Who is to blame for Bristol City's form: Lee Johnson, Mark Ashton, the Lansdowns or the players? The head coach takes the brunt of the criticism but is it actually him to blame? please log in to view this image Head coach Lee Johnson believes he suffers from more scrutiny than some other managers in the Championship. And maybe the City boss does, given his playing past and his father having managed Bristol City too; a boon in perhaps landing the post in the first place with a vital relationship in place with the club owner as he was hired for the job at Ashton Gate, but at the risk that any fans not enamoured by the work of his father may then project on Johnson junior. Regardless, the Robins' results are poor currently, with City dropping from fourth a few games ago to 11th in the table. That's nowhere near catastrophic but all the bad results are coming at the same time - as is the way - and combined with reports of player bust-ups (not to be overplayed), and with little success in the transfer market this month despite the club openly saying they are looking for quality additions, things do not look too rosy. Our City writer looks at precisely where the blame lies for recent results... Lee Johnson please log in to view this image Bristol City manager Lee Johnson (Image: Dougie Allward/JMP) The head coach is chiefly accountable. We can all agree and disagree on team selections but Johnson carries the can ultimately regarding results. The stats are not pretty of late: Five wins in the last six games One win in the last seven, in all competitions Six losses in the last nine league games Johnson and his coaching team are responsible for motivating the squad, preparing them and setting the side up. While the current malaise is not good, it does balance out the four wins in five Championship games back in August, and a spell of just one loss in 15 games across the Championship. That helped propel City up to the upper echelons of the league and the Robins are not out of it yet, just three points off the top six and a furhter two off third in the league. Are City where they should be currently given their summer and this squad? We believe they are. The downturn in form and current run is a growing concern but as long as it is turned around soon then there are no bigger issues to address. Mark Ashton please log in to view this image Bristol City CEO Mark Ashton The club CEO takes a large portion of the blame if the quality of the squad isn't good enough as Ashton plays a key role in recruitment and the selection of transfer targets. While the head coach must agree on every player coming in, Ashton runs the recruitment team and has a large say in players brought in. Saying that, most of the business done in the summer was okay by our reckoning. The signings of Benik Afobe, Han-Noah Massengo and Adam Nagy were good (despite the Hungarian's recent drop in form), while the three returning players from Chelsea on permanent deals were no-brainers and have helped to stabilise City as a good Championship side. Tommy Rowe was a good bargain, and Sam Szmodics may well be for the longer term. Dan Bentley has been a good bit of business too. There has been a lot of turnover of playing and coaching staff and this too must make it difficult to build cohesion and develop as a club, but all in all, we would agree with Ashton's assessment last week ahead of the game against Brentford that recruitment has been 'fairly successful of late'. The only lingering criticism this writer has is the timing of Adam Webster's sale and the club not buying a replacement. Ashley Williams has been a good pick-up on a free but is not a long-term solution. Steve Lansdown, Jon Lansdown and the City board please log in to view this image Bristol City chairman Jon Lansdown, owner Steve Lansdown and owner Maggie Lansdown applaud from the Director's Box Has the club owner invested in the team enough following a summer of selling three key players? Adam Webster, Lloyd Kelly and Marlon Pack were all sold for good fees while Mo Eisa fetched a tidy little sum too. The club then announced record club profits back in October - the first time the Robins have done so in the time that the Lansdowns have been in control at Bristol City. The Benik Afobe injury has been unfortunate but the club will be insured and now the Robins must look to improve yet further. You can make a good argument for improving all areas of the team bar goalkeeper, and Lee Johnson would have a good case for asking the purse strings to be opened following those summer sales. More quality is needed in the squad if the Robins are to hit the heights and really press for the Premier League and that requires investment. Especially after selling key players. The Bristol Bears recently announced the signing of Fijian winger Semi Radrada - a galactic blockbuster signing that sent shock waves across the rugby world. Could we now see the same for Bristol City with a sound financial footing achieved? The football club could really do with it. The players please log in to view this image Bristol City players huddle prior to kick-off against Fulham Finally, don't the players have to take the brunt of the blame? In fact, some already have. Jack Hunt and Josh Brownhill have tweeted in the last few weeks to express their apologies for recent performances and fair play to them. But if too many of the players drop in form at once, then the club has a problem. And so it has been, with arguably Dan Bentley, Tomas Kalas, Ashley Williams, Tommy Rowe, Adam Nagy, Kasey Palmer and Callum O'Dowda all joining Brownhill and Hunt in not playing as well as they did earlier in the campaign. The squad are riddled with talent however, and we all know that form is temporary. The class should shine through again soon. What is unaccountable is the effect of injuries, alas. Fingers crossed on that front. https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/who-blame-bristol-citys-form-3715239
