Having beaten Leicester and drawn with Watford and now Forest without three of our best players and Stewart, can we now agree that we are more than capable of a mid table or higher finish to the season? We lack some depth in a couple of areas, but that probably applies to 75% of teams in the Championship. We have some excellent players who many teams would love to have. But CP needs to believe in them and play them in the correct way, as it seems he did last night. We need the youth and vitality of Cousins and Harriot and the team needs to be allowed to play good passing football. Enough of the hump it up to Kermo, and the "lets stop the other team from playing" attitude. Lets just play our football, and see where it takes us.
Having beaten Leicester and drawn with Watford and now Forest without three of our best players and Stewart, can we now agree that we are more than capable of a mid table or higher finish to the season? We lack some depth in a couple of areas, but that probably applies to 75% of teams in the Championship. We have some excellent players who many teams would love to have. But CP needs to believe in them and play them in the correct way, as it seems he did last night. We need the youth and vitality of Cousins and Harriot and the team needs to be allowed to play good passing football. Enough of the hump it up to Kermo, and the "lets stop the other team from playing" attitude. Lets just play our football, and see where it takes us.
Whilst a good performance, it is still only 1 point, and we need to follow up with 3 on Saturday. So I would say some signs of better times, but lets not get ahead of ourselves. I would still snap someones arm off for 21st come May.
Just when forest were getting on top a bit powell brought on Andy hughes. I thought that was a great tactical decision as he stifled them and the game swang back in our direction.
I walked away contented last night that we had halted a bad run but this morning feel slightly annoyed with the fact we didn't take 3 points.
Forest were off colour and we needed to put them away. However, to arrest a slide like we are on sometimes its small steps and last night the performance was encouraging to think that we can lift the gloom that's been encasing players and fans alike.
A point against a side like Forest without Yann, Jacko and Solly would have been far fetched if asked a week or two back so lets build on this.
I've said elsewhere, Cousins was stand out, Wiggins and Wilson really got involved as they should do and Stephens was industrious.
Harriot....hmmm. Always appears to be on the edge of the game and for an offensive player he offered little and showed minimal influence on the game. He's got a pace and skill but also needs end product. Works hard though.
Anyway, that aside, I'd have taken anything and not cared about the performance before the game. Great support to let the players and gaffer know were still very much with them.
We were a bit unlucky - was a bit starnge to see how uncomfortable the Forest defence looked against us. Stephens was excellent. We have been a bit doom or gloom but if you asked me who I would currently rate as our 5 best players, I would say, Solly, Kermogant, JJ, Pritchard and Cort. All were injured. Puts things into perspective.
Stephens showed the game that he has in his locker and Powell needs to find a way to bring it out more. I was extremely impressed with the quality of Hughes when he came on. Gower doesn't bring anything to us IMO.
Thought ref missed a blatent penalty when Stephens was pulled back. A few chances where we were extremely unlucky the ball didn't go in!
Chrissy needs to perservere with Cousins - he is going to be top class.
Never have been a massive Stephens fan; however, that was a captains like performance. He led by example and was always encouraging and cajolling the youngsters around him. Go on son, make me eat humble pie. Terrific performance by the team and when Wilson plays like that you have to find a place for him.
Thought we were great, certainly our best performance of the season and deserved the win by a long way. First half (save for first couple of minutes) we were just superb and Church should have got a hatrick and had us out of sight. Was worried we would not replicate in the second half but we did until we tired in the last 10 or so.
Cousins, Stephens and Gower in the middle were a joy to watch the way they knocked the ball around and our wingers always seemed to have acres of space to run into.
Wilson and wiggins on the wings playd excellently and good to see Sordell get a goal, should do his confidence some good.
With Kermy up front we would have won comfortably.
And all that against a 12 man Forest team...was it me or did the ref actually wear the Forest kit? I kept thinking they had a player over and wondering why we were not marking him and it was the ref...weird he did not change his entire kit (not just short).
