Daniel Johnson
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I dunno if he does he's only got a starting place very recently and left out of match day squads. Maybe they're trying to drive down his wage demands or some other exceptional talent management approach with is so novel none of us can detect it.
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Or maybe he just trundles about in training showing little effort and isn't being played because of that. We just don't know ya orange country jerk!
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- Sep 26, 2009
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Maybe leaving him out was designed to give him a kick up the backside?
If so TBH it's worked as over the past couple of weeks he's been excellent.
You're right though trying to work out RL's management tactics is far too complicated for most of us.
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Could be argued it has worked, but maybe the +300 games in a North end shirt and former poty award could be seen as pretty poor man management or even insulting.
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Yeah I don't disagree with that but by the same token he shouldn't be in the team now based on the past. Browne is probably in a similar category.
When DJ is on form any manager at this level would be mad to leave him out.
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I've not seen a massive downturn in his performance so I don't agree with leaving him out for a kick up the arse. There's a lot of evidence that says he's one of our best players and has been over many years; browne also has his flaws but he's a Championship standard player without question and has been for years. Fact is lowe hasn't got the best out of them, maybe cause he's a 'nob head' 😀
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Agree .. you need to be ruthless in football like any other business.. can't play players because they played well 5 years ago.
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- Jun 9, 2004
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The pure cold hard facts of the matter are that a lot of the time he's played over the last season or two he's been pretty average.
Probably not bad enough to not even be in the squad (that was a weird one) but he hasn't done enough to maintain the indispensable status he has with many fans.
I'm fairly indifferent on whether he stays or goes TBH. I like him when he's good like he was on Tuesday. I just wish he'd get closer to that standard more often.
PS. I think Woodburn is shite.
Probably not bad enough to not even be in the squad (that was a weird one) but he hasn't done enough to maintain the indispensable status he has with many fans.
I'm fairly indifferent on whether he stays or goes TBH. I like him when he's good like he was on Tuesday. I just wish he'd get closer to that standard more often.
PS. I think Woodburn is shite.
Interesting how we play him in his natural position he thrives. Interesting when we try to play further up the pitch - he thrives.
We don't set our team up to get the best out of our attacking players - we are far more worried about keeping the back gate shut rather than hurting the opposition.
DJ has stood the test of time with over 300 appearances at the club - 53 goals and 37 assists. A goal or assist every three games or so. Not bad at all.
Woodburn on the other hand - hasn't even scratched the surface compared to DJ - 90 career appearances - 5 goals and 7 assists. A goal or assist every seven games or so.
If DJ is played in his natural position - he is very effective but we don't setup our team to attack the opposition very often despite the "brand". I wouldn't be surprised if he went to a team that allows him to play in his natural position more often. If he hasn't knocked on the door asking for an extension - shows how we never learn about actively managing contracts so we can either sell and replace rather than run them down or extend.
We don't set our team up to get the best out of our attacking players - we are far more worried about keeping the back gate shut rather than hurting the opposition.
DJ has stood the test of time with over 300 appearances at the club - 53 goals and 37 assists. A goal or assist every three games or so. Not bad at all.
Woodburn on the other hand - hasn't even scratched the surface compared to DJ - 90 career appearances - 5 goals and 7 assists. A goal or assist every seven games or so.
If DJ is played in his natural position - he is very effective but we don't setup our team to attack the opposition very often despite the "brand". I wouldn't be surprised if he went to a team that allows him to play in his natural position more often. If he hasn't knocked on the door asking for an extension - shows how we never learn about actively managing contracts so we can either sell and replace rather than run them down or extend.
And yet, he is still miles better than anything Woodburn produces.
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True. I think DJ probably expected us to push on a little bit by now. He should have some better players around him. I think he'd play much better with better players.
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Best footballer at the club.
If he was consistent for 46 games a season, let's be honest here, he wouldn't be playing for us.
When DJ's on it, we play well. He's a Championship footballer ultimately and he's always going to have peaks and lulls throughout the season but he'd be on that teamsheet every week for me.
Leaving him completely out the 18 against Burnley set the tone. You don't go into a derby game against the best team in the league with your best player getting splinters in the stands
What's he had 8 years service and over 300 appearances. Can't see anyone else in our current crop of players (except Browne who's already there) getting remotely close to that
If he was consistent for 46 games a season, let's be honest here, he wouldn't be playing for us.
When DJ's on it, we play well. He's a Championship footballer ultimately and he's always going to have peaks and lulls throughout the season but he'd be on that teamsheet every week for me.
Leaving him completely out the 18 against Burnley set the tone. You don't go into a derby game against the best team in the league with your best player getting splinters in the stands
What's he had 8 years service and over 300 appearances. Can't see anyone else in our current crop of players (except Browne who's already there) getting remotely close to that
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- Dec 19, 2004
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- 28,468
As much as I'd like DJ to stay, I can't see it happening with the budget cuts, unless his wage demands drop. And I think he's likely to have his agent asking what other clubs would be willing to pay for a player of his calibur, on a free, next season.
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- Jan 5, 2015
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On the flip side of this, I feel like we never have games where you come off thinking: 'everyone played well, except DJ'
The games where he gets the most stick, in general, are games where 5 or 6 others have awful games
Thracia
Club Owner, or wingback, depending on your view
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- Aug 1, 2011
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He's as much a club legend as any of the 2015 promotion squad, but he's treated with disrespect by the club because we're down-sizing the budget and would rather try out affordable duds like Woodburn in his position instead.
People have been crying out "what's missing?" from our insipid attacking play all year, but when the answer is demonstrably "Daniel Johnson", we still have people nitpicking over him in a way they won't with any other player.
Leave him out, and we'll play shitter - let him leave in the summer, and we won't replace him, and there'll no longer be any way to fix the insipid attacking play.
People have been crying out "what's missing?" from our insipid attacking play all year, but when the answer is demonstrably "Daniel Johnson", we still have people nitpicking over him in a way they won't with any other player.
Leave him out, and we'll play shitter - let him leave in the summer, and we won't replace him, and there'll no longer be any way to fix the insipid attacking play.
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- Jul 30, 2022
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The fan base do appreciate him but when you play shite in 90% of the games you play the appreciation wears thin
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- Jun 7, 2004
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He is probably only playing though due to McCann’s injury
That’s because he’s an influential player and sometimes our only creative outlet. When he’s on form he’s creating opportunities for players around him so he also makes them look better. And when he’s not on form it has a bigger influence than other players having a bad game.