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Bristol City Player Ratings for Season So Far - Part 1 & 2

Discussion in 'Bristol City' started by wizered, Oct 12, 2023.

  1. wizered

    wizered Ol' Mucker
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    Naismith finds his place, Vyner's rise: Bristol City player ratings for season so far - Part 1
    Assessing the defensive department for Bristol City with just under a quarter of the campaign now completed

    A second international break feels like it’s come around quickly but it also signifies that we’re just under 25 per cent of the way through the 2023/24 Championship season with Bristol City having completed 11 of their 46 fixtures.

    Undoubtedly how we’re talking about the Robins now will be said with a certain degree of naivety based on what lies ahead over the remaining 35 matches, and all the unpredictability within that which can very quickly alter opinions, but it’s a large enough sample size to cast a look over the 20 players who have made an appearance in the Championship this term.

    We’ve broken the squad into two halves: goalkeeper and defence and then midfield and attack, so below we’ve graded the eight who make up the defensive end of the field. You'll have the opportunity to add your own marks when we publish the midfielders and attackers in part two...

    Max O’Leary - 7.0
    There’s a strange contradiction regarding O’Leary in the sense he’s one of the most mild-mannered and polite individuals in the City squad who, in many ways, quite a low-key character, yet is also arguably the most divisive figure in the squad given the strength of opinion around his position.

    We’re not going to get into that too much because it’s a debate that’s been covered previously and will probably never be fully decided but essentially, trying to cut through opinions on either side (although that’s kind of impossible), the 26-year-old has fundamentally had a decent start to the season.

    His save percentage (73.3) ranks him second overall among starting goalkeepers in the Championship but that is tempered slightly by his post-shot expected goals (as in the number he should be expected to concede based on the quality of the shots he’s facing) is 11.7, lower than his actual goals conceded of 13 - a differential of 1.3, 19th in the league.

    There are grumblings about his kicking and his pass success of 50.7 per cent doesn’t scream efficiency, while he ranks fifth overall among goalkeepers for inaccurate long passes per 90 (15.5) and sixth for inaccurate short passes (0.6). All room for improvement, no doubt, but he’s also a goalkeeper who’s far more willing and comfortable in possession than his predecessor.

    What has perhaps counted against him slightly is that his best performances - Hull, Swansea and Leicester - were away from home, meaning not enough fans have been exposed to O’Leary at his best outside of the relevant highlights packages which tend to only include shots, goals and saves, rather than a lot of the basics such as handling, commanding his area and sweeping behind the defence, to which he’s shown notably improvements.

    Beyond the numbers, it’s also worth considering that Pearson has highlighted O’Leary’s temperament and sense of calm he brings behind the backline as a prime reason for the defensive upturn this campaign. The manager also called him a “work in progress” over the weekend, and sometimes that aspect is forgotten.

    George Tanner - 6.5
    Has been unable to take to the field over the last two games due to an ankle injury sustained against Stoke, but Tanner has been a consistent presence on the right-hand side of defence. Solid and unspectacular is one of the ultimate cliches in football but it’s relevant to the 23-year-old, which can be taken one of two ways, really.

    He is a mostly consistent defensive figure who’s committed in the tackle, works for the team and rarely leaves his position, putting pressure on his teammates. However, and this may be a symptom of the change to the right-back position over the last 10-15 years, but you’re always kind of left wanting a little more, particularly on the ball.

    His 2.5 successful tackles per 90 minutes is his highest number since he arrived at City two years ago, which is a fairly basic but obviously important metric in which he’s shown clear improvement.

    Enjoyed his best performance of the season in the 1-0 win at Millwall, as part of an excellent defensive display, and although he was slightly culpable for what proved Plymouth’s consolation goal in the 4-1 victory at Ashton Gate, he was also pretty accomplished in that game.

    No discussion about Tanner is complete without raising his lack of impact in the final third, as he’s produced just one key pass all season and remarkably just one of his 14 crosses in all competitions have been deemed accurate, as in finding a teammate.

    But perhaps he should be appreciated more for what he is, than what he isn’t, and that is a reliable and understated team player. Plus he is still only 23, so there is room to grow, in the future and this season in particular.

    Taylor Gardner-Hickman - 6.5
    We’d imagine by the end of the season Gardner-Hickman’s name will appear a little further down the list because he’d surely have accumulated enough appearances to be considered as a midfielder, more than an auxiliary right-back.

