All season on here, many people on here have been talking about Church's running, Sordell's potential, and more recently how Reza is going to do this, that or the other.
I have been consistent in my posting about these guys - they will get us nowhere.
When the few chances that we create in a game fall to them - they will fluff it, and as for overall confidence, look at the attacking free kick we won at the Amex which we took sideways and sent back to the keeper when 2-0 down.
This team is all over the place and needs to wake up for the two home games this week that can keep us in the division. With Solly back, push Wilson up the field and play Obika an AA up front, forget all that rotation stuff - rotating crap players into the side is just ruining consistency.
I was however absolutely gobsmacked to hear Chris Solly coming on. .... Two days ago there were people circulating the rumour he's finished, and even @Plaaayer claiming he can't train two days in a row without pain. Instead they are confident enough to bring him on without even giving him a run out in the U21's. That seems to me to defy all the conventions of rehabilitation.
I was told that in order to continue his career now, Solly, like many players, will have to bite the bullet and learn to play through the pain.
Technically quite a few of our attacking players have been found wanting. The passing style is definitely the way to go but it needs a focal point of a technically adept centre-forward.
I know some people get offended at his mention, but what a difference Kermorgant might have made in a game like today, especially now we are keeping it on the floor.
That would be a nicely balanced team IMO with energy, a bit of steel and some quality and creativity. Not quite a promotion contender but good enough to get us out of trouble fairly comfortably. Switch Kermorgant for Sordell/Church/Obika/Piggott and suddenly there is a fundamental weakness sticking out like a sore thumb.
That looks a good team fair enough but put in Jackson for Kermorgant and I don't see a problem Tuesday especially with Harriot, Sordell and Obika on the bench. 4-5-1 is the answer with the players we have...you know the ones that want to wear our badge That's a mid table team but we will "only" be 18th on Tuesday!
I don't think 451 solves anything right now. You're right, it's probably the best we can do with what we have, but it still leaves us lacking a target man type player who can compete physically with centre backs and hold the ball up to bring the midfield and other forwards into the game. That could have been Kermorgant and I don't buy the theory he wouldn't have stayed for the right offer and I don't accept we couldn't have and shouldn't have matched Bournemouth, but that is all water under the bridge. Whether it was Kermorgant or a new signing, we were desperately lacking a player that ilk today because every time the ball was passed forwards for Sordell and later Church it just came straight back to us and that just puts too much pressure on the midfield and defence.
I agree with you, and it is only back on Boxing Day that Kermorgant competed physically with centre backs and held the ball up to bring the midfield and other forwards into the game. . He terrorised Upson and co all game. Even by his standards it was a titanic performance. I think RD was there that day too, although I am not sure. Anyway within three weeks he was gone.
By no means do I think RD is all bad, but that was the decision of somebody who ought to seek more advice before implementing such personal and largely unproven theories at crucial times. I have come round to the view that his relationship with CP was unworkable, and so the change was inevitable, but selling Kermorgant was avoidable and may yet turn out to be the biggest mistake he has made.
I think that most of us feel that either the selling of kermogant or the selling of him without an adequate replacement was a major error maybe bourne out of naïveté or stupidity or both.
I like a lot of what RD has done or promised to do but the initial crucial decisions could possibily cost the club it's status, losing RD a reasonable amount of money and creating greater angst amongst the fans.
With regard to Solly I hope that this is not gambling with his career.
In short, they don't rate Reza (who does?), don't know why we sold Yann and Stephens and not replaced them (join the club) and thought we should press more rather than sit back. Sums our season up really.
Not normally interested in what Brighton fans say as most of their support actually support premier league teams first. But they do sum us up well.
They also may need reminding of their very, very humble recent history they seem so stuck up and above themselves nowadays. They are just a nothing club with a new stadium.
Pathetic showing that reminded me of the Sheff Utd game. No skill, no guile, no threat, no shots on target. If that was not the performance of a relegation team, then I don't know what is. Spent just shy of £100 for the privilege. Brilliant ground though.
