Back From the Game

[paultheroyal]

I too was frustrated with the team selection last night....but the team that was put out tried their hardest and if it was not for the lack of finishing we could of won by a couple.

I do understand everyone's frustrations...but get used to it as this is what Premiership football is going to be about. We have strived for this for god so many years and it would be such a shame for this season to be tarnished with "what could of been" - i for one am loving this premiership experience....finish high up as we possibly can - but europe is not the be all and end all.

We could easily be where Sheffield United are right now - think about that - but then some might prefer that and see it as exciting.

Outsiders would be baffled with peoples opinions on this forum.

[Skin]

I can't be bothered to read 7 pages of what mostly appears to be fickle fans who are pissed off because we didn't win last night.
Some of the comments on here and the Leroy thread and the Sidwell thread are nothing short of a joke.
If you think your team don't try or individuals don't deserve your support then why are you bothering supporting them? You obviously know more than SC, and must know the players personally to know how they feel and what they think?
Since when did we start expecting to win every game and play like international superstars week in week out?

If you bothered to read the previous seven pages, you probably wouldn't have posted that load of tripe.

If you can't be bothered to read other people's opinions then you have no right to comment on them.

Sorry Shards, I did start but by page 3 it became obvious it was the same load of fickle monotomus (spelling?) shite that usually gets posted on here when we don't win...

[RoyalBlue]

I keep reading how we were hammering down the door in the second half but I can't remember their keeper making a single save.

What about Seol's effort for starters?

[Stranded]

I keep reading how we were hammering down the door in the second half but I can't remember their keeper making a single save.

What about Seol's effort for starters?

That wasn't in the 2nd half.

[Basingstoke Royal]

I have to disagree with the majority of people on here.

I thought the team played well last night and there were also lots of outstanding individual displays. The only players who didnt play tonight were Lita and Long. Seoul didnt give it 100%, but gave a lot more than normal.

We wanted to win that game. Each time the ball went out for a corner we chased it and got on with it. There was a lot of purpose and like SC said, we played with more desire than them.

All we lacked was someone to finish for us. Our forwards had a bad night at the office, and SC should have taken Long off with about half an hour left.

I enjoyed the game and thought number 13 did well tonight.

Bring on Fulham.

[southbank1871]

I have to disagree with the majority of people on here.

I don't think it is the majority that hold these views, it's just that they're shouting a bit louder.

[BR2]

As some of the posters fall into the "Coppell must never be criticised" category as he always knows best............I am loathe to comment however.....
BTW Alex Ferguson the most successful British manager over the past 20 years chose to play Fletcher and Richardson on Saturday and they lost...maybe,just maybe he got it wrong?

Anyway I have been looking back at when we played 4 games in 9 days around Christmas.
We came into the West Ham game having not won in the previous 6 (similar to yesterday) and yet having played AWAY to Man Utd for 30 minutes or so with 10 men we then played West Ham just 48 hours later and won 6-0-what might we have won by if the lads hadn't been exhausted?.
Guess what?
There was one voluntary change plus Murty's enforced change due to injury.

Yes 4 games in 9 days plus travelling and on the back of a poor run.
I mention this only because of the other "facts" quoted.
Like West Ham on New Year's Day Charlton were there for the taking and my view is that the side that worked so hard against Liverpool would have won last night-it's a view and can never be a fact but don't you think that Kitson would have caused Charlton's nervous defenders more trouble by his physical presence and greater awareness than the little boy lost ,Shane Long?.
In time Shane may well succeed (possibly as a winger) but at the moment he is way off being able to lead the line at this level.
The other changes probably made no difference but in this key area I think we missed a great opportunity to get nearer that European spot by getting 3 points instead of just the one.

Sorry I forgot,we don't want Europe but we want to finish as high as possible.......don't the two go together?

[lozz2601]

Not if we try and finish as high as possible without being in Europe. I can't see two of Bolton, Everton and Spurs slipping up that drastically, so it would be the highest we can finish behind those three.
i.e. don't drop any more places!

[Wycombe Royal]

Like West Ham on New Year's Day Charlton were there for the taking

There for the taking?

