That was the best game this season by a mile not least because I was there. Maddison is a must start player; he and Darren Pratley are my men of the match. So well done Marcus.
You should watch the re-run of the game... He wandered a few times leaving Pearce to have to do extra work, enabled them to get off 2 or 3 extra shots.
As to be expected slightly as he's not a CB but gotta agree, he wasn't one of our best players.
Wow I have missed that feeling. 9 months to wait to get back into The Valley for a game, and we get treated to that! I’ve missed going so much, I just so wish everyone else could’ve been there today to be apart of it. Let’s hope that day is not too far away.
The second half we done exactly what Bowyer said no one else has done to Wimbledon. We steam rolled them. Chuks and Jonny coming on made a huge difference. The ball sticks to the big man and we look so much better when he’s playing. Williams was so unlucky not to have scored twice, but he really was very good. Maatsen in the second half also had a great game, can see him playing further forward as the season goes on if we don’t sign a winger or wide man with pace.
I thought in the second half we got into such great positions so often. We got in behind and down the sides, we looked a real threat. We haven’t had that for a long while really. So that was pleasing to see.
The atmosphere was very good and being honest, my voice now sounds like Barry White! But I really don’t care, just am very happy tonight. Makes writing the preview for Tuesday much easier too.
I only managed to watch the last 20mins or so on my phone so can't comment too much but I agree Maatsen looks quite effective pushing forward with Purrington behind him. It could be a short term solution with the Doughty injury. Do you/we/anybody think Chucks is always going to be a player that can only manage less minutes than everyone else, or can he get up to a fitness where he can play 90mins a week and not have to be rested or "looked after"? Its a shame, as hes such a difference to the team when he plays i just wish he could manage more games.
- Goals! Lots of them! Shame about the five minutes that enabled AFC Wimbledon to get two of them, but goals!
- I think we looked more coherent from the outset but not everything was working in the first half. I think Pearce being back at the back helps an incredible amount: he is a real leader and knows how to organise and retain shape. A solid foundation means more opportunity for freedom of expression.
- Amos played fine. Pratley played well considering he's a makeshift centre half. I still think we miss Inniss as a RCB a lot, though - Pratley is prone to being out of position. Pearce was good.
- Gunter had an absolutely fantastic second half. With license to move forward (thanks to Watson yet again getting better as the game goes on!), he gave their left side a horrible time and no wonder we scored so many with the pressure he was applying. Great clearance off the line, too, and he is so clearly better at right back.
- Maatsen frustrates me. He clearly has lots of talent. He is, however, showing a few too many signs of greenness for my liking. He has a tendency to snatch at his final ball a little, but he can only improve you feel.
- Gilbey also frustrates me but for different reasons. He looks like he should be a good player: he moves well; has a good positional instinct, and works hard. But nothing is quite coming together for him. I think he'll come good.
- Maddison worked his socks off. Very happy with that. When it all clicks for him one day, we'll be very happy campers.
- JFC ran the absolute show throughout and thoroughly deserved his goal. More of that please.
- Watson still has this maddening tendency to underhit a pass. It usually reaches its target, but it sells teammates down the river a little sometimes. But, he was great positionally and did the simple things well.
- Bogle was rubbish. The strop; the lack of run when Maddison broke forward; the... just all of it was poor today, unfortunately.
- Washington will run through walls for you, won't he? I love that about him. He never stops going. And he took his goal very well! Delighted with that. Great finish.
- Jonny Williams came on and nearly got MOM for me. What a dynamic he brought to our attack. We looked a lot more creative with him buzzing around. To that end, same goes for Aneke: if only he could stay fit for an entire game. He is the perfect foil for Williams/Maddison/other attacking midfielders to be brought into play. And his roll and shot that led to the third goal was really good.
- Oshilaja and Purrington weren't on long enough.
All that said above, there are still things to work on. Why did we concede two goals like that? We had a serious wobble mentally then, too, which was not great to see. And AFC Wimbledon did not look very good (Pigott excluded) so I'd temper that performance a tad.
As we've all said - don't let the lows get too low, and don't let the highs get too high. But after scoring five I think we can afford to be a very happy bunch this weekend.
