4 wins in 6

[Olé]

Lets not get carried away - it is also 6 wins in just under 6 months.

Credit for the last two home results yes, but the fact it took 42 matches for Johnson to arrive at a settled team that could string a couple of results together (and look how that worked out after Huddersfield) and crucially, for a manager who has banged on about three transfer windows, he has effectively arrived at a team that relies heavily on going back to players that pre-dated him (Little and Pack the best players yesterday, Korey Smith the best player over the recent period).

I would suggest it's more the case that we're seeing the effect of players personally taking responsibility for the embarrassment of the Preston result when they were told they weren't fit to wear our shirt (doesn't happen very often), than any meaningful influence from Lee Johnson, and with the greatest respect to all the "keep" responses, only at Bristol City could fans swing so wildly back to thinking Johnson is the answer, after all the dross that has preceded these two results.

The really interesting stat is our points return with or without 2 up top (taking account of where Tomlin actually plays - i.e. vs Huddersfield he was clearly playing right off Tammy, whereas at Brentford he wasin front of the defence or somewhere in Chiswick.) I suspect we will see a significant points bias to the times we have played two up top, which includes ALL 4 of these recent wins, and our only points returns during our dreadful winter run (Ipswich at home, Barnsley away).

LJ has laboured his one up top all season (I think I moaned about it since literally the opening day) yet in the past SEVEN months the vast majority of our points have been reverting to a traditional 4-4-2 with two up top actually occupying opposition defences, unburdening Tammy Abraham with space, time and chances, and shifting balance of play upfield and as a result allowing fullbacks to push up. So if we're handing out retrospective credit, I'll take mine before LJ has his!  

[Pickle Rick]

14 hours ago, handsofclay said:

Exactly what happened to me. I came on here and nailed my colours firmly to the mast that I was now in favour of Johnson getting the boot. I am so glad things have been turned around but feel I must still call for his head having publicly declared that that was now my position after the PNE debacle. I just hope this continues and I am still calling for his dismissal prior to the play off final at Wembley and when a poll is started on whether he should get the sack upon us attaining promotion that I am the only sod voting for him getting the bullet. 

You've not "publicly declared" anything on otib. It's pretty much anonymous 

Dont be scared to change your opinions on anything please thanks.

[ChippenhamRed]

4 minutes ago, Olé said:

Lets not get carried away - it is also 6 wins in just under 6 months.

Credit for the last two home results yes, but the fact it took 42 matches for Johnson to arrive at a settled team that could string a couple of results together (and look how that worked out after Huddersfield) and crucially, for a manager who has banged on about three transfer windows, he has effectively arrived at a team that relies heavily on going back to players that pre-dated him (Little and Pack the best players yesterday, Korey Smith the best player over the recent period).

I would suggest it's more the case that we're seeing the effect of players personally taking responsibility for the embarrassment of the Preston result when they were told they weren't fit to wear our shirt (doesn't happen very often), than any meaningful influence from Lee Johnson, and with the greatest respect to all the "keep" responses, only at Bristol City could fans swing so wildly back to thinking Johnson is the answer, after all the dross that has preceded these two results.

The really interesting stat is our points return with or without 2 up top (taking account of where Tomlin actually plays - i.e. vs Huddersfield he was clearly playing right off Tammy, whereas at Brentford he wasin front of the defence or somewhere in Chiswick.) I suspect we will see a significant points bias to the times we have played two up top, which includes ALL 4 of these recent wins, and our only points returns during our dreadful winter run (Ipswich at home, Barnsley away).

LJ has laboured his one up top all season (I think I moaned about it since literally the opening day) yet in the past SEVEN months the vast majority of our points have been reverting to a traditional 4-4-2 with two up top actually occupying opposition defences, unburdening Tammy Abraham with space, time and chances, and shifting balance of play upfield and as a result allowing fullbacks to push up. So if we're handing out retrospective credit, I'll take mine before LJ has his!  

Good post @Olé. Only thing I would say is that I specifically asked if they would sack Johnson "with immediate effect", so those saying "keep" don't necessarily think he is the long term answer - and indeed those saying it might have thought it all along, so it might not be a wild swing.

Certainly not denying LJ's poor record though. As you say, it's only 6 wins in 6 months and I've said plenty of times he should have gone in what was an unacceptable period. That said, despite that horrendous spell, his overall record is an equal number of wins and losses. That must mean that at other times he has got more right than wrong.

