So our last match before the World Cup sees us head for Bristol. I spent 12 years living in Bristol in my younger days, all sorts of crazy things go on in Bristol like turning busy roads into waterslides: I do remember a neighbour who was Bristol born and bred for sixty years plus told me once that the best thing about Bristol was “in two hours you can be in London, or Birmingham, or on the South Wales coast, in Devon, in Somerset, on the south coast, in the Cotswolds or in the Malverns”. Didn’t have the heart to point out that he was basically saying that the best thing about his home town was being somewhere else. Ashton Gate has been the ‘hub’ for all sporting / musical activity in the south west for well over 200 years, showing some signs of age at the last home match vs Sheff Utd: But it should scrub up ok in time for Saturday: My sister went to Elton’s concert at Ashton Gate in the summer, and described it as ‘gert lush’ City are 20th, have won once in their last seven at home and got thumped 3-1 by Lincoln in the cup last night, which prompted Nige to question “the moral fibre” of some of his players. That said, a decent point at Micheal Carrick’s Boro last time out in the league. They might have their eyes on big games vs Rotherham and Stoke in just over six weeks time to pay much attention to us. As always with these previews, I paid a ninja-like visit to a couple of opposition forums to check out how they’re feeling about the impending Hornets visit and grabbed a couple of insightful comments: “Made I laugh” - Kingswood Robin “Ark at e” - Rudolf Hucker Couple of thread titles caught my eye that might sum up their mood: “Nige should walk” “Time for a sale” “Wasters, Downed Tools” “Jumbo hot dogs at Ashton Gate” And a big thanks to @infoman for his travel tips, remember it’s PARSON STREET: https://wfcforums.com/index.php?thr...al-info-for-next-saturday.59811/#post-3189982 Prediction - an absolute goal-fest between these two highly competitive, mid-table Championship sides: Bristol City 3 Watford 8 (0-0 HT)
After four wins in our last five we should be going to Bristol full of confidence. However, they are a much better side at home than away, running Sheff Utd close the other week and big Nige' has certainly got them playing this season. Last time we went there we drew in a very uninspiring game with little action at either end of the pitch. This time I can see a different game, with City having hopes of making a run for a protential playoff spot after the WC break, and of course for us we could go into the break in third place and two points off second (although a lot has to fall into line for that to happen). Our last two away games at Wigan and Cardiff produced a maximum six points, however both sides are lower bottom half and we didn't particually play well in either game. City will be a tough test and I do not think the 6-0 mauling we handed out at the Vic last time will be in their minds either. Different teams, different season. Would a draw be a bad result? Again, might depend on how others do, but we have to look after ourselves and with a no-doubt patched up back four it might be a testing game. I think we are more than capable of winning, but considering both sides will have one eye on the WC for prospective countries etc, this could be a 'play it safe' game. BC 0 WFC 0
If we win, are we through to the knock out stages of the World Cup ? Must win game. Genuine 7 pointer. BC 1 WFC 1
If we win Bilic will be averaging 2 points a game. If continued that should be about enough for auto promotion
Bristol is a fantastic city, one of my favourites to visit in England. It's rich in culture, history, things to do and extremely livable. Bristol City have to be one of the worst performing teams ever in World Football relative to the location they purport to represent. Easy win. Prediction Bristol 0-3 Watford Sarr (23, 66, 90+9)
My last trip there was the shambles under Zola when we decided to rest the entire side. Was the night that any hope of Sean Murray being decent completely evaporated
Is that the season we took it to the final day needing to beat dirty Leeds and Hull drew? Our goalie got injured and I think we had Bond in goal? Could be wrong.
Wasnt it the 6-0 against Bristol in 20/21 that kickstarted our run for promotion. same again Bristol 0 Watford 6
Yes that season. Resting the team and losing that relatively easy game against a struggling BC cost us 3 points that would have been so valuable.
Brizzle 2 points from 12 is ominous for the golden boys. Would.be classic Watford to F that 1 up. Hard to believe after everything that's happened this season we are currently 4 points off the automatics. Imagine what might happen if we started being good!
I think the PTSD of that day has changed your memory!! Bond was injured in the warm up and Bonham had a total nightmare and cost us the game although to be fair the squad was already shot. I think Gino learnt a lesson from that season that the champo is all about how you perform in the 2nd half of the season. We had an unbelievable 1st 11 that season, shocking failure really.
Almunia injured in the warm up, Bond got wiped out by Poleon, hence Bonham coming on and not being ready and the nearly 20 mins of added on time meaning we knew what Hull/Cardiff result finished as and what we needed while playing the last 20 or so.
Thanks for the clarification. I guess my PTSD from that day altered my memory !! I was in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica at the time. Definitely softened the blow.
Last night I was talking to one of the other coaches at my daughter's club, who is a big Bristol City fan (and going on Saturday). He said that it will be an easy 3 points for us and he hoped they lose 5-0 just so Pearson gets the boot. Did someone say club in crisis? Send up the Hornet signal! Bristol City 2-0 Watford.
I liked and rated Pearson but I'm surprised he's still at the club, he just hasn't got going there. Bristol City seem to be one of those middling clubs like Reading and Preston that have been up and down the Championship but they also seem to have quite high expectations and I'd expect them to be at least top half of the table.
Hertha Berlin have to be right up there for that "honour" - for years in the 90s and 2010s their having been relegated to the Bundesliga 2. meant that Berlin was literally the only capital city in Europe which did not have a football team in its top flight.
I think Brizzle's expectations come from their mega-rich owner. In fairness he's done a great job getting Ashton Gate into the 21st century, but can't seem to get them above a glass ceiling of upper mid table in the Championship. Don't think it's for want of trying or investment.
In fairness, Bristol just isn't a football city is it, they're big on rugby and cricket, it's probably on sheer force of population that they can sustain a Championship level club, let alone another League 1/2 sized club
Interestingly enough, a win here would make it two wins in a spin, or 2 wins out of 3, which would be a decent run of results but would have been even better if we had beaten Coventry as then it would be 6 wins out of 6 which would, in the words of Borat, be, ah very nice! More stats as I find them
Yes thy also have the Rovers who are managed by another nut@er who spends as much time in the justice system as he does in opposition boardrooms
I'm not sure about this. Plenty of the population are natural football supporters although there is a decent sprinkling of rugger buggers too.
Sure, I'm sure there are plenty of football fans, but compare that to most of the country in which football is the undisputed king of sports, comparatively, Bristol isn't really a football city
Well, I'm not sure I agree but I can't prove it: it's just a sense I have from living there. It's not self evidently a rugby city like Bath or Gloucester are, for example. And up until fairly recently the rugby team weren't much cop either. It's a bit chicken and egg: if City were in the PL (much less likely to be Rovers) then it would be much more football-oriented.
