A good night game, lots of goals and incidents and three points.
After being so in control and 2 up we eased up (and before Youga went off IMHO) or was it that Rovers woke up, doubled up on Sam where all our attacks were coming from and pushed up to stop us finding Sam, Mooney and Burton so easily.
Youga was a big loss tactically and physically and it good to see how he is now seen as a key player considering how much he was derided only a few months ago. But we seem to need a whipping boy so step forward Elliot Omosuzi. He was poor, almost a Youga like performance you could say but then again the irony would be lost on some.
Really rode our luck after they deservedly got back into it. If only Mooney hadn't inadvertently blocked Shelvey's goal bound shot. They had a great chance to make it 2 - 3 but we came back and somehow got our own passing game going again. In the end we deserved the win.
Shelvey was out of position and didn't have the influence we would expect but that is maybe us expecting to much. Couldn't fault his effort and he did nearly score a couple of times from a very good Sam cross and when Mooney blocked his shot. Bringing Wagstaff on was correct as it allowed Sam to attack the other FB and gave more protection to the Whipping Boy.
Oggy's point about tiredness after Yeovil is very valid but I felt we showed some nerves when Rovers came at us ala Wycombe and it took a while for the team to get it's head together again. Maybe being tired and 2 - 0 up they started to cruise and so got caught out.
While not as anti-Mooney as Large I did feel that he got knocked over very easily but he did score again, set up the third and ran well into space.
Akpo just scared Rovers as soon as he came on. I just hope we can hang on to him as with the again hard working and excellent Burton (another whipping boy at the start of the season lest we forget), Mooney and if he is ever fit McKenzie we have real options up front. And if Rovers want Dickson I'd say "yes, straight swap him for Kuffour".
The ref baiting was funny and very loud but I thought all along that it was the 47 who was booked for the foul although the ref showed the card as the 4 was complaining to him so I can see why people could be confused.
A week off now in which I hope some injuries clear up and the team can rest some aching limbs so they are fresh for Brighton.
good game lastnigh, Sat in the directors box with the Rovers directors and families real good bunch of people and i hope they had a safe journey home, Dicko got a slating and by the end of the game i had convincingly sold Izale to them.
Omozusi wouldnt even get in their team i am relably informed by one of their directors and he admitted that was not a good thing.
Loved meeting Lennie last night and Paul Trollpe was a top man also.
Well done Parky came for a bit of unfair flack from certain qtrs in the west stand but we desered the win and that is 9 in 2 home games and i am very happy with that. Altough one word of advice that he should take on board play Semedo at full back if required and drop Jon next to Bailey because that Elliot fella is absolute toilet and tothink some on here gave Halford and Cranie a slating now there is a player who is all the things that was said about those 2 in 1 player.
He can not Pass, Tackle, Head, Throw, Run, Shoot not good if you want to be a footballer
I feel for Jonjo right now desperate to play and did ok last night but knows he is not a winger, keep your head up fella.
[cite]Posted By: nth london addick[/cite]good game lastnigh, Sat in the directors box with the Rovers directors and families real good bunch of people and i hope they had a safe journey home,
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Never had you down as one of the prawn sandwich brigade!!!!!!!!!!
Can those of you who sang 'you might as well go home' after we went 2-0 up, please not sing that if we go ahead early in another game. Only comes back to bite us and we've been following Charlton for too long to know it's never that easy.
Thought Burton was outstanding.
Omuzusi is waste of time. We can carry a passenger in home games against lesser sides but if he plays away we'll get taken apart down his side.
Well not sure what to make of the game at times we looked edgey and poor against a Rovers side that i thought was shocking. The rovers defending was comedy stuff.
We started really well, got 2 goals and then found ourselves almost over confident.
They got there nose back in it with the dubious pen then went onto dominate and equlaise they could have gone in front but we fought back well and deserved the 3 points in the end.
Defence looked shaky but then you have possibly your 4th choice right back playing.He was no great shakes but he was all we had and he tried so i cant fault the lad but we need others back sooner rather than later.
The midfield was my big concern not really sure we got going in there tonight, thought Shelvey, semedo and especially Bailey was very quiet and i think he new this and became frustrated. Sam looked better and hopefully coming back to form.
The strikers all played there part and was superb.
