I’m just gonna state the uncomfortable truth for some.
We are better at the back without Sarr.
*grabs popcorn, awaits abuse*
This is so plainly obvious to me. Sarr does one thing well- a left footed pass down the line. Otherwise he’s a liability and we are far far more solid when he isn’t there. I’d love to see the stats with and without him in his time with us
I'm no fan of Sarr and don't disagree with anything you say but he's the fourth choice centre half at a league one club.
I think people use the 8k a week as a bit of a reason
Like I say I am only calm about it because we won. But there was a moment in the first half when there was a foul when our lad was the last man and it should have been a red card and surprise, surprise waved away!
Every player in a Charlton shirt put in an extra percent to win that game. If they do that for each game until the end of the season we will walk this league. Lee Bowyer is the man.
I’m just gonna state the uncomfortable truth for some.
We are better at the back without Sarr.
*grabs popcorn, awaits abuse*
More like we are better with Biekek..and with Pearce playing left not right.
Yes, I think the balance looked better today more than the individual players, although I think Bielek is also better than Sarr overall.
I said two weeks ago that this makeshift defence still had decent players in it, but it looked disjointed and like they hadn’t played much together (which they haven’t). Both things that can be improved on the training ground and I’m sure there has been a lot of hard work over the international break which will have contributed to the more assured performance today.
I think there is more to it than just Sarr not playing.
Seeing that I can only say that the ref is either a cheat or an imbecile. He was rubbish all game, with the giving of a "drop ball" that ended up with Barnsley kicking the ball off the pitch for our goal kick as one of the worst pieces of refereeing I've ever seen. At the time their player went down with an "injury" we had the ball about 30 yards from their goal with all their players in or around their own box. absolutely bizarre. Perhaps any of our resident refs can tell me if the laws of a "drop ball" have been changed to say that the opposition MUST pass it back to the goalkeeper rather than the 100-odd year tradition of actually "dropping the ball" to allow 2 players to fight it out. Utter twonk. Also, anyone see how or why Bielik picked up his yellow card ?
As for the game itself. I will go against the grain here & say I don't think it was a great game. Not a lot of action in either box & as a previous poster alluded to, I think we just sat back & let them try to get round us.......which helped us to catch them on the break when it broke down. No one player really stood out for us, although both Bielik & Taylor had excellent games, and Aribo, Ward & Cullen all shown different parts to being a midfielder. If only Reeves could put as much power into his shots as he does with his passes then he too may get on the scoresheet soon as his passing was not the best out there.
Onto Tuesday evening now. Is it too much to ask that Holmes doesn't score & KR scuttles back down the M4 without a grin on his face. Oh, and by the way - I'll be sitting in the Covered End for the first time EVER.
I agree- I think it was one of the worst refereeing displays I’ve ever seen. I started off by thinking it was bias, but actually he gave a fair few poor decisions against them too. I do wonder if that awful penalty decision against Peterborough was on his mind
A strange game I thought. Barnsley have the potential to win this league. I saw them beat Luton 3-2 last week, when they could easily have scored 6. They won at Peterboro 0-4 a couple of weeks ago. Peterboro's only defeat this season (I think). Barnsley dominated possession looked the better team (for me) and yet created little. Charlton run out 2-0 winners and Taylor missed a sitter near the end to make it 3. Strange game. Well done Charlton. Great win.
PS I thought perhaps a big difference was having the solid Bielik at the back in place of Sarr. Also, a very well done to Steer, who saved every shot and caught or punched clear every cross.
This. Thought Barnsley were the better team - much more composed and their teamwork was good - without creating much. We played very much on the break as we didnt create very much from open play. Thought Bielik was good - broke up most at the back. Grant also - first goal was quality.
Great day topped off by a great performance and win. Started at Warwick Avenue tube and walked the Regent’s Canal from Little Venice to Camden. Then jumped on the overground to Rotherhithe and had a couple of pints in one of the best pubs in London - The Mayflower. Then walked the Thames Path to Greenwich (via a desperate pee break in The Duke in Deptford - didn’t stay there long!!). Finally jumped on train at Greenwich to Charlton. Then sat through a great game of football in a great Valley atmosphere. Now on the train back to Norwich full of loads of ‘remainer’ marching types! More of the same on Tuesday please before I head back to the middle-east on Weds.
