Among the many plusses from Bristol City's pre-season campaign was the fact that, in the main, injuries were avoided. Key players were able to play the maximum amount of minutes and, with a few exceptions we'll discuss in a bit, Nigel Pearson was able to rotate his squad, providing opportunities to plays while not compromising on game time.
City therefore take on Hull City with a feeling that they're as fit and match sharp as they possibly can be, from Dan Bentley in goal all the way through to Chris Martin in attack. Pearson is once again operating with a small squad but still has multiple options across multiple positions.
That said, City weren't be at full-strength in terms of squad options, nor as they likely to be at many stages over the next nine months, such are the stresses and strains of a Championship campaign, but the treatment table at the High Performance Centre isn't as populated as it has previously been.
Here are the City first-team members either injured and out of the contest in Humberside, or with fitness concerns going into the game...
Kane Wilson (knock)
Last played: vs Forest Green Rovers (July 19)
The right wing-back sat out last Saturday’s 1-0 win over Bournemouth with Nigel Pearson declaring at Vitality Stadium it was a “minor knock” and he should be fit to play Hull City. Wilson has since returned to training, rejoining the group on Thursday giving him a full session and then maybe a light one on Friday before heading to Humberside as part of the squad.
Unless there’s been a reaction in the next 24 hours, the expectation is that he’ll be part of the matchday 18, the question is whether or not he’s fit enough to make the starting XI. Certainly 1.5 training sessions isn’t as much time as Pearson, or the medical staff, would have wanted but if it truly was a “minor” knock then the likelihood is he will play.
Cam Pring (knee)
Last played: vs Cheltenham Town (July 6)
Pring was also back on the grass at the High Performance Centre on Thursday but doesn’t appear quite as far along in his progress as Wilson, given he’s been out of action for more than three weeks.
The 23-year-old has been complaining of soreness in his knee and while it’s never been publicised as being serious, it’s been enough for staff to take careful measures. With limited amount of training and game time under his belt, it would be a surprise to see Pring involved against Hull City, even as a substitute.
Tomas Kalas (groin surgery)
Last played: vs Birmingham City (March 5)
We’ll be honest, the Czech’s lack of involvement throughout the summer schedule is a bit of a mystery. Having missed the final 10 games of last season he underwent groin surgery which stopped him from playing internationally over the summer.
Kalas returned to the HPC but has only been sporadically involved in sessions with the squad, spending a lot of time in the gym and, speaking on Robins TV during the double header against Forest Green and Exeter City he indicated that he’d picked up a secondary injury at some stage.
The defender did engage in some physical work outside this week but Pearson has stated he’s unsure as to a timeframe over the 29-year-old’s return, as it's about managing the level of discomfort with his injury, so it’s one we’re just going to have to monitor over the coming weeks.
Antoine Semenyo (shin)
Last played: Ghana vs Madagascar (June 1)
Semenyo is being pushed hard in his rehabilitation from the shin problem sustained while away with Ghana at the start of June.
Kalas posted a picture this week on Instagram of the brutal bike routine he and the striker were put through, which is very much a good thing because, quite simply, they wouldn’t be pushed like that unless they were capable of taking it, not just from a fitness perspective but more the resistance in their muscles and joints.
The original prognosis for Semenyo was early to mid September and although Pearson previously said the scans undertaken in June weren’t as bad as first feared, like Kalas, he doesn’t want to put a timetable on his possible return.
Stefan Bajic (wrist surgery)
Last played: Pau vs Nancy (May 14)
We’re yet to see City’s new goalkeeper in action who signed on July 5 still feeling the after-effects of wrist surgery he underwent at the end of May. Speaking to l’Equipe on July 14, Bajic stated he was still a few weeks away, which is vague but we’re safe to assume he should be involved at some stage during August.
With Dan Bentley very much in the No1 position, unless he has a meltdown at the start of the campaign and Max O’Leary is unable to take over, the likelihood is that the 20-year-old will be given an Under-21 game or two to build up his game awareness and then comes into first-team consideration towards the end of the month. City’s Under-21s play Barnsley on August 9 and then Hull on August 16 as matches to look out for.
Ayman Benarous (ACL)
Last played: vs Hull City (April 30)
Benarous has been at the High Performance Centre and has remained very much part of the set-up but his recovery from what was a serious injury is still in its infancy. The club have pencilled in the end of the year as a possible return date, and even then the teenage playmaker will be carefully managed, but it does give Benarous a target to aim for.
However, given his status in the squad as a developing player, the seriousness of the injury and the fact there is absolutely no need to rush him back, a timeframe for his return is very much on the long-term end of the scale.
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