no matter what happens , personally i believe, SCP, through last seasons miracles, deserves up to Christmas 2013
no need to panic just yet, although we look proper pony, I have faith in SCP and on Charlton matters I'm probably closer to calling things right than most, which is a bit scary cos i think we're prolly 6 to 4 to go down !
Can the people who think that Stephens is our best footballer please explain what he does consistently well?
Yes I'd be interested to hear the response too.
Easily our best passer, who else in our team could have set up Fuller against Watford? Decent tackler Never hides, always wants the ball Can join the attack and score, who else in our team has the technique to score a goal like the one against Bury last year?
Some of the negative comments about Stephens on here are ridiculous. Dervite was preferred to him today but I cannot remember a single thing Dervite did in possession
Players make mistakes but there was no forgiving Morrison and Cort; they were awful and haven't been able to make the step up. Powell has few options at the back so those players will have to improve. Hopefully the defence can be strengthened in the transfer window. However, the remainder of the team showed no fight and made 'Boro look much better than they are. Pritchard puts in some effort but he just isn't good enough for the Championship at the moment. Some writers have mentioned that we'll finish mid-table. The fact is that unless Charlton start winning their home matches they WILL be relegated.
Hulse goal was a deflection, although he struck it pretty well. I didn't think we were 3 goals worse than Boro but they were clearly the better team.
As I understand it the plan last year was to develop a team that would not just win that league but compete in this one, presumably because all the money was spent last year. Either through bad luck or miscalculation (take your pick) that plan looks like it might be a dud. Let's hope there is a plan B.
Up and till today we had one of the best defensive records in the league. Your right though they were unforgivable mistakes and should never have happened. If we get in a couple of midfielders with some composure on the ball we may be ok.
Although I hate us losing, I do find coming on here after a defeat quite therapeutic sometimes. It makes me realise hat i am actually a fairly well balanced and sensible individual - well, at least compared to some of the bed-wetters on here I am. I guess it's all relative though.
In all of this let's not forget Boro are 2nd in the league for a reason. Mistakes today made it easier for them but Boro looked a better side than most I've seen so far also credit to Bailey for showing some respect in not celebrating their goals.
Also I can remember Ledesma causing us problems the past two years when playing for Walsall good little player
Was Hulse that bad? I didn't think so. Worked hard, good goal, had little support from BWP and only playing his 2nd game. Thought Pritchard worked hard but made several mistakes. Feel sorry for Morro who was visibly gutted at his misplaced pass for their 3rd goal. Jackson anonymous and unnecessarily angry at others' contribution. Kerkar looked dangerous but too many wasted balls into the box. Overall, we need more luck in front of goal. At least 3 very close misses. Gutted at Cort's headed miss as I had him at 40-1 on £10! Aaaargh! Still believe we can win on Tuesday.
Bailey badly overhit a cross into the covered end in the first half and my son turned to me and said, "that's where his penalty went". He's 9. That's my boy!
4-4-2 did not suit us today. Our eye-wateringly bad injury list meant that players were playing well out of position and therefore immediate concerns were raised. Jacko was pushing too high up the pitch and this left enormous gaps on the left wing that Ledesma and co. absolutely abused. Kerkar in defence did not suit either him or the team and 'Boro used this to their full advantage.
Hulse and Wright-Phillips I thought didn't do too badly whenever the ball was passed to feet, however the continuous long ball sh*te mean that the 'Boro defenders must left The Valley with sore heads from continuously heading the ball away.
I'm going to say it but Pritchard, in this league, has been well and truly sussed. I couldn't remember the final count of balls he constantly gave away, not that any of that matters because Leadbitter and Bailey both did an outstanding job of mopping the little leightweight up.
I believe that 'Boro will think that was one of the best games of football they have ever played, and they're probably not wrong. Stand out players were, of course McDonald (for his goals), Ledesma (for his space and trickery on the wings), McEachran (for his superb display in the centre of midfield) and Leadbitter (who constantly looked to move the ball forward, without ever giving it away)
I know this post sounds very doom and gloom, but I actually left the game thinking that once injuries clear up and a full strength team returns to the line up, we will be fine in the new year. I just hope SCP is given long enough, however I fully appreciate that football is a results-driven business.
Kerkar should never put on a Charlton shirt again unless every other man in the team has a broken leg and can't play. We need to ring up Villa and ask if their Stephens offer still stands. We miss Yann and Wiggins.
