LJ In!!

[Davefevs]

No, I haven’t changed my view, but making an assumption that he is going nowhere, what does he need to do between now and say, the end of the January window to stay in the job. 

There will always be a point that SL won’t tolerate. He obviously tolerates a lot more than most of us fans. 

Win games obviously. 

No more dire performances like Saturday (and others).

Cull a few players?  Who?

Select players on merit and do this in a consistent manner. 

What do you all think?

[JoeAman08]

I think I have reached my limit with LJ. I don’t believe he has got it in him to sustain a playoff push. Though I am quite sure he has a relegation battle in him. No I think it is time for fresh ideas and I haven’t seen a fresh idea from LJ since moving Bobby Reid to striker. Honestly think most people on Saturday could have argued against that team selection. Even more could argue the subs. I have never been more dejected at a match and honestly has been building towards that kind of performance. LJ has a knack for slithering out of tough situations but I wouldn’t give him the chance this time. Wins a few games then get way too over confident and you see a poor run again. Ugh I dread our next home match tbh

[BessexRED]

What’s happened to Marley Watkins? Started to hit a bit of form then hasn’t been seen since.

Our season is dependant on two lower league players returning from injury and hitting the ground running which for a club with our backing and stature nowadays isn’t a sorry state.

I want Johnson gone, I have done for years, but he’s definitely not the only one to blame here. Ashton and Lansdown haven’t covered themselves in glory.

[Super]

Think this international break has come at a good time. Gives him plenty of time to order some buses for the trip to Leeds.

[Red Skin]

Play our own high pressing game and stop trying to set up to counter the opposition especially at home.

Keep instructions simple for players. Don't over coach.

Go with just Weiman up top.  Play O'Dowda, Eliasson wide to join him in attack. 

Play Walsh, Pack and Brownhill in the middle.

 

 

[Calculus]

Agree, unfortunately. By the time you're bringing on a player because he's got a song you really have nothing left.

Don't think we need massive change in the squad, one or two additions maybe, but using the players we have better - quick movement and passing. A new mindset more than anything.

Not that anything will happen with the club being the vanity project that it has become. Coppell worked all this out and ran without compensation.

 

[Red7]

24 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Cull a few players?  Who?

I think we actually have a decent squad of players with some good options. The only player I would like to see gone from the club is Pato. He just hasn't performed at all for far too long. I'd almost be tempted to say get rid of Fammy, too, but I think he is still a useful option to have, albeit from the bench, not as a starter. I've never really rated Brownhill as highly as many do, either. But I will concede that he has been far more effective this season, now that he's playing more centrally. Never going to be a game-changer in my book, though.

[Kevin Brady]

12 minutes ago, RedSkin said:

Play our own high pressing game and stop trying to set up to counter the opposition especially at home.

Keep instructions simple for players. Don't over coach.

Go with just Weiman up top.  Play O'Dowda, Eliasson wide to join him in attack. 

Play Walsh, Pack and Brownhill in the middle.

 

 

Where have you been? Half the problem is that he has been playing Walsh, Pack and Brownhill in the middle and they are being outplayed, overrun and out muscled in almost every phase of the game. Walsh is a tidy little player but he just doesn't have the physical presence. You are right with Eliasson and O'Dowda  

[David Brent]

36 minutes ago, Super said:

Think this international break has come at a good time. Gives him plenty of time to order some buses for the trip to Leeds.

Gives him more time to prepare a team...that usually happens during an international break, right?

[EnderMB]

Lansdown has already laid out his hopes for this season, and it's a sane list of requirements. LJ needs to improve on our position last year, so 10th or above.

Currently, we're a few places off of this, so while it's all doom and gloom on here, we're not a million miles away from where we want to be.

If you thought we were going to get promoted this year, I don't really know what to tell you. We're less deserving of promotion than a dozen other teams in this league, so it's not going to happen.

