Gamble is Djur joy for boss Johnson
BRISTOL CITY boss Lee Johnson was relieved his gamble with substitutions paid off as they inspired a long-awaited return to winning ways.
Johnson faced the wrath of an irate home crowd when he took top scorer Tammy Abraham off just before the hour mark in a triple switch.
The jeering fans accused him of not knowing what he was doing.
As it turned out, the boss knew exactly what was going on as Abraham’s replacement Milan Djuric earned a first Championship win in 10 games with a 73rd-minute header which was set up by fellow sub Jamie Paterson.
Johnson said: “I know it was a controversial decision but I believe we needed that spark and they gave us that spark. It’s nothing against the players I took off. I was putting on a goalscorer, it’s not like I was putting on a centre-half.
“You make the decisions, sometimes they are right, sometimes they are wrong. Luckily they were right on this occasion. We have substitutes who can make a difference. It’s great that we have got a fully-fit squad.”
The win comes four days after the Robins ended an eight-game losing streak by drawing with Sheffield Wednesday and Johnson is looking on the positive side.
“Now we are on a good run, with a draw and a win and now we have to maintain that good run,” he added.
“We have dragged a couple into it, you want to make it a five or six-team scenario. That will be great for the players. That was a tough old run and now we can move on and be positive.”
Rotherham boss Paul Warne has no such luxury as their relegation appears just a matter of time.
They slumped to a 15th away defeat of the season and are 15 points adrift of safety.
Warne said: “I don’t think there was anything between the two sides.
“As a group I thought my lads performed to their limits.”
This was his first meeting with the club he saved from relegation and it could not have been worse.
Booed off at half-time. Booed off at the end. It makes you wonder if he has the heart to remain at Palace and try to rescue what looks like a lost cause.
Allardyce said: “Fans will show their disapproval if you do not perform at the expected level of this league.
“I can only apologise to them for what they saw. We were not good enough.
“It’s all about fear playing at home. We are ninth in the league on away results but here there is a new kind of mentality.
“They scored and we lost control. Once that happens you lose your mind and again we showed our defensive fragility.
“It showed me some players are struggling and I’ve got to do something about it. The players have got to show me they have the right mentality playing at home. We weren’t good enough.
“It’s now the responsibility of me and my team to turn it around as soon as possible.”
A few months ago he was England’s manager and he boasts never having been relegated but that CV is surely about to be shredded if Palace continue kamikaze football.
The Eagles shipped four goals in a first half that witnessed one fan racing on to the pitch and confronting defender Damien Delaney, who did not come out for the second half.
He was hustled away by stewards as “You’re not fit to wear the shirt” rang out.
So angry was Allardyce he spent just two minutes in the dressing room before sending out his side to warm-up again in front of accusing eyes.
When he returned to the pitch, Sunderland fans mischievously chanted, “Sam, Sam. What’s the score?”
Allardyce certainly knew the score. His side are simply not good enough to remain in the Premier League if they continue to defend like dead men walking.
Sunderland, however, have in Jermain Defoe a true predator. He scored twice in a first half that Palace appeared in rather than played.
His goals saved Allardyce last season. Now they look like wrecking him.
If Sunderland do survive the drop then there should be a statue erected outside the Stadium of Light as a gesture to his genius. It all started so well for Big Sam. Allardyce did a touchline jig with the club mascot and smiled all the way to his seat.
The Palace manager milked the moment, waiting until the game almost started before walking his walk. It convinced fans the floodgates remain open after their midweek win over Bournemouth.
They opened all right – but the water flowed in their