Was I at a different game on Saturday...?

[maverick69]

well that's stating the obvious,kin ell. People slating Charlie have obviously never kicked a ball and truly understood the game.joint second with one up top at this stage,not too shabby in my book.

Not slating him. And the person I was sitting with played professionally.

[vanhoop]

Not slating him. And the person I was sitting with played professionally.

People I was with were slating him at a recent game until he scored.hard graft up there for Charlie on his own.who was the pro player you was with mavs?

[Jeems]

I love Charlie, the build up to his header was brilliant. He had the ball in the middle, passed it out wide - then turned, head down straight into the box and got on the end of the cross. Such a difference from our recent strikers, he's always looking for the ball in the box. He's good for 15+ this season.

[qprdel]

Not slating him. And the person I was sitting with played professionally.

So are these your observations or ones made my the ex professional? because i thought he looked pretty sharp

[Dazzer1977]

I know mate - we watch him week in week out working his nuts off and getting on the end of stuff, then someone pops up with a comment like he's a bit lazy on the "is he clinical enough" thread. Just wow: I guess maybe tv coverage gives that impression but one thing Charlie aint is lazy

I think this is the opinion of quite a few on here. You know who goes to games and who's making a passing comment from the 30 seconds seen at 11.35 on a Saturday evening.

[Tarbie]

Not sure where all this slating of Charlie Austin has come from. What's the deal, Zamora's injured and we've gotta have someone to whinge about?!!!

Top player at this level for me. Not gonna disagree that he does miss a chance or 2 but you've got to get yourself in the right positions to get the chances to miss in the first place. Charlie is sat on 7 goals in 14 games in all competitions, finally we've got a striker that averages a goal every 2 games (last one we've had that I can remember was Andy Thomson) and people wanna have a dig!

The real issue that needs addressing is where are the other goals are coming from. Our wingers are not in the goals nearly enough and there is nobody in the middle that looks like regularly chipping in. For me the answer is to go back to 2 up top, I think Johnson has got bags of goals in him at this level and I also think Austin will be more effective with a strike partner!

[maverick69]

People I was with were slating him at a recent game until he scored.hard graft up there for Charlie on his own.who was the pro player you was with mavs?

I think in the recent games he look sharp and worked tirelessly - so I agree that the slating him then is somewhat baffling.

It's just, as I said before, he looked half a yard off his usual "zip" (pace is perhaps not the correct word) until AJ came on. It's just how I - and the ex-footballer next to me saw it. But we all see the world through different eyes.

The ex-pro was my brother. Started off as a youth at Palace, then on to his dream at the Rangers just as the youth system went to pot..... Before finally heading off to Bournemouth to turn pro - where he properly did his back and ended up and Aldershot, Kingstonians and the like before he realised he would make more money as a site chippy...... and that was that! Got all his coaching badges and the like along the way though. Went to college with Gary O'Neil as part of the day release they got.

[Dazzer1977]

I was there on Saturday - and I think he looked lethargic/lazy. So did the folks sitting around us.

The general consensus was that he visibly had the hump playing up front on his own - or was carrying a knock.

Ironically, as soon as AJ came on and added a bit of impetus - he looked sharper and more up for it.

Definitely watched a completely different game to me then. Never won much in the air but that was due the him being up against a much bigger defender who is very good in the air. Saying that though he still forced two good saves from their keeper from headers and one from a shot (if my memory serves me right). Really baffled and can't see how you can say he was lazy? The final deliveries from Hoilett and Philips were poor. There was three times that he busted a gut and got himself into great positions if only Hoilett and Philips (twice) both looked up and squared it - he was free, in bundles of space with a clear shot on goal. And then when he wasn't getting the service up top he came deep to pick the ball up to get involved, spraying passes out wide before bombing on into the box only for as mentioned the poor deliveries from our wide men. Nothing person against you Maverick, just curious as to how you can say that he was lethargic/lazy - can you elaborate on the bits I missed and also how you came to the conclusion that he had the hump playing up top on his own. I'm being serious and really would like to keep this to a serious debate and I mean no jibs or digs at you in what I've posted.