We needed to change the midfield second half. Euell not the right move and not the answer. I was disappointed, but were still unbeaten. Wagstaff can't cross , but I actually thought he had a good game and worked his socks off for the cause.Solly MOM though.
First 25 minutes were awesome, should have scored one more maybe even two. Then I thought we relaxed because of how easy it was, then the niggly style of Wednesday's play started to win over. Yet they created only three efforts on goal all night! It is ok to be big and strong, but you have to have some invention, unless they were lacking all their gifted players they will never finish anywhere near the top two. As for us, it was not a defeat and there are positives, we just need to take our chances.
Also felt at times players were waiting for somebody else to win a header or make a challenge. Not because they were being lazy but because they are still unsure how the team around them reacts in certain situations. Still very much at the 'getting to know you' stage for me. Give them time.
Couldn't log on last night for some reason but here goes:
1st half we absolutely dominated the game but failed to really create too much to worry their keeper. We just needed a 2nd goal to give us some breathing space. They came here for a point and that was blatantly obvious as soon as they equalised. The game just turn into a non-event from that point.
The one slight concern I have is that we don't seem to have a plan B. We've not really needed one before last night but it was clear that we had to change things around. When things wern't working, we took off Hayes and replaced him with Euell. No change to shape or formation. Really missed Green last night and think as an impact sub, I'd rather have Benson coming on than Euell.
Not too dispondant about it. Maybe those supporters amongst us who think we'll win this league at a canter will calm down a bit. Still think we've got enough about us but we need to put in a better shift than we did last night against the better teams.
Others have summed up last night's game perfectly so won't bother too much with that.
What concerns me was the make-up of the sub's bench and CP's continued reluctance to make changes early enough.
This 5 sub rule is a nonsense but we are stuck with it. But surely for a home game having 2 defensive players (and a keeper) out of the 5 on the bench is unbalanced, given that attacking options are always likely to be more needed. Both Benson and Euell should have been on the bench, maybe with Pritchard and Cort.
I also think CP leaves making substitutions far too long when it is obvious a change is neded. That was something he did too often last season eg Exeter and last nght was another classic case of seeing the way the team was playing, delaying far too long making a change. Hayes was completely out of it last night and should have been replaced much earlier - not saying Euell would have had any greater success but he couldn't have fared worse; Wagstaff and Stephens both completely disappeared in the 2nd half - why not bring on Pritchard to try and give the midfield a lift?
Think CP has work to do on drawing up his sub's bench and timing of substitutions.j
Well I saw it from the comfort of the tv........ so my comments are somewhat limited.
Great start, where we looked a really good passing team, full of chasing the ball down and getting to it first.
As the first half wore on, we seemed to run out of steam , but frankly besides them fouling us they did very little, and seemed to want to just contain us, keep it at one nill. Second half we seemed to just run out of ideas, and a plan b.
They had Morrisson as a third choice striker by the looks of it, so of course he would want to prove a point, and did?.
What should have been a wake up call, seemed to send us to sleep at least, in creative play.
Why did we not sub earlier, and where is Benson, not my favourite player, but can hold the ball up.
Too many long balls punted up field, as the commentator stated' 'not the way to beat Wednesday'.
We had a lot of possession first half and if you do not kill of teams well, we know the result.
Seems like two games to me we should have won, but I feel there has to be a quicker response by the bench.
Megson, not my favourite manager, but they got a point, and probably were delighted after such a dreadful first half performance by them, would have snatched your hand off at half time for that.
Tell yer what I'll take the point we got, we set up far too negatively for my liking, Megson seems to favour 4-5-1 but for me it doesn't work without having pace in the side which without JJ we sorely lack.
We were missing Weaver, Bennett, JJ, COG who would have all started in that formation, so the result we got was hard earned, maybe a little luck but in football you create your own luck, no sides are winning the league in September and I cannot see either Sheff U or MK keeping up their earlier season form, we plat MK on Saturday at our place which will be a tough game but I think our home form will be too much for them, won 7 of the last 8.
