A draw would have been a fair result - that said if there was a demonstration of what tactics to play when you have a great holding striker and a nippy goal scorer we certainly did that last night. We just didn't bother with the holding striker. On the odd occasion when we played to feet we looked more dangerous but not likely to do enough of it to trouble other teams.
I thought we were ok but the big worry for me is the 10 minutes or so after their first goal, we completely capitulated and Rovers should have really been out of sight. I think we got carried away a bit with a few pundits saying we'd be top 6. We were miles off the pace last season, have made a few good signing but the core of the team is similar to last season and we didn't replace our best player, JRS. We are over reliant on our academy, which isn't necessarily an awful thing but I think players like Anderson and Asiimwe would have benefitted from a league 2 loan with us signing stronger players in their positions.
Payne, Anderson and Assimwe all looked to dwell on the ball too long to start. Keeper has to turn that around the post I know Holden says defenders didn't follow runners but the keeper is at at fault. May misses a sitter but looked better when Kanu was alongside Ness getting pelters is harsh I feel when you want to keep it tight and you lose 2 of your 4 defenders it going to change Worrying so many were running on empty.
PWR but from what (admittedly little) I’ve seen we are nowhere near playoff material.
The last time we reached the playoffs we had a spinal core of Pearce, Bauer, Sarr, Beilik, Cullen, Aribo, Taylor and (for part of season) Grant.
This year we have Dobson.
Sure but some of those players came in near the transfer deadline and we haven't got there yet. I think the next lot of recruits need be similar quality to 2019 to give us a decent chance of play-offs.
Rovers actually scored their first against the run of play and we equalised against the run of play. After the first ten mins Charlton dominated the next 60, we started to look leggy after the first goal and when Bristol went to four in midfield. After that May should have scored and their should have been a sending off. With all that said, we dominated without threatening the goalkeeper and the two goals conceded were really poor, I actually felt we looked worse when Jones went off and the changes in midfield did not stem the tide. We need to get rid of McGrandles if we are not prepared to play him and Kirk for the same reason, which will we be bloody difficult because he isn't good enough to earn that wage anywhere else. Getting rid of Egbo was a good move but more of the dead wood needs moving on if there is to be movement in.
Thats pretty well spot on in my opinion though I haven't read any other accounts, straight to the last page. I enjoyed large parts of the game but once again we were undone by a combination of bad luck and a squad not quite good enough. Hit the post, should have been 2-1, I would expect to defend that lead and see out the match. Player yellow carded, I think it was a clear red. Last defender with a the attacker through on goal but the ref saw it differently to me from the side view I had but I'm very bias. Down to 10 men I think Rovers would have settled for the draw. I also think whilst its nice to watch youth coming through, a few promising youngsters out there last night, it also shows what state our club is in, I don't think it should be expected of them all to play in full 1st team games for 90+ minutes. I don't like to criticise our players, especially the younger ones but they did look to me to be off the pace the last 3rd of the match. Very frustrating to lose yet again and in those circumstances, Rovers didn't look any better or worse to me than us. A draw would have been a fair result but we did have opportunities to win, Rovers likewise and they took 2 of theirs. We haven't got many options up front at present and however hard and well May works he cannot play without someone else who needs to be about a foot taller.
Our stand out player again was CBT. We have not had a decent winger for years but last season when fit and so far this season he has been outstanding. Barely gets a mention on this thread. Weird.
What did he create though? Beats a man but then his crosses or shots are usually wayward. He's good for us but 'outstanding' is a stretch
Yeah he looks dangerous and then often blasts it over the bar rather than looking up or laying it off. May needs low balls in to him plus clogger centre backs in League 1 are going to struggle with balls along the floor.
I do like CBT but we need another winger so we don't have to rely on him to be an 8/10 every game. Very few wingers can be that. Hopefully we get another Rak Sakyi type on loan.
What also worried me aside from the general mediocrity was how we were playing okay before they scored their goal from a breakaway. Once they scored their goal we looked completely down and out, pathetically so, about to get hammered, then we managed an equaliser out of nothing and suddenly we started looking the better side again on the offensive.
the lack of belief, leaders, let’s drag ourselves out of this situation was painful! Dobson the only one
I agree we need more willing to take the game by the scruff, but even Dobson's head dropped at times.