Glad for 3 points but there are still parts or places that need smoothing over. Well done Boys keep it up
Both Mooney and Sodje's goals were a case of 'right place in the right time' - something which we were crying out for last season.
Feel some of the criticism of Omusuzi is harsh. He started very nervously, but in the second half he made one great intervention on Kuffour after Llera (I think) had got skinned by him. Clearly he's not as good as Richardson, but we're thin on the ground at the moment. If you consider he'd be behind Richardson, Solly and Youga for the right back position if all fit, we can't expect that much better on (I hope) low wages.
Burton back to his early season best last night. Loads of good flick ons in difficult conditions, and still looked energetic even in the closing minutes. Sam's delivery was excellent all night - we went downhill in the first half after we stopped giving him the ball!
Overall an excellent night. In our last three home games we've beaten three promotion rivals 2-1, 5-1 and 4-2. If we can get a bit of luck on the road, it could be a good Christmas. Let's hope that hasn't put the kiss of death on it.
''Elliot Omosuzi. He was poor, almost a Youga like performance you could say but then again the irony would be lost on some.''
Indeed, yes. I presume the ''irony'' you invest in this is that Youga was once a liability and people said on here they never wanted to see him in a Charlton shirt, but he went on to become a good player. Good point. But not sure why you think some aren't savvy enough to see that. The point had already been made in post 30:
''Omuzusi is a disaster... Every time he's anywhere near the ball your heart is in your mouth - bit like it was with Youga at one time.''
Perhaps he will become a good player, although he seems to have had a number of opportunities at different clubs and blown them all. Whatever his future may be, it doesn't alter the fact he's not good enough to be anywhere near our team at the moment with his hopeless lack of any positional awareness whatsoever.
When he arrived you joked, Henry, that you'd never give him more than five. Well he's not let you down, has he? If he's a whipping boy, its because he deserves it as he was several levels below anyone else on the pitch last night.
I'm sorry but I really don't understand the acceptance of Mooney. He has no pace, no physical presence, no ball control, can't jump, can't win a header and doesn't chase down defenders. Two six yard tap-in's are the sum total of his efforts so far. Maybe that is enough ?
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certainly a better option than mcleod or dickson or fleetwood and your comments are exactly the opposite to what the commentators said!
If Mooney hadn't of got in the way of Shelvey's chance it would've been 3 nil in the 1st half.
We played poorly to let them back in it, but that woke us up. Ref was awful.
Bailey loves being in the middle, gets goals and makes tackles everywhere.
Omususi looked dodgy has no first touch, hopefully Youga/Richardson won't be out for long.
Shelvey was ineffective on the left, couldn't get involved in the game, same with Racon on the left, although I think Racon is probably a little better suited to play there.
At the beginning of the season we won 6 games on the trot, knowing that our starting XI was very good but feeling that we didn't have quality cover in depth. Well, suspensions, injury and individual loss of form has truly kicked in now - but despite that, we're scoring goals again, still picking up points and still 2nd.
But it's a patched up team these days, so not surprising that it can look a little vulnerable at times.
Not sure how much the conditions affected play but at times particularly early on we looked a class above. Unlike some other occasions I felt we were always going to score more and would win if we could weather the Rovers attacks. As the game went Rovers seemed to play like the team I expected, and we did well to survive that.
Much prefer 442 even with only one winger, much more likely to bring goals and Shelvey can surely etch a Graham Stuart type role out there. Hope he comes back to form with set pieces cos when he's playing well he can deliver I feel our best quality in this area, for corners anyway.
The fullback solution at least on a temporary basis could be solved by using Semedo there but I can understand the reluctance to lose him from centre mid, although we do have Racon, Shelvey and Spring who could come in there admittedly with differing styles. Thought Basey did better defensively than of late, but his passing was a bit off which might have been the wind.
Very entertaining game I thought and my youngster loved it.
My take on our penalty was the ref had held up the corner to warn about holding and pushing and the defender just started from where he left off and ignored the warning. The one against us was softer but I think he had a positive effect on the game in that area - pushing and shoving virtually disappeared. I think another ref and we might have been struggling against a team aware we are suspect when bullied by a physical approach.
