[Archived] Charlton Away 23.1.2015

[Tom]

My lasting memory was the Rabona at Yeovil, insanely tricky technique and nearly a worldie........nearly.

[DE.]

I remember him scoring a lovely goal, I think against Fulham? I thought then that he might become a special player for us. Sadly it wasn't to be.

[Blue blood]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRThe14Nm4w

Highlights.

Perhaps to offer a brief example of what Evans 'does', see at 0:50. Akpan loses it, Taylor's committed further forward, so no Rover to back him up it seems... ah, Evans jumps in to pass it back to Akpan, who slots it to Henley for the cross that got the goal.

(Probably the one moment of the game where Taylor-Henley seemed to combine rather well!)

I think the problem is if Evans is playing the DM role, which I think he does rather effectively (if anonymously at times!), then we need Akpan playing further up (which is working in this highlight). But Akpan's also a physical, determined ball-winner who sometimes gets stuck further back, leaving nobody to pass to when we win the ball back. So, perhaps that's where Evans needs to get more assertive, leaving Akpan further up. Alternatively, they could switch it with Evans further up as he can be pretty tidy with the ball, if not having the physical presence of Akpan if we're doing long balls... I think they're both decent Championship players, but it may be a matter of trying to fit square pegs into round holes!

Good analysis and points. Feel though Evans doesn't do enough of that to warrant a place in the team. To me Apkan can be the enforcer who can get up and down, and that's more of what we need. Either way we totally need someone composed in midfield to play alongside Apkan/Evans.

Another point is that if the wingers created more or we had a cb who could play it better perhaps we could get away with these 2 at cm. Or even someone in the hole with more consistency and presence than Lawrence.

I guess what we do will depend on who we can get in and how many others need replacing. At the moment the midfield as a whole doesn't work together, or perhaps that should be the whole team, in an offensive capacity. Very few players compliment each other offensively which could be our problem as much as anything else. No one else in the front 6 is really a presence which is very needed in this division.

[RevidgeBlue]

Rochina played the best pass I've ever seen in a home game against Birmingham I think it was whilst Berg was in charge which I think we drew 0-0.

The opposition defence were lined up on the edge of the 6 yard box trying to play offside and RR dinked a little two yard pass up in the air with all the precision of a 60 degree sand wedge from the edge of the green. Sheer genius. If Formica had have read it he'd have been left with practically an empty net from three yards but unfortunately he failed to anticipate what RR was going to do and the chance came to nothing.

Bit like RR's career here really, no near and yet so far. Would love him back.

[frosty]

I was a Ruben fan. All the examples above people are describing (and I can think of a few more moments of genius from him, both in the PL and Championship), is there anybody in our current squad who would be capable of such quality?

Give me a Ruben, a flair player capable of brilliance but who can also frustrate and give the ball away trying something audacious, any day over a lower league steady Eddie journeyman who you can go the full 90 without even noticing.

[yoda]

I was a Ruben fan. All the examples above people are describing (and I can think of a few more moments of genius from him, both in the PL and Championship), is there anybody in our current squad who would be capable of such quality?

Give me a Ruben, a flair player capable of brilliance but who can also frustrate and give the ball away trying something audacious, any day over a lower league steady Eddie journeyman who you can go the full 90 without even noticing.

It's the kind of debate that has been going since football was invented, 11 George Bests or 11 Nobby Styles, who would be more successful ?

[Spalding Rover]

the cross ruben did at peterborough to rhodes was something else. we should of never sold him.

[47er]

No question that Rochina had immense natural talent but his overall contribution was never good enough.

Isolated pieces of brilliance just don't cut it.

[Spalding Rover]

No question that Rochina had immense natural talent but his overall contribution was never good enough.

Isolated pieces of brilliance just don't cut it.

it would be nice now to have a single piece of brilliance now, or just standard skill.

[tomphil]

Ruben was frustrating for sure but then so can Marshall & Conway in a more predictable way. Dunny was frustrating at times as well, I think it goes with turf with flair players.

[rovermagic]

Not sure about great but he was certainly good enough to shine in an average team in an average skill wise Championship. Any player that managed to look good at times under Kean must have a bit of something about him, Connections to the terrible duo meant he needed moving out though.

Yes I'd have him back, more flair in his big toe on his bad foot than anyone in our squad at the min.

Not sure about great but he was certainly good enough to shine in an average team in an average skill wise Championship. Any player that managed to look good at times under Kean must have a bit of something about him, Connections to the terrible duo meant he needed moving out though.

Yes I'd have him back, more flair in his big toe on his bad foot than anyone in our squad at the min.