Kanu is 18, if we were doing it properly we shouldn’t really be seeing him feature for another 12-18 months. It worked tonight but a kid who is clearly raw shouldn’t be being into a pressurised situation with such expectations
Exactly the same with Anderson and Asiimwi. Stalwarts over night. Leaburn (19) has all of a sudden become the lynchpin of the side, And the whole side falls apart without him! It's clearly wrong,and if it continues after the transfer window we've got another bunch of Jokers at the top.
1. Bloody dire losing to a team like Bristol Rovers in the last minute of added time. 2. Getting impatient with the lack of action in the transfers in column 3. M25 closed in two places on my way home so finally arrived at 00.40am via most of Surrey
4. And the only good thing, took my 14 year old grandson. He really enjoyed it and wants to come again.
Please can we not have another sodding season of mid-table mediocrity.
What also worried me aside from the general mediocrity was how we were playing okay before they scored their goal from a breakaway. Once they scored their goal we looked completely down and out, pathetically so, about to get hammered, then we managed an equaliser out of nothing and suddenly we started looking the better side again on the offensive.
the lack of belief, leaders, let’s drag ourselves out of this situation was painful! Dobson the only one
This is a big point for me. I am sure Holden was quoted in the recent past as saying he wants to bring in winners. Where are they? That winning goal for Rovers tells you everything. An aimless spoon into our box and their player has time to control, swivel and get a volley away. I mean, seriously. Can you imagine us being allowed to get away with that up the other end? Can you imagine Pearce or Pratley allowing that to happen? I'm not interested here on the technical limitations of those players, I'm talking about the Pearce that can subdue a far superior player in Mitrovic and the Pratley who can single handedly drag a heads-dropped side back into a play-off final after the Sarr/Phillips debacle. In short, players that have the will to find a way to win. I also think it is a factor in our piss poor set-piece record. Take corners for example; it's not just about delivery and inventiveness (although that would freakin' help), but where is the person that you know is going to make it his mission to get on the end of it? We don't just need a striker or two (though God knows we are desperate), we need some real winners. On the plus side there are some seeds of progress - Camara, Edun and May are definite improvements. Asiimwe has settled into the mans game like a natural and Anderson and Ness have the potential to be very good players. At time we played some slick and entertaining football both yesterday and last Saturday. But the limitation are stark and obvious and we won't win much with a team of wet lettuces.
Three matches in and this already has the feeling of yet another mid-table finish. Only nine months to go ...
Imagine trying to write off a season this early.
I'm really struggling not to, as it bears resemblance to so many other false dawn's.
Poor squad. Sloppy in play. Ill discipline. In experienced Youngsters and unfit players being cast in. SMT telling us they're working really hard to get bodies in... The list goes on.
When you've been burned as much as we have it's inevitable that you'll get that kind of a conclusion from many in the fan base
Enjoyed the game overall. Think we are/will be further stronger than last few seasons with the likes of Edun, Pan and May. Am confident it will click and when it does we will go on a good run. Remarkably calm inside and way too early for any panic stations.
Woke up today and oddly still don’t care about the match which isn’t great. I’m frustrated once again at how easily teams find that space between our CB and FB/WB though. It’s epidemic, doesn’t seem to matter which players we have, we can’t defend that corridor. I’m also frustrated that we signed a keeper who had a very good run as first choice for Barnsley and we’re keeping him on the bench for AMB, who I’m just not convinced by. He’s obviously a good shot stopper, but the problem with only being a good shot stopper is you’re not going to be able to save everything, and when that’s not working for you what else have you got? His kicking, decision-making, control of his box and communication don’t seem to be very good. Isted might not have saved us against Newport but it’s bizarre to me off the back of a ropey end to the season it’s still AMB in goal.
