just wonder if everyone will still be congratulating the "unbeaten" team when they get relegated.
*** now amended **** 4 shots at goal all game (buyens, Bulot hit the post,Wilson & one stopped on the line)Just not good enough for a team playing at home.
Yes, 'boro are a good team, but there are many good teams in this league & we cant go through a season just trying not to lose. We have to try and win from time to time. I know I'm in the minority so I will shut up now, but I fear for Tuesday night - first defeat for sure.
Not a classic as they say but still an enjoyable game for me as Len's Little Girl was in attendance which is all too rare these days as she lives a long distance away. Bikey is her new favourite player!
The first half was the least inspiring half this season and what little action there was didn't come from us. The most significant incident was the injury to Gudmundsson which I hope to God is not serious. Being charitable two good sides cancelled each other out but nevertheless I still felt relieved to go in level at half time.
The second half was more of the same for long periods but we did look a little more threatening and could have nicked it towards the end although a neutral would probably say that 0-0 was a fair reflection.
Hard to pick out individuals good or bad after today. The one I would though is Jordan Cousins. Things didn't really work for him, especially in the first half, but he never hid and kept working to the extent that he was at the heart of our late rally which almost nicked a win. He certainly looks more effective in the middle on the evidence of today.
As for Big Bob he had one substitution forced upon him through injury but Yoni was very much below par today and I would have removed him rather than Jacko myself.
All academic though. Before the game I would have taken still being unbeaten at five past five or whenever we finished and indeed we were.
Can't believe we didn't win that - one of those days. Was a tribute to our lads that the Boro players were timewasting and taking the ball into our corner near the end.
Peeters said in the programme that the team is still gelling and things can only get better as we play more. Today we could have been a bit more adventurous, seen a bit more movement when in possession, moved the ball a bit quicker and gambled a bit more but what a difference to last season.
I was beaming at the end, I was so pleased with the second half performance.
Agree with the views that Charlton improved massively when JJ went off and we moved Cousins into a more central role. Sad to say it but Johnnie Jackson is increasingly becoming a passenger in a team with no room for passengers - a great servant to the Club so I'll leave it there.
What a pairing, Bikey & Ben Haim. Wiggins won a lot of aerial challenges second half as well.
Bikey's so-called elbow was nothing - as my lad said, if he'd really elbowed you, you would not be getting up that quickly!
I had a very good view of the Bikey/Bamford incident, and I thot Bamford fouled Bikey then pretended to have been elbowed. As soon as it wasn't given he was up and fine. I don't think that would be the case if Bikey actually elbowed someone.
Was tempted to start a chant "if Bikey took him out, he'd be dead"
Just a couple of thoughts from me to add to those of others which I have yet to read.
Is it me or is Yoni disappointing you too ? I LOVED him for the first 2 or 3 games but he doesn't seem to have adapted to the pace of this league and dwells on the ball far too long. I'm sure I remember him being more assertive and setting up some decent forward moves but he's getting caught in possession too much lately. Maybe I'm expecting too much or looking for probs...
I liked young Fred today. Thought he added something we've lacked thus far & looked really up for it. And Franck too put in a decent shift when he came on & impressed me more than he has in past games.
Second half we were different gravy and although I love JJ to bits, sadly we did look stronger when he was subbed. However, I'm sure he has still has a part to play in this squad .
Rhoys looked more like his old self this afternoon which is good news for Big Bob as well as for us. And Jordan, constantly bumped & buffeted by the opposition, never gave up, bless his cotton socks.
And finally the Big 3 - Igor ( what skill & determination he has !) , Ben Haim and The Beast...the latter 2 totally in control at the back. My heart was in my mouth when Bikey was brought to his knees & needed treatment but it'll take more than a glancing blow from a lightweight northerner to keep our big man down !