Personally I would keep him now but on balance I would make a change in the summer - unless we finish the season with a settled side and an overwhelming amount of positive momentum, in which case I would think twice.

[The Fat Controller]

@Olé Forgive me but I'm probably not articulate enough to get my point across, but I will try anyway.

I agree with the vast majority of your post. Our results masked our poor play at the start of the season. We played a lot on the back foot and this was probably down to having no outlet due to Tammy being alone up front. We were slow out of the blocks game after game and pedestrian in our play. You mention "players personally taking responsibility" and I think your probably right about that too, but for me the players must take their share (some, not all, not even the majority, but some) of the blame for our previous poor form. If they collectively are only just "taking responsibility" then perhaps they need to be looking at themselves too. LJ should take the majority of the blame for this season but he as well as the players deserve some credit for this mini revival. By all means LJ should be heavily criticised for labouring his 1 up top for a torturously long time, but he deserves a little credit for finally getting it a little bit right.

Long may these results and two up front continue.

[Olé]

Just now, ChippenhamRed said:

Only thing I would say is that I specifically asked if they would sack Johnson "with immediate effect", so those saying "keep" don't necessarily think he is the long term answer - and indeed those saying it might have thought it all along, so it might not be a wild swing.

Fair point mate. I don't think ANYONE would rationally sack the manager with just 4 left games to go, so the real question is the summer, and it's a no from me. I'm still holding out hope that Steve Lansdown was simply defending the status quo in his last interview, and is not so foolish to offer any cast iron guarantees and will already be casting around for a proper coach/manager. I won't hold my breath, but LJ has made far far too many basic mistakes and has to go.

[Fordy62]

14 hours ago, ChippenhamRed said:

Fair post Fordy. But when all's said and done, he has a midtable record with what you would expect to be a midtable side. So the cold hard statistics don't suggest he is any more incapable than he is capable, if we factor in results from last season too.

Not really trying to argue either way but I am increasingly torn based on recent results. There are no guarantees a new coach would have done better over the last few weeks, and how many managers at this level really guarantee you that "shit isn't just over the horizon" as you very eloquently suggest?!

I like this thread Chip. It's almost like a who's who of some of my favourite posters! But let me put it like this...

 

I met a girl last year. Initially she wasn't the most attractive, intelligent or funny, but she was ok. Pretty quickly it became apparently that she was better than I had initially though. So we got married. It was all going swimmingly. We were both happy and I showered her with luxuries.

Then she cheated on me. Again and again and again. Not only would she cheat on me, but she'd also bad mouth me to my own mates, and when I confronted her about it, she just laughed in my face. 

Then she continued to cheat and cheat and cheat. And in January I tried to buy her love back with more luxuries but she still continued to cheat, bad mouth me and laugh in my face. 

So we're now at the point where she hasn't cheated on me for a few weeks. Some of my mates are telling me that she's changed and that I ought to give her another chance. 

But I know what she's like. And for me to ever accept that she's right for me, she's going to need to win the euromillions. And even then I'd feel dirty. 

[Olé]

Just now, Chris_Brown said:

Our results masked our poor play at the start of the season. We played a lot on the back foot and this was probably down to having no outlet due to Tammy being alone up front. We were slow out of the blocks game after game and pedestrian in our play. You mention "players personally taking responsibility" and I think your probably right about that too, but for me the players must take their share (some, not all, not even the majority, but some) of the blame for our previous poor form. If they collectively are only just "taking responsibility" then perhaps they need to be looking at themselves too. LJ should take the majority of the blame for this season but he as well as the players deserve some credit for this mini revival. By all means LJ should be heavily criticised for labouring his 1 up top for a torturously long time, but he deserves a little credit for finally getting it a little bit right.

Long may these results and two up front continue.

I agree with all of that and by no means would I ever give the players a pass for the poor results, but at the risk of wildly generalising a whole season of football into one sentiment, your passage in bold really is the be all and end all for me, as a result of it the players did not believe in or understand the system, and from October opponents knew they just had to mark Tammy, and whenever we got the ball we were terrified and retreated, or forced to lump a long ball to Tammy.

That was the net end product of our footballing strategy in the miserable depths of winter, we produced a team so impotent, callow, and negative that there was little option but to retreat. The players take some share of the blame but they did not have a strategy or plan they could do anything with. There were no outlets, it was a miracle sometimes that we even got over the halfway line. All of that is down to the crazy manager with his crazy attempts to over complicate football.