[AshtonPark]

People need to work out we are still a small fish in the championship, we are not paying the wages to be a force in this division.

regardless of it people like lee or not, they need to look at the facts. 

[Fuber]

6 minutes ago, AshtonPark said:

People need to work out we are still a small fish in the championship, we are not paying the wages to be a force in this division.

regardless of it people like lee or not, they need to look at the facts. 

Equally at the moment we're paying more than other I.e. Brentford, Wigan, Leeds - ffs.

We're also not in the quagmire that Weds, Birmingham are in with regards to FFP.

The latter is salary based for the most part. Not fee based.

[Coxy27]

It's amazing to think what a roller-coaster ride Johnson's time with us up to now has been, yet you would normally associate roller-coasters with fun and excitement, which ironically is something which has been sadly missing for large periods whilst he's been with us.

He has been on the brink before now, I was at Nottingham Forest away in January of last year (was that really 2017!? Crazy it seems like so long ago now), that was the straw that broke the camel's back for me at the time. I maintain my stance from that moment, which is that there's no other club in England that would have kept their manager after that match. He broke a record that was as old as the club itself, eight consecutive defeats, it is unthinkable really.

However, he won many people around, including myself, after that match with a reasonably solid improvement for the remainder of that season, and the terrific start and cup run last season. Last season's early highs, and Johnson's reputation, were then once again tarnished massively by the catastrophic downturn in form at the start of 2018. I considered the new season a clean slate, putting the bad end to last down to a burn-out of the players given injuries and the high energy style, amongst other excuses. I don't think 22 points from 17 games is a total disaster by any stretch, but the performances, especially recently, have been so so poor. We lost to a truly awful Sheffield Wednesday side, the loss at Reading, Saturday's game, the first half at Stoke... Even Hull looked like a more threatening team than us for large periods at our ground.

I think Johnson right now is on the brink even more so than that day in January 2017. It is strange to think that, when you consider that to an outsider, it would be easy to say things like "year on year improvement" and "is 13th place really that bad for Bristol City, what do you expect?". I think what it is, is a realisation that the faith that you place in your manager to be the one to turn things around, the one to galvanise the team, and the one that can build something you will enjoy and want to get behind is fading away.

So, to answer your question @Davefevs, I think all he needs to do to stay in the job is to win games. However, barring what would now seem like a miracle run into the playoffs and something remarkable happening, I think there are a very large number of fans that won't be won back, and for me that makes his position untenable.

Long story short; my faith in LJ has been as up and down as his team's form, but over the whole period he's been here, my deep down belief that he will achieve something here is now dieing away.

[Bristol is red]

21 minutes ago, Kevin Brady said:

Where have you been? Half the problem is that he has been playing Walsh, Pack and Brownhill in the middle and they are being outplayed, overrun and out muscled in almost every phase of the game. Walsh is a tidy little player but he just doesn't have the physical presence. You are right with Eliasson and O'Dowda  

Imo it's the hoofball we play that's the problem, they do get out muscled so why are we not keeping it on the deck?  If we tried playing football akin to last season I'm positive we'd do better, hell they showed that they could do it last season.

It's ridiculous, everyone can see it doesn't suit us, hoof it to Diedhiou, lose possession, rinse repeat.  We've been doing it alot lately, (well, except when Diedhiou was suspended early season), it's ineffective and quite frankley boring to watch. A good starting point for LJ is to stop playing to OUR weaknesses.

It's up to him if he wants to stay in this job

[Major Isewater]

7 minutes ago, AshtonPark said:

People need to work out we are still a small fish in the championship, we are not paying the wages to be a force in this division.

regardless of it people like lee or not, they need to look at the facts. 

There are other ' small fish ' in this division who have and are making a better job of it than us . 

We are trying to do it the right , possibly only , way but there is a mistrust between the coach and many supporters which manifests itself all too often as we go on yet another losing run .

How many times can it be accepted ?

