Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Dickie has no quarms about Pring partnership
ROB Dickie is set to make his tenth Sky Bet Championship appearance for Bristol City against Coventry today and, his Birmingham dismissal aside, has been a model of consistency at the back for the Robins, illustrating why he was such a common sense signing for the club.
Yet that small milestone could also be marked with a third different central defensive partner for the 27-year-old. Having started the season impressively alongside Zak Vyner, Dickie’s two yellow cards against the Blues led to an absence from the starting XI and his subsequent return came as a result of an injury to his fellow defender.
That saw him then paired with Kal Naismith as the two seasoned performers forged a solid partnership at the heart of Nigel Pearson’s backline. But just as that duo have had time to grow accustomed to each other’s game and adapt accordingly, injury could well deny them a fifth game together.
Naismith is dealing with a calf injury which throws his availability against Coventry into doubt and with Vyner out until next month, and Rob Atkinson probably more towards the end of the calendar year as he recovers from an ACL, the next man up in the middle of the backline will be Cam Pring.
The left-back has played the role for City before – 13 times last season, either in a two or three-man defence – but this, should it come to pass, will be his first time in tandem with Dickie. Then again, maybe it won’t.
Dickie started the campaign as the left-sided centre-back, towards Pring’s flank and often a ball into the full-back was his first instinctive pass. Likewise, by nature the two had to cover for each other down that side of the pitch.
Given Pring’s characteristics and quality, moving the two infield a few extra yards shouldn’t have as much impact as it would introducing a totally new defender into the fold. The two have also development a good rapport off the field and in the dressing room, likely to ease communication and understanding on the pitch.
“I’ve played next to him for a decent bulk of the start of the season anyway,” Dickie said. “I know what kind of player he is – he’s really powerful, he’s a good footballer, I would definitely feel comfortable him stepping into that position and playing next to him. I’ve got a good relationship with him. I sit next to him in the changing room, we get on really well, so it wouldn’t be an issue at all, in my view.
“It’s probably one of the slimmest squads in the League, but we have players who can be versatile. Consistency (in results) is really important but fitness and playerwise, unfortunately, we’re lacking that at the moment but we’ve got enough to be a match for anyone.”
Dickie’s time out of the starting line-up between the Norwich City Carabao Cup tie on August 29 and September 23, when he returned against Leicester, was a naturally frustrating one for the summer arrival from QPR. Having established himself in the City team, two avoidable cautions at Ashton Gate pushed him to the back of the, admittedly small, queue. Pearson noted, in a positive way, Dickie had been a grumpy figure around the training ground as Vyner and Naismith formed a new bedrock in the defence, an observation the centre-back sees as a source of amusement given he was trying to be anything but as he waited for his chance.
“It’s funny because I was actually trying to consciously not be like that. I’ll always try and be helpful towards the team. I understood the situation but I’m playing again now and want to keep my place and hopefully myself and the team do well,” Dickie added. “I’ve been reasonably happy. I would like to have a few better results under my belt but performance-wise, I’ve been doing well. With the sending off against Birmingham, and then Kal came in, and the boys did well.
“Obviously I was frustrated not to be playing but if it was myself in a starting player’s shoes and someone else wanted to come in, when we’d been winning and doing well, then I get it. That is football sometimes, but I feel settled and I’m happy with how things have been going.”
Bottom of the Women’s Super League after three defeats from three matches, Bristol City must attempt to break their points duck at home to Arsenal tomorrow (6.45pm).