    Subsequently, he’s a bit of a strange player to mark because his games in midfield, all coming in the second half of matches, have looked promising in terms of his passing and the way he manipulates the ball higher up the pitch. But in his secondary role at full-back, he’s probably yet to convince. Which is understandable, really.

    If anything, what have proven to be his positives in midfield have raised concerns when he’s played at the back, in the sense he’s been a little too ambitious with his passing. Witness his start at Swansea when with virtually his first touch he tried to ping a crossfield ball into Cam Pring, with the Robins midfield further up the pitch, and Swansea were able to intercept and go on the attack.

    His set-pieces have definitely brought something extra to the party, with the 21-year-old operating alongside Matty James and Kal Naismith in terms of who’s on corners and free-kicks and he has reason to consider himself the best, or at least, most consistent in the squad given the quality of his delivery.

    It feels we’ve been given a small flavour of what Gardner-Hickman is capable of, and the fact so many minutes have been spent at right-back means it’s not been a true reflection of his talent. It will therefore be interesting to see if he starts any games in midfield to present a more accurate portrayal of such.

    Zak Vyner - 8.0
    City have just been a better defensive team with him in it, as his athleticism, ground speed and aerial strength has enabled them to defend higher up the pitch and push into midfield. Naismith and Rob Dickie are fine centre-backs, no doubt, but they do slightly alter the Robins possessional shape because they can’t leave too much space in behind, given they’re not as quick as Vyner.

    The recovery tackle to deny Ryan Hardie a certain goal in the win over Plymouth was one highlight, as was the sensational slide and tackle to thwart West Brom’s Brandon Thomas-Asante as he sprinted towards the South Stand in the first half of last month’s 0-0 draw, but his best game was probably at Millwall.

    Playing with authority and confidence of an experienced defender who knows this league and what’s required, he was able to dominate not only the Lions forwards but also the ball, and his moves into midfield and the snap passes he tries to execute between the lines have added to City’s build-up.

    He’s not been perfect by any means, as he was skinned down the right at Hull by Liam Delap for the Tigers’ goal, but those sorts of aberrations were once the rule for Vyner, now they’re very much the exception.

    Rob Dickie - 7.5
    If not for that unfortunate, potentially a little harsh, but also rather silly dismissal at home to Birmingham City, Dickie’s rating would be higher because prior to those two yellow cards, he was looking formidable alongside Vyner and there was no reason to suggest that partnership was going to be broken up.

    That therefore has to count against him a little, but in the seven Championship starts he’s made, three in tandem with Vyner and four alongside Naismith, he’s appeared every inch the seasoned Championship centre-back; strong in the air and a fine reader of the play (as you’d expect) and with an ability to start attacks or make passes that are hard for opposition defences to read or counteract.

    Like Vyner, he was exceptional at Millwall and also enjoyed strong performances against Rotherham and Leeds, and considering City now have these two, Kal Naismith and Rob Atkinson - when he returns - you have to say that Pearson has formed a strong defensive core. Dickie’s also provided an additional set-piece threat and he’s been close to opening his account on a few occasions, to the point where a goal will surely come soon.

    Another point to make is the attitude and mindset he brings. Although a laid-back individual outside of the match situation, he speaks with real intelligence and ambition beyond just paying lip service; he clearly wants standards to improve and believes the team should be better. Given his status as a senior player, that sort of drive and determination can only be a positive influence.

    Kal Naismith - 7.5
    When Naismith has been good - against Leeds, West Brom and Plymouth - you can make the case he’s been City’s best defensive player, if not their most impressive individual overall. Although the indication over the summer was that the Scot was going to be fundamentally used as a defensive midfielder, due to his passing and the Robins reverting to a back four, he’s always had the utmost confidence in himself he can perform in a pairing - as was the case when he was first moved into the centre-back role while at Wigan Athletic - and, for the most part that’s proved to be the case.

    His talents on the ball last season as a deep playmaker were undone by a flurry of mistakes as teams almost blitzed him in a high press, almost like an NFL quarterback forcing fumbles and turnovers, having worked him out. Naismith still likes to get on the ball but he’s not taking as long in possession nor, because he’s a in a two so doesn’t have the idea of having more cover in his head, is leaving himself and his team overexposed by motoring into midfield with as much regularity.

    His long passing can be a joy to watch, how he finds angles and opens the field up with one elegant whip of his left boot, while having a left-right combination (as opposed to right-right with Dickie and Vyner) does give the team greater balance.

