I blame myself for Watford defeat, says Bristol City boss Johnson
Bristol City boss Gary Johnson accepted personal responsibility for his team's 2-0 Championship defeat at Watford last night.
Johnson made four changes to the side which drew 1-1 with Coventry at the weekend and altered the shape of his team, deploying a 3-4-3 system at Vicarage Road.
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Bristol City manager Gary Johnson
But the move backfired badly as Watford forged a 2-0 half-time lead, courtesy of headed goals from Heidar Helguson and Martin Taylor.
Although City's manager introduced Ivan Sproule and Marvin Elliott at half-time and saw his team put in an improved display after the break, he was unable to prevent a defeat which saw the Robins slip to 12th in the table.
Brutally honest when meeting the press afterwards, Johnson admitted: "We can all be wise in hindsight and I blame myself a lot for what happened.
"It was my decision to go with that shape and those tactics, and they didn't work for us today. I blame myself for the shape."
Johnson decided to play with three forwards and selected David Clarkson and Alvaro Saborio to support big Patrick Agyemang, only for his side to fail to create a single worthwhile goal-scoring opportunity in the first half.
"I went with the three up front because I felt we needed to put Watford under pressure," conceded Johnson. "But when you go with three up front, they have to affect the game – and they didn't do that.
"Of course I did it for the right reasons, but it definitely didn't work out and there was no point leaving it like that for the second half.
"Something had to give, I made a couple of changes, we competed a lot better in the second half and the lads decided to give it a go.
"We got on the ball and created a couple of chances, but really didn't show enough cleverness in and around Watford's penalty area.
"Although the two goals we conceded came from poor defending, their strikers were moving our lads around a lot and causing us problems throughout the first half. Our forwards simply weren't doing that, and we couldn't hold the ball up in the final third.
"I know what went wrong in my own head, and it's up to me to put it right. But we need to make a big improvement and that's going to take a lot of work. We have a lot of spirit at the moment, but not enough quality for long enough."
In mitigation, Johnson's hands are tied by a worsening injury crisis. Already without Nicky Maynard (dead leg), Jamal Campbell-Ryce (calf strain) and Danny Haynes (illness), City's manager saw Jamie McAllister and Evander Sno succumb to injury at Vicarage Road. Sno was carried off during the warm-up after suffering a back spasm, while McAllister had to be withdrawn at half-time because of a calf problem.
Johnson must now assess his walking wounded before selecting a team to play at Sheffield United on Saturday.
He said: "These injuries are really hurting us at the moment and there isn't a lot of room for manoeuvre.
"Danny, Jamal and Nicky were all left at home and we are really missing those three at the moment.
"Now Evander and Jamie are injured and we'll have to wait and see how they area and then pick up the pieces later in the week.
"It could be a case of all hands to the pump."
City travel to Neath to take on Swansea City in a reserve-team fixture today (2pm) and Johnson is expected to field a side of predominantly youth-team players.
34 Comments
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by Andy, Yatton
Wednesday, February 10 2010, 6:17PM
“Still no clearer on our best team and formation than I was at Preston first day of the season.
Sorry Gary, but you've made a mess of things this year, we're definately going backwards.”
by James, South West
Wednesday, February 10 2010, 5:19PM
“oneteaminbristol,
The old ones are the best - or are they?
Newcastle is a massive football area but only has one club and, historically, they have been in a different class from the Bristol clubs for much of their existence.
I do wonder how much better life might have been down the years for Bristol football if history had left the city with just one club when the four major city pro clubs of the 1890s morphed into the current two.
Certainly not any worse than the abject mediocrity of both clubs for most of the past one hundred years.
I do agree that City will not be in a position to do anything other than midtable at best until the new stadium opens with the vastly increased revenue stream it will bring.
Until then we have to be patient and try to ensure that the club can hang in there in tier 2.”
by Royal Jo, Bris
Wednesday, February 10 2010, 5:16PM
“Just get one thing for certain.
Gary will not jack it in. Would any of you with a 5Yr contract. That is where it all went wrong from the very start. The biggest clanger ever.”
by tony, bristol
Wednesday, February 10 2010, 4:17PM
“I'm a GJ fan but I think we need to ask ourselves a question.
1) Are we happy with mid table mediocre football or
2) do we want to challenge to get into the premiership ?
if the answer is 1 then GJ is our man, if its 2) its time for a major rethink.
personally I think we will not go down this year as there are a lot worse teams out there but at the end of the season I think it would be best all round to have a change at the top.
GJ is a good lower level manager but I think this is a far as we will go under him. Yes I know we were one game away but if you look back that that season, we had a hell of amount of luck, last minute goals (in our favor! This time)”
by Chris, Bristol
Wednesday, February 10 2010, 3:41PM
“Im not a big LJ fan but he was one of the better player last night, the defeat was not his fault and anyone who thinks that is a bit simple, or simply was not there. The formation was the problem, the players didnt hae a clue who was marking who. Skuse was awful, he cant play in a 2 man midfield. I have no idea, how he got into the side as he was awful against Boro and Cardiff. At least LJ played well up at Derby, i bet he wish he stayed up there. Agyemang is awful, i would get rid of him for certain.”
by Bristol United FC, Bristol
Wednesday, February 10 2010, 3:14PM
“Sorry steve Bristol United already have a team
so that your idea out of the question”
by oneteaminbristol, BS3
Wednesday, February 10 2010, 2:23PM
“Great idea Steve.
We'll take the names
"Bristol" from Bristol Rovers.
"City" from Bristol City.
We'll take the colours
"Red" from City
"White" from Rovers
And play our football at the bigger and better stadium
Ashton Gate.
Happy days.”
by Tekki Donk Megatron, Southmead
Wednesday, February 10 2010, 2:08PM
“You thing city have it bad try being a rovers fan Trollope has had it at the mem! dont take olly we need him!”
by Geoff, Pucklechurch
Wednesday, February 10 2010, 2:00PM
“Sorry steve I dont think City and Rovers will ever merge I also hope that never happens I have been a City fseason ticket holder since 1970 when I watched City V Newcastle in Divsion 4 South!
City are a good club with a big future they have money they have good talent coming through the youth ranks and a good chairman.
Rovers have nothing to offer us and even if we did merge we would lose the fans the history the players the Bristol derby and two sets of supporters with passion for their clubs. also I dont fancy league 1 with our own squad right now let alone a 50-50 with the gas. All we need is a new manager who has new ideas to get the players beliving in them selves again and getting the crowed back on side I hear alot of Neil Warnock & Ian Hollaway or even Mark Hughesbut the robins need to act now
before its to late and we land in deeper trouble its not a crisis its not that bad we are still only 6pts from the play offs 5pts from relegation zone the right man will turn it around just think we could be in the hunt for the Play offs and lose 10pts then into a dog fight (Palace) the Debt of cardiff 48 pts adminstration =38 pts 1 point more than we have and they are 4th! Lets get behind the team on Saturday! WE ALWAYS BELIEVE ! GJ needs to appolagise to Basso and get him back on side he is well respected at the club Get him back in goal Bring Trundle Back into the squad and play our better players like Hartley And Skuse not his bloody son!”
by Amanda, Bristol
Wednesday, February 10 2010, 1:50PM
“im not in favour of a merger! Half the fun is the getting better. you stick with them through good or bad, and thats what supporting a team is about. Bristol City can only improve now, so i look forward to what the next manager can do to push that.”