Didn't Barnsley say exactly the same thing happened to them, and their upturn in form was more coincidental when injuries forced LJ to revert to a traditional 4-4-2, than anything smart that he decided to do himself. These are not the hallmarks of a clever strategist you want to keep around, they are the hallmarks of a burden upon our fine club who is limiting the best from our players. Who is our Heckingbottom? A guy who can take over, keep it simple and let players play?

By the way, you sir are more than articulate and got your points across very well, please post more! 

[Gert Mare]

It makes no difference who is in charge of the team in a Head Coach capacity. The club is part of a franchise which is part of a toy for one man who doesn't care whether you turn up or not....but will send you an email asking why you aren't happy to sign up for another season of mediocrity on the cheap? Don't worry, Tammy is going back in a few weeks and we have got McCoulsky to replace him......

[Chairman Mao]

Sack him at the end of the season. He is incredibly out of his depth.

[Kid in the Riot]

50 minutes ago, Olé said:

I agree with all of that and by no means would I ever give the players a pass for the poor results, but at the risk of wildly generalising a whole season of football into one sentiment, your passage in bold really is the be all and end all for me, as a result of it the players did not believe in or understand the system, and from October opponents knew they just had to mark Tammy, and whenever we got the ball we were terrified and retreated, or forced to lump a long ball to Tammy.

That was the net end product of our footballing strategy in the miserable depths of winter, we produced a team so impotent, callow, and negative that there was little option but to retreat. The players take some share of the blame but they did not have a strategy or plan they could do anything with. There were no outlets, it was a miracle sometimes that we even got over the halfway line. All of that is down to the crazy manager with his crazy attempts to over complicate football.

Didn't Barnsley say exactly the same thing happened to them, and their upturn in form was more coincidental when injuries forced LJ to revert to a traditional 4-4-2, than anything smart that he decided to do himself. These are not the hallmarks of a clever strategist you want to keep around, they are the hallmarks of a burden upon our fine club who is limiting the best from our players. Who is our Heckingbottom? A guy who can take over, keep it simple and let players play?

By the way, you sir are more than articulate and got your points across very well, please post more! 

Spot on again mate and I particularly agree with the bit in bold!

[BobBobSuperBob]

1 hour ago, Olé said:

I would suggest it's more the case that we're seeing the effect of players personally taking responsibility for the embarrassment of the Preston result when they were told they weren't fit to wear our shirt (doesn't happen very often),

This sort of says it for me Ole

not sure whether the change of mindset from the players is down to being stung by criticism, professional pride , £££ implications or what but it's a complete change in attitude that has largely brought the last couple of results for me

Suggests that the players have more influence on performances and clearly a lot has gone on behind the scenes this season which makes judging anything very difficult , even Lee Johnsons performance to a degree

His ongoing authority in dressing room does concern me but maybe some ins and outs in the summer may helps this

[Bat Fastard]

It is interesting that people seem happy to give young players time to develop and to allow theri talent to really bloom - but the same is not true of young managers/head coaches.  SL has clearly decided that he wants a young head coach to develop alongside the "young, mobile and hungry" footballers that we are trying to build into our squad. I think that many good managers have been sacked after a run of indeifferent result - SC being a case in point. The "mob" tend to call for the head of anyone who does not follow their mood and that mood tends to be led by those who often have more passion than sense - remember those calling for "our best player" to be starting every game, when LT can often cause more trouble for our team than the opposition - depending on which LT turns up!

The empty echo chamber of the forum does not trump the authority, knowledge and judgement of SL, who sees what is going on because he is in contact with events inside the camp and gets regular reports from people he trusts.  I believe that we are in very good hands but that there is enough promise and positive teambuilding within the camp to give us all reasons to be optimistic. Changes in the next window will be fascinating and then we shall see what LJ is made of.  Whatever happens, he will have to have a large squad to cope with the loss of the emergency loan system, and that will lead to pressures within the camp and more food for the rumour mill!

[ChippenhamRed]

3 minutes ago, Bat Fastard said:

It is interesting that people seem happy to give young players time to develop and to allow theri talent to really bloom - but the same is not true of young managers/head coaches.  SL has clearly decided that he wants a young head coach to develop alongside the "young, mobile and hungry" footballers that we are trying to build into our squad. I think that many good managers have been sacked after a run of indeifferent result - SC being a case in point. The "mob" tend to call for the head of anyone who does not follow their mood and that mood tends to be led by those who often have more passion than sense - remember those calling for "our best player" to be starting every game, when LT can often cause more trouble for our team than the opposition - depending on which LT turns up!