    Yes, there have been a few moments where his positioning hasn’t been quite right - Swansea away, as the obvious example - plus, as he admitted himself, he needed to be much better against Stoke City, particularly towards the end of the game, but he’s consistently been among City’s best performers with each match he plays after next to no pre-season.

    Cam Pring - 7.0
    Another who could, and perhaps should be, slightly higher in his rating but Pring’s season, in an individual sense, started a little slowly. Given the way he finished the last campaign, there was a palpable feeling of excitement within the fanbase at what was possible for 2023/24.

    He’s yet to quite match the hype, but the 26-year-old’s performances have been steadily building where he’s becoming a more penetrative attacking force while also utilising his pace and athleticism as an excellent 1vs1 and covering defender.

    It’s perhaps testament to his steady improvement that only Matty James and Max O’Leary (both 990) have played more minutes than his 932, and he’s achieved that with healthy competition below him in the form of Haydon Roberts who’s been patiently waiting in the wings and on at least two occasions in August, the expectation was that the new man would take Pring’s place. But, for now, he’s kept the challenger at bay.

    The key, of course, is to keep developing and become more impactful in the final third, although he’s been unfortunate to not yet record an assist given he leads the team overall for total key passes with 14.

    Haydon Roberts - 6.0
    You can only feel for Roberts because quite evidently City have themselves an excellent and immensely talented footballer who’s only played 99 Championship minutes so far and is yet to make a start in the league. That is down, as stated, to Pring’s importance in maintaining a sense of width and forward thrust in this team and Roberts will just have to wait his turn, which will surely come over the course of the campaign.

    His performance against Oxford United - admittedly a League One side - was probably, outside of Tommy Conway’s last 10 minutes at Rotherham, the best individual displays of the season so far and seemed to set him up nicely for a run in the side. But Pearson has kept faith with Pring and Roberts has been reduced to six substitute appearances, averaging just 16.5 minutes when he’s been on the field.

    It’s hard therefore to provide accurate and fair analysis with such a small sample size to work off other than we’ve seen plenty of positive glimpses of what he can offer and, to is credit, whenever he has been introduced, whether as left-back, defensive winger or even in midfield, he’s always slotted in nicely.

    To the point you start to form the opinion that if Pring continues to lock down the left-back spot, maybe there could be a different position in the side for him moving forward, just to ensure his talent is in the team in some capacity.
    https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/vyner-naismith-bristol-city-ratings-8825526
     
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  2. wizered

    wizered Ol' Mucker
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    Tenacious Knight, brilliant Bell: Bristol City player ratings for the season so far - Part 2
    Assessing the midfielders and attackers in the Bristol City squad over the first 13 matches of the season

    It’s a second Saturday of the season without Championship football, as we’ve reached the quarter-stage mark for the 2023/24 campaign and a chance for clubs to reflect on their first 11 games and what that’s likely to mean for the games ahead.

    Such is the nature of the division that often best-laid plans go to waste and you have to essentially work on the fly, but for Bristol City - as declared by Nigel Pearson - it’s been one of positivity but also missed opportunities.

    The Robins have left points on the table but they still remain within striking distance of the top six and a run of fixtures at Ashton Gate, when the league resumes, that will help dictate exactly what sort of team they’re likely to be for the remaining months ahead.

    We reviewed the goalkeeper department and defenders in part one of our player ratings which you can read HERE, and below are the midfielders and attackers with an opportunity to add your own marks further down…

    Matty James - 7.5
    A cliché it may be, but clichés exist ultimately through the act of a repetitive phrase becoming rooted in fact: when Matty James plays well, so do City.

    Now into his third season at the club, and playing for a new contract at the end of it, we’ve witnessed some excellent performances from the veteran midfielder this season - most notably at Millwall, when he scored the solitary goal in the game right in front of the travelling fans - providing one of the highlights of the season so far - and then at home to Plymouth Argyle with a Lampardian burst into the box. While he was also a model of midfield metronomic consistency against Hull and West Brom.

    It’s easy, in a way, to wax lyrical about James’ control of possession and his positional play in front of the back four and just behind his midfield colleagues, most commonly Joe Williams and Jason Knight, allowing them a sense of freedom to attack, but what’s stood out about his game this season has been his defensive awareness.

    James is often the man assigned with tracking runners from deep and following them into the box, and there have been occasions where his anticipation of where a pass is being made has led him to being the furthest back, getting across his man and cutting out any danger.

