Charlton Autopsy.

[GazLaz]

My general opinion on the players who started tonight.

Turnbull- Class

Wabara- Truly awful. Can't even do the simple things. This level is too good for him and you can tell he realises it himself now.

Khumalo- Great signing. Stands no chance with the players that are around him in defence though.

McCullough- Great on the ball, calm, composed but not very big and not very mobile. Only young so can't criticise, could turn into a good player in time.

Quinn- Must love playing in the side when a Wabara plays because he makes him look like Cafu. Not good enough and gives the ball away too much.

Coppinger- Love the lad to bits but he has gone at the game. A few times this season I've just thought the bit of sparkle and injection of tempo he could add to a game has left him. Tonight confirmed this. Horrible performance.

Wellens- He's obviously better than the others, did ok tonight in a midfield void of shape and that looked unsure of the plan.

De Val- Very good in position as you'd expect. Not very dynamic but looks to have a bit of quality to me. Maybe better sitting in a central midfield 3.

Duffy- Lots of ability. Looks a threat when he drifts inside. His delivery and set pieces are a myth though, they are not as good as Cotterills were last season.

Macheda- Great touch. Greedy but I don't mind because he at least looks like he might make something happen in the final 3rd. We don't have enough possession in the danger area to get the best out of him.

Paynter- Looked better as an impact player this season.


I know we are decimated by injuries but it looks to me like we are a side without a plan. We try to play football buts it's always across the half way line and we can't make any progress forward so end up hitting and hoping. On the occasions we do get a bit further up the pitch we lose possession too easily or cross it in from 30y out which is a hopeless thing to do.  We never get behind teams and get them facing their own goal either. It boils down to having a small budget and too many players that aren't up to this level really but I think, especially away from home, we are going to have to play 3 in centre midfield to try and get a foot hold in games because we just can't compete in there. Charlton should have had 5 tonight and they weren't great. They just had a greater tempo and directness when attacking that forced us into mistakes and put us on the back foot a lot.

PD needs to think of a system and way of playing and stick to it.

[Chris Black come back]

Autopsy Gaz? Just take the body straight for cremation. Don't even bother looking at the corpse. Too hideous a sight.

[Mustapha-Dump]

Have to disagree, I think Wellens was no better than any of the rest of them as has been the case for a few games now, yet another booking from yet another stupid tackle.

[hoolahoop]

Have to disagree, I think Wellens was no better than any of the rest of them as has been the case for a few games now, yet another booking from yet another stupid tackle.

Perhaps he's looking to take a short holiday away soon with all these 'yellows' the sort of holiday the rest of the team bar Turnbull are already on.......time fr ALL of you to start earning your corn. Copps your nose was put out of place because Cotts was preferred to you against Yeovil ; so what did you do last night to prove everyone was wrong ….....sweet fa. I don' t believe your ability has gone just your desire as senior pro and that is unforgivable.

[GazLaz]

Wellens was better last night than he has been recently.

[Donnyrovers]

We are seriously lacking on the flanks at the minute as Duffy is the only player capable it seems because both full backs are not good enough and like GazLaz said about Copps he's looking very slow and struggling to beat a man I think he has it upstairs but his legs at this level just isn't up to it anymore.

[hoolahoop]

We are seriously lacking on the flanks at the minute as Duffy is the only player capable it seems because both full backs are not good enough and like GazLaz said about Copps he's looking very slow and struggling to beat a man I think he has it upstairs but his legs at this level just isn't up to it anymore.

Legs don't usually go that fast , he isn't doing the simple things right either.....I'm more concerned about his state of mind and commitment. I hope he hasn't allowed himself to get involved in the takeover fiasco given the length of time he has spent at the club and with JR?

[Donnyrovers]

We are seriously lacking on the flanks at the minute as Duffy is the only player capable it seems because both full backs are not good enough and like GazLaz said about Copps he's looking very slow and struggling to beat a man I think he has it upstairs but his legs at this level just isn't up to it anymore.

Legs don't usually go that fast , he isn't doing the simple things right either.....I'm more concerned about his state of mind and commitment. I hope he hasn't allowed himself to get involved in the takeover fiasco given the length of time he has spent at the club and with JR?

Yeah I know what you mean he's never really been blessed with pace but he was always capable of beating a man with a trick which he can't do I think that lack of pace is catching up with him now he's getting older.

[wing commander]

  Off the field issues we will never ever agree on Gaz but I think you've got that absolutely spot on..How Wabara got a new contract at City is beyond me..Copp's just isn't good enough anymore,a lot of the time you don't notice he's playing a..The only thing I would slightly question is Quinn..Whilst he's no world beater, but i think he is better than most give him credit for...
   Last night was worrying as that's two really bad away performances in a row against teams around us and we didn't compete in either of them...

[GazLaz]

We've not looked like scoring in the last 3 away games. We need to go to 5 in midfield away and be more compact. We are not going to be able to play from back to front. When we get the right players on the ball they tend to be isolated with no options and the move breaks down.

We don't look like we are set up to press teams high up the pitch so when we win the ball back or the opposition lose it it's always in our defensive 3rd a long way from their goal.

The only positive about last night was that I now want to talk about football and not the take over.

[CraigyBoy]

"Quinn must be loving Wabara being in the team because he makes Quinn look like Cafu" That, my friend, is the funniest thing I've read on here for months.

