I'm delighted with where we are - Johnson Lee Johnson was happy to end City’s run of pre-season friendlies on a high with a stylish 2-0 win over FC Twente at Ashton Gate. The Dutch side finished seventh in their native top flight last season, but were no match for a City team whose speed and intensity was too much for them. Marlon Pack headed home Jamie Paterson’s first-half free kick before Joe Bryan took the direct route from another set-piece after the interval with a precise curling effort. “It’s always difficult when you play a foreign team because you’re not quite sure what the standard is,” Johnson told BCTV. “But we know the Eredivisie is a good league and they finished mid-table last season. There were a few nice things that we did, but the real acid test is coming next week and we’ll go from there." GOOD TEAM PLAYERS IN THE SQUAD “I’m delighted with where we are at this point. We’ve been intense in every game we’ve played and tonight we could’ve won by a couple more goals against good opposition who were in Europe not so long ago. “It went a little bit stale in the last 15 minutes when we needed to play forward a bit earlier, but I can’t grumble too much. “I genuinely feel we’ve improved. You see things and read things that make you think ‘no one really fancies us’, but I feel the players we’ve brought in are not only good players but good team players, which gives everyone else that extra one or two per cent. “If we can keep the morale and keep the team spirit, and if the fans can get on board with what we’re trying to do, we’ll be a match for anybody in this tough division.” https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/im-delighted-with-where-we-are-johnson/
They did play well last night.. some impressive spells of passing and we were more positive and getting the ball forward in to danger areas quicker than we were last season. Not been tested yet though.. FC Twente were woeful, Barnsley will be a different proposition.
Lets see the difference,alright talking the talk,Lets see how we go in the championship with a very very tough start.
9 players out and 6 in, 4 bought - 2 on free transfers also 2 loan players from prem clubs city just 2 bought 1 free and 2 out and had 2 or 3 trialists
Barnsley will be lurking around the relegation zone this season, have no doubt about it. Not sure if anyone follows Dutch football or not but was that FC Twente's first team we played last night? If so then that certainly bodes well for us. Can remember people saying that when we play them we'll struggle in front of goal and our defenders will get a run around! If it was their first team then we've just made a proven European team look silly. Up the ****ing City!
I don't know what calibre the Twente lineup was. In some way it shouldn't have much of an effect on how we feel about the forthcoming season - much as one shouldn't get too down about a poor result against a lower league side, no-one should get too excited about a good result against a top flight one. In much the same way, I'm wary about jumping to conclusions based on highlights, but I have to say, from what I saw, City looked very good. Quick, incisive movement & passing & also putting in plenty of crosses - in addition to scoring two, they also hit the woodwork twice. I rate Barnsley - in terms of resources they're comparative minnows at Championship level, but they almost always seem able to put together a competitive squad, and when it last seemed as though they had finally been caught up with and got relegated, they came back at the first attempt with their best team in years. I expect a tough opening day, and would probably predict a draw, but if we are able to find the same rhythm as in this friendly, then not many teams will be able to contain us - we are likely to face more physical sides than Twente though, so hopefully we're tough enough to deal with that. Of anyone that saw it live, any stand out performers? Paterson looked lively (I'm hoping for a big season from him) & Bryan's goal was great - Diedhiou would have had a nice goal had his shot against the post had been a fraction more left.
Barnsley didn't get promoted at their first attempt. Relegated in 2013/14 season and promoted two years later. Only looked as it would of meant LJ did 6 months in championship. And if he had championship experience then the LJ out camp would not be able to complain so much.
My mistake - I still think Barnsley are regularly punching above their weight & if underestimated can turn a lot of teams over.
Didn't they go for something like 70 odd years only being in the top two divisions? Something like that I think.
If so, that's pretty impressive. Not a glamorous destination, but a proud football league side. I remember a few years back when they knocked Liverpool out of the Cup - Phil Thompson's reaction on Soccer Saturday was brilliant to watch!
...they're not happy bunnies today though - lost a friendly at Rotherham 4-0. I'm not going to read into that though - could well fire them up!
The highlights on player are REALLY impressive - we looked very good - or were Twente just poor? Perhaps the highlights were 'selective'? Finishing could have been better considering the number of chances we appeared to make, but no complaints with the final score. If we carry that attack attitude into the season then we'll do ok.
Only 4 days and we can stop talking about practice matches and if opposition were any good or putting in any effort. Oh for some "real" football"