Can't believe people thought we were that poor in the first half. We we decent (and the better side) except for 10 minute spell just before half time. However we certainly stepped it up second half and then withe subs stepped it up again. Having said that best player on the pitch first half was Pigot. Superb exhibition of how to play as CF even ignoring his goal. Impressive the way he didn't celebrate when he scored. How some of the crowd were slagging him off I don't know. Would love to have him back in January. Only real downside of today was seeing Chucks limp off after the warm down holding his hamstring. Don't expect to see him Tuesday chaps!
Don't tell Covered end that Bogle's got to play 90 minutes against Bristol Rovers as CE said he's the worse striker he's seen in 50 years at the valley !
Not sure that's true as we've had some poor strikers over the years (as well as some crackers)
Can't believe people thought we were that poor in the first half. We we decent (and the better side) except for 10 minute spell just before half time. However we certainly stepped it up second half and then withe subs stepped it up again. Having said that best player on the pitch first half was Pigot. Superb exhibition of how to play as CF even ignoring his goal. Impressive the way he didn't celebrate when he scored. How some of the crowd were slagging him off I don't know. Would love to have him back in January. Only real downside of today was seeing Chucks limp off after the warm down holding his hamstring. Don't expect to see him Tuesday chaps!
Don't tell Covered end that Bogle's got to play 90 minutes against Bristol Rovers as CE said he's the worse striker he's seen in 50 years at the valley !
Not sure that's true as we've had some poor strikers over the years (as well as some crackers)
I wouldn't even say Bogle is our worst striker in the last 5yrs😉
Wow I have missed that feeling. 9 months to wait to get back into The Valley for a game, and we get treated to that! I’ve missed going so much, I just so wish everyone else could’ve been there today to be apart of it. Let’s hope that day is not too far away.
The second half we done exactly what Bowyer said no one else has done to Wimbledon. We steam rolled them. Chuks and Jonny coming on made a huge difference. The ball sticks to the big man and we look so much better when he’s playing. Williams was so unlucky not to have scored twice, but he really was very good. Maatsen in the second half also had a great game, can see him playing further forward as the season goes on if we don’t sign a winger or wide man with pace.
I thought in the second half we got into such great positions so often. We got in behind and down the sides, we looked a real threat. We haven’t had that for a long while really. So that was pleasing to see.
The atmosphere was very good and being honest, my voice now sounds like Barry White! But I really don’t care, just am very happy tonight. Makes writing the preview for Tuesday much easier too.
I only managed to watch the last 20mins or so on my phone so can't comment too much but I agree Maatsen looks quite effective pushing forward with Purrington behind him. It could be a short term solution with the Doughty injury. Do you/we/anybody think Chucks is always going to be a player that can only manage less minutes than everyone else, or can he get up to a fitness where he can play 90mins a week and not have to be rested or "looked after"? Its a shame, as hes such a difference to the team when he plays i just wish he could manage more games.
I think with Purrington behind him it will help enormously because he doesn’t have to worry so much about the space he’d leave behind when going forward. He’s very good on the ball and always positive.
With Chuks, I think it’s a case of at the moment he’s so good at making an impact off the bench, it’s a tough one. He could start on Tuesday but then not again for the Saturday. All of his goals have been from the bench, hence why I’ve named it ‘The Aneke Role’.
I think he needs a prolonged period of time where he isn’t feeling jaded or there’s not a risk of him breaking down. If we can work on finding new ways of keeping him fit, I see no reason why in future he can’t start more often. We just need to be clever and sensible at the same time. I don’t think we’ve completely cracked it of how to keep him 100%, but until we do, this is working. But you have to credit him too, he’s so effective coming on that you almost take that effectiveness away when he starts.
It’s just difficult because when he’s on the pitch, we look so much better. No criticism to Bogle because I think the two of them could be interesting and would probably make Bogle look better, just Aneke adds so much more to us overall.
I thought we played well all game except for the 5 minute spell before half time. The whole team played well , passed the ball well and were on the front foot , looked a different class to AFC.