Like the sound of your day baz........especially the stopping off in Deptford for a piss bit.
First game of the season for me and 3 of my boys (one is a petrol head and has no interest in real sport , weirdo , so he didn’t come ) They all begged to stay at home and not go but for once I had no excuse , no hangover , no rain and no real reason not to go . As we walked past the redundant programme seller my eldest asked when I last bought one , I said Shrewsbury away play off game but home wise would be nearly 3 years since my limited spending boycott begun down there . Bumped in to the lovely CL Covered End before the game for a quick chat before joining the queue ffs a queue at Charlton to get in to the family stand . In all honesty spent most of the game catching up with an old mate who I hadn’t seen for a while , enjoyed the match , we looked comfortable but I presume that was an off day for Barnsley , they were favourites to win this shit league before yesterday’s fixture . Was pretty much in line with the ball that crossed the line imo and the footage above looks to prove that . As the board went up for 5 mins injury time my youngest said he needed a poooo (my stomach turned as the thought of pooooing in a pissy filthy footy ground turns me up ) so we left early and he had a dump with piss or water all around the floor but a reasonably clean seat a quick wipe and off we went . The eldest said he didn’t like leaving before the final whistle and I bored them with a story , when I did it once , when I was their age and missed a goal . Back to important matters 1,368 Barnsley fans wow just wow , what the heck would it take for us to bring that up there this early in the season . We’d need to be on a 13 game winning run in the Premiership for that to happen and even then we’d find excuses for not making it up there .
Pleased with the result but that muppet still owns us and my Charlton conscience still can’t deal with it , not sure when I’ll be back but I’m busy Tuesday and away for a bit and the winters drawing in , now if that prick can sell us then my Tuesday nights won’t be so busy and I wouldn’t feel the cold as much .....
Ps golfie sitting in the covered end for the first time ever wtf those seats went in early eighties and we’ve been back there since 92 , surely everyone has sat in there at some point . I’m so boring I’ll start a new thread .
Think we've been leaky of late because we tried playing two left side predominant centre backs and an inexperienced RB at LB, then when we switched the experienced RB to LB and visa versa the inexperienced RB still struggled as he had a wrong sided centre back alongside him.
This is ignoring the games where we played an obviously injured player in defence too.
Coincidence I think so. if we get spanked in the next game despite Sarr not starting... I wonder if he'll still get blamed?
The real reason we've struggled? No strength in depth and too many injuries.
Think we've been leaky of late because we tried playing two left side predominant centre backs and an inexperienced RB at LB, then when we switched the experienced RB to LB and visa versa the inexperienced RB still struggled as he had a wrong sided centre back alongside him.
This is ignoring the games where we played an obviously injured player in defence too.
Coincidence I think so. if we get spanked in the next game despite Sarr not starting... I wonder if he'll still get blamed?
The real reason we've struggled? No strength in depth and too many injuries.
Notice how all so-called scapegoats are really shit
That was glorious – Lyle Taylor released on the edge of the box, and drilling the ball hard and low: vicious and dangerous, and Grant sprinting to score: 2-0.
He did that, Taylor, away at Southend a few weeks ago. Left the Shrimpers for dead at the corner, and hammered low and precisely for Grant to tap in.
Last season, under Robinson, this aggression was beyond our imagination. There would be an occasional forward ball to Magennis, all on his own. The cross would be over-hit, chased to collect, our midfielders puffing up, miles behind.
Grant’s first goal was superb – Ward's laser-long pass for him to control, advance, and shoot. Steer set him free again in the first half: Grant darted away between defenders to goal: that should have been a pen, surely!
We are sharper, more visceral, more animal-like. Even against Coventry, Taylor reminded me of the great Bradley Wright-Phillips scenting blood: an unexpected turn and low shot, drilled through the defenders: keeper stung, flapping it away for a corner.
