There are still nine games of the season remaining but with an international break on the horizon and an injury list that appears to show no sign of abating, at least in time for today, it feels like a bit of a struggle to the line for Bristol City.
Resources were so thin in midweek that Nigel Pearson had to name six substitutes although the manager has assured everyone that won’t be the case again for today’s game.
City’s progress can be measured in very clear terms that they are five points better off than they were after 37 matches in 2021/22, and with a Swansea City side badly out of form - five defeats in six - and a degree of pressure on Russell Martin, certainly from supporters, it represents a good chance for the Robins to go into the March recess having crossed the 50-point barrier.
Ahead of the 12:30pm kick-off at the Swansea.com Stadium, here’s how we think the Robins will line up…
Goalkeeper and defence
As stated above, such is the injury list that Nigel Pearson is contending with, his options across two thirds of his outfield departments are pretty limited.
Looking at the defence to start with, Rob Atkinson (ACL) is out for the season, Tomas Kalas (knee) probably won’t be back until around Easter, while Kal Naismith (calf) is likely to return for the game against Reading on April 1. That then leaves his centre-back options as Zak Vyner, being the only specialist, and Cam Pring who’s been filling in over the last three games and struggled - which is to be expected - against Luton Town on Wednesday, having performed admirably in the two matches before that.
Pearson would probably ideally like to bring in a more established figure against Swansea, but doesn’t have one available - and he can’t use Andy King who’s required in midfield - so his only option is handing Duncan Idehen a first senior appearance since last year, which seems unlikely.
He could bring George Tanner inside, and maybe play Kane Wilson at right-back, but with the latter’s fitness struggles following his knee injury that seems a reach and an unnecessary risk so the likelihood is that Pring will continue alongside Vyner.
That keeps Jay Dasilva at left-back and after Mark Sykes deputised at Kenilworth Road, with Tanner having recovered from illness, the 23-year-old, fresh from agreeing a new contract, can return at right-back.
There will be an element of intrigue on the bench, of course, with the potential for Callum Wood or Idehen joining Wilson among the substitutes.
Midfield
A bit like Pearson’s options in this area of the field, the amount of words we devote to this aren’t going to be particularly numerous. No Joe Williams (hamstring), while Pearson indicated to Robins TV on Friday that Matty James (ankle) won’t be back until after the international break and with Naismith sidelined, then the expectation is it’ll be the same midfield three that lined up at Kenilworth Road: Andy King in the holding role with Alex Scott and then Andi Weimann in advance of him.
It was the Swansea FA Cup tie in January which sparked Pearson’s switch to a 4-3-3 and they could match up the same way against Martin’s side, or potentially change it once again and maybe move towards a diamond with either Anis Mehmeti or Weimann at the top and then Sykes’ legs brought into the midfield for extra energy and spoilering against the Swans’ possession-first game.
In truth, it could just be a fluid structure with Sykes and Mehmeti both playing and, in possession, they’re required to get wide, but off the ball they tuck into narrower roles to flood the midfield a bit more.
You sense that Omar Taylor-Clarke will make his full debut at some stage this season but, for now, the 19-year-old is just building up his experience with minutes off the bench before his moment arrives.
Attack
As explained, we could get to a situation where Sykes and Mehmeti are both classified as midfielders and attackers, depending on the game-state, which would leave one spot to discuss between three players to fill it: Nahki Wells, Harry Cornick and Sam Bell.
We won’t see Tommy Conway until after the international break but he certainly will add another layer to a debate that doesn’t appear any closer to a resolution as to who’s best in this system as the central striker?
The side point to that question is, does Pearson’s 4-3-3 get the best out of his No9? And we can complicate the conversation even more by the manager recently once again suggesting that he favours playing two up front.
That would hint at maintaining the diamond, which he switched to against Luton and marginally improved the Robins after the break, albeit with them still second best to a very good Hatters outfit.
A wounded Swansea should be a different proposition, though, and although none of his forwards are in great form - Wells, one goal in five, Bell one in nine, Cornick no goals in nine appearances since signing and Weimann one in nine since he returned from injury at the start of February - he may, for this game at least, turn to his senior professionals to try and turn the tide.
If Mehmeti is in a more central role, the pace of Wells and Weimann on the shoulder could open up some exciting attacking opportunities for City. While, it remains a degree of tactical fluidity because, if required in or out of possession, Weimann can move right with Mehmeti then over to the left and Wells through the middle.
Bristol City (4-1-2-1-2): Max O’Leary; George Tanner, Zak Vyner, Cam Pring, Jay Dasilva; Andy King; Mark Sykes, Alex Scott; Anis Mehmeti; Andi Weimann, Nahki Wells
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