    It speaks of his outstanding football IQ and overall commitment to the team, and as a measure of his consistency he leads the team for minutes played (990) and pass accuracy (87.3 per cent). You could make the point that his are mostly safe, horizontal balls but the counter to that is he’s often receiving possession in tight congested areas with the need to quickly get a pass out and find a teammate.

    He very much remains a crucial player for the Robins and also Nigel Pearson, given the direction he provides on the field.

    Andy King - 6.0
    King’s importance, or at least influence, is potentially on an equal level to James, it’s just a lot of the work the midfielder does tends to be away from public gaze; on the training ground and in the dressing room.

    However, we’re here to grade essentially only on-field performance so in that context, King is going to be around par given he’s been restricted to 64 minutes over four substitute appearances in the Championship, and two League Cup starts. His 31 minutes at Leeds on Saturday being the longest he’s been on the field in the league this season.

    True to form and function, King’s role has tended to be to come on, retain possession, control the tempo and bring leadership and game management onto the pitch. And while the games against Preston and Plymouth were drifting towards slightly inevitable conclusions when he was introduced - a draw and victory, respectively - there’s no denying the influential part he played against Rotherham in receiving a crossfield ball from Taylor Gardner-Hickman before quickly flicking a pass into Tommy Conway to score the winner at the New York Stadium.

    Joe Williams - 7.0
    For roughly 75 per cent - well, 7-8 matches of the 11 he’s played - Williams has been good to very good for City; the typical bursts of energy and forward momentum has been there, but also been tempered with a balance to how he plays.

    Yes, he is partial to thundering into tackles or passages of play but that’s just what he does to an extent, however there also seems to be a sense of maturity in how he picks his moments. Off the ball he can be a menace for the opposition, not just how he tries to get on everyone’s touch but also in the non-stop verbals he often dishes out. Booed by home fans at Millwall and Leeds for being a menace, which can be seen as a badge of honour, he’s exactly the type of character City have lacked.

    But it’s being slightly disingenuous to Williams to typecast him that way because, with James as midfield shield, he has been given more of a licence to move forward alongside Jason Knight as an advanced No8.

    Granted, his wait for a goal goes on but he’s been an extra figure in the attacking third and has had chances to open his account, most notably at Hull when he lifted a shot over the bar after being presented with a near-open goal.

    He’s also claimed two assists, the first a delightful ball over the top and into the path of Mark Sykes to score at Swansea and the second his low cross from a short corner for Sam Bell to turn in at the near post.

    Jason Knight - 8.0
    It’s regrettable we never got to see an Alex Scott-Jason Knight combo in midfield but nevertheless the Irishman has been excellent since signing from Derby County in the summer. A slightly unsteady debut against Preston, saw him a little off-kilter in terms of positioning and influence, almost as if he was still just tuning himself into the pace and flow of the Championship, but since then - Leeds performance aside, whereby the build up of games had probably finally got to him - he’s been, at worst, a 7/10 performance - on both sides of the ball.

    A tenacious and relentless presser, who often leads City’s traps as he springs out from midfield, his willingness to close down and win the ball back has provided the Robins with plenty of opportunities to turn defensive positions into attacking ones.

    But on the ball he’s always been willing to receive possession, even in the tightest and most dangerous of areas - something that proved his undoing at Leeds for Dan James' opener - and then try and use it in a positive manner.

    The Swansea and Plymouth games are obvious highlights, but it’s been his consistency, at the age of 22, that has really stood out and it will be fascinating to see how he progresses further over the campaign.

    It should be noted that he has ever so slightly cooled off over these last 2-3 games, and now with the international break and game time with the Republic of Ireland, he may need to be managed a little more carefully on his return, in terms of his involvement, to get the absolute maximum out of him.

    Andi Weimann - 6.0
    The Austrian’s sixth season at the club has been marred by injuries. Well, one injury to be precise as the issue in the base of his foot, which also affected his feel that led him to be withdrawn against Preston after just 23 minutes, flared up barely a few seconds into his return at Hull.

    As a result Weimann has only been involved in six of City’s 11 Championship games and after being replaced on that opening game of the season, has been unable to win back a starting spot.

    Knight has occupied the No10 position - where the 32-year-old began the season - while Mark Sykes looks to have secured the right-wing berth for the time being, which starts to beg the question yet again of how the City captain fits into this system.

    As Pearson noted last week, Weimann will essentially play wherever and his flexibility means he’ll always have a role in the squad.

