Nigel Pearson reveals key ingredient Bristol City need for play-off challenge

Nigel Pearson has insisted that the Robins only need a couple of additions in the summer to make a play-off challenge next season and revealed his ‘excitement’ to see Bristol City’s young talent continue to flourish.

The club’s primary goal at the beginning of this term was a top six finish, but a blend of up-and-down form and a series of unfortunate injury problems have meant that target hasn’t materialised.

City sit in 14th place in the Championship with two games remaining, but thanks to Saturday’s win over Rotherham United, they’ve improved on their total league tally of 55 points last term.

Though injury issues over the campaign have been a frustration, they have in turn led to opportunities for several youngsters to gain opportunities in the first team, such as Omar Taylor-Clark.

Tommy Conway, Sam Bell and Alex Scott are the three prospects that come to mind when you think of City’s young talent, as well as January addition Anis Mehmeti, and while talented, fearless players are certainly desirable, the one drawback that invariably comes with youth can be inconsistency at times, as individuals continue their development.

Pearson recognised this and spoke on where the club need to recruit in the summer to kick on next season. The manager said: “We just need a bit of balance within the squad in terms of, we know we’ve got a number of very young players who are talented and have not just the potential but the tools to be successful at this level. What we probably need to add is maybe one or two players with a bit more, not just experience, but the ability to perform consistently at a good level.

“We need to add and strengthen in the areas that we need to address, whether that be in central defence, whether it be in midfield positions, or whatever. We just need to address the areas of the side that are currently in need of adding to and I think if we do it in a thoughtful way I think the squad will be much better placed to be more successful next year.”

As well as the attacking talent previously mentioned, the likes of Zak Vyner, Cam Pring and George Tanner have also made big strides in terms of performance levels over the course of the campaign.

Aside from incomings in the summer transfer window, Pearson was keen to talk about his eagerness to see how the existing members of his squad develop.

He continued: “You’ve got to remember that when you’re dealing with young players, people like Cam Pring will be in his third Championship season, George Tanner will be in his third Championship year, Zak Vyner who has had a magnificent season will be going into another season having had a very competent season, whereas there have been question marks in the past.

“Alex Scott’s still contracted here by the way, even though there is talk about him leaving, he’s had two really good seasons for us, Tommy Conway, players like that, Sam Bell’s had a really exciting season so all those players have the possibilities to move up to another level again and that’s what’s also exciting.

“We will add to the squad, but the players that we already have will be better placed to perform again next year and I think that is quite an exciting prospect for us all to look forward to.”