Lee Johnson gives his verdict on why Bristol City’s season has gone south since Wolves defeat Robins boss explains that his side are still ‘punching above their weight’ It was a sixth 0-0 draw of the season for Bristol City on Saturday afternoon as the Robins were unable to break down a resolute Burton Albion. Lee Johnson’s side weren't able to keep up with Middlesbrough who won their third Championship game in a row by beating Barnsley at home to tighten Boro's grip on sixth place in the Championship. And after the stalemate at the Pirelli Stadium Johnson was asked about why his side’s league form has collapsed since the turn of the year. “That’s obviously the million dollar question. If you’d said to me now would I have written off our cup run for freshness every single game then of course I would because the dream is to get into the Premier League," he said. please log in to view this image Josh Brownhill in action “But probably the injuries have cost us more. "All clubs get injuries but it’s very unusual - I’ve never had it as a player or a manager – to have seven injuries to a squad that are over 14 weeks and six of those guys probably would have been starting if I’d picked a team at the start of the season. “We haven’t been able to rotate in the ups and we’ve been flogging that core group of Korey Smith, Marlon Pack, Bobby Reid, Bailey Wright… These boys have been flogged. They’ve got good hearts. They’re very, very honest. “You saw that today – there were two honest teams out there today. “Burton are punching above their weight and so are we. We’ve got to enjoy the Championship and so have they,” explained Johnson. please log in to view this image Bristol City head coach Lee Johnson Johnson explained that he took a lot of positives from the game at the Pirelli, despite the result meaning that his side are now three points from the play-off positions. “I changed the shape at half-time and that worked and seemed to give us a foothold in the game and it was good to get Milan Djuric back and you can see how effective he can be and he’s given us that platform to play off. "And I thought Lloyd Kelly was outstanding and it was another clean sheet. “What do people are expect? Burton are fighting for their lives and they’ve got a really experienced team. “A tough game and we come out with a point and who knows: that could be important at the end of the season,” he explained. https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/lee-johnson-gives-verdict-bristol-1324804
So according to Johnson we are punching above our weight-why,we have one of the best stadiums in the championship,we have a owner that backs the club financially,we have the seventh Biggest City in England,yet we have a manager that says we are punching above our weight. I suggest SL goes out and gets a manager that believes he can take City to the next level. LJ the team was superb pre 2018,then it has has gone south.
We are punching above our weight , he's right , as he explained we haven't spent the type of money on players others in the championship have , neither do we pay the wages others at the top end of the championship do, that's just a fact. The size of our City had nothing to do with anything, if it did we'd have spent the last god knows how many years amongst the top teams in the country, To be 7th at this point of the season for us this season IS over achieving , throw into the mix our cup run and how unlucky we've been with injuries and it is even more impressive. I'm as disappointed as you at our recent form , but you have to put things into perspective.
At the beginning of the season, had anyone really suggested we would be in the position we now are, and had had the league cup run we had, the vast majority of supporters - let alone posters - would have said "you're having a laugh"!! So, in my eyes, he's right and I agree with the last line of Ashton's post.
RR I have never been an admirer of Lee Johnson for various reasons, I don't want go though all over again. That was the past as far as I'm concerned, it long gone. Some of the football we've played this season has been as good as I've ever seen City play. I honestly believe the cup runs are coming home to roost and I can understand the downturn in results since Boxing Day. Tbf I think a poor January window has contributed to our downturn. All clubs have injuries to contend with but I think we've had more than our fair share to contend with. To call for a new manager is way premature and the City need all their fans to back LJ, with the backing of SL this summer you never know where it will take us.
team and punching above has no direct link to each other take burton for example ... had no city fans gone yesterday they would likely been all been able to get in the one side of the ground protected from the weather!... less than 3000 of them
Punching above our weight sounds like an insult to me because if the performance against Burton was anything to go by then my comment about it looking like a League One match may be a precursor for the revised ambitions. The pre-Christmas performances were obviously better so something has not worked since then and unless we find the answers soon then the off season could become a farce and that's not what anyone wants is it? Calmer heads prevail but we need some hope for what's to come.
If posters on here think RR is overreacting then spend 5 minutes on OTIB. I cannot believe their reaction to yesterday's game. They cited we've won 2 games in the last 17, with us gaining 1 more point than we did last season. They fail to mention the fantastic football played in the 3 months up to Christmas. The grumbles are getting louder over there - and yes even me says LJ just doesn't deserve their criticism. Bloody hell the same posters were desperately telling the board to extend his contract. They were concerned he'd be snapped up for the next Premiership vacancy pre Christmas. A large dose of perspective is required.
As far as I’m concerned this 2018 run is as bad as last seasons junk he produced. The guy waffles on about this or that,bottom line he is paid to get results on the pitch. 2018 has been a disaster points wise. Imagine Wolves,Fulham,Cardiff,Villa would they tolerate our results in 2018 of course not. Their fans would be going mental.If they had a 2017 that we have had, they would be calling for his head quite simple.
Off course we are punching above our weight. At the start of the season we all would have taken 7th in the league and a cup semi final hitting the middle of March. If we had been 7th all season nobody would be moaning. The problem for LJ and the boys is that they overachieved before Christmas and certain fans now see it as an entitlement and don’t realise a season is over 46 games and can only see the short term
Well that’s your opinion of course which we’ve already established doesn’t mean much after the all Preston was worse than Cardiff comment
For me, it depends how long this run is going to continue. All teams, at all levels drop points, but we've literally thrown away at least a seasons worth or more in the last few games against teams who we should either be beating with some comfort, or where we've held 2 and 3 goal leads, or where we are conceding stupid goals. To put in in perspective, Burton have already lost 12 home games this season yet we cant fashion a win there. After the performances and results from earlier in the season I can very much understand why a lot of City fans are now unhappy, then there's the element of supporters who don't, and never will take to the Manager.
And yet everyone wanted Rowet who has only won twice in 2018. Believe it or not teams do go on bad runs during a season.
I’m not getting into a debate with you, I said at the time he was the only considerable option. You just sprouted random candidates like you always do. Like I said I’m not getting into a debate just highlighting the fact that every club goes through a sticky time we’ve been hit with bad injuries and now two bans to two important players at the same time.