I am so frustrated. I am so angry. I am so in despair. Yes, I went to the Amex - I should have known better. The fans should've been informed by the Club that we were wasting our time and money by turning up - the team didn't turn up, that's for sure. Astrit on the left wing barely involved, and substituted soon after break. Reza a lightweight and "bottler" and complete nonentity. Sordell a player with the touch of a dustbin. And later Harriott, confidence already shot to pieces and too painful to watch, and Church, the mechanical runner far more suited to today's Marathon than a football pitch. Sure, a combination of Hamer, Morrison and Poyet gifted Brighton the first goal early on - and conceding a goal was always going to be the killer blow. The facts stare you in the face - we are pathetic up front. Does a blindfolded Riga stick a pin in a list of the forward's names? Probably! He could do no worse than play rookie Piggot with an unfit Obika on Tuesday night. We just may con Barnsley into believing we have a couple of forwards worth marking. Few consolations: Good to see Solly back, and a good shift from both Jackson and Cousins. Finally, for all the who love to sing "Jose Riga's red and white army" - please get a reality check!
Just something to sing. Can't really sing Chrissy Powell's red army anymore!
Not normally interested in what Brighton fans say as most of their support actually support premier league teams first. But they do sum us up well.
They also may need reminding of their very, very humble recent history they seem so stuck up and above themselves nowadays. They are just a nothing club with a new stadium.
Don't they have 20,000+ ST holders ? Hardly going to support a Prem side AND buy an ST at Brighton. The attendance was 28000 and we couldn't even sell 2000 ourselves.
I don't know if I agree with you about needing reminding about their recent history. There is an article in the matchday prog about them almost going out of the FL on the last day of the season, so they are already doing the reminding themselves.
The easy way to sum up BHA is to say they have a Chairman who was a supporter for years, and only wants the best for his team. We had that at CAFC ourselves a few years back, and blew it by parting with Curbs, appointing Dowie and Les Reed, telling Tango to enjoy the Championship, and buying players like Jimmy Bankbalance.
We are now owned (for the second time in succession) by someone who wants to make a few quid. I know which I would rather have.
God I hate Millwall dead and buried 3 weeks ago taken 7 out of 9 now massive game for us Tuesday. 3 points need to be 4 ahead of Millwall
Our little revival coincides with Nicky Bailey returning from injury. He was immense for us yesterday. A real leader out there and easily MOM. A proper Millwall style player. If we stay up he will be key to our survival.
My take on events, for what their worth, surrounding Duchatelet's weakening of the squad. He didn't want Powell, he wanted his own man in. Kermorgant was more vociferous in his support for Chris than any one else at the Club - remember his candid, revealing interview in the South London Press. He would've made his feelings known to the Belgian - result: he has to go. Duchatelet's masterplan of using Charlton as a feeder club for Standard Liege is condemned by the press, in particular Martin Samuels in the Daily Mail. Duchatelet is forced to back track. He then enters in to protracted contract talks with Powell, knowing the press and fans will see this as him being fair minded. The financial package is agreed, but the terms of his job description are not acceptable to Chris (and probably to no other manager) - result: he has to go. His man Riga comes in, which is what the owner wanted in the first place. Riga is doing a reasonable job but can't overcome the inadequacies of the "forwards" or of the loanees from Duchatelet's empire. Even Astrit is prone to disappear in matches - like yesterday at Brighton. Riga struggles to get players to come to the Club in the emergency loan window - why? Did the owner not want the squad to be strengthened - or did he not want to pay additional wages?
Does Duchatelet want us relegated? Does he save a few £million off the purchase price to Jiminez and Slatter? This makes no sense to me if true. The cost of relegation will hit his pocket more severely in the long run. And what of his feeder club master plan? Who amongst our young stars would want to move to Liege anyway, what with so many Premier Club's interested in them? Can any Charlton Life member read the Belgian's mind and provide the answers???
