Sordell is by no means our saviour but it is very strange that we would play Pritchard out of position (in Kermogants position) and Kermogant out of position when we have Sordell and Church on the bench. Kermogant did a lot of standing around yesterday isolated up front, I would rather see Sordell standing around doing f all but who has more chance of poaching a goal.
Relegation and probably Administration are coming our way.
The team will limp into 2014 in the bottom three, many players will be looking to get away before the wages run out, CP will get an offer from somewhere more stable, TJ and Slater will be on the first train out of town, and we will be left rebuilding from the bottom again - with offers of fan representation on the board and ten year season tickets etc etc etc.
I fear that the owners have not been backing Powell from the beginning. The squad he assembled was fit for league one, but everyone knew that it wouldn't be able to make the step up, but at the time the owners said that the players he brought in would need to be able to compete at championship level. the problem is our squad is largely league one, but with a Championship manager. Powell has worked wonders but as others have said he can't work miracles. There is some quality, but in this league many clubs have spent much more over a longer period without significantly more success. Powell is no scapegoat in my eyes and never will be. Even the players can't really be stood up against the wall, because they are doing all they can, but they aren't really at this level. The answer is more investment or relegation. Or leave it as it is and face relegation with open arms but prepare to spend big for a promotion push all over again, with a possible two-three years in league one. Sheffield United have not found it easy getting back up and i wouldn't put them much below us!
It should be obvious to a man of Powell's knowledge and experience that playing a 75% fit Yann on his own, in a team that is already lacking confidence and can't score at the best of times, is going to result in another big fat zero. Our only hope is to play some attacking football with Yann and Church/Sordell and two wingers. Church and Sordell may not score, but if we attack more, a goal may come from a winger or midfielder. The crowd needs some excitement to wake them up, a crowd that is buzzing will lift the players and rattle the opposition. The way Powell is approaching things at the moment means that everything is as flat as a pancake.
Overall I thought we were unlucky. We had the first 30 minutes until they scored, that from a deflection, the 2nd two games running.
we may have been unlucky with deflected shots, but as you say, we had the first 30 mins but we didn't score and that is down to the players & the management - not bad luck, bad referring or anything else.
Hard to know where to start. Firstly why on earth was Pritchard played alongside Yann? Nice lad Bradley but if if he fell off a boat he would have trouble hitting the water. Worse he hid all game the fastest he moved was when he was substituted.
The substitution of Wilson for Sordell made no sense and lo and behold the second goal came from no cover on the right. Nonsense and inept sorry to say.
Clearly this team lacks a goal threat, certainly Stephens had a very good game as did Cousins but without some guile up front we could play all day and not score. I admire CP as much as anyone but he looks lost and worse sounds lost if ever there was a man losing heart it is him. We have seen much, much worse times but without some new investment we are going to struggle because we are standing still and reality that means going backwards.
If new investment means moving to a new ground bring it on because watching this crap is depressing.
Spongefoot Church has had his chances starting , coming off the bench but it's gotta be Sordell for me after Bolton give him a run cos I don't think I can handle Church and his pathetic shooting anymore Depressing situation and I'd bet most of the SCP out brigade were calling for Curbs head back in the day cos it wasn't exciting enough and mid table Prem wasn't enough for them(they can't see the bigger picture) SCP will need a miracle to keep this mob up, I know if I was a player with a family and my contract was due to run out in 6 months I'd not be mentally in the right place even if I did give my all each game and that can't help matters
40% staying up staying up staying up 60% time to think of more lies to keep our kids interested in League One Charlton
The selection of Pritchard to play up front was easily the most ridiculous decision that I have seen in 70 years of watching football. I'm sorry but I believe that we have to make a change of manager if we want to survive in the Championship. I felt that the team showed good spirit and desire, and under a good experienced manager could live in this league comfortably. We do not have a decent coach involved with the first team. I understand the lack of support from the Directors, but that one decision told me all I wanted to know. Chris was a favourite player of ours, is a lovely human being, but football is a business.
The selection of Pritchard to play up front was easily the most ridiculous decision that I have seen in 70 years of watching football. I'm sorry but I believe that we have to make a change of manager if we want to survive in the Championship. I felt that the team showed good spirit and desire, and under a good experienced manager could live in this league comfortably. We do not have a decent coach involved with the first team. I understand the lack of support from the Directors, but that one decision told me all I wanted to know. Chris was a favourite player of ours, is a lovely human being, but football is a business.
