Same old, same old; winning the game, two goals conceded and an injury time winner against us. What’s changed?
It would be easy to think that was the case if you hadn’t watched what unfolded at the MKM Stadium. It would be easy to point at the same failings as last season but that doesn’t tell the true story.
We played some quality football in the first-half, created a number of opportunities, albeit not taking advantage of them or turning them into goalscoring chances, had a high press, dominated the ball in the opening 30 minutes and Kal Naismith and Mark Sykes were excellent on their debuts.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t maintain the pressure, but it was a very debatable refereeing decision that afforded the equaliser to Hull City and then a huge deflection that got the winner. Two massive moments that changed the result. There were far more positives than negatives in the game for City and it’s hard to be critical of the performance.
The first game of the season is always a favourite of mine, optimistic and excited at what the next nine months will bring. Even a 500+ round trip to the MKM Stadium in Hull didn’t damper my anticipation.
I said in my social media posts that I would be fuming if Alex Scott was deployed at right wing-back and so 2pm and the team line-ups couldn’t come quick enough. Sat in the New Walton Club (thanks for your hospitality) having a pre-match drink with fellow fans Tom, Adam (and Sonny), Del and Sutts, I was pleased to see that Scott was starting the game in behind Chris Martin and Andi Weimann. Drama over, relax and enjoy the pint.
The other talking point was like from a John le Carré novel, Zak Vyner very much the man who came in from the cold, preferred on the right side of the back three, to Timm Klose. Naismith made his debut at the back with Sykes the man selected at right wing-back.
Fellow newcomer Kane Wilson who had a knock last week was on the bench along with youngsters Sam Bell and Tommy Conway, a great week for the pair on the back of their new contracts.
Pre-season preparation had gone well but the match day prep didn’t go to plan. The players’ coach had an electrical fault and the players arrived in a fleet of 10 taxis. Maybe then we should have known it wasn’t to be our day.
City started off really well with Naismith and Sykes standing out. I have said how impressed I have been with that duo in pre-season (along with Wilson) but pre-season is more about fitness, forging team spirit and working on shape, you can only really judge a player in competitive league action and neither disappointed.
Naismith is quality, so much of the good things in that first-half started off at the feet of the Scot. He is comfortable on the ball with an eye for a pass, playing a number of balls into the front men and a number of diagonals out to Sykes. It’s also what he does out of possession, talking to his team and driving them forward.
Sykes looked really at home in his role and showed great skill to make room for a cross early on, which was well met by Matty James and forced a good save from the Tigers keeper. If I was Nige, I would have Sykes showing Jay Dasilva how to cross a ball. Jay had three or four good opportunities throughout the game which were poorly executed.
Scott had a relatively quiet game by what we have come to expect, which may not be a bad thing with the transfer window open and his name certainly being talked about by clubs in the Premier League. It is such a quandary; we want to hold on to our best players but would £20m for Scott be too much to turn down? It would allow the club to strengthen in key areas.
Personally, I hope we keep hold of him and we get to see him perform but we do still need to strengthen the spine of the side and without further outgoings I don’t know how possible that will be.
It was from a foul on Scott that City took the lead. Naismith showed his quality with a perfectly struck free kick from out wide. The ball was into the area that defenders and goalkeepers hate. Vyner did really well to head the ball back across goal into the danger area and there was Andi Weimann to start off where he finished last season. Slamming the ball into the net. The celebs mimicked the coach and taxi situation.
As the half wore on, Hull forced us to defend a couple of corners and there was a little panic in the away end when we scrambled the ball away right on the half time whistle. All in all, it was a really decent first-half and really good on the eye. Some of the passages of play involving the back three and midfield, with running off the ball and angles was just what we want to see.
Hull improved after the break and City were not helped with having to sub off the impressive Sykes, following one too many fouls. Nige opted to withdraw Scott at the same time and brought on Wilson and Conway. Tommy has had a great pre-season and I felt it was the right call rather than Nahki Wells.
Unfortunately, the main talking point of the game came in the 72nd minute and led to Hull’s equaliser. Sub Benjamin Tetteh controlled a cross from the right and shaped to shoot, Naismith challenged and looked to have made the slightest contact on Tetteh’s ankle, but the striker stayed on his feet took a few more steps and then went to ground.
Referee Dean Whitestone pointed to the spot. Even Hull midfielder and match winner Jean Michael Seri after the game said that the penalty shouldn’t have been given. As is the way, Tigers fans think it was and City fans think it wasn’t. The neutrals including the ex-professionals turned pundits seemed to be on our side and felt it was a poor decision.
City kept pressing for the win despite that kick in the proverbials, with Conway and Weimann going close. Just when a point looked the likely return, Lady Luck decided to kick us again. Timm Klose headed a ball away albeit perhaps too centrally and Seri was allowed too much time to control the ball and let a shot off. Klose closed down his own header but saw it deflect wickedly off him, given Dan Bentley no chance, and the ball found the back of the net.
It was harsh on City who certainly deserved a share of the spoils at least but as I say there were more positives to take away than negatives.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, Joe Williams, James and Martin all looked out on their feet in the last quarter of an hour, and I would have brought on Han-Noah Massengo for one of the two midfielders and also Wells for Martin. The midfield is still my biggest concern. We still need a powerful presence in there, someone to protect the back three and I just hope that Nigel and Richard Gould can find that piece of the jigsaw.
Our 3 Peaps In A Podcast Bonus show ratings were: Daniel Bentley 7, Zak Vyner 7, Kal Naismith 8, Rob Atkinson 7, Jay Dasilva 5, Joe Williams 6, Matty James 6, Mark Sykes 8 *MotM, Alex Scott 5, Chris Martin 6, Andreas Weimann 7, Tommy Conway 7, and Kane Wilson 6.
For the Gaffer it’s a 6. Nige got the starting line-up right, the new signings all had a positive contribution, we played some excellent football for the first 30 minutes, arguably some of the best from a Nigel Pearson Bristol City side but it was still a defeat and so it has to be a 6.
The defeat was so cruel, but it was still great to be back amongst the City faithful, cheering on the boys.
Final comment, by the time you are reading this on Monday (and thank you for those that do), I hope that we are still celebrating England’s Lionesses becoming Euro 2022 Champions. They have done the country proud.
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