The Johnsons

[Pete1975Legend]

If they walked out on this club of ours. It has to be said the constant battering of LJ yet again Saturday even though (Apart from Adebola) the whole team was poor LJ once again gets picked out.

I would not blame GJ or LJ for going to SL today and saying right were off. We got this team to within touching distance of the Premier League and some of the fans just do not appreciate what we are achieving and for that reason I feel that I have taken them as far as I can.

Once he does go I hope the boo boys and the constant negativity thrown at the team that currently sit 3rd from top and not 3rd from bottom will be proud of what they have achieved.

I know we pay money to watch games and I hurt as much as the next person but there is no point getting on a players back if he has not performed and no point cheering when a player is substitued what a great feeling that will be for the player. So we have 16 games left if you want to just slate GJ or Boo LJ for those 16 games stay away.

If you want to cheer City onwards and upwards then do it and when we are down remain positive and keep sheering the team on.

Up the city and keep up the good work boys

[Midge]

Pete you are right,at times the abuse Johnson gets makes me want too stop going altogether,and I tell you this much,if Gary resigns as a result of this then I will never attend another City match.

I sit in block G of the Atyeo and last week Lee had a good game,but the first time he made a bad pass,a block in front shouted for Johnson "Get your son off!".

You hit the nail on the head,and we saw at QPR why Lee dosen't get subbed much because everyone would cheer and that would dent his confidence so badly.

I don't know why people can't come along and abuse the opposing players for 90 minutes,I just feel at times there are too many fans who want to be manager simply because they've led City to the premiership on a computer or they've managed a bunch of 12 year olds to a win in a friendly,I so wish I could go in the East End and just sing all match,however it's hard as I live a distance from the ground and find it hard to get down just to change stands

[windmillhillred]

The problem with Johnson is that, because of the sort of player he is, he is bound to make mistakes and the odd misplaed pass. Some of the abuse is just ludicrous, and stems largely from a quite unique ignorance of the facts. However, it has to be said that GJ doesn't always help himself - Carle's no right winger, and should either be playing in central midfield, in the hole, or (possibly) wide on the left. But the bile launched at LJ is pretty sickening on occassion - to the extent that he, constantly, gets the blame for the mistakes of others.

[Hicksy-BCFC]

The problem with Johnson is that, because of the sort of player he is, he is bound to make mistakes and the odd misplaed pass. Some of the abuse is just ludicrous, and stems largely from a quite unique ignorance of the facts. However, it has to be said that GJ doesn't always help himself - Carle's no right winger, and should either be playing in central midfield, in the hole, or (possibly) wide on the left. But the bile launched at LJ is pretty sickening on occassion - to the extent that he, constantly, gets the blame for the mistakes of others.

Unfortunately down at AG, there has always been a player who comes in for more criticism than others.

This isn't a new phenomenon, when I was a kid and went down with my dad, Steve McLaren used to come in for some shocking stick from the Dolman stand.

It's always been the case and, like the issue of early leavers, will not be resolved in the next 5 years.

Unfortunately because of his build he cannot tackle. A player who doesn't look like he is getting involved and stopping attacking player with a brutal, but fair challenge is not going to be a crowd favourite down at Ashton Gate.

Marvin Elliott is a much bigger player, he is a better player but he stands out even more because of his size, he can handle himself in the middle and he puts in some crunching tackles at times that looks like he's giving it all for the cause. Always going to get cheers and praise that type of player.

I personally don't believe he should have been in the line up saturday purely on footballing grounds. I would have liked to see Carle in the middle and Sproule on the right as the winger.

By not doing this and keeping LJ in the middle and as a result playing Carle out of position, it looks like he is keeping his son in the team at all costs and if others have to play out of position so be it.

It makes the whole thing worse because he is his son.

It happens all over the country. A workmate of mine here who follows Southampton cannot understand why Burley all last season insisted on playing Jermaine Wright. He said he passes sideways only and adds nothing. Yet Burley will always play him in the middle and if someone gets injured he will switch the formation around so he stays in the team.

He jokingly thought Wright had naked pictures of Burley's wife or something.

Situation we have with LJ is no different, it is just made even worse because he's his son.

I don't think he keeps him in purely because he is his son but he is certainly biased - its human nature.

Now we have Carle, it'll be a test of how this plays out. I've always felt frustrated because I have always thought Noble was a better player than LJ but never got a chance.

