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

[Esmond Million's Bung]

2 minutes ago, spudski said:

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.

I have agreed with what LJ has said however the evidence against our midfield is overwhelming, 12 assists all season take out the assists from corner and were probably down to 6 the defence have 5 assists and even the strike force have 4 assists, the midfield is nowhere near productive enough 2 paltry goals all season, where as the defence have weighed in with 6.

I agree with what you say about his runs but you also have to admit the service from midfield is poor and has been poor all season, in fact the best 2 defence splitting passes all season both leading to goals have come from Ayling, your first sentence says a lot to me and reflects on what I have said pass it earlier that might help.

So just to sum up I agree with you and I agree with LJ I am not criticising LJ but suspect that the full interview might be more representative of our scoring problems, but I also have to say our midfield are not immune from criticism

[Ohbasso]

I don't think Kodjia ever went to an academy, he just played amateur football and got spotted as an exciting talent by a French pro club at a later age.

I think this is what LJ is talking about as he wouldn't have had the basics drilled into him from a young age like most players would've.

[spudski]

7 minutes ago, Esmond Million's Bung said:

I have agreed with what LJ has said however the evidence against our midfield is overwhelming, 12 assists all season take out the assists from corner and were probably down to 6 the defence have 5 assists and even the strike force have 4 assists, the midfield is nowhere near productive enough 2 paltry goals all season, where as the defence have weighed in with 6.

I agree with what you say about his runs but you also have to admit the service from midfield is poor and has been poor all season, in fact the best 2 defence splitting passes all season both leading to goals have come from Ayling, your first sentence says a lot to me and reflects on what I have said pass it earlier that might help.

So just to sum up I agree with you and I agree with LJ I am not criticising LJ but suspect that the full interview might be more representative of our scoring problems, but I also have to say our midfield are not immune from criticism

Fella...not having a dig at you...just chatting with ya...don't get on the defensive straight away. I agree with what you say...both could do better...but I think JK is more the problem with his positioning...as is Wilbs...who is often static. Hopefully LJ can get a better understanding between Midfield and forwards.

[KingLear]

Bit of a confusing comparison for me.

So is he saying Kodjia is tactically inept? In that case so are all 17 or 18 year olds, which must make the Under 21s feel super special haha.

After all this talk of 'Investing heavily in youth' tut tut.........

 

[Port Said Red]

It would make sense and explain why he had an immediate impact. Defenders are conditioned to deal with player making certain runs and taking up certain positions. JK was probably doing things they weren't expecting because it was against the norm. Once Managers and coaches took a look at him though, they would be able to work out how to push him into positions he has less effect.

[Davefevs]

44 minutes ago, Ohbasso said:

I don't think Kodjia ever went to an academy, he just played amateur football and got spotted as an exciting talent by a French pro club at a later age.

I think this is what LJ is talking about as he wouldn't have had the basics drilled into him from a young age like most players would've.

Yes, that's true.  In some ways that's a plus, as some of that raw / uniqueness could have been coached out of him.

I would play him re MK Dons, and I'd like to see him tear McFadzean 'a new one'.  McFadzean caught him three times, twice off the ball....nasty £€%@er.  To be fair Kodjia kicked him off the ball on the halfway line, but only after these 3 attacks.

I think he might be up for this as a result, plus he's now had 3 games with Tomlin, and I think they are linking up nicely, plus creating space for Smith and Pack too.

Agard hadn't played with Tomlin yet, and I would go with exactly the same XI as Saturday, but possibly rest him v BHA.  He's got a week's rest this week that he won't have next week.  If LJ tells him to go 110% for 60-65, that'll be fine, then bring on KA like Ipswich.

i'm not too worried he isn't scoring, obviously I'd love to see him get a few over the next month, but the team is doing what it needs to of late....WLdWW.  No need to change anything for this Saturday, but be mindful of Sat / Tues / Sat from this Sat, and another sequence at the start of March.

in my opinion, he still contributed on Saturday, just not in the way we saw earlier this season.

[Tipps69]

Just out of interest, do the club have an "attacking" coach?

And for that matter a "defencive" coach?

Just going on the basis that having a coach that can work with the 4,5,6 players of each position it would help get the plans across & is a bit more position defined.

Recently on Soccer AM they have shown some guy (forget his name) who has started up a one on one based striker coaching class, he's working with the likes of Berahino, Callum Robinson & quite a few others & he works specifically on the attacking side of the game.

This is work that is done one on one, outside of club training & something that the players sign up for outside of club training & on that basis the players have to commended on the willingness to learn extra but would it not be something that the club should be looking at?

Specific coaches for specific positions would surely help the players if they were more likely to get a more one on one scenario rather than having a two minute instruction amongst 20 players!!