Kerkar should never put on a Charlton shirt again unless every other man in the team has a broken leg and can't play. We need to ring up Villa and ask if their Stephens offer still stands. We miss Yann and Wiggins.
Yes, lets have a go at Kerkar................probably the first time he's played at lb in his life !! Carzy decision by Powell to play him there and by the time he actually got the chance to play in his preferred postion the game was lost.
Was on the train up to London after the game and there were a group of 'boro fans with us - they thought they could easily have been 3 or 4 goals down by half time and wanted to know what the hell Mobray said at half time.
I don't get the digs at Kerkar - I thought he did okay at left back and, as has been pointed out, it wouldn't have been his decision. We just never got going in the second half and nothing fell for us. We had chances that maybe on another day, with another striker, we would have put away. Wilson was doing well and his injury really affected the team. Having said all that, CP's decisions regarding subs certainly confused me and those around me.
The depth of our squad is being exposed at the moment - hopefully a few of our first team players are close to returning to the squad and we'll kick-start our season.
Stephens is shite end of matter! bringing him on lost us the game! Pritchard may not be the best player but he has such energy and got on boro mistakes in first half! Second half boro went staight through middle time and time again bcoz pritchard was put right mid! Green or haynes should of replaced wilson! Jackson ,stephens, bwp not good enough for championship! Also kerkar cant cross for shit! Rant over and on to tuesday! Come on you reds!!!
I think that a lot of the concern about this game comes from the scoreline. Had we lost 2-1 and not 4-1 there would be less panic. Our performance in the first half was OK and we could easily have gone ahead had we taken some not too difficult chances. Pritchard and Devite respectively gave us some much needed energy and strength in centre midfield and while Kerkar looked out of place (and in fact a bit of a liability) at left back, Boro didn't really bother us from that side. It all went wrong, of course, when Stephens came on and the cm pairing was disturbed. I find Stephens an infuriating player. He can look classy and cultured and I remember the game at Oldham last season when we were down to 9 players and he rose to the challenge, driving the midfield in a way we haven't seen since. Yesterday he lacked energy, ambling around instead of getting stuck in, made poor decisions, lost possession and lacked vision. His only option seemed to be to pass the ball left. Even when Solly was trying to push up and was unmarked in acres of space, Stephens would go left. I'm not sure that he even bothered to look across to the right to open things up there, he'd just pass to Kerkar with three Boro players on him. And Kerkar really must learn to put in effective crosses - at least three were wildly overhit and ended up in the North Stand. That's just not good enough from a professional player. Still, onwards and upwards, as they say. Things can only get better. If only we didn't have Cardiff up next...
Despite a good finish for his goal, I felt Hulse was one of the worst players out there today. As a target man, I assume, with the endless long balls played to him, he won next to nothing. BWP was equally as shocking, I've always stuck up for him but his touch was poor, his positioning was poor and his partnership with Hulse, or lack of, meant we couldn't create anything.
Jackson was very poor, and confirmed my fears that he is nowhere near good enough to be a regular starter for a Championship side. Lacks pace, didn't work well with Kerkar, and even in the middle created nothing.
Only positives were Kerkar and I thought Pritchard played well in CM til half-time, but went missing in the second half. Why couldn't Green come on to play on the right?
Our lack of goal threat up front is becoming a serious issue Nevertheless, up until today our solid defence has given us a platform to nick results here and there, but today poor defensive errors have cost us. What is worse is that we ended up capitulating totally - it could have ended 6 or 7-1. Today felt like a watershed moment.
There is no doubt we have been unlucky with injuries; in particular Fuller, who always looks like he can make something happen and I must admit I have been surprised at how much players like Jackson and Hollands have been found wanting at this level.
We need to guts out some results now to halt the slide and, let's be realistic, to keep Chris in his job. I knowt that there have been games recently where we have been this close to getting all three points but sooner or later you actually have to make that happen.
So many different views again. One person's Charlton man of the match is slagged off by someone else.
It sounded like we did fine in the first half and were maybe the better team but as soon as I read about the changes after the Wilson injury I was rightly worried.
Comments
no need to panic just yet, although we look proper pony, I have faith in SCP and on Charlton matters I'm probably closer to calling things right than most, which is a bit scary cos i think we're prolly 6 to 4 to go down !
Decent tackler
Never hides, always wants the ball
Can join the attack and score, who else in our team has the technique to score a goal like the one against Bury last year?
