Ten Games To Go: Can Bristol City secure a place in this year's play-offs?

Ten Games To Go: Can Bristol City secure a place in this year's play-offs?

Posted on: 13 Mar 2019

Currently 6th in the Championship table with just ten games to go in the 2018/19 season, Bristol City are in with a serious shout of securing a play-off place and competing for that all-important final promotion spot to the promised land of the Premier League. Competition is tight and any slip-ups will certainly be costly, making this the most important period of the season for The Robins.

City celebrate scoring in their last league victory, a 2-1 win over QPR.

Despite looking certain to remain in the playoff places early in 2019 following a nine-game winning run that saw them go unbeaten in December and January, City have dropped off in recent weeks and are now in a real scrap to stay in 6th place. Their last win came in early February - a 2-1 home victory over struggling QPR - and they've since picked up just two points from a possible 15 in the league.

 

City's form has been up and down throughout the 2018/19 Championship campaign, offsetting that incredible 15-game unbeaten streak either side of Christmas with four consecutive losses in November and their current winless run which has seen them jeopardise their chances of competing in the playoffs.

 

With Famara Diedhiou their outright top scorer with 11 for the season, the only Robins player to have hit double figures so far, manager Lee Johnson will be looking for his other squad members to step up and start adding more goals to their game as we approach the final few fixtures of the season.

City's Jack Hunt in action against Preston North End.

Just eight points currently separate 5th place from 13th, meaning that at least two of the Championship playoff positions are still very much up for grabs. Seven of City's final ten games of the season are against teams around them looking to move up the table - they have fixtures against Sheffield United, Middlesborough, West Brom, Aston Villa, Sheffield Wednesday, Derby and Hull to look forward to - so it's vital that they find some form soon to stand any chance of going up to English football's top tier. 

 

With games against relegation candidates Wigan, Reading and Millwall (currently 19th, 20th & 21st in the league) still to play, there's certainly a good amount of points still up for grabs and a chance for Bristol to establish a bit of breathing space ahead of the teams directly below them. They'll have to raise their game though, and performances like their most recent match last night - a dismal 1-1 draw against bottom club Ipswich - simply won't be good enough.

 

City's last three games of the season are against Derby (H), Millwall (A) and Hull (H), and these may well decide their fate in the 2018/19 season. Find a full list of their remaining ten Championship fixtures below, and make sure to get yourself down to Ashton Gate Stadium for as many of their remaining home matches as possible to get behind the side and push them up the table.

 

Sheffield United (A) - 3pm, Sat 30th March

Middlesborough (A) - 7.45pm, Tue 2nd April

Wigan Athletic (H) - 3pm, Sat 6th April

West Bromwich Albion (H) - 7.45pm, Tue 9th April

Aston Villa (A) - 3pm, Sat 13th April

Reading (H) - 12pm, Fri 19th April

Sheffield Wednesday (A) - 3pm, Mon 22nd April

Derby County (H) - 3pm, Sat 27th April

Millwall (A) - 7.45pm, Tue 30th April

Hull City (H) - 12.30pm, Sun 5th May

 

For more information on Bristol City's season so far, their upcoming fixtures, or to get tickets for their remaining 2018/19 Championship fixtures, visit their website or go direct to their official box office.

 

Our official 365Bristol Premier League Fantasy Football league will be running again in the 2019/20 season with a prize of £200 for the winners - contact us with your email address and 'Fantasy Football' in the subject line to be added to our reminders list ahead of the start of the season!


Article by:

Matt Robson

 

Editor - 365Bristol.com & LOUD Magazine
 

Matt is a Journalism graduate and writer, passionate about supporting Bristol music, art and independent business. Get in touch via email at matt@365bristol.com.