Well, thats a start.... Not really gonna fall over myself to credit Xisco with picking a team and shape he should have been picking for weeks - but at least he finally got there so I won't criticise either. Still think we need to play like this on a consistent basis if he's to keep his job until the end of the season. Still didn't understand the need to bring Gray on so early, even if the game was wrapped up. Minor gripe I guess in the current scheme of things. Should've been Perica though. Sarr needs to start doing that every week - for all the 'we should sell him for whatever we can get' comments, I think we all know he's fairly unplayable on his day. Also agree with @lowerrous above, all the elements were there for that to happen today - 3pm kickoff, home advantage, great pitch...the test is putting that same team out on Tuesday and them replicating that effort and desire away from home in not-optimal conditions. Bristol City were utter sh1te and didn't look at all bothered. That truly was them playing to get their boss the sack. Let's see if we can do that against sides who are more up for the battle of trying to stop us...thats the test now. Do we rise and stay at this level, or do we shrink back into bad habits when teams fight back...? I also have a major concern that Foster spoke about Deeney having a slight knock and him then subsequently not coming on. Xisco needs to be have backbone and keep him out now - but I do fear he won't. His comments the other day about wanting him 'in the box' more mean I wouldn't be surprised if he plays as a lone striker in place of Joao Pedro. I really, really hope not. Please god don't let today be a 'flash in the pan' moment, and rather let it be a genuine wake-up call.
That was fantastic stuff to watch. Best performance of the season but Bristol City made it look so easy to get in behind them. They offered nothing till the 82nd minute and looked bereft of any ideas. Hughes was great, Sarr was on top form and finally Zinc gets a goal for all his hard work. We played a system that suited us, Pedro was class and was unlucky to not bag a brace, but his hardworking and passion was there. Gray played a nice ball to Sarr and held it up well as we looked to settle SH, but still totally dominated. Great win, very big boost to our GD and even Reading lost. Five clear of Muff, 11 clear of 7th. Automatic's still not out of sight but Playoffs are more realistic. Tough to find any negatives. I just hope to god we play with this system at Preston, although we will probably be a bit more defensive. If that was Xisco's last game, nice way to go out. Well done lads. Chamberlain still a cult hero.
i hope not , JP has skill and pace that Deeney could only wish for , I don’t dislike Deeney as much as some but if you just watched that game , why would you make any chances to the starting 11, Shirley you would play the same again and see if it works a second time
They were. He's getting sacked and the selection was a parting shot to Gino who insists he plays Deeney and Gray.
Allows Gino and Scott a few days to come out with some PR ******** whilst there’s a good feeling. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
For goodness sake you cannot possibly change that team. People get injured and lose their place,they then have to win it back,Greaves in '66 lost his place to Hunt and never got it back. I sincerely hope that was Foster being supportive of Deeney and not an insight to what Tuesday will bring. Lunacy to alter it.
Right from the start Sarr was flying forward, using his pace, instead of being the auxiliary right back he's been all season. The much maligned Clevs was great, and so, unsurprisingly, was Hughes. We played entertainingly and effectively, moving the ball so much quicker than usual, but before we get carried away we must remrmber that City gave us all our goals. Let's hope the same players do the same things on Tuesday and that it comes off again.
As I posted at half-time, football is a simple old game really despite all the hot air that surrounds it. Play your in-form players. In their best positions. In the formation that best suits them. And bingo. Simple really. There can be no excuses now for reverting to type. No more formations, performances and indeed certain personnel that laboured so badly the last three games. In our last season in the Championship, most of us thought Pozzo had lost the plot when he brought in Joka out of nowhere and a few weeks into his reign, we then lost four in a row. The Serb saved his skin with a thrashing of Fulham, and the rest was history. Let’s hope today will be Xisco’s moment of redemption too. (Although, despite the hatred towards his reign, he’s actually won 5 and drawn 2 of his 9 matches in charge. Hardly a disaster, but I agree the last three matches were awful). Well done to everybody involved today on giving us all our happiest matchday of the season. Our best since Liverpool (it must be a February thing!). And for this poster who lives in Somerset not so far from Bristol, bragging rights for months to come!!!
We can only hope that was a PR move to hide Troy's embarrassment at being dropped and/or a case of the club trying to protect the value of their "asset".
