The circus vehicle named ‘Charlton in cup football’ choked and spluttered to yet another spectacular halt on Sunday.
Underperformance in cups has been something of a growing trend in recent years, but where lower league fans once rejoiced in singing ‘Premier League, you’re having a laugh’, the humiliation is now further compounded by fans of part-time clubs accurate assessment of ‘Football League, you’re having a laugh’. Where this trend could lead to in a few years time does not bear thinking about.
As many have expressed, it was not the outcome of the tie, settled by a part-time barman, that brought such disappointment, but the manner of the defeat, whilst painfully broadcast to the viewing nation.
Lets be clear; Charlton were not out-muscled on a bog of a pitch in testing conditions. They were deservedly beaten, out-fought by a team with more desire, and in equal measure, outplayed for the bulk of the game. Given we were heralded by many as ‘the best footballing side in League One’ just weeks ago, that last observation sets off worrying concerns.
The result has magnified discontent amongst supporters, and a growing belief that all is not well amid the Charlton camp. A side that dominated others with verve and swagger in August and September, now appears drained of both confidence and spirited attitude just two months on. This was not a one-off performance, but a decline that has been steadily coming to the surface in the last ten games.
So what has gone wrong ?
The issue of a talented squad underperforming is not one that has suddenly emerged in the past few weeks, but an undercurrent that has dogged our club since our relegation from the Premiership. Where it is generally hoped that player performances improve with match fitness, bar the opening of this season, is seems an emerging trend that individual performances decline under the weight of regular football. Without the ability to hold a 3-month break between fixtures, it is hard from recent history to confidently predict that some players will quickly return to form.
The ironic thing has been that the noticeable changes that have emerged in the last few weeks have been defensive disruption in losing Elliot and Richardson, who have both performed consistently well. But it is in front of our back five where our problems appear to lie.
Strong performers at the start of the season, our midfield has gone from being the cog that set us above others, to individuals that now appear to be going through the motions. Not one individual in front of our front five has put in a noteworthy, meaningful performance in the past two months.
Bailey as a left midfielder was a successful experiment when he was recording goals and attacking his full-back, but both these factions have appeared to dry up, and he know appears a square in a round hole, and growingly ill at ease with it in the process. A side needs more from a captain.
The style and grace that Racon exuded at the start of the season also appears to have evapourated. He now appears a ‘bits and bobs’ player in the Semedo mould, but without the tenaciousness.
Sam appears to have reverted back to the inconsistency and lack of end product that ha dogged his Charlton career, and that we thought he had overcome following an impressive start to this campaign.
That midfield system worked fantastic when the players played with confidence and opposition allowed us to play. Neither are happening now, and attacking-wise we appear devoid of ideas.
Up front, the balance has been wrong all season. Our original pairing of Burton with Shelvey as the ‘split striker’ worked well when Burton was a man-possessed, covering the ground and leaping for two people, with good service from wide areas, while Shelvey was busy inter-changing with the midfield. But this lad is not a striker, and if he is not felt good enough to be playing centre midfield then he should not be playing. Similarly, Burton cannot perform his role to the best of his ability whilst carrying a knock, and his hernia operation should have happened weeks ago.
Chris Dickson was sent on loan to a rival because he did not fit into the above system, we were told. The minute his car hit the M4, we revered back to two strikers, which he does fit into. I am convinced Dickson is not the messiah some make him out to be, but I am equally convinced that from all the strikers on our books, he is the one most likely to hit the net, and the other imperfections in his game could be easily masked in a striking pair. The decision to send him, and not recall him, is increasingly looking like a personal rather than professional one. No evidence of a whispered poor attitude appears to have emerged from either Bristol or previously Gillingham.
Instead of Dickson, Parkinson favoured McLeod, and for one reason or another, it just hasn’t worked out for this lad at Charlton. His movement is good, but his link play is as equally suspect as Dickson, and his striking ability appears well masked. He is yet another player you know who needs a move and will probably impress elsewhere. But it is becoming abundantly clear that it isn’t going to happen here, and his stupid, reckless elbow on Sunday was a thuggish act that you have to be a much better player than Izale McLeod to get away with in the eyes of the supporters. Leon McKenzie now appears our final striking hope, but given his injury record the hope should be highlighted as there is little conviction behind it.
