We try to do too much - Johnson

Saturday, March 5th 2016

Lee Johnson accused his Bristol City players of trying to do much with the ball after seeing them slip to a 2-0 home defeat in the Severnside derby at the hands of Cardiff City.

Lex Immers slotted the Bluebirds in front after 21 minutes, prompting Russell Slade’s visitors to adopt a very defensive approach after half-time.

City duly enjoyed plenty of possession, but could not find a breakthrough before Stuart O’Keefe effectively killed the game as a contest with Cardiff’s second goal seven minutes from time.

“It was a difficult game but we competed well,” Johnson told Bristol City Player HD.

“If it had been a draw everyone would’ve said that was a fair result, but it wasn’t, we lost and it hurts.

“One of my major criticisms of the players after the game was that we turned down far too many crossing opportunities, and that’s really important.

“I can remember at least ten. We have a habit of trying to do too much with the ball – sometimes a simple one touch or two-touch play puts you in the best position to get a shot or a cross in.

“We’ve got to keep reminding them to get balls in the box and numbers in the box.

“Sometimes we have the mindset of having to pick up the ball just inside their half and score, but it doesn’t happen like that.

“You’ve got to have passing, you’ve got to have movement, you’ve got to have one-touch play and you’ve got to have runners, because the ball moves quicker than any man can dribble with it.

“I do think we dribble a bit too much in certain areas of the pitch, giving the opposition time to get back behind the ball.”

The head coach lamented the non-award of two penalties – particularly one in the first half on Bobby Reid, before substitute Kieran Agard was booked for an alleged dive late on.

“The one in the first half was 100 per cent a penalty,” he added. “The second half one was not a dive – we might’ve got it and might’ve not, but I’ll let the referee judge that himself.”