Championship pundit and former Swindon Town striker Sam Parkin believes Bristol City's youth policy and smart recruitment could lead to a possible play-off challenge this season.
City climbed to fourth in the table following Saturday’s impressive 3-2 triumph over Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park, with a scoreline that very much flattered the hosts such was the Robins’ dominance.
It extended City’s unbeaten run to eight games in all competitions and even their two defeats this season - against Hull City on opening day and Sunderland - have been close matches in which they very nearly could have got something from them.
Nigel Pearson is naturally remaining grounded and typically level-headed amid the growing excitement, fuelled by the fact that, across the EFL and Premier League, only Manchester City (20) have scored more than them, with Sheffield United also on 16. But this impressive start has slightly realigned expectations among the fanbase.
It was Pearson, admittedly, who spoke about aiming for promotion this season, after a challenging campaign last term in which they finished 17th, but supporters in general were forecasting mid-table to top half.
Such has been their attacking prowess, and the volume of different goalscorers in the team following the emergence of Tommy Conway, coupled with the sky high ceilings of Antoine Semenyo and Alex Scott, along with the arrivals of Mark Sykes and Kal Naismith, with fellow signing Kane Wilson also yet to start, aspirations are ever so slightly changing.
The Championship is a league in which the narrative can change very quickly, and City have some tough games on the horizon at Norwich City and Burnley next week, but plenty are taking notice of what this team is capable of, as was evidenced by Parkin’s words on ITV’s EFL highlights show on Saturday night.
“It's really exciting. The football is very much on the front foot, great movement and I absolutely love the performances of some of the young players throughout this campaign and I thought that was really evident (against Blackburn),” Parkin said.
“The feet from Scott, who is one of the most exciting young talents in the Championship; his poise on the ball, his ability is frightening - he’s destined for the Premier League, unquestionably.
“Weimann, playing as a No10 behind two strikers, he’s just getting better and better with age and it was an absolute perfect delivery for Conway to score yet again. He’s in a brilliant vein of form.
“I just love the recruitment at Bristol City. I think this season may be too soon for a realistic automatic challenge, play-offs - possibly. But Rob Atkinson coming in, Sykes from Oxford, Naismith. Just thinking for the long term, young exciting players from the lower divisions who have been given the opportunity to step up and they’re onto a really good thing there.”
City’s odds for a top six finish have been slashed from 25/1 over the summer to 16/1 now while FiveThirtyEight currently predict them to finish seventh, based on their data model, having previously forecast a relegation battle.
Given there are still 38 matches remaining in the season, dips in form, injuries and opposition teams getting stronger to manage, a lot can change but there is a sense that for all their excellence so far, City can still get better.
Semenyo is yet to start a game having made four appearances from the bench after his shin injury sustained at the start of June while Tomas Kalas remains out with a knee problem.
It’s a stark contrast from the majority of last season where each performance felt like a struggle and City’s lack of consistency became a theme throughout the campaign. They did, however, start reasonably strongly and were ninth after eight games having accrued 12 points. Something to bear in mind with those trips to Carrow Road and Turf Moor next week.
“Massengo, Semenyo, they’re still to come into the side as well,” former Norwich and West Ham striker Dean Ashton added on ITV. “So many exciting things already at the start of this season when it was such a disappointing season last season, it’s a big turnaround by Nigel Pearson.”
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