I think its great that a neutral magazine ranks us so highly. Charlton fans are more often than not going to look at things with a biased pessimistic/optimistic view without considering for one second what other clubs are doing.
They easily could. They were lucky to stay up last season and their new signing are hardly inspired. Having Nicky Bailey didn't help us from going down from the Championship and Lee Martin hardly fired us up from League One. They look better than last season as a squad but they've got a new manager to get used to and a bad start might see them in some difficulty.Bournemouth and Doncaster seem to have some money behind them as well.
We easily could go down, but then so could you. We could finish top 6, but then so could you. That's the nature of this league. Said it last year, confidence & momentum is key in this division.
Persoanlly think we're much more likely to stay up than go down following our signings. Morison is one of the best strikers in this league.
They easily could. They were lucky to stay up last season and their new signing are hardly inspired. Having Nicky Bailey didn't help us from going down from the Championship and Lee Martin hardly fired us up from League One. They look better than last season as a squad but they've got a new manager to get used to and a bad start might see them in some difficulty.Bournemouth and Doncaster seem to have some money behind them as well.
We easily could go down, but then so could you. We could finish top 6, but then so could you. That's the nature of this league. Said it last year, confidence & momentum is key in this division.
Persoanlly think we're much more likely to stay up than go down following our signings. Morison is one of the best strikers in this league.
I agree. It really is that open and random. Makes it fun though!!
As a gambling man, and one who filled my boots on us to win leauge one and collected a nice heavy win. I can not put a penny on us hitting top six or handicap. Top half finish at 2/1 is perhaps the most optimistic I can be. I think last seasons championship was a strange leauge and very competitive including us. This year I think the lines between, those that are up there and the rest will be more defined. And sorry but we will be with the rest ! Relegated NO ! But closer to the bottom than the top.
Sorry vff. That was my prediction. 442 suggested a fourth place finish.
Thanks. Fourth ? What was in 442s drinks when they made that prediction ?
We've got a league one standard right half / right (edited) midfield, one senior striker, no pace in midfield and no pace to back up Harriots in left wing / midfield. Without reinforcements, in its current state, the team is going to struggle.
Sorry vff. That was my prediction. 442 suggested a fourth place finish.
Thanks. Fourth ? What was in 442s drinks when they made that prediction ?
We've got a league one standard right half / midfield, one senior striker, no pace in midfield and no pace to back up Harriots in left wing / midfield. Without reinforcements, in its current state, the team is going to struggle.
Eh?
Our midfield is the same as the one that finished 9th last year. Where u getting L1 standard from??
Sorry vff. That was my prediction. 442 suggested a fourth place finish.
Thanks. Fourth ? What was in 442s drinks when they made that prediction ?
We've got a league one standard right half / right midfield, one senior striker, no pace in midfield and no pace to back up Harriots in left wing / midfield. Without reinforcements, in its current state, the team is going to struggle.
Eh?
Our midfield is the same as the one that finished 9th last year. Where u getting L1 standard from??
Talking about a league one standard right wing / right midfield. Lawrie Wilson was poor after a bright start at right midfield, after injury, I think it was, he was never the same, Danny Green is good as a sub, but disappears from the start of the game, Bradley Pritchard is best in centre midfield and has no pace as right wing / midfield, Wagstaff gave everything but is no longer there. Is there anyone else that I have missed who can play in that position ?
We have Harriot at left wing, who has got some pace, but there's no back up with any pace, Cook ? Haynes is gone. I hear on the other thread that someone is talking about N'Guessan who may be able to fill that role, but he is likely to be needed as the second striker.
Sorry vff. That was my prediction. 442 suggested a fourth place finish.
Thanks. Fourth ? What was in 442s drinks when they made that prediction ?
We've got a league one standard right half / midfield, one senior striker, no pace in midfield and no pace to back up Harriots in left wing / midfield. Without reinforcements, in its current state, the team is going to struggle.
WHAT? Well we have Pritchard on the right of midfield who was equal 4th for assists last season. We've reinforced the centre of midfield with Gower.
Harriott has plenty of pace to back him up, I don't know if you've seen Wiggins or Evina but both of them are up there with Harriott in terms of pace.
Personally I think we just need 2-3 strikers and then we'll be close to 4-4-2's prediction, sure right now with just Yann we are going to struggle but IF (huge IF I know) we can get some decent men in up front then the season could be alot better than many on here are currently thinking.
Everyone's entitled to their opinion. For me, Bradley Pritchard is not a right wing / right midfield. He is best in centre midfield. He did not get all those assists from the right midfield / right wing position.
