Take a bow, Dillon Phillips ......... 3 clean sheets in a row.
Not many keepers achieve that in a season - and of course, it's team effort.
Which in fairness probably shows that bringing in an experienced and competitive back up keeper was actually a good idea - Dillon has been on top form and knowing someone is just waiting to take his place if he got complacent or sloppy (not that he'd want that anyway of course) will help to motivate him.
With Williams and Reeves behind him, he should have scored more.
Unfortunately wasn't our day.
Reeves can’t create. Pass completion must have been less than 40%. Most attacks ended when he was in possession. And as for that last minute free kick!
Absolute nonsense. He passed well in the midfield and only lost it attempting killer passes. Someone has to! He looked menacing again. The last minute free kick wasn't terrible either - nobody was quite in the right place for it. These things happen.
@nabysarr 1h1 hour ago More The Fight Goes On ✊🏿 thanks to the 2,531 traveling fans yesterday who were LOUD 🗣 from beginning to end 👏🏿 on to the next one 🧗🏿♂️ #CAFC ⚪️🔴
An excellent day out. Pre-match, we took in The Ostrich Inn (an early opener), The Bumble Inn (a very impressive micropub), The Brewery Tap (very good Thai main courses for £7.95) and The Stoneworks (which specialises in strong, keg beers). After the game, we went to the Coalheavers Arms, the Palmerston Arms and, finally, Charters Bar on the way back into town. All very good and the day was rounded off with an Italian meal near the Cathedral.
As to the game, I thought that Peterborough started on the front foot, without really threatening our goal. They had quite a few corners but they were all expertly defended and Bauer and Bielik headed several away. We got into the game about 20 minutes in and began to control midfield. Williams' ability to run with the ball and beat players started to trouble them, although the only real effort of note in the first half was Josh Cullen's bouncing shot from a very good Grant cross, which their keeper tipped over the bar.
We were the better side in the second half, with a deflected Grant shot bouncing off the bar and Reeves hitting the ball just past the left hand post when he might have done better. Peterborough had their only real chance of the game, which Godden thankfully prodded wide. We then went through a spell when we were finding it difficult to get up the field and Bowyer responded to that by bringing Reeco on for Darren Pratley and going two up top. It worked and we started to carry a bigger threat. A very impressive cameo from Reeco, who I guess will start next Saturday, not least because he's likely to be all we've got left.
Such a pity about the feeble penalty. These things happen but I fail to understand why players don't take a proper run up. If that had gone in, there'd have been clear blue water between us Peterborough with a 9 point buffer (10 on Donny) and a more realistic - albeit outside - chance of competing for the top 2 automatic places. On the plus side, it's a clean sheet, another away point and Peterborough lost the chance to close the existing gap.
I thought that we defended extremely well and that Dillon was excellent in commanding his box, punching clear a number of dangerous crosses. Purrington, Bauer and Naby were also first class, with the latter imperious in the second half. Cullen and Bielik were dominant in midfield, although my heart was in my mouth when Bielik, having already been booked, quite unnecessarily pulled back one of their players under the referee's nose. Very naive and that really could have cost us. Up front, Grant did what he could against a couple of centre halves, whilst Reeco offered very good support for the last 25 minutes or so.
Assuming that the SLP is correct and that Grant is on his way out, it's hard to feel optimistic about our promotion prospects, with Duchatelet reverting to type and flogging off one of our youngsters after we've had half a season or so out of them. The prospects of Lee Bowyer being gave an meaningful sum for a replacement is next to zero - it will, in all likelihood, be yet another loanee and, unless we get extremely lucky, not someone at Karlan's level. It also breaks up the most successful striking partnership that we've had since the mid-70s - hardly a recipe for success.
I fear that, if we are facing another season in League 1 come the end of the season, our best out of contract players - Aribo, Bauer, Fosu and Williams - will all leave and the excellent loanees like Cullen and Bielik will return to their parent clubs and be loaned out to Championship clubs. We will be faced will a total rebuilding job - thus it ever was under this regime - and, with no money coming in, Duchatelet is very likely to be tempted by offers for Lyle Taylor. The worst case scenario is that Lee Bowyer and Jacko conclude that they are pissing in the wind under Duchatelet and find alternative employment elsewhere - given the job they've done, I don't think they'd be short of offers.
A game we would have won with Taylor in the side although I thought Reeco did ok
Thought we controlled the second half, looked far superior than a team 2 places below us and at home
Back 5 look confident, only time I thought they might score was the chance early in the second half
My lad still hasn’t seen an away win in 3 years of trying..
