Sheffield are Sharpening Their Blades - Sheffield United Preview

Despite an improved second half performance, Bristol City lost again at the weekend to a fairly poor Stoke City side, leaving Gary Johnson's side in a slump of gaining only 14 points out of the last possible 36. Johnson himself hit out at his sides first half performance, saying "We bottled it in the first half." The former Yeovil man continued " I've done as much as I can, now it's up to the players to get their game going. They know they let themselves down in that first half at Stoke and they have to put it right." From a season that looked like it would end in automatic promotion, it could end in a crawl over the line into the playoffs, or disappointingly missing out altogether.

At other expense of other stuttering sides could surge Sheffield United, who after suffering a poor start to the season under the much criticised Bryan Robson, have been on fire under new boss Kevin Blackwell. The former Luton and Leeds manager said of his sides current form "I think there is such belief amongst the players, and they believe it as well. It's all right saying it, but they've got to believe that (reaching the playoffs) is going to happen." In contrast to Bristol City, their recent form at Brammal Lane has been nothing short of exceptional, with 4 wins and a draw from the last five games. This fine form culminated last week where The Blades beat Hull City at Bramall Lane 2-0 despite having 10 men. Bristol City have sold all 2,994 tickets for the match and the City fans will offer plenty of vocal support, like they did at Stoke last weekend.

How They Line Up

Sheffield United, with their premiership side from last season relatively intact, have a squad to rival any Championship side, and they are just about realising their potential. In goal is the charismatic Republic of Ireland international Paddy Kenny, who despite lacking an aerial presence is one of the best The Championship has to offer.

Returning from injury at right back will be Derek Geary, the terrier like full back makes up for a lack of height with his physicality and high work rate. At left full back is Gary Naysmith, another hard working physical player despite his lack of height. You may remember him from his Everton days, he joined The blades as part of the deal that took Phil Jagielka to Everton.

With captain Chris Morgan suspended, for his two bookings at Hull last week, the centre back pairing will be Matthew Kilgallon, who Blackwell managed at Leeds United and the vastly experienced Ugo Ehiogu, who has played European football and won trophies in England and Scotland. His lack of match practice could play into our hands, although he played the second half last week.

In midfield, on the right is the familiar face of David Cotterill, who has joined on loan from Wigan Athletic following his move from Bristol City for £2 million pounds. The Welsh international will be looking to put one over his former side to prove to Wigan boss Steve Bruce he is capable of Premiership football. On the left is young Stephen Quinn, who impressed during his debut season for The Blades in the Premiership, and has carried on that form, scoring last week in the win over Hull City. In the centre is the influential pairing of Gary Speed and Michael Tonge who offer a goal threat, creativity and the ability to run the pace of a match.

The strike partnership of Billy Sharp and James Beattie, rarely utilised under Robson has been a catalyst to the improved form of Sheffield United and Sharp has reacted positively scoring six goals and James Beattie a £4 million close season signing from Everton, has carried on his excellent goal scoring form and is now joint top scorer in The Championship with 2 goals alongside Kevin Phillips and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake. On the bench could see more quality players such as John Halls, Rob Hulse, Keith Gillespie and Jon Stead.

Kenny

Geary Ehiogu Kilgallon Naysmith

Cotterill Speed Tonge Quinn

Beattie Sharp

City News

Gary Johnson has decided that all squad members will travel to Bramall Lane, remaining tight lipped about his team selection and the fitness of key players Steve Brooker and Lee Johnson. The reserves again put in a fine performance in midweek, beating Bristol Rovers 6-1, with Darren Byfield, Enoch Showunmi and Scott Murray all getting on the score sheet. With form and confidence seemingly low, the squad could be shaken up by Gary Johnson, and an unlikely recall for Showunmi into the 16 is not ruled out following 5 goals in 2 games for the striker ot of contract this summer.

The second half performance against Stoke does give Johnson reason for some optimism and a large part of that performance was down to the introduction of Lee Trundle, who will be pushing for a start tomorrow. The right wing has been problematic in recent weeks despite an abundance of options there with Brian Wilson, Ivan Sproule and Scott Murray all placing indifferent performances in that position in recent weeks. Last week saw David Noble admirably take up the role despite his lack of pace, although surely this is a stop gap until tomorrow.