[rovermagic]

Rochina, Judge, Cairney - we can't keep letting go our creative midfielders (or no 10s). Fans need to become tolerant of mistakes. No team makes more mistakes than Leicester. Players need to be able to take risks. Bennett and Jackdon need to be allowed to play. The best 4-5 Championship clubs tend to have several small, quick, technical players like them. Akpan is strong, a good defensive midfielder. But my son supports Reading and said his technical limitations were apparent there.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

Fans can be tolerant of mistakes of flair players. As somebody said earlier Tugay had an imaginary friend at times. It is no good being a flair player whose magic comes off 1 time in 20 that means 19 times it has been wasted. IMO Rochina was one of those type. In Spain he has a split second longer on the ball which may allow him to make a better selection. Also he playing with a better level of player who can read his style better than the players here at the time

Judge was never given a run of games at Rovers to see if he could cut it at this level which was a real shame.

[Paul]

If Rochina reached his potential, he'd be playing for Real Madrid.

In 12/13, he scored 5 goals & made 3 assists in 18 apps. So people can keep referring to him as just a showpony, but the stats tell a somewhat different story. Admittedly, at times there couldn't have been a more frustrating player to watch, but he did have quality and a more adventurous manager would've stuck with him.

I very rarely, if ever, look at player stats but speaking generally if these are considered good I have to question what on earth modern footballers get up to for 90 minutes.

Given his position I suppose five goals in 18 games is OK as it extrapolates to 10-12 for a season but 3 assists? I can't see how creating 3 opportunities for a team mate can be considered an adequate contribution to the team. That equates to 6-8 for a season.

[Lancaster Rover]

I think in general fans are tolerant of flair players mistakes in the final 3rd. What is unforgivable though in my book is needless showboating in defensive areas, which unfortunately Rochina was often guilty. If he could have had that coached out of him he'd have been fantastic, but then if that had been the case Barcelona probably wouldn't have let him go.

[Amo]

Given his position I suppose five goals in 18 games is OK as it extrapolates to 10-12 for a season but 3 assists? I can't see how creating 3 opportunities for a team mate can be considered an adequate contribution to the team. That equates to 6-8 for a season.

Those stats are well above average for an attacking midfielder.

Tom Cairney won player of the season with 3 goals & 6 assists in 30-odd games.

[den]

Those stats are well above average for an attacking midfielder.Tom Cairney won player of the season with 3 goals & 6 assists in 30-odd games.

Doesn't that prove how misleading stats actually are?

[Paul]

Those stats are well above average for an attacking midfielder.

Tom Cairney won player of the season with 3 goals & 6 assists in 30-odd games.

As I said I don't study stats but if that's our player of the season it proves how awful Bowyer's team was. I presume an assist is a pass leading to a goal? 6 in a season from any artacking midfielder is pathetic whatever the average may be.

I'm not having a dig at you Amarillo but if this is how a modern footballer is measured we need to take a long hard look at what is clearly very, very poor standards across the game.

[DE.]

As I said I don't study stats but if that's our player of the season it proves how awful Bowyer's team was. I presume an assist is a pass leading to a goal? 6 in a season from any artacking midfielder is pathetic whatever the average may be.

I'm not having a dig at you Amarillo but if this is how a modern footballer is measured we need to take a long hard look at what is clearly very, very poor standards across the game.

Didn't Marcus Olsson's player of the season video package consist of a couple of crosses and a tackle?

[JBiz]

Olsson had a consistent season which put him in the bracket when you consider the inconsistency of the others.

Let's not play this any other way, we are potentially weaker without him.

[rigger]

Olsson had a consistent season which put him in the bracket when you consider the inconsistency of the others.

Let's not play this any other way, we are potentially weaker without him.

Surely, if we are only potentially weaker, and not actually weaker ,without him. Then we are also potentially stronger without him. No-one will ever know for certain.

[DE.]

Olsson had a consistent season which put him in the bracket when you consider the inconsistency of the others.

Let's not play this any other way, we are potentially weaker without him.

Would you say he was consistently good though, or just consistent? Is the latter enough if we want to get promoted?

[JBiz]

Depends but look at the squad. I thought Spurr was useful initially and it may go that way again, however I believe olsson is a better player than him now.

I can understand the method in selling a player with only 6 months to go on his contract but it's not going to change the fact it will make us weaker.

[chaddyrovers]

Depends but look at the squad. I thought Spurr was useful initially and it may go that way again, however I believe olsson is a better player than him now.

I can understand the method in selling a player with only 6 months to go on his contract but it's not going to change the fact it will make us weaker.

Make us weaker? Surely that depends who Lambert brings in tbf

[K-Hod]

I think he means without bringing in a replacement tbh. In isolation he's right, though you'd expect Lambert to seek cover asap if Olsson were to leave.

The money being talked about for Olsson with only 6 months left on his contract would be generous in any event.

Personally I hope Derby bottle it again and get hit with a transfer embargo after trying to buy every single player in the league to get promoted again.