Apologies if this is a stupid question - but did we have the option to get the game postponed? Obviously it makes no sense whatsoever to play without your best forward and defender....
No we had more than 14 players available.
Saying that if anyone caught Covid on the coach/train to the game there could be some serious backlash.
Oh god, sorry if the commentator reads CL, but yeah, that was staggering stuff. Couldn't identify our players most of the time. Said Plymouth were a confident team when they've been losing every fucking week. Didn't seem to really understand football. Gave us poshos a bad name
True but he’s the least of our worries after that sh*t show
Never never going to win every game, and let’s not forget that before their poor run Plymouth won 16 in a row, so are clearly a talented team - and they showed that today.
However plenty of worries for me, firstly how poor we play without one of our first choice strikers, and secondly how we don’t seem to have a plan B. As mentioned in the match thread, and here, that was a very Adkinsesque performance, we bossed the first 30ish minutes but then something changed and that was that for the rest of the game.
Not sure if Plymouth changed formation, maybe to a 4-3-3 or 3-4-3, or tactics, but after that our wingbacks and midfield we’re completely nullified. No idea why after the start of the second half Jackson didn’t change the formation - get Leko deeper and running at them and get DJ off who was just not at the races. But hey ho, frustrating to lose especially as probably won’t see any football in a while.
Im not so sure that the Wimbledon game will go ahead, Covid is spreading like wildfire I wouldnt mind betting that some more of our players are found to be positive....Mrs RM has been fine throughout the whole of the pandemic, eaarler this week she tested positive for Covid and is not currently in a good state of health, yet she is normally as fit as a fiddle!
I thought we looked overly tired. Not making excuses for that display but I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised that we have more covid sufferers in the squad. The day before I tested positive this week I was absolutely shattered,no other symptoms,just that. If Stockley had buried that first half header then Plymouths fragile confidence would've shattered I think. Not to be, one of those days. Onto Wimbledon.
Poor peformance all round. Having only 2 decent strikers is not enough as Charlton look poor when either Washington or Stockley is injured / suspended. Cover in the left back / left half area is also needed as Souare looks really average.
First 30 mins were ok but after that Plymouth came into the match and bossed the game from 35min onwards. Stockley had one decent chance and there was a lack of end product from Leko and DJ. DJ was really poor second half. Surprised just how poor Kirk is. Seriously lacking any composure or quality. Midfield was really flat.
Its difficult to see how Charlton get promoted. The squad does not look strong enough. Its difficult to get a decent striker in January. Hoping that by the start of the next season, the third striker and weaknesses in the squad are sorted out.
Im not so sure that the Wimbledon game will go ahead, Covid is spreading like wildfire I wouldnt mind betting that some more of our players are found to be positive....Mrs RM has been fine throughout the whole of the pandemic, eaarler this week she tested positive for Covid and is not currently in a good state of health, yet she is normally as fit as a fiddle!
I thought we looked overly tired. Not making excuses for that display but I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised that we have more covid sufferers in the squad. The day before I tested positive this week I was absolutely shattered,no other symptoms,just that. If Stockley had buried that first half header then Plymouths fragile confidence would've shattered I think. Not to be, one of those days. Onto Wimbledon.
Hope you feel better soon @Redvalleyeast and that the covid turns out mild for you. Got a booster yesterday, ok but have the energy level of today's Charlton's match.
I thought we looked overly tired. Not making excuses for that display but I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised that we have more covid sufferers in the squad. The day before I tested positive this week I was absolutely shattered,no other symptoms,just that. If Stockley had buried that first half header then Plymouths fragile confidence would've shattered I think. Not to be, one of those days. Onto Wimbledon.
Hope you feel better soon @Redvalleyeast and that the covid turns out mild for you. Got a booster yesterday, ok but have the energy level of today's Charlton's match.
Apologies if this is a stupid question - but did we have the option to get the game postponed? Obviously it makes no sense whatsoever to play without your best forward and defender....
No we had more than 14 players available.
Saying that if anyone caught Covid on the coach/train to the game there could be some serious backlash.
It was kind of insinuated during the broadcast that players are only tested when they have symptoms. But EFL guidelines from a couple days ago mandate testing players daily. I wonder if the mandate went into effect right away.
Unless a player tests positive on the day and is allowed to travel (which I highly, highly doubt), I don't see how anyone can be blamed if players catch it on the coach.
Hopefully this forces players who aren't vaxxed to reconsider getting vaxxed. It might take 6 weeks for the full effects, but better late than never. In November, 75% of EFL players had had at least one shot. That was a pretty big increase from 50% in October. But ideally you'd want that to be 90%+.
DJ's performance seems to have triggered a bit of a debate.
In my opinion he was poor today, not that he was alone in the team in that respect; he struggled to find a pass all game.
A plus point for him was that he was always available to receive the ball, whether he was higging the touchline or drifting inside.
Some may say that by staying out as wide as possible he was "hiding" but as a former winger myself that's what we tend to do: if the defender comes out to mark you you've created space inside, if your man leaves you alone you have space to play with.
And you certainly can't be hiding when you receive the ball as much as he did and then run with it. If he was truly hiding he'd have got rid of the ball as quickly as possible and not shown for a return ball.
Crap: yes. Hiding: no.
Elsewhere on the pitch there was little positive cheer. Clare going off (injured or sick?) wasn't great although it was nice to see Inniss the Mountain back in the first team.
We missed the Duracell Bunny up front (other strikers may be available but no-one brings the energy of Washy) and the Super Purry Animal was less than super on the left side of the back three.