We made Barnsley look sloppy yesterday. They had lost only one game this season. Barnsley have imposing, tough players, with fluent moves – if they were allowed. We stopped them. We were in their ears and at their ankles. Snapping, hassling, harrying. And when the chances came – we were ruthless.
Taylor, running with ball at feet, directly in to the box. A year ago, our player would have stopped, turned around – and passed three yards behind his onrushing partner. Taylor is bloody good for us old salts in the Covered End – and good for all the kids who want signatures and selfies.
On Tuesday we will show our former manager how to play attacking football. There is absolutely no reason why we shouldn’t be strong, serious contenders for promotion this season.
Think we've been leaky of late because we tried playing two left side predominant centre backs and an inexperienced RB at LB, then when we switched the experienced RB to LB and visa versa the inexperienced RB still struggled as he had a wrong sided centre back alongside him.
This is ignoring the games where we played an obviously injured player in defence too.
Coincidence I think so. if we get spanked in the next game despite Sarr not starting... I wonder if he'll still get blamed?
The real reason we've struggled? No strength in depth and too many injuries.
Notice how all so-called scapegoats are really shit
Some of our scapegoats have gone on to play in the premier League whilst we continue to languish in League 1!
All of them had good game but bit of praise for Steer who had his best game for us. I've been quick to criticise Phillips being dropped so hope he can grow in confidence now.
All of them had good game but bit of praise for Steer who had his best game for us. I've been quick to criticise Phillips being dropped so hope he can grow in confidence now.
I was glad to see Steer play well. I've not been his biggest fan but if he is to be our No1 his confidence will grow with a few clean sheets.
He looked much more assured yesterday. I still wonder how much his injury record has knocked him back.
That was glorious – Lyle Taylor released on the edge of the box, and drilling the ball hard and low: vicious and dangerous, and Grant sprinting to score: 2-0.
He did that, Taylor, away at Southend a few weeks ago. Left the Shrimpers for dead at the corner, and hammered low and precisely for Grant to tap in.
Last season, under Robinson, this aggression was beyond our imagination. There would be an occasional forward ball to Magennis, all on his own. The cross would be over-hit, chased to collect, our midfielders puffing up, miles behind.
Grant’s first goal was superb – Ward's laser-long pass for him to control, advance, and shoot. Steer set him free again in the first half: Grant darted away between defenders to goal: that should have been a pen, surely!
We are sharper, more visceral, more animal-like. Even against Coventry, Taylor reminded me of the great Bradley Wright-Phillips scenting blood: an unexpected turn and low shot, drilled through the defenders: keeper stung, flapping it away for a corner.
We made Barnsley look sloppy yesterday. They had lost only one game this season. Barnsley have imposing, tough players, with fluent moves – if they were allowed. We stopped them. We were in their ears and at their ankles. Snapping, hassling, harrying. And when the chances came – we were ruthless.
Taylor, running with ball at feet, directly in to the box. A year ago, our player would have stopped, turned around – and passed three yards behind his onrushing partner. Taylor is bloody good for us old salts in the Covered End – and good for all the kids who want signatures and selfies.
On Tuesday we will show our former manager how to play attacking football. There is absolutely no reason why we shouldn’t be strong, serious contenders for promotion this season.
Just got home. Excellent. It shows how much we missed Belik. (and Page and Bauer). Get these players back then we will def finish in play offs. I came in expecting a thrashing anf just like the "old" Charlton we always play well with the better teams. As for the goal. THAT ref ruled it and signalled with his back to indicate someone was backing in. The only thing I can think of was that it might have been Taylor. However, from I was sitting in the East Stand, nothing wrong with the goal. 3 Charlton players were running in. GK was stranded and yes the ball did cross the line from the corner, but nothing affected that goal. Tosser of a referee. In the 1st half kept putting his hand to his eyes as if to say "I can't see anything" (including the challenge on Grant. Was that a penalty, or FK outside the box? but yet in the 2nd half managed to see everything for Barnsley. And don't get me started on the yellow card for the booking for Solly for shirt pulling. That must have been the softest card I have ever seen, especially as the player concerned was totally unaffected and ran though with the ball. Solly has 2 players round him. Am I right in thinking Bow did not shake ref's hands. I thought he came out and probably shook hands with Barnsley manager and then went over to the home fans and ignore ref.
