EastStandBlue
Life President
Steve Collis - Looks assured between the sticks and confident enough to handle himself at this level. Offers the height advantage Flahavan lacks and handles set pieces well. Can’t comment on his kicks as I haven’t seen him take enough.
Darryl Flahavan - The usual from Flavs. Confident and assured in goal and bosses the back 4 extremely well. Much the same… has made some great stops and did well to deny Portsmouth their chances.
Simon Francis - a great improvement on Juppy in my opinion and a player who looks to have a good career ahead of him. Looks a bit shaky at times but others looks assured whilst under pressure and confident of remaining calm. Doubles up well when attacking and is also surprisingly good in the air. Another presence when defending set pieces.
Stevie Hammell - Thank god we have a left footed left back for once. Looks good on the ball and is very quick on tracking back and spreading himself between covering the last man and monitoring the opposite winger should they switch the play. Very good signing.
Adam Barrett - Goes up well but one thing that may cause problems is his lack of pace. Twice tonight Lua Lua turned him and left him for dead, but on the positive we haven’t seen him play alongside the pacier Sodje.
Che Wilson - Haven’t seen much of him to be honest but looks reserved to battle for his place after the signing of Francis and Hammell and has shown a good attitude. His link play with Gower looks good and his overlaps will suit to Championship football well.
Lewis Hunt - A great performance from him in the last game of the season has been followed on by some good, solid performances at Centre Back which have given me a great deal of confidence should Efe not be able to return in time. Same worry with Barrett though as he doesn’t look as pacy and Hammell was dragged in to deal with Lua Lua at times tonight.
Spencer Prior - A shame but has looked slightly off the boil. Appreciated he’s returning from injury but got beat in the air a few times and has looked sluggish. Possibly a year too far for Spinner.
Mark Gower - Still on the beach Mark? At times looked disinterested and unprepared to run for the ball which has cost us possession. His link up play with the full backs is good but lacks that burst of energy needed on the flanks. Must improve.
Freddy Eastwood - Made an absolute mockery of Pompey tonight, left Mendes for dead several times and scored a great goal inside 15 seconds. How’s that for someone you released Redknapp?. Looked great and willing to chase down a lost cause. Plays like that every match and will notch up 20 goals in no time.
Mitchell Cole - Still needs to bulk up but has looked energetic, which is more than I can say for Gower. His final product looks good and has developed an understanding between him and Guttridge that when Gutt’s feigns to shoot, the ball goes to Cole who can deliver a good ball into the box which works well.
Lee Bradbury - Neglects to shoot and sometimes gets caught between two minds whether to slide a ball through or to have a crack. May find his future lies on the wing or in the centre of midfield as I have yet to seem him have a powerful shot on goal that wasn’t directly at the keeper.
Luke Guttridge - Back to his tenacious best that we saw from him before his cautions got the better of him last season and has run the show in midfield at times. Very complete midfielder who has great awareness and reads the game well. Looks to have honed his shooting prowess and has become more selective which is a good thing.
Michael Ricketts - Him and Eastwood have the potential to cook up a great partnership. Good in the air with a bullet header on him and his link up play is good. The tricky part is to get him fit though, but if this is done will be a great signing.
Efe Sodje - Hopefully can regain fitness quick as his pace is much needed at the back.
Jamal Campbell-Ryce - I knew he would do it. Proved to everyone why we signed him this preseason and has looked a fantastic acquisition for the price we paid. Greta tough, electric pace, skilful and has found his end product. Can’t wait to see him competitively after the bad press he got.
James Lawson - Looks to have improved over the summer and may be worth keeping from loan… didn’t think I’d say that at the beginning of the summer but has done well.
Trialists
Gary Hooper is worth a years deal. Good awareness and has a great touch, took his goal at Orient very well and with the right coaching has the right ability to become a good player.
Mssassi looked good enough to have an extended trial but also looked at times not good enough. Knew were the goal was from midfield but lacked a lot from his game to warrant a deal from what I saw.
