Unlike other seasons, I genuinely can't predict who will be retained, as even with the ones we want to keep, they might not accept our offer.
I just hope Holden knows what he is doing because if we release too many we could be up shit creek come July when we have a squad of 8 or 9 players and we are throwing in the Academy for pre-season games.
About the match I think you have to give credit to the lad in the Cheltenham family stand who for no apparent reason was giving Charlton fans shaky hand gestures all match. He must have been about 8 years old, sat with what looked like his proud parents? Very strange.
Congratulations to the Charlton history makers , never have we been relegated in to third tier and taken longer than 3 seasons to get out …. Well played you managed it
OS said he was left out to avoid risking being banned next season, same as Dobson.
Dobson, fair enough given it was just a yellow card that would have put him on a 3 game ban.
But comes to something when you can't play a player as there's too strong a chance he gets a red.
I know the game didn't mean anything, why take any risk at all. But still, tells you a lot I think.
I don't think there was a need for Inniss yesterday and as the game was meaningless why take the chance? I don't know whether Inniss will be re-signed or not but I don't think his omission told us anything.
Perfect end for the season we’ve had really. No problem scoring but just absolutely brain dead at the back. I know he maybe hasn’t got all the players he wants but I’m quite concerned that Holden doesn’t look any closer to figuring out the mess in our defence. Only one of that back four will be in contract with us as it stands and it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if it was a fresh start defensively. I think he might revert to a 352 without JRS and on this season’s showing I’d understand it even if I don’t like it.
I think Holden has made a bit of an error not having a look at Wollacott as well. AMB has been making mistake after mistake in recent weeks and Wollacott hasn’t done anything wrong to deserve not getting back in. I get that Holden will look to sell him for funds rather than have two first team keepers but I wonder if he’s sweating that early decision a bit now.
Jack Payne has once again made his case for being a useful squad player. 4 goals and 4 assists in the league, 7 and 7 including the silly games. Today he came on on 74 minutes and scored on 83. That puts him as our 5th top scorer and 4th highest assist-maker (including the nonsense games he's second for assists) despite very rarely being used from the start. It's impressive that he can have an impact in such a short time on the pitch, we just need to make sure the players ahead of him are substantially better than what we have currently.
Rubbish season, no fun at all. I just want a season where we don't have a load of noise in the background and get given a normal budget to buy normal players and try and make a go of it. I am aware that is too much to ask.
Agree re defence. Hector signed with bit of hype etc as he played at a higher level, made errors at Derby but generally agreed he needed to cut bit of slack as he'd been out for a while. He improved in the next few games then slid back back to errors again (eg Morecambe). Also seems to like to provoke the attackers as a tactic. For me he's meh, if stays its as 2nd choice. Deans a lovely guy but the defence has not been sorted out. If its improved at all its been an inch, but we needed a mile.
We always lay into centre-backs first. But I'd say that when Sessegnon hasn't been available, full-back has been the bigger problem. Is Egbo going to be fit? Is he good enough? We don't know either yet. Lots to address there. Another issue is that bar Dobson our midfield is very permeable. Easy to blame the centre-backs for everything but as Charlton Centre-Backs PR I would like to offer some protest here
Congratulations to the Charlton history makers , never have we been relegated in to third tier and taken longer than 3 seasons to get out …. Well played you managed it
We are now viewed as an established 3rd tier team sadly. Yesterday on Sky when they went through the results , they said Cheltenham & Charlton had had a satisfactory season !! Thanks Thomas.
We always lay into centre-backs first. But I'd say that when Sessegnon hasn't been available, full-back has been the bigger problem. Is Egbo going to be fit? Is he good enough? We don't know either yet. Lots to address there. Another issue is that bar Dobson our midfield is very permeable. Easy to blame the centre-backs for everything but as Charlton Centre-Backs PR I would like to offer some protest here
Fair point, just not enough tackling ability across the whole team, every position should be able to defend, JRS /CBT/etc Campbell tries but could do more, but its Fraser and Morgan both more attacking strengths than defending. Leaburn hasn't been able to hold the ball up in last few months , not winning much so that doesn't help.
Congratulations to the Charlton history makers , never have we been relegated in to third tier and taken longer than 3 seasons to get out …. Well played you managed it
We are now viewed as an established 3rd tier team sadly. Yesterday on Sky when they went through the results , they said Cheltenham & Charlton had had a satisfactory season !! Thanks Thomas.
I hated it when Jeff said that, but sadly he is correct.
Game was ok but really should have been put to bed by half time. Alfie May is a real live wire and the home team always had a hope with him on the field. AMB did brilliantly to snatch the ball off his feet, but was all at sea for the two shots which gave Cheltenham a share of the points.
Interested by the discussion in the studio after the game, particularly Curbs take on the challenges and opportunities facing Dean and the club over the summer. On the positive side, London Premiership clubs may well be open to loaning out promising youngsters to us following the success of JRS's season, but on the downside, we probably won't get the next JRS, Cullen, Gallagher or whoever until next season is well under way.
