I think that Bob has to shoulder a lot of the blame for that sub-standard and slightly farcical performance. The narrow shape never worked, with Gudmundsson ineffective behind the strikers, a lack of width and a lack of movement on the part of Igor and Harriott. The first half hour was some of the worst football I've seen in a long time and I thought that we were fortunate to go in on terms, as Perkins (aka Boris) and O'Hara had the better of things in midfield.
Blackpool predictably became more disjointed in the second half, as a lot of their players haven't played much football recently. The half meandered on but, slightly out of the blue we got our noses in front. Having done so, Blackpool were absolutely there for the taking but we failed to press home the advantage and adopted a 'take no risks' approach against a team who have only scored 7 goals on the road this season. The blame for that must be laid squarely at Bob's door. There is a weakness in this team's mentality, although it obviously doesn't help when your attacking substitution is the hapless George Tucadean.
Even after we let them back in after Popey's second big error (although where was the marking ?), Bikey contrived to miss an open goal from 10 yards.
If we can't put Blackpool to bed, you have to wonder where the next win is coming from. Very dispiriting and today was one of the low points of the season. The only players to emerge with any real credit were Buyens, Ben Haim, Solly and young Joe Gomez.
A tactical disaster. Johann himself has said his favourite job is on the wing cutting in at will. Solly is a thorough defender, not a midfielder. Harriott is a behind the striker ball runner, he will become ineffective as a striker as he will not find the space.
Fox, Pope & George are not good enough at this level as I've said a hundred times but blame on Bob today for me, he doesn't know his plan B and is making one up and trying to strike gold.
Clueless. Management and players. Don't know how to win games that's the problem. Too defensive and not enough desire to go out and see a team off. As for that bikey miss. Pftttt
So, another game we did not lose, yet it feels almost as if we had. And another win for Bournemouth. And another goal for Yann. With every week that passes, the decision to let him go is ever more perverse. Ifs and ands, pots and Yanns, etc, but had he stayed with us, I reckon we'd be at least nine points to the good, with a much better goal difference, and more confident attacking play. Our club is stuck in a rut and something needs to change.
I can't believe how inconsistent we are. In that 90 minutes we went from being totally outplayed in the first half, bar the 7 or 8 minutes impetus we got on the back of the pen, to running most of the second to committing football suicide by leaving 2 or 3 unmarked for their equaliser. The ref and the linesman running down the West Stand were unbelievably poor. It's great that we will inevitably be involved in trying to bring in new faces but can't see many good players wanting to come... Desperately poor today.
After 35 years of supporting through thick and mostly thin, I think I'm falling out of love with Charlton. Maybe it's because I've got two v young children who take up my time and my focus but actually, I've been feeling like this for some time now. Anyone else?
Not just Charlton, the whole premier/championship experience. The wage demands of players, the soulless modern day stadiums, having to be seated, the rules within grounds (no smoking), the cheating/diving feining injury. I can remember knocking about Charlton after the game and seeing players leave on public transport. When purchasing my ticket recently for the Millwall game I see the teenager we loaned from Arsenal turn up in a £40k motor. I cannot relate to it any more.
I have recently been taking in a lot of non-league games, and if i am honest, be more likely to purchase a season ticket for Welling rather than Charlton. Obviously the standard isn't as good, but the commitment and effort more than make up for it. When you spend your money, you feel as if you are part of something, pretty much how i did at Charlton 20+ years ago.
So, another game we did not lose, yet it feels almost as if we had. And another win for Bournemouth. And another goal for Yann. With every week that passes, the decision to let him go is ever more perverse. Ifs and ands, pots and Yanns, etc, but had he stayed with us, I reckon we'd be at least nine points to the good, with a much better goal difference, and more confident attacking play. Our club is stuck in a rut and something needs to change.
Agree. We took the piss out of our best player and he got a better deal. It's not about Yann being greedy. He thought he was worth more and he was right. Some won't admit it though.
