Both Thomas and Dobson have been positives for Charlton this season, whoever it is from Hungary doing their homework, and presumably operating according to restraints, is no mug.
If Thomas is the answer, I am convinced that anything to do with promotion out of League One is not the question.
He has improved recently, for sure, but is not the standard of any defender we’ve had play for us any relative amount of games that have got out of this league.
If Thomas is the answer, I am convinced that anything to do with promotion out of League One is not the question.
He has improved recently, for sure, but is not the standard of any defender we’ve had play for us any relative amount of games that have got out of this league.
I wouldn’t mind him as 4th choice centre back and left/right back cover
I need to check this one. I only saw one link, which said it is fake, he is intresting Orban's real club Puskas Akademy. The team that we meet tonight.
The 28-year-old is out of
contract in the summer with talks
over a new deal yet to be held.
“I don’t think there have been
contract discussions with any
players....I think the main thing
at the moment is getting to
a position where we can say
we’re definitely safe. Then
the people above might start
implementing things for the
following season. At this moment in time, there
hasn’t been any conversations.
I’d love to stay, this is my
boyhood club. I watched the
first team as a ball boy and
then captained them many
years later. When I was young, I
used to say to get a promotion
with Charlton would be a
dream come true. It would be a
proper achievement.”
Wants to be here. Has a good attitude. Is versatile and cheap. Hasn’t really ever let us down but also is not ever a standout performer. Keep him but as a substitute only.
If Thomas is the answer, I am convinced that anything to do with promotion out of League One is not the question.
He has improved recently, for sure, but is not the standard of any defender we’ve had play for us any relative amount of games that have got out of this league.
For Thomas it’s the “he’d be a decent squad player argument”. I get both sides of it.
Looking at it in terms of the 888 plan, it’s the top 8 we need to prioritise in the summer.
For that reason there’s a good argument for keeping Thomas. Should be reasonably cheap, he’s versatile and settled here. It would be pointless wasting budget to sign a similar player as back up who’s potentially more expensive and a bigger risk.
It’s having enough top 8 worthy players that’ll turn us into a promotion winning side, not whether a squad player is slightly better than Thomas. Powell and Bowyer took us up with plenty of ordinary L1 players playing a part, i.e. similar level to Thomas. The main difference was they had several top players who were comfortably Champ standard by the end of the season.
For me it comes down to what else is out there, wages and length of contract. It’s working out if he’s the best option as a squad player.
The season we went up in 2019, Ben Reeves made 29 appearances, Mark Marshall made 22 appearances, Lewis Page 17, Josh Parker 10, Jamie Ward 9, and many more like a young Albie Morgan and Toby Stevenson also made multiple appearances.
Over a 46 game season you need 20-25 players to contribute. I wouldn’t be opposed to Thomas being one of those 25.
I honestly think we would be mad to let him go. He's played left back, left centre half, middle centre half, right centre half, right back, left wing back and done a job each time. Granted, he "may" not be in an ideal first 11 for a promotion push but what a great player to have in the squad/bench as cover.
He was a bit off today but was still one of our better players. One dreadful moment on the ball but had the gumption to immediately foul and take the yellow
Charlton fan, ex-ballboy at The Valley, came through the Academy ranks, wants to be here.
Maybe we need better and more dominant to be a 'rock' to build the defence around, but since Christmas he's proved to be consistently our most reliable CB. We could do much worse than keep a useful defender who can play anywhere across the backline.
Charlton fan, ex-ballboy at The Valley, came through the Academy ranks, wants to be here.
Maybe we need better and more dominant to be a 'rock' to build the defence around, but since Christmas he's proved to be consistently our most reliable CB. We could do much worse than keep a useful defender who can play anywhere across the backline.
Surely Thomas is not the answer, we’ve been stuck in this shite league for so long people are a becoming used to mediocrity. Don’t doubt his commitment and he seems a nice guy but he’s not good enough for a promotion side
Surely Thomas is not the answer, we’ve been stuck in this shite league for so long people are a becoming used to mediocrity. Don’t doubt his commitment and he seems a nice guy but he’s not good enough for a promotion side
This all day long.
Personally don’t get the whole he’d be a good squad player argument either. But that’s me.
He’s been part of a defence that over the last two seasons will have conceded more than 130 league goals. He’s an average League One player.
We should not be resigning him for another season to be 4th choice or a ‘squad player’. What we need is better quality players who push each other and can compete at the top end of this league.
He’s not dominating in the air, he’s generally poor on the ball, he’s not incredibly strong or quick. I am convinced people like him because he’s local, passionate, and they’re unsure what is his preferred foot and because of that he plays across the defence. For me, that’s not enough to warrant a new deal in what needs to be a season of real intent to go and win promotion.
Surely Thomas is not the answer, we’ve been stuck in this shite league for so long people are a becoming used to mediocrity. Don’t doubt his commitment and he seems a nice guy but he’s not good enough for a promotion side
This all day long.
Personally don’t get the whole he’d be a good squad player argument either. But that’s me.
He’s been part of a defence that over the last two seasons will have conceded more than 130 league goals. He’s an average League One player.
We should not be resigning him for another season to be 4th choice or a ‘squad player’. What we need is better quality players who push each other and can compete at the top end of this league.
He’s not dominating in the air, he’s generally poor on the ball, he’s not incredibly strong or quick. I am convinced people like him because he’s local, passionate, and they’re unsure what is his preferred foot and because of that he plays across the defence. For me, that’s not enough to warrant a new deal in what needs to be a season of real intent to go and win promotion.
