I don't know where to start with my thoughts, as this won't just be post match views, so much as a cumulative text dump on what I've experienced this season - certainly since P'boro.
So, ah, let's start with tonight. Which doesn't narrow it down much in terms of where to start... In goal? Meh, may as well pick arbitrarily, given that's what Luzon did by fielding three left backs. (Come to that later.)
Pope - I don't really know what he did wrong. Free kick and two well-taken goals - none really his fault. Maybe he can be accused of lacking confidence? But then, that would be down to the fans ironically cheering any time he caught it, or not bowling it out quick enough (i.e. within one second of catching it and surveying options, of which there were none, as by and large no-one took responsibility for receiving the ball).
Solly - worst I've seen him play... ever? Nearly. Certainly in my memory. And he didn't even play badly. Didn't exactly scream "captain" to me though.
Sarr - at least he's tall? Can't really pass, tackle, run, head with direction, control it, man mark or zonally mark. Apart from that he's great.
Diarra - looked as good as he did at Welling. Which was abysmal and well off the pace. Made the wrong decision several times; wasn't judging it aerially as well as he usually does... Can something be said for a lack of defensive organisation - and if so, is Diarra as the elder statesman to blame? Not for me, it was collective, but there was NO confidence or homogeny there.
Fox - less worse than everyone else on the pitch in the first half; poor in the second. Gave it away a few times, misjudged a lot of headers, but showed a bit of passion - at least compared to everyone else.
Bergdich - he's crap. Like, technically crap. Genuinely can barely run with the ball. He's vaguely quick though. And saved a certain goal when they were 1-0 up. Can't pass, can't shoot, can't dribble, can't defend and yet was bought as a left back... Yeah. I would say apart from that he's great but he's so poor in my eyes that I can't even be sarcastic.
Ba - no thanks mate, please leave. Plays the game far, FAR too slowly; gives it away more often than not; takes WAY too long to make a decision; never actually sprints; has a poor first touch because he think everyone plays as slowly as him; and can't really offer much going forward.
Cousins - had a poor day. In my opinion, because he had to carry the midfield and can't do it all. Made some uncharacteristic errors but that's still relatively inexcusable.
Holmes-Dennis - showed a couple of neat touches but just isn't good enough (yet). Looked tentative and that coupled with his size meant he was forced off the ball or gave possession away far too easily.
KAG - looked knackered after 20 minutes. Not too surprising given he's 18 and has probably played the most minutes of any of our strikers. Didn't offer too much but then again, when he was trying to link up, no-one showed for him.
Watt - only player we have who looks like he can make something happen. Actually looked bothered for more than 25 minutes today (or maybe that 25 minutes was spread out so he created that illusion, I dunno). So obviously good; so obviously poorly adjusted in terms of attitude. He needs a goal... We need a goal.
McAleny - nah thanks mate; but you're part of a thin squad. So what can we do?
Makienok - meh. (Edit: looks like he cares, though. Didn't really affect anything on the pitch - but the game was far beyond us by then.)
Jacko - had a bit of fight but what was he meant to do? The horse of footballing intent and purpose had well and truly bolted by the time he came on.
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Overall, no-one wanted to take responsibility. No-one showed for the man on the ball. The fans - quite justifiably - were on everyone's backs, even if some of it went too far (ironically cheering Pope, shouting at most passes that didn't directly lead to a goalscoring opportunity). We look bereft of confidence and purpose.
Luzon - well, given the scout who watched the opposition was let go, he looked even more tactically naive than usual. Sacked in the morning? Maybe, maybe not, but you have to question him.
KM/RD - questioning Luzon means I automatically question the board, where the buck stops. What's the plan, guys? Why am I hearing worrying rumours like £1.5m for Sarr, or that the older fans apparently don't matter, or that KM didn't actually know what Chapple did? Why do we know nothing about the injuries - not even what they are, explicitly? The questions go on; the various other thoughts go on...
