If you thought Bristol City were wildly inconsistent (which they very much are, or at least very much have been) then it’s hard to find a fitting set of adjectives to describe their opponents Blackburn Rovers.
Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side sit fifth in the Championship despite having lost 13 games - only Wigan Athletic and Huddersfield Town have more - but with 14 wins to their name - third overall. Blackburn have, as a result, are yet to muster a draw over the course of the campaign, which is baffling.
The irregularity of their results perhaps best personified by a 1-0 win over Watford swiftly followed by a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Rotherham United last weekend. Exactly what version of Tomasson’s side we’ll see at Ashton Gate is unclear but what is becoming weirdly reassuring about City, certainly since the start of the new year, is we know what we’re getting.
Nigel Pearson is likely to keep faith with the 4-3-3 that has delivered back-to-back wins, albeit the second one in extra time, over Birmingham City and Swansea City and built upon the encouraging upturn in performances at the start of the month.
With the injury list remaining largely the same, admittedly with one possible welcome return to action, the manager doesn’t have a huge amount of wiggle room but there are still some question marks as to the exact make-up of his starting XI today…
Goalkeeper and defence
The next time we forecast City’s line-up, for next Saturday’s FA Cup tie against West Brom, the goalkeeping department at the club could look considerably different. Stefan Bajic has this week returned to France and while that was widely expected to confirm Dan Bentley’s short-term future until the summer, amid interest from Stoke City, Pearson has confirmed that the club captain could still leave before January 31, and a replacement will be signed if he does.
This is all very much hypothetical at the moment but what is factual is that Max O’Leary will make his 17th consecutive start for the club and is ticking along nicely as City’s No1, his confidence levels high and just looking more and more familiar in the role, to the point we don’t even really have to talk about him, which is a good thing.
As for the rest of the defence, let’s be honest, unless Pearson was storing away some shock injury news, they will almost certainly be unchanged with George Tanner at right-back, Zak Vyner and Rob Atkinson in the centre and Cam Pring continuing his marauding down the left flank.
We should, however, say welcome back to Tomas Kalas, or at least welcome him back into the selection conversation because while the Czech will undergo a late fitness test to see if he can be included in a matchday squad for the first time since October 18, Pearson admits, at best, he’ll be on the bench.
Hopefully he can be eased back into action and that then strengthens the defensive unit considerably as Kalas in a back four, can conceivably cover centre-back and right-back. Kane Wilson could also come into the equation for the latter position but probably not for a few weeks as he continues his comeback from his own knee injury.
Midfield
Consistency is also probably key in this area of the field with Matty James, Alex Scott and Kal Naismith, looking increasingly at home in that defensive midfield position, the expected starters as they have been of late.
You have to hold some sympathy for Joe Williams who would be perfect in this system, and has been impactful off the bench for three straight games but until there’s an injury with one of the members of the aforementioned trio, or a dramatic dip in form, the Scouser will have to remain patient.
Given James, Scott and Naismith - albeit in defence - have been automatic picks for Pearson whenever they’ve been fit, it’s a tough situation for Williams and his professionalism and willingness to get on with the job as a team man, at the expense of his own ego, should be praised.
Cover will come in the form of Dylan Kadji and veteran Andy King, although it’ll be interesting to see if Omar Taylor-Clarke keep his place in the 18 having made his debut in midweek against Swansea. Certainly if Kalas is given the green light to be included, the teenager looks the one most likely to drop out of the squad.
As reinforced by Pearson on Friday, Han-Noah Massengo is an unfortunate afterthought and with his contract continuing to expire and no change to his situation, whether that be at City or someone else, he’ll remain on the outside looking in.
Attack
Form, yet again, indicates the newly established SWS front three of Sykes, Wells and Semenyo with five goals and one assist between them over the last eight days, since they came together in the wake of Andi Weimann and Tommy Conway’s injuries, forcing a formation change.
That pair are not expected back until next month, although Weimann could potentially come into the equation for next weekend but that’s more of a guessing game on our part based on his original diagnosis rather than said with any medical knowledge.
Sykes, Wells and Semenyo have a nice balance as a three, all possessing different attributes but the fundamental one they do each have is pace and penetration and Blackburn aren’t always the quickest at the back.
We do, however, have to discuss two aspects of this part of the field; Semenyo’s state of mind and the emergence of Sam Bell.
Pearson confirmed that Semenyo would be in the squad for today despite all the transfer commotion, which has included two bids by Bournemouth being rejected this week and another from Burnley earlier in the window.
It has affected him, Pearson admitted as such, how much will be evidenced by whether he’s in the starting XI or not. Should his head not be in the right place and, do you know what, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that given his age and what a potentially life-changing moment it is for him, then Bell surely comes into the equation.
The 20-year-old’s burst of pace down the left flank against Swansea, before cutting inside, leaving an international defender for dead and finishing with considerable panache, indicates that he could play that role for City and it wouldn’t require too much of a tactical rejig, should he be called upon.
He’s a different kind of forward to Semenyo, and doesn't yet possess the same presence as the 22-year-old, but does have something else in his locker, plus opposition teams aren't as aware of how they might defend against him, as they will be with his more established teammate, and surely his involvement will increase between now and the end of the season.
Bristol City (4-3-3, probable): Max O’Leary; George Tanner, Zak Vyner, Rob Atkinson, Cam Pring; Alex Scott, Matty James, Kal Naismith; Mark Sykes, Nahki Wells, Antoine Semenyo
SIGN UP: For our daily Robins newsletter, bringing you the latest from Ashton Gate
READ NEXT
