Yet again it was a litany of ill challenged secondary ball. Awful tackling from Racon, which blocked our own full back who then had to lunge on the first goal's cross which altered the flight of the ball, no chance for Elliott. Second goal maybe he should have not gone in with his feet, but no one was closing down the free Carlisle player apart from Elliott who busted a gut. Anyone whose played in goal knows Taiwo's accidental cross/shot are bloody hard to react to. Only the third goal, Elliott may have done better in my eyes especially as some were saying he took his cap off, but as usual who attacked the secondary ball?
I like Docherty, but would rather have Fortune and Dailly together. Indeed the Doc on the bench is perfect for bringing on as he's excellent at going up front and worrying the oppo in the last 15. I don't consider the Doc 'second' choice either as sometimes he'd partner Forch, when the opposition are big and when you need to rest Dailly. But there's no doubt in my mind Forch and Dailly have to play away at teams like Peterborough or Carlisle who are just more lively. And then I get back to my old gripe at Peterborough away McCormack has to play instead of Racon. There isn't enough terrier like closing down in this team, we need to be closing down ball before it even get's to our full backs. Racon is the worse player in the team at doing this.
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I think we should have a sponsored 'Charlton Life Change the Effing Record Day' in benefit of Demelza or something.
Agree with above posts that Doc is more to blame.
http://www.charltonlife.com/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=37433&page=1#Item_16
Lets not keep pretending rob elliot is some amazing goalie.
He is below average and cost us goals yesterday.
Just watch the highlights back.
Look at his positioning for 2 of the goals and look at how weak he was for the 3rd.
I think that's harsh! He is an average league one keeper, who I think is having a bit of a confidence crisis.
i remember our first relegation from the Prem and thinking how daft it was that curbs would pay a million for a keeper from Bury, we then realised how important it was to invest highly in this position as a Charlton legend was born. We can't spend a mill but we could do with an above average div one keeper in this position for both the position and also the security of the defence.
The third goal is a bit questionable but the ball was deflected and sometimes the ball takes a path that you just cant get to, its happened to better keepers than Elliott.
He may be at fault for the third goal, but having said that mis-hit looping crosses are bloody hard to react to. Most foolish and unfit, clueless fans seem to know perfectly how to spatially set yourself and back peddle to save these errant crosses. I seem to remember both Shilton and Seaman having problems with these mis-hit crosses, and back-peddling.
With regards to Racon, it does not change his lack of positioning and his happy nack of rashly challening on the wrong side and invariably leaving a massive gap after his poorly executed challenge; indeed he's more likely to make a non-challenge or be nowhere to be seen on any secondary ball. Still if you think a few assists and a few goals, and very few good tackles is great in 70 odd matches..... I'm sure you've got the thought to justify the greatest non-player in our team Mr Racon.
If you look at the overall Elliott package I personally think you get more negatives than positives.
Said it on the other thread and stand by it, I don't think he is a natural athelete and he looks to be struggling with his fitness levels. Others comment that he is over weight, I agree up to point, but think it goes deeper than that. He also picks up a number of niggles (a sign of a lack of natural fitness?).
My issues with him are - gets beaten from long range far to often, looks leaden footed at times, flaps at crosses, doesn't talk enough. All of these will be contributing to the chaos infront of him.
The defence aren't blameless, but Elliott has to shoulder some of the blame as well.
Yes he's an average league one keeper, but do we have to accept that?. I think the answer was released in the summer without signing a contract. Andy Marshall.
If the back 4 have no confidence in their keeper they sit deeper than normal.
I dont think any of it is down to his size Paddy Kenny was a big lump and a great keeper at this and championship level.
The anticipation of the defenders is that they have to clear the ball not thatt the keeper is going to come and get it.
His anticipation is not good enough
agree about both Robbie and Racon. Racon is a non-entity who brings nothing to the team. You can count the amount of assists and goals in the last two seasons on one hand and still have a couple of fingers left over. He brings nothing to the team and I'll be very happy when his contract is up and he moves on.
We sit deep because it's Semedo's natural game, and Racon is so often woefully out of position Semedo is on his back heels. Semedo then melts too close to the defense. McCormack agressively attacks secondary ball, which thrusts play up enabling our midfield and defense to push up.
