Bristol City head coach Lee Johnson puts the record straight on Aaron Wilbraham's selection By a_stockhausen Goal hero Aaron Wilbraham was always going to play against Championship title favourites Newcastle United at St James Park. So said Robins head coach Lee Johnson, whose decision to recall the veteran centre forward to the starting line-up paid such handsome dividends at the weekend. Making his first start of 2017, 37-year-old Wilbraham rolled back the years, scoring City's first goal and contributing a workaholic performance to help his team earn an impressive 2-2 draw against the best team outside of the Premier League. It was generally assumed that Wilbraham's selection was down to the groin injury suffered by £1.5m January signing Milan Djuric during last week's 2-0 home defeat to Fulham. But Johnson put the record straight when insisting: "Aaron was always down to play in this game. "I needed a big man and an old head out there against a team like Newcastle and I had it in mind to put him in from the moment I started thinking about this game a few weeks ago. "He's been out of things for a little bit, but this was the perfect game to bring him back for. I needed people who would work hard and I needed someone to lead the line and occupy Newcastle's centre halves. "Aaron did all of those things and lasted the 90 minutes, which was a great effort on his part. He and Gary O'Neil gave us that little bit of experience we needed coming to a place like St James Park." Johnson went with a mixture of youth and experience and recalled youngsters Bobby Reid, Zak Vyner and Callum O'Dowda to play alongside fellow Ashton Gate Academy products Joe Bryan and Dave Cotterill. He said: "The kids did brilliantly and showed what they are capable of. I was proud to see so many young players out there doing well on a stage as big as this. "Zak Vyner was almost in tears afterwards, because he cannot believe how well he has played. He's now proved to himself that he can do it at this level." If Djuric missed the game through injury, Johnson confirmed that full-backs Adam Matthews and Scott Golbourne were both left out of the squad following below-par performances against Fulham http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/bristo...am-selection/story-30163159-detail/story.html
LJ started thinking and planning about this game weeks ago, he states it ~ "I started thinking about this game a few weeks ago." he then said, "Aaron was always down to play in this game." Now this tells me the strikers actually available at the time were giving below par performances, we know his opinion of Gustav Engvall, so who is the other striker he considered below par, Abraham (injured), Djuric ( Illness but only last 48 hours) or Taylor(Recently joined us) I know we are going to get a host of excuses or reasons but you have to gauge his decisions by his other statement ~ He confirmed that full-backs Adam Matthews and Scott Golbourne were both left out of the squad following below-par performances against Fulham. This must be what he means when he says, "It's a bit like when you're child runs into the street and you grab them to get them back – you don't know whether to smack them on the bum or cuddle them." He definetly has a unique style of management when he recently said, "If we are going to do the dirty work, then we are going to need world class basics. By that I mean guts and the core dynamics that you need to win football matches." A good point Saturday, now on to Aston Villa I wonder what Shakespearean sonnets he will use for excuses after that one..? He states he will only pick players he can trust so 'Forewarned is forearmed' might be a good one I think.
LJ - Pre Match Comments Tweet Report ~ Bristol City FCVerified account@bcfctweets 12m12 minutes ago LJ: "We'll have to see how the players are after giving so much against Newcastle on Saturday." #ASVvBRC Bristol City FCVerified account@bcfctweets 11m11 minutes ago LJ: "There are a couple we need to assess; Milan Djuric could be out for one." #ASVvBRC Bristol City FCVerified account@bcfctweets 10m10 minutes ago LJ: "We go to Villa trying to put in a repeat performance from Saturday." #ASVvBRC Bristol City FCVerified account@bcfctweets 10m10 minutes ago LJ: "This is a bit of an observation day for me. I want to see how some of them are moving." #ASVvBRC Bristol City FCVerified account@bcfctweets 10m10 minutes ago LJ: "With the money [Villa have] spent, it's a bit like the Galacticos of the Championship." #ASVvBRC Bristol City FCVerified account@bcfctweets 11m11 minutes ago LJ: "The attitude and energy pleased me most on Saturday and we'll need the same again at Aston Villa." #ASVvBRC Bristol City FCVerified account@bcfctweets 10m10 minutes ago LJ: "Jonathan Kodjia wanted to go. Once we had received a good, acceptable bid then it was right for the club." #ASVvBRC Bristol City FCVerified account@bcfctweets 11m11 minutes ago LJ: "The timing of Kodjia's departure wasn't ideal but we are where we are. We wish him all the best, just not tomorrow!" #ASVvBRC Bristol City FCVerified account@bcfctweets LJ: "You can tell when the fans are enjoying themselves and they certainly did at Newcastle." #ASVvBRC Bristol City FCVerified account@bcfctweets 8m8 minutes ago LJ: "We're fighting for points. The players have to go into these games believing in themselves." #ASVvBRC Bristol City FCVerified account@bcfctweets 8m8 minutes ago LJ: "I'll speak to Chelsea today for an update on Tammy Abraham. I'd like to get him back here as soon as possible." #ASVvBRC Bristol City FCVerified account@bcfctweets 2m2 minutes ago LJ: "It looked like the Korey Smith I sold to Bristol City and has done so well here. It was great to have him back involved." #ASVvBRC
Both full backs were poor v Fulham. With Matthews stop, start season, I think it might be fair to say that he will unlikely feature from here. Not convinced about Djuric yet myself so can see why Wilbs was used. Great servant he has been, but how much longer can we rely on him?
Doesn't tell me that, says we were going to be up against the top team in the league.. (one of 2 ) and he needed experience and a steady influence ... "I needed a big man and an old head out there against a team like Newcastle and I had it in mind to put him in from the moment I started thinking about this game a few weeks ago."He's been out of things for a little bit, but this was the perfect game to bring him back for. I needed people who would work hard and I needed someone to lead the line and occupy Newcastle's centre halves. "Aaron did all of those things and lasted the 90 minutes, which was a great effort on his part. He and Gary O'Neil gave us that little bit of experience we needed coming to a place like St James Park." in other words a captain/s on the pitch... however, and I always do look at the fuller picture before making comments ..... a couple weeks ago may have coincided with Tammy's injury .. but was the plan then start with Wilbs and Tams up front? . O neil was given plenty of time to recover? .. so who are we to judge his motives? it worked ... that 3rd goal before halftime may have just clinched 3 pts 6 teams from 17 have gained points from ST JAMES PARK ... 2 have drawn us and 3 games ago QPR! 4 have won 2 of those in the first 4 games! Certainly smacked the child though ! AND Vyner who I thought was pretty good on debut game last season and put into my "starting 11 " did the job .... will line up against VILLA?
AGE it often means nothing ...age, like time, is a term for sequence and duration there are so many variables, the mind is the mitigating factor, although "illness / ill health" come into it of course in 2015 I was paralysed for 2 days, partially so for 5 and had lesser after effects for a couple of months .... I could have at my age just given up, I didn't, I set goals and met them .. I didn't want to be like those shuffling youngsters of 65- 70 yrs on their daily visit to the shop for a paper /betting shop... Wilbs could go on for another 2 years or more....