And all that against a 12 man Forest team...was it me or did the ref actually wear the Forest kit? I kept thinking they had a player over and wondering why we were not marking him and it was the ref...weird he did not change his entire kit (not just short).
Not just you I was doing double takes all the time. I think the Forest players made a few passes to him as well though it didn't seem to affect us.
And all that against a 12 man Forest team...was it me or did the ref actually wear the Forest kit? I kept thinking they had a player over and wondering why we were not marking him and it was the ref...weird he did not change his entire kit (not just short).
Not just you I was doing double takes all the time. I think the Forest players made a few passes to him as well though it didn't seem to affect us.
Amazing, wasn't it. The pathetic pedantry the FA machine comes out with at times, and they can't even get such a simple thing right. What's the point of a purple ref, ever?
Not much to do but echo other comments. After the kick in stomach of the early goal dollowed by 15 minutes of Forest dominance, we got ourselves back in the match. Hoofball was gone and with Cousins and Stephens breaking up play in a crowded midfield, we were able to secure time and space. We were unlucky to go in at half time one down.
We were dominant in the second half, except at the end and but for some wasteful finishing should have won by 2 or 3.
For them, Reid was sensational. Like their team a lot - didn't cheat, played the ball on the deck, tried to win (except for their time-wasting goalie. Thought their fans were a bit quiet but maybe they were just drwoned out.
Positives
My perfect Cousins. He was just fantastic. Upper body strength, vision, engine - he's got the lot. Really, really impressed.
Stephens: Worked really well with Cousins and in that formation. Much improved tackling.
Wood: In control, keeps posession, aware of what is going on around him.
Wilson: Is getting better and better.
Formation: Really liked it and suited our play. Not sure if it will fir with Kermo's game. Shows imagination and nous by Powell.
Crowd: Brilliant. Really lifted the team. Positive throughout and not crappy Addams family, full of fanny northern bastard songs. Made me feel proud. Why can't we be like this on Saturday afternoons?
Ref: Unfussy, got most things right though could have offered us more protection.
Negatives
We are weak up front. Church works very hard but can't finish. Sordell looked disinterested until he got the goal. Pigott just can't time his jumps at all and is outmuscled every time. He just isn't ready for the first team.
Hamer and Morrison both look out of sorts and have done for some time.
Sums it all up perfectly for me. I would add that Wiggins also had his best game for quite a while. His marauding runs down the left flank were our main attacking threat in the first half and his all round game was very good. Sordell looks much, much better when the ball is played to his feet; he had good control, quick feet and a good shot. Certainly more to him than to Church, I think, and a front two of Kermo and Sordell could prove to be very potent.
Hats off to Billy Davies and also the Forest fans, who recognised and acknowledged they had been given a bit of a pasting.
Proud to be a Charlton fan; all of the crowd were brilliant last night.
Not much to do but echo other comments. After the kick in stomach of the early goal dollowed by 15 minutes of Forest dominance, we got ourselves back in the match. Hoofball was gone and with Cousins and Stephens breaking up play in a crowded midfield, we were able to secure time and space. We were unlucky to go in at half time one down.
We were dominant in the second half, except at the end and but for some wasteful finishing should have won by 2 or 3.
For them, Reid was sensational. Like their team a lot - didn't cheat, played the ball on the deck, tried to win (except for their time-wasting goalie. Thought their fans were a bit quiet but maybe they were just drwoned out.
Positives
My perfect Cousins. He was just fantastic. Upper body strength, vision, engine - he's got the lot. Really, really impressed.
Stephens: Worked really well with Cousins and in that formation. Much improved tackling.
Wood: In control, keeps posession, aware of what is going on around him.
Wilson: Is getting better and better.
Formation: Really liked it and suited our play. Not sure if it will fir with Kermo's game. Shows imagination and nous by Powell.
Crowd: Brilliant. Really lifted the team. Positive throughout and not crappy Addams family, full of fanny northern bastard songs. Made me feel proud. Why can't we be like this on Saturday afternoons?
