Alistair Johnston

According to some reports we very nearly did only for that auld * over in Ireland to all of a sudden take an interest in the club and appoint someone completely different bcoz it suited him.

 

He showed from January when he came in last year none of those qualities, he wasnt as suited inverted as Taylor is but clearly a better player than him. BR’s style of full back, at least last time here and at Leicester, he’s so much more suited to that and he’s so, so much worse.

But he has also set up some amount of chances that have been * sitters from guys who’s been on the end of them. Oh weirdly sticks out having like 3, Kyogo a few, O’Riley the rare time this season when he’s not it’s invariably been AJ setting it up. Think it’s getting to him, his scuffed goal and hopefully a performance maybe an assist at Aberdeen might kick him into life. If not I’d bench him for a game or two, particularly because Ralston and Abada know exactly how the other likes to play, and they pull off quality regular together. Ralston has that pass in between CB and LB regularly, and the it’s Abada the one that looks for that constantly. Maeda on the right he needs to force him into chasing it, when it was Jota he’d just get the ball passed to him for Jota to do something. Abada, Ralston and O’Riley supporting on that wing, one of the most creative options we have.

AJ’s better than Tony, but he needs to prove that as well and I think chance against Aberdeen after his stroke of luck goal, when he’s been unlucky a lot this season, if he reverts. Bench and look for a reaction, we don’t do that enough I think.

 

Rodgers invincible team wasn’t a kick in the * off that at all, and BR is a level of manager we probably couldn’t actually get without his connection to the club (as much as * play it down as fake he’s never changed that story regardless of club he’s been at, Swansea, Liverpool, even Leicester) and first time round here, even though I will say 3rd season before he left I was fed up of the football served up - I’ll blame that on the backing and still will say that, we took the heart out of him with that.

So even though after he left and I took stock of him, I’m not a paid up fanboy, I absolutely respect his ability as a manager.

At every club he’s been at, he’s played a distinct, possession based, relentless off the ball pressing sort of style. Always said Ange was a mix between a bit of Pep, and a lot of Klopp.

Whereas Rodger’s ideal style is a lot of Pep, and a bit of Klopp.

And it’s wee tweaks. Not a million miles away. And we moved decisively to get a * well established, class, highly rated manager shortly after Ange left.


I still think at the point, when he was keen, thats the best option. Sure, we could go elsewhere like when Howe said no, we landed on Ange. That won’t happen twice for me though, BR was the safe option - who is just off the elite level of managers. A point I’ve seen you make, when we replaced him with Lenny - an elite manager to a motivator manager.

 

Who did we nearly get before changing to Rodgers? We didnt talk to anycunt and announced BR quite quickly did we no? After like, a week of public speculation about the negotiations with him. That I thought was complete lies btw haha. I feel like this might be about Muscat?

 

A lot of effort but he looks seriously pish..

 

Was actually suprised that it was Johnston who stayed on and not Bernabei. Ralston can't play on the left.

 

Massively massively regressed. Looked decent in moments but he was * * today and has been all season. Ralston should be starting

 

I'd be looking to move him on in the summer, looking more and more likely his first few months were a purple patch.

 

Actually thought he was decent, especially 2nd half.

 

Had one good duel against Duk shortly after he came back on the pitch after going off, but he's not having a good season tbh.

 

Sight of him laughing away when we're struggling is really getting to me. I know it's sarcastic, but needs to show a lot more aggression in his work than he's currently doing.

 

Not seeing it. Does nothing for us offensively. I feel for Ralston. He offers much more on the overlap

 

I don't get the AJ backlash here.
Yes he's not been at his very best this year, but he's not playing so differently v last season.
He's way ahead of most of the defenders in our squad, either at RB or LB.
Works his * off, saved us a good few times including Dessers chance - one if the good guys.

 

He's definitely got worse but I didn't think he was very good last season either, best think about him last season was his confidence/physicality which he seems to have lost completely. Not even sure I agree with the "Works his * off" part.

 

For me he was a rock defensively last season, passionate, looked quick. Solid in possession and we all had the hope or assumption he'd be able to up his attacking output and be a good all round full back.

That hasn't really materialised, he offers less than Ralston going forward. He also looks less solid defensively and slower.

Definitely not on the same level as last season. Maybe doesn't help that he's had either Maeda or Abada infront of him, who from an attacking point of view have been pretty impotent this season. Last season it was mainly Jota infront of AJ.

 

Solwed the game down far too much today. Looked like he was time wasting when he had a thrown in to take in injury time.

 

AJ like a lot of others has went right off the ball.

 

Massive regression, not seen something like this since Bobby Petta.