Johnson under pressure if another Bristol City playoff push fails to materialise For the second time in as many seasons Bristol City’s promising mid-season push for the playoffs is threatening to fall away into nothing. A run of thirteen games unbeaten, ended by seven wins on the bounce, has given way to five straight games without a win and just two points to show for their efforts during that run, leaving the Ashton Gate side’s playoff hopes to come into question. As mentioned, The Robins were in a similar position this time last season, when their playoff seemed to fall away following their EFL Cup Semi Final defeat to Manchester City more than anything else, winning just four of eighteen league games in the rest of their league campaign and dropping from to eleventh in the table in the process. This season, however, focus has been much more firmly placed on the league, despite a brief run in the FA Cup, and it is that that will make this run all the more frustrating, as will the game that started it all off. For the second time in as many seasons Bristol City’s promising mid-season push for the playoffs is threatening to fall away into nothing. A run of thirteen games unbeaten, ended by seven wins on the bounce, has given way to five straight games without a win and just two points to show for their efforts during that run, leaving the Ashton Gate side’s playoff hopes to come into question. As mentioned, The Robins were in a similar position this time last season, when their playoff seemed to fall away following their EFL Cup Semi Final defeat to Manchester City more than anything else, winning just four of eighteen league games in the rest of their league campaign and dropping from to eleventh in the table in the process. This season, however, focus has been much more firmly placed on the league, despite a brief run in the FA Cup, and it is that that will make this run all the more frustrating, as will the game that started it all off. Off the back of those aforementioned 13 games unbeaten, Lee Johnson took his Bristol City side to Carrow Road to face automatic promotion hopefuls Norwich, who in a game of outstanding finishes, ran out 3-2 winners in a topsy turvy game from which The Robins have yet to recover. Given how close they ran a team who have become many people’s favourites for Premier League, there will be disappointment that City have been unable to regroup and rebuild around that performance if not the result. If the Robins do indeed fall short in the race for a playoff spot, then questions may well be asked of the man in charge at Ashton Gate. In fairness to Lee Johnson, when he was originally brought into the club at the end of the 2016/17 the objective was to avoid relegation from the Championship rather than win promotion from it, something which he eventually achieved thanks to an impressive run in. Having given the club a glimpse of the big time in back to back seasons though, that now looks likely to become a more concrete and regular ambition for the club, and if Johnson is unable to deliver that to Ashton Gate, he may soon become a victim of his own relative success. With City just one point and one place outside the playoffs, these last ten games of the season look set to be vitally important to club and manager alike. https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/j...istol-city-playoff-push-fails-to-materialise/
As far as I'm aware we are in a better position than last year, if they count as targets Steve Lansdown wanted a minimum 0f 10th place, possible playoff position or promotion prospects, well that is just where we are so I think this article is a bit early to be warning of pressure, LJ has done a great job and deserves to be recognised. However if there is a continued run of defeats and under par performances there will be an avalanche of criticism and he will deserve it after all he is the man in charge, he dances with the media when success comes his way so must expect the wind to blow in the opposite direction if it's deserved or earned. Personally I think the bloke is doing ok, I would be happy with a top 10 spot but lets keep our antenna alive for developments, we are well on track at the moment for the comfort zone.
I reckon Redprintt wrote this.... I don't see him under great pressure tbh. Recent result haven't been great and 4 of the next 6 games are also not likely to yield too many points on current form, so logical to think we will slip to about 10th come May, however that is a good outcome. Go back 10 years and we were all crying out to be an established Championship - which we are now. Good to aim high, but remember where we came from as well. More of our football history has been played out in the bottom 2 divisions than the top 2, so lets just enjoy it!
In fairness ,not to sound too disingenuous, despite the propensity for some of your fans to get a bit carried away with your status and getting a bit above your station, when you look at your player turnover and as has been stated, the distance your club has come in recent years, then challenging for the playoffs is quite an achievement. If you fall short again then as hard as it is, in some respects it shouldn't be totally unexpected.
We are not good enough for playoffs. Striker situation has cost us. We will.finish around 12th. Trouble with Johnson is consistency he is either fantastic or poor.
Lets be fair LJ has been under pressure from the day he stepped through the door, if he doesn't produce what everyone wants it will stay that way, lots of fans cannot wait for the day he fails and he's gone, sad really don't you think.
IMO, he’s a great young, enthusiastic, hard working, forward thinking and up and coming English manager.. we are lucky to have him at our club.. I think we need to be careful for what we wish for....we are now fairly established in one of the best leagues in the world.....
