4 defeats before Christmas,automatics, nah not unless we go on an incredible run, playoffs, maybe / should be, another season of missed opportunities and what might have been, more likely, just go please Roland!
Dijksteel needs to shape up. I don't really buy the whole "he's a defensive midfielder" thing. Full back is the easiest position of the lot....all you need is a positive mind set . We get a throw just in their half and he's looking backwards. If and when we either get players back or we switch to Mark Marshall, then he needs to be loaned into Div 2 or non league.
Fosu flatters at home. His away record is excellent but only has one goal at home and doesn't create a lot. He was clogging it up today. Have him as sub and start Ward (who looks good to me).
Overall....some of the ball winning and passing was fine.....but when it came to killer balls, Cov did it when it counted (the ball for the winner was superb). When we did it (Solly cross for Taylor) we didn't put it away.
Did some chump on the pre match thread predict a 4-0 home win? Does he not know that this is Charlton. A once well run, well supported club that is in a terrible decline. We will keep on sleep walking into oblivion, all the while Douchbag is here and all the while we have ridiculously over optimistic supporters who cannot see what is in front of them.There is not a chance that we can get promotion. The football is almost an irrevelance. The first and last priority is to get this clown out of our club. All power to CARD. Let us really step up the protests now.
I’m still scratching my head as to how we managed to lose that game. The formation is very attacking, with Fosu, Aribo and Reeves all offensive players, so we’re always going to be a bit vulnerable, although I thought we played some very good stuff going forward - albeit we still seem to spend a little too much time passing the ball along the back four and allowing the opposition to get back into shape.
Overall, we were better than Coventry in the first half and really troubled them with some clever and intricate attacking play. We had two gilt edged chances to their one (when their guy ballooned a cross over from 10 yards out), although I thought they scored a perfectly good goal when Steer fumbled a through ball and the ref gave him the benefit of the doubt. We were in line with that and I thought we were fortunate.
An excellent start to the second half and Coventry really struggled to cope with us. Unfortunately, however, we weren’t able to keep up the intensity, the game quietened for a period and then we entered the nervous last 10 minutes. I felt there was likely to be another goal in the game and was hoping we could clinch it, although they opened us up down our right hand side and suddenly it was 1-1. Ward had a good chance to win it at the death but, moments later, they found another free man on the left of our box and it was game over.
An undeserved loss but I don’t think that we - or, more importantly - the players, really ever believed that we could keep a clean sheet. Moreover, although we had a lot of possession in the second half, I don’t remember too many chances, other than Ward’s last gasp header.
As to performances, I thought that Lyle Taylor had an excellent game and that Josh Cullen really held the midfield together in the second half. The team is, however, unbalanced and Anfernee Dijksteel (a fine player from all that I’ve seen) looked out of sorts at right back.
We have two weeks now to take stock and regroup. I think we’ll be better with Bielik back in central defence, Solly at right back and Naby on the left (albeit certainly not his natural position). Once Bauer eventually returns, there might be some merit in playing both Bielik and Cullen in midfield in order to establish a more solid defensive base. The diamond formation is leaving us too vulnerable with our present personnel and a tactical rethink may be in order.
No point in getting too downhearted. Overall it was a very decent game and one that we most certainly did not deserve to lose.
poor selection .. our defence is useless at Scunny and is retained en masse a few days later .. I assume Solly was a fish out of water at left back .. Bielek was on the bench, why didn't he start ? .. at least we are not alone .. Posh thumped at home as were Donny, who'd'a thought the Gills would win at Pompey .. still all to play for
You assume wrong. He was fine, did a decent job as he usually has done at left back.
However neither Dijksteel, a defensive midfielder, or Solly, on his wrong side, offered much as an attacking threat. Solly used his left foot at times but mainly came back on his right which sometimes slowed the attacking down. That’s where we missed Page.
It was obvious we needed a second goal and didn’t get it. Nearly won at the end through Ward, instead we missed and straight after that Coventry scored.
Got to be better at both ends. First half we had a great chance blocked/cleared (Grant and Fosu?) and another, a Taylor header he didn’t get enough power or direction on which was saved on the line by their keeper.
Taylor had a good game, both creating chances for other and looking to score himself.
Aribo seemed to disappear as the game went on, almost forgot he was playing.
