A frustrating match which Mrs G described as a waste of £10 of my meagre old age pension!
On last night's evidence we are only marginally better than we were last season. After 8 matches we are 3 points above the relegation zone, 10 points below automatic promotion and 3 points below 6th.
I felt overall, despite a good start to the first half, we were lucky to emerge with a draw at home against once of the poorer teams in the division and feel that if we do leave this division it will be down rather than up. More likely 14th is a fair reflection of where we are in reality.
Cory Blackett-Taylor can be a positive. His goal showed what he can do but the other erratic shots were more typical and I hope he can gain more consistent composure the more he plays.
Chin too looked good on his first league appearance. Inniss, if not injured, still picks up needless yellow cards. Not sure what Mc Grandles (?spelling) brings. We looked much better when Albie came on. The Palace bloke Rak Sakyi (?spelling) was largely anonymous apart from a good header, shot on the turn and Zaha like penalty area 'fall.' The goalkeeper, Wollacott, looked shaky but has done reasonably well in other matches.
This was a match we had to win if we have any aspirations of promotion but in actuality proved to be a loud and clear reality check and confirmation of our mediocrity.
Innis was a bit unlucky with the second yellow after having had a good game when he was moving the ball around at a far quicker pace than in previous games. But these things happen and that's why you have three or four centre halves in the squad. Wollacott had a brain fart and will learn from it.
In the second half Garner was slow to react to the opposition's change of shape. Indeed Forest Green were the better side for a 10 minute period at the beginning of the half after being nearly overrun by the CBT, Chin, Payne combination in the first 45 mins. Both CBT and R-S faded badly and in fact most of the side looked knackered at the hour mark. What are they doing on the training pitch?
That was a game that should have been comfortably won by half time. The players appear to lose it around the opposition box. Perhaps they can take lessons on control and skill from the chap who hit the cross bar during the break.
I said at the start of the season that we'd finish about ninth, the squad isn't there yet, the playing style needs bedding in and it will be at least a two year project. Nothing I've seen has made me change my mind.
As for TS, we can wish as much as we want but again, as I've previously mentioned, he's now worth about a quarter of his net worth when he bought the club. He simply hasn't got the money to make big investments any more.
We'd be very lucky to find another buyer right now. TS bought a perennially loss making club without the tangible value of the real estate, which still lies in the hands of a deluded man who will keep it overvalued to scorn us. Who in their right mind would buy us? As long as he continues to fund us, we're in no position to moan about TS. No one else is desperate to jump into his shoes. I understand the frustrations but taking it out on TS is pointless.
So, we have to rely on a playing style that might distinguish us from our rivals. We need a manager who can find a system that sees average players overperform. I think Garner has the potential to be that manager but it will take a long time and this season is likely to be one where we just need to build. With that in mind I'm hoping we see more of the academy players being blooded. It can't be rushed however as most these young kids simply aren't ready yet, so they'll need to be slowly introduced. It's not ideal but genuinely I think we have very little option at the moment.
T'was only my 2nd game of the season. It feels like the start of the season was just a new manager bounce or honeymoon period.
I said after his Wimbledon red card that I didn't want to see Inniss play again. He's an idiot on the pitch and always an accident waiting to happen.
He was superb until the red card, which came from pure desperation to score, nothing else. Yeah he may have given away a chipped pass at one point as well. He was excellent, good on the ball and authoritative in defence. There are many reasons we didn't win that. Inniss absolutely isn't close to being one of them. People seem to be using this result to grind whatever axe they already had without taking the actual game into account
I didn't say he was to blame for the performance, I said he's an idiot on the pitch and an accident waiting to happen - if he's fit. I don't want anyone at the club who's got a Kevin Muscat style horror tackle in him.
On Wollacatt - yes it was a gaff he's been our best player this season so far by the sounds of it, and he is still a League 1 keeper.
Sad to admit I didn't go last night and couldn't find the motivation to spend £10 on the live stream which is unusual for me. Didn't even pay much attention to the match thread.
This is Mr Sandgaard's fourth manager since the start of his ownership and our gradual decline as a football club continues, which leads me to conclude that the managers may not be the source of the problem.
I think they're more reasons than excuses. Of course they'll be trying to overachieve (there was plenty of effort last night) but that doesn't guarantee it'll happen. A kid make his debut in a position he's not used to playing is always likely to struggle, no matter how hard he tries, for example.
Negatives (on the pitch only):
We don’t have a left back. The squad lacks depth, which is ok if you don’t pick up injuries. But we do.
We have two key players who are very injury prone.
We’re arguably giving too many youth players too many minutes before they’re quite ready. Best to ease them in as subs, but dangerous to start them in league matches. We still need a more versatile, quicker striker. We are a bit powder puff in midfield, barring Dobbo. Morgan isn't the answer.
