I'm more than a little miffed by the omission of Stephens from our midfield for a number of you. The extra time he'll be afforded in possession in the Championship will surely suit him down to the ground. Imo his range of passing and vision is unrivalled in our squad. I firmly believe that we should build our midfield around him next season. Imo we will massively benefit if we play to his strengths and allow him the freedom to express himself. I'm expecting big things from Mr Stephens this coming season...!!
Agree re Stephens. And for those who doubt about getting more time and space on the ball in the championship, just read kermos interview on the OS from last week
For me it's either Jackson or Stephens in centre midfield and I'd prefer (just) Jacko as the team captain.
The incisive, cutting range of passing he clearly possesses could be the difference when it comes to unlocking well organised Championship defences. I for one believe the blend of Hollands and Stephens is a good one. Yes, it's a bit of a gamble because neither have ever tried their luck in the Championship. However, for me they have both shown more than enough to suggest they could more than hold their own.
Franco, our midfield was over run too many times in L1 to suggest that no changes will be required for the Championship
Stephens needs a new partner, and to be made the attacking of the two. Then you will see him splitting defences and getting on the scoresheet more regularly.
When CP undertook the major surgery he did last summer, his aim was to build a team for the future and not just for league one. Wholesale changes will destroy the team and the ethos that has been established with the team. Yes there will be some additions to the first team and possibly one or two will surprise us, but I do not beleive that there will be the wholesale surgery that some on here are suggesting. Yes, Hayes and Clark will go, Nguessan and Cook may or may not join us, there will be a signing to strengthen the midfield and possibly on the wing but not all change since it will destroy what he has built. A team is always greater than the sum of its components and adding a "star" here or there may weaken the machine rather than strengthen it. CP is shrewd enough to know this and will bring in team players, probably some we will not know to much about and possibly someone who has been "dismissed" by others at not good enough.
Stephens, Pritchard and Hollands looked solid to me. Just means we have to do without a right-winger.
Hollands needs a new partner, and to be made the more defensive of the two. Then you will see us defending better and both of them getting on the scoresheet from time to time. You may say that we don't need to defend a lot better, but we will be facing a different class of forward next season. We won't be able to afford someone in midfield who bottles out of a lot of tackles, and even when he does tackle someone doesn't make it "stick", and who frequently gives the ball away in his own half by passing without looking (including a dangerous propensity to pass backwards without looking). Don't get me wrong. Stephens is the most naturally talented of all our midfielders and could go on to great things. He is just not ready yet. He needs another season to learn safe habits and toughen up physically. Which is why I suggested using Darel Russell for our first season back. That was not well received here (you lot are horrible to me ), but, if not Russell, then someone like him who won't get brushed off the ball like Stephens or Pritchard (another one who needs another year to develop). I also think it is wishful thinking about "more time on the ball" in the Championship. If Stephens or anyone else has suffered from being hassled, harried, and hacked in Div One, and this tactic has been successful to minimise his contribution, do you really think much better and quicker players in the Championship are going to stand off at a distance just to admire his talent? If he is the playmaking threat you allege (and I agree he could be in the further future) they will just be all over him quicker and tackling him more skilfully than their Div One counterparts.
Hamer,Solly,Morrison,Another,Wiggins, Another,Hollands,Another,Jackson Kermogant,Another. I would love to see Antonio-RM,Wordsworth-LM,Quinn-CM,Baldock-Striker,Luke Chambers-centre-defence
Despite the fact that our best spell of the season (October/November) coincided with Hollands going forward a lot more as Hughes was doing the defending? Maybe Hollands' problem is that he's so good at both the defensive and attacking side of being a midfielder that he tries to do everything. So I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you eddie, it may be better to tell him to focus more on defending than attacking. But it will be difficult to get Stephens forward more, as he really likes to sit deep and try and orchestrate from there. If Powell can get him forward more, then I think a Stephens/Hollands combination might work in the Championship.
The first midfielder on my team-sheet would be Pritchard. Love his natural enthusiasm, reminds me a bit of Robbo in that respect, a great quality, one which the great Bill Shankly treasured. He reads the game too.
I can't believe what I'm reading. Yes Prichard is a good player who's improving all the time, but pick him ahead of Hollands... Really? Hollands has been immense for us all season. He's our engine room and Imo very much fundamental to what we've achieved this season. He's been great going forward and equally good when it comes going back the other way. Not since Lee Bowyer have a seen a CM in a Charlton shirt with such a good engine. For me along with Morrison and Kermo, Hollands is a shoe in as a starter to make up the spine of our side.
Completely disagree Eddie. Hollands was poor for the second half of the season, we need a defensive midfielder willing to challenge the opposition ALL THE TIME. The number of games in which Hollands poorly attempted a tackle, failed then just gave up, drove me insane! Plus he's not the youngest, so the chances of him improving this side of his game are comparatively slim. Slackbladder, I disagree about Stephens 'loving to play deep'. First half of the season he was very much an advanced playmaker, I feel CP told him (after his injury) to play a deeper role, which doesn't suit his game. Whilst Stephens may not be great at tackling, he is the creative spark in our midfield who we will need in The Championship. Without meaning to sound too harsh, Hollands has been more like the Pardew/Parky signings which we grew oh so used to in recent years, much like Semedo, Racon etc - impressive for the first half a year, anonymous in the business end of the season.
And the winner was.........well none of us really! But I suspect we were all under the reasonable expectation that there would be a couple of higher profile signings than have actually materialised. Mentions in dispatchers for those who said Pritch would be a starter and for those who suggested that any signings might not quite be what we expected.
