Liam Manning insisted the reason why he opted to bring on Nahki Wells for Fally Mayulu against Sheffield Wednesday was purely a tactical decision.
It was a difficult evening for Sinclair Armstrong, who led the line against the Owls on Wednesday. Yet, opportunities came at a premium for the 21-year-old front man, who was quietened by centre-back Di’Shon Bernard. In fact, it was a 50/50 contest Manning described as the summer arrival’s best match-up since his Ashton Gate switch.
As the Robins went in search of an elusive opener, the City boss would turn to his bench on the hour mark to do so. With both Wells and Mayulu ready in the wings, it was the former who was given the nod in a bid to carve open the resilient Wednesday defence.
And it was a decision Manning revealed was a tactical manoeuvre with the experienced Wells offering something different to the pace and power of Mayulu.
The City head coach told Bristol Live: “When you look at Nahki when he came on in the last game against Oxford and then what he did on the weekend, he’s had real good impacts. I thought he was terrific physically Bernard in terms of the best physical match-up against Sincs, which doesn’t happen too often.
“So we actually changed track and Nahki is really bright with his movement and is intelligent. He got into some half decent areas and it nearly came off but it didn’t quite click. When you look at pace and power, it wasn’t quite working at the start of the second half.
“So rather than matching up because they wanted pace and power – that was their game – and go with a bit of intelligence with Nahki in terms of his movement.”
Wells has been Manning’s go-to man off the bench in recent games, with the 34-year-old notably scoring the winner in City’s 2-1 win against Oxford United almost two-weeks-ago.
Despite Mayulu starting the Robins’ 3-0 defeat to Blackburn Rovers, the £2.5m arrival from Rapid Vienna has only registered eight minutes of match action since – having come on in the dying embers of Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Swansea City.
Both front men have a goal a piece in the league this season, with Armstrong remaining Manning’s favoured striker to lead the line.