Johnson disappointed as Leeds end unbeaten run

Saturday, October 21st 2017

Lee Johnson was left disappointed after seeing his side's 12-game unbeaten run come to an end against Leeds United.

Samuel Saiz opened the scoring as early as the fourth minute and eleven minutes later he bagged his second, before Pierre-Michel Lasogga secured a Leeds victory with his powerful header midway through the second period.

The defeat is just City's second of the season - their first at home - and the head coach was left disappointed with the overall display.

"I didn't think we started well at all," Johnson told BCTV. "It's not like us because we do start well, particularly at home.

"There were a couple of tactical things that we asked the players to do but they didn't do them.

"Credit to Leeds because they were on the front foot: they defended well, they had energy, we played into their hands too much and they pushed up very high but we didn't stick it in behind them.

"I hate to say it but we got bullied a little bit in different areas of the pitch."

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Having raced into a two-goal lead courtesy of Samuel Saiz's brace, City never looked out of the contest.

The home side had appeals for a penalty waved away in the first half when Jonathan Leko went to ground inside the area, which Johnson felt could have been a turning point.

"I thought after going 2-0 down we got our game going a little bit but we didn't really have enough efforts on goal," he continued.

"I thought it was a penalty on Leko and that was disappointing because we needed that. We needed something to go our way to give us a shout.

"Sometimes that changes the course of the game; our crowd, our players pick themselves up, the opposition get a little bit nervous and the atmosphere changes but we didn't get it.

"I won't gloss it up though because we didn't deserve anything and sometimes, particularly in Championship football, you don't deserve anything. Today we didn't so we have to learn from it."

"I thought the crowd were brilliant today and that was a sign of respect for the players for what they have achieved this season."

City return to action in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday (October 24th, 7.45pm) when Lee Johnson's side welcome Premier League Crystal Palace to Ashton Gate.

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