I would love to see 2 or 3 18-20 year olds bought in this window with the view of them being in contention for the 1st team in the summer.
Whether it's a consequence of the last 2 or 3 years or has just happened it seems an area we are short in.
It's hard to get behind a rebuilding project when you only sign players in their late 20s or early (even mid) 30s or loans you have no realist chance of signing medium term.
I think we have promoted so many youngsters that have then left, the cupboard is a bit bare. Sounds like a good idea.
Have we?
I think if you look at the 23+ range we have lost a lot of players that would be the core of a half decent championship side.
I think it maybe the rest of other factors at play. If you look at the current u23s there are a lot of "external" players then quite a gap to Henry and Barker.
Our academy has actually produced relatively few players in the last 2 or 3 years really, in comparison to some other periods when Charlton have relied on U23s
Morgan and Doughty, but nobody else really knocking on the door in terms of outfield players in the 19-22 year old age group other than perhaps Vennings. No centre backs or strikers who could have done a job during our recent injury problems, indeed it's quite unusual to see a Charlton side with NO home grown defenders at all, when you consider the number who have come through down the years
Thing is we would have had Gomez, konsa and grant as players in that bracket (not sure we can count lookman?) so they are coming through but we have just cashed in on them!
They're all 23 now so to me are "senior" players
There does seem a gap in our academy further down, it's really unusual for example that we have no 20 year old defenders ready to come through, a reserve RB ready to step up so that we didn't need to sign Gunter AND Matthews
Just watched Rangers v Motherwell and the style of player who would benefit us most is someone like Steven Davis. He attacks, defends always available for a pass, always seems to be in space, makes chances, never panics, a fantastic all round midfielder. Obviously not Davis but somebody of that ilk , at our current level, would make all the difference. I couldn't give you any names but I'm sure people on here could come up with some.
I know it’s an expensive thing to set up, and you’ve got to be in the right division to to do it, but it’s a shame we can’t have a player farm going on, where we are loaning players out that increase in value, and make the first team or get sold on for a healthy profit.
Maybe at our level it’s just unearthing a few gems of our own and finding some lower down the divisions talent who can make the step up.
Basically we need another Bielik, someone equally strong at defensive midfield and centre back, an upgrade on Pratley essentially
Without the same propensity for getting send off which Bielik has.
Bielik was very often exquisite for us; the performance against Luton was one of the best I’ve seen from a Charlton midfielder , at any level. I don’t think we quite realised how good him, Cullen and Aribo were collectively - it was a championship plus quality midfield.
I know it’s an expensive thing to set up, and you’ve got to be in the right division to to do it, but it’s a shame we can’t have a player farm going on, where we are loaning players out that increase in value, and make the first team or get sold on for a healthy profit.
Maybe at our level it’s just unearthing a few gems of our own and finding some lower down the divisions talent who can make the step up.
That's a good idea. Maybe Thomas could buy a group of different clubs in other countries. We could move players to other clubs to get fit, and take those clubs best players to strengthen us. We could call it "The Network".
I'm surprised no one has thought of this. I bet it would be an instant success!!
if we can only have one player it would be a toss up between another striker (with physical presence and pace ideally or an athletic / physically imposing midfielder - ideally we get both after managing to offload a couple somehow
Can’t see we’d been in for another striker when we have 4 plus Smyth. I think it will definitely be a CM. Could be a CB but Deji playing well and Famewo back makes that doubtful.
If Innis isn’t back for a while we would not have cover right hand side?
That said I think he is looking for a mobile defensive midfielder.
Gunter and Pratley covering Deji. Be massively surprised if we sign a CB.
if we can only have one player it would be a toss up between another striker (with physical presence and pace ideally or an athletic / physically imposing midfielder - ideally we get both after managing to offload a couple somehow
Can’t see we’d been in for another striker when we have 4 plus Smyth. I think it will definitely be a CM. Could be a CB but Deji playing well and Famewo back makes that doubtful.
If Innis isn’t back for a while we would not have cover right hand side?
That said I think he is looking for a mobile defensive midfielder.
Gunter and Pratley covering Deji. Be massively surprised if we sign a CB.
Basically we need another Bielik, someone equally strong at defensive midfield and centre back, an upgrade on Pratley essentially
Without the same propensity for getting send off which Bielik has.