Weird old game. We were comfortable but not especially impressive for most of the first half. We had a brightish beginning but seemed to be running out of ideas when Washington scored somewhat out of the blue. At that point I expected us to see out a 1-0 but Piggot (who was generally impressive) scored a cracker and then the defence went disturbingly awol and you’re left thinking “here we go again!”.
Despite the score, it had been a bit better first half than recent showings but still lacked urgency and any kind attacking fluency. Second half started with much more urgency but when Maddison played Bogle clean through only for him to fail to even get a shot away, Bowyer had seen enough and on came Aneke and Williams which is when the fun really started.
Bogle tries and I don’t want to get on his back, but he’s increasingly looking like he’s just not quite going to be good enough. He’s very similar to Aneke but just not quite as good as him at anything - a bit weaker, a bit slower, a bit less skillful, even a bit shorter and those cumulative small differences are really starting to tell. Sadly Aneke is lot less fit. I did feel for him as the service was not great but also nothing stuck to him. It’s a bit of a chicken and egg conversation, were we better second half because of Aneke or did Aneke look better because the rest the team played with more urgency and aggression generally? Personally, I think Aneke was the difference because we had a focal point to build attacks around. Either way, the difference was stark and we finally looked like a team. Maddison came alive, Williams was busy, Washington industrious and with the whole team now 10 yards further up the pitch Maatsen and, particularly, Gunter really started to get involved and provide attacking width. Suddenly we were driving forward at every opportunity and not turning backwards and sideways in possession. Bows even resisted making a defensive sub as soon as we went ahead. It was a drastic improvement and what we’ve all been hoping to see. Hopefully it is the spark that really ignites our season.
Hopefully there’s also a lesson learnt for the whole team. Press well and play with tempo and teams won’t live with you at this level. We have the quality to do it.
I don't think Aneke plays with the same intensity when he starts games. Bowyer has stated before that Bogle wears the defenders down then Chuks, who is the more skilful of the two, comes on and takes advantage. It's worked before, it worked today.
I liked the way we mixed the play today with Amos sometimes playing short, sometimes kicking long. Generally it's been one or the other and therefore predictable. A lot of players deserve credit today but I'll leave that for the marks thread but huge respect to Jonny Williams who did brilliantly after what happened last week.
Enjoyed the new Valley Pass coverage and great that it debuted with a seven goal game.
Also think it's a bonus to have Purro coming on and pushing Maatsen forward.
Both Maatsen and Purrington were in the opponents' box at the same time for our 5th goal !
Maatsen with the 'assist the assist'. Purro with the goal. Who needs leftbacks when they are both playing up front?
Was able to be there today, had that been a full house the roof would have come off when we scored the third. Maddison looks like he is starting to be the player we know he can be. We still have those periods of play when we take our foot off the gas, and look shaky. Great to have Tommy S at the game. Full marks to LB/JJ for the subs, Jonny getting his goals and around play. Oh yes the good times are 2yrs away!!!. COYRS
Couldn’t believe my luck after reading on here,that some tickets may be available to us cretins that hadn’t bought a season ticket,as I was one of the ones waiting for the characters to fuck off...so glad I got one of the last 4 left...was so excited getting ready to leave once again to visit our football home...weird being on a quiet train heading there,serene scenes as I walked from station down Floyd road,turning right instead of left,entered the ground very easily & all stewards were helpful and polite,grabbed me free hot choc then up steps to be confronted by the beautiful site of the pitch enclosed in the red & white of CAFC,which was so close to disappearing & being just another victim of some absolute arseholes, I had a tear...then more happy tears flowed as TS made his entrance followed by LB & the boys...the game,well it’s all been said above...but what a club,what a manager,what a team,what an owner & what an absolute pleasure to be sitting in amongst some (if not...😉) the best fans in the world,I then got to see the Bridge with the Seb tribute,another tear & also for all the people we/you/I have lost since the last game I was at before this virus struck,well hopefully soon as possible we will ALL be able to share games like today together,keep the faith & keep safe...& enjoy the journey...!!!
I'm not making him a scapegoat but for me Gilbey is either playing with an injury, being played out of position or he isn't very good.
Gilbey's not sharp enough, is he? And he knows it ........because everything he's doing is safety first. He missed something like 2 months out with an achilles injury and it's slowed him down.