Kemidje(sp) not good enough. Didn’t look near the standard we were looking for and definitely lacked the ability to warrant a deal.
Darryl Flahavan - The usual from Flavs. Confident and assured in goal and bosses the back 4 extremely well. Much the same… has made some great stops and did well to deny Portsmouth their chances.
Simon Francis - a great improvement on Juppy in my opinion and a player who looks to have a good career ahead of him. Looks a bit shaky at times but others looks assured whilst under pressure and confident of remaining calm. Doubles up well when attacking and is also surprisingly good in the air. Another presence when defending set pieces.
Stevie Hammell - Thank god we have a left footed left back for once. Looks good on the ball and is very quick on tracking back and spreading himself between covering the last man and monitoring the opposite winger should they switch the play. Very good signing.
Adam Barrett - Goes up well but one thing that may cause problems is his lack of pace. Twice tonight Lua Lua turned him and left him for dead, but on the positive we haven’t seen him play alongside the pacier Sodje.
Che Wilson - Haven’t seen much of him to be honest but looks reserved to battle for his place after the signing of Francis and Hammell and has shown a good attitude. His link play with Gower looks good and his overlaps will suit to Championship football well.
Lewis Hunt - A great performance from him in the last game of the season has been followed on by some good, solid performances at Centre Back which have given me a great deal of confidence should Efe not be able to return in time. Same worry with Barrett though as he doesn’t look as pacy and Hammell was dragged in to deal with Lua Lua at times tonight.
Spencer Prior - A shame but has looked slightly off the boil. Appreciated he’s returning from injury but got beat in the air a few times and has looked sluggish. Possibly a year too far for Spinner.
Mark Gower - Still on the beach Mark? At times looked disinterested and unprepared to run for the ball which has cost us possession. His link up play with the full backs is good but lacks that burst of energy needed on the flanks. Must improve.
Freddy Eastwood - Made an absolute mockery of Pompey tonight, left Mendes for dead several times and scored a great goal inside 15 seconds. How’s that for someone you released Redknapp?. Looked great and willing to chase down a lost cause. Plays like that every match and will notch up 20 goals in no time.
Mitchell Cole - Still needs to bulk up but has looked energetic, which is more than I can say for Gower. His final product looks good and has developed an understanding between him and Guttridge that when Gutt’s feigns to shoot, the ball goes to Cole who can deliver a good ball into the box which works well.
Lee Bradbury - Neglects to shoot and sometimes gets caught between two minds whether to slide a ball through or to have a crack. May find his future lies on the wing or in the centre of midfield as I have yet to seem him have a powerful shot on goal that wasn’t directly at the keeper.
Luke Guttridge - Back to his tenacious best that we saw from him before his cautions got the better of him last season and has run the show in midfield at times. Very complete midfielder who has great awareness and reads the game well. Looks to have honed his shooting prowess and has become more selective which is a good thing.
Michael Ricketts - Him and Eastwood have the potential to cook up a great partnership. Good in the air with a bullet header on him and his link up play is good. The tricky part is to get him fit though, but if this is done will be a great signing.
Efe Sodje - Hopefully can regain fitness quick as his pace is much needed at the back.
Jamal Campbell-Ryce - I knew he would do it. Proved to everyone why we signed him this preseason and has looked a fantastic acquisition for the price we paid. Greta tough, electric pace, skilful and has found his end product. Can’t wait to see him competitively after the bad press he got.
James Lawson - Looks to have improved over the summer and may be worth keeping from loan… didn’t think I’d say that at the beginning of the summer but has done well.
Trialists
Gary Hooper is worth a years deal. Good awareness and has a great touch, took his goal at Orient very well and with the right coaching has the right ability to become a good player.
Mssassi looked good enough to have an extended trial but also looked at times not good enough. Knew were the goal was from midfield but lacked a lot from his game to warrant a deal from what I saw.
Kemidje(sp) not good enough. Didn’t look near the standard we were looking for and definitely lacked the ability to warrant a deal.
