Mr Johnsons tactical nous

[kingswood red]

I for one am seriosly worried about getting stuck in the play-off lottery. Johnson seems to lack the motivational skills required to lift the team and supporters to perform on a particular day. Yes we are in a good position (more to do with this crap league) but his tactical nous seems to be lacking. Surely we should have a settled system of play, so whoever plays, knows the system, what is required of them and is played in his correct position, like S****horpe do.

We have a big squad and he is forever tinkering, apart from mimime, or maybe because of him. To put it simply, the way the team was set up on tues night and motivated was simply abysmal, had that been the playoff final, we would have lost again no matter who we were playing, doesnt it sound familiar? Wilson paid with his head after doing just that.

I say anything short of automatic promotion now, especially after tues night, will be seen as a failure and if we do get in the playoffs and lose Johnson should go. I never thought I would be writing this, but that was one excuse too many on tuesday night.

[Roger Red Hat]

This would be the same GJ who subbed one forward for another after 28 mins on saturday, the replacement forward scoring twice and hitting the woodwork and winning the game. Johnson should go? Pull yourself together man.

[Tunley Legend]

It is simple. In terms of resources available both Gary Johnson and Colin Calderwood will have comprehensively failed in their jobs if City and Forest do not get promotion given the advantage they both have in squads and resources. I think both teams will go up (one may have to do it the hard route) but if we do miss out then Gary Johnson will justifiably have to answer many awkward questions from disgruntled fans. Here's hoping that GJ delivers.

[The Casual Connoisseur]

The same GJ who plotted a comeback against Premiership Opposition, the same GJ who's tactics took us to within a penalty of beating a premiership team in the replay of the said game!!!

I think he has what it takes, or atleast I hope he does, alll I know is that when it comes down to the business end of the season we have a capable manger in charge, the players have to do the rest.

[Keepers Ball]

This would be the same GJ who subbed one forward for another after 28 mins on saturday, the replacement forward scoring twice and hitting the woodwork and winning the game. Johnson should go? Pull yourself together man.

That was a substitution not a tactic

[Roger Red Hat]

That was a substitution not a tactic

I think you'll find it was a tactical substitution and not a straight swap, a la like for like.

[Robbored]

I for one am seriosly worried about getting stuck in the play-off lottery. Johnson seems to lack the motivational skills required to lift the team and supporters to perform on a particular day. Yes we are in a good position (more to do with this crap league) but his tactical nous seems to be lacking. Surely we should have a settled system of play, so whoever plays, knows the system, what is required of them and is played in his correct position, like S****horpe do.

We have a big squad and he is forever tinkering, apart from mimime, or maybe because of him. To put it simply, the way the team was set up on tues night and motivated was simply abysmal, had that been the playoff final, we would have lost again no matter who we were playing, doesnt it sound familiar? Wilson paid with his head after doing just that.

I say anything short of automatic promotion now, especially after tues night, will be seen as a failure and if we do get in the playoffs and lose Johnson should go. I never thought I would be writing this, but that was one excuse too many on tuesday night.

To be fair to Johnson he has had players unavailable for a variety of reasons.Suspensions,injuries and being cup tied have all made a difference.I wouldn't call it 'tinkering'.

I do agree that the frequent change of formation doesn't always pay dividends as the gas games showed but it did pay dividends when City played B'pool and Brighton.I also agree that the standard in this league is truly terrible and that part of the reason that City are in fourth place.

It goes back to the point that I made in another thread - inconsistancy.It doesn't seem to matter who plays,they are all capable of putting in a crap performances.Excuses like "we just coudn't get going" and "and some players didn't have the right attitude" start to wear thin after yet another poor show.

The facts are that now with only 13 games to go City can't afford to be putting in under par performances.

[bh_red]

Embrassing! so if Johnson fails to get us promoted in his 1st full season as a manager he should be given the boot? Yet people like Danny Wilson got 4 years to do it and spent millions and still took him 4 years to get us to a play off final!

