Mon Aug 24, 2009 8:22 am
Disclaimer: this was my first match of the season and so I can only say it how I saw it, certainly not how any journalist saw it. I have not watched the TV highlights.
Make no mistake, this was a poor effort. Charlton were able to brush us aside without breaking sweat. It's only their utter complacency that saved us from a mauling. The E&S has it spot on and the static first half was a shameful display. We played better in the second half and still could have come away with a scarcely deserved point.
Another thing that has become apparent is the excellent points made by a number of individuals from previous games, Neil regarding formation and MMF's comparison of Parkin and Ricketts to name but two. I'll do player by player first though:
Ince: standard
Westlake: struggled
Hughes [c]: excellent
Smith: excellent
Vincent: abysmal
Till: Adrian Thorpe
Richards: poor
Mattis: contributed
Jones: blameless
Deeney: excellent
Parkin: statuesque
Subs:
Taundry: contributed
Nicholls: didn't
Going, from the back:
To me Ince was pretty blameless for both goals. His kicking was suspect as ever and Charlton (including the crowd) soon twigged it. The opening goal has caused some debate (even amongst the players it appears) but the fact remains that if there are two players unmarked at the far post to bundle the ball in, it's unfair to expect Ince to deal with that, even discounting that one of them appeared to jump on him. I was surprised to see the goal stand.
Hughes and Smith were excellent and it's their partnership that will stop us from sliding all the way down the league this season. They put in countless blocks, tackles and headers. Hughes took his 'goal' superbly for a defender.
The fullbacks were a different story however as they came up against a team with ideas out wide. Westlake is a young lad and will have learned a lot. He must take some of the blame for the opener with a cross coming in from the Charlton left. Vincent is certainly old enough to know that he was roasted time and time again. Had he put in any tackles, he might have had more success. It wasn't as if he held play up at all by jockeying their winger Sam. Both goals were finished from the inside right position with players completely unmarked. If anyone can actually name a player Vincent marked or tackled I will give them five new English pounds. Let's be charitable and suggest the opening goal came because an offside trap went wrong. Where the hell was he for the second then?
In midfield, we have a bit of a problem in Richards, who looked like he'd just been given a 2yr contract. I would expect a midfielder at this level to be able to do two out of three of passing, running and tackling. He did none in the first half. His second half display was better with one or two crosses put in but that was it all game. Mattis consequently ended up chasing shadows for a lot of the game. He stuck to his game very well and looked a good player today.
Out wide, Till is exactly the sort of player I expected him to be. He flatters to deceive in patches, looking dangerous, but ultimately going through the motions with little sense of purpose. He faded today and I would expect this to be one of two stock performances with the other being the 'headless chicken' option. Jones looked to have a sense of purpose and in a poor first half looked our biggest threat. He is a winger/striker and spent most of time in the first half trying to back up Vincent. As Richards is better suited to this task, I would suggest his substitution was ultimately tactical, even if there were some words exchanged.
Deeney is a shining beacon is a sea of toss. Some posters have suggested he is of limited ability but willing and should be dropped. This is absolute horse plop. His attitude is not just good, it is absolutely outstanding. He was the one who led the attacking threat and workrate. At the end of the game he was the one player who led in applauding the away support, who rose to applaud him in turn. He ran himself ragged doing two people's work, harrying defenders and making the most of nothing in very Jorgesque way. He certainly has enough ability for this league and in a better team, I'd suggest he'd flourish.
Parkin could only be a shining beacon if he was set alight. Yes, he's scored two goals this year and hit the post yesterday, but that was strictly the sum total of his contribution. He is either unfit, extremely lacking in sharpness or lazy. His movement off the ball was nil and his inclusion leads to the chasm between forwards and midfield. I don't know if all of his early career goals came about as a result of golden chances presented on a silver platter, but he won't be getting that here. For the News of the World to award Deeney and him 5&6 is an absolute joke - 8&4 is far more accurate, as Vincent got 4.
Taundry did a lot to stiffen up midfield when coming on, despite taking an early knock. Nicholls did himself no favours and won't displace Parkin with this display. He lacked conviction after a bit of early huffing and puffing. A lazy last minute volley that ballooned over summed up his contribution.
The management do appear to have a bit about them and did make a good tactical change at half time to the team's benefit. However, this rigid 4-4-2 with two wide men isn't going to work with this personnel and there is little movement off the ball to give the required fluidity of play.
The officials were mediocre to poor, with one particularly impotent linesman. Baywatch blue showed of the referee's manly gut - er physique - and black culottes were very slimming to his fat ass.
Some people have questioned whether it is appropriate to expect anything from the game. This attitude isn't good enough from supporters or team alike. Should we just donate three points to save costs? The very least we can expect is a spirited and professional performance. One should compare this performance with that at Leicester 12 months ago. Deeney performed in a similar way to Jabo. Vincent and Westlake performed like Boertein and Palmer against good wingers. The difference is that between Ricketts and Parkin. Ricketts almost played a free role and linked up midfield and forward play by walking around and taking up intelligent positions, using the ball effectively.
Ultimately, little will matter when we finish in a mid-table position, but such a submissive display is very difficult to take and not likely to have anyone flooding back in a tearful homecoming.