The quote from Johnson saying "I've done as much as I can" could imply that in recent weeks City have employed tactics to stop teams from playing, rather than playing our own game, like we had been doing before we hit this slump, so we could go back to a slightly more attacking team selection than Cole Skuse and Marvin Elliott in midfield, with perhaps the introduction of Lee Johnson, Nicky Carle or David Noble.

Gary Johnson has called upon his team to settle nerves and guarantee their playoff spot with a win at Bramall Lane, going into the final game against Preston North End, with the possibility of clinching promotion at Ashton Gate for the second season in sucession.

Ross Verbals

'It's Like A Playoff Match' - Stoke City Preview

Bristol City enter the next stage in their dramatic push for promotion tomorrow, when they travel to the Britannia Stadium to face promotion rivals Stoke City. The game, which Stoke City's official website has called ' The biggest game in recent history' will probably determine whether Bristol City can make automatic promotion a realisation, or if they will have to suffer the nerves of the play-offs. With just a point between the two teams, but an inferior goal difference it is clear why Adriano Basso claims "We must win this game."

Manager Gary Johnson feels no different, adding "All our thoughts and training are about winning. We realise the extent of this game, and the boys have to be mentally tough to deal with it. Stoke City have almost sold out their allocation, and Stoke City boss and Bristol City anti-hero Tony Pulis has given his battlecry to his supporters saying, " This place is rocking when there is over 20,000 people in here, we need to create an atmosphere like Bristol City did earlier in the season when they got decisions they shouldn't have because of the crowd."

Bristol City have sold 1,850 tickets out of an allocated 2,800, so perhaps Pulis' plan may come to fruition, although the City fans that are there will make their voices heard for Gary Johnson, who infamously demanded his sides fans "Bounce around the ground."

How They Line Up

Stoke City play percentage football, with Rory Delap's long throw meaning teams are constantly pinned inside their own penalty area, making it hard for the opposition to gain a rhythm to their play. You can be sure City have been in training practicing defending set-pieces, and Gary Johnson is under no illusions of what to expect, "It will be physical, like the match at Ashton Gate - that's the way Stoke City play.

Despite having the ability to play direct, and use physicality to win matches, Stoke also have players of genuine quality, and during the loan window they brought in two players with Premiership experience, in Shola Ameobi and Stephen Pearson. Injuries at Coventry last week, mean Ameobi may not start, and captain Andy Griffin will definitely be missing, so Pulis could re-shuffle his side.

In goal is Carlo Nash, an experienced goalie who has been in situations like this just a few years before, during his time with Preston North End.

The injury to Andy Griffin means Chris Riggott will probably shift to right-back, the former Derby and Boro player has European experience, but has been kept out of the side recently due to injury and the form of David Wheater. At left-back will be Chris Dickinson, a solid and dependable full back who is defensive minded, but better for it. At centre back, Leon Cort and Ryan Shawcross are formidable, both in defensive and attacking areas and are utilised well in both.

In midfield, Richard Cresswell is the striker playing on right wing. A former Bristol City target, he has impressed despite playing out wide. On the left is the much admired Liam Lawrence, who came back into the fold at Coventry last week as a substitute, and within 20 minutes of his introduction, he had scored the winning goal. Centre midfield will see two of Danny Pugh, Rory Delap, Glenn Whelan or Stephen Pearson trying to combat Marvin Elliott in the midfield area.

With Ameobi unlikely to start, it is Mamady Sidibe who is his ready made replacement. Tall, strong and leggy, he is crucial to the way Stoke will operate. Alongside him is the enigmatic Ricardo Fuller. Earlier in the season at Ashton Gate, despite everything going wrong for him and his entertaining strop, he showed glimpses of his pace, awareness and downright ability. He will be a big threat to Adriano Basso's goal.

Nash

Riggott Cort Shawcross Dickinson

Cresswell Delap Whelan Lawrence

Fuller Sidibe


City News

With the news of Lee Johnson and Jamie McCallister being fit enough to travel, Gary Johnson has a selection headache, especially when you add the performances of Lee Trundle, Enoch Showunmi, Scott Murray, Brian Wilson, Nicky Carle and Liam Fontaine amongst others in the 9-1 Gloucestershire Cup win over Cheltenham Town. Having played two battlers in central midfield against Wolves and keeping their equally impressive firing line quiet, will Johnson play a ball player in midfield aswell, at the expense of a striker in the much used 4-4-1-1 formation? McIndoe and Sproule have been quiet in recent weeks, and this game is crucial for our wingers who will be needed to support our forwards when we are not defending set pieces. Both are good dribblers, and they will need to show this when counter attacking at pace following a direct set-piece where Stoke's back line will be in our area.

