Johnson

[brite blu sky]

I'm amazed he's being criticised tbh. I thought he had his best game for City along with Nasri & was as good as anything Giggs produced when he won the POTY.

It is all about expectations and where City are going.

Ask ourselves would AJ start for Barca ?

Then as we all know the answer, why not ?

A comparable player to AJ would be Pedro, only got into the team from the academy 3 years ago and is now a regular.

For me that says it all, City are not trying to emulate the rags of 99 or whatthefuckwhenever.. they are trying to emulate something that is better than Barca or Real.

[Im_Spartacus]

Was totally astounded that he was given MOM on sky last night.

I thought he had a shocking game just by virtue of being anonymous for much of the game. Some nice touches for the goals he was involved in, but that is not an excuse to disappear for the rest of the game. When he appeared at the bottom right of my tv screen running down the right wing about 25 minutes into the second half, I had honestly forgotten he was playing.

I think RM was bang on with what he was saying, although some in the pub just didnt get why he would openly "criticise" the player who had scored and set 2 up. My only thought was that those people just didnt understand football if they thought Johnno had a good game

I'm amazed he's being criticised tbh. I thought he had his best game for City along with Nasri & was as good as anything Giggs produced when he won the POTY.

In the big scheme of things, we won the game and it is being hypercritical for fans to single Johnno out, it has really only been brought to light by the fact that sly asked a leading question about Johnson's contribution, and Mancini gave an honest assessment.

We can afford for one or two to have an off game, or to go missing for spells as the remaining players are now good enough to take up the slack. That for me is the difference between our "1st team" and the ones who played last night, is that nobody on the first team seems to have gone MIA or been out of form for more than a game at a time (although I admit I haven't seen the Villareal game)

[Foreverinbluedreams]

He was worldclass last night in an attacking sense.

But it's always the same problem with AJ, he doesn't help his full back enough. He let's the opposition full back steal a march on him all too often. He switches off and allows himself to get wrong side of the opposition full back, so that when he does realise he has to track back it's usually too late as his man already has a couple of yards on him.

Unless he sorts this out, a simple matter of concentration, he will never be regarded as first choice by Mancini.

IMO.

[Goaters 103]

Very few things frustrate me more in football than a talented player who doesn't put the effort in.

Johnson could be a brilliant player if only he would stop cruising through games in 2nd gear. He is at a club with brilliant players and a fantastic coaching staff, if he can't bust a gut every-time he plays at a club like ours then he will never reach his full potential, nowhere near.

This is spot on.

What Mancini is doing is a great managerial job in trying to coax out of Johnson the talent that is clearly in him. The English press tend to rave about Johnson and often cite him as being "left out" or "possibly needing to look elsewhere." However if they watched him actually play and didnt focus on the key skill he has in their eyes, ie being English, they would realise he often snoozes in games, disappears for periods and can be very wasteful in the final third. My main frustration is with his decision making in possession, but balancing this I will add that Johnno gives us something different in the squad and is a handy player to have around. Currently though he cannot expect to be in our first XI though this may change, if he listens to his manager and gives it his all.

[Ted Hughes]

I'm amazed he's being criticised tbh. I thought he had his best game for City along with Nasri & was as good as anything Giggs produced when he won the POTY.

It is all about expectations and where City are going.

Ask ourselves would AJ start for Barca ?

Then as we all know the answer, why not ?

A comparable player to AJ would be Pedro, only got into the team from the academy 3 years ago and is now a regular.

For me that says it all, City are not trying to emulate the rags of 99 or whatthefuckwhenever.. they are trying to emulate something that is better than Barca or Real.

I think AJ is a player who is suited to the Prem better than quite a few who have played for Barca & Real. I also think AJ is the kind of player who could be the matchwinner v Barca or Real as they are used to defending against players like Silva & Nasri. I also think he has been better in general play so far this season than Nasri & was playing miles better than Nasri the other night when Bob took him off, but both are making assists & scoring goals so we have little to complain about. It's just about getting the team balance right for each game with a mixture of different kinds of players. Milner has been better than both of them but Barca wouldn't pick him either.

[sandman]

I don't think Johnson has what it takes to make it at this club, I think the lad shows us what he can do regularly within periods of games but overall I just don't think he has the hunger required to be a winner, I cannot think of one game where he has been in the starting line up and had a good game, just good moments, I would even go as far as to say that an out of position Micah Richards has been a far better winger that Johnson this season.

I don't think that fire in the belly is something you can learn or develop with training and time, you either have it or you don't, his apparent lack of effort at times proves to me he does not.

[brite blu sky]

I think AJ is a player who is suited to the Prem better than quite a few who have played for Barca & Real. I also think AJ is the kind of player who could be the matchwinner v Barca or Real as they are used to defending against players like Silva & Nasri. I also think he has been better in general play so far this season than Nasri & was playing miles better than Nasri the other night when Bob took him off, but both are making assists & scoring goals so we have little to complain about. It's just about getting the team balance right for each game with a mixture of different kinds of players. Milner has been better than both of them but Barca wouldn't pick him either.