The couple of games he played before injury he looked a different player. Remember his brilliant pass to send Doughty away for our 1st goal away at Crewe.
And even in the Doncaster defeat, he was the one player trying to drive the team forward. Plus he hit a thundering shot that struck the crossbar in the last minute.
He's proved himself in his career in League One, player of the year for MK, etc. He's well capable at this level ...... but he needs to get properly fit.
Gunter took a lot of stick (justifiably so) for his performances as a CB but put him in his correct position and he looks exactly like the player we hoped he'd be.
Not sure it was totally justifiable. He was playing out of position alongside another player out of position, so 2 peas out of their pod so to speak
I don't agree with those saying that Wimbledon were poor. I thought that both teams contributed to a good first half, always moving the ball forwards, and going with the intention to score, and I felt like I was watching a different league because it was by far the most entertaining match of the season. So at half time I was quite happy. I would rather see that and accept some defeats. Playing defensively and winning like we did back in the 'Inniss / Famewo' partnership was all fine and dandy, but when you defend and lose then I get fed up with it. I said that Bowyer needed a rethink and also that if you play both Madison and Williams then you need to attack. My excitement at the second half performance was such then that I accidentally punched my ten year old boy celebrating Williams's goal! Then too my surprise and delight we didn't defend the lead. Just what the doctor ordered. Then we murdered them: just like Norman Bates doing the two killing strikes on Saturday 12th December. Will it be 60 years again until we ditch Wimbledon into the South London swamp?
Can't believe people thought we were that poor in the first half. We we decent (and the better side) except for 10 minute spell just before half time. However we certainly stepped it up second half and then withe subs stepped it up again. Having said that best player on the pitch first half was Pigot. Superb exhibition of how to play as CF even ignoring his goal. Impressive the way he didn't celebrate when he scored. How some of the crowd were slagging him off I don't know. Would love to have him back in January. Only real downside of today was seeing Chucks limp off after the warm down holding his hamstring. Don't expect to see him Tuesday chaps!
We weren't good in the 1st half though. How many chances did we actually create, other than the goal? The Wombles manager commented on how we stepped it up after half time, watching Quest Ally Maxwell also commented that we weren't good in the first half.
Expected goals shows this. We really came alive in the second half, and especially after the subs came on
Our 5th goal is absolutely hilarious if you just watch Purrington. He has absolutely no right to carry on his run after he lays it off. Continues into the box and takes up the position of a centre forward waiting to receive it back, lingers, doesn’t get the ball and then gambles again to end up able to poke the ball over the goal line. It’s exactly the kind of goal you only score in injury time when you’re already 4–2 up. At any other point in the game Bowyer would have beaten him to death for that series of choices. I love that he decided to do it though, and it paid off for him
Can't believe people thought we were that poor in the first half. We we decent (and the better side) except for 10 minute spell just before half time. However we certainly stepped it up second half and then withe subs stepped it up again. Having said that best player on the pitch first half was Pigot. Superb exhibition of how to play as CF even ignoring his goal. Impressive the way he didn't celebrate when he scored. How some of the crowd were slagging him off I don't know. Would love to have him back in January. Only real downside of today was seeing Chucks limp off after the warm down holding his hamstring. Don't expect to see him Tuesday chaps!
Don't tell Covered end that Bogle's got to play 90 minutes against Bristol Rovers as CE said he's the worse striker he's seen in 50 years at the valley !
Not sure that's true as we've had some poor strikers over the years (as well as some crackers)
I wouldn't even say Bogle is our worst striker in the last 5yrs😉
I am not sure Bogle is even the worst striker of 2020.
I think the first half was a classic example of what we have been doing wrong lately. We played too slow with not enough energy and didn't create enough against a team with bodies behind the ball. The introduction of Williams and Aneke changed the dynamic. In the second half, it was clear before we equalised that we were playing braver football and trying to be quicker in our moves and more incisive,
Well we can also see what happened when we played higher tempo and more direct. Hopefully they can also see it and we dont go back to the passing sideways and backwards style 😂
Can't believe people thought we were that poor in the first half. We we decent (and the better side) except for 10 minute spell just before half time. However we certainly stepped it up second half and then withe subs stepped it up again. Having said that best player on the pitch first half was Pigot. Superb exhibition of how to play as CF even ignoring his goal. Impressive the way he didn't celebrate when he scored. How some of the crowd were slagging him off I don't know. Would love to have him back in January. Only real downside of today was seeing Chucks limp off after the warm down holding his hamstring. Don't expect to see him Tuesday chaps!