[cite]Posted By: nth london addick[/cite]good game lastnigh, Sat in the directors box with the Rovers directors and families real good bunch of people and i hope they had a safe journey home,
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Never had you down as one of the prawn sandwich brigade!!!!!!!!!!
they were a great bunch of people mate really good laugh, great company throughout the match and excellent banter
, I aim to be in there a few times more before Coke stop sponsoring the league so prawn sandwiches for me it is
Not sure why, as we were agreeing on Omozusi's poor performance and HI's post this morning made exactly the same comparison between Youga's early days and Omozusi that I had made last night...
The only difference was HI didnt think people would get the comparision and I credited them with more intelligence than that!
[cite]Posted By: Dippenhall[/cite]My take on our penalty was the ref had held up the corner to warn about holding and pushing and the defender just started from where he left off and ignored the warning.
quite right, a soft penalty for us I suppose but their defender has only himself to blame :-)
A rewarding match played out by two very incomplete teams.
As always our midfield wanted to surrender territory at every opportunity. Whilst I see Semedo is not a lazy player and brings a body into the team willing to put a foot in, I really don't understand others who bang on about his competitiveness. He hangs back rarely puts in a block tackle of force, virtually never clears his area with a header and for a defender is bloody awful at protecting the d for secondary ball. Yes we do seem to have a rare bunch of midfielders who have talent won't bustle so I agree he is necessary as all others are defensively worse compared to him. As quite a few people have mentioned Semedo at right full back I will say I've been impressed by him there.
Without someone physically dragging our midfield up the pitch and crazily competing for secondary ball we will be brutally cut open by any team as Rovers did at times last night; considering they looked pretty poor and weak down the flanks it's a worry we gave so much space in front of our defence. Compare Semedo to say Keith Jones, far from my favourite player, and the difference is Jones was always willing to bustle push up and put an agressive tackle in when needed. We desperately still need this as although Bailey is able to do it he is positionally impetuous; hey he scores goals and will throw himself into block tackles so it's more than acceptable for a team at our level. But if we go up without rectifying this we will be straight back down.
Sam competed in the first ten minutes but then didn't, and it was nothing to do with double teaming him as Rovers didn't do this properly until the second half. Sam would be on my team sheet every time but his lack of what seemed fitness in the second half seems to be becoming his Rommedahl achillees heel. Especially when you consider how poor Rovers left full back was; Sam was winning every 50/50 challenge against him for the first ten. We desperately need a winger who is direct and competitive, something Waggy showed in the brief time he was on; Parky was getting to bring him before our third goal, but declined after it went in which was a MASSIVE mistake as we were clearly over run in midfield in the second half.
Burton was immense but Rovers well knew there was no chance of him out-running them, hence Baldwin was constantly on at Rovers defence to push out; of all the Rovers' players Baldwin and Kuffour impressed me, whilst Baldwin has champ experience and looks like he'll be cheap from Colchester... one worth keeping tabs on.
Mooney is great at awareness of space, he knows when to step off or stop if he's in space that's why he scores tap ins. He involves himself in play as well and is willing to chase down, but he lacks a physical competitiveness which we desperately need when our midfield lacks it so much. Mooney's main asset is he drifts into space, these players are great if most other players dominate, in our team I'm not sure if we can accomodate that. Akpo Sodje appears to be the right man for that job, pace and power. Whatever is the right blend of personnel, it is nice to have Mooney and Sodje in the mix as they look like players who make a mark. Can't say I ever thought Mcleod off the bench is going to do anything. So I'd be very happy if we keep Mooney; in the right team I think his awareness of space would make him prolific up to champ level.
Youga does seem to be improving, so that's a blow. Basey was good throughout, he seems to have lost some weight and not be troubled at this level by pace now. GB was lively to danger and good at tucking in close to the CB's. He was always lively to a mistake from Llera and one of his inteceptions after a mistake was perfect defending; no matter how much Youga has improved he still isn't good at keeping close to his center back in a breakdown.
Bailey, along with Burton, are the two out of the offensive 6 that can clean their lines and physically outmuscle their opponent. Hopefully Akpo can as well but when it comes down to it two offensive players competing makes it hard during the winter period for us to control matches. Hopefully with Akpo we'll be able to bring it to other teams more. Having said that Parky should still be exceptionally proactive at using 4-5-1 in away matches when we meet physical or highly offensive teams like Huddersfield. He should not play 4-4-2 just because we won the previous week. Our 4-4-2 will get blown away by some teams away from home.
