Lee Johnson

[reddogkev]

Seeing Lee Johnson develop as a quality City manager is a joy to behold - seeing as it would have been so easy for the club to sack him during our periods of woefully bad form.

Lee is doing a truly fantastic job as City manager and long may it continue.  He looks destined to manage at the top level of the game, hopefully he will take us there with him.

I admire LJ's qualities so much, specifically his goal to improve every single day.  You get the feeling that he truly strives for greatness and always looks to enhance his ability / performance as a manager.

So much credit has to be shown to Stephen Lansdown for sticking with Lee.

[Sparkz 76]

Proved me completely wrong. I wanted him gone but he is proving he has massive potential now and I’m happy that I’m was wrong.

Well done Lee and the club 

 

humble pie tastes good

[JoeAman08]

I had gotten to a point where I was done with LJ. I have always said there is a line and he usually was in credit. After the Preston and another match(SW?) I said I was done with him. First time I had and I questioned his ability to motivate players in the “easier” games.

Last night was an “easier” one. A game where we should win or are favourites. These have been the toughest one under LJ. The premier league teams or top 6 clashes we have always performed. They come out slow last night. Got in at HT and LJ motivated them. They came out instantly a different side. That shows growth from LJ along with the substitution of Kelly. 

Also his interview after when talking about Kelly. He has really ripped some players to shreds before after better performances than Kelly had. He was very mature in his wording of Lloyd. Bigging him back up and saying he will bounce back and is a huge part of this club etc. A side I have rarely seen from LJ.

Perhaps easier because we are winning but I have seen a massive improvement in his player management and his decision making in game. Think he has always shown signs but would eventually come across as smug and too full of himself and make some daft decision. He seems to have taken a step back in that. Still full of self belief but not trying to be too clever. Well done to him honestly. Well into good credit again and will take some doing to be out of it. 

[cidered abroad]

16 minutes ago, JoeAman08 said:

I had gotten to a point where I was done with LJ. I have always said there is a line and he usually was in credit. After the Preston and another match(SW?) I said I was done with him. First time I had and I questioned his ability to motivate players in the “easier” games.

Last night was an “easier” one. A game where we should win or are favourites. These have been the toughest one under LJ. The premier league teams or top 6 clashes we have always performed. They come out slow last night. Got in at HT and LJ motivated them. They came out instantly a different side. That shows growth from LJ along with the substitution of Kelly. 

Also his interview after when talking about Kelly. He has really ripped some players to shreds before after better performances than Kelly had. He was very mature in his wording of Lloyd. Bigging him back up and saying he will bounce back and is a huge part of this club etc. A side I have rarely seen from LJ.

Perhaps easier because we are winning but I have seen a massive improvement in his player management and his decision making in game. Think he has always shown signs but would eventually come across as smug and too full of himself and make some daft decision. He seems to have taken a step back in that. Still full of self belief but not trying to be too clever. Well done to him honestly. Well into good credit again and will take some doing to be out of it. 

I agree with every word.

[Bar BS3]

3 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

I agree with every word.

Ooh but you couldn’t quite bring yourself to say them..?!

Go on.... you can do it... say “Well done LJ, I should have had more faith in what you were doing and trying to put in place”

You’ll feel much better for it, honestly..!

[BTRFTG]

2 hours ago, Bar BS3 said:

Sorry if that still irks you (and a few remaining others). Don’t worry, we are bound to lose a game soon and then you enjoy yourselves..

Doesn't irk me in the slightest and says rather more about you than I.

[Bar BS3]

1 minute ago, BTRFTG said:

Doesn't irk me in the slightest and says rather more about you than I.

Good. I’m glad you are happy. Apologies if I took your comments in the wrong way. Having a bad week, other than the football..! 

[cidered abroad]

11 hours ago, gordie said:

Has he really got many critics left? That is what pisses me off with all the ‘well what do the LJ haters think of that then’ and comments similar, all it does is put peoples back up and divides support at a time we should all be together like the players and management.  This is not aimed at your post here by the way. 

Would everyone please stop using the word "haters" when referring to those of us who held very sincere doubts about his management. 

I certainly don't hate him. How could I, I've never met him or spoken to him. It's taken three years of boom and bust to get to the stage where we are now. Any criticisms I have made were because I care so much about MY CLUB. I haven't supported them for seventy years without having very strong opinions about what I want from Head Ccoach and the squad

The win last night was hard earned. A dull and mostly uneventful first half, with a soft goal conceded just on half time.

A good sub bringing on Dasilva, and a more positive approach, forced QPR back and they defended far too deeply, with the inevitable result.