We weren't good in the 1st half though. How many chances did we actually create, other than the goal? The Wombles manager commented on how we stepped it up after half time, watching Quest Ally Maxwell also commented that we weren't good in the first half.
Expected goals shows this. We really came alive in the second half, and especially after the subs came on
what a load of total crap this is! Even Thomas driesen could do better than this !
At any other point in the game Bowyer would have beaten him to death for that series of choices.
Haha ...... you can just imagine it it.
Ben Purrington comes on as an 84th minute sub and then subbed off for scoring in the 92nd minute.
Bowyer justifying it by saying he'd had "harsh words" with Purrington for wandering recklessly out of position: "I don’t hold grudges. I just want to see a reaction from him and I’m sure I’ll get that.”
Our 5th goal is absolutely hilarious if you just watch Purrington. He has absolutely no right to carry on his run after he lays it off. Continues into the box and takes up the position of a centre forward waiting to receive it back, lingers, doesn’t get the ball and then gambles again to end up able to poke the ball over the goal line. It’s exactly the kind of goal you only score in injury time when you’re already 4–2 up. At any other point in the game Bowyer would have beaten him to death for that series of choices. I love that he decided to do it though, and it paid off for him
I said to Golfie Jnr earlier this evening that we scored the 5th because we had scored the 4th. If we had been 3-2 up coming into the last 10 mins I bet for all the tea in China that we would have gone defensive and might have drawn or even lost it. Just getting that 4th goal meant the players could relax - mentally they thought we had won & therefore the pressure was off. They could attack with no thinking off "god, if I lose the ball the defence will be under pressure again".
This is why I have always advocated to keep attacking, no matter what the score or the state of the game. I would also bet that if we had done the same last week we would have come away with a 2-0 win rather than a 1-1 draw
Comments
Do you/we/anybody think Chucks is always going to be a player that can only manage less minutes than everyone else, or can he get up to a fitness where he can play 90mins a week and not have to be rested or "looked after"?
Its a shame, as hes such a difference to the team when he plays i just wish he could manage more games.
- Goals! Lots of them! Shame about the five minutes that enabled AFC Wimbledon to get two of them, but goals!
- I think we looked more coherent from the outset but not everything was working in the first half. I think Pearce being back at the back helps an incredible amount: he is a real leader and knows how to organise and retain shape. A solid foundation means more opportunity for freedom of expression.
- Amos played fine. Pratley played well considering he's a makeshift centre half. I still think we miss Inniss as a RCB a lot, though - Pratley is prone to being out of position. Pearce was good.
- Gunter had an absolutely fantastic second half. With license to move forward (thanks to Watson yet again getting better as the game goes on!), he gave their left side a horrible time and no wonder we scored so many with the pressure he was applying. Great clearance off the line, too, and he is so clearly better at right back.
- Maatsen frustrates me. He clearly has lots of talent. He is, however, showing a few too many signs of greenness for my liking. He has a tendency to snatch at his final ball a little, but he can only improve you feel.
- Gilbey also frustrates me but for different reasons. He looks like he should be a good player: he moves well; has a good positional instinct, and works hard. But nothing is quite coming together for him. I think he'll come good.
- Maddison worked his socks off. Very happy with that. When it all clicks for him one day, we'll be very happy campers.
- JFC ran the absolute show throughout and thoroughly deserved his goal. More of that please.
- Watson still has this maddening tendency to underhit a pass. It usually reaches its target, but it sells teammates down the river a little sometimes. But, he was great positionally and did the simple things well.
- Bogle was rubbish. The strop; the lack of run when Maddison broke forward; the... just all of it was poor today, unfortunately.
- Washington will run through walls for you, won't he? I love that about him. He never stops going. And he took his goal very well! Delighted with that. Great finish.
