Godden needs to come into the side as a regular .. the Campbell/Ahadme duo is not working, the lack of goals puts pressure on the defence and midfield .. sort it out Nathan
Reading appeared to have a game plan to play us at our own game. Get in our faces and be aggressive. I felt at the time if we weathered the storm in the first have we would go on and kill them as they tired later in the game. This did not happen.
I agree the game was on a knife edge. If we scorer that goal before half time we go on and win. They then score a screamer against run of play and it kills us. Game over.
Ahadme looked isolated and had little service but that does not excuse the poor touch when he had his best opportunity to score. He needs to improve. Campbell is not a striker, let's move him back to the wing. After he took the poor penalty against Birmingham I said he should be out on loan to gain confidence.
Finally when it's clear a team is negating our tactics we need to change formation or have another plan than wait until Gooden and Chuks come on.
Hopefully we turn it around quickly next weekend
Campbell back to wing? Not under NJ, no such thing as a winger.
My initial worries about the squad have been made worse by yesterday. 1. Forwards not prolific strikers. 2. Unproven goalkeeper. Actually worse because Small is evidently not a defensive left wingback, which makes us vulnerable down the left.
I think Nathan is pinning all his hopes on Miles getting back very soon, because then he would drop Gas to the bench, Miles would work better in a two with TC or Godden...
I think Nathan is pinning all his hopes on Miles getting back very soon, because then he would drop Gas to the bench, Miles would work better in a two with TC or Godden...
I agree but would also suggest we're probably at least a month away from Miles starting, imagine we'll see appearances from the bench first, possibly in place of Chuks/DK (I would imagine DK drops to ressies)
I think Nathan is pinning all his hopes on Miles getting back very soon, because then he would drop Gas to the bench, Miles would work better in a two with TC or Godden...
I agree but would also suggest we're probably at least a month away from Miles starting, imagine we'll see appearances from the bench first, possibly in place of Chuks/DK (I would imagine DK drops to ressies)
Ok, but I would rather see Kanu up top instead of Gas now, and think he could even oust Chuks... Kanu just hasn't been given a good run to prove his potential which I think could be as much as Miles given the chance...
Shocking defensive shape when their cross comes in. To have three of the back five out of position is criminal in this set up: Ramsay, Mitchell and especially Jones need to take a look at themselves here. It was so unavoidable and this is the moment that killed the game.
Seen some trying to pin the blame on Coventry which is a bit mad in my opinion - he’s back covering for others who couldn’t be bothered to put the effort in. No way he stops a wily forward like Sam Smith cutting across the front of him when there is acres of space (that should be covered by Mitchell or Ramsay or both) to run into like that.
If you can’t win a game because you’re having an off day, you do your level best to make sure you don’t lose & take a point home - we had a big chance late on that could’ve made it 1-1 and we get out of yesterday with the unbeaten record intact.
Unfortunately, that still above captures the moment where the team gave up any chance of getting any points yesterday afternoon.
Only seen the highlights .The question for me is why so many of them were that far up the pitch for their second? I get we were a goal down and needed something, but nigh on the whole lot of them? Had we just had a corner prior to the Reading attack?
Shocking defensive shape when their cross comes in. To have three of the back five out of position is criminal in this set up: Ramsay, Mitchell and especially Jones need to take a look at themselves here. It was so unavoidable and this is the moment that killed the game.
Seen some trying to pin the blame on Coventry which is a bit mad in my opinion - he’s back covering for others who couldn’t be bothered to put the effort in. No way he stops a wily forward like Sam Smith cutting across the front of him when there is acres of space (that should be covered by Mitchell or Ramsay or both) to run into like that.
If you can’t win a game because you’re having an off day, you do your level best to make sure you don’t lose & take a point home - we had a big chance late on that could’ve made it 1-1 and we get out of yesterday with the unbeaten record intact.
Unfortunately, that still above captures the moment where the team gave up any chance of getting any points yesterday afternoon.
Only seen the highlights .The question for me is why so many of them were that far up the pitch for their second? I get we were a goal down and needed something, but nigh on the whole lot of them? Had we just had a corner prior to the Reading attack?
