I enjoyed Keith Southern being called a dirty Northern bastard. I enjoyed Huddersfield's fans Anarchy In The UK chant. But I ****ing hate Simon Grayson. He looks like a Witch.
Hamer 7 Solly 7 Morro 8 Cort 7 Kerkar 6 Jacko 6 Frimpong 8 Stephens 7 Pritchard 7 Hulse 6 Fuller 6 Performance 7 Referee 8 I thought we played quite well, actually. The defence and midfield were excellent on the main, but our attacking nous let us down. I look forward to seeing Kermit and Haynes up front as I think their individual qualities will create a potent mix. Frimpong looked a class above and worked really well with Stephens. Not too sure about Pritchard on the right, but today was one of his better performances in that position. Perhaps reverting to a 433 would have killed the Udders off, but, actually, I think the cautious approach was the right decision. Even with ten men, they looked dangerous on the break, so weakening the midfield may have allowed them too much room to exploit. No problems with the penalty - it was a poor challenge from Solly. Their sending off was justified - it was poor challenge from Southern. It has to be said that the Udders were a half decent side. But their propensity for time-wasting and play-acting does them no favours. Overall, I'm not happy that we threw away the two points, but once we have a full squad to pick from, I really feel we will be a match for any team in the league. COYR!
Have to give credit to 'Udders. They wanted one point more than we wanted three. If we had achieved what they did we would have been glowing with pride. I do think CP has installed, maybe unintentionally, this mentality of sitting back once we have a lead. (Or is Jackson partly to blame?) Usually we get away with it. Today we didn't. I can understand the desire to save something in the tank for Tuesday but against 10 men attack is the best form of defence and is actually less draining. Bad luck losing Seaborne and Haynes just when CP had stumbled on a configuration which minimised our midfield weaknesses. It is not that they are such outstanding players, more that we have no direct replacements so we have to revert to playing people out of position, like Kerkar at left-back and Pritchard at RM. Neither let us down but they are better in their natural positions.
Hamer 5 - He was at fault for the penalty, and also failed to collect a cross a few moments beforehand too. Add that to him fumbling a shot in the first half (let that one slide perhaps, the ball was presumably soaked). Not up to his usual standards. Solly 6.5 - some great tackles which made me laugh out loud in relief. Not his greatest game, but consistent as always. I'll let the foul for the penalty slide as I'd have to see the moment of contact again (FLS on in a few minutes). Cort 6.5 - pretty solid throughout. His inability to use his feet can be very frustrating but its a sacrifice I'd willingly allow to be made given his physical and aerial dominance. Morrison 6.5 - pretty solid, made some great tackles. Kerkar 3 - how the **** did this guy become a footballer? Pritchard 8 - Probably the best game he's had for us. Made some great tackles, was neat with his footwork and done things with the ball I never knew he was capable of. Shame he's being played out wide though. Stephens 5.5 - I'm usually pretty supportive of him, but today he was so anonymous. Rarely made a challenge and just wasn't moving the ball around the field the way he normally does. Frimpong 7.5 - class debut. Bad positioning once or twice nearly gifted Hudders a couple of goal early on, but he was clearly taking a few minutes to adjust. The type of midfielder we haven't had at the club for a long time, can seemingly do anything you'd require from a CM, a real all-rounder. Jackson 5.5 - far better in recent weeks, seemed hungry but had a few very very very frustrating moments. Still not convinced he should be in the first team squad. Hulse 5 - once again, failed to win headers, lacked pace and did very little with possession. Wasted countless chances, any time he did get a change at a header he'd either knock it straight at the keeper or hopelessly wide. Fuller 6 - as always, showed great close control etc, but shot when he should have passed/passed when he should have shot, didn't seem awfully commited. -------------------- Green 7 - added a real creative spark when he came on. Cracking cross to Hulse which was completely wasted by the latter, another cracking cross to Hulse which both him and Jackson went for and fluffed. One not so great cross when he should have done better though. Got back well to at least attempt defending (good enough, considering how much stick he gets for not running back). Kermorgant 7.5 - perhaps my rating is a bit high, but God I'm glad to see him come back. Just oozed with class every time he touched the ball.
