better player than Murphy, i'll give Lowe the benefit of the doubt as he was OK at WBA, but Blackburn fans happy to see the back of him whilst every Bolton fan would say we were down last year if we didn't sign henry.

Age is irrelevant.

Course it is. Let's get Pele in

Age is irrelevant. I wouldn't mind speed, djorkaeff, Bergsson, campo, klasnic in their mid 30s. Henry simply a better player than Murphy, i'll give Lowe the benefit of the doubt as he was OK at WBA, but Blackburn fans happy to see the back of him whilst every Bolton fan would say we were down last year if we didn't sign henry.

Age is absolutely relevant when it’s a choice between 26 year old midfielder and a 36 year old one. Yes Henry made a massive difference when he came in last season, but he was absolutely shagged by the end and there’s no way he’d have been able to keep up with it this year.

Course it is. Let's get Pele in

Reckon David Jack might fancy a bit of a homecoming?

Reckon David Jack might fancy a bit of a homecoming?

Has to at least be worth a pay as you play contract?

So being 2-0 up was a fluke?

Eh?

Very flukey yeah

Attack? Fooking hell! We would have ended up losing the game about 7-2, we are where we are, a team full of freebies and a striker from League1 for about 200K and  a point is a good result today.

Bristol City haven't won in 11 away games and have sold some of their best players.Having a cheap team is no excuse for playing with no attacking intent.

holiday season I know, 14k first home game after a fantastic away win is poor

In fairness, poor opener with a moderate following and holiday season. Didn't expect much more.

 

Not really sure what we can expect fro home crowds this season, this seems to be our level.

Bristol City haven't won in 11 away games and have sold some of their best players.Having a cheap team is no excuse for playing with no attacking intent.

We played Le Fondre, Wildschut, Magennis, Noone and Buckley.

Were you at burton?

 

Henry looked about 95. It was only the occasion that got him through the forest match.

 

He was shagged. Our training staff monitor every player, every single day. If he was fit enough, he’d still be at club.

 

Or at another club in the championship for that matter.

 

The two midfielders have done fine imo. The only area lacking is in front of them imo. I like vela but if he’s mopping up from JM’s knock downs and second balls, that’s where our problems lie in an attacking sense.

I didn't go to Burton, and I get that every player has a shelf life. But if we are talking about players looking nackered look at ameobi, Wheater, Taylor, Madine, etc. Give them a rest, they don't have to play 90 minutes every week and 2 bad games in your 30s doesn't mean you are immediately replaced by an inferior player permanently. An unfit 35 year old is finished but an unfit 28 year old is just settling in to the team.