On paper you're right, but I just can't see where are goals are coming from to win this game. Watford's season may be over by then but it still took us 76mins to register a shot on target against one of the poorest teams to visit the Valley the season. I might be looking at this half empty but after last night I can't look at it any other way.
Firstly it was a poor team selection in such an important game, we needed our strongest defence so morro should have been playing. Wood at fault for their goal that came against run of play and had he put his earlier chance away u have a different story. Harriot did have a poor game but was not in his preferred position I don't think he should have started, he has no confidence and some on the crowd not improving his confidence by slagging him off etc, same with sordell he could play a blinder and still get slagged off. Riga tinkering with the team is not helping but having said that Barnsley scored their first against run of play and second a fluke goal. Ref didn't give us anything and cousins was def hacked down at the end. Thought for a mo he wasn't gonna give our goal when are we going to get a biased ref in our favour. As for the supporters that left in the north after their fluke goal they are a disgrace and are not true supporters. The crowd can play their part in what division we end up in along with the players so slating them won't help. Comments on charlton life forum not helpful let's get behind the team and another atmosphere like the Bournemouth game is needed Friday. On a last note re Chrissy Powell we wouldn't be in the championship without him previous owners are to blame for our weak strike force and they relied on kermo whilst selling the rest, cp had impossible task and pitch did not help. Stay positive it's in our hands still and wouldn't be cafc without a drama.
I'll agree both looked okay in the end... I do just wonder if it was playing at the back of Riga's mind that had both received knocks we'd have been in serious trouble with our Right-Back position (Which means he doesnt believe in Loic Nego) - A decision I feel was correctly made because had we lost those two AND with what happened to Wiggins then we'd be in serious trouble with both Full-Back positions Only good thing now is it gives us a chance to see Morgan Fox at Left-Back and gives him a chance to prove he's worth that Contract
I think you're right. Defensively we're OK (we've conceded fewer goals than Bournemouth, for example, and have the same number of clean sheets as Reading) but up front we have so little. That means that for all the good work we do in midfield it usually comes to nothing because we lack the forwards to make the most of it. I still think we will stay up, but last night was a huge opportunity missed to put some distance between ourselves and the bottom 3.
Apart from the clear lack of ability in the strike force and poor team selection, the biggest problem for me is that fact that players are afraid to shoot. Sordell when clean through last night was a joke. Ran at full pace to get onto it then started walking til he got tackled. So many times the ball was on the edge of the box and players looking for perfect shooting opportunity rather than just hitting it and hoping for anything, a deflection... a lucky opening, but no, they didn't shoot and then pass it out wide for a cross to come in that will never be won by Sordell and Obika (the man who has the heading ability that makes me want Rob Hulse back)
To be fair I think Wood and Dervite played alright, yeah the 1st goal I saw it coming, even said "bloke in the orange boots that Wood is struggling with" but apart from that 1 moment they seemed calm and collective at CB. Dropping Wilson was down to his face I assume, but I'm sure Wilson would have wanted to play, to me, the only big problem was Harriott on the right and Sordell.... if anything could have put Obika in the middle with Harriott on the left and sordell out wide.... I have no worries picking Sordell because if he's dropped we play Church and 90% of fans don't want to see Church in a Charlton shirt again. Sordell is sadly best of a bad bad bad bad.. bad bad bad bad... bad bad bad bad bunch
Riga is pulling the levers currently at his disposal. He is not helping himself (or us) with some baffling team selections. Bring Morrison & Wilson back for Friday, and Piggot is worth a try up front alongside ....err.... ?
Agree with Vol (nice to see you dropped the "Powell bashing" & focused on the point). Is Polish Pete that bad that he can't even get a place on the bench ? Looking at the competition for the stikers roles he must be poor
Needs must, Mike. We saw last night that Sordell & Obika is the worst combo since Peters & Lee Which just leaves us with Spongefoot's 87th recall of the season to contemplate.
Absolutely spot on Ted... Half decent players would have seen us 2 up in the first 25 minutes... We don't even have a handful of players who have the basic quality to shoot on sight... The team is full of defensive minded players, with little to no attacking intent. The usual shots on target's from Reza & AA when coming on late, but it was all too late, and both of them ended in up in midfield..? Our wide play creates sod all...
Well despite his lack of physical presence Rezza at least seems to have a bit of a clue you never know he may score and Piggott got to be worth a go nothing to lose
Same with Polish Pete... give him a go, but Rezza despite being lightweight did seem a bit of a threat last night when he came on
I'm sorry, I don't understand this point. Supposing you're right, and Barnsley had targeted Solly and aimed for his knees, what do you do if he gets injured? Replace him with Wilson, who would then also be targeted? I can see a theoretical case for resting both in matches against physical opposition, if we had the squad and points luxury to be able to do that. But given the importance of the game and the weaknesses of the squad, surely you start with the best combination available in all locations. Maybe Riga thought the best combination on the right was Solly and Harriott. Maybe he would have been vindicated if Harriott scored his early chance. Of course, he could have started Solly & Wilson, still lost the match, and folk would be moaning about playing two injured players... On an unrelated note, Player commentary is getting more annoying and also keeps cutting out.
I thought Polish Pete was an U21 signing and ineligible for the first XI, but could be wrong. Try Reza, who at least shoots with intent?
Polish Pete has come on in a match, but the reports from the under 21 games are that he's very raw and nowhere near the first team.
This was the guy who was supposed to replace Kermorgant. Even the OS has been critical of his performance, which is pretty unusual.
Unfortunately I think Roland has both underestimated the level of the Championship and overestimated the level of the players he brought in. A change up front is needed, but all our players are lacking any confidence shooting...apart from devite...maybe we should lump him upfront?!
I think the first sentence sums it up. Replacing three established Championship-standard players- Alnwick, Stephens & Yann - with six, how-can-we-put-it, "average" foreign imports, was a very bad mistake by RD.