[cite]Posted By: ColinTat[/cite]A rewarding match played out by two very incomplete teams.
As always our midfield wanted to surrender territory at every opportunity. Whilst I see Semedo is not a lazy player and brings a body into the team willing to put a foot in, I really don't understand others who bang on about his competitiveness. He hangs back rarely puts in a block tackle of force, virtually never clears his area with a header and for a defender is bloody awful at protecting the d for secondary ball. Yes we do seem to have a rare bunch of midfielders who have talent won't bustle so I agree he is necessary as all others are defensively worse compared to him.
Without someone physically dragging our midfield up the pitch and crazily competing for secondary ball we will be brutally cut open by any team as Rovers did at times last night; considering they looked pretty poor and weak down the flanks it's a worry we gave so much space in front of our defence. Compare Semedo to say Keith Jones, far from my favourite player, and the difference is Jones was always willing to bustle push up and put an agressive tackle in when needed. We desperately still need this as although Bailey is able to do it he is positionally impetuous; hey he scores goals and will throw himself into block tackles so it's more than acceptable for a team at our level. But if we go up without rectifying this we will be straight back down.
Sam competed in the first ten minutes but then didn't, and it was nothing to do with double teaming him as Rovers didn't do this properly until the second half. Sam would be on my team sheet every time but his lack of what seemed fitness in the second half seems to be becoming his Rommedahl achillees heel. Especially when you consider how poor Rovers left full back was; Sam was winning every 50/50 challenge against him for the first ten. We desperately need a winger who is direct and competitive, something Waggy showed in the brief time he was on; Parky was getting to bring him before our third goal, but declined after it went in which was a MASSIVE mistake as we were clearly over run in midfield in the second half.
Burton was immense but Rovers well knew there was no chance of him out-running them, hence Baldwin was constantly on at Rovers defence to push out; of all the Rovers' players Baldwin and Kuffour impressed me, whilst Baldwin has champ experience and looks like he'll be cheap from Colchester... one worth keeping tabs on.
Mooney is great at awareness of space, he knows when to step off or stop if he's in space that's why he scores tap ins. He involves himself in play as well and is willing to chase down, but he lacks a physical competitiveness which we desperately need when our midfield lacks it so much. Mooney's main asset is he drifts into space, these players are great if most other players dominate, in our team I'm not sure if we can accomodate that. Akpo Sodje appears to be the right man for that job, pace and power. Whatever is the right blend of personnel, it is nice to have Mooney and Sodje in the mix as they look like players who make a mark. Can't say I ever thought Mcleod off the bench is going to do anything. So I'd be very happy if we keep Mooney; in the right team I think his awareness of space would make him prolific up to champ level.
Youga does seem to be improving, so that's a blow. Basey was good throughout, he seems to have lost some weight and not be troubled at this level by pace now. GB was lively to danger and good at tucking in close to the CB's. He was always lively to a mistake from Llera and one of his inteceptions after a mistake was perfect defending; no matter how much Youga has improved he still isn't good at keeping close to his center back in a breakdown.
Bailey, along with Burton, are the two out of the offensive 6 that can clean their lines and physically outmuscle their opponent. Hopefully Akpo can as well but when it comes down to it two offensive players competing makes it hard during the winter period for us to control matches. Hopefully with Akpo we'll be able to bring it to other teams more. Having said that Parky should still be exceptionally proactive at using 4-5-1 in away matches when we meet physical or highly offensive teams like Huddersfield. He should not play 4-4-2 just because we won the previous week. Our 4-4-2 will get blown away by some teams away from home.
You have made a few good points but the general tone of your piece was for me anyway far too critical of a team 2nd in the league scoring freely and playing with effectively a makeshift defence. Far to harsh an assessment imho.
Fair enough. Can't see it really when the points are mainly positive about all players, apart from Semedo who I clearly point out brings value to the team; and so he should when he's on top champ wages.
I think Parky has done an amazing job at getting us v competitive at this level, something I thought would never have happened in early August. If you read my post fairly then it is constructive criticism. If you don't have constructive criticism over a patchy performance against what looked a very average to poor team then I wonder how you constructively asses our bloody awful form in October? The weaknesses in the team are inherrent from Pardew's time.
