Talk of a late play-off charge was always going to be ambitious, although achievable, if Bristol City could maintain that run of fine form which saw them go 12 matches undefeated.
One of the stipulations to that included ensuring Nigel Pearson's relatively thin squad could stay injury-free until the end of the season particularly following the devastating ACL injury to Rob Atkinson in central defence. It handed Tomas Kalas his opportunity and after two really positive performances, the 29-year-old succumbed to another knee problem against Cardiff.
Adding to the disappointment in the Severnside derby, Joe Williams would also be forced off with a torn hamstring, with Pearson ruling him out for the rest of the season. In 90 minutes of action, any faint hopes of a top-six finish were surely extinguished with City down to the bare bones.
In an ideal world, the club would have welcomed at least two more names through the door in the January window in central defender Jake O'Brien would have arrived, if it wasn't for Crystal Palace's high loan fee, alongside left-back Jack Currie after the Robins had three bids rejected.
Now they are being tasked to deal with the situation at hand and with Kal Naismith and Tommy Conway set to return after the international break, avoiding any further knocks over the next three games will prove crucial.
As it stands, with Matty James' status for Blackpool this weekend uncertain and Nigel Pearson to hold his pre-match press conference on Friday, below is the available senior squad for City, not including academy players...
Defence
With Atkinson out for the long-term and another Kalas injury casting doubt over his future beyond the summer with his contract expiring, options in central defence are few and far between. Kalas is unlikely to be back in action until mid-April for the final handful of games and therefore Cam Pring will look to fill that role going forward.
The draw at Huddersfield was the first time Pring has played as a central defender in a back four and he impressed, although wasn't handed the toughest test given the lack of quality in their frontline. It also meant Jay Dasilva came in for his first league start this year at left-back.
A back four of George Tanner, Zak Vyner, Pring and Dasilva is likely to be set in stone going forward until Kalas' return and Pearson will be keeping everything crossed they can get through the next three games before the international break unscathed. By then, Naismith is expected to return from a calf issue and therefore will provide an extra body in central defence.
There will be a reluctance to play Kane Wilson, who hasn't featured in the first-team since the defeat against QPR on October 1 with a knee injury. He was back on the bench against Huddersfield, but judging by Pearson's recent comments, is still lacking the required fitness to be considered for a starting berth.
Midfielder Mark Sykes can also drop into a right-back spot meaning Tanner could theoretically move across to centre-back although that would mean at least two of the back four would be playing unfamiliar roles.
City do also have Duncan Idehen in the academy, who has some senior experience, but it seems unlikely he'll be considered anytime soon given he was included for the Under-21s against Millwall on Tuesday rather than required for Championship duty. Given the shortage of options, one can assume that if he wasn't on the bench on Tuesday night given the injuries, then his inclusion seems highly unlikely going forward.
Fellow centre-back prospects Jamie Knight-Lebel and Raph Araoye, who have trained with the first team but never been in a matchday 18, remain injured, and City are unable to recall Joe Low from his loan at Walsall.
Andy King can also drop into central defence, as he did around Christmas when he played in the middle of a back three.
Midfield
You only have to take a look at the graphic to understand the gravitas of the situation going into the game at home to Blackpool on Saturday. It's worth noting that Matty James is only a doubt for the weekend with an ankle injury and could feature if he recovers in time.
Naismith's return is to be pencilled in for the home game on April 1 against Reading and with Williams sidelined for the season, options in the middle are desperately thin. King can play in the hole although he understandably looked tired in the final 20 minutes against Huddersfield with initial concerns about whether he would be able to manage the full game.
Alex Scott can play anywhere in the midfield but has been favoured in a No10 role where he has become so influential at breaking the lines in transition. Then there's academy prospect Omar Taylor-Clarke, who was on loan with Yate Town at the beginning of the season.
Taylor-Clarke has yet to make his league debut for the Robins but did feature off the bench three times in City's FA Cup run, picking up 21 minutes of first-team action. Dylan Kadji is on loan with Swindon while Han-Noah Massengo is with French side Auxerre and Josh Owers is with Yeovil with no options to recall them.
Pearson does have some flexibility, however. Both Anis Mehmeti and Andi Weimann can play in the No10 position meaning Scott can drop back alongside either King or James depending on whether the latter is fit to face Mick McCarthy's side.
Attack
Apart from the goalkeepers, it's the only area of the pitch where Pearson has options and the ability to be unpredictable with his selection. Sam Bell started over Anis Mehmeti on the left against Huddersfield but the manager is likely to bring the former Wycombe man back into the starting XI on Saturday.
Nahki Wells and Cornick are able to compete for a starting role through the middle, while Bell also started there against Cardiff, Hull and Sunderland. Out on the right and Mark Sykes has made that position his own although Weimann also remains an option. The Austrian set the bar so high last season with 22 league goals but has struggled to replicate that form this time around.
Not forgetting Tommy Conway who is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury although is expected to return to action in a similar timeframe to Naismith, likely to be against Reading after the international break. Youngster Marlee Francois who featured twice as a late substitute against West Brom and Man City in the FA Cup, was in the matchday squad on Tuesday.
SIGN UP: For our daily Robins newsletter, bringing you the latest from Ashton Gate
READ NEXT
