(love it when the casual xenophobia rises to the surface at these times eh)
Don't be so stupid.
What this team is crying out for is a nucleus of experienced pros who have played Championship football. A bit like Fulham had with O'Hara and Preston had with Gallagher last night. (Dare I even say we had when Roger Johnson came in at the end of last season). Such pros with the required experience are more likely to be British than some of these misfits we are signing from abroad.
That's not xenophobia, it's just sheer commonsense.
The game was run by a 23-year old Jamaican. Go figure.
He's been over here for several years, played for Palace and Villa academies, so it's not as if he's just arrived in this country.
I have a photograph which I pulled out last night when I got home wondering what to write on here. I decided to leave it till the train into work rather than commit to an expletive laden fest that would only have expressed, crudely, what everyone else has said. I was among the last to leave last night. I stood watching big Mak's defiant show of emotion/poncy drama queen moment (delete according to taste) having just watched Chris Solly and others walk off to a thoroughly deserved chant of "you're not fit to wear the shirt". And I pondered.
I got home and pulled out the photo. It is of a glorious early summers day in 2012 and is of the aforementioned Master Solly and Monsiour Kermorgant, complete with beret walking round the pitch behind the main group of players, WAGs and offspring acknowledging the east stand. One of our own with a great future before him and another who bled for the cause and excited me with his skill and commitment. The basis for a new bright beginning I thought. And I felt pride and ownership.
Three and a half years on? Well fuck that for a game of soldiers!
Great post. The dismantling of Chris Powell's team is one of the biggest balls up this lot of Belgium incompetents has made.
So we should be relying on Bradley Pritchard and Danny Hollands, both of which are plying2 their trade in League Two now?
Not retaining Riga was their biggest mistake (so far!)
This... Is more so the case
All they had to do was build on what they inherited, rather than totally dismantle it. Wonder where Anil Koc, Piotr Parzysek (sp?), George Tucudean, etc are currently plying their trade...
When Powell came in though we sold everyone bar Bradley Wright-Phillips and created a whole new squad... It nearly always happens whenever a new Manager has come through the door @ Sparrows Lane (Dowie / Pardew included)
Apart from BWP, only semedo could've been described as something to build on (reflect for a moment how bad things actually were!).
Clear outs are par for the course, but surely anyone with a grasp for the game would see that sometimes evolution is better than revolution.
Doesn't matter whether players are British, Chinese or Martian.
BUT if you recruit players already playing in English leagues you sort of know what you are getting! No one really knew whether our summer signings were suitable for championship footfall.
So you can gamble and try to find some talent in foreign leagues but you need a backbone of experienced pros who have done it before.
And Bradley Pritchard, Danny Hollands and Danny Green would have graced last nights game!
We were truly abysmal - but Gallagher should have been give a second booking for his gesticulations to the crowd after the second goal. The rules on this are pretty clear.
I've heard of clutching at straws but this is ridiculous!
I'm not clever enough to work out how to get a pic in to the message, but have a butch at the wall in the second picture on that article. Flat footed and ducking out the way of the ball. Completely pathetic.
People talk about lack of bottle and fight to get out of this mess, in the past we have been just as dogshit a team as this but we've had battlers who will get stuck in (namely, the SCP Champ era). Might seem an exaggeration, but that photo captures perfectly a moment of weakness to me, highlighting the lack of fight in this 'team'. You can't go getting out the way of a free kick, it's basic stuff
Brighton 1st with Dale Stevens the mid field maestro. Birmingham 2nd with Michael Morrison the strong CB.
The Norwich 1st half last season was a shocker but at least we played much better 2nd half and scored a couple of goals until The canaries late winner. Watford away 5-0 defeat(should have been 8) but that was against a side that got promoted.
Last night was a 90 minute master class in being inept. Preston will not have an easier game all season.
Positives ?
Henderson, Bauer, Kashi and Big Mak would at least give as a decent spine to the team plus JBG and Watt finding their form from last season.
Nearly 100% agreement on Cousins to play centre mid but he seems to be struggling as well.
Have we reached our nadir ? After Saturday we may know as we could be in 24th place.
I'm not clever enough to work out how to get a pic in to the message, but have a butch at the wall in the second picture on that article. Flat footed and ducking out the way of the ball. Completely pathetic.
People talk about lack of bottle and fight to get out of this mess, in the past we have been just as dogshit a team as this but we've had battlers who will get stuck in (namely, the SCP Champ era). Might seem an exaggeration, but that photo captures perfectly a moment of weakness to me, highlighting the lack of fight in this 'team'. You can't go getting out the way of a free kick, it's basic stuff
I'm not clever enough to work out how to get a pic in to the message, but have a butch at the wall in the second picture on that article. Flat footed and ducking out the way of the ball. Completely pathetic.
