So, how good were we really?

[CTMilller]

I wasn't there so I can't comment on this one.

I like to take a look at the message boards of the opposition after a match to get a sense of how they saw us.

When we beat them, the typical comment is along the lines of "we shouldn't be loosing to cr*p teams like Rotherham" but there are usually some counterbalancing comments like "they really wanted it and were up for it" or 'we needed to fight for every ball like they do"

I had a pretty good look at the Bristol City boards and they seemed universally to be saying "Rotherham are absolutely cr*ppy. We were cr*ppier on the day. But they really are a cr*p side.

No redeeming comments or voice of reason...

So, is it that BC are suffering from an unbelievably bad dose of sour grapes - I mean pretty well ALL of them - or is there an element of truth in their universal disapproval of the way we play?

Obviously we're playing better than we did in the half dozen or so games up to Leeds but is this still a relatively weak squa

[philthefluter]

Sour grapes!

[loyalmiller]

I read their fans comments on various Bristol city forums and was really surprised on how bad they thought we were.
Either sour grapes or they only watch one team or they just don't know football
I thought we played really well and barring the first 10 minutes that's the most comfortable and relaxed I've been watching us all season.

[jolly_roger]

Well according to the BBC Sport website:-

Rotherham 42% possession Bristol 58%
Rotherham 12 shots Bristol 10
Rotherham 5 shots on target Bristol 1
Rotherham 2 corners Bristol 5
Rotherham 12 fouls Bristol 13

So not quite as one-sided as the final score suggests.

[hotun]

Simple game,put the ball in the net win game,we did they didn't, end of story.

[millertop]

Weak goal from JCH and it wasn't a penalty according to one robin. XD.

We played better than what we have done under Redfearn, wasn't great but we were better than them even though the stats States differently.
If the officials did their job then we might have got a few more goals.

[philthefluter]

We are better organised than I`ve seen us for some time.We are once again playing for each other and showing signs of producing some more entertaining football than of late into the bargain.I suspect it will take a while to get the extra quality we need to progress, but I, for one, am happy to wait and see.

[jolly_roger]

Did you know that according to the Institute of Ophthalmology Bristol has the highest proportion per head of population of short sighted people?

Not many people know that ( in his best Michael Caine voice)

[Norma Snockers]

I can understand their frustration a little. We were more ruthless than them hence the win. They had chances early on and could have taken the lead. The thing is, how many games have we had when we have been on the receiving end. In a number of games we've had chances but not put them away and been punished on the counter. Its nice for a change, and impressive, that we did that effectively against Bristol City. Still it's one thing fluking a win by one goal, but by three you can't help think its a bit of sour grapes too.

[jolly_roger]

One thing to note is that they realised early on that we were a handful that's why they started clogging.

[crashbang]

We were ace .Simple as .
Real good feeling post match. My daughters moaning boyfriend who moans for England . Even had a good word to say about it,

[caytonmiller]

im not getting carried away with the past 2 results. with the current squad we will still be fighting with the 4/5 other poor teams in this division come the end of season. but on a positive note. at lest now we will be fighting. upto the international break we were playing like we were gtd to go down...

[BigLadonOS]

I thought we were the better of two poor sides! We did enough to win the game but thats about it really!

[BradfordFozzie]

Well according to the BBC Sport website:-

Rotherham 42% possession Bristol 58%
Rotherham 12 shots Bristol 10
Rotherham 5 shots on target Bristol 1
Rotherham 2 corners Bristol 5
Rotherham 12 fouls Bristol 13

So not quite as one-sided as the final score suggests.

Mmmmm...stats I'd like to see the stats from the opening day against MK Dons... think they had 5 maybe 6 shots and scored 4. Apart from the first 20 minutes where City could have scored 2 or 3 we were quite happy to let them keep the ball and play nice tppy tappy football without really hurting us particularly in the second half where we counterattacked like the away team and looked like scoring every time we went forward.

What it did show was what a difference when you score first and don't have to chase the game.

[leedsmiller]

Yes, it could have been different if they'd scored first but you can have the 'ifs' and 'buts' discussion about any game. All that matters is that we put 3 points on the board, they didn't. A couple of weeks ago I was despairing that we would be too far adrift come January to make any more transfers meaningless, today I think we're still deep in the mire, still have an almighty struggle ahead of us but at least a few rays of optimism are emerging from the doom and gloom.

[gwru]

Grant Ward & JCH were the difference. Frecks, Smallwood & D Ward did the dirty work. We got away with playing Collins at left back, hope that's a one off. Rawson & Broadfoot at last played at centre back, that's how it should stay.

[BradfordFozzie]

Grant Ward & JCH were the difference. Frecks, Smallwood & D Ward did the dirty work. We got away with playing Collins at left back, hope that's a one off. Rawson & Broadfoot at last played at centre back, that's how it should stay.

And another world class save (for the second game running) to keep us in it before the others had chance to grab the limelight....yeah??? Or was he not commanding enough?

[redhouse]

Put it this way we was 100% better than the Ipswich debacle

[gwru]

Grant Ward & JCH were the difference. Frecks, Smallwood & D Ward did the dirty work. We got away with playing Collins at left back, hope that's a one off. Rawson & Broadfoot at last played at centre back, that's how it should stay.

And another world class save (for the second game running) to keep us in it before the others had chance to grab the limelight....yeah??? Or was he not commanding enough?[/quote]

Yes praise for Lee Camp, his save from Agard stopped him making it 1-1. He's a good shot stopper, just his lack of height for a keeper was shown again in the 2nd half. But if we'd have had him at start of the season + no Halford we'd have been a few more points better off.

[PerigordMiller]

1.83m ?

[BellBoy]

First 20 minutes we were poor and sluggish. BC targeted the left back channel (Collins) and pulled us all over, creating 3 good chances but failed to score.
We scored against the run of play and they then gift us a soft penalty. We then get more and more of the play and grow in confidence throughout the second half, whilst BC get increasingly frustrated and were lucky not to get a player sent off for foul after foul.
We looked ok and grafted hard, winning the battles all over the park.

[CTMilller]

Thanks all for the intelligent and insightful comments....very helpful.