I was there! It took a while for me to persuade my girlfriend to go to her first football match ever - you know, this was the early 80s and she was anxious about violence. As we crossed that bit of rough ground from the turnstiles to the pitch, Dick Neve said over the tannoy "Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, and a special welcome for... 'Slicer' from Brentford". Linda suddenly went pale, stopped dead in her tracks, gripped my hand and said: "I can't do it!" Of course she did, and so did Walsh (3), and Hales (2).
I wasn't there last night, my 1st game will be @ Barnsley .. does the performance from the revamped midfielders, especially Stephens and Holland, mean that Pritchard's place in the side is no longer a certainty? ... AND, I have a feeling that Joe Pigott has the skill, confidence and build to become in time a Denis Bergkamp (pray to the Lord he comes close to this standard) type of midfielder/striker, a powerhouse in central midfield .. am I right in having this 'vision' ?
Lincs - Pigott is nineteen years old - so we should loan him to Colchester to learn his trade. There was a period in that game on Tuesday night when we ripped Oxford to shreds. It was for adults only. We were absolutely ruthless - it was vicious, almost feral - and we won. That vacuous display at Bournemouth; those endlessly vapid games at home last season...
If we keep that intensity going - we might beat Middlesbrough.
If you want an example of someone capable of spending a full 90 minutes passing to anyone but his teammates, I give you the "technically superior" Dale Stephens.
Thank you thank you Exiled. Thought I was the only one!!!
Although he had his best game in a Charlton shirt I've seen in an awfully long time Tuesday night, I still don't understand the fuss. Think he's only there because as someone has mentioned earlier, our midfield is still not right.
If you want an example of someone capable of spending a full 90 minutes passing to anyone but his teammates, I give you the "technically superior" Dale Stephens.
Thank you thank you Exiled. Thought I was the only one!!!
Although he had his best game in a Charlton shirt I've seen in an awfully long time Tuesday night, I still don't understand the fuss. Think he's only there because as someone has mentioned earlier, our midfield is still not right.
And my MOTM was either Cort or Pigott.
Still buzzing. Can't wait until Saturday! COYR!
Re Stephens, I think you'll find the majority agree with you.
I was there! It took a while for me to persuade my girlfriend to go to her first football match ever - you know, this was the early 80s and she was anxious about violence. As we crossed that bit of rough ground from the turnstiles to the pitch, Dick Neve said over the tannoy "Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, and a special welcome for... 'Slicer' from Brentford". Linda suddenly went pale, stopped dead in her tracks, gripped my hand and said: "I can't do it!" Of course she did, and so did Walsh (3), and Hales (2).
I remember it well. I think it was Walshie's debut or if not, his debut season. We all knew we had a "player" after that.
Just seen the goals on TV .. Church took his chances very well .. (except of course for 'the' miss) .. Pigott looks good, big and skilful with a nice touch of arrogance .. arrogance in a nice way
If you want an example of someone capable of spending a full 90 minutes passing to anyone but his teammates, I give you the "technically superior" Dale Stephens.
Thank you thank you Exiled. Thought I was the only one!!!
Although he had his best game in a Charlton shirt I've seen in an awfully long time Tuesday night, I still don't understand the fuss. Think he's only there because as someone has mentioned earlier, our midfield is still not right.
And my MOTM was either Cort or Pigott.
Still buzzing. Can't wait until Saturday! COYR!
Re Stephens, I think you'll find the majority agree with you.
From what I've seen of him you get the odd flash of brilliance from Stephens which is why some people cling onto the hope he'll show it consistently, but in between the brilliance there is lot of simple stuff done badly and I think he's destined to be one of those nearly men. Same with Green I think, sadly.
Both have the tools but are, imo, let down by their decision making. In Green's case he makes his mind up early but often rashly and makes a poor decision. In Stephens case he thinks about it too long and then has to rush as he is closed down by an opponent, often resulting in a misplaced pass.
I think Stephens might actually fair better in a slower paced foreign league.
Pritch is probably less 'naturally gifted' but is far from a donkey and brings a more consistent performance week in week out which managers like, especially pragmatists on a budget, like Powell, who are forced to focus on organisation and fitness over flair.
I thought we were terrific on Tuesday night. There was a period of about fifteen minutes in the second half when we absolutely battered poor Oxford, with Harriott on as sub causing havoc on the left, Green playing well on the right and Church and Sordell very potent. We were ruthless, merciless - it was almost like a blood sport and was exhilarating to watch.
We haven't got any midfield combo that can control a whole game, even with JJ in it. What I am saying is that with a squad as currently unbalanced as ours is, what is the point of keeping Stephens and Hollands for yet another season of bench warming duties ? Free up their wages, and get either a striker or a dynamic 'Jonjo Shelvey / Lee Bowyer' type midfielder in...someone who is capable of dictating a game and getting it by the scruff of the neck.
I like both Gower and Hughes as good blokes and good pros, but it is an indictment of our Championship squad to be starting games with a midfield pairing with a combined age of 69.
You're kind of making my point. We were playing League Two opposition, very different proposition to the Championship, and yet our midfield still didn't strike me as being good enough to dislodge the players ahead of them.
To me the main difference in the game was our 4 forward players, two strikers and two wide men.