In comparsion Johnson looks like securing us a play-off place in his first full season and Automatic Promotion is definatly still on the cards!!! He's doing a great job so far and tactically mastermind a win over coventry and also 2 great games against UEFA Cup Runners Up Middlesboro!

EMBRASSING!

[samo]

"Mr Johnsons tactical nous, Does he have any?"

Simple answer, Yes.

You use the example of Danny Wilson. He didn't get the chop for just one tactical error. Hhe'd already had three years, spent truck-loads more money than GJ and made plenty of mistakes when it came to both team selection and tactics over his time at the club. Plus his team were prone to lose their bottle in key games too.

And what "excuse" did he peddle on tuesday exactly? Not sure I consider him admtting to being "BITTERLY DISAPPOINTED" counts as him just shrugging and sayin he didn't care. It's like people won't be happy unless he sends the rest of the season flaying himself with piano wire.

Let's all just except that fact we failed to beat the sags and get a reality check. We NEED promotion more than another final at Cardiff. We might have lost bragging rights for a bit, but surly the best bragging rights would be opening up a two division gap between ourselves and the sags for the first time ever.

[kingswood red]

Embrassing! so if Johnson fails to get us promoted in his 1st full season as a manager he should be given the boot? Yet people like Danny Wilson got 4 years to do it and spent millions and still took him 4 years to get us to a play off final!

In comparsion Johnson looks like securing us a play-off place in his first full season and Automatic Promotion is definatly still on the cards!!! He's doing a great job so far and tactically mastermind a win over coventry and also 2 great games against UEFA Cup Runners Up Middlesboro!

EMBRASSING!

I'll tell you what was embarrassing, losing to the rag, tag and bobtail outfit up the road over two legs, that was embarrassing. Playing absollute c**p both games, that was embarrassing. Being tactically outsmarted by a rookie manager, that was embarrassing. Not being able to win a local derby against three, supposedly (and in reality) inferior teams, thats embarrassing. Blaming anyone bar himself, including supporters, when we lose, thats embarrassing.

I could go on and on but I will finish up by saying, people who cant spell embarrassing thats also............ embarrassing

[RedTop]

Are you for real? Yes, not every tactical plan Gj hatches succeeds, but show me one manager who can claim a 100 per cent record of tactical genius? Show me one team that beat every team below them in the league?

GJ's tinkering has mainly been enforced by injuries, suspensions and players being cup tied. He's often had to cut his cloth according to those players available. Given that, I think his decisions have been less baffling than those of Wilson, Tinman etc. Not only that, some downright brave ones have come off. As mentioned, he pulled Andrews off for Jevons in a tactical switch after just 28 minutes - a brave and unusual decision which would have no doubt been shoved back down his throat by some fans if it did not work. Instead, Jevo scores both goals and hits the woodwork. A decision worthy of some praise, perhaps. Likewise, he moves McCombe up front as a makeshift striker for the final minutes of the Boro replay. And guess who poaches the equaliser in the box?

Wilson's substitutions used to frustrate me and make no sense. Nothing to date that GJ has done comes close to the team selection and tactics DW chose which cost us the Brighton play-off final. The guy has got us into a great position from an appalling one in very little time and with a transfer market profit. He's taken us on a couple of great cup runs, and yet there are some people ranting about him. It's a joke, really.

[samo]

I'll tell you what was embarrassing, losing to the rag, tag and bobtail outfit up the road over two legs, that was embarrassing. Playing absollute c**p both games, that was embarrassing. Being tactically outsmarted by a rookie manager, that was embarrassing. Not being able to win a local derby against three, supposedly (and in reality) inferior teams, thats embarrassing. Blaming anyone bar himself, including supporters, when we lose, thats embarrassing.

I could go on and on but I will finish up by saying, people who cant spell embarrassing thats also............ embarrassing

You sir, are a total joke.

By the way, is my spelling OK..?

[bh_red]

I'll tell you what was embarrassing, losing to the rag, tag and bobtail outfit up the road over two legs, that was embarrassing. Playing absollute c**p both games, that was embarrassing. Being tactically outsmarted by a rookie manager, that was embarrassing. Not being able to win a local derby against three, supposedly (and in reality) inferior teams, thats embarrassing. Blaming anyone bar himself, including supporters, when we lose, thats embarrassing.

