Burton 0 - 1 Cardiff City. Post match discussion

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Originally Posted by Rjk

Cracking finish. Although would rather zohore stuck to tap ins until after the transfer window is closed

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50 mill though

Just got back.....a good Championship-style win, that in previous seasons we would have drawn or even lost.

Despite a non-descript first half, there were lots of positives despite playing against a pretty poor team. Defensively we were very sound and for 15 mins in the second half threatened to overrun BA. Warnock switching to 4-4-2 effectively changed the game. Mendez-Laing was excellent when he came on, and no one had a poor game.

My only concerns are that we continued to just hoof it long and played very little football to the point that Tomlin was quite anonymous but only because he was continually bypassed which is a shame as he came definitely make things happen. He looked frustrated and was eventually taken off, but he will be a good addition over the course of the season. As a result we continued to concede possession having worked hard to win the ball and better teams than BA will take advantage of this.

Also, we clearly have no plans to play from the back - again, the keeper kicked everything long and for some reason to Peltier or into touch...... :-0

So an excellent start.

PS I hope that the refs this season are better than the idiot in black today.

Some of that is true (possession, not playing from the back etc.) but it is also a bit harsh.

We eventually dominated an admittedly poor team and ground out a win which is not easy in the first game of a season.

What could our season end up looking like as it progresses towards Christmas and beyond?

Relegation threatened: 3 points away, and a clean sheet, on the opening day would be a positive

Midtable: 3 points away from home with good goal late on is an important and fun win

Promotion possible season: 3 points away from home and a clean sheet is an important result.

The talk about players bedding in is nonsense as Tomlin was the only change in the outfield players from last season. It was the same city as last year. Gunarsson ran around and worked hard, but we just hit long ball after long ball. If it gets us promoted I will not complain, but we didn't look promotion material for 65 minutes. But what a difference when we brought on the subs. All of a sudden we had pace and Mendez and Damours introduction meant there was only going to be one side winning the match. I wish I could say the same about our new keeper though, but his kicking was bloody awful. Didn't have a save to make all day, but he hasn't filled me with any confidence at all. I hope he improves, but I think Lee Camp will be first choice once he's available. A winning start to the campaign but if we are to be pushing for promotion we will need to improve a hell of a lot on what we served up today.

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Originally Posted by kingbillyboy

jimmy the voice of sense and reason yet again

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He's not just a pretty face.

Damour did well. Mendez-Laing really caught the eye though.

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Originally Posted by Hot Shot Hamish.

The talk about players bedding in is nonsense as Tomlin was the only change in the outfield players from last season. It was the same city as last year. Gunarsson ran around and worked hard, but we just hit long ball after long ball. If it gets us promoted I will not complain, but we didn't look promotion material for 65 minutes. But what a difference when we brought on the subs. All of a sudden we had pace and Mendez and Damours introduction meant there was only going to be one side winning the match. I wish I could say the same about our new keeper though, but his kicking was bloody awful. Didn't have a save to make all day, but he hasn't filled me with any confidence at all. I hope he improves, but I think Lee Camp will be first choice once he's available. A winning start to the campaign but if we are to be pushing for promotion we will need to improve a hell of a lot on what we served up today.

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Agree with all of that.

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Originally Posted by Hot Shot Hamish.

The talk about players bedding in is nonsense as Tomlin was the only change in the outfield players from last season. It was the same city as last year. Gunarsson ran around and worked hard, but we just hit long ball after long ball. If it gets us promoted I will not complain, but we didn't look promotion material for 65 minutes. But what a difference when we brought on the subs. All of a sudden we had pace and Mendez and Damours introduction meant there was only going to be one side winning the match. I wish I could say the same about our new keeper though, but his kicking was bloody awful. Didn't have a save to make all day, but he hasn't filled me with any confidence at all. I hope he improves, but I think Lee Camp will be first choice once he's available. A winning start to the campaign but if we are to be pushing for promotion we will need to improve a hell of a lot on what we served up today.

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Originally Posted by dml1954

Utter drivel in both your posts. Do you really think that any team in this division is going to roll over and give us the 3 points ?. There are no easy away games in this division, as I am sure you are aware. You first have to work hard and stop the opposition playing before you can expand the game and take the win and thats exactly what we did. The game plan worked to a tee and Warnock needs to be given credit for that, not critiscism. From what I saw/heard Tomlin and Hoilett played well. If you are going to be that critical and pessimistic after only one game then whats the point of following the club in the first place. Makes me think that you actually wanted us to lose and are upset because we won.

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Tomlin and Hoilett didn't play well. They did OK but there has to be a reason for Colin to have taken them off. And thankfully the tactical change worked.

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Originally Posted by Hot Shot Hamish.

The talk about players bedding in is nonsense as Tomlin was the only change in the outfield players from last season. It was the same city as last year. Gunarsson ran around and worked hard, but we just hit long ball after long ball. If it gets us promoted I will not complain, but we didn't look promotion material for 65 minutes. But what a difference when we brought on the subs. All of a sudden we had pace and Mendez and Damours introduction meant there was only going to be one side winning the match. I wish I could say the same about our new keeper though, but his kicking was bloody awful. Didn't have a save to make all day, but he hasn't filled me with any confidence at all. I hope he improves, but I think Lee Camp will be first choice once he's available. A winning start to the campaign but if we are to be pushing for promotion we will need to improve a hell of a lot on what we served up today.