Truly abysmal performance. Nothing positive, apart from the gallows humour from the crowd. The starting line up showed how weak we were - but if JJ and Mak aren't fit enough for 90, why not at least start with them? Feel for Luzon but something's gotta change...
Horrible performance, no fight.. second to every ball for most of the game. Nobody really seemed to want it. Preston had so much time on the ball. One thing that frustrated.. The doubling up on wingers was counter productive, as it was creating space for them to pass into. Really gutless display. Not ashamed to say I left early. Made Preston look like an in form team.
I've defended the team so far and have been clinging to the injury situation and hoping that getting everyone fit would straighten us out.
After tonight I'm wobbling. It was an utter disaster.
Whilst I agree to an extent Luzon's hands are tied, his starting XI tonight was nuts. Bergdich has had a really tough start to his time here and what does he do? Plays him out of position and on the wrong side of the pitch. Crazy.
What worried me more is the fact that tonight was the first game I've seen where it looked like the players were not playing for the coach. Has he lost the dressing room? Possibly.
Truly awful performance. We made PNE look like a top premiership team, whilst our lot looked like a Sunday morning park side who'd had a particularly heavy Saturday night. Luzon isn't the total cause of such tripe but he may well get the sack for that puzzling team selection and lack of performance. Not that it will make any difference all the time the Belgians remain. They need to shove off pronto and no! i don't know who would or could replace them and tonight I don't particularly care. For the first time in 47 years supporting Charlton Athletic, I left a home game with 15 minutes remaining. For the first time in 47 years i don't know if I can motivate myself to attend Saturday. The one bright spot. By leaving 15 mins early i got home 40 minutes early !!
You know what the really sad thing is.. I've actually lost my passion for my club and I'd never thought that I would say that ever. They have well and truly ripped the soul out of our football club it's a joke. They need to fuck off back where they came from 2 bob Belgians.
Credit to Preston who controlled the game from start to finish, scored three good goals and restricted us to no real chances and a few feeble shots.
And Preston had 5 or 6 players out.
Won't blame Pope as nothing he could do with the goals and he did everything else OK.
Ba was shockingly bad, ,Cousins not good at all and that meant we had no midfield.
Watt tried but tried to do too much.
Sarr looks a poor poor buy at this point in time.
Bergdich doesn't look like he can cope with English football.
McAleny - Just why? Why bring him on before Mak, instead of Moussa or at all. Why is he even at this club?
Fox made too many errors.
KAG and TDH are kids who tried but need to come into a settled side not the mess we are now.
Getting Big Mak back was a positive but no one seemed to want to get with 20 yards of him
JJ isn't a miracle worker.
Found the team selection and subs bizarre but the lack of cohesive passing, movement or shots depressingly predictable.
Tonight we looked like a relegated side. Not a side in a relegation fight but one that had already gone because there was so little fight.
I will dream tonight that a rich Canadian who emigrated from Woolwich in the 60s will buy the club and install Nathan Jones as manager but then I'll wake up.
I would like to thank my Rosters Dept at work for not granting my request for leave on Saturday. Now at least i dont have to watch another 90 mins of utter shit!
Shocking team selection, shocking performance, shocking result. The problems run throughout the club. I wouldn't be annoyed if they for rid of Luzon but that would not get to the nub of the real problem, the owner and his out of depth Chief Executive
So we met on the way home from work in Victoria Park and I suggested we go to Decathlon as I need some padded undershorts and for the first time ever I wanted to go shopping, at night, instead of going to football. We decided against the shopping and decided just to cycle home. On the way we dropped off at the Pelton and had a few drinks and gave unsolicited answers to the quiz to a clueless table next to us. It sounds like we got it right tonight. The worrying thing is that I feel no urge to go on Saturday or maybe ever. But we'll see about that. Maybe after I get my cycle clothing sorted I'll be re Addickted.
I reckon Roland would sell at £50 million including the liabilities IF he wants to give up on his experiment. And then at least another £10 million or so would be needed to start sorting things out and to buy us some time.