Personally I'm bloody amazed how well Parky's done, and as I've said many times if he get's us into the play offs I think it will be monumnental achievement. If he manages to keep us ticking over and Akpo improves us just that little bit more, Parky's achievements will be up there with some of Curbs for me.
Agree with Salad. Colin and Scoham are the two I look out for on here after every game for really top-class technical analysis...If I was the manager I'd have 'em both on my coaching staff!
Brilliant analysis Colin - if only some of the 'expert' pundits we have to put up with on TV could come up some in-depth analysis of players' strengths and weaknesses you've pointed out there.
I heard some bizarre comments, well moaning, last night.
One guy wouldn't stop moaning about Burton all game. I heard him call him lazy, shit, waste of space and most ridiculous of all "Probably the worst player we've ever had". Also said he can't hold up the ball, but apparently, McLeod can!
Soon after half time a few of them started shouting at Parkinson, calling him clueless, saying he'll never make a change, questioning Burton being his 'main man' (forgetting we didn't have Sodje, McKenzie or Mooney at the start of the season). Fair enough we weren't playing well, but they were waiting for Bristol Rovers to equalise to moan even more. When Wagstaff came on he was going about him reminding him of Scott Parker, saying how he will be a very good player.
They mentioned a few away games so sounded like they were proper fans, and they weren't young fans either. Can't see how anyone could even consider Burton as one of our worst ever players, he's nowhere near that.
As for the game, not the best performance, but we scored goals and got back ahead when perhaps last season we wouldn't have. Was worth trying out Shelvey on the left, but like Racon and Bailey he can probably do a job there but he's a central midfielder.
Worried about Omozusi, but it wasn't long ago Youga worried most of us and he's turned it around. Not saying he's good enough but it's still early to write him off completely. Obviously would like Richardson back soon as possible. Shame about Solly, he was waiting for a chance then he gets injured at the same time there was room in the team for him.
Happy with Mooney, do agree with Colin he's not a physical player, but he looks like he'll score goals at least at this level, assuming we create chances. Less pace but offers a more all round game than McLeod (or Dickson & Fleetwood in fact). Without reading the whole thread, I'm sure most/all agree that Akpo is a good option at this level.
Will be games like that this season, just have to make sure we do finish them off. Would have been nice to see us keep playing the way we did early on in the game and score a third to kill it off though.
Did anyone else notice that no fewer than FIVE of their outfield players were wearing white boots?
Always makes me smile that, because it reminds me of the kids at school who had forgot their football boots and had to play in their white gym-shoes/pumps/plimsolls.
ColinTat....disagree a bit about Lloyd Sam. After Youga went off his supply dried up for a while plus we stopped playing to feet and kept playing balls over the top for Mooney and Burton. In the 2nd half we fed him to feet a bit more (after Parky no-doubt reminded the team at half-time and as Omozusi began to settle in) and he was able to put over a brilliant cross in for Burton (weak header) and also get into the area from a lovely ball inside the full-back. Wagstaff was by no means as effective as Sam although he did do a couple of useful things very late on. Waggy looks like he's trying a bit too hard when he gets a chance (which is understandable)...there's lots of grabbing people from behind and he's a free-kick waiting to happen. Hopefully, with experience he'll calm down a bit, show a bit of composure and allow his ability to shine through. At 2-1 with Rovers pressing, I'm not sure I would have brought Wagstaff on for Sam although I agree it looked like something had to be done. Maybe Sodje for Mooney at that point or Spring for Mooney and play 4-5-1. Anyway, it worked out in the end although it didn't feel too convincing. However, my hunch is the convincing perfomances may well come 2nd half of the season....providing we don't sell Bailey, Burton, Sam or Youga! course!
If the good Airman is correct in stating that the scoreboard only responded to his (the 4th official) instructions then perhaps he sampled too much of the family brew (jolly nice it is too) prior to the match
Comments
After being so in control and 2 up we eased up (and before Youga went off IMHO) or was it that Rovers woke up, doubled up on Sam where all our attacks were coming from and pushed up to stop us finding Sam, Mooney and Burton so easily.
