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?
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?
Bah, humbug. Only 35 years and you're getting fed up with it..? I've had more than 50 years of this and seen worse.
43 years ago, almost to the very day, we played Blackpool at home and threw away a 2 - 0 half time lead to lose 2 - 3. And we were lucky Blackpool only scored 3..!!
All yesterday's result goes to show is that it's nothing new. You need to get a few years in, me laddo.
My tip? Get those youngsters of yours kitted out at Christmas and start bringing them to Charlton matches. If nothing else, it's character building.
@DRAddick "Certain posters seem to not be applying their own previous rules to the current regime!"
Interesting point. There were some similarities with CP's time yesterday. Overly defensive formation and tactics, players being played out of position, poor free kicks and corners, ineffectual subs, inviting pressure when only a goal ahead, poor entertainment and a team less than the sum of its parts.
Judging from comments in Upper West, BP's honeymoon period is well and truly over and our momentum as a team is very much backwards at the moment. I won't be at the Valley till the new year and to be honest, I'm relieved.
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?
I'm in the same boat. Ive not been enjoying charlton or football in general for a while now. I'll always get a season ticket, but as I've been doing this season picking and choosing my games. It seems I made the right call choosing not to attend this one.
It was a diamond midfield with two strikers. Solly started on the right of the diamond, then switched to the left in the 1st half. Cousins produced his surging right wing run after the switch. 2nd half they switched back and Cousins scored by coming in off the left wing onto his stronger foot (same as Wigan).
Gudmonsson played tip of the diamond, where a lot of us have been wanting to see him but didn't put the work in to find space. As usual he did show flashes and I think crossed for the 1st goal? But generally he didn't do enough.
As soon as Blackpool equalised Bob should've lost Solly and bought on Onyewu and chucked him up front. Ben Haim played two long diagonal balls into the box in the last two mins and both caused havoc.
I've said it many times before and guess what ? .. I'm gonna say it again .. The way that Peeters sets up his team is geared towards success away from home, repeat AWAY FROM HOME and it works.. until he adjusts for home games, yesterday's disappointment will be repeated all season. Peeters is making the best that he thinks of a small and unbalanced squad, we can all only hope that a new face or two, not too many though, arrive in the new year
As has been said, for some time now, playing away suits our players, until we either spend more or uncover a couple of real gems that's the way it is. Imo of course.
The recall of Coquelin was a blow. Without him there is no other forward playing midfielder. The set up in response from Bob Peeters was all wrong. Chris Solly in midfield on the left was definitely a round peg in a square hole. The first half was as an abject disjointed Charlton performance with no threat and players who did not appear to know what to do. Charlton were lucky to get a penalty from the only real threatening situation of the first half.
When a manager put players in the wrong positions with an unfamiliar formation then it partially down to the lack of quality and options available, and measure of desperation. Chris Powell did the same. It didn't work either. Managers need quality amongst the young players. The thin squad with no creative midfielder and only one decent striker is like attempting to cross the Thames on an inflatable airbed. It is unlikely to be a successful strategy.
One of the few positives was seeing Joe Gomez, who looks very promising. Should have been subbed after 75 mins though as he faded. What a great talent. Buyens competed well and took a nice penalty. Some nice link up play between Gudmundsson and Cousins in the second half and the quality Cousins strike.
Moussa is not a brilliant player but one of the few forward looking midfielders Charlton have. Coming off the bench in the second half would have helped Charlton look forward at 2-1. Instead there was lots of side ways and backward passing. Blackpool were the poorest team at the Valley and at 2-1 were there for the taking. All the sitting back lead to the almost inevitable Blackpool equaliser. With the clear Bikey chance missed it cemented a thoroughly dispiriting team, and management performance that highlighted the flaws in the squad.
As said we played a 4-4-2 diamond. While it's worked for us in the past few seasons under the different managers I don't think it really did at all yesterday.
I was expecting Peeters to change it at some point because I never felt it looked quite right, particularly the midfield. Was surprised we continued with it. I also felt it exposed Fox's weaknesses. Even though he's not the long term answer I've defended him as he has been solid in previous games for us, but with a diamond midfield you want your full backs to offer width and pace. He's very uncomfortable running with the ball or even turning to find a bit of space. It leads to him playing those long and/or difficult passes which ends with us losing possession. On the other side we had Gomez, a 17 year old centre back. While he did play well he's not as good as Solly or Wiggins when in an attacking position (and as a 17 year old centre back I wouldn't expect him to be).
After watching that I want to see Gudmundsson out wide where he has more space, I didn't feel he was much of a threat playing behind the strikers. Never really seemed to be in the game (apart from his involvement in the move which won the penalty).