We looked good on the ball, tried get in behind and put in different types of crosses but we didn’t do enough to win the game. Being only 1-0 up meant the game could go either way. Had we got that second goal I think we’d have been fairly comfortable, well as much as a Charlton team can with that score line anyway.
so .. Solly couldn't get forward, couldn't use his left foot, slowed the attack down and wasn't a 'fish out of water' .. he's playing out of position what did you expect .. a terrific player for us BUT he's NOT a left back ..i.e. a fish out of water .. what about the rest of my post ? .. why no Bielek ? ..
He did get forward, but not in the way that a natural left footed left back would. I said it sometimes slowed down the attack, not every time. It was his excellent cross that Taylor should have scored from.
He had a decent game, describing him as a "fish out of water" suggests he struggled and shouldn't play there again.
Scoring 1 goal and conceding 2 wasn't down to Solly. Others missed chances, made the wrong decisions, had crosses blocked, made mistakes defensively etc.
With Bielik back Bowyer has the option of a back four of Solly Bielik Pearce Sarr, which would be more balanced.
The penalty looked a bit iffy. There were other chances we should have put away. Just hit the target - surely a professional footballer should be able to do this ??
PWR Played some great stuff, at times. Penalty timing was perfect - great time to score. Couldn't see anything but a win. Aribo, Cullen and Reeves working well together - even the defence doing a reasonable job and Taylor and Grant with a good understanding. Second half their manager decided to change things and bought on 2 big, strong attackers and they went for it and succeeded. For me taking off Reeves was a big mistake. The midfield became unbalanced and it only helped them. Reeves was having a good game and poor George wasn't really ready for it. He looked a bit tired and off the pace. Could feel the equaliser coming but the winner was a real kick in the teeth. Long journey home...
poor selection .. our defence is useless at Scunny and is retained en masse a few days later .. I assume Solly was a fish out of water at left back .. Bielek was on the bench, why didn't he start ? .. at least we are not alone .. Posh thumped at home as were Donny, who'd'a thought the Gills would win at Pompey .. still all to play for
You assume wrong. He was fine, did a decent job as he usually has done at left back.
However neither Dijksteel, a defensive midfielder, or Solly, on his wrong side, offered much as an attacking threat. Solly used his left foot at times but mainly came back on his right which sometimes slowed the attacking down. That’s where we missed Page.
It was obvious we needed a second goal and didn’t get it. Nearly won at the end through Ward, instead we missed and straight after that Coventry scored.
Got to be better at both ends. First half we had a great chance blocked/cleared (Grant and Fosu?) and another, a Taylor header he didn’t get enough power or direction on which was saved on the line by their keeper.
Taylor had a good game, both creating chances for other and looking to score himself.
Aribo seemed to disappear as the game went on, almost forgot he was playing.
We looked good on the ball, tried get in behind and put in different types of crosses but we didn’t do enough to win the game. Being only 1-0 up meant the game could go either way. Had we got that second goal I think we’d have been fairly comfortable, well as much as a Charlton team can with that score line anyway.
so .. Solly couldn't get forward, couldn't use his left foot, slowed the attack down and wasn't a 'fish out of water' .. he's playing out of position what did you expect .. a terrific player for us BUT he's NOT a left back ..i.e. a fish out of water .. what about the rest of my post ? .. why no Bielek ? ..
He did get forward, but not in the way that a natural left footed left back would. I said it sometimes slowed down the attack, not every time. It was his excellent cross that Taylor should have scored from.
He had a decent game, describing him as a "fish out of water" suggests he struggled and shouldn't play there again.
Scoring 1 goal and conceding 2 wasn't down to Solly. Others missed chances, made the wrong decisions, had crosses blocked, made mistakes defensively etc.
With Bielik back Bowyer has the option of a back four of Solly Bielik Pearce Sarr, which would be more balanced.
Solly's difficulty was that the midfield diamond formation was far too narrow. So many times he'd find himself with the ball out on the wing but completely isolated. The only players ahead of him were Coventry defenders and his only support available by playing back in to the middle which was crammed with Coventry players. How many times in the first half did he end up faffing about with pointless passes on the halfway, unable to work the ball through Coventry's midfield?
Boycotter so only seen clip of 2nd goal where I criticised Steer and Pearce. But in retrospect Djiksteel was 1 on 2 with no support in the frame and when the cross came over, nobody between the crosser and Pearce. Precious few red shirts in shot. In retro seems organisation failures although no excuse for Steer.