Youga was a big loss tactically and physically and it good to see how he is now seen as a key player considering how much he was derided only a few months ago. But we seem to need a whipping boy so step forward Elliot Omosuzi. He was poor, almost a Youga like performance you could say but then again the irony would be lost on some.
Really rode our luck after they deservedly got back into it. If only Mooney hadn't inadvertently blocked Shelvey's goal bound shot. They had a great chance to make it 2 - 3 but we came back and somehow got our own passing game going again. In the end we deserved the win.
Shelvey was out of position and didn't have the influence we would expect but that is maybe us expecting to much. Couldn't fault his effort and he did nearly score a couple of times from a very good Sam cross and when Mooney blocked his shot. Bringing Wagstaff on was correct as it allowed Sam to attack the other FB and gave more protection to the Whipping Boy.
Oggy's point about tiredness after Yeovil is very valid but I felt we showed some nerves when Rovers came at us ala Wycombe and it took a while for the team to get it's head together again. Maybe being tired and 2 - 0 up they started to cruise and so got caught out.
While not as anti-Mooney as Large I did feel that he got knocked over very easily but he did score again, set up the third and ran well into space.
Akpo just scared Rovers as soon as he came on. I just hope we can hang on to him as with the again hard working and excellent Burton (another whipping boy at the start of the season lest we forget), Mooney and if he is ever fit McKenzie we have real options up front. And if Rovers want Dickson I'd say "yes, straight swap him for Kuffour".
The ref baiting was funny and very loud but I thought all along that it was the 47 who was booked for the foul although the ref showed the card as the 4 was complaining to him so I can see why people could be confused.
A week off now in which I hope some injuries clear up and the team can rest some aching limbs so they are fresh for Brighton.
LLL&BH
Omozusi wouldnt even get in their team i am relably informed by one of their directors and he admitted that was not a good thing.
Loved meeting Lennie last night and Paul Trollpe was a top man also.
Well done Parky came for a bit of unfair flack from certain qtrs in the west stand but we desered the win and that is 9 in 2 home games and i am very happy with that. Altough one word of advice that he should take on board play Semedo at full back if required and drop Jon next to Bailey because that Elliot fella is absolute toilet and tothink some on here gave Halford and Cranie a slating now there is a player who is all the things that was said about those 2 in 1 player.
He can not Pass, Tackle, Head, Throw, Run, Shoot not good if you want to be a footballer
I feel for Jonjo right now desperate to play and did ok last night but knows he is not a winger, keep your head up fella.
Never had you down as one of the prawn sandwich brigade!!!!!!!!!!
Thought Burton was outstanding.
Omuzusi is waste of time. We can carry a passenger in home games against lesser sides but if he plays away we'll get taken apart down his side.
We started really well, got 2 goals and then found ourselves almost over confident.
They got there nose back in it with the dubious pen then went onto dominate and equlaise they could have gone in front but we fought back well and deserved the 3 points in the end.
Defence looked shaky but then you have possibly your 4th choice right back playing.He was no great shakes but he was all we had and he tried so i cant fault the lad but we need others back sooner rather than later.
The midfield was my big concern not really sure we got going in there tonight, thought Shelvey, semedo and especially Bailey was very quiet and i think he new this and became frustrated. Sam looked better and hopefully coming back to form.
The strikers all played there part and was superb.
Glad for 3 points but there are still parts or places that need smoothing over. Well done Boys keep it up
Feel some of the criticism of Omusuzi is harsh. He started very nervously, but in the second half he made one great intervention on Kuffour after Llera (I think) had got skinned by him. Clearly he's not as good as Richardson, but we're thin on the ground at the moment. If you consider he'd be behind Richardson, Solly and Youga for the right back position if all fit, we can't expect that much better on (I hope) low wages.
Burton back to his early season best last night. Loads of good flick ons in difficult conditions, and still looked energetic even in the closing minutes. Sam's delivery was excellent all night - we went downhill in the first half after we stopped giving him the ball!
Overall an excellent night. In our last three home games we've beaten three promotion rivals 2-1, 5-1 and 4-2. If we can get a bit of luck on the road, it could be a good Christmas. Let's hope that hasn't put the kiss of death on it.
''Elliot Omosuzi. He was poor, almost a Youga like performance you could say but then again the irony would be lost on some.''