4-3-3 so obviously suits the squad we have so please we have finally done this. Xisco has been getting pelters for a couple of weeks but deserves credit for not only changing the formation but dropping Deeney. I think he said Deeney has been helping so maybe 4-4-2 was more Deeney's idea and this is Xisco team. Hope so. Should have happened a few weeks ago but at least it happened I get the feeling that there is going to be a fair amount of Bristol City were poor on here tonight and they were not great but they are mid table, they haven't been getting thumped, I just thought we played on the front foot. More forward passing, more pressing as a team and the biggest thing for me was the movement of the front three. They interchanged a lot and all three were excellent but Sarr looked like the player we all hope he's going to be Bachmann - Couple of shots at the end but very little to do apart from that. looks more assure now when the ball comes back to him Femenia - We look so much better with him in the team. One of the best fullbacks in this league Masina - Much better from him although that can be said for the rest of the team. No aimless crossing in to the box, got forward, passed on the floor Ekong - It's much easier for him when a midfielder comes short to get the ball which is what Hughes did all game. Defends very well in a partnership with The Bloke from Chile The Bloke from Chile - Completely untroubled and has been the find of the season. Will rarely have an easier game than today Hughes - Makes the game look so incredibly simple when others make it look so hard. Play him in his best position and what do you know, he controls the game Chalobah - Passing still not great but looks better as part of a three. Yellow cards continue to mount up and even though he won the ball for his yellow today, in this day and age tackling with studs up with a lot of follow through will get you in trouble Cleverly - Like Chalobah, benefitted from having a 3 man midfield so he could press knowing there was cover behind him. Great assist for Sarr's goal and just never stopped working. Sema - Great to see him in the scoresheet and another who was a constant threat to the Bristol City defence. JP - Unlucky not to score and probably should have scored as well but his touch compared to Gray's is like chalk and cheese and he's still only 19 Sarr - Absolutely brilliant. This is what we need more of but I'm sure the positive nature of the team helped. Far too good for this league on his day and he was definitely on it today Zinc - Looked busy with some decent touches. Good set pieces and the goal will do him the world of good. Definitely has ability to do well Gray - Miss controlled a couple, failed to read the game on another occasion and looked out of his depth. I realise why he came on as Xisco thought he might get a goal but I think we should give up and try Perica. Including today we have 3 games in six days. Get another two wins this week and a play off place will pretty much be assured but we might find ourselves as outsiders for the top two. I just hope Xisco learns from today that 4-3-3 is the way we must go Happy days tonight
Biggest difference with JP up top is that he comes deep, moves into the channels, drags the opposition defence around etc. Gray and (especially) Deeney just stand in the centre complaining that no one is laying on tap ins for them Even though JP didn’t score himself (and he was unlucky not to) it’s no coincidence that everyone around him suddenly got a load of goals and assists today
Couldn’t agree more, the one and only possible reason we don’t have the same eleven out on Tuesday is because he wants to be a little more conservative, but I say s-d it, keep them in and go for it!
Flabbergasted. I can honestly say I didn't see that coming. It was only only the team selected that made me change my mind to watch. I just hope that it was Xisco who made the decision to drop the dynamic duo upfront. If so you have made me eat my words about you.. Credit to everyone today it's all any fan wants out of their team. Tuesday starting 11 will really show me if Xisco and the team has turned a corner. It really was that simple, play your best players in their best positions and have a go at the opposition.
To be fair to Gray when he came on we seemed to go defensive and he did make a good pass for the 6th. maybe as a LATE and I stress late sub he stays for his contract if we can’t sell him. The Fat man needs to go
Something has changed today. Clearly there was something bad behind the scenes, but today the players were smiling (even Sarr) and we won 6-0. This is the kind of reversal I never dreamed possible.
Said it in the shoutbox, will say it again here. Great win but my word so frustrating! If we had been playing that team and formation from day 1 of the season, like most of us said we should, no doubt in my mind we would be clear at the top by about 18 points if not more. This is our best 11. This is the 11 that starts every game from here on out. If tweaks have to be made, then it’s simple like, Wilmot for Ekong, or Gosling for Chalobah. No need to change formation. This is our best formation. Stick to it home and away, play to our strengths. Make the opposition worry about us, instead of us worrying about them. Deeney and Gray are to no longer start any games for the rest of this season. Now we need to go do the same against Preston on Tuesday, and Derby on Friday. The teams around us, will fear that result today. We must show them that’s it’s not a one off.
Not sure if anyone has mention that was our 10th 6-0, the last one being January 1978, when we beat Doncaster! 28 January 1978 Doncaster Rovers H 6–0 11,816 Joslyn (2), Bolton, Downes, Garner, Jenkins
Brilliant day all round from a footballing perspective. I thought Pedro was brilliant in every part apart from scoring. Sarr 2G2A, Cleverly & Hughes great too. Everything just clicked, looks like us football fans on a forum do know what we are talking about then ey! Don’t want to use this as a chance to bash them but surely, just surely it’s clear to all the hierarchy this is the way forward? It would be complete and utter madness if this wasn’t Plan A moving forward. Bristol City were rubbish but we’ve played many rubbish teams this season and not threatened. Very intrigued by the dynamics of the club moving forward from here. Did everyone give an extra 10% to prove what they can do without Deeney? Is Xisco actually popular with the bulk of the squad and told them he would pick something different and asked the players to prove a point today so he can keep his job? Definitely did feel like an extra spring in the players steps and it can’t be merely a coincidence that it’s the same neither Deeney nor Gray start. Would’ve loved to be there today! To top off a brilliant day, noises from Boris & co suggests we might have some light at the end of this horrible tunnel. Maybe the nightmarish last 12 months or so are slowly beginning to be behind us, in life & football. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The only downside to today is that I now have hope again. And, as we all know, it's the hope that kills you. Great performance. Better formation, players in their best positions and a much more energetic and vibrant performance. Hopefully that will give the players the confidence and belief to go on and beat better teams than Bristol City in the coming weeks!
It looked like a completely different team. In a way it was. No millstones dragging the team to a standstill, choking the oxygen out of the team dynamic. Just shows what happens when you put round pegs in round holes. Play at a quick tempo with good movement. Players who can pass and move. Attacking players who can trap a ball and stay onside. We looked dangerous each time we moved forward and were unlucky not to have scored 8. Bristol City ere poor but how many times before have we struggled against poor opposition. Nobody played poorly, everyone contributed, Cleverly, Hughes, and Sarr were probably the standout players. It's been a long time coming. It's about bl00dy time.
Looking forward to watching it again. But have to give credit to Sarr for putting one on a plate for Zinckernagel especially when he's on a hatrick.
