Been a while since I checked, but last I did, Bolton's squad was mostly free transfers.Â
We've had plenty of opportunities to get good players in and we've signed ones who aren't up to it. It's not given us the opportunity to build anything, we're constantly trying to rebuild and ship out the plethora of players who don't make the grade.Â
And two of our top wage slots are tied up in players who don't play. If you took two of Bolton's top earners out the team - Santos and Charles - I doubt they'd be flying quite so high. Well, two of our top earners are Kirk and Aneke. It's a mess that shows no sign of ending.Â
Charlton fans suddenly caring about the FA Cup where was everyone at the valley v Cray Valley ⊠??? fact is the game was a pain in the bum for us we knew it was Gillingham final and MA was forced to play a team he most likey did not want to ⊠and said before it was a case as they walked out the door â just donât do anything to get injured â and you could tell that in the performanceÂ
I think you are right.Â
he is - i know i've banged on about it but its tragic the way we, and most of football, now treat the cups - cup games were more important than league games back in the day - lose and it was season over - now there treated as an inconvenience and is why i won't go to them until that changes - shift some of the prem finishing position money into the fa cup and give it a champions league spot is the only way to shift this back - get to round 3 u get ÂŁ500k, 4th round, ÂŁ1m, 5th round ÂŁ2m, quarter ÂŁ5m and so on - its all about the dosh
Charlton fans suddenly caring about the FA Cup where was everyone at the valley v Cray Valley ⊠??? fact is the game was a pain in the bum for us we knew it was Gillingham final and MA was forced to play a team he most likey did not want to ⊠and said before it was a case as they walked out the door â just donât do anything to get injured â and you could tell that in the performanceÂ
I think you are right.Â
he is - i know i've banged on about it but its tragic the way we, and most of football, now treat the cups - cup games were more important than league games back in the day - lose and it was season over - now there treated as an inconvenience and is why i won't go to them until that changes - shift some of the prem finishing position money into the fa cup and give it a champions league spot is the only way to shift this back - get to round 3 u get ÂŁ500k, 4th round, ÂŁ1m, 5th round ÂŁ2m, quarter ÂŁ5m and so on - its all about the dosh
And in so many ways the football authorities have it wrong, we are fed a diet of meaningless freight/pizza cup games and a diluted FA cup. Why would you risk a rapidly depleted squad for a limited chance of a moments headlines. It mattered years ago, it doesn't matter now.Â
Charlton fans suddenly caring about the FA Cup where was everyone at the valley v Cray Valley ⊠??? fact is the game was a pain in the bum for us we knew it was Gillingham final and MA was forced to play a team he most likey did not want to ⊠and said before it was a case as they walked out the door â just donât do anything to get injured â and you could tell that in the performanceÂ
I think you are right.Â
he is - i know i've banged on about it but its tragic the way we, and most of football, now treat the cups - cup games were more important than league games back in the day - lose and it was season over - now there treated as an inconvenience and is why i won't go to them until that changes - shift some of the prem finishing position money into the fa cup and give it a champions league spot is the only way to shift this back - get to round 3 u get ÂŁ500k, 4th round, ÂŁ1m, 5th round ÂŁ2m, quarter ÂŁ5m and so on - its all about the dosh
Bang on. Been saying this for years now. All started with the FA allowing Man Utd to 'withdraw' to play a pointless match in South America. been downhill ever since; many big clubs not interested unless they reach the quarter finals. I'm afraid it will not change so we have to accept it.
Charlton fans suddenly caring about the FA Cup where was everyone at the valley v Cray Valley ⊠??? fact is the game was a pain in the bum for us we knew it was Gillingham final and MA was forced to play a team he most likey did not want to ⊠and said before it was a case as they walked out the door â just donât do anything to get injured â and you could tell that in the performanceÂ
I think you are right.Â
he is - i know i've banged on about it but its tragic the way we, and most of football, now treat the cups - cup games were more important than league games back in the day - lose and it was season over - now there treated as an inconvenience and is why i won't go to them until that changes - shift some of the prem finishing position money into the fa cup and give it a champions league spot is the only way to shift this back - get to round 3 u get ÂŁ500k, 4th round, ÂŁ1m, 5th round ÂŁ2m, quarter ÂŁ5m and so on - its all about the dosh
And in so many ways the football authorities have it wrong, we are fed a diet of meaningless freight/pizza cup games and a diluted FA cup. Why would you risk a rapidly depleted squad for a limited chance of a moments headlines. It mattered years ago, it doesn't matter now.Â
yep and then throw in that 90% of world cup qualifying games are utterly meaningless as well - if 2 teams aren't throwing there absolute all into a game then it is a boring spectacle not worth watching Â
Gillingham clearly wanted it more than us. Fought for every ball. Not too down. What we need to do is stay in range and then replace some of the weak players we have in January (I don'y just mean physically but mentally too). Also some young players needs loan. Ness is so mistake ridden it cannot be ignored.
