The positives are (is) it didn't cost a fortune to get in. That's it. We were lucky to only lose by the one goal I suppose is a positive, and that we scored one is, I suppose, is a positive, and we can now fully concentrate on what is shaping up to be our relegation battle is a positive ............errrrm.
You want the negatives? We ended up kicking the wrong way. Some idiot fixed the lights.
The vibe from all involved was Bramall laneesque. We had players who didn't look up for it at all, the few who did were either unfit or (like Cousins) completely off their game. Make no mistake we were thrashed by Blackburn who didn't have to do much to beat us, so no nice diverting cup run or anything, just a season that is shaping up to be as dull and grey as today's weather. I am really struggling here to think of anything, however tiny, that could be a positive. Yeah a nice 10 minutes from him when KHG came on, despite the first goal not an awful performance from Fox, TBH was able to be average,..... errrm sheesh Seth you are struggling here mate.
I wrote before the game I was pessimistic and there was and is a hell of a lot to be pessimistic about.
Maybe we have got enough of a platform to survive this division, and the rest of the season can be spent experimenting with network players and maybe adding value to them, which will be nice for Mr Duchatelet but not very enticing for us.
Significant moment in the season, and it was very depressing, and also very alienating, it won't be long before the indifference shown towards us fans will be returned, not by flares and marches and demonstrations, but by our indifference, and we simply won't bother any more.
That was a pretty dire and spineless performance. In truth, Blackburn outclassed us and the 2-1 score line flattered Charlton. We were totally outplayed in midfield and there were some poor performances at the back, as well as a lack of discipline from people like Bikey and - especially - Buyens, whose idiotic challenge cost us any remote chance of getting back into the game. He also now misses the key game against Brighton next Saturday.
It's difficult to draw any positives from that shambolic performance, but Etheridge did very well, Gudmundsson showed his usual touchs of class and Churchy and Tucadean combined well in the first half.
There do, however, appear to some deep rooted problems with this side and present and Bob Peeters really needs to sort them out or our downward spiral is going to continue. He also desperately needs some fresh blood - and not of the January 2014 vintage !
An apology for that abject performance wouldn't go amiss,
Knew we were off to a bad start as soon as the Oli Boys Hasselt flag, bearing a Standard Liege crest, was confiscated. The stewards were so so petty. (Hope someone can back me up, I know Seth can and Airman got a couple of snaps. Disgraceful treatment of our guests.)
As for the football... at least we didn't drop any points? Having ruminated over the game since it ended until the time of writing, I can't think of any positives, except that JBG scored a goal and Karlan Ahearne-Grant looks like he could be quite creative. Can't wait to see him develop. Wilson - shocking; Bikey and TBH - uninterested; Yoni - not fit enough and a poor POOR showing given the sending off. Tucudean - not fit enough, not technically good enough; Church - nowhere near fit enough; Fox - not good enough (ever, or yet?) but was probably one of the least worst out there today. Cousins, for someone who has captained England youth teams as a right back and centre back, has surprisingly little defensive instinct at the moment. Sold Fox down the river for their second. One of his worst performances for us. JBG - scored, that was about it... did nothing really that wrong (or right). Jacko - largely anonymous, but a decent first third of the game or so in particular. Etheridge - did his job I guess: nothing glaringly bad or outstandingly good.
A 2-1 thrashing if ever I saw one.
Blackburn, for their part, have some mustard players. Ben Marshall looks good, as does Adam Henley (full backs, though Marshall is in fact a midfielder) - both fairly rapid. Tom Cairney wasn't even trying and still looked good; David Dunn - annoyingly - is still technically proficient. They bossed it - made us look silly. Taylor's goals came on a plate.
Oh well, let's focus on the league please. We need more in our squad - it's absolutely threadbare.
Second half was so poor it was unbelievable - three man defence was static and we couldn't string two passes together. Blackburn passed the ball around us and we looked clueless. Peeters hasn't got a clue and sending Bikey up front was the icing on the cake.
Hard to describe how bad we were with a near full strength team. With Peeters in charge and the current squad we look like dead certs for relegation. Players and manager should be embarrassed after today's display.