So what should we do ?
The say the next game can’t come quick enough after a poor performance, but I’m concerned that the next two games are coming too quick for us to meaningfully take stock of where we are, and attempt the road to correction.
Has the manager screwed things up, or have the players failed their manager ? I’m sure there is a bit of both in the mix, but the over-riding feeling for me is that once the whistle is blown, some players are not playing to the fullness of their ability, and a manager can shout, scream, cajole, cuddle and rollock to the cows come home, the player has got to want it.
Parkinson though has to take a good look at the attacking elements of his squad. He can’t be blamed for many things, but he can be blamed for forming a squad that has so little balance on the left-hand side, and with so little effective, striking forwards.
Our season is now standing at crossroads and will go two ways off the back of this dismal run:
Last season Leeds were unconvincing and were knocked out the FA Cup in December by non-league Histon. Since then they have found their formula and gone from strength to strength.
Eleven years ago, Millwall started League One strongly after their relegation from the Championship. They were then knocked out the FA Cup by non-league Woking, and began sliding down the table, before the club fell into administration. Eleven years on, they remain in League One.
Which way are we going to go ?
Only the fullness of time will prove whether this was an embarrassing blip, or a necessary wake up call. It would be wrong to dismiss the disappointment of Sunday’s result, but it will equally be wrong to overplay it. All sides lose their way at some stage of a season, and it is the reaction that really proves their worth.
The right response, and attitude that was evident to bring us from a goal behind to beat Leyton Orient is what is required now. Despite our squad being unbalanced, it does contain a number of individuals who should be outperforming at this level, and it is down to them and the manager to find the attitude and system that makes this happen.
Supporters are likely to be less forgiving than we have seen in the past if further deterioration emerges.
Comments
COYR
The potential is there for both a serious challenge for promotion as well as a catastrophic collapse but I have no idea which it will be.
The optimist in me says that they have shown they can play so they only need to get back on track. My fear is that the players lack the reserves of spirit needed to make that happen.
Not even Gordon Brown's spin doctor can argue a case for us showing desire against Northwich.
We have to respond positively against Southampton and MK Dons or we can kiss the season good bye.
This is possibly the biggest 2 games of the season for the club - some kind of reaction to Sundays performance, and hopefully we can get back on track. Another two lamentable performances and I fear the slide down the table.
This could be achieved by playing a less flat 4 with two wide, and or 2 up with Shelvey, along with Bailey, Racon, Semedo and Spring, all in the mix for two central positions. I also feel this over heavy midfield just doesn't work with the players we have and is far too flat, so more often than not all the opposition has to do is mark our one centre forward out of the game and thats that.
We also have less outlet for long balls (and zero when Burton is absent) which have lazily come back into our play from the back, oddly since Llera's departure to the bench.
I would just like to offer a little piece of mitigating circumstance in Parky's defence, here. He did by all accounts have Jason Puncheon all lined up and ready to sign, only for the deal to be apparently cancelled on the say so of the, then, incumbent owners - judging by his form at MK Dons, he'd have gone a long way towards sorting out the left side of our midfield and not doing that deal looks to have been a bad error. Could Parky have forced that deal through regardless of the shenanigans at boardroom level?
As for not getting a striker in, he's made some cracking free signings in defence but with no money to spend but I can't really see who he should have signed up front with our budget - I'm very open to suggestions here, but has there been another striker scoring regularly who was signed on a free transfer by one of our rivals? I can't think of any.
I think we're going to be stuck with hoping Mckenzie can stay fit and that Burton can get over his hernia quickly and get back to form. Mooney should be given a few games too imo and if that doesn't work I think it's the one area we could justify trying to play the loan market, ideally looking to a young lad from one of the big clubs academies - someone who could do for us what Simpson did for Millwall or Campbell did for Hull. Alternatively, Parky may need to swallow his pride and make peace with Dickson - if he can do that he'll go up in my estimation, although like you AFKA, I don't really think Dickson will be the messiah. One thing for certain, the Mcleod experiment needs to be ended. Perhaps we can get him out on loan to free up some wages.
