A spineless, rudderless City side were thrashed by a Cardiff team who must have thought Christmas had come early again in another pathetic Severnside derby.
The Bloated Walrus Gary Johnson handed debuts to new signings Jamal Campbell-Ryce and Patrick Agyemang as they took their places on the left wing and up front respectively.
Both new boys actually started brightly, as is often the case, but, in truth, City’s only effort of note was a 30-yard blast from top scorer Nicky Maynard which flashed just wide of the top corner.
Then the floodgates opened on 19 minutes.
A simple long punt over the top caused unnecessary confusion between keeper Dean Gerken and centre-back Liam Fontaine for Chopra to nip in. His shot was blocked but Peter Whittingham followed it up for 1-0.
Four minutes later it was two, when Ross McCormack, last season’s top scorer for the while, inbred Taffy club who had gone all season without a league goal, tapped past Gerken after midfielder Gavin Rae’s scuffed shot inadvertedly set him up.
Immediately after the restart, City weakly surrendered possession and Michael Chopra made it three, racing onto McCormack’s pass and firing into the far corner.
That was my cue to leave as I don’t believe in booing the players off the pitch as I saught the sanctitude and warmth of the nearest boozer.
Then on 43 minutes, Liam Fontaine fired into his own net under pressure from Jay Bothroyd as the City went in 4-0 down at the break.
City were pathetic, lacking no leadership from the sidelines, where the Bloated Walrus was shirking under the safety of his dugout, nor on the pitch and there was to be no let off from the visitors, who had surrendered a 4-0 half time lead at Peterborough recently before drawing 4-4.
Johnson probably dropped one of his infamous ‘hand grenades’ at the break but clearly the players are now immune to his bully boy tactics as Cardiff scored their fifth 50 seconds after the break.
Bothroyd sent Chopra clear on goal to shoot past the hapless Gerken.
On 56, Cardiff became the first team to score six at the Gate in twelve years, when Wolves beat us 6-1, when Chopra teed up McCormack to fire low past Gerken.
CITY (4-4-2): Gerken, Orr, Cary, Fontaine, McAllister (Nyatanga ’46), Haynes (Elliott ’50), Skuse, Hartley (Sno ’79), Campbell-Ryce, Agyemang, Maynard.
INBREDS (4-4-2): Marshall, Matthews, Gyepes, Gerrard, Kennedy, Whittingham (Burke ’91), Rae (Blake ’64), Ledley, McCormack, Bothroyd (Feeney ’80), Chopra.
REFEREE: Andy D’Urso
Match Ratings providing by ‘Easton Boy’ of Yate.
Player Ratings
Dean Gerken 3
Wouldn’t pass him the time of day, let alone a backpass, poor and low on confidence, can’t command his area or back four. And to be honest, if he hasn’t got those attributes in him already,I don’t know how you coach that into him.
Bradley Orr 4
Limited technical ability, good defender very exposed tonight
Jamie McAllister 4
See Orr; but never mind apparently he signed a 3 year contract extension in the summer.
Liam Fontaine 3
Bothroyd and Chopra had a field day with him, dragging him out of position at will.
Louis Carey 3
See Fontaine; same can be said for him.
Cole Skuse 6
The only other player than Campbell-Ryce who actually put some effort in last night.
Jamal Campbell-Ryce 8
Tonight’s MOTM by a country mile.
Paul Hartley 4
His worst performance for us yet, didn’t tackle, misplaced passes. LJ would have done the same job tonight.
Danny Haynes 4
Did nothing on the right wing.
Nicky Maynard 6
Swimming against the tide and feeding on scraps – switched to right wing when Marv came on(??!!!??) as we reverted to a 4-5-1.
Patrick Agyemang 5
Looked promising linking up with mMynard for the 1st 15 minutes, but is he any better than Akinde?? Heavy passes when a more delicate touch was needed to feed Maynard on at least 4 occasions.
Close The Door On Your Way Out Please
All I have to say is, Gary Johnson is a buffoon. Cardiff scored SIX. We were woeful from start to finish. Too many unnecessary changes in personnel. Dire, negative substitutions to try and turn the tide. No leadership on or off the pitch. We are a laughing stock because of him tonight. The players seem immune to his archaic methods. He has to go. Plain and simple.
Easton Boy’s Verdict
Crapdiff gave us a football lesson last night – no mistake – passing and breaking with pace, great movement up front, and a MF that we never got to grips with(even when Marv came on).
My only regret from last night (apart from actually turning up), was that Crapdiff didn’t score more, because 6-0 (humiliating as it is) means that GJ gets to stay for another week (at the fecking least), where as short’n’round’s position would have been untenable had we lost by 8 or 9.