Yes, Borough are a slick outfit & play some good football but we should be satisfied that we allowed them few shots on target & could ( should ?) have taken all 3 points in that last 10 minute attacking frenzy. The fact that they resorted to trying to cheat that "wonderful" ref with their pantomime antics says it all - pathetic !
I'm pretty happy with the point as we move on to Naaarwich on Tuesday & looking forward to the usual chorus or three of " Combine harvester, plough my fields" - well, that's the words I sing anyway ! Hope we take a good few & let the lads know we're there with some serious noise.
COYA !!!
( Forgot to add that although I thoroughly enjoyed the match, the highlight of the day was meeting up with GlassHalfFull before kick off. Lovely man !)
Similar to Rotherham last week. Vetokele needs a partner, he is playing 1 v 2 against physically strong centre backs. There is no hold up play and we are struggling to get into the last third, unless we put together some passing moves along the flanks. We need a CF that holds it up and a midfielder who will run past the CF. Tucudean needs to step up and Cousins is more dynamic through the centre than Jacko.
Who could have predicted nine matches unbeaten from the start of the season? BP has done an excellent job getting us into the tenth game unbeaten. He has obviously worked on Defensive organisation and keeping possession as a team. I'm confident he knows where we are lacking and will improve our attacking play as we go through October.
Norwich away is a tough one and could be the first defeat. But Birmingham at home is a great fixture to follow and is a good opportunity to bounce back.
It seemed to me that we were preserving energy in the first half in an attempt to be strong in the second half. If so, the tactic appeared to work. The first half was dull but in no way did I think we were 'dire'.
Thought Solly was terrific today. The skill he has in working opportunities in tight situations is superb. Not to mention his defensive capabilities. Hope they can continue to manage his knees, as he adds a huge amount to the team.
Just a couple of thoughts from me to add to those of others which I have yet to read.
Is it me or is Yoni disappointing you too ? I LOVED him for the first 2 or 3 games but he doesn't seem to have adapted to the pace of this league and dwells on the ball far too long. I'm sure I remember him being more assertive and setting up some decent forward moves but he's getting caught in possession too much lately. Maybe I'm expecting too much or looking for probs...
I liked young Fred today. Thought he added something we've lacked thus far & looked really up for it. And Franck too put in a decent shift when he came on & impressed me more than he has in past games.
Yoni Buyens does seem to be finding it a little more difficult. I think what's happened is that our opponents have decided to press Ben Haim, Bikey-Amougou and Buyens to prevent them playing their triangles. Wolves did this very successfully as did Middlesbrough today until they tired. We've looked less fluent as a result.
Of course, this ought to leave space a little further forward, but Jackson doesn't really have the quality to exploit it and when the ball goes long Vetokele isn't able to hold it up and bring others into the game because he's badly outnumbered.
I'm sure Bob Peeters is aware of what's going on and will make appropriate adjustments. It was interesting that he started with a 4-4-1-1 today with Bulot playing between the lines. As you say, Bulot showed some nice touches while Moussa looked very good when he came on.
Once they've adjusted to the Championship they could both be very effective, giving Bob Peeters more options. When the season began we had no right to believe we'd challenge for a Play-Off place and, realistically, we're still a distance from that level, but we've made an excellent start and today was another very encouraging performance.
Think the smoggies were by far the better side in the first 20 minutes. It was not until Cousins and Gudmundsson swapped flanks that we came back into the game. That is the way it should stay............if Peeters is going to persist with Cousins playing on the flanks.
Reading the words of the rest of you has cheered me up a lot and made me realise i was probably too harsh with my earlier comments about two poor teams, maybe i was just in a bad mood or expect too much of the talented players we have at the club.
I think it is part frustration as despite be pro the long game plan of building slowly, it really does feel at times that with maybe one or two additions, this could be our year for top 6 for that chance at promotion once again.
Either way, im delighted with the postion we find ourselves in the league currently.
Just a couple of thoughts from me to add to those of others which I have yet to read.