    After regaining fitness, and mitigating some of the discomfort with orthotics in his boot, he’s been confined to being an impact substitute but has four straight appearances of 20 minutes or more, and did provide some additional forward momentum in the games at Rotherham at Leeds.

    The international break will give him some additional time to allow the injury to settle down and put him in a better position to try and win back his place in the starting XI.

    Mark Sykes - 7.5
    The Irishman admitted it was a frustrating start to the campaign as he dealt with a small injury and sickness which limited his involvement and saw Harry Cornick take his place on the right wing for the first lot of games. Sykes’ game is built on work rate and explosiveness in possession so the further he is from 100 per cent the less likely he’s going to influence a game.

    Having taken a bit of time to get going, however, with an assist in the 1-1 draw at Hull following a very Sykesian passage of play as he drove forward to run onto Knight's pass and then fired a cross into Nahki Wells, he enjoyed a brilliant run across September with goals against Swansea and Plymouth, either side of striking the post during the visit of West Brom. Unsurprisingly that earned him the Player of the Month award and also a place back in the Republic of Ireland squad.

    He continued those performances into the first half against Stoke City but a foot injury in that game seems to have interrupted his progress a little. Sykes has by no means been bad, he’s just not quite been at the same level over the three matches prior to the international break.

    With that in mind, it’s slightly unfortunate - for City, not him - that he’s gone away with the international team as a full break could well have been beneficial. But you can only hope any lingering issue has been resolved upon his return to the HPC.

    Ephraim Yeboah - 6.5
    Nobody, including Yeboah himself, probably saw this coming as the 17-year-old, who only signed a professional contract in July, has made six appearances off the bench in the Championship, two in the Carabao Cup, and has been a fixture in the matchday squad. Indeed, he’s been named in 11 of a possible 13.

    There is considerable excitement within the club as to what Yeboah is capable of, as is being witnessed on a more regular basis for the Under-21s, but it’s been interesting to see his first few baby steps in the senior game.

    He remains incredibly raw, as you’d expect, but that can also be an asset given the unorthodoxy it brings towards the end of games and he’s shown a real knack of making something happen, whenever the ball is in his vicinity.

    He was a few milliseconds away from scoring his first goal at Stoke, as the wily old fox that is Ben Pearson picked his pocket inside the area, and you sense that while a start may still be some time away - barring injury issues on the right - there’s every chance that if he keeps working hard and takes his opportunities, that maiden strike will happen.

    Nahki Wells - 7.0
    Unfortunately now sidelined for a few weeks, even in getting injured he’s picked his moment and timed it as well as he possibly could. There was considerable doom and gloom when Tommy Conway went down with his hamstring injury at the start of August and concerns that City didn’t have enough firepower and that Wells could struggle under the workload that he would invariably face.

    While his goal return has been modest - three in 13, in all competitions - his performances has been important to essentially provide some consistency and solidity through the middle of the attack to ride out the period in which Conway’s been unavailable.

    It didn’t get off to a great start with that miss against Birmingham which could have secured at least a point for the Robins, as opposed to a 2-0 defeat, but he made up for that with an instinctive finish at Hull to earn a point.

    There’s sometimes been frustration among the fanbase over Wells’ seeming inability to hold the ball up or City’s unwillingness to switch their set-up to play in such a fashion, but they’re simply just not that type of team and he’s not that kind of striker.

    His pace and movement means the Robins can successfully play in transition, as witnessed most profoundly against Swansea and Plymouth. And while his second league goal of the season against Stoke proved in vain following the Potters comeback, it was a reward for the work he’s put in.

    Tommy Conway - 7.0
    It’s maybe a bit misplaced to judge a player based on just four substitute appearances comprising 61 minutes and, in truth, his involvements against Preston - where he sustained his hamstring injury - Stoke and, to some extent, Leeds were forgettable, his one-man show against Rotherham makes up for it.

    Two excellent finishes to win the game for City, they illustrated his x-factor and ability to turn a game on its head and also be a difference-maker in tight and competitive affairs, as was the case at the New York Stadium.

    With so much parity across the Championship, City need an individual of Conway’s ilk to produce some magic to decide a game. And you start to wonder what the points haul would be had he been fit for games against Birmingham, Hull and West Brom.

    That theory can be put to the test now as he returns to full fitness as, combined with Wells’ injury, he’s sure to be in line for a first start of the season against Coventry City once the season resumes next Saturday.

