[Archived] Charlton v Rovers

[rovermagic]

Huge turnout and enthusiasm from our fans till their goal after pen. Robbo immense save on pen. Team gave us absolutely nothing to cheer about for rest of match. Absolutely no movement from any of four midfielders. Etuhu the best but not at all a box to box player like JJ. Not JJ's energy or pace. Lowe is not slow but is not a good player. Esp out wide midfield. We did not close down. We did not challenge. We made Charlton look a VERY good side. Rhodes and Gomes no service. No midfielder got forward at all. Charlton had pace and movement and courage. So many of our players - esp Dann and Peds - seem afraid to close down. Robbo by far our best player on the day.

[arbitro]

If the speculation about Givet is true then he is an absolute disgrace and his selfishness has once again come to the fore. I have never quite understood the adulation reserved for him by sections of Rovers fans.

[Black Burn]

Haha it's fine mate, only an internet site, no harm done.

I just had a quick glance back and I also feel that their comments were overly harsh. I don't think your opinions are bs, unlike what some have claimed earlier. I mean, we all have different opinions on who should be selected and what formation, but just because you've a different idea from the rest doesn't mean you should be abused.

The irony is that some fans claim that they can do a better job than Kean, but at the end of the day there isn't a general consensus among the fans as to what a better selection or strategy is. We can only trust the manager to do his job properly, and if he fails, he should resign like Kean. I guess what I mean to say is that while it's cool to have our opinions on what works for the team and what doesn't, we shouldn't think too highly of ourselves and insult other people who happen to have a different idea of how a match should be played out.

[Parsonblue]

How many players in this division are better than:

Robinson in goal?

Givet at centre back?

Olsson at left back?

Etuhu or Murphy in centre midfield?

Kazim-Richards on the wing?

Rhodes, Gomes, Best up front?

And I don't mean list individuals from across the championship who individually might be better than any given player I listed but instead are those not in the top five to ten in their position each?

Then we've got players like Formica, Vukcevic, Rochina, Dunn who can give a creative spark at Championship level and the likes of; Ribeiro, Hanley Henley, Orr and Pedersen are solid at Championship level.

Of course our fans have always had their scapegoats and players that must be the worst in the division (the stick Wilcox used to get for example) but people saying we have a weak squad are, frankly, being ridiculous.

We may have a strong squad on paper but, sadly, football matches aren't won on paper. Yesterday's performance was, like so many of the games this season have been, simply dreadful. There is no pace in the team, particuarly in midfield and, as yet, we haven't found a way of getting the best out of Rhodes. He was hardly in the game yesterday because Charlton closed down the service to him. Likewise with Gomes, who looks head and shoulders above any other player I've seen in this Division thus far, but the rest of our players seem to struggle to read him at times.

Etuhu could be a box to box player but at the moment seems to have to stick with Murphy to cover him. At the moment we are playing as individuals rather than as a team and for some reason we appear to have adopted the policy of standing off the opposition instead of pressing them when they have the ball. Charlton were afforded far too much time and space on the ball and simply dominated the midfield once they had equalised. With our wide players being asked to move inside and make a very narrow midfield we simply had no outlet on the wings.

We badly need to get Kazim-Richards and Markus Olsson fit to give us options in the wide positions but, most of all, we need a manager who can actually organise a team better than we have seen thus far.

[Black Burn]

Well, speaking of old times, does everybody remember how Brad Friedel scored an equalizer for us, only for Charlton to score a winner almost immediatey and won 3-2 all those years back? Too bad Paul Robinson didn't score a winner this time but at least he did great this game.

[Kelbo]

We may have a strong squad on paper but, sadly, football matches aren't won on paper. Yesterday's performance was, like so many of the games this season have been, simply dreadful. There is no pace in the team, particuarly in midfield and, as yet, we haven't found a way of getting the best out of Rhodes. He was hardly in the game yesterday because Charlton closed down the service to him. Likewise with Gomes, who looks head and shoulders above any other player I've seen in this Division thus far, but the rest of our players seem to struggle to read him at times.