Yeah. We had a corner and the ball was going out on the far side of the pitch. Jones shepherded it out, believing it was our throw on, but the lino gave it to Reading. While Jones was arguing Reading took it quick and broke away. At least I think that's what happened!
Shocking defensive shape when their cross comes in. To have three of the back five out of position is criminal in this set up: Ramsay, Mitchell and especially Jones need to take a look at themselves here. It was so unavoidable and this is the moment that killed the game.
Seen some trying to pin the blame on Coventry which is a bit mad in my opinion - he’s back covering for others who couldn’t be bothered to put the effort in. No way he stops a wily forward like Sam Smith cutting across the front of him when there is acres of space (that should be covered by Mitchell or Ramsay or both) to run into like that.
If you can’t win a game because you’re having an off day, you do your level best to make sure you don’t lose & take a point home - we had a big chance late on that could’ve made it 1-1 and we get out of yesterday with the unbeaten record intact.
Unfortunately, that still above captures the moment where the team gave up any chance of getting any points yesterday afternoon.
Only seen the highlights .The question for me is why so many of them were that far up the pitch for their second? I get we were a goal down and needed something, but nigh on the whole lot of them? Had we just had a corner prior to the Reading attack?
We just seemed to switch off thinking a throw in was ours, but it was awarded to Reading... Jones just let the ball go out thinking it was ours and then threw the ball down, right in front of the Reading guy who took a quick throw while Jones argued with the ref... The rest you can see we were just everywhere and nowhere at the same time...total farce...10 seconds after the throw in it was 2-0...
I think Nathan is pinning all his hopes on Miles getting back very soon, because then he would drop Gas to the bench, Miles would work better in a two with TC or Godden...
Yeah but according to Charlie boy, it was Jones’s decision to lose May and spunk the money on Ahadme. Now it is entirely possible of course that a) Ahadme will come good and, b) that Charlie is being entirely honest with us………
Godden needs to come into the side as a regular .. the Campbell/Ahadme duo is not working, the lack of goals puts pressure on the defence and midfield .. sort it out Nathan
Was saying this after the game. Tyreece deserved his shot up front, but it's not really worked. His best play yesterday was on the right wing in the 2nd half. Seems very harsh to drop him as he's definitely looked better than Ahadme, but I wonder if it's time to go two up top with specialist strikers. I think Jones will persist with Ahadme, but don't know where that leaves Tyreece. Godden needs to start for me
I think Nathan is pinning all his hopes on Miles getting back very soon, because then he would drop Gas to the bench, Miles would work better in a two with TC or Godden...
Yeah but according to Charlie boy, it was Jones’s decision to lose May and spunk the money on Ahadme. Now it is entirely possible of course that a) Ahadme will come good and, b) that Charlie is being entirely honest with us………
Shocking defensive shape when their cross comes in. To have three of the back five out of position is criminal in this set up: Ramsay, Mitchell and especially Jones need to take a look at themselves here. It was so unavoidable and this is the moment that killed the game.
Seen some trying to pin the blame on Coventry which is a bit mad in my opinion - he’s back covering for others who couldn’t be bothered to put the effort in. No way he stops a wily forward like Sam Smith cutting across the front of him when there is acres of space (that should be covered by Mitchell or Ramsay or both) to run into like that.
If you can’t win a game because you’re having an off day, you do your level best to make sure you don’t lose & take a point home - we had a big chance late on that could’ve made it 1-1 and we get out of yesterday with the unbeaten record intact.
Unfortunately, that still above captures the moment where the team gave up any chance of getting any points yesterday afternoon.
What's worse is that when they first break, the defence are in a bank of four
And yet somehow we end up in the shape you've posted above, where two players have stopped running and left the front post completely open. No wonder he's raging.
Shocking defensive shape when their cross comes in. To have three of the back five out of position is criminal in this set up: Ramsay, Mitchell and especially Jones need to take a look at themselves here. It was so unavoidable and this is the moment that killed the game.
