Bristol City have to be ‘honest’ as Gerhard Struber makes top six admission after Coventry loss

Gerhard Struber was left frustrated after Bristol City suffered a third successive defeat against league leaders Coventry City

18:31, 07 Mar 2026Updated 18:39, 07 Mar 2026

Bristol City boss Gerhard Struber during the Robins’ defeat to Coventry City(Image: Steven Paston/PA Wire)

Bristol City must be “super honest” with themselves about their readiness in critical moments, Gerhard Struber has explained, whilst making a play-off admission after his side’s defeat to Coventry City.

The Robins missed the chance to cut the gap to the top six as they were beaten 2-0 by the league leaders at Ashton Gate on Saturday afternoon. In a chaotic contest, first-half goals from Tatshurio Sakamoto and Haji Wright were enough for the Sky Blues to claim all three points.

Sakamoto headed Frank Lampard’s side into the lead from close range after 37 minutes, before Wright turned home his 16th of the campaign deep in first-half stoppage time, after Joel Latibeaudiere had been shown a straight red card.

OPINION

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The Reds threw men forward in the second half to find a route back into the game, but were themselves reduced to 10 men when Adam Randell was shown a second yellow card just 11 minutes after the restart.

Although parts of City’s showing impressed Struber, the City boss felt his side were – not for the first time – lacking at the decisive moments.

Bristol City’s Adam Randell (left) fouls Coventry City’s Josh Eccles resulting in a red card for a second yellow during the Sky Bet Championship match at Ashton Gate, Bristol. Picture date: Saturday March 7, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Steven Paston/PA Wire.
(Image: PA)

“We play nice football, but in the end – and this is something where we have to be super honest with ourselves and super critical with ourselves – we are not ready in the most important moments, to be sharp, to be clear,” the Reds head coach explained. “How we deal with chances, how cheaply we concede goals, this can be not, in the end, the standard for more this season.

“This is something where we have to be in our dressing room, really, really honest. We have a different expectation [about] how we deal with long balls, how we deal in first duels, how we create and select second balls [so] that nothing can happen.

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“We’ve realised this, over the season, on a top level, but I would say since some weeks, we struggle in this direction, and this is, of course, for every single player on the field, a hit on the face when we can not rely on some things.

“Especially also, when we create chances, we break them down in the right area [with] exactly the plan that we want and then we are not in the position where we have to be to score goals, not clean enough to come in the right position and play the right player or find the right address.

“I think these are the, at the moment, the big topics [as to] why we are not with points on the way.”

BRISTOL, ENGLAND – MARCH 07: Tatsuhiro Sakamoto of Coventry City scores the opening goal during the Sky Bet Championship match between Bristol City and Coventry City at Ashton Gate on March 07, 2026 in Bristol, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)(Image: Getty Images)

Saturday’s defeat to Coventry was the Robins’ seventh loss since the turn of the year. Such a run of form has left City seven points adrift of sixth-placed Wrexham and the play-off places, a margin that wasn’t stretched this weekend, only because Phil Parkinson’s side were in FA Cup action.

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Should the Red Dragons win their game in hand, they will move 10 points clear of City with just 10 matches remaining of the campaign. Of course, with 30 points up for grabs, such a margin could – although it would be challenging – be closed before the first week of May.

However, while the Robins continue to concede goals in such a disappointing fashion, their head coach admits that a top six finish shouldn’t be a topic of conversation.

Asked about his side’s chances of finishing in the top six, Struber replied, “I think we should think, of course – especially right now – game by game and make a good job.

“When we realise goals against us, on this level, so cheaply, then it’s not fair that we speak about the play-offs.”

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