Just had a watch of Bristols highlights, they have a strong side, with pace in the wide areas and have been playing a straight 4-4-2. They seem very good going forward and use their width very effectively getting a lot of their goals from crosses from the wingers or the wingers cutting inside. O'Dowda and Watkins on either flank will be the key to the game if we can keep them quite we'll give ourselves a great chance, but the flip side being they'll be looking to exploit the space we leave in those areas as we attack on the counter.
Weimann has done oustanding since he moved to Bristol in the summer and will be their main target up front and i expect Diedhiou who hasn't been a regular this season will be coming in to partner him and he looks quite a quick and exciting player who can beat a man and he's been getting a couple of goals from the bench.
But they do seem a little suspect at the back, and have made a few bad mistakes this season under pressure. They have a young full back Llyod Kelly whos been responsible for a few mistakes in the last couple of games that cost them goals. So he could be one to target for an exceptionally hard press when he gets in posession around his box.
Bristol have done really well so far this season and after Brentford they are by far the best team we've faced so far. It will be really tough, especially if we are going to be missing first teamers. A draw tonight would not be a bad result at all, but a win is by no means beyond us if we can play to our best. The important factor is no matter what injuries we have that we maintain our passing game and some pace / pentration out wide and not resort to the long ball to Vaughan. Bristol will come to go toe to toe with us so these are the type of games that suit us if we go into them like we did with Forest and Sheffield with no fear rather than Brentford where we gvae them too much respect.
Both sides have played 3 games in 6 day, that is no doubt going to effect our high energy pressing game especially as the game goes on. But one factor could be this is their second away game in 4 days when the turn around is so quick and teams have to travel a decent distance i always wonder if that disrupts preperation as i know some teams don't like to travel on the day of games and prefer to go down the day before.
Fingers crossed we can turn in another good performance and get at least a point. We know Nick Powell seems to up his game when the cameras are there and the spotlight on him, so hopefully he'll be at his absolute best tonight as we'll need him to be.