The start of the 2021/22 Championship season is nearly upon us and Bristol City will start things off by hosting Blackpool at Ashton Gate on Saturday.

Last season was a huge disappointment for the Robins, who limped over the finish line and only avoided the relegation scrap due to their early-season winning run.

Nigel Pearson has now had a full summer and pre-season to shape the squad and change the culture at the club meaning supporters will expect to see improved results this term.

A large chunk of the City squad left at the end of their contracts earlier in the summer and some new recruits have arrived to replace them, so the starting XI is likely to look different this season.

With that in mind, we've outlined what we believe to be the best Robins XI on paper that Pearson can field right now.

Let us know if you agree...

There were murmurs ahead of the summer that Southampton could be set to move for City's reigning Player of the Season but he remains at Ashton Gate and could be set to play a more important role than ever.

The Bristol Post has suggested that Tomas Kalas is no longer the club captain and given Dan Bentley took the armband in the game against Aston Villa on Saturday, it seems as though he could lead them this season.

Max O'Leary looks like a really promising goalkeeper but there is surely no denying that the 28-year-old deserves to be first choice between the sticks.

Danny Simpson may well get the nod for the Blackpool game as he's a player that Pearson seems to really trust but there's a strong argument to be made that Zak Vyner is the better option.

He started the game against Villa on Saturday and impressed, both defensively and going forward.

We know he's capable of playing at centre-back and in defensive midfield but it seems as though right-back is where the Robins boss sees the academy product playing this term.

On both a short- and long-term basis opting for Vyner at right-back seems like it could be the right move for Pearson and City.

Question marks have been raised about Tomas Kalas' future at Bristol City, with Gregor MacGregor from the Bristol Post recently suggesting that it's a situation to keep an eye on.

Summer signing Rob Atkinson and Nathan Baker have looked Pearson's first choice during pre-season but Kalas was brilliant last season and impressed with Czech Republic during Euro 2020.

When he's in form, the centre-back is a top-quality defender at Championship level and is surely in City's best XI.

There may be other factors at play but he was one of the Robins' most reliable players last season and on paper simply has to be part of the side.

Partnering Kalas in our XI is summer signing Rob Atkinson, who looks like a player with the potential to quickly become a popular figure among the Ashton Gate faithful this season.

He wasn't at his best against Villa on the weekend but he was outstanding for Oxford United in League One last term – finishing the season with a place in the EFL Team of the Season and on the shortlist for the FLW Player of the Season.

Atkinson's ability in possession has drawn comparisons to Adam Webster, which could make him the perfect partner for a more classic centre-back like Kalas.

Injuries have greatly hampered Jay Dasilva's development since he joined City permanently from Chelsea but now he's back fit, he'll be hoping to be a mainstay in the side on the left.

In Cam Pring, Dasilva has some serious competition but you'd have to say the 23-year-old is deserving of a place in Pearson's best XI.

A solid defender that has great recovery speed, the defender can also be a livewire in the final third and the Robins boss will be hoping to see him flying down the flank a fair bit this season.

After a lot of times on the sidelines in 2020/21, this could be a big season for Dasilva.

One of three former Leicester City players that Pearson has brought to Bs3 since taking charge of the club and arguably the most impressive signing of the lot.

James showed in loan spells at Barnsley and Coventry City that he's a quality midfielder at Championship level, and his pre-season performances have hinted that he's already feeling settled in a City shirt.

The departures of Josh Brownhill, Marlon Pack, and Korey Smith have left the Robins midfielder seriously lacking in leadership but James' arrival should sort that out.

The 30-year-old has the potential to be City's most important player this season.

If City can get Adam Nagy playing the way he does for the Hungary national team, he could be a massive player for them this season.

He hasn't quite been able to produce at that level for the South West club since his 2019 arrival but after turning heads with his performances during Euro 2020, which saw him go toe-to-toe with some of the world's best midfielders, his confidence should be high.

On paper, Nagy deserves a place in Pearson's best XI but it would be no surprise to see the manager opt for King – a trusted lieutenant from his time at Leicester – instead of him.

Andi Weimann's return to fitness could be huge for City in 2021/22 as they missed his dynamism and energy in forward areas so much last season.

While it was a disappointing season for the Robins in general, their attacking struggles were particularly prominent and fans will be hoping that Weimann's recovery from injury should help to ease those.

An absolute livewire that has consistently been amongst the club's top scorers since his arrival, the Austrian's versatility has always made him popular among City managers and it seems Pearson is no different.

It looks likely that he'll be featuring from the right flank this term, though Antoine Semenyo will likely want to prize that place away from him when he's back from injury.

The Ashton Gate faithful will likely feel they're yet to consistently see the best of mercurial playmaker Kasey Palmer but assuming Pearson will line up in a 4-2-3-1, the former Chelsea man does look the best option.

If the City boss can get Palmer playing at his confident best week in week out and linking up with his teammates, he could be a key factor in solving the attacking issues that hamstrung them last season.

The 24-year-old is a player with real vision and the capability to provide those magic moments that can so often prove decisive in tight Championship clashes.

City are not blessed with the same sort of strength in depth on the left flank as they are on the right but Callum O'Dowda is likely the pick of Pearson's options.

The winger has had a difficult time with injuries in recent years and not progressed in the way that many had hoped he would when he was first breaking into the team.

Even so, he seems to have renewed confidence and has looked really impressive for Pearson in pre-season.

Nahki Wells was often used off the left flank last term but often struggled to have a significant impact, while some of City's youngsters look bright prospects but are not quite there yet.

The Robins are yet to sign a replacement for Famara Diedhiou but Pearson does still have options at centre-forward.

Chris Martin looks as though he may be Pearson's first choice after impressing in a debut season at Ashton Gate that was ended early due to injury.

That said, while Martin's link-up play is excellent there are question marks whether he can be the consistent goalscorer that City clearly need.

Wells, on the other hand, has proven himself to be lethal in front of goal in the Championship in the past and if given the chance to start through the middle regularly could recapture that form for the Robins.

He's been amongst the goals over the summer, both during pre-season and while on international duty with Bermuda, and is deserving of a chance regularly at centre-forward.