Johnson slams display after Latics slip to defeat

ATHLETIC’S Bobby Reid tries to guide his shot through the Shrewsbury defence in last night’s League Once clash.

LEE Johnson pulled no punches over Athletic’s poor showing at Shrewsbury last night.

He called his side “powder-puff” as its run of three straight victories crashed to an end.
With the club safe from relegation, Athletic’s manager made eight changes to the starting line-up to give fringe players a run-out.

But despite the promise of debut pair Joe Cooper and Danny Gosset, he felt there was far too little on offer from his senior men — and told them so in the dressing room.

“It should have given us energy, dynamism and fresh legs,” he said. “Did it? That might say I made the right decision in the previous games to keep the same team.

“It is not just one person. It is a collective thing. I asked before the game whether these players were ready to win a league. Lesson learned.

“We have had some proper home truths in the dressing room, which is good, because now we will see who can react and who can’t.”

Strike pair Matt Smith and Lee Barnard were out of contention due to nursing slight knocks and Johnson felt his side wasn’t strong enough.

“We were weak,” he added. “They weren’t great on the day, but they were better than us and it says a lot. Take some players out of my team, key ones, and it makes a difference.

“I have been promoted out of League One, and I know exactly what it takes. This wasn’t it. The game of some of them wasn’t up to the level required to win matches consistently.

“The highlights will probably make it look close, but it wasn’t about that. It was that edge that was missing.”