Midfield

Todds_right_hook

Green, Jackson and Hollands will start most games unless suspended or injured and Waggy will be on the bench but who else will challenge and do we need to strengthen?

Stephens - if fit but drifts out of games

Pritchard - looks good so far but will he be able to deliver if we are under pressure

Hughes - does a decent job but can he last 20 odd games and is he predictable?

Russell - solid but Hollands looks better when he isn't playing

Alonso - Had injury problems but could be a key player in the 2nd half of the season, Hollands does the tackling and Alonso creates chances but would he be up for a scrap at places like Chesterfield?

Lincsaddick

I'd put boring old Hughes in there until Stephens is fit ..  Russell/Hollands, both good but too similar and neither one seems to know what to do .. attack attack attack or defend defend defend .... Green and Jackson are shoe ins .. so: Green, Hughes, Hollands, Jackson .. we're lucky in having Russell and Pritchard and (when fit) Stephens in reserve. Alonso .. y'all are getting drunk on his name .. he IS NOT Xavi, in his one game v Brentford he was simply A W F U L 

Kap10

Russell, I think he has taken the heat for the decline in performances due to Jacksons absence, offers more than Hughes

OhEddieYouds

Stephens is creative and a class act so I'd play him when fit but until then I'd give the shirt to Pritchard. Have been impressed with him everytime I have seen him whereas I sometimes don't even notice Hughes or Russell are even playing when they start (either have offered much imo)

Todds_right_hook

I dont rate Hughes but we won 5/5 with him in the side and scored lots of goals, is he unlucky not to be starting.

SheffieldRed

Stephens would be my choice as I think he is a quality midfielder. Was previously concerned that with him in the team, the midfield would be overrun by some of the more physical teams in the division, but don't think this is the case.

Hughes I suspect is the sort of player that other players want to play alongside, as he helps them play their game. Russell, happy to see him play, does a decent job.

Pritchard, not seen enough to have a proper opinion but it sounds positive, especially for someone taking a step up from the level they had previously played at. Alonso, don't think anyone has seen enough of him in a Charlton shirt to have a proper opinion, but I trust CP so hopefully he will shine in the remainder of the season when given the chance.  

 

Mendonca In Asdas

Do you think that the fact we've signed Russel till the end if the season means Dale Stephens injury is worse than first thought , ie we may not see him until some time in March?

Callumcafc

Stephens.

Exiled_Addick

Lots of fans didn't rate Keith Jones. Kinsella did though. I Hollands is the new Kins then Hughes can be the new Jones.

Successful teams are about balance, not all about individual ability. If Hughes allows Green, Hollands, JJ, Wiggins and Solly to bomb on safe in the knowledge he has their back then he can make us a better attacking side overall. It doesn't matter if he rarely scores or assists if others do it more when he plays. Russell acts as cover for Hollands imo.

davy macaddick

I dont rate Hughes but we won 5/5 with him in the side and scored lots of goals, is he unlucky not to be starting.

I make you right Todd!

Wasnt he also on the bench during games where we dropped points?

He is our "Dog of War" does all the ratting and never gets noticed, so Green Hughes Hollands Jackson for me. although when fit Stephens will add to the selection problems!

Its a good selection problem though.......COYR!!

eaststandmike

Stephens for me from the start, Hughes does a job when the going gets tough.

 

Rizzo

Green Hughes Hollands Jackson

As mentioned above, there just seems to be a superb balance to the side when those four are playing together. Thye might not be our best 4 players on an individual basis but it's the team that wins games and personally I'm convinced that they form the best midfield unit we have.

Rothko

Stephens walks back into the team when fit for me, he makes us play football

Salad

agree with Rothko.

Hughes does a good job in L1 but I'd prefer Pritchard to start tomorrow.

Bryan_Kynsie

Lot of sense here apart from Alonso. From the little I've seen I'd prefer Bover!

Stephens if fit but he isn't. Generally prefer "ours" to loanees. For my money the influx of loanees was generally a negative factor under previous recent regimes.

Hughes is unlucky not to be playing but in SCP we trust.....til it goes pear shaped that is!

The Red Robin

Stephens and Hollands would be my first choice in the middle as they
work so well together and their movement off the ball is superb. With Stephens injured I'd bring Pritchard in as he adds a bit of energy and pace to the middle.

Time to
cut our losses with Alonso and get rid.

I'd have to go for Green and
Jackson out wide purely for their great passing ability and crossing,
especially with Kermogant in the team. Harsh on waggy as he hasn't
really put a foot wrong when called upon.

Scoham

Green and Stephens only started a couple of games together so it's too early to judge them, but so far Hughes possibly suits Green better and Waggy might suit Stephens better. Both give them more cover and energy alongside them.

Green and Stepehens both far more creative, but then neither are strong defensively, we need to win the ball for them to do something with it.

At their best they should be a very strong midfield next to Hollands and Jackson, but I'm not sure it'll turn out to be the best all round midfield.

Greenie

Hughes for me, the teams record with him in midfield is no fluke, crap full back though!

MuttleyCAFC

Hughes put in a couple of great performances but his level dropped slightly before he was dropped. Powell is the sort of manager who will change a winning team if he notices something like that. It is good IMO as it gives everybody in the squad hope that they can earn a place in the team and reminds players that they have to keep performing at the requuired level with good players waiting in the wings,

LonelyNorthernAddick

I'm torn. I think Stephens is a class act and should probably get straight back into the team for his performances. But having someone like Hughes in the midfield does, as Exiled Addick said, allow the others to bomb forwards safe in the knowledge that their covered ... something that can only be a good thing i think. For now though, I like the idea of Pritchard getting a few starts, I think he could easily become a great player for us and he's proved his worth a few times ... let's see what he's capable of!

I don't rate Russell as much as Hughes I must say, as for Alonso, barely seen anything of him, but we all know what we saw of him wasn't very impressive at all...

Statto

Out of Stephens, Hughes, Russell, Alonso & Pritchard my order would be:

1st Stephens

2nd Pritchard

3rd Hughes

4th Russell

5th Alonso

MuttleyCAFC

Alonso didn't look too clever but strangely, if you made aloowances for being off the pace, he looked like a player who could put his foot on the ball and was comfortable passing. Whilst his Charlton career hasn't been too auspicious to date, maybe we shouldn't be totally writing him off yet. Let's get him fully fit and up to speed first. 

Rizzo

I'd like to see a fit Alonso playing, just to see what he was like. He must have something going for him for SCP to have signed him in the first place. We didn't see it in the cup game but I'm still curious.

daveaddick

Personally I thought the best performances this season were when Hughes was playing

Nicholas

Personally I thought the best performances this season were when Hughes was playing

This

Oggy Red

When Hughes was playing we were able to spend long spells dominating teams.

Something we haven't done anywhere frequently enough since!


(the sum of the parts and all that ....)

McLovin

Another one for Hughes - though not sure he could keep the tempo up if the games are coming thick and fast.