I felt the club was strong enough to challenge for the play offs at the start of the season. I think we had a few tough breaks early doors and got a few things tactically wrong in our approach to games which is natural with a team finding its feet. I think we are playing more positively now and things are going our way more as a consequence.
The team is strong defensively - Morro is a top centre half and I wouldn't swap our full backs with anybody in this league and our keeper is decent, but we haven't been good when defending deeply, which is all the more surprising why we have done so much of this over the season. Playing defensive mindedly and deep are too different things - playing deep is what we did in the last 15 minutes at Brighton and have too often when we have had a lead - you encourage opponents to play higher up the pitch and it keeps coming back at you - and the chance count mounts for them -that increases the odds of them scoring - you have to keep a goal threat like we did last night. When opponents don't think you will score or want to score they take risks they wouldn't otherwise.
That has cost us too many points this year and certainly a play off place. I think Powell is too good a manager not to address it and he may already have done so.
No. JJ one of my favourite players, but he really struggled early season. Now looks like a world beater. You need your captain to play well as e influences the team in many ways. Wiggins also was like a new signing. SCP has learnt a lot, next seasons we will go up.
Hughes has made the difference, as he naturally playes the holding midfielder position, allowing Jackson the freedom to go forward from central midfield - last season he could attack from LM knowing Wiggins was behind him.
Earlier in the season we has Stephens in front of the back 4, which doesn't work as he's not that sort of player.
At Xmas I was quite surprised we were doing so well.
Rember talking to a Charlton mate and he said he was surprised at the quality in this division and at the begining of the season. Leicster scared the s**t out of him (and me), and he thought we were going to be humilated. But by then the fear was dissapating and he felt that we did not need much to take the league apart next season.
At the time I thought this a little over optimistic, but looking at where we were I could see where he was comimg from and felt he was right.
We will all no doubt be looking back over the season saying 'if only', and the reality is that a good right sided midfielder (my choice was Kirian Richardson) had been signed, and/or Baldock or Simione Jackson, we would be in the mix.
So, not surprised.
Did I predict it. Yes! And on this site just before Easter!
I think my actual words were 'I have looked at our remaining fixtures and I can't see us losing any of them'.
Who ever posted 'Really?' immediatly afterwards can confirm.
Comments
The team is strong defensively - Morro is a top centre half and I wouldn't swap our full backs with anybody in this league and our keeper is decent, but we haven't been good when defending deeply, which is all the more surprising why we have done so much of this over the season. Playing defensive mindedly and deep are too different things - playing deep is what we did in the last 15 minutes at Brighton and have too often when we have had a lead - you encourage opponents to play higher up the pitch and it keeps coming back at you - and the chance count mounts for them -that increases the odds of them scoring - you have to keep a goal threat like we did last night. When opponents don't think you will score or want to score they take risks they wouldn't otherwise.
That has cost us too many points this year and certainly a play off place. I think Powell is too good a manager not to address it and he may already have done so.
we need that ability When we play poorly we Still get 3 points.
http://forum.charltonlife.com/discussion/53389/who-else-currently-has-no-relegation-worries
Earlier in the season we has Stephens in front of the back 4, which doesn't work as he's not that sort of player.
Well done the lads.
At Xmas I was quite surprised we were doing so well.
Rember talking to a Charlton mate and he said he was surprised at the quality in this division and at the begining of the season. Leicster scared the s**t out of him (and me), and he thought we were going to be humilated. But by then the fear was dissapating and he felt that we did not need much to take the league apart next season.
At the time I thought this a little over optimistic, but looking at where we were I could see where he was comimg from and felt he was right.
We will all no doubt be looking back over the season saying 'if only', and the reality is that a good right sided midfielder (my choice was Kirian Richardson) had been signed, and/or Baldock or Simione Jackson, we would be in the mix.
So, not surprised.
Did I predict it. Yes! And on this site just before Easter!
I think my actual words were 'I have looked at our remaining fixtures and I can't see us losing any of them'.
Who ever posted 'Really?' immediatly afterwards can confirm.