Can Bristol City reach the Premier League?
After a number of false dawns, are Bristol City finally ready to give Bristol their first Premier League team?
The South West has a notable lack of footballing history. The whole region has enjoyed only four years in the top flight since the Second World War, and all of those belonged to the Robins.
But after 40 years out of the spotlight, City are finally closing the gap on a return long-awaited in the West Country, and the early signs are that this could be the year.
A little over 11 years ago they were 90 minutes away from the promised land, but things have never quite reached the heights since that play-off final defeat to Hull City.
Quiet, solid investment has been the order of the day under owner Steve Lansdown, rejuvenated since City’s promotion back to the Championship in 2015, and with the eighth longest-serving manager in the top-four divisions at the helm, long-term planning has been at the core of their development.
In both the last two seasons they have found themselves in the top six by March, but have tailed off at the worst possible time to miss out on the play-offs on each occasion. But the consolation of finishing 18th, 17th, 11th and eighth since returning to the second tier has built a solid base.
Some careful additions over the summer looked to have got the club on the right track to go one better this year, too – until the £20m sale of Adam Webster to Brighton in the final days of the window, and first-choice striker Benik Afobe’s anterior cruciate ligament injury several weeks after arriving on a season-long loan.
In spite of that, Bristol City have continued their upward trend and a 3-0 reverse at Luton aside, have kept up with the chasing pack. But can they do it across 46 games? That is another question.
Afobe’s injury leaves the divisive figure of Famara Diedhiou as City’s main attacking threat, although Spanish striker Rodri also joined to boost their attacking numbers on a free transfer last month.
Diedhiou has reached doubled figures in both of his seasons at Ashton Gate so far, with an impressive workrate winning him many fans since his arrival two years ago. But his shot-to-goal ratio of barely 10 per cent and a ‘big chance’ conversion last season of just seven out of 27 opportunities has others less convinced.
The arrival of Afobe looked promising with three goals in his opening five games, and questions linger about City’s ability to outscore their opposition; the early signs, though, are promising, with City the third-highest scorers in the top six.
After several years with little investment City’s midfield finally looks like it has the bite to compete with the surprise addition of Han-Noah Massengo from Monaco in August, but it’s in defence where perhaps the biggest questions should be asked.
City have put their injury problems in attack to one side, scoring nine goals in their last six games, but they have kept only three clean sheets from 14 games and conceded 19 goals – only QPR have shipped more in the top half.
A Webster-shaped hole in the City backline is not helping, as taking out one of the league’s best defenders would to any Championship side, but more dreaded long-term injuries to Tomas Kalas and Jay Dasilva have only exasperated matters.
Both are said to be close to a return, and perhaps then we will see whether this Bristol City side does have the mettle to mix it over a full season – and a win at Oakwell is a must if they are to prove they have got what it takes.
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