'The stats are not pretty of late: Five wins in the last six games One win in the last seven, in all competitions Six losses in the last nine league games' * These stats are poor and that I believe are down to LJ 'Timing of Adam Webster's sale and the club not buying a replacement.' * This decision obviously was wrong and was made by Mark Ashton 'The Bristol Bears recently announced the signing of Fijian winger Semi Radrada - a galactic blockbuster signing that sent shock waves across the rugby world.' Could we now see the same for Bristol City with a sound financial footing achieved? The football club could really do with it, for all of the investment that SL has already given this would be a lifesaver for our team and LJ, if SL financed a blockbuster. ' The squad are riddled with talent however, and we all know that form is temporary. The class should shine through again soon.' I can't answer this one, I believe all players earn their corn and if they are selected they play the way they are coached and instructed to the best of their ability.
Not knowing the relationship between all four parties, it's tricky to know who's to blame for poor results...It's strikes me, it's a bit of a combination of all of them that's not giving us that edge to hit the top.. Lansdown, Is he providing enough funds to sign really decent players? Mark Ashton...With the funds available, is he getting value for money, or even the right players? Players.....Are they performing to the best of their ability? Are they doing, everything asked of them by our coach? Manager...Is he picking the right players, right formations, right positions? Doe's he display proper man management, does he get across his style of play?.....Has he got a style of play? Answer and deal with those questions and we surely would be Premiership contenders..
As much as I do support LJ, I also think this is the most talented squad I can ever remember us having. Of course we're short a player or two, but you have to wonder what's going on. Perhaps the sheer size of it and not knowing what our best team is, is having a negative impact on us.
You can all guess my view but here goes. And I said it day 1. To be a successful club you have to be united from top to bottom. Unity is paramount in any organisation. Appointing Junior, with his 'background', was a huge error on Lansdown's part. Immediately the 'clappers' and 'haters' carried on from where they left off from his playing days. It won't matter what job Junior does he will always provide division and a reason why City won't achieve their potential even with the masses of money afforded him.
LJ and the players are the ones who have to look at themselves in the mirror and ask themselves how they could be better. Lets put this into perspective though, we are half way through the season give or take and are only 3 points from the play-offs!! Blame is a strong word if we win 3 or 4 of the next 5 we will be right back up there and all this noise goes away. We would have all killed for this problem under Cotterill, Millen and McInnes......
As you would predict......I don't agree with hardly any of that.............Not always the case, of what background you originate from so long as it's within the football industry. Wasn't Jose's background "Interpreter" for Robson at Barcelona? Plenty of managers that have been in the game without "backgrounds"
1For, I was confused the other day when you went on about non playing managers. When I refer to 'background' it's nothing at all about how much football Junior played. His 'background' is nepotism. It divided the club then, now, and always will. You and other City fans don't mind nepotism. And that's fair enough. Other City fans can't.
Nepotism is a death penalty in your eyes, but again, why is it all that bad? Happens to plenty of people, doesn't make them bad......Maybe the likes of Lampard, Rednapp etc...you think the same..In many walks of life, it's not "what you know" but who!
Lee Johnson. And Mark Ashton. Mr Johnson stated very clearly after taking charge his intention was to create an identity that ran through the club from its academy teams to the first team. He further added along with Mr Ashton that players would be recruited with the right dna to fit the identity/project and that he (LJ) would have the final say on all recruits. It has not happened. The team has no identity and teams at all levels are not playing as Mr Johnson stated they would, and clearly players cannot fit an identity that does not exist.
