Disappointing result. We have a tough run of games coming up and this was a match that we needed to win. It's all very well to say that newly promoted sides are often difficult sides to play, particularly in the first matches of the season, but if we want to comfortably avoid relegation, these are games that we need to win. Wigan and Derby are promotion hopefuls and picking up points from them will be extremely tough, though home advantage may help.
Let's just hope that the team is still trying to find it's feet with all the changes. If it is the case, the sooner we gel, the better.
Disappointing result. We have a tough run of games coming up and this was a match that we needed to win. It's all very well to say that newly promoted sides are often difficult sides to play, particularly in the first matches of the season, but if we want to comfortably avoid relegation, these are games that we need to win. Wigan and Derby are promotion hopefuls and picking up points from them will be extremely tough, though home advantage may help.
Let's just hope that the team is still trying to find it's feet with all the changes.
Christ must win games have started earlier than expected. How do we know what games are tough yet anyway? Brentford could be a top half team which we could have scored 3 past away from home.
I think some of you need to take a reality check...........that or a chill pill.
We were playing a promoted side away from home & we had 7 debutants and not played the same 11 players in 1 90 min pre-season game.
With that all in mind I would have taken a point at 3 o'clock and on balance of play a point was well deserved.
Igor, Bikey & Solly were my standout players, but all 12 (cant really count the 2 late subs) played their part & put a shift in. If I was manager I would play Morrow instead of Ben Haim and either Hariott for Cousins (pegs & holes again) or Harriott AND Cousins and drop JJ.
I will give Hariott the benefit of the doubt seeing as its the first game of the season, but we must bury these chances - big difference taking 3 points back home with us instead of one & you do that half a dozen times a season then you are looking upwards & not down.
For those saying Solly was great, he was skinned by Judge, Dallas et al multiple times, in fact I thought the full backs and the central midfielders were the worst performers. Impressed by the CB's, strikers and JBG, Henderson flapped a couple of times and made a great save, Cousins was out wide wo what do.you expect? Harriott didn't do a lot, should have buried it though, ce la vie
Disappointing result. We have a tough run of games coming up and this was a match that we needed to win. It's all very well to say that newly promoted sides are often difficult sides to play, particularly in the first matches of the season, but if we want to comfortably avoid relegation, these are games that we need to win. Wigan and Derby are promotion hopefuls and picking up points from them will be extremely tough, though home advantage may help.
Let's just hope that the team is still trying to find it's feet with all the changes.
In what way did we NEED to win that game ?
If anything it's Brentford that NEEDED to win that game, proud of the boys after today, I know I gave Harriot some verbals when he missed that sitter, but it's one of them things. Taking all things to consideration I'm a lot more excited about this season than I was last .
Come on people defending harriot for the miss nothing against him but that was awful other than that thought he done alright when he came on, I think we was the better side and probably should have been 2 up at half time George's chance and Igor with a poor pull back from inside the box. Still more to come from this team I think and also thanks to mike for helping with a ticket.
Ok, just got back, our support was fantastic, barely heard Brentford sing apart from after they scored and I was in the front row of the lower tier.
I thought Vetokele, Gudmundson and Jackson stood out for me. Henderson also looked pretty solid as did Bikey. First half we naturally looked like a side that hadn't played together before and were a bit rusty, Brentford really went for it first half with most of the position but had nothing up front. We should have been undeservedly 1-0 up at HT, given Georges miss.
Came out early second half and really went for it, obviously a good team talk from BP, we were a completely different side. Vetokele was giving the defenders trouble all day and got a deserved goal, lovely header and nice corner from Jacko who was solid, a lot more than Buyens IMO, who still needs time to adapt. Vetokele chased down a ball, 50/50 with the keeper outside the box which he won, ball fell to Harriot and yes he should have scored but it wasn't a howler, he was under pressure from the defender but as we drew have to say it was disappointing. Their goal was a big deflection but I think it was Wiggins who was beaten down the wing and either solly or ben haim had lost their man at the back post although it was hard to see from where I was sitting.
A lot to be positive about, Solly really looked sharp going forward and at the back, Bikey - solid, Vetokele a definite threat. I'm always positive but do feel we could still surprise a fair few this season with at least a top 10 finish and who knows from there? Brentford first day away was always going to be difficult and may be brentfords best game they will play all season.
