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The Inside Line: Bristol City v Rochdale (28/02/2015)

Ahead of Saturday’s clash with Rochdale at Ashton Gate, Stu Radnedge picks up the pen once more and gives his views on the run-in and our chances of ending the season with silverware.

“Reflection.

Not that provided by a mirror but a time for “serious thought or consideration” according to the old Oxford English Dictionary. Reflecting on Monday, I secured my seats for Wembley and then wrote the blog – which, on reflection, wasn’t my greatest idea for the simple reason of it being a bit wishy-washy. So enamoured  with the potential for silverware I wrote something that said not a lot. And what was there to say? Honestly?

Not a lot – you see those days, when a loss meant the wheels had fallen off the zider bus to the Championship, have long gone. As I predicted in last week’s post, the players would regroup, and mount a charge again to right Saturday’s wrong.

The delight at booking my seats for Wembley will only be surpassed by us winning the league – IF that happens.

As followers/fans/supporters of City, or whatever the term is in the golden age of social media, we all know what is always – potentially – around the corner. We’ve seen it before – the demise, decline, lady luck wronging us, the bouncing ball that just doesn’t fall in our favour. It's infuriating.

But this year (2014 and the 2014/15 season as a whole) has been different.

Cast your minds back to City away at Sheffield United last season (2013) – when we lost by an own goal (one of many during that year) and our back line of defence wasn’t confident. Or the first home game of the season when Frankie Fielding ran to a ball outside the box only to lose it and gift Bradford their first of two equalisers that day.

Those days are gone fellow zider heads – as I’m sure you’re all aware! Our goalie commands and back five/three are dynamic. But there's talent elsewhere as well.

Take the captain’s ‘roomie’, for example. Pushing for first team football, (and getting told he’s the best by Aden Flint http://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/article/flint-makes-a-splash-with-goal-celebration-2280874.aspx) Pack executes one of the best executed long ball volleys I have ever seen from one of our players – which lead to our third goal. As far as I’m concerned, on that basis, Flint knows what he’s talking about.

So Saturday sees us welcome Rochdale to BS3. An early lead wasn’t enough in the reverse fixture to earn a win away – but the season was only a few games in at that stage.

There are 14 games left this year and one final at Wembley. By the time that game comes round, there will be only nine league games left. We could be on 82 points by the time the final arrives.
Being honest now, anything less than 12 points won’t be good enough – as having that points advantage before a crunch period in April will be important. 

During this time we have Swindon, then Preston. Swindon have MK Dons then us. TCFKAW (The club formerly known as Wimbledon – if it’s good for Prince it’s good for me!) have Swindon then Scunthorpe. This will be the period where we will win or lose a league we have spent the most time leading this season…

Surely it’s ours for the taking?”


My thanks to Stu. It sure is getting to the crunch-time of the season. If we can take our midweek form into the weekend games, then I think Stu might just be right. It’s ours for the taking.


COYR!


The Exiled Robin

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