Most negative I've left the Valley this season. Want to be positive and appreciate how hard to beat we are but this is getting tedious now. Recent observations
Pope - not yet Championship standard Bikey - love him but he's getting fatter Buyons - anonymous game after game Harriet - 100% consistent in being inconsistent Cousins - gives away too much of the ball Wilson - if he couldn't get a start today, the manager clearly doesn't rate him
After 35 years of supporting through thick and mostly thin, I think I'm falling out of love with Charlton. Maybe it's because I've got two v young children who take up my time and my focus but actually, I've been feeling like this for some time now. Anyone else?
It hurts to draw to bottom of league but with a lone parent to a 5 and a 6 year old my week is very busy but like a separated couple my kids see their mum Saturday's and Sunday's so watching or listening to Charlton is my break but as you say it's more difficult to care for cafc fully
We didn't deserve a win today. The team selection was perplexing. Solly in midfield didn't work. Our lack of pace is staggering. Whenever we do rarely get up any steam we stop ourselves getting any momentum by slowing the game down. Gudmundsson was lost in the center and Igors touch is not good at the moment. This is turning into one of the dullest teams I have seen in a long while. Not worst team but just completely dull.
Poor, disjointed, below par, little threat or ingenuity, nothing on the bench.
The injuries to an already small squad told.
Great to see so many academy products but it really is making a virtue of a necessity. Yes Gomez is great but we need more experience especially up top.
It is a worry that two of our most important players, igor and jbg are well below what they have shown they be and a third, Jackson, is out.
I've stuck up for George in the past but he is looking more like a Reza or Polish Pete every game.
Very frustrating but credit to Blackpool for sticking with it and taking their chances.
Reason we did not win NICK POPE once is poor twice is criminal .... What the hell was he doing .......
Don't agree at all. Wasn't a vintage performance from Pope but I've seen so, so many worse in that positions in the last few years (weirdly most coincided with Wigan away onwards last season !).
I think the reason we lost today was a mixture of a very bizarre formation strategy from BP - which seemed to be designed to nullify Solly as much as possible and a complete lack of competency in the final third which is on RD.
Investment is required as I'm now worried that this season could now disintegrate into another relegation fight.
I try not to criticise too much, I think I'm quite a rose-tinted fan. However, that's really not good enough.
Personally, after a very slow start, I liked the way we set up. Credit must go to Bob Peeters for that. But, from 70 minutes on what the hell was the message to the players? It felt like a training game. How can it be so that for the last four minutes we make Blackpool look stupid yet for the previous twenty we play just dilly-dally football? Perhaps complacency? We should have put our foot on the jugular and gone and got a third ...
Now I accept that you can't plan for two goalkeeping errors from Nick Pope. But for me, they shouldn't have mattered in the context of the game because we had it in us to put this game out of sight.
Blackpool were dire and lack of ambition has cost the team two points today. I have to say I am getting bored with the throwing away of winning positions.
A few plus points;
- Gomez exceptional - Good to have Buyens back - Great finish from Cousins - Good build-up play in the lead up to the penalty, something we should have seen more of.
We only have ourselves to blame and the script was written for a set piece equaliser as soon as we sat back.
I think this just about sums it up for me. I listen to the games from afar, living in California, and along the lines of the above was my gut reaction but I wanted to see what people who were at the game thought before posting. It seems like my gut was accurate. The negative approach to games must be coming from Big Bob surely. Must admit I'm starting to have reservations about him. Things don't seem quite right.
When their equalizer went in my initial reaction was 'fucking pathetic' and I still feel that.
Well done Charlton you have just drawn 2-2 at home to yourselves. Blackpool were spectators most of the afternoon. We were so labourious in attack it's unbelieveable
Don't want to lose the faith, but it's a test at times
Oh and Andrée, keep your head over the ball when shooting, that's such a basic skill.
