Off The Fence

[Port Said Red]

It's cropped on other threads today and in the past. It started around this time last year, "the juries still out on Johnson" they said, "let's wait until the end of the season" . The end of the season came, we nearly made the play offs from a relegation position. "lets see who he signs in the summer" they said "who?" they said with the signings of Enoch and McCombe. "we shall see at xmas" they said.

Well the trimmings are in the shops, santa's dusting off his sleigh and we are 3rd, equal on points with 2nd place and doing well in 2 out of 3 cups.

Some might say it's still too early to judge, the xmas deadline is now moving to the end of the season. If we were to be promoted, no doubt it would then move on to the next and whether he can keep us up. But a recent survey has shown that the average football manager lasts just 13 months in the job.

So 15 months into GJ's reign I think it's only fair that the fence sitters climb down on one side or the other, because as Moomin Liberation Army, so rightly said on another thread "Ah yes the "juries still out" Translated as "I am wrong at the moment, but as soon as I come close to being right I shall certainly say I told you so" .

I'm not asking for people to have his babies, hell, you don't even have to like him. But if you still think he isn't doing a good job, then tell us now and tell us why.

[thankgodfortinnion]

It's cropped on other threads today and in the past. It started around this time last year, "the juries still out on Johnson" they said, "let's wait until the end of the season" . The end of the season came, we nearly made the play offs from a relegation position. "lets see who he signs in the summer" they said "who?" they said with the signings of Enoch and McCombe. "we shall see at xmas" they said.

Well the trimmings are in the shops, santa's dusting off his sleigh and we are 3rd, equal on points with 2nd place and doing well in 2 out of 3 cups.

Some might say it's still too early to judge, the xmas deadline is now moving to the end of the season. If we were to be promoted, no doubt it would then move on to the next and whether he can keep us up. But a recent survey has shown that the average football manager lasts just 13 months in the job.

So 15 months into GJ's reign I think it's only fair that the fence sitters climb down on one side or the other, because as Moomin Liberation Army, so rightly said on another thread "Ah yes the "juries still out" Translated as "I am wrong at the moment, but as soon as I come close to being right I shall certainly say I told you so" .

I'm not asking for people to have his babies, hell, you don't even have to like him. But if you still think he isn't doing a good job, then tell us now and tell us why.

A very good post but you miss out one OVERRIDING fact where some fans are judging him.

He told the players the honest truth and a couple of them threw their toys out of the pram.

I think many will never forgive him for not treating the second coming of the Messiah as a special case.A place in the champions league in 3 seasons time may just placate the Stewart followers.

Maybe the earlier thread from Life of Brian is the most telling line on this forum for months.

[Ian M]

I have no empirical data to back this up but it is my belief that the majority of those Supporters who don't "rate" Johnson, do so because he has dropped their favourite player. Simple as that.

[Port Said Red]

I have no empirical data to back this up but it is my belief that the majority of those Supporters who don't "rate" Johnson, do so because he has dropped their favourite player. Simple as that.

It may go deeper than that. He is not "one of us" he has no City links at all and makes no protestations of love for the club, the City etc. He is just a professional doing a job and wants to see us successful for his personal pride as much as anything else. The fact that on top of that he has stood on the toes of a "City fan" a boy from the terraces etc, has just compounded the mistrust.

To paraphrase the league of Gentlemen" he is not a local manager, from a local area, or a local person.

[newboy]

It may go deeper than that. He is not "one of us" he has no City links at all and makes no protestations of love for the club, the City etc. He is just a professional doing a job and wants to see us successful for his personal pride as much as anything else. The fact that on top of that he has stood on the toes of a "City fan" a boy from the terraces etc, has just compounded the mistrust.

To paraphrase the league of Gentlemen" he is not a local manager, from a local area, or a local person.

Don't think that rings true - DW was from oop north and didn't even move down here. BT was from Newcastle... etc....

I do wonder how much some fans really wish the best for City when they actually "hate" the guy who is ensuring that city is doing the best its done for many years.