Not entirely sure what you are trying to say there.
Nasri has only just joined and has to find his place etc etc etc. AJ has had 2 seasons with the same-ish players.
I didn't mention players playing against barca etc, but the idea is good that AJ is the type of player to hurt them.

Milner imo would get in a barca team, not regular though. Why because he has the workrate expected and the pitch coverage. There are 3 or so barca players not too disimilar. eg. Keita

[Ted Hughes]

All I know is, AJ was man of the match & Bob's criticism of him is for something Yaya Toure has been guilty of in every single game he has played for City; occasionally letting a bloke run away from him into the box. AJ is nowhere near being the only player guilty of that. We even let the rags do it when we had a man extra.

[Slim]

All I know is, AJ was man of the match & Bob's criticism of him is for something Yaya Toure has been guilty of in every single game he has played for City; occasionally letting a bloke run away from him into the box. AJ is nowhere near being the only player guilty of that. We even let the rags do it when we had a man extra.

When Wellbeck and Nani were attacking down the left, Yaya was over there forcing it wide, when the ball got to Fletcher it was Barry who went out to meet him and Barry who failed to match his run when the return ball came to him and he scored.

Now, Yaya was out of position and maybe he should have been. AJ and Micah were there are they should be able to contain the flank, and the lack of screening did expose them, but you also have to question as Fletcher was just about the most forward player when he took the strike, why Lescott and Kompany had not reacted quicker to the danger and shut him down.(Lescott I think in particular as Hernandez was right of Kompany and he probably shouldn't have left him alone.)

[Ted Hughes]

All I know is, AJ was man of the match & Bob's criticism of him is for something Yaya Toure has been guilty of in every single game he has played for City; occasionally letting a bloke run away from him into the box. AJ is nowhere near being the only player guilty of that. We even let the rags do it when we had a man extra.

When Wellbeck and Nani were attacking down the left, Yaya was over there forcing it wide, when the ball got to Fletcher it was Barry who went out to meet him and Barry who failed to match his run when the return ball came to him and he scored.

Now, Yaya was out of position and maybe he should have been. AJ and Micah were there are they should be able to contain the flank, and the lack of screening did expose them, but you also have to question as Fletcher was just about the most forward player when he took the strike, why Lescott and Kompany had not reacted quicker to the danger and shut him down.(Lescott I think in particular as Hernandez was right of Kompany and he probably shouldn't have left him alone.)

There were quite a few occasions where rags were allowed to run into our box without being picked up. I don't know who was responsible, i just know it wasn't Johnson. It's happened in all the Chump's lg games whether he's played or not. If he's got a weakness to his game in that respect then fair enough but so have plenty of others. They should all get an equal bollocking, whether it results in a goal or not.

[Slim]

Yeah, the Bayern game was quite awful to watch but like you say it's not just one of them. I think in the Tottenham game right at the start, Modric just runs around Yaya and whoosh he's gone, but I think that was more to do with Modric being a rabbit and Yaya is not quick until he gets the steamtrain a couple of miles down the track.

[Dameerto]

All I know is, AJ was man of the match & Bob's criticism of him is for something Yaya Toure has been guilty of in every single game he has played for City; occasionally letting a bloke run away from him into the box. AJ is nowhere near being the only player guilty of that. We even let the rags do it when we had a man extra.

When Wellbeck and Nani were attacking down the left, Yaya was over there forcing it wide, when the ball got to Fletcher it was Barry who went out to meet him and Barry who failed to match his run when the return ball came to him and he scored.

Now, Yaya was out of position and maybe he should have been. AJ and Micah were there are they should be able to contain the flank, and the lack of screening did expose them, but you also have to question as Fletcher was just about the most forward player when he took the strike, why Lescott and Kompany had not reacted quicker to the danger and shut him down.(Lescott I think in particular as Hernandez was right of Kompany and he probably shouldn't have left him alone.)

There were quite a few occasions where rags were allowed to run into our box without being picked up. I don't know who was responsible, i just know it wasn't Johnson. It's happened in all the Chump's lg games whether he's played or not. If he's got a weakness to his game in that respect then fair enough but so have plenty of others. They should all get an equal bollocking, whether it results in a goal or not.

There's a reason Bob manages AJ via the media, and it isn't vindictiveness.

[Ted Hughes]

All I know is, AJ was man of the match & Bob's criticism of him is for something Yaya Toure has been guilty of in every single game he has played for City; occasionally letting a bloke run away from him into the box. AJ is nowhere near being the only player guilty of that. We even let the rags do it when we had a man extra.