Seen some trying to pin the blame on Coventry which is a bit mad in my opinion - he’s back covering for others who couldn’t be bothered to put the effort in. No way he stops a wily forward like Sam Smith cutting across the front of him when there is acres of space (that should be covered by Mitchell or Ramsay or both) to run into like that.
If you can’t win a game because you’re having an off day, you do your level best to make sure you don’t lose & take a point home - we had a big chance late on that could’ve made it 1-1 and we get out of yesterday with the unbeaten record intact.
Unfortunately, that still above captures the moment where the team gave up any chance of getting any points yesterday afternoon.
The defensive shape is all over the place but when you watch the video, it’s very clear Coventry switches off and neither puts himself in a position to cut out the cross or make Sam Smith’s job more difficult. He was 5 yards ahead of Smith at one point. The frame you’ve posted is about 5 seconds after Coventry switched off. Poor all round from us.
Shocking defensive shape when their cross comes in. To have three of the back five out of position is criminal in this set up: Ramsay, Mitchell and especially Jones need to take a look at themselves here. It was so unavoidable and this is the moment that killed the game.
Seen some trying to pin the blame on Coventry which is a bit mad in my opinion - he’s back covering for others who couldn’t be bothered to put the effort in. No way he stops a wily forward like Sam Smith cutting across the front of him when there is acres of space (that should be covered by Mitchell or Ramsay or both) to run into like that.
If you can’t win a game because you’re having an off day, you do your level best to make sure you don’t lose & take a point home - we had a big chance late on that could’ve made it 1-1 and we get out of yesterday with the unbeaten record intact.
Unfortunately, that still above captures the moment where the team gave up any chance of getting any points yesterday afternoon.
Only seen the highlights .The question for me is why so many of them were that far up the pitch for their second? I get we were a goal down and needed something, but nigh on the whole lot of them? Had we just had a corner prior to the Reading attack?
Exactly that, really ill disciplined performance, Jones picking up the ball for what he thought was our throw is non sensical, he never gets back, leaving our shape all over the place. I think we can forgive the first goal, great strike but there were occasions of overplaying, poor passing and not putting your foot in that all added up to make a poor performance.
I think Nathan is pinning all his hopes on Miles getting back very soon, because then he would drop Gas to the bench, Miles would work better in a two with TC or Godden...
I agree but would also suggest we're probably at least a month away from Miles starting, imagine we'll see appearances from the bench first, possibly in place of Chuks/DK (I would imagine DK drops to ressies)
Ok, but I would rather see Kanu up top instead of Gas now, and think he could even oust Chuks... Kanu just hasn't been given a good run to prove his potential which I think could be as much as Miles given the chance...
Maybe NJ doesn't fancy Kanu ( call for Kenneth pic)
I think Nathan is pinning all his hopes on Miles getting back very soon, because then he would drop Gas to the bench, Miles would work better in a two with TC or Godden...
I agree but would also suggest we're probably at least a month away from Miles starting, imagine we'll see appearances from the bench first, possibly in place of Chuks/DK (I would imagine DK drops to ressies)
Ok, but I would rather see Kanu up top instead of Gas now, and think he could even oust Chuks... Kanu just hasn't been given a good run to prove his potential which I think could be as much as Miles given the chance...
Maybe NJ doesn't fancy Kanu ( call for Kenneth pic)
A sobering result that adds some grounding considerations for those who think we could be competing for the promotion berths this season.
This game did remind me of the Wigan game in many ways - the attacking aspects of this team are still not clicking. I feel that, away from home, this is somewhat by design. Keep it tight, press the home side, attempt to force mistakes and try to nick one. If we had taken the Berry chance just before half time, I feel that this could well have been an entirely different game. I did feel NJ did make a mistake in playing Berry from the start, but if Berry says he's fine and NJ wants to be positive and try and get a goal, then it's a gamble he has to take. I've felt it would be Karoy for away games and Berry for home games - when we are struggling to score goals, Berry has to really stay in.