Other than that, everything is tickety-boo.
So I'm going to try to avoid criticising players, unless they're not putting in a shift, or the manager, but there's clearly something wrong with the system.
Conor McGrandles this season whipping boy?? FFS give him a chance.
It was a really dire performance. Not writing him off, but that was as bad as I've seen.
I may have to watch a total match replay on Charlton TV, as I didn't notice him that much. I've certainly seen worse team performances than that (people on Twitter claiming it was the worst they'd ever seen). It might have been one of the most frustrating nights I've experienced, however.
Not criticising Miles Leaburn, but when his weakness is obvious against Forest Green, then you have to question his being a first team member.
I don't question him being a first team member, but he's not ready to lead the line, especially as a lone striker. Being successful up against a couple of horrible League One defenders requires experience that he just doesn't have yet.
How do other youngsters do it then? Dane Scarlett for example.
Conor McGrandles this season whipping boy?? FFS give him a chance.
It was a really dire performance. Not writing him off, but that was as bad as I've seen.
I may have to watch a total match replay on Charlton TV, as I didn't notice him that much. I've certainly seen worse team performances than that (people of Twitter claiming it was the worst they'd ever seen). It might have been one of the most frustrating nights I've experienced, however.
It was a fitfully decent team performance with - yes - frustrating end product. McGrandles screwed up almost every time the ball came near him and FGR players seemed to phase through him when they had the ball, it was almost surreal in how bad he was
Conor McGrandles this season whipping boy?? FFS give him a chance.
It was a really dire performance. Not writing him off, but that was as bad as I've seen.
I may have to watch a total match replay on Charlton TV, as I didn't notice him that much. I've certainly seen worse team performances than that (people of Twitter claiming it was the worst they'd ever seen). It might have been one of the most frustrating nights I've experienced, however.
Honestly re-watch the game if you need to, his passing was short or sideways, he was out muscled and out paced consistently and didn't win a single tackle, fouled three times and got booked. He had 25 touches in 59 minutes. That's only 16 more than DJ who played...10 minutes!
Not criticising Miles Leaburn, but when his weakness is obvious against Forest Green, then you have to question his being a first team member.
I don't question him being a first team member, but he's not ready to lead the line, especially as a lone striker. Being successful up against a couple of horrible League One defenders requires experience that he just doesn't have yet.
How do other youngsters do it then? Dane Scarlett for example.
Better control than Leaburn? There's a lot he's good at, but also some stuff where he needs to improve. That will come with training and playing. I'd rather he learns it here.
I said in the "where are the goals going to come from" thread that to be successful with this type of play (relying on your wingers/midfielders to score) then you need those players to actually be any good in front of goal. CBT showed last night that he may have pace but he hasn't any composure. A proper forward would have buried 2 or 3 of those chances
So if buying a striker wasn't a priority then teaching/training the "forwards" how to shoot should be.
With all due respect, I think you would benefit from watching the match again, as I intend to. After CB-T's goal he created two or three more chances for himself, but they were way outside the area. Of course he should have done a lot better, but few players are going to bury two out of three chances from 25 yards. He should also have done better in the second half where he beat his full back on at least three occasions, only for his crosses to be cut out. To be fair to him he looked absolutely gutted, and clearly knew he should have done better. If his shooting was more accurate and his crosses were more accurate, our chances of winning matches would improve dramatically. I'd be interested to know how many crosses we put in to the box, without scoring from any of them.
With with all due respect , with his electric pace if CBT was making mazy runs and smashing three in from the edge of the box - which is where the chances were that he blazed wide last night , he wouldn’t be in Div 1.
With with all due respect , with his electric pace if CBT was making mazy runs and smashing three in from the edge of the box - which is where the chances were that he blazed wide last night , he wouldn’t be in Div 1.
Exactly!
We are a mid-table League 1 side with delusions of grandeur. I'm strangely quite fond of our players but beginning to realise they won't get us anywhere.
if Garner keeps up his (justified?) criticism of Sandy he could be gone by Christmas. Anyway, that might not be a bad thing, I mentioned up the page (e.g.) Cotterill at Shrewsbury, a manager picking horses for courses on a small budget. Garner is a football theorist, Cotterill a pragmatist. Pretty football will not get us out of this League, a team that works hard, is together and has a mean (not dirty) streak is needed. These attributes should be priorities over anything else. I suspect that Garner is following Sandy's instructions and is playing nice drawing board football, very suited to the Premier League and skilful players who cost and earn millions. If Sandy expects champagne football on vinegar money, he's sorely self delusionary.