Criticism is fine, but there's certainly an undercurrent of something more vitriolic and personal in some posts.

Having said that, people criticised DW because he leant against the dugout posts.....

[NickJ]

I'm not asking for people to have his babies, hell, you don't even have to like him. But if you still think he isn't doing a good job, then tell us now and tell us why.

Results - if the season finished today, we would not be automatically promoted. But we are obviously one of the favourites to do so.

Performances/Entertainment - good job? No. Anyone who has been to most of the games this season can make up their own minds if they agree.

GJ is very results driven, which has surprised me, because I expected his teams to play with a bit more style. I had nothing to base that on, other than his chirpy personality.

Many would say, and have said on here, that winning and getting out of this division is all that matters. Personally, I do not agree, for me the quality of the football and entertainment are as important.

So I will say as I have said before - good work in terms of results, but I want to be entertained as well.

[Port Said Red]

Performances/Entertainment - good job? No. Anyone who has been to most of the games this season can make up their own minds if they agree.

So I will say as I have said before - good work in terms of results, but I want to be entertained as well.

I have seen 3/4 games this season where the quality of football would not have been out of place in a division higher. Crewe and Oldham at home, the second half against Northampton away and The Forest JPT game. Not many sides at this level will produce football of the highest level consistently, partly because of the way a lot of the opposition set out to spoil rather than create.

But Johnson has been quoted as saying he would like to see something better as well, so it's a fair point.

[Nibor]

For me GJ's doing a lot more right than he is wrong, I think he was the best appointment we could have made at the time and it looks like we'll be in the playoffs at least. I'm happy with the season so far especially when you consider the difficulties we've had to overcome.

I still think though that he has room for improvement in some things he does and that he has a big opportunity in January to bring in a couple of players to get us from a probable top 6 finish to a probable top 2. I hope we approach the window very differently to how we did last time round.

[Robbored]

Signings - His loan signings have by and large been uninspired but his permanent signings have turned out well.McCallister,McCombe,Johnson Junior and Fontaine (I'm yet to be convinced by Jevons despite his upturn in form recently)

Playing style - Like NickJ,I would prefer to see a slicker more attractive style especially at AG.Imo its the inconsistant levels of football that contributes the poor atmosphere at AG sometimes.

Tactical nouse - Like many of his predecessors some of his team selections and substitutions leave us all bemused but generally he seems to get it right.I can't think of any major errors since the B'pool game.

This seasons form - Good at AG but not very impressive away.No doubt Johnson is looking at how he can transfer the good home from to away.

If you take where City were when Johnson took over and look at the players he had then you have to say that so far he's done a good job.We are third in the league and he has assembled a good squad,getting shot of some the deawood on the way.Its now upto him and Millen to get the best out them and push on for automatic promotion.

[Tunley Legend]

My only real criticism of Johnson is that he can be over cautious at times although it is difficult to argue with results at present. The people who talk about entertainment are right - for example last night was a terrible game of football if you are being honest with yourself and it isn't the only one we have seen, far from it. But the one thing Johnson has done that makes the above easier to take is that he has got a squad of professionals who now EARN their money. It seems the day of the big time charlie thinking they were something special when they were out on the piss because they played third division football has now gone and we have a squad of players all pulling in the same direction (with one notable exception who will be out of here soon thankfully). Big headed wasters like Coles and Doherty, bad attitude merchants like Dinning and Phillips and the like who do not seem to have achieved a great deal post Bristol City have been replaced by players who will give every ounce of energy and blood to get a 1-0 win when they are playing pants. That is why I think we will do well this season and I have also got this funny feeling that we are going to see an upturn in form (in terms of the way we are playing) after christmas. We are still work in progress as far as Johnson is concerned and that progress can be moved along very quickly if we sign a couple of decent wide players.