Bielik was very often exquisite for us; the performance against Luton was one of the best I’ve seen from a Charlton midfielder , at any level. I don’t think we quite realised how good him, Cullen and Aribo were collectively - it was a championship plus quality midfield.
Basically we need another Bielik, someone equally strong at defensive midfield and centre back, an upgrade on Pratley essentially
Without the same propensity for getting send off which Bielik has.
Bielik was very often exquisite for us; the performance against Luton was one of the best I’ve seen from a Charlton midfielder , at any level. I don’t think we quite realised how good him, Cullen and Aribo were collectively - it was a championship plus quality midfield.
Good player - no Abdul Razak though.
Somewhat like mentioning Mendonca and comparing him to Frank Nouble
if we can only have one player it would be a toss up between another striker (with physical presence and pace ideally or an athletic / physically imposing midfielder - ideally we get both after managing to offload a couple somehow
Can’t see we’d been in for another striker when we have 4 plus Smyth. I think it will definitely be a CM. Could be a CB but Deji playing well and Famewo back makes that doubtful.
because washington, bogle and smyth are useless? if chucks gets injured, its season over - id make it the priority
if we can only have one player it would be a toss up between another striker (with physical presence and pace ideally or an athletic / physically imposing midfielder - ideally we get both after managing to offload a couple somehow
Can’t see we’d been in for another striker when we have 4 plus Smyth. I think it will definitely be a CM. Could be a CB but Deji playing well and Famewo back makes that doubtful.
because washington, bogle and smyth are useless? if chucks gets injured, its season over - id make it the priority
Washington is far from useless. How are you proposing we fund this striker?
if we can only have one player it would be a toss up between another striker (with physical presence and pace ideally or an athletic / physically imposing midfielder - ideally we get both after managing to offload a couple somehow
Can’t see we’d been in for another striker when we have 4 plus Smyth. I think it will definitely be a CM. Could be a CB but Deji playing well and Famewo back makes that doubtful.
because washington, bogle and smyth are useless? if chucks gets injured, its season over - id make it the priority
Washington is far from useless. How are you proposing we fund this striker?
if we can only have one player it would be a toss up between another striker (with physical presence and pace ideally or an athletic / physically imposing midfielder - ideally we get both after managing to offload a couple somehow
Can’t see we’d been in for another striker when we have 4 plus Smyth. I think it will definitely be a CM. Could be a CB but Deji playing well and Famewo back makes that doubtful.
because washington, bogle and smyth are useless? if chucks gets injured, its season over - id make it the priority
Washington is far from useless. How are you proposing we fund this striker?
One of the hardest workers on the pitch. His movement creates space and opportunities for others.
if we can only have one player it would be a toss up between another striker (with physical presence and pace ideally or an athletic / physically imposing midfielder - ideally we get both after managing to offload a couple somehow
Can’t see we’d been in for another striker when we have 4 plus Smyth. I think it will definitely be a CM. Could be a CB but Deji playing well and Famewo back makes that doubtful.
because washington, bogle and smyth are useless? if chucks gets injured, its season over - id make it the priority
Washington is far from useless. How are you proposing we fund this striker?
same way you'd fund the player u want - he;s useless as an attacking threat
if we can only have one player it would be a toss up between another striker (with physical presence and pace ideally or an athletic / physically imposing midfielder - ideally we get both after managing to offload a couple somehow
Can’t see we’d been in for another striker when we have 4 plus Smyth. I think it will definitely be a CM. Could be a CB but Deji playing well and Famewo back makes that doubtful.
because washington, bogle and smyth are useless? if chucks gets injured, its season over - id make it the priority
Washington is far from useless. How are you proposing we fund this striker?
One of the hardest workers on the pitch. His movement creates space and opportunities for others.
if we can only have one player it would be a toss up between another striker (with physical presence and pace ideally or an athletic / physically imposing midfielder - ideally we get both after managing to offload a couple somehow
Can’t see we’d been in for another striker when we have 4 plus Smyth. I think it will definitely be a CM. Could be a CB but Deji playing well and Famewo back makes that doubtful.
because washington, bogle and smyth are useless? if chucks gets injured, its season over - id make it the priority
Washington is far from useless. How are you proposing we fund this striker?
same way you'd fund the player u want - he;s useless as an attacking threat
6 goals and an assist says otherwise.
