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Club News

Johnson: "We Lacked Quality."

17 November 2014

Club News

Johnson: "We Lacked Quality."

17 November 2014

Manager Lee Johnson felt his side lacked the sufficient quality to beat a resilient Crawley Town side.

Latics had taken an early lead through a superb individual strike from debutant Daniel Johnson but they were pegged back just before the break as Gwion Edwards equalised for the Red Devils.

After the game, Johnson spoke of his disappointment and felt his side did not deserve the three points.

He said: "Fair play to them they came with a game plan. They got behind the ball in the first half and didn’t have too many attacks and neither did they in the second half, but we was poor today. 

"I was really disappointed with us today. A lot of our basics were off, although I’m sure we dominated the possession, the shot count and the corner count, but make no mistake I was very disappointed because I didn’t feel we had the quality today. 

"I think they was certainly nice and solid and they made it difficult for us. They worked hard and it was their third game in a week so you would hope that our players would have gone out with a bit more energy than they did on the day and that’s what I’m disappointed with, but we played poorly, and got a point so there’s the positive, but I’m not a happy bunny.

"They had numbers in the box so it was difficult to break them down. I think Philliskirk had a couple of good chances to get a shot off early and he’d be disappointed that he didn’t take that. On another day we might have got lucky but I think they came and their game plan was good, and our quality was poor, and that coincided with a 1-1 draw."

Edwards struck on 42 minutes to equalise for Crawley Town and the manager was critical of how the goal was conceded. "It was a comedy of errors wasn’t it," admitted Johnson.

"I don’t know why Paul Rachubka has decided he’s Pirlo and started Cruyffing it in his box and plays it into James Wilson and, to be fair to Chubs, he’s given it to James Wilson who had a lot of time to clear it and he misplaces his pass and it is another shot that has gone in from 25-yards."

Jonathan Forte was substituted at half time to be replaced by Michael Tidser and the 33-year-old explained the reasoning behind the decision.

"I just felt, either he wasn’t getting the service or he wasn’t moving enough to get on the ball, so we’ll have to have a look at that, but obviously as well they were so deep that it was limiting the space in behind and making him a little bit ineffective. But I spoke to him and we’ll watch the DVD again and if I’m right or if I’m wrong I’ll hold my hands up," said Johnson.

Watch the full interview on Latics Player.

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