Full transcript as Lee Johnson bemoans a lack of leaders and admits being 'shell-shocked' by Hull City draw Head coach chose to avoid some questions but gave his views on spectacular match After a crazy game of football that was likened to basketball in the post-match press conference, head coach Lee Johnson spoke to the assembled press to give his thoughts on an incredible 5-5 thriller at Ashton Gate. The former Barnsley boss watched on as his side came back from a goal behind and twice established two goal leads before eventually drawing against the Tigers 5-5. For Hull it meant that the side form the north east are now safe in the Championship. For the Robins it could mark the end of their play-off ambitions with just two games remaining and three points, inferior goal difference and plenty of teams in the fight still for a top six place. Here's every word that the City boss spoke after the game in his post-match press conference. How costly was that result for you in terms of the play-offs? "Well on the individual day it was costly. The likelihood is that now we'd have to have the perfect storm to go and get into the play-offs," said Johnson. "But we won't give up. And it was a funny game." Three points would put you back in it... "And I agree. We can all analyse it and I think everyone is a bit shell-shocked by it - I think it comes down to individuals not doing their jobs for the goals. "Genuinely I thought some of our attacking play was exquisite. We should have scored more. Could have scored more. Particularly early on but I thought the goals conceded at times, were quite school boy." The fourth goal was a bit open... "It's difficult to analyse now. The second or the third, I'm not too sure if Eros slipped, but listen: in any goal conceded somebody's normally made a mistake defensively and we made too many today. "And we shouldn't have done. "Because we set them up in a style that was solid but attack-minded but tried to shore it up. But in my opinion it was down to people not doing their individual jobs." It was like a basketball match at times... "Exactly. That was a good way to describe it. We'll attack, you attack... I thought first half we played really well. But they had a five or six minute spell where it was difficult to get the ball. They're a team like us who are fluid, if you like, in possession and out of possession can be exploited. "We got ourselves and our noses in front on a couple of occasions and I was pleased. I was pleased with the first half and the second... Well it's not going to be a well remembered day for us. Lee, what have you said to the players after that? "The key message for me was that I don't want to accept mediocrity, so it's my job to drive the players. "For me there are three types of players. There's the follower. There's the standard setter and then there's the leader. "And what we've got to do at this football club is nurture the leader. "And if I give you Lloyd Kelly as an example he goes from follower to no standard setter. Leader in the U23s and now needs to be a leader in the first team. "And I think we've just got a few too many standard setters - because we're all good lads. But on the pitch we need a few more leaders. "So it's our job to push them up. I think a little bit of it is the era - the iPad era as I call it. Nobody grabs anyone around the throat any more because they'll sue you. "And I'm not saying that's the right thing to do but there's a falling out of characters as I would perceive those leaders on the pitch and they lead in different ways. "I think we had Roy Keane in the stands today. I think we could have put him on at his age. "And you wouldn't have got beat in that game. And that's probably the bit that we need to go from this level that we're at to the next level. And that's the challenge for myself, for the football club and the players as well. So is that a problem with the balance of the side or bad recruitment not bringing in the right characters? [Johnson ignores the question and asks another journalist for a question.] "Anything?" Ten years ago you lost the play-off final to Hull and you were playing. That's amazing that they've stayed up with that result but it's probably put the end to your season? "At the end of the day it's their job to try and win the game and it's our job too. "For me I hold no grudges against individual teams, it's just about me trying to put my team out and going to get the result. "We've tried to do that. It's been a very entertaining game for the neutral and a frustrating one for us. "But we have to continue, keep fighting and do everything we can to win these last two games." Bristol City move on to play Nottingham Forest in their penultimate game of the season. https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/lee-johnson-hull-city-reaction-1486187 please log in to view this image
I think our top priority signing this summer must be a defensive coach. 3 games in as many months we have thrown away 2 or more goal leads which is unacceptable. Those 6 points and 7 goals we would be sat with a brilliant chance of the play-offs. Yesterday’s defending was an insult to school kids.