Name one who would work under the current conditions CP faces? I can see the argument for a change, if it wasn't Powell, and there was more support financially then perhaps I would be less inclined to argue for his retention. BUT as it stands, if Powell goes voluntarily or otherwise, any likely replacement would almost certainly be A) desperate, untested, or C) past it and looking for a pay day. NO 'good & experienced' manager would touch Charlton with a twenty foot barge pole right now.
The ONLY reason II would ever contemplate seeing Powell go would be if there was a replacement directly in line who is a clear and definite improvement, frankly there are no realistic targets of this kind out there right now.
Also, I really don't think Pritchard was playing up front. Yes he didn't play very well but CP must have expected better - it's harsh to blame a manager when a normally dedicated player has a bad day at the office/on the pitch.
Posting without reading prior comments. Derby really didn't look all that. I thought the majority of the game we were on top and the better team but unless we get some service for the forwards we will never score goals. Yann was so desperate out there that he was trying to get on the end of his own flick ons! I've been a big fan of Pritchard in the past but he has neither the pace nor the power to play up front and looked like a lost little boy out on the pitch on Saturday. Green was also as ineffectual as ever. The impact that Church and Harriott had when replacing Pritch and Green was immediate and obvious and I therefore do find myself wondering what on earth convinced Powell to start with that lineup?
Getting rid of Powell is simply not an option however as far as I'm concerned. Apart from the fact that he's an amazing guy and loves this club, we'd need to pay him off and then we'd need to find someone better willing to take the job on. If we have money to do that then it would be far better to give it to Chris to spend on his squad!
Pritchard in an attacking midfield role is the worst decision I have witnessed down charlton, he cannot shoot and has no pace. He is clearly a definisive midfielder that breaks up play and does nothing else. Cameron Stewart was getting dominated by Wisdom, would have been a good decision to move him inside or to the right as he is the only player this season to create anything. Kermogrant is unfit but is defintely our best striker.
Another manager probably won't do any better but the decisions saturday were terrible by Powell, he does not know how to attack.
Unless we get one or two decent striking options in, we are down IMO. Is it worth cashing in one of our saleable assets to do so? Probably, as relegation with inevitably follow otherwise and we will be forced to cash in at a cheaper price. Sad state of affairs, but can't see any other realistic options.
Jordan Cousins should not be frightened to pull the trigger , he never seems to want to have a dig
Thought he was great defensively but flapped whenever the ball came to him in the final third. Should have pulled the trigger a few times and should not be afraid to do so.
One thing that has been clear whatever formation we play and was equally clear on Saturday is that we don’t have anybody in the offensive third who will take a gamble or try to anticipate play – so decent balls can actually not look that good. I thought Yann was doing a terrific job winning headers but so needed somebody playing off him. One player would solve all of these problems – A pacy, decent striker- the problem is, that player is probably a £5million pound striker. So in the absence of that, Chrissy has to fish around for solutions within his current squad – which I’m not sure are there. Maybe he needs to invest some faith (or blind hope) that Sordell will come good!!
Of course some luck, or a decent ref - or at least a bad ref that favours us for a change would help!
I understand why Powell came out and said the team gave it their all, and that he couldn't ask any more of them. Anything else and it would've made a bad situation worse. Many of those players are out of contract in the summer, he needs to tread a fine line over how he handles their performances.
For me, Kevin Nolan's article pretty much summed it up. The team lack quality, particularly up front. No one is going to be bought in come January, and our current owners are happy to let the team die. Everyone must get behind Powell, for there are no other tenable options.
In fact, I think the best thing to do would be some pro-active campaigning against our current owners. This would hopefully put them in a position where they feel uncomfortable in coming to home games, and, they'll take a knock down price.
One thing I will say about the team and individual performances is Dervite. Shocking, get Wood back in asap.
The positives were that there were areas we looked a better side than Derby. And, I don't think the ref helped us. The problem is definitely though that we do find it a bit too hard to score a goal - that gives our opponents a chance- whoever they are and however well or badly they play! Of course you get an own goal like at Yeovil last week that is mighty unlucky and a deflection on Saturday that was equally so. Those blows are much harder to recover from and don't seem to be happening in our favour. When Powell rolled the final dice at the end- it was always a possibility we could go 2 down. That for me was a chance worth taken and it is wrong to criticise him for that.