Lovely little ground, nice pubs and fantastic away end. All in all a good day and roll on Wigan (sod Colchester I hope we play our youth team and lose)
p.s never realised how massive Bob is! Must be at least 6'3!
Harriott will know he should have scored, but after his heroics to keep us up at the end of last season I'm more than happy to let him off.
Igor looks great, what a leap he has for a smallish fella. Not only does he have the ability but he worked his nuts off and actually won a few tackles tracking back.
Surprised that a lot were praising Henderson. I thought he came flapping at a few crosses and there was a clear lack of communication between him and the defence on a couple of occassions.
Really? I thought he handled the crosses particularly well.
Considering we had 7 debutants, a lot to be pleased about. I can see us winning a lot of games this year - Vetokele and Gudmondsson will make a big difference to us going forward, Bikey a big player in every sense of the word and Brentford fans all around me saying how well set up we were. Just need to sort Cousins' best position.
I was a guest of someone who works for Brentford so was sat in Directors Box a couple of rows behind Roy Hodgson (he's 'aware' of Cousins), and l was able to grab a few words with Katrin. Was very impressed by her, left me in no doubt about the commitment of the owners to CAFC, and make no mistake, they expect to see some seriously good results from us this year. Also talked about importance of fans and improving our experience - including results. Ties in with Valley improvements. I would say nailed on there will be another striker in soon. So probably not much not said before, but as l am emphatically never ITK l was still pleased to hear it.
Here's a pic - along with Roy you can make out Katrin and Richard Murray towards the front on right of screen. And the back of John Stapleton's head.
First half was a typical Charlton away day performance. Kept it tight and never really looked like conceding, we didn't' keep the ball well enough (Bikey in particular) and George missed our only chance of the half.
Second half we improved, kept the ball better and looked decent coming forward. The main thing I took from the game was that Vetokele looks very very good. He has a real good work rate, looks sharp and clearly has some quality about him. Tucedean and Buyens were the biggest disappointments, however I'm not sure how much of that was down to Buyens being on a yellow for most of the game, he also seemed to give it away a lot as well. Tucudean didn't hold the ball up at all and was pretty anonymous.
No doubt in my mind that we are better than last year but we still lack a striker to hold the ball up, and a creative centre midfielder who can actually run with the ball to take Jacksons place. (Sorry Jacko).
Yeah Harriott should've scored, but I haven't read all posts, but I see some people crucifying the lad after one game. Get a grip.
Igor and Gud were on a different level to all the others.
JJ, love him, but can't see him in a central duo. Cousins played wide left to track the runs of Moses Odubajo, who was subsequently subbed at half time.
Decent point. If we keep the focus, the drive, this season we will be looking upwards instead of downwards.
I suppose a 1-1 draw is kind of fair enough, but it was a drag after clawing our way ahead in a decent enough match. An away point is an away point, but it means we have to be able to start doing stuff at home and we have some tough games coming up. I thought Brentford dominated the first half hour we played a stream of long balls out from the back which constantly gifted them possession, then we clawed our way onto a foothold in the match. It seemed very much a team of strangers against a very well organised Brentford for much of the first half. However we didn't exactly grow in confidence after half time so much as there seems to have been a 'Bob' effect during half time. For a while we were excellent and Brentford simply couldn't keep us out, Igor's goal was criminal from Brentford's point of view but we were being relentless until we scored. Then of course came Callums crossbar moment which should have sealed it. The fact that Brentford equalised, even with an (un)lucky deflection following a handball the ref missed, is a salutary lesson to the newcomers. Brentford to their credit did not give up and equalised, indeed Alan Judge also hit the woodwork, and our new players should learn either that you have to kill teams off in this league, or expect to come under very heavy late pressure that you have to withstand. I think Bob might have learned from that too today As for the players, well Igor was clearly our MOTM, and I thought that Cousins played well, even though I don't like him wide left, Chris Solly is an absolute master who can play well with anybody, Ben Haim was decent, and Bikey a kind of a bit better Leon Court. Johann was eager and willing, JJ and Wiggy steady, I still can't suss out Yoni, would prefer Cousins in his position, George was better than Pavel Abbott, and the keeper got better as the game progressed and overall ended having had a good game. I still think that was an unconvincing performance and we remain very much a work in progress. I didn't see the game side on, those watching on the telly may have seen it all differently, assessment is a bit more tricky watching from behind the goal.
i think if we play well with that team then imagine when the players are in their stride and all of them are playing, like moussa, morrison and harriot fro mthe start.
