Bristol Live picks out the stand-out talking points after Bristol City ended 2025 on a frustrating note as they were beaten by Millwall at The DenBristol City midfielder Adam Randell celebrates after scoring in the Reds’ defeat to Millwall(Image: Steven Paston/PA Wire)

As he took his seat in front of the press in the minutes after Bristol City’s defeat to Millwall, Gerhard Struber’s frustration was made clear, not necessarily by the words he spoke, but by the way in which they were spoken.

The Robins boss’ usual upbeat, energetic style had been replaced by a slightly croaky, downbeat tone of a head coach clearly unhappy with the outcome at The Den. Describing the defeat as both “cheap” and “painful,” his emotion was evident before he made the statement that summed up the mood of most in the away end: “It’s really hard to lose again against Millwall.”

As had been the case at Ashton Gate just a matter of weeks prior, it felt as though the Reds had done enough to get the better of a top six rival, only for a lack of quality and a couple of costly lapses inside their own penalty area to come back and bite them. In the end, it felt like a game City had lost, rather than one the Lions had won.

Perhaps that is harsh on Alex Neil’s side. Having started the slightly slower of the two teams, they made the first breakthrough when Camiel Neghli latched onto a half-clearance inside the Robins’ penalty area and fired beyond Max O’Leary to kickstart the celebrations amongst the home support.

READ MORE: What would ‘help’ Bristol City in January transfer window as Sinclair Armstrong change explainedREAD MORE: Alex Neil sheds light on switch that ‘flipped’ momentum in Bristol City’s defeat to Millwall

Rather than crumble after falling behind, Struber’s boys rallied and came close to a leveller before Adam Randell struck home the equaliser within just four minutes of the start of the second half. Momentum had now swung the way of the Reds, and they continued to push for a winner.

What followed was a spell of attack versus defence, with the tide only turning after Max Crocombe went to ground to provide the home side with a chance to get their bearings. The Lions reset, and by the time the clock had clicked over to 81 minutes, it was them who had found the winner through Macauley Langstaff.

When the full-time whistle was blown, the 2,000-plus fans packed into the away end had fallen silent. In a fashion that felt a little too familiar, they had come undone at the hands of the Lions and slipped out of the Championship play-off places heading into the new year.

Fortunately, Struber and company have a chance to bounce back when they host Portsmouth on New Year’s Day. Before our attention turns to the future, however, here are the stand-out talking points from the Reds’ 2-1 defeat at The Den…

Groundhog day for Bristol City against Millwall

In and around the midway point of the season, it is not unusual for Championship teams to face off against one another in quick succession, such is the nature of the second-tier’s calendar.

Last year, Bristol City played Portsmouth twice in the space of just a matter of weeks during December. On that occasion, the two fixtures couldn’t have been much more different as John Mousinho’s side ran out 3-0 winners at Fratton Park, before the Robins got their revenge with a 3-0 win at Ashton Gate between Christmas and the new year.

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This season, it has been the two games against Millwall that have fallen in quick succession for Gerhard Struber’s side, and undoubtedly, the primary source of irritation from the head coach, his players and the City support is the fact that there is more than a little bit of a Groundhog Day feeling about the two matches.

In both games, the Robins have had the better of the chances and had more control of the ball, but failed to transform such dominance in terms of statistics into a result on the pitch.

As Struber put it so well himself after the full-time whistle, it feels as though twice in just a matter of weeks, the Lions have told his players a “special story” in terms of the importance of taking your chances and remaining switched on inside your own penalty area when on top.

Bristol City boss Gerhard Struber at The Den during the Robins’ defeat to Millwall(Image: Photo by Jasper Wax/Getty Images)

Undoubtedly, to lose two six-pointers, in the eyes of some supporters, to the same team, in an incredibly familiar manner, in the space of less than a month, is a blow. Just how big a blow won’t be clear for a few more months, but it has left a rather despondent feeling at the end of what has been a rather positive year in south Bristol.

Gerhard Struber questions levelled, but Bristol City boss’ options limited

In the hours since the full-time whistle was blown at The Den on Monday evening, one topic appears to have proven to be quite the discussion point amongst Bristol City supporters: Gerhard Struber’s substitutions and, particularly, his decision to replace Sinclair Armstrong with Emil Riis midway through the second half.

The change came following an opening 45 minutes where the Ireland international had caused Millwall’s backline plenty of problems – of course, without scoring – and after a spell in which the 22-year-old and his teammates had put Alex Neil’s side under plenty of pressure following Adam Randell’s leveller.

Unfortunately, Riis was unable to have the same impact as the man he replaced, with the Dane struggling to get up to the speed of the contest as he spurned perhaps the chance upon which the game hinged moments after being introduced.

Why then was such a change made? According to Struber, in part to “protect” both forwards with the games coming thick and fast over the course of the festive period.

“This is also a situation that we have to change some players about our game plan,” the City boss told Bristol Live. “We play on the first next, and we have to rotate.

“We have to protect also Sinclair. We have to protect, also, I would say, especially Rob Atkinson.”

