We've ridden our luck at times, yes. We have also been unlucky at times, Bulots shot that stopped on the line v Rotherham and his shot against the post v Borough not to mention Harriots shot v Brentford. Alone those 3 chances could have given us an extra 6 points. We also could well have lost the games v Wolves and Norwich. The lucky argument goes both ways.
The fact is we have an incredibly solid defence, two of the best CB's I've seen at The Valley for a very long time. We have a real out and out striker who has scored long range efforts, tap ins and headers. The team is still in transition yet seem to be adapting to BP's passing game very quickly and my god it is refreshing not to just lump the ball up the field and hope for the best. We are now playing football and good football at that. Our midfield still needs some tweeking, but I would still argue it is very strong especially when we play with 5 across it. Buyens is a class above technically, what JJ lacks in pace he makes up for in his undoubted passion and what a prospect both Cousins and JBG look. These last 5 seasons bar the title winning season (which although I enjoyed as much as the next fan it was more a 'thank god we're out of there' feeling rather than 'i cant believe we've done it!') have been very tough and tiring, and I was genuinely worried about the direction of the club not so long ago, but now with BP at the helm we have turned a new leaf and we are playing well. God knows this division is tough but to be unbeaten approaching the second international break is really something to be proud of, and if we could substitute one of those D's for a W we would be joint top now. I stand by the Derby game as the best Charlton performance I've seen all year. The snippets we've shown in other games are most encouraging and we are definitely capable of a top ten finish and dare I say it play offs, especially if we carry this form on to January, obviously not staying unbeaten but at least in the top 10, then some investment from RD we could be well on our way to one of the most exciting seasons since ever!
Our results are perfectly synchronised with our performances.
Too strong to be beaten but not yet sufficiently resilient or organised to get/save those two precious extra points as often as we should. Still very much a work in progress as everyone acknowledges.
Without doubt we have had good fortune at times - all I can say is that it's long overdue.
This year's new team has not had quite the same stunning impact as the class of 2011, but that's partly because this time around the coach himself is one of the new boys, and also because this ferocious league is a cut well above League 1. Hidings are rare - most games are very close.
A majority of us I would say are cautiously optimistic but realistic enough to know we can and should and hopefully will do significantly better. Sweeter times ahead - meanwhile, playing not so well but getting at least some reward sure as hell beats playing not so well and regularly losing. And because the team are so far unconvincing, that's mostly why the no-show fans are still staying away despite our impressive league position.
I always said no matter how we started that I would judge the team after the first 10 games, Norwich was the 10th.
Considering I was hoping we would be away from the bottom quarter of the league, I am very happy, we all should be.
As others have said, our defence and gem upfront have been superb, both positions which win or lose games. The team is still gelling and in my opinion will get better.
Yes there has been luck, but lady luck rarely paid a visit to the valley last season, so in my view it is an overdue visit which I will not be moaning about.
Bob was missing one player yesterday who in my opinion would have damaged Birmingham and that was Gudmundsson. He can unlock the stubborn defences and is hard to play against, Wilson is nothing of the same.
I can't explain why we are unbeaten. It seems that all the luck that eluded us last season is being paid back with dividends this one. We have a solid defence which is why we are not losing, but lack a creative midfield, and just one lone striker so goals are hard to come by. Also playing defensively every time we score seems an odd choice to me, why not push on and try to score again? The last four home matches we have not done this and paid the price in dropped points. Some say we are a work in progress, but to me, we are not improving as the season goes on, but getting worse. I always give my full support during the match, win, lose or draw, but feel entitled to express my disappointment at our current style of play.
Burnley, Leicester, West Bromwich fans all moaning. Even Chelsea fans moaned when they won the league because the football wasn't pretty. Get a fckin life we ain't in the bottom 3 and it ain't the Bundesliga so don't expect quality football everyweek for 90mins.
I think peoples expectations are way beyond were they should be to be honest, a mid table finish would be a very good season imo considering last season and all the changes to the playing side this season. We will not finish top 6 this year and i am equally confident we will not finish bottom 6, i just think we should enjoy a stress free season unlike last year.