[bcfcphoenix]

Signings - His loan signings have by and large been uninspired but his permanent signings have turned out well.McCallister,McCombe,Johnson Junior and Fontaine (I'm yet to be convinced by Jevons despite his upturn in form recently)

not to pick you out in person mate, but it is amazing how many overlook Showunmi as a GJ signing who has been totally essential to us this season. first day win, recent goals, only real power upfront etc etc.

the two jamie mac's and enoch have saved our season thus far, along with carey (who GJ would've dropped after the hand grenade if there had been cover, who knows he could've be on loan at forest now...) and basso have covered up for some of johnson's mistakes.

i am pleased but not convinced, and i am too old to have 'favourite' players really;

defensive substitutions

seeming inability to hang on to a lead

playing up to 5 players out of position (the same trick wilson used to cost us the playoff final)

the somewhat debatable treatment of noble

the truly shocking loan signings

how often is there no forward on the bench?

ego-before-club? same debate happened at yeovil

etc etc

what is the internet for if not complaining eh?!

[bucksred]

Hes winning. Thats good. We're top five, THATS good. He has apparantly sorted out the pisshead culture, thats VERY good.

His signings bar Minime, and Jevo are doing ok. I remain to be convinced about them, but there are others who think theyre great. Its a matter of opinion in the end. and as for Baz..........WTF???? and forget loan signings period!

What don't sit comfortably is the way we seem, in a lot of games to get battered, for ages before we decide to play. Should we go up, THAT will get punished every time.

The team needs a lot of strengthening for the Championship, and He hasnt made those signings yet. You cant always rely on the July sales.

The scouting system (Is there one) worries me

I therefore will remain to be convinced on some issues, but in others he has turned things around. and hell he got us out of the sh1t last season

[Gary Gilmore's eyes]

Look, under DW we played attractive , passing football . It was bl00dy wonderful to watch some of the time . But I can remember us going away to Colchester and losing 4-0 . Posh away it was 4-1 . And for those with short memories , who can forget Blackpool away . They were long trips home after those performances and results .

So , b0110x to your pretty football . I do n't care if we bore everyone to death . If we win 1-0 everygame, and get promoted then I will be a very happy City boy . In the past we've played attractive football and we are still in this poxy league , because we were soft and lacked a desire to win . Any team that out muscled us , beat us .

GJ has changed that mentality . He wants winners , and so do I .

Short of bribing the opposition and the ref , we should do whatever it takes to get promoted . Ugly football , long ball , physical football - whatever - just get us into The Championship .

Harry May

[fct]

Under DW we often played outstanding attacking football, went to the top of the division (with the accompanying numpties screaming about promotion) only to choke and fail when the crunch came. DW then tried to bore everyone to death in his last season and when the crunch came HE choked and mucked it right up.

Johnson has done a decent job. The playing style isn't vastly different than from what I recall under the flowing DW era and early Tinnion era. We're 3rd at present, so those who moan have little to justify this carping. If as is inferred its purely on Stewart being dropped, well that big headed egotist deserved being kicked out as he was putting himsef before the club. Get real, grow up and accept its done the club good to have such a disruptive moron out of the way.

Amen.

[NickJ]

Under DW we often played outstanding attacking football, went to the top of the division (with the accompanying numpties screaming about promotion) only to choke and fail when the crunch came. DW then tried to bore everyone to death in his last season and when the crunch came HE choked and mucked it right up.

Johnson has done a decent job. The playing style isn't vastly different than from what I recall under the flowing DW era and early Tinnion era. We're 3rd at present, so those who moan have little to justify this carping. If as is inferred its purely on Stewart being dropped, well that big headed egotist deserved being kicked out as he was putting himsef before the club. Get real, grow up and accept its done the club good to have such a disruptive moron out of the way.

Amen.

Nice anti-Stewart post from nowhere.

My points:

- nobody on this thread has moaned, just a consensus that the football isnt that pretty or entertaining.

- nobody has "inferred its purely on Stewart being dropped" (I assume you mean the alleged/perceived moaning).

- you say that "under DW we often played outstanding attacking football", and finish up by saying that now, "the playing style isn't vastly different than from what I recall under the flowing DW era". I don't think many would agree with your latter conclusion.

- I do not see why "numpties" shouldnt scream about promotion if we went top.