Vetokele's not at his best and while he can't play well every game I do wonder if he's fully fit and if he should have been rested when he had been playing recently soon after his injury. Again his touch was letting him down where a few months ago he'd have turned and got a shot off, or laid it off to a team mate.
Up front I'm not convinced by Harriott or Tucudean but until we can bring someone in for me it's going to have be one of them alongside Vetokele in a flat 4-4-2. We've got to bring in that partner for Vetokele and ideally another midfielder or two. It's no surprise that Yann is making a big difference at Bournemouth. He did the same for us in League 1 where he looked like a player that would have no problems stepping up to Championship level. We need that type of player, it'll help us keep possession, it'll give us a proper outlet when we do have to go long and it'll take pressure off Igor. Find the right player and I think it would turn some of these draws into wins and we'll look a much stronger team.
Decided to sleep on it before making any comment about the game. Just want to add how poor we were for the first 20-25 minutes. Our passing was all over the shop. And how much did we miss JJ in the middle? Those of you who say his time is up need look no further than todays performance to see what we miss when he is out of the team. Could have been in the same position as Bikey for the chance at the end and also covering Miller where Ben Haim tackles him for their free kick that led to the equalizer. Marking for their second goal was non existent and left Pope in the poo trying to pick up the striker where a defender should have been. Overall a very frustrating afternoon.
I'm not going to be too critical of Bob's set up as he had Coquelin and Jackson both missing through no fault of their own (or of Bob's) and losing both meant that we are without midfielders who really press forward aggressively (except for Cousins, but he's done better out wide of late.) Buyens is not and never was the kind of player who'd bomb forward to get into the box, Solly was a defender playing in midfield, Harriott was played up front to try and give Igor a bit of support.
He was playing with a weak hand frankly. I would have liked to have seen George come on earlier, or even bring on Oneyewu and send either him or Bikey up front (with hindsight it would surely be Onyewu!) but as it stands I can't honestly say Bob was really to blame - he cannot legislate for Pope making a complete hash of two catches in one game and apart from the goals, Blackpool didn't look overly dangerous for most of the game - they came to spoil the game and stop us playing, and they did it well. Yes, he could have done better, but laying the fault for what should have been an easy win without two keeper blunders and a great chance spurned on the manager seems harsh in this instance.
A tedious 0-0 stalemate masquerading as a 2-2 thriller. Charlton are bottom of the Championship table for shots per game and Blackpool twenty second. You could see why this afternoon. The most remarkable thing about today's game was that two sides which carry no goal threat managed to score four goals between them.
It's no surprise that Bob Peeters wants to play Joe Gomez. Other players in the squad must look at him and think life simply isn't fair. I didn't think he played that well today, but at seventeen it simply shouldn't be possible to have his athleticism, pace, power, technical ability, time on the ball and football brain. He has the potential to be a truly exceptional player.
On the other hand, it was a surprise to see Chris Solly line up in central midfield. Some full backs can make that transition, but Solly has never struck me as likely to be one of them. Based on this afternoon's performance, I haven't revised my opinion. Not his fault. Strange selection.
Peeters can't think much of Bulot.
Solly lined up on the right side of a 4-4-2 Midfield diamond, with Buyens at the base, Cousins on the left and Gudmundsson at the tip, behind Vetokele and Harriott.
Congratulations for working that out because it certainly didn't look like any recognisable formation from where i was sitting.
10 seasons of working as an opposition scout. from previous experience, the system is usually in place at the kick off and we played how we lined up. It took Lee Clark 20 minutes to match up, then Blackpool switched to the same system and went man for man in midfield. we missed the opportunity to give them problems before then, with too much tippy-tappy passing in the midfield third. The midfield diamond only works when the player at the tip of the diamond is a genuine number 10, not a converted wide player, and also when both full backs get down the outside to provide the width. fox and Gomez were probably too in-experienced to do the job effectively enough in this match.
We had them on toast after we took the lead, but suddenly we stopped playing. Now I don't deny that Peeters knows more about football and our team than me, but it must have been clear to him that we needed to put the game beyond Blackpool while we had the chance. It is so frustrating to see us relinquish the initiative in the way we did yesterday and have done on many occasions this season. I do think you have to factor in the quality of the opposition and yesterday, against the team plum bottom of the division, was not the time to sit on a lead.
Jacko and coquelin are big losses so much so we played solly in midfield who gamely set about his task although positionally was found wanting regularly. Let's not forget Blackpool had seasoned pros who've played at premier league level ohara Eagles nosworthy delfuonso and at times it showed ESP in midfield. Popes a decent keeper but was due a mistake , first goal, and defence let him down badly for the second .
