“Nobody can predict us” – Bristol City boss Struber on injury crisis ahead of Watford clash | OneFootball

Bristol City manager Gerhard Struber revealed Watford won’t be able to predict his side’s tactics ahead of an important clash at Ashton Gate in their push for the Championship playoffs.

The Robins are four points off the top six in eighth, following a run of two wins in the last five matches including a 2-1 win over Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park last time out.

But defender Rob Atkinson was ruled out for at least 10 weeks with a ruptured ankle ligament after a bad tackle from Yuki Ohashi, to add to fellow defenders Rob Dickie and Luke McNally on the sidelines for the long term.

While this gives Struber quite the selection headache, he was keen to remind those in attendance at his pre-match press conference that Bristol are already well-accustomed to changes in shape.

He said: It’s bad news, he might not be available until the end of the season, around ten weeks. This is of course a really big hit for us and for the team, but we have to deal with that.

“We have played in a back four in some moments in a good direction, we of course play many times in a back three but it is very special, what is coming, nobody can predict us.”

Atkinson has featured 25 times in the league for Struber so far this term, having not made an appearance for the West Country outfit in over two years prior to this due to other injuries.

The Austrian also confirmed that Joe Williams has suffered another hamstring injury and will be out for the next few weeks, but couldn’t provide a date for his return.

A big boost for City, however, is that Scottish right-back Ross McCrorie will be available again following a concussion.

Speaking on the importance of performing well in the upcoming three-game week, Struber said: “We need to find the right consistency, the right load and the right triggers for the boys to bring the points home.

“The games are coming and you have to do it in the best direction, it’s not the time to moan. This means something for us, it’s a really good chance.”

The 49-year-old went on to speak about how deadline day signings Tomi Horvat and Noah Eile have fitted into his squad so far, praising the character of his dressing room.

He said: “When you have players with the right mentality and a good character it’s easy to integrate them, we have a great team of characters and this makes everything for a player really easy to jump in and come together.

“It’s a really good dynamic in the dressing room.”

These two sides have already met twice this season, a 1-1 draw in the league at Vicarage Road and then a massive 5-1 win at Ashton Gate for The Robins in the FA Cup 3rd Round, courtesy of an Emil Riis Jakobsen hat-trick.

Both sides made changes that day, with Struber insisting that it will be a tougher task this time around.

“We cannot compare this game with the FA Cup game that we had some weeks ago”, Struber said.

“They are a really good team and have a new coach which is a little bit different and more direct and powerful in transition.

It will be a really interesting game to watch but at the same time a really tough game for us.”