[Ray White]

He's offside more frequently than Danny Haynes

[Bar BS3]

2 hours 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.

 

I do agree with your point but I'd note that one more than one occassion on Saturday (and probably most weeks) our midfield had the ball and you could clearly see them being unable to pick out a runner or play the ball forward into space because JK was ambling back from an unnecessary offside position, which had us caught on the ball for too long and a lost opportunity to break forward. 

I like JK but right now I would be looking at giving Agard a start in his place (assuming no new striker comes in) 

[Manon]

 I've always felt that watching the Kodj is like watching school playground football. He can excite with his unpredictability and has plenty of endeavor, but as far as the club goes, if he's not scoring goals he's close to being a liability.

[Drew Peacock]

3 hours ago, Welcome To The Jungle said:

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

He is not alone.

[Davefevs]

22 minutes ago, Manon said:

 I've always felt that watching the Kodj is like watching school playground football. He can excite with his unpredictability and has plenty of endeavor, but as far as the club goes, if he's not scoring goals he's close to being a liability.

I know it's only opinions, but as I posted above, I think JK contributed quite a bit to Saturday's win, without it being about him doing exciting stuff in and around the box.

He unselfishly ran the channels, gaining us territory from throw-ins because the defender had no easy way out, or free kicks.  He didn't have much short stuff to feed off of, but his running long, created significant space for Korey and Marlon to get forward.  This isn't all down to JK, I accept, but his stretching them long, is a part of it, and means he's not (close to being) a liability when he's not scoring.  How many times has he turned his man inside out inside the box and slid a ball across the 6 yard box for a tap-in, without anyone getting the touch it deserved....several times.

I accept I err on being on the complimentary side of a player's performance, but I do find too many too quick to have a go.

it is the hardest position on the park to play, because you always get judged on goals, but several other sides would love to have both his goal tally and his all-round play in their team.  He is by no means faultless, and I hope LJ's comments are a little out of context.

[Tauntonian]

spot on LJ 100% agree. he has to be careful not to dishearten kodj but apart from that, Lj is filling me with confidence so far.

[Londoner]

Great man management - slating a player who is already shot of confidence.

Sorry but without him we would be down this season, for me Kodjia has been one of the very few success stories this season.

[Cider red]

LEE JOHNSON LOOKS LIKE A 14 YEAR OLD: Says Johnathan Kodjia

[Esmond Million's Bung]

3 hours ago, spudski said:

Fella...not having a dig at you...just chatting with ya...don't get on the defensive straight away. I agree with what you say...both could do better...but I think JK is more the problem with his positioning...as is Wilbs...who is often static. Hopefully LJ can get a better understanding between Midfield and forwards.

I get defensive fella because it has taken 3 posts for you to actually say that you agreed with points re midfield, when I agreed with your assessment straight away and tried to expand the conversation, if you don't say it I have no way way of knowing whether you have even read what I posted.

My main point is, I suspect that Knobhausen has cherry picked a portion of a much wider conversation about our failure to score from open play, because if LJ has only noticed deficiencies in Kodjia and not our midfield then he wouldn't be the coach that everybody hopes that he is and will be?.

[Robin1988]

3 minutes ago, Esmond Million's Bung said:

My main point is, I suspect that Knobhausen has cherry picked a portion of a much wider conversation about our failure to score from open play, because if LJ has only noticed deficiencies in Kodjia and not our midfield then he wouldn't be the coach that everybody hopes that he is and will be?.

Far be it from me to defend a lot of Stockhausen's work but that's his job, writing individual pieces and not the condensed works of Lee Johnson volumes 1-8. Someone may well have asked a question about Kodjia and he answered it using those words.

Johnson's made a valid point, and it's been accurately reported.

[Jack Dawe]

Whatever his tactical maturity, when Kodj scored at Huddersfield on 12 Dec, he had nine goals in 21 appearances. Not too shabby by my reckoning. He was second or third top scorer in the league.

His goals before Christmas were a major contribution in keeping us in contention, and not cut adrift at the bottom.

If we had been able to defend a bit better, his goals would've earned us even more points.

There was something working rather well before Christmas, what has happened since then? Remember, Pembo brought in a French speaker once Cotts was gone. You might say, Bristol City had the "emotional maturity of a 12 year old" in how it helped Kodj switch from France to here.

 

 

[Davefevs]

I'm backing the guy to get 15 in total, that's 5/15.  He probably won't start all 15, but it will still be a fine return in his first season in English football in side that hasn't been out of the relegation contention all season.

Would like to see his prozone (and not just the stats bit) from Saturday, and a few other games too.