By the way, Kelly will get over last night's game and develop into a very, very good CB.

[1960maaan]

3 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

Would everyone please stop using the word "haters" when referring to those of us who held very sincere doubts about his management. 

I certainly don't hate him. How could I, I've never met him or spoken to him. It's taken three years of boom and bust to get to the stage where we are now. Any criticisms I have made were because I care so much about MY CLUB. I haven't supported them for seventy years without having very strong opinions about what I want from Head Ccoach and the squad

The win last night was hard earned. A dull and mostly uneventful first half, with a soft goal conceded just on half time.

A good sub bringing on Dasilva, and a more positive approach, forced QPR back and they defended far too deeply, with the inevitable result.

By the way, Kelly will get over last night's game and develop into a very, very good CB.

Bang on !

I would add though, about the subs. Weimann was forced, and DaSilva was the easiest and most obvious change there will ever be. Kelly was so bad I felt sorry for him. He looked totally lacking confidence , and it made him look lacklustre . That said I understand why Kelly started, and agree , and I said exactly the same, that Kelly will be a very good CB when he builds up.
 

[downendcity]

22 minutes ago, JoeAman08 said:

I had gotten to a point where I was done with LJ. I have always said there is a line and he usually was in credit. After the Preston and another match(SW?) I said I was done with him. First time I had and I questioned his ability to motivate players in the “easier” games.

Last night was an “easier” one. A game where we should win or are favourites. These have been the toughest one under LJ. The premier league teams or top 6 clashes we have always performed. They come out slow last night. Got in at HT and LJ motivated them. They came out instantly a different side. That shows growth from LJ along with the substitution of Kelly. 

Also his interview after when talking about Kelly. He has really ripped some players to shreds before after better performances than Kelly had. He was very mature in his wording of Lloyd. Bigging him back up and saying he will bounce back and is a huge part of this club etc. A side I have rarely seen from LJ.

Perhaps easier because we are winning but I have seen a massive improvement in his player management and his decision making in game. Think he has always shown signs but would eventually come across as smug and too full of himself and make some daft decision. He seems to have taken a step back in that. Still full of self belief but not trying to be too clever. Well done to him honestly. Well into good credit again and will take some doing to be out of it. 

I recall reading a post where it was suggested that after the huge ups and downs of the first couple of seasons, a point was reached when it became clear ( possibly following Tomlin's departure?) to the players that even with that losing streak, LJ had the owners full support and backing and that it was more likely to be players leaving than the head coach.

Up until then I wonder whether Lj was trying too hard to impress and be assertive, especially when running up against big dressing room egos. More recently, no doubt helped by better results, has he perhaps been more relaxed in his style  because he feels  he now has less to prove, while at the same time players see that LJ's ideas and style are working, so are buying into it more than was perhaps the case a couple of seasons ago.

It is also noticeable that some of LJ's "ones for the future" signings, about which so many were sceptical, are starting to come into their own. How much are we missing Reid, Flint and Bryan  and servers as it might sound, how much of the way we ( and LJ) are now performing is because of the departure of those big players?

 

 

[JBFC II]

3 hours ago, BTRFTG said:

DaSilva trumps Kelly, Palmer trumps Patterson any day of the week and we should have started our best and most offensive line up. If the first 40 were comfortable how comes The Wardrobe had 4 chances, a bloke who hadn't scored on the road in 17 months until last night? Fact is first half we we soft and ponderous and although Weimann's injury didn't help the initial XI set the tone.

Paterson has been excellent for the last few games. Palmer is a better footballer but he doesn't offer the pressing game of Paterson, he's basically a better version of JET. 

Unfortunately some people fail to see how good Paterson is through their scapegoat tinted glasses... 

[UREDS_91]

9 minutes ago, JBFC II said:

Paterson has been excellent for the last few games. Palmer is a better footballer but he doesn't offer the pressing game of Paterson, he's basically a better version of JET. 

Unfortunately some people fail to see how good Paterson is through their scapegoat tinted glasses... 

Paterson does the defensive side better whilst Palmer does the offensive side better. Said it many times that if Pato made better decisions, he would be a perfect number 10. Instead he runs into others space and doesn’t release the ball when he should do, causing us to lose possession. 

Just a case of making the correct decisions. 

[Numero Uno]

12 hours ago, Davefevs said:

Guys either side of me thought Pack should come off.  They said Didn’t need a deep playmaker when we were getting into their half easily enough, needed men in / around the box.

Taylor or Palmer...got it right.