The empty echo chamber of the forum does not trump the authority, knowledge and judgement of SL, who sees what is going on because he is in contact with events inside the camp and gets regular reports from people he trusts.  I believe that we are in very good hands but that there is enough promise and positive teambuilding within the camp to give us all reasons to be optimistic. Changes in the next window will be fascinating and then we shall see what LJ is made of.  Whatever happens, he will have to have a large squad to cope with the loss of the emergency loan system, and that will lead to pressures within the camp and more food for the rumour mill!

Young players don't develop their talent in a team they aren't yet good enough for. They break into the team when they are good enough and develop at a lower level via loans etc until they are ready. Even Beckham went on loan to Preston. Plus a young player is part of a team of 11.

Putting a young unproven coach in sole charge of a Championship side and giving him a multi-million pound budget is a very different scenario.

[eric04]

Huge summer ahead for LJ. Can't be so wasteful with our signings again. 

And most importantly, how does he replace Tammy Abraham?

[Bat Fastard]

Just now, ChippenhamRed said:

Young players don't develop their talent in a team they aren't yet good enough for. They break into the team when they are good enough and develop at a lower level via loans etc until they are ready. Even Beckham went on loan to Preston. Plus a young player is part of a team of 11.

Putting a young unproven coach in sole charge of a Championship side and giving him a multi-million pound budget is a very different scenario.

Well he has done as well, or nearly as well as many senior managers - a manager has usually had 20 years or more experience and LJ has had the benefit of being brought up by a manager - one of the better managers that we have had in the last 20 years!

[citywest30]

3 hours ago, mozo said:

The question really is: what happened in those 17 games in which we were rubbish. 

If that was down to LJ and his confusing management, then he had better learnt his lesson. The tinkering and not knowing his best team certainly didn't help and can't continue.

We see the potential our squad has, and his job is to fulfil that potential, not just in bursts, but consistently. 

This league is full of teams are a similar level of capability and we need to edge ahead of them with or without LJ.

But were we rubbish?Until recently we hadn't been beaten by more than one goal. That doesn't sound like a rubbish team. We threw lots of good positions away but with a bit of luck and a bit more clever play seeing games out our position could have been very different. There a very fine lines in football.

[cidered abroad]

2 hours ago, Fordy62 said:

I like this thread Chip. It's almost like a who's who of some of my favourite posters! But let me put it like this...

 

I met a girl last year. Initially she wasn't the most attractive, intelligent or funny, but she was ok. Pretty quickly it became apparently that she was better than I had initially though. So we got married. It was all going swimmingly. We were both happy and I showered her with luxuries.

Then she cheated on me. Again and again and again. Not only would she cheat on me, but she'd also bad mouth me to my own mates, and when I confronted her about it, she just laughed in my face. 

Then she continued to cheat and cheat and cheat. And in January I tried to buy her love back with more luxuries but she still continued to cheat, bad mouth me and laugh in my face. 

So we're now at the point where she hasn't cheated on me for a few weeks. Some of my mates are telling me that she's changed and that I ought to give her another chance. 

But I know what she's like. And for me to ever accept that she's right for me, she's going to need to win the euromillions. And even then I'd feel dirty. 

Leopards and spots come to mind.

[cidered abroad]

32 minutes ago, Bat Fastard said:

It is interesting that people seem happy to give young players time to develop and to allow theri talent to really bloom - but the same is not true of young managers/head coaches.  SL has clearly decided that he wants a young head coach to develop alongside the "young, mobile and hungry" footballers that we are trying to build into our squad. I think that many good managers have been sacked after a run of indeifferent result - SC being a case in point. The "mob" tend to call for the head of anyone who does not follow their mood and that mood tends to be led by those who often have more passion than sense - remember those calling for "our best player" to be starting every game, when LT can often cause more trouble for our team than the opposition - depending on which LT turns up!

The empty echo chamber of the forum does not trump the authority, knowledge and judgement of SL, who sees what is going on because he is in contact with events inside the camp and gets regular reports from people he trusts.  I believe that we are in very good hands but that there is enough promise and positive teambuilding within the camp to give us all reasons to be optimistic. Changes in the next window will be fascinating and then we shall see what LJ is made of.  Whatever happens, he will have to have a large squad to cope with the loss of the emergency loan system, and that will lead to pressures within the camp and more food for the rumour mill!

