LJ - 3 Transfer Windows

[JamesBCFC]

1 hour ago, MarkRed! said:

Firstly, I think it is worth noting that LJ inherited a squad that was light on numbers. Thus, it needed to be expanded.

I personally think his signings have largely been a "miss" and the "Jury is Out" on a lot of them, some though I dont feel were all of his own making:

1. Abraham - massive HIT but not a permanent signing. Thus, we are now really light on numbers because of our total reliance on his goals. 

2. Geifer - had the presence but kicking was as bad as FF.  MISS

3. Matthews - diabolical second season with us after his loan. What the hell went wrong. MISS

4. Tomlin - flattered to deceive after his successful loan. A huge disappointment and not the talisman we all hoped for. MISS

5. Đurić - appears injury prone thus too early to judge. JURY IS OUT.

6. Taylor - has looked good but too early to judge. Needs a good season. JURY IS OUT.

7. Hegeler - Apparently cannot play in a midfield 2. Not sure about his role. Looks the part but too early to judge for me. JURY IS OUT.

8. O'Neill - miss. The experienced pro we needed is not Mr O'Neill. After a promising start has faded to the fringes. Rumoured bust up with LJ. MISS

9. Brownhill - I like Brownhill but I am not sure about him being played on the right side of midfield. He is a more central figure for me. However, a good signing. HIT. 

10. O'Dowda - I like him but too early to judge.  JURY IS OUT.

11. Engvall - massive disappointment. Difficult to tell if he is a hit or a miss.  May come good but why on earth has he not been given game time. LJ's judgement here must be questioned. JURY IS OUT. 

12. Moore - described by LJ as "playing like Bobby Moore" then had a horrible game at Ipswich to disappear completely from the team. I think he could be a player for us but too early to judge. JURY IS OUT.

13. Pisano - looks a good signing and an upgrade on Little. Although a little early I would say HIT.

14. Wright - may not be everyone's cup of tea and gives away silly fouls. But cannot fault his energy or commitment. HIT. 

15. Famara D - looks a beast. Think he a great signing. Although too early, I would say HIT. 

16. Lucic - promising GK. Think he will be our Number 1 but not fair to rate him at this stage. JURY IS OUT. 

17. Goldbourne - played a key role and then has disappeared. MISS. 

18 Paterson - not sure. A matchwinner but went missing for most of last season. Allegedly involved in a bust up with LJ. There is potential here and I think he will be a good signing for us. HIT.  

19. Magnússon - started off so well. Has now vanished from the first team. Not sure why. JURY IS OUT. 

I think LJ has refreshed the squad and by and large of the 19 players I have noted - 

6 HITS 

5 MISS

8 JURY IS OUT

 

Not sure what others think. We have better Championship players than Cotterill had and this is why the bulk of the League 1 winners have left the club. To be fair to LJ it does take time to gel a squad and this may be the cause of our up and down form. We shall see. 

Golbourne was signed before LJ joined wasn't he?

LJ didn't join till Feb time. Golbourne would have had to have joined in Jan.

[ashton_fan]

We're 9th at the moment, wouldn't be surprised if we end up around here if our injured players get sorted which would be OK

[Merrick's Marvels]

12 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

I genuinely believe part of it stems from people not liking him as a player and not understanding why he was picked in the side - it's a ridiculous idea which doesn't have any relevance to his management ability.

I had no problems with him as a player - his role was a water-carrier (to quote Eric Cantona) to do the unglamourous stuff and let others take the glory. He did it well enough to merit a place in the side irrespective of the fact his father picked the team.

I would much prefer if he wasn't our manager.

But come kick-off on every matchday I hope he' ll convince me he's up to the job because that will mean our football club is doing well.  

[spudski]

2 hours ago, Phileas Fogg said:

Naive of him to make time-specific statements like this.

LJ detractors won't give him an inch and him saying stuff like this just provides ammunition to be used against him. 

I think we'll see a more careful and guarded LJ this season, probably for the best.

Totally agree...I can't understand a manager/coach saying such things. You just put undue pressure on yourself. Especially when signings don't come off, or you have injuries to those signings.

The same can be said of SL, when he mentions top 10 and top 6....utter madness.

