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Preview - Bristol City vs Derby County
Preview - Bristol City vs Derby County
Friday, 23rd Apr 2010 09:28

With our season almost over - can the Rams burst the first game bubble for Steve Coppell?

 

Bristol City v Derby County
Coca Cola Championship
Ashton Gate, Bristol
Saturday 24th April 2010 - 3:00pm

 

The Robins:

Current League Position: 11/24

Leading scorer: Maynard 17lg 1cp

Manager: Steve Coppell

Kit home: Red shirt with white Trim/white shorts

Kit away: All black

Last Game: Scunthorpe 3-0 Bristol City

 

Quotes from the manager:
 
Coppell on joining City as their manager on a one year rolling contract:

"Every manager knows that promotion is his brief and I'm no different."

"This is a club that wants to go forward and wants to be in the top division. It's my opportunity to take this club there, that's our challenge."

"We are already planning to fill gaps in the squad. I have been talking to Keith and watching DVDs of players and we expect a busy summer."

"We have obviously discussed budgets but there has not been a figure put on it. I know that the chairman has always been supportive and if I go to him he will help me bring players in."

"This club has a history in the top division and the chairman has huge ambitions for the team and the stadium."

"I feel very fortunate that he has given me this opportunity. I have not had that many offers to be honest."

"There's still two games to go and I think it's very important to finish the season off strong because there is a link, I always feel, between the end of one season and the beginning of the next."

 

Current Robins Squad:
 
No. Position. Player.

2 Defender Bradley Orr
3 Defender Jamie McAllister
4 Defender Liam Fontaine
5 Defender Jamie McCombe
6 Defender Louis Carey (captain)
7 Midfield Marvin Elliott
8 Midfield Lee Johnson
9 Striker David Clarkson
10 Striker Nicky Maynard
11 Midfield Paul Hartley
12 The FANS
13 Keeper Steve Collis
14 Midfield Cole Skuse
16 Striker John Akinde
17 Midfield Ivan Sproule
18 Defender James Wilson
19 Defender Christian Ribeiro
20 Midfield Jamal Campbell-Ryce
21 Midfield Frankie Artus
22 Keeper Dean Gerken
24 Striker Tristan Plummer
25 Midfield Brian Wilson
27 Midfield Ashley Kington
28 Defender Joe Edwards
29 Midfield Evander Sno (on loan from Ajax)
30 Keeper Stephen Henderson
31 Striker Danny Haynes
32 Defender Lewin Nyatanga
33 Defender Gary Sawyer (on loan from Plymouth Argyle)
36 Striker Patrick Agyemang (on loan from QPR)

 

The Rams:

Quotes from the manager:

Nigel Clough talking to BBC Radio Derby after the Palace game:
 
"Another situation where we have got into a winning position and not done enough to hold on to it."

"In terms of going forward and keeping the ball, we didn't do anywhere near that second-half."

"It is a shame because we could have come in at half-time with a 2-0 lead."

 

Rams Squad: 

No. Position. Player.
1 Keeper Stephen Bywater
2 Defender Paul Connolly
3 Defender James McEveley
4 Midfield Paul Green
5 Defender Miles Addison (vice-captain)
6 Defender Dean Leacock
7 Midfield Lee Croft
8 Midfield Robbie Savage (captain)
9 Striker Rob Hulse
10 Midfield Kris Commons
11 Midfield Gary Teale
12 Striker Chris Porter
13 Keeper Saul Deeney
14 Defender Shaun Barker
16 Midfield Stephen Pearson
17 Defender Jake Buxton
18 Midfield Ben Pringle
19 Midfield Michael Tonge (on loan from Stoke City F.C.)
20 Striker Steve Davies
21 Defender Dean Moxey
22 Midfield Arnaud Mendy
23 Defender Mark O'Brien
24 Defender Nicky Hunt (on loan from Bolton Wanderers F.C.)
25 David Martin (on loan from Millwall F.C)
26 Midfield Lee Hendrie
27 Defender Russell Anderson
28 Defender Mitchell Hanson
31 Defender Javan Vidal (on loan from Manchester City F.C.)
32 Striker Gilles Sunu (on loan from Arsenal F.C.)
33 Defender Mark Dudley
35 Striker Callum Ball
 