[bh_red]

If they walked out on this club of ours. It has to be said the constant battering of LJ yet again Saturday even though (Apart from Adebola) the whole team was poor LJ once again gets picked out.

I would not blame GJ or LJ for going to SL today and saying right were off. We got this team to within touching distance of the Premier League and some of the fans just do not appreciate what we are achieving and for that reason I feel that I have taken them as far as I can.

Once he does go I hope the boo boys and the constant negativity thrown at the team that currently sit 3rd from top and not 3rd from bottom will be proud of what they have achieved.

I know we pay money to watch games and I hurt as much as the next person but there is no point getting on a players back if he has not performed and no point cheering when a player is substitued what a great feeling that will be for the player. So we have 16 games left if you want to just slate GJ or Boo LJ for those 16 games stay away.

If you want to cheer City onwards and upwards then do it and when we are down remain positive and keep sheering the team on.

Up the city and keep up the good work boys

Totally and utterly agree, I'm a truely sick to death of some of the complete and utter crap that's being shouted at the Gate at the moment, and the amount of complete and utter rubbish that has been posted on this forum recently especially since Saturday is just a joke and quite honestly embrassing.

I've really started to question the mentality of some people on here who just seem to post constant and regular trash, people seem to be totally obliovous to how much the club has turned around and seem to have completely forgotton how recently the club was a in a terrible state and the progress that has been made due to Gary Johnson, yet still he is the subject of some horrible abuse that I can never recall a previous manager getting despite everything he's done for the club. Personally speaking I'd be suprised if he is still here this time next year and too be honest I couldn't blame him.

We've never had it so good on or off the field.

[headhunter]

[

I personally don't believe he should have been in the line up saturday purely on footballing grounds. I would have liked to see Carle in the middle and Sproule on the right as the winger.

By not doing this and keeping LJ in the middle and as a result playing Carle out of position, it looks like he is keeping his son in the team at all costs and if others have to play out of position so be it.

It makes the whole thing worse because he is his son.

[i]You are absolutely right, IMO, with this comment. LJ is not to BCFC what, say, Gerrard is to Liverpool [so good that his name is first on the teamsheet] - that said, even Benitez has been known to rest him from time to time.

As BB says on this forum, if you disagree with GJ you are seen as being negative. There must always be an alternative view and a Carle / Elliott midfield seems a sensible option - surely they try these things in training.

A friend of mine ran an Under- 11 side for several years and had no problem leaving his own son out. He jacked it in when a dad, who sponsored the kit ,put him under pressure to play his own son even though he was c**p. The point here is that no-one individual should be bigger than the team.

Johnson doesn't seem to have a problem leaving Trundle out of the team ; he should be big enough to do the same with his son now we have the option to rotate in midfield[/ib]

[bh_red]

[

I personally don't believe he should have been in the line up saturday purely on footballing grounds. I would have liked to see Carle in the middle and Sproule on the right as the winger.

By not doing this and keeping LJ in the middle and as a result playing Carle out of position, it looks like he is keeping his son in the team at all costs and if others have to play out of position so be it.

It makes the whole thing worse because he is his son.

[i]You are absolutely right, IMO, with this comment. LJ is not to BCFC what, say, Gerrard is to Liverpool [so good that his name is first on the teamsheet] - that said, even Benitez has been known to rest him from time to time.

As BB says on this forum, if you disagree with GJ you are seen as being negative. There must always be an alternative view and a Carle / Elliott midfield seems a sensible option - surely they try these things in training.

A friend of mine ran an Under- 11 side for several years and had no problem leaving his own son out. He jacked it in when a dad, who sponsored the kit ,put him under pressure to play his own son even though he was c**p. The point here is that no-one individual should be bigger than the team.

Johnson doesn't seem to have a problem leaving Trundle out of the team ; he should be big enough to do the same with his son now we have the option to rotate in midfield[/ib]

so it should be a Skuse/Carle midfield on saturday then?

[Wilse]

[rayer]

Question is if LJ isnt on the field, who will the boo boys go for next.

As long as I have known City fans, they always have a scapegoat on the field.

[Hot Rod]

people boo LJ because he clearly is the weak link, I'm not saying he's a bad player at all, jus he is the weakest player in our side most weeks. he is looking tired, he gives the ball away endlessly, he isnt scoring goals. surely its time we tried, skuse or noble or even carle along side elliot and see what happens, johnson isnt justyfying his place in the starting 11 week in week out, I'm not having a moan because the league position werein is awesome, but i think we could have more points and we would play better with someone else along side elliot?