People talk about lack of bottle and fight to get out of this mess, in the past we have been just as dogshit a team as this but we've had battlers who will get stuck in (namely, the SCP Champ era). Might seem an exaggeration, but that photo captures perfectly a moment of weakness to me, highlighting the lack of fight in this 'team'. You can't go getting out the way of a free kick, it's basic stuff
JFC ok
Who's that on the right of the wall? Disgraceful
Looks like Karlan... Exactly why I put earlier that Pope cannot be blamed for that goal...
The wall looks set perfectly... If the wall does its job there then it doesnt even reach the goal
Anyone looking for answers needs only refer to Stevie Brown's recent article. It takes time to build a team. To find the right characters, to discover those that work and to discard those that are not fitting in. A manager like Curbs would never be given the time to build that team today. Where are the characters like Steve Brown or Kinsella in this team? Yes we have Jacko, who is well past his best, but then?? We occasionally unearth a talent like Vetokele or Watt, but where are they on the character scale of giving everything they have for the Addicks. It seems that they can't even be bothered to get themselves into good shape. Richard Murray installed Curbs because he believed in him, gave him time, then backed him by supplying funds to enable Curbs to slowly put the jigsaw together. This present mob are like headless chickens who don't seem to have a clue. Getting rid of Yann, discarding Riga, even sending Harriott out on loan when we don't have a suitable replacement, everything defies logic. We are in a mess, but better to happen early in the season whilst we still have time to change things.
People asking for the return of Curbs (I even heard it from people sat near me in the stands last night) - this lot in charge have no knowledge or interest in the clubs past. Until we have new ownership, it will be more of the same played out to a near empty stadium. Nice pitch and Academy though.
He wouldn't come anyway. He likes to have control of things. The manager here has little control over anything, everything is run from the top down with yes men doing exactly as they are told.
I'm not gloating, but I saw this coming and made the decision not to go. This has been coming for a while. We are rudderless. As much as I like many of the players Jackson is, for me, the only player that we have with both the experience and the character for the fight that we have coming, and his fitness can't be relied upon.
I don't want to sound like the harbourer of doom but I can't see much changing until we bring in some more experienced players, like we did last January. The worry for me is that our points return this year, after 12 games, is 10. Last season it was 19. That 9 point shortfall, extrapolated to January, might be too much for three or four good enough players to claw back. The lowest league position we had last season was 20th after 30 games. We had 33 points. From then we went on a run and climbed away from trouble.
This year we are looking in a much worse state and we might be too far away by the time the panic buying starts in January, and those players have settled in.
I, honestly, can't see where the next win is going to come from!
I'm not clever enough to work out how to get a pic in to the message, but have a butch at the wall in the second picture on that article. Flat footed and ducking out the way of the ball. Completely pathetic.
People talk about lack of bottle and fight to get out of this mess, in the past we have been just as dogshit a team as this but we've had battlers who will get stuck in (namely, the SCP Champ era). Might seem an exaggeration, but that photo captures perfectly a moment of weakness to me, highlighting the lack of fight in this 'team'. You can't go getting out the way of a free kick, it's basic stuff
That really is shocking. Ducking instead of jumping.
We were truly abysmal - but Gallagher should have been give a second booking for his gesticulations to the crowd after the second goal. The rules on this are pretty clear.
Have no idea why he decided to do this - just added insult to injury. What a knobhead
Thanks for posting the picture above. I thought Pope was at fault, but clearly not. Why put two small blokes in the wall, again poor tactics by captain and manager.
I ask him if he's worried about his future at the end.
You need to be asking bigger questions than this. And not to Luzon.
KM and RD don't don't do the post match managerial interviews.
As a paper, you clearly have better access to her than fans. Journalism also extends beyond interviews. Nothing wrong with writing an article is there?
Both the papers I've written for in the past as a freelancer have had KM interviews in the last week or two, conducted and written by their full time staff.
News Shopper, who I have volunteered for the past, had the two part interview written by Louis Sealey the new sports editor.
South London Press, who every now and then chuck me a couple of wuid to write a match report for, had KM quotes in today's paper about Luzon's future, written by Rich Cawley.
Tonight I was paid by BBC London to provide a post match interview with the head coach. That's all I could do tonight - and I asked tough questions - including why, injuries or not, we've only had two shots on target in two games.
I thought it was a very good interview. You asked what everyone wanted to know other than " what the f"""" was you playing at picking that team "? I find every interview Luzon does , monotonous , to be fair .
his interviews are monotonous because his command of English is very poor. I guess he is fluent in French, does he speak German ?. He can probably get through to the French players in the squad, but the 'core' players, Solly, Cousins, JBG, BigMak; the north Europeans, they must find his talks confusing or perhaps they just turn off.