Need 3 points at fleetwood
Mate it will come. I remember going from Bristol City away win on a Sunday in Nov 2012 to Bristol Rovers away on Tues night in Nov 2016. Think that was my longest run
Granted I wasn’t going to many away games back then, but I really did pick some pearlers. The Col U defeat in the FA Cup and the 6-0 at Hull were particular highlights
You're lucky I also had to suffer the ignomy of the midweek 5-0 capitulation prior to that at Huddersfield when Henderson was hung out to dry in front of the press and Reza got himself sent off after 15 mins as a sub and left the field to a verbal volley from Solly
Included a few games where it truly felt like a curse including the 2-2 draw @ Plymouth in 2008 where we scored twice in the last four minutes yet still conceded a last minute equaliser
Sarr fully deserves his place, I hope Pearce doesn’t automatically take his place once he’s fit.
We look almost impregnable. I can't see how Pearce gets back in. I mean, he will, but I can't see how
Agreed. I think he’s really come into his own. All 3 are good centre backs at this level. I think bauer and Sarr work well, but Pearce as captain will prob mean he goes straight back in. Would Bowyer drop Bauer? Decisions decisions
Sarr fully deserves his place, I hope Pearce doesn’t automatically take his place once he’s fit.
We look almost impregnable. I can't see how Pearce gets back in. I mean, he will, but I can't see how
Agreed. I think he’s really come into his own. All 3 are good centre backs at this level. I think bauer and Sarr work well, but Pearce as captain will prob mean he goes straight back in. Would Bowyer drop Bauer? Decisions decisions
Not if we're on a winning run and keeping clean sheets. If it's not broken don't fix it.
In any case, Bowyer sees it important to balance the CBs ........ as Pearce is a left-footer, it'll be left-footer Sarr's place that would be contested?
Take a bow, Dillon Phillips ......... 3 clean sheets in a row.
Not many keepers achieve that in a season - and of course, it's team effort.
What was that thing he did, chesting it 'clear' when it would have been easy to catch? I've never seen a goalkeeper do that before.
That was weird wasn't it. Perhaps a sudden brain freeze. He chested it to himself. But did you see that save he pulled off just after a free kick had been given? One of the best saves I've seen all season. It didn't count of course, but phew it was impressive.
Take a bow, Dillon Phillips ......... 3 clean sheets in a row.
Not many keepers achieve that in a season - and of course, it's team effort.
What was that thing he did, chesting it 'clear' when it would have been easy to catch? I've never seen a goalkeeper do that before.
That was weird wasn't it. Perhaps a sudden brain freeze. He chested it to himself. But did you see that save he pulled off just after a free kick had been given? One of the best saves I've seen all season. It didn't count of course, but phew it was impressive.
Yes. Saw that and agree with you. I have always extolled the virtues of Phillips, sadly yet another out of contract player in the summer.
Sarr fully deserves his place, I hope Pearce doesn’t automatically take his place once he’s fit.
We look almost impregnable. I can't see how Pearce gets back in. I mean, he will, but I can't see how
Agreed. I think he’s really come into his own. All 3 are good centre backs at this level. I think bauer and Sarr work well, but Pearce as captain will prob mean he goes straight back in. Would Bowyer drop Bauer? Decisions decisions
Not if we're on a winning run and keeping clean sheets. If it's not broken don't fix it.
In any case, Bowyer sees it important to balance the CBs ........ as Pearce is a left-footer, it'll be left-footer Sarr's place that would be contested?
Earlier in the year, when BFG was crocked, we had a makeshift back four of:
RB Dijksteel (naturally a defensive midfielder/centre half back)
CB Pearce (left-footer, playing right side)
CB Sarr (at the time, seen as a liability)
LB Solly (wrong side, not that you'd always know it)
On that occasion the left side of defence was good with Solly and The Enforcer; it was the right side that was the problem and it was the skipper who was the weak link, often out of position, and it had detrimental effect on Anfernee.
Conversely, the game was the begining of the coming of age of the big Nabster; since then he's gone from strength to strength and his partnership with BFG has been solid.
It would be extremely harsh to drop either centre-back to bring Pearce in when fit, unless we switch to three at the back, pushing the full-backs further forward.
So it's about 35 years since we've had two strikers banging them in and bang in form over halfway through the season.
Yet lots seem to think Grant will be easy to replace? Doubt Taylor sees it that way, let alone the rest of the squad and management.
Very good post, being a boycotter I have not seen either of them play "live", only on the TV however I doubt Grants replacement will pick up where Grant leaves off so expect the goals to dry up.
With Williams and Reeves behind him, he should have scored more.
Unfortunately wasn't our day.
Reeves can’t create. Pass completion must have been less than 40%. Most attacks ended when he was in possession. And as for that last minute free kick!
Absolute nonsense. He passed well in the midfield and only lost it attempting killer passes. Someone has to! He looked menacing again. The last minute free kick wasn't terrible either - nobody was quite in the right place for it. These things happen.
