Imagine if two years ago someone had said we'd be greeting a 1-1 home draw with Walsall in League 1 as a decent result which should mean we stay up ...
All the hard work Powell done in league 1 has come to this. Today was the first time ever I wasn't glued to my phone refreshing Twitter feed or the match thread and listening to Charlton player to see what was going on.
Today was the first time I felt no emotion at all with Charlton. I'm feeling something I've never felt before and it feels awful. Just a complete loss of emotion.
It's all because @AdTheAddick that you are now collateral damage in the Meire/Duchatelet vision for Charlton Athletic. Your emotional attachment to the club is not wanted.
To be a new, model customer (fan) you must not hold onto tradition but must embrace the social benefits of attending matches with friends, preferably buying a meal and or hospitality package at the ground and be willing to dance after the game irrespective of the result. Given that the soul has been stripped out of the Club it is hardly surprising you feel as you do.
I 'watched' the game via the Final Score service on BBC but only tuned in on occasion and with no real sense of involvement after 55 years of watching and following. When Walsall scored I felt little but more worryingly, no great sense of joy went Watt scored.
You are not alone! What awaits and what is already happening at The Valley is described graphically by one fan who was at STVV v Eupen last week:
There is no passion from fans, completely lifeless. Behind the goal is where their more noisy fans sit. I reckon there were 4-500 of them at most and this number would have been swelled by 40/50 Charlton fans who joined them.
It really was so different from a UK football experience and one that I hope they will never replicate in the UK with us.
Worst bit? Just after half time in the concourse bar under the north stand at STVV. There were a couple of hundred of their fans still in the bar as the second half kicked off, no one rushing to go back out for the game, dance music still playing. STVV scored within a minute or so to go 2-0 up and not one of them cheered, nothing! They just carried on drinking and chatting while the music played. Roland's vision in all it's chilling, soulless glory! This will be our future if we don't fight tooth and nail to rid our club of Duchatelet.
It's amazing when someone like Roland who really couldn't give two Sh*ts about Charlton, is causing this much damage amongst fans, for me Charlton plays a big part of my life. So to have that emotion ripped away from me by people who really couldn't give a sh*t really is heartbreaking and is making me physically sick.
Just how bad will things get? Can I possibly feel any worse in years to come?
Completely forgot they had a player bearing down on Rudd, just about to shoot, and the ref blew up for half time. Can't think of another time a ref has done that and not allowed the shot before blowing up.
Completely forgot they had a player bearing down on Rudd, just about to shoot, and the ref blew up for half time. Can't think of another time a ref has done that and not allowed the shot before blowing up.
Barcelona V psg the other night something like that happened. Carvani for psg had just brought the ball down and was in on goal. Ref blew for full time making sure Barcas great comeback wouldn't be ruined.
Thought Page did ok this time! Been ropey at times but sacrificed for a better formation rather than his own deficiencies. (I didn't see if he played Jackson onside for the goal though.)
Maybe I've read this wrong but, listening to the game, I thought bringing Watt off near the end was a mistake and stopped any momentum we had. It seemed at that point we were pushing for the winner and Watt was a big part of that. Seeing as there were only a few minutes left I would have kept him on. Bringing KAG on seemed to make no impact whatsoever.
It is defensive, fatalistic, and suicidal to play only one striker at home.
Walsall swept wide, skinned our last defenders and could have been 3-0 up in the first 15 minutes.
We are improving, incrementally. Two months ago we shuffled sideways along the half-way line, terrified of our opponents. At an away game, Fanny nailed our midfield perfectly: “We jockey, standing five yards off...”
It's vital that Holmes sprints, rushes, blocks – scampers and snaps at heels. Good old Churchy knew that. They should admire Paul Williams – his intelligence, anticipation, acceleration – I saw Willo beat Man United under Ferguson, 2-0 at Sellout-Park.
Karl Robinson has urged Crofts and the rest to get stuck in – it's about bloody time. We were sprightly in the first half against Scunthorpe, yet collapsed after an hour. In the entire second half we didn't have a single shot on goal until the last-minute pen.
Tony Watt is a maverick: his oblique shot today was good. Unassuming: then a flash of fire. He needs a partner: coached like Kermorgant and Bradley Wright-Phillips. Or intuitive, like Killer and Flanagan.
We got in to great positions today, man with the ball on the wing: Covered End screaming: “Skin him!” Ball fired in to box. No-one there...
Yet that lumbering guy from Walsall missed an absolute sitter, and in the last minute, fizzing across our six-yard box, it needed only a toe.
It is defensive, fatal, and suicidal to play only one striker.
Completely forgot they had a player bearing down on Rudd, just about to shoot, and the ref blew up for half time. Can't think of another time a ref has done that and not allowed the shot before blowing up.
Barcelona V psg the other night something like that happened. Carvani for psg had just brought the ball down and was in on goal. Ref blew for full time making sure Barcas great comeback wouldn't be ruined.