3 wins at home in a row.
5 clean sheets in their last 6 matches.
5 unbeaten (home and away)

Is that really the recent form of a team who are "there for the taking"?

[Adrian's Fool]

As some of the posters fall into the "Coppell must never be criticised" category as he always knows best............I am loathe to comment however.....
BTW Alex Ferguson the most successful British manager over the past 20 years chose to play Fletcher and Richardson on Saturday and they lost...maybe,just maybe he got it wrong?

Anyway I have been looking back at when we played 4 games in 9 days around Christmas.
We came into the West Ham game having not won in the previous 6 (similar to yesterday) and yet having played AWAY to Man Utd for 30 minutes or so with 10 men we then played West Ham just 48 hours later and won 6-0-what might we have won by if the lads hadn't been exhausted?.
Guess what?
There was one voluntary change plus Murty's enforced change due to injury.

Yes 4 games in 9 days plus travelling and on the back of a poor run.
I mention this only because of the other "facts" quoted.
Like West Ham on New Year's Day Charlton were there for the taking and my view is that the side that worked so hard against Liverpool would have won last night-it's a view and can never be a fact but don't you think that Kitson would have caused Charlton's nervous defenders more trouble by his physical presence and greater awareness than the little boy lost ,Shane Long?.
In time Shane may well succeed (possibly as a winger) but at the moment he is way off being able to lead the line at this level.
The other changes probably made no difference but in this key area I think we missed a great opportunity to get nearer that European spot by getting 3 points instead of just the one.

Sorry I forgot,we don't want Europe but we want to finish as high as possible.......don't the two go together?

There's actually a fair few good points in the midst of all that, I stand corrected. I think what has got a lot of people annoyed about this thread and others is the suggestion that SSC/ the team deliberately or otherwise did not give 100% to win.

That is the preposterous part of this whole argument.

[Stranded]

It is one thing to suggest that Coppell made a mistake in his team selection last night, I'd have no quibble with that opinion being expressed by people.

However the opinion by some on here is not that a mistake was made but that the selection represented an attempt by the management to not really try in the game. It's that I find a tad distasteful and disrespectful to those involved in the game last night.

Again, we created more than enough chances to win the game but didn't quite finish it off. Had we scored 1, then this discussion would never have occured.

[Hoop Blah]

Like West Ham on New Year's Day Charlton were there for the taking

There for the taking?

3 wins at home in a row.
5 clean sheets in their last 6 matches.
5 unbeaten (home and away)

Is that really the recent form of a team who are "there for the taking"?

When you take into account the opposition they've played in those games and the way that our weakened side pegged them back, I think you have to admit that it repersented one of our easier games of the season, and therefore three points were certainly there for the taking.

[Wycombe Royal]

Like West Ham on New Year's Day Charlton were there for the taking

There for the taking?

3 wins at home in a row.
5 clean sheets in their last 6 matches.
5 unbeaten (home and away)

Is that really the recent form of a team who are "there for the taking"?

When you take into account the opposition they've played in those games and the way that our weakened side pegged them back, I think you have to admit that it repersented one of our easier games of the season, and therefore three points were certainly there for the taking.

And when Charlton take into account the form we have been in they would have said that we were there for the taking.

Regardless who Charlton have faced in recent weeks, they have been in decent form and picking up results. That is not a team who are "there for the taking".

A team who haven't won in 6 games on the other hand.........

[Hoop Blah]

It is one thing to suggest that Coppell made a mistake in his team selection last night, I'd have no quibble with that opinion being expressed by people.

However the opinion by some on here is not that a mistake was made but that the selection represented an attempt by the management to not really try in the game. It's that I find a tad distasteful and disrespectful to those involved in the game last night.

I think the ascertion is that we didn't try our hardest because we didn't put out what would've been considered our strongest side.

Again, we created more than enough chances to win the game but didn't quite finish it off. Had we scored 1, then this discussion would never have occured.

It's one thing creating half chances but it's another thing being good enough to take them. The two forwards on the bench are better at both than Long and certainly better alround players than Lita even if not better finishers.