Sat with a bloke today visiting from non league football. He loved the ground and the atmosphere but was amazed at how easily we gave the ball away. Sums it up. Blame Fox for the second? Did anyone see where Bikey was? Time to try the boy Gomez in tbe back 4 IMO. Brighton game is now huge. Bad result and this is going to be a long winter. As for Peeters, his luck has run out.
I was at a funeral during most of this. Sounded pretty awful though. All we can do now is focus on the league. Does anyone just feel like our season was just dealt a low blow today or is that just me? I mean form has been getting worse but I just feel like we've been theoretically shot today
For the second goal Fox was urging Cousins to get back and cover, as he was pulled across to cover due to Bikey and TBH going missing and getting done on the Blackburn left. Fox knew the danger and needed Cousins to respond which he didn't. The second goal, scored from dead centre was not the fault of Fox whatever anybody says, to blame him would be similar to blaming Etheridge.
Knew we were off to a bad start as soon as the Oli Boys Hasselt flag, bearing a Standard Liege crest, was confiscated. The stewards were so so petty. (Hope someone can back me up, I know Seth can and Airman got a couple of snaps. Disgraceful treatment of our guests.)
Yeah I saw this, got a few pictures. Really couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the stewards ask them to take the flag down.
Oh boy. Never been more pleased that I gave it a swerve. BP needs to start showing he can choose the right formation, play players in their strongest position, and motivate the team. At present he is failing on all 3. He has a relatively weak squad, but for sure there is more quality in the squad than the dire performances suggest. It's Bob's job to find it and get it on show.
Yes, we do need strengthening but I would be surprised if RD does any more than a network player and a couple of loans. I really hope I'm proved wrong.
I seriously doubt that we are at risk of relegation but the shit football will make the crowds dwindle even more and deter better players from joining us in the summer. We need to make Charlton a positive force, a club on the up - but the present malaise is in danger of nullifying all of the positives we have seen since the takeover.
Powel bought my Charlton back. Riga gave it renewed vigour when it was creaking. BP has lost it today. Garbage. I hope never to see that pansy Buyens in a CAFC shirt again. Darren Ambrose would win tackles against this prat.
Jackson is sadly past it, Cousins is not a winger, Bikey is fatter than me and sticking him upfront was, frankly, embarrassing for everyone. TBH could not have given a shit about today and Wilson isn't even a quarter of the player from last season.
Not going to panic yet - it really was a cup performance that we have come to expect regardless of manager, owner or players.
Massive few weeks ahead. Need 4-5 decent players in or with the injuries and idiotic sending offs we are going to head in the wrong direction.
Losing Henderson has been a massive blow. It has really affected the centre backs. Etheridge is not the answer and properly flattered to deceive against Cardiff.
Morgan Fox cannot be put anywhere near the first team at the moment. He is shot to pieces. First goal was criminal, stood and watched Taylor out jump him.
Again I sat in stunned disbelief as our fans applauded a sent off player. Buyens is an idiot. Bonkers tackle when you have already been booked.
Cousins ball retention was nothing short of pathetic.
Was a big chance for Bob get something under his belt and the team's today. He completely failed in that regard 100%. As did the team minus JBG. Just so poor all round.A few thoughts:
-Fox may one day be a decent CB, at the moment he hasnt got the attacking play to be a LB and confidence is shot to pieces. -Not sure what Bikey is up to. Has become such a 50/50 player. Half the time so solid, other half reckless and out of position -I know Wilson hasnt had as many chances this season but looks to have lost all progress made last season (Thought he was POTS then) -Cousins been off the boil since his screamer earlier in season -Not much to say on Buyens wont pass forward. Dont know why -Jacko: Im not actually sure what he does. It looks like we miss him when injured but when hes in the squad hes absent from the game 95% of the time -Church needs to consider his next career choice. Is not at any level a championship player in any position, think he'd be found out at league one too -Tucadean shows glimpses of abilitly will the ball, had a great chance after Cardiff game to show improvement and has not done so yet
Concerning Peeters? I dont trust him to keep us out a relegation battle now with 1 win in 12. Reeks of a manager who doesnt have the team and doesnt know what to do with them.