Just for the record Grant was outside the box when he was brought down in the first half. However 100% a foul. He did the the right thing these days in getting his body between the ball and the defender. A clash from behind by the defender means a free kick 100% of the time. AT least a booking. A sending off would have been harsh as there was a second defender in the mix as well.
You are also correct in that Bowyer avoided shaking the referees hand at the end. He bi-passed the ref and went over to applaud the crowd in the East Stand.
The ref wasn't going to book to book Solly until their guy kept having a moan about it. What annoyed me as much was the ref after booking solly ran over to the complaining player. No idea what he said but it seemed odd!
The ref was was again appalling.
No idea about the disallowed goal. Couldn't see anything but was a long way away!
Thanks Redman for confirming that. I wasn't sure wether it was a pen or a fk outside the box/ It seemed weird as it is almost the same position when he gave Peterborough that penalty that never was and yet doesn't give that. He is definetly a very very dodgy ref.
Probably my last game at the Valley for this season and what a great game it was. As well as this team played I've got a feeling our youngsters such as Aribo, Djikstil, Grant Lapsley and Taylor may still mature and gell together into a much more cohesive unit-particularly in the area of composure and decision making. Great to see Pearce's leadership in pushing the defence line up at every opportunity, I think it made a huge difference in not being dominated by a very good Barnsley side. Lastly, the atmosphere at the North stand was tremendous. That's something I will definitely be able to take to the other side of the world to use during more challenging times that will come no doubt...
Thanks everyone, see you all next season with a Championship team in a ROLAND FREE VALLEY !!!
What felt most bizarre about that Pearce goal was the reaction of the players...
Both sets looked very much like they were running back to kick off again - Barnsley's players (esp. the Goalkeeper) certainly didnt protest about any fouls
That was glorious – Lyle Taylor released on the edge of the box, and drilling the ball hard and low: vicious and dangerous, and Grant sprinting to score: 2-0.
He did that, Taylor, away at Southend a few weeks ago. Left the Shrimpers for dead at the corner, and hammered low and precisely for Grant to tap in.
Last season, under Robinson, this aggression was beyond our imagination. There would be an occasional forward ball to Magennis, all on his own. The cross would be over-hit, chased to collect, our midfielders puffing up, miles behind.
Grant’s first goal was superb – Ward's laser-long pass for him to control, advance, and shoot. Steer set him free again in the first half: Grant darted away between defenders to goal: that should have been a pen, surely!
We are sharper, more visceral, more animal-like. Even against Coventry, Taylor reminded me of the great Bradley Wright-Phillips scenting blood: an unexpected turn and low shot, drilled through the defenders: keeper stung, flapping it away for a corner.
We made Barnsley look sloppy yesterday. They had lost only one game this season. Barnsley have imposing, tough players, with fluent moves – if they were allowed. We stopped them. We were in their ears and at their ankles. Snapping, hassling, harrying. And when the chances came – we were ruthless.
Taylor, running with ball at feet, directly in to the box. A year ago, our player would have stopped, turned around – and passed three yards behind his onrushing partner. Taylor is bloody good for us old salts in the Covered End – and good for all the kids who want signatures and selfies.
On Tuesday we will show our former manager how to play attacking football. There is absolutely no reason why we shouldn’t be strong, serious contenders for promotion this season.
Everyone should read this with the voice of Stuart Hall
Totally dominated throughout. Barnsley did all right up to our box but nothing inside the box. Us on the other hand scored twice, scored another that was chalked off wrongly, and missed a lot of other chances.
Everyone put in a decent shift, Taylor is just a menace to the opposition, just a great deal to replace Josh with him
Ref is totally useless so no doubt we will get him at least 3 more times this season
Having seen what @Henry Irving shared it looks a nailed on goal, however it is weird how the keeper is so slow at getting off his line, Grant is in the goal and I wonder did he impede the keeper? Probably not but he might have. People should also not mix up fear and incompetence with cheating.
