‘After a season full of masterstrokes, we shouldn’t lost hope just yet’

When the final whistle went last Saturday, two thirds of Bristol had a moment of reflection. They had just experienced a performance that almost seemed alien. Where was this free-flowing football that had lead us to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup and at one point second place in the Championship?

Our team had been championed up and down the country when our attacking mindset and outstanding movement had conquered four Premier League teams, including an historic win over Manchester United, on our way to a fascinating two legs versus Manchester City in which we finally succumbed to the best team on the planet.

What it is that has caused this abysmal recent run of just one win in 13 games? Many were waiting desperately for Famara Diedhiou and he returned in the 0-0 draw away to Derby. He immediately impressed everyone with his hold-up play, considering he was out for so long. Lee Johnson remarked that his return would mean there would be no need to play ‘perfect’ football any more, and that we could now hit the percentage passes to our strong target man and get the team up and around him. His return to the side had been met with comparisons of a new signing and it was clear to see he had transformed not only the team but the way we were able to play.

Whilst January ended on a high with a 2-0 home win against QPR, February was highly depressing from start to end. Zero wins. No inspirational changes or switches from our manager during any of these games; something we saw so regularly during the impressive first half of the season. Having been to away matches like Brentford, Hull and Fulham, I have seen first-hand moments of perfection from Lee Johnson where he has transformed the team in minutes using both substitutions and tactical tweaks.

Of all the moments of magical genius our manager had this season, one, of course, sticks out. The transformation of Bobby Reid: who would have even imagined him being a championship star striker? The answer is Lee Johnson. With 14 goals in the Championship, he is arguably the most important player in our team, and nobody embodies our philosophy more than him. The endless hard work mixed with the occasional piece of outrageous skill is something we’ve become accustomed to on a weekly basis and long may it continue. The return of his partner in crime, Diedhiou, has no doubt helped him. He seems refreshed and at times even more energetic, which I am sure for many didn’t seem possible. We now have two players scoring more than ten goals for the first time since the 2014/15 season.

After Reid had scored a last-minute equaliser away to Brentford, Lee Johnson strolled into the media room with a grin on his face and remarked how it was a “masterstroke” to move Reid upfront on his own. He was right to call it that, and for the next few months we would see numerous occasions where Johnson would get it right. The use of a five-man midfield outclassed Fulham at Craven Cottage; the dual introduction of Niclas Eliasson and Milan Djuric inspired a comeback that I’ll never forget away to Hull.

In recent weeks, however, we no longer expect impact from the bench. Is it due to a lack of depth in the squad? Callum O’Dowda’s long-term injury has without doubt had a serious affect on us as a team. In his absence, Ryan Kent has been loaned in and has started most our of our recent games with not as much impact as many would have hoped. The other two January signings have had mixed times too. Liam Walsh already looks more than capable to play at this level but hasn’t featured much. Someone who has, however, is Lois Diony: a man who has apparently been looked at and scouted for 24 months by our staff.

The impact of our January signings will be a big factor in how we finish the season, and with our squad returning to full strength, we will hopefully be able to witness more impactful substitutions and changes. After a season full of masterstrokes, we shouldn’t lose hope just yet. The use of our bench and fringe players was something that really helped us maintain our high position. A failure to use it in the end-of-season run-in could result in serious disappointment.