I could go on and on but I will finish up by saying, people who cant spell embarrassing thats also............ embarrassing

wow, so we lost to Rovers over two legs? never mind.....it happens,

wow, I made a typo! so what!

there has been more good this season than bad!

as for being outsmarted by a rookie manager? I pressume you are ignoring the fact that the brains behind Rovers is a certain Lennie Lawerence?

it's a shame there are fans at city like you.......but we all have our idiots fans

[tpitman]

Embrassing! so if Johnson fails to get us promoted in his 1st full season as a manager he should be given the boot? Yet people like Danny Wilson got 4 years to do it and spent millions and still took him 4 years to get us to a play off final!

In comparsion Johnson looks like securing us a play-off place in his first full season and Automatic Promotion is definatly still on the cards!!! He's doing a great job so far and tactically mastermind a win over coventry and also 2 great games against UEFA Cup Runners Up Middlesboro!

EMBRASSING!

Yes, some people have short memories!. How many matches unbeaten were we, 18?

How many first teamers did we have out against Brighton, 7?

[Roger Red Hat]

I'll tell you what was embarrassing, losing to the rag, tag and bobtail outfit up the road over two legs, that was embarrassing. Playing absollute c**p both games, that was embarrassing. Being tactically outsmarted by a rookie manager, that was embarrassing. Not being able to win a local derby against three, supposedly (and in reality) inferior teams, thats embarrassing. Blaming anyone bar himself, including supporters, when we lose, thats embarrassing.

I could go on and on but I will finish up by saying, people who cant spell embarrassing thats also............ embarrassing

Good on you mate.....now I've never been sure, is it two b's or two l's in absolute, hmmmmm.....or maybe neither...........

[Tunley Legend]

Embrassing! so if Johnson fails to get us promoted in his 1st full season as a manager he should be given the boot? Yet people like Danny Wilson got 4 years to do it and spent millions and still took him 4 years to get us to a play off final!

In comparsion Johnson looks like securing us a play-off place in his first full season and Automatic Promotion is definatly still on the cards!!! He's doing a great job so far and tactically mastermind a win over coventry and also 2 great games against UEFA Cup Runners Up Middlesboro!

EMBRASSING!

I wouldn't give him the boot but I would be very disappointed if we do not go up this season. Johnson has resources available to him that the likes of Nigel Adkins can only dream of and I expect Johnson to use those resources wisely to achieve promotion. Nearly men would not be good enough for me I am afraid.

[RobtheRed]

If we don't go up this year then Johnson will still have my total support, his results at Yeovil and so far since he's joined City have shown that he's one of the best managers in the lower leagues. To sack him if we fail to go up is just ridiculous, who we going to get who's better? Mourinho?

Same goes for all this "we were cr&p at Rovers, it's embarrassing" rubbish. Yes we did play badly, all teams play badly sometimes, but for most games this season we've played well enough to win, which is more than all but 3 other teams in our league have.

Some people seem to be forgetting that we've been in this league for the best part of 13 years, much as we have more money than most of the other clubs we have no divine right to get promotion.

[GrahamC]

I wouldn't give him the boot but I would be very disappointed if we do not go up this season. Johnson has resources available to him that the likes of Nigel Adkins can only dream of and I expect Johnson to use those resources wisely to achieve promotion. Nearly men would not be good enough for me I am afraid.

So you don't think inheriting Billy Sharp and being top of the league was a somewhat better inheritance than GJ got from Tinnion then?

[CTRed]

You do not get the success that GJ has got without having a sound tactical knowledge. Of course he makes mistakes (as he readily admits) as we all do but more often than not he gets things right and more importantly has a proven track record of success.

[Tunley Legend]

So you don't think inheriting Billy Sharp and being top of the league was a somewhat better inheritance than GJ got from Tinnion then?

Of course it was. But the simple truth is that ourselves and Forest have the biggest resources in the Division and should make them count - which I still think will happen. How much money have S****horpe spent this season? What wages do they pay? What income do they get? How large is their squad?