I wonder if maybe Holden has a little too much love for pushing academy graduates into the first team. Asiimwe has pushed out Egbo, Chin got in ahead of him the other day, Ness is straight back in, Anderson is already being a bit overplayed, he obviously likes Campbell and is happy to bring on Kanu whenever he can. I like seeing the youth players too but I feel like it’s a thing for Holden and it might start to work against him soon
Woke up today and oddly still don’t care about the match which isn’t great. I’m frustrated once again at how easily teams find that space between our CB and FB/WB though. It’s epidemic, doesn’t seem to matter which players we have, we can’t defend that corridor. I’m also frustrated that we signed a keeper who had a very good run as first choice for Barnsley and we’re keeping him on the bench for AMB, who I’m just not convinced by. He’s obviously a good shot stopper, but the problem with only being a good shot stopper is you’re not going to be able to save everything, and when that’s not working for you what else have you got? His kicking, decision-making, control of his box and communication don’t seem to be very good. Isted might not have saved us against Newport but it’s bizarre to me off the back of a ropey end to the season it’s still AMB in goal.
I wonder if maybe Holden has a little too much love for pushing academy graduates into the first team. Asiimwe has pushed out Egbo, Chin got in ahead of him the other day, Ness is straight back in, Anderson is already being a bit overplayed, he obviously likes Campbell and is happy to bring on Kanu whenever he can. I like seeing the youth players too but I feel like it’s a thing for Holden and it might start to work against him soon
Isted didn't impress me much during pre season, and didn't do anything at Newport to "demand the gloves".
I watched on the stream, as usual. At half time Scott Minto asked for questions on Whats App. So I sent in this one:
Re the injuries. It seems like the last 4 years they have been crippling; but we fans dont really know how they compare with other clubs of our size. Do the guys know more about whether we are worse than other bigger L1 clubs? And if so what might be the main reasons?
Never got read out. Yet how many times did Curbs say "because of all the injuries..." ? And how many times have we heard him say that, ever since Charlton TV started up? Talk about the elephant in the effing room.
I get that Curbs in particular has always been a diplomat, but actually I gave them an out ball, we have often asked ourselves on here whether other clubs at this level have the same problems and we just don't know that. But swerving it makes me think they know damn well its bad but feel unable to say so. Bloody stupid PR approach, IMO, not least because Methven has privately acknowledged the problem , and not just to me (I just checked with someone who also has access to him).
First half display showed promise - some good moves which petered out through either a poor final ball or sloppily losing possession. Dobson giving a master class in tackling and retaining possession. Good to see a reversion to 4 at the back as I'm not convinced by 352 as we are left exposed down the flanks and the wingbacks lack support when going forward. Crystal clear that May needs a strong partner up front to hold the ball up like Hayes or Burton did and the longer we go without one the more likely we are to get beaten by more experienced albeit limited opposition in the division who can convert their chances and offer a threat from set pieces - another area where we are completely lacking.
Cracking game of football last night but only if you are a gas head or a neutral
Good first half with Bristol hitting us on the counter down the sides with Thomas and Sinclair. A goal lacking from us in that half the only thing missing.
Second half they should have been 2/3 up before Kanu got our goal. But from then on we looked like the side to win the game bar that error from Maynard-Brewer at the death which cost us.
Point would have been a fair and a good result but makes no odds re Port Vale this Saturday where we need a win.
No idea what Holden was going on about only one side was looking to win the game. Must have been watching a difficult game to me.
All the areas which concerned me in pre-season and have done in the league games I have watched so far were there again last night.
We look vulnerable every time a team attacks us. This starts with the keeper, who I don't think talks enough, he doesn't give me the impression that he is commanding his back 4/5 in any way shape or form. Defenders themselves aren't doing the basics, lets not sugar coat it, Rovers by rights, should have scored 4 last night. Sinclair should have put the lob away and we cleared 2 off the line. We also had a very Charlton-Esque period of utter dross after we conceded. I don't see any evidence of a change in mindset there.
I might be wrong, but I am sure Holden made a comment in pre-season that we would be the fittest team in the league. At the moment we might well be the least fit team in the league. Yes we have players getting up to speed after injuries, but there were players out there last night who had a full pre-season and were still blowing out of their arses after 75mins. The winning goal comes from the fact that Dobson, Asimwe and Ness didn't have the legs to track a simple run off the shoulder.
Rovers were visibly fitter than us and were still pushing hard in the 98th minute.
We are risking "ruining" a top centre forward. Humping long balls to May and expecting him to lead the line on his own is farcical. The striker situation should have been addressed the second Leaburn was injured - even if it was a loan.
The only positives for me were Edun, who looked very good and once (if) he gets fully fit he will be a real asset. Last night was the first time that Kanu has looked like he belonged in the first team. By and large he has looked totally lost every other time I have seen him. We are now in a position where he probably has to start on Saturday, which is ridiculous. Pan and Dobson were also good.