Burnley, Leicester, West Bromwich fans all moaning. Even Chelsea fans moaned when they won the league because the football wasn't pretty. Get a fckin life we ain't in the bottom 3 and it ain't the Bundesliga so don't expect quality football everyweek for 90mins.
Haters gonna hate.
You think quality of life is connected to Charlton's league position? I wouldn't disagree entirely but I'd definitely also like to be entertained in the process and not leave the valley frustrated and thinking this must feel something like supporting John Beck's Cambridge united early 90s..
1. Excellent defending. Although we've only managed three clean sheets, we've always remained resolute and have only twice conceded more than one goal. Our rate of conceding currently stands at 0.91 goals per game, that is joint sixth-best along with Norwich and Derby; we are one of only eight clubs that have conceded less than a goal a game. It's difficult to say for certain, because I don't regularly watch the other teams in this league, but I would be amazed if anyone has a better centre-back pairing than Bikey and Ben Haim. Solly is his usual class act and Wiggins is getting back to form after a couple of difficult games at the start. Buyens looks good in front of that back four (though he does sometimes show a tendency to rush at his man and get sidestepped). When these five have been beaten, Henderson has demonstrated some great keeping skills. We've also had Pope, Fox, Gomez and Morrison come in and make significant contributions.
2. Team players. There seems to be a togetherness about this team with everyone working hard for each other. There have been passages of play where we have given other teams too much time and space. There have also been aspects of play, such as sloppy passing, on occasion but the one thing I don't think you can level against anyone in this team is not trying. There are no prima-donnas and no lazy-boys. Everyone plays their part. A policy of promoting young and hungry players from the development squad and recruiting players with the right mental attitude and in having in Big Bob a manager who looks like he'd not accept the slightest hint of indolence seems to be paying dividends to the work ethic.
3. Igor. For the first time in ages we have a striker who can single-handedly change a game. Even when surrounded by defenders he can still control, keep and play they ball. He's got six goals already, can hold the ball up and is surprisingly accomplished in the air considering his height. I think that in Vetokele we have someone with the potential to make huge difference - now, if only we can find a suitable strike partner for him.
4. Luck. There's always an element of luck in any game: a decision will go your way or not, the ball will run for you or against you, the opposition will be inspired or deflated. It is of course a truism that the better you become, the luckier you get. It's also true that successful people are notorious at underestimating the role of luck in their success. I'm sure most Charlton fans will be able to think of times when we got lucky. For me the most obvious was when Henry struck the post for Wolves; people often talk about margins of error being in inches, but the way that rebounded I'm convinced that just a millimetre or two would have seen that going in and we'd have lost 2-1. To get through 11 matches undefeated of course requires luck, even if you are better than your opponents. It's like playing with a loaded dice, the odds may be stacked in your favour but the longer the sequence goes on the more improbable it becomes. This is important to remember, because at some time lady luck will nip out down the shops and we'll find this run over. When it happens we mustn't be despondent. We'll need to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off...
Burnley, Leicester, West Bromwich fans all moaning. Even Chelsea fans moaned when they won the league because the football wasn't pretty. Get a fckin life we ain't in the bottom 3 and it ain't the Bundesliga so don't expect quality football everyweek for 90mins.
I think if the footballing gods had promised us before the start of this season that we would finish in a fairly comfortable mid table finish without any flirting with relegation. Sign some exciting players and have a manager although still new to this country and management would win over the fans after just four or five games we would have bitten off their hands.
This is in my opinion only the start of RD's project. Not the end.
Seems to me from following CL this season a lot of you are very unconvinced by the current Charlton side and (again purely based on what I've read and the odd live stream) we have flattered to deceive on many a occassion.
How, then, does it explain our 11 match unbeaten run and relatively lofty position of sixth in the league? Is it simply due to the fact that BP has got his players extremely well organized or do we have a bit more about us this season and, if so, what is that?
Alternatively is it a fluke that we are unbeaten in the league and a false reflection of our true worth as a side?
Or is BP just a "lucky" manager who seems to have the decisions go his way?
Burnley, Leicester, West Bromwich fans all moaning. Even Chelsea fans moaned when they won the league because the football wasn't pretty. Get a fckin life we ain't in the bottom 3 and it ain't the Bundesliga so don't expect quality football everyweek for 90mins.
Haters gonna hate.
