I aint read any posts yet so appologises for repeating anything that may already have been said
Will start with the positives
AA in midfield was excellent all game and was our best player and much better on the ball than anything we have had in a long time
Diego done the simple stuff really well and looks like a quality prospect his first touch was superb
The keeper I thought was excellent throughout and I aint worried about that postition
Reza well I aint missing yann great runs great energy great movement off the ball we play better football than before with a player like him
Negatives EVINA wouldn't ever play for me again
Jacko one good ball one good tackle but is taking cousins spot for no reason
Subs made far too late and cost us as we were putting the pressure on and failed to take advantage wasted putting petr on and that was criminal
Failure to take evina off is not acceptable and is not anyone elses fault but powells and he needs to change this 72 mins changes
I left there believing a change needs to happen at our club
All this are they powells players is shite 3 of the 4 best players were reza aa thuram if he didn't sign them then whoever did may need to be given a more prominant role
Thought we played some good stuff, Poyet looks a real prospect, AA did some good things and Reza has potential. Just either stop diving or get better at it.
That's the best I've seen Sordell play for us. OK, that's not a bery high bar to jump but the touch and turns were there.
But a soft goal gave them the lead and we didn't have enough to break them down.
Was it Wood who ducked out of the header for the first goal. Whoever it was it was shocking
@ing Danny Green for giving the ball away in midfield (the only creative thing the waste of space did all day) and Chris Powell for putting him on the pitch.
In fact Chris Powell for putting him on the bench.
In fact Chris Powell for keeping him at the club
There is some real potential in that squad but boy did we miss Yann. But those of us not sulking like rejected teenage lovers knew we would.
And we missed Stewart too as we had no real wide player (did I mention how shite Green was/is/always has been?) Despite Cousins doing OK. Should have scored though. But we still need more than we have even if that is Wilson at RW.
Relegation looks like three from five now.
Two options for RD now IMO if he wants us to stay in the fight. Use the loan window to bolster the squad for Powell or use the loan window to bolster the squad for a new manager. I still prefer the first BTW
Reza had the Brum defence terrified. He should have had a penalty in the first half. That was as much as a stone-wall penalty that I have seen for a long time. Another would fall into the 'seen them given' category as well. If we were awarded that the game would have been completely different as (if we scored it) we would have gone a goal up.
Thuram looks a very able keeper- nothing like I was expecting after hearing the stories from other games. Unfortunately what summed things up for me with our support was when the woman behind me shouted "why do you not catch it" when he made that great punch under pressure in the first half!
AA as someone said earlier reminds me of Berbatov with his style of play. Would he do well in the team if we weren't dominating possession though?
We looked great with the ball today, calm ad collected but with little cutting edge. Without the ball though we were woeful - something that needs work!
I have to say there were a few moments in the second half where Sordell did some superb hold up play and the crowd were on his back before he'd even received the ball. There is a good player in there, but maybe CAFC is not the right fit for him.
Evina needs a season of regular football in League 1 or something to learn his trade (hopefully not with CAFC next season).
Can't be too critical of the rest of them. Green cocked up for the second goal, but the lad was trying. As someone said, first goal should never have been a free kick.
I like the idea of Poyet and Cousins together at DM, as long as we're not sitting on our 18 yard line. Quick feet, decent tackling and good passing - that would provide proper cover for the defence and a platform to build from deep.
It's that 'loan' player that we need, fast and direct, able to cross the ball - and if he can shoot, that would help.
h we didn't miss yann at all imo, poyet was not average showed excellent baler qualities like take a superb first touch and move it on simply anyone who fails to recognise that in a player can have no idea on what it takes to be a player
I think its you that needs to enlighten us redskin what was average about his performance I would say he had the best pass completion record on that pitch today and his energy levels may have wavered at the end but he was excellent throughout
h we didn't miss yann at all imo, poyet was not average showed excellent baler qualities like take a superb first touch and move it on simply anyone who fails to recognise that in a player can have no idea on what it takes to be a player
excellent baler qualities what does that mean other than some half-arsed platitude? decent touch - fair dos. Moving the ball on simply is hardly the finesse of an excellent baler.I know more than enough to recognise a good player.
