Robins Next

DEREK Adams will take his team to Bristol City on Tuesday, looking to avoid a similar fate to last season.

In the Carabao Cup first round, it inflicted a 5-0 win, with the damage done early in the game. Twelve months later, Argyle revisit the ground at the same stage of the competition. 

Adams fully expects his pilgrims to give a far better account of themselves this time. 

He said: “I would hope so (for a better score-line) I think they are a very good team, you can see from their bench on Saturday, I’m sure a number of those players will play tomorrow night and they’ll see it in a different way to what we see it." 

The Robins remain unbeaten in the Championship after two games after draws at home to Nottingham Forest and away to Bolton Wanderers

In terms of how the teams will shape up, the Scot expects there to be changes in both camps following the weekend’s games. 

He said: “I probably have made a decision (on my team) but I wont make it public. We’ll look at the team; we’ll look at what the best fit is for the game. We will obviously make changes to the team, but that isn’t just because it’s the League Cup, it’s changes that I feel will benefit us on the night for the game.

"I’m only picking my team tomorrow night on progressing to the next round; picking the team tomorrow night on players that I feel can contribute to the team.

"Joe Riley had a stomach bug - Conor Grant and Kyle Letheren had it as well - so there was a wee bit of a bug going around but it seems to have settled down and we’ll just assess him before tomorrow night.” 

The Argyle boss praised his counterparts and is well aware of the task in hand as we look to avenge last seasons 5-0 defeat last time out. 

"It’s a great stadium. The playing surface is lovely. We knew last year it was going to be difficult. We didn’t think it was going to be as difficult as it was because of the start we had so we have to do a lot better tomorrow night.” 

City cashed in over the summer window on two familiar names, as former Argyle loanees Joe Bryan and Bobby Reid have moved on to the top flight. Despite a financial gulf, Derek insists that link between the two clubs can only be a positive. 

He said: "Bristol City isn’t too far away from us and we have taken a number of players that have done particularly well for us over the years. They’ve taken in money through the transfer market but they’ve also spent money as well and recruited. So there is a good relationship there.  

"It is (beneficial for both) we’ve helped a good number of their players get match time but they’ve benefited us because it’s down to the quality they have week in week out.

"They came here at an early age and were able to develop and they got game time in League Two and now they’re playing in the Premier League.”

Derek has been cited by the FA for misconduct follow his sending off against Southend at the weekend, but he will be in the dugout at Ashton Gate.