His confidence may be lacking a touch at the moment but he's shown he has a bit of class there, we need to nurture that as we won't find better for 1.3k a week (which is all that is counted of his salary)
if we can only have one player it would be a toss up between another striker (with physical presence and pace ideally or an athletic / physically imposing midfielder - ideally we get both after managing to offload a couple somehow
Can’t see we’d been in for another striker when we have 4 plus Smyth. I think it will definitely be a CM. Could be a CB but Deji playing well and Famewo back makes that doubtful.
because washington, bogle and smyth are useless? if chucks gets injured, its season over - id make it the priority
Washington is far from useless. How are you proposing we fund this striker?
same way you'd fund the player u want - he;s useless as an attacking threat
Not this bollocks again, you keep banging the same drum but for the amount we can afford and how many goals he's got so far, there's no one out there that we can bring in, in January, that would be markedly better
if we can only have one player it would be a toss up between another striker (with physical presence and pace ideally or an athletic / physically imposing midfielder - ideally we get both after managing to offload a couple somehow
Can’t see we’d been in for another striker when we have 4 plus Smyth. I think it will definitely be a CM. Could be a CB but Deji playing well and Famewo back makes that doubtful.
If Innis isn’t back for a while we would not have cover right hand side?
That said I think he is looking for a mobile defensive midfielder.
Gunter and Pratley covering Deji. Be massively surprised if we sign a CB.
We would have done so already if Bowyer was going to sign a CB. It would be odd to sign one now with Famewo and Innis on the road to recovery
I would love to see 2 or 3 18-20 year olds bought in this window with the view of them being in contention for the 1st team in the summer.
Whether it's a consequence of the last 2 or 3 years or has just happened it seems an area we are short in.
It's hard to get behind a rebuilding project when you only sign players in their late 20s or early (even mid) 30s or loans you have no realist chance of signing medium term.
I think we have promoted so many youngsters that have then left, the cupboard is a bit bare. Sounds like a good idea.
Have we?
I think if you look at the 23+ range we have lost a lot of players that would be the core of a half decent championship side.
I think it maybe the rest of other factors at play. If you look at the current u23s there are a lot of "external" players then quite a gap to Henry and Barker.
Our academy has actually produced relatively few players in the last 2 or 3 years really, in comparison to some other periods when Charlton have relied on U23s
Morgan and Doughty, but nobody else really knocking on the door in terms of outfield players in the 19-22 year old age group other than perhaps Vennings. No centre backs or strikers who could have done a job during our recent injury problems, indeed it's quite unusual to see a Charlton side with NO home grown defenders at all, when you consider the number who have come through down the years
Thing is we would have had Gomez, konsa and grant as players in that bracket (not sure we can count lookman?) so they are coming through but we have just cashed in on them!
They are all 23 as to is Lookman. Aribo is 24.
On Tuesday we probably won't have an academy player in the 18. I am not sure AMB counts.
I do wonder if we are starting to see the "being out of the Premier league" effect impact our early years recruitment and we aren't compensating with the likes of Aribo and Lookman as we were.
Maybe I am barking up the wrong tree but, for me, it looks like an area on concern.
I would love to see 2 or 3 18-20 year olds bought in this window with the view of them being in contention for the 1st team in the summer.
Whether it's a consequence of the last 2 or 3 years or has just happened it seems an area we are short in.
It's hard to get behind a rebuilding project when you only sign players in their late 20s or early (even mid) 30s or loans you have no realist chance of signing medium term.
I think we have promoted so many youngsters that have then left, the cupboard is a bit bare. Sounds like a good idea.
Have we?
I think if you look at the 23+ range we have lost a lot of players that would be the core of a half decent championship side.
I think it maybe the rest of other factors at play. If you look at the current u23s there are a lot of "external" players then quite a gap to Henry and Barker.
Our academy has actually produced relatively few players in the last 2 or 3 years really, in comparison to some other periods when Charlton have relied on U23s
Morgan and Doughty, but nobody else really knocking on the door in terms of outfield players in the 19-22 year old age group other than perhaps Vennings. No centre backs or strikers who could have done a job during our recent injury problems, indeed it's quite unusual to see a Charlton side with NO home grown defenders at all, when you consider the number who have come through down the years
Thing is we would have had Gomez, konsa and grant as players in that bracket (not sure we can count lookman?) so they are coming through but we have just cashed in on them!