So who is to blame, individuals for not scoring goals, individuals for being quite school boy, individuals for not doing their jobs, individuals for being followers,standard setters and not leaders, individuals for being in the i-pod era(?) , individuals for not grabbing someone around the throat in case of being sued, individuals for being leaders on the pitch and leading in different ways, although you say we don't have enough leaders, Could it be your tactics, team selection, substitutions, bad recruitment and the questions you refuse to answer. You seem to put all the blame on our players and none of the failings on yourself. I have tried to be an ardent supporter of you this season but this interview has been the biggest load of stupid waffle I have heard from you. It's a shame but we seem to be going backwards with a whimper, they say a team reflects it's manager or the individuals running it, I think there is some truth in that statement in our case.
Don't think it had anything to do with set up yesterday, FF had another shocking game, Pisano wasn't much better and Smith all made errors yesterday which led to easily unavoidable goals, imo we threw yet another game away yesterday because of players making individual errors and they have to be held accountable.
We hold our destiny in our own hands and this season we have let it slip through our fingers with barely a whimper, other than excuses. I am sure Pep and Jose are asking what happened to the team that handled them so well, and I am also sure that if either of them produced the same results in 2018 as we did then they both would be looking for employment elsewhere. Is there another manager in the league who produced a similar win/loss ratio during 2018 that still has the same job? I hope I'm wrong but I think our season is all but done and dusted when it comes to ambitions and now we just play out the string for entertainment purposes only and then move on to whatever is next I suppose. Bye for now EH.
Tom you are so right, but some fans only see what they want to see, and that's no further than the manager, and we no who they are on this forum.
Strange ole game in it? Had the full time whistle had gone at 4-2 would everyone be moaning about LJ and his tactics? we let in 3 more goals and that's all down to him......wow, really?
Too many of the players didn't look interested, seemed to be going through the motions. LJ must take part of the responsibility for that as it's his job to make sure they are motivated, Pisano and Frankie were shocking , but many others weren't far behind. What has happened to Flint since his his dismissal, he looks like a shadow of his former self. Apart from his goal Bryan was poor too. On the positive side I thought Fam played well, but still struggles to make a full 90 mins, thought he should have gone off after 60 . I didn't understand putting Reid left midfield either , up to that point he'd had a good game but after was out of position an ineffectual LJ still in credit , due to pre exmas mostly , but he had made many tactical errors since and seems unable to react during games. He seems to struggle when against more experienced managers who adapt during games to exploit our weak areas. I don't know if I imagined this but it seemed to me the players were at a loss as to what Lee was trying to do and they didn't seem to buy in to it .
Errr he took of O’Dowda and put Brownhill on and moved Reid our top striker out wide in midfield. Bryan was being battered by the Hull player.That left him completely exposed.Hence they were punished with more goals going past a completely out of sorts goalkeeper. Johnson got it completely wrong with his subs.
Another brilliant piece of negotiation, a £300k bill for very little, I wonder who sanctioned this dynamic decision. http://the72.co.uk/100917/bristol-city-incur-charges-not-fielding-liverpool-loanee/
After signing 29/30? players you would have thought Mr Johnson would have hit the Cows arse and found at least one leader. Martin Ashton runs the deals, and scouting, and sanctioning is Lee Johnson.
£300k fine for not playing Kent ? So who takes the can for this one - Ashton or LJ ? 29/30 signings - A scatter gun approach to transfers has limitations.
Christ, if you encompass the Gustav Engvall, Cauley Woodrow and Lois Diony signings plus Ryan Kent it all adds up to a big balls up somewhere, somebody should take responsibility, there must be £2m to £3m wasted money to be accounted for.
Not sure why anyone is moaning about the Kent deal. It was well published that there is a penalty clause if no play. Back in January people was saying it’s a good purchase based on his performances for Barnsley last season. And praising LJ and MA on getting him to the club. I once got told by a former player when asked who has the most fickle fans and he said it was us.
Plenty of clubs waste a loads more money on transfers than we do....you take ya chances......It's part of football business guys......but something more to blame LJ for, is of course ammo for the haters!!
Everybody has 20/20 vision in hindsight. On paper the transfers looked decent. January is always a difficult window. I think its only Mitrovic for Fulham that has been a success even Sanchez at Man Utd and Coutinho at Barcelona have struggled. Maybe they should have come here, what were the board thinking, a lack of ambition!
Its proportional. We are told that Bristol City are financially at a disadvantage which means spending very smartly. Lee Johnson made a bold statement regarding three transfer windows. Those windows later and tens of signings he is bemoaning his own lack of leaders. Nothing to do with hate or disliking the man. Both are his points.
