Worst Performance of the Month – Peterborough 6.50

Imagine a world where a 1-1 draw against a team who spent £1.25m on a striker is the worst performance of the month in the eyes of fans. I think the reason for this was probably the fact we should have won it, given they had ten men and we missed a penalty. We would have definitely taken a point before the game, and this was far from a woeful performance – we actually did quite well. The bad start didn’t help, for ten minutes I don’t think we got a kick, and the goal we conceded was weak, but such is the standard these days that one bad spell at the start of a game can lead to a game earning this dubious honour!

Best Performance of the Month – Portsmouth – 7.71

I don’t think this will surprise anyone at all – although it might surprise you to know the game away at Crewe actually scored higher. Still, the recent trip to Fratton Park had it all – drama, tension and apparently a red card (not that I noticed). City had to adapt quickly after Portsmouth were reduced to ten men, switching from a fast counter-attacking style to a heavy, possession-driven game. We showed character, application and eventually, a little bit of genius too. This was certainly a game worthy of winning performance of the month, without a doubt.

Best Individual Performance of the Month – Conor McGrandles (8.6) v Portsmouth

I’ve always liked the idea of McGrandles, a busy and industrious player who doesn’t always stand out, but seems hugely important in our approach. When he’s been missing, the midfield did occasionally look worse for it, although as part of a collection of four players battling for two spaces, he has sometimes had to play a supporting role. Well, in one of the finest away wins of the season, he did anything but. He cleared a late effort off the line, set up the winning goal and had efforts of his own saved well. He did everything you expect from a box-to-box midfielder, following on from a great outing against Northampton Town in which he bagged a goal. In a month where a Zack Elbouzedi masterclass against Accrington won him the EFL Trophy performance of the round, the competition was intense for the best individual performance. Up until Tuesday night, it was actually the joint second-best individual performance of the season behind Harry Anderson against Forest Green (8.88) and level with Zack against Shrewsbury and Harry away at Crewe.