Most of the defense were fine for most of the match allowing for the fact that Solly is ruled out as an attacking option playing on the left and Wilson is willing but incapable beyond the halfway line, which is one better than Green or Stephens who hid for about 85 minutes abrogating responsibility at every opportunity, by the 2nd half Stephens's 20 yard passes were arriving 5 yards off target, poor old Danny Hollands has to do the work of 2 cos DS is AWOL when opposition has the ball - 1 good pass does not warrant selection Dale!! SCP stood and watched Plan A failing and did nothing until the 79th minute - then he leaves the worst offender on the pitch. Watford executed their cynical negative game plan as effectively as they are able and despite them being a genuinely poor side that was more than enough to beat Charlton. Yes we might have had a little more luck and Mike Dean was horribly inconsistent but beating Watford was simply a case of picking the right people in the right places (ie Evina as LB Solly at RB) and all of the players doing their jobs properly - Watford had 10 players for half the match but with Green's & Stephens's opting out Charlton had to make do with 8.5.
Seem to remember Evina being very shaky last season in the odd appearance he made at the Valley. Can't remember who it was against. Powell knows the players better than anyone - if he believes Solly at LB is currently a safer option (during a difficult opening patch to the season) than the inexperienced Evina, then you have to trust him. Likewise, could he seriously haved dropped Hollands last night for a boy, albeit with a good reputation, who he has known for 5 minutes?
Evina's appearances were sporadic, indeed wasn't one a last minute appearance after Solly was taken ill before a game. Any player would find it difficult without regular football, he needs a run of games before we can judge him.
The idea that we have taken just 4 points from 18 because our right back is playing at left back is a complete red herring.
If Evina was a recent multi-million pound purchase from Real Madrid rather than a promising youngster who has hardly played in the first team this might make some sense but he is not.
The problem (as most have pointed out) is the midfield (or lack of i)t not who plays at left back.
The idea that we have taken just 4 points from 18 because our right back is playing at left back is a complete red herring.
If Evina was a recent multi-million pound purchase from Real Madrid rather than a promising youngster who has hardly played in the first team this might make some sense but he is not.
The problem (as most have pointed out) is the midfield (or lack of i)t not who plays at left back.
but its about balance. Solly last year was one of our best attacking options at times!
then it free's wilson. personally im not a fan, but he is also playing out of position. the bloke isnt a right back. push him up and it gives us another midfield option.
It might be only 9 games but we have the 6th best defensive record in the league alongside Blackpool and Blackburn. It is service to the strikers that is the problem and better crosses wouldn't go amiss!
I can see why Solly is still playing leftback ....... even though Solly should be back playing on the right, with Wilson pushed forward - Powell won't risk Evina with the non-tackling Kerkar in front of him.
If Evina was to play at all, then maybe Waggy would give him the cover that he needs. But than that plays Waggy on his weak side.
What else can he do, play the left footed Hollands at LB or LM? I doubt Powell will do that.
i understand people wishing solly to play right back but imo he was POTY last season for his defensive qualities not for the limited amount he brought to the attack ... wiggins was the more attack minded by far of the 2 full backs and there is a lot less chance to get forward in this league , solly has been decent at left back
I can see why Solly is still playing leftback ....... even though Solly should be back playing on the right, with Wilson pushed forward - Powell won't risk Evina with the non-tackling Kerkar in front of him.
If Evina was to play at all, then maybe Waggy would give him the cover that he needs. But than that plays Waggy on his weak side.
What else can he do, play the left footed Hollands at LB or LM? I doubt Powell will do that.
According to the Football Manager 12 game Rasak is left footed ,could he be the answer here ?
Stats on goal are based on the judgement of the stato. Goal bounds are counted as SOG's (on target) including blocks. My stats are different but still opinion. I am employed by the best stat co in the land though. I had Charlton at 58% possession.
Watford fan in peace. The sending off aside, imo you lost last night purely and simply because you played route 1 league 1 hoofball, even when we were down to 10 men, and that doesn't take advantage of having the extra man. Your midfielders could have gone off for a cup of tea and not been missed. And what is Powell doing playing 4 across the back when we only had Deeney up front? Sorry but Powell lost you the game, strange as a few comments here rip into Zola's tactical ability, I'd say Zola was the one manager who got his tactics spot on. Got to laugh describing us as average. Okay then if thats what you want to believe have it your way, we were given about £12M in footballers over the summer. Our lwb is a full international, so is our rwb, and our central playmaker, the dfmid loaned from Chelsea is England's hotest young prospect in years.... I could go on but I'm sure you get the point. I'm actually disappointed in how you play now as I always cheered for you guys in the premiership, you knew how to pass a ball around and play good attractive expansive football in those days. Ciao.
