Gerhard Struber’s Bristol City squad were held to a 0-0 draw by Cheltenham Town in their fourth pre-season friendlyGerhard Struber with Bristol City supporters(Image: Rogan/Bristol City)

Gerhard Struber has detailed his Bristol City squad’s “to-do list” following their pre-season draw with Cheltenham Town, admitting that his team still needs to improve when it comes to their decision-making in the final third.

A mixed Robins side played out a 0-0 draw with Michael Flynn’s League Two outfit on Friday evening in their fourth pre-season friendly of the summer. While the Reds had the better of the chances, they were unable to find the cutting edge required to secure the win on the night.

Rob Dickie came close midway through the first half when he looked to curl a shot from distance into the bottom corner, only to narrowly miss the target, and Elijah Morrison was unable to direct a header into the vacant goal, having been picked out late on by a Harry Cornick cross.

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Although Struber felt that, despite the result, clear signs of progress were visible throughout the stalemate, he recognises that the Reds need to be more clinical inside the opposition box as they continue to prepare for the upcoming Championship campaign.

“I think, of course, it was the next test in a direction in which we can see that we improve something,” the head coach told Bristol Live after the full-time whistle. “At the same time, we can see that we have some to-dos on our list.

“I would say in every phase of the game, we can see that we are in some moments [improving]. How we break the line behind and with on-ball moments. I think we could create a little bit better staggering, which is more efficient. In some moments we did it well, and then we come in the last third and we were not always clean enough in the decision. In the end, our standard and our clear goal today was that we score here, and I think in this way, we have to do something.

“But I can see here, a group of players today that have had, in the last few months, not so much game time.

“Also, many young players today on the field and I think to give the young players the chance to compete with a League Two game, they are only in the academy right now so it is also very good that they have a feedback on how we are and what we have to do in the here and now and in the future so that we can compete on a better level.”

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Only a handful of first-team regulars were involved in Friday night’s trip up the M5, namely Dickie, Mark Sykes, Joe Lumley, Haydon Roberts, Sam Bell, and Fally Mayulu. The bulk of the starting line-up and the substitutes bench, however, was made up of several young players.

Those who didn’t feature against Cheltenham will make the journey south tomorrow to face League One opposition in Plymouth Argyle.

With just two weeks until the Reds’ Championship season gets underway against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane, Struber is hopeful the trip to Home Park will serve as another step in the right direction.

“This was the plan for this weekend, that we in the end have two different rosters on the start,” Struber explained. “Tomorrow, of course, Plymouth. We know they are relegated, but they are a very aggressive team and a team with a good quality.

“This means tomorrow, also, my boys have a big to-do list. Also, this game should bring us the next step.”

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