There are some problems to sort out - Stewart has scored some excellent goals in a side that struggle sto score. But he doesn't bring much else to the party. On Saturday he was either fouled or out muscled continuoulsy (Whatever you or I think, the ref decided it was the latter) so there was little point in him being on the pitch! I'm notsure he is the answer and we need to beat defenders to open teams up not constantly run into them.
Then there is the touch. I have lost count of the number of times I have observed that with a good first touch we would have been in. We hardly ever get that good first touch and where you would normally groan and rue your bad luck, it is becoming apparent that it is more than bad luck and a technique defeciency. Then the crossing - it is usually poor, but there were some good crosses on Saturday that didn't come off because people weren't making teh right runs. Runs you would expect them to make. There was one on Saturday that was crying out for a run to the back post and nobody was there - ok sometimes this happens , but this is the case too often with us.
I don't know what's up with Sordell, this is a guy who's played 14 times for the England U21s, and played in the GB Olympic team in 2012. He should be the pacey goalthreat that stretches opposition defences, and on paper should be better than the likes of Haynes.
Also, is Mark Gower injured or just considered past it?
Without an addition of a decent striker, Charlton will be extremely lucky not to get relegated. The set up was wrong yesterday but there is still a distinct lack of quality, particularly in the front line.
Don't understand how Dervite is ahead of Woods, didn't think that Pritchard and KMG was a good paring. Why was Harriots played on the right and Stewarts on the left ? Irritating that.
Harriots lacked discipline and kept wandering across the front line. I quite liked the look of Stewarts and Harriots playing next to eachother as it gave the defence something else to think about but that would need a right/left midfield/ wing as well.
Cousins strong run in the first half and the Upbeats at Half time was easily the best thing.
The best bit of the whole afternoon was the joyful caperings of the Upbeats at half-time.
The rest was grim; we're in deep trouble. Perhaps Powell would benefit from an older and more experienced mentor. It's really quite sad to witness the decline of Kermorgant, reduced to giving Harriott withering looks for getting in his way when shaping for a shot from the edge of the box. Harriott is utterly futile. I like Morro, and don't blame him for the headed miss from two yards. Alnwick seems steady.
I haven't seen the TV replays; did the men in the wall duck or split for the deflected free-kick giving Derby the lead? And I note the second goal originated from a move on left in the space just vacated by Wilson, substituted.
The best bit of the whole afternoon was the joyful caperings of the Upbeats at half-time.
The rest was grim; we're in deep trouble. Perhaps Powell would benefit from an older and more experienced mentor. It's really quite sad to witness the decline of Kermorgant, reduced to giving Harriott withering looks for getting in his way when shaping for a shot from the edge of the box. Harriott is utterly futile. I like Morro, and don't blame him for the headed miss from two yards. Alnwick seems steady.
I haven't seen the TV replays; did the men in the wall duck or split for the deflected free-kick giving Derby the lead? And I note the second goal originated from a move on left in the space just vacated by Wilson, substituted.
Port Vale, here we come....
The wall was fine and stuck firm. The free kick simply hit Cousins on the head and looped up into the opposite corner wrongfooting Hamer Alnwick.
One of those quirks of fate that simply cannot be legislated for.
Comments
The team will limp into 2014 in the bottom three, many players will be looking to get away before the wages run out, CP will get an offer from somewhere more stable, TJ and Slater will be on the first train out of town, and we will be left rebuilding from the bottom again - with offers of fan representation on the board and ten year season tickets etc etc etc.
How did we let this happen ?
What can we do to stop it ?
Are we already too late ?
Just wish I had some answers.
Alnwick
Wilson
Morrison
Wood
Wiggins
Cousins
Stephens
Jackson
Stewart
Sordell
Harriott
The substitution of Wilson for Sordell made no sense and lo and behold the second goal came from no cover on the right. Nonsense and inept sorry to say.
Clearly this team lacks a goal threat, certainly Stephens had a very good game as did Cousins but without some guile up front we could play all day and not score. I admire CP as much as anyone but he looks lost and worse sounds lost if ever there was a man losing heart it is him. We have seen much, much worse times but without some new investment we are going to struggle because we are standing still and reality that means going backwards.
