sparkyboy72 Posted June 5, 2011 Report Share Posted June 5, 2011 After the reports on here this week with LJ and DS in the out list it was mentioned that Derby could be in for him after his successful loan Spell, Well Derby have just signed Craig Bryson from Killie. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/default.stm Although this is subject to a medical, who else would be in the market for LJ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bris Red Posted June 5, 2011 Report Share Posted June 5, 2011 After the reports on here this week with LJ and DS in the out list it was mentioned that Derby could be in for him after his successful loan Spell, Well Derby have just signed Craig Bryson from Killie. http://news.bbc.co.u...v_1/default.stm Although this is subject to a medical, who else would be in the market for LJ? Always said he could do a job at any mid to smaller side in the Championship imo. Doncaster, Barnsley, Coventry and the like. Weather or not they will be interested is another matter. Either way he needs to get off the wage bill! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chappers Posted June 5, 2011 Report Share Posted June 5, 2011 A diminutive midfielder who does not score many goals, weak in the air, and not a strong tackler - Not a great Championship CV. An OK player at League 1 level at best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nibor Posted June 5, 2011 Report Share Posted June 5, 2011 It'll be hard to move LJ on, unless he wants to go and one of the newly promoted sides fancies him. I suspect he'd have to move down and therefore we'll see him here for another year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkyboy72 Posted June 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 It'll be hard to move LJ on, unless he wants to go and one of the newly promoted sides fancies him. I suspect he'd have to move down and therefore we'll see him here for another year. I seem to agree with your thinking there Nibor, i wouldn't be surprised to see him end up at either Exeter or Yeovil on loan with the option to buy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan Tansley Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 A diminutive midfielder who does not score many goals, weak in the air, and not a strong tackler - Not a great Championship CV. An OK player at League 1 level at best. Sums up the problem with English football and coaching in one post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chipdawg Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Sums up the problem with English football and coaching in one post. I think it sums up the problem with Lee Johnson better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkeh Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 I think it sums up the problem with Lee Johnson better stop right there young man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chappers Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 It was just meant to be an honest assessment of his abilities. He is a neat and tidy player and reads the game quite well, but at Championship level you need a bit more. With City looking to play two wingers, we just cannot accommodate a lightweight in central midfield, and I genuinely don't think he has the necessary quality to play regularly at this level. It's nothing to do with English coaching, if he had great vision and ability to regularly deliver the killer pass and control games he would be fine. Unfortunately he doesn't! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bris Red Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Sums up the problem with English football and coaching in one post. Dont know what your getting at there to be honest. Is Xavi a good tackler, strong in the air or a prolific goal scorer? These arnt necessarily the ingredients to making a good midfielder IMO. If anything this is where us as English go wrong. We seem to think you have to be a great big lump who wins every ball in the air and can tackle like mad. To be fair Lee Johnson is a tidy little footballer. If i was him i would be thinking out of the box and look for a move abroad. He would suit La Liga or somewhere down to the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Popodopolous Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 As a couple of others have said, size is irrelevant I suspect. How tall are Xavi and Iniesta? Johnson may or may not be up to the job- fans have different views on that- but if he can pass and move etc then his size is pretty much irrelevant IMO. English coaching reference was I believe in reference to the oft stated accusation that coaches at academies prioritise big and tall players over and above clever ball players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sargent Pepper Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Agreed. I was lucky enough to see Barca in the flesh last year and Messi, Xavi and Iniesta were on a different planet... However they only work so well because they play in a 3 man midfield with someone like Toure, Keita or most recently Busquets sitting behind them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chappers Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 The point is that Lee does not have size to compensate for the many qualities that he lacks. Nearer our level, Leon Britton is not tall, but was highly effective in the Swansea midfield. As somebody says 'tidy little footballer', but you want a lot more than that at our level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bris Red Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 The point is that Lee does not have size to compensate for the many qualities that he lacks. Nearer our level, Leon Britton is not tall, but was highly effective in the Swansea midfield. As somebody says 'tidy little footballer', but you want a lot more than that at our level. Agree, At Championship level he dosnt effect games but in all fairness you could pluck quality ball playing midfielders out of La Liga who would probably struggle in the Championship. Its a very physically demanding league as is all English football. Leon Britton does well as Swansea play to his strengths. They pack the midfield so he has license to roam around. LJ as has been said a million times on here before is useless in a 4-4-2 (as would be britton i would have thought) yet we played him here time and time again. People may laugh and say no way but im pretty certain that in the right midfield LJ could do a job in the Seria A or La Liga for one of the lesser teams. Go on Lee be ambitious! