Liam Manning has insisted his Bristol City side is “heading in the right direction” despite his team’s “passive” defeat to West Brom at The Hawthorns.
The Reds extended their winless run in the Championship to four matches as they were comfortably beaten 2-0 by Carlos Corberan’s side in their final game before Christmas.
Mikey Johnston opened the scoring midway through the first half as the former Celtic winger lost his marker to head home Tom Fellows’ cross, before doubling his tally just before halftime as he curled an excellent right-footed effort past Max O’Leary.
Although Manning opted to change shape at halftime, the Robins were unable to lay a glove on Albion in the second period. The defeat in the Black Country means City have won only one of their last seven matches since the November international break.
While the Reds boss is confident his side are still on an upward curve, the 39-year-old knows that his side have to start winning more games frequently to ensure they don’t “drift” into the second half of the campaign.
“We need to win more games, simple as that.” the City head coach told Bristol Live after the full-time whistle. “I think there’s no hiding from that, we have to win more games.
“I know I’ve spoken too often about good performances and not results, but ultimately we’re in the results business. I know we’re heading in the right direction, so it’s a tough one today because it’s not the performance that any of us want to put in.
“We have to start winning games. I think that’s the biggest bit. What you don’t want to do is drift or go too many without. I think that’s the biggest bit in this league. If you want to push on, you have to get consecutive results, and we haven’t done that yet.”
Bristol City’s chances at The Hawthorns were limited, with Fally Mayulu coming the closest to getting on the scoresheet as he forced Alex Palmer into a difficult save with a long-range effort. Barring the Frenchman’s strike, the Reds did little to ask any questions of the Albion stopper.
At the other end of the pitch, Manning’s side were cut through far too easily. While Corberan’s Baggies ended up claiming all three points comfortably, they could have won by four or five goals had it not been for the work of Max O’Leary in the City net.
Having been left frustrated by the Robins’ lack of cutting edge in last weekend’s draw with QPR at Ashton Gate, Manning was disappointed in his side’s work out of possession on Sunday afternoon.
“Last weekend the performance was good and we didn’t get the result I felt that we probably deserved,” explained the 39-year-old. “Whereas today the better team definitely won. They were better than us.
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“Breaking the game down, in the first half I thought we were a little passive and at times caught between pressing and blocking. When we did get it right, the press, I thought we let them out of spaces and areas a little too easily and then we gave away a couple of really soft goals.”
While the City squad and supporters won’t be heading into Christmas with a win under the belt, the congested nature of the Championship calendar over the festive period means the Reds won’t have to wait too long for a chance to get back to winning ways.
The Robins welcome Luton Town to Ashton Gate on Boxing Day and Manning has challenged his side to produce a response against Rob Edwards’ side having been “picked off” by West Brom.
“I thought understandably the lads wanted to show a reaction by chasing and instead of doing it collectively and at the right time, we disconnected a little bit and started doing it as ones or twos rather than as a group,” said Manning. “You then end up getting picked off and played through.
“We have to respond on Boxing Day, I think that’s the biggest bit.”