[aa_bcfc]

I'll tell you what was embarrassing, losing to the rag, tag and bobtail outfit up the road over two legs, that was embarrassing. Playing absollute c**p both games, that was embarrassing. Being tactically outsmarted by a rookie manager, that was embarrassing. Not being able to win a local derby against three, supposedly (and in reality) inferior teams, thats embarrassing. Blaming anyone bar himself, including supporters, when we lose, thats embarrassing.

I could go on and on but I will finish up by saying, people who cant spell embarrassing thats also............ embarrassing

To be honest I also felt bl00dy embarressed losing to the Sags. Not just loosing but the p1ss poor performances. FFS we were beaten by a mid table 4th division outfit, hardly creating a chance in 180 minutes. Of couse it was bl00dy embarrassing.

[bristolcitysweden]

I for one am seriosly worried about getting stuck in the play-off lottery. Johnson seems to lack the motivational skills required to lift the team and supporters to perform on a particular day. Yes we are in a good position (more to do with this crap league) but his tactical nous seems to be lacking. Surely we should have a settled system of play, so whoever plays, knows the system, what is required of them and is played in his correct position, like S****horpe do.

We have a big squad and he is forever tinkering, apart from mimime, or maybe because of him. To put it simply, the way the team was set up on tues night and motivated was simply abysmal, had that been the playoff final, we would have lost again no matter who we were playing, doesnt it sound familiar? Wilson paid with his head after doing just that.

I say anything short of automatic promotion now, especially after tues night, will be seen as a failure and if we do get in the playoffs and lose Johnson should go. I never thought I would be writing this, but that was one excuse too many on tuesday night.

From the interview after the Rovers game it was obvious that Johnson wasen't pleased with the way his tactics or choice of starting eleven turned out. Don't worry to much about your opponents, concentrate on your own game! As long as you are in charge and in posession of the ball you can't be punished. To succeed you have to look at the possibilitys. Don't worry - be happy.

[BCFC Grim]

Gj an embarassment?, time to look closer to home KR i think. Look at the league table. Who got us there? GJ and the players. We lost to rovers, it does not make us a bad team, just as drawing with boro does not make us an oustanding team. I think its time for some people to gain some perspective, and look at the league table.

Leagues the priority, yes it would have been great beaing the Gas, but hey shit happens. Time to get over it and move on, and start supporting the managment and team, to what we all hope will be a promotion season.

[The Fat Controller]

Show me one team that beat every team below them in the league?

Boston have beaten every team currently below them in the Football League.

[Bristol Boy]

Playing absollute c**p both games, that was embarrassing.

Embarrassing and very annoying

Being tactically outsmarted by a rookie manager,

I don't think Trollope did anything that he wouldn't have done if Rovers had been playing a League Game.GJ set the team up badly, twice and from an attacking standpoint we played into their hands by whooshing it and playing people like Woodman & Murray out of position.GJ wasn't outhought by anyone apart from himself and he must realise that, deep down even if he won't say it.......and believe me, "I got it wrong" will be something you rarely, if ever hear from Gary Johnson.

Not being able to win a local derby against three, supposedly (and in reality) inferior teams

Strangely enough, those three games were abysmall performances, apart from our second half comeback at Cheltm

Yes, some people have short memories!. How many matches unbeaten were we, 18?

Unbeaten doesn't mean a lot, unless you add the word "winning" to the mix.There were to many draws and to many scrappy wins to generate real confidence.A team could go unbeaten all season and still be relegated

How many first teamers did we have out against Brighton, 7?

It's a good soundbite but you can't really count Partridge,Weale & Russell as first team regulars when Weale's played one and Partridge, no games this season.Noble & Skuse played in central midfield and they haven't partnered Russell very often in a two man midfield since Johnson arrived

Providing GJ learns and we don't see daft formations and "antic selections" I'll be OK with losing against the Gas.He could have selected a far better team in a far better formation than he did in both games.Had he done that we would have won, IMHO.