PSG kicked off and lumped it forward, then he blew. Cavani was nowhere near goal
Also happened for Whitehawk in the FA Cup 1st Round this season... one of their players shot and as the ball was travelling the referee blew full time, the ball went into the net to make it 2-1 yet didnt count because the whistle had gone.
Again in my opinion the result was down to the idiot who picks the eleven. From what I've seen under Robinson he has been a car crash bar last Tuesday.
4-4-2 on Tuesday got us a deserved 3 points so why go back to a 4-2-3-1. They should have been 3 up at half time. Common sense prevailed after 55 mins and it worked within 5 minutes.
4 wins in 18 League games now and 1 in the last ten.
I remember referee Clive Thomas blowing his whistle whilst the ball was in the air from a corner, a split second before it was in the back of the net - and this was during the World Cup finals. No goal given. Crass decision then, crass decision yesterday. But weren't we glad he did blow his whistle. Well done ref.
Someone said yesterday that the match was a bit meh. I was going to post a witty remark about changing Katriens name to Katrien Meh in honour of all she has achieved at the club. However, since then, the POTY has been cancelled due to Ms Meh and her petty spitefullness. I won't post my alternative name for the charmless Ms Meh to save the mods the bother of deleting it, but suffice to say calling that woman Meh is a terrible disrespect to all the average dull things that go on on a saturday afternoon,
Ulvestad was the best CB we've had in 2 seasons today . Clever footballer who doesn't just hoof it like Tex. class
Just hoofs it like the 4 cross field passes Tex pinged in todays match alone?
Talking out your arse springs to mind....
Totally agree . . Tex was excellent yesterday - enjoy watching him while you can 'cos he's off in the summer no doubt. Anyway the first thing I want from a centre back is to be able to defend and clear his lines. Tex does that and more. Ulvestad did a good stand-in job but wouldn't be happy seeing him playing there permanently, but of course with our injuries he may well find himself starting there on Tuesday.
Maybe I've read this wrong but, listening to the game, I thought bringing Watt off near the end was a mistake and stopped any momentum we had. It seemed at that point we were pushing for the winner and Watt was a big part of that. Seeing as there were only a few minutes left I would have kept him on. Bringing KAG on seemed to make no impact whatsoever.
I disagree with most of KR's decisions. Watt looked like our only potential goal threat & he took him off.
Perhaps, to save him/save him getting injured as we have a game Tuesday.
Maybe I've read this wrong but, listening to the game, I thought bringing Watt off near the end was a mistake and stopped any momentum we had. It seemed at that point we were pushing for the winner and Watt was a big part of that. Seeing as there were only a few minutes left I would have kept him on. Bringing KAG on seemed to make no impact whatsoever.
I disagree with most of KR's decisions. Watt looked like our only potential goal threat & he took him off.
Perhaps, to save him/save him getting injured as we have a game Tuesday.
Or to give him the chance to get a standing ovation for actually scoring a goal in open play?
We were fortunate to be only one down at half time and still in the game. Walsall absolutely annihilated us down the left flank in the first 20 minutes and we had no idea how to counter it. We were consistently overloaded down that side and Edwards certainly had the beating of Byrne, who was left horribly exposed time and time again. Who from midfield was supposed to be helping him on that flank and why did Robinson and his plethora of coaches fail to respond to it ?
Playing only one upfront effectively neutered us offensively and we could have played until midnight with that formation and personnel and not scored. The only strike I can remember is a decent shot from outside the box by Watt which went over and we never came close to testing Etheridge. The only possible mitigation is perhaps that Novak, who came off on Tuesday with calf trouble, wasn't fit to start but, even then, I'd have been inclined to start Hanlan up top, with a view to introducing Novak later on. Playing Watt as a lone striker is a proven failure and far too negative at home, especially with our dearth of goals from midfield.
Much better in the second half. Jacko added bite and organisation in midfield and Novak gave us some attacking focus and much needed support for Tony Watt. Chicksen did very well at left back in the second half, whilst Ricky Holmes - surely one of the most fouled players in League 1 - was perpetual motion in trying to prise open the opposition. Ulvestad turned in a bravura second half at centre back, although Walsall sat deeper in the second half and tried to hit us on the counter. Hopefully, Bauer will be back on Tuesday and Robinson will play two up front.
A fair result in the end against a decent side and one which reflects our current status as a mediocre League 1 side. I can only see the sad and steady decline continuing until Duchatelet slings his hook. Please let it be sooner rather than later.
Ulvestad was the best CB we've had in 2 seasons today . Clever footballer who doesn't just hoof it like Tex. class
Just hoofs it like the 4 cross field passes Tex pinged in todays match alone?
Talking out your arse springs to mind....