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Economou Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Agree, At Championship level he dosnt effect games but in all fairness you could pluck quality ball playing midfielders out of La Liga who would probably struggle in the Championship. Its a very physically demanding league as is all English football. As i said before Lee Johnson would do him self no harm at all in trying to look for a move abroad. People may laugh and say no way but im pretty certain that in the right midfield LJ could do a job in the Seria A or La Liga for one of the lesser teams. Lee Johnson was a very effective link in the style of football City played in his first three seasons at AG, two of which were in the Championship. Sadly it seems his career at City is over with Millen preferring battlers rather than ball players in m/f. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan Tansley Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Dont know what your getting at there to be honest. Is Xavi a good tackler, strong in the air or a prolific goal scorer? These arnt necessarily the ingredients to making a good midfielder IMO. If anything this is where us as English go wrong. We seem to think you have to be a great big lump who wins every ball in the air and can tackle like mad. To be fair Lee Johnson is a tidy little footballer. If i was him i would be thinking out of the box and look for a move abroad. He would suit La Liga or somewhere down to the ground. That was my point!!! :S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
42nite Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 I blame Lee Johnson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chappers Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Not enough pace, not enough mobility, not enough quality. I think it is more of a case that one of our previous managers used a formation that suited him, up to a point. 6 goals in 4 seasons, not a great return from an alleged playmaker at Championship level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pederho ll Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Massively under-rated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Popodopolous Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Agree, At Championship level he dosnt effect games but in all fairness you could pluck quality ball playing midfielders out of La Liga who would probably struggle in the Championship. Its a very physically demanding league as is all English football. Leon Britton does well as Swansea play to his strengths. They pack the midfield so he has license to roam around. LJ as has been said a million times on here before is useless in a 4-4-2 (as would be britton i would have thought) yet we played him here time and time again. People may laugh and say no way but im pretty certain that in the right midfield LJ could do a job in the Seria A or La Liga for one of the lesser teams. Go on Lee be ambitious! I agree with those who suggest Johnson can't cut it in a 4-4-2. I suppose then that begs the question- why do we play 4-4-2? If arguably our most creative central midfielder is not compatible to the system then maybe we should look again at the system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greedo Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 I agree with those who suggest Johnson can't cut it in a 4-4-2. I suppose then that begs the question- why do we play 4-4-2? If arguably our most creative central midfielder is not compatible to the system then maybe we should look again at the system. Because we have far better midfield players that do fit the system? If he was 'creative' he would have far more assists than he has chalked up over his time here. Useful squad player in an injury hit season and can do a job in league 1. Nothing more, nothing less. (IMHO). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickJ Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Lee Johnson was a very effective link in the style of football City played in his first three seasons at AG, two of which were in the Championship. Sadly it seems his career at City is over with Millen preferring battlers rather than ball players in m/f. The implication being that other managers who prefer ball players will see this as an opportunity. Will be interesting to see the long list of Championship managers looking to sign him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bcfc24 Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 The implication being that other managers who prefer ball players will see this as an opportunity. Will be interesting to see the long list of Championship managers looking to sign him. You think there will be a long list trying to sign him?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nibor Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 My (hopefully) honest assessment of LJ's game is that he is reasonable on the ball, can spread it well when given time, can be fairly inventive from set pieces, always shows for the ball and has quite a bit of stamina in that he covers a lot of ground. Balanced by him being absolutely useless off the ball, not closing down, not marking and rarely winning it, sometimes playing defenders into trouble under pressure and not having any change of pace so looking fairly slow in a sprint. Although he can thrive in a three man midfield you can't really rely on him in a two man central midfield unless you are at home against a weaker side, and he's not quite good enough to change formation around at this level (might well be worth doing in league one). He's got a year left on decent money and unless he gets a good offer (ie a three year contract offer) elsewhere the best we'll do is loan him out later