- I don't remember being bored to death in DW's last season.

Apart from that, I agree with everything you say.

[Robbored]

not to pick you out in person mate, but it is amazing how many overlook Showunmi as a GJ signing who has been totally essential to us this season. first day win, recent goals, only real power upfront etc etc.

Its amazing that I overlooked Enoch as a Johnson signing - I hold my head in shame....

[Red Dave]

Nice anti-Stewart post from nowhere.

My points:

- nobody on this thread has moaned, just a consensus that the football isnt that pretty or entertaining.

- nobody has "inferred its purely on Stewart being dropped" (I assume you mean the alleged/perceived moaning).

- you say that "under DW we often played outstanding attacking football", and finish up by saying that now, "the playing style isn't vastly different than from what I recall under the flowing DW era". I don't think many would agree with your latter conclusion.

- I do not see why "numpties" shouldnt scream about promotion if we went top.

- I don't remember being bored to death in DW's last season.

Apart from that, I agree with everything you say.

I agree with you NickJ.

We are indeed 3rd in the league. Whether we deserve to be there the way we are playing is another matter for another post.

If we had had a fully fit squad (with or without MS) undoubtably the performances would have been better and this may have altered the way I think about GJ. Last night was a prettty good example of the fayre we have been subjected too this season. I'm still not sure how we won. (Up to the point we did) I didn't think we would score if we played them for a week.

I would prefer to be entertained whilst still picking up the results. I do worry about how we would do against better teams. To be fair this is a terrible division this year and I fear for any team that gets promoted.

I'm particularly interested to see what GJ does during the transfer window. We know there is money in the bank and one or two excellent signings would really help GJ's standing amongst those, like myself, who have yet to be totally convinced. bcfcphoenix also made a number of good relevant points that I would also like to add my name to.

[Redtilldead]

Look, under DW we played attractive , passing football . It was bl00dy wonderful to watch some of the time . But I can remember us going away to Colchester and losing 4-0 . Posh away it was 4-1 . And for those with short memories , who can forget Blackpool away . They were long trips home after those performances and results .

So , b0110x to your pretty football . I do n't care if we bore everyone to death . If we win 1-0 everygame, and get promoted then I will be a very happy City boy . In the past we've played attractive football and we are still in this poxy league , because we were soft and lacked a desire to win . Any team that out muscled us , beat us .

GJ has changed that mentality . He wants winners , and so do I .

Short of bribing the opposition and the ref , we should do whatever it takes to get promoted . Ugly football , long ball , physical football - whatever - just get us into The Championship .

Harry May

I see your point, but what actually will happen if we get to the championship playing like that, it will be just like our last promotion.... straight back down, and I really don't want that after fiinally getting out of this poxy division, next time we have to stay there and consolidate, if we play like we are now, it isn't going to be good enough I'm afraid.

[Ian M]

We are indeed 3rd in the league. Whether we deserve to be there the way we are playing is another matter for another post.

To be fair, the way we are playing this season isn't too dissimilar to the way Wigan played when they got promoted from this division. We have a team full of individuals who know exactly what their role is and remain pretty organised throughout and base their league position on a particularly strong home record.

During that season occasionally really turned on the afterburners but it was the 13 games they won 1-0 when often not really performing that well, just remaining professional that got them promoted.

[Chivs]

To be fair, the way we are playing this season isn't too dissimilar to the way Wigan played when they got promoted from this division. We have a team full of individuals who know exactly what their role is and remain pretty organised throughout and base their league position on a particularly strong home record.

During that season occasionally really turned on the afterburners but it was the 13 games they won 1-0 when often not really performing that well, just remaining professional that got them promoted.

And if memory serves me right, they won 0-1 at AG that season? I recall thinking we could play for a month of Sundays against this team and still not score. What stood out for me was the work rate that the Wigan players put in. Whatever else people think about Johnson, it cannot be denied that his players work hard for each other.

Then again, whatever did happen to that Wigan team?