Think we panicked when you scored, not so much hoof ball as throwing the ball in relentlessly from the flanks, but you're spot on about the extra man and 4v1 at the back.
For what it's worth I think the game was an invaluable lesson for us. You had your point to defend and did so strongly, albeit with tactics I wouldn't want to watch wvery week. Our extra man should have been used to pull your team out of shape and create space but by failing to use him we were effectively 9v9 outfielder and didn't press the advantage home. By the time we wised up we were a goal down and chasing the game.
What was League One about us was that lack of guile needed to break you down before you scored. After that it was all about us panicking and thinking ball in box =chance. Meat and drink to your lot.
We'll be ok provided heads don't drop. Hollands isn't a bad player but his confidence is shot. BWP does so much good work off the ball and has had few chances to miss this season.
I'd like to see us back to the 451 we played against Blackburn with Razak holding and Stephens pushed ahead of him. But it probably would mean dropping Fuller and he's our main goal threat. The alternative is to use Razak alongside Stephens in a 4 and see how that goes - I just wonder how may times we have to see the Strphens-Hollands midfield falter before learning the lesson that these two can't play together at this level in a central 2.
Finally I don't get the ref slagging. Thought he had a decent game and is suffering from our frustration at a very frustrating game against a very cynical Watford.
The situation is frustrating, we are not a bad team. We finally have a group who want to play for Charlton, yet we are losing by the odd goal.
We need a commanding midfielder which Hollands, as much as I like the guy, isn't doing it. Would be better with Jackson (when fit) or Pritchard in the middle. We have also had unfortunate injurys to some key players (Wiggins Kermo, and Jackson). We hardly had any injurys last season!
What annoys me the most is the long ball to Wright Phillips all the time. He wins about 1-2 headers a game!
I wouldn't be surprised if we finished above what I thought was a poor Watford side - wasn't impressed with them at all and they merely did a good job of defending deep - killing the game and riding their luck which they won't have to do very often. If it was 11 against 11, pretty confident we would have beaten them. We need to get some confidence back, but sure it will happen.
Comments
The idea that we have taken just 4 points from 18 because our right back is playing at left back is a complete red herring.
If Evina was a recent multi-million pound purchase from Real Madrid rather than a promising youngster who has hardly played in the first team this might make some sense but he is not.
The problem (as most have pointed out) is the midfield (or lack of i)t not who plays at left back.
then it free's wilson. personally im not a fan, but he is also playing out of position. the bloke isnt a right back. push him up and it gives us another midfield option.
If Evina was to play at all, then maybe Waggy would give him the cover that he needs.
But than that plays Waggy on his weak side.
What else can he do, play the left footed Hollands at LB or LM?
I doubt Powell will do that.
According to the Football Manager 12 game Rasak is left footed ,could he be the answer here ?
;o)
And here is Watford's first goal from the north lower:
For what it's worth I think the game was an invaluable lesson for us. You had your point to defend and did so strongly, albeit with tactics I wouldn't want to watch wvery week. Our extra man should have been used to pull your team out of shape and create space but by failing to use him we were effectively 9v9 outfielder and didn't press the advantage home. By the time we wised up we were a goal down and chasing the game.
What was League One about us was that lack of guile needed to break you down before you scored. After that it was all about us panicking and thinking ball in box =chance. Meat and drink to your lot.
We'll be ok provided heads don't drop. Hollands isn't a bad player but his confidence is shot. BWP does so much good work off the ball and has had few chances to miss this season.
I'd like to see us back to the 451 we played against Blackburn with Razak holding and Stephens pushed ahead of him. But it probably would mean dropping Fuller and he's our main goal threat. The alternative is to use Razak alongside Stephens in a 4 and see how that goes - I just wonder how may times we have to see the Strphens-Hollands midfield falter before learning the lesson that these two can't play together at this level in a central 2.
Finally I don't get the ref slagging. Thought he had a decent game and is suffering from our frustration at a very frustrating game against a very cynical Watford.
We need a commanding midfielder which Hollands, as much as I like the guy, isn't doing it. Would be better with Jackson (when fit) or Pritchard in the middle.
We have also had unfortunate injurys to some key players (Wiggins Kermo, and Jackson). We hardly had any injurys last season!
What annoys me the most is the long ball to Wright Phillips all the time. He wins about 1-2 headers a game!