Am I the only one who thinks we can still make the playoffs???
We’d need a run like we had in 97/98. Will be an exciting few months if that’s what happens!
I think we can still do it but maybe that’s me just trying to stretch out the hope of my quite large bet on us getting promoted from the pre season optimism 😂
Am I the only one who thinks we can still make the playoffs???
4 points separating the top 6 at this stage - they will all be taking points off each other going for autos - it's not like there's a couple or 3 teams running away with it. It's a huge ask but all we can do is start winning games. Things would look very different for us with 3 or 4 wins on the spin.
Round 3… 2-0 Dubai I believe cost of living in London is the hold up.. he agreed personal terms, then started to back track. It is 50/50 at the moment. But club are still confident
I have to say, I think the is the right decision. We have a striker for the rest of the year, in the summer, if we have Aneke, Miles, May, plus Kanu, Mbick, and Casey coming through and hopefully a chance to sign another striker, does Ikpeazu make sense?
He's definitely decent, played in the Championship, but he feels like a Plan B striker, and I think we need to figure out what the long term plan As are before we get to Plan B.
In short, Ladapo buys us time. If JCH isn't coming this window then it doesn't feel like our future first choice striker to presumably replace Miles is available. So buying time is good. There will be more in the summer, plus we'll know more about the young strikers, hopefully vis loan for the latter two.
That being said, I'm said we're not going to get his gym tips.
Good signings but can’t get too excited when we are 19 points off the playoffs,one win in the league since the 31st October, and a manager who makes Dwight Yorke look like a good dad .
Lapado in Uche not - probably the right idea. We do have other forwards coming back next month (for how long, who knows), but I think, for now, May, Lapado, Kanu is ok.... just ok.... but ok....
We really aren't going up and we SHOULDN'T go down with the additions we've made and the promises of further,
The board have done a solid job to date this window. They deserve the chance to right what they've not done right since buying the club - if that involves giving Appleton a chance - I'd prefer they didn't, but they've put their hand in their pocket and they've promised us changes.
Let's see what the next six weeks brings - tough run of games - I'd like to see performances and naturally, results, improve.
Lapado in Uche not - probably the right idea. We do have other forwards coming back next month (for how long, who knows), but I think, for now, May, Lapado, Kanu is ok.... just ok.... but ok....
We really aren't going up and we SHOULDN'T go down with the additions we've made and the promises of further,
The board have done a solid job to date this window. They deserve the chance to right what they've not done right since buying the club - if that involves giving Appleton a chance - I'd prefer they didn't, but they've put their hand in their pocket and they've promised us changes.
Let's see what the next six weeks brings - tough run of games - I'd like to see performances and naturally, results, improve.
Seems like we weren't puting all our eggs in one striker basket and so left our options open.
I like that were being active in the market so as to rebalance and strengthen what was a weak and unbalanced squad.
But the squad was unbalanced and weak in part because of the poor window after the current regime took control so they are correcting their own, and the previous regime's, mistakes
I feel sorry for @Scoham having to list this huge squad. Sure he and all of us expect it to be trimmed by sales and loans as we currently have TEN central Midfielders but shifting unwanted players isn't easy.
Still, I make that six signings or to put it another way one sixth of all league one signings have been made by CAFC @AFKABARTRAM can give us the % of league one signings in his next update.
But as we know, the proof is NOT in the pudding.
The saying is "the proof of the pudding is in the eating".
So we can only judge this window and so the owners and Appleton by how results improve over the remaining 20 games and next season's promotion push.
Seems like we weren't puting all our eggs in one striker basket and so left our options open.
I like that were being active in the market so as to rebalance and strengthen what was a weak and unbalanced squad.
But the squad was unbalanced and weak in part because of the poor window after the current regime took control so they are correcting their own, and the previous regime's, mistakes
I feel sorry for @Scoham having to list this huge squad. Sure he and all of us expect it to be trimmed by sales and loans as we currently have TEN central Midfielders but shifting unwanted players isn't easy.
Still, I make that six signings or to put it another way one sixth of all league one signings have been made by CAFC @AFKABARTRAM can give us the % of league one signings in his next update.
But as we know, the proof is NOT in the pudding.
The saying is "the proof of the pudding is in the eating".
So we can only judge this window and so the owners and Appleton by how results improve over the remaining 20 games and next season's promotion push.
Mistakes in signings by this board (Abankwah, Tedic) but also not having a balanced team with a clear way of playing and formation.
