Manager: If we are going to play that style, we should have have stuck with Parky. He understands it better. At home last season we beat Sheff Wed and played well. Experienced manager: makes a brave substitution after 15 minutes which changes the game. Inexperienced manager: if it ain't working, don't fix it (until 12 minutes to go, then hope Euell can work miracles). GK Will cost us points and maybe promotion. Suggest we scour the Premiership to borrow a third-choice keeper who is not getting games. Start at Newcastle. RB: Wenger took the wrong one. LB: Time for Evina. Equally clueless at defending but should provide the left-wing thrust we are lacking. CB (Taylor): v Bury: "Wake up! They're taking a quick free-kick!" v Sheff Wed "Wake up! They're taking a corner!" CB (Morrison) Why did he and Semedo bother to move 180 miles? They are like peas out of a pod. Both 100% committed. Both lucky to stay on the pitch yesterday. Will pick up numerous red cards and cost their teams a lot of points through having to play with ten men. CM (Hollands): Played like the captain he has been for much of his young career. The Planning Department (Stephens, Jackson, Hayes): When the going gets tough, they get going (on their holidays). OR: Let's hope Green is fit soon. CF: One-trick pony. Mind you, scoring goals is a trick we won't get tired of quickly.
Great post, Eddie. I don't agree with you on everything, but your brutal honesty is admirable -and very amusing to read. For me, Solly, Waggy, BWP and Morrison earnt their money last night. The rest should be under serious review.
I was just being a "Sun" type smartass. Happy to be third and unbeaten. Let's start again on Saturday. Was a shock to see the ball being ballooned about though. so I needed to work off some steam.
Agree re substitutions, Euell for Hayes changes very little and smacks of Old Boys' Association. Megson outsmarted Powell in midfield last night, Prutton looked mighty impressive and Semedo was Semedo, exactly the same as we remember him. Hollands and Stephens couldn't get forward and Sheff Wed were happy to play for the point. Disagree re BWP, he offers more than just goals, will run behind the defence all day and was our most dangerous player last night. Jackson was anonymous, either he creates/scores a goal or does nothing. Slightly worried that he has become undropppable by being captain. Either way, changes needed to freshen up the side.
CaptainB, you stole my point on Jackson. If he isn't dropped then he should move into the middle with Hollands. He is no wide-man. I would rather Waggy and Green out wide. Or Evina and Green with Waggy playing just behind BWP. Maybe Euell will start on Saturday rather than come on for a pointless cameo? We also learnt that many Charlton fans prefer to watch us on Sky than in the flesh.
I still think Hayes is better than Euell - when we play to Hayes' strengths, like at Colchester, he is a superb link up man who gets the best out of the midfield and BWP. Last night we resorted to long balls to him, which do not work as he won't jump. Never again Chris.
Chris must have been thinking of bringing on Pritchard. It was an obvious substitution, and he was warming up for ages with Euell. I'd like to know why he couldn't actually bring himself to do it. I wonder how he is going to cope with having such a big squad.
Excuse my, ermmmmm.. amusement? But we really are starting to question CP after a disappointing performance to which we picked up a point against a promotion rival, still 3rd in the league and unbeaten after 6 games? I don't wish to sound sarcastic, not patronising, but the self doubt placed in peoples mind from last nights game is not far short of staggering. Last Tuesday we were praising he and the team, hard fought away victory against Bury, Stephens pass to Jackson was Beckham-esque , we can win our next 6 games before MK Dons.... Look at the contrast from then till now. Think that shows that perhaps some are being a bit fickle? Or maybe I have rose tinted specs on whilst enjoying a lovely warm bovril? Hayes for Euell- I was calling for it. Thought Hayes was decent enough but thought JE's experience could bring something different. Pritchard - thought about it, but whilst we were still suspect to defending set plays, I thought Stephens and Hollands had to be kept in to combat Sheff Weds robust approach. The main thing I'm disappointed about is Saturdays game being at The Valley. Would much rather be traveling to Exeter than meeting them in the ol' SE.
What did we learn yesterday? That hoofball doesn't work when the target is shorter than 5 foot 10 (and the guy marking him is 6 foot 6).
I usually agree with you SuperC but It isn't fickle to disagree with specific managerial decisions. You have described two of our players as "awful" so that is also a criticism which you are perfectly entitled to make. In last night's game we have different views about who played well, that's football, but I think it's fair to say that CP is more than a tad cautious in his use of sustitutes.
I stand by them two playing awful. I'm usually backing Solly up, but last night he couldn't do the job. That said, I'm not calling for his head and would still like him to retain against Exeter. It's a criticism of how he went about it- but I'm not now questioning every thing about him attribute wise. So I think there is a bit of a difference between points.
My point is really that CP had a poor game last night, his choice of substitutes and his failure to use what he had(and it's the first time I have criticised him). Likewise with Stephens, maybe his miss put him off but he has to learn to cope with this sort of thing and I'm sure he will. I did not see him giving Solly much support, that was why Solly played so many long balls, there was no-one to pass to. Just the way I saw it.
FHB- that's fair enough, but do you surely not agree that in general today's posts have been over the top? I'm as dissapointed as anyone, but it seems like we're trying to find faults and over exaggerate to get certain points across. I back CP with Euell for Hayes- thought new energy up top could work. The only player I would have taken off for Pritchard was Waggy. For the criticism with defence, I thought they were pretty solid. Morro and Taylor knew when to clear and when to try and play the ball out. Set pieces need to be worked on, but with a new back 4 (and squad), that doesn't surprise me.
Pritchard for Waggy was an option, I just don't see Waggy as a winger any more, he has to change position if he is to move on. I'd definitely rather have CP as manager than Megson who has produced yet another ugly team. But Pritchard IMO has earned the right to play a part and I was getting a bit steamed up watching the dug-out hoping in vain that CP would use his undoubted talent somewhere or other to win the game.
I was very disappointed with our attacking tactics last night. Virtually every ball was sent into the box from deep instead of our usual passing build up and we played far too many long cross pitch balls that were completely ineffective. We were second to the majority of first balls and didn't win many second ones either. We can be thankful for keeping our run going but I would like to see us play the ball on the floor with interlocking passes and work the ball into the danger area.....after all haven't we playing that way in our previous games. the tactics weren't broke before, so why fix it?
We all know CP shouldnt of let Llerra go BUT there you go he did . I too hate the fickleness of our support it staggers me at times. As for any critism of BWP totaly rediculous. I love Jason E but prefer Benson as back up to Hayes. Prichard deserves to start but in CP we trust.