Was a big chance for Bob get something under his belt and the team's today. He completely failed in that regard 100%. As did the team minus JBG. Just so poor all round.A few thoughts:
-Fox may one day be a decent CB, at the moment he hasnt got the attacking play to be a LB and confidence is shot to pieces. -Not sure what Bikey is up to. Has become such a 50/50 player. Half the time so solid, other half reckless and out of position -I know Wilson hasnt had as many chances this season but looks to have lost all progress made last season (Thought he was POTS then) -Cousins been off the boil since his screamer earlier in season -Not much to say on Buyens wont pass forward. Dont know why -Jacko: Im not actually sure what he does. It looks like we miss him when injured but when hes in the squad hes absent from the game 95% of the time -Church needs to consider his next career choice. Is not at any level a championship player in any position, think he'd be found out at league one too -Tucadean shows glimpses of abilitly will the ball, had a great chance after Cardiff game to show improvement and has not done so yet
Concerning Peeters? I dont trust him to keep us out a relegation battle now with 1 win in 12. Reeks of a manager who doesnt have the team and doesnt know what to do with them.
Exactly This.
Couple more loan players from network clubs to come into help the squad out till another mass clear out in the summer.
I think we should persist in playing Cousins on the left. His a proper wing wizard. Something good will happen soon I can feel it. Our full backs were abysmal today and captain fantastic in the middle was immense as usual avoiding the ball. The urgency was utterly pathetic today and Bob needs to take as much blame as the players.
Defence looks like it needs changing up a bit. If only we had some kind of experienced Championship level defender to call on. You know, the kind who had led us out of tough situations before and been part of a really strong defence..
Let's all take one moment to imagine we had Morrison to swap in for out of form Bikey (and give him a rest he needs), Poyet to swap in to centre park to partner Cousins (or Buyens when back) and Yann to partner Igor up top. Noooow open your eyes :-(
For the second goal Fox was urging Cousins to get back and cover, as he was pulled across to cover due to Bikey and TBH going missing and getting done on the Blackburn left. Fox knew the danger and needed Cousins to respond which he didn't. The second goal, scored from dead centre was not the fault of Fox whatever anybody says, to blame him would be similar to blaming Etheridge.
To be fair to Cousins, he did point at the man completely unmarked in the box prior to him scoring. That really helped.
Although he wasn't the only player off their game today, he looked either particularly disinterested or particulary tired. If it was the former then we probably do have cause for concern going forward.
Sitting in the East gives a much better perspective than the North and, in general, all the players body language looked terrible and, similar to Tuesday after the second goal, their heads were down after the Blackburn second. Buyens getting sent off (when was his earlier booking??), Blackburn's very good passing and our players confusion at the changed formation just added to our misery and, despite an okay first half performance during which we created some decent chances, 1-2 flattered us.
Slight positives were the performance of Etheridge, Church and, in patches, Fox andTBH.
This probably isn't a positive but we're gonna have one hell of a battle in the second half of the season and I reckon we need complete focus on making sure we stay up. So in a roundabout way not exposing our paper thin squad to more games might help that cause.
That's not me excusing the performance, just emphasising the potential danger in the 2nd half of the season.
Confidence is drained. Players are giving the ball away. We look physically soft. Does BP know what to do to change it? I'm not going to put the boot in because I did put up a thread after the Ipswich game about getting behind them and trying to stay positive.
Those games are not good to blood the youngsters in when they turn out like that. The likes of KAG would've got nothing from that and it can do more bad than good. I don't want to be too critical of a recent youth product in Fox but again, he needs a loan or something. His head is down, he's playing in a team struggling for results and he's giving the ball away.
Again, I'm going to come back to Jackson. I get this stuff that everyone talks about that he does on the pitch that we can't see, but I'm seriously worried about what he does do on the pitch that we can see. It's really faded this season. The JJ/Buyens partnership in the middle of a 4-4-2 doesn't work. Neither have pace. Each cannot really do what they want to do. Buyens needs freedom to pass etc, but doesn't get that time on the ball. JJ likes to make late runs but is too often in an around the centre circle, unable to make those runs as a central 2.
Bizarrely, and I will say that after coming back from an injury, fair play to Church because he had a couple of moments. However, we know he's not the answer.
We will always miss Solly. I believe we're sorely lacking Wiggins. All our creative/attacking play seems to be on JBG at the mo. Teams will work that out if we continue to push all his way.
I hope Vetokele can rediscover his form. This, plus some new players (I don't know if we will actually get them though), our current points total, should be enough to make sure we stay in this division without a mighty scrap at the end.