We got off to a good start but it seems we have been sussed out. The terrible performances at home (I only see away games) are nothing new. Perhaps there really is a curse on the Valley. I hate to read the depressed reactions from the home fans on here, the heart of the club, the long sufferers.
What to do ? .. I conclude that Luzon must go, he is just not good enough to get a reaction from an admittedly weak squad. We have potentially a good core .. Henderson, Bauer, Solly, Cousins, JBG, Makeniok .. Luzon is not getting the best from them, he is not even selecting some of them .. I write again that we need a BRITISH manager with experience of this division. Who would want to come CAFC will be asked .. BUT we all know that there are always candidates who would metaphorically give their right arm to manage a club with the pedigree and indeed the potential of our club.
The owner ? .. we must conclude that he is going nowhere. Will he spend any more cash ? .. who knows, we can change managers, the bossman will remain for so long as he wants. The gimmick of a woman CEO or whatever Katrien's title is ? .. it's not working. As with the manager, we need a MAN who has experience of the British player market and negotiations, someone to bring credibility back to PR and club organisation.
I can just tolerate relegation if the club is better run and the players ALWAYS give their best. Players are usually young, perhaps a bit arrogant, perhaps prima donnas, they need GOOD MANGEMENT, good leadership. I cannot tolerate relegation under a clueless manager incapable of managing his staff and a regime designed towards gimmickry rather than reality. First thing first, sack Luzon, bring in a real Brit manager, get the players playing to a decent shape and standard and let's all see what happens.
I'm not clever enough to work out how to get a pic in to the message, but have a butch at the wall in the second picture on that article. Flat footed and ducking out the way of the ball. Completely pathetic.
People talk about lack of bottle and fight to get out of this mess, in the past we have been just as dogshit a team as this but we've had battlers who will get stuck in (namely, the SCP Champ era). Might seem an exaggeration, but that photo captures perfectly a moment of weakness to me, highlighting the lack of fight in this 'team'. You can't go getting out the way of a free kick, it's basic stuff
That really is shocking. Ducking instead of jumping.
Myself, girlfriend and little brother above the right hand post. All looking like we know exactly what is about to happen haha.
All in all, we have a playoff squad, if there is not one single injury, the moment there is an injury we are very, very weak, and 3-4 injuries in, we become a squad battling relegation.
We clearly do not have anything close to a play-off squad. We may have a play-off starting XI if all fit, but they are unlikely to be all fit at the same time, and under them we have a woefully inadequate squad with a manager who appears to lack the experience/ability/knowledge with how to make best use of them.
Ah agreed, what I should have said is a play-off starting XI! But a squad with no depth.
I also assumed you must have been referring to the play-offs in another division, or league, or parallel universe...
I'm not clever enough to work out how to get a pic in to the message, but have a butch at the wall in the second picture on that article. Flat footed and ducking out the way of the ball. Completely pathetic.
People talk about lack of bottle and fight to get out of this mess, in the past we have been just as dogshit a team as this but we've had battlers who will get stuck in (namely, the SCP Champ era). Might seem an exaggeration, but that photo captures perfectly a moment of weakness to me, highlighting the lack of fight in this 'team'. You can't go getting out the way of a free kick, it's basic stuff
That really is shocking. Ducking instead of jumping.
Obviously didn't want to ruin his £200 hair cut.
Less than two minutes into the game and set the whole tone for the rest of the evening.
I now know why there are so many negative posters on here. That was a shocking performance, the worst since the 3-0 against Liverpool on the tele. I should have stayed at my friend's wake, it was less depressing.
didn't go last night as had an interview this morning, will be going on Saturday as already bought tickets after that will be away games only as duchalet only cares about his pockets ill start caring about mine, was following on twitter feed cafc and newshopper, one anecdote from the news shopper feed was " 50' watt loses the ball and then makes no effort what soever to get it back" if one our better players plays with that attitude what chance do we have - although I don't think we will go down, need a serious turn of fortune and a couple of injury free months.
I've defended Luzon lately mainly because of what he's been given to work with, but last night was terrible. It had the feel of those last couple of home games under Pardew when Barnsley and Sheffield United smashed us, a lot of players looking totally lost and disorganised.
The difference for me is that at that time there was real anger at what was going on, the atmosphere last night was bad but it was almost like people were laughing at it as much as anything. Neither situation is good, but there's a feeling of utter despair at the moment.
