24 Sep 2015 00:41:04
Stefan Johansen, something is really up with this guy. He's been poor all season imo in his general play and I know he has some assists and goals but that's masking a lot of his poor play, I watch him every time he plays for us and in general he has looked very ordinary on the ball and poor, his passing is poor often trying adventurous passes with a VERY low success rate and it's becoming infuriating. I hate the way Ronny is trying to shoehorn him in somewhere every game he's fit, it's becoming like the way Lenny did with Mulgrew.
That's Johansen now played as a RW against Aberdeen, CAM behind the striker in most games and also CDM in the two holding roles, three different positions. This is simply Ronny trying to force him into the side anywhere he can and it can't be to form so I can only put it down to work rate and the bond they have from being together at Stromsgodset and both being Norwegian.
Another thing, he has really seemed like a sulky git these last couple weeks, something isn't right you can tell and his muted celebration has more behind it than just that. He looks moody and down which can't be good for team morale, he shouldn't be getting a game ahead of Forrest, Rogic and Commons currently for me behind the strikers and with Brown and Bitton in the holding roles there should be no place for him currently in the starting 11. We played so well without him as well against Dundee which should tell Ronny everything he needs.
Oh aye and Ciftci was also stinking against Raith he's simply not got it Griffiths should not have any concerns about losing his place to the big Turkish Undelight. GMS invisible again and poor.
Thought Rogic did well when he came on, very lively. Ambrose was solid and Janko played very well. Blackett also seemed ok.
Onto Hearts.
24 Sep 2015 02:17:35
I agree there seems to be an attitude problem with Johansen.
He actually played ok this evening and took his goal well " ordering off " Cifci who was offside, so good awareness and technique there.
His celebration or lack of it said everything to me.he is in a huff about something!
Rojic should have started after Sunday. Izzy as well.
Blackett and Ambrose did great together admittedly against a mid table, 2nd tier team.
Commons should always be a starter.
Tierney has promise
Overall, OK performance against at times a 6 at the back Raith.
We have to win this first trophy on the way to a TREBLE. that's success this year PLUS getting through group stages of EL. anything short of that i=s failure.
Starts with a Hearts gubbing at the weekend and a solid win against the Turks next week
That will put our season on track finally
24 Sep 2015 07:49:02
Johansen may be trying too hard to be one of the boys and not so much one of the team. Sometimes when a player has a close association with a manager the other players single him out and he seems to be under-performing on purpose, picking up stupid bookings and trying to stay under the boss's radar.
Unfortunately the manager can't see past him, so it's an ongoing problem and the support will turn on him.
24 Sep 2015 08:10:33
Could be something to do with Bitton getting an improved deal and he isn't
24 Sep 2015 09:35:13
I agree Paul, - that's exactly what I said when I saw his lack of celebration, it was pathetic, he was almost saying what are you all moaning about, I'm the man. You have more respect for players who take the criticism on the chin, and are man enough to admit they aren't performing! Last year I was desperate for him to get a new contract along with Biton, but you are only as good as your next game, and Biton has kept improving. He also seems to handle pressure well and do it in the big games, which I think is the sign of a proper player. Johansen for me hasn't quite done it for me when we've needed him most, he's been very average in the qualifiers 2 years running. He missed a great chance last year, it might have been away at Maribor?And should have put us 3-0 up against Malmo, which would have put us through. The top players are ruthless in these situations, and love the pressure!
24 Sep 2015 10:40:46
Agree Delphic that Johansen has proved he's not the man behind the striker that we can rely on to be clinical enough to see us into the CL Group Stages 2 years running now, why should we give him a third crack at it? Hopefully Rogic can step up and be the new main man he's showing great promise.
24 Sep 2015 14:38:27
Paulbhoy your having a laugh describing the raith game as an "ok performance" we were atrocious slow and predictable. I'm glad we won and to some prob yourself inc you will spin a garbage display to ok . We're in the next round and that's the important thing but please let's call the game as it is, vs Dundee very good vs raith garbage.
24 Sep 2015 14:43:37
Last year when I was championing Commons I got slated as I was being told he was unfit, finished , lazy, and wasteful. Total garbage. Even SJ at his best is not as good as KC. KC has PROVED to us if played every game he can perform and get us to the CL and bag 30 goals. SJ has never done this. That is not opinion just a fact.
{Ed007's Note - The fact he's scored 6 goals in 41 European matches over 5 seasons for CFC says different. He's only scored over 20 goals in a season once in his career so God knows where you get the 30 goals a season from. Samaras scored 13 goals in 47 games as a comparison and Stefan Johansen has already scored 5 European goals for us in 1 and a bit seasons (18 games) and will probably have overtaken Commons in Europe by the end of this campaign.
Is 16 or 19 goals in 46 matches proving he can score 30 a season, what about 1 in 33 the season he spat the dummy out and fell out with NL? You're the one saying he would score 30 goals a season and stating it as a fact when there's nothing to back it up except one season out of 16 (SIXTEEN!) where he scored more than 20 goals.
Apart from the one season where he scored 32 in 48 matches his highest ever total for a season is 19, can you see where I'm struggling to see the proof and fact you're talking about? The stats say something totally different from you and that's not an opinion, that's a fact that's there in black and white.}
24 Sep 2015 15:36:25
Ed if you read what I said "he has proved to get us to CL and bag 30 goals". I never said a season or every season I just said he has proven he done it. Also gotten us to CL. I never said what he done in the CL but he was part of a side that got us to last 16. Another thing SJ not done.
That's the facts I was referring to. whether SJ can do this is only opinion.
{Ed007's Note - Welcome to 2015 mate, that was 3 years ago and there's been a lot of Nandos since then.}
24 Sep 2015 16:16:28
Here Ed you have shocked me when did we sign Nando? Is he any good or rubbish and will or Lawwell John Park get the blame lol.