Don't get the kerkar bashing what did he do wrong ...nothing and in the second half he had a quality run the length of the pitch
At left-back Kerkar constantly gets in front of the winger when a pass comes in to them, then has to turn around and chase them, and is never capable of getting a block in. He's a liability in our own box, clearly handballed it in there today, and constantly pulls shirts/kicks ankles giving away silly free-kicks. At left-mid Kerker falls over his own feet, runs the ball right at defenders, or whenever he does manage to get past the full back, he either whacks it wide when trying to cross or fails to beat the first man. When with possession he constantly keeps his head down, never looks up and will either hoof the ball to Hulse (who is hopeless at heading) or else pass the ball to the nearest person to him - very often an opposition player. He's also dreadful in the air.
I like hulse and would love to sign him. I always think he is going to score. Still think he is building match sharpness. Oh and he won me my first scorer bet with a 1-1 scoreline. I also don't mind kerkar. I think he can't really be faulted when at LB, as he clearly can't play in that position. His lack of pace is made up for by his trickery, but the problem is he then needs to learn to play it. I think he'll become an important squad member.
It's amazing how much footballers divide opinion and how differently we all see the same game. I guess it's what makes it fun. I'm a big green fan yet he gets absolute pelters from some. I think Hulse is a carthorse yet others think he's great. Making allowances for being played out I position I thought Kerkar was good yesterday despite resembling Bambi on acid. Pritchard is a great little player but he's no right winger. Suppose it would be boring if we all felt the same.
People may not like this but I think Chris got it wrong yesterday with his inherent caution We had no pace in the team yesterday (except perhaps Frimpong) and I mean 'no pace' so after all the pretty play at the back we just lumped it up to Hulse who was well marked by the Udders central defenders. The only time we looked dangerous was when we got it out wide BUT we had NO wingers on the pitch until Green came on and even then it seemed to me that the rest of our players refused to pass it to him for the first ten minutes he was on. You could tell Udders were worried about width because they left Pritchard unmarked while he was on the right wing but as soon as Green came on he was man marked. I would have brought Green on a half time for Pritchard who had been booked for a silly tackle he was never going to win. I would have also brought BWP on for Hulse after we went 1-0 up, his pace would have worried the Udders defenders as they obviously didn't like turning on the wet surface, this would have forced the Udders midfield to sit a little deeper in the last 10 minutes. Oh well, neither of the above happened but we must learn how to play against 10 men at home .... it's getting embarrassing!
I wonder why JJ wasn't at LB and Kerkar on the wing? Also why did no-one pass to Green- I think he got two decent passes all the time he was on, it all went down the left or over the top. Personally I'd be happy to see Fox at LB, Paul Hart has a nice little piece about him in the programme. And Harriott is due a place on the bench. We all hoped that now with 7 subs allowed this would mean some of our under-18's being brought in, but although Azeez nearly got on against Cardiff, generally our bench doesn't feature our youngsters. The turning point for me was when Frimpong got injured, we suddenly became vulnerable, and he showed what we have been missing.
I'm glad everyone picked up on the fact no one passed to green. Shades of Hamer going OTT on him. Maybe it's because he doesn't integrate as much with the squad outside due to concentrating on his clothing brand? I don't think your wrong, AH. But I think CP went in to that match with a game plan and it was thrown out on Friday when Haynes and seaborne were ruled out.
Green has a clothing brand? It's fair to say that it's an innate issue to Charlton over the last decade that we just don't know how to use wingers. And that really limits our options. As for JJ playing LB, that would be a disaster darling. Did you not see his lack of pace when he ran to cross that ball in the first half when he was free in the box?
Not that I know of, but he does a tad of modelling for them. Fair play to him, he's aware football isn't something that goes on forever.