Totally agree . . Tex was excellent yesterday - enjoy watching him while you can 'cos he's off in the summer no doubt. Anyway the first thing I want from a centre back is to be able to defend and clear his lines. Tex does that and more. Ulvestad did a good stand-in job but wouldn't be happy seeing him playing there permanently, but of course with our injuries he may well find himself starting there on Tuesday.
I would, if he always played like that. He excelled there, but he's fairly mediocre in midfield unfortunately. I think he lacks the turn of speed you need, especially at a higher level. Agree Tex had a good game yesterday.
What is the point of visiting the valley when the addicks play a lone striker? Shame the idiots who venture forth can't be notified in advance thus giving you the option of doing something more productive on a Saturday afternoon like grass cutting or food shopping. Little doubt there'll be more of the same this Tuesday when the bantams roll up. Robbo desperate for another point thus defend against an outfit with 20+ more points.
Nathan Etheridge, how many corners did he collect? Reminded me of a former Wolves goalie, Mick Stowell who was the king of collecting corners. One of our corners went to about level with the penalty spot and Stowell still collected it. If we had put the corner towards our own goal line Stowell would have even attempted to collect that if the rules had allowed him and then thrown it in to score for Wolves.
Comments
Thanks Roland. Thanks Daisy.
Just how bad will things get? Can I possibly feel any worse in years to come?
Walsall swept wide, skinned our last defenders and could have been 3-0 up in the first 15 minutes.
We are improving, incrementally. Two months ago we shuffled sideways along the half-way line, terrified of our opponents. At an away game, Fanny nailed our midfield perfectly: “We jockey, standing five yards off...”
It's vital that Holmes sprints, rushes, blocks – scampers and snaps at heels. Good old Churchy knew that. They should admire Paul Williams – his intelligence, anticipation, acceleration – I saw Willo beat Man United under Ferguson, 2-0 at Sellout-Park.
Karl Robinson has urged Crofts and the rest to get stuck in – it's about bloody time. We were sprightly in the first half against Scunthorpe, yet collapsed after an hour. In the entire second half we didn't have a single shot on goal until the last-minute pen.
Tony Watt is a maverick: his oblique shot today was good. Unassuming: then a flash of fire. He needs a partner: coached like Kermorgant and Bradley Wright-Phillips. Or intuitive, like Killer and Flanagan.
We got in to great positions today, man with the ball on the wing: Covered End screaming: “Skin him!” Ball fired in to box. No-one there...
Yet that lumbering guy from Walsall missed an absolute sitter, and in the last minute, fizzing across our six-yard box, it needed only a toe.
It is defensive, fatal, and suicidal to play only one striker.
There is no real teamwork in the club everybody for themselves and they are all bloody useless anyway.
No season tickets for my family next season, unless of course they go, sad but getting zero enjoyment watching this shit.
What is the point of running a sporting club but have zero sporting ambition, weird!
Whitehawk then went and lost the replay
4-4-2 on Tuesday got us a deserved 3 points so why go back to a 4-2-3-1. They should have been 3 up at half time. Common sense prevailed after 55 mins and it worked within 5 minutes.
4 wins in 18 League games now and 1 in the last ten.
However, since then, the POTY has been cancelled due to Ms Meh and her petty spitefullness. I won't post my alternative name for the charmless Ms Meh to save the mods the bother of deleting it, but suffice to say calling that woman Meh is a terrible disrespect to all the average dull things that go on on a saturday afternoon,
but he couldn't hear me.
Perhaps, to save him/save him getting injured as we have a game Tuesday.
Playing only one upfront effectively neutered us offensively and we could have played until midnight with that formation and personnel and not scored. The only strike I can remember is a decent shot from outside the box by Watt which went over and we never came close to testing Etheridge. The only possible mitigation is perhaps that Novak, who came off on Tuesday with calf trouble, wasn't fit to start but, even then, I'd have been inclined to start Hanlan up top, with a view to introducing Novak later on. Playing Watt as a lone striker is a proven failure and far too negative at home, especially with our dearth of goals from midfield.
Much better in the second half. Jacko added bite and organisation in midfield and Novak gave us some attacking focus and much needed support for Tony Watt. Chicksen did very well at left back in the second half, whilst Ricky Holmes - surely one of the most fouled players in League 1 - was perpetual motion in trying to prise open the opposition. Ulvestad turned in a bravura second half at centre back, although Walsall sat deeper in the second half and tried to hit us on the counter. Hopefully, Bauer will be back on Tuesday and Robinson will play two up front.
A fair result in the end against a decent side and one which reflects our current status as a mediocre League 1 side. I can only see the sad and steady decline continuing until Duchatelet slings his hook. Please let it be sooner rather than later.
Agree Tex had a good game yesterday.
Little doubt there'll be more of the same this Tuesday when the bantams roll up. Robbo desperate for another point thus defend against an outfit with 20+ more points.
35% 7th-12th ......... 65%. 13th-20th