2 of back 4 are under 21s cousins and Harriot are still learning the game. Our approach play yesterday was at times very good but that "final ball" is just lacking.
Abd as for bikeys miss you can't legislate for that truly woeful. Bob needs to give Pigot a chance he showed at Newport he can score goals he's then come back and scored at u21 and they need to work on vetekole first touch
Solly's knees must be improving...alternative games to rest then suddenly the poor man's Philipp Lahm as improvished midfield general. Did ok but missed his guile at right back even if Gomaz is a terrific prospect (particularly that dummy and surging run in the first half). We are very thin squad wise and really need something more midfield and up front. Three things are certain 1/ Pope had a shocker but he's young and will bounce back. 2/ George is a dud. 3/ Yoni is one cool penalty taker.
Gutted as everyone else, not sure why we are so negative at times, especially when we are at home against teams struggling down the bottom of the league.
Plenty of early optimism for this season but despite spending all of it so far in the right half of the table its just not been an especially enjoyable season to be a Charlton fan.
Come on Bob, lets get our season going again, please.
'come on bob' is out of his depth
I want us to go for it at home like most of the crowd, (don't sit back i shouted about 100 times as soon as we went 2-1 up)
But how is Bob Peeters out of his depth when we have lost only 3 matches out of 21 on one of the lowest budgets in the championship? and the CEO said it would be a miracle if we finish in the top half of the table a few months ago.
Despite the decimating effect of injuries, and the return of Coq I think Bob thought Blackpool would be an easier prospect than most, and he decided to gamble on possible football ideas that he had been musing on, and the end product was a dogs dinner of a formation. Mind you we wouldn't be moaning so much if Morgan Fox hadn't missed that open goal at the end.
Three things are certain 1/ Pope had a shocker but he's young and will bounce back. 2/ George is a dud. 3/ Yoni is one cool penalty taker.
Pope did not have a shocker. Cocked up for the first but the second he is trying to cover the striker who is left unmarked to score. If George is a dud then he must have miskicked that pass for Bikey to bounce over the bar.
Despite the decimating effect of injuries, and the return of Coq I think Bob thought Blackpool would be an easier prospect than most, and he decided to gamble on possible football ideas that he had been musing on, and the end product was a dogs dinner of a formation. Mind you we wouldn't be moaning so much if Morgan Fox hadn't missed that open goal at the end.
Maybe Bob thinks Solly is as good as Philip Lahm by moving him from full back to midfield?
I 'suggested' on here that Solly could be tried/used in midfield as he was the most potent attacker for us that I saw during the televised Ipswich game. I wasn't there y'day so have no idea how it went. Reports suggest that it was a failure. Well at least it was tried
Despite the decimating effect of injuries, and the return of Coq I think Bob thought Blackpool would be an easier prospect than most, and he decided to gamble on possible football ideas that he had been musing on, and the end product was a dogs dinner of a formation. Mind you we wouldn't be moaning so much if Morgan Fox hadn't missed that open goal at the end.
It was Bikey
Knowing Seth I suspect his comment was firmly tongue in cheek given the criticism Fox has received elsewhere....
Maybe Bob thinks Solly is as good as Philip Lahm by moving him from full back to midfield?
I 'suggested' on here that Solly could be tried/used in midfield as he was the most potent attacker for us that I saw during the televised Ipswich game. I wasn't there y'day so have no idea how it went. Reports suggest that it was a failure. Well at least it was tried
So Lincs good to see you holding your hand up for the team set up with Solly in midfield. ;-)
(Good to see that Bob Peeters is reading CL as well)
Comments
43 years ago, almost to the very day, we played Blackpool at home and threw away a 2 - 0 half time lead to lose 2 - 3. And we were lucky Blackpool only scored 3..!!
All yesterday's result goes to show is that it's nothing new. You need to get a few years in, me laddo.
My tip? Get those youngsters of yours kitted out at Christmas and start bringing them to Charlton matches. If nothing else, it's character building.
Interesting point. There were some similarities with CP's time yesterday. Overly defensive formation and tactics, players being played out of position, poor free kicks and corners, ineffectual subs, inviting pressure when only a goal ahead, poor entertainment and a team less than the sum of its parts.
Judging from comments in Upper West, BP's honeymoon period is well and truly over and our momentum as a team is very much backwards at the moment. I won't be at the Valley till the new year and to be honest, I'm relieved.
created little
Popes "star jump" for their second --WTF was that about ?
Gudmonsson played tip of the diamond, where a lot of us have been wanting to see him but didn't put the work in to find space. As usual he did show flashes and I think crossed for the 1st goal? But generally he didn't do enough.