Ahadme is a lad under pressure to perform. I agree with many that you usually need a big lump of a striker to get out this league. I don't mind if he isn't being prolific with goals, but his control and contribution in all of the games so far has been poor. Switching him and TC every game at 60-70 is very predictable and something teams will know about. I do think we have overpaid for him if the £1m figure is true. Taking him out of the side is a tricky one. NJ knows what he wants and I think it might be worth taking him out for a game or two if Godden is ready to start. No point talking about May any more, as he is been and gone. It's just a stick to poke NJ with if things go awry. I don't think it will, but I can understand frustrations.
Overall, I'd have happily taken a point if it was offered before the game. Disappointed we couldn't earn/steal a point against this threadbare Reading squad - the 11 and their manager know what they were doing. As others have said, it's all about the reaction for the next game. I'm hoping the Rotherham game goes ahead next weekend to give us a chance to get back to winning ways straight away. Evans makes scrappy scummy teams (the kind that we usually struggled most with last season) so we'll have to see.
Not the end of the world. We are going to lose games like this. Just got to have the quality and character to come back, with the window now closed. Leaburn should not be seen as a silver bullet either, as we need to use him carefully to ensure he doesn't break down again. It's almost Aneke level care that will be needed. We can still compete for all the top spots if we don't overreact and let this result get in our heads.
One thing that amazed me yesterday was I had to go for a pee 10 mins before HT, and the beer queue was packed. What's the point of gping to a game only to miss half of it doing that..
If there was a scramble for tickets some people may have missed out to those who couldn't be arsed watching it.
To have a single game plan is always a mistake, no matter how good you are at that plan. Jones has clearly set us up to be the gritty, hard to beat bastard team that will tire you out for 70 minutes then have a go and hopefully nick a goal. That obviously can work - and I can't think of a better manager than Jones to deliver that kind of plan. The problem is that it relies on perfection from league 1 players - it's unrealistic across a whole season. Plan B/C is needed when we concede, because our primary game plan of not conceding goals provides nothing when inevitable individual errors (we're in league 1) mean we do. I'm somewhat confident that Nathan Jones has enough tactical acumen to provide answers, perhaps less confident they might come to fruition. What I am very confident about is that certain accounts on this forum are just trolls. They're winding people on this forum up at every opportunity. There are clear candidates, some of whom have been on here for years. Some of whom may even be genuine Charlton fans that just want a laugh. It's weird how many of you choose to bite.
I think Nathan is pinning all his hopes on Miles getting back very soon, because then he would drop Gas to the bench, Miles would work better in a two with TC or Godden...
I really hope not. Leaburn has played very little football in the last 18 months, putting this seasons eggs in his basket would be very silly.
You can't beat the opposition by keeping chean sheets, only guarantee that you don't lose. To win promotion, you must win matches, and to do that you must score a minimum of one goal more than the opposition does. Surely everyone agrees? I can't see the controversy myself.
Points wise, nine out of twelve is a good start. We’re in a playoff place, yet already some alarm bells are ringing. Already we’re saying everything will be better when Miles is back. Ahadme written off by many. Dixon will be the piece of magic we’re missing. Will it though ? The way we’re set up, to me at least doesn’t look like it will suit any of our strikers including Leaburn. Our attacks are not orchestrated, they’re seized upon. Quite how someone like Ahadme or Leaburn knows where to be and make their runs is something I just can’t see. We won’t grind every team into submission no matter how well we play and there will be off days like Saturday’s game too. We just won’t score enough goals and will need to rely on forcing an error. Window is shut and that attacking midfielder will have to wait until January. Let’s hope we’re still in the mix. Not a knee jerk after Saturday but something that’s been staring ourselves in the face since Leyton Orient.
Points wise, nine out of twelve is a good start. We’re in a playoff place, yet already some alarm bells are ringing. Already we’re saying everything will be better when Miles is back. Ahadme written off by many. Dixon will be the piece of magic we’re missing. Will it though ? The way we’re set up, to me at least doesn’t look like it will suit any of our strikers including Leaburn. Our attacks are not orchestrated, they’re seized upon. Quite how someone like Ahadme or Leaburn knows where to be and make their runs is something I just can’t see. We won’t grind every team into submission no matter how well we play and there will be off days like Saturday’s game too. We just won’t score enough goals and will need to rely on forcing an error. Window is shut and that attacking midfielder will have to wait until January. Let’s hope we’re still in the mix. Not a knee jerk after Saturday but something that’s been staring ourselves in the face since Leyton Orient.