The young coach should be an assistant to a wiser and more mature head coach while he is learning his trade. Any club that played a team of under 18's or 21's with just a couple of 30 year old's would be hammered by every other team which had a range of ages and experience in it's ranks. It's the same for a team of young and inexperienced coaches.

So SL has goofed up by appointing a very green LJ and not insisting that at least one of his assistant coaches should be in the "very experienced" range like a Joe Jordan or similar.

It's very clear to me from the teams tactics and negative first half performances especially at home, that LJ has called too much on his father for advice. His father who after two good seasons began to use very negative and defensive tactics which meant that we rarely scored at home in the first half. Exactly what has happened with us until very recent home games.

It leaves me with little confidence that LJ can ever become an Alan Dicks or a Terry Cooper but if he does, I'll gladly acknowledge that I am wrong about him.  

[OldlandReddies]

Doesnt matter what we think does it. He will be here start of next season so just have to go with it. If the team carry on winning then the fans will forgive/forget, they always do. Just ask Man Utd re Sir Alex.

[glastonred]

18 hours ago, ChippenhamRed said:

I am by no means an LJ "fan", but credit where it is due, 4 wins in 6 is a decent return. In fact, had a new coach come in and won 4 out of 6, we'd have said it proved it was the right decision to sack LJ. Does this suggest it might be the right decision to keep him? It's also worth pointing out that our form over 15 games has been midtable, which is something closer to expectations this season.

So, if you had to decide to tomorrow whether to sack Johnson with immediate effect, or keep him, what would you do? Interested to get an idea where people stand our him right now.

Oh, and what happened to "the players only play when they're on the telly?"

Keep

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Fordy62 said:

I like this thread Chip. It's almost like a who's who of some of my favourite posters! But let me put it like this...

 

I met a girl last year. Initially she wasn't the most attractive, intelligent or funny, but she was ok. Pretty quickly it became apparently that she was better than I had initially though. So we got married. It was all going swimmingly. We were both happy and I showered her with luxuries.

Then she cheated on me. Again and again and again. Not only would she cheat on me, but she'd also bad mouth me to my own mates, and when I confronted her about it, she just laughed in my face. 

Then she continued to cheat and cheat and cheat. And in January I tried to buy her love back with more luxuries but she still continued to cheat, bad mouth me and laugh in my face. 

So we're now at the point where she hasn't cheated on me for a few weeks. Some of my mates are telling me that she's changed and that I ought to give her another chance. 

But I know what she's like. And for me to ever accept that she's right for me, she's going to need to win the euromillions. And even then I'd feel dirty. 

Was her name Allegory, if it is, I've heard about her.

[Wanderingred]

It looks like we are staying up and we seem to have rediscovered some form so I don't see the point in making any changes or disrupting things now...but I would still 100% get rid of him at the end of the season. Two decent home performances against sides who in all honesty already had their minds on the beach doesn't make up for months of absolute dross, nor does it convince me that LJ has suddenly become able to manage the demands of coaching at this level after looking hopelessly out of his depth for so long.

Keeping him on next season and allowing him to spend more millions when he's done nothing to show he's up to the job would be dangerous and reckless - all my opinion of course.

[samo II]

We're not changing manager before the summer; at this point, it wouldn't be wise, regardless who we had in - we probably need two more wins to hold on, and I think they will obtainable with the fixtures we have.

However, good results can have the short term effect of covering over a lot of the bad stuff that has happened this season, much of which LJ is responsible for - we're talking tactics, use of the squad, approach to man-management (i.e. his habit of public dressing downs and odd selection policy), and obviously results over the full season.

I sincerely hope our standards as fans are not so low as to be happy with the last eight months - the record streak of losses alone should be enough to question whether LJ has the full set of skills needed to take us forward (and please don't get me started on the Engvall situation - one of the strangest appoaches to dealing with a young player I've seen at this club).

We stay up, and I expect some serious examinations of what led us to wildly underperform this season, and were I SL I'd be sceptical if LJ's answer to the problems would be to buy, buy, buy again - I feel that we are just perhaps two or three players (right back, left back, central striker) away from a solid mid table Championship squad, IF the players are set up and motivated right (that's where the questions should be aimed).