I am a Charlton supporter and used to that feeling.
I finally thought that with an old player back in charge, choosing his own type of player albeit under strained financial circumstances, I could put the horror show of Monsieur Roland Dipshit to the back of my mind...
Hell no. What is happening here? are we that perpetually cursed as a club that we continue to repeat the same mistakes? Seems so. Put your hands up if you thought at 1-0 up with 10 minutes of normal time to go at home, that a oh too obvious kick in the bollocks was on it's way? One... two... three... f..o..u... yep quite a few of us I see.
Well at this moment in time I fucking hate you Charlton, but i'll be back loving you at 3 o'clock on the 20th!
The penalty looked a bit iffy. There were other chances we should have put away. Just hit the target - surely a professional footballer should be able to do this ??
Bizarre. I'm in a hotel in Andorra. The restaurant floor is artistically decorated with what looks like bits of wooden crates, and the name St Truiden is there. Over and over again. I've got a photo but don't know how to load it. Probably for the best after today.
First thing to say - Lyle Taylor was magnificent for the whole 90 minutes. He was everywhere, beating players and carrying our major goal threat. He did not deserve to be on the losing side.
Secondly - it feels like a smash and grab but we only have ourselves to blame.For about 70 minutes we were far superior to Coventry but without creating enough chances and being clinical enough when they did come along. Even near the end Jamie Ward had a golden chance to ut us 2-1 up but headed wide in front of a gaping goal. As soon as Coventry realised they were in with a shout and started applying some pressure, we just folded. Djiksteel just isn't good enough at RB. It is absolutely no surprise that both Coventry goals came from breaks down his flank. He is too slow, gets turned too easily and just doesn't add anything to attacking moves. A modern full back makes as much of a contribution going forwards as in defence. We desperately need to strengthen in both full back positions if we really want to challenge for promotion.
Other than that - Steer looks dodgy. He just lets in too many goals, especially from close in. Cullen, Reeves and Fosu looked classy in midfield but we have to create more.
That's drawn one and lost two in the last three games. Not good enough.
Great summary Davo. Agree 100% re Taylor, didn’t deserve to be on the losing team
I’m fuming. Not acceptable
I can vouch for that. cabbles was having his first meltdown of the season.
They were silent for the whole of the first half. I even commented to my dad about how quiet it was for such a big away following. Picked up in the second half but I wouldn't say I was overly impressed by them if you were to compare them to us at Pompey, Southend or Luton on recent outings.
In the first half, when 0-0 I was sure there would be goals At half time I was sure the game wouldn't finish 1-0 In added time at 1-1 I was confident there would be another goal
Our matches are quite predictable at the moment. Goals at both ends, as we have attacking threat but look so vulnerable at the back, and there are always late twists. Sadly this time it wasn't to our benefit.
Managed to avoid thinking about the game as was watching Strictly (which was really good and therapeutic)
Had no confidence in our defence to hold out, as the current back 4 isn't good enough, and they don't get enough protection in front of them. If we have no fit defenders on the bench (Bielik is clearly not ready yet) but can leave Marshall out of the squad completely, there's something wrong with the squad balance.
Taylor was brilliant BUT missed an absolute sitter in the first half. Reeves was excellent, not idea why he was taken off as he did so much work in a deep role. Djiksteel was poor, but left very exposed after Reeves went off. Unconvinced by Steer.
My views after having a few hours to calm down............
I don't blame the defence - If we had got a 2nd goal we wouldn't have lost. End of. Probably wouldn't have conceded at all. A 2nd goal is vital when 1-0 up. Looking at the highlights on Sky we had plenty of chances to get that 2nd. Taylor, for all the great work he done (and my MOTM) should have buried that header in the first half. Aribo was unlucky in the 1st half - great save by their keeper. Ward should have got his header on target.
said it last week & will say it again, just in case LB reads this. DO NOT PLAY A RIGHT FOOTED RB AT LB. Solly hardly went past his man as he has no left foot (certainly not good enough to beat a player with) and 90% of the time either cut back onto his right & went square or played it back to Sarr. Dijkstel is not a RB. Sarr is left footed. He should play LB, or if you want him in the centre then play Mascoll - A FECKING LEFT BACK. We didn't lose the match because Solly was at LB, but because they were all playing out of position. Square pegs in round holes. Thankfully we have a 2 week break & so by the time we play Barnsley Beliek will be fit enough to play & Pratley will be available too-just in case.