Seeing that I can only say that the ref is either a cheat or an imbecile. He was rubbish all game, with the giving of a "drop ball" that ended up with Barnsley kicking the ball off the pitch for our goal kick as one of the worst pieces of refereeing I've ever seen. At the time their player went down with an "injury" we had the ball about 30 yards from their goal with all their players in or around their own box. absolutely bizarre. Perhaps any of our resident refs can tell me if the laws of a "drop ball" have been changed to say that the opposition MUST pass it back to the goalkeeper rather than the 100-odd year tradition of actually "dropping the ball" to allow 2 players to fight it out. Utter twonk. Also, anyone see how or why Bielik picked up his yellow card ?
As for the game itself. I will go against the grain here & say I don't think it was a great game. Not a lot of action in either box & as a previous poster alluded to, I think we just sat back & let them try to get round us.......which helped us to catch them on the break when it broke down. No one player really stood out for us, although both Bielik & Taylor had excellent games, and Aribo, Ward & Cullen all shown different parts to being a midfielder. If only Reeves could put as much power into his shots as he does with his passes then he too may get on the scoresheet soon as his passing was not the best out there.
Onto Tuesday evening now. Is it too much to ask that Holmes doesn't score & KR scuttles back down the M4 without a grin on his face. Oh, and by the way - I'll be sitting in the Covered End for the first time EVER.
I agree- I think it was one of the worst refereeing displays I’ve ever seen. I started off by thinking it was bias, but actually he gave a fair few poor decisions against them too. I do wonder if that awful penalty decision against Peterborough was on his mind
In both games this Ref was shocking, the first game cost Cafc 2 points, and could have done the same this time with the disallowed corner goal which was 100% over the line and the blatant foul on Grant. He also stopped an advantage to Barnsley on the edge of our box. So many other wrong decisions in Posh and this game. Did he give Solly a card in this game because he said play on when Solly did a bad foul in the Peterborough match ?
James Linington proved over the two home games he is the same standard as Stroud and Kettle. (Could even be worse !)
If it wasn't for Karlan's clinical brace, this thread would've had more fucks than a tourette Syndrome convention.
While RD obviously needs to go, he is now actually doing what sensible owners do.Employ people who are good at their jobs and let them get on with it.The change on the pitch is their for all to see,the players look as if they are enjoying playing for this club(that has not happened in recent years).We are 13 games in,all teams above us will have their set backs.Top 2 is on,get behind this team.
While RD obviously needs to go, he is now actually doing what sensible owners do.Employ people who are good at their jobs and let them get on with it.The change on the pitch is their for all to see,the players look as if they are enjoying playing for this club(that has not happened in recent years).We are 13 games in,all teams above us will have their set backs.Top 2 is on,get behind this team.
I agree with you that in Bowyer and Jackson we have two good people in charge of the team. But we still have not got a CEO or a CFO in position as well as being short in other administrative positions. I also agree with you that on the playing side things are looking better than they have for some time. But in the long-term this club will not able to move forward until Douchbag departs.
While RD obviously needs to go, he is now actually doing what sensible owners do.Employ people who are good at their jobs and let them get on with it.The change on the pitch is their for all to see,the players look as if they are enjoying playing for this club(that has not happened in recent years).We are 13 games in,all teams above us will have their set backs.Top 2 is on,get behind this team.
I agree with you that in Bowyer and Jackson we have two good people in charge of the team. But we still have not got a CEO or a CFO in position as well as being short in other administrative positions. I also agree with you that on the playing side things are looking better than they have for some time. But in the long-term this club will not able to move forward until Douchbag departs.
While RD obviously needs to go, he is now actually doing what sensible owners do.Employ people who are good at their jobs and let them get on with it.The change on the pitch is their for all to see,the players look as if they are enjoying playing for this club(that has not happened in recent years).We are 13 games in,all teams above us will have their set backs.Top 2 is on,get behind this team.
