Bristol Live’s predicted Bristol City team to face Blackburn Rovers as Gerhard Struber’s Reds look to bounce back

Bristol City boss Gerhard Struber ahead of kick-off at Ashton Gate(Image: Photo by Ian Cook – CameraSport via Getty Images)

After a whole two clear days in the West Country, we’re on the road again. With the frustrations of the weekend very much looming, Bristol City head north this evening as they travel to Ewood Park to face Blackburn Rovers.

The long, midweek trip to Lancashire comes after what has been a mixed week or so for Gerhard Struber’s side, both off and on the pitch. A draw with Wrexham and a defeat away to Swansea City were split by news that the Reds’ CEO, Tom Rawcliffe, had stepped down from his position at the High Performance Centre.

While such ingredients have combined to create a cocktail of frustration amongst fans, the loss in South Wales has perhaps been the biggest factor. With a chance to climb into the top six under their nose, the Robins were flat as Zan Vipotnik’s strike secured a 1-0 win for Vitor Matos’ side.

For this evening’s opponents, the weekend was more fruitful. Blackburn continued their impressive start to life under the management of Michael O’Neill with a win over Lancashire rivals Preston North End at Ewood Park.

READ MORE: Ross McCrorie concussion latest as Bristol City look to ‘bounce back’ with Blackburn Rovers tripREAD MORE: Rob Dickie injury update issued after Bristol City defender absent from Robins’ Swansea defeat

Yuki Ohashi’s goal, deep in stoppage time, proved to be the difference between the two sides on Friday evening. With just seconds to play, the Japanese forward, who had been introduced as a substitute, rose to head across goal and ensure Rovers would spend the weekend five points clear of the relegation zone.

While City sit a comfortable 14 points ahead of the bottom three, they now find themselves 12th, four shy of Wrexham and the play-off places. Although that means they’ll come into this one as favourites, things are unlikely to be easy.

Struber’s boys will have to navigate their latest test without Rob Dickie and likely without Ross McCrorie. The latter is continuing his recovery from a concussion, whilst the former is set for a spell on the treatment table having sustained a hamstring injury.

After two poor displays on the bounce, it is hard to know exactly how Struber will approach this one. That’s never stopped us from attempting to second-guess the City boss before, and it won’t today, so here is how we think the Robins will start at Ewood Park…

Goalkeeper and defence

In truth, on a frustrating afternoon for Bristol City in South Wales, Radek Vitek didn’t have an awful lot of work to do. The Manchester United loanee could do little about Zan Vipotnik’s winner, and made the other saves required of him during the contest.

The 23-year-old hasn’t looked at his best with the ball at his feet in recent weeks, but he remains one of the first names on the City teamsheet. Barring any surprise injury, we would expect Vitek to continue between the posts against Rovers this evening.

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Ahead of the Czech stopper, Gerhard Struber’s options are slightly more limited than usual currently, with Rob Dickie sidelined for the next few weeks with a hamstring injury.

Noah Eile was the man to replace the vice captain in South Wales, and on what was his first start in English football, he looked a more than able deputy. With that in mind, we’d expect the Swede to continue in the Robins’ backline, where he will almost certainly be joined by Rob Atkinson.

Perhaps Struber could be tempted to push Neto Borges or Cam Pring into a deeper position as a left centre-back, but given the evidence of recent weeks, our gut feeling is that George Tanner will keep his place as the right-sided member of the back three. The 25-year-old has been a steady presence for much of his City career, and while he hasn’t quite been at his best this calendar year, he does the job needed of him – defensively – most weeks.

Midfield

Saturday’s defeat at Swansea saw what has been Bristol City’s first-choice central midfield pairing under Gerhard Struber, Adam Randell and Jason Knight, reunited in the starting line-up.

Like the majority of those in City colours, Knight and Randell were far from their best against Vitor Matos’ side. We’re sure such a fact will lead to some supporters crying out for one of Joe Williams, Max Bird or Sam Morsy to feature from the off at Blackburn tonight. While that is, of course, a possibility, we’re not going to predict any changes.

Struber has been eager to manage those returning from injury very carefully after the Robins’ fitness woes earlier in the campaign. With that in mind, the Reds boss would be taking an uncharacteristic risk by throwing either Bird or Williams into the starting line-up. If either Knight or Randell is rested, Morsy feels a more likely starter.

Bristol City captain Jason Knight challenges Swansea City’s Melker Widell(Image: Photo by Athena Pictures/Getty Images)

Between the two midfielders, it feels like the two wing-back positions are as up for grabs as they have been all term, with Ross McCrorie expected to be ruled out by concussion and Neto Borges making the trip to Ewood Park off the back of an error in South Wales.

George Earthy could, of course, keep his place on the right flank, but our prediction is that Mark Sykes will be restored to the starting line-up. The Irishman hasn’t been at his best, but he is a more natural fit than Earthy in such a position.

On the left wing, we’re going to suggest that Cam Pring will get the nod ahead of Borges. We could, very likely, be wrong with this one, but with this being the third game in eight days, rotation at wing-back feels necessary, particularly given Pring’s limited minutes in recent weeks.

Attack and striker

If you were to ask most Bristol City supporters to pick their front three to face Blackburn Rovers, I think few would be able to agree on the exact make-up of such a trio, perhaps primarily because of the Robins’ recent inconsistent displays.

One player I imagine would get the nod in the eyes of most fans would be January addition Tomi Horvat. The Slovenian Magic Mouse – as he was dubbed in Austria – has made a very good first impression in England and, assuming he is fit, is likely to start as City’s right-sided attacking midfielder.

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Next to him, Gerhard Struber has a variety of players to pick from. Each of Delano Burgzorg, Scott Twine, Max Bird, George Earthy and Sam Bell are vying for such a position and in truth, it doesn’t really feel as though anyone has made the shirt their own, at this stage.

We would be by no means surprised if Burgzorg were to keep his place after a reasonable first start as a Robin, but on this occasion, we’re backing Twine to return to the fold. Yes, like many others in this squad, he hasn’t been perfect of late, but he remains one of – if not the most – dangerous attacking player at Struber’s disposal, when he’s at his best.

Should what we have written above be correct, that will leave one striker position up for grabs. At this moment in time, it feels very much like a straight shootout between Sinclair Armstrong and Emil Riis, and, for us, the Irishman is the winner.

Armstrong was the only City player to truly carry a threat against the Swans, a threat Riis couldn’t quite replicate from the bench.

Of course, the two forwards could start together – a call that would likely come at the expense of Twine – but our bet is that Riis will be on the bench whilst Armstrong keeps his spot at the top end of the pitch.

Bristol City predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Radek Vitek; George Tanner, Noah Eile, Rob Atkinson; Mark Sykes, Adam Randell, Jason Knight, Cam Pring; Tomi Horvat, Scott Twine; Sinclair Armstrong

OPINION

OPINION