Megson was smart enough to realise that his 4-5-1 was blown as soon as BWP scored. Although it took him about 20 minutes to react (in which time Charlton could have been out of sight) he swapped to 4-4-2 and that was the end of us as an attacking force. An exceptionally boring match to watch despite the obvious efforts of the players. However, all of our competitors will have boring matches too where they drop points so on to the next match and maybe freshen things up a tad by introducing Evina, Pritchard & Green.
Therre are 46 league games in a season, 23 at home. Realistically, we are not going to win all of them, some we are going to lose. Looking down the list of teams it's not difficult to pick out the two teams we've drawn at home to as ones that were going to be potential losses if our players didn't get it right...like everybody else I'm disappointed we didn't win last night but that also tells me we ust be doing something right to expect to have won. This saturday's result is more important as it's a game we should be expected to win comfortably if we are serious about going up and one which we lost miserably last season...
Solly worked incredibly hard and combined well with Waggy but Waggy needs to learn to cross the ball first time!
Long ball up to a striker who's being marked by a 6' 7" lump is not good tactics
We have no pace up front! What I wouldn't give for a striker with some pace to burn! Hope the loan market produces something on that front
JJ needs to stop drifting in from the left. He left Wiggins with no protection on several occasions.
If plan A isn't working we have no plan B
Agreed although I'd add that the midfield need to be far more creative - BWP and Hayes were feeding off scraps and chasing hopeful punts forward. Midfield was congested and to their credit Wednesday made it difficult for us to settle in 2nd half - when its congested in the middle you've got to use your flanks and we didn't do this enough. Jackson offered next to nothing out wide and Waggy was his usual frustrating self - made some great interceptions and tackles and showed fantastic energy but his crossing was poor (2 first half crosses stand out which I'm sure Green would have planted in the danger area) and too often turned back rather than pressurising the full back. Felt it was a lack of creativity which lost us 2 points as I don't remember any decent chances after the Stephens miss.
Poor goal to concede - haven't seen the replay so I don't know whether Hamer was really fouled or not - at the time it looked like he flapped and missed - but why was Morrison unmarked on the line? Shame becuase I thought we looked very solid in defence with their forwards getting nothing out of Taylor and Morrison and teh full backs were rarely troubled
First time ive seen them in the flesh. Think most of the comments are too negative. Compared to a Parky team this one gets a foot in and then finds a red shirt. .. It's a work in progress, of course it is, but I like the look of it.
First time for me this season, too, due to Kent cricket taking preference until now - and I agree with Prague Addick. Vast improvement from last season and if that was a poor performance by the standards Powell and his new team have set , then I'm full of optimism for a highly successful season and can't wait to see us on a good day.
Solly and Wagstaff looked different players from last year and I thought that was highly telling as an indicator of what Powell is achieving.
I had a bad feeling about last night so wasn't too down about a draw. Disappointing as it could have been more, but second half we didn't really play.
We missed the option of Green. Sheff Wed certainly weren't afraid to put a few feisty, verging on nasty, tackles in, so although they didn't boss the midfield, they certainly stopped ours being as effective as they can be. Thought Stephens and Jackson went a bit missing. Unlike others on here I thought Hollands had a decent game.
Starting to trust the centre-backs more now. So far been pleasantly surprised with Taylor and Morrison's dominance. Wiggins looks shakey to me, but can tell there is a good player in there. Think Solly had been great so far this season.
We do need another striker, and also would prefer Benson to Euell on the bench. Hayes doesn't seem to have turned it on at home yet, but I think he will do. BWP is mustard.
Not too worried, onto Saturday. Need a win there, and think we will get it.
Posting without reading the other pots. Started well, good finish by BWP, first 15 ours, then Smegson put 5 in midfield then Prutton and to a lesser degree Semedo took charge, Dale and Holland sat too deep and we hoofed it upfield, their CB's won everyheader. God love Chris Powell, but he is tactically naive IMO. Semedo got booked as did Prutton. Powell should have brought Pritchard on and gone 451 and played football through the midfield, they had 2 midfielders on yellows this should have been exploited, I cant remember one effective/positive run that Stephens or JJ had from midfield in the second half. Wiggins was weak, I'm not convinced about him, Hamer looked flappy. Pissed off with a point and I'm sure Powell is working on his tactical ability.