I definitely blame them some for that, but it's a problem that far predates them, and as has been discussed on the CBT thread, having May and CBT as your two best attackers going into the season creates a conundrum for a formation.
My biggest concern this window is that we are once again trying to sign players for a 3-5-2 when we abandoned that system so early in the season. What is different now obviously is not having CBT or CC to try to get into the side, plus a lot more quality in depth at CB.
We still need depth at WB. We can discuss whether or not 10A and Edun are good enough to be the long term answers, I think it could go either way, but both need competition and we need depth. Ideally depth that allows Asiimwe to go out on loan and play regularly in the second half so he's ready to make a push at RWB next season.
WB depth and who we send our on loan will be key to how this window is judged in the long term. I think Anderson and Asiimwe need L2 loans, as does Deji if he can get one. I think Casey and Rylah need to go non-league, but that can happen any time.
And then probably a loan for Fraser to see if he can play himself back into form and either be reconsidered in the summer, or out himself in the shop window.
I am happily stunned by all this buying of decent players. Shame about CBT but he wasn't going to stay.
Being a Charlton supporter though I do have the worry, that last time we had this amount of transfer fun, under new owners, it all fell apart the following season.
Maybe it was going to be Ladapo & Ikpe, with May as 10. Now Ladapo & May with Collins as 10. Just thinking aloud.
I'm not sure we're gonna play with 2 strikers and a 10. Apples himself said after Saturday that 2nd half we played with 2 8s in midfield rather than a 10. That worked pretty well and looks a better balance to me. Generally looks better in a 3 man midfield at every level tbh.
Comments
Now Ladapo & May with Collins as 10.
Just thinking aloud.
Potential targets will see us a promotion candidates, an attractive place to join.
He's definitely decent, played in the Championship, but he feels like a Plan B striker, and I think we need to figure out what the long term plan As are before we get to Plan B.
In short, Ladapo buys us time. If JCH isn't coming this window then it doesn't feel like our future first choice striker to presumably replace Miles is available. So buying time is good. There will be more in the summer, plus we'll know more about the young strikers, hopefully vis loan for the latter two.
That being said, I'm said we're not going to get his gym tips.
We really aren't going up and we SHOULDN'T go down with the additions we've made and the promises of further,
The board have done a solid job to date this window. They deserve the chance to right what they've not done right since buying the club - if that involves giving Appleton a chance - I'd prefer they didn't, but they've put their hand in their pocket and they've promised us changes.
Let's see what the next six weeks brings - tough run of games - I'd like to see performances and naturally, results, improve.
I like that were being active in the market so as to rebalance and strengthen what was a weak and unbalanced squad.
But the squad was unbalanced and weak in part because of the poor window after the current regime took control so they are correcting their own, and the previous regime's, mistakes
I feel sorry for @Scoham having to list this huge squad. Sure he and all of us expect it to be trimmed by sales and loans as we currently have TEN central Midfielders but shifting unwanted players isn't easy.
Still, I make that six signings or to put it another way one sixth of all league one signings have been made by CAFC
@AFKABARTRAM can give us the % of league one signings in his next update.
But as we know, the proof is NOT in the pudding.
The saying is "the proof of the pudding is in the eating".
So we can only judge this window and so the owners and Appleton by how results improve over the remaining 20 games and next season's promotion push.
I definitely blame them some for that, but it's a problem that far predates them, and as has been discussed on the CBT thread, having May and CBT as your two best attackers going into the season creates a conundrum for a formation.
My biggest concern this window is that we are once again trying to sign players for a 3-5-2 when we abandoned that system so early in the season. What is different now obviously is not having CBT or CC to try to get into the side, plus a lot more quality in depth at CB.
We still need depth at WB. We can discuss whether or not 10A and Edun are good enough to be the long term answers, I think it could go either way, but both need competition and we need depth. Ideally depth that allows Asiimwe to go out on loan and play regularly in the second half so he's ready to make a push at RWB next season.
WB depth and who we send our on loan will be key to how this window is judged in the long term. I think Anderson and Asiimwe need L2 loans, as does Deji if he can get one. I think Casey and Rylah need to go non-league, but that can happen any time.
And then probably a loan for Fraser to see if he can play himself back into form and either be reconsidered in the summer, or out himself in the shop window.
Being a Charlton supporter though I do have the worry, that last time we had this amount of transfer fun, under new owners, it all fell apart the following season.