[Rednready]

To put things in perspective, consider this.

More than 50 years ago we had a striker who scored 351 goals in 645 starts. Also put in a 100% every week.

Thats one John Atyeo and he was regularly booed by sections of the crowd. John was an instinct shooter, from anywhere at anytime, naturally he missed as many as he scored, and like missed passes by LJ, big Johns missed goals were jumped on by the boo boys. Its not just LJ its football all over the country.

Remember when we signed LJ, we had the Yeovil fans on here warning us what would happen with the daddy's boy syndrome. At the time we had just finished a successful second half of the season after GJ's infamous 9 game losing streak. That good run was achieved with a midfield of Noble, Skuse and Russell, with Artus coming up. Since LJ's arrival that midfield group have had a downturn in their careers.

I think LJ is a good club man, goes for 90 minutes and does his best. Last season overall he did well, this season imo he is not quite up to Championship level. Still runs well and trys hard, but does not affect games at this level the way he did in division 1.

That said, he does recieve more than his fair share of negative reaction from some fans. But thats football, he and his dad are well paid and knew what the risks were. That wont change if they move to another club together.

[Roger Red Hat]

people boo LJ because he clearly is the weak link, I'm not saying he's a bad player at all,

jus he is the weakest player in our side most weeks.

Nonsense. Take your blinkers off.

[SE23Red]

johnson isnt justyfying his place in the starting 11 week in week out, I'm not having a moan because the league position werein is awesome

Alongside a settled defence one of the recurring themes of successful sides is a settled midfield. At the back we've been best with Orr-Carey-Fontaine-McAllister and in midfield our success has been built around a Sproule-Johnson-Elliott-McIndoe quartet. You say yourself that our league position is awesome yet you are happy to say someone who has been at the heart of it doesn't justify his place. Odd.

Against QPR we started without two of our best back four and with Carle out of position on the right. I'd be happy to see us go back to the back four and midfield four that have got us this far. Nick Carle can either start on the bench or play behind Adebola. My preference would be to see Trundle and Adebola start up front with Carle on the bench.

[Hot Rod]

Alongside a settled defence one of the recurring themes of successful sides is a settled midfield. At the back we've been best with Orr-Carey-Fontaine-McAllister and in midfield our success has been built around a Sproule-Johnson-Elliott-McIndoe quartet. You say yourself that our league position is awesome yet you are happy to say someone who has been at the heart of it doesn't justify his place. Odd.

Against QPR we started without two of our best back four and with Carle out of position on the right. I'd be happy to see us go back to the back four and midfield four that have got us this far. Nick Carle can either start on the bench or play behind Adebola. My preference would be to see Trundle and Adebola start up front with Carle on the bench.

not odd! i don't kno how people are jumping to defend him so much. I'm not sayin he is rubbish, I'm jus saying give someone else a chance and see if were any better which i think we would be. and people saying nonsense that he is our weakest player obv doesnt watch football very well. I'm there every week and everyone around me says the same, he tries yes he does, but gives the balkl away far too much FACT we could be top of the league if we were playin better and i believe we would play better with either skuse or noble in the middle. my opionion and a hell of alot more peoples opinion, the end of the day there is more against johnson than there is for, that says something.

[MarcusX]

not odd! i don't kno how people are jumping to defend him so much. I'm not sayin he is rubbish, I'm jus saying give someone else a chance and see if were any better which i think we would be. and people saying nonsense that he is our weakest player obv doesnt watch football very well. I'm there every week and everyone around me says the same, he tries yes he does, but gives the balkl away far too much FACT we could be top of the league if we were playin better and i believe we would play better with either skuse or noble in the middle. my opionion and a hell of alot more peoples opinion, the end of the day there is more against johnson than there is for, that says something.

Id like to know what gives you that impression? A small minority of fans oppinions on here?

Of course he may well give the ball away the most, do you know why? Because out of everyone on the pitch he probablyh touches it more! A LOT more!

I would say, without any firm evidence, that Trundle for example has a much higher percentage of final passes/shots/crosses NOT going to a city player/on target.

I wouldnt be surprised if LJ has the lowest percentage for final balls being given away because he makes so many passes.