So next time Euromillions goes above a £60 million jackpot, all true Charlton supporters ought to buy a ticket.
I always go, but osamabenhamer mentioned above that Dulwich Hamlet is a better prospect for sheer pleasure of following football and he is absolutely right. If after this season, the pain of my love affair with Charlton becomes too much to bear, I reckon I will bog off to Champion Hill to try to begin some kind of healing process.
KM/RD - questioning Luzon means I automatically question the board, where the buck stops. What's the plan, guys? Why am I hearing worrying rumours like £1.5m for Sarr, or that the older fans apparently don't matter, or that KM didn't actually know what Chapple did? Why do we know nothing about the injuries - not even what they are, explicitly? The questions go on; the various other thoughts go on...
This is my football club. What is happening?
Reading this in one go is beyond worrying. Very concerned.
I just can't grasp RD's motives. The Prem is where the money is so plough some proper dough into the club and get us there. For me we've bought badly over the last few years. Take the last 2 home games, both Jamie O'hara & Paul Gallagher have dominated the play. Two ex Prem players who (Gallagher definitely) won't be on heaps of money. Why aren't we going for players like this or a couple of decent youngster from top clubs? This time last year we managed to bag Coquelin! Adam Le Fondre another proven goal scorer was up for grabs this year but we let that slip! Clueless
I'm in a minority of one but I see a decent player in Ba. He is guilty of the odd bad pass but he broke up play and won possession back at least five or six times in the first half. To be honest, I left after the third goal but he looked one of the few bright spots before then.
Other than that, I had a good time this evening catching up with some good pals and grabbed an extra 20 in the pub which was nice, but what is happening with MY club is a big problem. This apathy lark seems to be contagious but I'm hoping it doesn't get me soon. Chances are it will unless those Belgian people (trying to stay polite..) get their fingers out of their bottoms.....
A horrible evening following a horrible Saturday but I still and will always love you Charlton despite the pricks, I mean obstacles. Xxxx
Absolute rubbish tonight, we made Preston look like world beaters, and I doubt their budget is much different to ours. They looked like a team, we didn't.
We are suffering from our flawed transfer policy, buying in unproven young foreign players, as the majority can't cope, or may take a season to acclimatise. And how much of our wage budget is paying for the likes of fringe players like Reza, or players we don't even have like Dmitrovic, Tucudean and Piotr Parzyszek?
What's Roger Johnson for example doing in the Indian Premier League when he would be a much better deputy for Bauer than Sarr, for example?
Despite the dross I watched tonight, I worry the most about young players like KAG and Tariq being thrown into this mess! Luzon got it badly wrong tonight and I fear he has lost the players respect, if not the fans. However, he has to work with the players that our 'owner' allows him to bring in. I love my team and will never boo them (that's me) so hate the sarcastic chants to Pope and other players, who does it help?
lets sack Charlton off and all go to Bromley or Welling!
I have to agree to an extent. Sadly money is the only language the board understand.
Blackpool fans boycotted games to watch Bootle FC instead. Might be worth doing a mass boycott and go and watch Welling FC instead. Probably more entertaining looking at the National League highlights...
If he can't get enough money out the club, Roland will clear off.
Comments
So, ah, let's start with tonight. Which doesn't narrow it down much in terms of where to start... In goal? Meh, may as well pick arbitrarily, given that's what Luzon did by fielding three left backs. (Come to that later.)
Pope - I don't really know what he did wrong. Free kick and two well-taken goals - none really his fault. Maybe he can be accused of lacking confidence? But then, that would be down to the fans ironically cheering any time he caught it, or not bowling it out quick enough (i.e. within one second of catching it and surveying options, of which there were none, as by and large no-one took responsibility for receiving the ball).
Solly - worst I've seen him play... ever? Nearly. Certainly in my memory. And he didn't even play badly. Didn't exactly scream "captain" to me though.
