Nahki Wells Could be the Answer

The Bristol City star whose 18-month search can solve a major transfer problem for Nigel Pearson
Bristol City manager Nigel Pearson has been unable so far to sign the striker he wanted at the start of June but, having waited patiently, Nahki Wells could be the answer - at least in the short term

“I’m not delusional, I know my strengths. I’ll always do what’s best for the team, whether that’s tracking a man back or hindering my individual desires for the team desires, I will do.

“For me, I know through the central part of the pitch is where I thrive. In and around the box is where I score my goals.

“I know if I’m obligated to drop in and try and have that creative aspect, I know I can do it. It’s not my biggest strength - that is getting on the end of things. My main focus is to score goals. That’s why I am where I am today.”

That was Nahki Wells in February, 2020, when asked about what his strengths were as a striker in relation to how he would fit in at Bristol City following his transfer from Burnley in the January window.

Eighteen months on and Wells would be forgiven for repeating the above quote. In fact, he as good as did in April when asked about the 2020/21 season in which he had spent the majority of it in a wide left-forward role.

"I don't think it gets the best out of me personally, I genuinely don't, but when I play there I don't feel I put too much of a foot wrong,” he said. “I've done my duties as a wide player and some of our best results have come from that.”

It’s easy to forget that Wells was supposed to be the missing piece of the puzzle for City when he arrived at Ashton Gate in January 2020 after an exhausting search for a “proven” Championship striker that probably dated back to 2018 when the Robins’ inability to successfully bolster their firepower arguably cost them promotion, or at least a play-off finish.

Every transfer window became the same: “sign a proven striker”, to the point the word proven itself became a bone of contention as to what exactly constituted the adjective and whether it was attainable or realistic.

Such was Lee Johnson’s desire to bring a striker of Wells’ calibre he was willing to accept that Josh Brownhill would have to leave that window. There would be no delayed exit in the summer via a sale then a loan; if he wanted Wells, he had to give up a player he later claimed letting go was like, “selling his son”.

Of course, the concept of “proven” was a debatable one regarding Wells because what was probably lost amid the hullabaloo mixed with relief over his arrival was that the season in which he moved to the West Country was only the second of six he had struck 15 Championship goals or more.

The Bermudian had a reasonable first six months in a City shirt, scoring five goals in 17 appearances, but there was a feeling – amid the start of the pandemic, the disruption caused and Johnson’s exit – that he was feeling his way into his role at the club; 2020/21 would be the true test.

Except judging Wells for last season is a difficult task. According to whoscored.com, 16 of his 36 league starts were either on the right or the left flank – as we know not his best nor favourite position.

And while he finished as City’s top scorer with 10 goals, in the Championship’s worst attack for shots per game, it fell way below his pre-season target of 25.

It could be argued that, relative to his teammates, Wells enjoyed a good season … but it wasn’t a successful one, nor one he particularly enjoyed or was able to showcase what he believes is his best, and what City paid around £5million for 18 months ago.

The time is now
Leading into his third campaign as a Robin, circumstances may now finally be working in his favour and all that previously left him taking the field with a sense of inhibition in terms of what he can in the penalty area is lifting.

As we know Nigel Pearson wants, or at least wanted, someone “to stick the ball in the back of the net”. That comment was delivered in the context of his desires for a summer window in which the tap has been firmly turned off for Championship finances.

The river of overspending has run dry and few clubs are navigating this transfer window with any relish; frustration reigns from Sheffield United, with the cushion of parachute payments, among the best-placed positioned clubs to EFL restriction-ridden Derby County.

Pearson needs to sell to finance any more acquisitions – even the relatively modest £1m+ that could bring in Michael Smith from Rotherham, as an example – but in a market on life support, if no one’s buying, how exactly do you go about selling without sacrificing one of the words that has underpinned the Lansdowns’ ownership of the club: value.

City’s struggles are far from unique. With perhaps the exceptions of Luton Town, Birmingham City, Millwall and potentially Fulham, few clubs in the second tier can say so far they have come anywhere close to meeting their expectations.