He picks the ball up from the defence everytime, he looks up, he attempts the pass and to be ###### fair 99/100 his simple passes find a City shirt and i would say about 8/10 of his "fancy" passes find a City shirt or are let down by the reciever being off the pace/out of position/beaten to the ball/not expecting it.

You watch LJ on Saturday, don't take your eyes off him all game and you will see just how good he is.

[ooRya]

people boo LJ because he clearly is the weak link, I'm not saying he's a bad player at all, jus he is the weakest player in our side most weeks. he is looking tired, he gives the ball away endlessly, he isnt scoring goals. surely its time we tried, skuse or noble or even carle along side elliot and see what happens, johnson isnt justyfying his place in the starting 11 week in week out, I'm not having a moan because the league position werein is awesome, but i think we could have more points and we would play better with someone else along side elliot?

Totally unbelievable!!

Do you actually watch his whole performance, or are you one of those who only see his mis-placed passes and nothing else?

Which player goes looking for the ball more than anyone else? Which player picks the ball up from central defence and moves it forward and spreads play more than anyone else? Which player makes more COMPLETED passes than anyone else?

WHICH PLAYER JOINED THE CLUB WHEN WE WERE AT THE BOTTOM END OF LEAGUE 1 AND HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING US PROMOTED AND SITTING 3RD IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP?

Surprise, surprise.....none other than Lee Johnson!!

You sure you've spelt your name right fella?

[SE23Red]

not odd! i don't kno how people are jumping to defend him so much. I'm not sayin he is rubbish, I'm jus saying give someone else a chance and see if were any better which i think we would be. and people saying nonsense that he is our weakest player obv doesnt watch football very well. I'm there every week and everyone around me says the same, he tries yes he does, but gives the balkl away far too much FACT we could be top of the league if we were playin better and i believe we would play better with either skuse or noble in the middle. my opionion and a hell of alot more peoples opinion, the end of the day there is more against johnson than there is for, that says something.

So this 'give another player a go to see if we are better' theory is applied to every player in the side? Marvin Elliott to be replaced by Cole Skuse next week? I think GJ went too far with his sticking to a winning team philosophy against QPR but don't doubt that it works more often than it doesn't. LJ has been a part of a lot of winning teams in the last 18 months and deserves better than what he gets from a section of the City support.

I find it laughable that so many people think we could get promoted from League One and then spend all of this season in the top six of the Championship if Lee Johnson was as bad a player as he is made out to be.

Yes there are weaknesses in his game but they should be considered alongside his strengths. Our wide players would not be the success that they are without LJ constantly picking the ball up from the back four and moving it on quickly and accurately. He may not play the final ball for all of our goals from open play but I'd bet he's involved in the build up play to most of them.

And the Championship club who bid for him last month? I guess you think their scouts don't watch football very well either. Not as well as you and your mates...

[nester]

[Hot Rod]

if johnson was out the teamn and either skuse or noble replaced him you will see a massive difference for the better!!!!

i don't see why u defend him so much, this forum seems to be the minority, every true city fan i speak too, says its time lee got dropped. ive never said he isnt a good player your mistaking what i say, i jus think we would be better with another option.

gary johnson is quality, but any other manager would def of dropped lee j by now.

[BCFC_Dan]

if johnson was out the teamn and either skuse or noble replaced him you will see a massive difference for the better!!!!

i don't see why u defend him so much, this forum seems to be the minority, every true city fan i speak too, says its time lee got dropped. ive never said he isnt a good player your mistaking what i say, i jus think we would be better with another option.

gary johnson is quality, but any other manager would def of dropped lee j by now.

Any other manager would probably not have taken us from the bottom of league one to the top of the championship in 18 months.

Gary Johnson is very close to becoming Bristol City's most successful manager ever and yet you have the arrogance to think that you know better? Ridiculous. I don't care how true a City fan someone is, they're not a better manager than Gary Johnson or they'd be doing it and not him. Hell, you can't even string a coherent sentence together and yet you think you have some divine right to tell a very successful man how to do his job. Well let me tell you now that you don't.