We start like a house on fire and weds couldnt live with us, they then had a change of tactic and went about spoiling it giving away free kicks here and there and stopping our flow. It worked and they gradually got into the game and at the end there was only team going to win it them.
Our midfield I felt got to involved in the niggle and stopped playing. JJ DS and DH had a quiet evening.
I mentioned that if pritchard couldnt get on with these 3 seemingly having an off night then it doesnt bode well for him.
Jason is not the answer coming off the bench we needed someone to strech them more at that point.
Still the 2 centre halfs continue to impress and the full backs were solid. Keeper seemed to keen at times to get off his line but we will see.
Not overly dissapointed but definately need to look at the bench for different options.
Second half we looked like a very average league 1 team, but didn't think either team deserved 3 points. Class fininsh by BWP and thought wiggins played fairly well. Hollands was disapointing for me but still along way to go.
Nothing much to add to East Kent Addick's spot on assessment but would concur with most on here that we need more attacking options from the bench especilally at home and we seriously need to sort out set pieces from wide areas both defending and attacking. It looked like both our CBs and the keeper got sucked into the near post for their goal and Jackson flicked the ball over the lot of them to a relatively unmarked but very grateful Palarse reject. IMHO There's no point keep lumping or throwing the ball into the mixer and nobody getting on the end of it even with our solid CB pairing of Taylor and Morrison doing their level best to set something up. More work on the taining ground please SCP. Still unbeaten bring on Exeter!
The first 20 mins were fine but once Lowe came on we seemed to lose our shape. The Stephens chance was pivotal but there were three Wednesday players diving in on him which meant he snatched at the shot.
I would like to have seen Pritchard on for Stephens or Waggy in the 2nd half.
Solly again was excellent, covering at left back at times for the sometimes wayward Wiggins. We may see Evina in at left back soon.
BWP looked fired up from the start and proved he's up for it with the goal and the lost cause chase into the corner when he slid into the advertising hoardings.
Don't know why we kept lumping it in the 2nd half, their 'Jan Koller' of a centre half just kept heading it away.
Three points against Exeter will make us all feel better.
I had a bad feeling about last night so wasn't too down about a draw. Disappointing as it could have been more, but second half we didn't really play.
We missed the option of Green. Sheff Wed certainly weren't afraid to put a few feisty, verging on nasty, tackles in, so although they didn't boss the midfield, they certainly stopped ours being as effective as they can be. Thought Stephens and Jackson went a bit missing. Unlike others on here I thought Hollands had a decent game.
Starting to trust the centre-backs more now. So far been pleasantly surprised with Taylor and Morrison's dominance. Wiggins looks shakey to me, but can tell there is a good player in there. Think Solly had been great so far this season.
We do need another striker, and also would prefer Benson to Euell on the bench. Hayes doesn't seem to have turned it on at home yet, but I think he will do. BWP is mustard.
Not too worried, onto Saturday. Need a win there, and think we will get it.
Was going to write my view but Tricky's done it for me
There are lessons for SCP to learn from last night - about changing the game and the bench in particular. He was outmanoeuvered by Megson, but Chris seems a bright guy and I expect him to learn.
Anyway at least the defending in open play was a lot better than this!:
To say Sheff Wednesday had 3 chances could make you fall foul of the trade descriptions act!!! Was clear they wanted to turn it in to a battle and the tactics worked although had we been a bit sharper we would still have won, but I still think that the fact that the biggest team in the league approached the game in the same way a Yeovil or Exeter would is a good point in our favour.
I echo most of what has already been said - cant understand :
1) Why we have a subs bench packed with defensive players........Jason Euell is not an "inpact" sub as gives us nothing.
2) We brought in 18 players in the summer - but only 1 striker (hayes). Deffo need a pacy striker.
3) why Pritchard didn't come on - 3 of their players booked and we kept hoofing in the air.
Will say it again - we will not get promoted with the current 4 strikers...........esp if we only have one on the bench. Even a loan signing may not be enough.
Have to win our next 3 games - all against teams in the bottom 6 as we then have away games at MK Dons & Sheff U.
Euell is a good sub as he covers midfield too but we need another forward there. Having said that - Benno is injured, Green was ill and Smith is raw so difficult to see who else Chrissy could have put there. With 20 minutes to go, I would have left Hayes on and put on Pritchard and Euell for Hollands and Stephens who were tiring.