You can have all the money that SL has...the new stadium and large crowds etc etc...but that doesn't mean anything in this division, if you are playing catch up with other parts of the infra structure to the club.

Certain fans have mentioned how we got battered possession wise by 'little ol Brentford'. They see their Stadium and fans and less money spent...but LJ was right when he said we are playing catch up to such teams.

Since Cotts left...it's been all systems go, in trying to catch up in analysts, coaching, training, conditioning, scouting etc. We are still playing catch up in those areas. Which are vital to success in this league.

Making connections with bigger clubs, managers, agents, scouts, coach's etc, both here and abroad...we are still playing catch up.

Out scouting network has been atrocious for years...over the past couple seasons, we really are miles behind compared to other clubs. Still playing catch up with that game it seems.

I do however think we have made massive strides and improvements in those areas since LJ and Ashton have been involved...yet improvements can still be made. Maybe an upgrade on MA would continue that growth...no point in stagnating and resting on your laurels ;-)

[Red Exile]

2 hours ago, MarkRed! said:

I think LJ has refreshed the squad and by and large of the 19 players I have noted - 

6 HITS 

5 MISS

8 JURY IS OUT

 

Not sure what others think. We have better Championship players than Cotterill had and this is why the bulk of the League 1 winners have left the club. To be fair to LJ it does take time to gel a squad and this may be the cause of our up and down form. We shall see. 

Good list MarkRed! - thanks for the memory refresh. I'd have to say though that of the 6 HITs - Tammy has left the club, Pisano and Diedhiou have played in 3 league games with mixed reviews...and hence are at best JURY IS OUT in my book. Which leaves Patterson, who is again JURY IS OUT for me...blows hot and cold. Wright is a definite HIT along with Brownhill who I rate. So for me, for all that transfer activity, at the end of his three windows, we have just two players who have been a proven HIT...vastly outnumbered by the others. To those questioning why the LJ sceptics, of whom I'm one, are as sceptical as they are this list isn't a bad starting place...for me JURY IS OUT sums the current regime up perfectly. 

 

[Phileas Fogg]

4 minutes ago, spudski said:

Totally agree...I can't understand a manager/coach saying such things. You just put undue pressure on yourself. Especially when signings don't come off, or you have injuries to those signings.

The same can be said of SL, when he mentions top 10 and top 6....utter madness.

You can have all the money that SL has...the new stadium and large crowds etc etc...but that doesn't mean anything in this division, if you are playing catch up with other parts of the infra structure to the club.

Exactly, it's silly posturing and has no benefit.

With that statement in particular, there are so many variables with transfers that I'm amazed anyone can think 'right in 3 windows time we'll be there' - it clearly not so simple.

4 minutes ago, spudski said:

Certain fans have mentioned how we got battered possession wise by 'little ol Brentford'. They see their Stadium and fans and less money spent...but LJ was right when he said we are playing catch up to such teams.

People can't see past the fact they've got a smaller stadium and are a 'smaller' club. Brentford have a great set up off the pitch and have some genuinely excellent players. I would love to have a few of their team in our side.

Imagine what they would do with our budget..

4 minutes ago, spudski said:

Since Cotts left...it's been all systems go, in trying to catch up in analysts, coaching, training, conditioning, scouting etc. We are still playing catch up in those areas. Which are vital to success in this league.

Making connections with bigger clubs, managers, agents, scouts, coach's etc, both here and abroad...we are still playing catch up.

Out scouting network has been atrocious for years...over the past couple seasons, we really are miles behind compared to other clubs. Still playing catch up with that game it seems.

I do however think we have made massive strides and improvements in those areas since LJ and Ashton have been involved...yet improvements can still be made. Maybe an upgrade on MA would continue that growth...no point in stagnating and resting on your laurels ;-)

That's reassuring to read. Glad the off the pitch side is improving.. did we ever sign Des Taylor's replacement? I know we had someone in the interim but not sure if he's still here.

[Merrick's Marvels]

1 hour ago, EmersonsRed said:

Patterson a bit harsh IMO.