Etuhu could be a box to box player but at the moment seems to have to stick with Murphy to cover him. At the moment we are playing as individuals rather than as a team and for some reason we appear to have adopted the policy of standing off the opposition instead of pressing them when they have the ball. Charlton were afforded far too much time and space on the ball and simply dominated the midfield once they had equalised. With our wide players being asked to move inside and make a very narrow midfield we simply had no outlet on the wings.

We badly need to get Kazim-Richards and Markus Olsson fit to give us options in the wide positions but, most of all, we need a manager who can actually organise a team better than we have seen thus far.

I did say a while ago even though Rhodes and Gomes were scoring for fun, that even if opposition defences couldnt deal with them, managers would simply instruct the players to stop the supply line, seems as though I was right!!

[Kelbo]

With reference to midfield I think our main problem this season is that Murphy has been so downright poor.

I think Etuhu has looked extremely impressive by and large, but as good as he's been, Murphy has been even worse.

Surprising because Fulham fans seem to rate him very highly.

Get some sort of tune out of Murphy and we'd look a lot better.

In the wider positions Pedersen has been pretty awful so no change or surprise there but Nunes has started to look quite promising.

On the right hand side, CKR has looked OK and Vukcevic could be drafted in. We also have a multitude of players you would have thought could play more centrally just behind Rhodes. Gomes, Rochina, Formica, Dunn etc etc. Don't know anything about Rosado.

So get some half decent performances out of Murphy and a bit of imagination and I can't see any reason at all why we wouldn't be o.k.

Murphy is playing far too deep for me, one CM needs to be in an advanced position with the other 'sitting' our shape is awful, fitness dreadful and I shudder to think what has happened to our organisation under Kean, we are a yard off the pace and trust me when I say this, each and every player under a proper manager would up their game by 40% at least as they would be fitter, leaner and meaner.

[The Rover of Finland]

How many players in this division are better than:

Robinson in goal?

Givet at centre back?

Olsson at left back?

Etuhu or Murphy in centre midfield?

Kazim-Richards on the wing?

Rhodes, Gomes, Best up front?

And I don't mean list individuals from across the championship who individually might be better than any given player I listed but instead are those not in the top five to ten in their position each?

Then we've got players like Formica, Vukcevic, Rochina, Dunn who can give a creative spark at Championship level and the likes of; Ribeiro, Hanley Henley, Orr and Pedersen are solid at Championship level.

Of course our fans have always had their scapegoats and players that must be the worst in the division (the stick Wilcox used to get for example) but people saying we have a weak squad are, frankly, being ridiculous.

Olsson is a poor left back. He should be a left winger. Henley will be a huge wing back in the championship. Why the clown didn´t give him a chance is a mystery.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Poor squad? Poor team selections maybe, we have, in my opinion, arguably the strongest squad in the division.

Robinson, Dann, Givet, Martin Olsson, Pedersen, Etuhu, Murphy, Kazim, Dunn, Rhodes, Gomes, Best, Formica, Vukcevic and Rochina would all get into most Championship starting XI's. Whether they're used properly is a different question entirely, but I maintain that, man for man, we have a very decent squad for this level.

Why have we been second best in almost every game we've played then ? It's not all down to the manager, have the players no pride. I didn't need to be told to close down and challenge for the ball when I was a player, I didn't need to be told about my fitness levels either. The club is rotten through and through at the moment and that's spread to the players attitudes, I'm not sure how many of the old guard would buy into a new regime. I suppose we'll see soon enough but if something isn't done about our fitness levels and mental attitude we'll be going nowhere.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Yeah, can people stop quoting this cretin. I have him on ignore but he posts utter cr@p every 2 seconds so it's impossible not to see his username.

