Nigel Pearson believes Anis Mehmeti’s uncomfortable first experience of a Severnside derby will prove a positive learning experience for the young forward as he suffered his first misstep in a Bristol City shirt.
Mehmeti has made an immediate impact since signing on January transfer deadline day from Wycombe Wanderers with fine displays against Sunderland and Wigan Athletic in his four appearances prior to the weekend, catching the eye with his touch, technique, vision and overall excitement he brings.
Having been forced to sit out the Manchester City encounter due to being cup tied, the 22-year-old returned to the Robins starting XI in his familiar left-sided berth as Pearson’s only change to his side.
However, the Albanian international’s influence waned over the 90 minutes as he struggled to outfox Bluebirds defender Perry Ng and often found himself doubled up in terms of defensive attention, as a result of his positive start for the Robins.
Mehmeti was at the centre of City’s two best chances in the game as he was denied at close range by goalkeeper Ryan Allsop after Alex Scott’s header had been cleared off the line. After the break he was set clear by the Robins playmaker but hurried his left-footed shot which sailed well over the bar.
Mehmeti was dispossessed nine times over the course of the game, as he increasingly tried to force the issue, and unlike in previous contests, his ability to accelerate past defenders and break lines for teammates to exploit, was successfully neutered by the hosts.
He is likely to keep his place in the City team as they take on Huddersfield Town at the John Smith's Stadium on Tuesday night who, if they’ve undergone sufficient preparation should mimic some of Cardiff’s tactics in restricting his impact.
For Pearson it’s much simpler than that: having never played in the Championship before, and still only 22, given the nature of his position and his risk/reward way of attacking defenders, by extension he's going to have good days and bad days. And his performance at Cardiff City was as much a symptom of the rest of the team under-performing as it was due to his own individual contribution.
“He’s like every other player. Every player will have good, indifferent and sometimes bad times,” Pearson said. “It was a more difficult day for him because we didn’t really get into advanced areas with a lot of quality with the ball.
“We did give the ball away a bit cheaply at times in those areas. I think when you have got players who are creative ones, it becomes a frustrating day for them.
“We have to remember he’s still a young man and he’ll be a really good player for us. If today was a bit more difficult then so what, it was for everybody. Some days are learning days, let’s be honest, and providing that you take on board what needs to be understood - good and bad - then you move forward.”
Having added Mehmeti and Harry Cornick to his complement of forwards in January, sold Antoine Semenyo and released Chris Martin, although Pearson now has six attackers, plus Tommy Conway to return from injury, who conform to his idea of what he wants from players in the position - fast, athletic, direct and tactically flexible - he is yet to quite strike the right blend.
Speaking last week the manager admitted that his selection has been guided, in-part, by the physical data available to him and how players perform in training to ensure they can perform high-level running requirements; part of the reason why Conway’s return from a hamstring issue is being treated with the utmost care.
Since January 31, Pearson has used three combinations in his forward roles: Mehmeti-Bell-Sykes three times, Bell-Wells-Sykes three times and Mehmeti-Cornick-Weimann once, but also made multiple substitutions throughout a game, utilising the options available but without hitting on the right formula; at least not consistently so.
That will undoubtedly take time, as chemistry needs to be built on the training ground and a matchday, but Mehmeti has started the last four games he’s been available, with the central position being the main area for rotation. Saturday’s defeat is perhaps a reminder, for him and everyone else, that nothing can be assumed.
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