You think quality of life is connected to Charlton's league position? I wouldn't disagree entirely but I'd definitely also like to be entertained in the process and not leave the valley frustrated and thinking this must feel something like supporting John Beck's Cambridge united early 90s..
Stop it, it's nothing like that, it's better than Powells football and pretty much standard fortthe last 30 years supporting Charlton bar 4 good years under curbs.
Do you watch many other teams and think wow, they are outstanding and playing great football.
Jesus, people even moaned about Barcas 1 touch football and 80% possession in games.
It's still a work in progress, players short in the squad, and we are getting points on the board to try and not get into the shit situation we were last year.
I'd rather be top 6 nicking points than bottom 3 playing attractive football, with household names, just ask Fulham fans.
Vetokele is a gem - no arguments... Back five is solid AND we have cover... Nobody is quite sure / in agreement about the other positions as to what we have and what is missing... So, so many contradictory points made about Bulot today, and Jackson / Cousins all season... And of course Tucudean.
But we are in a bloody good place to find out...not only unbeaten but we have a CEO and owner who know how to attract players...and have committed to looking in the next window
The next eight months will require patience and support...fans are grumbling after 7 draws out of 11... What happens when we lose a game?!
When I suggest committed, they have clearly stated they will source additional players during the January window if we are still challenging. From the league table of the last couple of seasons it appears we need c. 36 points to be in the top six after 23 games... That's another 17 points from the next 12 games. As others have posted, this is the beginning not the end - we have established base camp... Undefeated! That is a platform from which the club can attract players and fans.
I can't explain why we are unbeaten. It seems that all the luck that eluded us last season is being paid back with dividends this one. We have a solid defence which is why we are not losing, but lack a creative midfield, and just one lone striker so goals are hard to come by. Also playing defensively every time we score seems an odd choice to me, why not push on and try to score again? The last four home matches we have not done this and paid the price in dropped points. Some say we are a work in progress, but to me, we are not improving as the season goes on, but getting worse. I always give my full support during the match, win, lose or draw, but feel entitled to express my disappointment at our current style of play.
Neatly summed up for me, HA.
Although I've heard BB say he tells the team to go forward more its his negative overall style that prevents this. They are frightened to take chances and possibly loose the ball. There seems to be little or no pattern to our forward play. I recall one of our Belgian posters saying BB's teams don't let in many goals and they don't score many either. Well, he's sticking to that style. Maybe, in Belgium you can play this way for a whole season because players have more time on the ball, to think and pass (according to Buyens). For me, the pressures of the Championship will make this impossible, the tolls on the players being unsustainable.
Vetokele is a gem - no arguments... Back five is solid AND we have cover... Nobody is quite sure / in agreement about the other positions as to what we have and what is missing... So, so many contradictory points made about Bulot today, and Jackson / Cousins all season... And of course Tucudean.
But we are in a bloody good place to find out...not only unbeaten but we have a CEO and owner who know how to attract players...and have committed to looking in the next window
The next eight months will require patience and support...fans are grumbling after 7 draws out of 11... What happens when we lose a game?!
When I suggest committed, they have clearly stated they will source additional players during the January window if we are still challenging. From the league table of the last couple of seasons it appears we need c. 36 points to be in the top six after 23 games... That's another 17 points from the next 12 games. As others have posted, this is the beginning not the end - we have established base camp... Undefeated! That is a platform from which the club can attract players and fans.
Good post!
Actually if yesterday's performance is a bad as we get I would take that any day!
I thought about this over night ( including a bizarre dream where we were all fighting a name change to "London Athletic") and actually we are playing well and have room to develop.
I can't explain why we are unbeaten. It seems that all the luck that eluded us last season is being paid back with dividends this one. We have a solid defence which is why we are not losing, but lack a creative midfield, and just one lone striker so goals are hard to come by. Also playing defensively every time we score seems an odd choice to me, why not push on and try to score again? The last four home matches we have not done this and paid the price in dropped points. Some say we are a work in progress, but to me, we are not improving as the season goes on, but getting worse. I always give my full support during the match, win, lose or draw, but feel entitled to express my disappointment at our current style of play.