- Jonny Williams came on and nearly got MOM for me. What a dynamic he brought to our attack. We looked a lot more creative with him buzzing around. To that end, same goes for Aneke: if only he could stay fit for an entire game. He is the perfect foil for Williams/Maddison/other attacking midfielders to be brought into play. And his roll and shot that led to the third goal was really good.
- Oshilaja and Purrington weren't on long enough.
All that said above, there are still things to work on. Why did we concede two goals like that? We had a serious wobble mentally then, too, which was not great to see. And AFC Wimbledon did not look very good (Pigott excluded) so I'd temper that performance a tad.
As we've all said - don't let the lows get too low, and don't let the highs get too high. But after scoring five I think we can afford to be a very happy bunch this weekend.
COYR!
CE said he's the worse striker he's seen in 50 years at the valley !
Not sure that's true as we've had some poor strikers over the years (as well as some crackers)
With Chuks, I think it’s a case of at the moment he’s so good at making an impact off the bench, it’s a tough one. He could start on Tuesday but then not again for the Saturday. All of his goals have been from the bench, hence why I’ve named it ‘The Aneke Role’.
I think he needs a prolonged period of time where he isn’t feeling jaded or there’s not a risk of him breaking down. If we can work on finding new ways of keeping him fit, I see no reason why in future he can’t start more often. We just need to be clever and sensible at the same time. I don’t think we’ve completely cracked it of how to keep him 100%, but until we do, this is working. But you have to credit him too, he’s so effective coming on that you almost take that effectiveness away when he starts.
It’s just difficult because when he’s on the pitch, we look so much better. No criticism to Bogle because I think the two of them could be interesting and would probably make Bogle look better, just Aneke adds so much more to us overall.
Hopefully there’s also a lesson learnt for the whole team. Press well and play with tempo and teams won’t live with you at this level. We have the quality to do it.
Maatsen with the 'assist the assist'. Purro with the goal. Who needs leftbacks when they are both playing up front?
Great to have Tommy S at the game. Full marks to LB/JJ for the subs, Jonny getting his goals and around play. Oh yes the good times are 2yrs away!!!. COYRS
He missed something like 2 months out with an achilles injury and it's slowed him down.
The couple of games he played before injury he looked a different player.
Remember his brilliant pass to send Doughty away for our 1st goal away at Crewe.
And even in the Doncaster defeat, he was the one player trying to drive the team forward.
Plus he hit a thundering shot that struck the crossbar in the last minute.
He's proved himself in his career in League One, player of the year for MK, etc.
He's well capable at this level ...... but he needs to get properly fit.
Purrington was on long enough to out skill the defender in the box and then get on the end of the move after Jonny's flick.
Fans never miss Purrington's mistakes but don't seem to give him credit when he does good things.
Sage did TBF.
I think at the next Football League AGM Thomas should put forward a motion to change our name to Scapegoat Athletic.
Some of our fans can be shockers.
So at half time I was quite happy. I would rather see that and accept some defeats. Playing defensively and winning like we did back in the 'Inniss / Famewo' partnership was all fine and dandy, but when you defend and lose then I get fed up with it.
I said that Bowyer needed a rethink and also that if you play both Madison and Williams then you need to attack. My excitement at the second half performance was such then that I accidentally punched my ten year old boy celebrating Williams's goal!
Then too my surprise and delight we didn't defend the lead. Just what the doctor ordered. Then we murdered them: just like Norman Bates doing the two killing strikes on Saturday 12th December. Will it be 60 years again until we ditch Wimbledon into the South London swamp?
Expected goals shows this. We really came alive in the second half, and especially after the subs came on
In the match thread I was slightly puzzled why Ben was there in the first place to score a poachers goal, but not complaining!
Ben Purrington comes on as an 84th minute sub and then subbed off for scoring in the 92nd minute.
Bowyer justifying it by saying he'd had "harsh words" with Purrington for wandering recklessly out of position:
"I don’t hold grudges. I just want to see a reaction from him and I’m sure I’ll get that.”
This is why I have always advocated to keep attacking, no matter what the score or the state of the game. I would also bet that if we had done the same last week we would have come away with a 2-0 win rather than a 1-1 draw