If anything it highlights how incompetent Roland actually is... He's been around for coming up five years now and is only just getting it right?
Had he left it alone in the first place then he may have gotten us into the Premier League, we were an established Championship club who needed a little bit of investment (in terms of players) and needed work done on the pitch (and so avoid fixture congestion that saw us around relegation in the first place), everything else could have been left alone as the infrastructure / foundations were there.
Imagine Stephens and Gudmundsson getting it forward to Kermorgant who maybe could have worked with Vetokele or another English Striker that Powell himself could have earmarked for £2.5m
Reckon Powell would have gotten Hamer to have stayed too saving the need to bring in Henderson (Nothing against him but he was a bit more injury prone)
I haven't read many posts before typing this out myself so here goes.
What a result against a team that will be right up there come the end of the season. We made Barnsley look bang average at times and I thought we dealt with pretty much everything that came our way and top it off, we continue to looked threatening going forward.
Tactically Bowyer got it spot on, soaking up the pressure, letting them have the ball and with the pace up top that we have, hitting them on the counter time and time again. However, don't be fooled to think that was all that we done. There were long periods of play where we were also well on top. When the intricate and dynamic passing came out, we looked a very good side who thoroughly deserved the win. What helped this week was the change of shape when we went two goals up. We knew that they were going to be more direct, we knew they were going to put more crosses into the box when Moore was on, so what we did was use Aribo's height alongside Cullen in the middle of the park to our advantage. Fosu went to the left, Reeves and later Lapslie to right, Grant just behind Taylor. It allowed us to have more cover out wide whilst having an added extra height in the middle when it was needed.
The partnership of Taylor and Grant is formidable. They both look as though they're going to score each time they are in a position to, they both are looking for one another, and they continue to score the goals that any good team with decent strikers do. I fully expect them both to reach 20 goals at the end of the season with the way they're going. 7 each now and still over 30 games to go, no reason why that can't continue, but instead only improve.
I don't particularly want to keep picking out specific players when the whole team have done brilliantly and put in a real shift to get the win. But I would like to just talk about Reeves for a moment. Since coming into the side, and in the midfield position that I very much doubt he would've played previous to Bowyer putting him there since taking over, he has performed at such a consistent and high standard that he does deserve specific praise. He works hard defensively and has the ability to unlock defences in this division. Whilst Aribo carries us forward with his running and dribbling ability, Reeves balances that up nicely with the vision range of passing that he offers. I think we look a much better team right now when he is playing.
On a final note, I had Forster-Caskey sat behind me yesterday and although I didn't bother him by speaking to him, I could hear how impressed he was with his team mates, he mentioned the quality of passing by Ward, Solly, Reeves, he said about the strength of Pearce at the back and I heard him say many times about the pace of Grant. Bowyer summed it up well in his post match interview, we have everything in the dressing room, and it would seem that Forster-Caskey agrees. I wonder where we would be with him and Clarke in the team, how many more points would we have, it may not be too many but I do think it would make a difference, probably finding ourselves top 2. It is a shame but it is so nice to know we have some great people at the club and ones who really care and want to do well. I hope that Forster-Caskey's recovery goes well and we see him back on the pitch before we know it.
Overall, a very enjoyable day with an excellent performance to match the result. We now move onto Tuesday night where another win is crucial.
from reports it seems that what happened was exactly what I'd hoped for, i.e. our speedy forwards and midfield were too quick and slick for the Tykes defence which is constructed mainly to deal with the long ball and crosses, whilst at the same time our restructured defence held firm against a pretty lethal attack (BUT not yesterday) .. great win .. now we need to slam Oxford to reinforce our promotion drive
Comments
Every player in a Charlton shirt put in an extra percent to win that game. If they do that for each game until the end of the season we will walk this league. Lee Bowyer is the man.
I said two weeks ago that this makeshift defence still had decent players in it, but it looked disjointed and like they hadn’t played much together (which they haven’t). Both things that can be improved on the training ground and I’m sure there has been a lot of hard work over the international break which will have contributed to the more assured performance today.
I think there is more to it than just Sarr not playing.
