I’m currently away in the USA for a delayed 50th birthday holiday and so wasn’t able to make the trip to Ewood Park. I was reliant on Robins TV, in between an airport transfer and on friends keeping me updated on events.
At 2pm when the Bristol City line-up was announced, Bristol City Live posted a tweet saying, “Well, surprise number one of the afternoon, Andi Weimann is at right wing-back. We won’t pass judgement just yet.”
My response to the tweet was, “no, let’s pass judgement. What other manager would play his top goalscorer RWB?” I know that I wasn’t the only one thinking it.
Yes, the manager got this one spot on and I happily wiped the egg from my face in the departure lounge at La Guardia Airport in New York as I re-ran the winning goal over and over again.
Dan Bentley, with his heroics in goal, was man of the match but just how special a player is Weimann? I’m sure when he was told by Pearson that he was playing at wing-back he didn’t question it and went on to perform admirably and on his special day get the winner. His professionalism, contribution and importance to the team cannot be understated. Well done, Andi.
With Tomas Kalas out injured, Robbie Cundy came into the side to make his first start for the Robins since joining in May 2019. Cundy has been injured for so much of his time with the club and it is great credit to his determination, his mental strength and the work of the medical team that he was able to finally achieve this goal. Sam Bell dropped to the bench, which meant a recall for the fit again Rob Atkinson, in a 5-3-2 or 3-5-2 depending on how they shaped up.
City started brightly and only a couple of minutes in, Antoine Semenyo created the first opportunity of the game, twisting and turning to make space and firing a shot across the goal. Antoine has had great success this season going near post with his shots but going across the keeper was the right option and he was just a little unlucky that his connection wasn’t true and that there was no one running in anticipating at the back post.
City were indebted to captain Bentley when he pulled off a reflex save from Darragh Lenihan after some very slack marking at a corner. Bents is right back at the top of his game and made further saves to keep City level.
At the other end after a good move involving Jay Dasilva and Chris Martin, Semenyo couldn’t find the right connection and hit his shot into the ground, the ball looping up for Rovers keeper Thomas Kaminski to easily save.
Tony Mowbray’s side are still in the play-off mix despite a poor run of results and came out of the blocks firing after the break. Atkinson and, in particular, Cundy made a number of important tackles. The inexperienced duo were suitably marshalled by Timm Klose.
Alex Scott who had had a quiet afternoon by his standards was replaced by Han-Noah Massengo and not long after Nahki Wells came on to replace Semenyo. Massengo was fortunate when after a good interception and run he gifted the ball back to Blackburn with a sloppy cross field pass and was indebted to his keeper Bentley for saving his blushes.
Bradley Dack a player often the nemesis of City and previously coveted by the Robins had entered the fray and was afforded the opportunity to put his side in front on 83 minutes when Massengo was adjudged to have pulled back Jan Paul van Hecke in the box.
Bentley however had other ideas fainting to dive one way and pulling off the save. The break that Bentley had when replaced by Max O’Leary has had the right effect on City’s No1. An interesting incident happened with Dack’s penalty and had me questioning the rules.
Klose appeared to match Dack stride for stride as he ran into the area and struck the ball, a definite case of encroachment but it apparently wasn’t spotted by the officials and Klose got away with it.
So a clean sheet an away point and we could go away happy? Don’t you believe it, Weimann making his 400th career appearance had other ideas. Wells made a darting run spotted by Dasilva and Wells laid the ball back for Joe Williams.
Williams despite his joking afterwards hit a horrible shank of a shot which curled beautifully into the path of right wing-back extraordinaire Weimann to smash in a first-time volley and seal the win.
The scenes on and off the pitch were crazy and it’s a win that ends a poor run of away performances and has made this fan feel a whole lot more comfortable about our Championship status. It was a bit of a smash and grab but we have also had those types of result go against us this season.
A very learned and wise man tweeted me after the game “Matt, Matt, Matt… always judge at 90 minutes not pre-game and certainly not from a team sheet. A choice to give us a better balance in the centre of the pitch.”
Our 3 Peaps In A Podcast Bonus show had an international flavour this week with me in LaGuardia and Dean Allen in the Western Cape of South Africa. Patch was in the hot seat and felt the pressure.
This week’s ratings were: Dan Bentley 9 *MotM, Jay Dasilva 8, Timm Klose 7, Robbie Cundy 8, Rob Atkinson 6, Andi Weimann 8, Alex Scott 5, Joe Williams 7, Matty James 5, Chris Martin 7 and Antoine Semenyo 5.
For Nige, Patch wanted to go 8, noting the brave decision to start Weimann at right wing-back and making subs at the right time. Dean and myself felt on the balance of the game a 7 was a fairer reflection.
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