I think Pearce hit the nail on the head when he said we needed to up the speed of passing and take a few more risks. By being ponderously slow we made it easy for CU to organise and couldn’t create many good chances. A few players hid yesterday by feeling they had done their job by simply passing and never picking out the best pass. Our two centre halves were the worst culprits (especially Inniss) and, more surprisingly, Clare.
I try to avoid taking issue with individual views because we all see things differently but while I agree with your 'ponderously slow' analysis, I am really surprised by your comment about Clare hiding and opting for easy passes.
I saw him making surging runs, offering himself all the time and making at least three highly accurate 50 metre cross field passes to Kirk or Clayden on the opposite wing, to switch the play.
I did think he seemed to avoid picking out Rik-Saki for some reason when we were playing out from back and assumed thus was a Garner instruction.
From Kevin Nolan's report 'Almost in slow motion, the ball meandered from Joe Wollacott to either Ryan Innis or Eoghan O’Connell, out to Sean Clare or Clayden before making its way back, via Inniss or O’ Connell again, to Wollacott. Then repeat as necessary before booting it downfield. Far better, you might suppose, to employ the superior control of midfielders Morgan, Fraser and Dobson to protect the ball while moving it forward but it’s the modern way to pass backwards and sideways in a football version of Russian roulette, until the space diminishes and panic takes over.' The weakness of Garnerball with our defenders summed up. And he says it is the equivalent of chalk scraping a blackboard.
Wasn’t at the game, but I would say that wasn’t a fair description of the general play up to the Cambridge match.
However, it’s a work in progress, and hopefully they’ll find ways of passing the ball forward more quickly, when teams press them.
Can anyone watch Cambridge's goal back and tell me what Ryan Innis is doing in any of the phases of play?
Agree Innis was doing his usual walkabout bit in the build up to the goal, but when the final touch was taken and the goal scored, there were SEVEN players to their THREE inside the 18yard area, and there was a lot of ball watching going on and not much picking up of players taking place, so not just Innis at fault there, great save from Wollacott, but the loose ball ran kindly for Cambridge after that...
Teams know how Garner likes to play, and will be studying both the Cambridge and Plymouth matches to see how to counter us (and how not to counter us!).
I agree with others that we desperately needed a pacier striker up top. With a quicker striker, the opposition defence would have to drop deeper to counter this, creating more space in the middle for our passing game.
I don’t think we necessarily need a pacier striker, though one would be nice. We need to look at how we can support Stockley and have somebody close enough to feed him or be fed by him, picking up the second attempt if his attempts are saved or blocked. I wouldn’t mind seeing whether Kanu could fill that role. He clearly knows where the goal is. An outing against Walsall might be the opportunity to see.
We need an alternative & we need competition. With the 5 subs rule players are getting subbed all over the pitch on 60/70 minutes, getting fresh legs & maybe a change of shape. Who have we got to replace Stockley ? A promising 18 year old taking his first steps in mens football. Forget Aneke & his occasional 30minutes we need an experienced alternative to Stockley but of course we've left it too late again & anyway our knowledgeable owner & family have apparently decided that we don't need another striker at the club. Seriously how do we expect to win promotion with just one senior striker ? Better get used to the 3rd Division.
when garner ball works it's great to watch but I'm worried that teams can work us out fairly easily, even our subs are predictable. Leaburn on the right, cbt on the left and Payne for frazer.
if cbt didn't get injured, I think we would have lost. Henry coming on for cbt made garner change things and we got back into the game.
we were warned by Swindon fans that garner didn't have a plan b and he proved that yesterday. Cambridge were on top and the plan was to change personnel and hope! It cost us two points yesterday.
Jackson got criticised for sticking to 3-5-2, I think garner will go the same way with 4-3-3. Change it up to bring out results!!!!
I've said if before I'll say it again. We should of got Colby Bishop in the summer. Young, pacey, works hard and scores goals. He ran rings around us a few years ago at The Valley and he will score loads at Pompey this year
I was actually pleased with the performance. Granted I wasn't there on Tuesday which is where I think the disappointment of this result stems from.
I loved seeing us dominate the ball for once and I didnt think it just across the back. We transitioned through the thirds pretty well but we did struggle to break down CU who defended deep in numbers. The problem with Stockley isolated is that he is predictable. He'll drop deep or be the long ball target man (we rarely hoofed it hopelessly up to him). For any decent centre back this is easy to defend against. We need a strikers who can play on the shoulder. Fraser broke through a few times and the only option was out wide.
We cant dominate 90 minutes every game and CU had a good spell between 45-70 mins. They are delighted with a draw.
I've said if before I'll say it again. We should of got Colby Bishop in the summer. Young, pacey, works hard and scores goals. He ran rings around us a few years ago at The Valley and he will score loads at Pompey this year
I assumed when Washington left we had someone lined up.
Teams know how Garner likes to play, and will be studying both the Cambridge and Plymouth matches to see how to counter us (and how not to counter us!).
I agree with others that we desperately needed a pacier striker up top. With a quicker striker, the opposition defence would have to drop deeper to counter this, creating more space in the middle for our passing game.