There are too many kids/inexperienced players starting and it again feels like we lack leaders and the character to grind out results. You can't keep making the same basic mistakes and expect to get results.
I am questioning Holden as well. He has set out to sign players for a 3-5-2 and seems to have moved away from it very quickly. His interview wasn't the best either. How was that a smash and grab? It was pretty even and in my opinion Rovers had the better chances and probably shaded it.
We looked decent going forwards down both flanks. Blackett-Taylor and Edun (who is a great acquisition by the way) have struck up a good relationship. Dobson was immense first half. Comparing his performance to Payne is painful. That’s not to say that Payne doesn’t try- he probably tries too hard at times, it’s just he lacks the quality and physicality to be anything more than a bystander.
I think Anderson is a decent prospect but maybe a little naive and telegraphs some of his thoughts. Asiimwe is a good defender and needs to improve his attacking play. Both are improving every game. I expected more from Camara but felt he grew into the game. Same with May who had some decent half chances and one excellent chance that he should be burying. Central defence is a worry. For a fifteen minute period after their first goal we had huge gaps. AMB made some great saves but then an error for their winner. So frustrating. It looks like a threadbare squad is going to be tested again unless there are some quality addition. As an aside, Charlie Kirk spent the whole of the half time ‘warm up’ pissing around acting the clown. He shouldn’t be in the squad again as I don’t think he gives a toss.
Bloody hell Kirk is setting new standards in scapegoating. He doesn’t even come on and still gets pelters.
Yeah, i thought he had a terrible match, one of his worst...
Joey B certainly knows how to get his players playing till the final whistle, we could do with a bit of that!
Whatever you might think of him as an individual, I think he's a pretty decent manager at this level. So for example is Steve Evans, whose Stevenage team have 3 wins out of 3 now.
1. Bloody dire losing to a team like Bristol Rovers in the last minute of added time. 2. Getting impatient with the lack of action in the transfers in column 3. M25 closed in two places on my way home so finally arrived at 00.40am via most of Surrey
4. And the only good thing, took my 14 year old grandson. He really enjoyed it and wants to come again.
Please can we not have another sodding season of mid-table mediocrity.
I watched on the stream, as usual. At half time Scott Minto asked for questions on Whats App. So I sent in this one:
Re the injuries. It seems like the last 4 years they have been crippling; but we fans dont really know how they compare with other clubs of our size. Do the guys know more about whether we are worse than other bigger L1 clubs? And if so what might be the main reasons?
Never got read out. Yet how many times did Curbs say "because of all the injuries..." ? And how many times have we heard him say that, ever since Charlton TV started up? Talk about the elephant in the effing room.
I get that Curbs in particular has always been a diplomat, but actually I gave them an out ball, we have often asked ourselves on here whether other clubs at this level have the same problems and we just don't know that. But swerving it makes me think they know damn well its bad but feel unable to say so. Bloody stupid PR approach, IMO, not least because Methven has privately acknowledged the problem , and not just to me (I just checked with someone who also has access to him).
The only way to improve on the situation is to invest. In staff, the department(s) and players with a certain resiliance, quality and record. I presume that those "in the know" realise that this is not in the pipeline, so choose not to talk about it and alienate themselves in the process. Shame, big shame.
Two bang average sides, some plus points with some performances but we need to do much better as a team.
Camara looked lively/quality, Eden also, not convinced by the rest of the defence on last nights performance, especially the pairing of Ness & Jones, not sure why both of them are in front of Hector. Limited experience in our defence with a number of academy graduates. Kanu took his goal really well but he really shouldn't be needed at this point of the season for someone so raw/young.
May will get goals in the right set up, but playing him as a loan striker is going to be tuff on him. Would love to see him paired with Leaburn or Aneke, think they will get the best from him, especially Aneke if he's ever fit.
Feels like we lack leaders through the team with only Dobson really. I'd like to see us add some decent experience like a Pratley/Pearce/JJ/Taylor/Morrison from years ago, someone who's been there and done it, you need players like that to drag the team through games like last night especially defensively. Hector has a lot of games under his belt but from the little I've seen doesn't show true leadership.
