Talented wideman is hitting his stride

ANIS Mehmeti is a player who has frustrated successive Bristol City managers and a sizeable portion of the Ashton Gate fanbase since arriving from Wycombe in January 2023.

-  Chris Dunlavy

Like many young players, especially in wide positions, the 23-year-old has a tendency to overplay. Whether it's spurning a shot, trying a trick or taking three touches when a first-time pass would suffice, Mehmeti squanders possession cheaply and often.

It is why he was dropped for three straight games in late August, hooked at half-time in a match at Stoke in October and subsequently benched for fixtures against Preston, Leeds and Sheffield United, scoring from the spot in the latter.

But since returning to the starting line-up in 2-0 victory at Norwich, Mehmeti had scored three goals in four Championship games pre-weekend, with his brace in the 4-0 thrashing of Plymouth last week taking his tally to six for the season.

The Albanian international also set up Scott Twine to register his first assist of the campaign and demonstrate a clinical edge hitherto absent from his armoury of tricks, flicks and dazzling dribbles.

"Everybody wants more from Anis, and I often have the same emotions," admitted Robins boss Liam Manning after the Plymouth game. "But if it was that easy, everyone would be scoring 15, 20 goals every season. It's the hardest part of football.