Sarr - at least he's tall? Can't really pass, tackle, run, head with direction, control it, man mark or zonally mark. Apart from that he's great.
Diarra - looked as good as he did at Welling. Which was abysmal and well off the pace. Made the wrong decision several times; wasn't judging it aerially as well as he usually does... Can something be said for a lack of defensive organisation - and if so, is Diarra as the elder statesman to blame? Not for me, it was collective, but there was NO confidence or homogeny there.
Fox - less worse than everyone else on the pitch in the first half; poor in the second. Gave it away a few times, misjudged a lot of headers, but showed a bit of passion - at least compared to everyone else.
Bergdich - he's crap. Like, technically crap. Genuinely can barely run with the ball. He's vaguely quick though. And saved a certain goal when they were 1-0 up. Can't pass, can't shoot, can't dribble, can't defend and yet was bought as a left back... Yeah. I would say apart from that he's great but he's so poor in my eyes that I can't even be sarcastic.
Ba - no thanks mate, please leave. Plays the game far, FAR too slowly; gives it away more often than not; takes WAY too long to make a decision; never actually sprints; has a poor first touch because he think everyone plays as slowly as him; and can't really offer much going forward.
Cousins - had a poor day. In my opinion, because he had to carry the midfield and can't do it all. Made some uncharacteristic errors but that's still relatively inexcusable.
Holmes-Dennis - showed a couple of neat touches but just isn't good enough (yet). Looked tentative and that coupled with his size meant he was forced off the ball or gave possession away far too easily.
KAG - looked knackered after 20 minutes. Not too surprising given he's 18 and has probably played the most minutes of any of our strikers. Didn't offer too much but then again, when he was trying to link up, no-one showed for him.
Watt - only player we have who looks like he can make something happen. Actually looked bothered for more than 25 minutes today (or maybe that 25 minutes was spread out so he created that illusion, I dunno). So obviously good; so obviously poorly adjusted in terms of attitude. He needs a goal... We need a goal.
McAleny - nah thanks mate; but you're part of a thin squad. So what can we do?
Makienok - meh. (Edit: looks like he cares, though. Didn't really affect anything on the pitch - but the game was far beyond us by then.)
Jacko - had a bit of fight but what was he meant to do? The horse of footballing intent and purpose had well and truly bolted by the time he came on.
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Overall, no-one wanted to take responsibility. No-one showed for the man on the ball. The fans - quite justifiably - were on everyone's backs, even if some of it went too far (ironically cheering Pope, shouting at most passes that didn't directly lead to a goalscoring opportunity). We look bereft of confidence and purpose.
Luzon - well, given the scout who watched the opposition was let go, he looked even more tactically naive than usual. Sacked in the morning? Maybe, maybe not, but you have to question him.
KM/RD - questioning Luzon means I automatically question the board, where the buck stops. What's the plan, guys? Why am I hearing worrying rumours like £1.5m for Sarr, or that the older fans apparently don't matter, or that KM didn't actually know what Chapple did? Why do we know nothing about the injuries - not even what they are, explicitly? The questions go on; the various other thoughts go on...
This is my football club. What is happening?
One thing that frustrated.. The doubling up on wingers was counter productive, as it was creating space for them to pass into. Really gutless display. Not ashamed to say I left early. Made Preston look like an in form team.
After tonight I'm wobbling. It was an utter disaster.
Whilst I agree to an extent Luzon's hands are tied, his starting XI tonight was nuts. Bergdich has had a really tough start to his time here and what does he do? Plays him out of position and on the wrong side of the pitch. Crazy.
What worried me more is the fact that tonight was the first game I've seen where it looked like the players were not playing for the coach. Has he lost the dressing room? Possibly.
Luzon isn't the total cause of such tripe but he may well get the sack for that puzzling team selection and lack of performance.
Not that it will make any difference all the time the Belgians remain. They need to shove off pronto and no! i don't know who would or could replace them and tonight I don't particularly care.