The delivery at the end was identical to the one 3 minutes before. Unfortunately no-one thought to hang around the far post for the knock down
So it's about 35 years since we've had two strikers banging them in and bang in form over halfway through the season.
Yet lots seem to think Grant will be easy to replace? Doubt Taylor sees it that way, let alone the rest of the squad and management.
Very good post, being a boycotter I have not seen either of them play "live", only on the TV however I doubt Grants replacement will pick up where Grant leaves off so expect the goals to dry up.
For me, it remains a problem that our midfielders still aren’t contributing many goals - Cullen and Reeves both had massive chances yesterday and fluffed their lines. Also frustrating that our big defenders (Bauer, Sarr, Bielik) - for all their good work at the back - can’t seem to get on the end of our own free kicks or corners (with the honorable exception of Bielik’s disallowed effort last week). Grant’s absence will indeed be felt, such a shame, but can hopefully be cushioned by a more even distribution of goals throughout the team.
With Williams and Reeves behind him, he should have scored more.
Unfortunately wasn't our day.
Reeves can’t create. Pass completion must have been less than 40%. Most attacks ended when he was in possession. And as for that last minute free kick!
Absolute nonsense. He passed well in the midfield and only lost it attempting killer passes. Someone has to! He looked menacing again. The last minute free kick wasn't terrible either - nobody was quite in the right place for it. These things happen.
Watched on iFollow yesterday and the highlights today. That really was an appalling penalty from Grant. So different from the one last week. He also missed the chance from Recco that he should have buried. His pace always causes problems and is his main strength. Shame he's not more clinical in front of goal.
We really missed Taylor which was so evident and with him playing I think we would have won that. Overall I feel disappointed as we were the better team but Taylor not being there affected the balance of the team and it showed, really, for the whole game. That's why, for me, the Grant penalty miss was so disappointing as I think we deserved to win that game but couldn't see the goal coming in any other way. In hindsight he probably shouldn't have taken it as he seemed to be in a different place mentally from last week when he buried it.
So, overall, 2 points dropped but, let's face it, to be saying that away against a Peterborough team in 6th place shows what a good, solid team we have become and how expectations have risen. The next 2 games are crucial to see how we handle things without Taylor.
Sarr fully deserves his place, I hope Pearce doesn’t automatically take his place once he’s fit.
We look almost impregnable. I can't see how Pearce gets back in. I mean, he will, but I can't see how
Agreed. I think he’s really come into his own. All 3 are good centre backs at this level. I think bauer and Sarr work well, but Pearce as captain will prob mean he goes straight back in. Would Bowyer drop Bauer? Decisions decisions
Not if we're on a winning run and keeping clean sheets. If it's not broken don't fix it.
In any case, Bowyer sees it important to balance the CBs ........ as Pearce is a left-footer, it'll be left-footer Sarr's place that would be contested?
Earlier in the year, when BFG was crocked, we had a makeshift back four of:
RB Dijksteel (naturally a defensive midfielder/centre half back) CB Pearce (left-footer, playing right side)
CB Sarr (at the time, seen as a liability)
LB Solly (wrong side, not that you'd always know it)
On that occasion the left side of defence was good with Solly and The Enforcer; it was the right side that was the problem and it was the skipper who was the weak link, often out of position, and it had detrimental effect on Anfernee.
Conversely, the game was the begining of the coming of age of the big Nabster; since then he's gone from strength to strength and his partnership with BFG has been solid.
It would be extremely harsh to drop either centre-back to bring Pearce in when fit, unless we switch to three at the back, pushing the full-backs further forward.
Bowyer said after those games, that he didn't like putting Pearce on the righthand side of the CB pairing. Pearce always looked uncomfortable and vulnerable there.
And once Bauer was fit in November, Bowyer dropped Sarr who had been playing pretty decently, to accomodate Pearce on his natural left side.
Right now, Bowyer's able to select a back 4 where each defender plays in his own specialist position. I can't seem him wanting to change that.
From Sunderland, Stanley and pboro to get 5 points and only concede 1 isn’t bad going, but does put pressure on Saturdays game it all depends who comes in
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Take a bow, Dillon Phillips ......... 3 clean sheets in a row.
Not many keepers achieve that in a season - and of course, it's team effort.
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@nabysarr
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The Fight Goes On ✊🏿 thanks to the 2,531 traveling fans yesterday who were LOUD 🗣 from beginning to end 👏🏿 on to the next one 🧗🏿♂️ #CAFC ⚪️🔴
Thank you, Thomas Driesen.
(Please don't beat me up. I didn't mean it, I'm not really a WUM, I won't do it again, don't stamp on my head, please)
As to the game, I thought that Peterborough started on the front foot, without really threatening our goal. They had quite a few corners but they were all expertly defended and Bauer and Bielik headed several away. We got into the game about 20 minutes in and began to control midfield. Williams' ability to run with the ball and beat players started to trouble them, although the only real effort of note in the first half was Josh Cullen's bouncing shot from a very good Grant cross, which their keeper tipped over the bar.