Rest I agree with - some aren't going to work though. Cotts for example, Golbourne, Garita, Ryan Fredericks (if we site personal problems as why he left so quickly, we can rub off Engvall as it is rumoured he has personal problems settling in to England), Agard(17 goals in 73 games for someone we paid a million for).

Failed transfers happen. We're at a point now where we rely less on loans over all to fill the squad and we're trying to buy and develop within. O'Neil was bought for experience to try and replace Wade. The average age of the rest is quite young I'd presume? We're going to have more failed signings over time I feel. Under any manager, and I don't mean this to try and defend LJ at all costs by any means, now the stadium is done we're putting more money into transfers instead of using the loan system as much. Think we can judge by December 31 whether he has succeeded in the 3 transfer periods.

@MarkRed! Golbourne was a Cotts signing. Take a miss off.

Yes Cotts was a clown wasn't he. He wanted to sign Harry Maguire, Andre Gray, Dwight Gayle etc etc... 

I wonder where we'd be if he'd been left alone to just get on with it (I understand why he wasn't, btw).

But to answer your specifics:

Golbourne wasn't a Cotts signing

Garita he said was a punt with few expectations of him being anything other than a Miss

Agard??? A Miss?? The bloke who was first choice striker and regular scorer in our L1 champion team?? He's a Miss?? The bloke who got a game changing goal against Leeds Utd season before last?

Which leaves Fredericks - not here long enough to judge him as a City player and his current form at Fulham suggests that Cotts had identified a decent Championship player.

Which leaves.... Oh look, chuff all.

[BobBobSuperBob]

32 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

I genuinely believe part of it stems from people not liking him as a player and not understanding why he was picked in the side - it's a ridiculous idea which doesn't have any relevance to his management ability.

You post  very sensibly PF but I don't know why you keep stating this or where you get it from - I think you're way way off in  this belief 

 

[Phileas Fogg]

1 minute ago, BobBobSuperBob said:

You posts very sensibly PF but I don't know why you keep stating this or where you get it from - I think you're way off on this

It's because people will slip things in like 'I didn't like him as a player..' to embellish a point about why they don't rate him as a manager.

We know he was a divisive player and I think there are people who can't separate Lee Johnson the player from Lee Johnson the manager.

There's a different caveat to that argument about whether an average player like him can get maximum respect from players who are better than he was but that's a different conversation..

 

[Inactive user]

I still do not think transfers are down to LJ.  I think all told he's doing a great job so far this season though.

[BobBobSuperBob]

3 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

It's because people will slip things in like 'I didn't like him as a player..' to embellish a point about why they don't rate him as a manager.

We know he was a divisive player and I think there are people who can't separate Lee Johnson the player from Lee Johnson the manager.

There's a different caveat to that argument about whether an average player like him can get maximum respect from players who are better than he was but that's a different conversation..

 

In fairness I have seen a very odd post saying that and I agree is complete nonsense

but

Even if this claim had any basis - what percentage of those that have doubts of varying degrees about LJ through to wanting him gone now , do you  think , do so because they didn't rate / like LJ as a player ?

You give the impression that it's a lot / most which IMHO is nonsense

[Kid in the Riot]

2 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

It's because people will slip things in like 'I didn't like him as a player..' to embellish a point about why they don't rate him as a manager.

We know he was a divisive player and I think there are people who can't separate Lee Johnson the player from Lee Johnson the manager.

There's a different caveat to that argument about whether an average player like him can get maximum respect from players who are better than he was but that's a different conversation..

I agree with @BobBobSuperBob I don't see where you're getting this connection from. I rated LJ as a player higher than most FWIW.

I think if you said some have never warmed to LJ because they were big fans of SC and were upset with the way he was treated, then you'd be onto something...

[EmersonsRed]

8 minutes ago, Merrick's Marvels said:

Yes Cotts was a clown wasn't he. He wanted to sign Harry Maguire, Andre Gray, Dwight Gayle etc etc... 

I wonder where we'd be if he'd been left alone to just get on with it (I understand why he wasn't, btw).

But to answer your specifics:

Golbourne wasn't a Cotts signing

Garita he said was a punt with few expectations of him being anything other than a Miss

Agard??? A Miss?? The bloke who was first choice striker and regular scorer in our L1 champion team?? He's a Miss?? The bloke who got a game changing goal against Leeds Utd season before last?

