He's always looked ropey for us at centre back, he was completely out of favour until we needed him to cover at left back and he did surprisingly well. Remember, he was 90% out the door on January deadline day before Wrexham came in for O'Connell. He's an aggressively average backup left back, if Edun could stay fit I don't think we'd need to think about him as much.
Harsh. He isn't great but doesn't hide. I can't dig out players who try but just aren't at the level they need to be. Don't think he did much wrong yesterday tbf
He's crap and re signing him was an acceptance of mediocrity
Generally agree and I wouldn't have re-signed him. But you can't dig out a player giving their best just because it is not good enough. That is on our recruitment team is my view. Others, who Shirk away and hide... Different story.
He tries Thomas, isn't his fault someone offered him a job.
Very limited but I can't give a player too much stick who at least puts a shift in, we of course need better however and I think the majority of us acknowledged that before the season started.
Harsh. He isn't great but doesn't hide. I can't dig out players who try but just aren't at the level they need to be. Don't think he did much wrong yesterday tbf
I wouldn't hide, but you definitely wouldn't want me in the side.
Reckon he's another CL phenomenon; I don't know another supporteraway from here who rates him
Harsh. He isn't great but doesn't hide. I can't dig out players who try but just aren't at the level they need to be. Don't think he did much wrong yesterday tbf
He's crap and re signing him was an acceptance of mediocrity
Holden planned to play 3 at the back, which suits Thomas. But now we are playing a back 4 he isn’t good enough at full back or as a centre back in a 2. Abankwah has the same problem
Holden planned to play 3 at the back, which suits Thomas. But now we are playing a back 4 he isn’t good enough at full back or as a centre back in a 2. Abankwah has the same problem
Right this is spot on. As a LCB in a back three he looked decent, solid on the ball, two footed, mobile for this level, and can defend a lot more on the front foot with two other CBs beside him--which seems to be what he does best.
In a back four he's never looked great. I think he's looked alright at LB, not special but not nearly as bad as some make out.
My feeling when we signed him was "can do a job at LCB in a back three and generally provide CB and LB cover." And that's basically what he's done. But given we're not playing a back three I wouldn't mind if he moved on in January and we brought in a left sided defender who is either a natural LB or left footed and can play in a back two and LB.
I think Thomas is an example of why we need a head of recruiting who is focused on building a team that can play together and then bringing in managers who can play that way, and not recruiting for each manager we bring in and then needing to undo some of that because players don't fit the style of a new manager.
It's particularly true with our lack of a natural RW and LB cover this season. Holden clearly didn't intend to play with wingers and then abandoned the 3-5-2 almost right away. As a result we've had to play Tedic, Kanu, and Leaburn out of position there, and now we're finally settled on TC/May doing decent jobs in an unnatural role. Holden was planning to play CBT at LWB and have Edun as cover, but as soon as we went to a back four we didn't really have LB cover. I do think it's to Thomas' credit that he's filled in there alright, and now having Edun back and seeing Watson play there I feel much more confident (even if I have serious hesitations about Asiimwe's defending). But as I said in the summer and continue to say, we have a lot of quality in our squad but we also have some glaring holes and generally not all of our best players are designed to play together.
Also, I generally like Thomas, he seems like a nice guy and everyone says he's good to have around the place. It's nice that he's come back and had some time in the first team, I rated him when he was coming through the youth ranks. It hasn't worked out superbly, but I also don't feel he's let the side down. I expect he and Abankwah won't be here on Feb. 1.
You wonder how good or bad a defender is individually , or are their performances a sum of all of the parts in the back 3 or 4 ? Jones has looked awful since Hector hasnt been playing , whilst TT has seemed to have improved. Or this may that we are now playing 3 at the back rather than a back four with TT playing left back.
It was very insane that the centre back who had a decent game against Burton was dropped and the one who had an absolute pig was the only one who kept his place. I guess Appleton didn’t trust him in the middle of a 3 but we’ll just add that to his list of terrible decisions
Charlton played 51 minutes in the 2nd half without conceding when Thomas his two CB partners and the 2 full backs aided by Dobbo and Coventry were looking more secure. Appleton suddenly decided to go gung ho and after the crazy sending off of Edun hooked both Watson and Coventry. This was suicide by Appleton and hopefully that point lost won't cost Cafc at the end of Season.
18 games to save this clubs future because we can't survive on 5k crowds in League 2.