[maidenheadred]

Look, under DW we played attractive , passing football . It was bl00dy wonderful to watch some of the time . But I can remember us going away to Colchester and losing 4-0 . Posh away it was 4-1 . And for those with short memories , who can forget Blackpool away . They were long trips home after those performances and results .

So , b0110x to your pretty football . I do n't care if we bore everyone to death . If we win 1-0 everygame, and get promoted then I will be a very happy City boy . In the past we've played attractive football and we are still in this poxy league , because we were soft and lacked a desire to win . Any team that out muscled us , beat us .

GJ has changed that mentality . He wants winners , and so do I .

Short of bribing the opposition and the ref , we should do whatever it takes to get promoted . Ugly football , long ball , physical football - whatever - just get us into The Championship .

Harry May

i think the personnel available to him at the moment plays a big factor in dictating the somewhat snoozworthy style of play.

if we had decent wingers in the squad, we'd play them, and we'd look more entertaining for it. Yes, i know he ultimately carries the can for not having decent wingers (although nobody could have stopped Cotteril [nice goal against hammers by the way] leacing, and we could reasonably expect Murray to last a bit longer!) - but fact is that good left wingers are rare, and good, available, head-screwed-on properly and would come here wingers rarer still. Hopefully we'll resolve that in Jan.

It's not as if his teams abandon passing football all the time - tuesday's condiditions and situation dictated it, but in the past i've seen some great stuff this season when everyone is on song. Its just more often than not there isnt the natrual width there to play the way we've been used to over the years (which also never got us promoted, of course!).

and look at it this way - right now, the current best 11 is screaming out for 4-3-3 long ball tactics. 3 good strikers (two of them big men), back four who can easily handle ball ping back to them all the time, no width but plenty of bite in the midfield through Skuse and Aggy - thank your lucky stars Tuesday's tactics arent the norm! and be even more thankful we still get results *not* going long all the time!

For me - he's got a 9/10 so far. Would have liked to be top of the league, but being a realist i didnt expect a club rotten to the core and having being hammered 7-1 to be top of the league just over a year later - there are 23 other teams who have just as much right to win games as we do. Find myself agreeing with most things he says, and most things he does - and that has never really happend before.

(and re Jevons not convincing people..... free transfer... average wage.... will score 20 goals almost guaranteed.. whats the problem>!?!)

[bh_red]

And if memory serves me right, they won 0-1 at AG that season? I recall thinking we could play for a month of Sundays against this team and still not score. What stood out for me was the work rate that the Wigan players put in. Whatever else people think about Johnson, it cannot be denied that his players work hard for each other.

Then again, whatever did happen to that Wigan team?

as you and Madger have both said the wigan example is perfect, they turn up against alot of teams sat back and ground out results and in Jewell they have a decent manager.

personally i believe in Johnson he knows what is required to get promoted out of this league, there are times for pretty football and there are games where results are what count, over recent years we have played some great stuff during games but ended up not scoring or losing via a late goal, that has stopped happening, a good example of this is the last 4 games over the 10/11 day period, to get 3 wins and a draw is a fanstastic return and shows how hard he has got players working for each, there isn't any big flash names in our team just a bunch of lads who are giving 110% for each other and know their jobs in the team, no primadonas of past seasons just got solid hard workers, since everyone has been fit again results have made an upturn and I'm honestly feeling very confident about this season, though as we know we have been seen this before.

Johnson at the time was the best appointment out their and myself personally don't believe we would either go for him or get him, and Lansdown did a great job in getting him to City and paid the price he had to (which wasn't cheap!) since then he has rightly backed his manager decisions 100%

signings such as McCombe, Fontaine, McAllister have been excellent, Enoch has also been a fantastic find and his other signings have all been of a decent quality......looking at his signings overall he hasn't made a bad one to be honest, (well apart from Younga & Quinn who were poor) he has brought in players who have all pretty much done a decent job. Jevons & Enoch despite people moaning are both looking at nearly 20 goals each this season and for FREE TRANSFER'S! 10/10 he has made no big signings but some top drawer free transfers!