{Ed007's Note - Didn't you hear about Weecheeki signing? I'm not a fan but other folk rave about him.}
24 Sep 2015 16:39:41
Not sure what to read into SJ's non-celebration. It's just personal interpretations really. Mine would be that he may just be frustrated with some of the criticism. People who play the game voted he was the best player in the country last season. Rightfully so (although for me it was a toss between him and Brown).
He made that CAM his own and I think he looked more capable in the system than Commons. He can keep up, run beyond and is more creative than he gets credit for. Yes, he's started the season hit and miss. Some very slack passing but he's still chipped in being heavily involved in key passages. I didn't think Commons has been effective in Europe at all. Off the top of my head that game against Ajax was Commons' best ever European performance. Which is good because it's about time we saw proper use of a squad. Of the two I'd rather play Johansen CAM midlong term and even Armstrong or Rogic as first choice back up and Commons filling in. Commons is still our most incisive player when he wants to be, his shoot on sight policy is a double edged sword though. With a lack of natural wide players we'll see plenty of all four players across that 3. It's the one position were pretty healthy in.
Paulbhoy, think it's a stretch to demand/expect a treble really but that's what we'll be aiming for.
24 Sep 2015 16:41:29
I hope he good ed, u never know he might turn out to be flavour of the month. Soz Tim straight out of your joke book lol.
{Ed007's Note - I doubt that even Tim would have stooped to that level.}
24 Sep 2015 17:43:04
Best game a ever seen SJ play was when he played for Norway against England & he played at the base of a diamond four covered every blade of grass and thwarted them all night long!
Am a big fan of what KC brings SJ is never a CAM IMO even when we signed him that Jan Age Fjortoft? said " he ain't a No 6 nor a No 8 nor a No 10! he's different" a LM? a CDM defo IMO but never a number 10 or the man behind the striker
24 Sep 2015 17:46:33
Rayman you're obsessed with Commons, - doing it in Scotland is different to doing it in Europe or a top league. He is technically good, but in the grand scheme of things has a level. That is a fact! I don't think he would get a game for one team in the Premier League in England. You keep going on and on and on about him, why do no clubs ever come in for him? They obviously don't rate him, - even Championship teams down there, he was on a free a few months ago and only Bolton wanted him. There's more facts. There is nothing wrong with rating a player, having a favourite player, but's its only your opinion. His goalscoring record has been sensational for us and was well worth the 300k we got him for, but for me he is of a similar level to a lot of our players, - very good domestically, but not good enough for Europe. Well we're losing to teams from Poland/Slovenia/Sweden, - most of their players are getting a quarter of the salary Commons gets.When we signed him he was one of our top earners, and I'm sure his current contract will be pretty similar. Nobody will be happier than me if he has a brilliant Europa League campaign and helps us qualify. Neither Commons or Johansen should be first picks, what happened last year, or in Commons' case 2 years ago doesn't matter now.
24 Sep 2015 18:08:21
I like Johansen, and last year I was raving about him, and he does graft, he's not an old fashioned no 10 though, I'm not sure his best position. Commons is a more old fashioned no 10, but no-one seems to think he can do it at a higher level. The top playmakers in the modern game are more all rounded. I love players who go and prove the manager wrong when they aren't playing, and come back better, sharper and fitter. Commons, Stokes etc seem to go in a huff and put on weight, or start moaning!
24 Sep 2015 19:01:20
Johanssen is the teachers pet,he pushed it out last season only because RD told him he had to outshine Commons,he made a good effort but not good enough,there is no comparison in their style of play,and Commons has a Brain,which leads to sharper passing,quicker feet,and the feeling that he is more of a team player.
24 Sep 2015 19:22:53
A fickle bunch we are. Brown getting it big style last week now its Johansen's turn. Did anyone expect SJ to have an overboard celebration after scoring a last minute goal that didn't really mean too much?
25 Sep 2015 01:02:58
@Delphic don't you think its strange Commons gets accused of being at a level when every player we have is the same. Don't you think its strange he is accused of not being good enough for Europe when clearly neither are any of the other players.
Don't you think its strange he is accused of not getting in to EPL teams when neither can anyone else. Yet he is our most creative player. Tell me something would you have Hartson in our team?
{Ed007's Note - Wait till you see what RD has to say in the coming day or two. You're going to love this.}
25 Sep 2015 09:37:39
I agree with what you are saying, and have said in every post that I think it is a much of a muchness. I specifically said yesterday when replying to you that the team is full of players who are good enough for Scotland but can't cut it at a higher level, well look at us in Europe. I wasn't singling out Commons, it's just your good self and I think it's DH that keep raving away about him and saying he should be the first name on the team sheet. There isn't one player that if we sold would leave me heartbroken. I just think the very least the fans deserve is for the players to be happy to be doing extra training, wanting to get fitter/better, or maybe I'm being harsh. Like Ed touched on, I've just read a piece on Ronny, and like I already knew he's trying to improve the mentality, and culture, and think long term, good on him. I want to see him come out like that more often and tell it like it is, and not protect them any more. It's a hard life, it really is, poor we lambs that they are having to do a bit of extra training and eat more protein. That is a privilege for most of us. And I would take Sutton over Hartson every day of the week. Hartson was a good enough player but once again had a level, if he had been fitter, more dedicated would have been much better, and maybe not released by Arsenal. Do you think Thomas Muller would be as good carrying an extra 2/3 stone? Do you think he'd get a game for Bayern, or even be at the club? Kris Boyd has scored hundreds of goals in Scotland - you tell me, what does that tell us? Does that mean he's better than Hartson?