Which leaves Fredericks - not here long enough to judge him as a City player and his current form at Fulham suggests that Cotts had identified a decent Championship player.

Which leaves.... Oh look, chuff all.

Where did I call our best manager in decades a clown? He is our most recent manager, I gave examples. 

You're very touchy aren't you? There's a growing list of touchy people on this forum. What's up? Want a cuddle?

[Phileas Fogg]

1 minute ago, BobBobSuperBob said:

In fairness I have seen a very odd post saying that and I agree is complete nonsense

but

Even if this claim had any basis - what percentage of those that have doubts of varying degrees about LJ through to wanting him gone now , do you  think , do so because they didn't rate / like LJ as a player ?

You give the impression that it's a lot / most which IMHO is nonsense

I think it's a real minority - but a vocal one. Didn't mean to give the impression it's a majority if that's how i've been understood.

The average fan, regardless what they think of LJ, generally has high enough reasoning skills to make the separation.

Just now, Kid in the Riot said:

I agree with @BobBobSuperBob I don't see where you're getting this connection from. I rated LJ as a player higher than most FWIW.

I think if you said some have never warmed to LJ because they were big fans of SC and were upset with the way he was treated, then you'd be onto something...

I think it's a minority but I feel compelled to comment on it when people do say it because it's a silly point of view. 

And yes I agree with your second point. I think the anger about that is also diverted anger at our board for seemingly hanging Cotterill out to dry and replacing him with someone who's friends with Lansdown who's had a pretty easy ride from our board despite last season.

[EmersonsRed]

2 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

I agree with @BobBobSuperBob I don't see where you're getting this connection from. I rated LJ as a player higher than most FWIW.

I think if you said some have never warmed to LJ because they were big fans of SC and were upset with the way he was treated, then you'd be onto something...

Nail on the head. I don't think we were going down with SC, I don't think we're going down with LJ. I think SC was the right man to take us forward and was treated badly and with great disrespect, but now I believe LJ can move us forward as well.

[BobBobSuperBob]

13 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

I agree with @BobBobSuperBob I don't see where you're getting this connection from. I rated LJ as a player higher than most FWIW.

I think if you said some have never warmed to LJ because they were big fans of SC and were upset with the way he was treated, then you'd be onto something...

And there are also ones who rated him as a player in that side , see Cotts tenure as irrelevant to LJ but judge LJ on what happens whilst he's the head coach

And as for you @EmersonsRed rubbishing every post - maybe you'd like to explain why , or is it just you' behave like a  bitter. Teen and that you lack cuddles you seem to crave  or maybe as someone whose clever , you are fed up preaching to the 'ones of 'low intelligence'' on here (Your words), (maybe why you tell other posters to **** off)

[brad blit]

Personally speaking of LJ's signings I would say only Baker (basing on previous loan too), Patterson (partially because of his low fee) and Brownhill were HITS, lots of question marks over others solely because we havnt seen enough of them (i.e., Đurić) and only possibly Engvall being a mistake. There are others like Magnússon and O'Dowda who are squad regulars but the jury are still out on them despite costing fair amount.... 

The squad looks good on paper but how many have delivered??? 

[EmersonsRed]

4 minutes ago, BobBobSuperBob said:

And there are also ones who rated him as a player in that side , see Cotts tenure as irrelevant to LJ but judge LJ on what happens whilst he's the head coach

And as for you @EmersonsRed rubbishing every post - maybe you'd like to explain why , or is it just you' behave like a  bitter. Teen and that you lack cuddles you seem to crave 

Hi mate. Just rubbished posts on thread that I think are rubbish (funny that), need I remind you you went onto my profile to find posts from different threads to react a snake with?

We disagree on LJ and Flint, that is all. I have no ulterior motive with it, I am sure, as you proved by offering someone money for a ticket to a game that you are a nice person. Away from the two matters I'm sure I'd agree with you on some things. You take it a little personally, I don't, it's fine. Relax. Somebody disagrees with you on the internet. We are both clearly very passionate about our football club, I accept you have an opinion on the matter and I'm sorry you take disagreements to heart.

