I am glad we have solved the problem of why we score so few goals - Simon Church - drop him and you fix it! Don't make me laugh! Church is a striker with an excellent workrate, but a bit lacking in terms of composure in front of goal. Mind you if you don't get many chances to miss, it hardly matters who you have up front. This is a team responisbility - I thought JJ had a far worse game than Church on Saturday - I can forgive JJ as he must be completely knackered, but Church was not our worst player.
I am glad we have solved the problem of why we score so few goals - Simon Church - drop him and you fix it! Don't make me laugh! Church is a striker with an excellent workrate, but a bit lacking in terms of composure in front of goal. Mind you if you don't get many chances to miss, it hardly matters who you have up front. This is a team responisbility - I thought JJ had a far worse game than Church on Saturday - I can forgive JJ as he must be completely knackered, but Church was not our worst player.
The average marks of 69 Lifers on the Reading Statbank thread seem to say otherwise but hey it's all about opinions.
I think It is a bit too easy to blame one player – when other strikers clearly have difficulty scoring too. The issues were plan on Saturday – apart from too many players looking tired – not enough red shirts got themselves into their opponent's box – we were always outnumbered and so not a lot of point crossing. Harriot was incredibly disappointing, we need him to be more direct and take players on but he does a nice flick then passes it – cop out football – let somebody else do it – it is Harriot’s job to try and open opponents up. Then when we do break, where are the players busting a gut to support? But I suppose it is easier to blame Church, who was miles away from being our worst player.
Miles away from being our worst player? What game and which season have you been following. He's fast becoming one of the worst players ever to wear a Charlton shirt. I would've been pleased to read a headline such as
'I'm shit, and I've agreed the best thing I can do to aid Charlton's relegation battle is declare myself unfit until June and hand in a transfer request'
Sorry @MuttleyCAFC but to me this supposed excellent workrate is something of a myth - just running around a lot is NOT the same thing. Pritchard has/had an excellent workrate - getting in the faces of bigger and stronger players, getting hold of loose passes, hassling players into making mistakes. Church on the other hand simply keeps on turning up just a little too late to affect anything, every time. I can't think of the last time he actually forced an error from an opposing player.
I agree. He seems to be missing something to use that work rate to force mistakes, whether he's not aggressive, brave or strong enough I don't know but players like Pritchard, Wagstaff and Yann all had it.
I agree. He seems to be missing something to use that work rate to force mistakes, whether he's not aggressive, brave or strong enough I don't know but players like Pritchard, Wagstaff and Yann all had it.
The Burnley chance is frankly merely law of averages - run around enough and eventually he will get something, even by pure fluke. Maybe that is doing him a disservice but I doubt it to be honest. For a while, simple effort with no reward could plausibly be poor luck but after nearly a whole season, less so. Sordell has got only one goal less I think and played far less minutes - and barely breaks into a sprint most of the time.
For all u deluded Simon church lovers just watch the football league show and u will see Most teams have strikers that hasle and trouble defenders we do not . Church just runs round like a headless chicken
I agree. He seems to be missing something to use that work rate to force mistakes, whether he's not aggressive, brave or strong enough I don't know but players like Pritchard, Wagstaff and Yann all had it.
The Burnley chance is frankly merely law of averages - run around enough and eventually he will get something, even by pure fluke. Maybe that is doing him a disservice but I doubt it to be honest. For a while, simple effort with no reward could plausibly be poor luck but after nearly a whole season, less so. Sordell has got only one goal less I think and played far less minutes - and barely breaks into a sprint most of the time.
The Burnley chance also had a lot to do with our pitch. It's also a sign of how poor Church is that we can remember these isolated incidents and have in depth discussions and threads dedicated to them.
I think It is a bit too easy to blame one player – when other strikers clearly have difficulty scoring too. The issues were plan on Saturday – apart from too many players looking tired – not enough red shirts got themselves into their opponent's box – we were always outnumbered and so not a lot of point crossing. Harriot was incredibly disappointing, we need him to be more direct and take players on but he does a nice flick then passes it – cop out football – let somebody else do it – it is Harriot’s job to try and open opponents up. Then when we do break, where are the players busting a gut to support? But I suppose it is easier to blame Church, who was miles away from being our worst player.
Miles away from being our worst player? What game and which season have you been following. He's fast becoming one of the worst players ever to wear a Charlton shirt. I would've been pleased to read a headline such as
'I'm shit, and I've agreed the best thing I can do to aid Charlton's relegation battle is declare myself unfit until June and hand in a transfer request'
Any other story he can keep to himself
Utter, utter nonsense. Where have you been the past few years? Simon Church isn't great. He was a free transfer in a time when we had no money to spend and we got what we paid for. At least we got effort to go with it. Church has scored some goals and won us some games; he's also missed chances and contributed, along with the rest of the team, to us being near the bottom. Some of the bile I've seen on here in the past couple of days has been incredible though. One of the worst players ever to wear the shirt? Where were you for some of the dross we had when we were a mid-table League One team? When we got in loans who turned up for a few games, tripped over their feet and disappeared again? I just don't understand the mentality of some on here; we're in a relegation scrap, we need to be thinking positive and being supportive and people have decided the best route is to devote two entire threads to digging out one of our strikers. Brilliant, that's the can-do attitude that will drive us forward. We have the players we have. Start supporting.
Had a dream last night that Church had an open goal tonight facing the away end after a shot was saved by the keeper. He volleyed onto the post and then hit the rebound into the side netting.
