Lee Johnson on Blackburn Rovers' dark arts, what's happened to Kasey Palmer, boos and how Bristol City can turn it around Every word from the Robins' head coach's post-match press conference following the 2-0 home defeat to Blackburn Can we start with the yellow card and the bad feeling in the tunnel? Yes, listen, it’s a passionate arena, isn’t it? I think when a referee manages a situation as poorly as he does with their physio running onto the pitch whilst the ball is still in play, outrageous behaviour in all honesty. I’ve got a lot of respect for Tony Mowbray, I think he’s a real class act as well but unfortunately his staff weren’t today. That’s what it was all about, the physio going on, so that just carried on at half-time, did it? No, I’m all for a bit of sledging but like I said to you, it’s a passionate game and no problem for me. There were balls thrown weren’t there? Is that how it started? Look, I’ve answered the question, alright so how deep do you want me to go into it? I’m telling you that it’s a passionate game, at half-time, yes there was something that went on, very very minor and got split up very very quickly. Onto the game, you were looking for a response after Tuesday night and after a minute you’re one down, how big a body blow is that? Yes, huge body blow and almost a fatal one really, it shouldn’t have been that early because obviously if you’re going to concede, best time to concede is as early as possible because it gives you time to get the goal back. But what it done was it set the tone, sort of in terms of Pedro Pereira’s got bullied effectively; whether that’s up to the referee and officiating team’s to work out that he’s been blocked. Therefore he couldn’t get to his man, we turn our back and concede a goal so a well-worked corner from their point of view but when there’s a blocking situation, it does need to be managed by the team of officials and it was quite a young team to me today and a little bit naïve. You had chances to get back into it though. Well, that’s the key at this level, we had three really good opportunities to score after that in a good spell, that sort of 25 minutes after the goal. I thought we were good and quite slick in our passing, they had a couple of counter attacks where we sort of overplayed it a little bit but certainly had some good box entries, some good corners. It looked like we were on the front foot and then when you don’t take your chance then what we done was we played into their hands. We allowed them to by giving free kicks away, by the ref mis-managing it to bring the anxiety into the stadium by them nudging the ball every five to ten yards every free kick. And I’m all for that, that’s the dark arts and that’s what you’ve got to expect, you’ve got to give credit to them for that because it was backed up by a very physical performance that we couldn’t match, particularly in that midfield area. Han-Noah has been caught in possession for the second, I suppose you say that he’s 18-years-old, that’s going to happen? Well I think the key for Han-Noah is to learn his lesson. That was another occasion where I thought that he was physically weak and he’s a very very good player and the key for an 18-year-old is to make sure it doesn’t happen again and that will be the test of truly how good he is because if you learn from those mistakes that you’re going to make. If you’ve had 100 games on the spin, I don’t think you’ve gone through everything so when the players feel like they’ve arrived or they’ve got a first contract, for me the big test is 100 games; can you come through 100 starts? Then pretty much everything has happened: scored a last minute winner, cost your team a goal, won the game in an individual moment and that consistency has been there. The surprise is that you didn’t really test the goalkeeper at all in the second-half, that must worry you a little bit? Yes, I think we huffed and we puffed and like I said, we played into their hands and the gamesmanship that was being played and that’s got to be our problem, not their problem. We had one great chance where Famara’s either got to get on the move a little bit earlier or just guide it because he was there it must’ve only been a couple of millimetres away and these are the types of things that change games and change attitudes to games and then it became stretched and like I say, we didn’t win enough first ball or second ball in the middle and that was the bit that was disappointing. I guess the crowd reaction was a culmination of the two games but that just shows the expectation level that you’ve got to meet now. Yes, I understand that, I’ve got no qualms. They booed the performance probably in the second half because I don’t think that was the same reaction in the first half, they’re a great crowd, all we want to do is be successful for them and we’ll take that on the chin both personally and as a team. Some of the fans were asking where Kasey Palmer was today? I don’t think he’s performed like he could, and I look at myself before I look at him, why am I failing? Why are we failing to get the best out of him? I think sometimes the personnel in your mind’s eye - try to build changes, things like Benik, Kasey’s vision