Lee’s got lots to ponder as he bids to revive City’s play-off push
BRISTOL City’s first-team squad, minus the three players away on international duty, reported back for training at Failand yesterday having been given last week off to rest and recuperate ahead of the Championship play-off run-in.
England Under-21 representatives Lloyd Kelly and Jay Dasilva will return following tonight’s friendly against Germany in Bournemouth with Czech Republic defender Tomas Kalas also in action against Brazil in Prague.
With an 18-day break between the 1-1 draw against Ipswich Town and Saturday’s Championship match at Sheffield United, head coach Lee Johnson has had plenty of time to analyse and address the Robins’ disappointing run of form.
Here are the main issues surrounding the club likely to be occupying Johnson’s mind this week.
Solving the goalkeeping issue MAX O’Leary or Stefan Marinovic? That looks to be the decision facing Johnson, unless Niki Maenpaa has made good progress in recovering from his calf injury. Either way, there is uncertainty surrounding just who will be lining up in goal at Bramall Lane on Saturday.
O’Leary was given the nod against Leeds but delivered a slightly erratic display. Hence why Marinovic was brought in for the Ipswich game, just five days after signing until the end of the season. However, the New Zealand international was even less assured as his lack of minutes and experience of English football was exposed while his kicking game throughout was unconvincing. Both played against Cardiff Under-23s in a behind-closed-doors match which may have provided Johnson with the solution, but the situation has been further muddied as Marinovic was substituted in an U23 game against Colchester on Thursday as a “precautionary measure”.
That may have made Johnson’s mind up for him, with the possibility therefore that Jojo Wollacott will be on the bench in Sheffield.
O’Dowda’s fitness KOREY Smith is back kicking a football again having played backto-back reserve games over the last 10 days but having not played competitively since August, it’s a huge call to expect him to be matchready for Saturday.
But there is genuine optimism now that he’ll be back for some of the run-in which is huge for the dressing room, given his influence, Johnson, in terms of the fresh option he will have, and Marlon Pack and Josh Brownhill who have looked fatigued in recent weeks.
There has been no update on the knee injury that saw Callum O’Dowda return to Bristol within 24 hours of joining up with the Republic of Ireland squad; the same for goalkeeper Maenpaa and his calf problem (see above).
If O’Dowda is out, then Johnson has plenty of options to replace the winger - Andi Weimann and Niclas Eliasson started against Ipswich, Antoine Semenyo is a wildcard option.
Does Diedhiou need help? AN increasing complaint among the City fanbase is that Johnson needs to break with the norm and reward Diedhiou for all his hard work and tireless running by giving him an actual strike partner to play off, “four-four-two” is the standard cry.
However, City’s midfield unit are just not providing enough quality service to the frontman and just positioning his wingers another 10 yards further forward is unlikely to fully solve why that is the case.
If Johnson wanted to go with two in attack, exactly who would the second man be? Semenyo is an option but it’s a lot of ask of the teenager against Sheffield United.
Time for Matty Taylor? TAYLOR has that game-changing individual ability that lends himself to being cast as an impact substitute. But of all his creative options, including Semenyo, Taylor’s the one Johnson hasn’t gone with in City’s mini slump. He is the only individual in the squad with Championship pedigree as a second striker, or who can play deeper off Diedhiou, should Johnson want to be different against the Blades.