It's still very early days in the season, but games come fast, whilst it's way to early to really form an opinion of how the season will look, there's some decent sides this year so we need to up our performances and squad quickly if we don't want another nothing season.
It feels like we are still have a 1st team away from any sort of promotion challenge. I always compare back to the 11/12 season as the high benchmark, we are still a million miles away from a squad of that caliber that can push for the title/top two. We are still suffering from the years of neglect and continued lack of or poor recruitment. Without some serious squad additions it feels like it's going to be another tough season in the third division, but I live in hope.
Comments
Payne, Anderson and Assimwe all looked to dwell on the ball too long to start.
Keeper has to turn that around the post I know Holden says defenders didn't follow runners but the keeper is at at fault.
May misses a sitter but looked better when Kanu was alongside
Ness getting pelters is harsh I feel when you want to keep it tight and you lose 2 of your 4 defenders it going to change
Worrying so many were running on empty.
I enjoyed large parts of the game but once again we were undone by a combination of bad luck and a squad not quite good enough. Hit the post, should have been 2-1, I would expect to defend that lead and see out the match. Player yellow carded, I think it was a clear red. Last defender with a the attacker through on goal but the ref saw it differently to me from the side view I had but I'm very bias. Down to 10 men I think Rovers would have settled for the draw.
I also think whilst its nice to watch youth coming through, a few promising youngsters out there last night, it also shows what state our club is in, I don't think it should be expected of them all to play in full 1st team games for 90+ minutes. I don't like to criticise our players, especially the younger ones but they did look to me to be off the pace the last 3rd of the match.
Very frustrating to lose yet again and in those circumstances, Rovers didn't look any better or worse to me than us. A draw would have been a fair result but we did have opportunities to win, Rovers likewise and they took 2 of theirs. We haven't got many options up front at present and however hard and well May works he cannot play without someone else who needs to be about a foot taller.
I do like CBT but we need another winger so we don't have to rely on him to be an 8/10 every game. Very few wingers can be that. Hopefully we get another Rak Sakyi type on loan.
Stalwarts over night. Leaburn (19) has all of a sudden become the lynchpin of the side, And the whole side falls apart without him!
It's clearly wrong,and if it continues after the transfer window we've got another bunch of Jokers at the top.
2. Getting impatient with the lack of action in the transfers in column
3. M25 closed in two places on my way home so finally arrived at 00.40am via most of Surrey
4. And the only good thing, took my 14 year old grandson. He really enjoyed it and wants to come again.
Please can we not have another sodding season of mid-table mediocrity.
I am sure Holden was quoted in the recent past as saying he wants to bring in winners. Where are they?
That winning goal for Rovers tells you everything.
An aimless spoon into our box and their player has time to control, swivel and get a volley away.
I mean, seriously.
Can you imagine us being allowed to get away with that up the other end?
Can you imagine Pearce or Pratley allowing that to happen?
I'm not interested here on the technical limitations of those players, I'm talking about the Pearce that can subdue a far superior player in Mitrovic and the Pratley who can single handedly drag a heads-dropped side back into a play-off final after the Sarr/Phillips debacle.
In short, players that have the will to find a way to win.
I also think it is a factor in our piss poor set-piece record. Take corners for example; it's not just about delivery and inventiveness (although that would freakin' help), but where is the person that you know is going to make it his mission to get on the end of it?
We don't just need a striker or two (though God knows we are desperate), we need some real winners.
On the plus side there are some seeds of progress - Camara, Edun and May are definite improvements.
Asiimwe has settled into the mans game like a natural and Anderson and Ness have the potential to be very good players.
At time we played some slick and entertaining football both yesterday and last Saturday.
But the limitation are stark and obvious and we won't win much with a team of wet lettuces.
Poor squad. Sloppy in play. Ill discipline. In experienced Youngsters and unfit players being cast in. SMT telling us they're working really hard to get bodies in... The list goes on.
When you've been burned as much as we have it's inevitable that you'll get that kind of a conclusion from many in the fan base
Re the injuries. It seems like the last 4 years they have been crippling; but we fans dont really know how they compare with other clubs of our size. Do the guys know more about whether we are worse than other bigger L1 clubs? And if so what might be the main reasons?
