Joe Williams and Rob Dickie were left out of Bristol City’s matchday squad for the Robins’ draw with QPR at Loftus Road
17:00, 13 Apr 2026Updated 17:03, 13 Apr 2026
Bristol City’s squad at QPR didn’t include either Rob Dickie or Joe Williams(Image: EFL and Getty Images)
Bristol City hope that Rob Dickie and Joe Williams will be available to train regularly this week, Roy Hodgson has confirmed, while outlining his priority for the Robins’ clear week after their draw at Queens Park Rangers.
Both Dickie and Williams were left out of the Reds’ matchday squad at Loftus Road on Saturday lunchtime. Without the returning pair, City played out a 0-0 stalemate with the Hoops, in front of the Sky Sports cameras, to extend their unbeaten run under Hodgson.
Scott Twine, Mark Sykes, Emil Riis and Delano Burgzorg all had chances to steal all three points for the Robins, while Richard Kone and Paul Smyth came close to a winner for QPR. Ultimately, however, the two backlines came out on top in West London.
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There had been a chance that the Reds’ defence would be boosted by the return of Dickie at Loftus Road. Hodgson revealed in the build-up to the clash with the Hoops that the defender, and Williams – who have both been sidelined by injury since February – had taken part in training.
In the end, however, George Tanner and Ross McCrorie were the only long-term absentees to return to the squad, with the decision taken to afford Williams and Dickie extra training time, in the hope that they’ll be more involved ahead of Norwich City’s trip to BS3.
“The good thing about George is he’s an out-and-out defender,” the head coach told BBC Radio Bristol at Loftus Road on Saturday. “He can play right back or centre-back, and Rob Dickie, in actual fact, trained with us [on] Thursday and Friday, which was also very positive.
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“But it was decided that both he and Joe Williams were better off doing a bit extra back at the training ground and [we’re] hoping [for] them to be available to train with us on a regular basis next week.”
For the first time since he was named as the Robins’ interim boss in the middle of the March international break, Hodgson now has the luxury of a clear midweek to work with his new squad ahead of Norwich’s visit to Ashton Gate on Saturday afternoon.
The Canaries currently find themselves ninth in the Championship, one place ahead of the Reds, but only on goal difference. Phillipe Clement’s side have been in fine form over the course of the last few months, but come into this weekend’s clash on the back of an East Anglian derby defeat to Ipswich Town last time out.
City, on the other hand, is in the midst of a three-match unbeaten run. Hodgson will no doubt be eager to stretch that spell to four games this weekend, and in order to do so, he will give his squad ample time to rest and recover after a busy two weeks.
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Asked what his priorities were for the blank midweek, the 78-year-old replied, “Making certain that they get enough rest at the beginning of the week to really attack the Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday sessions with enough energy back in their legs and enough enthusiasm back as well, because they are entitled to feel very, very tired, both physically and mentally.
“They were used to the previous coach and what he wanted; they’ve got to get used to me and what I think I want from the team, and that’s a huge mental burden as well as a physical burden.
“So rest in the beginning [to] try and make certain that come Tuesday, everyone is there fit, ready to go, with a smile on their face and looking forward to the Norwich game.”
OPINION
OPINION
Daniel Carter