Assistant head coach Chris Hogg has commended Bristol City boss Liam Manning as he returned to the touchline at Ashton Gate for his side’s 0-0 draw with Leeds United after a couple of weeks of compassionate leave following the tragic passing of his newborn son.
The Robins began the afternoon well in BS3, having speculative efforts at goal in the first half, before Leeds found their footing and began to take control.
Max O’Leary pulled off some strong stops to deny Daniel James and Willy Gnonto as the Whites then began to push for an opener in the second period, going close with strikes from Brenden Aaronson and Mateo Joseph, with Gnonto having an effort cleared off the line by Zak Vyner.
With their unbeaten run now extended to seven games, the Reds performed well against a quality Leeds side during such difficult circumstances off the pitch.
“It speaks volumes of the character of Liam to be out, front and centre,” Hogg declared in his post match press conference.
“He had a couple of options where he could be inside, he could be up in the stands, but I think it speaks volumes about him as a person. With the tribute at the start with the supporters in the stadium at half six, seven o’clock organising everything, just a big thank you to them for that and their support and everything that’s gone in over the last two weeks. The support and togetherness behind the scenes for Liam and his family has been massive. The last two weeks is a real strength in terms of Bristol City the football club and the wider football community, but also I know that the family’s taken big strength in it all over the course of the last few weeks.”
The Manning family has been inundated with support from the footballing world since the tragedy, with it painting a picture of just how positively impactful and united football can be.
Prior to the day’s draw with Leeds, City had beaten Middlesbrough and drawn with Stoke City since the October international break when Manning began his leave, and followed those positive performances up with another one against Daniel Farke’s side in such horrible context off the pitch.
“Leeds are a top team, every manager will say that about them, but they are and they showed in the second half that they can take control of games at times,” Hogg continued.
“Out of possession today we ticked the box of great resilience, being hard to beat, and some of the defensive actions were top. The in-possession signs first half were what we wanted to try and do and we had some good territory and good momentum at times first half without really testing the keeper. But, in the second half we needed to do a little bit better with the ball in terms of managing some regains in the moments. But, really proud of the players again to show that bit of grit and resilience in what’s been really tough couple of weeks for them but a tough week with all the travelling and everything as well.”
The clean sheet against Leeds means that City have secure two in their last games, yet another positive to add on top of the unbeaten streak.
The Robins have previously experienced good runs, with certain spells last season proving particularly fruitful, however have often then often fallen into rough patches, but Hogg acknowledged the need for consistency.
With it now being seven league games without a defeat in the league and eleven without one at Ashton Gate, the last being the derby defeat to Cardiff City in March, there are real positive, long-term signs for the Robins to build on.
“The boys have been pretty good at staying level no matter the results really but I think it’s important for us to keep trying to produce actions and performances where that hint of improvement is there,” the Middlesbrough-born coach emphasised.
“Yes, we want to win more football games, we want to have the ball, we want to try and play expressive football but I think if you’re winning one game, losing three, [and then] winning one game, losing three, there’s a real rollercoaster ride with performance levels. I think what it shows over the course of the last couple of months are certain consistent elements of performance and behaviours that allow us to try and get points from games.”
“When it clicks, and it will do, I think we showed signs on Tuesday night with some of the attacking intent we had at Stoke, some of the quality that’s in the group, it’s around us trying to give the players the confidence really to tie it all together so you get the resilience, the hard-to-beat, and you’re allowed to then dominate the ball and show what we can do from that front. But, with a group of players that are still young and developing, it’s never going to be linear of nought to 10, or nought to 100. It’s a journey over the course of the season where we have to continue to try and get better.”
On the more disappointing side of things, there was an early withdrawal for full back Ross McCrorie who has become a makeshift left back, switching from his usual right side.
“I don’t know the extent of it,” Hogg admitted.
“I know it’s a hamstring but not the one he did before so that’s a small positive, but I need to speak to the medical staff who are doing the assessments.”