The first thing here is to put out of our minds our Tony Blair-like feelings for Mr Johnson, whatever his past CV. Bristol won 6 of their last 10 games, including victories over Huddersfield, Brighton and Birmingham. Their last 10 games yielded a points total which averaged out over a season would have returned 82+ points, equivalent last year to a fourth place finish. They have lost the loanee Tammy Abraham (main source of their goals last season) but signed Famara Diedhiou from Angers for £5.3M. Our last 10 games yielded one win, and the post-January points haul averaged out would have yielded 42 points, carrying a clear threat of relegation. Hopefully the new arrivals will have been supplemented by a striker or two by 5 August, but it looks a huge ask for Hecky to have bonded his new squad together sufficiently to challenge a more affluent and arguably more settled Bristol team on the opening day. I'm by no means pessimistic about our new squad blending as the season goes on and Hecky and JC have had more time to work with them. But for the opening game, the general 10/11 Bristol (equivalent to a 52% chance) somewhat underestimates the Robins' winning chance - purely in my opinion!
It's always tough going there and we're poor first day travellers. Just made tougher by the fact that he's the luckiest average bloke in football management. Sent from my SM-G850F using Tapatalk
We could have signed the entire Real Madrid team and we still wouldn't win at Ashton Gate. It's one of the facts of life, like busses coming in two's, or Jonathan Ross being an odious *****. Sent from my WAS-LX1A using Tapatalk
I wonder if it would be possible to pick out all the away games we normally struggle at and get them in a accumulator? Bristol City, Sheffield Wednesday, Norwich and QPR would be first names on the betting slip. Sent from my SM-G850F using Tapatalk
Stick Coventry in there too. We're not playing there this season, but I can guarantee we'll still manage to lose there. Sent from my WAS-LX1A using Tapatalk
Amazingly after the New York fiasco, Bristol are still available at 5/6 (c. 54%). Obviously we all hope Hecky gets this sorted out sooner rather than later. But I promise you people, this is like finding money in the street.
It's a shame that we're playing there so early in the season. By mid-late September LJ's tactical ****** should have fully infected their new signings and they'll be on the decline.
Ashton Gate. Loftus Road. The Ricoh Stadium. Carrow Road. Nil Points! Tough game, they're a half decent side managed by a below average manager. But all things considered, a home win is the only result I can see.
