It's not right but as sport echoes life, when one man benefits another suffers. In more simplistic Bristol City terms, as one player flourishes, another finds himself on the fringes of the squad.
The Robins work over these first 10 games of the season have been largely characterised by a strong collective ethic and everyone in the squad following the game plan to the letter.
Outside of Sunderland at home, all their performances in the league have been at a reasonably high level and only on very notable occasions - Kal Naismith at Norwich City - has there been reason to find fault with individuals.
The flip side of that is there have been some deeply impressive individual performances and if you were to select a "Player of the Season so far" there would be multiple candidates to choose from and present a credible case (although, if we're being honest, Tommy Conway probably just shades it).
But with the season in slight recess due to the international break, here are five winners and losers from the Robins opening 10 matches...
WINNERS
Nahki Wells
From a position where it was hard to see a place for him at the club, let alone the starting XI, Wells is now verging on being indispensable given what he brings to this team in terms of leading counter-attacks and his persistence inside the area. Having made seven starts, he’s already equalled the amount he finished with last season; his five goals and two assists also outstripping the three goals and one assist from 2021/22.
Wells’ rise to prominence has also come against the backdrop of Conway’s own ascension to fully-fledged first-team option, as the Bermudian has complimented as well as competed with the young striker. Their partnership has been an unquestionable success story, and a real advert for the U23s (now U21s) in how it was given room to develop away from external scrutiny and focus.
It’s testament to Wells’ professionalism and confidence in his ability that he’s waited this long to be a consistent starter, never moaning or making a nuisance of himself, and has delivered, probably beyond quite a few people’s expectations.
Tommy Conway
Wells’ partner in crime and yet another reason to feel deeply proud of the Robins academy, the work by Brian Tinnion and his team and also, as reluctant as some are to embrace it, the belief from Steve Lansdown in investing in the facility to produce local players.
Having a youngster from the West Country making such an impact, in such an exciting fashion means a lot, and provides supporters with more than just celebrations on a matchday, it helps given the club a sense of identity aligned with their location.
Beyond the intangibles though, the 20-year-old is proving he is a genuine Championship-level striker whose ceiling could be considerably higher. A brilliant finisher, an absolute menace for defenders and with a selfless and committed approach out of possession, he’s a fantastic teammate for others and you can see with each goal just how popular he is.
Zak Vyner
There are kinks to iron out, as he’s still made a few unforced errors this season but we are still witnessing a far more accomplished and consistent Zak Vyner who’s played his way back into contention and is slowly but surely winning over the doubters.
He’s, of course, benefitted from Tomas Kalas’ injury and City’s inability to sign another centre-back but he’s still in that team on merit and of his 10 starts, he’s been at least a 7/10 in six of them. What’s perhaps stood out the most is the less you notice of him, the better he gets, and that’s what Pearson has only ever wanted from his defenders - reliability.
If he can just further improve his 1v1 defending and positioning, particularly from crosses, then even when Kalas does come back, the Czech will have a job getting his place back in this team. Alongside Kal Naismith, his long passing from deep has also been an important weapon for City.
Mark Sykes
Of City’s main three signings - Sykes, Naismith and Kane Wilson - the former Oxford midfielder was probably the one who had the least amount of expectation in terms of what he could immediately bring to this team.
‘What is his best position?’ was a constant question, with the conclusion being that as a right-sided midfielder/forward, that didn’t quite marry with Pearson’s 3-4-1-2 and the reality is he’d end up being more of an impact substitute, effectively replacing Kasey Palmer but with greater tactical flexibility.
We were all wrong as Sykes has stepped into the right wing-back role and, in many ways, symbolises the fast-paced energetic approach Pearson wants his players to bring across the 90 minutes. There’s not much fault you can find from any of his displays - bar, perhaps, the red card against Luton Town - but it speaks volumes that once his suspension ended, he was straight back into the team.
Nigel Pearson
The conversation around what constitutes success for City can probably be had further down the track but all supporters wanted from this first section of the season was a visible sign that this is a team moving forward and a plan for progress actually exists.
City’s record - 14 points compared with 13 this time last season - isn’t actually a marked difference but aesthetically they are world’s apart. Whereas Pearson’s team at the start of last season was efficient but a grind to watch, this version is thrillingly adventurous and, yes, that is going to lead to goals conceded and defeats but it’s brought a sense of excitement to the club, something that has been missing for so long.