Harriots is great at left wing but it is a lot to expect him to carry that role the whole season. He is the only real pace we have on the wings, and without him, there is no pace on the other.
When did CP play Evina or Wiggins together at left back / left wing, if that is such a great idea ? Is it likely to happen ?
Fuller had some moments of magic last year, and some great individual goals, but how will his pace hold up for another year ? Fuller turned the season with the Bolton performance, when it looked like we could be dragged into a relegation battle. In truth, was that really a sending off ? He went missing in many games.
Obika would be great but looks unlikely, N'Guessan, I like, strong player and Church is off the pace fitness wise and it is impossible to say whether he will be any good, but we don't have an out and out goal scoring striker to partner, Yann.
As it stands, with out additions, the team looks threadbare and I think we will struggle.
^^ you answered better than I could Addickted4life
No problem Gary, all the pessimists on here really do my head in, couldn't hold it in anymore.
It is better to be a bit realistic, that way, avoiding the bi polar optimism / depths of depression. The Inverness Caldonian game showed the state of play. The lack of investment from the current owners is not helping CP. If things don't go right, then it is down to them. I am worried about what is happening to the club. I will be happy to be proved wrong. I would prefer that than saying, I told you so.
CP has my full support. He knows how to build a team with spirit and we may get a few late additions that swings things. Chris Powell is the one key factor that could hold things together and see us stay in the Champs.
^^ you answered better than I could Addickted4life
No problem Gary, all the pessimists on here really do my head in, couldn't hold it in anymore.
It is better to be a bit realistic, that way, avoiding the bi polar optimism. The lack of investment from the current owners are not helping CP. What happened with the Inverness Caledonian Thistle game ? I will be happy to be proved wrong. I would prefer that than saying, I told you so.
CP knows how to build a team with spirit and we may get a few late additions that swings things. Chris Powell is the one key factor that could hold things together.
I agree with most of what you're saying here vff and I totally agree with you on the striker situation you bring up in your previous comment (meaning the below may prove to be irrelevant if we don't get any strikers in).
I also think I'm being fairly realistic, as Gary said we still have the majority of the team that finished 9th in the table last season and you can arguably say we've actually strengthened on what we've lost (bar strikers). As you've mentioned how key CP is I reckon he'll see us through this year even despite the financial constraints opposed upon at the moment.
We saw how he motivated this team of threadbare players on a brilliant run at the end of last season and in my opinion we've only lost 1 or 2 players that were key to that squad last season (and we might be getting one of them back in Fuller).
At the end of the day how key were Salim Kerkar, Matt Taylor, John Sullivan or Scott Wagstaff over the course of the season? Sure they might've all chipped in a little in places but we can do without them this year. We've replaced Taylor with Wood, which is an improvement IMHO and the rest were squad/fringe players for the majority of last season.
The only place we are threadbare is upfront, sure you might not like Pritchard on the wing but he did a dam good job there in the last 8 or so games and he can do it again this season.
That leaves us with the team that finished 9th last season and if we get some strikers in then there is absolutely no reason why we can't do it again or maybe even better.
I don't like whats happening to the club either Vff but I think we can still do well on the pitch despite the unfolding disaster off it with the owners, CP has done some incredible things as manager of this club and I reckon he's going to do it again.
Also I meant that when either of them (Wiggins and Evina) play behind Harriott they'd supplement him with pace well i.e on overlaps etc. Evina did play left midfield a few times last season and was o.k to.
The standard of the championship has not risen that much. I feel the same as i did at the end of last season in fearing no-one. Every team is beatable.
If we are good in defence, organised in midfield and get a couple of bodies in up front with the team spirit and willingness to work that cp installs then i have no fears of relegation.
4th Maybe optimistic but i think we will closer to that position than 21st.
We learned a lot last year throughout the season and improved as a team and management.
Its a bit silly writing us off before a ball has been kicked and as always -Charlton Athletic are at their best when doing things against the odds.
They easily could. They were lucky to stay up last season and their new signing are hardly inspired. Having Nicky Bailey didn't help us from going down from the Championship and Lee Martin hardly fired us up from League One. They look better than last season as a squad but they've got a new manager to get used to and a bad start might see them in some difficulty.Bournemouth and Doncaster seem to have some money behind them as well.
They've got a very strong looking team now. Macdonald and Morison up front, Bailey and Trotter in midfield. They'll do very well IMO; surely playoffs.
They easily could. They were lucky to stay up last season and their new signing are hardly inspired. Having Nicky Bailey didn't help us from going down from the Championship and Lee Martin hardly fired us up from League One. They look better than last season as a squad but they've got a new manager to get used to and a bad start might see them in some difficulty.Bournemouth and Doncaster seem to have some money behind them as well.