 

[Robbored]

41 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

No, I haven’t changed my view, but making an assumption that he is going nowhere, what does he need to do between now and say, the end of the January window to stay in the job. 

There will always be a point that SL won’t tolerate. He obviously tolerates a lot more than most of us fans. 

Win games obviously. 

No more dire performances like Saturday (and others).

Cull a few players?  Who?

Select players on merit and do this in a consistent manner. 

What do you all think?

I think we’ve been here before with LJ and for me I think he overcomplicates what is essentially a simple game. 

Like all managers the next opposition is analysed thoroughly, strengths, weaknesses ect ect and whilst there’s a clear benefit in that particularly with away matches I think he should not concentrate quite so much on stopping the opposition at AG but concentrate more on our strengths and work on our weaknesses in training.

Surely it’s up to the visiting team to worry about us.......

We also have to remember that  LJ, Macca and Deano all spent all week on the training pitches at Failand. They see the players almost daily and have all the latest personal  and, technical  data to hand. They are far more qualified then any of us fans who only see the players on a matchday so personally I feel that I don’t have the necessary depth of information to select a team.

I can only assume that Pato must impress hughely in training because to me and to most of us he rarely puts in a decent performance in Championship matches but he still makes the matchday squad. LJ and his assistants must see something in his performances that we don’t.........

The topic of the midfield comes up again and again on here but as far we know LJ doesn’t feel it’s necessary to recruit a ball playing midfielder. If I were in charge that’s the first thing I’d address. We’ve seen hardly anything of Walsh who has yet to play a full 90 mins so maybe LJ doesn’t fully trust him to perform well just yet.

If we look at it clearly, how many changes does LJ actually make week in week out? The defence pretty much  picks itself as do Pack and Brownhill. The only position  he changes game on game is up top.

 

 

[Cowshed]

Coaches from grass roots, to semi pro to professional can take months (not years) to put into practice on the field the basics of their vision in possession and out.  

Lee Johnson should fannying around with styles in possession and out.

If he wants to pursue the Pep or even Warnock dream do it every week in training, in game play, in recruitment, everywhere .. 

 

[Olé]

Brilliantly put @Coxy27 - that Forest game was also a low-water mark for me too (and importantly, because of the manner of performance itself, against a Forest side in a complete meltdown, not because of the record). Few matches have run that game close for ineptitude in the face of "needing a performance", much less beaten it.

But Saturday finally did so. I just don't know how you come back from that. The belief has gone. Two months ago I wouldn't have believed we could implode yet again. No issues losing a few games but when the tactics, the selection and everything that might suggest he can galvanise the team, all fall to pieces yet again. Enough.

[RedRock]

1) Scrap grass measuring devices, drones, the computers and opposition analysis. Prevent the players from getting ‘analysis-paralysis’ just play to their individual strengths and get them to gel as a team. 

2) Give first preference on selection to those who have power, pace, stamina and an ability to be progressive/creative, have mental strength, are winners and can think for themselves.

3) Create an elite squad of 18 players who have those physical attributes and mental characteristics.

4) Give Jamie Mc the 18 fringe players and play the under-23’s to win games and fight for their places in the elites.

5) Appoint an experienced/respected Director of Football to oversee the strategy.

6) Invest heavily in a decent scouting network ( FFS!)

 

The problem being, I don’t think LJ/Ashton have acquired more than a couple of players who fit the elite criteria. The other problem, we were ‘sold’ LJ on his amazing abilities to transform budding youngsters into stars. I think his touch - if it ever existed - has deserted him. He’s not proven a master motivator or tactician at the elite level either. 

Hey ho. 

 

 

[Three Lions]

45 minutes ago, Cowshed said:

Coaches from grass roots, to semi pro to professional can take months (not years) to put into practice on the field the basics of their vision in possession and out.  

Lee Johnson should fannying around with styles in possession and out.

If he wants to pursue the Pep or even Warnock dream do it every week in training, in game play, in recruitment, everywhere .. 

