The Robins have strengthened impressively this summer and have a wealth of options going into Saturday’s match with Rotherham United.
Bristol City manager Lee Johnson
Bristol City manager Lee Johnson has admitted that the sheer number of options he now has for his starting XI is giving him sleepless nights, according to a report in the Bristol Post.
Including loanees, City brought 16 new players to Ashton Gate this summer, and despite losing star striker Jonathan Kodija to Aston Villa for a Championship record fee the squad is looking in good shape – something that causes it’s own problems for Johnson.
“The situation is new to me and it does give me sleepless nights,” he told the Bristol Post. “My biggest issue is that I’ve sold the dream to these players who have come in and I don’t want them to think I’m a blagger.”
Joel Ekstrand (R), who signed for Bristol City this week, in action for Watford
The Robins bolstered their defensive ranks with the capture of free agent and former Watford man Joel Ekstrand this week having so far failed to keep a clean sheet in the league this season. The Swede played a key role in the Hornets’ promotion two seasons ago and will certainly prove a useful addition to the squad ahead of a gruelling league campaign.
Johnson’s side are preparing for back-to-back away games in South Yorkshire, with a trip to Hillsborough to face Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday night following this weekend’s clash at Rotherham. The games come thick and fast in the Championship so a big squad is essential, but that does not make the 35-year-old’s job any easier.
“There are going to be times when I tell three or four really good Championship players that they are not in the squad,” he said. “That is a difficult situation to manage.”
“That is why it was so important to recruit the right characters – I don’t want a situation where players are reacting badly to being left out,” he continued. “I know I can be honest with all of these lads and I think they respect that honesty.
“If you have that respect, then you know they will always give their all in training. There is going to be frustration and I have to understand that but my door is always open and I will always give them the truth.”
Bristol City’s Lee Tomlin
This is a crucial week for Bristol City, as the end of it will give them a decent indication of where they stand in the Championship pecking order. A home tie with Derby next Saturday follows their South Yorkshire double header, and the fixtures against the Rams and Sheffield Wednesday will allow fans to assess whether City can compete with the clubs expected to be challenging at the top end of the table.
The stand-out result so far has been the Robins’ 3-1 win over Aston Villa at a rocking Ashton Gate prior to the international break, and Johnson will hope his side can continue where they left off.
Away games at tough venues are critical if City are to think about challenging in the top half, and having already negotiated one tricky test at Burton this season Johnson will be confident that his side can claim their first win at Rotherham since 1995. They were comfortably beaten 3-0 at the New York Stadium last year, but the Robins squad that travels there this time out is made of sterner stuff.
Bristol City’s Tammy Abraham celebrates scoring against Aston Villa
Tammy Abraham has been the star performer for City so far this season, notching three goals in four league starts to date.
The service into him should be consistently good as a result of the summer captures of Jamie Paterson, Callum O’Dowda and Lee Tomlin, and Abraham has the potential to eclipse his fellow Chelsea loanee Patrick Bamford, who scored 17 times for Middlesbrough in 2014/15.
Whoever Johnson chooses to select on Saturday, he will be hoping the competition for places motivates his players. Whilst it will undoubtedly be a challenge for the young manager to keep everyone involved, it is one he is relishing as he seeks to establish Bristol City in the second tier. He may have been kept awake this week, but Johnson will certainly be sleeping easier on Saturday evening if his side return from Rotherham with three points in the bag.
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