As for so many people being against him, I just honestly don't get it, combination of the losing run last season and a certain striker haven't helped, however in the long term we are looking a better team for it.

long may it continue

[downendcity]

Results - if the season finished today, we would not be automatically promoted. But we are obviously one of the favourites to do so.

Performances/Entertainment - good job? No. Anyone who has been to most of the games this season can make up their own minds if they agree.

GJ is very results driven, which has surprised me, because I expected his teams to play with a bit more style. I had nothing to base that on, other than his chirpy personality.

Many would say, and have said on here, that winning and getting out of this division is all that matters. Personally, I do not agree, for me the quality of the football and entertainment are as important.

So I will say as I have said before - good work in terms of results, but I want to be entertained as well.

In Danny W's last but one season he gave one of the most entertaining sides in the whole of top class football, scoring more goals than any other league team. Was he universally priased for the entertainment value his team provided? Failing to acheive promotion meant a huge backlash from fans because promotion outweighed any other consideration. Give the guy his due ( which many didn't) he had the ability, within one season , to give us the best defence in the league but that was still not enough still could not acheive promotion and that cost him his job.

At the end of the season will you praise Gary J for the entertainment he has provided if we lose the play off final 6-5 in the most entertaining game ever witnessed at the Mill Stadium or would he get more praise from having acheived the 10th 1-0 win on the trot to secure automatic promotion come the end of the season?

P.S. Why are you surprised that GJ is so results driven? I would be more surprised (and concerned)if he wasn't!

[Bristol Boy]

One often hears about managers doing "A Great Job"

What a "great job" he's done there.

Rob MacAffrey on Sky Sports is always doing it and it's very rare to see a managerial sacking find agreement because most of the pundits have been there and are pretty compromised or are sometimes mates of the guy who's been fired!

As far as GJ's concerned, I think he'a lucky manager and as Napoleon once said "given a choice between a lucky general and a good one, give me the lucky one anytime!"

My view hasn't changed in a while now-probably the last nine or ten months:

So, far, So good but he's acheived nothing yet, covers it in a nutshell.

I'm pleased we're third and in the latter rounds of the LDV.

I'm pleased that we've progressed to the third round of the FA Cup.

I'm delighted with some of the permanent signings and the fact that we tried to sign a player of Holts calibre.I'll be even more delighted if we sign the striker and left winger we obviously need.

I'm delighted with the defence and the way we defend as a unit, the players workrate, fitness & commitment.

But until we actually acheive something, most importantly promotion, I'm afraid the jury is still out and if we win the LDV this year, but don't win promotion, that, in my eyes will be failure.

If we reach the play offs and don't get promoted, that will be failure.

If we're promoted-however it happens, that'll be success and GJ can stand up and be counted as a succesful BCFC manager alongside Joe Jordan & John Ward.

The Championship is uncharted territory for GJ and his backroom staff so, after a brief respite, he'll be up for judgement again! I'm afriad that's what football is.A business in which you are judged entirely on results in the final analysis.That's why the contracts are so good and wages so high.

[Bristol Boy]

Performances/Entertainment - good job? No. Anyone who has been to most of the games this season can make up their own minds if they agree.

Said the same myself very recently

Many would say, and have said on here, that winning and getting out of this division is all that matters. Personally, I do not agree, for me the quality of the football and entertainment are as important.

So I will say as I have said before - good work in terms of results, but I want to be entertained as well.

And that encapsulates why the crowds are not returning.

[Bristol Boy]

the somewhat debatable treatment of noble

Can you give some more detail on that, please

ego-before-club? same debate happened at yeovil

And develop that one a bit more.I don't say I disagree

etc etc

what is the internet for if not complaining eh?!

Sport & Pornography seem to do well out of it

[Bristol Boy]

Look, under DW we played attractive , passing football . It was bl00dy wonderful to watch some of the time . But I can remember us going away to Colchester and losing 4-0 . Posh away it was 4-1 . And for those with short memories , who can forget Blackpool away . They were long trips home after those performances and results .

