We aren’t going to replace May with another prolific striker, instead we would need the rest of the team to contribute with goals which isn’t really happening at present
We aren’t going to replace May with another prolific striker, instead we would need the rest of the team to contribute with goals which isn’t really happening at present
We don't need more goals - I mean they're nice and all, but we need less conceded. Until we sort that we'll continue to struggle. As much as people say we'd get overrun I'd go with the "lopsided" 4-4-2 so we can have 4 defenders at the back(that can become 5 with one of the wingers dropping), two CM's, a more defensive winger that can tuck into the middle if needed, an attacking winger and two strikers.
We aren’t going to replace May with another prolific striker, instead we would need the rest of the team to contribute with goals which isn’t really happening at present
We're joint 7th in the scoring charts, that's not the issue.
We've scored more than every club below us in the table.
We've conceded more than every club above us in the table.
We're joint 8th in the goals conceded table.
Other than Shrewsbury, who have inexplicably found themselves level on points with us despite scoring just 13 goals all season and with a goal difference of -14, every team that's conceded as many as us make up 15th-24th in the table.
League one is now almost as predictable as the Prem.
Last season finished…
10th - Charlton 11th - Shrewsbury 12th - Lincoln
This season it currently stands
9th - Lincoln 10th - Charlton 11th - Shrewsbury
Us three have formed our own mini league within the division. We’re all miles away from competing with the top 6 but not yet shite enough to get caught up in a relegation battle.
It’s depressing as fuck but we really are the epitome of a boring mid table league one club.
A good Jan window & we could regain our ‘mid table champions’ title.
The only way Lewisham born Olaofe is coming here is if he walks into the Stockport boardroom and sings the “Stockport’s a shithole, I wanna go home” song
Which would be very off with coming from Lewisham.
How dare you..
****** I had to suffer Lee for three years as a kid growing up.
Oh dear, poor you..
Perhaps that says more about you, I was brought up in Lee and had a great childhood
Agree. I was brought in Lewisham. Great Times.(my comment was being sarcastic by the way)
******** I realise that, mind you, Lee was proceeded by Bellingham. I had it rough!
Still worried that Dobson and CBT haven’t signed new contracts.Don’t look promising.
I still think they’ll sign in due course. Dobson especially I think will be done. CBT could be gone in January.
I’m less worried than most about it all. There have been half a dozen teams promoted out of this league since we signed either of them.
None of them had Dobson or Blackett-Taylor in their team (obviously) and without looking at the squads of those respective teams, I’m not sure either of them get in to those teams’ first XI either.
Sunderland moved Dobbo on and got promoted the following season… not saying he was the issue there by any means but it’s very reminiscent of the summer we got rid of player of the year Jose Semedo and went and got promoted the following season.
Of course we would have to replace Dobbo and CBT if they leave and that takes work. But they’re not irreplaceable footballers.
I don't believe Dobson and CBT are easily replaced. I think they're the best two of their type footballers in this Division.
We apparently have been recruiting for a specific formation. Replacing these two is going to cost £millions in my opinion- in terms of transfer fees, agent fees and wages.
We're crazy thinking losing two of our best players is advisable when our recent recruitment has been shite and we don't have much money it appears.
There's being positive @Callumcafc and then there's being plan daft!
I didn't say it's "advisable" to lose them - I said I'm less worried than most. I don't think it's a disaster if they moved on.
Take your point about the last couple of windows, although I don't think money is necessarily the problem. Especially in regards to our summer business where fees were spent both on permanent transfers and loans.
The only player who I believe would be a disaster to lose at this point is Alfie May. Towards the rest, academy boys aside, I mostly feel apathy.
I see where you're coming from, in particular Corey, I actually think he holds the team back in a weird way. He's been one of our best performers but he is fairly hot and cold. He carries a bit when he's having one of his days but when he's off his game we really suffer strategically.
There aren't many formations that suit him and the one that does hinders May imo. I would rather CBT stay, as he is an impactful player, but I think we need a rebuild and CBT wouldn't be a part of it for me. May would be the main man which would mean a 352 or a 442.
Dobson however would be harder to replace I think, if I had to pick one it would be Dobson all day.