Considering we had 7 debutants, a lot to be pleased about. I can see us winning a lot of games this year - Vetokele and Gudmondsson will make a big difference to us going forward, Bikey a big player in every sense of the word and Brentford fans all around me saying how well set up we were. Just need to sort Cousins' best position.
I was a guest of someone who works for Brentford so was sat in Directors Box a couple of rows behind Roy Hodgson (he's 'aware' of Cousins), and l was able to grab a few words with Katrin. Was very impressed by her, left me in no doubt about the commitment of the owners to CAFC, and make no mistake, they expect to see some seriously good results from us this year. Also talked about importance of fans and improving our experience - including results. Ties in with Valley improvements. I would say nailed on there will be another striker in soon. So probably not much not said before, but as l am emphatically never ITK l was still pleased to hear it.
Here's a pic - along with Roy you can make out Katrin and Richard Murray towards the front on right of screen. And the back of John Stapleton's head.
Vetokele was class, easily our best player. Gudmundsson showed signs of being a class player but could have been more effective Jackson was ineffective again and didn't really do much to help Buyens in the middle, Cousins alongside Buyens would be far more effective.
If igor plays like he did today he'll score a lot of goals.jbg looked good as did bikey .wiggins poor .jackson not great. Harriott has gotta score that I'm afraid . Our mate si would of buried that .not a bad point though
After a slow start when Brentford stretched us all over the place we eased into it and were unlucky not to win after the break. While they were on top for the first quarter, they never really hurt us, and might find that a problem. Judge & Pritchard found far too many little pockets between our defence and midfield but we nullified the new winger and kept their efforts on goal to a minimum. Bikey was immense in every sense, Solly was Solly after a slow start, Wiggy defended very well but passed not so well, and Ben Haim used his experience to appear unflustered. Henderson's handling was excellent.
After the break we had a much better go at them, pressing much further up, and at last giving Igor a chance to show us what he can do. Sadly no-one really gave him much help up front but at least we were now playing in and around their box. He did very well to jump and head in at the near post but Button should never have allowed him to; thoroughly deserved goal though. Tucudean was rightly replaced not too long after but being not quite match fit, Callum made little impact, until his effort hit the bar after yet more good work from Igor. Annoying to concede a late deflected goal but plenty of positives after HT. Brentford's next few home games will reveal how good a point this was but it's one more than I predicted.
Pluses: Igor, Bikey, good defence all round, and Bob appeared to address the biggest problems at HT.
Minuses: George's lack of comitment, the slow, tentative start, Jordan having to play out of position again, being comfortably out-sung by impressive Brentford support (all three home sides contributing).
You're having a laugh int ya? Everyone I was with today agreed that their home support was one of the worst we've seen, for a newly promoted song playing their first championship game in years it was pathetic!. Our fans were class from start to finish unlike them Not one song until after they scored ffs.
I came away from the game more positive than I expected, considering this was a newly put together team , with a number of players playing their first games in the championship.
At the back, I was Impressed with Henderson on his debut and the central defence looked strong, ideal for Championship football, providing Bikey doesn't get isolated too often. Both full backs as we know are more than competent at this level and we looked strong and organised at defensive set plays (zonal rather than man-for-man). We also have good depth on the bench, with Morrison , Fox and Wilson.
The Midfield looked a bit scratchy. Buyens looks off the pace at the moment and Gudmundsson lost the ball too often allowing Brentford to counter attack off him. He also wasted a number of good positions by having to come inside onto his left foot, when there was space to get down the outside. Cousins did a reliable job on the left, but didn't look comfortable in that position. Jacko did a sound job.
Can't help thinking Big Bob missed a trick not playing a left winger up against McCormack, who is a clear weakness and will get isolated fairly easily by future opponents. We never really got at him until midway through the second half. This should have been identified from Brentford's pre-season games and used as a key tactic from the start. Cousins isn't the type of midfielder to run at full backs.