Indeed, yes. I presume the ''irony'' you invest in this is that Youga was once a liability and people said on here they never wanted to see him in a Charlton shirt, but he went on to become a good player. Good point. But not sure why you think some aren't savvy enough to see that. The point had already been made in post 30:
''Omuzusi is a disaster... Every time he's anywhere near the ball your heart is in your mouth - bit like it was with Youga at one time.''
Perhaps he will become a good player, although he seems to have had a number of opportunities at different clubs and blown them all. Whatever his future may be, it doesn't alter the fact he's not good enough to be anywhere near our team at the moment with his hopeless lack of any positional awareness whatsoever.
When he arrived you joked, Henry, that you'd never give him more than five. Well he's not let you down, has he? If he's a whipping boy, its because he deserves it as he was several levels below anyone else on the pitch last night.
We played poorly to let them back in it, but that woke us up. Ref was awful.
Bailey loves being in the middle, gets goals and makes tackles everywhere.
Omususi looked dodgy has no first touch, hopefully Youga/Richardson won't be out for long.
Shelvey was ineffective on the left, couldn't get involved in the game, same with Racon on the left, although I think Racon is probably a little better suited to play there.
Spot on.
Much prefer 442 even with only one winger, much more likely to bring goals and Shelvey can surely etch a Graham Stuart type role out there. Hope he comes back to form with set pieces cos when he's playing well he can deliver I feel our best quality in this area, for corners anyway.
The fullback solution at least on a temporary basis could be solved by using Semedo there but I can understand the reluctance to lose him from centre mid, although we do have Racon, Shelvey and Spring who could come in there admittedly with differing styles. Thought Basey did better defensively than of late, but his passing was a bit off which might have been the wind.
Very entertaining game I thought and my youngster loved it.
they were a great bunch of people mate really good laugh, great company throughout the match and excellent banter
, I aim to be in there a few times more before Coke stop sponsoring the league so prawn sandwiches for me it is
Not sure why, as we were agreeing on Omozusi's poor performance and HI's post this morning made exactly the same comparison between Youga's early days and Omozusi that I had made last night...
The only difference was HI didnt think people would get the comparision and I credited them with more intelligence than that!
As always our midfield wanted to surrender territory at every opportunity. Whilst I see Semedo is not a lazy player and brings a body into the team willing to put a foot in, I really don't understand others who bang on about his competitiveness. He hangs back rarely puts in a block tackle of force, virtually never clears his area with a header and for a defender is bloody awful at protecting the d for secondary ball. Yes we do seem to have a rare bunch of midfielders who have talent won't bustle so I agree he is necessary as all others are defensively worse compared to him. As quite a few people have mentioned Semedo at right full back I will say I've been impressed by him there.
Without someone physically dragging our midfield up the pitch and crazily competing for secondary ball we will be brutally cut open by any team as Rovers did at times last night; considering they looked pretty poor and weak down the flanks it's a worry we gave so much space in front of our defence. Compare Semedo to say Keith Jones, far from my favourite player, and the difference is Jones was always willing to bustle push up and put an agressive tackle in when needed. We desperately still need this as although Bailey is able to do it he is positionally impetuous; hey he scores goals and will throw himself into block tackles so it's more than acceptable for a team at our level. But if we go up without rectifying this we will be straight back down.
Sam competed in the first ten minutes but then didn't, and it was nothing to do with double teaming him as Rovers didn't do this properly until the second half. Sam would be on my team sheet every time but his lack of what seemed fitness in the second half seems to be becoming his Rommedahl achillees heel. Especially when you consider how poor Rovers left full back was; Sam was winning every 50/50 challenge against him for the first ten. We desperately need a winger who is direct and competitive, something Waggy showed in the brief time he was on; Parky was getting to bring him before our third goal, but declined after it went in which was a MASSIVE mistake as we were clearly over run in midfield in the second half.
Burton was immense but Rovers well knew there was no chance of him out-running them, hence Baldwin was constantly on at Rovers defence to push out; of all the Rovers' players Baldwin and Kuffour impressed me, whilst Baldwin has champ experience and looks like he'll be cheap from Colchester... one worth keeping tabs on.
