Pre-Charlton chat ...

McFadzean was excellent for a month, then poor yesterday, I don’t agree with everyone gunning for him again. Yes he’s been poor overall since he signed but I personally am gonna roll with him he’s had one bad game after 4-5 good ones.

I look at our remaining games and there’s a few tricky ones, but I think this suits us as we play better when teams have a go.

Overall we weren’t great yesterday but the wind was wild and I think that killed the vision LJ had for the game, was all about not losing that one and it was job done again for the lads.

Charlton always have a little bit about them and always give us a game, I watched about 40 mins of them v Donny and they had a bit going forward, but nothing to fear.

It’s a lads win for me and hopefully one of the others has a dropped point, ideally Peterborough. I think once we hit top 2 we will take some shifting, so sooner the better.

 

Macfazdean has improved, but not enough.. all players make mistakes, he just makes too many.

Hume is of course, imho, a very good attacking full back and will add another offensive option.
Defending has not been his best talent. However as he has got older, bigger and stronger, defensively he has improved. Whether he is ready for the heat of a nerve wracking run in after being out for a while, I guess we are about to find out.

 

He’s got radge her has Denver. Casual observation.

Will definitely combine better with Geads.

 

What we going with for Charlton then? Would like to see McLaughlin restored to RB and Power in midfield.

Burge
McLaughlin Sanderson O'Nien Hume
Power Scowen
Jones O'Brien McGeady
Wyke​

Could do with Charlie getting a goal or two

 

That looks good to me and, with Gooch, Maguire, etc, on the bench, we can adjust.

Wright will come back in when he's fit which creates the problem of where to play O'Nien.

Whatever the case the wide boys need to get crosses into Wyke quicker than they are doing.

Since Jones came in McGeady has started with the 'flicks & tricks' again which is why he previously became frustrating.

I get the feeling they're trying to outdo each other.

O'Brien is the key, in my opinion, and Wyke should never be too far from the penalty spot ....

... everything else should circulate around him.

 

That looks a very good, balanced side to me.

 

I agree McFadzean didnt have a good game yesterday, but I did think there were mitigating factors. Their right back had the measure of McGeady in the main and that meant it was often coming back down the left side quicker. I also thought they were good down that side with two of their better players in tandem. That said he should have done better than he did positionally and for their goal. But then Jones was asleep for the goal as well.

Hume should come in as he is a better player. Whether he is good enough defensively to play full back I am not sure. My recall, which isnt always great, is that he good going forward, good pace which is an asset, but defensively is a bit naieve. I hope we arent all making the mistake of allowing players to become better through absence. That said I do think it will be an upgrade.

Similar point on O'Nien whereby people want him back in midfield where he is one of our better midfielders seemingly. Again my memory may be playing tricks but I do not have memories of a string of dominant midfield performances, or attacking displays. Was he really that good that he must go straight in ahead of Scowen, Winchester, Power, Leadbitter etc? Everytime I watch him at CB I think he should stay there. Him and Sanderson look a proper partnership to me. When Power fluffed the pass yesterday I doubt Wright would have had the pace to snuff it out like O'Nien did. Nor do I see Wright as the lad who can make us play so comfortably from the back. He is more experienced and an organiser, but like all centre halves he makes mistakes and gets caught out. I personally just think O'Nien needs to stay where he is along with Sanderson. Wright back in a 3, but not at the expense of one of Sanderson or O'Nien.

 

You may have to go back three to fit Wright in. IMO Hume is better as a wing back anyway. Still not sure on right wing back. However, we are unbeaten in 12 with many clean sheets. Why change a settled partnership?

 

All very sensible clear thinking imo.

I think O'Nien and Hume, on that side, could get our attacks going with McGeady getting the support he needs.

Hume is good at getting crosses in and McGeady seems to like him there.

All interesting stuff and endless puzzles for Johnson to solve.

 

I watched Charlton’s game on Friday and they played some very good stuff. Tough game ahead.

