are we looking at our strongest side for years ?

letthegoodtimesroll

that starting team at watford with diawara and thatcher back and zz in for jfh would be a class act in my book...add in to the squad the likes of reid, marcus and hughes and super subs in the form of jfh (he's obviously a reader of the game because he's generally effective coming on as sub) and romm and you'd have to fancy us turning up against any one...certainly every remaining game looks winnable at the moment...

Oggy Red

The Great Escape is ON !

Ketman

You have completely missed out Bougherra ? Agreed on paper we look a fair side, but that first half showing at Watford was truly shocking, hope we don't see another half like it for the remainder of the season.

Weegie Addick

Need to enjoy it while it lasts. It could be 'spineless' next season (no Carson, Song, Baby Bent...)

Just stating facts before you all tell me off for not being positive. I am trying to be otherwise, really.

letthegoodtimesroll

the first half weakness at watford was basically down to jfh starting (as i said, he's a reader of the game and when he comes on as a sub he's already had a chance to sus out the opposition) and the pitch meaning that balls weren't getting to players like him who want the ball played to him rather than go to it, sankofa who's not good enough at the moment and fortune who seems to play his best games when he's got somebody a lot more experienced like costa and perry alongside him...

KBslittlesis

the worst thing that happened to Fortune...............Rufus retiring.
never been the same since
we can only dream of what might have been :-(

Oggy Red

[cite]Posted By: KBslittlesis[/cite]the worst thing that happened to Fortune...............Rufus retiring.
never been the same since
we can only dream of what might have been :-(

Fortune was great with Jorge Costa.

bingaddick

[cite]Posted By: ltgtr[/cite]the first half weakness at watford was basically down to jfh starting (as i said, he's a reader of the game and when he comes on as a sub he's already had a chance to sus out the opposition) and the pitch meaning that balls weren't getting to players like him who want the ball played to him rather than go to it, sankofa who's not good enough at the moment and fortune who seems to play his best games when he's got somebody a lot more experienced like costa and perry alongside him...

Presumably the unbelievably bad first half by El Kak has slipped your mind?

Ormiston_Addick

No, I don't think we are as strong as the Parker side if 2003 when we had the following line-up...

Kiely
Young - Rufus - Fish - Powell
Holland - Parker - Euell - Jensen
Di Canio - Bartlett

Look at that spine, Kiely - Rufus - Parker - DiCanio, no wonder we finished 7th, imagine what that team would have done with Dazza in for Barts?

bingaddick

Agreed Ormiston.

valleyman1973

I agree with Ormiston, 2003 was a strong side, but this side with no injuries is a strong one too. I just wish we had made a better appointment at the beginning of the season and we may not have been in this mess now. Bougherra had a good game up at Old Trafford before he got injured. I would partner him with Diawarra. El 'Borat' thinks he can overhead kick everything and is costing us goals. So we have a pretty strong spine in the team of Carson, Bougherra, Song and Bent.

letthegoodtimesroll

[cite]Posted By: bingaddick[/cite]

[cite]Posted By: ltgtr[/cite]the first half weakness at watford was basically down to jfh starting (as i said, he's a reader of the game and when he comes on as a sub he's already had a chance to sus out the opposition) and the pitch meaning that balls weren't getting to players like him who want the ball played to him rather than go to it, sankofa who's not good enough at the moment and fortune who seems to play his best games when he's got somebody a lot more experienced like costa and perry alongside him...

Presumably the unbelievably bad first half by El Kak has slipped your mind?

when one player (let alone two or three) causes gaps and pressure (and i'm not blaming the players, its just that that dont fit the way our play is developing at the moment or the opposition and pitch on saturday) then the rest have double the trouble to deal with...and when that happens, there are going to be occasions when they too get caught out...

Oggy Red

If we field our 1st choice eleven, then we've a skilful and competitive side that is capable of being placed in upper mid-table.

But our biggest problem, as I see it, is when key players get injured we have no option but to play a much weakened team. And that is the team that has struggled this season - frequently our squad injury list has approached double figures and we've not once been able to put out a full strength side.

For example, Andy Reid get's injured - and before Song, there was no creativity in centre midfield. Ben Thatcher get's injured and who replaces him? Darren Bent is out for 2 months and we've no goalscoring cutting edge.

So it appears that the quality of the squad dictates a big part of the results achieved.

Obviously, we're not the only team that suffers injuries - but a full strength Charlton team is a match for most in the Prem.

Chris_from_Sidcup

[cite]Posted By: ltgtr[/cite]

[cite]Posted By: bingaddick[/cite]

[cite]Posted By: ltgtr[/cite]the first half weakness at watford was basically down to jfh starting (as i said, he's a reader of the game and when he comes on as a sub he's already had a chance to sus out the opposition) and the pitch meaning that balls weren't getting to players like him who want the ball played to him rather than go to it, sankofa who's not good enough at the moment and fortune who seems to play his best games when he's got somebody a lot more experienced like costa and perry alongside him...

Presumably the unbelievably bad first half by El Kak has slipped your mind?

when one player (let alone two or three) causes gaps and pressure (and i'm not blaming the players, its just that that dont fit the way our play is developing at the moment or the opposition and pitch on saturday) then the rest have double the trouble to deal with...and when that happens, there are going to be occasions when they too get caught out...

So you're blaming Elk being a liability, Fortune having a mare, Sankofa just not being good enough at this level, Ambrose and Thomas not tracking back, and Holland and Song not getting a foot on the ball in our terrible first half performance all on JFH?

letthegoodtimesroll

not quite what i was getting at, but yes...if the gameplan revolves around the team then one player (& i think it was the news of the world that gave jfh a '2') can throw the gameplan out for the rest...look how it turned around with the introduction of zz for jfh at half time...