Game 16: QPR 0 Bristol City 0 (11.11.23. 17,540)

At least we didn't lose, I didn't think we would have enough firepower to win, but at least we are not completely hopeless anymore

Ok 0-0.
Not the 3pts we wanted, probably not the performance we were expecting.
But.
A clean sheet, especially at home, is good.
Marti has his work cut out to get them firing, we need goals and don't have strikers good enough. I believe he can do it. The last two performances have shown we have something there. Marti needs time.

If Ainsworth was still here most would be saying the subs were far too late, Willock was out on his feet on 70 mins.Only his second game but Manuel needs learn fast.

I'm glad Willock played 90 minutes as that will help him getting match fit.

Our best attacking player today.

Best game at home for a year. There was more attacking intent and action up the Loft end second half than in the entire last year. Dykes MUST be fucked off and not play. Dixon Bonner starts every game. Colback benchmeat. Even Richards, lacking pace, showed he could offer something.

The positives

1. 0-0. Clean sheet.

2. Undefeated under Marti.

3. Kakay did well overall, other than that cock up at the end

4. Defensively we look vastly better than under Ainsworth. We'd have definitely lost this game under him.

5. Richards - some more good signs from him in his cameo. Think he'll eventually come good

6. Same with Willock - another good 90 under his belt and glimpses of his former self.

7. Smyth had the beating of their LB all day with his pace and trickery

8. Armstrong won a stonewall penalty which would probably have secured a victory but the fucking ref bottled it

This will take time to turn around which you can understand considering how truly appalling we were under Ainsworth. You can see some players still struggling with confidence as a result.

What exactly has been his contribution to our game? No end product, poor crosses, awful player.

Consistently got behind them, effort and energy, and pace. For utter, total, unadulterated, shit in pants, no end product for three facking years look at the fella wearing no 9.

Dixon Bonner well in front of Colback now. Has to be a starter. Along with Kelman until January.

Colback recovered but he started terribly. Wouldn’t be a starter for me.

There was plenty to feel happy about today: the attitude, the effort and the occasional moments of play which allowed us to almost forget we were watching Ainsworth's crude 'style' so recently and, of course, another game without defeat.

So what follows isn't a moan.

We won't score enough goals with Dykes - who had one of his better games for a while today or his understudies. We need to sign someone we can rely on to get the goals we will need to stay up.

Ironically - I never thought I'd say this so soon after the Ainsworth nightmare - we need to re-learn how to knock it productively long on occasions and not play short passes among the defence just to retain possession.


There's the theory about small marginal gains that David Brent style managers have embraced recently- they are right btw - and you can see that across the pitch today: progress. However, unless we address the urgent situation with the lack of goalscorers able to go better than 1 game every 4.5 games between them, we're still going down albeit it won't be as bad to watch as it would have been under Ainsworth.

I thought Smyth looked decent today. Not amazing, nothing to sing from the rooftops about, but decent.

We had a clear style of play for once.

We didn’t concede

We didn’t lose

Smyth got 4-5 balls in the box. Doesn’t help when you have a useless clueless fucker in there.

Lots of positives.