Lee Johnson gives honest assessment of Bristol City’s transfer business Bristol City manager Lee Johnson has stated that he thinks his side have come out of the transfer window stronger than they went into it. The Robins had a very interesting last few days of the window and experienced a big loss to their first-team as captain Josh Brownhill left to join Premier League side Burnley. However, Johnson’s side did manage to strengthen in every department. Bristol City managed to bring in Nahki Wells on a permanent deal from Burnley, and the forward has already proved whilst on loan at QPR that he still knows where the back of the net is. Alongside that defender Filip Benkovic and midfielder Markus Henrisken came in on loan to try and give the side that crucial bit of quality to ensure that they finish in the top six. Johnson has expressed that he’s happy with how the window went despite losing a player such as Brownhill during it. Speaking to Bristol Live, Johnson said: “You’re never quite sure on a crazy day like deadline day. I’m pleased with the way we’ve come out of the window “Of course, losing Josh Brownhill, for me, particularly, I feel like I’ve almost sold my son – but at the same time, we’ve made three very good additions and I think we’ve come out of the window stronger than when we went into it.” The Verdict It was a really busy window for the Robins which is very surprising for a January month, as they are normally more quiet than this for clubs. Wells coming in provides goals, whilst they have two other players who have been brought in who can strengthen the side in both the defence and midfield. It means Bristol City are covered for injuries and could well push for not just play-offs but the opportunity at automatic promotion. It’s going to be a very interesting last few months, but with the quality now in the squad there’s no reason why they can’t be right up near the top come May. https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/l...ssessment-of-bristol-citys-transfer-business/
If defender Filip Benkovic and midfielder Markus Henrisken have the quality and proven performance of Nahki Wells and they all click we could be in for a fabulous finale to our season, I hope LJ's judgements are correct then we can all celebrate.
The next 4 games will see if the additions and loss have worked to the good.. more than 8pts will be a positive! we also made a profit! but we do not know the terms of the Nahki deal … I think gambling on the extra money 7m to 9m paid PNE an we made about £6.5m profit … wages for all to season end. an article the other day showed how just 1000 on the crowd = around £20,000 +/- so around gates of 22,000 + till season end should help pay at least 1 players wages!
On paper it seems a good window, how well they gel as onefor said, and how much we miss Josh will determine how well we do in the remainder of the season .
personally don’t think we will miss JB but I do think the three that have arrived will improve us no end.
LJ is really going to be tested this next period, he has signed up a real mix of talent, age, skill, nationalities, cultures, egotism and most important experience, his team selections, tactics, substitutions and set ups or own experience are going to be under constant review. I wish him well,we all know SL's targets, promotion or at least play offs, the money has been invested from the profits made, he has had his requests for players fulfilled, of course injuries can upset the applecart but he has now got the squad of his choice to prevail. His stage is now set and he deserves all the support we can give him but what if he now fails, no let's be positive and enjoy 6th place yet again.
In my eyes, he's already had a decent season, top half of the table and at last we've become a well established & competitive club in the Championship...No other manager since AD has come close........everything else is a bonus..
SL wanted to do better than last season so if we get more points 71pts achieved that or finish a place higher 7th achieved that, get to wembglee exceeded that get to the prem all the Christmases and birthdays of all the members of BCFC come at once!!!
It will still be tough as this is such an unpredictable league. A month ago we had no chance of the auto places, and today we are 2 wins away with the top 2 sides to play in the next couple of weeks. Anything is possible, we are just as likely to hit another 3-4 game losing streak as we are to win 3-4 on the run, but as long as we are there or thereabouts for promotion/play-offs it will have been a good season.
Surely if you have ambition, made a plan, created opportunity by player sales, owners and senior management have invested higher costs in player signings and higher wage demands which are ongoing, expectations are massive. The light is shining on LJ, mid table is not good enough, it's time to achieve, not settle for, " Oh, we finished 8th, we have made progress, we've gained 2 places" that is not satisfactory it's settling for 2nd best. Look I know LJ's intentions are exactly the same as I have listed, he doesn't have to prove anything in my eyes, history is fine but that's what it is history, we are in the here and now, we are in a results based game,it's time for success. I was around for the Alan Dicks era it was fantastic whilst it lasted, I want LJ to take us there so the generation of todays fans can have the experiences, successes and memories all of mine had.
I understand where your coming from Wiz and most of me agrees with you.....But most clubs have also invested heavily and most clubs in this league has had the benefits of being in the Prem along with massive parachute payments, along with hanging on to Prem standard players......Like I said, in my eyes, making the playoffs or beyond is a bonus.....Look at the bottom half of the table, mainly ex Premiership. In the past, full of investment!!
as fans what drives us is the need to win and to succeed in reaching the highest level … we see players come and go we seethat as plus or minus money to spend .. we see " better " players introduced and thus expect a rocket boost of form points and higher positions ...unfortunately ….. you have a football club board, coaching team and an owner .. their outlook /wisdom is far more measured, and at a higher level than ours, us mortals who expect everything to be gold plated! They are the ones who put it on the line their money their reputation put in the hours and are held accountable … we fans get on with our everyday life, and do/just contribute via our odd £30 through the turnstiles or for the more able weekly or ST contribution. you have 6 things in 24 to aim at … 3 get promotion and 3 avoid relegation … the rub of the green pays an important part in a multitude of ways every game.. form, an injury, an un planned substitution, a unfair booking, a sending off, a miskick a lucky deflection weather etc etc etc and all could be in 1 game! it would be unlikely all 24 teams kick off in August with the aim of winning the division … probably 3 or 4 worry for relegation... and 8 -10 have their eyes set on top 6 [ 2 ] so you have the fans, sky high expectation v the club, measured expectation with the hope it goes better than or as expected.
As Mike Tyson said, "everyone has a plan until they take the first punch", you can have all the plans in the world, all the training and finances, but it doesn't guarantee anything. Look at Man City, they have spent Billions and are still 22 points behind Liverpool, I bet that wasn't in 'their plan'.
The only way to prove that the decisions made during the transfer window are correct is to go out and prove it beyond any doubt. We all want City to show up and be counted and I want nothing less than a play-off spot because anything else would be failure in my books. The reason behind that statement is only down to the fact of the promises made and targets missed during Lee's tenure and whether we should move on under a new regime. I want Lee to succeed and will cheer form the rooftops if he reaches the goal that all City followers really want - and that's just the play-offs. Please now show us what you've got lads.
