Keith Millen will spend the rest of this week on the training ground attempting to iron out the defensive problems that have let Bristol City down in their first two home games of the Championship season. Beaten 3-0 by newly-promoted Millwall on the opening day, the Robins conceded another three goals and twice had to come from behind to salvage a point against Barnsley at Ashton Gate last Saturday. In both instances, City's cause was undermined by ill-disciplined and sloppy defending as players chose to do their own thing rather than to heed lessons learned on the training ground. New manager Millen vowed to get to grips with the problem following another defensively inept display against Barnsley and he will emphasise the importance of maintaining a rigid shape ahead of Saturday's testing assignment against unbeaten Ipswich Town at Portman Road. Above all else, he will urge his defenders to stay on their feet so as not to concede needless penalties and free-kicks. Jamie McAllister gave away an 89th-minute spot-kick at Doncaster earlier this month as City allowed what would have been their first three-point haul to slip from their grasp at the death, and Cole Skuse became the latest offender when diving in to concede another penalty after just four minutes as the Robins made a shocking start against Barnsley. "I keep on hammering home the need for defenders to stay on their feet, but the message does not seem to be sinking in," complained Millen.
Bristol Evening Post

Bristol City have been boosted by the news that Kalifa Cisse impressed on his return for the second string and is available for selection. Cisse had been struggling with a thigh injury suffered at Yeovil, but he was a stand-out performer in the Robins reserves' 4-1 win over Aldershot.
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