They all begged to stay at home and not go but for once I had no excuse , no hangover , no rain and no real reason not to go .
As we walked past the redundant programme seller my eldest asked when I last bought one , I said Shrewsbury away play off game but home wise would be nearly 3 years since my limited spending boycott begun down there .
Bumped in to the lovely CL Covered End before the game for a quick chat before joining the queue ffs a queue at Charlton to get in to the family stand .
In all honesty spent most of the game catching up with an old mate who I hadn’t seen for a while , enjoyed the match , we looked comfortable but I presume that was an off day for Barnsley , they were favourites to win this shit league before yesterday’s fixture .
Was pretty much in line with the ball that crossed the line imo and the footage above looks to prove that .
As the board went up for 5 mins injury time my youngest said he needed a poooo (my stomach turned as the thought of pooooing in a pissy filthy footy ground turns me up ) so we left early and he had a dump with piss or water all around the floor but a reasonably clean seat a quick wipe and off we went .
The eldest said he didn’t like leaving before the final whistle and I bored them with a story , when I did it once , when I was their age and missed a goal .
Back to important matters 1,368 Barnsley fans wow just wow , what the heck would it take for us to bring that up there this early in the season .
We’d need to be on a 13 game winning run in the Premiership for that to happen and even then we’d find excuses for not making it up there .
Pleased with the result but that muppet still owns us and my Charlton conscience still can’t deal with it , not sure when I’ll be back but I’m busy Tuesday and away for a bit and the winters drawing in , now if that prick can sell us then my Tuesday nights won’t be so busy and I wouldn’t feel the cold as much .....
Ps golfie sitting in the covered end for the first time ever wtf those seats went in early eighties and we’ve been back there since 92 , surely everyone has sat in there at some point . I’m so boring I’ll start a new thread .
Think we've been leaky of late because we tried playing two left side predominant centre backs and an inexperienced RB at LB, then when we switched the experienced RB to LB and visa versa the inexperienced RB still struggled as he had a wrong sided centre back alongside him.
This is ignoring the games where we played an obviously injured player in defence too.
Coincidence I think so. if we get spanked in the next game despite Sarr not starting... I wonder if he'll still get blamed?
The real reason we've struggled? No strength in depth and too many injuries.
He did that, Taylor, away at Southend a few weeks ago. Left the Shrimpers for dead at the corner, and hammered low and precisely for Grant to tap in.
Last season, under Robinson, this aggression was beyond our imagination. There would be an occasional forward ball to Magennis, all on his own. The cross would be over-hit, chased to collect, our midfielders puffing up, miles behind.
Grant’s first goal was superb – Ward's laser-long pass for him to control, advance, and shoot. Steer set him free again in the first half: Grant darted away between defenders to goal: that should have been a pen, surely!
We are sharper, more visceral, more animal-like. Even against Coventry, Taylor reminded me of the great Bradley Wright-Phillips scenting blood: an unexpected turn and low shot, drilled through the defenders: keeper stung, flapping it away for a corner.
We made Barnsley look sloppy yesterday. They had lost only one game this season. Barnsley have imposing, tough players, with fluent moves – if they were allowed. We stopped them. We were in their ears and at their ankles. Snapping, hassling, harrying. And when the chances came – we were ruthless.
Taylor, running with ball at feet, directly in to the box. A year ago, our player would have stopped, turned around – and passed three yards behind his onrushing partner. Taylor is bloody good for us old salts in the Covered End – and good for all the kids who want signatures and selfies.
On Tuesday we will show our former manager how to play attacking football. There is absolutely no reason why we shouldn’t be strong, serious contenders for promotion this season.
2nd one I didn't think it was over.
I've been quick to criticise Phillips being dropped so hope he can grow in confidence now.
He looked much more assured yesterday. I still wonder how much his injury record has knocked him back.
Great to see Pearce's leadership in pushing the defence line up at every opportunity, I think it made a huge difference in not being dominated by a very good Barnsley side.
Lastly, the atmosphere at the North stand was tremendous.
That's something I will definitely be able to take to the other side of the world to use during more challenging times that will come no doubt...