[graingrover]

Gazlad .. now THAT is the sort of match report feedback that is interesting and adds value to the forum. Many thanks. 

[GazLaz]

Thanks. Wish I didn't have to type it on my phone, not easy making things make sense on an iPhone. I must be the only person on the planet that doesn't own a computer! Wish it was a bit more positive that's all. We can get a positive reaction from the players on Saturday and still not be able to compete which is the sad thing.

[graingrover]

At times like this when we are threadbare through injuries it might get the home crowd goin to get behind the team if we threw in a couple of youngsters like ... at left back the young Irish lad  in place of Wabara ,and Middeton in midield instead of Copps or Cotts who are both lacking in get up and go at the moment.

[POD]

My general opinion on the players who started tonight.

Turnbull- Class

Wabara- Truly awful. Can't even do the simple things. This level is too good for him and you can tell he realises it himself now.

Khumalo- Great signing. Stands no chance with the players that are around him in defence though.

McCullough- Great on the ball, calm, composed but not very big and not very mobile. Only young so can't criticise, could turn into a good player in time.

Quinn- Must love playing in the side when a Wabara plays because he makes him look like Cafu. Not good enough and gives the ball away too much.

Coppinger- Love the lad to bits but he has gone at the game. A few times this season I've just thought the bit of sparkle and injection of tempo he could add to a game has left him. Tonight confirmed this. Horrible performance.

Wellens- He's obviously better than the others, did ok tonight in a midfield void of shape and that looked unsure of the plan.

De Val- Very good in position as you'd expect. Not very dynamic but looks to have a bit of quality to me. Maybe better sitting in a central midfield 3.

Duffy- Lots of ability. Looks a threat when he drifts inside. His delivery and set pieces are a myth though, they are not as good as Cotterills were last season.

Macheda- Great touch. Greedy but I don't mind because he at least looks like he might make something happen in the final 3rd. We don't have enough possession in the danger area to get the best out of him.

Paynter- Looked better as an impact player this season.


I know we are decimated by injuries but it looks to me like we are a side without a plan. We try to play football buts it's always across the half way line and we can't make any progress forward so end up hitting and hoping. On the occasions we do get a bit further up the pitch we lose possession too easily or cross it in from 30y out which is a hopeless thing to do.  We never get behind teams and get them facing their own goal either. It boils down to having a small budget and too many players that aren't up to this level really but I think, especially away from home, we are going to have to play 3 in centre midfield to try and get a foot hold in games because we just can't compete in there. Charlton should have had 5 tonight and they weren't great. They just had a greater tempo and directness when attacking that forced us into mistakes and put us on the back foot a lot.

PD needs to think of a system and way of playing and stick to it.

Great post  GazLaz and I have to agree with more or less everything you say on last nights performance. 

On Mechada, I saw a few glimpses last night that he has got the ability to unlock defences and at times it will mean that he appears greedy, but someone has to take the lead in the final third and no one else appears capable.  At times, he and Paynter were running and competing for the same balls, which showed a lack of understanding.  It was better when Robinson came on and the attack looked much better! without really threatening the goal.

Wellens was my man of the match, constantly looking to be creative, but hampered by the lack of support around him, as well as the booking he was "carrying" for 82 minutes, following his reckless Kung fu kick on  a Charlton player which could easily have been a red card.  We have to hang on to him in January.

We just had too many ordinary players out there last night, apart from Wabara, who is simply just not good enough at this level and as for him being two footed and able to play on either side, I can't remember him using his left foot, except to bring down the opposing winger who beat him time and again.

Quinn has been much better in the last two games, after a dreadful display against Brighton.  The commentator on TV at the Yeovil game said he had been carrying a groin injury recently and if he can just improve on his distribution, I think he will be our right back for the season.

[Donnyrovers]

At times like this when we are threadbare through injuries it might get the home crowd goin to get behind the team if we threw in a couple of youngsters like ... at left back the young Irish lad  in place of Wabara ,and Middeton in midield instead of Copps or Cotts who are both lacking in get up and go at the moment.

I see where your coming from with that but we don't want to damage their progress by throwing them in the shit when they are so young and inexperienced as it may do more damage than good.

[walter the red]

Great "autopsy " of the performances Gaslaz, regarding Coppinger i think he is just going through the motions until next season when it will be his testimonial season !He is a pale shadow of the player he used to be.
Wabara is possibly one of our worst signings ,if it is true that we HAVE to play him in every game if fit then we start with a handicap every game .
Hurry back Chris Brown and Hubby .

[The Red Baron]

At times like this when we are threadbare through injuries it might get the home crowd goin to get behind the team if we threw in a couple of youngsters like ... at left back the young Irish lad  in place of Wabara ,and Middeton in midield instead of Copps or Cotts who are both lacking in get up and go at the moment.

I see where your coming from with that but we don't want to damage their progress by throwing them in the shit when they are so young and inexperienced as it may do more damage than good.

Yes, but there's never a good time to blood young players, is there? If the team is winning games you don't want to disrupt a winning side. If they're losing, the theory goes that they will be damaged by the experience of defeat.

I take the view that if they're good enough, they're old enough. Billy Bremner believed in that approach and as a result brought through some of the best youngsters we've ever seen at the club.