Do you think Campbell and Toure said 'Lehmann's a complete loon on crosses, let's sit deep so he has to deal with more of them.'? No it was more incentive for them to agressively attack ball and attempt to push up negating Lehamnn's loony cross handling, hopefully leaving him to his excellent shot stopping.
Like it or not we play an offensively minded right back, and usually our threat is our offensively minded wingers. It's pretty obvious if your front six, have 5 attack minded players you're fucked when you lose possession. Bringing in Jackson on the left can work away, as he's a little more reliable defensively than everyone bar Semedo. But if you play two wingers, and an attack minded full back it's pretty simple mathematics that you need two cm's who'll attack central ball. Much as I love Waggy and his energy. his defensive position is not quite there yet. You can't hope to dominate phases, or block the other team if Semedo is singularly covering every counter and every secondary ball in the middle.
Jeez I hope Robbie doesn't come on here.
Yes, he has his faults. Yes, he can do better.
BUT
He's one of us ffs!!!!! It's the first time in my lifetime that we actually have a player who when he kisses the badge he bloomin well means it.
Get behind him more, make him feel wanted, big him up when he deserves it then maybe when he does make mistakes he'll feel more able to take it on the chin & do something about it.
Come on Robbie, get your head down & take no notice.
COYR!!!!!!!!!!!
Robbie does not command his area resulting in defenders being too deep and clearing balls either via their head or boot from just in front or inside of our 6 yard area.
Robbie should be clearing crosses and collecting the ball but he doesnt.
Our defenders dont expect Robbie to be there and as a result we make more errors on crosses
When Robbie first came into the side, he just came a tried to deal with most balls into his zone in the box. I don't know if it's a confidence thing or what, but maybe that has crpet out of his play a bit and he's become a bit indecisive. As I've said before, being slagged off and constantly highlighted as in inferior to the man we let go ion the summer isn't going to help him regain his confidence is it?
Thing is our GK position is a real weak link
IMO we had 2 alternatives in the summer
Randolph
Marshall
and we took none of them ..
The fact that Robbie is a fan holds strength with me but it doesnt make him exempt from criticism nor people discussing his plus points and weak points
Either way, someone has to be the weakest link in the team but as long as they're at least comptent for the level you're playing at then sometimes you just have to make do. Imo, Elliot has work to do if he wants to play consistently at a higher level than this and I don't think any of our promotion rivals (if we can claim to be promotion contenders ourselves right now) would go out of their way to sign him but that doesn't make him a terrible player. He's at least adequate at this level and there are no issues between him and the back four that a decent caoch shouldn't be able to sort out, especially when dealing with such experienced defenders.
After 12 games in a Charlton shirt most thought Elliot was doing very well but there seems to have been a general dip in people's opinion of him over the lat 12 months - whose to say the same wouldn't have happened with Randolph? I've seen Marshall have a few dodgy games too and seeing as I've prorbaly seen him play less than 20 times, that doesn't suggest he'd be super consistent either. The grass isn't always so much greener on the other side, and don't forget, with Robbies injury and all the changes Parky has been making, the back 5 has hardly had much chance to settle into a firm understanding with each other.
I think Elliot has the makings of being a good keeper, It is an area that with Coaching and good coaching you can get rid of a lot of Elliots faults.
Clangers that keepers make will always be in the game and you wont get rid of them.
His is more postioning and anticipation and with coaching he should be able to get rid of them.
The sad thing is we dont have an alternative Worner is too inexperienced and would have his confindence shot
The problem on Saturday was that Carlisle changed tactics at half time from hitting the target man (Madine), which we had contained comfortably, to playing long early balls in behind. Doc & Dailly were turned, struggled for pace, dropped deeper to compensate and left a big space in front, which semedo & Racon failed to cover. We couldn't get out of our defensive third. I was surprised how rattled two experienced centre backs became. Grella (on loan from Leeds) ran them ragged. They were hoofing it away in all directions, lost headers inside the box (all three goals), and mistiming a number of challenges to concede free kicks.
Elliott made a poor mistake after 30 secs, and was lucky to escape when the Carlisle striker shot over from 6 yards, and had an uncomfortable afternoon from then on. IMO he has good ability, as highlighted by the double save early on v Brighton, but simply had a poor game on Saturday.
How will Parky tighten up the defence and midfield to stop the goals against? Surely Fortune is a better option than Docherty at the moment, and McCormack for Racon. Worner is too small in stature for me, "never fall in love with a small goalkeeper" is an old adage worth remembering.