If new investment means moving to a new ground bring it on because watching this crap is depressing.
Depressing situation and I'd bet most of the SCP out brigade were calling for Curbs head back in the day cos it wasn't exciting enough and mid table Prem wasn't enough for them(they can't see the bigger picture)
SCP will need a miracle to keep this mob up, I know if I was a player with a family and my contract was due to run out in 6 months I'd not be mentally in the right place even if I did give my all each game and that can't help matters
40% staying up staying up staying up 60% time to think of more lies to keep our kids interested in League One Charlton
The ONLY reason II would ever contemplate seeing Powell go would be if there was a replacement directly in line who is a clear and definite improvement, frankly there are no realistic targets of this kind out there right now.
Also, I really don't think Pritchard was playing up front. Yes he didn't play very well but CP must have expected better - it's harsh to blame a manager when a normally dedicated player has a bad day at the office/on the pitch.
Getting rid of Powell is simply not an option however as far as I'm concerned. Apart from the fact that he's an amazing guy and loves this club, we'd need to pay him off and then we'd need to find someone better willing to take the job on. If we have money to do that then it would be far better to give it to Chris to spend on his squad!
Cameron Stewart was getting dominated by Wisdom, would have been a good decision to move him inside or to the right as he is the only player this season to create anything.
Kermogrant is unfit but is defintely our best striker.
Another manager probably won't do any better but the decisions saturday were terrible by Powell, he does not know how to attack.
Is it worth cashing in one of our saleable assets to do so? Probably, as relegation with inevitably follow otherwise and we will be forced to cash in at a cheaper price.
Sad state of affairs, but can't see any other realistic options.
Of course some luck, or a decent ref - or at least a bad ref that favours us for a change would help!
For me, Kevin Nolan's article pretty much summed it up. The team lack quality, particularly up front. No one is going to be bought in come January, and our current owners are happy to let the team die. Everyone must get behind Powell, for there are no other tenable options.
In fact, I think the best thing to do would be some pro-active campaigning against our current owners. This would hopefully put them in a position where they feel uncomfortable in coming to home games, and, they'll take a knock down price.
One thing I will say about the team and individual performances is Dervite. Shocking, get Wood back in asap.
There are some problems to sort out - Stewart has scored some excellent goals in a side that struggle sto score. But he doesn't bring much else to the party. On Saturday he was either fouled or out muscled continuoulsy (Whatever you or I think, the ref decided it was the latter) so there was little point in him being on the pitch! I'm notsure he is the answer and we need to beat defenders to open teams up not constantly run into them.
Then there is the touch. I have lost count of the number of times I have observed that with a good first touch we would have been in. We hardly ever get that good first touch and where you would normally groan and rue your bad luck, it is becoming apparent that it is more than bad luck and a technique defeciency. Then the crossing - it is usually poor, but there were some good crosses on Saturday that didn't come off because people weren't making teh right runs. Runs you would expect them to make. There was one on Saturday that was crying out for a run to the back post and nobody was there - ok sometimes this happens , but this is the case too often with us.
Also, is Mark Gower injured or just considered past it?
Don't understand how Dervite is ahead of Woods, didn't think that Pritchard and KMG was a good paring. Why was Harriots played on the right and Stewarts on the left ? Irritating that.
Harriots lacked discipline and kept wandering across the front line. I quite liked the look of Stewarts and Harriots playing next to eachother as it gave the defence something else to think about but that would need a right/left midfield/ wing as well.
Cousins strong run in the first half and the Upbeats at Half time was easily the best thing.
The rest was grim; we're in deep trouble. Perhaps Powell would benefit from an older and more experienced mentor. It's really quite sad to witness the decline of Kermorgant, reduced to giving Harriott withering looks for getting in his way when shaping for a shot from the edge of the box. Harriott is utterly futile. I like Morro, and don't blame him for the headed miss from two yards. Alnwick seems steady.
I haven't seen the TV replays; did the men in the wall duck or split for the deflected free-kick giving Derby the lead? And I note the second goal originated from a move on left in the space just vacated by Wilson, substituted.
Port Vale, here we come....
HamerAlnwick.One of those quirks of fate that simply cannot be legislated for.