I'm amazed that Watt gets such positive reaction on here - he did very little that was good last night, often blamed others for his faults, and wandered around, out of position and looking fed up .
Comments
Clear outs are par for the course, but surely anyone with a grasp for the game would see that sometimes evolution is better than revolution.
RD's continuous revolutions do no one any good
BUT if you recruit players already playing in English leagues you sort of know what you are getting! No one really knew whether our summer signings were suitable for championship footfall.
So you can gamble and try to find some talent in foreign leagues but you need a backbone of experienced pros who have done it before.
And Bradley Pritchard, Danny Hollands and Danny Green would have graced last nights game!
I'm not clever enough to work out how to get a pic in to the message, but have a butch at the wall in the second picture on that article. Flat footed and ducking out the way of the ball. Completely pathetic.
People talk about lack of bottle and fight to get out of this mess, in the past we have been just as dogshit a team as this but we've had battlers who will get stuck in (namely, the SCP Champ era). Might seem an exaggeration, but that photo captures perfectly a moment of weakness to me, highlighting the lack of fight in this 'team'. You can't go getting out the way of a free kick, it's basic stuff
Brighton 1st with Dale Stevens the mid field maestro.
Birmingham 2nd with Michael Morrison the strong CB.
The Norwich 1st half last season was a shocker but at least we played much better 2nd half and scored a couple of goals until The canaries late winner.
Watford away 5-0 defeat(should have been 8) but that was against a side that got promoted.
Last night was a 90 minute master class in being inept.
Preston will not have an easier game all season.
Positives ?
Henderson, Bauer, Kashi and Big Mak would at least give as a decent spine to the team plus JBG and Watt finding their form from last season.
Nearly 100% agreement on Cousins to play centre mid but he seems to be struggling as well.
Have we reached our nadir ?
After Saturday we may know as we could be in 24th place.
Great Posts by Stig and Henry.
Who's that on the right of the wall? Disgraceful
The wall looks set perfectly... If the wall does its job there then it doesnt even reach the goal
Needs to stand in the middle of the goal with his arse being used as target practice for a few hours
I don't want to sound like the harbourer of doom but I can't see much changing until we bring in some more experienced players, like we did last January. The worry for me is that our points return this year, after 12 games, is 10. Last season it was 19. That 9 point shortfall, extrapolated to January, might be too much for three or four good enough players to claw back. The lowest league position we had last season was 20th after 30 games. We had 33 points. From then we went on a run and climbed away from trouble.
This year we are looking in a much worse state and we might be too far away by the time the panic buying starts in January, and those players have settled in.
I, honestly, can't see where the next win is going to come from!
That really is shocking. Ducking instead of jumping.
He can probably get through to the French players in the squad, but the 'core' players, Solly, Cousins, JBG, BigMak; the north Europeans, they must find his talks confusing or perhaps they just turn off.
We got off to a good start but it seems we have been sussed out. The terrible performances at home (I only see away games) are nothing new. Perhaps there really is a curse on the Valley.
I hate to read the depressed reactions from the home fans on here, the heart of the club, the long sufferers.
What to do ? .. I conclude that Luzon must go, he is just not good enough to get a reaction from an admittedly weak squad. We have potentially a good core .. Henderson, Bauer, Solly, Cousins, JBG, Makeniok .. Luzon is not getting the best from them, he is not even selecting some of them .. I write again that we need a BRITISH manager with experience of this division. Who would want to come CAFC will be asked .. BUT we all know that there are always candidates who would metaphorically give their right arm to manage a club with the pedigree and indeed the potential of our club.
The owner ? .. we must conclude that he is going nowhere. Will he spend any more cash ? .. who knows, we can change managers, the bossman will remain for so long as he wants.
The gimmick of a woman CEO or whatever Katrien's title is ? .. it's not working. As with the manager, we need a MAN who has experience of the British player market and negotiations, someone to bring credibility back to PR and club organisation.
I can just tolerate relegation if the club is better run and the players ALWAYS give their best. Players are usually young, perhaps a bit arrogant, perhaps prima donnas, they need GOOD MANGEMENT, good leadership. I cannot tolerate relegation under a clueless manager incapable of managing his staff and a regime designed towards gimmickry rather than reality.
First thing first, sack Luzon, bring in a real Brit manager, get the players playing to a decent shape and standard and let's all see what happens.
All in all, we have a playoff squad,Yep they playoff the pitch... at the training ground.
Less than two minutes into the game and set the whole tone for the rest of the evening.
Less Nabys, more Nobbys.
The difference for me is that at that time there was real anger at what was going on, the atmosphere last night was bad but it was almost like people were laughing at it as much as anything. Neither situation is good, but there's a feeling of utter despair at the moment.