and Benik’s movement and that was really where Kasey success came from in that early part of the season: Benik’s timing of his movement and Kasey’s vision. And it was a straight up decision really, (Sammie) Szmodics or Kasey Palmer and Szmodics has been performing well, he’s been consistent as an individual, as a human and as a trainer and I felt that it was probably the right thing to do given the fact that Kasey came on the other day, gave his first five balls away, gave the free kick away for the goal and then played an unbelievable cut pass that we nearly scored from. It just felt that it was right to give Sammie a shot, I could’ve had them both on the bench but I knew that I’d of only ended up putting one of them on. Can he fit in this formation do you think, Palmer? Yes, I think Kasey can, he can play as a 10 for sure. I think it’s an interesting debate because now we start talking about the (midfield) five and the four and how everybody’s craving for the four because we want wingers, blah, blah, blah and you see that today, again, we fail to tick the Championship boxes in terms of that physicality or numbers in midfield. When we play with a five, we’ve got three big centre halves plus Diedhiou so therefore you’re more of an attacking threat and a defending threat and then if you’re going to change everything for Niclas Eliasson then he’s got to make sure that he produces on a regular basis. Sam (Szmodics) and Antoine (Semenyo), they both had great seasons last season in League Two, does that show that the clubs need to invest in some forwards for some quality firepower? Yes, I think we know what we’re looking for, we’ve had it in the past here and whether it be loans or sales, those players have moved on and then we’ve had to rebuild in those two positions. As you saw today, we didn’t really have strikers, well young Antoine Semenyo but like we’ve talked before, that homegrown, developed player is there and is there for a reason, and that’s not a bad thing by the way. Maybe I should’ve put him on, maybe I should’ve put Antoine on, that’s something that I will go back and have a look at just to try and cause a different problem but you always feel like Diedhiou can nick a goal, even Andi (Weimann) is one where he’s sort of got a chance to pull it down but he sort of volleyed it into the sky, it’s that consistency really of team selection and attitude. Will this be a wake-up call to the lads? I never like to use the phrase “wake-up call” because for me, that implies that the performance state of mind wasn’t strong enough in the first place so I think that our in-game management needs to be better. The way I will look at that - and I understand your question and I understand your line - and I think that whenever that happens, where we become as stretched as we did and almost just running on fumes with no real idea, in that last 20 minutes then simplicity is genius. Whether that’s an individual or team selection or formation shape or however you want to look at it, it’s simply doing your jobs really well and you’d be surprised at what happens on the back of doing your jobs extremely well. https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/lee-johnson-blackburn-rovers-dark-3645708
So many wrongs, so much waffle, we lost, we got beaten on our own tump for the second time in days, we are not consistent with our performances at home, we need to improve quickly and permanently. The head coach is responsible, it's up to him and I do realise we are still in 7th place but we are on the slide, we have got to turn it around, no excuses, all teams have injuries and internal problems but have to cope. The team and head coach have had time to gain experience and mature, they are not all young and still learning, we are nearly 4 years into this project it is time to produce the goods for success at a higher level, we have improved no doubt but the time has come for the next significant step up and candidly we don't look capable of it, I'm sorry but we should not accept another mundane season of 10th or 11th place. Time is running out again, it will be an interesting January, time for action.
interesting interview .. sounds like the problem is down to "the good the bad and the average" he seems to mix that with players performance and "opposition shinnananagins".. and not really having the "bottle " to try something! ? …. that might work. SC fell into the trap of playing 3- 5 - 2, successful in lge 1 crap in championship … LEE was ostracised a bit when he kept changing the team .. but developed a horses for courses which gave us results … gets a few average results and then sticks with the team and gives away the advantage to the opposition who are able to say .. "ok City this week, they play like this so lets work on that" ….. they were 2 star players short yesterday and still rolled us over. we keep on we need a striker... and would be willing to fork out for one .. yet we have a couple of them already .. so need to work on that … defence , well a bit lacking which with present injuries aside would not need much help to be similar to last season … Whilst January will be important, probably not so much for buying in .. but taking stock...……..
