Despite slipping out of the play-off places on the weekend, Lee Johnson and Bristol City will likely be happy with their start to the season.
The Robins have been desperately unlucky when it comes to injuries and a string of key players, including arguably their four most important summer signings, Tomas Kalas, Jay Dasilva, Adam Nagy, and Benik Afobe, all being sidelined.
Despite that, they have stayed unbeaten since their opening weekend loss to Leeds United and are seventh after their draw against Swansea City on Saturday.
In a squad hampered by injuries, one player who has been a mainstay in the side is Jack Hunt.
The defender has featured in every single one of City’s Championship fixtures this season and his energy on the right flank has been vital to Johnson’s side's success.
We put a spotlight on his performances this season to analyse just how important his contributions have been.
Hunt has featured in every single league game for the Robins this season, starting six times and coming off the bench twice. The 28-year-old’s versatility means he is comfortable at either right-back or right wing-back, which has allowed Johnson to switch between a back three and back four – both during and between games.
That flexibility has been key in helping the Robins deal with the late-window exit of Adam Webster and the injuries to Kalas and Bailey Wright.
Defensively Hunt has been solid. He is a gritty and aggressive defender but one that also reads the game well and does not dive in when he doesn’t have to. That is reflected by his average of 6.02 interceptions and 4.06 clearances per game, as well as his 62% defensive duel success rate.
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However, it is with the ball that he has arguably had the greatest impact. The Robins are amongst the highest scorers in the division with 14 goals and the defender has played an important role in that.
He is not afraid to get involved in the final third and has been brilliant at driving his side forward, making 10 progressive runs this season.
Perhaps most important is the regularity with which he gets the ball into the box. Hunt has averaged 4.62 crosses per game, with a success rate of 51.5%, and 5.46 passes to the opposition box per game, with a success rate of 43.6%.
In total, Hunt has provided seven shot assists for his teammates this season and is perhaps unfortunate to have come away with just two assists – which in itself is not bad for a defender at this point in the season.
Hunt has been an important figure on the right-hand side for City so far and that looks set to continue as the season wears on – his positivity and high-energy sum up what Johnson wants his Robins side to be.