Don't agree with the positive remarks about the opposition.Sheffield Wednesday were very disappointing and played very little football- typical strong League 1 hoof-ball outfit plus Pruton who looked quality. I remember one shot on target apart from the scrappy goal.
Megson could see we were carving his team apart and did something about it after only 20 mins- it was negative and horrible to watch but he earned his team a draw.
Saint Chris had no tactical response to Megsons changes other than bringing on his old mate (again).
Ultimately we were bullied out of it in the second half but I think the centre backs stood up well to the physical stuff and gamesmanship.
We are always awful for the last 10 mins, whatever the score.
We still can't defend corners - is that 4 conceded from corners this season already??
I love Waggy but he can't cross a football to save his life- put him in the centre or on the bench.
Bench must include Benno and Green (or Waggy) to add some oomph in the last 20 if we are chasing a game.
This was typical Arsenal V old style Bolton or Stoke. Quality footballing team bullied out of their stride and the play-maker closed down.
Keep the faith in Saint Christopher and we will reach the promised land once more..
First game this season and I was impressed with the way we started especially with Stephens. Great start and we should have buried them there and then. Seen Stephen's miss again and it did seem to bobble as he hit it which would explain how he skied it from a side foot. We just went missing in the second half. We looked overrun, tired and devoid of ideas. The change Euell for Hayes had little or no impact. So a draw is a fair result against a belligerent and unspectacular Sheffield Wednesday side. 3 points though on Saturday please!!! We didn't do enough to win so can't moan too much at a 1-1 scoreline. I don't there's a CAFC fan out there who wouldn't have taken 14 points from the first 6 games if it had been offered before the start of the season. Still unbeaten, third place and all is good. I have faith in SCP.
Comments
We needed to change the midfield second half. Euell not the right move and not the answer. I was disappointed, but were still unbeaten. Wagstaff can't cross , but I actually thought he had a good game and worked his socks off for the cause.Solly MOM though.
Why was Benson not on the bench?
A few negative comments about Hamer, why?
Didn't have much to do and what he did, he looked fairly comfortable. Kicking was good as well.
Played ok 1st half, too many lumped balls 2nd half.
Green needs to start on Saturday if he is well enough. Not necessarily because Waggy has done much wrong but we need something a little different.
BWP our MOM.
Need to get Benno(when fit)/Alonso/Evina on the bench. Sorry, just don't think Euell is the "impact" player we need off the bench.
Give them time.
1st half we absolutely dominated the game but failed to really create too much to worry their keeper. We just needed a 2nd goal to give us some breathing space. They came here for a point and that was blatantly obvious as soon as they equalised. The game just turn into a non-event from that point.
The one slight concern I have is that we don't seem to have a plan B. We've not really needed one before last night but it was clear that we had to change things around. When things wern't working, we took off Hayes and replaced him with Euell. No change to shape or formation. Really missed Green last night and think as an impact sub, I'd rather have Benson coming on than Euell.
Not too dispondant about it. Maybe those supporters amongst us who think we'll win this league at a canter will calm down a bit. Still think we've got enough about us but we need to put in a better shift than we did last night against the better teams.
Others have summed up last night's game perfectly so won't bother too much with that.
What concerns me was the make-up of the sub's bench and CP's continued reluctance to make changes early enough.
This 5 sub rule is a nonsense but we are stuck with it. But surely for a home game having 2 defensive players (and a keeper) out of the 5 on the bench is unbalanced, given that attacking options are always likely to be more needed. Both Benson and Euell should have been on the bench, maybe with Pritchard and Cort.
I also think CP leaves making substitutions far too long when it is obvious a change is neded. That was something he did too often last season eg Exeter and last nght was another classic case of seeing the way the team was playing, delaying far too long making a change. Hayes was completely out of it last night and should have been replaced much earlier - not saying Euell would have had any greater success but he couldn't have fared worse; Wagstaff and Stephens both completely disappeared in the 2nd half - why not bring on Pritchard to try and give the midfield a lift?