Problem is I don't trust Scott to replace them with anyone better and for Appleton to then get them playing as a team.Â
Christ, weâre not going to start calling for yet another manager sacking are we?? Is that what people want?
Gillingham clearly wanted it more than us. Fought for every ball. Not too down. What we need to do is stay in range and then replace some of the weak players we have in January (I don'y just mean physically but mentally too). Also some young players needs loan. Ness is so mistake ridden it cannot be ignored.
Problem is I don't trust Scott to replace them with anyone better and for Appleton to then get them playing as a team.Â
Christ, weâre not going to start calling for yet another manager sacking are we?? Is that what people want?
A rhetorical question James as that's exactly what they are calling for. Three defeats in seventeen games doesn't matter to these knuckle draggers. They specialise in the negative and in Charlton Athletic the easiest thing to be is negative. It's the same old names, and the same old rhetoric, boring, tired rants. Â
Where has anyone in the comments above called for another manager sacking? They havenât. But you go ahead and twist peopleâs words to suit your own rhetoric and defence of another shit show of a performance.
Err DDOUBLEE for a start. Large look through the posts. There are four targets generally used by these posters, Kirk, McGrandles, Appleton and the owners. I don't have a problem criticising any of them but apart from Kirk, it never is based on facts. Facts are, Appleton has improved performances and results, doing so without Camara, Isted, Chuks and Taylor, it isn't his squad and he and everyone else knows it needs improving. The owners and the January window, nobody knows whether they will fund the squad in January but there are people on here already stating nothing will be done and there will only be departures, they were having Miles as a certainty to leave, they must be desperate now his serious injury has put paid to any move in January. Lastly, McGrandles, a player booed on to the pitch and slaughtered on here when he has hardly played any games for the club and has been successful at most other clubs he has appeared for but they are certain 'he's shit' an opinion based on what? Tedic is getting close the amount of appearances made by McGrandles and yet he's not a target. As I say, it's easy to criticise Charlton, its almost self deprecating by these posters, 'I told you they were shit' therefore I am and always were better than you, apart from the facts tell a different story.Â
You didn't quote DOUBLEE post though you quoted a post which hadn't called for the managers head hence my picking you up on it.
Err, but you said "Where has anyone in the comments above called for another manager sacking? They havenât. But you go ahead and twist peopleâs words to suit your own rhetoric and defence of another shit show of a performance."
He's just told you. Now you could either just apologise, or you could keep digging.
The comments above being the ones he quoted. The ones he quoted didnât call for Appletons sacking. Itâs not my fault he canât quote correctly.
a good cup run used to boost the coffers - not now coz the crowds r shit because its a reserve game
Well we missed out of ÂŁ67k yesterday and the draw today would have guaranteed Sheff U bringing 3-5k.Â
Project Break Even took a hit yesterday. Sure âCharlieâs Angelsâ around the globe will be delighted.Â
Absolutely correct. Possible TV coverage of the third round tie or a replay, but at least a six-figure sum binned off anyway taking into account the share of third-round gate receipts. Equal to two or three home league match receipts. At a club where people are being threatened with redundancy to save a fraction of that.
Charlton fans suddenly caring about the FA Cup where was everyone at the valley v Cray Valley ⊠??? fact is the game was a pain in the bum for us we knew it was Gillingham final and MA was forced to play a team he most likey did not want to ⊠and said before it was a case as they walked out the door â just donât do anything to get injured â and you could tell that in the performanceÂ
I think you are right.Â
he is - i know i've banged on about it but its tragic the way we, and most of football, now treat the cups - cup games were more important than league games back in the day - lose and it was season over - now there treated as an inconvenience and is why i won't go to them until that changes - shift some of the prem finishing position money into the fa cup and give it a champions league spot is the only way to shift this back - get to round 3 u get ÂŁ500k, 4th round, ÂŁ1m, 5th round ÂŁ2m, quarter ÂŁ5m and so on - its all about the dosh
And in so many ways the football authorities have it wrong, we are fed a diet of meaningless freight/pizza cup games and a diluted FA cup. Why would you risk a rapidly depleted squad for a limited chance of a moments headlines. It mattered years ago, it doesn't matter now.Â
yep and then throw in that 90% of world cup qualifying games are utterly meaningless as well - if 2 teams aren't throwing there absolute all into a game then it is a boring spectacle not worth watching Â
Or you scrapped the idea of a top four for European Cup and went back to the winner of each league qualifies only. 2-4 go in europa/conference league. More incentive then for teams to win domestic cups rather than just focus on top 4.
For those who think (fancifully) the players were sent out yesterday with instructions not to get injured, what was this line-up about against Sutton in the total bollocks Trophy? Charlton: Walker, Asiimwe, Ness, Tennai Watson. Edun (Jones 60), Blackett-Taylor (May 60), McGrandles (Dobson 60), Tyreece Campbell, Louie Watson, Fraser (Kedwell 75), Leaburn (Tedic 75). Not used: Adegoke, Chem Campbell.
