Baird of the land

At this point in his career he’s pretty limited and not a good replacement for a mobile midfielder like Charles. As for tonight he was competent, not great, not terrible. difference in the midfield today vs Saturday was downes, who was excellent defensively and getting forward. I don’t think it should be odd to push back on suggestions that he should be in our best xi.

I’m happy with the win but trying to claim that jwp has been virtually flawless is having a laugh.

Jwp is not.

Where was that goal you promised?

Key players turned up azaz, scienza, larin. Interesting to see downes playing further forward. Not sure it’s his ideal position but certainly on today’s evidence more effective at it than the crablike jwp.

I really hope we don't plan on starting those 3 in midfield.

Jwp was just going for safe passes, which is why there was so much green. Having one safe crab is ok but the problem was that we also had downes doing exactly the same thing. Midfield was horribly limited, further up the pitch players are getting the ball in poorer positions, when the they are trying to make things happen.

Hopefully after their strong start they’ll come onto us like Millwall, which will help us break them down despite our horribly limited midfield.

Yeah if you said blond, neat.and tidy cm I’d have no clue whether you meant downes or jwp, which is a problem imo, especially when there’s a brown haired variant on the bench.

See Shea is starting for Fulham.

After the excitement of securing peretz and larin the transfer window really went sour for me. Schlotterbeck the only other signing I’m remotely impressed with.

Maybe the drop off is because 4 key players were taken away (3 sold and 1 injured) and replaced substandardly..

lol, a sideways pass that Welington turned into a worldie. Just like I loved dowie’s assist to le tiss back in the day. If he hadn’t of put the ball way behind le tiss he never would have flicked it over his head, over the Newcastle defenders head and past hooper.

Guess we’ll see if they invest in a proper midfielder and a proper striker in January, or stash the cash.

Yep drove me crazy how crablike our midfield was.

I’d describe today’s performance as functional/competent, certainly not a standout performer. Not his fault he doesn’t offer any of the attributes Charles provided, that’s on the club for cheapskating it.

Or maybe sign a cm who can run with the ball like the one we lost. That opens up space for players in front.

Made me laugh when just before ht the now commentator brought up his touch map and said he just seems to be playing the ball sideways and back.

The problem is the midfield and attack had already surrendered the momentum. Not sure a straight swap would have worked any better. I’d have marginally preferred a third crab in cm, which is saying something given how much I dislike our cm.

I’d say spors decisions for the season are looking terrible. Not replacing Charles, Stewart and likely Thb properly and prioritising a player the manager only turned to in the 80th minute.

I don’t see how anyone can walk away from that and go it’s because Stephens played. The funny thing is it’s wood who gets done in the air for the goal.

He’s weird (held the ball up well in the corner, wins a header from a corner), but when the ball is hit up to him he seems to have no idea how to use his body.

Our Cm area is just so poor. you look at the club splurging 9m on dobbin(who is behind Edozie in the pecking order) rather than a proper Charles replacement or more ready Stewart replacement. tonda’s subs were poor too.

Losing Charles and not investing in a similar replacement.

Thank goodness for a Welington worldie game has done nothing to reassure me that our underinvestment in a proper Charles replacement won’t bite us. Seeing notifications of 3 goals stoke’s good signings are scoring extra salt in the wound.