(FM14) Drink up thee cider!!!

Sparta Prague vs Bristol City - 25th October 2017
3-1
Alvaro 8.8 rating
Meyer 2, 40 mins
Jese 36 mins



Manager's review
Andrew Booy named a reserve side for this with half an eye on the game against Arsenal at the weekend and also due to the fact this was a poor Sparta Prague side dogged by injuries. Tomas Rincon, Cheick Diabate, Daniel Kolar and Djamel Abdoun were injured, Mohamed Diame was unregistered and Jiri Samec suspended. This meant Martin Kaspar was rested and only on the bench against his former club.

The two teams lined up as follows:

Bristol City vs Arsenal - 29th October 2017
2-1
Draxler 8.0 rating
Denswil 50 mins
Draxler 77 mins
Alvarez Balanta 86 mins



Manager's review
Andrew Booy recalled his first choice starting 11 for this one. Interestingly that meant Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was only on the bench against his former club as Esteban Gabriel Jesus Bogado has progressed enough in training to take over the right wing position from the Englishman. Arsenal had Wojciech Szczesny, Lorenzo Insigne, Jan Kirchhoff and Mario Pasalic out through injury. There was one 'blast from the past' in the Arsenal team as one time City loanee Will Hughes started for the Gunners. Hughes played 50 times for Andrew Booy when his team won the Sky Bet Championship title in 2014/2015.

The two teams lined up as follows:



Andrew Booy was absolutely delighted to record his 1st ever win against a historically tough Arsenal side that have been performing poorly this season. In an interesting side-note Arsenal striker Timo Werner has been public in his disappointment of his teams achievements in the last two seasons. Andrew Booy has been a long-time admirer of the striker, could the German filled City squad be a possible destination soon???

Bristol City vs Man Utd - 31st October 2017
3-0
Can 8.2 rating
Buitrago 7 mins
Jese 80 mins
Giuliano pen 90+3 mins



Manager's review
As his side only played against Arsenal two days ago, Booy rested his entire 1st team (apart for Buitrago) for this Capital One Cup 4th round tie. United had Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata, Michael Bradley, Jonny Evans, Michael Carrick and Robin Van Persie out with injuries and Gaston Ramirez suspended. Domenico Berardi lined up against Bristol City for the first time since his 39 million pound move to Manchester in the summer.

The two teams lined up as follows:

October 2017 - THE REVIEW

Fixtures



League Table



Monthly Awards

Best Player - Julian Draxler - average rating 7.90

For the 2nd month running Draxler was Bristol City's best player. He added two goals and two assists in October and was 3rd placed in the Premier League player of the month award. Amazingly in his first season at the club Draxler already has 4 goals, 13 assists and 6 PoM awards with an average rating of 8.21.

Highly commended
Lucas Evangelista - average rating 7.64
It was a pleasing month for City's attacking central midfielder who continued his impressive start to the season into October with another goal and assist to his name.
Emre Can - average rating 7.60
Not often mentioned in Player of Month awards but had a solid month. Asked to play left back for the majority of the month and Booy sees his future in this position after Marko Blazic cements his place in the City midfield.

City right back Martin Kasper won the young player of the month award for the 2nd time this season.



Coming Up.......

Meet the squad!

4: Eder Alvarez Balanta

The City centre-back has been an ever-present in the side since his 2.5 million pound signing from River Plate in January 2015. He is a regular Colombia international and has 50 caps for his country winning the Copa America in 2015. Helped City get promoted from the Sky Bet Championship in his first season at the club and has gone on to make 119 appearances in a Bristol City shirt. Has on occasion filled in at left back but preferred position for Eder and Andrew Booy is centre back as a covering defender. Probably considered 2nd best defender in the World behind Manchester United's Phil Jones.

Chelsea vs Bristol City - 4th November 2017
0-1



Manager's review
Andrew Booy reverted back to his full strength starting 11 for this crunch top of the table game. Chelsea had David Luiz, Juan Fernando Quintero, Lars Bender, Kevin Kampl and Ryan Bertrand out injured, also Diego Costa was returning from injury and only on the bench. Ex City winger Marco Reus was only on the bench against his former club, amazingly the 46.5 million pound signing has not appeared in the league at all this season, why did Jose Mourinho fork out the cash to sign him????

The two teams lined up as follows:



Bristol City did themselves proud at Stamford Bridge! It is clearly a sign of progress as the team had more possession and shots against the current League and European champions.

Bristol City vs Sparta Prague - 7th November 2017
4-1
Meyer 9.8 rating
Meyer 8, 21, pen 28, 73 mins



Manager's review
Andrew Booy again changed to his reserve 11 (except for key defenders Stefano Denswil and Alvarez Balanta). Daniel Kolar and Djamel Abdoun were injured, Borek Dockal suspended and Mohamed Diame ineligible for Sparta Prague.

