"We are heading in the right direction" says Bristol City boss Sean O'Driscoll
Bristol City head coach Sean O’Driscoll is adamant his players are making very real progress in their fight for Championship survival.
The Robins may be propping up the table right now, but Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Blackpool represented a notable improvement on what had gone before.
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Bristol City's Cole Skuse made his comeback from injury as a substitute at Blackpool and could feature against Brighton on Tuesday.
Not only did O’Driscoll’s team register a first away clean sheet of the season, they also ended a depressing sequence of six successive defeats on the road, a record of under-achievement that was threatening to undermine all their good work at Ashton Gate.
City are now just two points adrift of safety, but O’Driscoll declared: “It is all about performances, not points.
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“The key to it all is being consistent and that is the most consistent we have been in a game from start to finish since I’ve been here.
“We cannot worry about outcomes, because it is performances that are important and we have to be consistent in those. That was another good performance and another step in the right direction.
“We were good against Barnsley last week, but then tailed off and conceded three goals. We’ve not tailed off this time and we’ve managed to keep a clean sheet away from home, which is something we have been striving for.
“There has been progress with every game ever since I first came to the club, starting with the opening 1-0 defeat at Leeds.
“There is now an understanding of what they need to do and they are taking little steps. They know what they have to so and they know how to do it, so it is coming along.”
Promotion-chasing Brighton and Middlesbrough visit Ashton Gate tomorrow and Saturday respectively and City have an opportunity to haul themselves out of the bottom three for the first time since O’Driscoll succeeded the sacked Derek McInnes in mid-January.
He added: “It is a quick turnaround and we now have to try and do it again against Brighton, who are a totally different team.
“Everybody has to switch on to what we have to do and then make sure they do it from the first to the last whistle.”
City’s head coach retained the side that defeated Barnsley 5-3 last time out, but must now decide whether to make changes to guard against the effects of tiredness.
Midfielder Cole Skuse and striker Sam Baldock were back in the squad at Blackpool after recovering from injury, while central defender Louis Carey is also expected to be available to face Brighton after several weeks spent on the sidelines nursing a knee problem.
O’Driscoll told The Post: “Tired legs are endemic in the Championship, because there are a lot of games on Saturdays and Tuesdays.
“You often see teams do well on the Saturday and then fall down on the Tuesday. It is one of those; do you change the team or keep it the same?
“Having players back from injury is good because, if we go a goal down, I now have the likes of Albert (Adomah) and Sam (Baldock) to come on if I need to gamble a bit.
“With Cole, It was nice to have an old experienced head to come on and help us see the game out.”
14 Comments
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by manchestergas
Tuesday, March 05 2013, 9:50PM
“another draw.
obviously still heading in the right direction?
everyone else (bar Sheff Wed) got a point and more importantly Wolves and Huddersfield got three.
Are we going to see the famous BCFC 1982 mathematics coming out that claims that a point is a great result even though you dropped to the bottom on sat? Only 3 points from saftey now. DOH”
by ashton_yate
Monday, March 04 2013, 9:19PM
“at least the gas seem to have a s.o.h, it must come from all the years of watching fools and clowns, oh and baked beans and sprouts work really well”
by Iaintno82er
Monday, March 04 2013, 6:41PM
“The Queens pants have more chance of staying up, even with gastroenteritis, than Bristol City have at present!
You'll never get rid of the Gas!!!!!”
by THEIRONS
Monday, March 04 2013, 6:09PM
“Ashton ass- iaintgotabrain-- we have at last found a new Hinge and Bracket.”
by piledriver
Monday, March 04 2013, 4:53PM
“@ashtongas:
£40?
Madman That could have bought you a ST at Rovers, couldn't it?
One of the 2,000 they sold-Well done.
@Iaintno82er:
17th in Div 4.
Real progress and such a great pitch and stadium to play in.
Trashton-It's like Wembley compared to your place.”
by marmeliser
Monday, March 04 2013, 1:08PM
“form is temporary. class is permanent”
by redhead111
Monday, March 04 2013, 12:50PM
“how sad you did not have the money on your team to go up, thats commitment for you. Even at the start of season you had no faith in your team. Another gash ed concentrating on city instead of his own team and there is rovers problem. Nice one, and when we stay up you will feel even more sick and stupid than you already are
OTIB”
by westywardy
Monday, March 04 2013, 12:44PM
“Of course you did Ashtongas.”
by ashtongas
Monday, March 04 2013, 12:01PM
“had 40 quid on city to go down this season at 10/1 thank you dm ,sod and sl for all your help keep it up utg”
by redhead111
Monday, March 04 2013, 11:52AM
“forget the re-branding / renamimg of the diviions it will always be known as division 4 to me. Calling it league 2 give it a false reflection of how poorly they are doing. The will stay up (just) this season but when the loan players go back it will be business os normal for next season. low to mid table and ward gone by christmas, just like the last 2 years with buckle and then mcgee. joke division joke club and joke fans.
OTIB”