Yes, it's a bit of a flaw with the squad that our best 2 attacking players suit different systems, CBT a 433 with a mobile target man number 9, while May suits a 352 alongside a physical target man. Never mind Miles, what May needs is Carl Leaburn!
Play 352, and you either leave CBT out or play him at wing back exposing his poor defensive qualities.
Play 433 and May 1) is battling in the centre against giant centre backs 2) played out wide, with the risk that he's too far away from the box, or 3) played as a Number 10, leaving us with a 2 man midfield likely to be overrun.
Exactly my thought process mate, I would simply build the team around May though purely due to how potent he is and being our player in the 'long' term.
CBT could be off and we are stuffed again. May needs a strike partner to build an understanding with.
What if May leaves or gets injured this season? Kind of put all your eggs in one basket and messed it up with your thinking.
Well let me ask you, not to compare Alfie May to Salah or Saka, but rather his importance to the team, do you think Liverpool and Arsenal worry about a player getting injured.
That would seriously hinder a club. You buy the players that suit the formation, that suits the key man. You then have a short list or squad players that can replicate said player or play multiple formations, to switch it up in this instance. That's how a proper club is run.
If you start worrying about injuries you'll never be a settled side. Unfortunately you need to just hope luck is on your side a bit, that's the nature of football.
Wish you would make up your mind,one minute you say build you team around Alfie May.
I haven’t compared Alfie May to anyone , you have.
I think you've completely misinterpreted my post, which is of course the nature of online messaging.
- My mind is made up, I believe May is our man to get us out of this league, and with that in mind, would be planning on the best solution to enable him
- I didn't say you did compare a player to Alfie May. I was asking in regards to your concern on Alf getting injured, do you think other clubs, worry about their players getting injured and disrupting a system/playstyle idea? I imagine not. So no I didn't quite compare Alfie May as a player to Salah or Saka, rather his value to us as a club, like how they are valued and I imagine, their teams are coached to benefit those players.
So, Alfie May as the main man, with a system in place to enable him, with a back up plan and players who could fill in for him IF he was to get injured. If we as a club, were worrying about every key player getting injured, we wouldn't get very far, as injuries are a part of football.
Hope that's a bit clearer
I think Man City probably do worry about Haarland getting injured, as it’s very tight at the top of the table. And Arsenal might well be worried about Ssliba getting injured. They would almost certainly have won the title last year if he hadn’t been injured in the run in. And both of those clubs have pretty decent squads, well City do at least.
I get what you’re saying, nonetheless. With better squad depth it would be less of a disaster if May is injured. But he’s the hottest striker in the League at the moment, so a replacement would have to hit top form PDQ.
Lucky they have Tedic waiting in the wings if Haarland is injured isn't it 😆
BFG anyone, not getting a game for Preston, out of contract end of season, early 30s
available for loan by the sounds of it too. not a big fan of signing ex players usually but think he could be what we need, a good solid defender who leads by example
BFG anyone, not getting a game for Preston, out of contract end of season, early 30s
available for loan by the sounds of it too. not a big fan of signing ex players usually but think he could be what we need, a good solid defender who leads by example
Derek Hales Mike Flanagan Paul Mortimer
If Bauer comes back and does a good a job as those 3 above did, then bring it on
BFG anyone, not getting a game for Preston, out of contract end of season, early 30s
available for loan by the sounds of it too. not a big fan of signing ex players usually but think he could be what we need, a good solid defender who leads by example
Derek Hales Mike Flanagan Paul Mortimer
If Bauer comes back and does a good a job as those 3 above did, then bring it on
Totally. My comment was more about the players we’ve had recently and the tendency to romanticise them than anything else.
BFG anyone, not getting a game for Preston, out of contract end of season, early 30s
No thank you. If we were signing the same Bauer that left, it would be a no brainer. But he's not played much and fitness is questionable. I don't want to sully the memory of THAT goal if he came back and was a bit shit.
No problem with bringing in a player of Bauer’s age, experience etc. However, only if they are fit.
Bauer has played twice since beginning of August, one 90 minute appearance and one 65 minute appearance. No guarantee he is fit enough to come in and play enough minutes to at least give us a chance of play offs.