Riga will come good. And I don't care if we were the worst team theyve seen at the Amex. Fuck em. As long as we arent the worst team that Barnsley have played.
I was however absolutely gobsmacked to hear Chris Solly coming on. .... Two days ago there were people circulating the rumour he's finished, and even @Plaaayer claiming he can't train two days in a row without pain. Instead they are confident enough to bring him on without even giving him a run out in the U21's. That seems to me to defy all the conventions of rehabilitation.
I was told that in order to continue his career now, Solly, like many players, will have to bite the bullet and learn to play through the pain.
I realise that they are not your own words, but they sound a bit trite. What kind of pain, and why is it there? And most importantly, what are the implications for his long term physical health?
Not normally interested in what Brighton fans say as most of their support actually support premier league teams first. But they do sum us up well.
They also may need reminding of their very, very humble recent history they seem so stuck up and above themselves nowadays. They are just a nothing club with a new stadium.
Don't they have 20,000+ ST holders ? Hardly going to support a Prem side AND buy an ST at Brighton. The attendance was 28000 and we couldn't even sell 2000 ourselves.
I don't know if I agree with you about needing reminding about their recent history. There is an article in the matchday prog about them almost going out of the FL on the last day of the season, so they are already doing the reminding themselves.
The easy way to sum up BHA is to say they have a Chairman who was a supporter for years, and only wants the best for his team. We had that at CAFC ourselves a few years back, and blew it by parting with Curbs, appointing Dowie and Les Reed, telling Tango to enjoy the Championship, and buying players like Jimmy Bankbalance.
We are now owned (for the second time in succession) by someone who wants to make a few quid. I know which I would rather have.
Plenty of them are Liverpool, United, Arsenal fans who live in the area. Its a known fact. They are well above themselves. One relegation and that stadium will be 1/2 empty.
Just because they put an article in the matchday programme doesn't mean their fans aren't much more snobby than they are entitled to be.
Were not at the races too much. They took the game to us in the opening stages and we did not see it through. They scored abliet a mistake in our defence. I felt we were starting to buikld our way in before half time when we hit the bar but they got an off side goal and its a mountain to climb. It knocked the stuffing out of us and it was a bit huff puff second half. It was gutting to lose the the third so late.
I think we have an honest of players who want to do well for the club but a lot of them are those from League 1 and in summer Powelly never to strengthen the way he wanted.
We have had a load of games and still have a load to come. We really have just got to hold our nerve on Tuesday now. We will need a lot of calmness and composure.
Riga will come good. And I don't care if we were the worst team theyve seen at the Amex. Fuck em. As long as we arent the worst team that Barnsley have played.
This this and this.
The only thing is that I do feel sorry for those that have shelled out upwards of £100 to attend yesterday. Sadly, it's been the story of our season.
We just need to limp over the line and wait for an interesting (hopefully investment-filled) summer.
We may be considered, by some, to be "one of the worst teams seen at the Amex", but we were still too good for them at the Valley. Let's face it we are one of the poorest teams, which is why we're near the bottom,but at present there are three teams worse overall. I think, having seen them at the match yesterday, I didn't see any great difference between the teams. We made a very poor mistake for their first and then were caught on the break for the other two. In between our general play was, imo, a match for them.
Regarding those that see Millwall as in a better place than us, I would consider our respective run-ins.
Millwall have Boro (a), Doncater (h), QPR (a), Bournmouth (h).
We have Barnsley (h), Bolton (h), S.Weds (a), Blackburn (h), Watford (h), Blackpool (a).
I have been following football in general and Charlton in particular for many a long year and would not take anything for granted, ( the match is played on a pitch and not on paper, is an old cliche ) but I know which of those run ins I would prefer.
It's funny how the luck works out, Millwall get a jammy equaliser, but Doncaster lose to a late goal in which a blatant (possibly red card offence by the Ipswich player) foul was missed.