It's all opinion but I believe we'd have created more 'better' chances with Doyle and/or Kitson upfront than the series of decent half chances outside their box and Hunts poor header.

I still believe we're missing the intensity and drive that we had earlier in the season now that we're safe.

[Hoop Blah]

And when Charlton take into account the form we have been in they would have said that we were there for the taking.

Regardless who Charlton have faced in recent weeks, they have been in decent form and picking up results. That is not a team who are "there for the taking".

Perhaps we could've caught them off guard then whilst they were underestimating us instead of putting out a weakened side.

A team who haven't won in 6 games on the other hand.........

In which case we should've tried our hardest to win the game then no?

[Wycombe Royal]

And when Charlton take into account the form we have been in they would have said that we were there for the taking.

Regardless who Charlton have faced in recent weeks, they have been in decent form and picking up results. That is not a team who are "there for the taking".

Perhaps we could've caught them off guard then whilst they were underestimating us instead of putting out a weakened side.

A team who haven't won in 6 games on the other hand.........

In which case we should've tried our hardest to win the game then no?

Do you like circles?

[Vision]

I still believe we're missing the intensity and drive that we had earlier in the season now that we're safe.

I'm afraid that's the bit i totally disagree with. Team selections are one thing but i didn't think there was anything wrong with our drive and intensity last night. We played a side that were on a roll and desperate for the 3 points yet in the second half we were the ones making the running and taking the initiative.

[Basingstoke Royal]

I still believe we're missing the intensity and drive that we had earlier in the season now that we're safe.

I'm afraid that's the bit i totally disagree with. Team selections are one thing but i didn't think there was anything wrong with our drive and intensity last night. We played a side that were on a roll and desperate for the 3 points yet in the second half we were the ones making the running and taking the initiative.

Spot on. We put in more effort than the Charlton players last night. Hunty gives 110% all the time, and was our best player last night. Cant believe those fickle losers slagging him off on Saturday.

[Hoop Blah]

I still believe we're missing the intensity and drive that we had earlier in the season now that we're safe.

I'm afraid that's the bit i totally disagree with. Team selections are one thing but i didn't think there was anything wrong with our drive and intensity last night. We played a side that were on a roll and desperate for the 3 points yet in the second half we were the ones making the running and taking the initiative.

I don't necessarily mean against Charlton to honest, and I don't even think it's just on the pitch either (that might be the last place it gets to). I don't even think it's a concious thing but a natural response to a draining season which has seen a massive amount of effort throughout the club to achieve the results we have this season. It's just an outsiders gut feeling since we've been effectively safe.

I can't put my finger on specific examples to back up that feeling, although the team selection against Charlton does lend itself, it's just that end of season lull that we've not had for a few years because of play offs, promotions etc etc.

[Vision]

I still believe we're missing the intensity and drive that we had earlier in the season now that we're safe.

I'm afraid that's the bit i totally disagree with. Team selections are one thing but i didn't think there was anything wrong with our drive and intensity last night. We played a side that were on a roll and desperate for the 3 points yet in the second half we were the ones making the running and taking the initiative.

I don't necessarily mean against Charlton to honest, and I don't even think it's just on the pitch either (that might be the last place it gets to). I don't even think it's a concious thing but a natural response to a draining season which has seen a massive amount of effort throughout the club to achieve the results we have this season. It's just an outsiders gut feeling since we've been effectively safe.

I can't put my finger on specific examples to back up that feeling, although the team selection against Charlton does lend itself, it's just that end of season lull that we've not had for a few years because of play offs, promotions etc etc.

To be fair mate , i think that kind of hits the nail on the head. I think it's more of a feeling from ourselves than on the pitch. This time last year we had the Championship won and were just revelling in the moment so to speak. Up until then every season before that has had us with something to play for up to the last weekend of the season. This year as it's perceived that we "don't want Europe" it's very much a feeling of job done just by gaining the 40+ points which of course to a certain degree it is..

In reality however at Spurs and probably Pompey and Boro as well we didn't seem quite like our old selves. The last 2 games though i think we've really been at it on the pitch which is obviously the most important indicator that the players certainly aren't already "on their holidays"