in the season. Whether you rate him as a player or not he's done his best for us and been part of a successful squad for a few years. He didn't pick himself and by and large he kept his head down and got on with it. Good luck to him in any case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Popodopolous Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Because we have far better midfield players that do fit the system? If he was 'creative' he would have far more assists than he has chalked up over his time here. Useful squad player in an injury hit season and can do a job in league 1. Nothing more, nothing less. (IMHO). Central midfielders? Adomah yeah he's more creative for sure, JCR yeah- but they're both wingers. Quite possibly Bolaise too. Who though in the centre, who will put their foot on the ball and create? Elliott is dynamic- box to box- but a great technican, I'm not so sure. Skuse unsure.Cisse strikes me as an archetypal modern holding midfielder in that he's relatively comfortable with simple passes, but again not exactly a great creator. Reason I ask is because someone made the comparison to Britton. He works in a 4-3-3, Johnson maybe could be similar. Whether he's up to it though is another matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted June 7, 2011 Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 My (hopefully) honest assessment of LJ's game is that he is reasonable on the ball, can spread it well when given time, can be fairly inventive from set pieces, always shows for the ball and has quite a bit of stamina in that he covers a lot of ground. Balanced by him being absolutely useless off the ball, not closing down, not marking and rarely winning it, sometimes playing defenders into trouble under pressure and not having any change of pace so looking fairly slow in a sprint. Although he can thrive in a three man midfield you can't really rely on him in a two man central midfield unless you are at home against a weaker side, and he's not quite good enough to change formation around at this level (might well be worth doing in league one). He's got a year left on decent money and unless he gets a good offer (ie a three year contract offer) elsewhere the best we'll do is loan him out later in the season. Whether you rate him as a player or not he's done his best for us and been part of a successful squad for a few years. He didn't pick himself and by and large he kept his head down and got on with it. Good luck to him in any case. Agree 100%. LJ is obviously not part of Millen's plans but with one year left on his deal he has to weigh up whether leaving for less money but a longer deal is the way for him to go. He's 30 today so his next contract is a big one, if I was him the security of a longer deal even if on reduced terms would be the best option, but I'm not and I can definitely see him sitting his current deal out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickJ Posted June 7, 2011 Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 You think there will be a long list trying to sign him?! No. But going back to when GJ was manager and there were raging debates on here as to the merits of LJ, many posters, including one or two on this thread, defended his being in the team by, among other things, suggesting he was a Championship level footballer. So we are about to find out how many actual Championship managers agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC_Red Posted June 7, 2011 Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 No. But going back to when GJ was manager and there were raging debates on here as to the merits of LJ, many posters, including one or two on this thread, defended his being in the team by, among other things, suggesting he was a Championship level footballer. So we are about to find out how many actual Championship managers agree. when GJ was manager was 18 months ago. Since then Lee has not played as much football and turned 30. I see what your saying but if he doesnt get a championship team now it doesnt mean he couldnt of done a couple of seasons ago necessarilly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awbb Posted June 7, 2011 Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 The best season of "central" midfielder play I can remember for City over the last decade (might be longer than that actually.... yikes!) was when Tins moved into a deep playmaker role when we went 3-5-2 for a time under Wilson. He could never tackle nor (by that time) run around that much, but the formation we played meant he didn't need to... the rest of team did the grunt work to win the ball. They then gave it to Tinnion who pinged a 50 yard pass (usually) to Murray who either scored or won a freekick that allowed Tinman to amble up the edge of the box and pop it home himself. That year, I think I am right in remembering that he was divisional player of the season. I'm not sure if Johnson could play that position as effectively (50 yard precision passing?) and think that he's probably more effective in a middle 2 than Tinnion would have been, but on the whole, the point remains, Wilson figured out that Tinnion was 1 of our best players and made him as effective as he could (Mary's Prayer, indeed) something similar would need to happen for Millen to think that LJ is worth a new contract, and if he's certain that we need to play with a middle two, as it seems, then he's probably right that there are better options out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickJ Posted June 7, 2011 Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 when GJ was manager was 18 months ago. Since then Lee has not played as much football and turned 30. I see what your saying but if he doesnt get a championship team now it doesnt mean he couldnt of done a couple of seasons ago necessarilly. If he had just turned 40 I might agree with you but 30 is in the region of prime age for a footballer. Surely a footballer who was a Championship regular for 3 years when his dad was manager will be snapped up by some other lucky Championship manager. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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