What are LJ's negative tactics a symptom of?

A lot on here are saying that the current negative football is due to having changed manager yet again, but I don't buy that. The squad that we have may not be exactly the one that Johnson wants, but he can hardly say that he doesn't have the personnel to play attractive football. There is absolutely no rule that says that when a new manager comes in and doesn't have exactly the squad he wants, that he has to play bland, safety first football. This might be the case when trying to ensure survival with a series of bland 1-0 wins, or tightening up a very leaky defence when arriving mid-season - a la Machin when he first arrived. But when not in any realistic danger of relegation - this just doesn't wash.

Danny Wilson - came in as manager and immediately had us playing fantastic football.
Mel Machin - saved us from relegation with some quite dour displays, but then the next season had us playing some fantastic football. Reverted to defensive tactics only when we were flirting with the bottom three.
Andy Ritchie - was an absolute breath of fresh air, with an unbalanced squad inherit from Hart. Got us promoted the season after playing good football, and having not made wholesale changes.
Even under Robins we played some pretty good stuff until he got obsessed with turgid defensive football in his second season.

I think that the modern 4-5-1 and its numerous variations are smothering the life out of the game as far as entertainment goes, and this has to take some of the blame, but that's still no excuse for Johnson's excessive caution when in possession of one of the most talented squads of players in the league.

Personally, and I'll probably get slated for this - I'm coming to the conclusion that he's completely useless, and we dropped an absolute bollock in appointing him. If it wasn't for the previous ten years of constantly sacking managers, I'd be suggesting that we cut our losses now and get rid, and I'm not usually one who calls for managers to be sacked. The only reason why I'm not advocating that now is the turmoil in the club that such a move would undoubtedly cause.

However, and this is the really big worry for me - I can't think of an example of a manager who has come into a club, set his stall out by playing this negatively when NOT in relegation trouble, and has, at some point in the future, suddenly started playing expansive and attacking football. On the basis of this, I sadly don't see there being much exciting football on show at Oakwell any time soon.

 

Flicker had us playing the best football in recent years. High pressing, quick balls to the forwards, one in O'Grady who could hold the ball up and bring others into play. It was simple and it worked. But then the following season he went all defensive and the rest is history.
Leave the games of chess to the boring big boys, fed up of the tactical strategy games managers try and play.




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They are in my opinion a symptom of Barnsley football club under Patrick crynes stewardship. Conservative and refusing to take any risks

 

you won't get slated by me for that, because I feel the same way. I just don't foresee it getting better and it feels like we are now stuck with a manager who seems to be not capable of getting us where we want to be because we are wary of how many times we have dumped managers in the recent past and we therefore have no choice but to ignore the problem and just hope it gets better. It won't. Even if we turn in a few results the level of entertainment just won't change.

As I mentioned in a separate thread last night, I hate feeling this way because i feel like one of the people who have zero patience who are the curse of the modern game. But I have come to the conclusion that he is a very average third division manager and he is not what we need. If the whole season carries on in this vein then the clamour to change again will get louder. In the meantime, I won't be wasting money on watching this **** away from home. If I wanted to waste my money there are other ways of doing so that will provide some return. Even setting fire to it would keep me warm for a few seconds!

 

LJ negative tactics are a symptom of him not trusting Hourihane in a midfield 2 and not being able to drop him as he is our next big saleable asset, he is our best footballer but it doesn't work with the rest of the players we have so that we can push on consistently. As another person said on here today 451 is bleeding the game of excitement aswell

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I was thinking about that as well - I guess it's easier to play completely without fear when you have to throw caution to the wind, because if you don't go for it you're done for anyway.

 

I'm coming to the same conclusion. I've seen absolutely nothing in the time he's been here to suggest he has anything to give us hope. I think his tactics are painfully boring and negative which considering the league we're in and the players we have says more about LJ than anything else.

If this ***** continues much longer we'll be down to 7500 crowds at home.

 

I was unsure why we appointed LJ having seen his Oldham team play the same brand of cautious unsuccessful football that we are playing now. He has lived down to those low expectations. I hope he can change things round and start to try to win games rather than trying not to lose them. I can't say I'm confident but we need to stick with him given the constant change at the club

I was talking to a Donny supporting mate who is convinced given our squad we will go up. We probably have 9 or 10 players that would be first pick at every club in the league so we should be able to get a winning combination.

4-5-1is a great fluid system when played by top players when man city are on song it's great to watch. When played by players of lesser ability it becomes nervous and negative.

 

We should, but it's got be be about more than just limping up through the play-offs IMHO. We need to build a strong, long term basis of a squad which can compete in the division above. I understand that this is our goal, but it's not immediately obvious to me how we're doing this. If we play this cautiously in League 1, god knows how petrified Johnson will be when playing against the likes of Boro, Derby etc.

Agree about 4-5-1 by the way. Spain 2008-2012 spring to mind.

PS - check your PM