It was my first time at the valley since the wolves game as I'm up in Leeds so follow us more away in the regular season. Boy did it feel good to be back. On the back of a post above me about falling in love with Charlton, our feelings couldn't be more polarised. As soon as I walked out and saw the valley my heart was content again. Got there very early, about an hour prior to kick off so could really soak it all in. It was just so great to be back in the ground surrounded by so many charlton supporters and thought the attendance in the home end was pretty impressive today. It had all the makings of a perfect reunion really didn't it?
Unfortunately not, I was very confused about the formation, 4-3-2-1. Did not think it suited us at all, no width and subsequently no threat. Was really confident bob was going to change it at half time but he didn't drastically. It felt like because it was Blackpool, it meant we had a chance to experiment but that for me is the completely wrong approach. Harriott is not a strike partner for igor and I would much rather have George starting - he still impresses me even with his short cameos. Solly, in spite of his efforts, looked out of place at RCM. Seemed like bob got his tactics all wrong today. Pope obviously has cost us big time with two silly errors, he really needs some work done on his decision making and particularly crosses. As for bikeys miss, well I didn't expect him to score when I saw it was him, quite comical really, real centre backs finish. I think id be a lot more annoyed if it was igor, Harriott, buyens etc.
The other thing that I feel has cost us is arsene Wenger. What an absolute tw*t, coquelin was definitely going to start and in our plans for today and to recall him the day before a game is ludicrous. What an absolute joke arsenal are to have him on the bench as well!!! I'm sure coquelin is annoyed about it as us. Just think it hasn't helped at all and disrupted all preparations. A team shouldn't be allowed to do that the day before a game IMO.
Anyway, positivity. Three difficult games coming up, let's hope we can make amends for this loss of two points.
Poor goalkeeping. Missing for both goals. Considering they were their only decent chances that's where we lost the two points
This all day long....good shot stopper but just terrible dealing with crosses not strong enough and looks like he is playing snow angels in the air, weak link im afraid. TBH , The iceman and yoni all played verywell
Negative tactics and lack of desire to grab a game by the throat.
In my experience, most players just want to play and express themselves in a game. I bet they hate the dead hand of the system they're expected to conform to, without flair grinding out a result.
They must feel as stifled and frustrated as we do.
Comments
Blackpool predictably became more disjointed in the second half, as a lot of their players haven't played much football recently. The half meandered on but, slightly out of the blue we got our noses in front. Having done so, Blackpool were absolutely there for the taking but we failed to press home the advantage and adopted a 'take no risks' approach against a team who have only scored 7 goals on the road this season. The blame for that must be laid squarely at Bob's door. There is a weakness in this team's mentality, although it obviously doesn't help when your attacking substitution is the hapless George Tucadean.
Even after we let them back in after Popey's second big error (although where was the marking ?), Bikey contrived to miss an open goal from 10 yards.
If we can't put Blackpool to bed, you have to wonder where the next win is coming from. Very dispiriting and today was one of the low points of the season. The only players to emerge with any real credit were Buyens, Ben Haim, Solly and young Joe Gomez.
What's wrong with pressing, attacking and trying to get a two goal lead? I don't understand what Big Bob has against that. Bemusing.
Fox, Pope & George are not good enough at this level as I've said a hundred times but blame on Bob today for me, he doesn't know his plan B and is making one up and trying to strike gold.
The wage demands of players, the soulless modern day stadiums, having to be seated, the rules within grounds (no smoking), the cheating/diving feining injury.
I can remember knocking about Charlton after the game and seeing players leave on public transport.
When purchasing my ticket recently for the Millwall game I see the teenager we loaned from Arsenal turn up in a £40k motor.
I cannot relate to it any more.
I have recently been taking in a lot of non-league games, and if i am honest, be more likely to purchase a season ticket for Welling rather than Charlton.
Obviously the standard isn't as good, but the commitment and effort more than make up for it.
When you spend your money, you feel as if you are part of something, pretty much how i did at Charlton 20+ years ago.
