I was unconvinced by Wiggins and Hayes although the latter improved in the 2nd half when Green started to get in his crosses early. The 2 centre half's look like proper no nonsense players. Hollands and Stephens look like they'll form a formidable partnership. definitely need another forward to hold up the ball and bring the midfield into play.
Thought Wiggins started shaky but improved as game went on. Glad to see back 4 being given lot of time to play together. Thought midfield showed a lot of promise, particularly Green. Hayes will be one of those players that not all fans will like but I think him and BWP could be a real handful when the team settles. Bover will be a real plus on the bench and I look forward to seeing more of him. Overall a good run out for the team and apart from some numpties having a row in the West, a very enjoyable evening.
Was it just me then ? Cos I thought Wiggins was dreadful.
He had an absolute 'mare.
Wiggins will take time to settle in , and fans will need to be patient with him , he will get better , i believe Chris Powell can / will make him a better player and improve his game , it was his favoured position after all , so this gives me hope , a Bournemouth fan i spoke to recently said they were pleased to get shot of him , but were gutted to lose Hollands , patience is key with this lad.
Was it just me then ? Cos I thought Wiggins was dreadful.
I'm with you on that one.
One disappointing aspect for me tonight was a group behind me in the West stand booed Benson when he came on and shouted that they would buy him a ticket to Nottingham.
Green, Hollands and Stephens were the players that stood out for me. Bit worried about Wiggins, kept losing the ball, lacked a bit of pace etc... Defence a bit shaky at the start....who got mugged of possession in our pen area? Bover looked good when he came on for last 10 mins and Pritchard has got some useful pace and happy to get stuck in.
Hayes was much improved tonight compared to when he played at Woking, Den Bosch looked a good side , technically good , and enjoyed to move the ball around , glad we're not playing a division of Den Bosches! great finish by Bradley , still need to improve our finishing in the final 3rd , (2 new strikers perhaps) but performance a lot more encouraging than anything i saw at the end of last season.
Stephens and Hollands seem to work well breaking up play , still can't remember the last Charlton player swinging in crosses like Danny Green , no wonder Benson scored so many at Daggers.
I thought Wiggins looked a bit shaky, and did get skinned a couple of times, but as bubble said, their right winger did look good, and was pretty quick. Still, hopefully Wiggins will improve. Also thought Stephens and Hollands were excellent, so nice to see footballers that appear so comfortable on the ball, and our midfield is now looking very strong. Im still not convinced by Hayes. He had some wonderful touches but there just seems something about him thats not quite there yet, I think I still prefer Benno to him, which probably underlines the point that we still need another striker.
All in all though I think we looked pretty comfortable tonight, hopefully will start creating more clear cut chances,but happy with what I have seen.
Noticeable plusses for me were hollands, stephens, Dr green, bwp, bover. Two centre halves don't look like they will lose a header until about March. More positives and negatives but still not convinced YET there will be enough there to secure promotion
Noticeable plusses for me were hollands, stephens, Dr green, bwp, bover. Two centre halves don't look like they will lose a header until about March. More positives and negatives but still not convinced YET there will be enough there to secure promotion
plusses for me were hayes looked reasonable, despite his poorer performances in the earlier friendlies and im loving the look of stephens hollands and green
negative for me was wiggins ,defensively he looked shakey but there's something about him pushing on that is positive
two centre halves rarely troubled so hard to judge , of the two i preferred the longer haired one whoever that was
i also heard one doughnut booooo benson from the west stand
nice cool finish from bwp , top man
and respect to the den bosch fans who raised 500 quid for demelza and for their support for their team
anyone else think the dutch no.9 was a ruuuuud van nistelroy look a like but not play a like
7 per cent autos 68 per cent play off bants 25 per cent the embarrassment continues
I just thought wiggins looked a little shaky/nervous. Don't think its anything to worry about and I'm sure he will be a good player for us this season.
Stephens always seemed to be on the ball and always wanted it. I was a big semedo fan but watching Hollands, he does semedos job but gets forward and sprays play around so very impressed with him
Even though bover didn't do to much, from what I saw he is going to be some player. Comfortable of the ball and looks like he can play just behind the striker
So much better to see us keeping it on the deck and so much more improved to last season.
liking the fact we're trying to actually play football and have a group of players who individually are comfortable with the ball at their feet, some nice little combo's between players but not seen a team as yet. Very hopeful this will grow into a team though, they seem to be talking a lot with each other which can only be good thing.
Individually thought hollands and stephens looked good, green can play some excellent balls in and boy does he have a throw on him (as did hollands) morrison looked good thought hayes grew into the game and bradley looked fairly lively (for a friendly), very encouraged although hard to judge in a friendly match. May have only been a few minuetes but thought both bover and pritchard looked handy and possible 'game changers', along with waggy from the bench, something we've not had in a long time, options
hollands over semedo... need i say more. i loved semedo believed he could off played high champo with ease but hollands looks like could be the signing of the summer!
Having now seen both the Welling game & then tonight, my thoughts are this:
Still lack something more up front and if rumours be true Gregor Rasziak isn't the answer. Hayes looked better than he did against Welling but IMO he won't get into double figs this coming season.
Midfield is looking better and with Danny Green we finally have someone whoi can cross the ball - promlem is it will be wasted as we don't have anyone up front who will make the most of it...........Also we still don't have a central midfielder who can put a pass through to BWP - really need a Andy Reid/Danny Muphy type who can thread a good ball along the floor.
