we lose to a ***** Port Vale team, we sneak past a struggling Oldham team, we turn in what sounds like a decent performance at Posh (or did they underestimate us). Thing is, are performances improving (you'd like to think so) or were we as fans just getting used to mediocre performances and losing so anything slightly better seems good. Has Johnson changed his style willingly ( being more positive) or had it forced on him by desperation and the fans? his substitution at the end last night would probably indicate not! At the end of the day you can't escape the strong suspicion that it's only past managers (shedding of) that's keeping LJ in a job.
I think there's a case for this squad of players being better against better teams. Just in terms of the space this creates when teams don't do a Crewe, Shrewsbury, port Vale, Fleetwood. There's also a shout for Johnson changing his tactics. I'm not sure it's quite a 4-4-2 yet, but having the width of Hammill and Isgrove recently, along with more bodies centrally (allbeit Toney and Watkins rather than Toney and Winnall), is helping us create mor chances. As is the general class of Hammill, who I'm convinced won't be here in January. I think the club geneuinely believe that Johnson can turn things around and both him and the young players will be better for the blip in form. Has that got something to do with the previous shedding of managers? Definitely. I don't think that's a suspicion, I think that's a deliberate change in mindset and a greater believe, rightly or wrongly, that they have the right man in charge to land the long term strategy. Saying that though, lose at home to Sheffield United and I think his time will be up, as Patrick hinted at in that statement.
Gotta love football 'we have a long term plan and we are sticking to it...but lose against **** U and that's all out the window'.
I do. I think we might win though. Some of LJs decision making is very suspect. Hourihane apparently can't play in a midfield 2 (apart from the fact that we are playing our best football with him playing exactly that). Winnall has more goals than all the other forwards put together but can't get a game. But I think we will win and the axe will be avoided. After the Altrincham match he deserved to go regardless of the working conditions or any perceived interference and it'll need a massive change around now to make me change my mind.