Nerrrrrr, me too, I don't know if my massive focus on them can take this anymore...
I putting my ST on the bookshelf, yeah, the bookshelf, and I don't know if I'll ever pick it up again...
If you don't want to go anymore:don't. No one will notice. It was poor, it's happened before and it will happen again, stop being so precious.
Pope - not yet Championship standard
Bikey - love him but he's getting fatter
Buyons - anonymous game after game
Harriet - 100% consistent in being inconsistent
Cousins - gives away too much of the ball
Wilson - if he couldn't get a start today, the manager clearly doesn't rate him
We didn't deserve a win today.
The team selection was perplexing. Solly in midfield didn't work.
Our lack of pace is staggering. Whenever we do rarely get up any steam we stop ourselves getting any momentum by slowing the game down.
Gudmundsson was lost in the center and Igors touch is not good at the moment.
This is turning into one of the dullest teams I have seen in a long while. Not worst team but just completely dull.
Poor, disjointed, below par, little threat or ingenuity, nothing on the bench.
The injuries to an already small squad told.
Great to see so many academy products but it really is making a virtue of a necessity. Yes Gomez is great but we need more experience especially up top.
It is a worry that two of our most important players, igor and jbg are well below what they have shown they be and a third, Jackson, is out.
I've stuck up for George in the past but he is looking more like a Reza or Polish Pete every game.
Very frustrating but credit to Blackpool for sticking with it and taking their chances.
All these bumps on this ride are mighty annoying.
I think the reason we lost today was a mixture of a very bizarre formation strategy from BP - which seemed to be designed to nullify Solly as much as possible and a complete lack of competency in the final third which is on RD.
Investment is required as I'm now worried that this season could now disintegrate into another relegation fight.
Refreshing start to the season is beginning to turn a bit whiffy. But we have seen much much worse bear in mind.
When their equalizer went in my initial reaction was 'fucking pathetic' and I still feel that.
Don't want to lose the faith, but it's a test at times
Oh and Andrée, keep your head over the ball when shooting, that's such a basic skill.
It was my first time at the valley since the wolves game as I'm up in Leeds so follow us more away in the regular season. Boy did it feel good to be back. On the back of a post above me about falling in love with Charlton, our feelings couldn't be more polarised. As soon as I walked out and saw the valley my heart was content again. Got there very early, about an hour prior to kick off so could really soak it all in. It was just so great to be back in the ground surrounded by so many charlton supporters and thought the attendance in the home end was pretty impressive today. It had all the makings of a perfect reunion really didn't it?
Unfortunately not, I was very confused about the formation, 4-3-2-1. Did not think it suited us at all, no width and subsequently no threat. Was really confident bob was going to change it at half time but he didn't drastically. It felt like because it was Blackpool, it meant we had a chance to experiment but that for me is the completely wrong approach. Harriott is not a strike partner for igor and I would much rather have George starting - he still impresses me even with his short cameos. Solly, in spite of his efforts, looked out of place at RCM. Seemed like bob got his tactics all wrong today. Pope obviously has cost us big time with two silly errors, he really needs some work done on his decision making and particularly crosses. As for bikeys miss, well I didn't expect him to score when I saw it was him, quite comical really, real centre backs finish. I think id be a lot more annoyed if it was igor, Harriott, buyens etc.
The other thing that I feel has cost us is arsene Wenger. What an absolute tw*t, coquelin was definitely going to start and in our plans for today and to recall him the day before a game is ludicrous. What an absolute joke arsenal are to have him on the bench as well!!! I'm sure coquelin is annoyed about it as us. Just think it hasn't helped at all and disrupted all preparations. A team shouldn't be allowed to do that the day before a game IMO.
Anyway, positivity. Three difficult games coming up, let's hope we can make amends for this loss of two points.
COYR
In my experience, most players just want to play and express themselves in a game.
I bet they hate the dead hand of the system they're expected to conform to, without flair grinding out a result.
They must feel as stifled and frustrated as we do.