Thanks everyone, see you all next season with a Championship team in a ROLAND FREE VALLEY !!!
C.OY.R.
Both sets looked very much like they were running back to kick off again - Barnsley's players (esp. the Goalkeeper) certainly didnt protest about any fouls
Everyone put in a decent shift, Taylor is just a menace to the opposition, just a great deal to replace Josh with him
Ref is totally useless so no doubt we will get him at least 3 more times this season
Did he give Solly a card in this game because he said play on when Solly did a bad foul in the Peterborough match ?
James Linington proved over the two home games he is the same standard as Stroud and Kettle. (Could even be worse !)
If it wasn't for Karlan's clinical brace, this thread would've had more fucks than a tourette Syndrome convention.
But we still have not got a CEO or a CFO in position as well as being short in other administrative positions.
I also agree with you that on the playing side things are looking better than they have for some time.
But in the long-term this club will not able to move forward until Douchbag departs.
Had he left it alone in the first place then he may have gotten us into the Premier League, we were an established Championship club who needed a little bit of investment (in terms of players) and needed work done on the pitch (and so avoid fixture congestion that saw us around relegation in the first place), everything else could have been left alone as the infrastructure / foundations were there.
Imagine Stephens and Gudmundsson getting it forward to Kermorgant who maybe could have worked with Vetokele or another English Striker that Powell himself could have earmarked for £2.5m
Reckon Powell would have gotten Hamer to have stayed too saving the need to bring in Henderson (Nothing against him but he was a bit more injury prone)
What a result against a team that will be right up there come the end of the season. We made Barnsley look bang average at times and I thought we dealt with pretty much everything that came our way and top it off, we continue to looked threatening going forward.
Tactically Bowyer got it spot on, soaking up the pressure, letting them have the ball and with the pace up top that we have, hitting them on the counter time and time again. However, don't be fooled to think that was all that we done. There were long periods of play where we were also well on top. When the intricate and dynamic passing came out, we looked a very good side who thoroughly deserved the win. What helped this week was the change of shape when we went two goals up. We knew that they were going to be more direct, we knew they were going to put more crosses into the box when Moore was on, so what we did was use Aribo's height alongside Cullen in the middle of the park to our advantage. Fosu went to the left, Reeves and later Lapslie to right, Grant just behind Taylor. It allowed us to have more cover out wide whilst having an added extra height in the middle when it was needed.
The partnership of Taylor and Grant is formidable. They both look as though they're going to score each time they are in a position to, they both are looking for one another, and they continue to score the goals that any good team with decent strikers do. I fully expect them both to reach 20 goals at the end of the season with the way they're going. 7 each now and still over 30 games to go, no reason why that can't continue, but instead only improve.
I don't particularly want to keep picking out specific players when the whole team have done brilliantly and put in a real shift to get the win. But I would like to just talk about Reeves for a moment. Since coming into the side, and in the midfield position that I very much doubt he would've played previous to Bowyer putting him there since taking over, he has performed at such a consistent and high standard that he does deserve specific praise. He works hard defensively and has the ability to unlock defences in this division. Whilst Aribo carries us forward with his running and dribbling ability, Reeves balances that up nicely with the vision range of passing that he offers. I think we look a much better team right now when he is playing.
On a final note, I had Forster-Caskey sat behind me yesterday and although I didn't bother him by speaking to him, I could hear how impressed he was with his team mates, he mentioned the quality of passing by Ward, Solly, Reeves, he said about the strength of Pearce at the back and I heard him say many times about the pace of Grant. Bowyer summed it up well in his post match interview, we have everything in the dressing room, and it would seem that Forster-Caskey agrees. I wonder where we would be with him and Clarke in the team, how many more points would we have, it may not be too many but I do think it would make a difference, probably finding ourselves top 2. It is a shame but it is so nice to know we have some great people at the club and ones who really care and want to do well. I hope that Forster-Caskey's recovery goes well and we see him back on the pitch before we know it.
Overall, a very enjoyable day with an excellent performance to match the result. We now move onto Tuesday night where another win is crucial.