The braver decision was at h-t and 0-1 down to use a second sub to get Dasilva on, knowing that you then only bring on Taylor or Palmer.  That sub got a big thumbs up for me.  We all deliberated at h-t whether it was right to use a second sub at full-back.

Couldn’t agree more on the last bit. It was strange that Kelly was having a poor game yet due to QPR’s set up was seeing more of the ball than anyone!! He had to change it at half time to get more from Da Silva in those areas but as you say knowing he could only then use Taylor OR Palmer later in the game. Brave but necessary.

[BTRFTG]

2 hours ago, Bar BS3 said:

Good. I’m glad you are happy. Apologies if I took your comments in the wrong way. Having a bad week, other than the football..! 

Up the City....

[BTRFTG]

1 hour ago, JBFC II said:

Excellent for the last few games....

Unfortunately some people fail to see how good Paterson is through their scapegoat tinted glasses... 

Nothing to do with scapegoat and glasses help to see clearly. Plus,  no he hasn't. At Blackburn he was an utter passenger, the one blot in an otherwise exceptional team performance.

Though I'm a long term critic of his contribution has improved of late and somewhat frustratingly he occasionally produces a flash of brilliance (a la last night's assist,) which suggests why we might have acquired him in the first place. However, his long term record across all his clubs demonstrates what is obvious for most to see and that's he's wasted his talents. For most of his career with us he's hidden in plain sight, been ultra soft and inconsistent. I love nothing more than for him to improve beyond all recognition and consistently perform as he did last night. 

Palmer however is an exceptional talent that Patterson will never, ever become.

[Rob k]

9 hours ago, 1960maaan said:

Bang on !

I would add though, about the subs. Weimann was forced, and DaSilva was the easiest and most obvious change there will ever be. Kelly was so bad I felt sorry for him. He looked totally lacking confidence , and it made him look lacklustre . That said I understand why Kelly started, and agree , and I said exactly the same, that Kelly will be a very good CB when he builds up.
 

What makes everyone think LK will be this incredible centre back? I don’t think he’s hard enough personally.

The way people go on you would have thought he was a 16 year old breaking through - he’s 20. 

[Selred]

4 minutes ago, Rob k said:

What makes everyone think LK will be this incredible centre back? I don’t think he’s hard enough personally.

The way people go on you would have thought he was a 16 year old breaking through - he’s 20. 

20 is incredibly young for a defender, any player saying that actually.

He is very calm on the ball, has a great footballing brain, and a good stature. He's only played 30 odd senior games remember, and has looked the best player in some of those. 

You don't need to be 'hard' to be a centre back these days. He still has years of bulking out to come anyway.

[AppyDAZE]

Well overdue for a proper song imo.

ALL our decent managers have had one so let's have one for LJ

Johnson says is OK for occasions, but he needs a song of appreciation, in my book.

Just not sure what we could do for him.

Suggestions ?

[Rob k]

25 minutes ago, Selred said:

20 is incredibly young for a defender, any player saying that actually.

He is very calm on the ball, has a great footballing brain, and a good stature. He's only played 30 odd senior games remember, and has looked the best player in some of those. 

You don't need to be 'hard' to be a centre back these days. He still has years of bulking out to come anyway.

I’m not seeing the hype but plenty are so I’m happy to be proved wrong 

when i say ‘hard’ i suppose i mean he needs to get stuck in a bit more - for a fairly big guy he loses to many headers for me. 

[Davefevs]

1 hour ago, Selred said:

20 is incredibly young for a defender, any player saying that actually.

He is very calm on the ball, has a great footballing brain, and a good stature. He's only played 30 odd senior games remember, and has looked the best player in some of those. 

You don't need to be 'hard' to be a centre back these days. He still has years of bulking out to come anyway.

I was one who was quite reserved about his performances pre-Xmas.  Don’t get me wrong, thought he was having a very good season, but wasn’t going over the top....because young players have peaks and troughs.  He’s having a little run of poor form at the mo’.  It happens.

I do think he is a talent though, but let’s not rush him.

He’s an athlete, and as he bulks up he will become a better athlete.

Having seen him v Brislington as LCB in a three fir the first time a good few years back , I saw the makings of a CB who can play.  He had a tough baptism in that position v Sheffield Utd at the end of last season, but I thought was excellent against Boro when he marked Assombolonga really well.  He’s getting good experience, and he will come again.

It wasn’t long ago that his partnership with Eliasson v Ipswich created 3 second half goals.  Dasilva’s excellent spell since returning to the team has made Kelly’s blip seem worse.