I don't think Poyet was our best player, that was Astrit. But for an 18 year old making his home debut Poyet was very assured, used the ball well and most importantly for me, never stopped showing to receive a pass. I think he gave the ball away maybe twice. Not bad going.
This whole 'Cousins on the right thing', I get people's frustration but...
I don't think anyone could've done any better on the right wing for us today. Jordan looked good, got forward and linked up with Wilson well. What are the other options? Playing Nego with Wilson in front? Danny Green?
I I remember rightly as well, Jordan has played on the right hand side for much of his fledging career. It looks like Jackson is playing his last season but I'd be very nervous about a Poyet and Cousins partnership in the middle.
This whole 'Cousins on the right thing', I get people's frustration but...
I don't think anyone could've done any better on the right wing for us today. Jordan looked good, got forward and linked up with Wilson well. What are the other options? Playing Nego with Wilson in front? Danny Green?
I I remember rightly as well, Jordan has played on the right hand side for much of his fledging career. It looks like Jackson is playing his last season but I'd be very nervous about a Poyet and Cousins partnership in the middle.
I'm not saying Jordan played badly, I just think that he's wasted out there. Cousins is a better centre midfielder than JJ this season. I don't see a problem with him and Poyet playing together. A little inexperienced, but lively, good on the ball, strong, athletic. Least they can get about on that surface. JJ is struggling.
The new fella should have played RB and Wilson RM.
I was surprised at some of the choices Powell made with his first eleven. I would have kept Nego at RB with Wilson in front of him leaving Cousins in the middle with Poyet and Ajdarevic to roam from the left. For me, Reza and Sordell just doesn't work. Or more like Sordell just can't cut it. I would have played Church instead or taken a gamble and played Piotr from Poland. And as for Evina, I don't know what Powell sees in him? I would have continued Lennon there with his pace and marking to compete with Burke. Perhaps Powell thought that Evina's experience was better suited?
I thought we started the game quite brightly and played some nice passing football. We had to with Sordell and Reza up front because they weren't going to win anything in the air together. It seemed as though Birmingham came for a draw and when they had the free kick the atmosphere went a bit quiet. Birmingham continued to sit back and let us have a lot of possession, especially in the second half. Cousins should have done better with his effort in the first half but I was in the NW quadrant so it was a bit difficult to see from where I was sat. When Birmingham countered for their second, that just killed the game. We got more frustrated and resorted to long ball football. I don't know why Powell left Piotr on the bench for so long or rather why he left Sordell on the pitch for so long? We didn't test Randolph enough but on another day we could have come away with a win. The positives were that we at least tried to play better football on the floor. The negatives for me are that some players are clearly not good enough, the pitch is atrocious, and we look a fragile, light weight unit.
Ok. That is the one game I've seen him play and he was...alright. To read posts claiming he was the best player on the pitch - he wasn't - that he played like a veteran,was first-class etc is over-egging it a bit.
I'm not poo-poohing him or his potential and like everyone,I hope he proves to be everything that people are already claiming him to be,but on that one game he was alright,nothing more.
Only time and the tawdry business of what now appears to be a relegation fight will tell.
I support him and the team whatever the outcome...
Chris Powell felt his players showed character despite suffering a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Birmingham City on Saturday afternoon.
Federico Macheda scored a brace for the visitors with both goals coming against the run of play towards the end of each half.
But despite praising his side's spirit, he bemoaned the missed opportunities on a frustrating day at The Valley.
“The character wasn't lacking,” said Powell.
“The quality was there at times but it just wasn't going to be our day in the end and it was two poor goals which we conceded. We did have opportunities to score goals today but sadly it wasn't to be.
“We started off really well. We acquitted ourselves into the game and had some good passages of play and had some good chances.
“But their keeper made some good saves, his handling was very assured.”
Three new faces lined up in SE7 for the first time from the start as Reza Ghoochannejhad, Astrit Ajdarević and Yohann Thuram-Ulien with Piotr Parzyszek emerging from the bench late on.
And Powell felt the new acquisitions acquitted themselves well as they begin to bed into their new surroundings.
He said: “It's something we've had to get on with straight away. Involving them in everything we do, looking out for them and looking after them because we know they've got to get used to us and get used to the way it is in the Championship.
