Writing preview after preview that is exactly the same as the previous is becoming tiresome. We have had similar performances all season, work ethic in the main has not been lacking but the team operating as a cohesive unit, knowing each others’ roles and abilities has been. The result? Scratchy performances and disgruntled fans.
Chris Powell, to borrow an American phrase, is now 4 and 4 although in reality I think it could look a lot worse. We have undoubtedly tried to play better football since his appointment but we are giving the ball away too easily and have started to concede far too many ‘easy’ goals. The saving grace is that play-off aspirations are at least still in our own hands with our games to come against fellow mid-week losers, Southampton (x2) as well as three of the other top six.
Chris Powell has numerous players laid up in the treatment room and it is unclear whether Johnnie Jackson, Bessone, Docherty or Fry will be considered for Saturday’s game against Tranmere. From once having “Shearer in his pocket”, Jonathan Fortune’s cameo on Tuesday night was awful yet he will probably get a start ahead of the Forgotten Spaniard if Doc doesn’t make it. Carl Jenkinson is the one bright spot in a sea of darkness over the past few weeks and will more than likely continue to deputise – out of position – at left back.
Will we convert to having four across the middle of will Powell persist in a 4-3-3 formation that promises so much but delivers so little? The decision may rest with the fitness of Jackson although we have very few options at the moment, so unless the loans come in quicker than something from Ocean Finance I expect to see the same midfield and strikeforce as against Carlisle.
The Preview and his friends are heading down to Sparrows Lane tomorrow to witness the training and to have a spot of lunch with our current crop of players so we’ll be back tomorrow evening if we notice anything that can provide an insight.
A win will get one wheel back on the track, and we’ll get it albeit unconvincingly. 2-1 to Charlton.
Come on you reds!
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Comments
i think we'll win it 2-1 with the standard flapping around in the last ten minutes
just tell the players to up their game unless they wanna be sleeping with the fishes
Wagstaff/Eccles need to revert to wing or bench as impact subs - they simply don't complement BWP as strikers - if Big Joe isn't fit the only option is to play Benson up top - I know this isn't an ideal pairing but at least he can head the ball and is better at holding the ball up than Waggy or Eccles - after all with Abbott gone he really has no other choice.
In defence I'd bring in Liera to play alongside Dailly - he offers more threat at set pieces - that is assuming they clear the first defender and can't be any worse than Doherty or Fortune have been of late (as long as Tranmere don't have a nippy forward running at him of course).
As for the midfield we are so bereft of options here that I don't know where to start - if we go 442 we can't afford to play with 2 out and out wingers as this puts too much pressure on the 2 central midfielders - would be tempted to give Solly a start wide right (or even right back) - do we not have any young midfielders at the club that we can try out? I'm not a fan of McCormack who seems unable to tackle or pass and despite his obvious ability Racon has had 4 years to stamp his mark and has proved that he is just not up to it - that leaves the one dimensional Semedo, the free scoring but otherwise invisible Jackson, and 3 wingers who blow cold rather than hot (Wagstaff/Reid and Eccles) - a good midfield is the key to any successful side and we are so far away from having a decent midfield.
Couldn't conceive us losing against Carlisle but unless Powell makes changes on Saturday I fear for the worst
If RE Doesn't organise his defence, as it appears to be up to him, then dailly and fortune will be as flappy as a wizards sleeve: at least Usain Bolt is out injured!
We can't play Waggy off BWP again. With Joe it has a chance.
Jackson was also a huge miss but useless we get the defending sorted out it won't matter who's up top.
1 - 1
Reason: I'd rather have a really nice day with my GF and daughter without feeling empty come 5:00pm, so I will avoid the result like the plague as I fear it's going to get worse before it gets better. Hope I eat those words! I really do.
1-2
Prove me wrong Charlton, pleeeeease.
It was expecting too much of CP to come in and immediately transform the team into the masters of League 1 - he's still trying to work out what abilities (if any) each player has and how to use them to their best ability.
Having said that, I will be disappointed if Fortune gets the nod ahead of Llera again.
Against poor opposition I expect the players to pick themselves up, recognise they've let the new manager down in the last couple of games and dispose of Tranmere by a two goal margin.
Agree with those saying Llera shoud play. CL voted him MoM v Luton - and I'm not sure we've seen him since!
LOL, we all conveniently forget Big Mig came near bottom of the statbank for the whole of last reason for a reason.
He's like one of those managers whose stock rises the longer they are out of work !
Mrs AFKA will be utilising the family ticket on Saturday and she's not seen us lose yet this season, so everything will be fine and dandy.
Enjoy your day at the training ground WSS + Co
Quite the contrary, surely? The last time Llera was given a job to do he was voted MoM. He hasn't been picked since, so his stock seems to have fallen - at least with Parkinson, Peacock and Powell, all of whom declined to pick him, and more often than not didn't even give him a seat on the bench.
He's got to be a better option than Fortune, hasn't he?
Would bring McCormack in on the right, not because he's any good, but it will offer us some more protection and we have to be more solid as a unit, sort of what Jackson does but he's injured.
Elliot
Francis Dailly Fortune Jenkinson
McCormack Racon Semedo Reid
BWP Ayinsah
Yep agreed.
We all know what Big Mig is, an honest committed 100%er who has limitations and a self destruct button in his decision making.
He will have a great game, particularly if the team is under pressure and our midfield is forced deep closing the amount of open play in front of him and little room behind him to get exposed from.
Backs to the wall he is great, if we are on top he is great as he has decent distribution, but its those in between moments when he is at his most vulnerable because he is always liable to do something completely stupid. Sadly its at those tight moments when his mistakes become most costly.
I'd pick him ahead of Fortune everyday, think its neck and neck with Doherty, but a fit Sam Sodje would walk into the team.
Add BWP to the team of last season playing off Deon and it would have got automatic promotion at a canter imo.
BWP seems to be the only one who wants it.
Fortune should never get near the first team again let alone the bench, he is finished. If he gets on before Llera again then I will seriously doubt anyone in the coaching teams' decision making.
Of course, you could add many names from the current starting 11 to that list, of accidents waiting to happen that is, for example: Elliott, Dailly, Docherty, Francis, Racon, McCormack, Reid, Benson, etc, etc.
I think Llera has been given a harsh 'sentence' from our fans and deserves the same set of rules as the other players.
Good points. Although I do think Mig was one of those players who was going to get slated regardless he did have some shockers. He might well be better than Fortune or Doc but he's not the long term answer IMHO.
I'm more interested in hearing WSS and Co.s report from the training ground. Hope it was money well spent (it was a good cause so I guess it is already) and that you take both lots of photos and your boots.
Cannot play Racon ( never thought I would say that. Could give Wagstaff his first game in 3 months ( I know, it's sarcasm, )
ANYONE
FRANCIS - LLERA - SEMEDO - FRY
REID - MCORMACK - JACKSON - ECCLESTONE
BWP - BENSON
Elliot
Jenkinson
Dailly
Fry
Francis
Wagstaff
Jackson
Semedo
Reid
BWP
Anyinsah or Benson if he's not fit.
eccles on second half for a bit of pace on the counter.
Please prove me wrong!!
Well that's what i think