Am new on here but have supported Charlton all my life and have the love and passion for this club that I know we all share. Therefore I want to contribute on what I feel is the problem that has beset us Since, what is clearly regarded by all, as a very very good start to the season. Simple really, We've been sussed. Just like any team who starts life in a new division, it takes other teams a while to work out what the 'new boys' are all about. Surely every team expects that? What I think is majorly upsetting for us fans is that we have had no plan A, B or C.
Every team comes at us 1. cos we are the big boys who are to be shot at and put in our place, 2. cos they know if they shut us down quickly we can't play the passing game that set us apart from the rest at the start of the season. Our answer? long aimless high balls that we hardly ever win in the air. I aint no coach but there has to be another way to reimpose ourselves on this league in what is a very important season for us?
Oh, and another thing, Why, when GB was so viciously cut down, did we not witness a 'Come on lads, let's get at 'em and win this for Grant!!' type attitude/performance?
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Don't disagree too much with what you say.
Yep, agreed ..... it's called will to win.
Teams seem to have plenty of it when they play us, even if they can't motivate themselves when they play Walsall.
Basically, right now, that is severely lacking at Charlton. They're like kittens playing against tigers!
Maybe parky should pin that up on the dressing room wall.
"The fans think you are all pussys" &" You have no bottle"
Would we get a reaction or just apathy?
Maybe they'd just shrug their shoulders and wonder who they could be playing for next season ....?
;o)
"tee, hee, we are pussy's aren't we boss?"
PP would reply "Yes you are pussy's lads but I kinda am too, so lets just be what we are".
Ah, sweet, theres always next season I suppose.
If they continue to play like last night then i think they'll all still be here next season
I doubt they stick around long enough to read anything in the dressing room mate, just jump into their flash cars, back to their flash pads. In a couple of years it'll be "Charlton who ?" for them.
Sadly i think you are spot on.
I'm sure most, if not everyone of us, would have gone home having lost 2-1 alot happier if we had witnessed players giving their all for the red shirt of our Charlton. I certainly have seen many a Charlton team that has represented us lose or draw but filled me with pride with their efforts.
Sam and Racon aren't particularly consistent even in this league, they have some Championship standard qualities but it's their weaknesses that mean they're lower Championship players at best. Don't get me wrong, they could both do with more drive and determination, but that's not the only weakness in heir games that
mean they aren't as good as we say they are
We overrated many players after our first relegation and I think we still do now
at times.
Can't disagree with any of that Ted.
The point I was trying to make is that there seems to be an assumption by many that technically our players are of a high standard for this league, and it is only the mental side of the game that is letting them down. I realise that is a sweeping generalisation and not everyone on this forum thinks that. I'm of the opinion that it's more the technical side that is the problem. The players could be trying harder, but it seems to be a lack of positional sense that lets them down - our midfielders do run about and close down, but if they're 5 yards away in the first place then all the running in the world won't make up for standing in the wrong place! I like Semedo and Bailey, but our midfield is often yoo deep or bypassed too easily (how often do you see a simple pass between the 2 central midfielders find an opposition midfielder in space? Southend did that well against us this season, and Doncaster last season); this isn't because they haven't got the 'will to win', I'm afraid it's because they're not that good.
Just want to reiterate that I'm not in any way trying to suggest that Bailey/Semedo are to blame for all our problems and want them dropped. I just used them as an example in this case, especially since I think they *do* give their all. And without the pair of them we'd be nowhere near where we are in the table at the moment.
I haven't singled any body out and I agree that perhaps we/some of us are guilty of overrating our individuals and overall team strengths but if a team or individual has a weakness shouldn't he/they try and compensate by some other means? Workrate and a building of team spirit are only two ways of doing this. Perhaps we are missing good leadership in the club.
I was lucky enough to witness the team building and bonding process of the England RFC before they won the World Cup. Sir Clive Woodward knew exactly how much this would give a team when push came to shove(excuse the pun). The spirit in that camp was so high that before they walked out for the final, the great motivator that was Martin Johnson, looked into the teams faces and knew that he did not have to give them any motivational speech at all, each man was totally commited. The rest is history.
Agree Ted.
0-0 away at Leeds this season, i was really proud of our performance. Difficult conditions, huge home crowd, Sodje was immense. Compare that to last night,its crazy that it was close to the same side.