Normally a six-goal thrashing is the time when fans start to desert their team, but that’s not happening with the fanbase at Ashton Gate.
We’ve Just Conceded Six Goals, So Why is Everyone Feeling So Positive?
To watch your side concede six goals away from home is a rare experience. Even the 46 games a season crew would be hard-pressed to name too many occasions on which we’ve conceded six. Compare and contrast the feeling after Saturday with the feeling when it last happened, a 6-0 defeat at Watford roughly this time last year. Yes we scored two goals against Fulham, the defensive frailties were just as embarrassing this time around however.
City were 12th at the time of the last six goal drubbing, which to be fair was far lower than our early season expectations. We would need to win our next three games to have the same points per game as we did back then. Despite having a worse campaign this time around, the feeling of positivity is there for all to experience. It’s like Bristol City fans have finally succumbed to realism. This season might be the first in a while where everyone is on board with the stark reality of supporting our club. City fans seem oddly content right now, taking the positives wherever possible.
There was Only One Positive from Saturday
If you asked me the main positive from this season so far, I would say the emergence of several young academy players. I imagine the majority of fans would agree. Max O’Leary, Alex Scott and Cameron Pring are all excelling in recent games. All look more than comfortable at this level. There was only one positive from Saturday, however.
Normally when you lost 6-2, players stand out for the wrong reasons. The talk is either about your defensive frailties or the potency of the opposition attack. The fact that our striker was the most talked about player, is almost ludicrous. Alexander Mitrovic scored a hat-trick, yet has been overshadowed by our reincarnation of Ronaldo Nazario. Mitrovic has scored 27 goals this season, yet Antoine Semenyo was the name on everyone’s lips after full-time. Every Fulham fan in the pub wanted to know more about him, telling us all how much they’d love to sign him.
If he can put in more performances like that, he won’t be here for long. It’s a big if. Let’s hope he can do something similar this weekend, then there’ll be barely any City fans left who he hasn’t won over. It seems an eternity since his lacklustre performances left some questioning his effort and desire. The two beautiful goals will be quickly forgotten, score a goal like that tomorrow that wins us the game and it’ll always be replayed.
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This Weekend is Still Massive, Despite Our League Positions
City and Cardiff have had some humdingers in the past. Take a look on social media in the week before a Severnside Derby and you’ll see countless iconic goals being rewatched. It’s a chance for players to be immortalised. Scott Murray could probably drink for free in South Bristol if he wanted, partly down to that brace against Cardiff back in 2001.
I do think the stage is set for a young academy player to make themselves a hero. Wouldn’t it be brilliant to see a Pring, Scott or Semenyo do something iconic this weekend. Cardiff are on yet another terrible run, the relegation zone is perilously close for them right now. We’ve not got a huge amount to play for this season, pushing Cardiff closer to the drop would a beautiful excuse to get three points tomorrow.