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Lee Johnson


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Is it any coincidence that LJ has started the last 5 games and we go unbeaten. To me LJ no matter what others say seems to get this team working.

Always looking to pass and he seems to bring the best out of Elliott. Long may it continue and well done to LJ for sticking with this club when many would have left after some poor treatment by some quarters.

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Is it any coincidence that LJ has started the last 5 games and we go unbeaten. To me LJ no matter what others say seems to get this team working.

Always looking to pass and he seems to bring the best out of Elliott. Long may it continue and well done to LJ for sticking with this club when many would have left after some poor treatment by some quarters.

I agree, that is no coincidence. Didn't have his best game last night, but still showed creativity and commitment.

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One of the only bright points of this season so far is that Lee Johnson has managed to show City fans* that he can get in the team purely on merit. The fact that he initially wasn't picked by Millen but has forced his way in and had a big influence on the team's improved form has shown that he does have the quality to play at this level.

I don't know if he is the answer long-term but he's at least proved himself and nobody can claim he's only in the team because of who the manager is.

*Those who didn't believe it already.

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Is it any coincidence that LJ has started the last 5 games and we go unbeaten. To me LJ no matter what others say seems to get this team working.

Always looking to pass and he seems to bring the best out of Elliott. Long may it continue and well done to LJ for sticking with this club when many would have left after some poor treatment by some quarters.

Statistics lie but data doesn't look at the teams record since he has been here with him in the team relative to him not in the team.

First season, we get promoted - second season, tailed off towards the end with guess who missing from the team - third season, replaced by Hartley (who was very good) but still a not very good season for the club but played bit parts - fourth season, awful start but guess who comes back and were unbeaten.

This is a rather simplistic view I know but these things do tally up almost to conveniently to be ignored as a fluke.

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Not LJ bashing here but we had an awful run around this time last year when LJ played every game, and LJ hardly played a minute of Millen's unbeaten run at the end of last season.

Since Lee came back in he was superb against Reading and indifferent since, although I thought he played well against Preston when a lot of people seemed to think he didnt. At Mboro and Swansea he has struggled, maybe the away games when we are up against it , dont suit him.

The fact is that the way we played down at Portsmouth (without Lee) proved we have the players and I thought the corner had turned then. The run is not because of LJ or in spite of him, but he is playing his part in it.

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Not LJ bashing here but we had an awful run around this time last year when LJ played every game, and LJ hardly played a minute of Millen's unbeaten run at the end of last season.

Since Lee came back in he was superb against Reading and indifferent since, although I thought he played well against Preston when a lot of people seemed to think he didnt. At Mboro and Swansea he has struggled, maybe the away games when we are up against it , dont suit him.

The fact is that the way we played down at Portsmouth (without Lee) proved we have the players and I thought the corner had turned then. The run is not because of LJ or in spite of him, but he is playing his part in it.

Although you could argue that since his return Marvin Elliott looks a totally different player so our midfield is stronger. Now we have a tackler and a passer in the centre.

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Not LJ bashing here but we had an awful run around this time last year when LJ played every game, and LJ hardly played a minute of Millen's unbeaten run at the end of last season.

Since Lee came back in he was superb against Reading and indifferent since, although I thought he played well against Preston when a lot of people seemed to think he didnt. At Mboro and Swansea he has struggled, maybe the away games when we are up against it , dont suit him.

The fact is that the way we played down at Portsmouth (without Lee) proved we have the players and I thought the corner had turned then. The run is not because of LJ or in spite of him, but he is playing his part in it.

Agree with that. LJ had a great first game and the ones I've seen since have not been up to that. He's been no worse than Skuse or Cisse though and he's certainly playing better than he has for the last two years.

I would think the most obvious reasons for us starting to improve are having a settled back four and playing a balanced formation the team understand.

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I do think it helps that Johnson makes himself available for a pass out of defence.

Granted he often loses the ball or gives it straight back, and there is still a fair bit of hoofball played, but he does at least give defenders the option of the short pass which I'm not sure Skuse and Cisse provide as effectively.

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The fact is that the way we played down at Portsmouth (without Lee) proved we have the players and I thought the corner had turned then. The run is not because of LJ or in spite of him, but he is playing his part in it.

Agree with that but would add that Lee Johnson is not playing in the same style that he did last season.

