Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Top-flight test as Robins wrap up preparations
BRISTOL City wrap up their pre-season with the visit of Premier League Crystal Palace to Ashton Gate today.
Of course, the very point of these matches is to enhance sharpness and fitness and put the players in the very best shape, mentally and physically, for the visit of Leeds on August 4.
Results are secondary but, at the same time, as the clock ticks towards the Championship kick-off, Lee Johnson will be looking for 90 minutes of real cohesion from his side.
City remain in the market for new additions, particularly in attack, but the head coach’s starting XI against Palace should provide a strong guide as to what he sees as his first team right now, having experimented with his line-ups over the last three weeks. Here is who could feature for City...
Goalkeeper With Niki Maenpaa’s
calf injury ruling him out of the Leeds game and potentially until the end of August, it will be hugely surprising to see anyone other than Dan Bentley in goal.
Third-choice Rene Gilmartin and young Jojo Wollacott are options but the club didn’t spend around £3 million on Bentley for him not to command the No. 1 jersey.
As Johnson admitted on Wednesday, he is keen to build the understanding between Bentley and firstchoice centre-backs Tomas Kalas and Adam Webster, so today represents the final chance to do that ahead of Leeds.
Defence Kalas and Webster should start, as they will do against Leeds, with the former needing to raise his match fitness and sharpness having looked a little sluggish in at least two of his pre-season outings.
Jack Hunt started at right-back against Forest Green and with Bailey Wright not featuring in that game or against Swindon, it appears the club captain has some kind of injury
issue, so the 28-year-old will continue .
eft-back looks a straight fight between Jay Dasilva and Tommy Rowe. Dasilva played against Swindon while Rowe featured at the New Lawn.
However, the England Under-21 international looks the most likely to play against Leeds so should start at Ashton Gate.
Centre midfield If Dasilva starts, that frees up Rowe to compete with Marlon Pack and Josh Brownhill at the base of midfield.
That pairing was Johnson’s go-to duo throughout much of last season with Pack sitting and Brownhill providing more of an offensive threat.
Rowe’s arrival provides more of a defensive shield alongside Pack. Against a strong side such as Palace, that is an obvious option, with Brownhill then moving into the No. 10 spot.
Liam Walsh is another option and has been used extensively throughout pre-season but as the Leeds game approaches, the 21-year-old is expected to assume a bench role.
Attacking midfield Depending on which combination he goes for, if Rowe starts then Brownhill should move into a more attacking role.
But if Brownhill remains alongside Pack, then it looks likely Sammie Szmodics will remain as playmaker/ second striker, where he has impressed throughout the summer.
On the flanks, Andi Weimann appears the obvious candidate to start on the right but the left could be any one of Szmodics (if Brownhill is at No. 10), Paterson, Niclas Eliasson or Callum O’Dowda.
Striker Johnson wanted to give Famara Diedhiou the full 90 minutes against Swindon, as Weimann and Szmodics alternated in attack against Forest Green. And while the Senegalese missed a penalty, his match fitness is improving following a delayed pre-season. Although City remain in the market for a new striker, he is still Johnson’s first-choice option.