You need to calm down, it's a forum, it's about peoples opinions. The guy's got a right to voice his opinions. He's correct about the lack of pace throughout the team especially in the wide positions. A midfield of Kazim, Dunn or Formica, Etuhu, and the footballing Ollsen would be a lot better than the one we fielded yesterday. In my opinion of course

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Olsson is a poor left back. He should be a left winger. Henley will be a huge wing back in the championship. Why the clown didn´t give him a chance is a mystery.

Though I don't think Olsson is a poor left back - I do think it is a good idea to put Henley in at left back to allow Olsson to move onto the left wing. I don't understand what has happened to Henley - he looked a star in the making and yet we have hardly seen him this year.

Anyone that went yesterday - did our defence continue to sit deep ? IMO this is part of the problem - in creates gaps between attack/midfield and defence which we don't have the pace to cover. Our defence should play a far higher line - compress the play - and at this point you would hope the better ball control and quality we have in our team would start to create chances.

[Kelbo]

Though I don't think Olsson is a poor left back - I do think it is a good idea to put Henley in at left back to allow Olsson to move onto the left wing. I don't understand what has happened to Henley - he looked a star in the making and yet we have hardly seen him this year.

Yes, this surprised me too, didnt look out of place in the premier league, a natural full back and can play either left or right back, this lad must be given a chance!!

[Silencio]

Me too. Henley looks a good one and we need some pace further up the pitch. Olsson on form would tear teams apart on the left wing.

[Hasta]

You need to calm down, it's a forum, it's about peoples opinions. The guy's got a right to voice his opinions. He's correct about the lack of pace throughout the team especially in the wide positions. A midfield of Kazim, Dunn or Formica, Etuhu, and the footballing Ollsen would be a lot better than the one we fielded yesterday. In my opinion of course

He has got a right to post his opinions. However I just wish he wouldn't make the same opinion on several consecutive posts every few minutes. Example:

Fltcroft, god i hope not. Think with head not heart here.

If we appoint any of flitcroft, shearer, black, or sherwood, tbh i'll be disappointed. why gamble our future.

If they appoint any of those it shows they have not learn a single thing.

Swear to god if we appoint Sharer it'll be useless. we need experience.

Mick could get us up for sure. I pray it's not Shearer Fltcroft or Sherwood.

[malk]

I agree we're not playing well but was arguing directly against those who say we have a poor squad. I think we've been playing poorly and team selection has been, for want of a better term, odd.

Hopefully the new manager will see the sense in trying Henley at left back and Olsson on the wing. I also hope there are some minutes for Dunn as I think he could be great at Championship level. I could go on.

Bottom line is we need a system to exploit the talent in the squad and a manager capable of putting players in the right positions and letting the team settle.

[dwayne cage]

I certainly hope we get a new manager we can all rally behind soon. Gut feeling tells me it will be Sherwood but my gut is seldom right.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

Why have we been second best in almost every game we've played then ? It's not all down to the manager, have the players no pride. I didn't need to be told to close down and challenge for the ball when I was a player, I didn't need to be told about my fitness levels either. The club is rotten through and through at the moment and that's spread to the players attitudes, I'm not sure how many of the old guard would buy into a new regime. I suppose we'll see soon enough but if something isn't done about our fitness levels and mental attitude we'll be going nowhere.

We have a very strong overall squad but whether they're utilised in the right way is obviously down to other factors. If we can get the best out of Murphy for example it would easily give us one of the most effective centre midfielders in the league, likewise Pedersen and Dunn. But that won't be easy. The mental attitude side of things won't be changed over night but I think now that the fans are fully behind the club, this may be improved considerably at home.

Yesterday told us nothing simply because we clearly stuck with Kean's gameplan, Wednesday and Saturday should tell us a whole lot more.

[AggyBlue]

For me, we have been closed down quickly in every game so far, we don't get the time or space on the ball, passes are rushed.

When we don't have the ball we stand off teams and let them have the time and space to pick out passes, thus keeping hold of the ball far to easily.

Our possession stats must be the worst in the division.

Of course workrate and fitness go hand in hand.

