Bristol City manager Pearson impressed with Wells attitude
Nahki Wells has been praised by Bristol City manager Nigel Pearson not only for his recent goalscoring exploits but also for his attitude.
Bristol City’s recent good run has coincided with the Bermuda captain’s inclusion in the starting team and last weekend’s 3-2 win over Blackburn Rovers, in which Wells netted twice, has resulted in City climbing to fourth in the Sky Bet Championship after a run of four wins and a draw in their last five matches.
After his double strike on Saturday, Wells is now up to four goals this season, one more than he managed in the whole of last campaign, and Pearson believes the 32-year-old’s infectious enthusiasm is having a positive impact on the rest of the team.
Wells is now reaping the reward for his patience during a difficult period last season when he spent a long and frustrating period on the bench, with 25 of his 32 appearances coming as a substitute.
This season started much the same, with Wells regularly named as a substitute, but presented with a chance to start in the Carabao Cup, Wells grabbed his opportunity with both hands and he took advantage of an injury to Ghanaian international Antoine Semenyo to start a couple of games in the league last month.
"Nahki has got a real enthusiasm for a senior player and it's infectious too,“ Pearson said.
“He cares a lot about his football and it hurts when he's not playing, but last year when he didn't get many opportunities he was a really good team-mate to his peers and very supportive of them. He deserves his chance and he's taken it well so far."
During his spell out of the team, Wells’s attitude and character was constantly praised by Pearson as he maintained his match fitness with the Under-23s, in which he forged a good partnership with Tommy Conway who he is now playing alongside for the first team and the 20-year-old has previously spoke of the impact Wells has had on his early career.
"I think we grew close last year when we were on the bench together,“ Conway revealed to Bristol Post.
“We played a number of Under-23 games together and we got to know each other on a personal level too as well as playing on the pitch.
"We work off each other well and we're always talking off the pitch so I don't think there's anyone better for me to learn off, both on the pitch and off it."
Wells, one of the oldest players on Bristol City’s books, is leaving it all out there on the pitch with some good performances as he enjoys time on the pitch and scoring goals again.
"Nahki is a good finisher but today (Saturday) his workrate and understanding of the team was right up there and it was a good contribution from him," Pearson told the Bristol Post after the team’s latest victory on the weekend.
Wells's form is presenting Pearson with an attacking selection dilemma, which he welcomes as City are the joint-highest scorers in the Championship with table-toppers Sheffield United who are just three points ahead of fourth-placed City in the promotion race.
Conway's emergence has brought a new excitement to the team after scoring six goals in his last eight matches, including a first-half diving header at Ewood Park against Blackburn to put the visitors ahead.