Bristol City predicted team to face Sheffield Wednesday: Lee Johnson to ring the changes Our City writer names his side to bag the points from must-win Championship encounter. Bristol City must overturn, tear up, burn down and thoroughly stamp on the ashes of the form book as they face Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday. Only Hull City have had worse results over the last six Championship games and with most teams in the English second tier playing on Saturday, the Robins may well be in dire need of a victory come Sunday to keep pace with the runners and riders looking for a place in the top six. That neighbours Cardiff City and Swansea have started to find form is another blow for City fans, whose club have still to find any sustained form following their January recruitment. As for the side to face Sheffield Wednesday, we hear that Lee Johnson is set to make sweeping changes. And key players Benik Afobe and Nahki Wells need to be integrated with Johnson explaining that both are fully fit in the pre-match press conference. Indeed, City look to be in good health going into the game, with just Pedro Pereira out for several weeks with a thigh injury. Goalkeeper and defence We tip Dan Bentley to remain in goal at the weekend following a poor performance in nets last Saturday but following a strong defence of him mounted by head coach Lee Johnson in front of the media in mid-week. While we personally would go for the Finnish shot-stopper we believe Johnson will keep faith with a goalkeeper who has conceded more goals individually this season than any other English second tier goalkeeper bar George Long of Hull. In front, we expect Jack Hunt to replace the injured Pedro Pereira and Jay Dasilva to come in on the left with City expected to do more attacking than at Ewood Park, where Tommy Rowe filled in and grabbed an asssist. Tomas Kalas and Nathan Baker could remain the central defensive partnership but we would not be too surprised if Ashley Williams and Filip Benkovic were handed recalls given the many defensive errors in Lancashire. Midfield Korey Smith will presumably keep his place as the current captain of the side and after being put forward for media duties this week. Alongside him Adam Nagy is due for a recall and is fully fit to play but it could be that Han-Noah Massengo is persevered with, despite an off-colour showing at Ewood Park. We predict a three man attack with Andi Weimann and Nahki Wells, so in that case with a two-man central midfield we foresee Jamie Paterson continuing in an attacking midfield role behind the attackers. Attack As mentioned, we believe that Johnson will recall Andi Weimann and use him in a three-man attack, with a first start since September for Benik Afobe. Johnson hinted that Famara Diedhiou had picked up a knock last week so Nahki Wells may well take the last attacking spot, through the middle. This innovative selection has plenty of strong options to come from the bench if needed, such as Kasey Palmer, Niclas Eliasson, Tomas Kalas and the aforementioned Diedhiou. Predicted Bristol City team (4-2-1-3): Bentley; Hunt, Williams, Benkovic, Dasilva; Smith, Nagy; Paterson; Weimann, Wells, Afobe https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/bristol-city-predicted-team-face-4269195
TEAM NEWS Bristol City striker Andreas Weimann is available for Sunday’s Sky Bet Championship clash with Sheffield Wednesday after returning to full training following a positive coronavirus test. The 28-year-old Austria international missed last Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at Blackburn as a result, but has since re-joined his team-mates on the training pitch and is in contention for Lee Johnson’s matchday squad. Midfielder Adam Nagy is also available after missing out last weekend. However, full-back Pedro Pereira is facing up to four weeks on the sidelines after a scan confirmed he suffered a five centimetre tear in a thigh muscle at Ewood Park, where he was replaced a half-time. Morgan Fox and Fernando Forestieri could make their final appearances for Wednesday at Ashton Gate. Defender Fox and striker Forestieri, like injured team-mate Steven Fletcher, have rejected contract offers and will leave the club when their existing deals expire next week. Fletcher limped off just six minutes after coming on as a substitute in last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough as Connor Wickham’s late strike snatched a point, and, although a scan has revealed no lasting damage, he has not trained all week and is unlikely to be involved. Wigan loanee Josh Windass remains a doubt as he fights his way back from a knock, while frontman Sam Winnall is nursing a niggle. 