' POOR PERFORMANCE, POOR DECISIONS '

After a long drive to Rotherham, which up until the kick off of the game, it was a good day.

On seeing the line up and the changes made my first reaction was that Russell Slade was 'listening' to outside influences.

Many City fans around me in the stand couldn't understand the changes, most felt that the same team as last week should have started again.

The first ten minutes of the game and City were simply not in it but the fans behind the goal didn't stop singing and supporting the team, there was no let up from our support in getting behind the boys on the pitch.

It took until 22 mins before City created anything, Ralls, Mason and Whittingham combined to earn City a corner.

The game was ebbing away and there was little threat from Rotherham who were controlling the first half but weren't putting any pressure on our goal, City were just awful in the first half.

The turning point of the game came in the 42nd minute, Marshall ran to the edge of the box to collect a long ball, once he had hold of it, he went to run along the box but Matt Derbyshire and Marshall came together, I didn't see what the striker had done but whatever it was it provoked a reaction from Marshall to kick the striker and got himself sent off and give a penalty away.

Poor decision making from Marshall our captain.

Rotherham scored the penalty and it seemed that is the way it would stay until half time but City and Fabio in particular came a Rotherham and got a penalty, which was right in front of me and I have to stay it was a soft penalty but I was not complaining.

Whittingham stepped up and equalised from the spot.

Poor first half from City and the prospect of a second half onslaught against our ten men was expected.

The following 45 were not any better from City's point of view, it was truly a forgettable display from start to finish, but without creating any chances, they did show character in holding on, it is sad that we came to Rotherham and found ourselves fighting to hold on.

Rotherham had two glorious chances to win the game in the regulation 90 minutes but didn't take them, then I thought they had the breakthrough, a 20 yard volley from central struck our post and rebounded away to safety, I thought we had held on and were coming away with a point.

But with just a minute of injury time left, a ball is drilled in from our left hand side on the byline and Connolly running back towards goal with their striker was unlucky for the ball to clip off his leg and diverting the ball, extremely slowly, past a helpless Simon Moore at the near post.

It was a bitter end to a poor game and a very bad City performance.

Russell Slade was animated on the touchline during the second half trying to instruct his team but the truth his the team were not at the races and the optimism from Tuesday's performance at home to Hull is nothing more than a distant memory.

Next Saturday is a tough game against Charlton but this month could be disastrous if we lose that one, many of us were hoping to get 10 points from 12 on offer in September, the most now is 6 and that is disappointing.

That's the championship, forget looking at the fixtures and potential returns it simply doesn't work like that

Still 8th is not bad and we can beat charlton 3-1

Still 8th is not bad and we can beat charlton 3-1

Agree.

I'm sorry but i stopped reading after the outside influences bit. Crazy statement to make. Slade has been criticised lately for not playing Noone and Ameobi, when he does then he's accused of listening to outside influences. Unbelievable

I don't think Slade can be blamed for the changes
He decided to use Ameobi from the start and also Noone to give extra pace in attack
For whatever reason we did not play aswell as against Hull
This seems to be a regular thing when we play lowly teams
As regards the Marshall incident
Derbyshire grabbed Marshall and swung him around and so committed a foul
Unfortunately Marshall reacted and was sent off
However it should have been a free kick to us and Marshall sent off for kicking out and not a penalty
Fabio was easily man of the match with Ralls next best
We did not play well in the first half before the sending off
However the second half with 10 men there was a big improvement
We now have a must win match against Charlton otherwise I can see us going on a losing run again
Although I don't condone Marshall for what he done think of what your reaction would be if someone suddenly grabbed you and turned you around

I'm sorry but i stopped reading after the outside influences bit. Crazy statement to make. Slade has been criticised lately for not playing Noone and Ameobi, when he does then he's accused of listening to outside influences. Unbelievable

You just answered my point exactly

"Slade has been criticised lately for not playing Noone and Ameobi"

But the team was gaining results and produced, in defeat, their best performance under him against Hull, so why change the team?

Could it be that Slade 'listened' to the criticism ?

That is the point I made in my op and you just backed it up.

Cheers Carl, great write up

Why the hell did Slade change the team? ? ?

I think the team selection was ok .
The only mistake spade made was bringing on Alex revell for the last ten minutes in a wide midfield position when we were down to ten men and battling to hold on . That was an awful decision when we had defenders and defensive midfielders on the bench . It pretty much put us down to nine men defensively

I'm sorry but i stopped reading after the outside influences bit. Crazy statement to make. Slade has been criticised lately for not playing Noone and Ameobi, when he does then he's accused of listening to outside influences. Unbelievable

You just answered my point exactly

"Slade has been criticised lately for not playing Noone and Ameobi"

But the team was gaining results and produced, in defeat, their best performance under him against Hull, so why change the team?

Could it be that Slade 'listened' to the criticism ?

That is the point I made in my op and you just backed it up.

Or it could be that after our best performance under Slade in a game which we didnt create chances and never look like scoring and lost ,he made some changes and played 2 more direct players looking for goals

Pilkington wasn't pulling up tree's, yes he scored last week but has a terrible injury record so is 3 games in 8 days do-able ? Same for Jones, he is a big unit with a long season ahead of him.

Its a gripe i have with all our managers in regard to Whitts.....He always starts the season well then fades, but plays every game in the autumn and winter so by spring is shagged.