He got a pretty nasty kick from Chambers early on.  He takes more rough stuff without Wilbs.

[Portland Bill]

4 hours ago, Ohbasso said:

I don't think Kodjia ever went to an academy, he just played amateur football and got spotted as an exciting talent by a French pro club at a later age.

I think this is what LJ is talking about as he wouldn't have had the basics drilled into him from a young age like most players would've.

I think you have it spot on, the academy players get taught a lot of things as they go through the age groups. JK wouldn't have had this 'teaching'.

i actually think his rawness has been one of the main reasons why he scored a lot in the first half of the season, most strikers in the pro game are easy to read ( I'm not saying that in a bad way) and Championship defenders weren't/aren't used to playing against one that does things off the cuff.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Londoner said:

Great man management - slating a player who is already shot of confidence.

Sorry but without him we would be down this season, for me Kodjia has been one of the very few success stories this season.

It may just be the 'hand grenade' he needs and could be great man management. 

Given he uprooted to a new country to a newly promoted team I would wager he's a pretty determined fellow who trusts his own ability. Could elicit a good reaction - I'll show you. 

[redfieldred]

Not sure the change of formation suits him as much as someone like Agard. With no wing backs he is going out wide more, then trying to cut in. He had more success when our centre was being pressed, there was more space in front of the back 4 and he was going through the centre after receiving it from deeper.

on the other hand that made us more vulnerable at the back, so it's not as simple as saying his goals stopped us being detached at the bottom, as he benefited from a very open system. 

 

[redfieldred]

And to be honest I don't care whether he scores or not, so long as we win or at least don't lose, and that has happened since the system change, 

[Major Isewater]

I read the thread title as " Kodjia likes 17 and 18 year olds " .

I little bit Adam Johnson'ish for my liking ! 

[redfieldred]

6 minutes ago, Major Isewater said:

 

 

I read the thread title as " Kodjia likes 17 and 18 year olds " .

I little bit Adam Johnson'ish for my liking ! 

watch it you'll have the legal team on you! 

[Thatwasclose]

Very curious thing to say. The worst part about his game is finishing/converting chances and nothing to do with tactical awareness.

Funny LJ sighted corner kicks and throw ins? The guy is in the team to score goals primarily, everything else is a bonus.

And some of the fans on here are shocking to be honest, do we all watch the same games? I have been to every home game and bar one or two of them JK has worked his socks off and been a constant threat.

Enough with the offside chat already, if a ball comes late 99 times you will be offside 99 times if you're playing on the edge. Put some of the blame on the passers/midfield.

The team has won two on the bounce so let's criticise our best player this season, amazing.

[Davefevs]

3 hours ago, Davefevs said:

I know it's only opinions, but as I posted above, I think JK contributed quite a bit to Saturday's win, without it being about him doing exciting stuff in and around the box.

He unselfishly ran the channels, gaining us territory from throw-ins because the defender had no easy way out, or free kicks.  He didn't have much short stuff to feed off of, but his running long, created significant space for Korey and Marlon to get forward.  This isn't all down to JK, I accept, but his stretching them long, is a part of it,

Ha ha, just heard LJ paraphrase my comments above on Twentyman's show on Radio Bristol....around the 31;00 minute mark.  Nice one Lee!

[spudski]

2 hours ago, Esmond Million's Bung said:

I get defensive fella because it has taken 3 posts for you to actually say that you agreed with points re midfield, when I agreed with your assessment straight away and tried to expand the conversation, if you don't say it I have no way way of knowing whether you have even read what I posted.

My main point is, I suspect that Knobhausen has cherry picked a portion of a much wider conversation about our failure to score from open play, because if LJ has only noticed deficiencies in Kodjia and not our midfield then he wouldn't be the coach that everybody hopes that he is and will be?.

If he has, then LJ will give him short shrift in future, if he's cherry picking parts to make a story out of nothing and giving the wrong impression.

[GrahamC]

13 minutes ago, cynic said:

LJ explained the comments on the radio show.

He also indicated that Kodjia needs help in settling in (pastoral care I think he called it - bit late methinks, should have been in place from day one) and more help with his English.

Media headline designed to sensationalise something of nothing shocker..

So amazingly Stockhausen turned LJ's attempt to provide more support for Kodjia into yet another negative article knocking the club and player.

Why am I not surprised?

[twodogs]

just read read this whole thread and its pretty much all reasoned debate

Wheres the hysterics??

Actually really nice to see.

For me he looks short of confidence which is not surprising but I'd wonder how much he's been looked after given that Pembo immediately brought someone in to do just that when Cotts went. 

Hopefully we'll see in a few games what I believe is there and that is a top quality striker