Saw them all

So , b0110x to your pretty football . I do n't care if we bore everyone to death . If we win 1-0 everygame, and get promoted then I will be a very happy City boy . In the past we've played attractive football and we are still in this poxy league , because we were soft and lacked a desire to win . Any team that out muscled us , beat us .

GJ has changed that mentality . He wants winners , and so do I .

Short of bribing the opposition and the ref , we should do whatever it takes to get promoted . Ugly football , long ball , physical football - whatever - just get us into The Championship .

Harry May

I don't think the two, entertainment & success are mutually exclusive

[bcfcphoenix]

ian i can not work out how to quote your post but here is some expansion;

last season GJ said that the players playing well will keep their jerseys - in midfield this was brown, noble and russell. at the start of this season the entire team mis-performed to an extent, but recovered. johnsons commitment to his players and his statement flew out of the window when his son arrived - who has also been playing poorly for the last few games. this is due to him placing too much pressure on himself when he passes imo, as he seeks the 'killer ball' etc.

ego before club is a comment i have heard from a few yeovil fans, and also you could (not that i wish to), relate the MS debate to this. some might question the alleged incident with elliot benyon in this light as well. the continued picking of poorly performing "johnson" signings (marc joseph springs to mind, youga, arguably bas...) could also be related to that debate. i'm really playing devils advocate since i will be happy if we keep winning mind.

as for your other two internet uses i don't know about sport, thats what the radio's for like!

[Bristol Boy]

ian i can not work out how to quote your post but here is some expansion;

last season GJ said that the players playing well will keep their jerseys - in midfield this was brown, noble and russell. at the start of this season the entire team mis-performed to an extent, but recovered. johnsons commitment to his players and his statement flew out of the window when his son arrived - who has also been playing poorly for the last few games. this is due to him placing too much pressure on himself when he passes imo, as he seeks the 'killer ball' etc.

ego before club is a comment i have heard from a few yeovil fans, and also you could (not that i wish to), relate the MS debate to this. some might question the alleged incident with elliot benyon in this light as well. the continued picking of poorly performing "johnson" signings (marc joseph springs to mind, youga, arguably bas...) could also be related to that debate. i'm really playing devils advocate since i will be happy if we keep winning mind.

as for your other two internet uses i don't know about sport, thats what the radio's for like!

Thanks for that.

When we signed LJ I was perhaps, one of the more supportive voices and I have made a point of never criticising the lad on relationships grounds because that's not his fault.

I did question whether we needed another central midfieder when we had four with very good fitness records-then Noble & Brown are promptly injured!

I thought LJ was a different type of player than the others and his goals record was 1:8 when he joined.He's neat but when he's even slightly off his game he's wasteful and puts others under pressure. For me I would like to see him left out and City go with Noble & Skuse, thus utilising more attacking players in the wide positions in Murray, Brown & Showumni, although, as I've said, I'd prefer ES up front as he's scoring and he's not the best defensively along with JMW & PJ.

[Colemanballs]

I have no empirical data to back this up but it is my belief that the majority of those Supporters who don't "rate" Johnson, do so because he has dropped their favourite player. Simple as that.

I am reminded why, when one of the brighter posters writes nonsense like this, I have so little time for this forum anymore.

Some people need things to be so black and white you wonder if they are Newcastle fans in disguise.

GJ's handling of the MS situation (terrible, in my view) is just one of many factors that need to be weighed up when judging his tenure as manager. I, along with a lot of other posters, have reservations over his tactical nous and his judgment of certain players. Personally, I worry that he reacts badly to pressure. That said, he has got the team fitter, has fostered a better attitude amongst the squad and has bred a winning mentality. If he can maintain the current rate of progress we have a reasonable chance of the promotion that we all crave. In other words, he has good points and he has bad points.

What hacks me off is the fact that if anyone talks about anything but the good points they are immediately set upon by a posse of holier than thou Johnson accolytes accusing them of being a 'Stewart Lover' or a 'serial whinger' or whatever the insult du jour might happen to be.

Frankly, stuff it!