Had a real uptick in form recently and a proper captains performance last night. He's not perfect but he clearly cares and shows passion and I love that
I wouldn't mind him staying next season. I'd hope he wouldn't be needed as often, but we probably won't find someone else happy to be back up and on his wages with his level of effort and versatility.
Improved a lot recently, fairly solid in defence and comfortable on the ball and stepped up in LJ's absence last night. Now lets see if NJ can get him to improve his passing which is still poor given his ability to bring the ball out of defence - he needs to be linking up play far better.
Very versatile, which makes him a manager's dream, as the saying goes. He's played right across the back 5 in the last few weeks, regularly shifting around the defence when subs are made.
Being captain last night would have been a proud moment for him, especially on such a great night for the club.
Wow, reading the last few pages there has been a massive change of opinions by some, with little acknowledgement that they might have got it wrong originally. (What is it about centre backs that draws such underserved opprobrium from Charlton fans?!)
Yes, he had a couple of games early on where he might have sliced the ball out of play a couple of times and his passing is a bit average, but generally he’s been solid all season, and very solid in the last couple of months.
And he’s genuinely one of our own.
Very pleased for him, getting the big win on his captaincy debut. 👍👊
Barnsley away he was great, along with Hector. Next week he was dropped. I'm not his biggest fan, but you know you'll get 100% when he pulls on the shirt. Flemming and Pearce stuck him straight back in the side and Jones has shown faith, particularly making him captain, so let's hope he repays that. Pleased for him as he's very rarely played in his natural position while here
Comments
Generally agree and I wouldn't have re-signed him. But you can't dig out a player giving their best just because it is not good enough. That is on our recruitment team is my view.
Others, who Shirk away and hide... Different story.
Very limited but I can't give a player too much stick who at least puts a shift in, we of course need better however and I think the majority of us acknowledged that before the season started.
Reckon he's another CL phenomenon; I don't know another supporteraway from here who rates him
In a back four he's never looked great. I think he's looked alright at LB, not special but not nearly as bad as some make out.
My feeling when we signed him was "can do a job at LCB in a back three and generally provide CB and LB cover." And that's basically what he's done. But given we're not playing a back three I wouldn't mind if he moved on in January and we brought in a left sided defender who is either a natural LB or left footed and can play in a back two and LB.
I think Thomas is an example of why we need a head of recruiting who is focused on building a team that can play together and then bringing in managers who can play that way, and not recruiting for each manager we bring in and then needing to undo some of that because players don't fit the style of a new manager.
It's particularly true with our lack of a natural RW and LB cover this season. Holden clearly didn't intend to play with wingers and then abandoned the 3-5-2 almost right away. As a result we've had to play Tedic, Kanu, and Leaburn out of position there, and now we're finally settled on TC/May doing decent jobs in an unnatural role. Holden was planning to play CBT at LWB and have Edun as cover, but as soon as we went to a back four we didn't really have LB cover. I do think it's to Thomas' credit that he's filled in there alright, and now having Edun back and seeing Watson play there I feel much more confident (even if I have serious hesitations about Asiimwe's defending). But as I said in the summer and continue to say, we have a lot of quality in our squad but we also have some glaring holes and generally not all of our best players are designed to play together.
Also, I generally like Thomas, he seems like a nice guy and everyone says he's good to have around the place. It's nice that he's come back and had some time in the first team, I rated him when he was coming through the youth ranks. It hasn't worked out superbly, but I also don't feel he's let the side down. I expect he and Abankwah won't be here on Feb. 1.
Was always hugely underrated by many fans, but now some are starting to see what he offers.
V Posh and Cobblers has come on second and transformed the defence.
Hope we keep him but fear directors would rather sell/release.
He's the only consistently competent defender we have.
Charlton played 51 minutes in the 2nd half without conceding when Thomas his two CB partners and the 2 full backs aided by Dobbo and Coventry were looking more secure.
Appleton suddenly decided to go gung ho and after the crazy sending off of Edun hooked both Watson and Coventry.
This was suicide by Appleton and hopefully that point lost won't cost Cafc at the end of Season.
18 games to save this clubs future because we can't survive on 5k crowds in League 2.
Being captain last night would have been a proud moment for him, especially on such a great night for the club.
Still not sure if I would re-sign him as think we still need better if we are to push on but in Jones we trust.