Is it me or is Yoni disappointing you too ? I LOVED him for the first 2 or 3 games but he doesn't seem to have adapted to the pace of this league and dwells on the ball far too long. I'm sure I remember him being more assertive and setting up some decent forward moves but he's getting caught in possession too much lately. Maybe I'm expecting too much or looking for probs...
I liked young Fred today. Thought he added something we've lacked thus far & looked really up for it. And Franck too put in a decent shift when he came on & impressed me more than he has in past games.
Yoni Buyens does seem to be finding it a little more difficult. I think what's happened is that our opponents have decided to press Ben Haim, Bikey-Amougou and Buyens to prevent them playing their triangles. Wolves did this very successfully as did Middlesbrough today until they tired. We've looked less fluent as a result.
Of course, this ought to leave space a little further forward, but Jackson doesn't really have the quality to exploit it and when the ball goes long Vetokele isn't able to hold it up and bring others into the game because he's badly outnumbered.
I'm sure Bob Peeters is aware of what's going on and will make appropriate adjustments. It was interesting that he started with a 4-4-1-1 today with Bulot playing between the lines. As you say, Bulot showed some nice touches while Moussa looked very good when he came on.
Once they've adjusted to the Championship they could both be very effective, giving Bob Peeters more options. When the season began we had no right to believe we'd challenge for a Play-Off place and, realistically, we're still a distance from that level, but we've made an excellent start and today was another very encouraging performance.
Thanks for that, MF
I always state that I only say what I see & am pretty rubbish when it comes to analysing tactics etc.
It's good to have the kind of explanation you've given tonight - and I mean that most sincerely as Hughie Green used to say!
A stereotypical Pardew Parkinson Powell Peeters performance where the majority of the game we seem to he playing at pre-season tempo.
Boro I suspect are decent but I suspect were really not at the races today.
Vetokele so isolated is becoming a big problem because I think he is losing his game as a result. still not sure on Tuca Khan, but Igor is is a strength and he needs a line leading partner.
Undefeated but equally uninspired. Day better than game jobby.
Over the last two seasons, without checking, i think we have lost 20 games at home ? So a point against Middlesbrough, is not too shabby. We played within ourselves for an hour then after the first sub we took the game to them. Can some one check that post at the covered end, Deeney, Saville and now Bulot.
Over 50% of CL tipped us to lose(me as well) We had to stop giving teams 10 or more half chances a match. today was a couple at most. The down side was the chances we created were all in the last 20 mins or after they were down to 10 men.
what a tough game ahead on Tuesday, with Redmond, Jerome and Grabban up front.
Positives : 9 games unbeaten, and this is a positive, 10 points ahead of 22th place.
Let's not forget where we have comes from in the last two seasons.
Over the last two seasons, without checking, i think we have lost 20 games at home ? So a point against Middlesbrough, is not too shabby. We played within ourselves for an hour then after the first sub we took the game to them. Can some one check that post at the covered end, Deeney, Saville and now Bulot.
Over 50% of CL tipped us to lose(me as well) We had to stop giving teams 10 or more half chances a match. today was a couple at most. The down side was the chances we created were all in the last 20 mins or after they were down to 10 men.
what a tough game ahead on Tuesday, with Redmond, Jerome and Grabban up front.
Positives : 9 games unbeaten, and this is a positive, 10 points ahead of 22th place.
Let's not forget where we have comes from in the last two seasons.
Over the last two seasons, without checking, i think we have lost 20 games at home ? So a point against Middlesbrough, is not too shabby. We played within ourselves for an hour then after the first sub we took the game to them. Can some one check that post at the covered end, Deeney, Saville and now Bulot.
Over 50% of CL tipped us to lose(me as well) We had to stop giving teams 10 or more half chances a match. today was a couple at most. The down side was the chances we created were all in the last 20 mins or after they were down to 10 men.
what a tough game ahead on Tuesday, with Redmond, Jerome and Grabban up front.