 

Fixed your obvious spelling errors....

 

I watched that and would agree although Doncaster have lost 4 of their last 5 and didn't play well again.

Charlton only had two attempts on goal and have had a very easy run over the last half a dozen matches.

I hope they play an open game again as I think we'd have too much for them in attack.

 

They're on decent form, but as with every other team in this league, they have lost a good proportion of their games. I don't fear anyone at home these days. Expecting a tough game but home win

 

i don't often do this but ....

fookin haway me bonny lads.

past few months i would say we have had games we have dominated, we have had games where it could have gone either way, we have had games where we were ****e but the opposition contrived to be even worse, we have played 'in form' teams and won, we have not had a single game where we can say the opposition has run us ragged, we have a manager who sets the team up based on the opposition AND has the ability and nous to change it around when needed.

to the negatives who frequent this forum:

we have players that will make mistakes as every team has, at times them mistakes will be costly, if our players were all premiership quality or always consitently on top of their game then i very much doubt they would be plying their trade in the lower leagues, the lower leagues where we, as a club, find ourselves now.

as i said a few weeks ago, just chill and enjoy the ride for the run in, there will be bumps and dips but at least we can enjoy games now knowing we will fight all the way even if we go a goal down.

 

What a cretin he is by the way. and so, so dull. how on earth do they keep him in a job?

 

I watched a chunk of it and agree, they looked lively and tidy going forward.

 

Good post mate,lot of sense in that. I think I would leave Luke and Dion as a pairing at centre back....there is pace,as you say,and they're dealing with most things well. P'boro have one of the divisions better strikers,but he didn't do that much yesterday and,yes,O9 had to throw himself about a bit,but he's well capable of doing that and I think they've worked up quite an understanding. I have a sneaky feeling that centre back may well prove to be Luke's best position,and we may well have uncovered a gem there by pure accident.
Yes,we need Denver back. I think McFadzean has improved under LJ...as indeed have most of the others...but there's always a mistake in there,often more than one. Denver is not the best defensively,but he's a bit sounder and is much better going forward...McGeady will have more faith playing the ball to him I think.
On the other side,in my opinion McLaughlin is another who's benefited from the LJ coaching and I'd like to see him in with Power moving to midfield. I was quite pleased yesterday first half with Grant and Winch in the middle,I thought we played well,but Grant worries me sometimes....he almost seems to leave it till the last minute to make his pass,wants a little too long on the ball,and runs the risk of getting caught,or playing the wrong pass to get out of trouble.
As for up front,I think the playing of both Wyke and Stewart was a mistake. I would like to see one or other of them with someone in and around them.....O'Brien is an intelligent player and makes good runs in the channels,but,he seems to lack the instinct in front of goal.....maybe Maguire,maybe Gooch, maybe even Jones....all of whom are comfortable with the ball at their feet and who can pick up the knock downs.... with Diamond on the wing maybe the way to go.
One good thing is that,with players coming back from injury at just the right time,LJ has several options at his disposal.
If we'd have taken 3 points yesterday,I'd be hugely confident of automatic promotion....I still think we have some nail biting to do!

 

Gooch RWB?

 

So I keep hearing but their last games were against Doncaster who are rotten, Wimbledon, Bristol Rovers, Shrewsbury, Northampton, Oxford, Wigan.

Yes they'll be another decent team but they've lost twice the games we have, scored fewer and conceded almost twice the goals we have ...

... I'll be very surprised if we don't beat them, although I appreciate that constitutes a jinx in some people's minds.

 

I'm a believer in attack being the best form of defence and on that basis I'd put Wright back in defence and O'Nien in midfield. That way you get the same battling performance from him but further up the pitch which helps keep pressure off the defence and you get his goal threat which we're missing in midfield.

If he can keep up these exceptional performances in midfield then I think we'd get more value from him there. Wright is also a quality CB and may well form a good partnership with Sanderson and be able to get with the playing it out from the back system. He'd also be alongside Hume to help him out with his defensive duties.