Jones is a brilliant manager as this level., we just need to have a bit of faith. He's only lost 3 league games in his time with us. Trust the process
Rather lose 4-2 than 2-0. How many times do promotion winning teams give up 4 goals in a game?
I don't know & dont care
I really must stop doing this week & after week......but until someone can show me a league table that is based on clean sheets rather than scoring goals I'll keep banging on about it.
As I said......league tables go in this order.
Points Goal difference Goals scored.
If they went
Points Goal difference Clean sheets.
Then I'd agree with everyone & shut up. But they don't.
I promise this will be my last word. Just does my head in that people cant comprehend this.
And it does everyone else's head in that you can't comprehend that successful teams are built on a strong defence.
Yes, you also need to score goals as well. The problem with your theory is that teams will not and do not score 4 goals every game.
The top teams score probably no more than 2 per game on average. But if they have a leaky defence and concede 2 every game they will start to lose a lot of games. I don't recall Portsmouth, Derby or Oxford scoring 4 or more much last season. But I do remember Pompey & Derby conceding 1 or less many games.
You seem to be about the only poster who cannot comprehend this.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/league-one/table Lincoln have scored 9 from 4 games. The other top scorers all have 8 from 4 games. Basically, if we let in 2 goals per game we won't win many, because as everyone can see, no one is averaging 3 goals per game and they never do.
But yes we ALL KNOW that we need to be creating and scoring more goals. The dilemma is how to do that without conceding more goals.
Points wise, nine out of twelve is a good start. We’re in a playoff place, yet already some alarm bells are ringing. Already we’re saying everything will be better when Miles is back. Ahadme written off by many. Dixon will be the piece of magic we’re missing. Will it though ? The way we’re set up, to me at least doesn’t look like it will suit any of our strikers including Leaburn. Our attacks are not orchestrated, they’re seized upon. Quite how someone like Ahadme or Leaburn knows where to be and make their runs is something I just can’t see. We won’t grind every team into submission no matter how well we play and there will be off days like Saturday’s game too. We just won’t score enough goals and will need to rely on forcing an error. Window is shut and that attacking midfielder will have to wait until January. Let’s hope we’re still in the mix. Not a knee jerk after Saturday but something that’s been staring ourselves in the face since Leyton Orient.
Surely part of the plan is to improve our attacking play, passing, crosses and set pieces, rather than only win by defending well and outrunning the opposition? Jones has said as much himself.
That can happen without having an attacking midfielder everything went through, goals were spread across the midfielders.
Powell’s team didn’t have one, and as good as they were for Bowyer, Aribo, Cullen and Bielik weren’t either.
What those teams both had was an excellent hold up striker in Kermorgant and Taylor. Ahadme hasn’t shown that so far. We need him to improve and Leaburn to come back, stay fit and get to that level.
From someone being at a game just about once a season: I really believe Mannion needs to toughen up to be our No 1 goalie.
Watched the Reading game from row A and saw how Lloyd Jones was bullying him around: rolling his eyes when he asked for a 3 man wall, and kept shouting him to play Ramsey, even though we had just lost the ball two times on the right doing the same. I really like Jones showing personality, but there seemed to be a lack of trust between the goalie and the back line.
My last trip over was Wycombe at home last season. In that game Dobbo (and Hec) was in Abankwahs ear constantly, leaving him turning his back and shaking his head. They had no trust in him as a right back. Yes, rightly so. But I just hope these things are adressed. The opposition will pick up on it and exploit the uncertainty.