He's covering less ground by not chasing lost causes, he's taking up more central and often deeper positions from where he can distribute the ball more effectively. He has, in effect taken on the 'play maker' role vacated by Paul Hartley. He did pretty much the same thing whilst on loan at Derby last season and they rated him as a good player and were surprised he couldn't get a game at City.

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rumour is Lee had a massive fall out with gary, and about 5 weeks ago....he was adopted by a man called Keith

I thought Millen had adopted Jamie McAllister.

If he hasn't adopted him, the only other thing keeping him in the team must be photos of Millen banging a rentboy which he is ready to hit send the moment he is dropped.

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Johnson's pressence is not less then messi wilshire or Cesc (all far better footballers so don't even start)

They all (bar messi) play a similer role in taking the ball from the defence and trying to turn that into attack,

If we are relying on Johnson to do all the tackling and head as well then we are doing somthing wrong,

For me Lee's job is to drop short and collect the ball and spread it out to the wing for an attack,

Elliot is the box to box man who should be winning headers and crunching tackles,

Johnson is a deeplying playmaker who's job should be to ping the ball to the wings or the odd long ball up to stead

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Agree with that but would add that Lee Johnson is not playing in the same style that he did last season.

He's covering less ground by not chasing lost causes, he's taking up more central and often deeper positions from where he can distribute the ball more effectively. He has, in effect taken on the 'play maker' role vacated by Paul Hartley. He did pretty much the same thing whilst on loan at Derby last season and they rated him as a good player and were surprised he couldn't get a game at City.

But the Lee Johnson last season playing for his Dad had loads to prove, he had to try harder than those around him, hence "chasing lost causes". This season he can play with the freedom of being just another player with no connection to the manager. I've always rated LJ he is a decent Championship player no more no less, but to improve we need better than decent. I think with LJ we can become a good mid table Championship side but if KM can cut the wage bill AND generate so money in the Jan wndow then I'd look to improve the left back slot first then possibly look for a genuine midfield playmaker.

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So essentially what we are saying here is that we are now playing better using a central midfield pairing created by GJ (Marv + LJ) than we were using Millen's preferred pairing in his first few games (Skuse + Marv).

Good to see 'Keef' is starting to see the error of his ways. You can't win games at this level without a creative midfielder. Whether LJ is good enough to play that role in a team capable of winning promotion is doubtful (hence the signing of Hartley) but he has to start every game for now.

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So essentially what we are saying here is that we are now playing better using a central midfield pairing created by GJ (Marv + LJ) than we were using Millen's preferred pairing in his first few games (Skuse + Marv).

Sure, Millen stumbled accross the Johnson/Elliot pairing by chance but has since used Johnson is a more subtle way that Johnson senior did.

As others have said, under his dad LJ felt he had something to prove and he covered lots of ground every game. Of course his dad liked players who ran around a lot and LJ met that particular criteria fully.

Under Millen and with no 'monkey on his back' regarding who is father is Lee Johnson is putting in the same kind of peformances that had the Derby fans cooing about him last season. He's playing deeper and more central and able to be more creative with his passing. He's now spraying the ball left and right to bring in both wingers. He's also providing some protection for the back 4. With a destroyer like Elliot alongside him its proved to be an effective combination.

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I thought Johnson did OK last night, but I felt rather frustrated that he ambled around on occasions when he should have been closing the opposition down, as all of his team mates were doing around him. Mind you, the guy sat next to me completely disagreed with me, so maybe I'm looking hard enough for the LJ positives?

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Robbo - you may well be right in that and it's fair to say that both LJ and Hartley were forced to play far too many Hollywood

passes over the top last season because our lack of width gave them bugger all low risk options that advance play.

LJ will always struggle physically - if Marv

is now getting back to his best (sounds

like he was last night) that will matter far less.

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LJ will always be a decent-ish player at this level, however his biggest problem is consistancy, unfortunately he only really turns up fully 1 in 3/4 games.

always been the case.

decent squad player and good to come in if players are injured, but the bottom line is, we haven't replaced Hartley and we need to.

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To be fair to LJ he has been reasonable in the last 5 games, and even played well in a couple of them. I'm glad he is doing well at the moment but can he keep it up? This is the first time in the Championship I've seen him play to the required level- before now he has been a liability on most occasions.

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