Pundit highlights Bristol City issue Liam Manning must solve in play-off race | OneFootball

Ali Maxwell outlines an issue Bristol City boss Liam Manning must solve in order to guide his side to the Championship play-offs

Not The Top 20 Podcast host Ali Maxwell has highlighted a Bristol City issue which Robins boss Liam Manning must look to address amid his side's battle for a play-off place.

The Robins currently sit eighth in the Championship table, and just two points shy of sixth place West Bromwich Albion, but they lost ground in their challenge for a play-off spot after being held to a 1-1 draw by Severnside rivals Cardiff City last Saturday.

Up next, Manning's men host fellow top-six chasers Middlesbrough on Friday night and will hoping they can inflict Boro's fifth consecutive Championship defeat.

Maxwell highlights key Bristol City issue

Following the Robins' draw with Cardiff, Maxwell said on Not The Top 20 Podcast: "For Bristol City (it was) disappointing not to see it through.

"I feel like we're almost three quarters of the way through the season, I think they're still trying to work out the best way to attack, and the best way to format their attack in terms of formation.

"How to get (Scott) Twine and (Anis) Mehmeti and wide players and strikers (in the right places).

"It's just not quite clicking, and I'm intrigued to see if Manning works that out this season.

"It feels like time is kind of running out.

"But if he does, if they get a little jump up in form, they are very much in the play-off race, of course they are."

Bristol City are struggling for consistency

With just 13 games left to go in the Championship season, the Robins are currently just two points and two places below the top-six, so the current campaign could present the West Country outfit with their best chance to land a second tier play-off spot for the first time since winning promotion from League One back in 2015.

However, Manning's men have not managed back-to-back league wins since the Festive period, when they followed up a Boxing Day victory over Luton Town with a 3-0 win over Portsmouth on 29th December.

If the Robins are seriously intent on finally breaking into the play-offs this term, their inconsistency is something that they have to rectify sooner rather than later.

As alluded to by Maxwell, one issue which Manning must address is how to make the most out of the attacking quality among his ranks such as Mehmeti and Twine.

There is no doubt that Mehmeti is having an impressive campaign, as he has notched 11 goals and one assist in 31 Championship appearances this term.

However, the Albania international is a wideman by trade, so it could be argued that the Robins' current wing-back system does not currently favour him, as he often has to operate in behind either Nahki Wells or Sinclair Armstrong.

Mehmeti's brace during a 2-0 win over Stoke City on 12th February marked the first time he got himself on the scoresheet since a 2-2 draw with Plymouth Argyle on New Year's Day.

Meanwhile, Twine has scored five goals and created three assists in the Championship this term, but Manning's current system does not allow him to ply his trade in his conventional 'number 10' role.