It's difficult to explain, I had no gripe with LJ as a player, and I have no issue with who his father is either. I just think he was the wrong appointment as Head Coach of Bristol City after fairly uneventful and unproductive spells at Oldham and Barnsley, and I still feel the same today. We don't live in a perfect world, and high profile appointment might not have worked either. But I thought it showed a lack of ambition on the owners behalf and an was a bit of a cop out all round.
I guess it depends what ones expectations are and whether they are being fulfilled. I was underwhelmed when LJ was taken on as manager - and wanted him sacked when we went on that awful record-breaking losing streak (which interestingly ended with the departure of Pembo - I did NOT see that coming). However, whilst my WISHES are not being fulfilled (top tier football and a proper cup), my EXPECTATIONS are. I expect us to be an established top half championship side - which we are. If we take the last 5 games in isolation then our performances have been dire - and clearly it can’t be allowed to continue, but as Onefor stated, overall we are only 3 points from a playoff place. As to where the blame lies for the current dire form; it’s jointly LJ and the players (I can’t see how MA or SL can be held responsible, as without either of them we’d be doing much worse). Ultimately, the buck stops with the manager. It’s his selection and his formation and tactics. Now I don’t care about LJs past - his time at Oldham or Barnsley, his dad, or his relationship with ‘uncle Steve’, I care about my clubs success on the pitch and I think it’s fair to say that LJs time with us has been a series of ‘streaks’; a good run followed by a bad one. This HAS to be something to do with morale and confidence. This set of players are really talented individuals and we’ve seen how good they CAN play together. It’s LJs job to get them working together again - but the players need to make an effort too - they aren’t blameless. I really hope LJ can turn it around and we start climbing the table again - not because it’s LJ, but because changing managers is upsetting and a huge gamble. If things don’t improve however and we go into freefall, I can’t see LJ lasting the season.
With Lampard and Redknapp they would have made the grade whoever their father was. The absolute difference with Junior is he only played for his father as manager. Other than a brief spell in a pub league in Scotland. Before anyone mentions a month at Derby and 3 months at Chesterfield his contract was with City. Ps if anyone wants to know Junior's non playing career at Watford (and who was youth coach) or Brighton check it out on wiki. Then to Yeovil.... It's not a death penalty, its just wrong.
[QUOTE="bcfcredandwhite, post: 13477315, member: 1009684" Now I don’t care about LJs past - his time at Oldham or Barnsley, his dad, or his relationship with ‘uncle Steve’, I care about my clubs success on the pitch and I think it’s fair to say that LJs time with us has been a series of ‘streaks’; a good run followed by a bad one. This HAS to be something to do with morale and confidence. [/QUOTE] Or just a very inconsistent league, where most teams, less WBA and Leeds this season have had similar rich and poor veins of form, take Reading and Boro now as an example, they have both won 4 on the bounce after terrible seasons so far.
OK, so he didn't hit the heights (no pun) in his playing days, didn't play for any top clubs etc...Maybe not qualified with no the way that you wanted. But with all that said, has done a decent job for us, taking over from Cotts that couldn't cut it and still can't in this division...someone you would say is qualified & there is no nepotism...So the argument is going nowhere.......and of course you will bring up the "Zillions" (your words not mine)......But Cotts seems not to have been trusted with SL's funds....and I don't see many clubs queuing up for his services....not as good as you think!!
LJ's mental state I love my job. For me, I’m frustrated because I want to give what the people want - a brand of football we all know and love; goals, success. There’s nobody more desperate to bring that to the people than me. But at the same time, these two days have been good to reflect, assess and look from a distance. Take out the lessons, personally but also as a team, and then come back, refreshed and as the best face in the room. Seeing the boys this morning and making sure it’s really bright and bubbly. https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/bristol-city-press-conference-live-3716934
We have had some real utter dross as managers - although we have been playing badly recently, LJ is nowhere near the worst manager we’ve had. He wasn’t even the worst PLAYER we ever had - but he has received the most criticism.
I get that there may well have been a bit of nepotism (well it's undeniable really) - but he wasn't a completely ****e footballer was he? I mean he did split opinion, but surely we can all agree that he wasn't a total clown on the pitch. How and why does that impact the judging of his current ability as a manager? I don't get it.
