The Balance Between Championship Knowhow and Athleticism."

Lee Johnson facing Bristol City selection dilemma ahead of pivotal clash against Ipswich Town
By a_stockhausen
Lee Johnson is caught upon the horns of a dilemma as he ponders his team selection for tonight's pivotal Championship clash against Ipswich Town at Portman Road.

Our young head coach has championed the development of young players and not been afraid to afford them first team opportunities this season.

His boldness won him many admirers as the Robins won six of their opening 11 games in the second tier, playing an exciting brand of open, attacking football.

But a recent downturn in fortunes has enforced a more pragmatic approach and Johnson, anxious to arrest a worrying sequence of three straight defeats, decided to sacrifice at least some of his football principles when naming a more functional and experienced team to take on Ipswich at Ashton Gate earlier this month.

Aaron Wilbraham helped City beat Ipswich 2-0 earlier this month. Could he start at Portman Road tonight?
City's head coach abandoned his favoured 4-2-3-1 system in favour of a more orthodox 4-4-2 formation and watched his side win the game 2-0 thanks to a Lee Tomlin penalty and a Luke Freeman wonder strike.

Given that the Robins have since suffered four losses on the bounce, City fans are wondering whether the return fixture against stuttering Ipswich will occasion a revival of the team selection and tactics that proved so successful on December 3.

Following painful defeats at the hands of Huddersfield, Brentford, Preston and Wolves, Johnson is open to the idea of changes that might render his side more difficult to score against.

He could recall veteran striker Aaron Wilbraham and central midfielder Korey Smith, order a return to 4-4-2 and, sacrificing a degree of attacking intent, attempt to play Ipswich at their own game.

Lee Tomlin scored from the penalty spot to set City on their way to a 2-0 home win over Ipswich on December 3.

Johnson speaks openly of the dilemma facing him. He explains: "If we were in America where there is no promotion or relegation, you could almost make a case for going with a very young team. Obviously, the dream is to bring through as many young players as possible, and that is how it should be at every club. I don't think we have ever been stronger in terms of our youth and our depth, but that does not mean I don't feel anxiety to get short-term results.

"But it's different over here. Does that keep you in the Championship? Will it get you promoted? We don't know.

"We lost three on the trot earlier in the season and chose to revert to a side that was more structured, solid and experienced. We filled the team full of good communicators and won a game 2-0 (against Ipswich).

"It's about getting that balance right between Championship knowhow and athleticism."

It is perhaps worth noting that City's only victory in eight games came when their head coach set his team up to be solid and more defence-minded. Certainly, a more attacking approach exposed the Robins to swiftly-launched counter-attacks in games against Brentford, Preston and Wolves, all of whom were able to create goal-scoring opportunities with relative ease.

Should Johnson revert to the side that defeated Ipswich four weeks ago in an attempt to turn the tide of defeats, few are likely to argue with the decision.

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/lee-jo...h-at-ipswich/story-30017747-detail/story.html

 

LJ is havng a problem choosing between Youth and Experience and Defense and Attack minded, can someone give him a call..