I'll finish on keep the faith and believe that we can turn it around, because I wrote that not having to endured Ipswich away (when a few of u did) It would be fickle of me to not back my own positivity now.
Comments
The positives are (is) it didn't cost a fortune to get in.
That's it.
We were lucky to only lose by the one goal I suppose is a positive, and that we scored one is, I suppose, is a positive, and we can now fully concentrate on what is shaping up to be our relegation battle is a positive ............errrrm.
You want the negatives?
We ended up kicking the wrong way.
Some idiot fixed the lights.
The vibe from all involved was Bramall laneesque. We had players who didn't look up for it at all, the few who did were either unfit or (like Cousins) completely off their game. Make no mistake we were thrashed by Blackburn who didn't have to do much to beat us, so no nice diverting cup run or anything, just a season that is shaping up to be as dull and grey as today's weather.
I am really struggling here to think of anything, however tiny, that could be a positive. Yeah a nice 10 minutes from him when KHG came on, despite the first goal not an awful performance from Fox, TBH was able to be average,..... errrm sheesh Seth you are struggling here mate.
I wrote before the game I was pessimistic and there was and is a hell of a lot to be pessimistic about.
Maybe we have got enough of a platform to survive this division, and the rest of the season can be spent experimenting with network players and maybe adding value to them, which will be nice for Mr Duchatelet but not very enticing for us.
Significant moment in the season, and it was very depressing, and also very alienating, it won't be long before the indifference shown towards us fans will be returned, not by flares and marches and demonstrations, but by our indifference, and we simply won't bother any more.
It's difficult to draw any positives from that shambolic performance, but Etheridge did very well, Gudmundsson showed his usual touchs of class and Churchy and Tucadean combined well in the first half.
There do, however, appear to some deep rooted problems with this side and present and Bob Peeters really needs to sort them out or our downward spiral is going to continue. He also desperately needs some fresh blood - and not of the January 2014 vintage !
An apology for that abject performance wouldn't go amiss,
As for the football... at least we didn't drop any points? Having ruminated over the game since it ended until the time of writing, I can't think of any positives, except that JBG scored a goal and Karlan Ahearne-Grant looks like he could be quite creative. Can't wait to see him develop. Wilson - shocking; Bikey and TBH - uninterested; Yoni - not fit enough and a poor POOR showing given the sending off. Tucudean - not fit enough, not technically good enough; Church - nowhere near fit enough; Fox - not good enough (ever, or yet?) but was probably one of the least worst out there today. Cousins, for someone who has captained England youth teams as a right back and centre back, has surprisingly little defensive instinct at the moment. Sold Fox down the river for their second. One of his worst performances for us. JBG - scored, that was about it... did nothing really that wrong (or right). Jacko - largely anonymous, but a decent first third of the game or so in particular. Etheridge - did his job I guess: nothing glaringly bad or outstandingly good.
A 2-1 thrashing if ever I saw one.
Blackburn, for their part, have some mustard players. Ben Marshall looks good, as does Adam Henley (full backs, though Marshall is in fact a midfielder) - both fairly rapid. Tom Cairney wasn't even trying and still looked good; David Dunn - annoyingly - is still technically proficient. They bossed it - made us look silly. Taylor's goals came on a plate.
Oh well, let's focus on the league please. We need more in our squad - it's absolutely threadbare.
Peeters hasn't got a clue and sending Bikey up front was the icing on the cake.
Hard to describe how bad we were with a near full strength team. With Peeters in charge and the current squad we look like dead certs for relegation. Players and manager should be embarrassed after today's display.
As for Peeters, his luck has run out.
Yes, we do need strengthening but I would be surprised if RD does any more than a network player and a couple of loans. I really hope I'm proved wrong.
I seriously doubt that we are at risk of relegation but the shit football will make the crowds dwindle even more and deter better players from joining us in the summer. We need to make Charlton a positive force, a club on the up - but the present malaise is in danger of nullifying all of the positives we have seen since the takeover.
Jackson is sadly past it, Cousins is not a winger, Bikey is fatter than me and sticking him upfront was, frankly, embarrassing for everyone. TBH could not have given a shit about today and Wilson isn't even a quarter of the player from last season.
Things still need changing and quick.
