LIKE FATHER LIKE SON FOR ROBINS
BRISTOL CITY boss Lee Johnson says he couldn’t have asked for a better start to his Robins managerial career after his side made light work of relegation rivals MK Dons to go seven points clear of the drop zone.
Jonathan Kodjia netted twice in each half to push his goal tally up into double figures for the season as he looks to help secure City’s Championship survival and repay some of the £2million fee that brought him to Ashton Gate in the summer.
And Robins boss Johnson, who has won both of his games in charge since taking over a fortnight ago, says life following in his dad Gary’s footsteps couldn’t have started any better.
“I think the solidarity and the team shape was the most pleasing thing for me,” he said.
“We were dangerous throughout and we have a lot of attacking players who can cause teams a lot of problems.
“We broke from positions of strength, but if I had one criticism for my players it would be that we could have played a bit more football at times and then caused MK a few more problems.
“My players didn’t have to give up a lot of energy and I really don’t think I can ask for any more really, given that it is so early on in my tenure at the club.”
Both sides lacked any real attacking creativity during the opening exchanges and it looked like neither team was willing to be the first to go a goal behind in what looked set to be an extremely tight affair between two relegation rivals.
But it was the visitors who eventually recorded the game’s first shot on goal just before the half-hour mark when Joe Bryan burst forwards with pace, before beating a weak defensive challenge on the edge of the hosts’ box and smashing the ball just wide of MK Dons keeper David Martin.
And with just seconds remaining of the additional minute of stoppage time at the end of the first half, Johnson’s men were gifted a half-time lead.
MK keeper Martin fluffed a routine clearance into the feet of City forward Lee Tomlin, who then had the simple task of laying the ball across goal into the path of Kodjia who tapped home is 11th goal of the season from closerange.
And as the game hit the hour mark Bryan sent a searching ball forwards for the visitors that found Kodjia per- fectly on the edge of the Dons’ penalty box after out-pacing the defence.
The £2m man slotted home past a despairing Martin in the MK goal to secure a vital win.
Karl Robinson’s side now sit just five points and one place above the relegation zone as Saturday’s result meant City, who were below the Dons at the start of the game on goal difference, leapfrogged their opponents in the table.
“We were unrecognisable in many areas of the pitch and I have to take responsibility for that,” said Robinson.
“The blame rests on my shoulders because my players have been outstanding this season.
“But let’s be honest, I thought Bristol were just as bad as us in the first half and I think that’s probably one of the worst first halves of football I’ve seen all season.
“Everybody had an off day, but they’ve worked hard all week and for whatever reason the first touch wasn’t right and nothing went right.
“We set-up to try and dominate possession of the ball.
“But we may just be becoming too predictable and teams can start to learn how to play against you and it becomes difficult.”