For the first time in 47 years supporting Charlton Athletic, I left a home game with 15 minutes remaining.
For the first time in 47 years i don't know if I can motivate myself to attend Saturday.
The one bright spot. By leaving 15 mins early i got home 40 minutes early !!
Poor all over the pitch and on the bench.
Credit to Preston who controlled the game from start to finish, scored three good goals and restricted us to no real chances and a few feeble shots.
And Preston had 5 or 6 players out.
Won't blame Pope as nothing he could do with the goals and he did everything else OK.
Ba was shockingly bad, ,Cousins not good at all and that meant we had no midfield.
Watt tried but tried to do too much.
Sarr looks a poor poor buy at this point in time.
Bergdich doesn't look like he can cope with English football.
McAleny - Just why? Why bring him on before Mak, instead of Moussa or at all. Why is he even at this club?
Fox made too many errors.
KAG and TDH are kids who tried but need to come into a settled side not the mess we are now.
Getting Big Mak back was a positive but no one seemed to want to get with 20 yards of him
JJ isn't a miracle worker.
Found the team selection and subs bizarre but the lack of cohesive passing, movement or shots depressingly predictable.
Tonight we looked like a relegated side. Not a side in a relegation fight but one that had already gone because there was so little fight.
I will dream tonight that a rich Canadian who emigrated from Woolwich in the 60s will buy the club and install Nathan Jones as manager but then I'll wake up.
if you want to show your dissent, don't go to the game and make it clear we're not prepared to put up with this!
We decided against the shopping and decided just to cycle home. On the way we dropped off at the Pelton and had a few drinks and gave unsolicited answers to the quiz to a clueless table next to us.
It sounds like we got it right tonight. The worrying thing is that I feel no urge to go on Saturday or maybe ever.
But we'll see about that. Maybe after I get my cycle clothing sorted I'll be re Addickted.
So next time Euromillions goes above a £60 million jackpot, all true Charlton supporters ought to buy a ticket.
I always go, but osamabenhamer mentioned above that Dulwich Hamlet is a better prospect for sheer pleasure of following football and he is absolutely right. If after this season, the pain of my love affair with Charlton becomes too much to bear, I reckon I will bog off to Champion Hill to try to begin some kind of healing process.
This time last year we managed to bag Coquelin! Adam Le Fondre another proven goal scorer was up for grabs this year but we let that slip! Clueless
Other than that, I had a good time this evening catching up with some good pals and grabbed an extra 20 in the pub which was nice, but what is happening with MY club is a big problem. This apathy lark seems to be contagious but I'm hoping it doesn't get me soon. Chances are it will unless those Belgian people (trying to stay polite..) get their fingers out of their bottoms.....
A horrible evening following a horrible Saturday but I still and will always love you Charlton despite the pricks, I mean obstacles. Xxxx
We are suffering from our flawed transfer policy, buying in unproven young foreign players, as the majority can't cope, or may take a season to acclimatise. And how much of our wage budget is paying for the likes of fringe players like Reza, or players we don't even have like Dmitrovic, Tucudean and Piotr Parzyszek?
What's Roger Johnson for example doing in the Indian Premier League when he would be a much better deputy for Bauer than Sarr, for example?
I love my team and will never boo them (that's me) so hate the sarcastic chants to Pope and other players, who does it help?
Solly Diarra Sarr Fox
Reza/KAG Ba JJ Moussa
Mak Watt.
Seems a much better choice than Luzon's. Reza/ Hendo perhaps a match too early but start with best side, get in front and hold on.
Blackpool fans boycotted games to watch Bootle FC instead. Might be worth doing a mass boycott and go and watch Welling FC instead. Probably more entertaining looking at the National League highlights...
If he can't get enough money out the club, Roland will clear off.
Hopeless
Pointless
Could go on but like the players and management team can't be bothered!
Hendo
Solly
Bauer
Diarra
Bergdich
JBG
Cousins
Jacko
Moussa
Mak
Watt