We desperately need a striker with strength who can hold the ball up. The only good things from the afternoon were the return of Solly and a chance to visit the best pub in the country - The Evening Star.
Who amongst our young stars would want to move to Liege anyway, what with so many Premier Club's interested in them? Can any Charlton Life member read the Belgian's mind and provide the answers???
At least there's a realistic chance of playing in the Champions League with Standard Liege. They're not going to get that at Stoke, West Ham etc....
Wasn't there yesterday and didn't watch the stream so I have no comment on the match. All I will offer is:
1. Expected nowt. Got nowt. 2. It's still in our own hands which is all we can ask 3. We knew all along that Tuesday was going to be the biggest game of the season. That's how it's turned out. 4. We are not very good. That's why we are where we are. Let's not wish for a 30 goal a season striker or wonder how we'd get on with messi. We are where we are. The summer will be an interesting time. Let's just limp over the line and be done with this season. 5. I'd rather be us than Yeovil, Barnsley or Blackpool at the moment 6. Kermorgant, Stephens. Wagstaffe etc do not play for us any more. FFS please don't mention them again!!!!!!!
Just watching the Liverpool game and I just cannot understand why they're not passing back and forth across their midfield and then back to their goalkeeper and they're not sitting back and inviting City to attack either. What's with this high-pressing game? Doomed to fail. Rodgers out!
Riga will come good. And I don't care if we were the worst team theyve seen at the Amex. Fuck em. As long as we arent the worst team that Barnsley have played.
This this and this.
The only thing is that I do feel sorry for those that have shelled out upwards of £100 to attend yesterday. Sadly, it's been the story of our season.
We just need to limp over the line and wait for an interesting (hopefully investment-filled) summer.
Don't feel sorry for fans who made the decision to attend yesterday's game, Callum.
No-one forced them to go or guaranteed a successful trip.
Yesterday summed up the feeling I expressed on here after the Sheff Utd Cup game....that I prefer away games where the "usual" faces are predominant & most that travel don't have sky high expectations.
Sorry if that appears harsh ( and I do recognise that we have every right to expect a performance from our lads at EVERY game) but there's rarely any trouble when we visit the likes of Barnsley & Yeovil . IMHO the team gets more support & less abuse from the small contingent of regulars than from the "masses" that choose to travel to the BIG games.
Of course I'd like to see an increase in numbers attending away games but how often does it work in our favour ?
Comments
I have been consistent in my posting about these guys - they will get us nowhere.
When the few chances that we create in a game fall to them - they will fluff it, and as for overall confidence, look at the attacking free kick we won at the Amex which we took sideways and sent back to the keeper when 2-0 down.
This team is all over the place and needs to wake up for the two home games this week that can keep us in the division. With Solly back, push Wilson up the field and play Obika an AA up front, forget all that rotation stuff - rotating crap players into the side is just ruining consistency.
I like a lot of what RD has done or promised to do but the initial crucial decisions could possibily cost the club it's status, losing RD a reasonable amount of money and creating greater angst amongst the fans.
With regard to Solly I hope that this is not gambling with his career.
http://www.northstandchat.com/showthread.php?299065-Charlton-Worst-team-we-ve-seen-at-the-Amex-this-season
They also may need reminding of their very, very humble recent history they seem so stuck up and above themselves nowadays. They are just a nothing club with a new stadium.
If that was not the performance of a relegation team, then I don't know what is.
Spent just shy of £100 for the privilege.
Brilliant ground though.
Hardly going to support a Prem side AND buy an ST at Brighton. The attendance was 28000 and we couldn't even sell 2000 ourselves.
I don't know if I agree with you about needing reminding about their recent history. There is an article in the matchday prog about them almost going out of the FL on the last day of the season, so they are already doing the reminding themselves.
The easy way to sum up BHA is to say they have a Chairman who was a supporter for years, and only wants the best for his team. We had that at CAFC ourselves a few years back, and blew it by parting with Curbs, appointing Dowie and Les Reed, telling Tango to enjoy the Championship, and buying players like Jimmy Bankbalance.