We were the better side in the second half, with a deflected Grant shot bouncing off the bar and Reeves hitting the ball just past the left hand post when he might have done better. Peterborough had their only real chance of the game, which Godden thankfully prodded wide. We then went through a spell when we were finding it difficult to get up the field and Bowyer responded to that by bringing Reeco on for Darren Pratley and going two up top. It worked and we started to carry a bigger threat. A very impressive cameo from Reeco, who I guess will start next Saturday, not least because he's likely to be all we've got left.
Such a pity about the feeble penalty. These things happen but I fail to understand why players don't take a proper run up. If that had gone in, there'd have been clear blue water between us Peterborough with a 9 point buffer (10 on Donny) and a more realistic - albeit outside - chance of competing for the top 2 automatic places. On the plus side, it's a clean sheet, another away point and Peterborough lost the chance to close the existing gap.
I thought that we defended extremely well and that Dillon was excellent in commanding his box, punching clear a number of dangerous crosses. Purrington, Bauer and Naby were also first class, with the latter imperious in the second half. Cullen and Bielik were dominant in midfield, although my heart was in my mouth when Bielik, having already been booked, quite unnecessarily pulled back one of their players under the referee's nose. Very naive and that really could have cost us. Up front, Grant did what he could against a couple of centre halves, whilst Reeco offered very good support for the last 25 minutes or so.
Assuming that the SLP is correct and that Grant is on his way out, it's hard to feel optimistic about our promotion prospects, with Duchatelet reverting to type and flogging off one of our youngsters after we've had half a season or so out of them. The prospects of Lee Bowyer being gave an meaningful sum for a replacement is next to zero - it will, in all likelihood, be yet another loanee and, unless we get extremely lucky, not someone at Karlan's level. It also breaks up the most successful striking partnership that we've had since the mid-70s - hardly a recipe for success.
I fear that, if we are facing another season in League 1 come the end of the season, our best out of contract players - Aribo, Bauer, Fosu and Williams - will all leave and the excellent loanees like Cullen and Bielik will return to their parent clubs and be loaned out to Championship clubs. We will be faced will a total rebuilding job - thus it ever was under this regime - and, with no money coming in, Duchatelet is very likely to be tempted by offers for Lyle Taylor. The worst case scenario is that Lee Bowyer and Jacko conclude that they are pissing in the wind under Duchatelet and find alternative employment elsewhere - given the job they've done, I don't think they'd be short of offers.
If it's not broken don't fix it.
In any case, Bowyer sees it important to balance the CBs ........ as Pearce is a left-footer, it'll be left-footer Sarr's place that would be contested?
I've never seen a goalkeeper do that before.
But did you see that save he pulled off just after a free kick had been given? One of the best saves I've seen all season. It didn't count of course, but phew it was impressive.
I have always extolled the virtues of Phillips, sadly yet another out of contract player in the summer.
RB Dijksteel (naturally a defensive midfielder/centre half back)
CB Pearce (left-footer, playing right side)
CB Sarr (at the time, seen as a liability)
LB Solly (wrong side, not that you'd always know it)
On that occasion the left side of defence was good with Solly and The Enforcer; it was the right side that was the problem and it was the skipper who was the weak link, often out of position, and it had detrimental effect on Anfernee.
Conversely, the game was the begining of the coming of age of the big Nabster; since then he's gone from strength to strength and his partnership with BFG has been solid.
It would be extremely harsh to drop either centre-back to bring Pearce in when fit, unless we switch to three at the back, pushing the full-backs further forward.
We really missed Taylor which was so evident and with him playing I think we would have won that. Overall I feel disappointed as we were the better team but Taylor not being there affected the balance of the team and it showed, really, for the whole game. That's why, for me, the Grant penalty miss was so disappointing as I think we deserved to win that game but couldn't see the goal coming in any other way. In hindsight he probably shouldn't have taken it as he seemed to be in a different place mentally from last week when he buried it.
So, overall, 2 points dropped but, let's face it, to be saying that away against a Peterborough team in 6th place shows what a good, solid team we have become and how expectations have risen. The next 2 games are crucial to see how we handle things without Taylor.
Pearce always looked uncomfortable and vulnerable there.
And once Bauer was fit in November, Bowyer dropped Sarr who had been playing pretty decently, to accomodate Pearce on his natural left side.
Right now, Bowyer's able to select a back 4 where each defender plays in his own specialist position.
I can't seem him wanting to change that.
Att 9002 , cheers Charlton fans we made circa £650k from you lot today”
“You need a new calculator mate.”
On their forum - made me laugh - £300 a ticket!!