BFG anyone, not getting a game for Preston, out of contract end of season, early 30s
Would be ideal if he's fit. Has struggled with injuries a lot since going there.
When’s that stopped us? It’s our speciality.
“Are you suffering from a chronic injury and on big wages? If so Charlton Athletic Football Club, based in south East London and with easy access into central London, good transport links and pockets of lovely houses in places like Chiselhurst, Blackheath, Dulwich and other surrounding areas, would love to give you the chance to recuperate in the warm surroundings of Sparrows Lane’s treatment room.
You’ll be looked after and offered a 3-4 year contract on 4-5k a week, won’t be expected to make double figures in league starts for any of the seasons you’re with us, and join some of the other great and the good with similar characteristics. Learn from some of the giants like Chuks ‘Cheat Code’ Aneke, Panutche Camara and other mediocre League One footballers signed in desperation and with no vision, such as Terry Taylor.
Delight in a delusional fan base that are blinkered to the fact you will never come good from your injuries, but it won’t stop them proclaiming your name as unplayable when fit. If this sounds like a role for you, contact Mr A Scott c/o Charlton Athletic football club and arrange an interview. If you sign by the 31st Jan 2024, you get an extra year on your contract”
A loan until the end of the season to prove his fitness wouldn't be the worst move imo
Not the worst, but don't think it'd be a good one - we all love Bauer but he's so injury prone, if this was the summer it might be different as you could build up his fitness, but in the Jan transfer window there's not much time for that. His quality I don't question at all but I just don't see the point in signing another injury prone player when we desperately need someone to shore up the defence.
Do what decent clubs do, buy players with potential or on the up (except if they're special like Alfie), not what we have been doing which is plugging holes with expensive meh
Our business next month will need to be astonishingly good to make a change enough to see us as top six contenders. In fact it’s not going to happen. We’re not going to get relegated so quite honestly I’d rather see us sign even one or two players that are going to be good enough for where we aspire to be next season. This season is already over unless we now turn in top of the league performances from now on. Can you see that ? Forget the punts and pointless loans. Push the boat out, if we’ve actually got a boat on a couple of proven players.
Do what decent clubs do, buy players with potential or on the up (except if they're special like Alfie), not what we have been doing which is plugging holes with expensive meh
Agree but needs to be the right players. We tried that with Kirk, DJ, Lavelle etc.
The business in January can't just be about 5 months, it has to think longer term, just bored of this narrow panicking between each window
Not that I disagree, but if we spend money on young high ceiling players like Terry Taylor potentially might be - but they are not consistent enough to get us promoted you know the majority of the fan base will have a shit fit.
Do what decent clubs do, buy players with potential or on the up (except if they're special like Alfie), not what we have been doing which is plugging holes with expensive meh
Agree but needs to be the right players. We tried that with Kirk, DJ, Lavelle etc.
I'd pot Lavelle and DJ in the expensive punt and panicked looking at the point they were signed, Kirk just hasn't worked. But Jones, L Watson, and Dobson have been successes, but my preference is not chasing after speculative late buys
Comments
We've scored more than every club below us in the table.
We've conceded more than every club above us in the table.
We're joint 8th in the goals conceded table.
Other than Shrewsbury, who have inexplicably found themselves level on points with us despite scoring just 13 goals all season and with a goal difference of -14, every team that's conceded as many as us make up 15th-24th in the table.
If we concede less, we win more.
Goals win games, defence wins titles
Last season finished…
10th - Charlton
11th - Shrewsbury
12th - Lincoln
This season it currently stands
9th - Lincoln
10th - Charlton
11th - Shrewsbury
Us three have formed our own mini league within the division. We’re all miles away from competing with the top 6 but not yet shite enough to get caught up in a relegation battle.
It’s depressing as fuck but we really are the epitome of a boring mid table league one club.
We know what we arrrrreeeee
Mid table Champions
We know what we arrrrreeeee
Would be ideal if he's fit. Has struggled with injuries a lot since going there.
Mike Flanagan
Paul Mortimer
If Bauer comes back and does a good a job as those 3 above did, then bring it on
Don't want to ruin the good memories I have of him and like Hector, we can do better.