Nyatanga's red card was the turning point, says Bristol City boss Johnson
Frustrated Bristol City boss Gary Johnson labelled Lewin Nyatanga's sending-off a "turning point" in explaining his side's failure to beat Watford.
Leading 2-1 through goals from Danny Haynes and Paul Hartley, City again fell foul of their injury-time hoodoo when John Eustace netted a last-gasp equaliser to rob the home side of victory in the Christmas Bank Holiday fixture at Ashton Gate.
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Bristol City's Lewin Nyatanga was sent off against Watford
Jeered off by a section of disgruntled supporters after the final whistle, manager Johnson afterwards admitted the dismissal of Wales international defender Nyatanga, pictured, had done his side no favours.
Cautioned for a late challenge on Watford goal-scorer Tom Cleverley late in the first half, Nyatanga then lunged at Arsenal youngster Henri Lansbury to earn a second yellow card in the 69th minute, forcing City to play out the final quarter of the game with 10 men.
Johnson said: "It was an unprofessional thing for him to do, especially when we have been drawing a lot of games at home and badly needed a win.
"All of a sudden, we're down to 10 men, feeling a bit sorry for ourselves and struggling to clear our lines and pass the ball to one another. We looked all over the place in the last five minutes having previously done a good job for 85 minutes.
"The sending-off has definitely put us under pressure. Suddenly, Watford are able to throw an extra man forward, we have to put eight men behind the ball and leave one up front and, by the time the board goes up with the added time on it, confidence is draining out of us."
He added: "Lewin is a young player and he knows he's done wrong and that he hasn't helped us in our plight.
"It's easy to say in hindsight that we wouldn't have let that late goal in had he still been on the pitch, but he certainly hasn't helped us."
Nyatanga will now incur an automatic one-match suspension, which will rule him out of Saturday's home FA Cup third round tie against Cardiff at Ashton Gate.
Given that Jamie McCombe is still recovering from injury, Johnson will almost certainly recall Christian Ribeiro from Stockport.
Now in his second month on loan at the League One club, the Welsh under-21 international defender can be recalled at 24-hours' notice and Johnson confirmed: "We'll probably have to bring Ribs back.
"McCombe has a problem and needs to rest up and James Wilson is back from his loan at Brentford but is injured."
City have conceded injury-time goals on six occasions this season and Johnson conceded: "We just can't seem to defend outside of our penalty area in the last five minutes.
"The board goes up at the end of the game and we don't seem to be able to see the game out. Players don't mean not to pick up, but those individuals who have not done it in the last five minutes know who they are."
The outcome could have been very different had David Clarkson not had a goal disallowed for offside midway through the second half.
"I'm frustrated and disappointed because, at the moment we need to be two-goals ahead with five minutes to play and we feel Clarky's effort should have counted," added Johnson.
"I thought it was a good goal at the time and I still do. We've seen a video re-run of the incident and we believe he was on-side when the ball was played through to him.
"It's frustrating because we've drawn, it feels like a defeat and everyone is going to be talking about the late goal we've conceded instead of the good football we played earlier in the game."
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by dolman bob, bristol
Thursday, December 31 2009, 8:22AM
“i bet jamie also thought Stern John was Wayne Rooney because gary signed him.
Do yourself a favour going into the new year. wake up and smell the coffee. take a look at the recent run of results and performances, then ask yourself honestly if we are a side in serious decline.”
by jamie, Olde City
Wednesday, December 30 2009, 11:56PM
“Some people have a real problem with management.
How on earth can you comment on issues you are completely unaware of??
Clarkson will meet the mark, Danny Haynes is already performing, Nicky Maynard is for all to see while the rest of the signings settling in.
If the previous comments are from a footballing brain then you have been watching non league football all your sad and sorry life.
If you cant see whats happening at the gate then change your colours you obviously don't understand the game.”
by GEORG, LONDON
Wednesday, December 30 2009, 7:37PM
“I've just checked out Williams record and he's averaged 16 appearances in each of the last five seasons.
I'm not having a pop at him but it supports other comments about the Johnson brothers and their transfer activity.”
by Nigel, South West
Wednesday, December 30 2009, 6:34PM
“One other point during Garys stay upto 40 players will have completed their apprenticeship in the academy and none given a chance . If some of them are not better than some of the signings he's made then we have a problem lower down the club also.”
by Nigel, South West
Wednesday, December 30 2009, 6:26PM
“A manager with no tactiacal sense ,unable to see how unbalanced his teams are through poor selection ,with people out of position , a poor record in the transfer market ,an employer of two other family members not fit for purpose ,who constantly seeks to blame others , a win record similar to alan irvine who has been sacked should be shown the door. It will be more costly to retain the johnson family into january as who Knows what other clangers he can drop. Poor Clarkson signed from poor league not a natural athlete needs a run of games !!!!! and signed for how much. Mcallister is one of the weakest left backs in the championship and his distribution awful if you ever watch him”
by James, Olde City
Wednesday, December 30 2009, 4:41PM
“COME ON YOU REDS
Well the hunger for goals is definitely back amongst the players. You could see in the eyes of Nicky Maynard V QPR he was going to score.
In football when things are going against you, you need one or two players to rise above the rest. For me Danny Haynes has been performing superbly (And you can see there's more to come from him) When he and Nicky and even Clarkson get it going, the remainder of the season looks very interesting.
All we need is the rub and a good result and in a minute someone is going to get a beating from us. But when that happens lets not go back to playing it safe, lets go for it. I would rather see 5-4 wins. We all know that teams in this league are scared to make mistakes due to talk of sackings etc. Gary Johnson is the Manager of Bristol City FC and lets keep faith in him because now is the time to support our red army. We have got our hunger back nows lets go and play our football and let the other teams worry about us.
At the minute we are not Newcastle or WBA those clubs have a history, we are just beginning to make ours so keep the faith because Bristol City aint just for Christmas we are for life!!
COME ON CITY ALWAYS BELIEVE”
by Trevor, Bristol
Wednesday, December 30 2009, 4:18PM
“Lets not forget Stoke, Blackburn Burnley and Portsmouth.
City fans lack ambition and will be happy with Johnson as they are frightened of change.
Third round if the cups and the 33rd best team in the country.
FOREVER”
by Sam, BS1
Wednesday, December 30 2009, 3:55PM
“Yes Chris I am sure the people of Wigan, Bolton and Hull think you are extremely unambitious too.”
by Gary Orr, BS1
Wednesday, December 30 2009, 3:24PM
“Megson in...
Bye bye Johnson”
by Chris, Bristol
Wednesday, December 30 2009, 10:23AM
“Real fans or fanatics? Supporters, like me support the club we are not detrimental to it! Thats a fact, if all changes now we will go backwards and the last 5 years would have been wasted. Some i assume, prefer League One, as they clearly do not have the minerals for the fight in a higher league, a sad fact which has blighted this club from 1897 i imagine!”