When Wellbeck and Nani were attacking down the left, Yaya was over there forcing it wide, when the ball got to Fletcher it was Barry who went out to meet him and Barry who failed to match his run when the return ball came to him and he scored.

Now, Yaya was out of position and maybe he should have been. AJ and Micah were there are they should be able to contain the flank, and the lack of screening did expose them, but you also have to question as Fletcher was just about the most forward player when he took the strike, why Lescott and Kompany had not reacted quicker to the danger and shut him down.(Lescott I think in particular as Hernandez was right of Kompany and he probably shouldn't have left him alone.)

There were quite a few occasions where rags were allowed to run into our box without being picked up. I don't know who was responsible, i just know it wasn't Johnson. It's happened in all the Chump's lg games whether he's played or not. If he's got a weakness to his game in that respect then fair enough but so have plenty of others. They should all get an equal bollocking, whether it results in a goal or not.

There's a reason Bob manages AJ via the media, and it isn't vindictiveness.

Fair enough, but if he is also bollocking the others in private when they make the same mistake, it's not working, as they're still doing it & it's one of our few weaknesses now.

[Blue Since 76]

All I know is, AJ was man of the match & Bob's criticism of him is for something Yaya Toure has been guilty of in every single game he has played for City; occasionally letting a bloke run away from him into the box. AJ is nowhere near being the only player guilty of that. We even let the rags do it when we had a man extra.

Yaya frustrates the life out of me. I'd hope Bob says the same things to him too just not in the media. Got to trust he knows how to manage their egos and some wouldn't accept public humiliation whereas some will take an "I'll show you" attitude.

All things considered I think we have to accept that Mancini knows more about football than all us armchair pundits put together. He's even taken my advice about not being so negative, so I'm struggling to say anything bad about him. Strange to say that about a City manager.

[Ted Hughes]

All I know is, AJ was man of the match & Bob's criticism of him is for something Yaya Toure has been guilty of in every single game he has played for City; occasionally letting a bloke run away from him into the box. AJ is nowhere near being the only player guilty of that. We even let the rags do it when we had a man extra.

Yaya frustrates the life out of me. I'd hope Bob says the same things to him too just not in the media. Got to trust he knows how to manage their egos and some wouldn't accept public humiliation whereas some will take an "I'll show you" attitude.

All things considered I think we have to accept that Mancini knows more about football than all us armchair pundits put together. He's even taken my advice about not being so negative, so I'm struggling to say anything bad about him. Strange to say that about a City manager.

I agree, Bob is doing a fantastic job but I like to look for improvements/weaknesses when we're playing well just as much as when we play badly. You have to keep improving.

[ross.mcfc]

For me Johnston is not good enough to hold down a regular slot in of the top six sides in the Premiership. However he can be a useful squad player for us. We will have so many games this season and I think he will be very useful for home games pre/post CL games.

If he does not want to buck up his ideas and come along for the ride then by all means let him join a Sunderland or Villa and leave him for no winners medals to show at the end of the season. There are a whole host of players at Johnstons level who we could replace him with.

[Slim]

For me Johnston is not good enough to hold down a regular slot in of the top six sides in the Premiership. However he can be a useful squad player for us. We will have so many games this season and I think he will be very useful for home games pre/post CL games.

If he does not want to buck up his ideas and come along for the ride then by all means let him join a Sunderland or Villa and leave him for no winners medals to show at the end of the season. There are a whole host of players at Johnstons level who we could replace him with.

Welcome back stranger, you never call, you never write.

[ross.mcfc]

For me Johnston is not good enough to hold down a regular slot in of the top six sides in the Premiership. However he can be a useful squad player for us. We will have so many games this season and I think he will be very useful for home games pre/post CL games.

If he does not want to buck up his ideas and come along for the ride then by all means let him join a Sunderland or Villa and leave him for no winners medals to show at the end of the season. There are a whole host of players at Johnstons level who we could replace him with.

Welcome back stranger, you never call, you never write.

All will be explained.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

I would totally agree with Mancini's apparent thoughts and comments about AJ but I don't agree with the way he goes about handling him in the public eye. Only time will tell whether it works or not but it has been going on for some time already and we still have the same AJ.

He is definitely talented enough to be worth keeping and on his good days he is a match winner. Even though he probably isn't a 90 minutes a game type player ( not many wingers are are they?) he produces enough to be good value and has done so already this season to prove that.

[carl_feedthegoat]

I would totally agree with Mancini's apparent thoughts and comments about AJ but I don't agree with the way he goes about handling him in the public eye. Only time will tell whether it works or not but it has been going on for some time already and we still have the same AJ.

.

It all boils down to his style of management, so far it has worked wonders as all the players are performing and I also think Mancini likes the public to know why he says these things..it stops us second guessing.
IMO he was spot on about AJ..I didn't like his lack of celebration last night , it was like he was making a statement to Mancini.Hopefully he will heed his advice.