Ref: Unfussy, got most things right though could have offered us more protection.
Negatives
We are weak up front. Church works very hard but can't finish. Sordell looked disinterested until he got the goal. Pigott just can't time his jumps at all and is outmuscled every time. He just isn't ready for the first team.
Hamer and Morrison both look out of sorts and have done for some time.
Sums it all up perfectly for me. I would add that Wiggins also had his best game for quite a while. His marauding runs down the left flank were our main attacking threat in the first half and his all round game was very good. Sordell looks much, much better when the ball is played to his feet; he had good control, quick feet and a good shot. Certainly more to him than to Church, I think, and a front two of Kermo and Sordell could prove to be very potent.
Hats off to Billy Davies and also the Forest fans, who recognised and acknowledged they had been given a bit of a pasting.
Proud to be a Charlton fan; all of the crowd were brilliant last night.
Oh, and Cousins will go on to be a major star in the Prem (hope it's with us) and for England. Up there with Spotty Parker and as the best midfield youngster I've seen in a Charlton shirt, and yes that does include Jonjo.
Best home performance for some time - well since Leicester in fact ! Only slight worry for me is with the number of chances created only one was put away. We lack a natural goalscorer and without one we will possibly struggle to beat teams in this division despite the good approach play we are more than capable of producing. Sordell defintely not the answer despite his goal and Church will burst his lungs for effort but is not a natural scorer but he will always put defenders under pressure so well worth sticking with. Hamer is still a worry for me. Just doesn't command his area and creates doubt and indecision at the back. That's the negatives out of the way. With effort and committment like that we will win more than we lose and hopefully see more great games like that at the valley. We may well see a turnaround of winning more games at home than away this season. Cousins is a class player in the making and the midfield looked strong last night. When Stephens plays like that, he looks like a quality midfield player so someone needs to get inside his mind and find out why he doesn't do it consistently ! The way this division is, any team is capable of beating the other on the day, and the crowd is a factor in helping, so let's keep that noise level up all season !
My first visit this season. Most enjoyable evening. Only looked at the clock twice, once after Reid scored and then not until 83rd minute when I wanted to see how much longer we had to score. Makes a change from looking every ten minutes wishing the time away! Effort, spirit and that elusive wonder drug CONFIDENCE got us through after a horrible start. The spirit brought the effort which in turn eventually brought the confidence. To begin the 2nd half like we did when the 1st finished so positively doesn't often happen. Great work by the management to send us out like that. Great work from Dave Lockwood too who inspired the crowd to keep it going.
And what about the pitch? Doesn't it look fantastic?
First game of the season for me , thoroughly enjoyed it and thought we shaded it. Heard that Billy Davies went in to our dressing room afterwards and SCP let him speak to the team and he congratulated them on how well we'd played and said if we continue to put in performances like that all season we'd be fine ... Fair play to Billy ! Stephens was my MOM closely followed by Cousins If Kermo had played we'd have won that Church is a bit powder puff in front of goal but a willing runner Decent support last night and that can never be a bad thing.
0% Top half ........... 65% 13th -21st .......... 35% League one next season
First game of the season for me , thoroughly enjoyed it and thought we shaded it. Heard that Billy Davies went in to our dressing room afterwards and SCP let him speak to the team and he congratulated them on how well we'd played and said if we continue to put in performances like that all season we'd be fine ... Fair play to Billy ! Stephens was my MOM closely followed by Cousins If Kermo had played we'd have won that Church is a bit powder puff in front of goal but a willing runner Decent support last night and that can never be a bad thing.
0% Top half ........... 65% 13th -21st .......... 35% League one next season
I'd just like to point out that despite this being both mine and OOoooooAhhhh's first game; we are NOT an item and have NOT just spent an extended holiday in Mykinos!
Would like to know how the club say there were 1,700 Forest there.
Looked nearly 2,500....
Bit of old fashioned lower league attendance 'adjustment' there. Really strange when usually the attendance quoted is the theoretical maximum based on tickets issued rather than turnstile count, did a load of forest bunk in over the wall?
