After 4 defeats in 5 Championship games, including two a dire performance last time out at home v QPR, the City faithful were looking for a response.And what a response they got. A 6-1 demolition of Derby County, including 4 goals for top-scorer Michael Chopra who looked like his old self tonight.
Only 18,000 watched this one, the lowest attendance of the season, not surprising after the recent showings against Newcastle and QPR, but this one will bring them back in droves.
It was Peter Whittingham who opened the scoring from 3 years after being laid off by Jay Bothroyd who played like he had a point to prove (they all did). Then Whittingham put in a perfect cross for Chops to get back amongst the goals.
2-0 at half time and City were cruising, at least when they had the ball. At the back they still look a shambles, and almost immediately after the second period started, Whittingham conceded an un-necessary corners, and from the resulting melee Hulse stabbed one home to put Derby back in the game.
10 minutes later though the 2 goal cushion was restored when Chops fired home his second, and 5 minutes after that collected his hat trick to ease City fans nerves. If there were still any nerves, they only lasted a minute before Burke made it 5-1 and then Chopra scored his 4th on 75 minutes to make it 6.
This was City attacking at it's best, aided by a high Derby County back line that made the it easier for the pace of Chopra, Bothroyd and Burke. Still it's points on the board and good for the goal difference. With others around us losing, it lifts us to 5th, and in good shape for the visit to Watford at the weekend.
It's a shame to look at negatives on a night like this, but as I said earlier, City are pretty poor at the back and on another night it could have been a 6-6 draw...or worse.
I'm yet to be convinced by Mark Hudson at centre back - I'd prefer to see Gyepes there, but credit to Stpehen McPhail who I've lambasted on many occasions. He had a great game in midfield tonight.
Up the City
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