Two managers and a chairman – Ready to fight

Bristol chairman Steve Lansdown has publicly back under-fire manager Keith Millen. He told the media yesterday:

“It's a time to stick together. We haven't become a bad football club overnight. The fans are having a go at Keith and certain players, but if they think there is a lack of commitment they are wrong. We need them to stand by us.

I'm concerned, but I have seen an improvement in the squad recently and there is no doubt we have the players to do better. We now have two weeks to stew on being bottom and we have to use that time to ensure we come back stronger.”

Millen himself was defiant after the game refusing o give up on either the job or his players. He said:

"We're 10 games in now and it's no longer early in the season. We are well into the season and we are down at the bottom for a reason. That reason is that we are conceding too many soft goals and not scoring enough ourselves. It's a battle now.

We have a lot of work to do and we will do it and try to make sure we are in a positive frame of mind by the time we play Cardiff in the next game.

I'm still confident what we are doing is right and we can get ourselves out of trouble. Unfortunately, some of the players are lacking confidence and not operating at their best at a time when we need everyone to be at their best.”

Millen also recognised the frustration shown by some of the fans. He said:

“"I understand their disappointment. The players are trying their hardest but, the way confidence is at the moment, we need to score the first goal. There is a problem with defending, but we also need to be scoring goals. We cannot rely on clean sheets alone."

The problem is that the bet striker on City’s books is Nicky Maynard ho is out with a long term injury and, as one player told me on Saturday evening: “By the time he is fit again to play, it might be too late unless we start finding goals from elsewhere.”

Manager Paul Lambert tried to play down Norwich’s 3-0 win against Bristol City and said: “I thought that the way we played it could have been a bit more.”

Lambert was especially pleased with Canadian striker Simeon Jackson who grabbed a brace in the game. He said:

“Goal scorers are always going to be judged on their goal scoring ratio and that’s three he’s got now. He’s not played much football and he’s had to wait patiently, but he’s been a brilliant professional and not once has he been down when he’s not in the side.

Simeon does what he’s good at getting on to the end of things and being quick. His first goal was top class and his second was a difficult one to come on to.”

Lambert also praised his defence, highlighting keeper John Ruddy’s long punt forward for Jackson’s second goal saying:

“It was brilliant and well spotted. Simeon still had a lot to do, but Ruddy was excellent as were the back four. I thought they were brilliant.”

As for the game overall Lambert gushed:

“We were fantastic as we have been and deserve every bit of praise coming our way, but there are some really tough games ahead. We’re up there on merit the way we’re playing. The players don’t get carried away and so they shouldn’t because there’s a long, long way to go”