City lucky to get Nil

Perhaps it was the seven changes made by City or the inclusion of two loan debutants, but this was an appalling performance by the Robins. Last week’s lack of guile was certainly still in evidence but, worryingly,
was added to by a lack of pace and passion throughout the side. The defeat leaves City in a precarious twenty second position in the table and, for the first time this season, I am afraid to admit that I believe relegation is a distinct possibility.
Yesterday’s match was a bore from beginning to end, the best entertainment being provided by the antics of ‘Mad Dog Allen’, the Brentford manager, in and around his dug out. City did not ever look like scoring and , in truth, Brentford, despite their lofty position, were not much better, just about deserving their victory achieved with Lloyd Owusu’s close range goal after a right wing corner in the seventy eighth minute.
Gary Johnson asked City fans to judge him on ‘his team’ and , if this was it, a spell in the second division beckons. I am prepared to concede that fitness levels and set plays have improved over the last four months, that certain of the players that the manager inherited, particularly Orr and, up to yesterday, Murray, have shown improved form, but the changes in personnel have, in my opinion, been very disappointing.
Basso, in goal,is perhaps a little more secure with long range efforts than Steve Phillips, but is inclined to have lapses of concentration which have resulted in a couple of goals being given away.
On yesterday’s evidence, ‘Margot’Fontaine is no better than three or four defenders already on the books, or out on loan, his winning of the first ball was just about adequate but his distribution was woeful. Adam Green did have a reasonable game but I would not say that he was an improvement on the Craig Woodman of recent matches, and I hope that the latter is restored to the team for Tuesday’s visit to Scunthorpe.
Midfielder David Noble is proving to be a satisfactory addition to the squad, but the position up front is the one that gives the most cause for alarm. The admirable Steve Brooker cannot carry City’s attack on his own and the assistance he is receiving from his strike partner(s) is negligible. I have not , up to now, been critical of Bas Savage in these columns or, indeed, at games but I think he has now had long enough to prove himself, I do not think he has sufficient ability to be a league footballer. His physique ought to help him but he is too easily knocked off the ball, his towering height ought to make him a target for crosses, yet he wins about one aerial duel per match and his ball control is, at times, embarrassing.
It is, perhaps, unfair to write off Calvin Andrew on the evidence of his 37 minute performance yesterday, however I did not think that he was any better than Dave Cotterill or one or two other forwards who have recently struggled to obtain first team opportunities.
The absence of the acquisition of a tried and tested striker during the transfer window may come back to haunt us as we stumble toward second division status,it is difficult to see where our next goal, let alone our next win, is coming from.
Please City , make me eat my words, bring back the points from Scunthorpe and Bradford before we face Bournemouth and James Hayter at the Gate.
The prospect of visits to Macclesfield and Bury looms large, it is certainly not appealing to supporters and will be disastrous for the Club’s already fragile finances.