The disappointing thing for me today, and this is a worry that is going to stick with us for the whole season, is Ramsey's inability to "manage" the game. Often in games, some things are going well and you're playing well but you cannot score for whatever reason. So naturally, something has to change. This happened today where for the first 20 minutes we looked sharp, we passed the ball well and got into good positions but couldn't score. Charlton, quickly caught onto this so when we had the ball, they got men behind it so that we couldn't force a way through. This, is where a manager should have installed in the team a slightly different way of playing. A different final ball. We do not have this.
Charlie Austin should not have played today at all. A player who wants a move does not deserve to use our first game of the season to get himself match fit. Entirely selfish of Ramsey to do that. Matt Phillips isn't worth £10 let alone £10mil based on his performance today, both goals down his side of the pitch and he was nowhere near either of them. This point is particularly key considering their left back scored inside our box!!! He also missed a glorious chance at 0-0 45 seconds into the second half, where he decided to kick it at the keeper, instead of either side of him from 12 yards.
Rob Green, for all you lovers of him, was awful. At fault for the first goal, by getting a full hand on a shot at his near post only to let it in. The second goal, he has a good 20 minutes to get across and dive.
I like the look of Chery and Luongo, both can keep the ball moving and fluid BUT we do need more movement to create an option for a final ball. Jamie Mackie was our best player on the part today by a country mile; never stopped running and actually looked like he wanted to score.
Paul Konchesky and James Perch will both be good signings, but it is clear neither of them are currently up to match speed.
All in all, we need to sign a quick winger who can be direct and make runs off the ball. A centre forward who can play a lone striker and hold the ball up. A keeper to be number 1, not an understudy. And obviously another centre back, although Hill and Onuoha did play well today. Charlton will grow and take points off teams as the season goes on, but they were there for the taking today.