Positives : 9 games unbeaten, and this is a positive, 10 points ahead of 22th place.
Let's not forget where we have comes from in the last two seasons.
Over the last two seasons, without checking, i think we have lost 20 games at home ? So a point against Middlesbrough, is not too shabby. We played within ourselves for an hour then after the first sub we took the game to them. Can some one check that post at the covered end, Deeney, Saville and now Bulot.
Over 50% of CL tipped us to lose(me as well) We had to stop giving teams 10 or more half chances a match. today was a couple at most. The down side was the chances we created were all in the last 20 mins or after they were down to 10 men.
what a tough game ahead on Tuesday, with Redmond, Jerome and Grabban up front.
Positives : 9 games unbeaten, and this is a positive, 10 points ahead of 22th place.
Let's not forget where we have comes from in the last two seasons.
Thought we lined up and played like the away side. Lots of possession but never looked like scoring in the first half.
Looked much better when Cousins moved into the middle, Jackson was off the pace and from what I saw was lucky not to have given a penalty away in the first half.
Unlucky not to nick it in the second - by far the better team in the last 20 minutes.
Comments
Not a classic as they say but still an enjoyable game for me as Len's Little Girl was in attendance which is all too rare these days as she lives a long distance away. Bikey is her new favourite player!
The first half was the least inspiring half this season and what little action there was didn't come from us. The most significant incident was the injury to Gudmundsson which I hope to God is not serious. Being charitable two good sides cancelled each other out but nevertheless I still felt relieved to go in level at half time.
The second half was more of the same for long periods but we did look a little more threatening and could have nicked it towards the end although a neutral would probably say that 0-0 was a fair reflection.
Hard to pick out individuals good or bad after today. The one I would though is Jordan Cousins. Things didn't really work for him, especially in the first half, but he never hid and kept working to the extent that he was at the heart of our late rally which almost nicked a win. He certainly looks more effective in the middle on the evidence of today.
As for Big Bob he had one substitution forced upon him through injury but Yoni was very much below par today and I would have removed him rather than Jacko myself.
All academic though. Before the game I would have taken still being unbeaten at five past five or whenever we finished and indeed we were.
Was a tribute to our lads that the Boro players were timewasting and taking the ball into our corner near the end.
Peeters said in the programme that the team is still gelling and things can only get better as we play more.
Today we could have been a bit more adventurous, seen a bit more movement when in possession, moved the ball a bit quicker and gambled a bit more but what a difference to last season.
I was beaming at the end, I was so pleased with the second half performance.
Agree with the views that Charlton improved massively when JJ went off and we moved Cousins into a more central role.
Sad to say it but Johnnie Jackson is increasingly becoming a passenger in a team with no room for passengers - a great servant to the Club so I'll leave it there.
What a pairing, Bikey & Ben Haim.
Wiggins won a lot of aerial challenges second half as well.
Bikey's so-called elbow was nothing - as my lad said, if he'd really elbowed you, you would not be getting up that quickly!
COYR - really encouraging
Is it me or is Yoni disappointing you too ? I LOVED him for the first 2 or 3 games but he doesn't seem to have adapted to the pace of this league and dwells on the ball far too long. I'm sure I remember him being more assertive and setting up some decent forward moves but he's getting caught in possession too much lately. Maybe I'm expecting too much or looking for probs...
I liked young Fred today. Thought he added something we've lacked thus far & looked really up for it. And Franck too put in a decent shift when he came on & impressed me more than he has in past games.
Second half we were different gravy and although I love JJ to bits, sadly we did look stronger when he was subbed. However, I'm sure he has still has a part to play in this squad .
Rhoys looked more like his old self this afternoon which is good news for Big Bob as well as for us. And Jordan, constantly bumped & buffeted by the opposition, never gave up, bless his cotton socks.