Also on the positive side, we have CBT and perhaps Chuks coming back to the squad after injury, but on the headache side, also returning from their loans are a number of players (I can't remember how many) who are a drag on the wages bill and probably not wanted anymore.
Agree with Curbs that it would be great if Dean was able to get the players he wants as early in the summer break as possible but of course, that's dependent on this mysterious budget for players so we shall have to wait and see. But his main point was that the sort of players needed have to be leaders on the pitch. Whilst it's wonderful to see so many Academy players coming through into the first team squad, the team has to have some old heads who are willing to point fingers and get a grip during the game.
I do hope they keep CAFC TV going in future. It is the one real success story of the club over the past couple of seasons and unites the worldwide Charlton diaspora as nothing else can.
Congratulations to the Charlton history makers , never have we been relegated in to third tier and taken longer than 3 seasons to get out …. Well played you managed it
We are now viewed as an established 3rd tier team sadly. Yesterday on Sky when they went through the results , they said Cheltenham & Charlton had had a satisfactory season !! Thanks Thomas.
I hated it when Jeff said that, but sadly he is correct.
Yup. The whole sleeping giant thing may apply to clubs like Chef Wendy with their average attendance of 24,000. I think we have found our level.
Congratulations to the Charlton history makers , never have we been relegated in to third tier and taken longer than 3 seasons to get out …. Well played you managed it
We are now viewed as an established 3rd tier team sadly. Yesterday on Sky when they went through the results , they said Cheltenham & Charlton had had a satisfactory season !! Thanks Thomas.
A satisfactory end of season, considering where we were last December, but for a club like ours to finish 10th in L1, that can never be a satisfactory season. Pompey won't be satisfied with 8th either.
Congratulations to the Charlton history makers , never have we been relegated in to third tier and taken longer than 3 seasons to get out …. Well played you managed it
We are now viewed as an established 3rd tier team sadly. Yesterday on Sky when they went through the results , they said Cheltenham & Charlton had had a satisfactory season !! Thanks Thomas.
I hated it when Jeff said that, but sadly he is correct.
I don't think the comment is correct. The league table (which I think Jeff was referring as he mentioned 10th) suggests we've had a satisfactory season but we haven't. We have underperformed on and off the pitch and the season has been poor. 6th would have been satisfactory and a minimum expectation at the start of the season.
Congratulations to the Charlton history makers , never have we been relegated in to third tier and taken longer than 3 seasons to get out …. Well played you managed it
We are now viewed as an established 3rd tier team sadly. Yesterday on Sky when they went through the results , they said Cheltenham & Charlton had had a satisfactory season !! Thanks Thomas.
I hated it when Jeff said that, but sadly he is correct.
I don't think the comment is correct. The league table (which I think Jeff was referring as he mentioned 10th) suggests we've had a satisfactory season but we haven't. We have underperformed on and off the pitch and the season has been poor. 6th would have been satisfactory and a minimum expectation at the start of the season.
With the squad we had I think 10th is satisfactory. Squad isn’t good enough for anything better. I actually thought we’d finish 11th or 12th so we exceeded my low expectations
I watched the highlights again. Cheltenham's first goal could have been prevented by Henry. Alfie May was shaping up to shoot and Henry moved to him to block the shot. Henry then skillfully/inexplicably managed to get out of the way to allow the free shot. Unfortunately, when watching Henry it appears a regular feature of him managing to avoid getting involved.
Comments
But comes to something when you can't play a player as there's too strong a chance he gets a red.
I know the game didn't mean anything, why take any risk at all. But still, tells you a lot I think.
Deans a lovely guy but the defence has not been sorted out. If its improved at all its been an inch, but we needed a mile.
Interested by the discussion in the studio after the game, particularly Curbs take on the challenges and opportunities facing Dean and the club over the summer. On the positive side, London Premiership clubs may well be open to loaning out promising youngsters to us following the success of JRS's season, but on the downside, we probably won't get the next JRS, Cullen, Gallagher or whoever until next season is well under way.
Also on the positive side, we have CBT and perhaps Chuks coming back to the squad after injury, but on the headache side, also returning from their loans are a number of players (I can't remember how many) who are a drag on the wages bill and probably not wanted anymore.
Agree with Curbs that it would be great if Dean was able to get the players he wants as early in the summer break as possible but of course, that's dependent on this mysterious budget for players so we shall have to wait and see. But his main point was that the sort of players needed have to be leaders on the pitch. Whilst it's wonderful to see so many Academy players coming through into the first team squad, the team has to have some old heads who are willing to point fingers and get a grip during the game.
I do hope they keep CAFC TV going in future. It is the one real success story of the club over the past couple of seasons and unites the worldwide Charlton diaspora as nothing else can.
Cheltenham's first goal could have been prevented by Henry.
Alfie May was shaping up to shoot and Henry moved to him to block the shot.
Henry then skillfully/inexplicably managed to get out of the way to allow the free shot.
Unfortunately, when watching Henry it appears a regular feature of him managing to avoid getting involved.