So Sandy, keep Garner and give him some cash or bring in a manager whose been round the block and back a few times who might be able to make our team into a silk purse from a sow's ear .. excuse the mixed metaphors
I said in the "where are the goals going to come from" thread that to be successful with this type of play (relying on your wingers/midfielders to score) then you need those players to actually be any good in front of goal. CBT showed last night that he may have pace but he hasn't any composure. A proper forward would have buried 2 or 3 of those chances
So if buying a striker wasn't a priority then teaching/training the "forwards" how to shoot should be.
With all due respect, I think you would benefit from watching the match again, as I intend to. After CB-T's goal he created two or three more chances for himself, but they were way outside the area. Of course he should have done a lot better, but few players are going to bury two out of three chances from 25 yards. He should also have done better in the second half where he beat his full back on at least three occasions, only for his crosses to be cut out. To be fair to him he looked absolutely gutted, and clearly knew he should have done better. If his shooting was more accurate and his crosses were more accurate, our chances of winning matches would improve dramatically. I'd be interested to know how many crosses we put in to the box, without scoring from any of them.
I agree with you are fellow posters above.
BUT
we are playing CBT and JRS as "forwards" to supplement Stockley's meagre returns and so they need to be able to score. The excitement got to his head after his goal & he tried shooting at every turn. And I applaud it. Too many times our players pass instead of shooting, but if these players are going to have to bolster our goals scored column they need to know how to shoot !!
Not criticising Miles Leaburn, but when his weakness is obvious against Forest Green, then you have to question his being a first team member.
I don't question him being a first team member, but he's not ready to lead the line, especially as a lone striker. Being successful up against a couple of horrible League One defenders requires experience that he just doesn't have yet.
How do other youngsters do it then? Dane Scarlett for example.
Better control than Leaburn? There's a lot he's good at, but also some stuff where he needs to improve. That will come with training and playing. I'd rather he learns it here.
For all the obvious potential let's not forget 6 months ago he had never even played an u23s game.
Not criticising Miles Leaburn, but when his weakness is obvious against Forest Green, then you have to question his being a first team member.
I don't question him being a first team member, but he's not ready to lead the line, especially as a lone striker. Being successful up against a couple of horrible League One defenders requires experience that he just doesn't have yet.
How do other youngsters do it then? Dane Scarlett for example.
Better control than Leaburn? There's a lot he's good at, but also some stuff where he needs to improve. That will come with training and playing. I'd rather he learns it here.
Miles' touch last night was disappointing. It was going 4-5 yards away from him.
On the basis of that performance I think we are in for a long hard season!
We do look much better playing out from the back and retaining possession, but we look very weak in the final third and most of our crosses are not good enough. Goals look like they are going to be hard to come by, but most of us have thought that since before the season started.
The two players who would have improved that team significantly are Purrington and Washington. It is criminal that neither has been replaced.
I think we need a good win very soon or else confidence is going to drop and we could be in for a real struggle.
Not criticising Miles Leaburn, but when his weakness is obvious against Forest Green, then you have to question his being a first team member.
I don't question him being a first team member, but he's not ready to lead the line, especially as a lone striker. Being successful up against a couple of horrible League One defenders requires experience that he just doesn't have yet.
How do other youngsters do it then? Dane Scarlett for example.
He doesn’t, Pompey play 4-4-2 so he’s only up against one CB.
I couldn’t watch most of the game last night but Garner needs to find a way to play 2 strikers.
I said in the "where are the goals going to come from" thread that to be successful with this type of play (relying on your wingers/midfielders to score) then you need those players to actually be any good in front of goal. CBT showed last night that he may have pace but he hasn't any composure. A proper forward would have buried 2 or 3 of those chances
So if buying a striker wasn't a priority then teaching/training the "forwards" how to shoot should be.
Mate, you have commented about 10 times before midday, things ain't great, but for everybody's mental health, take a break for a couple of weeks please...
Anyone blaming/criticising Garner for the performances in the last 3 weeks are missing the bigger picture.
He's a great manager and it's clear that his style of play was working, he just needed to be given the resources to take us up the table. That hasn't happened so now he's rearranging the deck chairs on the titanic with mid-table League One players and youth in the hope that we find the next Gomez or Grant.
For me, the jury is still out as to whether or not Garner is a great manager. There are positive signs, but I am just not convinced. I certainly agree that he hasn't been properly supported by TS, and it is clear we are short of a few decent players in our squad. However, the best managers are able to look at what they have and get the best out of it. I am not sure Garner is doing that at the moment.
Comments
A frustrating match which Mrs G described as a waste of £10 of my meagre old age pension!
On last night's evidence we are only marginally better than we were last season. After 8 matches we are 3 points above the relegation zone, 10 points below automatic promotion and 3 points below 6th.
I felt overall, despite a good start to the first half, we were lucky to emerge with a draw at home against once of the poorer teams in the division and feel that if we do leave this division it will be down rather than up. More likely 14th is a fair reflection of where we are in reality.