Up front, Vetokele looks really good and will get goals with the right service and with a better partner than Tucadean, who on first showing also looked off the pace and lacks strength in possession. Igor will trouble opponents who want to push up and leave space in behind.
Wigan will be a good test next Saturday. Brentford played 4-4-2 and we're very straightforward to play against. I will be interested to see how Big Bob adjusts against opposition with 3 in Central midfield.
Disappointing result. We have a tough run of games coming up and this was a match that we needed to win. It's all very well to say that newly promoted sides are often difficult sides to play, particularly in the first matches of the season, but if we want to comfortably avoid relegation, these are games that we need to win. Wigan and Derby are promotion hopefuls and picking up points from them will be extremely tough, though home advantage may help.
Let's just hope that the team is still trying to find it's feet with all the changes.
In what way did we NEED to win that game ?
It's all in the post, it shouldn't need explaining any more if you read it.
Come on people defending harriot for the miss nothing against him but that was awful other than that thought he done alright when he came on, I think we was the better side and probably should have been 2 up at half time George's chance and Igor with a poor pull back from inside the box. Still more to come from this team I think and also thanks to mike for helping with a ticket.
Of course it was an awful miss, but getting on his back about it won't help his frame of mind when presented with another opportunity.
Comments
Let's just hope that the team is still trying to find it's feet with all the changes. If it is the case, the sooner we gel, the better.
We were playing a promoted side away from home & we had 7 debutants and not played the same 11 players in 1 90 min pre-season game.
With that all in mind I would have taken a point at 3 o'clock and on balance of play a point was well deserved.
Igor, Bikey & Solly were my standout players, but all 12 (cant really count the 2 late subs) played their part & put a shift in. If I was manager I would play Morrow instead of Ben Haim and either Hariott for Cousins (pegs & holes again) or Harriott AND Cousins and drop JJ.
I will give Hariott the benefit of the doubt seeing as its the first game of the season, but we must bury these chances - big difference taking 3 points back home with us instead of one & you do that half a dozen times a season then you are looking upwards & not down.
I thought Vetokele, Gudmundson and Jackson stood out for me. Henderson also looked pretty solid as did Bikey. First half we naturally looked like a side that hadn't played together before and were a bit rusty, Brentford really went for it first half with most of the position but had nothing up front. We should have been undeservedly 1-0 up at HT, given Georges miss.
Came out early second half and really went for it, obviously a good team talk from BP, we were a completely different side. Vetokele was giving the defenders trouble all day and got a deserved goal, lovely header and nice corner from Jacko who was solid, a lot more than Buyens IMO, who still needs time to adapt. Vetokele chased down a ball, 50/50 with the keeper outside the box which he won, ball fell to Harriot and yes he should have scored but it wasn't a howler, he was under pressure from the defender but as we drew have to say it was disappointing. Their goal was a big deflection but I think it was Wiggins who was beaten down the wing and either solly or ben haim had lost their man at the back post although it was hard to see from where I was sitting.
A lot to be positive about, Solly really looked sharp going forward and at the back, Bikey - solid, Vetokele a definite threat. I'm always positive but do feel we could still surprise a fair few this season with at least a top 10 finish and who knows from there? Brentford first day away was always going to be difficult and may be brentfords best game they will play all season.
Lovely little ground, nice pubs and fantastic away end. All in all a good day and roll on Wigan (sod Colchester I hope we play our youth team and lose)
p.s never realised how massive Bob is! Must be at least 6'3!
Igor looks great, what a leap he has for a smallish fella. Not only does he have the ability but he worked his nuts off and actually won a few tackles tracking back.
Great atmosphere in the lower tier.
I was a guest of someone who works for Brentford so was sat in Directors Box a couple of rows behind Roy Hodgson (he's 'aware' of Cousins), and l was able to grab a few words with Katrin. Was very impressed by her, left me in no doubt about the commitment of the owners to CAFC, and make no mistake, they expect to see some seriously good results from us this year. Also talked about importance of fans and improving our experience - including results. Ties in with Valley improvements. I would say nailed on there will be another striker in soon. So probably not much not said before, but as l am emphatically never ITK l was still pleased to hear it.