The thing is, I can remember us having the self same conversation about Purrington a few years ago, and we let him go but then didn't replace with better. Given that, and the fact he covers across the back four, I can understand the argument for giving him another year, although letting him go is probably an easier option for making space in the squad.
Thomas is our best defender, which says more about Charlton as a whole rather than Thomas himself I guess. He had a bit of a shaky game yesterday, but who didn't really. He's been pretty effective at the centre of a three recently, but was moved to a less comfortable position to accommodate Hector...who is useless, but a bit more of a "name", so people inexplicably rate him higher than Thomas, who's the better defender. Kinda agree we should aim higher, but I very much doubt we'll be signing a whole new defence this summer, in which case I think they might offer him something.
We can’t hang on to Hector, Thomas, Ness otherwise it’s just the same old, same old and look where that has got us. I’d keep Ness as he’s young and cheap and in my opinion will come good but needs a season out on loan. Of Hector and Thomas I’d rather bin both but if I had to keep one it would be Hector.
As others have said, getting that group of 8 top end League One players right will be the key. Right now we have May, arguably, who falls into that category. Maybe Leaburn will if he returns from injury without any long term effects, but I’d rather leave him in the group of 8 academy players for now. Coventry I think can grow into a top player at this level but he’s not quite there yet. REG and Small maybe too. Dobson looks likely to be gone.
We’ll need to sign at least 5 or 6, maybe 7 very good players for this level. That will be a lot of key players to settle in and I expect there will be some churn in that middle 8 of solid League One players too because NJ will want to tweak thing to suit how he wants to play.
You do want to maintain some continuity to help new players settle so having someone like Thomas who knows and likes the place will have benefits other than his contribution on the pitch. And his versatility is a big selling point when we have a questionable record with keeping key players fit and NJ says he wants to run a smaller squad next season.
Surely Thomas is not the answer, we’ve been stuck in this shite league for so long people are a becoming used to mediocrity. Don’t doubt his commitment and he seems a nice guy but he’s not good enough for a promotion side
This all day long.
Personally don’t get the whole he’d be a good squad player argument either. But that’s me.
He’s been part of a defence that over the last two seasons will have conceded more than 130 league goals. He’s an average League One player.
We should not be resigning him for another season to be 4th choice or a ‘squad player’. What we need is better quality players who push each other and can compete at the top end of this league.
He’s not dominating in the air, he’s generally poor on the ball, he’s not incredibly strong or quick. I am convinced people like him because he’s local, passionate, and they’re unsure what is his preferred foot and because of that he plays across the defence. For me, that’s not enough to warrant a new deal in what needs to be a season of real intent to go and win promotion.
Could say the same about Ladapo who I remember you saying we should sign permanently fairly recently? Different position but we want similar qualities in our strikers too.
Both Thomas and Dobson have been positives for Charlton this season, whoever it is from Hungary doing their homework, and presumably operating according to restraints, is no mug.
Signing players from a struggling 3rd division team fighting relegation.
Comments
He has improved recently, for sure, but is not the standard of any defender we’ve had play for us any relative amount of games that have got out of this league.
From the Stevenage programme
Looking at it in terms of the 888 plan, it’s the top 8 we need to prioritise in the summer.
For that reason there’s a good argument for keeping Thomas. Should be reasonably cheap, he’s versatile and settled here. It would be pointless wasting budget to sign a similar player as back up who’s potentially more expensive and a bigger risk.
It’s having enough top 8 worthy players that’ll turn us into a promotion winning side, not whether a squad player is slightly better than Thomas. Powell and Bowyer took us up with plenty of ordinary L1 players playing a part, i.e. similar level to Thomas. The main difference was they had several top players who were comfortably Champ standard by the end of the season.
For me it comes down to what else is out there, wages and length of contract. It’s working out if he’s the best option as a squad player.
Over a 46 game season you need 20-25 players to contribute. I wouldn’t be opposed to Thomas being one of those 25.
Maybe we need better and more dominant to be a 'rock' to build the defence around, but since Christmas he's proved to be consistently our most reliable CB.
We could do much worse than keep a useful defender who can play anywhere across the backline.
I don't know the Academy thing is real, but that team is shit, ne history, no supporter, middle of Orban's village. Only the wage is high.
Personally don’t get the whole he’d be a good squad player argument either. But that’s me.
He’s been part of a defence that over the last two seasons will have conceded more than 130 league goals. He’s an average League One player.
We should not be resigning him for another season to be 4th choice or a ‘squad player’. What we need is better quality players who push each other and can compete at the top end of this league.
He’s not dominating in the air, he’s generally poor on the ball, he’s not incredibly strong or quick. I am convinced people like him because he’s local, passionate, and they’re unsure what is his preferred foot and because of that he plays across the defence. For me, that’s not enough to warrant a new deal in what needs to be a season of real intent to go and win promotion.
I thinking about that one of the agency offer some players to the hungarian market.
We’ll need to sign at least 5 or 6, maybe 7 very good players for this level. That will be a lot of key players to settle in and I expect there will be some churn in that middle 8 of solid League One players too because NJ will want to tweak thing to suit how he wants to play.
You do want to maintain some continuity to help new players settle so having someone like Thomas who knows and likes the place will have benefits other than his contribution on the pitch. And his versatility is a big selling point when we have a questionable record with keeping key players fit and NJ says he wants to run a smaller squad next season.