Centre halves look ok & if we signed Jurgen the German then we should have cover (along with Mambo) for those positions. Jury out on wiggins - he can certainly defend and run with the ball but yet to see him hit a decent cross from the left and don't think we had any come in from him or Jackson tonight. Left side is still our problem area.
Agree with AFKA earlier, still a work in progress.
Random thoughts.
Overall no crunching tackles about due to being a PSF. Will have to wait for serious games to find out who can really challenge for the ball.
Danny Green will be suspended once or twice this season.
Considering all the changes, CP and the staff have NOT created a car crash team, I think they will improve more, but may still need one or two additions. Opposing fans who have doubts about CP may well be proved wrong.
New defenders overall reliable, rigid 442 all round, may need to have alternative structures planned for some future games.
Midfield Hollands fine, but Dale Stephens caught my eye because when not in posession he constantly checked around so he could make an early decision when he got the ball.
Hayes got better as the game went on, much better touch and ball control then Benno, however I don't think they're competing for the same role, Benno for BWP was the realistic swap to try. When Hayes went off Ruby played behind the lone striker, enjoyed his cameo, and Pritchards too.
Waggy was fine, no issues with him.
Wish our fans had not felt the need to 'respond' to the DB fans, some of whom I understand had been around and about the Valley since 9am.
The only real test is v Bournemouth first game, then we will see whats what, but we won European silverware at last. Now to finish the quintuple(?).
Comments
That's just it though. He will be first choice. Probably an off night for either him playing or for me watching him.
You dont like Francis do you?
Lets hope he doesn't have 34 stinkers next year, as Solly worried me tonight.
I wasn't happy with wiggins, he got skinned all game,
very happy with everyone else, nice movement good passes and crosses. Danny Greens cross is just brilliant and bwp's goal was classy.
Also impressed with Bover's and Pritchards cameo's.
WE ARE THE PEOPLES CHAMPIONS!!!!!!! COYR!
I thought wiggins had s tough night, but to be fair their right midfield player looked a tidy player
Onwards and upwards
I thought Wiggins looked a bit shaky, and did get skinned a couple of times, but as bubble said, their right winger did look good, and was pretty quick. Still, hopefully Wiggins will improve. Also thought Stephens and Hollands were excellent, so nice to see footballers that appear so comfortable on the ball, and our midfield is now looking very strong. Im still not convinced by Hayes. He had some wonderful touches but there just seems something about him thats not quite there yet, I think I still prefer Benno to him, which probably underlines the point that we still need another striker.
All in all though I think we looked pretty comfortable tonight, hopefully will start creating more clear cut chances,but happy with what I have seen.
Stephens always seemed to be on the ball and always wanted it. I was a big semedo fan but watching Hollands, he does semedos job but gets forward and sprays play around so very impressed with him
Even though bover didn't do to much, from what I saw he is going to be some player. Comfortable of the ball and looks like he can play just behind the striker
So much better to see us keeping it on the deck and so much more improved to last season.
Individually thought hollands and stephens looked good, green can play some excellent balls in and boy does he have a throw on him (as did hollands) morrison looked good thought hayes grew into the game and bradley looked fairly lively (for a friendly), very encouraged although hard to judge in a friendly match. May have only been a few minuetes but thought both bover and pritchard looked handy and possible 'game changers', along with waggy from the bench, something we've not had in a long time, options
Having now seen both the Welling game & then tonight, my thoughts are this:
Still lack something more up front and if rumours be true Gregor Rasziak isn't the answer. Hayes looked better than he did against Welling but IMO he won't get into double figs this coming season.
Midfield is looking better and with Danny Green we finally have someone whoi can cross the ball - promlem is it will be wasted as we don't have anyone up front who will make the most of it...........Also we still don't have a central midfielder who can put a pass through to BWP - really need a Andy Reid/Danny Muphy type who can thread a good ball along the floor.
Centre halves look ok & if we signed Jurgen the German then we should have cover (along with Mambo) for those positions. Jury out on wiggins - he can certainly defend and run with the ball but yet to see him hit a decent cross from the left and don't think we had any come in from him or Jackson tonight. Left side is still our problem area.
I still can't see us getting out of this division
Agree with AFKA earlier, still a work in progress.
Random thoughts.
Overall no crunching tackles about due to being a PSF. Will have to wait for serious games to find out who can really challenge for the ball.
Danny Green will be suspended once or twice this season.
Considering all the changes, CP and the staff have NOT created a car crash team, I think they will improve more, but may still need one or two additions. Opposing fans who have doubts about CP may well be proved wrong.
New defenders overall reliable, rigid 442 all round, may need to have alternative structures planned for some future games.
Midfield Hollands fine, but Dale Stephens caught my eye because when not in posession he constantly checked around so he could make an early decision when he got the ball.
Hayes got better as the game went on, much better touch and ball control then Benno, however I don't think they're competing for the same role, Benno for BWP was the realistic swap to try. When Hayes went off Ruby played behind the lone striker, enjoyed his cameo, and Pritchards too.
Waggy was fine, no issues with him.
Wish our fans had not felt the need to 'respond' to the DB fans, some of whom I understand had been around and about the Valley since 9am.
The only real test is v Bournemouth first game, then we will see whats what, but we won European silverware at last. Now to finish the quintuple(?).