Dobson was his usual stubborn self at centre-half-back but the midfield in general was quiet.
I'm not going to go all doom-and-gloom (there are other posters - and we all know who they are - who can do that much better than me) on the prospects for the rest of the season. It's going to be difficult for us to get into a play-off spot but I wouldn't rule it out yet. There's still a long way to go in this season, a transfer window to negotiate in January, and plenty of time for us to become more consistent ... and also plenty of time for other clubs to fall by the wayside.
Im not so sure that the Wimbledon game will go ahead, Covid is spreading like wildfire I wouldnt mind betting that some more of our players are found to be positive....Mrs RM has been fine throughout the whole of the pandemic, eaarler this week she tested positive for Covid and is not currently in a good state of health, yet she is normally as fit as a fiddle!
Good to see big Ryan on the pitch again though, especially if Clare has picked up a knock.
Definitely good to have him back, but he can't play at that RCB position if Jacko wants that player pushing into the opposition half and sometimes playing as a sort of deep fullback in possession. He looked so awkward receiving the ball near the touchline. It has to be Gunter in that role if Clare misses the next game. The only role I think Iniss can play in our current set up is in the middle of the three, and he'll have to dislodge Pearce from that.
Good to see big Ryan on the pitch again though, especially if Clare has picked up a knock.
Definitely good to have him back, but he can't play at that RCB position if Jacko wants that player pushing into the opposition half and sometimes playing as a sort of deep fullback in possession. He looked so awkward receiving the ball near the touchline. It has to be Gunter in that role if Clare misses the next game. The only role I think Iniss can play in our current set up is in the middle of the three, and he'll have to dislodge Pearce from that.
Gutted with that performance today. Lacked so many things. Loads of credit in the bank for me though. Big period coming up. But I think we will be ok just for the playoffs.
Oh god, sorry if the commentator reads CL, but yeah, that was staggering stuff. Couldn't identify our players most of the time. Said Plymouth were a confident team when they've been losing every fucking week. Didn't seem to really understand football. Gave us poshos a bad name
In the commentators' defence it's not always easy to pick out the players when you're watching on TV, which us what Jamie Reid and Browny were doing today. I thought that's how they were working in the first half just by the way they were calling things but in the second half they were saying they were at The Valley, not Home Park.
Jamie may be a professional commentator (is he a Charlton fan?) but give me Tel, Greg, or any of the other guys from Valley Pass commentary stints in seasons past.
Comments
Saying that if anyone caught Covid on the coach/train to the game there could be some serious backlash.
However plenty of worries for me, firstly how poor we play without one of our first choice strikers, and secondly how we don’t seem to have a plan B. As mentioned in the match thread, and here, that was a very Adkinsesque performance, we bossed the first 30ish minutes but then something changed and that was that for the rest of the game.
Not sure if Plymouth changed formation, maybe to a 4-3-3 or 3-4-3, or tactics, but after that our wingbacks and midfield we’re completely nullified. No idea why after the start of the second half Jackson didn’t change the formation - get Leko deeper and running at them and get DJ off who was just not at the races. But hey ho, frustrating to lose especially as probably won’t see any football in a while.
Bin him off first chance.
First half was good bar there goal but the second was woeful. They set up to counter and it worked for them.
Burstow to start next game instead of Leko if the others are still out.
Lastly, get DJ doing extra fitness sessions..he just look dead on his feet
Hope you feel better soon @Redvalleyeast and that the covid turns out mild for you. Got a booster yesterday, ok but have the energy level of today's Charlton's match.
https://www.efl.com/news/2021/december/efl-statement-covid-19-update/
Unless a player tests positive on the day and is allowed to travel (which I highly, highly doubt), I don't see how anyone can be blamed if players catch it on the coach.
Hopefully this forces players who aren't vaxxed to reconsider getting vaxxed. It might take 6 weeks for the full effects, but better late than never. In November, 75% of EFL players had had at least one shot. That was a pretty big increase from 50% in October. But ideally you'd want that to be 90%+.
In my opinion he was poor today, not that he was alone in the team in that respect; he struggled to find a pass all game.
A plus point for him was that he was always available to receive the ball, whether he was higging the touchline or drifting inside.
Some may say that by staying out as wide as possible he was "hiding" but as a former winger myself that's what we tend to do: if the defender comes out to mark you you've created space inside, if your man leaves you alone you have space to play with.
And you certainly can't be hiding when you receive the ball as much as he did and then run with it. If he was truly hiding he'd have got rid of the ball as quickly as possible and not shown for a return ball.
Crap: yes. Hiding: no.
Elsewhere on the pitch there was little positive cheer. Clare going off (injured or sick?) wasn't great although it was nice to see Inniss the Mountain back in the first team.
We missed the Duracell Bunny up front (other strikers may be available but no-one brings the energy of Washy) and the Super Purry Animal was less than super on the left side of the back three.
Dobson was his usual stubborn self at centre-half-back but the midfield in general was quiet.
I'm not going to go all doom-and-gloom (there are other posters - and we all know who they are - who can do that much better than me) on the prospects for the rest of the season. It's going to be difficult for us to get into a play-off spot but I wouldn't rule it out yet. There's still a long way to go in this season, a transfer window to negotiate in January, and plenty of time for us to become more consistent ... and also plenty of time for other clubs to fall by the wayside.
In Jacko we trust.
Jamie may be a professional commentator (is he a Charlton fan?) but give me Tel, Greg, or any of the other guys from Valley Pass commentary stints in seasons past.
Except Emma ...