Bristol City picked up a much-needed Championship win as they ran out 4-0 winners over Plymouth Argyle and Wayne Rooney at Ashton Gate on Saturday afternoon.
As was the case against both Burnley and Watford, the Robins showed plenty of promise in the first half without breaking the deadlock, but their pressure told in the second half as a brace from Anis Mehmeti and a goal apiece from Scott Twine and Sinclair Armstrong secured all three points.
On another day, the Robins could have scored six or seven as the away side struggled to contain the Reds’ attacking threat over the course of the 90 minutes to leave them only two points above the Championship relegation zone.
The win on Saturday sees the Reds move up a place to 11th in the table, five points adrift of the play-off positions with a trip to Fratton Park next on the agenda in a week’s time.
Here’s everything Liam Manning had to say to the written press in his post-match press conference on Saturday.
Was that a case of staying patient?
I think so. I think the first half was very similar to the first half at Watford I think, in terms of lots of really good play, we got into lots of really good areas but we lacked a bit of quality, a bit of composure in the final bit and a little bit of luck probably as well, which we obviously then got with Twine’s one.
For me, it was a really professional performance in terms of not getting overly emotional and frustrated with it. We just kept doing the right things, kept the basics really high, kept the level of focus and then obviously you could half feel the relief when the first one goes in.
Then the floodgates opened and terrific finishes from Mehmeti.
Anis is great to be fair, he loves the game, he’s obsessed with improving and getting better and epitomises everything that you want and you can be quite tough with him. He threatened to be really dangerous on Tuesday and it’s then about making sure you get the rewards at the end of it. I think what it shows is that yeah he got a few today but with Twiney, Sincs. What I’ve said a lot is we need goals from a variety of people and it’s about turning up and delivering like they did today.
The crowd stayed patient as well which is good.
Yeah, I think it’s modern society, right? I think that’s the challenge sometimes, we play some outstanding stuff, we’re in the game, we’re trying not to get frustrated, and stick at it. If the lads are turning up and not having a go, then of course, but, sometimes they need that extra roar just to give them the confidence, the belief in those final areas rather than a groan.
I thought the fans were brilliant with that today. They stuck with us, saw that we were playing well, saw that the lads were all in with everything. It wasn’t for a lack of trying, and they played a huge part in getting the win today, as well.
Liam what was said at half-time? Was it just a case of staying patient?
Yeah, I think so. I think it’s sticking at it. I think it’s not a time for major changes, right? I think sometimes they’ll feed off me a little bit. If I come in and I lose my head and I’m over the top, you potentially avert them and stop them doing the things that were actually really good in the first half.
My message at half time was you’ve probably have got a little bit more time in the box than you think so breathe a little, take a little bit more time, look to pick somebody out, and be a little bit more composed on the final one. To be fair, I thought they carried a threat throughout the second half as well. So credit to the lads.
It felt like there was a sense of urgency in the second half and a willingness to have a hit in the second half, particularly with Anis. Does it frustrate you sometimes when he doesn’t just have a crack?
I feel the same emotions I think but I also understand that if it was that easy, everyone would be scoring 15, or 20 goals every season. It’s the hardest part of football. What I do see is the progress that he’s making and it’s now about if you can do it more often than not. If you look at his goal return now vs last year, he’s heading in the right direction.
Naturally, we all want more, I want more, he’ll want more and it’s then understanding how do you do that which, there’s no secret. Turn up and work hard and then step up and be brave which again it takes bravery to keep doing. You’ve missed a couple of chances or had a few blocked, it’s not quite happened and there are a few groans but be brave and keep doing it and that for me is what Anis kept doing today.
For the third game in a row, you’ve kept a team at arm’s length defensively and limited their chances. Yet another good defensive display.
Yeah, definitely. I thought we put those foundations in last season and then very much so this year was around trying to build on that. Trying to be a little bit more aggressive, a bit more front-footed, which I think the lads are progressing at. Then obviously the attacking stuff and I think, we are getting better at that all the time. We’re not the finished article.
We’ve still got huge areas to improve at but when I look at the chance creation and the threat that we carry and the purpose it’s definitely getting better. Then the big bit is learning how to win games, you know, I think it’s very much that when you’re on top and the momentum is with you, how do you make sure that you give them nothing and you get your rewards from it? That’s something you can coach, but is very difficult and again, I think we’ve got a young group that are continually growing all the time. Everybody wants everything yesterday and unfortunately, it takes time for players to grow, for the group to understand each other and to put a run of results together.
You mentioned working with Sincs on his composure and finishing. He seemed to be the calmest man in Ashton Gate with that finish, is that a sign of what sort of striker he could be?
Firstly, Sincs deserves the plaudits because he does the work, and then a huge amount of credit to the staff as well. I think it was quite fortunate that in the first couple of international breaks, he went away with Ireland 21s. We’d lose two weeks of work time, which I know he needs. He then now can’t play for them, so we had him last international break and credit to Hoggy, to Bally, to Prowsey, to Pat.
They’re out there every single day doing training finishes. You’ll see everyone break off into little individual groups to do extra work and Sincs, Fally, even Nahki is desperate too, we’ve got that culture where people understand it’s about developing, it’s about improving, it’s about getting better, and like I said, there’s no secret to it, you’re going to get better if you do the work.
I asked you about Zak in the week he played as a genuine full-back today and probably had more shots than he has done in your entire tenure, how impressed were you by him out of position?
He’s an excellent footballer to be fair. I think he’s hit a really consistent level which he’s got to sustain. I think he’s another one that despite the number of games he played and the age he’s at, he’s improving Zak. He’s got better and he has to sustain that.
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Again, I think you see his technical, his physical qualities today. He’s such an athlete for quite a big guy, but he got in some really good areas, got forward well obviously and as you said, had a couple of decent shots so it’s now about sustaining that level.
Are you looking forward to a week without a midweek game now, or would rather carry the momentum through?
I think the big bit is opportunity, whatever it is. We’ll be in working Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, we’ll have a solid week. It will be about just being consistent, not getting carried away. Winning the game it’s the same as we weren’t on the floor when we lost against Watford. Of course, it hurts on the night. You have to suck up the emotion, same as tonight we’ll enjoy it but then tomorrow we’ll be back at it, ready to go and you know, try and replicate that next weekend.
Having Sam Bell back, that’s another good option.
Brilliant. Great to see him, he’s a great lad, Belly, is so professional and does everything properly. He’s trained really well and did well in the 21s last week. It’s great to see him back out there.
It gives you another option I suppose wide on the right, I mean you had four strikers on the bench today, didn’t you?
Well, I think that’s the big bit. If you look at the depth and look at who is missing with Marcus, with Joe Williams, George Tanner and Ross McCrorie. We’ve still got a few missing. We worked hard in the summer to add the depth and building a successful team takes time and again, I can see the shoots, and I can see us heading in the right direction.
It’s sticking at it. It’s not wavering, it’s believing in what we do, how we play, and how we apply ourselves, and I think the big bit is the lads stepping up when called upon. That’s what we’ve got now, we can change things and the lads know there’s a bit of pressure. If you’re not delivering, you won’t play and that’s what you have to have because it, you know, for me it gets the best out of everybody, but it raises everybody’s level as well.
Liam, have you got any thoughts on Wayne Rooney’s predicament?
I think it’s tough for him, right? I’ve been in that position myself. I know how difficult it is, but he knows the game well enough, Wayne.
I think he’s got some good people around him there, and there’s no secret for him, it’s about turning up and doing the hard work. Which I’m sure we’ll be saying to the players himself.