 

The big one but fear a new team a new identity each season and transfer window till he leaves.

[Fiale]

 

59 minutes ago, ReggyRed said:

Last Season

Best league finish in the Championship since we were one game away from the prem under GJ.

League cup semi final

Current Season

13th - At this stage after a summer of rebuilding a whole new squad after losing some key players seems like a good return in my eyes. Yes the last three results have no been great and performances not good enough but  we haven't got the right to turn up to any game in this league and expect 3 points with a 10/10 performance. If you want that go support Manchester City/Liverpool...

Some realism is needed in this forum. LJ is doing a fine job. Some peoples hatred towards the bloke is utterly ridiculous and unfair. Very much got my backing.

 

We sold  3 players, we did not need to rebuild a whole new team; The rebuilding was because after Christmas the team revealed itself to be woeful, and not capable of the league push we needed. If selling 3 players (even our best) means the excuse of rebuilding, then LJ is in heaven. The clubs philosophy is to sell their best talent, this is going to happen all the time, and you can't/don't rebuild every time. Luckily we are safe for a year or two anyway because I cannot honestly seeing one of our players being wanted or demanding a sum that would be worthy of selling them for atm.

 

We are a team of average players. When you are playing badly you look tot he team wondering which of them will have that moment of brilliance and create a chance or goal, or at least make something happen - we just don't have one.

[handsofclay]

We are the only club in the Championship who hasn't conceded a goal in the last 20 minutes this season. (Latest goal conceded was in 66th minute v Sheff Wed.)

That having been stated, there isn't much else to crow about. As others have said, LJ is reactive rather than proactive. I can hardly recall us ever doing anything when the opponents have effectively picked our team and tactics. McInnis was the same. I recall, not long before his dismissal, giving Peterborough a tonking at AG, then a few days later he changed that side and the tactics to face Millwall and we lost without a whimper. Plus, I recall the Wolves game at AG when he reacted to the opposition by playing one striker at home, and that striker was the prolific Ryan Taylor. Iirc we were 4-0 down by halftime.

It's like saying to the players that we aren't good enough to beat a particular team playing like we normally do with what we consider our best players. This, surely, doesn't fill the team with confidence, especially as those opponents are near the foot of the table!!!

[ooRya]

1 hour ago, RedSkin said:

Play our own high pressing game and stop trying to set up to counter the opposition especially at home.

Keep instructions simple for players. Don't over coach.

Go with just Weiman up top.  Play O'Dowda, Eliasson wide to join him in attack. 

Play Walsh, Pack and Brownhill in the middle.

 

 

Pretty much what I would like to see, and to be honest that formation was my expectation following the signings we made in the summer.

 

41 minutes ago, ReggyRed said:

Last Season

Best league finish in the Championship since we were one game away from the prem under GJ.

League cup semi final

Current Season

13th - At this stage after a summer of rebuilding a whole new squad after losing some key players seems like a good return in my eyes. Yes the last three results have no been great and performances not good enough but  we haven't got the right to turn up to any game in this league and expect 3 points with a 10/10 performance. If you want that go support Manchester City/Liverpool...

Some realism is needed in this forum. LJ is doing a fine job. Some peoples hatred towards the bloke is utterly ridiculous and unfair. Very much got my backing.

Has my backing too, and has done since he has been here.

BUT, Saturday truly was awful and he has to take a large part of the blame for that. I can see his reasoning in wanting to get an extra body in midfield, but in doing so we totally sacrificed any chance of playing to our own strengths.

As others have stated, he needs to have belief in our own style of football and stick with it, and stop worrying about how the opposition plays and how to counteract them.

[Rudolf Hucker]

1 hour ago, Coxy27 said:

It's amazing to think what a roller-coaster ride Johnson's time with us up to now has been, yet you would normally associate roller-coasters with fun and excitement, which ironically is something which has been sadly missing for large periods whilst he's been with us..

