For the better
Scott Wagstaff for me, until this season I just didn't get what he was all about. Couldn't work out what sort of player he was. Just seemed to have a bit of pace, work fairly hard and get the odd goal. Didn't have the skill of Lloyd Sam, or a decent football brain like other attacking midfielders. This season he's shown just how hard he can work, the energy he offers, always tries to get into dangerous positions and has shown he's one of our better finishers.
I said somewhere on here earlier this season, if he becomes a first team player for us, it'll be more likely be like a John Robinson type of winger. I've seen a few others make that comparison as well. Not the most skillful player, but he'll make up for it through his drive and energy, and he looks like he'll always get the odd goal here and there. Very different to Lloyd Sam who lacks that energy and drive, but makes up for it through the way (when on form) he'll create a good chance for a team mate.
He will surely get a new contract whatever division we're in, and should win Young Player of the Year, unless they want to give it to one of the u18 players.
For the worse
Therry Racon for me. This time last year I enjoyed watching him, wondered why Pardew didn't rate him. The more I think about it, and I've discussed this a lot recently, this time last year his weaknesses were just covered up by a five man midfield which had three harder working players in Bailey, Shelvey and Racon, and on the right Sam, who at the time was gaining confidence and working hard defensively himself.
I've been disappointed with him as I thought/hoped he'd score a decent amount of goals, set up a few and generally be a more technical and clever player than most in this league. Unfortunately it's not worked out that way. The problem for me now is I can't answer the question "what is Racon's job in the team?". If he doesn't score or create goals, nor offer much defensively, all he offers is some tidy passing and occasional dribble or bit of skill. I'm not sure if he's just putting in less effort than last season, but he just seems to disappear and go unnoticed, in a similar way Ambrose did.
The rest
Rest of the squad aren't far off doing what I expected. Last month or so Lloyd Sam has disappointed me, as it wasn't long ago he was our main threat and even if he had a quiet game, he'd create a few decent chances. Bailey has scored goals like we all knew he would, but had hoped he might be able to control the midfield more than he has. Similarly Dailly hasn't looked comfortable recently and no longer looks like he'd do a good job in the Championship as he did at the start of the season.
Am pleased for Burton that he's important for the team, but disappointed in that we haven't found another striker or two that is also an important player for us. Ideally we'd have a goalscorer and he wouldn't have to be considered our best striker! Youga until injured also showed the form he did when he came back from Scunthorpe, completely changing opinions that Basey was better and that he was well below the standard, I guess he'll be mentioned by some in here.
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Comments
for worse: no comment
Bailey
Elliot
Burton
Dailly
Reid (has the potential if played to make a massive difference in the run in)
Not in that order mind.
For Worse: Akpo, Sam, Dickson
The improvement or decline in others has been less marked but Racon for me has been the one real disappointment.
Worse: Sam
Do agree Pardew destroyed Youga, and that also applies for Wagstaff. Was part of the reason I just wasn't impressed with him, was just thrown in far too early.
Yes probably centre half would be Grant's best position but I could also see him adding a bit of welcome physical presence as a defensive central midfielder. He has a good range of passing and a shot so potentially could be more effective than Semedo once he got the hang of the position. Semedo isn't a greyhound either I've noticed.
For the Worse: Dailly. Hopes for me were really high when we signed him from Celtic. He actually started the season strong, but i think he has gotten worse every week. I dont mean to be harsh on the guy, but he is in terrible form. He could use a rest (season off of football). He lacks pace and power. What he offers in experience for our back four is not helping Charlton keep goals out of the net. Dailly has really dissapointmed me lately.
For The Worse: Sam Sodje, Lloyd Sam, Racon, McKenzie, Llera
I couldnt stand Youga last season but thought he looked a lot better at the start of the season.
I still think we only have a handful of players that can cut it at Championship level - Youga, Sam, Bailey, Jonjo, and only one at premiership level if we are lucky enough to keep him (Mooney)
a few have stayed at what i thought
some of the dross have proved they are proper dross
and some dross slightly improved ....
very disappointed jonjo hasn't had a chance to show what he can/can't do, if i was him i'd be on my way in the summer, there's a lot better clubs bench's to warm than ours
i deffo see the game differently to most (as i'm sure we all do)
Pleased: Elliot, Youga, Bailey, Semedo, Burton, Wagstaff, Sam Sodje, Kyel Reid, Dailly
Disappointed: Richardson, Llera, Shelvey, Racon, Sam, Solly, Mooney, Akpo Sodje
Indifferent: McKenzie, Basey, Spring, Randolph
Worse: Racon, Semedo & (more recently) Bailey
I was tempted to add Shelvey to the 'worse' list but then realised he hasn't really played a decent run of games since the beginning of the season where we got 6 wins and 2 draws.
Suprising actually that all the players I'd consider to have dropped their level are from midfield.
And I believe you are right about Wagstaff.
Disappointed with Sam Sodje. never thought he would be regularly benched, but then i never realised quite how reckless he is.
Anyone who can put a 17 year old kid with more talent than any other player in the division, in the 'worse' list, needs to be sent to the Millwall forum to debate football strategy with Stuwall. And yes I know that JonJo has turned 18.
Wind-Up?
Youga
Burton
Wagstaff
Worse
Lloyd Sam by an absolute country mile
Jonjo hasn't been as good as I hoped( maybe because he hasn't played enough)
Mooney has been awful
Managers live or die by their signings, especially strikers. Burton is a good player at this level but none of our other strikers have done it for me. All have been disappointing: Dicko, Mcleod, Mooney, Akpo. The tall Millwall loanee was so much better than our front two it had me thinking how come Jackett signs a potential jewel and we get a load of dross?
Confidence may have a bit to do with it, but I come back to a point made earlier in the season and on another thread .. are our much-praised midfielders really clear on their individual roles and what Parkinson expects from them?
I really don't see it. And, if they are, please explain to me why Nicky Bailey continues to play 'Hollywood' balls out to the corner flags, with a success rate of about 10%. He should play it short much more often. Racon should run at players with the ball, and Semedo should protect the back four and give it simple to those who are a bit more creative.
That way, whether we play two or three in central midfield, we avoid the situation of players duplicating one another. At the moment we often end up with several players combining to provide effectively one player's worth to the team.
But the question isn't 'who have been the best and worst players' but 'who have done better or worse than you expected of them'. Shelvey seems to have generally played well this season but after some of his performances last season, many had pegged him to be one of the main men at this level, and that hasn't exactly materialised. Regardless of whether those expectations were ridiculous, those who hoped Shelvey would dominate this league have found out he is not (yet) as good as they thought he was. Perhaps just a reality check that talent (even talent as great as Jonjo's) isn't fufilled instantly.
Disappointed - I'm easily disappointed and therefore, will have to say all of the other forwards. There is not one I consider to be 'dangerous' to the opposition. However, we've not seen much of McKenzie, so I'm still waiting for him to actually be fit to play 90 minutes and show us that he supposedly should be playing 'above this level'.
Jury's out - Racon. has he become the most overhyped charlton player since Dickson?.......
Worse:- All our strikers (except Deon), Llera, Sam
Every one else is much as I thought, sadly I had thought most weren't that good!
Worse: Akpo Sodje, Sam Sodje, Lloyd Sam
Others have been a disappointment like Llera and Richardson, but I wasn't too aware of their work previous to this season.
Don't agree on all the Racon knocking.
Perhaps only a return to 4-5-1 would see him back to the form from the start of the season