Reeves had a great 1st half - best I've seen him play. Aribo gets better & better. Taylor was immense. Fosu is not 100% - or his injury has had an effect on him as he is not the player he was last season. Hopefully (again) the 2 week break will give his time to get up to full speed.
How many games have we not won from being ahead ?? I count at least 5 - more if you count tues night, but we were initially behind so could have gone either way. I reckon that's at least 10 points thrown away - maybe 12 or 13. I know you cant win all of those & all teams lose from winning positions (Newcastle today) - but we have to learn to get a 2nd or 3rd goal - get in a comfortable position - and not getting pegged back all the time.
I said at the start of the season that we would struggle. I don't think that will now be the case but I don't think that the play-offs are reachable. It seems a couple of injuries & we are fecked. blame RD as much as you want but once the transfer windows shuts you have to play the cards you have. Just don't think LB plays his hand that well. Mark Robins changed things up early on in the 2nd half but LB waits & waits & only reacts when he has to. Needs to learn to be proactive.
I don't think Steer was at fault for either goal - its not as if he has let in a howler or beaten at his near post. Phillips may have been unlucky to be dropped - but neither are that good imo. swings & roundabouts. Score 3 today & the GK position isn't an issue.
I'll say it now. If Robinson is still in charge come tues 23rd then Oxford will win. Lump your life savings on it.
Comments
Dijksteel needs to shape up. I don't really buy the whole "he's a defensive midfielder" thing. Full back is the easiest position of the lot....all you need is a positive mind set . We get a throw just in their half and he's looking backwards. If and when we either get players back or we switch to Mark Marshall, then he needs to be loaned into Div 2 or non league.
Fosu flatters at home. His away record is excellent but only has one goal at home and doesn't create a lot. He was clogging it up today. Have him as sub and start Ward (who looks good to me).
Overall....some of the ball winning and passing was fine.....but when it came to killer balls, Cov did it when it counted (the ball for the winner was superb). When we did it (Solly cross for Taylor) we didn't put it away.
Overall, we were better than Coventry in the first half and really troubled them with some clever and intricate attacking play. We had two gilt edged chances to their one (when their guy ballooned a cross over from 10 yards out), although I thought they scored a perfectly good goal when Steer fumbled a through ball and the ref gave him the benefit of the doubt. We were in line with that and I thought we were fortunate.
An excellent start to the second half and Coventry really struggled to cope with us. Unfortunately, however, we weren’t able to keep up the intensity, the game quietened for a period and then we entered the nervous last 10 minutes. I felt there was likely to be another goal in the game and was hoping we could clinch it, although they opened us up down our right hand side and suddenly it was 1-1. Ward had a good chance to win it at the death but, moments later, they found another free man on the left of our box and it was game over.
An undeserved loss but I don’t think that we - or, more importantly - the players, really ever believed that we could keep a clean sheet. Moreover, although we had a lot of possession in the second half, I don’t remember too many chances, other than Ward’s last gasp header.
As to performances, I thought that Lyle Taylor had an excellent game and that Josh Cullen really held the midfield together in the second half. The team is, however, unbalanced and Anfernee Dijksteel (a fine player from all that I’ve seen) looked out of sorts at right back.
We have two weeks now to take stock and regroup. I think we’ll be better with Bielik back in central defence, Solly at right back and Naby on the left (albeit certainly not his natural position). Once Bauer eventually returns, there might be some merit in playing both Bielik and Cullen in midfield in order to establish a more solid defensive base. The diamond formation is leaving us too vulnerable with our present personnel and a tactical rethink may be in order.
No point in getting too downhearted. Overall it was a very decent game and one that we most certainly did not deserve to lose.
He had a decent game, describing him as a "fish out of water" suggests he struggled and shouldn't play there again.
Scoring 1 goal and conceding 2 wasn't down to Solly. Others missed chances, made the wrong decisions, had crosses blocked, made mistakes defensively etc.
With Bielik back Bowyer has the option of a back four of Solly Bielik Pearce Sarr, which would be more balanced.
