Bristol City head coach Liam Manning believes that the Robins are making progress, despite a poor attacking display in their 1-0 defeat by Swansea City on Sunday.
The Reds had 19 shots in the loss, 16 of which were taken within the box, and also had 36 touches in the opposition’s penalty area, but could only muster three shots on target.
With a win over one of their fiercest rivals, Manning’s side would move into the Sky Bet Championship playoff places, after results went their way on Saturday afternoon, but the Robins were hit by a smash and grab performance by Luke Williams’ Swans.
The BS3 outfit have been hard to beat at Ashton Gate this season, losing just three league games, but have managed to score just 12 goals from open play on their home turf, despite being second to Leeds United in the least amount of time spent in their own third, in home games this season.
When asked whether the City boss believed his side were improving as a group, he replied with “definitely”.
“We’re trying to do something quite big at the club, right? No one has got any given right for it to just happen and click overnight. I think there’s no secret, it’s hard graft,” he said.
“But that’s the bit for me, for a while now, if you look at what this group has done so far this season to hit a level of consistency with performances, I genuinely believe if you keep doing that, and you learn from the experiences, which is why we do the work that we do, then you will improve.”
City had plenty of chances to take the lead in the first half of an entertaining affair, with Jason Knight forcing Swansea goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux into an acrobatic save to his right after nine minutes, when his head connected powerfully with midfield partner Max Bird’s corner.
SAVE – Lawrence Vigouroux is forced to dive to deny a powerful Jason Knight header.
— Bristol City Live (@bristolcitylive) February 9, 2025
Great save to stop an impressive Max Bird corner.
09'| 0-0 | #BristolCity🔴⚪️
They troubled the opposition from another set piece fourteen minutes later, when Luke McNally struck a wide dipping Scott Twine free-kick on the volley, and forced Vigouroux to scramble across goal and poke the ball out for a corner.
A further two set-piece opportunities created two more chances, but the Robins couldn’t take them, with Rob Dickie heading wide, and over the bar after 25 and 35 minutes respectively.
Manning’s side was made to pay for the several wasted first-half chances after 56 minutes, when a wide-open Josh Tymon tapped home, pouncing after Max O’Leary palmed a strike from Goncalo Franco, and hitting on the rebound.
73rd minute substitute Sam Bell provided the Robins’ best chance from open play, when his low effort that was heading for the bottom right corner was tipped onto the post by Vigouroux three minutes after being introduced.
The Reds piled forward in the final minutes, but couldn’t rescue a point, with the Swans and under pressure boss Luke Williams taking all three points back across the Severn Bridge.
“It’s frustrating, right? We were good in every aspect bar the result, and I’m sure everybody’s feeling the same right now, as in terms of the performance level there are so many positives to take from it,” Manning said.
“We should be ahead at halftime, but the keeper makes two terrific saves. I thought Rob Dickie had a really good header as well, that he put over.
“So I thought we had some really good moments, there were really a lot of positives, the press was good, the purpose, the intent was good.
“But a five-minute spell in the second half cost us really, where I felt we became a little bit passive, collectively.”
Luckily, City won’t be able to spend much time dwelling over the result, as they welcome Stoke City on Wednesday evening, where they will be hoping to bounce back, and keep in touch with the top six.
When asked about the chance of an instant bounceback with the quick turnaround; “That’s where I think you can see the real strength of the group,” Manning responded
“We’ve had a few of these this season already; it’s then about how you respond, and how you bounce back, and you see every time, for me the lads consistently are all in.”