2 hours ago, RedSkin said:

Play our own high pressing game and stop trying to set up to counter the opposition especially at home. 

Keep instructions simple for players. Don't over coach.

 

I hate rollercoasters. The one we've been on since the start of 2018 hasn't been greatly enjoyable: a few times where I've thought it's been quite enjoyable but more times when it's made me scream. Give me a straight course any day.

What is making Sheffield United successful during the last couple of seasons is their determination to play THEIR brand of football regardless of the opposition; let other teams worry about countering them rather than the other way around. LJ and a succession of other City managers over the years have failed when they overthink their plans to combat the opposition's threats. Trust that your own chosen formation, style and squad can overcome any opposition; if you can't then you've chosen the wrong formation, style and squad.

LJ is typical of some managers with whom I've worked both with and for over the year's. He talks in cliches; riddles which nobody truly understands. They invariably prove to have a modicum of success but they're invariably self-serving sorts whose staff whisper about them in coffee rooms; they aren't people who would ever lead troops into battle without suffering many casualties. In my experience, footballers are very simple millionaires; they understand simple instructions not bullshit buzzwords. LJ needs to cut the crap when he's talking to them and to us; don't try to invent more jargon. Keep it simple, stupid.

Little things annoy me about LJ. When we win at home, he's out on the pitch straight after the game slapping the players on their backs and milking the applause from the stands. When, like Saturday we lose badly, he's nowhere to be seen; straight down the tunnel; doesn't want to suffer the brickbats which may head his way - not good for the image. Doesn't he realise that the players can see that he's a Glory Boy? I've worked with and for some of those guys too and they're never to be trusted. Win together; lose together.

When I reached 'high' office, I was given some advice about one individual: "change your manager or change your manager". Have that one on me SL.

[Trueredsupporter]

2 hours ago, RedSkin said:

Play our own high pressing game and stop trying to set up to counter the opposition especially at home.

Keep instructions simple for players. Don't over coach.

Go with just Weiman up top.  Play O'Dowda, Eliasson wide to join him in attack. 

Play Walsh, Pack and Brownhill in the middle.

 

 

City don't have a high pressing game.

[Red-Robbo]

At City we've been blessed in recent years by always having at least one prolific goal scorer. Even when the defence was dreadful, we'd have someone likely to tuck away such chances as came to him.

We don't really have that now, for the first time in ages, and we are largely  reliant on goals from midfield. 

The ideal Johnson In scenario is that we'd find one in January, even if it meant spending big.

The reality is the club won't countenance that and anyone we get will be "one for the future". Big bucks will not be spent and TBH it's tough anyway attracting really good players in January. Far harder to get decent people in halfway through the season than during the summer. 

As for the general direction of the club, the posts written by @Coxy and @Olé could have been written by me. 

I've lost faith and hope in the manager. We will win a few more this season, but generally it'll be as disappointing as the majority of this year has been - and it might even be disastrous. I can detect no ongoing forward progress.

[Shtanley]

Generally the defence is of similar ability and quality to what it was last season. Which is fairly impressive considering it's a whole new back 5.

The 2 attacking signings he made have both got injured so I'm reserving judgement until they've played a fairly big part in our matches.

But he must stop showing blind faith to Paterson and Taylor. 

[Dman_Red]

1 hour ago, ReggyRed said:

Last Season

Best league finish in the Championship since we were one game away from the prem under GJ.

League cup semi final

Current Season

13th - At this stage after a summer of rebuilding a whole new squad after losing some key players seems like a good return in my eyes. Yes the last three results have no been great and performances not good enough but  we haven't got the right to turn up to any game in this league and expect 3 points with a 10/10 performance. If you want that go support Manchester City/Liverpool...

Some realism is needed in this forum. LJ is doing a fine job. Some peoples hatred towards the bloke is utterly ridiculous and unfair. Very much got my backing.

