Skubala learning about Championship the hard way

Skubala switched to 3-5-2 at Stoke and handed Brad Collins his debut in goal, but City's attacking struggles continue with no open-play goals in six weeks.

Michael Skubala's Bristol City drew 0-0 at Stoke City on Saturday, halting a run of three straight defeats but leaving the manager still searching for consistency in the Championship. The main talking point came before kick-off when Skubala made two significant changes: he handed 29-year-old Brad Collins, signed as a free agent in the summer, his debut in goal ahead of Sam Tickle, and switched formation from his usual 4-2-3-1 to 3-5-2 to accommodate two strikers.

Despite spending around £9m on two strikers in the summer, Bristol City has scored fewer goals than all but three other Championship sides. More concerning is that the team has not scored from open play since Dom Ballard's winner against Watford six weeks ago. Collins performed confidently in difficult conditions and is expected to keep the shirt for the remaining games before the next international break.

With four games played in a seven-fixture run between international breaks, City has accumulated just two points. Fans had predicted 11-12 points from the seven games would put them on course for a top-eight finish. The next three matches—at Bolton, home to Wolves, and against Norwich—are seen as crucial to maintaining confidence in Skubala's three-year project.