O'Driscoll's way can bring the best out of Liam Fontaine
Sean O'Driscoll says he will avoid playing Liam Fontaine out of position in a bid to restore the Bristol City defender's shattered confidence.
Appointed first team captain last year, the Londoner represented a crucial plank in previous manager Derek McInnes' planning.
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But a series of below-par performances allied to the team's inability to keep a single clean sheet since April served to undermine confidence and reduce Fontaine to a shadow of the player who helped the Robins stave off the threat of relegation last season.
Naturally left-footed, the former Fulham trainee was hardly helped when McInnes asked him to play as a right-sided centre-back, partnering first Lewin Nyatanga and then loan signing Stephen McManus.
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Although McInnes relieved him of the captaincy last month to allow him to concentrate on rediscovering his best form, Fontaine continued to struggle in a team that was shipping goals at an alarming rate.
Recalling the opening game of the season when Fontaine and Louis Carey formed a defensive bulwark which so nearly confounded O'Driscoll's Nottingham Forest, City's new head coach wasted no time in reuniting the pair at the heart of the back four at Leeds last weekend.
Restored to his strongest side and partnered by a natural right-footer, Fontaine responded in positive fashion, producing arguably his best performance of the campaign to restrict Leeds to a mere handful of chances at Elland Road.
Explaining his first team selection, O'Driscoll told The Post: "It was all about balance.
"Liam has had a tough time trying to play as a left footer on the right-hand side.
"It creates an imbalance and is really difficult to do. I think his confidence took a bit of a knock because of that.
"He is comfortable playing with Louis, because that puts Liam on his favoured side where he can perform more naturally.
"I thought the two of them played really well."
Carey made just eight appearances under McInnes this season, even though he has been fit and available for most of that time.
O'Driscoll did not hesitate to recall the veteran centre-back, who is arguably City's best defender even though he is now aged 36.
But he warned: "We have to be careful with Louis now he is 36. He is not going to play week in and week out, we understand that. There will be times when James Wilson comes in.
"But for the first game, it made sense to bring in people who are comfortable playing together."
6 Comments
by piledriver
Tuesday, January 22 2013, 10:55AM
“Just a thought.
Any chance that Liam could bring out the best in Liam?
No, OK but tell me whatever happened to personal responsibility?”
by Burwallian
Tuesday, January 22 2013, 10:15AM
“SoD will have to perform some fantastic confidence boost to restore any semblance of improvement to a defence that cannot stop goals being scored against us.
The basics are simple. But if you do not have the legs to chase then Liam and the rest of the defence are left for dead as they have been on many occasions. Add to that full backs who are short in stature who are outjumped with headed goals.
SoD just go for damage limitation and plan to build a successful squad and defence for next season. We live in the real world and wish you the very best but......
Many of us were resigned, before the season started, that we would be relegated this season. You cannot defy gravity and as the defence was not sorted out at the end of last season what chance is there in the few remaining games of this season? Fat chance and at best all I can hope for is that in one game we can keep a clean sheet. But I'm not holding my breath!”
by johnbristol3
Monday, January 21 2013, 9:11PM
“Fontains problems more psychological than anything else , he obviously performs on the training ground as he gets picked by all our past and present managers, just goes to pot when it comes to match day,”
by marmeliser
Monday, January 21 2013, 4:45PM
“gotta agree with me old mucker piledriver. so here's a double-edged solution
go sign ROB JONES from your old club (donny) sean.. not only do you get a 6' 5, fearsome centre back who's a LEADER, but he's also asst manager at that club, so there's another position filled here too.
donny have conceded only 25 goals so far this season......”
by rocketbob
Monday, January 21 2013, 3:53PM
“£700,000 for an overpriced CH is probably not the answer.
It doesn`t appear as if anyone is moving out either.
Its certainly down to the Coaches management skills now!
Young J ames Wilson should be under special scrutiny he has until the end of the season to show the boss what he can do.”
by piledriver
Monday, January 21 2013, 3:20PM
“I criticised this selection out of position on many occasions and, regretfully, it appears that SD has decided not to sign the much needed centre backs, seeing it as the sole cause-It wasn't.
We now have:
Louis Carey:36 and had injury problems this season.
Liam Fontaine:Completely out of form and replaced by Bikey last season.
Lewin Nytanga-Hardly played all season.
James Wilson-Inexpereinced and hardly played all season.
Mathew Bates-80% fit by his own admission with a terrible injury record who will ill at the weekend.
No amount of positive thinking can turn a sours ear into a silk purse and the signals ref new signings aren't good.”