BRISTOL CITY: "Kodjia like a 17 or 18-year-old" claims Robins head coach Lee Johnson

[Curr Avon]

BRISTOL CITY: "Kodjia like a 17 or 18-year-old" claims Robins head coach Lee Johnson

 

BRISTOL City head coach Lee Johnson has compared top-scorer Jonathan Kodjia to a teenager in terms of his tactical awareness.

But the 34-year-old former Barnsley and Oldham manager is convinced he can help the Frenchman improve sufficiently for him to become a consistent threat to Championship defences.

Signed from French second tier club Angers last summer, 26-year-old Kodjia hit the ground running in his first season in English football, netting eight times in 16 games at the start of the campaign.

But he has found the back of the net just twice since early November and looked like a players who is short of confidence in Saturday's 2-1 win over Ipswich Town.

Still learning the game tactically, Kodjia must demonstrate an aptitude for learning quickly if he is to remain a prominent part of City's future.

Johnson said: "There is room for improvement and Kodjia will get better. At the moment, I think he is probably 17 or 18 years old tactically.

"We have to make sure we keep drilling him and make him understand our systems, the way we press and what we do from corners and throw-ins.

"We need to stop the ball going forward for the opposition and our strikers are an important part of that."

Kodjia and strike partner Lee Tomlin visibly tired in the second half and Johnson took both off after 63 minutes, sending on Aaron Wilbraham and Kieran Agard, whose fresh legs and energy helped City see the game out.

Johnson added: "It showed when the substitutes came on and we were able to push Ipswich back and get a foothold in the game.

"I thought our front two dipped a bit and that enabled Ipswich to get-up a head of steam. The substitutes came on at the right time and made an impact. It was crying out for fresh legs to stop forward play and we needed the platform they gave us.

"We hustled and harried their central defenders and made it difficult for Ipswich to pump long high balls into our box."

Read more: http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/BRISTOL-CITY-Kodjia-like-17-18-year-old-claims/story-28737000-detail/story.html#ixzz40Ew33t00
 

[Welcome To The Jungle]

I agree. Technicaly very good but his decision making is poor.

[Guest]

Sounds very harsh, especially referencing a front two pre-substitutions. It's hard for Kodjia to be a lone man hustling and harrying their central defenders. I still think a very good forward being played out of role.

[Phileas Fogg]

I really hope we invest in him (and Garita) pastorally. Obviously they both need to learn English and have probably picked up a fair bit. Bringing in staff that can speak French and English such as that scout will help. It's really important they understand instructions.

I was disappointed to hear Kodjia was left to make his own way to his first game at Ashton Gate and had to ask for directions.. That's poor planning/care from the club in that instance.

[Robin1988]

LJ is bang on. When he arrived in the summer SC called him 'raw', and he was right too. It's not much surprise when this is his second full season getting regular football at the age of 26.

[CyderInACan]

Read this earlier and agree it seems a tad OTT. Maybe it was more a criticism of Cotts rather than Kodj himself. 

[Jack Dawe]

Let's hope LJ's thoughts are not lost in translation here....

[Robin1988]

6 minutes ago, CyderInACan said:

Read this earlier and agree it seems a tad OTT. Maybe it was more a criticism of Cotts rather than Kodj himself. 

Not entirely sure how you came to that conclusion... It's not even as though we play the same system as under Cotterill.

[Phileas Fogg]

5 minutes ago, CyderInACan said:

Read this earlier and agree it seems a tad OTT. Maybe it was more a criticism of Cotts rather than Kodj himself. 

One way of looking at it is that he's done remarkably well considering in that case. Generally it takes players who come from a lower standard (Grey, Gayle, Vardy) a while to blossom when bought and maybe that's down to them learning the disciplines of the 'pro' game. Kodjia hasn't always played at a brilliant level regularly so it'll develop with his language skills. Cotts suggested we may not see the best of him until next season, if so it's an exciting proposition.

[sh1t_ref_again]

Not sure LJ should be saying it that way publicly, it can not do JK any good, or just say we need to do a bit of work with our positioning up front, but not belittle the person

[BCFC Jordan]

LJ has a point. Mentioned it as a sentence to describe how he's looking to improve Kodjia through coaching but when it's made into a headline it sounds like a personal critcism of Kodjia. That's the media for you.

 

We're very lucky to have Jonathan and he'll only get better.

[Super]

A spot on assessment.

[BRISTOL86]

Stockhausen in 'shite journalism' shocker. 

[Lack of Action Man]

Wouldn't have said he's tactically naive, more that no one else is on his wavelength 

[cidered abroad]

36 minutes ago, Welcome To The Jungle said:

I agree. Technicaly very good but his decision making is poor.

He will get better tactically. At the moment probably would do better as an impact sub in last 25 minutes. 

But needs balls played through the channels on the floor. Similar to the one Pitman got from Murphy on Saturday.

[Bar BS3]

LJ is spot on. Kodjia has been so frustrating recently.

Maybe something that should have been kept behind closed doors but many on here have made it so that LJ needs to prove to some that he's not just a "Yes" man. He is clearly making his own assessments and decisions, based on this article. 

