Originally Posted by
Godsend.F.C.
It was a tough watch. It’s the first time this season, in fairness, that our performance levels have not been up to the standard. We knew Rotherham’s threats with the setpieces and the first and second balls and they dominated those areas today.
To concede early, like we did, is obviously disappointing and then just before halftime. We just weren’t able to find the spark within the 90 minutes. That’s the first time this season that we’ve had that. We’ve had some attacking changes at half time to get the attacking players on the pitch to go for it.
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Rotherham United 2-0 Bristol City: Robins outfought by Millers; reaction and more
Credit to Rotherham, the way that they play makes it so difficult for you and I thought they were right at the top of their game today, obviously buoyed by that early goal. What we’ve done up until now is responded to a disappointment and that’s now the challenge for us on Tuesday night.
The Milwall game won’t be too dissimilar so we’ve got to learn from it quickly.
How important do you think the early goal was?
As I’ve said before, to concede first or to score first is a big swing in that psychology. We’ve responded in the first half in terms of we’ve got down the sides a couple of times. I remember one that Antoine gets down side and Nahki is in at the back post and just wasn’t able to execute.
To concede when we did, for that second one, makes it even more difficult. We just had to go for it in that second half and we just weren’t able to find the spark. They won the majority of the first and second balls throughout the afternoon, that’s fair to say, and that’s the disappointment.
'Bullied' - Bristol City player ratings after Robins outfought by Rotherham United
Where was the line in terms of Rotherham being very good today and Bristol City maybe being a bit off colour?
Huge credit to Warney [Paul Warne]. They’ve had some tough moments this season but they maximise everything as a staff and I’ve got a lot of respect for them. I thought they were at the top end of their game.
Equally, that doesn’t take away that we weren’t. We weren’t at our levels today and there’s no hiding from that. I think individually and collectively, we weren’t at the top of our game.
When that happens in a football game, more or often or not you get beaten. That’s the case and we have to take it on the chin.
They’re obviously a physically dominant team, huge size all over the team. Maybe, for us, you might not be able to compete with a Crooks, for example, whose 6ft 4, 6ft 5 in midfield in terms of height, Smith up front or whoever it is who may sometimes be a little bit sharper in the mind in terms of anticipating where the ball is going to drop.
They had the bit between their teeth after that first goal and that’s probably where the game was won and lost.
There was some talk before the game about Paul Warne being under pressure and his job being under pressure. Do you think that was a factor in the game at all?
He’s a top guy, Warney, and I know the players really like and respect him. I think they’d fight for him in any game, whether that’s true about the pressure, I’m not too sure.
For us, it’s just a disappointing afternoon. Going back to Warney, they maximise everything and they’re competing with some good teams in this division.
It’s a good day for them and it’s a difficult one for us but we’ve got another one in four days’ time.
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