Some great action there, but right at the start was that Gunter (who is as bad as Matthews), who just stood still and let their player run in unchallenged?
How can an experienced player be that inept week in week out? I mean you don't even have to be able to play football, to be able to run alongside someone and keep goal side of them.
It looks to me as if he’s slightly distracted by a player advancing out wide and is telling someone to pick him up whilst trying to hold a high line. However the opponent points to where he wants the ball and times his run to perfection. I agree though he switched of momentarily which is all it takes and McGillivray saved his bacon and a disastrous 0-1 early doors.
Agreed, he was pointing to Leko to get back & to get behind his man. In doing so he lets his own player run through unchallenged for a one on one with the keeper. I'm afraid both Matthews and Gunter are rank and they seem to be getting worse. They can't even get the basics right.
If you break down the whole move of that part of play, there are a number of issues.
Neither Gunter or Lavelle recognise quick enough where the danger space is. It’s created because of the huge gap between Gunter and Lavelle. There are two reasons for that.
Firstly, Famewo fails to take control of the situation with their striker meaning Lavelle has to engage in an area he probably shouldn’t be in. The gap between the two centre backs suddenly becomes too small. There was room either side and in behind. A lack of communication in that instance was a problem.
Secondly, Gunter gets himself on the wrong side and too square on. He needs to tuck round and vacate the space and leave their player out wide on his right, he can’t hurt us there. So forget him and telling others to get in position and ensure you do your own positional defensive duties first. By the time Lavelle has reacted to where the danger is, he’s told Famewo to take control of their striker and tried to shuffle along. Whilst this is happening, Gunter moves even more face on and let’s their player get a run on him where the space is. He then claims for offside. Lavelle is too far away and too slow to get back and cover that space or intercept. He is also slightly ball watching, but naturally would assume your full back would be in a better position.
We are lucky that MacGillivray closed the angle down and came out quickly to make a solid and crucial save because switching off for that 5 second period could’ve cost us. It shows we have lots of room for improvement still and is an important reminder.
I understand that at the level we are players have limitations, but these errors are clear and are easy to cut out through doing the basics to a good level. I am sure we will get there and improve.
If football was played as clinically perfect as this analysis, it would be a very boring stalemated game
I'm glad I'm not the only one to think so. Having just read @Sage's dissection of their chance I went back to watch it from @Clive's video. There is less than 3 secs between the time the player gets the ball (from the wide man), skips a challenge to when the ball is slipped inside to the player running on. The beauty of football is that its a fast moving sport - both players & ball. Neither should be static for any length of time & in this instance Fleetwood made a couple of passes to create a chance- which in my kind should happen 20-30 times a game. Dont think our players had much time to react, apart from Gunter realising he needed cover.
I do bow down to @sage's more knowledgable & experienced view on all things tactical but imo football would be boring if played perfectly by robots.
How much difference do you think a pacy right back would make to the team? Been mentioning to other Charlton fans that this must be number 1 priority in January. Not financially viable to have 3 RB’s on the books, but feel this would make a huge difference to this team.
How much difference do you think a pacy right back would make to the team? Been mentioning to other Charlton fans that this must be number 1 priority in January. Not financially viable to have 3 RB’s on the books, but feel this would make a huge difference to this team.
Said the other day it should be one of the main priorities in January. Problem is making space in the squad, probably difficult to move Matthews or Gunter on. It’s the most obvious area of the team that needs improving.
Central midfield is another area to look at depending on how strong we’re looking there over the next few months.
My analysis wasn’t to be in the respect of it being played by robots or nobody making a mistake, I said at the end I recognise we are at a level where players have limitations but this type of thing can be rectified on the training ground by doing the basics well. Players are going to make mistakes and I appreciate that as long as they don’t continue to make the same one over and over again. I was just breaking it down so we can see who and what was at fault and how it came about.
many of you seem to forget that we are a League One team with League One players and you don't find football perfection in League One. it did look like a complete team performance which is the biggest positive that can be taken
Maybe JFC was/is a bigger miss than a lot of fans have realised and acknowledged. He won our POTY last season and despite not being the perfect CM, most of our issues are in that position.
Interesting that Curbs feels we need 3 CMs in this league so he'd use 4-3-3.
Did Curbs actually say he'd go 4-3-3 or just that he'd used three CMs? You can use those in 3-5-2, 4-5-1, and of course England used four under Ramsey in 4-4-2: Stiles, Charlton, Ball and Peters.