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Oh of f*cks sake.
Post this again in 6 weeks, if still relevant we'll mostly all agree.

A thanks to those who went and provided a summary of the game, it made interesting reading.

I remember going down the city for the first game against Huddersfield in our promotion year and after a very streaky win when Hudson scored said to my son who was with me that we were a million miles from a promotion winning side and we were.In fact, we didn't really get out act together until November if memory serves so the "we are not this or that yet" is more than a bit premature in my view.Also,what struck me yesterday was the ability of the manager to change the game with subs,something which has been missing for a while I think.Then you've got to look at the opposition.I don't think Burton are that bad a side and will take quite a few scalps at home this season especially as Noone could be joining them soon as I think if no one comes in to buy him he'll go there on loan as he was supposed to in January.So,all in all a positive result for us.

oops

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Originally Posted by Hot Shot Hamish.

The talk about players bedding in is nonsense as Tomlin was the only change in the outfield players from last season. It was the same city as last year. Gunarsson ran around and worked hard, but we just hit long ball after long ball. If it gets us promoted I will not complain, but we didn't look promotion material for 65 minutes. But what a difference when we brought on the subs. All of a sudden we had pace and Mendez and Damours introduction meant there was only going to be one side winning the match. I wish I could say the same about our new keeper though, but his kicking was bloody awful. Didn't have a save to make all day, but he hasn't filled me with any confidence at all. I hope he improves, but I think Lee Camp will be first choice once he's available. A winning start to the campaign but if we are to be pushing for promotion we will need to improve a hell of a lot on what we served up today.

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This. Tomlin was shit. There was very little quality on display. I thought we were marginally the better team but at the end it felt like a bit of a smash and grab. Watching the Villa Hull game right after was like watching a different league. Hopefully we will imropve.

Damour and NML made a big difference when they came on, NML especially ran directly at them. It was the first game of the season and we kept a clean sheet, they didn't even have a shot on target. Etheridge worries me, his kicking was absolutely woeful and he seemed reluctant to come off his line, Bamba absolutely rollicked him in the first half. Bamba was really pumped, probably too much and a few of the other senior players were trying to calm him down.

Other area of concern is centre midfield, namely Ralls and Gunnar. Gunnar is irreplaceable but Ralls doesn't really offer much apart from energy. His first two passes went into touch and I'm not sure if Damour is a centre mid as he came on as a 10. He did look decent though although we really were in the ascendancy by this point. Tomlin flits in and out of games and it was really scrappy for the first hour so I think we'll see better performances from him in the future.

Either way, it was 3 points well deserved, a great finish from Zohore and a clean sheet. I also thought Morrison was absolutely superb.

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Originally Posted by NYCBlue

This. Tomlin was shit. There was very little quality on display. I thought we were marginally the better team but at the end it felt like a bit of a smash and grab. Watching the Villa Hull game right after was like watching a different league. Hopefully we will imropve.

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I've only seen the goal but I thought there was something a bit dodgy about everyone saying Tomlin showed "a few nice touches".

I think they were just trying to be positive. Because usually that comment means they didn't play particularly play well!.

He could be quite average though and that'd be better than what we've seen going through the middle for a few years. Whittingham, Aron G and Ralls offered not much at all just behind the striker. Mutch was the last one that drove at defenders.

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Originally Posted by LordKenwyne

I've only seen the goal but I thought there was something a bit dodgy about everyone saying Tomlin showed "a few nice touches".

I think they were just trying to be positive. Because usually that comment means they didn't play particularly play well!.

He could be quite average though and that'd be better than what we've seen going through the middle for a few years. Whittingham, Aron G and Ralls offered not much at all just behind the striker. Mutch was the last one that drove at defenders.

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He's a luxury player at times and the first hour was pretty attritional. Put a really nice through ball for Zohore in the first half which he should have at least worked the keeper but he will look better at teams who aren't so hell bent on defending. After all, Burton had 0 shots on target and left no space for most of the game. They were very compact.

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Originally Posted by LordKenwyne

I didnt see the game but I think there is absolutely no point in reading much into performances now.

Just stay competitive and be in with a shot come the new year.

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Then after new year there'll be no point in reading much into performances as results will be the most important.

In fact, let's not read anything into performances whatsoever, just keep the results coming.

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Originally Posted by Eric the Half a Bee

Then after new year there'll be no point in reading much into performances as results will be the most important.

In fact, let's not read anything into performances whatsoever, just keep the results coming.

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To be fair, making a good start is more important. Performances matter in September and October etc, as you'll have an idea if you'll be able to keep it up. If you're still performing averagely 10 games in, you'll probably fall away.

I think the dispute over performance lays in my estimation in the fact that people are underestimating Burton.

I think games like Burton away are never easy and teams with better squads than us will struggle to roll them over.

Add to that it was the opening day of tue season and every fan in the country has a bit of optimism wondering what could be, there was no way Burton would just roll over.

It would be far easier to go there in February if they are in the bottom 3 and their confidence is shot.

I expect us to put in one or two convincing performances this season but i think most of them will be at home and i just didn't expect us to go to Burton on the opening day and blow them away.