Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. No not the reviews for this blog… I’m talking about the sentence currently on repeat in the minds of every Bristol City fan. We’ve all seen some late drama at Ashton Gate over the years. A fair share of that drama has been in our favour, some beautiful moments we’ll talk about forever. Tuesday will be forgotten soon enough, once we get a win…
I was watching Manchester United vs Atalanta on Wednesday evening. As soon as Manchester United got their first goal back, the place erupted with anticipation for what was to come. The commentary team were immediately asking the question “is this going to be yet another one of those nights?” It’s almost like everyone knew what was going to happen. The level of expectation for the comeback was ridiculous. Like everyone felt entitled to a turnaround. The fans, the media and the players. Despite the questionable form of Manchester United you were still swept up in it all.
The sense of inevitability is something clearly still there at Old Trafford, Fergie is no longer on the touchline yet his ‘time’ still remains. It must be brilliant watching a team that successful. Regardless of your opponents, regardless of your form, you are still anticipating it all to have come good when the full-time whistle gets blown.
Sad Sense of Inevitability at Ashton Gate
Now this feeling is pretty alien to Bristol City fans. When have we ever been able to sit back, relax and wait for our team to turn things around? When have we been able to turn up to Ashton Gate wondering which of our players will score again today? There’s probably only one season in recent memory, the 2014/15 double winning season. When it was going well you just knew we were going to win more often than not. The only uncertainty was which of our players was going to score the goal. Sometimes it’d be the defenders chipping in, sometimes the midfielders would win the game. It was ridiculous when you think about it.
There’s a sense of inevitability at Ashton Gate right now, not a good one
Now I’m not saying times are as bad as they were good in that 2014/15 season. I believe we have an average squad, playing fairly average football and we’re going to end up in a solid position. I’m absolutely fine with that, the improvements under Nigel Pearson are clear for all to see. We all would have taken averageness at the back end of last season. This season has had its fair share of excitement and I still imagine we’re in for more. Shame it’s mostly been away from home so far though…
At half-time against Forest on Tuesday there was definitely a sense of excitement. Beating an in form team, in tough conditions and working seriously heard. We were all curious to see how the second half would go. When Nahki Wells went clean through, the crowd held their breath. When Samba tipped his strike onto the post, I wondered if that was our chance.
Looking at the Bright Side
I can’t imagine it’s easy making subs in a tight affair like that. Massengo made a brilliant impact, got the crowd going and injected some much needed energy into our side. Palmer for Scott is almost like for like. Didn’t harm us much surely. Wells off for O’Dowda though and suddenly you realise how much our team had changed. Weimann now the only presence up front where before there was Wells and Martin too.
Despite the desperate chanting and encouragement from the home ends, there was a feeling that something was coming. It wasn’t going to be good. To concede one late goal would have been a disaster, god knows what word encapsulates the embarrassment of Tuesday. 269 days since we last had a home win, over 500 days since we were in the stands for one. Four behind the league record for games without a win at home. Of course we’ll eventually get over the line at Ashton Gate. Right now though there’s a sense of inevitability that this run will continue. I’m not sure how much longer the home fans will put up with it.