Bristol City's Hogg makes bold statement on Wells decision

The assistant manager explains the decision to start Nahki Wells up front

There may have been one or two raised eyebrows when team news landed at the Riverside and Nahki Wells was leading the line for Bristol City. However, it was a move which paid dividends as the long-time Robins striker played his part in a 2-0 win, with assistant manager Chris Hogg heaping praise on the 34-year-old.

Wells was handed his first league start of the season against Middlesbrough in place of Sinclair Armstrong, with the Irishman without a goal since September’s win over Oxford United at Ashton Gate, as the visitors claimed a significant 2-0 win thanks to goals from Anis Mehmeti and Yu Hirakawa.

The experienced striker, who made his 200th appearance for City earlier this month, was one of three changes made by Hogg – who was standing in for the absent Liam Manning – and it was a selection which was justified as Wells contributed towards City’s first away win dating back to Easter weekend before being replaced on the hour.

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Wells, who was able to shake off a knee injury in the first half, may not have found himself on the scoresheet but his intelligent movement provided an outlet for the Robins on the break as Hogg revealed it was always the plan to start the 34-year-old before introducing Sinclair late in the game.

“I said to Nahki pre-game that I trust Nahki with my life as a human,” Hogg explained on the decision to start with Wells.

“He’s top class and has such a professional behaviour. For someone that’s had a really good career, he’s brilliant and he deserved to start today so I’m delighted for him.

“[Nahki] is fine. That was just a decision from me in the moment,” Hogg added on whether the striker picked up an injury in the first half. “With where the game was at, I wanted to bring Sinclair on to help us, which I think you saw late on and how he can get you up the pitch.”

Wells arrived in BS3 from Burnley in 2020 for a fee believed to be around £5million and has scored 39 times during his four-year spell at Ashton Gate.