[madsteve]

A third consecutive flat performance. Playing a full strength team against Arsenal has cost us five league points that we should have won. We beat Forest courtesy of a moment of brilliance from FF but lacked the intensity against Brighton & Charlton. Only time will tell if CC made the right decision to sacrifice five points for that great night against Arsenal. We have two weeks now to recharge our batteries but we face a similar decision soon against Stoke, where playing our strongest team could cost us more league points.

CC gave Hooper his first start & it was clear in the warm up that he is a quality finisher, far better than anything we have seen for years. As soon as the match started, it was clear that we looked tired & Charlton were up for it. Inevitably they scored when we failed to mark up at a corner and went 2-0 when Hunt was easily beaten and they had a tap in.

Joao & Sasso replaced Hutchinson & Loovens at half time but we were soon 3-0 down when Charlton ripped through our right flank again to create another tap in. After that we played a bit better & were rewarded with a consolation from FF but we never worked their keeper.

Hutchinson & Bannan worked hard but to little effect. Lee found some good positions, Hooper won some good balls and FF flitted in and out of the match. It was a tough day to be a striker with no service. From two promising positions, McGugan & Pudil each hit balls straight over everyone's heads & out for goal kicks

Westwood - 5 - maybe could have saved the third
Hunt - 3 - defensively inept
Lees - 5 - struggled
Loovens - 4 - couple of mistakes
Pudil - 6 - main source of attacks
Hutchinson - 5 - wild tackle, out for two matches
Lee - 6 - good movement
Wallace - 4 - Looked tired
FF - 6 - flitted in & out of match
Bannan - 5 - worked hard but lacked quality
Hooper - 6 - worked hard but no service
.................................
Joao - 6 - bright but off target
Sasso - 6 - looked quality
McGugan - 5 - linked play but created little

Stat Attack:

Goals:

FF - 1

Assists:

Lee - 1

Tackles:

Lee - 4
Loovens - 3
FF - 2
Sasso - 2
Hunt - 1
Wallace - 1
Hutchinson - 1
Bannan - 1

Interceptions:

Lees - 3
Pudil - 2
Hutchinson - 2
Hunt - 1
Loovens - 1
Lee - 1
Bannan - 1
Hooper - 1
Sasso - 1
McGugan - 1

Clearances:

Loovens - 4
Lees - 2
Hutchinson - 2
Sasso - 2
Lee - 1
Joao - 1

Attempts:

FF - 5
Joao - 3
McGugan - 2

Attempts on Target:

FF - 2

Key Passes:

Wallace - 4
Lee - 1
Bannan - 1
Hooper - 1

Dribbles:

Lee - 2
Joao - 2
Hunt - 1
Bannan - 1
FF - 1
Hooper - 1

Dispossessed:

Lee - 2
Hooper - 2
Hunt - 1
Pudil - 1
Wallace - 1
Hutchinson - 1

Bad Control:

FF - 5
Bannan - 3
Lee - 2
Hooper - 1
Hunt - 1
Wallace - 1

Crosses:

Wallace - 9 (3 accurate)
Hunt - 3 (1 accurate)
Lee - 2 (1 accurate)
Bannan - 2 (0 accurate)
Pudil - 1 (0 accurate)
FF - 1 (0 accurate)
McGugan - 1 (0 accurate)

Passing Accuracy (Total Passes in Brackets):

Sasso - 94% (18)
Hutchinson - 81% (16)
Wallace - 81% (31)
Bannan - 79% (63)
Lees - 79% (28)
McGugan - 77% (22)
Hooper - 74% (23)
Hunt - 72% (36)
Loovens - 71% (17)
Pudil - 70% (57)
FF - 69% (26)
Lee - 64% (33)
Joao - 40% (10)
Westwood - 39% (33)

If we continue our cup run or have a run in the FA Cup, we have to use our full squad to accommodate these extra matches or lose points in the league. There is little point having a big squad when players like McGugan, Sasso, Palmer & Wiggins have started a total of three matches between them during the last run of games since the international break.

If we sneak into 6th place and get promotion via the Playoffs then it will have been worth it but if we finish 7th then it will have been a season wasted. A dose of reality - we are ten points off the promotion places and eleven points off the relegation places.