Some of the negative comments about Stephens on here are ridiculous. Dervite was preferred to him today but I cannot remember a single thing Dervite did in possession
Players make mistakes but there was no forgiving Morrison and Cort; they were awful and haven't been able to make the step up. Powell has few options at the back so those players will have to improve. Hopefully the defence can be strengthened in the transfer window. However, the remainder of the team showed no fight and made 'Boro look much better than they are. Pritchard puts in some effort but he just isn't good enough for the Championship at the moment. Some writers have mentioned that we'll finish mid-table. The fact is that unless Charlton start winning their home matches they WILL be relegated.
As I understand it the plan last year was to develop a team that would not just win that league but compete in this one, presumably because all the money was spent last year. Either through bad luck or miscalculation (take your pick) that plan looks like it might be a dud. Let's hope there is a plan B.
If we get in a couple of midfielders with some composure on the ball we may be ok.
FFS - our defence has been the best part of the team this season by far .
Although I hate us losing, I do find coming on here after a defeat quite therapeutic sometimes. It makes me realise hat i am actually a fairly well balanced and sensible individual - well, at least compared to some of the bed-wetters on here I am. I guess it's all relative though.
Also I can remember Ledesma causing us problems the past two years when playing for Walsall good little player
I and the few others still there at the end clapped him off and he clapped us too.
4-4-2 did not suit us today. Our eye-wateringly bad injury list meant that players were playing well out of position and therefore immediate concerns were raised. Jacko was pushing too high up the pitch and this left enormous gaps on the left wing that Ledesma and co. absolutely abused. Kerkar in defence did not suit either him or the team and 'Boro used this to their full advantage.
Hulse and Wright-Phillips I thought didn't do too badly whenever the ball was passed to feet, however the continuous long ball sh*te mean that the 'Boro defenders must left The Valley with sore heads from continuously heading the ball away.
I'm going to say it but Pritchard, in this league, has been well and truly sussed. I couldn't remember the final count of balls he constantly gave away, not that any of that matters because Leadbitter and Bailey both did an outstanding job of mopping the little leightweight up.
I believe that 'Boro will think that was one of the best games of football they have ever played, and they're probably not wrong. Stand out players were, of course McDonald (for his goals), Ledesma (for his space and trickery on the wings), McEachran (for his superb display in the centre of midfield) and Leadbitter (who constantly looked to move the ball forward, without ever giving it away)
I know this post sounds very doom and gloom, but I actually left the game thinking that once injuries clear up and a full strength team returns to the line up, we will be fine in the new year. I just hope SCP is given long enough, however I fully appreciate that football is a results-driven business.
Kerkar should never put on a Charlton shirt again unless every other man in the team has a broken leg and can't play.
We need to ring up Villa and ask if their Stephens offer still stands.
We miss Yann and Wiggins.
Kerkar - left back? Three at the back when we go 2-1 down?
I doubt either of these were the players decisions.
I don't get the digs at Kerkar - I thought he did okay at left back and, as has been pointed out, it wouldn't have been his decision. We just never got going in the second half and nothing fell for us. We had chances that maybe on another day, with another striker, we would have put away. Wilson was doing well and his injury really affected the team. Having said all that, CP's decisions regarding subs certainly confused me and those around me.
The depth of our squad is being exposed at the moment - hopefully a few of our first team players are close to returning to the squad and we'll kick-start our season.
Jackson was very poor, and confirmed my fears that he is nowhere near good enough to be a regular starter for a Championship side. Lacks pace, didn't work well with Kerkar, and even in the middle created nothing.
Only positives were Kerkar and I thought Pritchard played well in CM til half-time, but went missing in the second half. Why couldn't Green come on to play on the right?
Nevertheless, up until today our solid defence has given us a platform to nick results here and there, but today poor defensive errors have cost us.
What is worse is that we ended up capitulating totally - it could have ended 6 or 7-1.
Today felt like a watershed moment.
There is no doubt we have been unlucky with injuries; in particular Fuller, who always looks like he can make something happen and I must admit I have been surprised at how much players like Jackson and Hollands have been found wanting at this level.
We need to guts out some results now to halt the slide and, let's be realistic, to keep Chris in his job.
I knowt that there have been games recently where we have been this close to getting all three points but sooner or later you actually have to make that happen.
It sounded like we did fine in the first half and were maybe the better team but as soon as I read about the changes after the Wilson injury I was rightly worried.
Bad day at the office for Powell, it seems.