Football / Fan's View
‘The best game I’ve seen down the Gate for years’
What a week it’s been for the red half of the city. Last Saturday saw our performance of the season so far, as we romped home to our second victory in the space of four days at Craven Cottage.
Four goals with four different scorers including something of a rare offering from a rejuvenated Luke Freeman; he is just one of several players who are arguably producing the best stuff we’ve seen from them in a Bristol City shirt.
Other players who are playing out of their proverbial skin include Marlon Pack, who has come on leaps and bounds under Johnson; Aden Flint, who seems to have recovered from his slight error prone couple of games; and Bobby (Bobby) Reid.
is needed now More than ever
The latter can now be classed as an assured attacking midfielder who has added goals to his game this year. It will be interesting to see if Pack and Reid can keep out a fully fit O’Neil and Smith in the weeks to come, but – if ever that old adage was relevant it is now – it is a good problem for Johnson to have.
So, this brings us to Tuesday nights home match against Leeds United. The first at our new home under the lights, and what a game it was. Johnson described our 1-0 win as a”scrappy affair” that he was proud to have come through with the three points. I have to say I somewhat disagree with our glorious leaders assessment of the game.
Scrappy is one way of describing it but I would prefer to use “competitive”. The game saw several flash points and threatened to boil over, however, twenty two men remained on the pitch with only Gary Monk, the Leeds boss, seeing red on the night.
I thought the standard of football was high, maybe . Leeds are a good side who have shown huge improvements under the stewardship of Monk, and, if he is allowed more time than his recent predecessors, will surely have a good season.
So, where do we go from here? We are remarkably up to fifth in the table and as several friends of mine commentated as we left on Tuesday night, I’ll take that.
The position is somewhat misleading however as five teams currently sit on seventeen points. We do though find ourselves above the likes of Aston Villa, Derby County and Sheffield Wednesday which is ever so pleasing on the eye. If we are still above those sides come May then you would think the playoffs is the least we could hope for.
This Saturday sees Nottingham Forest visit Ashton Gate. We will be without the suspended Tomlin, so, as ever, the starting line-up will be of interest. I think I’d ask Freeman to take over that role behind the striker but we will see.
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