“They're good guys, they've all come in and they want to lend their qualities to the team and to the squad and we've done our best with them to make sure that they get straight into the swing of things with regards to playing style and fitness etc...”
“Making their home debuts it's a big moment for them playing here at The Valley for the first time,” he continued.
“Reza made some really good intelligent runs. He's quite exciting but of course, the pace of it at the end will always catch up.
“Astrit is a good technician, a good footballer and if we can get him in the right areas to produce those qualities then it will be a very good acquisition for us.”
Meanwhile, Academy product Diego Poyet made his first Valley start.
And the Addicks' chief reserved praise for the midfielder who impressed for the second week running.
“Young Diego looked for the ball and was very brave with it. And those are the things you have to do and look for in the players because it's a time to be brave now, to get ourselves out of the bottom three.
“He and Astrit I stood out really well today with regards to their touches and their quality and you could see they want the football, they want to be involved and it's good to see.
“Both of them did create, young Jordan Cousins had a chance but the keeper made a good save. The chances were there but Birmingham scored at crucial times.”
A couple of positives in AA and Poyet, but the fact remains unless we get loans for a driving midfielder and another wide attacking option (like Burke for them) we are down. We could do with another forward too, but I don't see that happening. Please, no more rubbish about the team being stronger now than before the window.
Chris Powell felt his players showed character despite suffering a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Birmingham City on Saturday afternoon.
Federico Macheda scored a brace for the visitors with both goals coming against the run of play towards the end of each half.
But despite praising his side's spirit, he bemoaned the missed opportunities on a frustrating day at The Valley.
“The character wasn't lacking,” said Powell.
“The quality was there at times but it just wasn't going to be our day in the end and it was two poor goals which we conceded. We did have opportunities to score goals today but sadly it wasn't to be.
“We started off really well. We acquitted ourselves into the game and had some good passages of play and had some good chances.
“But their keeper made some good saves, his handling was very assured.”
Three new faces lined up in SE7 for the first time from the start as Reza Ghoochannejhad, Astrit Ajdarević and Yohann Thuram-Ulien with Piotr Parzyszek emerging from the bench late on.
And Powell felt the new acquisitions acquitted themselves well as they begin to bed into their new surroundings.
He said: “It's something we've had to get on with straight away. Involving them in everything we do, looking out for them and looking after them because we know they've got to get used to us and get used to the way it is in the Championship.
“They're good guys, they've all come in and they want to lend their qualities to the team and to the squad and we've done our best with them to make sure that they get straight into the swing of things with regards to playing style and fitness etc...”
“Making their home debuts it's a big moment for them playing here at The Valley for the first time,” he continued.
“Reza made some really good intelligent runs. He's quite exciting but of course, the pace of it at the end will always catch up.
“Astrit is a good technician, a good footballer and if we can get him in the right areas to produce those qualities then it will be a very good acquisition for us.”
Meanwhile, Academy product Diego Poyet made his first Valley start.
And the Addicks' chief reserved praise for the midfielder who impressed for the second week running.
“Young Diego looked for the ball and was very brave with it. And those are the things you have to do and look for in the players because it's a time to be brave now, to get ourselves out of the bottom three.
“He and Astrit I stood out really well today with regards to their touches and their quality and you could see they want the football, they want to be involved and it's good to see.
“Both of them did create, young Jordan Cousins had a chance but the keeper made a good save. The chances were there but Birmingham scored at crucial times.”
Not read others as I want this to be my own opinion... BUT it looked very much to me like our best players today were the newbies AA and Reza, with the possible exception of Poyet. We really deserved a point at least, and while Randolph had to make a few good saves, even when we were on top I never really believed we would score. Not an awful lot can be placed solely on CP's shoulders, I don't think Evina was that awful - the only thing I really would have done differently is probably have brought on Polish Pete when Church came on, and vice versa, but that is just my opinion as opposed to CP's, who knows far more about these things than me!
That said, three games, seven conceded, one scored, and most importantly, points. If RD does decide to change it up I would not be shocked in the least. CP's past achievements were before his time, purely based on their overlapping tenures, the performances have been poor. Bringing in a new man/ideas cannot make it much worse, at the least.
Missing Solly and Wiggins. Evina and especially Sordell were hopeless. Disappointed we didn't really get to see PP. Though Poyet was excellent. Really impressed with AA and RG. Randolph made some cracking saves. Even after three weeks of covers and endless hours of work, the pitch was still awful. The better team lost.