I think It is a bit too easy to blame one player – when other strikers clearly have difficulty scoring too. The issues were plan on Saturday – apart from too many players looking tired – not enough red shirts got themselves into their opponent's box – we were always outnumbered and so not a lot of point crossing. Harriot was incredibly disappointing, we need him to be more direct and take players on but he does a nice flick then passes it – cop out football – let somebody else do it – it is Harriot’s job to try and open opponents up. Then when we do break, where are the players busting a gut to support? But I suppose it is easier to blame Church, who was miles away from being our worst player.
Miles away from being our worst player? What game and which season have you been following. He's fast becoming one of the worst players ever to wear a Charlton shirt. I would've been pleased to read a headline such as
'I'm shit, and I've agreed the best thing I can do to aid Charlton's relegation battle is declare myself unfit until June and hand in a transfer request'
Any other story he can keep to himself
Utter, utter nonsense. Where have you been the past few years? Simon Church isn't great. He was a free transfer in a time when we had no money to spend and we got what we paid for. At least we got effort to go with it. Church has scored some goals and won us some games; he's also missed chances and contributed, along with the rest of the team, to us being near the bottom. Some of the bile I've seen on here in the past couple of days has been incredible though. One of the worst players ever to wear the shirt? Where were you for some of the dross we had when we were a mid-table League One team? When we got in loans who turned up for a few games, tripped over their feet and disappeared again? I just don't understand the mentality of some on here; we're in a relegation scrap, we need to be thinking positive and being supportive and people have decided the best route is to devote two entire threads to digging out one of our strikers. Brilliant, that's the can-do attitude that will drive us forward. We have the players we have. Start supporting.
I was there for the dross during the League One years and believe me, Church would've been right at home. I cannot help but put across how shit I think he is, as I am fed up with all the useless performances we have had to endure this season. I would say 90% of the people on this thread also think he is tinpot, protected by a few who admire his 'work rate and running'.
If you want to create a can do attitude as you say, create a 100% support thread for Simon Church. You can channel your support to him that way, everyone else who is fed up with him can express their opinions here. I'd be genuinely curious to see what sort of reaction you get.
I said on the other thread about him after Saturday that my posts are likely to come across as aggressive, but you cannot help the way you feel. I don't wish the guy any harm or want him to fail, but it is at the stage where HE, not us, must give us something to warrant backing him. I take a positive stance where I see fit. For example, many, many people were against RD and his tenure so far after Powell getting sacked, us selling Yann etc. I actually back him for numerous reasons. I cannot back Church as he has given me no reason to with his performances.
I urge you to start a Simon Church support thread, please, I would love to see it.
I'm not saying he is great - but that if we think he is the reason we can't score, we don't really understand football. There is a team responsibilty in all this - on Saturday - where were the midfileders busting a gut to support the lone striker - I didn't see them. I accept fatigue was a factor - but all the same, I made a comment on Saturday's game
How many goals would, say, Gary Lineker in his prime have scored on Saturday playing in Church's position? I'd say none, because the service just wasn't there. Nearly every game this season we've created hardly any chances so it's not just Church's fault we in the mire. Having said that, Church doesn't appear to be good enough for this division, but I'd be interested in seeing his conversation rate and comparing that against our other strikers, both now and from similar relegation scraps.
Have a look at how many Charlton players get in the box when we are in a position to cross the ball. Typically we have two small forwards against four hulking defenders (not including the keeper). No wonder we can't score. No wonder no one even bothers to put the crosses in.
The biggest favour this bloke could do is to go on strike ! One thing is certain though, he doesn't read this Forum or he would be off somewhere hiding in a corner.
The biggest joke of the season was his agent coming out and saying (just after we had signed him) that if he gets game time in the Championship he is a 30 goal a season striker!
How many goals would, say, Gary Lineker in his prime have scored on Saturday playing in Church's position?
Probably more than 3 in 34 league appearances.
I love going to watch Charlton, but my heart sinks every time I see his name in the lineup - knowing that I'll have to watch him for the best part of an hour and a half.
Comments
And to be fair that's a bit harsh on the donkey
'I'm shit, and I've agreed the best thing I can do to aid Charlton's relegation battle is declare myself unfit until June and hand in a transfer request'
Any other story he can keep to himself
I agree. He seems to be missing something to use that work rate to force mistakes, whether he's not aggressive, brave or strong enough I don't know but players like Pritchard, Wagstaff and Yann all had it.
Most teams have strikers that hasle and trouble defenders we do not .
Church just runs round like a headless chicken
"Striker accepts pressure is on to fire Charlton to safety" - No shit Sherlock
That is all.
Pavel Abbott
Frank Noble
3 off the top of my head who should never have worn/ should never wear the shirt again.
If you want to create a can do attitude as you say, create a 100% support thread for Simon Church. You can channel your support to him that way, everyone else who is fed up with him can express their opinions here. I'd be genuinely curious to see what sort of reaction you get.
I said on the other thread about him after Saturday that my posts are likely to come across as aggressive, but you cannot help the way you feel. I don't wish the guy any harm or want him to fail, but it is at the stage where HE, not us, must give us something to warrant backing him. I take a positive stance where I see fit. For example, many, many people were against RD and his tenure so far after Powell getting sacked, us selling Yann etc. I actually back him for numerous reasons. I cannot back Church as he has given me no reason to with his performances.
I urge you to start a Simon Church support thread, please, I would love to see it.
But Simon Church is crap. Awful player. Hope we never see him in a charlton shirt again.
However great work rate though. He might be in the wrong sport though.
Earnt his commission there and some!
Probably more than 3 in 34 league appearances.
I love going to watch Charlton, but my heart sinks every time I see his name in the lineup - knowing that I'll have to watch him for the best part of an hour and a half.