Bristol City boss not planning many changes

BRISTOL City boss Derek McInnes is refusing to make wholesale changes in response to Saturday's shock 5-3 home defeat at the hands of title favourites Blackburn Rovers.

The Robins return to Championship action at bottom-of-the-table Peterborough United tonight and McInnes is prepared to give those players who struggled at the weekend an opportunity to put things right.

City defended poorly as a team and centre-backs Liam Fontaine and Louis Carey particularly came in for criticism after Rovers poached two stoppage-time goals to take all three points.

But McInnes is keeping faith with those players who have performed well for him in the past and is expected to keep changes to a minimum at London Road.

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He said: "We recognise there were one or two who had a poor game, but that's the way it is.

"I think it would be wrong to vilify individuals too much, especially those who have done so well for us in the past.

"We all have bad days, but I'm sure they will continue to do well for us in the future."

Having twice fought back to level Saturday's match at 3-3, City continued to push for a fourth goal and left themselves open at the back.

Although Peterborough are committed to playing attacking football and the game is expected to be an open affair, McInnes will tonight order a return to the disciplined performances that made the Robins hard to beat in earlier games this season.

He said: "Peterborough are a very open team and they have always taken a real pride in their attacking play and fluidity in the middle of the park.

"They open the game up, make the pitch big and look to ask questions of you. Although they have had a disappointing start, Peterborough do have some good players at this level and things are sure to change for them.

"We have to make sure we are ready for that. If we restrict their better players and stop them affecting the game, we certainly have enough good players within our team to win the game.

"I know it sounds ridiculous, but there was not a lot wrong with our performance on Saturday. There was a lot that was positive and we were just a bit naïve in our defending.

"It's important for me that we work hard and make ourselves difficult to score against. I thought we were difficult to play against on Saturday, but we gifted a lot of goals.

"We know where we can improve and, hopefully, we will show a lot more resolve in terms of not conceding goals.

"We have to make sure we are better and avoid chasing a win on the back of Saturday's result."

Striker Sam Baldock has fully recovered from the groin/stomach problem that saw him start on the bench at the weekend and the £1 million signing from West Ham is pushing for a recall after scoring against Blackburn.

Right-back Mark Wilson also trained yesterday after shaking off the effects of a tight hamstring, but fellow Scot Richard Foster is expected to start.