Comments
Will start with the positives
AA in midfield was excellent all game and was our best player and much better on the ball than anything we have had in a long time
Diego done the simple stuff really well and looks like a quality prospect his first touch was superb
The keeper I thought was excellent throughout and I aint worried about that postition
Reza well I aint missing yann great runs great energy great movement off the ball we play better football than before with a player like him
Negatives EVINA wouldn't ever play for me again
Jacko one good ball one good tackle but is taking cousins spot for no reason
Subs made far too late and cost us as we were putting the pressure on and failed to take advantage wasted putting petr on and that was criminal
Failure to take evina off is not acceptable and is not anyone elses fault but powells and he needs to change this 72 mins changes
I left there believing a change needs to happen at our club
All this are they powells players is shite 3 of the 4 best players were reza aa thuram if he didn't sign them then whoever did may need to be given a more prominant role
Thought we played some good stuff, Poyet looks a real prospect, AA did some good things and Reza has potential. Just either stop diving or get better at it.
That's the best I've seen Sordell play for us. OK, that's not a bery high bar to jump but the touch and turns were there.
But a soft goal gave them the lead and we didn't have enough to break them down.
Was it Wood who ducked out of the header for the first goal. Whoever it was it was shocking
@ing Danny Green for giving the ball away in midfield (the only creative thing the waste of space did all day) and Chris Powell for putting him on the pitch.
In fact Chris Powell for putting him on the bench.
In fact Chris Powell for keeping him at the club
There is some real potential in that squad but boy did we miss Yann. But those of us not sulking like rejected teenage lovers knew we would.
And we missed Stewart too as we had no real wide player (did I mention how shite Green was/is/always has been?) Despite Cousins doing OK. Should have scored though. But we still need more than we have even if that is Wilson at RW.
Relegation looks like three from five now.
Two options for RD now IMO if he wants us to stay in the fight. Use the loan window to bolster the squad for Powell or use the loan window to bolster the squad for a new manager. I still prefer the first BTW
Thuram looks a very able keeper- nothing like I was expecting after hearing the stories from other games. Unfortunately what summed things up for me with our support was when the woman behind me shouted "why do you not catch it" when he made that great punch under pressure in the first half!
AA as someone said earlier reminds me of Berbatov with his style of play. Would he do well in the team if we weren't dominating possession though?
We looked great with the ball today, calm ad collected but with little cutting edge. Without the ball though we were woeful - something that needs work!
Evina needs a season of regular football in League 1 or something to learn his trade (hopefully not with CAFC next season).
Can't be too critical of the rest of them. Green cocked up for the second goal, but the lad was trying. As someone said, first goal should never have been a free kick.
Nice to see some pass and move.
Evina should never start another game,has no concept of defending
Jackson - as ever - unfairly criticised,his unseen work and touch is unappreciated by the short-sighted
ditto Wilson,so much unappreciated by so many
Poyet by any other name is average in an Alice-band
Cousins must start centre-mid
Reza will deliver
We were the better team - the Brummies will be laughing all the way back to the Black Counntry
I am a whisky trifle concerned
Quick feet, decent tackling and good passing - that would provide proper cover for the defence and a platform to build from deep.
It's that 'loan' player that we need, fast and direct, able to cross the ball - and if he can shoot, that would help.
If you can't see he's above average from watching him then I can't help you.
He was alright,nothing more.
I don't think anyone could've done any better on the right wing for us today. Jordan looked good, got forward and linked up with Wilson well. What are the other options? Playing Nego with Wilson in front? Danny Green?
I I remember rightly as well, Jordan has played on the right hand side for much of his fledging career. It looks like Jackson is playing his last season but I'd be very nervous about a Poyet and Cousins partnership in the middle.
The new fella should have played RB and Wilson RM.
I was surprised at some of the choices Powell made with his first eleven. I would have kept Nego at RB with Wilson in front of him leaving Cousins in the middle with Poyet and Ajdarevic to roam from the left. For me, Reza and Sordell just doesn't work. Or more like Sordell just can't cut it. I would have played Church instead or taken a gamble and played Piotr from Poland. And as for Evina, I don't know what Powell sees in him? I would have continued Lennon there with his pace and marking to compete with Burke. Perhaps Powell thought that Evina's experience was better suited?
