‘Time for a formation change at City’

It’s hard to know what made me feel the most (or more) glum as I was walking away from our hallowed church (Ashton Gate) last Saturday after what felt like a truly crushing 0-2 defeat from our M4 rivals, Reading.

Was it the fact we have now amassed just five points from a possible 24, leaving us just one place off the bottom of the Championship? Was it our naivety at the back as we were easily carved open in the opening fifteen minutes? Maybe it was the lack of atmosphere or simply the limited number of chances we created.

Taking each point in-turn, I shall and try and explain the deep disgruntlement that came over me around 5pm last Saturday.

As I’ve mentioned before in this blog, I feel 3-5-2 leaves us far too open at the back. This was proved in the opening few minutes of the game as Reading capitalised on the acres of space they found themselves in. I, and having spoke to many of the fans around me, plead with Mr Cotteril to switch to a back four. After that he can play whatever he wants but I think its time to shore ourselves up and maybe revisit the formation that proved so successful for us last year at a later date, when we are not so perilously close to the foot of the table.

Last season was great for so many reasons. As an Ashton Gate regular there was a genuine sea change week to week. The previous years had been pretty dire and as a fan you had to put up with a lot of, well, disappointment and misery.

In short, I felt that that old but sickeningly familiar feeling was creeping back into my consciousness. And, as just said, last years wonderful achievements alleviated that sense of doom and despair, albeit for only one brief season.

The crowd on Saturday left a little to be desired too. Ashton Gate is not famed for its atmosphere in the way say Selhurst Park or the Britannia Stadium are, but we can make a pretty decent noise on a good day and when in the right mood.

This, however, did not appear to be one of those days. I hope this was just down to the two early goals we conceded and not a sign of things to come.

Our next game sees us travel to Portman Road to take on Mick McCarthy’s Ipswich side that currently occupy a play-off spot. I have always admired Mick and it is no surprise he is doing well again with a club with big aspirations. I hope we can repeat our away performance at Middlesbrough and pick up our second win of the season.

You will be glad to hear that my gloom was lifted last Saturday after bumping into an old friend in a post match drinking establishment around Bedminster. Thank heavens for beer and slightly inebriated football chat to alleviate such woes.