With a few exceptions, the financial impact of the pandemic has been both a leveller and a revealer – those who have been reckless in recent seasons, Derby and Reading the two obvious examples – are in a world of pain right now.

Those who haven’t - and Bristol City very much fit this category albeit to the chagrin of certain aspects of the fanbase who for years have decried the Lansdowns apparent lack of generosity when it comes to the transfer market – can feel a little more comfortable.

The problem with City’s position revolves around last season and exactly what we should make of it all. They were, towards the end of the campaign, the consensus worst team in the league. As Pearson admits another month of those sort of performances and they would have been relegated.

But context needs to be applied in terms of all those injuries within Covid and just how devastating it was for team chemistry and cohesion, not to mention the uncertain contract status of so many and how that impacted morale.

That’s not excusing anything, it’s just finding a sense of reason in trying to establish how good/bad this group of players are. If anything, we simply don’t know because last season was so bonkers and chaotic. So devoid of structure and momentum.

But that brings us nearly back to Wells because in his care we also have no idea what his true capabilities are in a City shirt.

We know his past and have flickers of evidence regarding his present but in terms of projecting his future in a red shirt it’s very difficult.

As mentioned, circumstances are now working in his favour; not just has Pearson – for now – been unable to sign the central striker he craves but the man perhaps most affecting his desire to play through the middle is no longer at City, namely Famara Diedhiou.

With Blackpool on the horizon, Pearson has a straightforward choice up front when selecting his starting XI – Wells or Chris Martin (or both, of course).

Both have been trialled in pre-season and each one has shown glimmers of what they can offer; Wells the more direct runner and dribbler on the shoulder, Martin the greater physical threat but also with a real deft of touch that brings others into play.

Injuries have, of course, impacted the Scot’s progress but durability remains one of the great underrated assets in football. Only three outfield players – Tomas Kalas, Jack Hunt and Zak Vyner – played more Championship minutes for City last season than Wells.

This isn’t necessarily about playing the strikers off against each other because there could be a beautiful partnership in fruition but Pearson has repeatedly leaned towards having one, defined central striker.

Wells’ problem is that his attributes – or lack of in terms of height and aerial power – possibly don’t conform to that concept. But, at least for now, that may not matter.

That golden season at QPR was achieved, in part, by Wells having the benefit of natural wingers either side of him in Bright Osayi-Samuel and now Premier League star Ebere Eze.

The Bermudian may not be Pearson’s favoured type of striker but he has the pieces around him to at least try and replicate that and unless he wants to thrust Martin front and centre against the Tangerines in eight days, may well have little choice but to try it.

Wells with, say, Callum O’Dowda and Andi Weimann either side of him, and not forgetting Jay Dasilva’s overlapping down the left, perhaps isn’t quite as impressive as the QPR vintage but it’s a close approximation.

City have a huge creativity issue and that further complicates such a system because of the willingness to have a centralised playmaker such as Kasey Palmer or Alex Scott, but maybe it’s time to allow Wells to make the selection decisions, so to speak.

Giving him that central role and ability to impact the penalty area more so than the touchline. In a defensive sense, his pace and acceleration also means he can press from the front.

It may not be how City end the season, or even the month of August with transfer activity still possible and (hopefully) increasingly plausible, but Wells may have this small window to convince his manager otherwise.

That maybe now, finally, 18 months into being a Bristol City player his focus and responsibility can be solely on scoring goals, and there is no need to push for a striker that isn’t necessarily wanted. And, if things go according to plan, may not even be needed.
https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/bristol-city-transfer-nigel-pearson-5719271

 

Was City right to sell Brownhill to sign Wells, £5m for 16 league and cup goals in over a year ?..............Just a question!
https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=58194
'Such was Lee Johnson’s desire to bring a striker of Wells’ calibre he was willing to accept that Josh Brownhill would have to leave that window. There would be no delayed exit in the summer via a sale then a loan; if he wanted Wells, he had to give up a player he later claimed letting go was like, “selling his son”.'

 

I totally agree with you, NP is fully aware of the situation at City, he had a trial period and then signed his contract, if he misses his targets and failing in his task, then he is gone, same as DH.