Pearson’s methodology has, for now, been proven correct and while further challenges are on the horizon, City are a team able to look forward rather than worrying they’ve being dragged backwards.
LOSERS
Kane Wilson
This section is by its nature a little harsh so we’ll go easy on everyone because, really, nobody in this City squad has been “bad” per se, and in the case of Wilson it’s even tougher because none of this is his fault.
Had he not suffered an injury in the build-up to the Bournemouth friendly he may well be in Sykes’ position having made a significant impact and installed himself as Pearson’s go-to option at right wing-back, bringing an added dimension to how City attack; as had appeared the case during his first few appearances in pre-season.
Unfortunately for Wilson that hasn’t happened and it is slightly remarkable to think, considering the excitement around his arrival in June, that by mid-September he’s still to make his first start in the Championship, and has even been left out of the last two matchday 18s. His time will surely come, and it's no bad thing he's being held back, but we just probably didn’t anticipate it’ll be quite this far into the campaign.
Cam Pring
Jay Dasilva has played all-but two minutes of the Championship season so far, which had proved a significant obstacle for Pring to get on the field. Now, there could be cause and effect behind that - Dasilva has, in the main, been good so there’s no reason to take him off - but if Pring’s qualities were admired as much as we thought they were last season, then surely he would have been used more to help alleviate the workload on the former Chelsea defender.
Instead, Pring has found himself very much on the periphery. He’s made just two of a possible 10 matchday squads, despite City’s lack of resources at the back and it’s increasingly hard to see where he fits into this team. Plus Pearson hasn’t exactly been forthcoming over why he’s been left out so regularly, other than a wider point about using all seven substitute berths wisely and players have to suck it up.
This all being said, while his chief competition, Dasilva’s experiences last season also serve as a lesson for Pring to follow as providing he keeps working hard, he will get a shot in the starting XI eventually, then it’s down to him to take it.
Max O’Leary
Nobody envisaged a new goalkeeper arriving at City given Dan Bentley’s status, O’Leary being part of the furniture and the vast resources in the academy, but then Stefan Bajic’s emergence in July did make sense. With Bentley out of contract next summer, and uncertainty around whether or not the captain will say, the Robins need a more long-term option as No1.
The trouble with that theory is it tells you that Pearson doesn’t think O’Leary is it, after his run in the side last season, and also that Bajic will eventually push the 25-year-old into third-choice; after all, how else would they be pitching the club to the Frenchman?
O’Leary hasn’t experienced such a demotion yet, and has been an eternally diligent member of the matchday squad, but with Bajic now fit and impressing in training at the HPC, you feel it’s coming, which leaves the Bath-born stopper in a bit of limbo.
Chris Martin
It’s unfair to pin this on Martin but, sorry Chris, it makes for a useful narrative tool: if what Conway brings embodies what City are in 2022/23, Martin did so last season - hard-working and physical but lacking in a bit of dynamism, which left the Robins a little limited in attack.
It’s no wonder then that he’s lost his place in the starting XI to a player who will shortly also be able to call himself a Scotland international, plus Wells’ form and Antoine Semenyo’s return has pushed him further from first-team view.
That’s not to say he’s still not a valued member of the squad, as he’s a consistent presence in the 18 and has entered the field five times as a substitute since he was first dropped from the team but he doesn’t, at least at this stage, hold the same role. But, then again, there’s nothing wrong with that and, at 33, having a supplementary option like Martin with his all craft and experience symbolises something else - the strength in depth at Pearson’s disposal.
Timm Klose
Klose unfortunately played his way out of contention in pre-season with concerns over his pace in the right-sided centre-back role, opening the door for Vyner which, as mentioned, the 34-year-old has stepped in and shut it firmly for the Swiss.
Naismith’s position in the middle of the back three has also closed off opportunities there and the veteran has gone from being an automatic starter in the second half of last season - 18 starts - to yet to feature in a line-up when the teamsheet drops at 2pm.
Injury has also contributed, with a knee problem causing him to miss a couple of matches at the start of this month but we haven’t seen Klose take to the field since August 24, which given his prominence last season, is slightly surprising.
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