Rampant Robins just loving life on the road this season
Talking points from Bristol City’s victory against Peterborough, by
ANOTHER trip across the country and three points bagged once more for Nigel Pearson’s side, who made it four wins from six on the road this campaign.
Hail the Championship’s best team away from home after a quarter of the season played. City have taken the most points on their travels (12; next best West Brom and Bournemouth, 11).
Pearson’s team can be gritty, belligerent and are showing some consistencies now. They display plenty of the good stuff that successful sides are made of when out of the West Country. We won’t go into it here but obviously the next step is to turn Ashton Gate into a fortress and match the forays away from the South West with wins at home, to make that jump into the top six.
This was arguably the best away trip of the campaign, and certainly from an attacking point of view. Some 16 shots on goal and six on target.
It was the most shots recorded away from home as far back as we can check. A real positive for the attacking play, as a healthy three goals were chalked up. Only Fulham have scored more in away fixtures.
We’re spoiled compared to the dirge served up last season. Long may it continue, as the attacking duo of Chris Martin and Andi Weimann can be relied upon to work hard, harry but also threaten too, and both now have a respectable four goals in 11 games this season.
Martin helped himself to eight shots alone here, with Joe Williams showing some good combination play to set up a header from a cross late in the game before the former Latic played into Martin’s feet for the former Derby County man to settle this game.
George Tanner grabbing his first goal was a nice bonus too, as again City bounced into an international break in fine fettle. Up to ninth in the league, plenty of positives and room for growth too. It all looks rosy red with things moving in the right direction.
PESKY SAMMIE SZMODICS
JONSON Clarke-Harris was a big miss for the home side, with the former Bristol Rovers frontman serving a four-game ban for historical abusive social media comments.
However, former Robin Sammie Szmodics did as well as anyone against the City defence this season. Playing in attack, he scored his first two Championship goals of the season for the home side.
Szmodics was a pain throughout, but after the break City got to grips with him, closing down any space outside the area and marking him that bit tighter, though the nimble Siriki Demebele looked more dangerous as the game wore on instead.
Andy King was perhaps just a little slow to close down Szmodics for the first goal as a rocket was sent curling into the far corner, before a sublime header - as Tomas Kalas was beaten to the ball - sailed beyond Dan Bentley to make it 2-2 in the first half.
Thankfully, an apparent dive from the ex-Colchester United man was not seen as a foul when he went down easily the wrong side of Rob Atkinson in the early stages.
The home side had 13 shots themselves but were off target with their finishing in the main, with just three on goal and Dan Bentley only required to make one save. Posh will need to improve if they are to
stay in the English second tier. City deserved their win on the road, and we always felt there would be chances to come the Robins’ way if they could just keep it tight around their own area.
SHAPE SHIFTERS
CURTIS Fleming, and Pearson, by phone, opted to revert to four at the back on Saturday, after using a five (or three if you will) at Millwall. It was a brave decision but it worked.
City slugged it out all afternoon with Peterborough, but always looked that bit more dangerous with a mite more quality to their play.
City’s young and inexperienced (in Championship terms) fullbacks were given stern tests by Dembele and Co but they passed it here. With Martin or Weimann dropping back at times, City were able to play and build through the middle to transition from defence to attack consistently.
The squad, as well as Posh’s defensive lines, was stretched three changes made for this game; two enforced - and perhaps this contest showed the real strength in depth that City possess as Callum O’Dowda, Andy King and Cam Pring all came in to play after not starting at Millwall. Those fresh legs in a sixth game in just three weeks may have made a difference here.
CRUCIAL CAMEOS
WHILE Martin gained the headlines for his fourth goal of the season and match-deciding strike, there were some other star turns on the day as City grabbed the points.
Matty James didn’t have a standout game but he was quietly involved in the first two goals, his corner headed in for the first before he set up Williams to shoot at goal for George Tanner to fire home the rebound on 40 minutes.
O’Dowda played some of his best stuff here. But his crossing was not quite accurate enough to make the telling blow.
Tanner looks better and better at right-back, and he was in just the right spot to capitalise for the second goal, positioning that should not be discounted lightly. Fellow full-back Cam Pring showed some lovely attacking play in the first half too, with one searing run into the opposition box almost earning a penalty. As for Williams, the ex Evertonian is starting to look the real deal and he may have even sewn up a right midfield spot with his superb display at the Weston Homes Stadium. Shots, dribbles, great crosses, tackles... he had the lot and his tenacious play led to the winning goal.
Also, a word for Posh’s Nathan Thompson who delighted in celebrating in front of the Robins supporters all those years ago while at Swindon but saw his own goal restore parity here after 34 minutes. Karma, eh?
So the international window arrives at not the worst time. A chance to regroup and get players back with some five missing from the journey to Peterborough. Regroup, recover and go again in two weeks. Now, about that home form ...