The two teams lined up as follows:

Bristol City vs Sunderland - 11th November 2017
2-0
Alex Sandro 8.2 rating
Lucas Evangelista 64 mins
Buitrago 70 mins



Manager's review
It was the usual entire team rotation for Andrew Booy as his 1st choice 11 took to the field after a weeks rest. Sunderland, on the other hand had Claudio Yacob, Adam Forshaw, Ashley Richards, Lee Cattermole, Cris Bentley, Santiago Vergini and John O’Shea out with injuries.

The two teams lined up as follows:

Man Utd vs Bristol City - 25th November 2017
2-2
Alvarez Balanta 31 mins
Phil Jones 65 mins
Lucas Evangelista 42 mins



Manager's review
Andrew Booy gave international instructions to all his first team to only play 45 minutes each match during the 2 week international break. 19 year old right winger Esteban Gabriel Jesus Bogado in recent weeks has broken into the Bristol City first team and this week earned his 1st ever Argentina cap. That meant there were no changes for the trip to Old Trafford. United had Wayne Rooney, Nani, Jordy Clasie and Javier Hernandez injured and Rafael suspended. Two ex City players Domenico Berardi and Michael Bradley lined up for the Red Devils.

The two teams lined up as follows:



It was a crazy game in front of a packed Theatre of Dreams that will be remembered most by the story of the two former Bristol City players. Domenico Berardi put in a PoM performance with a goal and assist but Michael Bradley played poorly and got sent off.

Bristol City vs Anderlecht - 29th November 2017
5-1
Alvaro 9.4 rating
Le Bras 12 mins
Meyer 45 mins
Jese 70, 84 mins
Alvaro 76 mins



Manager's review
Andrew Booy as usual rested his starters for this one, except Lucas Evangelista who is suspended for the weekend so did not need a rest. Anderlecht had Nicolai Boilesen, Garry Bocaly, Rilwan Hassan, Christophe Albert and Gilmar out through injury.

The two teams lined up as follows:

November 2017 - THE REVIEW

Fixtures



League Table



Coming Up.......

Meet the squad!

8: Lucas Evangelista

The City number 8 has been an ever-present in the side since his 3.8 million pound signing from Sao Paulo midway through the 2014/15 season. Still only 22 years of age, he has played in 122 games since then contributing 16 goals and 21 assists. Perhaps this relatively low number of goals/assists is due to the fact that when Lucas joined City he needed to train to be able to play central midfield comfortably and started as a deep-lying playmaker. Since learning the position the Brazilian has developed into an attacking advanced playmaker and his productivity in the last two seasons has improved. His best season was last year when he finished 3rd place in the Premier League Young players player of the Year award. Currently Bristol City's best midfielder and probably considered 3rd best Central Midfielder in the World behind Juventus' Paul Pogba and Bayern Munich's Toni Kroos.

Southampton vs Bristol City - 2nd December 2017
0-3



Manager's review
Andrew Booy picked his first team for the trip to St Mary's, except Marko Blazic played for the suspended Lucas Evangelista.
Raul Alonso Jimenez, James Ward-Prowse, Adam Lallana and Josh Sims were injured for the Saints. Rodrigo Gomez lined up for Southampton against his old club and put in a PoM performance.

The two teams lined up as follows:

Bristol City vs Cardiff - 5th December 2017
3-2
Buitrago 9.0 rating
Volland 37 mins
Buitrago 74 mins
Oxlade-Chamberlain 83 mins



Manager's review
Andrew Booy made one change to the side that performed so badly against Southampton last time out, Lucas Evangelista returned from suspension to replace Marko Blazic. Cardiff were only without fringe first team player Frazier Campbell through injury.

The two teams lined up as follows:









England's group for World Cup 2018 decided

Bristol City vs Watford - 9th December 2017
4-1
Lucas Evangelista 8.9 rating
Volland 11 mins
Kaspar 26 mins
Buitrago 55 mins
Draxler 62 mins



Manager's review
Andrew Booy named the same team that beat Cardiff at Ashton Gate in midweek. Watford (who have only managed 3 draws in the league all season!) had only Stephen O'Donnell out through injury.

The two teams lined up as follows:



The game was an easy victory for Bristol City but the talking point was undoubtably two very different scoring landmarks for the Robins. Right back Martin Kaspar scored his first ever professional goal and is developing into one of football's best right backs, and is still only 18 years old!! At the other end of the scale City captain Mario Buitrago scored his 100th goal for Bristol City on his 163rd start for the club. An amazing landmark for Bristol City's best player!!!