As soon as Blackpool equalised Bob should've lost Solly and bought on Onyewu and chucked him up front. Ben Haim played two long diagonal balls into the box in the last two mins and both caused havoc.
When a manager put players in the wrong positions with an unfamiliar formation then it partially down to the lack of quality and options available, and measure of desperation. Chris Powell did the same. It didn't work either. Managers need quality amongst the young players. The thin squad with no creative midfielder and only one decent striker is like attempting to cross the Thames on an inflatable airbed. It is unlikely to be a successful strategy.
One of the few positives was seeing Joe Gomez, who looks very promising. Should have been subbed after 75 mins though as he faded. What a great talent. Buyens competed well and took a nice penalty. Some nice link up play between Gudmundsson and Cousins in the second half and the quality Cousins strike.
Moussa is not a brilliant player but one of the few forward looking midfielders Charlton have. Coming off the bench in the second half would have helped Charlton look forward at 2-1. Instead there was lots of side ways and backward passing. Blackpool were the poorest team at the Valley and at 2-1 were there for the taking. All the sitting back lead to the almost inevitable Blackpool equaliser. With the clear Bikey chance missed it cemented a thoroughly dispiriting team, and management performance that highlighted the flaws in the squad.
I was expecting Peeters to change it at some point because I never felt it looked quite right, particularly the midfield. Was surprised we continued with it. I also felt it exposed Fox's weaknesses. Even though he's not the long term answer I've defended him as he has been solid in previous games for us, but with a diamond midfield you want your full backs to offer width and pace. He's very uncomfortable running with the ball or even turning to find a bit of space. It leads to him playing those long and/or difficult passes which ends with us losing possession. On the other side we had Gomez, a 17 year old centre back. While he did play well he's not as good as Solly or Wiggins when in an attacking position (and as a 17 year old centre back I wouldn't expect him to be).
After watching that I want to see Gudmundsson out wide where he has more space, I didn't feel he was much of a threat playing behind the strikers. Never really seemed to be in the game (apart from his involvement in the move which won the penalty).
Vetokele's not at his best and while he can't play well every game I do wonder if he's fully fit and if he should have been rested when he had been playing recently soon after his injury. Again his touch was letting him down where a few months ago he'd have turned and got a shot off, or laid it off to a team mate.
Up front I'm not convinced by Harriott or Tucudean but until we can bring someone in for me it's going to have be one of them alongside Vetokele in a flat 4-4-2. We've got to bring in that partner for Vetokele and ideally another midfielder or two. It's no surprise that Yann is making a big difference at Bournemouth. He did the same for us in League 1 where he looked like a player that would have no problems stepping up to Championship level. We need that type of player, it'll help us keep possession, it'll give us a proper outlet when we do have to go long and it'll take pressure off Igor. Find the right player and I think it would turn some of these draws into wins and we'll look a much stronger team.
He was playing with a weak hand frankly. I would have liked to have seen George come on earlier, or even bring on Oneyewu and send either him or Bikey up front (with hindsight it would surely be Onyewu!) but as it stands I can't honestly say Bob was really to blame - he cannot legislate for Pope making a complete hash of two catches in one game and apart from the goals, Blackpool didn't look overly dangerous for most of the game - they came to spoil the game and stop us playing, and they did it well. Yes, he could have done better, but laying the fault for what should have been an easy win without two keeper blunders and a great chance spurned on the manager seems harsh in this instance.
Now I don't deny that Peeters knows more about football and our team than me, but it must have been clear to him that we needed to put the game beyond Blackpool while we had the chance. It is so frustrating to see us relinquish the initiative in the way we did yesterday and have done on many occasions this season. I do think you have to factor in the quality of the opposition and yesterday, against the team plum bottom of the division, was not the time to sit on a lead.
Jacko and coquelin are big losses so much so we played solly in midfield who gamely set about his task although positionally was found wanting regularly. Let's not forget Blackpool had seasoned pros who've played at premier league level ohara Eagles nosworthy delfuonso and at times it showed ESP in midfield. Popes a decent keeper but was due a mistake , first goal, and defence let him down badly for the second .
2 of back 4 are under 21s cousins and Harriot are still learning the game. Our approach play yesterday was at times very good but that "final ball" is just lacking.
Abd as for bikeys miss you can't legislate for that truly woeful.
Bob needs to give Pigot a chance he showed at Newport he can score goals he's then come back and scored at u21 and they need to work on vetekole first touch
Mind you we wouldn't be moaning so much if Morgan Fox hadn't missed that open goal at the end.
I think yesterday was one of them games where see what jacko does for us.
(Good to see that Bob Peeters is reading CL as well)