[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

The disappointing and rare home defeat against Huddersfield a fortnight ago could be taken as an unfortunate blip, or as a salutary warning that no team who concedes two goals a week can expect to thrive in the long run. A record of 0.88 goals per game shipped in our first twenty-six matches under Corberan has risen alarmingly to 1.88 in the last nine, and while we may have the firepower to outscore that some Saturdays, it won't happen often enough. Charity may begin at home, but promotion begins at the back.

Depending on your expectations, two away games this week may give us a bit of leeway to experiment and try to fix our defensive woes without the pressure to win. Of course, having won two of our last three league games at Ashton Gate it would be a shame to give up all hope of success; indeed, victory tomorrow would give us our first back-to-back league victories there since April 1977, so with a bit of luck and a spin of your lucky Showaddywaddy LP, history might yet repeat itself. The Robins have also been shaky at home, rising to 8th place principally on a pair of away wins; Watford, on the other hand, have been shaky just about everywhere, a 4-0 demolition of QPR on opening day still their only triumph of the season so far. Vicarage Road hasn't been kind to us of late - no win there since November 2007, alas - but there's liable to be more pressure on the hosts than us on Wednesday night, and that could be crucial.

Two points from these two is the minimum to look for; three or more would make it a worthwhile week. Time to bounce back.

[talkSAFT]

53 mins: Pretty crap so far (apparently), but started 2nd half better. (Hope I haven't spoke too soon)

[4evaabaggie]

Yeeeeesssssssssss! 0-0

---

Good news - we have kept a clean sheet
Bad news - we did not manage one shot on target.

Have we started a new season of us the last one just continuing. Our lack of goals killed us last season and I see no reason to think this year will be any different.

Come on you baggies! Onwards and downwards. Now 12th. Mid table mediocrity.

Started to believe things were getting better with our run under king carlos last season but same old same old.

---

As if the day wasn't bad enough- the vile score a 98th minute penalty to lead palace.

---

And another 101st minute - 3-1

---

And another 101st minute - 3-1

---

And to improve my day no end ......

Watford find their scoring boots in time to face us, two stoppage time goals to sink blues.

[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

I suppose a clean sheet and a point is welcome, especially as we were lucky to get through the first half unscathed. Hope it'll inject a bit of confidence into the defence, though I fear the problems are far deeper.

On a side note, I kept hearing the name "Yeboah" in the second half and found myself thinking Tony's had himself a good career, he must be getting near retirement now. Reader, it was Tony Yeboah's son Ephraim, born when Lily Allen was topping the charts with Smile

[Blue Baggie]

We appear to be scared of losing so we have lost our chance of pushing on. We're almost waiting for the opposition to score before we are prepared to try and score ourselves. I'm looking at Carlos. The longer the negativity goes on his reign is looking suspect. I believe it's early but we should certainly be looking at who our next manager will be.
Carlos is treading water, I can't see any progress from the end of last season.
2 weeks off and we look totally disjointed.

[Slick_Footwork]

First half we were dreadful from top to bottom. From Thomas-Asante who wasted several presentable chances to break with woeful passing and decision making, through to Palmer, whose airshot should've presented Bristol City with a free goal, had it not been through their poor finishing. Even the likes of Okay Yokuslu, who is usually our best passer of the ball by a country mile, was misplacing easy passes.

Second half we started better, but we didn't look particularly threatening as we were not getting enough men into the Bristol City box...

I've complained about 3 centre backs many times over the past 5 or 6 years because I simply do not feel that it lends itself to any sort of attacking football as means sacrificing an attacking player for an additional centre half. The teams that are able to play it well usually have good ball playing centre halves and marauding wing backs. We're blessed with neither of those. Even Matty Phillips, despite being a winger traditionally, didn't seem to get forward from the wing back role.

However, after Townsend and Maja were introduced, we looked like the better team. Townsend was more effective than Phillips going forward and Maja looked excellent.

Still rode our luck at times, like when Palmer had to save the one-on-one at the end. But overall, in the last 30, we looked a decent side.

Obviously not seen loads of Maja yet, but on that evidence, the lad should be the first name on the team sheet. Really did transform the game with his movement, hold up play, quick feet. Also think he should've had a penalty at the death, as it looked like the Bristol defender took man and ball, but went through the man first.

Sarmiento looked really bright when he came on too. Dare I say it, we actually played a bit of football after all the subs entered the game today. That's the first time I've been able to say that this season.

We need to be starting at least Sarmiento and Maja after today's game. It's up to Corberan to show his quality by figuring out how to can work these these guys into the starting XI. It's such a waste having these players on the bench and then serving up a plodding performance like we did in the first half today.

Was also surprised not to see Pipa start as I assumed Corberan's infatuation with signing him meant he would be an instant first choice. Never seen the lad play, but hopeful he'll be a better option than Furlong.

[drewks]

Nice summary Slick, thanks

[Salopbaggie]

Josh Maja will be missing for Warford and the next 8 weeks after suffering ligament damage to his ankle. Players seem to be made of glass these days, could you imagine if they were playing against the likes of Norman Hunter or Vinnie Jones?

[Baggievicar]

Our strikers seem to be particularly fragile.

[Stairs]

I give up. No sooner do we get someone who looks like a striker, he gets nobbled.

I have no faith in Thomas-Asante, enthusiastic and as willing as he is, he just is (not yet) a striker who can win us games.

We are now without a striker until December and can look to a brief showing of Dike, in January, before he gets broken again and spends the rest of the season in the US recovering (seems a good deal for him, paid a fortune to relax and enjoy the sun).