Adam Johnson.

This was on the BBCs gossip column this morn,

"England winger Adam Johnson reportedly refused to board Manchester City's team bus after last week's Carling Cup win at Wolves - because boss Roberto Mancini criticised him in a post-match interview".

RM stated he said these things to Adam to get a reaction from his player (as he'd done to others in the past), so the question was did he get one. Despite scoring the 3rd and decisive goal against Wolves, he did seem to still have a bit of a sulk when his team-mates came over to congatulate him.

Now i'm not trying to stir anything up here fellas but i'd like to hear how you rate and see Adams future at City. Personally speaking, i'll only ever see him as he is now, and that is as an impact sub. I don't know what it is that i feel's missing with Adam, maybe he's just not good enough to be a regular starter in PL games (well not yet anyway). Has he been given that chance to show what he's got to RM yet?

All thoughts welcome lads and lasses.

Perhaps Adam should have heard the full interview were Mancini says he has the ability to be the best winger in England, the world.



I rate Johnson fairly highly and his reaction to coming off the bench and scoring was laudable. More credit however should be given to what he did after Kompany's sending off. Obeying his manager and falling back to full back so Micah could move inside.

I dont have a problem with players being annoyed and reacting to being subbed or criticised, its when they then start causing disent in the changing room that it starts to go wrong.

Adam should see that he's not being picked on personally but as you say Mancini has done this to other players as well and got a positive reaction. next when he's brought off he might be wearing a mario t shirt.

Shaken see the club gossip column I've just posted. It came out just after I replied and deals with what Mancini and Copello think about Johnson.

I am sometimes at a loss with these prima donnas, with all that has gone on you think he would just buckle down and do as he is told.

He is a good player, not a great player YET, and is brilliant as an impact sub as he is mainly used.

I do think he will also be gone in January which is a shame, because we do seem to be getting linked with quite a few wingers.

PS. Sweep is looking very ordinary at QPR since his move, his body language to me says he does not want to be there.

Funnily enough mate, i was thinking he may be shipped out in Jan too. As i said, i just think there's something missing from AJs talent for him to be the player we need him to be.

I don't think AJ is good enough for the 1st team, maybe just the first 16.

if he improves, maybe he can be the player we need him to be.

AJ is a good player & I would hate for us to sell him on to one of our rivals because he is young & has bags more potential

He needs to listen to Uncle Bobby, knuckle down & become a more complete player. At the moment he is a great impact sub & has scored some great goals but for me, if he is given a start he drifts in & out of the game, usually out

He seems to think if he scores in a game that's his job done

AJ has all the ability to be a great player. He just needs to take a leaf out of Silva's book and work hard for the full 90 minutes, rather than just showing flashes of what he can do.

I get the impression he thinks Bobby is too hard to please, but in the long run it'll only do him good. He needs to look at Milner - Bobby has relentlessly sidelined him in the past and he's risen to the challenge and become a much better player for it.

The general concensus seems to be pretty much the same.

No-one's really doubting AJs ability but at the minute it's only good enough to be played in the 1st team as an impact sub. However, if he continues to listen and learn from the gaffer then his potential will hopefully bear fruit, making him twice the player he is now. Let's hope his future with the Blue is far from over eh.

silva sings bobby's praises for making him a better player, as does micah.

micah is miles better than he was 18 months ago, lescott also looks far better.

confidence and good coaching/management can work wonders.

Hart, lescott, milner, barry, johnson and hargreaves could all be in the euro squad next year - that would be fantastic.

if only ned could keep his head down as well.

Ned would have to remove his links to Kia Ora to get another chance. I also think NDJs links to Kia Ora are also stopping his 1st team chances.

Can't blame Bobby for that, in fact I whole heartedly support it.

I think Mancini's manmanagement of AJ has been spot on up to now - he has been vital as an impact sub a handful of times now in that he has scored important goals, but I can only think of one or two matches when he has actually started a game and impressed me.

I don't know what the issue is with him, but in my opinion I'd say it dates back to him initially being called up to England, being in the papers all the time, and thinking he was the dogs bollocks. Unfortunately, he has a long long way to go before he will fulfill his potential, if he ever does.

On balance, I find him more frustrating than I do an asset to the team - despite grabbing the odd goal here and there, he is often incredibly wasteful in posession after getting himself into promising positions, I think that was why SWP saw his end here, so if AJ has any sense he will knuckle down and listen to his manager.

i think johnson is agood player and as such we would be crazy letting him go just yet. mancini obviously feels that johnson has a bit to do to becoming the finished article. however I think despite johnson's spat the other day " wether the bus story is true or not i don't know " I thought i saw a sure sign of improvement in his game on saturday. Not only was he winning the ball in the right back position but also running the length of the pitch to be on the end of a quick breakaway. Was'nt that exactly what mancini saisd was missing on wednesday??? Seems to me he is listening. lets hope he can deliver.

I think Mancini really cares about the players he sees have potential. Players like Ade, Bellers, ned who are unwilling to listen or even try a different way or have reached their potential and wont put in what he sees as extra effort to improve will get short shift from him. Its because Mancini cares about players improving themselves like Balo, this season, Micah, and Johnson that he pushes them so hard.

Thats why I dont think Johnson will leave, mancini wants him to improve and sees something there, all this talk about January is just press speculation and nothing more. If Mancini wants him he will stay, and improve, and be a regular for both City and England for a few years.

Micah and Johnson on the right for England could just solve that creative problem we have.

AJ won't leave in January or in the summer but he will act up when the contract negotiations begins...

I am also behind Mancini 100%. The guys drifts out and becomes ineffective if he starts... Mancini has a problem with ineffective players!