Bristol City To Compete For The Championship Crown In 2018/19?

It was a case of close but no cigar for Bristol City in 2017/18. The Robins enjoyed a strong start to the campaign but the Carabao Cup turned out to be an unwelcome distraction for the club. Bristol City’s league form has tailed off since the start of 2018 and regrettably, Lee Johnson’s men missed out on a playoff spot. The immediate focus now turns to the transfer window and building ahead of next season.

A 3-2 defeat to Sheffield United on the final day of the campaign meant that Bristol City finished down in 11th position. With club owner Steve Lansdown confirming that the long-term plan is to keep Johnson at the helm for many years, fans should be assured that he is not going to head to West Bromwich Albion despite strong links in the media. Johnson can guide Bristol City to the top flight with the right backing…

Asked Lee Johnson if he’d be at Bristol City next season, he said “of course I will” and he loves it at the club. Cannot see him going to West Beom.

— Michelle Owen (@MichelleOwen7) May 6, 2018

Too many draws cost the Robins dearly in their pursuit of promotion. Bristol City finished the season with 16 draws - the joint-highest number in England’s second tier. Had the Robins won five of those matches, they’d have finished in the fourth and final playoff spot. There is a small margin for error in the Championship and, unfortunately, Johnson’s men fell short in 2017/18.

Offensively, Johnson’s side fared well this season – although many of their statistics have been skewed after a much stronger first half of the campaign. The Robins notched 67 goals in their 46 league games; only six teams hit the back of the net more frequently than that. Scoring goals wasn’t an issue for Bristol City in the cup either; fans will remember that quarter-final victory over Manchester United for the rest of their lives.

Bristol City’s main trouble came at the other end of the pitch. Clean sheets were few and far between at Ashton Gate this season and Johnson will be prioritising defensive stability this summer. Whether the Robins need to bring players in or simply tweak their formation at the back slightly, only time will tell. Allowing your opponents to score 58 goals in 46 games isn’t good enough; work must be done during the offseason.

Ahead of the 2017/18 playoffs, Bristol City will be quietly confident of competing for the title next season. Fulham and Aston Villa, priced at 13/8 and 15/8 respectively in bet365’s latest Championship betting odds, will both be there or thereabouts again but Johnson could be Bristol City’s difference maker. Praised by Pep Guardiola after the Carabao Cup semi-finals, the Robins boss looks destined for greatness.

Optimism will grow at Ashton Gate ahead of the 2018/19 campaign – all of the signs point towards a positive year for Bristol City. Signing a few key names in the transfer window will help to keep players on their toes and competition will be good for the entire squad. Watch this space; with the right support, Lee Johnson can lead Bristol City to automatic promotion next season. The Championship title is a realistic objective