Here's a pic - along with Roy you can make out Katrin and Richard Murray towards the front on right of screen. And the back of John Stapleton's head.
Second half we improved, kept the ball better and looked decent coming forward. The main thing I took from the game was that Vetokele looks very very good. He has a real good work rate, looks sharp and clearly has some quality about him. Tucedean and Buyens were the biggest disappointments, however I'm not sure how much of that was down to Buyens being on a yellow for most of the game, he also seemed to give it away a lot as well. Tucudean didn't hold the ball up at all and was pretty anonymous.
No doubt in my mind that we are better than last year but we still lack a striker to hold the ball up, and a creative centre midfielder who can actually run with the ball to take Jacksons place. (Sorry Jacko).
Igor and Gud were on a different level to all the others.
JJ, love him, but can't see him in a central duo. Cousins played wide left to track the runs of Moses Odubajo, who was subsequently subbed at half time.
Decent point. If we keep the focus, the drive, this season we will be looking upwards instead of downwards.
I thought Brentford dominated the first half hour we played a stream of long balls out from the back which constantly gifted them possession, then we clawed our way onto a foothold in the match. It seemed very much a team of strangers against a very well organised Brentford for much of the first half.
However we didn't exactly grow in confidence after half time so much as there seems to have been a 'Bob' effect during half time. For a while we were excellent and Brentford simply couldn't keep us out, Igor's goal was criminal from Brentford's point of view but we were being relentless until we scored. Then of course came Callums crossbar moment which should have sealed it.
The fact that Brentford equalised, even with an (un)lucky deflection following a handball the ref missed, is a salutary lesson to the newcomers. Brentford to their credit did not give up and equalised, indeed Alan Judge also hit the woodwork, and our new players should learn either that you have to kill teams off in this league, or expect to come under very heavy late pressure that you have to withstand. I think Bob might have learned from that too today
As for the players, well Igor was clearly our MOTM, and I thought that Cousins played well, even though I don't like him wide left, Chris Solly is an absolute master who can play well with anybody, Ben Haim was decent, and Bikey a kind of a bit better Leon Court. Johann was eager and willing, JJ and Wiggy steady, I still can't suss out Yoni, would prefer Cousins in his position, George was better than Pavel Abbott, and the keeper got better as the game progressed and overall ended having had a good game.
I still think that was an unconvincing performance and we remain very much a work in progress.
I didn't see the game side on, those watching on the telly may have seen it all differently, assessment is a bit more tricky watching from behind the goal.
Gudmundsson showed signs of being a class player but could have been more effective
Jackson was ineffective again and didn't really do much to help Buyens in the middle, Cousins alongside Buyens would be far more effective.
So who was that mug on 606 saying that we were crap?
At the back, I was Impressed with Henderson on his debut and the central defence looked strong, ideal for Championship football, providing Bikey doesn't get isolated too often. Both full backs as we know are more than competent at this level and we looked strong and organised at defensive set plays (zonal rather than man-for-man). We also have good depth on the bench, with Morrison , Fox and Wilson.
The Midfield looked a bit scratchy. Buyens looks off the pace at the moment and Gudmundsson lost the ball too often allowing Brentford to counter attack off him. He also wasted a number of good positions by having to come inside onto his left foot, when there was space to get down the outside. Cousins did a reliable job on the left, but didn't look comfortable in that position. Jacko did a sound job.
Can't help thinking Big Bob missed a trick not playing a left winger up against McCormack, who is a clear weakness and will get isolated fairly easily by future opponents. We never really got at him until midway through the second half. This should have been identified from Brentford's pre-season games and used as a key tactic from the start. Cousins isn't the type of midfielder to run at full backs.
Up front, Vetokele looks really good and will get goals with the right service and with a better partner than Tucadean, who on first showing also looked off the pace and lacks strength in possession. Igor will trouble opponents who want to push up and leave space in behind.
Wigan will be a good test next Saturday. Brentford played 4-4-2 and we're very straightforward to play against. I will be interested to see how Big Bob adjusts against opposition with 3 in Central midfield.
A good start.
He digs us out of a hole consistently and is a semi legend in my book
Pace is always an issue but i would pick him every week and I expect the big man will