Maybe other teams are learning the strengths and weaknesses of the current new Charlton team. That is why things have not been great for the last few games. Some of the new players to the Championship need to adapt to the pace of the game. It will be a challenge for them if they can improve from a good start. Maybe some young players will come through to help. It is for BP to show his skills as a coach to counter what tactical changes other teams make to Charlton's approach. Also to manage the strengths and weaknesses of the players in the team. Hopefully Charlton has not reached a plateau / levelling off due to the quality level in the team.
Realistically, there is only so much that can be achieved with one decent striker and a decent defence. It will likely need an addition up front, creative midfield or out wide to help things along. Charlton supporters can hope that this might happen in the January window.
Some people are just ridiculous. 6th in the leagues unbeaten after 11 games and people seem to be more angry when we draw than when we was constantly losing with Powell last year. I mean ffs, look at the difference of how we were doing last year to how we're doing this year.
I understand it's frustrating, going 1 up at home to a team like Birmingham after 11 minutes, you'd be hoping we could go on and teach them a lesson, that didn't happen and we gave away a lead again, yet we are still in the play offs, still 2 points off being top and still unbeaten, with one of our strikers scoring 6 goals in the first 11 games!
I get the frustration straight after the game, I really do but people are acting like we're bottom of the league.
I think people need to calm down, take a deep breathe and enjoy the season we've had so far. I can't be the only one forgetting what it feels like to lose, can I?
Spot Greenie JR. People have quickly forgotten how dire last season was and because of our good start have suddenly expected us to be tonking teams and running away with the league. It is frustrating but we need to be realistic. Look at our bench yesterday and look how lopsided we were at the end. The squad is thin and we need a couple of reinforcements. I'm very happy how things are going.
People are chucking the word luck around too much. We're a solid team that are capable of results against any team. No point saying we're lucky when we could be on way more points than we are had it not been for some misfortune.
There's no luck about it, good back 5, good striker and we create good chances. I'm not saying we'll win the league or make play offs as I do think some teams will break us down, but I'd say we look like a top 10 side and I'll take that.
People are chucking the word luck around too much. We're a solid team that are capable of results against any team. No point saying we're lucky when we could be on way more points than we are had it not been for some misfortune.
There's no luck about it, good back 5, good striker and we create good chances. I'm not saying we'll win the league or make play offs as I do think some teams will break us down, but I'd say we look like a top 10 side and I'll take that.
We deserve to be where we are.
Yh, we get so much luck a geezer who hasn't scored for 3 years squirms his shot through Sollys legs to equalise for Birmingham and Rob us of another 2pts.
It's bad. It's almost unwatchable. Give me Chris Powell's football any day; he set out to entertain and made that expressly clear when addressing fans. He made that clear and this idea that the football was so bad last year is a myth, fuelling the other myth that this is a tolerable work in progress. Granted it's not bad solidly for 90 minutes- we have good players and they can definitely play - the other team tires out, as Norwich did eventually, but that don't make for an attractive outcome except if unbeaten and 6th is all you are looking for.
People are chucking the word luck around too much. We're a solid team that are capable of results against any team. No point saying we're lucky when we could be on way more points than we are had it not been for some misfortune.
There's no luck about it, good back 5, good striker and we create good chances. I'm not saying we'll win the league or make play offs as I do think some teams will break us down, but I'd say we look like a top 10 side and I'll take that.
We deserve to be where we are.
Yh, we get so much luck a geezer who hasn't scored for 3 years squirms his shot through Sollys legs to equalise for Birmingham and Rob us of another 2pts.
It's bad. It's almost unwatchable. Give me Chris Powell's football any day; he set out to entertain and made that expressly clear when addressing fans. He made that clear and this idea that the football was so bad last year is a myth, fuelling the other myth that this is a tolerable work in progress. Granted it's not bad solidly for 90 minutes- we have good players and they can definitely play - the other team tires out, as Norwich did eventually, but that don't make for an attractive outcome except if unbeaten and 6th is all you are looking for.
It's bad. It's almost unwatchable. Give me Chris Powell's football any day; he set out to entertain and made that expressly clear when addressing fans. He made that clear and this idea that the football was so bad last year is a myth, fuelling the other myth that this is a tolerable work in progress. Granted it's not bad solidly for 90 minutes- we have good players and they can definitely play - the other team tires out, as Norwich did eventually, but that don't make for an attractive outcome except if unbeaten and 6th is all you are looking for.
