Forever Bristol City Podcast

QPR [A]the verdict ...... committed performance secures all three points

A first win since 2015 on the final day of the season sent everyone into the summer break in a positive frame of mind. 

Goals either side of half time from Sykes & Bell were enough against a disappointing QPR who came into the game looking to extend an unbeaten run to 4.

Ian, Mark & DaveP review the match action but mainly talk about what the side might look like next season.

BURNLEY [H] the verdict ..... let’s take the money and run!

Ian, Mark & DaveP discuss a 2-1 defeat against Championship Champions Burnley with a consensus view that we were worthy of a point.

It was an inglorious final [probably] appearance for Alex Scott who trotted off the pitch to muted appreciation, his glaring error presenting the visitors with the opportunity some minutes earlier to retake the lead after Conway's cool finish had brought the sides level.

For what it's worth if £20M + is offered for Scott we should take it and run as his form of late is doing nothing to justify a fee of this magnitude. 

We also agree that talk of Joe Bryan making a return is no bad thing and offer reaction to Steve Lansdown's interview yesterday on Radio Bristol.

Rotherham [H] the verdict ..... undefeated at home in 2023

Undefeated at home in 2023, improved on last season's points tally with two games remaining, Andi Weimann's 50th goal for the club. All positives from the weekend's 2-1 victory over perennial strugglers Rotherham.

DaveP is joined by Ian plus, and its good to have him back after a long absence, Dave Fevs as they discuss the match and more

SHEFFIELD UTD. [A] the verdict .... more of the same

Early dominance but no end product – just like Watford all over again but with fewer goal chances.

City silenced the home crowd with a spirited first half performance but the Blades upped the pace in the second period and scored the winner through a Man City loanee valued at £20M.

Should City have had a penalty in the first half when Bell was flattened? Who was Nigel referring to when assessing the performance of his subs who failed to make the impact he was hoping for and added the comment “I don’t care who they are”? Ian, Mark and DaveP discuss the game and more.

[Apologies for some sound issues!!]

 

WATFORD [A] the verdict .... we’ve played worse than that and won!

The Hornets were winless in 4 going into this game but City contrived to give Chris Wilder’s side the 3 points with two sloppy goals and not so much missed chances but those which on another day would have gone in were it not for the woodwork and decent goalkeeping.

Great to see Alex Scott back on the grass but for me he has to be showing in the remaining games more than fleeting glimpses of a player who is allegedly going to attract bids over £20M in the summer.

Ian, Mark & DaveP analyse the match action and make the bold assessment that anything less than emulating the efforts of Luton, Coventry and Millwall who all look likely to make the play offs should be considered failure in 23/24 season

BORO [H] the verdict .... cracking game and Cornick silences his critics

If every game was as entertaining as Easter Monday’s vs Boro few would have any complaints and that’s said despite the fact that City let slip a 2-goal lead to only draw against their play-off bound opponents.

Harry Cornick did a lot to silence his detractors with a goal and an assist and there is plenty to suggest that with 5 points from the last 3 games a City team without Alex Scott can do OK at this level.

Ian, Mark & DaveP analyse the match action

 

STOKE [A] the verdict ..... tale of the unexpected but then again we always win there!

Easter joy for City in Staffordshire as they confounded expectations with a well deserved 2-1 win against in form Stoke.

We were battered for 20 minutes before having two chances to take an unexpected lead. It would be true to say it was against the run of play when the home side took the lead with half time approaching but City dominated after the break and won it with a first of the season for Zak Vyner and a first for the club from Anis Mehmeti.

Ian, Mark & DaveP discuss the game and look forward to the Bank Holiday Monday game vs. high flying Middlesborough

READING [H] the verdict .... this season is going down the drain

Not so many weeks ago we were harbouring play off hopes then a top half finish and now, with a tough quartet of games to come even an improvement on last season is in the balance.

Ian, Mark, Tom & Neil with DaveP hosting discuss a match City should have won but didn't due to poor play in the final third.

We also talk about the Ashton Gate pitch, the club's high sustainability ranking, the Easter games and when will Kane Wilson get a few minutes on the pitch perhaps positionally in front of not instead of the fast improving Tanner

 

 

SWANSEA [A] the verdict ..... on the beach can’t happen soon enough?

Ian, Mark & Neil join DaveP in assessing another fruitless trip across the bridge as City went down 2-0 to their Welsh rivals.

Overall it was a marginal improvement on the Luton game, indeed, Omar Taylor-Clarke who'd come on as a sub in that one made the starting line up and didn't look out of place.

Not our normal intro as I couldn't resist including our pre-live chat regarding Liam Fontaine's recording career which I didn't know anything about before today!!!

LUTON [A] the verdict: it could have been a lot worse

DaveP & Ian discuss the match action which saw City lose 1-0 at rain lashed Kenilworth Road.

If the boys had gone in 4-0 down at the interval that would not have been an unfair reflection of the Hatters dominance. As it was at 1-0 you're always in the game and in fairness City improved as the game went on.

The squad is ravaged by injuries by why Nigel chose to have just 6 subs which included the "sick" & "unfit" Wilson remains a mystery but Omar Taylor-Clarke showed in the 30 minutes he was on that he could be another to make the step up from the academy.

We also discuss THAT kit & badge, season tickets, summer transfer speculation and look forward to Sunday's game at Swansea