City chat: Johnson will have to recruit a wide man (From Gazette Series)

Bristol City fans’ panel by Will Collins

12:00pm Wednesday 23rd December 2009 in Sport

IT WAS another thoroughly frustrating performance at Ashton Gate on Saturday as City drew 1-1 with managerless Reading.

In truth, the away side should have been out of sight at half-time but a combination of some terrible finishing, some excellent goalkeeping from Dean Gerken and a lot of luck saw City lead 1-0 at the interval via a 13th minute Paul Hartley penalty.

The second half was just as fruitless as the first for the home side and, as has become customary at Ashton Gate during the past few months, City conceded yet another 90th minute equaliser. It was the least the Royals deserved.

City boss Gary Johnson is in an awkward predicament at the moment and one that I believe he is partially to blame for. City’s lack of wide players has enforced a formation that is very defensive and lacking in creativity going forward.

In the summer Johnson sold City’s talisman on the left side of midfield Michael McIndoe to Championship rivals Coventry City. Johnson tried and failed to recruit a replacement in the summer and also failed to bolster the right side where only Ivan Sproule is a genuine wingman.

In fairness to Johnson City did miss out on two significant targets in Lee Martin and Mark Yeates, who both opted to join other Championship outfits. Sproule has also been of limited availability this season due to a family grievance and now through injury.

All of this leaves Johnson with very little in the way of options, and Saturday saw City start with no recognised wide men and five defenders.

In this January transfer window Johnson will simply HAVE to recruit at least one wide man otherwise City supporters will become increasingly restless at perceived negative tactics. If Johnson can deliver on this front then I see no reason why City fans can’t look forward to a prosperous new year, as we have an embarrassment of riches in centre midfield, a solid defence and, in strikers Nicky Maynard and Danny Haynes, pace and goals in attack.

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