Hopefully either this leads to us parting ways with LJ for someone who can do better with the resources we have, or steps are taken to make sure LJ and co get the expected results, with the caveat that good will is spent, and one more poor run will see him gone.

But ultimately I feel this is pie in the sky from me; SL has said he will keep LJ and support him, presumanly until he gets it to work, regardless of how long it takes.

I guess we should all support this, as the ultimate end would mean success for the club, but it feels strange to think we are now so brazenly SL's personal experiment, so much so he will place the results on the pitch below his personal commitment to one man.

The exception would be if we did go down; SL was murky on LJ's situation then, and I suspect even Lee would know his goose is cooked in that scenario (although Doncaster going straight up under the retained Darren Ferguson worried me; made me wonder if SL will see that as a case for keeping LJ if we drop, perish the thought).

But I do not want us to go down, and think that means we'll have all the fun and games of LJ et al to enjoy again next season - let's hope they all really have learnt from their mistakes...

[Olé]

1 hour ago, Bat Fastard said:

It is interesting that people seem happy to give young players time to develop and to allow theri talent to really bloom - but the same is not true of young managers/head coaches.

Your analogy is fine, but falls down when you consider LJ is being allowed to serve his apprenticeship in the position of most importance at the club, in a league which is considered the 5th or 6th most lucrative and important in the sport as a whole. If we are to develop young coaches just as we do players, fine, let them coach within a more senior management structure, or let them manage in the lower divisions.

We are doing neither, what your analogy actually produces is the handover of the reigns of the business to someone who is inexperienced, has no one more senior to learn from, and is able to learn on the job in the most important of situations and circumstances to the club. Not quite what 'developing youth' is about, indeed even a club with a serious youth policy would not play 11 inexperienced teenagers for every game of an entire season, but you like the idea of us committing leadership, strategy and management to such 'schooling'?

It worked at Bournemouth because their young coach was good from the word go. Johnson has not been, and while I agree that he will learn and almost certainly has already learned this year, I disagree that us believing in developing young players should see us also believe in the idea of blooding inexperienced managers in this competitive league that we are so invested in. This season has been a very painful example of the risks (hopefully now subsiding) of doing so, and if anything it has set back the progress of some of the players whose patient 'development' you compared this to!

[Bat Fastard]

3 minutes ago, Olé said:

Your analogy is fine, but falls down when you consider LJ is being allowed to serve his apprenticeship in the position of most importance at the club, in a league which is considered the 5th or 6th most lucrative and important in the sport as a whole. If we are to develop young coaches just as we do players, fine, let them coach within a more senior management structure, or let them manage in the lower divisions.

We are doing neither, what your analogy actually produces is the handover of the reigns of the business to someone who is inexperienced, has no one more senior to learn from, and is able to learn on the job in the most important of situations and circumstances to the club. Not quite what 'developing youth' is about, indeed even a club with a serious youth policy would not play 11 inexperienced teenagers for every game of an entire season, but you like the idea of us committing leadership, strategy and management to such 'schooling'?

It worked at Bournemouth because their young coach was good from the word go. Johnson has not been, and while I agree that he will learn and almost certainly has already learned this year, I disagree that us believing in developing young players should see us also believe in the idea of blooding inexperienced managers in this competitive league that we are so invested in. This season has been a very painful example of the risks (hopefully now subsiding) of doing so, and if anything it has set back the progress of some of the players whose patient 'development' you compared this to!

A young manager is not quite like a young player because he will already have had a great deal of experience in football.  LJ is a very intelligent and serious minded young man, who has done a great deal of research into his subject and SL believes that he is trustworthy. I do not agree with those who pan him because of the bad run of results because many of those games were very close and were on a knife edge - and could easily have gone the other way. It may well be the case that experienced managers want to manage and recruit as they see fit and that SL has different ideas and needed someone to "buy into" the project. That entails a long term approach and you don't get that if you keep firing the manager.  It is a bit too early to be sure, but it looks as if we are in better form right now and have a good chance of avoiding the drop - and that is down to LJ as much as the players.  He will certainly tweak the squad in the next window, and I feel sure that he knows exactly what he is looking for. I have faith! 

[Mike Hunt-Hertz]

51 minutes ago, bcfcfinker said:

Was her name Allegory, if it is, I've heard about her.

More likely her name was Allegro.

