Just caught up with the match thread. How did the new players look?
Hard to call given the opposition. Novak and Ajose looked good. Crofts and Buxton no better then we already have. Pike, back up at best. The bloke from Spurs looked fairly sharp. But that's all based on 45 mins after just starting training.
It is better to leave judgement for another time and start off merely with impressions I suppose.
First half the new guys, Emmanuel from Spurs much too early to say anything, The right back was OK, although I would expect him to have sharper decision making eventually, the midfielder (Crofts?) got involved a lot, but didn't seem that special as yet, typical industrious pro footballer showing. Roger was eye catching, but Konsa more classy, Harriott was Harriot, Muldoon and Aherne Grant need to make or break somehow this season, Ba was OKish, Fox was decent, and played the senior bloke role, quite a neat free kick from him and Pope didn't have much to do.
Second half was better. Cebellos played in his own bubble in my view and was in and out. Pipe at right back was nondescript except being tall, Tex was Tex, eventually partnered by Thomas who played well. Holmes Dennis very hard working down the left, supported by work from Jacko, with Holmes to provide an outlet, Holmes looks OK, but a bit early to judge him. Lovely to see Jordan Cousins play with authority without breaking sweat. Ajose very active, he will generate a lot of Charlton life conversation I feel, and although he looked like he needed to lose a stone I liked what I saw of Novak. Seems an unselfish team player who is aware of the game situation, clearly he needs to get goals of his own. Henderson went the wrong way for the penalty.
Overall, based on that today, don't think we are going to storm this division without a whole lot more work, and some improvements to the squad, and perhaps more tellingly, they need to decide soon who is on the bus and who is off in order to create coherence.
Any word on Kashi? It is a big if, but a season where Kashi plays all the time and gives it large, will transform what we have now from a bit promising to good.
Good movement, intelligent use of the ball, and looks strong as an ox.
Too early to make too many comparisons with Ajose, but has a bit of the "Killer" about him. If the ball is somewhere near the goal, there's a good chance he'll be sniffing around it.
I thought Pike was excellent, despite my childish desire to shout "Stupid boy!" every time he touched the ball...
Buxton looked decent, out of position. (I think he would be better in central defence.) Let's not forget, he got as assist to his name.
Liked the Spurs kid. Keen as mustard, put in a few decent challenges.
Just to add Konsa was immense in the first half, and Thomas was almost Gomez like in the 2nd...
We need to remember that pre-season friendlies actually tell us nothing. After all, last season we lost most of them and yet when the actual season started ... oh ... right ...
Liked Holmes, thought he made a couple of great passes and should only improve as his radar gets back up to full effect.
Ajose looks dangerous but Welling's defence looks scandalous so maybe not the best benchmark. I really hope he doesn't do that with his shorts all season.
Kashi injured already and we want to sell cousins and have a player that never plays.got to keep cousins get rid of another 5 players to keep him.
Err... no. We need money in, Cousins wants out (and quite understandably too) and selling five more players in an effort to keep one is straight out of the Katrien Meire Big Book Of Bright Ideas that sailed us right up the creek in the first place.
nice to hear how they got on, won't read too much into it. Last year at Welling I thought Ba was gonna be a decent player, won't judge too quick this year!
If Cousins gets an offer from a championship club then I'm sure he will jump at the chance. If not I think he will would be more then happy to stay. He doesn't seem the type to think his better then what he is and will patiently wait his chance for bigger and better things with or without us.
Comments
Good old Charlton life!
First half the new guys, Emmanuel from Spurs much too early to say anything, The right back was OK, although I would expect him to have sharper decision making eventually, the midfielder (Crofts?) got involved a lot, but didn't seem that special as yet, typical industrious pro footballer showing.
Roger was eye catching, but Konsa more classy, Harriott was Harriot, Muldoon and Aherne Grant need to make or break somehow this season, Ba was OKish, Fox was decent, and played the senior bloke role, quite a neat free kick from him and Pope didn't have much to do.
Second half was better. Cebellos played in his own bubble in my view and was in and out. Pipe at right back was nondescript except being tall, Tex was Tex, eventually partnered by Thomas who played well. Holmes Dennis very hard working down the left, supported by work from Jacko, with Holmes to provide an outlet, Holmes looks OK, but a bit early to judge him. Lovely to see Jordan Cousins play with authority without breaking sweat.
Ajose very active, he will generate a lot of Charlton life conversation I feel, and although he looked like he needed to lose a stone I liked what I saw of Novak. Seems an unselfish team player who is aware of the game situation, clearly he needs to get goals of his own. Henderson went the wrong way for the penalty.
Overall, based on that today, don't think we are going to storm this division without a whole lot more work, and some improvements to the squad, and perhaps more tellingly, they need to decide soon who is on the bus and who is off in order to create coherence.
Any word on Kashi? It is a big if, but a season where Kashi plays all the time and gives it large, will transform what we have now from a bit promising to good.
Good movement, intelligent use of the ball, and looks strong as an ox.
Too early to make too many comparisons with Ajose, but has a bit of the "Killer" about him. If the ball is somewhere near the goal, there's a good chance he'll be sniffing around it.
I thought Pike was excellent, despite my childish desire to shout "Stupid boy!" every time he touched the ball...
Buxton looked decent, out of position. (I think he would be better in central defence.) Let's not forget, he got as assist to his name.
Liked the Spurs kid. Keen as mustard, put in a few decent challenges.
Just to add Konsa was immense in the first half, and Thomas was almost Gomez like in the 2nd...
Ajose looks dangerous but Welling's defence looks scandalous so maybe not the best benchmark. I really hope he doesn't do that with his shorts all season.
Not a world beater, but covers in central midfield until Diarra is back fit...
Really nice ball from Holmes for the third goal. Good to see Novak beat the offside trap twice as well.