I thought Rhodes started to look very frustrated yesterday, Pedersen and Lowe should be nowhere near the first team.

Dann needs it drumming into him to give the ball to a midfielder and not just launch the ball upfield.

Materclass by Robbo, Got us the point.

[dwayne cage]

Lowe is very over rated, Peds is a pensioner

[mjwood00]

Few reflections from yesterday

Lowe on the right wing is frankly bizarre. If they had Messi on the left wing then maybe but they certainly didn't. He shuts down an entire side meaning Murphy and etuhu have to turn inside. Couple that with Pedersen's lack of pace means we go back to dann for the long ball upfield.

Etuhu was very impressive.

Olssen's positional sense at left back is frightening. Murphy and givet had to repeatedly tell him to be closer to the man.

Givet laid into dann on several occasions and at one point appeared too angry to even look at him. interesting to here if anything happened at half time.

The goal we scored was excellent yet that was our only period of passing on the deck. Everything else was drilled up from Dann's sandwedge of a foot. Doesn't suit Rhodes at all.

[the original david brent]

Just on the train back from London and reflecting on yesterday's game. Positives were Greenwich village was a nice place to drink pre match, the valley is a nice ground and retains its traditional characteristics, and there was a sizeable away following.

unfortunately the performance was woeful. My sisters fella came to the game as a neutral and commented on how unfit and slow we look. Charlton played with 2 natural wingers, both had pace, they got down their respective lines and caused us problems. Lowe and pedersen can't do that.

Murphy is struggling. The charlton fans booed his every touch; i heard them boo about 3 times. The murphy etuhu partnership is not working and something needs to give. We need somebody in the centre midfield who can run around a bit. Hobby Jackson dominated them in there. For murphys sake it's a good job he wasnt subbed yesterday because it would have been met by cheers from all 4 sides of the ground.

Also Rhodes has struggled in the last 2 games. I don't want to be critical of him because I really want him to succeed. I accept he didn't get any service at all yesterday. But he looks a little on the slow side and seems to get out muscled in the air a lot. Hope he proves me wrong and grabs a hat trick on Wednesday.

I really fear we will get convincingly beat on Wednesday. Forest are a good team. They have plenty of pace. We don't.

Jonny Jackson even! Predictive text!

[philipl]

Playing Forest on Tuesday aren't we?

I'll take the defeat on Wednesday in that case...

Not surprised we were at sixes and sevens yesterday- Kean's bequest was to set the players against each other.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Me too. Henley looks a good one and we need some pace further up the pitch. Olsson on form would tear teams apart on the left wing.

Agree with you 100% on Henley, I only saw a bit of him but what I saw I liked. Anybody who can play comfortably on either flank at his age has obviously worked hard on their game. He's got pace, the first requirement of a full back , and he's not fazed by the occasion. He needs game time.

Ollsen the footballer isn't suited for the full back position, he just doesn't know how to play there. At his age that says to me he actually doesn't want to play there either. Play him in midfield and he'd murder teams in this league, full back he's just average and being wasted.

[the original david brent]

Playing Forest on Tuesday aren't we?

I'll take the defeat on Wednesday in that case...

Not surprised we were at sixes and sevens yesterday- Kean's bequest was to set the players against each other.

The game is on Wednesday!

[joey_big_nose]

Went to the game yesterday. As others have said Murphy and Lowe were unbelievably poor. Murphy was sending basic passes astray let alone doing anything remarkable. Lowe is a worker but has no pace, skill or delivery. I was a bit disappointed with Rhodes though to be fair he did not have much to work with.

Robinson, Ettuhu, Gomes and Dunn looked good. Dann had a decent game. Everyone else was poor.

Whoever we get in as manager has to be someone who can leverage the likes of Vukcevic, Nunes, Rochina, Formica and get the best from them. There is no excuse when we have far more talent in the squad (I know some ae disputing this but honestly most players on our bench would start for other sides) than most to put a performance in like that.... Charlton should have won the game easily. Only Robinson and the woodwork prevented that..