To use Nigel Pearson’s own adjective, Bristol City’s performance at Birmingham City last season was “rotten”. As the manager stated this week, his Robins team were bullied out of the encounter by Blues muscular and direct style as City served up one of their worst displays of the campaign.
Beaten 3-0, and with little response, resistance or reaction, it suggested character flaws within the squad, and a worrying weakness at being able to deal with in-game pressure and physical intimidation. It also was the preceding fixture before Nigel Pearson’s second leave of absence that term due to illness, adding to the overall miserable feel of the occasion.
Just under 12 months on, Birmingham are under new management in John Eustace but the profile of the team remains similar with an expectation that Troy Deeney will be front and centre of their attacking play and will look to get the face of the Robins defence at every opportunity.