    Harry Cornick - 6.0
    Started the season as part of City’s attacking trio but since the 1-1 draw to Preston has been named in the starting XI on three other occasions, and two were in the Carabao Cup. But he’s still been heavily involved and is something of a go-to substitute for Pearson because clearly he offers a degree of reliability in what his manager requires when he goes onto the field.

    He may not have the finesse of a Conway, speed of Bell or penalty box nous of Wells but has provided a more obvious physical threat and his work out of possession is aligned with his teammates in the final third.

    That doesn’t always satisfy the galleries who see a striker, so expect goals, and for his part he’s scored twice - against Oxford and then Plymouth, the latter coming as significant relief for the 28-year-old - and those finishes should be reason enough to indicate there’s more to come.

    But even though Cornick may have to ride out some of the criticism for his apparent lack of production, which can’t be easy as experienced as he may be, he remains an important player in this set-up; a different kind of forward who can do a bit of everything and therefore fulfil a number of roles in the attack, depending on the squad situation.

    Having someone like him and Weimann available, enables Pearson to make dynamic and different decisions in the second half of matches which can potentially turn a game.

    Sam Bell - 8.0
    In terms of strides forward, no one has made greater than Bell who, in the area of the team with the most competition, has started all 11 of City’s Championship fixtures - four others have done so - and stands as top scorer with four goals.

    It’s easy to forget that he’s had to wait a fair old time for his breakthrough, deputising at right wing-back and then with minutes off the bench as his Under-21 teammate Conway made a very definitive leap into the first-team. But after showing flashes last season, in particular his goal at Swansea, he’s now a contemporary of Conway once more.

    Bell can still be inconsistent, he can still go long periods of not being able to affect a game, but when he does he symbolises a lot of what this team is about, and what they are trying to be.

    Full of pace and invention, he’s learned it’s not always about sprinting at full speed beyond a full-back and there are sometimes easier ways to beat man. And although it didn’t always yield results, his combinations with Wells have shown real understanding between the two forwards and, if anything, should have led to more than the six goals they share.

    His finishing rate (as in goals scored per shots taken) is at 22 per cent which is pretty efficient for a 21-year-old essentially experiencing his first full season as a starter, and his four goals have come against an expected goals of 1.7 which displays his growing prowess.

    Each has also been different: an instinctive close range finish on the rebound against Preston, a finish across the goalkeeper from Sykes’ centre at Swansea, a smart near post touch from a short corner during the 4-1 win over Plymouth and then being similarity alive from a set-piece to open the scoring against Stoke.

    He’s yet to find the target with what you’d consider a typical Sam Bell-style goal - that is a run against the keeper 1v1 before finding the corner - but that’s surely next on the agenda.

    Anis Mehmeti - 5.0
    Of the 20 players who have taken to the field so far this season for City, there’s unfortunately only one who can certifiably be filed in the "significant work to do" category. Some individuals haven’t quite reached their level, often due to injury, but in the case of Mehmeti, we’re still waiting to see what he’s about at this level.

    Bell’s form has naturally meant opportunities have been few and far between for the Albanian who seems wedded to that left-sided forward role, and Pearson values the pace and overt penetration of the Bristolian as opposed to the more complex manoeuvres of Mehmeti. But, then again, of the opportunities he has had, he hasn’t done enough to warrant a change of mind from his manager.

    He did enjoy a good performance against Oxford in the Carabao Cup, where he linked up especially well with Haydon Roberts, but that’s not been replicated in the Championship, perhaps, in part, due to the left-back’s lack of involvement as a result of Pring’s form.

    Clearly all the ability is there, coupled with the will to make something happen, and Pearson has maintained Mehmeti is a hard worker in training who is always looking to refine and improve his game for the betterment of the rest of the team.

    It just needs something to drop, whether that be a cross onto the head of a striker to score, or one of those in-swinging shots where he’s trying to pick out the top corner. Because City ultimately paid a significant transfer fee for him and it’s not yet been justified. He’ll be aware of that more than anyone.

    Then again, he is still only 22 and is only eight starts into his Championship career - the last was on August 19 - so maybe we should all cut him a little bit of slack and allow him to find his feet over the next few months.

    It was encouraging to see him used in the second half at Leeds after a long period of inactivity and while it didn’t have the desired effect, and Mehmeti was understandably a little rusty, hopefully he gets further game time over the coming weeks.
    https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/knight-bell-bristol-city-ratings-8830872
     
    #2
    Last edited: Oct 14, 2023
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