At the risk of sounding ungrateful, I'm obviously in a minority in thinking it was wrong of Pigott to take the penalty. He had blazed his previous pen yards over the bar, at Dartford; Danny Green had despatched his precisely at Welling. If you look at the video, posted above, you'll see that in fact Pigott hit it poorly, scuffed probably, and far too close to the keeper. In a Championship game it might have been saved, and been proved costly.
At the risk of sounding ungrateful, I'm obviously in a minority in thinking it was wrong of Pigott to take the penalty. He had blazed his previous pen yards over the bar, at Dartford; Danny Green had despatched his precisely at Welling. If you look at the video, posted above, you'll see that in fact Pigott hit it poorly, scuffed probably, and far too close to the keeper. In a Championship game it might have been saved, and been proved costly.
And had it been a Championship game then he probably wouldn't have taken it.
However, this was against a League Two side in a 1st round cup game when we were were 3-0 up in the 94th minute.
At the risk of sounding ungrateful, I'm obviously in a minority in thinking it was wrong of Pigott to take the penalty. He had blazed his previous pen yards over the bar, at Dartford; Danny Green had despatched his precisely at Welling. If you look at the video, posted above, you'll see that in fact Pigott hit it poorly, scuffed probably, and far too close to the keeper. In a Championship game it might have been saved, and been proved costly.
And had it been a Championship game then he probably wouldn't have taken it.
However, this was against a League Two side in a 1st round cup game when we were were 3-0 up in the 94th minute.
This.
He would never in a million years taken that penalty under pressure circumstances.
The circumstances meant he was able to take it. 95th minute, 3-0 up. And it doesn't matter how it goes in, the boost he'll have got from that will set him up well for the coming season at CAFC or on loan.
I'm sure as you say, he wouldn't have been able to take it in a higher pressure situation. But it's all hypothetical.
I was there! It took a while for me to persuade my girlfriend to go to her first football match ever - you know, this was the early 80s and she was anxious about violence. As we crossed that bit of rough ground from the turnstiles to the pitch, Dick Neve said over the tannoy "Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, and a special welcome for... 'Slicer' from Brentford". Linda suddenly went pale, stopped dead in her tracks, gripped my hand and said: "I can't do it!" Of course she did, and so did Walsh (3), and Hales (2).
I remember it well. I think it was Walshie's debut or if not, his debut season. We all knew we had a "player" after that.
In fact, Walshy made seven appearances (plus two as sub) in the previous season, 1979-80. His first goal was at Brentford in the League Cup on 9 August 1980 in our 3-1 defeat. We played Brentford three times in six days, winning the return leg at The Valley 5-0, and starting our Division Three season with a 3-1 home win (Powell, Hales, Robinson).
At the risk of sounding ungrateful, I'm obviously in a minority in thinking it was wrong of Pigott to take the penalty. He had blazed his previous pen yards over the bar, at Dartford; Danny Green had despatched his precisely at Welling. If you look at the video, posted above, you'll see that in fact Pigott hit it poorly, scuffed probably, and far too close to the keeper. In a Championship game it might have been saved, and been proved costly.
And had it been a Championship game then he probably wouldn't have taken it.
However, this was against a League Two side in a 1st round cup game when we were were 3-0 up in the 94th minute.
Comments
However, I have to say I have not seen such a diverse set of marks for years.
Wilson - some have him as very good, others average at best.
Evina - some have him as MOM, others I think, our worst.
Cort - Many say MOM or VG, a few say average at best.
Wood - most say average, yet some have him as one of our best.
Stephens - many have him as MOM, some have him as worst.
Hollands - some have him as MOM, some have him as worst.
Green - some have him as MOM, many say he was poor.
Cook - many say his best game, but average overall. Some have him as MOM & some have him worst.
Pigott - some have him as MOM & VG, some say he did well, but not ready for The Championship.
I think Hamer & Church are about the only players, generally agreed upon.
NB Not a criticism & we all see it different. It just that this time, we've all seen it differently. Bizarre.
If we keep that intensity going - we might beat Middlesbrough.
Thank you thank you Exiled. Thought I was the only one!!!
Although he had his best game in a Charlton shirt I've seen in an awfully long time Tuesday night, I still don't understand the fuss.
Think he's only there because as someone has mentioned earlier, our midfield is still not right.
And my MOTM was either Cort or Pigott.
Still buzzing. Can't wait until Saturday!
COYR!
Both have the tools but are, imo, let down by their decision making. In Green's case he makes his mind up early but often rashly and makes a poor decision. In Stephens case he thinks about it too long and then has to rush as he is closed down by an opponent, often resulting in a misplaced pass.
I think Stephens might actually fair better in a slower paced foreign league.
Pritch is probably less 'naturally gifted' but is far from a donkey and brings a more consistent performance week in week out which managers like, especially pragmatists on a budget, like Powell, who are forced to focus on organisation and fitness over flair.
To me the main difference in the game was our 4 forward players, two strikers and two wide men.
However, this was against a League Two side in a 1st round cup game when we were were 3-0 up in the 94th minute.
He would never in a million years taken that penalty under pressure circumstances.
I'm sure as you say, he wouldn't have been able to take it in a higher pressure situation. But it's all hypothetical.