A first goal for the club and a third man-of-the-match award in succession, Haydon Roberts’ own rise has symbolised Bristol City ’s strong late end of season run in which the Robins have put together a six-match unbeaten run.
Roberts looked an excellent prospect at left-back under Liam Manning but has taken considerable steps forward since being moved to the left-hand side of the back three, which has highlighted his all-round defensive game but also abilities in the final third.
The way he stroked home Tommy Conway’s cutback against Norwich City, first-time on the half-volley, was not befitting of a defender, let alone probably a 21-year-old who’s only 21 games deep into his Championship career. But just as positive aspects of this City team are increasingly coming to the surface, so too Roberts’ individual talents.
However, while the team have unquestionably impressively attacked this eight-game block after the last international break with gusto and are raising what had become a deeply inconsistent bar under Manning, Roberts sees their form as both a yardstick but also a test for the future.
Ultimately, with five of their six games over the last three-and-a-half weeks against teams either competing for promotion (Leicester and Norwich) or battling relegation (Plymouth, Blackburn and Huddersfield), the pressure and onus has been on the opposition.
City have been able to play with a certain sense of freedom - a trait that Roberts also embodies with the way he plays from defensive positions - albeit the argument could also be made the tension was very much building from within stands with increasing focus on Manning, and previous performances, particularly against Swansea and West Brom, were characterised by players performing while low on confidence.
But Roberts feels City have thrived in this end-of-season scenario, maintaining their levels of competitiveness, commitment and attention to detail but without the pressure to get a result. That dynamic then changes quite dramatically next season, which will be the truer test of this squad’s capabilities.
“We’re unbeaten, but it matters next season,” Roberts said. “It’s easy to play like this now, when there’s no pressure. Can we do it when we’re in a play-off hunt and maintain this performance when there is that bit of pressure?
“We’re disappointed not to have won the game, we had enough chances and we go into the dressing room disappointed but that just shows how well we played and the level of performance we had. Norwich are a top team in this vision so there’s no shame in taking a point but moving forward, we need to be more relentless.”
Manning joked after the game that Roberts’ forays forward often give him “a heart attack”, but he needn’t have such concerns given how effortless he looks in position and the way he can manoeuvre with the ball at his feet, or showcase his passing range.
Admittedly his goal was the result of him initially losing the ball in trying to take on Borja Sainz, with Joe Williams pouncing to release Conway, and had the midfielder not intervened then perhaps the Canaries would have been away on the counter. But the instinctive manner in which he finished, indicated that there are many more in the defender’s locker.
“It’s part of my game, it’s something I’ve worked on; I know the quality I have and, I think, at times I can show it more and hopefully that’s just the beginning. It’s a good finish but I’d rather come away with someone else scoring and we win 1-0,” Roberts added.
“I definitely want more. It’s something I need to put more pressure on myself to do, because I know I’ve got the quality, I can chip in with a few goals, set up a few goals, it’s definitely something I’m working on.”
Since he arrived at the club, Roberts has been pretty forthright in stating he sees himself long term as a centre-back, something his coaches previous clubs Brighton & Hove Albion and Derby County didn’t exactly agree with.
Manning clearly does, however, and his presence on the left of a three has, to an extent, been the result of injury but it is the mother of all invention, after all, and has provided City with a new and intriguing option moving forward.
Manning’s argument is an interesting one because City enter the summer transfer window with a desire for a striker who offers a different skillset to that of Tommy Conway and Nahki Wells; Brian Tinnion has mentioned the adjectives “physically-strong” and “powerful” previously.
But one of the reasons why the head coach believes Roberts can play regularly as a centre-back, whether in a three or even a two, is due to the lack of such strikers in the modern game; most teams tend to opt for quicker, mobile forwards, rather than the “big targetmen” of before, and as a result fewer sides actually play an aerially-focused direct brand of football. Therefore the one type of player that could expose aspects of Roberts’ defensive game in that area of the pitch, are an increasing scarcity in the league.
“When you look at the league now and the organisation of teams, the structures tactically and how teams are set up, they are so well organised,” Manning said.
“But there’s a balance to it; you want the organisation and the structure but, at the same point, the players aren’t robots, you want them to make decisions, you want them to have an element of freedom and Haydon quite often finds the right balance to that where he plays the position but also steps forward to join in with attacks at the right time.”
For Roberts, he’s just happy to be in the team and contributing as his second season in red and white can build on these encouraging signs late in the current campaign.
“I don’t mind where I play,” Roberts added. “I don’t mind playing left of a three, I don’t mind playing left-back in a four. The message is always the same for me, try and be the best I can, with and without the ball, and try and help my team win.
“On a personal note, it’s really enjoyable to play the way the gaffer wants me to play and I think it suits me, I’m only going to improve and you can see how the rest of the squad are taking to the gaffer’s ideas. I think next year we’ll be a really good side in the league.”
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