The last time Nigel Pearson called for a reaction from Rob Atkinson, he scored twice including a last-minute header in a 2-1 victory over Preston North End.
With adrenaline pumping through his veins, the 24-year-old described the emotions of scoring in front of a raucous South Stand as "one of the best feelings that I've certainly felt in my life." It came just four days after that 3-0 defeat at Birmingham City in which Dan Bentley and Han-Noah Massengo fell victim to the manager's squad selection.
After the win over Preston, Pearson wasn't going to get carried away with Atkinson's performance and said in his post-match comments: "Look, he needed a response like anybody else. The important thing in regard to Rob is that he’s very capable but sometimes he doesn’t always show it, so he needed a good game tonight.
"It’s good for him to score the two goals but more importantly for me, he showed a response after the weekend which is good."
As everybody knows in football, life can come at you quickly and as Atkinson recently found out, you can be riding the crest of a wave one week only to be brought crashing back down to Earth the next. Indeed, during his first season at the club he spoke very philosophically about football being a career with far more lows than highs.
Having navigated his way into the professional game through countless hours and miles bouncing from club to club on trial before making a name for himself in non-league, he's well-placed to offer such an assessment.
Pearson's comments on Atkinson in the wake of defeat against Stoke were baffling and left some supporters understandably angry especially given the nature of the loss. Although it's easy to get caught up in a storm of emotions at 5pm on a Saturday afternoon, both from the manager and supporters' perspective.
It wasn't a surprise to see King start in defence given his performances in the clean sheet over Watford and at Rotherham United, he was deserving to keep his place in the side. Where the confusion lies with Atkinson is the fact that he didn't make the matchday squad only to line up in the Under-21s 48 hours later.
When pressed on his reasonings behind it, Pearson said his £1.6million signing has fallen down the pecking order due to "trust" - demanding that he show more enthusiasm and work harder to get himself back into contention.
If Atkinson was named among the substitutes, as he had been for the previous two matches following illness, then this debate would be far less contentious. But his absence does pose a question of what more does Pearson really want from him?
On the pitch, it's probably a fair assumption that besides Zak Vyner, he has been one of the most reliable defenders this season. His aerial threat makes a real weapon in both boxes - particularly with the deliveries of Kal Naismith.
According to Whoscored, he wins an average of 5.1 aerial duels per game - the second highest is Timm Klose with 2.6 and Naismith with 2.4. Given City's track record from conceding set-pieces and also not scoring enough from their own crosses, there's no better man suited to get on the end of them.
There's also that ability to drive forward from deep with the ball and get City up the pitch. A part of his game that he has seemed to utilise more this season.
Defensively it's difficult to pick many faults or bad performances - barring the dismal losses at Birmingham and perhaps Reading - so then it comes down to attitude or personality and that's where things get a little cloudy based on previous comments.
Go back to last season when Atkinson had that difficult run of form due to his ongoing illness. At the time, Pearson said he would have to "tough it out."
In April, Atkinson opened up on the severity of his illness, including putting on weight, and feeling lethargic which culminated in him sustaining calf and back injuries. In his most recent bout of illness, which forced him to sit out of three consecutive matches, Pearson would say "a lot of it with Rob is to do whether he decides he wants to play."
The manager has also spoken about his personality traits of being an introvert. The polar opposites to the likes of Naismith and King who fit more into the mould of natural-born leaders.
Atkinson isn't the type of player to grab his team-mates by the scruff of the neck, beat his chest and bellow instructions that will echo across the four quarters of Ashton Gate - it's just not in his personality trait. When Pearson asks Atkinson to be more enthusiastic, it does beg the question of whether he wants him to tap into and work on that part of his game.
Pearson has made it no secret of his wish to bring in a new central defender in January, whether resources allow that is a different matter altogether. But it does mean that will be more one place Atkinson will have to win back should a new face come in.
Given the lack of funds, the necessity to trade their way to success and the fact that Atkinson remains Pearson's only significant outlay, there is pressure to make this signing work. If it doesn't, it becomes a debate about whether Pearson can be trusted with another signing of similar expenditure given there's no room for error in the transfer window.
Atkinson is not the first to have found himself fallen out of contention. Cam Pring's exodus from the team last season left many scratching their heads and Vyner was on the receiving end of a few choice words. In the manager's defence, both have found new levels to their performances this season.
When Pearson speaks to the media this week, Atkinson's position in the team and his plans will hopefully become somewhat clearer. But with a big test at home to West Brom coming up on Boxing Day and subsequent important games to Millwall and Coventry, the City boss faces a big call on whether to bring him back into the starting XI.
After defeat against Stoke, in which King was arguably at fault for their two goals, perhaps the comments regarding Atkinson were a deflection tactic to take away the spotlight on the veteran midfielder playing out of position.
As the Robins sit precariously three points above the drop zone, with more soft goals proving costly, support for the manager has wavered over the last few days but if he can generate another match-winning response from Atkinson once again, then this controversy will be consigned to ancient history.
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