And finally the Big 3 - Igor ( what skill & determination he has !) , Ben Haim and The Beast...the latter 2 totally in control at the back. My heart was in my mouth when Bikey was brought to his knees & needed treatment but it'll take more than a glancing blow from a lightweight northerner to keep our big man down !
Yes, Borough are a slick outfit & play some good football but we should be satisfied that we allowed them few shots on target & could ( should ?) have taken all 3 points in that last 10 minute attacking frenzy. The fact that they resorted to trying to cheat that "wonderful" ref with their pantomime antics says it all - pathetic !
I'm pretty happy with the point as we move on to Naaarwich on Tuesday & looking forward to the usual chorus or three of " Combine harvester, plough my fields" - well, that's the words I sing anyway ! Hope we take a good few & let the lads know we're there with some serious noise.
COYA !!!
( Forgot to add that although I thoroughly enjoyed the match, the highlight of the day was meeting up with GlassHalfFull before kick off. Lovely man !)
Who could have predicted nine matches unbeaten from the start of the season? BP has done an excellent job getting us into the tenth game unbeaten. He has obviously worked on Defensive organisation and keeping possession as a team. I'm confident he knows where we are lacking and will improve our attacking play as we go through October.
Norwich away is a tough one and could be the first defeat. But Birmingham at home is a great fixture to follow and is a good opportunity to bounce back.
Ben Haim, outside of a few mistakes, was quality as well.
If we play like we did in the second half more often, we'll make playoffs easy.
Of course, this ought to leave space a little further forward, but Jackson doesn't really have the quality to exploit it and when the ball goes long Vetokele isn't able to hold it up and bring others into the game because he's badly outnumbered.
I'm sure Bob Peeters is aware of what's going on and will make appropriate adjustments. It was interesting that he started with a 4-4-1-1 today with Bulot playing between the lines. As you say, Bulot showed some nice touches while Moussa looked very good when he came on.
Once they've adjusted to the Championship they could both be very effective, giving Bob Peeters more options. When the season began we had no right to believe we'd challenge for a Play-Off place and, realistically, we're still a distance from that level, but we've made an excellent start and today was another very encouraging performance.
That is the way it should stay............if Peeters is going to persist with Cousins playing on the flanks.
I think it is part frustration as despite be pro the long game plan of building slowly, it really does feel at times that with maybe one or two additions, this could be our year for top 6 for that chance at promotion once again.
Either way, im delighted with the postion we find ourselves in the league currently.
I always state that I only say what I see & am pretty rubbish when it comes to analysing tactics etc.
It's good to have the kind of explanation you've given tonight - and I mean that most sincerely as Hughie Green used to say!
A stereotypical
Pardew Parkinson PowellPeeters performance where the majority of the game we seem to he playing at pre-season tempo.Boro I suspect are decent but I suspect were really not at the races today.
Vetokele so isolated is becoming a big problem because I think he is losing his game as a result. still not sure on Tuca Khan, but Igor is is a strength and he needs a line leading partner.
Undefeated but equally uninspired. Day better than game jobby.
So a point against Middlesbrough, is not too shabby.
We played within ourselves for an hour then after the first sub we took the game to them.
Can some one check that post at the covered end, Deeney, Saville and now Bulot.
Over 50% of CL tipped us to lose(me as well)
We had to stop giving teams 10 or more half chances a match. today was a couple at most.
The down side was the chances we created were all in the last 20 mins or after they were down
to 10 men.
what a tough game ahead on Tuesday, with Redmond, Jerome and Grabban up front.
Positives : 9 games unbeaten, and this is a positive, 10 points ahead of 22th place.
Let's not forget where we have comes from in the last two seasons.
Where have you been all my life ?
Looked much better when Cousins moved into the middle, Jackson was off the pace and from what I saw was lucky not to have given a penalty away in the first half.
Unlucky not to nick it in the second - by far the better team in the last 20 minutes.
We're still really missing that second striker...