Haha, thank you for my sunday night entertainment. That is truly hilarious.
It's bad. It's almost unwatchable. Give me Chris Powell's football any day; he set out to entertain and made that expressly clear when addressing fans. He made that clear and this idea that the football was so bad last year is a myth, fuelling the other myth that this is a tolerable work in progress. Granted it's not bad solidly for 90 minutes- we have good players and they can definitely play - the other team tires out, as Norwich did eventually, but that don't make for an attractive outcome except if unbeaten and 6th is all you are looking for.
Comments
The fact is we have an incredibly solid defence, two of the best CB's I've seen at The Valley for a very long time. We have a real out and out striker who has scored long range efforts, tap ins and headers. The team is still in transition yet seem to be adapting to BP's passing game very quickly and my god it is refreshing not to just lump the ball up the field and hope for the best. We are now playing football and good football at that. Our midfield still needs some tweeking, but I would still argue it is very strong especially when we play with 5 across it. Buyens is a class above technically, what JJ lacks in pace he makes up for in his undoubted passion and what a prospect both Cousins and JBG look. These last 5 seasons bar the title winning season (which although I enjoyed as much as the next fan it was more a 'thank god we're out of there' feeling rather than 'i cant believe we've done it!') have been very tough and tiring, and I was genuinely worried about the direction of the club not so long ago, but now with BP at the helm we have turned a new leaf and we are playing well. God knows this division is tough but to be unbeaten approaching the second international break is really something to be proud of, and if we could substitute one of those D's for a W we would be joint top now. I stand by the Derby game as the best Charlton performance I've seen all year. The snippets we've shown in other games are most encouraging and we are definitely capable of a top ten finish and dare I say it play offs, especially if we carry this form on to January, obviously not staying unbeaten but at least in the top 10, then some investment from RD we could be well on our way to one of the most exciting seasons since ever!
Too strong to be beaten but not yet sufficiently resilient or organised to get/save those two precious extra points as often as we should. Still very much a work in progress as everyone acknowledges.
Without doubt we have had good fortune at times - all I can say is that it's long overdue.
This year's new team has not had quite the same stunning impact as the class of 2011, but that's partly because this time around the coach himself is one of the new boys, and also because this ferocious league is a cut well above League 1. Hidings are rare - most games are very close.
A majority of us I would say are cautiously optimistic but realistic enough to know we can and should and hopefully will do significantly better. Sweeter times ahead - meanwhile, playing not so well but getting at least some reward sure as hell beats playing not so well and regularly losing. And because the team are so far unconvincing, that's mostly why the no-show fans are still staying away despite our impressive league position.
Anyway - UTA !!
Considering I was hoping we would be away from the bottom quarter of the league, I am very happy, we all should be.
As others have said, our defence and gem upfront have been superb, both positions which win or lose games. The team is still gelling and in my opinion will get better.
Yes there has been luck, but lady luck rarely paid a visit to the valley last season, so in my view it is an overdue visit which I will not be moaning about.
Bob was missing one player yesterday who in my opinion would have damaged Birmingham and that was Gudmundsson. He can unlock the stubborn defences and is hard to play against, Wilson is nothing of the same.
Even Chelsea fans moaned when they won the league because the football wasn't pretty.
Get a fckin life we ain't in the bottom 3 and it ain't the Bundesliga so don't expect quality football everyweek for 90mins.
Haters gonna hate.
We will not finish top 6 this year and i am equally confident we will not finish bottom 6, i just think we should enjoy a stress free season unlike last year.
1. Excellent defending. Although we've only managed three clean sheets, we've always remained resolute and have only twice conceded more than one goal. Our rate of conceding currently stands at 0.91 goals per game, that is joint sixth-best along with Norwich and Derby; we are one of only eight clubs that have conceded less than a goal a game. It's difficult to say for certain, because I don't regularly watch the other teams in this league, but I would be amazed if anyone has a better centre-back pairing than Bikey and Ben Haim. Solly is his usual class act and Wiggins is getting back to form after a couple of difficult games at the start. Buyens looks good in front of that back four (though he does sometimes show a tendency to rush at his man and get sidestepped). When these five have been beaten, Henderson has demonstrated some great keeping skills. We've also had Pope, Fox, Gomez and Morrison come in and make significant contributions.