The stage is set, and with just three games remaining this is a huge game and a game Bristol City must win to maintain hopes of automatic promotion. The atmosphere will be intimidating, and Stoke will provide an onslaught of attacks, but with the ability of Basso, the cohesion of the back four, the ball retention and the commitment of our midfield and the fight of our forwards, this is a winnable game. If you are going to the game, light your candles, sing your hearts out and bounce around the ground.

If not, tune into the match at 5.20 PM, and enjoy another rollercoaster of a Championship contest. C'mon you reds!

Ross Casey

The Importance of Being Brooker

With odds of 33/1 to win The Championship at the beginning of the season, Bristol City lie second in the table despite having been ridiculed as pretenders and lambasted as a lucky side from many amateur and professional broadcasters, despite being in the top six for the majority of the season.

Manager Gary Johnson, currently managing at the highest club standard of his career has masterminded the ascent of Yeovil from non-league giantkillers to League One before making the short trip to Bristol City, where in his first full season with The Reds he guided them into The Championship, after a nine year absence.

So, here we are, with four games left of The Championship season, with Bristol City poised to join the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United in the Premier League. With West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City, Hull City and Watford all still in contention for automatic promotion, include Wolves to that list if they defeat Bristol City tomorrow, the list is vast and the next four games will feature twists and turns just as the rest of this topsy-turvy season.

When residing in League One, for those long nine seasons, the argument of Bristol City being a sleeping giant was used when we defeated the likes of Gillingham and Cheltenham, so being in The Championship has been a chance to prove that point. The management team have stepped up to the plate and on modest financial grounds, City have beaten the likes of Southampton, Sheffield United and Watford, and lie above everyone but West Bromwich Albion in the league table.

Those modest financial grounds became apparent during the transfer windows, where our rivals spent millions on transfer fees and wages, and we spent £800,000 on Nicky Carle and Dele Adebola. Wolves spent £2 million on Sylvain Ebanks - Blake, Stoke paid big money bringing in Shola Ameobi on loan and West Bromwich Albion are prepared to sign Luke Moore for £3.5 million pounds. What Bristol City do have in their ranks, however, is Steve Brooker.

The 26 year old forward returned to fitness after an 18 month absence through injury. A strong, intelligent and influential player, the £150,000 capture from Port Vale struck a partnership with Leroy Lita scoring 12 in his first season with the club. Brooker became a lynchpin of the side following Lita's departure to Reading and the failed signings such as Marcus Stewart and Michael Bridges, meant he partnered the less talented, but hard working Bas Savage for a large part of the following season.

His struggle with injury began and, despite a handful of appearances, it looked for a time that the cult hero would have to retire at an appalingly young age. He battled for 18 long months fighting the mental and physical pain, and following a successful loan spell in League One with Cheltenham Town, Brooker was ready to return to the City fold.

A fortnight ago, Norwich City came to Ashton Gate and equalised with 20 minutes remaining, with the wind against us and a tirade of yellow and green attacks flooding towards Adriano Basso's goal, it seemed we had let 3 points slip away. The team could not get out of their own half, and Norwich were closing in on the winner. Ashton Gate fell silent, seeing the Premier League dream fall by the wayside.

Enter Steve Brooker from the substitutes bench, and hope, faith and atmosphere rose again in the form of rapturous applause from the Ashton Gate crowd. Brooker ran onto the pitch, not to indulge in the well deserved reception, but with a quick clap to the fans, his only focus was earning 3 points for the club that stood by him in his injury plagued season. In the 3rd minute of three minutes of injury time, the Hollywood ending unveiled itself from the big screen and Brooker headed in the winner, as the metaphorical roof was lifted off Ashton Gate.

So, whilst their rivals have bought big with Premiership experience, Bristol City have the player who has a history at his club, a following and ultimately the passion to just be playing football again.

Ross Verbals