I can't be bothered to copy and paste all of these Tuesday morning reports in our local paper but they all describe the current state of our club under the Lee Lohnson regime, words like 'Problem' 'Shocking' 'Gone Wrong' ' So Frustrating' ' Kidding'... DEPRESSING but read on. Lee Johnson, Kasey Palmer and a problem that has been a year in the making for Bristol City The playmaker's lack of minutes has again come into focus following the Robins 2-1 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/lee-johnson-kasey-palmer-problem-4274937 Benik Afobe admits Bristol City were 'shocking' on set-pieces and discusses wide role On-loan Stoke City man fronted up after Sunday's dispiriting 2-1 loss to Sheffield Wednesday https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/benik-afobe-admits-bristol-city-4275594 Bristol City behind the scenes: Lee Johnson, Tomas Kalas, loanees and what's gone wrong Our Robins writer's weekly fans forum. https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/bristol-city-reporter-fans-chat-4273858 'So frustrating' - Full Lee Johnson transcript after Bristol City lose to Sheffield Wednesday Every word from the head coach to the written press following 1-2 loss at Ashton Gate. https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/so-frustrating-full-lee-johnson-4273446 Bristol City fan view: Johnson is kidding himself if he saw signs of a winning run in Sheffield Wednesday loss The view of our man watching from home as the Robins sunk to a fifth defeat in seven Championship games https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/bristol-city-fan-view-johnson-4273168
The more I read it the more obvious what action should be taken but I would be suprised if the Lansdown/Johnson love affair came to an end.
Palmer is the weird one. It was pretty obvious that LJ never rated him from his loan period, so why buy him? Was this pressure from MA to keep in Chelsea's good books? It smells like this one may have been forced on LJ to be fair. The drop in form of Kalas and Da Silva has to be accredited to LJ's constant tinkering. He doesn't know his best back 4 and chops and changes after every game/mistake. Give them 5-6 games on the bounce to settle and get familiar again, same in midfield.
The Sheffield Wednesday game 'went' for them. Baker's header at 0-0 would have changed Wednesday's confidence as remember their run - 1 win in 11 games prior to Sunday. Their first goal happens 1 in a hundred. Bannon's shove in the box would have been a foul anywhere else on the pitch. I didn't watch the 2nd half. OK LJ's mad set up and tinkering didn't help our cause but it's tight margins. I think they looked like 2 poor sides.
I have often wondered over the years whether we have a backroom bogey man that upsets the apple cart and could be the reason why we suffer so much at times when team unity is of the utmost of concerns. The cheap options rarely get results and if you want to succeed, as we are told by the top brass, you need to hire the best available unless you are afraid of a person who has a track record of achievement at this level and higher. Try as hard as I might Lee was never going to be that person and I'm sure any potential successors might want to look long and hard at the way Bristol City do business and wonder "do I really want to join that kind of outfit". Dynamic is what we need to redirect the ship from the rocks of obscurity.
I've used this before and I know it's different times and all that, but during the season when City were promoted to the old 1st Division in 1976, they used 17 players in total!!
Oh dear me, I was proud and there in them there days, what a feeling of pride when our team went out on that pitch, what a joy and uplift to see all of our magnificent players and manager leading them out onto the top grounds in England, I still shudder with pride now, have a tear of joy when watching old videos of those days, we were all in it together, had knowledge of the team, tactics and style of play ( 17 players only) and was made to feel welcome and part of it all. Today, as we are told times have changed, why play 21 players in 7 days, 2 games only, I just don't recognise what is going on these days and honestly with this individual in charge that tear of joy, that sense of pride, that togetherness has gone, I read with interest the detail of games and still suffer the boredom and excuses, the miserable look of that dropped lower lip is a like a pain when you have been smacked in the face by a banjo full on, well rehearsed.