I understand this point of view and just to caveat what I'm about to say, I'm not suggesting you don't watch the majority of city games (you may or may not). I'm just challenging the idea of why we should be happy with the current situation.

But it strikes me as something I'd hear a pundit in a sky sports studio say as having watched maybe one or two games and just looks at the final outcome of our league position. They don't watch games week in week out and see the same mistakes being made. 

If I'm being honest, if the last two years had happened before I'd renewed my season ticket at the start of 2017 and when we didn't have access to non 3 o clock games, I'd only attend 5-6 games season. I'd see the results come in and think "oh we've lost 1-0 to Preston, but don't worry we're still closer to the play-offs than relegation". I could go about my day and not dwell on a bad performance. Now that I get to see far more games, it's the performances I'm more interested in more so than results. (Obviously I wouldn't want a season full of games like the West Brom game, but hopefully you understand my point).

Whilst I do agree that a few fans have it in for LJ regardless, there are quite a few on here who are realistic. I think if offered the current position at the start of the season, the majority would have taken it. It's the manner and inconsistency of the performances that have people frustrated.

I don't really buy the point about rebuilding. A case could be made for Webster/Kelly/Weimann being on par with the players they replaced. However, as is it seems widely accepted that we are to sell players at a profit to become self-sustainable (something I'm happy to do, and again, most fans accept we can't throw money at a promotion push), won't we be having this argument about rebuilding nearly every season?

I don't like the term 'identity' as it sounds like waffle, but it would be nice just to see a consistent game plan. Stop trying to shoe-horn players in and set-up to our strengths. 

Please can we try the pressing game from the front. Numerous times last season Reid lifted the crowd just by chasing someone down. Weimann can do this, so let's setup to help him so we press as a unit and his energy isn't wasted.

 

 

[lenred]

12 minutes ago, Rudolf Hucker said:

I hate rollercoasters. The one we've been on since the start of 2018 hasn't been greatly enjoyable: a few times where I've thought it's been quite enjoyable but more times when it's made me scream. Give me a straight course any day.

What is making Sheffield United successful during the last couple of seasons is their determination to play THEIR brand of football regardless of the opposition; let other teams worry about countering them rather than the other way around. LJ and a succession of other City managers over the years have failed when they overthink their plans to combat the opposition's threats. Trust that your own chosen formation, style and squad can overcome any opposition; if you can't then you've chosen the wrong formation, style and squad.

LJ is typical of some managers with whom I've worked both with and for over the year's. He talks in cliches; riddles which nobody truly understands. They invariably prove to have a modicum of success but they're invariably self-serving sorts whose staff whisper about them in coffee rooms; they aren't people who would ever lead troops into battle without suffering many casualties. In my experience, footballers are very simple millionaires; they understand simple instructions not bullshit buzzwords. LJ needs to cut the crap when he's talking to them and to us; don't try to invent more jargon. Keep it simple, stupid.

Little things annoy me about LJ. When we win at home, he's out on the pitch straight after the game slapping the players on their backs and milking the applause from the stands. When, like Saturday we lose badly, he's nowhere to be seen; straight down the tunnel; doesn't want to suffer the brickbats which may head his way - not good for the image. Doesn't he realise that the players can see that he's a Glory Boy? I've worked with and for some of those guys too and they're never to be trusted. Win together; lose together.

When I reached 'high' office, I was given some advice about one individual: "change your manager or change your manager". Have that one on me SL.

Great post Rudolf. I’ve heard and read many rumours about his behaviour around the club  which only serves to back up what you have written. Of course they are all 2nd / 3rd hand but you only have to look at the way he behaves / reacts after a defeat and the difference when we win to see there must be at least more than a semblance of truth about it. ‘Petty’ pretty much sums it up, if you’re being kind. Not someone you would follow in the trenches that’s for sure. 

[miser]

As the question is what does he have to do to keep his job, the I'd say 3 wins would do it even if 3 flukes. To regain my belief in his skills - too late.