Solid performance. Kirk and Lee teamed up well and added much needed creativity. They both perform so much better when the two midfielders behind them provide energy and cover given their defensive limitations. Can Arter and Gilbey provide that all season - I hope so because, I am not convinced that the likes of Dobson, Morgan or Watson can cover that much of the pitch. Typical Leko performance - frustrating most of the match but then 2 or 3 moments of absolute brilliance. Defense was a little shaky in possession which will be a concern until at least January. Also, I am not completely convinced yet with Davison and Soare. Davison has shown a lot of energy and decent pace this year, I just don’t know if he has that scorers mentality to lead the line. I would lean towards Stockley and Purrington as long as we don’t revert to hoof ball with Stockley. All in all, positive signs
Aaagh no way
Davison works hard but he would not have scored the chance Stockley did today.
Stockley is the best forward at the club. He should start. Why overcomplicate things. If professional footballers cannot resist temptation to pump long balls to him they should be managed better.
Just the same thing people said of Stockley for Josh's last couple of goals.
I like Davison but I thought the Portsmouth goal was a chance any professional striker should take.
We have got a big squad and in my opinion we need to focus on playing our best players. Fortunately the Adkins tombola spat out Arter, Gilbey, Lee, Kirk and Leko today which is our strongest 5 midfielders by miles. I think Stockley is the right forward to go with them.
Tombola? Give me a break. Some of those players might be dropped agains if they have a bad performance… and so they should be.
Let’s hope he gets to make those decisions based on performance rather than fitness/injury
Interesting that Curbs feels we need 3 CMs in this league so he'd use 4-3-3.
Did Curbs actually say he'd go 4-3-3 or just that he'd used three CMs? You can use those in 3-5-2, 4-5-1, and of course England used four under Ramsey in 4-4-2: Stiles, Charlton, Ball and Peters.
He did say he'd go 433...surprised me I thought he'd say 442 with3 in midfield and a winger, but no...433
Solid performance. Kirk and Lee teamed up well and added much needed creativity. They both perform so much better when the two midfielders behind them provide energy and cover given their defensive limitations. Can Arter and Gilbey provide that all season - I hope so because, I am not convinced that the likes of Dobson, Morgan or Watson can cover that much of the pitch. Typical Leko performance - frustrating most of the match but then 2 or 3 moments of absolute brilliance. Defense was a little shaky in possession which will be a concern until at least January. Also, I am not completely convinced yet with Davison and Soare. Davison has shown a lot of energy and decent pace this year, I just don’t know if he has that scorers mentality to lead the line. I would lean towards Stockley and Purrington as long as we don’t revert to hoof ball with Stockley. All in all, positive signs
Aaagh no way
Davison works hard but he would not have scored the chance Stockley did today.
Stockley is the best forward at the club. He should start. Why overcomplicate things. If professional footballers cannot resist temptation to pump long balls to him they should be managed better.
Just the same thing people said of Stockley for Josh's last couple of goals.
I like Davison but I thought the Portsmouth goal was a chance any professional striker should take.
We have got a big squad and in my opinion we need to focus on playing our best players. Fortunately the Adkins tombola spat out Arter, Gilbey, Lee, Kirk and Leko today which is our strongest 5 midfielders by miles. I think Stockley is the right forward to go with them.
Tombola? Give me a break. Some of those players might be dropped agains if they have a bad performance… and so they should be.
Let’s hope he gets to make those decisions based on performance rather than fitness/injury
After yesterday, Nigel must be sure of 8/9 of the 11. He's probably not 100% about the left side or Stockley/Davison. And that's progress.
Happy with our attacking threat even if we aren’t as lethal in the final third as I’d hope for but heading in the right direction there . Defensively still a bit ropey and the oppo will know they’ll always get a good chance or three against us .
0% Top 2 5% Play offs 35% 7th-12th 57% 13th-20th 3% The big R
Maybe JFC was/is a bigger miss than a lot of fans have realised and acknowledged. He won our POTY last season and despite not being the perfect CM, most of our issues are in that position.
He is a massive miss, I think the "no fans" situation help soure him a bit last season. Go and look at the thread from when he first did his ACL. I posted this last season but it amazed me then, and it still does, how people didn't think JFC and Amos were very, very good league 1 players. The 2 seasons they played we came 6th and 7th and they were both in the top 3 of POTY.
Finally got that win. No better feeling than 3 points on a Saturday, a lot of positives with that. Credit to the travelling fans as wel Love it the boys!
Comments
I do bow down to @sage's more knowledgable & experienced view on all things tactical but imo football would be boring if played perfectly by robots.
Central midfield is another area to look at depending on how strong we’re looking there over the next few months.
Fans outstanding.
it did look like a complete team performance which is the biggest positive that can be taken
Kwadwo Baah remains eternally grateful, for being seen by Premier scouts that day when he scored two Thirds of his goals in Pro football.
He said 'Good performance lads'. Doesn't he realise it wasn't a good performance for every minute of the 97 minutes ffs!
Defensively still a bit ropey and the oppo will know they’ll always get a good chance or three against us .
0% Top 2
5% Play offs
35% 7th-12th
57% 13th-20th
3% The big R