I thought we started the game quite brightly and played some nice passing football. We had to with Sordell and Reza up front because they weren't going to win anything in the air together. It seemed as though Birmingham came for a draw and when they had the free kick the atmosphere went a bit quiet. Birmingham continued to sit back and let us have a lot of possession, especially in the second half. Cousins should have done better with his effort in the first half but I was in the NW quadrant so it was a bit difficult to see from where I was sat. When Birmingham countered for their second, that just killed the game. We got more frustrated and resorted to long ball football. I don't know why Powell left Piotr on the bench for so long or rather why he left Sordell on the pitch for so long? We didn't test Randolph enough but on another day we could have come away with a win. The positives were that we at least tried to play better football on the floor. The negatives for me are that some players are clearly not good enough, the pitch is atrocious, and we look a fragile, light weight unit.
I'm not poo-poohing him or his potential and like everyone,I hope he proves to be everything that people are already claiming him to be,but on that one game he was alright,nothing more.
Only time and the tawdry business of what now appears to be a relegation fight will tell.
I support him and the team whatever the outcome...
Federico Macheda scored a brace for the visitors with both goals coming against the run of play towards the end of each half.
But despite praising his side's spirit, he bemoaned the missed opportunities on a frustrating day at The Valley.
“The character wasn't lacking,” said Powell.
“The quality was there at times but it just wasn't going to be our day in the end and it was two poor goals which we conceded. We did have opportunities to score goals today but sadly it wasn't to be.
“We started off really well. We acquitted ourselves into the game and had some good passages of play and had some good chances.
“But their keeper made some good saves, his handling was very assured.”
Three new faces lined up in SE7 for the first time from the start as Reza Ghoochannejhad, Astrit Ajdarević and Yohann Thuram-Ulien with Piotr Parzyszek emerging from the bench late on.
And Powell felt the new acquisitions acquitted themselves well as they begin to bed into their new surroundings.
He said: “It's something we've had to get on with straight away. Involving them in everything we do, looking out for them and looking after them because we know they've got to get used to us and get used to the way it is in the Championship.
“They're good guys, they've all come in and they want to lend their qualities to the team and to the squad and we've done our best with them to make sure that they get straight into the swing of things with regards to playing style and fitness etc...”
“Making their home debuts it's a big moment for them playing here at The Valley for the first time,” he continued.
“Reza made some really good intelligent runs. He's quite exciting but of course, the pace of it at the end will always catch up.
“Astrit is a good technician, a good footballer and if we can get him in the right areas to produce those qualities then it will be a very good acquisition for us.”
Meanwhile, Academy product Diego Poyet made his first Valley start.
And the Addicks' chief reserved praise for the midfielder who impressed for the second week running.
“Young Diego looked for the ball and was very brave with it. And those are the things you have to do and look for in the players because it's a time to be brave now, to get ourselves out of the bottom three.
“He and Astrit I stood out really well today with regards to their touches and their quality and you could see they want the football, they want to be involved and it's good to see.
“Both of them did create, young Jordan Cousins had a chance but the keeper made a good save. The chances were there but Birmingham scored at crucial times.”
Read more at http://www.cafc.co.uk/news/article/20140208-boss-we-showed-character-in-defeat-1348235.aspx#14D7q7WdEcvYcCm0.99
Please, no more rubbish about the team being stronger now than before the window.
That said, three games, seven conceded, one scored, and most importantly, points. If RD does decide to change it up I would not be shocked in the least. CP's past achievements were before his time, purely based on their overlapping tenures, the performances have been poor. Bringing in a new man/ideas cannot make it much worse, at the least.
possession...........67% - 33%
shots on............... 8 - 3
shots off.............. 13 - 7
corners................ 4 - 3
GOALS............... 0 - 2
So fucking frustrating!
Missing Solly and Wiggins.
Evina and especially Sordell were hopeless.
Disappointed we didn't really get to see PP.
Though Poyet was excellent.
Really impressed with AA and RG.
Randolph made some cracking saves.
Even after three weeks of covers and endless hours of work, the pitch was still awful.
The better team lost.