I really wanted to be at Reading. I had a good feeling going into the match and thought we might come away with three points. Jones had won me over with our rock solid defending, high energy, press-the-fcuk-out-of-the-oppo -until-they-present-us-with-chances style. I had put my frustration at the apparent toothlessness of our forward play to the back of my mind. As it happens I was in Liverpool for the weekend with my son and we had tickets for the Everton v. Bournemouth game, which turned out to be first class entertainment for the neutral (although having lived in the Bournemouth/Poole area for the last near 40 years I wasn't completely unbiased). There was no internet signal at Goodison, so we didn't catch our result until we left the vicinity. Imagine our disappointment upon hearing the 2-0 reverse and worse the depressing fall-out reading this post-match thread. One of the enjoyable features of the Bournemouth game (which Everton had totally controlled for 80 minutes) was the succession of delicious crosses into dangerous areas and players in the box attacking the ball. I know we are 2 leagues down, but we really need our wingbacks to up their game with their crossing and players getting in the box and making it theirs. You need to want to get on the end of a cross and make it happen, not just moan at the crosser because it didn't come to you. Aside from that, it sounds from your posts that our strikers are still not offering enough. Will be back in my seat on Saturday watching us cope with Evan's 'Erberts and their shithousery
In contrast to you, I was in the back row of the stand, row KK.
I find your observations about Mannion very concerning as until Saturday he appeared very calm and in control..I am even more worried now about the keeper situation between now and the January transfer window.
PWR … NJ’s post match interview sums it all up really. FWIW, I didn’t think it was a bad as he’s portrayed. Yes, we were poor first half but we had the best 2 chances. Second half, we had the better of them for the first 20 and then .. Boom .. a wonder strike from 25-30 yards. I thought that was the only way they were going to score against us. Then we’re chasing the game and it left holes at the back.
Lessons to be learned. Think we need to be more patient at times and not try and force passes when they’re clearly not on. We will be better against Rotherham but it sounds like that might be off?
in hindsight, it was a poor decision not to sign an experienced keeper. Mannion nearly cost us another goal when he decided to try an be an outfield player. But we got lucky there.
i say put this down to experience and move on. COYA
I'm not sure we decided not to sign an experienced keeper? It was more a case of about 8 failed attempts.
Comments
1. Forwards not prolific strikers.
2. Unproven goalkeeper.
Actually worse because Small is evidently not a defensive left wingback, which makes us vulnerable down the left.
I get we were a goal down and needed something, but nigh on the whole lot of them?
Had we just had a corner prior to the Reading attack?
Jones just let the ball go out thinking it was ours and then threw the ball down, right in front of the Reading guy who took a quick throw while Jones argued with the ref...
The rest you can see we were just everywhere and nowhere at the same time...total farce...10 seconds after the throw in it was 2-0...
Why bring May into this...🤷♂️
And yet somehow we end up in the shape you've posted above, where two players have stopped running and left the front post completely open. No wonder he's raging.
'appy to oblige Bob...🤦♂️
This game did remind me of the Wigan game in many ways - the attacking aspects of this team are still not clicking. I feel that, away from home, this is somewhat by design. Keep it tight, press the home side, attempt to force mistakes and try to nick one. If we had taken the Berry chance just before half time, I feel that this could well have been an entirely different game. I did feel NJ did make a mistake in playing Berry from the start, but if Berry says he's fine and NJ wants to be positive and try and get a goal, then it's a gamble he has to take. I've felt it would be Karoy for away games and Berry for home games - when we are struggling to score goals, Berry has to really stay in.
Ahadme is a lad under pressure to perform. I agree with many that you usually need a big lump of a striker to get out this league. I don't mind if he isn't being prolific with goals, but his control and contribution in all of the games so far has been poor. Switching him and TC every game at 60-70 is very predictable and something teams will know about. I do think we have overpaid for him if the £1m figure is true. Taking him out of the side is a tricky one. NJ knows what he wants and I think it might be worth taking him out for a game or two if Godden is ready to start. No point talking about May any more, as he is been and gone. It's just a stick to poke NJ with if things go awry. I don't think it will, but I can understand frustrations.