It looks like once QPR knew Kelly was starting that Jordan Cousins was asked to play a very disciplined RM role to block off our left side.  It meant we never got O’Dowda and Kelly overloading Wszolek at RWB, nor did it draw Darnell Furlong out of RCB.  Looking back (and after listening to his post-match presser) McLaren set them up very well.  The problem was that they came out second half and not just sat back, but didn’t really try to play on the break.

[JamesBCFC]

1 hour ago, Davefevs said:

I was one who was quite reserved about his performances pre-Xmas.  Don’t get me wrong, thought he was having a very good season, but wasn’t going over the top....because young players have peaks and troughs.  He’s having a little run of poor form at the mo’.  It happens.

I do think he is a talent though, but let’s not rush him.

He’s an athlete, and as he bulks up he will become a better athlete.

Having seen him v Brislington as LCB in a three fir the first time a good few years back , I saw the makings of a CB who can play.  He had a tough baptism in that position v Sheffield Utd at the end of last season, but I thought was excellent against Boro when he marked Assombolonga really well.  He’s getting good experience, and he will come again.

It wasn’t long ago that his partnership with Eliasson v Ipswich created 3 second half goals.  Dasilva’s excellent spell since returning to the team has made Kelly’s blip seem worse.

It looks like once QPR knew Kelly was starting that Jordan Cousins was asked to play a very disciplined RM role to block off our left side.  It meant we never got O’Dowda and Kelly overloading Wszolek at RWB, nor did it draw Darnell Furlong out of RCB.  Looking back (and after listening to his post-match presser) McLaren set them up very well.  The problem was that they came out second half and not just sat back, but didn’t really try to play on the break.

There's some very exciting possibilities with formations and our squad.

We won't see it because a change in formation is utterly unnecessary right now, but how about a 3-5-2 or 5-4-1/3-5-1-1

Kelly, Kalas and Webster as CBs. Dasilva and either Pisano or Hunt as WBs.

Midfield with 3 of Pack, Brownhill, Morrell, Walsh or Patterson*

For the 2 any from Diedhiou, Weimann, Taylor, Semenyo or Watkins.

 

*Thinking Patterson in the role he took after Pack went off yesterday. Smith left out as not sure he'll be getting any/much time this season.

 

 

Feel awful not to fit O'Dowda or Eliasson in there but both can be on the bench and, depending on starting personnel it only takes 1 sub to change back to the 4-4-1-1 of late.

 

 

Maybe we can try it in the game after we seal the title  (off to get some nails and a hammer to keep my feet on the ground.)

[Major Isewater]

21 hours ago, reddogkev said:

Seeing Lee Johnson develop as a quality City manager is a joy to behold - seeing as it would have been so easy for the club to sack him during our periods of woefully bad form.

Lee is doing a truly fantastic job as City manager and long may it continue.  He looks destined to manage at the top level of the game, hopefully he will take us there with him.

I admire LJ's qualities so much, specifically his goal to improve every single day.  You get the feeling that he truly strives for greatness and always looks to enhance his ability / performance as a manager.

So much credit has to be shown to Stephen Lansdown for sticking with Lee.

ReddogKev or ReddogGaryJ ?

You don’t fool us .

 

Seriously, my take on the LJ situation was that he seemed to have something, talked a good game but not enough concrete, solid achievements to back up the impression that he gave of being in the same league as Pep, Klopp etc. 

Fur coat and no knickers came to mind.

My other concern  was also that he would leave and turn out to be ‘ in the same league as Pep, Klopp etc ‘ having made his mistakes here.

As time passes he gets more and more credibility and experience to add to the undoubted ability he showed since his first coaching post aged nine .

I am delighted for him , Lansdown and BCFC. let’s hope we get our just desserts. 

Well done Lee.

[Leveller]

23 hours ago, cidered abroad said:

Would everyone please stop using the word "haters" when referring to those of us who held very sincere doubts about his management. 

I certainly don't hate him. How could I, I've never met him or spoken to him. It's taken three years of boom and bust to get to the stage where we are now. Any criticisms I have made were because I care so much about MY CLUB. I haven't supported them for seventy years without having very strong opinions about what I want from Head Ccoach and the squad

The win last night was hard earned. A dull and mostly uneventful first half, with a soft goal conceded just on half time.

A good sub bringing on Dasilva, and a more positive approach, forced QPR back and they defended far too deeply, with the inevitable result.

By the way, Kelly will get over last night's game and develop into a very, very good CB.

I don’t think you had ANY doubts about his management. You spent November telling us he was a clueless inept rookie and that we would be playing Walsall next season. You were very confident of your facts then.