[bh red]

if johnson was out the teamn and either skuse or noble replaced him you will see a massive difference for the better!!!!

i don't see why u defend him so much, this forum seems to be the minority, every true city fan i speak too, says its time lee got dropped. ive never said he isnt a good player your mistaking what i say, i jus think we would be better with another option.

gary johnson is quality, but any other manager would def of dropped lee j by now.

stats talk and they prove you completely and utterly wrong!

personally I think your talking complete and utter rubbish

[Hot Rod]

Any other manager would probably not have taken us from the bottom of league one to the top of the championship in 18 months.

Gary Johnson is very close to becoming Bristol City's most successful manager ever and yet you have the arrogance to think that you know better? Ridiculous. I don't care how true a City fan someone is, they're not a better manager than Gary Johnson or they'd be doing it and not him. Hell, you can't even string a coherent sentence together and yet you think you have some divine right to tell a very successful man how to do his job. Well let me tell you now that you don't.

CAN YOU READ MATE??? I AINT KNOCKING THE MANAGER IN THE SLIGHTEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and to everyone else, i aint moaniong about johnson completly, he is a decent player, jus feel its time for a change in midfield alongside elliot end of!! not saying he's rubbish so stop biting like I'm hating him!!

[BS3_RED]

stats talk and they prove you completely and utterly wrong! personally I think your talking complete and utter rubbish

Where are there stats? I think the LJ issue is a tough one as i can see both sides of the arguement. I am not a big fan of Lee's but think he gets way to much stick from some. The problem this causes is that some fans will then come to his defence and as such its hard to get a balanced arguement as both sides only see what they want to see.

[BCFC_Dan]

CAN YOU READ MATE??? I AINT KNOCKING THE MANAGER IN THE SLIGHTEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I did struggle to read what you wrote, yes. But I was able to see that you think the manager is making a mistake by picking Lee Johnson and that you are certain that picking a different player would have produced better results. Which it might have done, but I think that's unlikely since the actual results have been so good. So in effect you are knocking the manager and in my opinion you are entirely unjustified in doing so.

[SE23Red]

gary johnson is quality, but any other manager would def of dropped lee j by now.

CAN YOU READ MATE??? I AINT KNOCKING THE MANAGER IN THE SLIGHTEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can read and when you say 'any other manager would definitely have dropped Lee J by now' you ARE knocking the manager. GJ is quality and he selects LJ because he is also quality. He also happens to be his son.

[Roger Red Hat]

I'm there every week and everyone around me says the same,

So that's 10/20 people from a crowd of 15,500? You and everyone around you need to take your blinkers off. I also suggest you move to enable yourself to gain a more rounded view of the game.

[Hot Rod]

So that's 10/20 people from a crowd of 15,500? You and everyone around you need to take your blinkers off. I also suggest you move to enable yourself to gain a more rounded view of the game.

i can see what your saying, but i go with 15 guys, all with the same opinion, all dotted over ashton gate, in different areas. and always hear other people in work, and pubs saying the same. i wasnt knocking johnson senior, jus sayin maybe it is because it is his son no one else gets a look, but other than that gary johnson is a legend!

[bcfc_4_life]

i can see what your saying, but i go with 15 guys, all with the same opinion, all dotted over ashton gate, in different areas. and always hear other people in work, and pubs saying the same. i wasnt knocking johnson senior, jus sayin maybe it is because it is his son no one else gets a look, but other than that gary johnson is a legend!

I ain't a big LJ fan i'll openly admit but i don't boo him or anything as long as he wears the red of bristol city fc he will get nothing but vocal support from me and my mates.

Although i can't see GJ leaving the club due to the few who shout abuse at his lad, cos no matter where he will go he will get that everytime he signs his son.

[SE23Red]

I wasnt knocking johnson senior, jus sayin maybe it is because it is his son no one else gets a look

Would you agree that suggesting the manager selects the team in his family's interest above the club's is quite a serious allegation?

And with the success that GJ has had with Yeovil and now us with LJ in the team it might just be that he selects his son because it is good for the team?

It doesn't matter how many times you say you are not knocking GJ - you are. Going back to the original post in this thread I could understand if he did leave because of a few idiots who, for whatever reason, are stupid enough to believe that the chairman would put up with us carrying the managers son, that the other backroom staff would put up with it and, most importantly, that the players would be prepared to go into game after game playing with ten men because daddy wants his boy to get a game. They just wouldn't.

[Hot Rod]

ok ok. i'l support gary johnsons decisions and would never boo lee, i only said a change could be good. anyway 3 points sat is all i want!!! come on you reds!!!!!!!