They've got a very strong looking team now. Macdonald and Morison up front, Bailey and Trotter in midfield. They'll do very well IMO; surely playoffs.
Can't tell if that's sarcastic or not. Millwall will not get Playoffs. I liked Bailey but come on. He got relegated from the Championship with us and powered Middlesbrough to a mighty 16th finish last season. He's hardly the missing piece in a Premiership-pushing juggernaut. Scott Macdonald is a good player, but Millwall weren't pushing into the Playoffs when they had Chris Wood last season. They've improved their squad, but then they really had to. Let's not go overboard on this
Comments
Persoanlly think we're much more likely to stay up than go down following our signings. Morison is one of the best strikers in this league.
The representatives of supporters from other clubs seem less impressed, and we come in 13th in the table based on overall average predicted position.
We've got a league one standard right half / right (edited) midfield, one senior striker, no pace in midfield and no pace to back up Harriots in left wing / midfield. Without reinforcements, in its current state, the team is going to struggle.
Our midfield is the same as the one that finished 9th last year. Where u getting L1 standard from??
We have Harriot at left wing, who has got some pace, but there's no back up with any pace, Cook ? Haynes is gone. I hear on the other thread that someone is talking about N'Guessan who may be able to fill that role, but he is likely to be needed as the second striker.
Harriott has plenty of pace to back him up, I don't know if you've seen Wiggins or Evina but both of them are up there with Harriott in terms of pace.
Personally I think we just need 2-3 strikers and then we'll be close to 4-4-2's prediction, sure right now with just Yann we are going to struggle but IF (huge IF I know) we can get some decent men in up front then the season could be alot better than many on here are currently thinking.
Harriots is great at left wing but it is a lot to expect him to carry that role the whole season. He is the only real pace we have on the wings, and without him, there is no pace on the other.
When did CP play Evina or Wiggins together at left back / left wing, if that is such a great idea ? Is it likely to happen ?
Fuller had some moments of magic last year, and some great individual goals, but how will his pace hold up for another year ? Fuller turned the season with the Bolton performance, when it looked like we could be dragged into a relegation battle. In truth, was that really a sending off ? He went missing in many games.
Obika would be great but looks unlikely, N'Guessan, I like, strong player and Church is off the pace fitness wise and it is impossible to say whether he will be any good, but we don't have an out and out goal scoring striker to partner, Yann.
As it stands, with out additions, the team looks threadbare and I think we will struggle.
CP has my full support. He knows how to build a team with spirit and we may get a few late additions that swings things. Chris Powell is the one key factor that could hold things together and see us stay in the Champs.
We need new owners.
I also think I'm being fairly realistic, as Gary said we still have the majority of the team that finished 9th in the table last season and you can arguably say we've actually strengthened on what we've lost (bar strikers). As you've mentioned how key CP is I reckon he'll see us through this year even despite the financial constraints opposed upon at the moment.
We saw how he motivated this team of threadbare players on a brilliant run at the end of last season and in my opinion we've only lost 1 or 2 players that were key to that squad last season (and we might be getting one of them back in Fuller).
At the end of the day how key were Salim Kerkar, Matt Taylor, John Sullivan or Scott Wagstaff over the course of the season? Sure they might've all chipped in a little in places but we can do without them this year. We've replaced Taylor with Wood, which is an improvement IMHO and the rest were squad/fringe players for the majority of last season.
The only place we are threadbare is upfront, sure you might not like Pritchard on the wing but he did a dam good job there in the last 8 or so games and he can do it again this season.
That leaves us with the team that finished 9th last season and if we get some strikers in then there is absolutely no reason why we can't do it again or maybe even better.
I don't like whats happening to the club either Vff but I think we can still do well on the pitch despite the unfolding disaster off it with the owners, CP has done some incredible things as manager of this club and I reckon he's going to do it again.
Also I meant that when either of them (Wiggins and Evina) play behind Harriott they'd supplement him with pace well i.e on overlaps etc. Evina did play left midfield a few times last season and was o.k to.
If we are good in defence, organised in midfield and get a couple of bodies in up front with the team spirit and willingness to work that cp installs then i have no fears of relegation.
4th Maybe optimistic but i think we will closer to that position than 21st.
We learned a lot last year throughout the season and improved as a team and management.
Its a bit silly writing us off before a ball has been kicked and as always -Charlton Athletic are at their best when doing things against the odds.
Good to see our season's high point achieved even before the league kicks off.
The only way is down..