2. Team players. There seems to be a togetherness about this team with everyone working hard for each other. There have been passages of play where we have given other teams too much time and space. There have also been aspects of play, such as sloppy passing, on occasion but the one thing I don't think you can level against anyone in this team is not trying. There are no prima-donnas and no lazy-boys. Everyone plays their part. A policy of promoting young and hungry players from the development squad and recruiting players with the right mental attitude and in having in Big Bob a manager who looks like he'd not accept the slightest hint of indolence seems to be paying dividends to the work ethic.
3. Igor. For the first time in ages we have a striker who can single-handedly change a game. Even when surrounded by defenders he can still control, keep and play they ball. He's got six goals already, can hold the ball up and is surprisingly accomplished in the air considering his height. I think that in Vetokele we have someone with the potential to make huge difference - now, if only we can find a suitable strike partner for him.
4. Luck. There's always an element of luck in any game: a decision will go your way or not, the ball will run for you or against you, the opposition will be inspired or deflated. It is of course a truism that the better you become, the luckier you get. It's also true that successful people are notorious at underestimating the role of luck in their success. I'm sure most Charlton fans will be able to think of times when we got lucky. For me the most obvious was when Henry struck the post for Wolves; people often talk about margins of error being in inches, but the way that rebounded I'm convinced that just a millimetre or two would have seen that going in and we'd have lost 2-1. To get through 11 matches undefeated of course requires luck, even if you are better than your opponents. It's like playing with a loaded dice, the odds may be stacked in your favour but the longer the sequence goes on the more improbable it becomes. This is important to remember, because at some time lady luck will nip out down the shops and we'll find this run over. When it happens we mustn't be despondent. We'll need to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off...
This is in my opinion only the start of RD's project. Not the end.
Do you watch many other teams and think wow, they are outstanding and playing great football.
Jesus, people even moaned about Barcas 1 touch football and 80% possession in games.
It's still a work in progress, players short in the squad, and we are getting points on the board to try and not get into the shit situation we were last year.
I'd rather be top 6 nicking points than bottom 3 playing attractive football, with household names, just ask Fulham fans.
Back five is solid AND we have cover...
Nobody is quite sure / in agreement about the other positions as to what we have and what is missing... So, so many contradictory points made about Bulot today, and Jackson / Cousins all season... And of course Tucudean.
But we are in a bloody good place to find out...not only unbeaten but we have a CEO and owner who know how to attract players...and have committed to looking in the next window
The next eight months will require patience and support...fans are grumbling after 7 draws out of 11... What happens when we lose a game?!
When I suggest committed, they have clearly stated they will source additional players during the January window if we are still challenging. From the league table of the last couple of seasons it appears we need c. 36 points to be in the top six after 23 games... That's another 17 points from the next 12 games.
As others have posted, this is the beginning not the end - we have established base camp... Undefeated! That is a platform from which the club can attract players and fans.
Although I've heard BB say he tells the team to go forward more its his negative overall style that prevents this. They are frightened to take chances and possibly loose the ball. There seems to be little or no pattern to our forward play. I recall one of our Belgian posters saying BB's teams don't let in many goals and they don't score many either. Well, he's sticking to that style. Maybe, in Belgium you can play this way for a whole season because players have more time on the ball, to think and pass (according to Buyens). For me, the pressures of the Championship will make this impossible, the tolls on the players being unsustainable.
Actually if yesterday's performance is a bad as we get I would take that any day!
I thought about this over night ( including a bizarre dream where we were all fighting a name change to "London Athletic") and actually we are playing well and have room to develop.
Play offs!
Realistically, there is only so much that can be achieved with one decent striker and a decent defence. It will likely need an addition up front, creative midfield or out wide to help things along. Charlton supporters can hope that this might happen in the January window.
There's no luck about it, good back 5, good striker and we create good chances. I'm not saying we'll win the league or make play offs as I do think some teams will break us down, but I'd say we look like a top 10 side and I'll take that.
We deserve to be where we are.
Luck my arse.