They are all 23 as to is Lookman. Aribo is 24.
On Tuesday we probably won't have an academy player in the 18. I am not sure AMB counts.
I do wonder if we are starting to see the "being out of the Premier league" effect impact our early years recruitment and we aren't compensating with the likes of Aribo and Lookman as we were.
Maybe I am barking up the wrong tree but, for me, it looks like an area on concern.
Maynard-Brewer joined when he was 16 so in that debatable bracket
With the amount of First Team kids we've churned out this last decade or so I always felt that there would come a time when that conveyor belt would slow down a bit eventually, and that we'd go through a bit of a blip
Definitely agree that we're potentially suffering from being out of the Premier League now though; Barker | Henry | Vennings, even Morgan (who like you say will be suspended on Tuesday, hence not having an Academy Player in that squad), are they truly good enough for the Premier League some day, or will they be solid Championship or lower Football League standard?
if we can only have one player it would be a toss up between another striker (with physical presence and pace ideally or an athletic / physically imposing midfielder - ideally we get both after managing to offload a couple somehow
Can’t see we’d been in for another striker when we have 4 plus Smyth. I think it will definitely be a CM. Could be a CB but Deji playing well and Famewo back makes that doubtful.
because washington, bogle and smyth are useless? if chucks gets injured, its season over - id make it the priority
Washington is far from useless. How are you proposing we fund this striker?
same way you'd fund the player u want - he;s useless as an attacking threat
Not this bollocks again, you keep banging the same drum but for the amount we can afford and how many goals he's got so far, there's no one out there that we can bring in, in January, that would be markedly better
wrong - give smyth back and get a prem academy loanee
if we can only have one player it would be a toss up between another striker (with physical presence and pace ideally or an athletic / physically imposing midfielder - ideally we get both after managing to offload a couple somehow
Can’t see we’d been in for another striker when we have 4 plus Smyth. I think it will definitely be a CM. Could be a CB but Deji playing well and Famewo back makes that doubtful.
because washington, bogle and smyth are useless? if chucks gets injured, its season over - id make it the priority
Washington is far from useless. How are you proposing we fund this striker?
same way you'd fund the player u want - he;s useless as an attacking threat
6 goals and an assist says otherwise.
His confidence may be lacking a touch at the moment but he's shown he has a bit of class there, we need to nurture that as we won't find better for 1.3k a week (which is all that is counted of his salary)
no it doesn't - no pace, no aerial ability, no physicality, lays it off, never attacks / takes anybody on - you are wrong but believe what u want
In a theoretical world where we did want rid of Washington how exactly do we manage that without paying up his contract
we will not go up if bogle, washington or smyth spend much time on the pitch so doesn't matter what we dio with hbim - pop him up your bum if you like - we have 2 forwards + millar and we need another coz as i say, if chucks gets injured, its season over
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When we host Shrewsbury Town!
There does seem a gap in our academy further down, it's really unusual for example that we have no 20 year old defenders ready to come through, a reserve RB ready to step up so that we didn't need to sign Gunter AND Matthews
He attacks, defends always available for a pass, always seems to be in space, makes chances, never panics, a fantastic all round midfielder.
Obviously not Davis but somebody of that ilk , at our current level, would make all the difference.
I couldn't give you any names but I'm sure people on here could come up with some.
I'm surprised no one has thought of this. I bet it would be an instant success!!
His confidence may be lacking a touch at the moment but he's shown he has a bit of class there, we need to nurture that as we won't find better for 1.3k a week (which is all that is counted of his salary)
On Tuesday we probably won't have an academy player in the 18. I am not sure AMB counts.
I do wonder if we are starting to see the "being out of the Premier league" effect impact our early years recruitment and we aren't compensating with the likes of Aribo and Lookman as we were.
Maybe I am barking up the wrong tree but, for me, it looks like an area on concern.
With the amount of First Team kids we've churned out this last decade or so I always felt that there would come a time when that conveyor belt would slow down a bit eventually, and that we'd go through a bit of a blip
Definitely agree that we're potentially suffering from being out of the Premier League now though; Barker | Henry | Vennings, even Morgan (who like you say will be suspended on Tuesday, hence not having an Academy Player in that squad), are they truly good enough for the Premier League some day, or will they be solid Championship or lower Football League standard?