[The Fat Controller]

Providing GJ learns and we don't see daft formations and "antic selections" I'll be OK with losing against the Gas.He could have selected a far better team in a far better formation than he did in both games.Had he done that we would have won, IMHO.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

If we had won, we would have all be praising GJ's marvellous team selection and tactics*, but such is life.

*Ok, so maybe a few people would have still moaned if we'd won 27-0, but you get the point.

[Bristol Boy]

Same goes for all this "we were cr&p at Rovers, it's embarrassing" rubbish. Yes we did play badly, all teams play badly sometimes, but for most games this season we've played well enough to win, which is more than all but 3 other teams in our league have.

The two things aren't mutaully exclusive.We were poor, twice and it was embarrassing.When we have played sensible formations and tactics we've won a great deal more than we've lost and that must be the lesson learned.

Some people seem to be forgetting that we've been in this league for the best part of 13 years, much as we have more money than most of the other clubs we have no divine right to get promotion.

You're right it doesn't however, it does give the fans the right, as paying customers to ask why a club with all of our advantages hasn't done far better.

So you don't think inheriting Billy Sharp and being top of the league was a somewhat better inheritance than GJ got from Tinnion then?

Looking at players,I think GJ's inheritance wasn't all that bad.Brooker,Carey, Keogh, Cotterill, Wilkshire, Skuse, Orr, Brown, Murray, Russell and some of those players won him three of his first four games.

One major difference was that whilst S****horpe have resisted offers for Sharp, we didn't with Lita & Cotterill and I'm not blaming GJ for that merely stating it as a fact.Those three wins lifted us up the table and it was only when GJ threw the hand grenade after a performance no worse than our two against Rovers, one against Yeovil and three against Cheltm this season and his subsequent introduction of awful loan players that we again subsided into the worst run of defeats in the clubs history.

Of course he makes mistakes (as he readily admits)

When?

but more often than not he gets things right and more importantly has a proven track record of success.

As a manager, in the conference and the fourth division, not this one, at a club and a country with far lower expectation levels and pressure.My concern, as I have said elsewhere, is that we haven't played as well this season as in the last 25 games of last season, even though we've signed eleven players plus loans etc.For GJ to take City where he took Yeovil means two promotions-Two promotions for us means the Premiership-That's the enormity of the task he faces.

[Bristol Boy]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

I'm not using hindsight

If we had won, we would have all be praising GJ's marvellous team selection and tactics*, but such is life.

*Ok, so maybe a few people would have still moaned if we'd won 27-0, but you get the point.

I suggest you check my views on a team in a couple of formations that would have better utilised the players we had that I posted after the first game and the one I suggested before the first game.

[The Fat Controller]

I'm not using hindsight What exactly would you call it then? You're making observations on a past event with knowledge that you couldnt possibly have (performance and result) before the game

I suggest you check my views on a team in a couple of formations that would have better utilised the players we had that I posted after the first game and the one I suggested before the first game. The point is moot, we'll never know what would have happened had those formations been used. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

[Maesknoll Red]

So you don't think inheriting Billy Sharp and being top of the league was a somewhat better inheritance than GJ got from Tinnion then?

Looking at players,I think GJ's inheritance wasn't all that bad.Brooker,Carey, Keogh, Cotterill, Wilkshire, Skuse, Orr, Brown, Murray, Russell and some of those players won him three of his first four games.

One major difference was that whilst Scunthorpe have resisted offers for Sharp, we didn't with Lita & Cotterill and I'm not blaming GJ for that merely stating it as a fact.Those three wins lifted us up the table and it was only when GJ threw the hand grenade after a performance no worse than our two against Rovers, one against Yeovil and three against Cheltm this season and his subsequent introduction of awful loan players that we again subsided into the worst run of defeats in the clubs history.

The attitude and desire of the players must make big inroads into your argument, if Sharp is happy (for now) to stay at Scunthorpe, they are wise to keep him, had he (and his agent) expressed a real desire to get away and sign for a premier (or premier bound) club, then maybe he wouldn't be there now.

Its all too easy to blame the manager or chairman for selling players, but who wants or needs, a disgruntled and want away player.