[BobBobSuperBob]

9 minutes ago, EmersonsRed said:

Hi mate. Just rubbished posts on thread that I think are rubbish (funny that), need I remind you you went onto my profile to find posts from different threads to react a snake with?

We disagree on LJ and Flint, that is all. I have no ulterior motive with it, I am sure, as you proved by offering someone money for a ticket to a game that you are a nice person. Away from the two matters I'm sure I'd agree with you on some things. You take it a little personally, I don't, it's fine. Relax. Somebody disagrees with you on the internet. We are both clearly very passionate about our football club, I accept you have an opinion on the matter and I'm sorry you take disagreements to heart.

Maybe you'd like to explain why they are rubbish - I assume the only explanation, other than it was a piece of child,like behaviour is that you believe the vast majority or all the LJ doubters do,so because they didn't rate him as a player ...... 

Your snakes were as I previously explained for their content and often their delivery ((telling posters to **** off etc)-

if you tell other posters to **** off and,  claim you are dealing with people of 'low intelligence' you paint a firm picture of yourself - would you say this to the face people of those people it was directed at ?

(Bit like the keyboard warrior who referred to other posters as w*********s last night - Not you on that occasion)

Before you ask in reposte - I'd happily say anything I say on this forum in person 

You need  to read back your recent posting

[EmersonsRed]

7 minutes ago, BobBobSuperBob said:

Maybe you'd like to explain why they are rubbish

Your snakes were as an explained for their content and often their delivery ((telling posters to **** off etc)-

if you tell other posters to **** off and,  claim you are dealing with people of low intelligence you paint a firm picture of yourself

You need  to read back your recent posting

I agreed with Fogg's assessment, you posted that you believed the belief was way off, I rubbished it.

I just had a look back, I can't recall telling anybody to directly **** off? Can you direct me to said posts please?

If you do not believe and see we as a club are trying to move forward on and off the pitch you are of a low intelligence. You have to be, nobody can be that blind to think we're going backwards as a football club?

 

edit: had already clicked quote before you edited. I have no doubt you would, as would I. 

[spudski]

I get the impression from the forum, that certain fans don't particularly warm to LJ because...in no particular order...

1 He replaced Cotts.

2 He has been deemed to have been treated fairer than Cotts.

3 Allegedly had more money given to him than Cotts.

4 Friends with the Lansdown family

5 Works alongside MA

6 Isn't the recognised/named manager with experience, that certain fans desire.

 

The one thing certain fans seem to fail to recognise when talking about bringing established managers here, and what they could do for this Club better than LJ, is that those managers would have to agree to buy into SL's way of doing things.

THAT...is the biggest issue with this Club.

Any manager/coach has to do it his way...agree to the blue print.

You couldn't have a Warnock, Bruce or a Redknapp or such like here...as they do things their way.

 

That is why LJ is here...because he has agreed to do it SL's way. And it is something that has been spoken about by them for a very long time. It's been a plan.

 

If LJ is ever replaced...it will be by someone of the same ilk.

[BobBobSuperBob]

22 minutes ago, EmersonsRed said:

I agreed with Fogg's assessment, you posted that you believed the belief was way off, I rubbished it.

I just had a look back, I can't recall telling anybody to directly **** off? Can you direct me to said posts please?

If you do not believe and see we as a club are trying to move forward on and off the pitch you are of a low intelligence. You have to be, nobody can be that blind to think we're going backwards as a football club?

 

edit: had already clicked quote before you edited. I have no doubt you would, as would I. 

(No doubt you will try excuse yourself as it was directed at whovever you see as a 'LJ Haters' whoever they may be)

 

Add to you referring to others as 'inbreds' and others 'of low intelligence ' ..........

 

[Inactive user]

22 minutes ago, BobBobSuperBob said:

 

if you tell other posters to **** off and,  claim you are dealing with people of 'low intelligence' you paint a firm picture of yourself - would you say this to the face people of those people it was directed at ?

(Bit like the keyboard warrior who referred to other posters as w*********s last night - Not you on that occasion)

Oh the irony.

[BobBobSuperBob]

3 minutes ago, Rednwhiterob said:

Oh the irony.