I posted somewhere else that I thought 2020 /21 would be our year with this being a consolidation of the team we have, plus the odd addition for 2020/21 We have 6 or 7 young players in the team [ less than 26 y o ] next years core. We also have about the same number under 30 with good years to come so the foundation is there. I mentioned "looking for reasons why" we had these bad runs and it was in conclusive, however I think with Lee's interview there is clues and also past results [ a few seasons ] and form strings help to give an answer. we hit a spell where other teams hit, are in a purple patch …… Blackburn … Millwall … WBA or in or starting one or a black patch or starting ...Fulham Hudders …. our next opponents are SHEFF WHO ARE ON THEIR BEST OF THE SEASON! a draw would give both a continuation to their present status! .. Charlton Luton [ 2 black runs ] Brentford in the purple!
I listen to Junior's version of events. Our midfield was weak, powder puff and couldn't tackle. Remind you of anyone?
Step back for a while and look at our league position which appears to show we are technically doing well, and yet I still have this niggling doubt that we can't see out the season and maintain our spot towards the top of the division. After all the pre-season hype about the comings and goings with players I still don't see a resilient squad that can go with flow when necessary especially when we shoot ourselves in the foot rather than get the results that we need if we are to challenge. We appear to be a club that never quite seem to put all the necessary bits together to make the complete puzzle clearly evident. We seem to constantly need players of a certain ilk to address shortcomings or injuries and it leaves me wondering if we have them all in house or do we need someone in the upcoming transfer window? Dare to dream that the right player might arrive?
For me players arrive and they become worse as time goes by. Is it complacency or is it the training regime their under.
would tend to agree somewhat, we have a very good management set up, good ideas, ability to improve players and occasionally good results. I always look on the season as 46 games . The worst scenario would be not to lose more 15 not to get more than 15 draws and to win more than 16 that will give you safety. if you could convert 4 of those losses to wins then an opportunity to play at Wembglee is possible. Also I look at the season as if we are going to lose / draw better against the lowly teams [ bottom 12 ] than those at the top! [12 ].
Aside from Leeds and WBA you could throw a blanket over the next 12 or so teams. All are capable of beating each other on their day, and anyone that can find the extra bit of quality and consistency over the Xmas and New Year period is almost guaranteed a Play Off place. We've had a lot of wobbles at home and a couple away, but it's not (yet) beyond redemption, but the Manager needs to get it sorted and quickly.
Junior's problem : He's signed 100's since he's been here. He has so many of the same ability in each position. Hasn't a clue who is best 11. Ends up trying to keep them all happy. Take Palmer for example, 1For isn't a bad judge and he reckons Palmer's 'got something'. He comes on as sub for 20 minutes, plays ordinary (being kind) and then banished altogether from the entire squad for the next game. I ask you, how the hell can a player (like Palmer) get up to speed playing 20 minutes chasing a game and dropped 3 days later. Junior's not being fair to the player or himself. He overthinks and tinkers far to much. And it will be Dear Steve, I need another half a dozen in January.
I watched on the box and I agree, he was worse than useless. The point I'm trying to make is he might be the kind of player who needs a run of games. On the other hand he might be just an expensive signing who other clubs have looked at and decided he's very 'ordinary'. Junior gets utterly confused with so many of the same ability. A problem of his own making and not helped by tinkering.
Couldn’t disagree more, that would sum us up previously, but not recently, we are buying young players , improving them and selling them on for large profits. There are obviously exceptions , such as Baker, BW etc , but on the whole we improve payers not make them worse.
To me Palmer is someone to build a team around, not to fit into any team. Bit like Tomlin (way less attitude) or JET someone who on his day can tear up the defence with his vision and passing. One of the times where I actually agree with RR. Afobe played to Palmers vision and was available on the through balls etc. Diedhiou is not as intelligent as Afobe nor quick enough to get onto them.