Such an issue of protection has only been made more important following confirmation of Fally Mayulu’s injury.

It may seem slightly strange to justify the head coach’s decision to withdraw a starting centre-forward because of the absence of a striker who has featured from the off in just one game this season, but the lack of Mayulu, and to a lesser extent Harry Cornick, is leaving Struber with a headache currently.

With no senior striking alternative to Riis or Armstrong at his disposal, the Reds boss cannot start a strike partnership as the pair would be unable to be substituted without City suffering a marked drop in quality. Similarly, he has to share the workload between the duo when the fixture schedule is as congested as it currently is because he cannot afford to lose either forward to injury or fatigue.

Bristol City forward Sinclair Armstrong arrives at The Den(Image: Getty Images)

In a strange way, the absence of what is ultimately a fringe player in Mayulu has highlighted perhaps the primary weakness in this squad: a lack of quality depth at the top end of the pitch.

Until such a frailty is addressed, whether that be in the January transfer window or beyond, Struber will likely be forced to continue to spark debate amongst supporters with his substitutions in order to wrap the limited options he has at his disposal in bubble wrap.

The head coach has made it clear that he feels striking additions are needed when the transfer window opens for the second time this term later this week. Defeat at The Den showed, for anyone who remained doubtful, that such reinforcements are necessary to avoid the possibility of the Reds being exposed.

Adam Randell hands Bristol City timely transfer reminder

If there was one player in Bristol City colours on Monday evening who certainly didn’t deserve to be on the losing side, it was Adam Randell.

As he has been for much of his Robins career so far, the midfielder was superb as he broke up play, gave Gerhard Struber’s side a driving force in the middle of the park, and finally opened his account for the Reds.

Such a moment has been coming, with the 24-year-old seemingly getting closer and closer to his first competitive goal of the campaign with each passing week. His finish in South East London was smart, but it was his movement to start the attack and find space inside the penalty area that really caught the eye.

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It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to suggest that Randell has been one of City’s most consistent performers so far this term. Even though he has had to contend with a revolving door of partners next to him in central midfield, the former Plymouth Argyle man has impressed week in and week out since he made the switch to Ashton Gate from Home Park, looking like a seasoned Championship veteran in the process.

Perhaps the 24-year-old’s goal and overall showing against Millwall can hand Struber and the Robins hierarchy a timely reminder ahead of the January transfer window. You don’t necessarily need to spend big money to have success in the transfer market; you just have to make sure that you spend smartly.

It has been well-documented that the fee City paid Argyle for Randell’s services in the summer was far from large, with reports suggesting the Reds were able to activate a release clause included in the midfielder’s deal in Devon.

But in the shape of the Plymouth native, the Robins signed a player with recent and relevant Championship experience, who was a good fit for Struber’s system, and at an age where there is scope for potential profit to be made in the future – a factor which has become all the more relevant following the publication of the Reds’ accounts – but not where he was a project for the future.

Adam Randell has started well in Bristol City colours(Image: Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Now, it is far from easy to go out and find another Randell. If it were, City would have bought more than one in the summer, but the January window is not a time for expensive gambles and risk-taking transfers, with prices inflated and an instant impact required.

The Robins already have a good squad and need clever additions, for the here and now, to take it to a great level heading into the second half of the campaign. As Struber said himself after Monday’s defeat, “higher level options” are what are required to make the difference, and in Randell, the Reds appear to have found such an alternative.

Hopefully, that success can be repeated in the new year. The blueprint is already in place.

All to play for heading into the new year

As you can likely tell by the tone of this article, the magic of the festive period seems to have faded rather quickly in Bristol City circles. Monday’s defeat to Millwall appears to have seen all Christmassy joy and cheer replaced by an overriding sense of frustration and irritation.

But with a new year less than 48 hours away, it seems only fitting that I try to end this piece on a brighter and more optimistic note.

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Yes, Gerhard Struber’s side could have and perhaps should have taken more from The Den. Yes, they should be heading into 2026 sat in the play-off places, and yes, an opportunity was missed against Alex Neil’s Lions.

However, with 22 games still to be played and therefore 66 more points up for grabs, things are very much still all to play for. City remain within a single win of the top six, and should they claim all three points against Portsmouth on New Year’s Day, they could find themselves as high as fifth, depending on results elsewhere in the second tier.

Such a possibility is far from outlandish given Struber’s boys’ recent showings. The result at The Den was only as frustrating as it was because the Reds’ performance was more than worthy of at least a point – a statement that would be fair to make about all but a couple of matches Struber’s side have played this term.

On top of that, six points from three games against Middlesbrough, West Brom, and Millwall leading into and over the festive period is a reasonable haul. Should it become nine points after Thursday’s meeting with Portsmouth or even 12 after the weekend’s visit of Preston North End, that bit of festive optimism will return and the frustration of Monday night’s defeat will be quickly forgotten.

Ultimately, it is down to Struber and his players to determine just how costly this loss will be in the story of the Reds’ season, starting on New Year’s Day.

READ MORE: Gerhard Struber left frustrated as Bristol City told ‘special story’ in ‘painful’ Millwall loss

OPINION