Western Daily Press (Saturday)
We need to be winning matches, says Dickie
ROB Dickie is tired. Not really physically so, although the 120 minutes against Nottingham Forest and his own personal run of 27 straight games playing 90 minutes means the time building up to the Middlesbrough game today was built around rest and relaxation. But more he is tired of having to repeat himself.
Not for the first time, Bristol City created more than enough chances to win a game, yet let the opposition off the hook and were eventually punished for it as Forest advanced to the fifth round of the FA Cup by virtue of penalties.
Small margins, yes, but ones the Robins need to cover to not just climb the Championship table and improve a barren run, but reward their own endeavour and adventure.
Because, aside from the 1-0 loss at the hands of Leeds United and the second halves against Preston North End and Millwall, their efforts have merited much more than one win and five draws (six if you consider Forest within the 90 minutes) over the last ten games, in all competitions.
However, if you are not able to convert the currency of control into goals, then you cannot expect to win too many matches. It is an oftrepeated message within the dressing room and from head coach Liam Manning, but eventually something has to change. Dickie cannot keep repeating himself.
Just six goals scored since the thrashing of Watford on Boxing Day tells its own story, with that total coming from 113 shots, 36 of which have been on target.
Such profligacy will not enable the team to crack the glass ceiling of mid-table comfort into something a little more grandiose, irrespective of how well they end up playing.
“We need to carry this on into the League but it’s no good just carrying the performance,” he said, asking if it is okay for him to take a seat in the press room at the City Ground. “We need to be winning games, our points return needs to be better and just punishing teams in front of goal – we really need to start taking our chances and the results will come.
“It didn’t need to go to penalties. We had three really good chances towards the end and it’s positive we finished the game so strongly, but we just need to be rewarding ourselves. We’re working hard to get chances. It’s not easy to get good ones so when you do, just reward yourself. We need to be more ruthless and punish teams more.”
Dickie admitted City felt a sense of responsibility to respond to their poor display against Leeds last Friday where they were outplayed at Ashton Gate, despite the narrow 1-0 deficit.
That has been the only time over this ten-match spell where City have been comprehensively second best over a whole game. Wednesday night addressed that to a degree but, equally, while playing well, the Robins let themselves down.
“We wanted to show a good, strong performance because we were really disappointed with ourselves on Friday,” Dickie added.
“It was very, very below-par from everyone, so we wanted to get back on the horse and we did do that performance-wise but, and I’m sick of saying it so people must be sick of hearing it, we need to be bringing home the points as well, or getting through to the next round.”
Dickie has been part of an established City defence that has been identical in make-up since the defeat at Blackburn Rovers on December 12, but at Forest, Cam Pring was suspended and George Tanner moved to the bench, breaking up the familiar quartet.
Haydon Roberts started his first Robins match since October 21, and only the fourth for the club, while teenager Jamie Knight-Lebel was a surprise introduction ten minutes from the end of normal time at right wing-back. Both were solid and consistent performers after having to be patient in earning their chance.
“I played with Haydon a bit in preseason and a few of the cup games, I really like it. I feel like we’re on the same wavelength football-wise. He’s a really intelligent footballer, in my opinion, and I really hope he can show what he can do when he gets the chance,” Dickie added.
“Jamie, I’m proud of him,” Dickie added, before being asked if he’s a player who he’s taken under his wing. “I’d like to think he’d tell you that! I try to help Jamie just as I wanted help from older players.”
City, who are 14th, visit 12thplaced Boro this afternoon.