Think CP has work to do on drawing up his sub's bench and timing of substitutions.j
We were missing Weaver, Bennett, JJ, COG who would have all started in that formation, so the result we got was hard earned, maybe a little luck but in football you create your own luck, no sides are winning the league in September and I cannot see either Sheff U or MK keeping up their earlier season form, we plat MK on Saturday at our place which will be a tough game but I think our home form will be too much for them, won 7 of the last 8.
Felt it was a lack of creativity which lost us 2 points as I don't remember any decent chances after the Stephens miss.
Poor goal to concede - haven't seen the replay so I don't know whether Hamer was really fouled or not - at the time it looked like he flapped and missed - but why was Morrison unmarked on the line? Shame becuase I thought we looked very solid in defence with their forwards getting nothing out of Taylor and Morrison and teh full backs were rarely troubled
Solly and Wagstaff looked different players from last year and I thought that was highly telling as an indicator of what Powell is achieving.
We missed the option of Green. Sheff Wed certainly weren't afraid to put a few feisty, verging on nasty, tackles in, so although they didn't boss the midfield, they certainly stopped ours being as effective as they can be. Thought Stephens and Jackson went a bit missing. Unlike others on here I thought Hollands had a decent game.
Starting to trust the centre-backs more now. So far been pleasantly surprised with Taylor and Morrison's dominance. Wiggins looks shakey to me, but can tell there is a good player in there. Think Solly had been great so far this season.
We do need another striker, and also would prefer Benson to Euell on the bench. Hayes doesn't seem to have turned it on at home yet, but I think he will do. BWP is mustard.
Not too worried, onto Saturday. Need a win there, and think we will get it.
Started well, good finish by BWP, first 15 ours, then Smegson put 5 in midfield then Prutton and to a lesser degree Semedo took charge, Dale and Holland sat too deep and we hoofed it upfield, their CB's won everyheader. God love Chris Powell, but he is tactically naive IMO. Semedo got booked as did Prutton. Powell should have brought Pritchard on and gone 451 and played football through the midfield, they had 2 midfielders on yellows this should have been exploited, I cant remember one effective/positive run that Stephens or JJ had from midfield in the second half. Wiggins was weak, I'm not convinced about him, Hamer looked flappy. Pissed off with a point and I'm sure Powell is working on his tactical ability.
We start like a house on fire and weds couldnt live with us, they then had a change of tactic and went about spoiling it giving away free kicks here and there and stopping our flow. It worked and they gradually got into the game and at the end there was only team going to win it them.
Our midfield I felt got to involved in the niggle and stopped playing. JJ DS and DH had a quiet evening.
I mentioned that if pritchard couldnt get on with these 3 seemingly having an off night then it doesnt bode well for him.
Jason is not the answer coming off the bench we needed someone to strech them more at that point.
Still the 2 centre halfs continue to impress and the full backs were solid. Keeper seemed to keen at times to get off his line but we will see.
Not overly dissapointed but definately need to look at the bench for different options.
I would like to have seen Pritchard on for Stephens or Waggy in the 2nd half.
Solly again was excellent, covering at left back at times for the sometimes wayward Wiggins. We may see Evina in at left back soon.
BWP looked fired up from the start and proved he's up for it with the goal and the lost cause chase into the corner when he slid into the advertising hoardings.
Don't know why we kept lumping it in the 2nd half, their 'Jan Koller' of a centre half just kept heading it away.
Three points against Exeter will make us all feel better.
There are lessons for SCP to learn from last night - about changing the game and the bench in particular. He was outmanoeuvered by Megson, but Chris seems a bright guy and I expect him to learn.
Anyway at least the defending in open play was a lot better than this!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TecnW2Ks48w&feature=player_embedded
I echo most of what has already been said - cant understand :
1) Why we have a subs bench packed with defensive players........Jason Euell is not an "inpact" sub as gives us nothing.
2) We brought in 18 players in the summer - but only 1 striker (hayes). Deffo need a pacy striker.
3) why Pritchard didn't come on - 3 of their players booked and we kept hoofing in the air.
Will say it again - we will not get promoted with the current 4 strikers...........esp if we only have one on the bench. Even a loan signing may not be enough.
Have to win our next 3 games - all against teams in the bottom 6 as we then have away games at MK Dons & Sheff U.