Cory Blackett-Taylor can be a positive. His goal showed what he can do but the other erratic shots were more typical and I hope he can gain more consistent composure the more he plays.
Chin too looked good on his first league appearance. Inniss, if not injured, still picks up needless yellow cards. Not sure what Mc Grandles (?spelling) brings. We looked much better when Albie came on. The Palace bloke Rak Sakyi (?spelling) was largely anonymous apart from a good header, shot on the turn and Zaha like penalty area 'fall.' The goalkeeper, Wollacott, looked shaky but has done reasonably well in other matches.
This was a match we had to win if we have any aspirations of promotion but in actuality proved to be a loud and clear reality check and confirmation of our mediocrity.
Nevertheless, COYR!!!
In the second half Garner was slow to react to the opposition's change of shape. Indeed Forest Green were the better side for a 10 minute period at the beginning of the half after being nearly overrun by the CBT, Chin, Payne combination in the first 45 mins. Both CBT and R-S faded badly and in fact most of the side looked knackered at the hour mark. What are they doing on the training pitch?
That was a game that should have been comfortably won by half time. The players appear to lose it around the opposition box. Perhaps they can take lessons on control and skill from the chap who hit the cross bar during the break.
As for TS, we can wish as much as we want but again, as I've previously mentioned, he's now worth about a quarter of his net worth when he bought the club. He simply hasn't got the money to make big investments any more.
We'd be very lucky to find another buyer right now. TS bought a perennially loss making club without the tangible value of the real estate, which still lies in the hands of a deluded man who will keep it overvalued to scorn us. Who in their right mind would buy us? As long as he continues to fund us, we're in no position to moan about TS. No one else is desperate to jump into his shoes. I understand the frustrations but taking it out on TS is pointless.
So, we have to rely on a playing style that might distinguish us from our rivals. We need a manager who can find a system that sees average players overperform. I think Garner has the potential to be that manager but it will take a long time and this season is likely to be one where we just need to build. With that in mind I'm hoping we see more of the academy players being blooded. It can't be rushed however as most these young kids simply aren't ready yet, so they'll need to be slowly introduced. It's not ideal but genuinely I think we have very little option at the moment.
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On Wollacatt - yes it was a gaff he's been our best player this season so far by the sounds of it, and he is still a League 1 keeper.
Sad to admit I didn't go last night and couldn't find the motivation to spend £10 on the live stream which is unusual for me. Didn't even pay much attention to the match thread.
This is Mr Sandgaard's fourth manager since the start of his ownership and our gradual decline as a football club continues, which leads me to conclude that the managers may not be the source of the problem.
Of course they'll be trying to overachieve (there was plenty of effort last night) but that doesn't guarantee it'll happen. A kid make his debut in a position he's not used to playing is always likely to struggle, no matter how hard he tries, for example.
Negatives (on the pitch only):
We don’t have a left back.
The squad lacks depth, which is ok if you don’t pick up injuries. But we do.
We still need a more versatile, quicker striker.
We are a bit powder puff in midfield, barring Dobbo.
Morgan isn't the answer.
Other than that, everything is tickety-boo.
So I'm going to try to avoid criticising players, unless they're not putting in a shift, or the manager, but there's clearly something wrong with the system.
It might have been one of the most frustrating nights I've experienced, however.
He should also have done better in the second half where he beat his full back on at least three occasions, only for his crosses to be cut out. To be fair to him he looked absolutely gutted, and clearly knew he should have done better.
If his shooting was more accurate and his crosses were more accurate, our chances of winning matches would improve dramatically.
I'd be interested to know how many crosses we put in to the box, without scoring from any of them.
if CBT was making mazy runs and smashing three in from the edge of the box - which is where the chances were that he blazed wide last night , he wouldn’t be in Div 1.
We only do it once a season (if that). There wont be another.
We are a mid-table League 1 side with delusions of grandeur. I'm strangely quite fond of our players but beginning to realise they won't get us anywhere.
Adkins
And this time last season we were in the bottom 4
Its not Woollacott
Its not Innis
It not McGrandells
IT'S SANDGAARD
BUT
we are playing CBT and JRS as "forwards" to supplement Stockley's meagre returns and so they need to be able to score. The excitement got to his head after his goal & he tried shooting at every turn. And I applaud it. Too many times our players pass instead of shooting, but if these players are going to have to bolster our goals scored column they need to know how to shoot !!
We do look much better playing out from the back and retaining possession, but we look very weak in the final third and most of our crosses are not good enough. Goals look like they are going to be hard to come by, but most of us have thought that since before the season started.
The two players who would have improved that team significantly are Purrington and Washington. It is criminal that neither has been replaced.
I think we need a good win very soon or else confidence is going to drop and we could be in for a real struggle.
I couldn’t watch most of the game last night but Garner needs to find a way to play 2 strikers.