Overall, I'd have happily taken a point if it was offered before the game. Disappointed we couldn't earn/steal a point against this threadbare Reading squad - the 11 and their manager know what they were doing. As others have said, it's all about the reaction for the next game. I'm hoping the Rotherham game goes ahead next weekend to give us a chance to get back to winning ways straight away. Evans makes scrappy scummy teams (the kind that we usually struggled most with last season) so we'll have to see.
Not the end of the world. We are going to lose games like this. Just got to have the quality and character to come back, with the window now closed. Leaburn should not be seen as a silver bullet either, as we need to use him carefully to ensure he doesn't break down again. It's almost Aneke level care that will be needed. We can still compete for all the top spots if we don't overreact and let this result get in our heads.
Marathon, not a sprint.
If there was a scramble for tickets some people may have missed out to those who couldn't be arsed watching it.
The problem is that it relies on perfection from league 1 players - it's unrealistic across a whole season. Plan B/C is needed when we concede, because our primary game plan of not conceding goals provides nothing when inevitable individual errors (we're in league 1) mean we do.
I'm somewhat confident that Nathan Jones has enough tactical acumen to provide answers, perhaps less confident they might come to fruition.
What I am very confident about is that certain accounts on this forum are just trolls. They're winding people on this forum up at every opportunity. There are clear candidates, some of whom have been on here for years. Some of whom may even be genuine Charlton fans that just want a laugh. It's weird how many of you choose to bite.
Lincoln have scored 9 from 4 games.
The other top scorers all have 8 from 4 games.
Basically, if we let in 2 goals per game we won't win many, because as everyone can see, no one is averaging 3 goals per game and they never do.
But yes we ALL KNOW that we need to be creating and scoring more goals.
The dilemma is how to do that without conceding more goals.
That can happen without having an attacking midfielder everything went through, goals were spread across the midfielders.
Powell’s team didn’t have one, and as good as they were for Bowyer, Aribo, Cullen and Bielik weren’t either.
What those teams both had was an excellent hold up striker in Kermorgant and Taylor. Ahadme hasn’t shown that so far. We need him to improve and Leaburn to come back, stay fit and get to that level.
Watched the Reading game from row A and saw how Lloyd Jones was bullying him around: rolling his eyes when he asked for a 3 man wall, and kept shouting him to play Ramsey, even though we had just lost the ball two times on the right doing the same. I really like Jones showing personality, but there seemed to be a lack of trust between the goalie and the back line.
My last trip over was Wycombe at home last season. In that game Dobbo (and Hec) was in Abankwahs ear constantly, leaving him turning his back and shaking his head. They had no trust in him as a right back. Yes, rightly so. But I just hope these things are adressed. The opposition will pick up on it and exploit the uncertainty.
Jones had won me over with our rock solid defending, high energy, press-the-fcuk-out-of-the-oppo -until-they-present-us-with-chances style.
I had put my frustration at the apparent toothlessness of our forward play to the back of my mind.
As it happens I was in Liverpool for the weekend with my son and we had tickets for the Everton v. Bournemouth game, which turned out to be first class entertainment for the neutral (although having lived in the Bournemouth/Poole area for the last near 40 years I wasn't completely unbiased).
There was no internet signal at Goodison, so we didn't catch our result until we left the vicinity.
Imagine our disappointment upon hearing the 2-0 reverse and worse the depressing fall-out reading this post-match thread.
One of the enjoyable features of the Bournemouth game (which Everton had totally controlled for 80 minutes) was the succession of delicious crosses into dangerous areas and players in the box attacking the ball.
I know we are 2 leagues down, but we really need our wingbacks to up their game with their crossing and players getting in the box and making it theirs. You need to want to get on the end of a cross and make it happen, not just moan at the crosser because it didn't come to you.
Aside from that, it sounds from your posts that our strikers are still not offering enough.
Will be back in my seat on Saturday watching us cope with Evan's 'Erberts and their shithousery
I find your observations about Mannion very concerning as until Saturday he appeared very calm and in control..I am even more worried now about the keeper situation between now and the January transfer window.
It was more a case of about 8 failed attempts.