[Major Isewater]

14 hours ago, downendcity said:

I am certainly not a big Johnson fan, but can understand why SL has resisted the almost irresistible ( to fans) temptation to change manager when we were on that terrible run before Christmas. SL has made some pretty big changes to the clubs infrastructure, all designed to give us more of a long term structure, which fans were crying out for when we were going lurching from one poor season to another, one manager to another and having to offload loads of over paid and over the hill players went it went wrong, as it invariably did in the seasons that followed GJ's time here.

SL called stick when results, league position and an increasing majority of fans were calling twist, and just now recent results appear to have justified his faith/confidence/prayers. 

However, if we do stay up and LJ stays in charge, LJ will have a lot of work to do. Firstly with the changes he will have to/need to make to the squad. Departures will be a strong indicator as to the players that LJ could not "trust", i.e. has fallen out with. It would be understandable that his relationship with players will have been "strained" by the sequence of results from November on, so he will have a major job on his hands to rebuild the trust and confidence of the squad in him.

He also has to rebuild trust and confidence in him from a large part of the fanbase. It will be a tough job, because I think there are quite a few fans who had made their minds up about LJ from the time he was appointed (negatively), so the poor sequence of results only reinforced those feelings against him. 

Ultimately we all know it is a results game. Accordingly, If he can get things on an even keel, we see a decent summer on the transfer front and the new season starts solidly and can be continued without the alarming slump we saw this season, then I think there is a strong chance fans' feelings towards him will change. I have a funny feeling that LJ might struggle ever to be loved the way his Dad was - especially so during the promotion and play off seasons - even if he goes on to achieve a degree of success with us, but getting the team competing towards the top end of the championship might get more fans respecting him, even if that respect is sometimes begrudging. 

P.S. I'm just watching 1980 TOTP and the only thing I can think of that is tighter than Errol Brown's trousers is the bottom 8 of the championship!

 

 

 

How do you think he hit those high notes ? 

[JamesBCFC]

57 minutes ago, samo II said:

We're not changing manager before the summer; at this point, it wouldn't be wise, regardless who we had in - we probably need two more wins to hold on, and I think they will obtainable with the fixtures we have.

However, good results can have the short term effect of covering over a lot of the bad stuff that has happened this season, much of which LJ is responsible for - we're talking tactics, use of the squad, approach to man-management (i.e. his habit of public dressing downs and odd selection policy), and obviously results over the full season.

I sincerely hope our standards as fans are not so low as to be happy with the last eight months - the record streak of losses alone should be enough to question whether LJ has the full set of skills needed to take us forward (and please don't get me started on the Engvall situation - one of the strangest appoaches to dealing with a young player I've seen at this club).

We stay up, and I expect some serious examinations of what led us to wildly underperform this season, and were I SL I'd be sceptical if LJ's answer to the problems would be to buy, buy, buy again - I feel that we are just perhaps two or three players (right back, left back, central striker) away from a solid mid table Championship squad, IF the players are set up and motivated right (that's where the questions should be aimed).

Hopefully either this leads to us parting ways with LJ for someone who can do better with the resources we have, or steps are taken to make sure LJ and co get the expected results, with the caveat that good will is spent, and one more poor run will see him gone.

But ultimately I feel this is pie in the sky from me; SL has said he will keep LJ and support him, presumanly until he gets it to work, regardless of how long it takes.

I guess we should all support this, as the ultimate end would mean success for the club, but it feels strange to think we are now so brazenly SL's personal experiment, so much so he will place the results on the pitch below his personal commitment to one man.

The exception would be if we did go down; SL was murky on LJ's situation then, and I suspect even Lee would know his goose is cooked in that scenario (although Doncaster going straight up under the retained Darren Ferguson worried me; made me wonder if SL will see that as a case for keeping LJ if we drop, perish the thought).

But I do not want us to go down, and think that means we'll have all the fun and games of LJ et al to enjoy again next season - let's hope they all really have learnt from their mistakes...

That isn't what SL said though.

[Jack Dawe]

If we could be sure our remaining home games provided the same level of opposition we encountered from Wolves and QPR, then I would say, with few (if any) qualms, yes keep. 

 

[Jacki]

It was a fantastic win yesterday and it's been great to see us really dominate in the last 3 home games. As others have said, the end of the season is now the time to review Johnson's position. I'm still far from convinced that he is the long term answer, but get something on Monday and we should be in a position to make these decisions with our Championship status secured. We would all have been delighted with that a fortnight ago. The absolutely vital thing now is that we don't lose on Monday.