 

What the Bookies think:

Home Win: Evens

Draw: 11/5

Away Win: 11/5
 
First Scorer: Nicky Maynard 4/1, David Clarkson, Danny Haynes,Patrick Agyemang 5/1, Chris Porter7/1

 

Information for travelling fans:
 
Drinking: The Robins Pub which is very near the away end now has a strict home fans only policy. That’s true of most of the pubs near the ground – The Hen & Chicken, BS3, Quba Ice bar and the Ship & Castle.
 
Footballgroundguide.com recommends the Pumphouse and the Nova Scotia near the waterfront. Another thing to consider is that alcohol is not available inside the ground.

I've seen reports that say the Hen & Chicken will serve away fans - but you should take it under advisement. The reckless Engineer Pub near Temple Meads station is reported to be good for away fans.
 
Parking: There isn’t that much parking to be had. The ground itself is by permit only and the nearest car park car park on Ashton Vale Road only has 400 spaces so arrive early.
 
There is street parking to be had but again – arrive early.
 
Driving: It’s 140miles to Bristol. Take the A42 exit of the southbound M1 and stay on it until it becomes the M42. Follow to the junction with the M5 then take the M5 south until junction 18.

Follow the signs for Bristol Airport/Taunton along the A4 Go over the swing bridge (Brunel Way); taking the left into Winterstoke Road and the ground is on your left.


 
Mick’s Preview:
 
A season that started with low expectations - non of them achieved - stumbles to a close. Are we any better than last season?  Statistics suggest 'just barely'.

Last season we conceded 67 goals - so far this season we've conceded 61.

At the other end we've scored 55 as opposed 50.

We finished last season 18th with 54 points. We're currently 15th and going to finish with between 53-59 points.

I Thought long and hard about not renewing for next season. The Crystal Palace game was another turgid boring game of football - but decided to give the Rams one more season.

To be positive, we finally seem to have found a centre half pairing that works in Barker & Anderson. As long as we can keep Barker (and I would not be surprised to see 'silly money' bid for him) I am happy with the mainstay of the defence.

I'm less happy with the back up as both Leacock & Addison are injured now and injury prone - leaving only Jake Buxton as an option. Hopefully Clough will realise is 22 man squad idea is a non starter and bring in another centre half as cover and possibly even to push the incumbents for their place.

In Midfield we are weak.

Robbie Savage was never a mainstay for central midfield and he's getting to be less of one as he ages. If we can't get rid of him I'd like to see him mostly on the Bench.

That leaves Green from our current squad as the only midfielder I think of as competent. Stephen Pearson does not seem to be developing into the footballer who I thought he'd be while Teale & Croft are just plain awful.

Martin may make the grade - it's early to say - but he faded rapidly against Palace and contributed little.

Up front we have Hulse & Commons and again the right offers may see them on their way. That leaves Porter, Davies & possibly Varney if Wednesday can't afford him - or he doesn't want to drop to the first.

Porter is not a direct replacement for Hulse. Only Nigel Clough seems to think he is. He's at his best in front of goal receiving the ball just before he shoots. Expecting him to win and hold up the ball is a waste of time.

Cywka looks good but we haven't signed him yet.

Obviously we can expect transfer activity in the summer and we have targets according to the media. Whether they appear is anyone's guess as we've been promised all sorts before. But do I think the current squad + a few others is good enough to make me renew next year?

Probably not.

 

Micks Team:

Deeney, Moxey, Barker, Hunt, Anderson, Green, Pringle, Tonge, Martin, Cywka, Porter.

Substitutes: Bywater, Buxton, Croft, Teale, Savage, Sunu, Hulse 

 

Mick's Prediction:

Bristol City 3-0 Derby County

 

Photo: Action Images



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