I don’t think we necessarily need a pacier striker, though one would be nice. We need to look at how we can support Stockley and have somebody close enough to feed him or be fed by him, picking up the second attempt if his attempts are saved or blocked. I wouldn’t mind seeing whether Kanu could fill that role. He clearly knows where the goal is. An outing against Walsall might be the opportunity to see.
We need an alternative & we need competition. With the 5 subs rule players are getting subbed all over the pitch on 60/70 minutes, getting fresh legs & maybe a change of shape. Who have we got to replace Stockley ? A promising 18 year old taking his first steps in mens football. Forget Aneke & his occasional 30minutes we need an experienced alternative to Stockley but of course we've left it too late again & anyway our knowledgeable owner & family have apparently decided that we don't need another striker at the club. Seriously how do we expect to win promotion with just one senior striker ? Better get used to the 3rd Division.
Word on the street is no striker being targeted. Crass. Another season of league 3 shite to endure
Clueless, absolutely clueless. This can only be down to the owner.
Why must it be?
I think that it may well be Garner. He has a similar outlook to Guardiola and Man City went some time without even one recognised centre forward on the pitch.
This can work with goalscoring midfielders and I reckon that's his aim. Despite the rhetoric about how good the football has been so far this season, I'm not counting any chickens myself.
I've been doubting for some time this presumption that we will sign another centre forward. I think that TS would be as ready to accept the purchase of a centre forward as he has been for the others signed so far. It's not the owner, it's the manager imo.
We really could have won this game (and also think about the thrown away 2 points at Accrington), but I don't think we've been unlucky, just not had the right level of composure, savviness and game awareness.
This chance should have seen the ball move from Miles to Payne, Payne to Morgan and then the back of the net. Option was available.
I took a Hammers mate to the game and he enjoyed our football and made the simple comment we were the much better team. He watched the same fixture last season which was a grim game.
I took a Hammers mate to the game and he enjoyed our football and made the simple comment we were the much better team. He watched the same fixture last season which was a grim game.
Neutral commentators and opposition managers on the whole have been very complimentary about our football and how well we have played.
Ive certainly been very encouraged. But ultimately it means nothing if we can’t pick up wins - and Wycombe this weekend is another big test and one I think we ‘must win’.
I took a Hammers mate to the game and he enjoyed our football and made the simple comment we were the much better team. He watched the same fixture last season which was a grim game.
Neutral commentators and opposition managers on the whole have been very complimentary about our football and how well we have played.
Ive certainly been very encouraged. But ultimately it means nothing if we can’t pick up wins - and Wycombe this weekend is another big test and one I think we ‘must win’.
I agree, which is why we need a replacement striker who is at least as good and physical as Stockley and who is no as fragile as glass.
We really could have won this game (and also think about the thrown away 2 points at Accrington), but I don't think we've been unlucky, just not had the right level of composure, savviness and game awareness.
This chance should have seen the ball move from Miles to Payne, Payne to Morgan and then the back of the net. Option was available.
Lots of risk there, two passes that could go astray. Not even considering the couple of seconds i'd take the ball to get to Morgan, by which time he'd likely be closed down by one or two defenders.
I am less bothered than some as I don't think Saturday showed a pattern. It becomes a pattern if it happens again and again. For me the issue was they shackled our offensive threat so the outballs were not so easy. I think they managed to get on top of Stockley and the Palace lad so we probably need to work out how we counter that going forwards.
Comments
I saw him making surging runs, offering himself all the time and making at least three highly accurate 50 metre cross field passes to Kirk or Clayden on the opposite wing, to switch the play.
I did think he seemed to avoid picking out Rik-Saki for some reason when we were playing out from back and assumed thus was a Garner instruction.
https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/four-takeaways-from-charltons-draw-with-cambridge-addicks-brought-back-down-to-earth-as-injuries-start-to-mount/
Does that mean that Inniss only starts on Saturdays? And Lavelle only for midweek games.
I loved seeing us dominate the ball for once and I didnt think it just across the back. We transitioned through the thirds pretty well but we did struggle to break down CU who defended deep in numbers. The problem with Stockley isolated is that he is predictable. He'll drop deep or be the long ball target man (we rarely hoofed it hopelessly up to him). For any decent centre back this is easy to defend against. We need a strikers who can play on the shoulder. Fraser broke through a few times and the only option was out wide.
We cant dominate 90 minutes every game and CU had a good spell between 45-70 mins. They are delighted with a draw.
Onwards and upwards.
This can work with goalscoring midfielders and I reckon that's his aim. Despite the rhetoric about how good the football has been so far this season, I'm not counting any chickens myself.
I've been doubting for some time this presumption that we will sign another centre forward.
I think that TS would be as ready to accept the purchase of a centre forward as he has been for the others signed so far. It's not the owner, it's the manager imo.
We really could have won this game (and also think about the thrown away 2 points at Accrington), but I don't think we've been unlucky, just not had the right level of composure, savviness and game awareness.
This chance should have seen the ball move from Miles to Payne, Payne to Morgan and then the back of the net. Option was available.
He watched the same fixture last season which was a grim game.
Ive certainly been very encouraged. But ultimately it means nothing if we can’t pick up wins - and Wycombe this weekend is another big test and one I think we ‘must win’.