Massive few weeks ahead. Need 4-5 decent players in or with the injuries and idiotic sending offs we are going to head in the wrong direction.
Losing Henderson has been a massive blow. It has really affected the centre backs. Etheridge is not the answer and properly flattered to deceive against Cardiff.
Morgan Fox cannot be put anywhere near the first team at the moment. He is shot to pieces. First goal was criminal, stood and watched Taylor out jump him.
Again I sat in stunned disbelief as our fans applauded a sent off player. Buyens is an idiot. Bonkers tackle when you have already been booked.
Cousins ball retention was nothing short of pathetic.
Could go on but can't be bothered. Awful.
-Fox may one day be a decent CB, at the moment he hasnt got the attacking play to be a LB and confidence is shot to pieces.
-Not sure what Bikey is up to. Has become such a 50/50 player. Half the time so solid, other half reckless and out of position
-I know Wilson hasnt had as many chances this season but looks to have lost all progress made last season (Thought he was POTS then)
-Cousins been off the boil since his screamer earlier in season
-Not much to say on Buyens wont pass forward. Dont know why
-Jacko: Im not actually sure what he does. It looks like we miss him when injured but when hes in the squad hes absent from the game 95% of the time
-Church needs to consider his next career choice. Is not at any level a championship player in any position, think he'd be found out at league one too
-Tucadean shows glimpses of abilitly will the ball, had a great chance after Cardiff game to show improvement and has not done so yet
Concerning Peeters? I dont trust him to keep us out a relegation battle now with 1 win in 12. Reeks of a manager who doesnt have the team and doesnt know what to do with them.
Couple more loan players from network clubs to come into help the squad out till another mass clear out in the summer.
The defence is looking frail with only TBH having a reasonable game and the middle of midfield offers no resistance or creativity.
I thought Church and George did ok in the first half before they both faded.
Although he wasn't the only player off their game today, he looked either particularly disinterested or particulary tired. If it was the former then we probably do have cause for concern going forward.
Sitting in the East gives a much better perspective than the North and, in general, all the players body language looked terrible and, similar to Tuesday after the second goal, their heads were down after the Blackburn second. Buyens getting sent off (when was his earlier booking??), Blackburn's very good passing and our players confusion at the changed formation just added to our misery and, despite an okay first half performance during which we created some decent chances, 1-2 flattered us.
Slight positives were the performance of Etheridge, Church and, in patches, Fox andTBH.
Things must improve next week.
I fear for next week, lose that and we in a battle at the wrong end of the table come May.
We get worse by the week. Let's hope we can get some quality in this month. don't hold your breath
That's not me excusing the performance, just emphasising the potential danger in the 2nd half of the season.
Confidence is drained. Players are giving the ball away. We look physically soft. Does BP know what to do to change it? I'm not going to put the boot in because I did put up a thread after the Ipswich game about getting behind them and trying to stay positive.
Those games are not good to blood the youngsters in when they turn out like that. The likes of KAG would've got nothing from that and it can do more bad than good. I don't want to be too critical of a recent youth product in Fox but again, he needs a loan or something. His head is down, he's playing in a team struggling for results and he's giving the ball away.
Again, I'm going to come back to Jackson. I get this stuff that everyone talks about that he does on the pitch that we can't see, but I'm seriously worried about what he does do on the pitch that we can see. It's really faded this season. The JJ/Buyens partnership in the middle of a 4-4-2 doesn't work. Neither have pace. Each cannot really do what they want to do. Buyens needs freedom to pass etc, but doesn't get that time on the ball. JJ likes to make late runs but is too often in an around the centre circle, unable to make those runs as a central 2.
Bizarrely, and I will say that after coming back from an injury, fair play to Church because he had a couple of moments. However, we know he's not the answer.
We will always miss Solly. I believe we're sorely lacking Wiggins. All our creative/attacking play seems to be on JBG at the mo. Teams will work that out if we continue to push all his way.
I hope Vetokele can rediscover his form. This, plus some new players (I don't know if we will actually get them though), our current points total, should be enough to make sure we stay in this division without a mighty scrap at the end.
I'll finish on keep the faith and believe that we can turn it around, because I wrote that not having to endured Ipswich away (when a few of u did) It would be fickle of me to not back my own positivity now.