Players deserve all the credit says Bristol City boss Derek McInnes
Bristol City boss Derek McInnes refused to take credit for today's crucial 4-2 win over fellow Championship strugglers Peterborough United.
The Scot's shrewd team selection and tactics played a major part in the Robins winning at Ashton Gate for the first time since August.
But McInnes preferred to heap praise on his players, who thrived in a 3-5-2 system which required Greg Cunningham to play as a central defender, Richard Foster to switch from the right to left flank and Albert Adomah to operate as a wing-back.
"You can pick a team as a manager, but you still need the players to go out there and execute the game-plan. They did that and deserve all the credit," said McInnes, who recalled Paul Anderson and Sam Baldock and saw them score three goals between them to sink Posh.
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He explained: "I know this formation would have looked strange to the layman. But Peterborough had three fantastic results against Bolton, Cardiff and Wolves, who all played 4-4-2 against them and were dominated in the middle of the park.
"Peterborough play a system that is very unusual. They play five at the back, a diamond and a striker with pace.
"It was important we had enough people and movement in the middle of the field to combat that and knock them out of their stride
"We wanted that extra body at the back so that, if they did counter, we could deal with it. I felt that the two centre-backs either side of McManus needed to be able to use the ball well and be comfortable breaking into wide areas. Both Matthew Bates and Greg Cunningham did that really well.
"It was brave and it was quite expansive. We felt that the elements of pace and real energy and players who could operate in wider areas would be important today.
"I thought we had good pace in the team with Foster, Adomah, Anderson, Baldock, Cunningham and Danns."
A first home win in four months lifts some of the pressure McInnes has been under and he and his team were cheered off by delighted City fans at the final whistle.
He said: "I thought we got our team selection spot on. Obviously, the opposition going down to 10 men made it easier for us and the fact they played on Boxing Day and we had a free week was important.
"But even so, we were really on top of the game. I thought we were dynamic, hard-working against the ball and put them under pressure. We wanted to play with a tempo from the very outset and stretch them and I think we did that."
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