Ahhh knew you'd pitch up,sort a BT of trolling / stirring 

Quote me 

And a troll -and sick - yes you are 'Harold Shipman' 

[EmersonsRed]

Just now, BobBobSuperBob said:

 

Add to you referring to others as 'inbreds' and others 'of low intelligence ' ..........

That's indirectly mate. Not directly. However at that point, and still, I think LJ out fans can **** off and give it a rest for a while. If we're struggling after 10 games then the LJ in camp can f off and just give up...

 

The inbred post. This one?

I'm clearly, quite clearly talking about Barnsley. Not anybody on here. That's the only post in the last 5 weeks with the word inbred in (couldn't be bothered going back any further)

By the way, that f off post was almost 2 weeks ago! I'm absolutely delighted you remember my posts so vividly and you are so bothered by them that they stick in your brain. You must really hate LJ to remember one post from twelve days ago telling LJ out fans to f off... Haha

[Inactive user]

3 minutes ago, BobBobSuperBob said:

Ahhh knew you'd pitch up,sort a BT of trolling / stirring 

Quote me 

And a troll -and sick - yes you are 'Harold Shipman' 

Get over it.

[BobBobSuperBob]

3 minutes ago, EmersonsRed said:

That's indirectly mate. Not directly. However at that point, and still, I think LJ out fans can **** off and give it a rest for a while. If we're struggling after 10 games then the LJ in camp can f off and just give up...

 

The inbred post. This one?

I'm clearly, quite clearly talking about Barnsley. Not anybody on here. That's the only post in the last 5 weeks with the word inbred in (couldn't be bothered going back any further)

By the way, that f off post was almost 2 weeks ago! I'm absolutely delighted you remember my posts so vividly and you are so bothered by them that they stick in your brain. You must really hate LJ to remember one post from twelve days ago telling LJ out fans to f off... Haha

No remember when posters tell people to ***** off or refer to people as inbreds

You seem to be on a roll in recent weeks - stands out a mile 

Would you say it to people's faces , whether they be from Bristol or Barnsley ?

[EmersonsRed]

5 minutes ago, BobBobSuperBob said:

No remember when posters tell people to ***** off or refer to people as inbreds

You seem to be on a roll in recent weeks - stands out a mile 

Why are you so offended by me calling Barnsley inbreds? Again, who have I directly told to **** off?

Don't go all Piers Morgan on me because you're on the back foot. If you want to start spouting shite, stick by it. You thought I was calling LJ out fans inbreds didn't you? No, sorry, you are wrong.

Edit: please stop editing your posts, you are rather haste with them. Relax. Reply fully then click post! Yes, as I said a few pages up, I would. As you stalk my posts so much, you'll know one of my best mates is a Barnsley fan, he often calls us inbreds and I do him, like hundreds do on here about the gas. Not everything is as serious as life and death. I'm beginning to worry about you. It would seem you have genuine issues working out what is a light hearted joke and what is serious.

[Spud55]

23 minutes ago, Thatch35 said:

Obvious really mate, forget he was former player, former managers son........His managerial record before City was poor....his managerial record at City is poor.....fans have every right to question why he is was employed in the first place and going by last season why the hell he is still employed! Anyway, I'm giving it to the Burton home match for a fairer conclusion.

Back to the list of signings...a lot of players yet to prove there worth. I've always said experience at a good level is missing throughout the side.

Is it though ?  He has a win percentage of 40% with us which is not bad at all, it better than Warnock has done at every club he's been at other than Sheff U, Notts County and Cardiff, it's better than Redknapps record at clubs other than Spurs and Pompey, it's better than Steve Bruce win record at every club hes ever managed at other than his 18 games at palace.

So the stats don't seem to bear out that he has a poor record.

[BobBobSuperBob]

1 minute ago, EmersonsRed said:

Why are you so offended by me calling Barnsley inbreds? Again, who have I directly told to **** off?

Don't go all Piers Morgan on me because you're on the back foot. If you want to start spouting shite, stick by it. You thought I was calling LJ out fans inbreds didn't you? No, sorry, you are wrong.

No confusion - obviously labelling Barnsley fans as 'inbreds' is a sign of your superior intellect and intelligence  unlike those of us of low intelligence , whoever that generalisation was aimed at