Never got read out. Yet how many times did Curbs say "because of all the injuries..." ? And how many times have we heard him say that, ever since Charlton TV started up? Talk about the elephant in the effing room.
I get that Curbs in particular has always been a diplomat, but actually I gave them an out ball, we have often asked ourselves on here whether other clubs at this level have the same problems and we just don't know that. But swerving it makes me think they know damn well its bad but feel unable to say so. Bloody stupid PR approach, IMO, not least because Methven has privately acknowledged the problem , and not just to me (I just checked with someone who also has access to him).
Good first half with Bristol hitting us on the counter down the sides with Thomas and Sinclair. A goal lacking from us in that half the only thing missing.
Second half they should have been 2/3 up before Kanu got our goal. But from then on we looked like the side to win the game bar that error from Maynard-Brewer at the death which cost us.
Point would have been a fair and a good result but makes no odds re Port Vale this Saturday where we need a win.
No idea what Holden was going on about only one side was looking to win the game. Must have been watching a difficult game to me.
We look vulnerable every time a team attacks us. This starts with the keeper, who I don't think talks enough, he doesn't give me the impression that he is commanding his back 4/5 in any way shape or form. Defenders themselves aren't doing the basics, lets not sugar coat it, Rovers by rights, should have scored 4 last night. Sinclair should have put the lob away and we cleared 2 off the line. We also had a very Charlton-Esque period of utter dross after we conceded. I don't see any evidence of a change in mindset there.
I might be wrong, but I am sure Holden made a comment in pre-season that we would be the fittest team in the league. At the moment we might well be the least fit team in the league. Yes we have players getting up to speed after injuries, but there were players out there last night who had a full pre-season and were still blowing out of their arses after 75mins. The winning goal comes from the fact that Dobson, Asimwe and Ness didn't have the legs to track a simple run off the shoulder.
Rovers were visibly fitter than us and were still pushing hard in the 98th minute.
We are risking "ruining" a top centre forward. Humping long balls to May and expecting him to lead the line on his own is farcical. The striker situation should have been addressed the second Leaburn was injured - even if it was a loan.
The only positives for me were Edun, who looked very good and once (if) he gets fully fit he will be a real asset. Last night was the first time that Kanu has looked like he belonged in the first team. By and large he has looked totally lost every other time I have seen him. We are now in a position where he probably has to start on Saturday, which is ridiculous. Pan and Dobson were also good.
There are too many kids/inexperienced players starting and it again feels like we lack leaders and the character to grind out results. You can't keep making the same basic mistakes and expect to get results.
I am questioning Holden as well. He has set out to sign players for a 3-5-2 and seems to have moved away from it very quickly. His interview wasn't the best either. How was that a smash and grab? It was pretty even and in my opinion Rovers had the better chances and probably shaded it.
The only way to improve on the situation is to invest. In staff, the department(s) and players with a certain resiliance, quality and record. I presume that those "in the know" realise that this is not in the pipeline, so choose not to talk about it and alienate themselves in the process. Shame, big shame.
Camara looked lively/quality, Eden also, not convinced by the rest of the defence on last nights performance, especially the pairing of Ness & Jones, not sure why both of them are in front of Hector. Limited experience in our defence with a number of academy graduates. Kanu took his goal really well but he really shouldn't be needed at this point of the season for someone so raw/young.
May will get goals in the right set up, but playing him as a loan striker is going to be tuff on him. Would love to see him paired with Leaburn or Aneke, think they will get the best from him, especially Aneke if he's ever fit.
Feels like we lack leaders through the team with only Dobson really. I'd like to see us add some decent experience like a Pratley/Pearce/JJ/Taylor/Morrison from years ago, someone who's been there and done it, you need players like that to drag the team through games like last night especially defensively. Hector has a lot of games under his belt but from the little I've seen doesn't show true leadership.
It's still very early days in the season, but games come fast, whilst it's way to early to really form an opinion of how the season will look, there's some decent sides this year so we need to up our performances and squad quickly if we don't want another nothing season.
It feels like we are still have a 1st team away from any sort of promotion challenge. I always compare back to the 11/12 season as the high benchmark, we are still a million miles away from a squad of that caliber that can push for the title/top two. We are still suffering from the years of neglect and continued lack of or poor recruitment. Without some serious squad additions it feels like it's going to be another tough season in the third division, but I live in hope.