We are now owned (for the second time in succession) by someone who wants to make a few quid.
I know which I would rather have.
He didn't want Powell, he wanted his own man in. Kermorgant was more vociferous in his support for Chris than any one else at the Club - remember his candid, revealing interview in the South London Press. He would've made his feelings known to the Belgian - result: he has to go. Duchatelet's masterplan of using Charlton as a feeder club for Standard Liege is condemned by the press, in particular Martin Samuels in the Daily Mail. Duchatelet is forced to back track. He then enters in to protracted contract talks with Powell, knowing the press and fans will see this as him being fair minded. The financial package is agreed, but the terms of his job description are not acceptable to Chris (and probably to no other manager) - result: he has to go.
His man Riga comes in, which is what the owner wanted in the first place. Riga is doing a reasonable job but can't overcome the inadequacies of the "forwards" or of the loanees from Duchatelet's empire. Even Astrit is prone to disappear in matches - like yesterday at Brighton. Riga struggles to get players to come to the Club in the emergency loan window - why? Did the owner not want the squad to be strengthened - or did he not want to pay additional wages?
Does Duchatelet want us relegated? Does he save a few £million off the purchase price to Jiminez and Slatter? This makes no sense to me if true. The cost of relegation will hit his pocket more severely in the long run. And what of his feeder club master plan? Who amongst our young stars would want to move to Liege anyway, what with so many Premier Club's interested in them? Can any Charlton Life member read the Belgian's mind and provide the answers???
Just because they put an article in the matchday programme doesn't mean their fans aren't much more snobby than they are entitled to be.
I think we have an honest of players who want to do well for the club but a lot of them are those from League 1 and in summer Powelly never to strengthen the way he wanted.
We have had a load of games and still have a load to come. We really have just got to hold our nerve on Tuesday now. We will need a lot of calmness and composure.
The only thing is that I do feel sorry for those that have shelled out upwards of £100 to attend yesterday. Sadly, it's been the story of our season.
We just need to limp over the line and wait for an interesting (hopefully investment-filled) summer.
Regarding those that see Millwall as in a better place than us, I would consider our respective run-ins.
Millwall have Boro (a), Doncater (h), QPR (a), Bournmouth (h).
We have Barnsley (h), Bolton (h), S.Weds (a), Blackburn (h), Watford (h), Blackpool (a).
I have been following football in general and Charlton in particular for many a long year and would not take anything for granted, ( the match is played on a pitch and not on paper, is an old cliche ) but I know which of those run ins I would prefer.
Come on you reds (especially on Tuesday)
The only good things from the afternoon were the return of Solly and a chance to visit the best pub in the country - The Evening Star.
1. Expected nowt. Got nowt.
2. It's still in our own hands which is all we can ask
3. We knew all along that Tuesday was going to be the biggest game of the season. That's how it's turned out.
4. We are not very good. That's why we are where we are. Let's not wish for a 30 goal a season striker or wonder how we'd get on with messi. We are where we are. The summer will be an interesting time. Let's just limp over the line and be done with this season.
5. I'd rather be us than Yeovil, Barnsley or Blackpool at the moment
6. Kermorgant, Stephens. Wagstaffe etc do not play for us any more. FFS please don't mention them again!!!!!!!
That is all. Roll on Tuesday.
No-one forced them to go or guaranteed a successful trip.
Yesterday summed up the feeling I expressed on here after the Sheff Utd Cup game....that I prefer away games where the "usual" faces are predominant & most that travel don't have sky high expectations.
Sorry if that appears harsh ( and I do recognise that we have every right to expect a performance from our lads at EVERY game) but there's rarely any trouble when we visit the likes of Barnsley & Yeovil . IMHO the team gets more support & less abuse from the small contingent of regulars than from the "masses" that choose to travel to the BIG games.
Of course I'd like to see an increase in numbers attending away games but how often does it work in our favour ?