15:58 please log in to view this image WHAT THE MANAGERS SAID... Bristol City's Lee Johnson: “It’s going to be strange but again there are no excuses. It was strange at Blackburn but we didn’t have an excuse. The ball hasn’t changed, the pitch size hasn’t changed and the grass hasn’t changed. There’s no excuses, we have to go out there and beat Sheffield Wednesday and put in an aggressive senior performance. “We had a home-truths session and the players were good. They have been fantastic as have the staff but there were just too many errors [at Blackburn]. We have moved on from that now, we’ve had three good days of training, it’s been aggressive and on the front foot, so it’s up to the boys who will be selected as we cross the white line to bring their best performance.” Sheffield Wednesday's Garry Monk: “We’ve had another full week to prepare which is good. Then after this we have little time between games. That’s the challenge for all of us, it’s a little bit strange. But I think we look good, the players have worked incredibly hard to be in as good a condition as possible and we showed that in the last game. “We were very unlucky not to win the game last week. We’ll be showing the same attitude as we did against Forest and we know we can beat those types of teams that are above us in the league. We have a lot of games against teams above us and it’s an opportunity to drag them closer to us.” please log in to view this image PRE-MATCH STATS Bristol City have lost their last three league games against Sheffield Wednesday, including a 2-1 home defeat last season. Sheffield Wednesday haven’t kept an away league clean sheet at Bristol City since May 1921, conceding in 21 consecutive such visits since. Bristol City have kept just two clean sheets in their last 10 home league games, shipping at least twice in seven games in that run (19 conceded in total). Sheffield Wednesday have won just one of their last 11 league games (D4 L6), while they lost their last away league game 0-5 back in March (against Brentford). Bristol City have scored a league-high 19 headed goals in the Championship this season, and a league-low one goal from outside the box. 15:58 please log in to view this image PRUTTON'S PREDICTION Bristol City started well at Blackburn last Saturday but then fell away. They are still right in contention for a play-off spot but a couple more defeats could see that hope end. Sheffield Wednesday can't really go up or down, but that late goal against Nottingham Forest last week shows they haven't just turned up after the suspension to make up the numbers. Draw here for me. David Prutton predicts: 1-1 ()
Got to go for this today, LJ has got to lead our team to victory, right team selection, winning tactics, timely substitutions, if we fail it's down to him, if we win he gets the plaudits, it's got to be a win, Up the City.
Lee Johnson talks team selection He told BBC Radio Bristol: It wasn't good enough last week. I was really disappointing. For some reason we didn't have the pitch personality. It's quite a bold team selection. There was a couple in there who probably needed the extra week. It's a front three today that we haven't seen before that can cause the opposition problems. The key is that we settle into the game and are aggressive. It'll be an interesting front three if it works. I pick the team really early because we have the big chat Monday. It's probably one of the most experienced sides I've put out for Bristol City. We believe that Nahki is a really good finisher. Fam had a couple of really good chances at 1-1 [against Blackburn] and picked up a thigh strain as well so he missed the first couple of days training.
Sky pundits have their say on City's form Clinton Morrison and former Robin Gary O'Neill have both weighed in on City's last game. Morrison said: Really disappointing. They've not been in good form even before lockdown. Tony Mowbray even said at 1-1 it was comfortable and that's unusual. If a manager come s out and says that they need to start producing. Gary O'Neil said: It's hard to put your finger on it. We'd have these runs even when I was there. They don't seem to be able to shake that trait. Lee felt they had came back fit and I think that was a shock to him.
OFFICIAL team news Seven changes for City today. Your #BristolCity team! Hunt replaces injured Pereira Afobe & Wells start Seven changes #BRCSHW pic.twitter.com/RMSBl4Yhps — Bristol City FC (@BristolCity) June 28, 2020
Best striker partnership in the league? Fans are getting excited about the Wells/Afobe combo. forget everything else, we’ve got one of the best strike partnerships in the division up top today♂️ — kory (@bcfckory) June 28, 2020
Ashton Gate vibes from our City reporter Eerily quiet in BS3 currently. Both teams have finished their warmups and have gone back inside. No crowd of course but about 150 media plus supports staff. And crowders too. Section 82 looks good with flags out. Pitch looking lush, sun out. The view from the press box. #BristolCity pic.twitter.com/X6sbHFFhJu — Gregor MacGregor (@GeeMacGee) June 28, 2020
Goal: 0-1 (Wickham) The Wednesday striker is not picked up at a corner and flicks in at the near post.
More on the goal Open start to this game and it’s a striker who was heavily linked with City last January who opens the scoring. Where was the marking lads. Dreadful defending and City are losing. Not the start required - despite the Robins actually beginning well.
The Sound of the Gate Interesting to hear how loud certain players are on the pitch with no crowd. Williams and Smith standing out. City quiet in terms of their play currently, mind.
Bannon as always on top of his game. However that nudge in the box would have been a foul anywhere else on the pitch.
Home Team Bristol City Away Team Sheff Wed Possession Home 57% Away 43% Shots Home 1 Away 2 Shots on Target Home 1 Away 1 Corners Home 3 Away 4 Fouls Home 7 Away 10 1 shot on target, that is bad.