[Esmond Million's Bung]

I agree as well but have to say the decision making and delivery from midfield doesn't exactly make that task any easier, because it ain't that good and there is real improvement needed in that area as well, the final pass is generally poor, late and wrong options often chosen.

 

[Robbored]

Good to see our new manager saying it as it is - very refreshing.

[And Its Smith]

Nobody can judge if it is over the top or not as you don't know what he is being asked to do or if he is doing it or not.

One of Johnson's strengths is his man-management so I am sure that Kodjia won't be appalled by this. 

Nice to get honesty and nice to get info like this. People moan that we hear nothing from the club, perhaps that will change with Johnson in charge 

[Red Rum]

While harsh on the face of it, I think LJ has made a reasonable point. I think it was Chris Iwelumo who mentioned on the C5 Football League show on Saturday that one of LJ's strengths is that he does take the time to work with individual players to support them with their development areas; this is obviously something that benefits the whole team. It would appear that LJ has hit the nail in the head with his assessment of JK but I have no doubt it is with the intention of supporting him to make the necessary improvements.

[Chairman Mao]

bit harsh, I'd have the tactical ability of a 3 year old if I was playing in France

[Esmond Million's Bung]

2 minutes ago, RedDave said:

Nobody can judge if it is over the top or not as you don't know what he is being asked to do or if he is doing it or not.

One of Johnson's strengths is his man-management so I am sure that Kodjia won't be appalled by this. 

Nice to get honesty and nice to get info like this. People moan that we hear nothing from the club, perhaps that will change with Johnson in charge 

Again I agree but as I said the midfield are hardly immune from criticism, they are slow to release forward balls when attacking and Pack especially tends to pass exclusively to the wide players and you just lose count of the amount of time the cross hits the first defender, it's very rare to see him or any of the midfielders try to thread a ball forward and that must be frustrating for a forward like Kodjia.

I would like to see the whole interview in context because I would be surprised if LJ ignored our midfield failings.

 

[Leveller]

At the moment I think JK is playing more like a winger than a striker. Why not try him out wide with Agard more central?

[Esmond Million's Bung]

2 minutes ago, Leveller said:

At the moment I think JK is playing more like a winger than a striker. Why not try him out wide with Agard more central?

I think maybe the other way around, apparently Agard had his best season playing out wide, work on Kodjia of course but also work on the delivery best suited to his style of play.

 

[Davefevs]

Doesn't sound the most tactful comment, but I suspect the comment is slightly taken out of overall context.

Then again, do you reckon Kodjia reads the Bristol Post? 

[spudski]

13 minutes ago, Esmond Million's Bung said:

Again I agree but as I said the midfield are hardly immune from criticism, they are slow to release forward balls when attacking and Pack especially tends to pass exclusively to the wide players and you just lose count of the amount of time the cross hits the first defender, it's very rare to see him or any of the midfielders try to thread a ball forward and that must be frustrating for a forward like Kodjia.

I would like to see the whole interview in context because I would be surprised if LJ ignored our midfield failings.

 

Watching JK's runs, he often ends up offside....I get the impression the midfield are reluctant to always make 'that pass' to him, as he makes it too easy to intercept and lose possession.

Watching JK...I think LJ is spot on...he looks tactically unaware and still like a new player introduced into the team.

His positioning is very 'inexperienced'.

Obviously has talent...but that will only get you so far if you can't understand what the rest of your team mates are trying to do.

It's also not the first time we have heard of 'foreign players' being 'abandoned' after signing....madness when you invest Millions...but don't pay a few thousand to someone to babysit them.

[slartibartfast]

1 hour ago, BRISTOL86 said:

Stockhausen in 'shite journalism' shocker. 

A bit like a few on here. If he can find a negative spin on anything , HE WILL !

[Red Rag]

Perhaps Lee is considering resting Kodjia and getting in early to deflect potential flack. PersonalyI feel  Kodjia needs a rest, poor bloke looks shot of all confidence.

[REDOXO]

12 minutes ago, Leveller said:

At the moment I think JK is playing more like a winger than a striker. Why not try him out wide with Agard more central?

 

8 minutes ago, Esmond Million's Bung said:

I think maybe the other way around, apparently Agard had his best season playing out wide, work on Kodjia of course but also work on the delivery best suited to his style of play.

 

Interesting that we are talking about adapting our play to see how we can change things and not expect JK to be all things. I'm not sure why it took a change of management, to give even the likes of us three, to seriously discuss the options. I'm sure LL and Pembo are really looking at the possibilities across the pitch and that gives me a good feeling that our one trick pony days in this division are behind us. 

For my tuppence Baldock found form when SC put him out wide and I think it's not beyond either player to come in off the wings. Perhaps even in the same team alternating. Anyhow exciting possibilities that we have had all season!...?

[JohnM]

My thoughts recently have been that JK is one-dimensional in his play, Now teams have got used to him they find him relatively easy to deal with. In a way, LJ is saying the same thing, with more tactical awareness team will find him harder to handle.