Mooney is great at awareness of space, he knows when to step off or stop if he's in space that's why he scores tap ins. He involves himself in play as well and is willing to chase down, but he lacks a physical competitiveness which we desperately need when our midfield lacks it so much. Mooney's main asset is he drifts into space, these players are great if most other players dominate, in our team I'm not sure if we can accomodate that. Akpo Sodje appears to be the right man for that job, pace and power. Whatever is the right blend of personnel, it is nice to have Mooney and Sodje in the mix as they look like players who make a mark. Can't say I ever thought Mcleod off the bench is going to do anything. So I'd be very happy if we keep Mooney; in the right team I think his awareness of space would make him prolific up to champ level.
Youga does seem to be improving, so that's a blow. Basey was good throughout, he seems to have lost some weight and not be troubled at this level by pace now. GB was lively to danger and good at tucking in close to the CB's. He was always lively to a mistake from Llera and one of his inteceptions after a mistake was perfect defending; no matter how much Youga has improved he still isn't good at keeping close to his center back in a breakdown.
Bailey, along with Burton, are the two out of the offensive 6 that can clean their lines and physically outmuscle their opponent. Hopefully Akpo can as well but when it comes down to it two offensive players competing makes it hard during the winter period for us to control matches. Hopefully with Akpo we'll be able to bring it to other teams more. Having said that Parky should still be exceptionally proactive at using 4-5-1 in away matches when we meet physical or highly offensive teams like Huddersfield. He should not play 4-4-2 just because we won the previous week. Our 4-4-2 will get blown away by some teams away from home.
You have made a few good points but the general tone of your piece was for me anyway far too critical of a team 2nd in the league scoring freely and playing with effectively a makeshift defence. Far to harsh an assessment imho.
I think Parky has done an amazing job at getting us v competitive at this level, something I thought would never have happened in early August. If you read my post fairly then it is constructive criticism. If you don't have constructive criticism over a patchy performance against what looked a very average to poor team then I wonder how you constructively asses our bloody awful form in October? The weaknesses in the team are inherrent from Pardew's time.
Personally I'm bloody amazed how well Parky's done, and as I've said many times if he get's us into the play offs I think it will be monumnental achievement. If he manages to keep us ticking over and Akpo improves us just that little bit more, Parky's achievements will be up there with some of Curbs for me.
One guy wouldn't stop moaning about Burton all game. I heard him call him lazy, shit, waste of space and most ridiculous of all "Probably the worst player we've ever had". Also said he can't hold up the ball, but apparently, McLeod can!
Soon after half time a few of them started shouting at Parkinson, calling him clueless, saying he'll never make a change, questioning Burton being his 'main man' (forgetting we didn't have Sodje, McKenzie or Mooney at the start of the season). Fair enough we weren't playing well, but they were waiting for Bristol Rovers to equalise to moan even more. When Wagstaff came on he was going about him reminding him of Scott Parker, saying how he will be a very good player.
They mentioned a few away games so sounded like they were proper fans, and they weren't young fans either. Can't see how anyone could even consider Burton as one of our worst ever players, he's nowhere near that.
As for the game, not the best performance, but we scored goals and got back ahead when perhaps last season we wouldn't have. Was worth trying out Shelvey on the left, but like Racon and Bailey he can probably do a job there but he's a central midfielder.
Worried about Omozusi, but it wasn't long ago Youga worried most of us and he's turned it around. Not saying he's good enough but it's still early to write him off completely. Obviously would like Richardson back soon as possible. Shame about Solly, he was waiting for a chance then he gets injured at the same time there was room in the team for him.
Happy with Mooney, do agree with Colin he's not a physical player, but he looks like he'll score goals at least at this level, assuming we create chances. Less pace but offers a more all round game than McLeod (or Dickson & Fleetwood in fact). Without reading the whole thread, I'm sure most/all agree that Akpo is a good option at this level.
Will be games like that this season, just have to make sure we do finish them off. Would have been nice to see us keep playing the way we did early on in the game and score a third to kill it off though.
Always makes me smile that, because it reminds me of the kids at school who had forgot their football boots and had to play in their white gym-shoes/pumps/plimsolls.
If the good Airman is correct in stating that the scoreboard only responded to his (the 4th official) instructions then perhaps he sampled too much of the family brew (jolly nice it is too) prior to the match
:-)