Played some great stuff, at times. Penalty timing was perfect - great time to score. Couldn't see anything but a win. Aribo, Cullen and Reeves working well together - even the defence doing a reasonable job and Taylor and Grant with a good understanding. Second half their manager decided to change things and bought on 2 big, strong attackers and they went for it and succeeded. For me taking off Reeves was a big mistake. The midfield became unbalanced and it only helped them. Reeves was having a good game and poor George wasn't really ready for it. He looked a bit tired and off the pace. Could feel the equaliser coming but the winner was a real kick in the teeth. Long journey home...
It was an honest opinion.
I am a Charlton supporter and used to that feeling.
I finally thought that with an old player back in charge, choosing his own type of player albeit under strained financial circumstances, I could put the horror show of Monsieur Roland Dipshit to the back of my mind...
Hell no. What is happening here? are we that perpetually cursed as a club that we continue to repeat the same mistakes? Seems so. Put your hands up if you thought at 1-0 up with 10 minutes of normal time to go at home, that a oh too obvious kick in the bollocks was on it's way? One... two... three... f..o..u... yep quite a few of us I see.
Well at this moment in time I fucking hate you Charlton, but i'll be back loving you at 3 o'clock on the 20th!
He’s of course still a young manager learning and from the way he’s started since March last year, I truly believe he will get us firing again
At half time I was sure the game wouldn't finish 1-0
In added time at 1-1 I was confident there would be another goal
Our matches are quite predictable at the moment. Goals at both ends, as we have attacking threat but look so vulnerable at the back, and there are always late twists. Sadly this time it wasn't to our benefit.
Had no confidence in our defence to hold out, as the current back 4 isn't good enough, and they don't get enough protection in front of them. If we have no fit defenders on the bench (Bielik is clearly not ready yet) but can leave Marshall out of the squad completely, there's something wrong with the squad balance.
Taylor was brilliant BUT missed an absolute sitter in the first half. Reeves was excellent, not idea why he was taken off as he did so much work in a deep role. Djiksteel was poor, but left very exposed after Reeves went off. Unconvinced by Steer.
We REALLY miss Bauer.
I don't blame the defence - If we had got a 2nd goal we wouldn't have lost. End of. Probably wouldn't have conceded at all. A 2nd goal is vital when 1-0 up. Looking at the highlights on Sky we had plenty of chances to get that 2nd. Taylor, for all the great work he done (and my MOTM) should have buried that header in the first half. Aribo was unlucky in the 1st half - great save by their keeper. Ward should have got his header on target.
said it last week & will say it again, just in case LB reads this. DO NOT PLAY A RIGHT FOOTED RB AT LB. Solly hardly went past his man as he has no left foot (certainly not good enough to beat a player with) and 90% of the time either cut back onto his right & went square or played it back to Sarr. Dijkstel is not a RB. Sarr is left footed. He should play LB, or if you want him in the centre then play Mascoll - A FECKING LEFT BACK. We didn't lose the match because Solly was at LB, but because they were all playing out of position. Square pegs in round holes. Thankfully we have a 2 week break & so by the time we play Barnsley Beliek will be fit enough to play & Pratley will be available too-just in case.
Reeves had a great 1st half - best I've seen him play. Aribo gets better & better. Taylor was immense. Fosu is not 100% - or his injury has had an effect on him as he is not the player he was last season. Hopefully (again) the 2 week break will give his time to get up to full speed.
How many games have we not won from being ahead ?? I count at least 5 - more if you count tues night, but we were initially behind so could have gone either way. I reckon that's at least 10 points thrown away - maybe 12 or 13. I know you cant win all of those & all teams lose from winning positions (Newcastle today) - but we have to learn to get a 2nd or 3rd goal - get in a comfortable position - and not getting pegged back all the time.
I said at the start of the season that we would struggle. I don't think that will now be the case but I don't think that the play-offs are reachable. It seems a couple of injuries & we are fecked. blame RD as much as you want but once the transfer windows shuts you have to play the cards you have. Just don't think LB plays his hand that well. Mark Robins changed things up early on in the 2nd half but LB waits & waits & only reacts when he has to. Needs to learn to be proactive.
I don't think Steer was at fault for either goal - its not as if he has let in a howler or beaten at his near post. Phillips may have been unlucky to be dropped - but neither are that good imo. swings & roundabouts. Score 3 today & the GK position isn't an issue.
I'll say it now. If Robinson is still in charge come tues 23rd then Oxford will win. Lump your life savings on it.