As Cook was ploughing the lone furrow back from Gateshead last week with his fate already sealed, McGreal was turning off his light mentally preparing himself for his new role in the offing. The level of analysis and insight on Charlton couldn't have been starker as was shown last night.
Even the amateur tactician's lie myself and wkj who watched Charlton's FA Cup game discussed that Dobson was the main man we needed to keep quiet and that Jayiesemi was their main threat. The question was, how would we keep them quiet to control the game?
Moving Donacien to left-back reset all the good work Donacien has achieved this season; he looked lost and doesn't have a left foot, which left us really unbalanced and toothless going forward on that flank. While the move to put our best full-back defender up against their best wide attacking threat was logical, it became evidently implausible. Less said about the ability to motivate a seemingly unmotivated and disinterested midfield three of Fraser, Evans and Morsy to provide any support or cover the better.
Gateshead tactically were far superior to us. They played 3 up front and went man-for-man to stretch Charlton's back three and flooded the full backs into the pockets behind the Charlton wing-backs to pin them back and isolate Dobson in the centre causing him to drop deeper and defend. This is how you counter act Jackson, McGreal.
Instead, what did we get in response last night? After what seemed like an age consulting on the touchline Pigott came on for the hapless Fraser and we switched to 442; that decision was that and the game was up.
Reverting to a 442 played straight into Jackson's hands. Our two up top were easily outnumbered by their back three but more importantly, the removal of Fraser and the switch to a flatter midfield four just gave Dobson all the time and space he needed to read the game and cause havoc; 2 could have been 7 if weren't for the outstanding Walton.
Tactically inept even from a layman's point of view and pretty basic stuff. I read comments on here about people "buzzing" ahead of The Valley last night. Who buzzes heading to an in form rival when we're rudderless?
We are now looking over our shoulder and anyone coming in has a monumental task to get us promoted given the ludicrous decision making and public sentiment in the last week. This will be the biggest and most important appointment the club has ever made. One thing is for sure, McGreal will not be getting this job when Mike Williamson at Gateshead is far more tactically astute. |  |
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