Mixed message? In contrast to the no messages at all coming from spanish tony and his lawyer
yeah I read that about Billy Davies and also heard his comments, fair play to him
Agree but what a strange thing for an opposition manager to do.
not really its a normal reaction from the managers union, one of yours a good one is in need of support, it is widely known with the football circus the issues chris is up against and the cards dealt to him
so an oppo mgr who has a team that is deemed to be more favourable for success than your counterpart, and the team and mgr under pressure put in performances like last night the oppo mgr to not just detract for potentially 2 dropped points but to highlight how well their colleague and friend have done ,
to me it was further confirmation of what was said by others
Comments
Forest were off colour and we needed to put them away. However, to arrest a slide like we are on sometimes its small steps and last night the performance was encouraging to think that we can lift the gloom that's been encasing players and fans alike.
A point against a side like Forest without Yann, Jacko and Solly would have been far fetched if asked a week or two back so lets build on this.
I've said elsewhere, Cousins was stand out, Wiggins and Wilson really got involved as they should do and Stephens was industrious.
Harriot....hmmm. Always appears to be on the edge of the game and for an offensive player he offered little and showed minimal influence on the game. He's got a pace and skill but also needs end product. Works hard though.
Anyway, that aside, I'd have taken anything and not cared about the performance before the game. Great support to let the players and gaffer know were still very much with them.
Stephens showed the game that he has in his locker and Powell needs to find a way to bring it out more. I was extremely impressed with the quality of Hughes when he came on. Gower doesn't bring anything to us IMO.
Thought ref missed a blatent penalty when Stephens was pulled back. A few chances where we were extremely unlucky the ball didn't go in!
Chrissy needs to perservere with Cousins - he is going to be top class.
Terrific performance by the team and when Wilson plays like that you have to find a place for him.
Cousins, Stephens and Gower in the middle were a joy to watch the way they knocked the ball around and our wingers always seemed to have acres of space to run into.
Wilson and wiggins on the wings playd excellently and good to see Sordell get a goal, should do his confidence some good.
With Kermy up front we would have won comfortably.
And all that against a 12 man Forest team...was it me or did the ref actually wear the Forest kit? I kept thinking they had a player over and wondering why we were not marking him and it was the ref...weird he did not change his entire kit (not just short).
Hats off to Billy Davies and also the Forest fans, who recognised and acknowledged they had been given a bit of a pasting.
Proud to be a Charlton fan; all of the crowd were brilliant last night.
That aside we battled well as the game went on & second half were as positive as I have seen for a while, much better Charlton.
Also well done to the crowd great tonight.
Effort, spirit and that elusive wonder drug CONFIDENCE got us through after a horrible start. The spirit brought the effort which in turn eventually brought the confidence. To begin the 2nd half like we did when the 1st finished so positively doesn't often happen. Great work by the management to send us out like that. Great work from Dave Lockwood too who inspired the crowd to keep it going.
And what about the pitch? Doesn't it look fantastic?
I'll probably go again now.
Heard that Billy Davies went in to our dressing room afterwards and SCP let him speak to the team and he congratulated them on how well we'd played and said if we continue to put in performances like that all season we'd be fine ... Fair play to Billy !
Stephens was my MOM closely followed by Cousins
If Kermo had played we'd have won that Church is a bit powder puff in front of goal but a willing runner
Decent support last night and that can never be a bad thing.
0% Top half ........... 65% 13th -21st .......... 35% League one next season
Mixed message? In contrast to the no messages at all coming from spanish tony and his lawyer
not really its a normal reaction from the managers union, one of yours a good one is in need of support, it is widely known with the football circus the issues chris is up against and the cards dealt to him
so an oppo mgr who has a team that is deemed to be more favourable for success than your counterpart, and the team and mgr under pressure put in performances like last night the oppo mgr to not just detract for potentially 2 dropped points but to highlight how well their colleague and friend have done ,
to me it was further confirmation of what was said by others