You could argue Parky could have got a striker in on loan in the close season and I think that would be a fair criticism, but we understand Kandol was targeted and there was talk of Odejayi coming in part exchange for Gray. Neither deal happened sadly but none of us knows exactly why - it may have been Parky's fault, it may have been board room matters outside of his control - what we can say is it at least shows he wasn't totally oblivious to those weaknesses in his squad.
Now he needs to earn his money and freshen his starting XI from what he has, which although a little short on numbers does contain talent and versatility below the current first XI - we can still be okay!
Fair points but I don't ever recall Curbs being that enthralling in interviews and he often had a long face standing on the touchline.
Good post Redman, very wise.
But I'm afraid it's not what many people want to hear.
They either want an instant solution - or a scapegoat.
Yup, that's been very clear the last couple of days.
This is definitely worth a try as is giving Basey a go on the left. Basey in particular is naturally left sided, delivers a good cross and dead ball and will also be able to continue some of the dilligent defensive work that Bailey has been doing and that has helped bring the best out in Youga. Was a couple of seasons back now but he played well there at the Valley against Coventry.
That's where we need at least one, if not two, options on the left, and perhaps even another option on the right (Wagstaff going out on loan might be good for him). I agree with the point that they are automatic choices, that's not helping any of them.
We did very well to keep those four central midfielders, but I guess long term playing 2 out of position was never going to work. It means we have no pace up front (or McLeod on his own) and find it hard to use the left side well nevermind get good crosses in from it.
Sodje is the most likely of our centre backs to 'smash it clear', perhaps Dailly and Llera are more likely to start attacks than Sodje is?
As suggested in here, perhaps Basey should play on the left for the sake of balance. The best players don't always form the best midfield. Would also be happy seeing Racon and Bailey the other way around. Racon is much more of a dribbler than Bailey, while Bailey is more likely to get tackles in and use a bigger range of passing. Holden I don't know about, if he was anywhere near good enough surely he'd have played a bit by now, even if it was just a few sub appearances.
Though of course a lot of that's down to our lack of finances. How do you find both a striker and a left winger for League One who has a mixture of quality and hard work/consistency with no transfer budget and limited wages to spend.
This is definitely worth a try as is giving Basey a go on the left. Basey in particular is naturally left sided, delivers a good cross and dead ball and will also be able to continue some of the dilligent defensive work that Bailey has been doing and that has helped bring the best out in Youga. Was a couple of seasons back now but he played well there at the Valley against Coventry.[/quote]
With an unbalanced squad a manager needs to be creative and think outside the box occasionally in order to solve problem areas.
There are some great suggestions on this forum for different formations and using players in positions they don't usually play in.
If I was a manager and things were going pear shaped, I'd be using all avenues available to me to find inspiration and possible solutions.
So come on over to Charltonlife Parky the answer is right here, somewhere!
No, just frustrated i can't think of any articles to write to prompt debate on ladies pyjamas and modern warfare !
He was good.
LOL............go down the training ground, i am sure there are few players who could tell you about the latest ladies pyjamas and modern warfare is kicking off in the managers office........
On the Bailey comment surely he should be pushing up with youga far too often of late he seems to sit back in LB position surely youga should be supporting him not the other way round!!
I thought sunday was an excellent opportunity for parky giving these bodies the much need rest and others the chance to show what they can do, instead we got a team that looked like its run out of ideas and on its last legs.
I'm not one for knee jerk reactions, so lets see how we come out tommorrow COYR
Nor do i, but i'm really not sure at this level that you necessary need to have that spark. Efficiency, organisation and committment are main tools of the trade down here. Its all about getting your formula right, and people doing their jobs correctly, IMO.
Exiled - i think you make a number of valid points, and the Puncheon one is worth highlighting.
Redman, agree 100% with what you say.
Also, when are you likely to have any further articles published on the Evening Standards website?
Although Basey, as a more natural defender than Bailey, would allow Youga to bomb forward even more than he does at the moment.
Although I don't think the problem is just about switching some players tactically. There is something more than a lost of form wrong IMHO. Confidence, spirit, belief? Not sure what it is but something is missing.