The problem playing May in his best position is that we only have him and CBT that can score goals even close to reliably. In that situation, it can be an advantage for him making late runs rtaher than have two men on him all the time. Stats show he has scored more for us playing out of position than in the central role so not sure why Appleton is getting criticism for that. The problem lies elsewhere in the team/squad and I strongly suspect that Appleton is trying to find a way round it.Â
I'm confused.
Are you saying that because we have no other players that can score we can't play them because they can't score ?Â
Or that because May can score we can't play him up front because he will show everyone up ?
I have no idea of the stats but I'd bet your mortgage that if Alfie May played half the season in a front 2 he'd score more goals than if he played the 2nd half of the season out wide.
Stats can be skewed to show anything. Alfie started the season up front & was unlucky on his debut to be denied a goal by a brilliant save by the keeper.
He scored 2 goals last Tuesday whilst playing on the right.....but both were from penalties and NOT because he was playing on the right. I believe I read that in the last 2 games against Carlisle & Cheltenham he hasn't had a shot on goal......WHILST PLAYING OUT ON THE RIGHT.
We try to make apologies for basically our first choice side showing no bollocks and being outworked, outfought and outplayed by rhe mighty Gillingham.
Ridiculous.  We have a culture within the club - management, ownership and playing squad that stinking it up is acceptable for us as fans and the club as a whole.
Until that actually changes, nothing else will change.Â
Tedic. Loaned in at the end of August is already being named and shamed by the manager.
Chem Campbell and Abankwah are nowhere near the side.
Three of our loans are fucking terrible and Camara is injured long term. The ownership has to take responsibility for that.
Appleton knows a lot of these are not good enough. Â I just hope he can get them out and replace with players he wants.Â
Appleton needs replacing as well
He inherited this bunch of bottle jobs. How do you think he feels? . I actually think we know now after hearing his post match interviewÂ
He has no idea of a compact competitive formation. He keeps playing May out wide on the right. He continues to play Tedic. He's another Adkins type, had some success in the past, but we'll past his sell by date. In his defence Scott's acquisitions have been appalling
So what should the club do ? Sack another manager and start again. Let's see what happens in January.Â
Irrespective of where we finish Appleton should start next season and he'd have had two windows with hopefully getting players in that HE wants.
Then he is sacked & a new manager comes in who doesn't want the players that Appleton has signed so we are then told to wait yet another 2 transfer windows so the new manager can bring in the players that HE wants......
The problem playing May in his best position is that we only have him and CBT that can score goals even close to reliably. In that situation, it can be an advantage for him making late runs rtaher than have two men on him all the time. Stats show he has scored more for us playing out of position than in the central role so not sure why Appleton is getting criticism for that. The problem lies elsewhere in the team/squad and I strongly suspect that Appleton is trying to find a way round it.Â
I'm confused.
Are you saying that because we have no other players that can score we can't play them because they can't score ?Â
Or that because May can score we can't play him up front because he will show everyone up ?
I have no idea of the stats but I'd bet your mortgage that if Alfie May played half the season in a front 2 he'd score more goals than if he played the 2nd half of the season out wide.
Stats can be skewed to show anything. Alfie started the season up front & was unlucky on his debut to be denied a goal by a brilliant save by the keeper.
He scored 2 goals last Tuesday whilst playing on the right.....but both were from penalties and NOT because he was playing on the right. I believe I read that in the last 2 games against Carlisle & Cheltenham he hasn't had a shot on goal......WHILST PLAYING OUT ON THE RIGHT.
I'm not saying he can't play in his favoured position, just that Appleton may think, given our lack of threats he is easier to pin down there. That may be right or wrong but it isn't that complicated. Of course this was always going to be questioned when things become more difficult whilst they couldn't be when he was knocking them in for fun playing out of position.
To be fair to Appleton I think he has recognised the soft underbelly in the squad. There seems to be a lack of resilience and mental fortitude that was talked about by Ben Garner a year ago. Appleton has mentioned the lack of commitment, the lack of running off the ball and inability to compete several times since his arrival here. He also said on one occasion that he was aware of it at Charlton whilst at another club. Iâm not sure if the modern recruitment process picks up on player attitudes and will to win. Obviously ability 'on the grass' is important, but so too is that thing called spirit.
Garner 2/12/22.
We canât keep sacking managers to solve clubâs âcultural issuesâ
That comes back to mentality. Thatâs something that has to change at the football club. Iâm not trying to take pressure off me, but I donât think itâs a managerial issue.
âYou can keep changing manager every three or four months if you want. Itâs deeper than that. Itâs a cultural issue. Itâs a mentality issue. Thatâs harder to change, but thatâs what weâve got to do.
Appleton 30/9/23 Draw at Shrewsbury
âThe first half â I canât take that, I canât accept that. I made the players aware of that at half time.
âI think no matter what game of football you play in, whether itâs in the Premier League or the National League, youâve got to compete. You might not be the most aggressive person but youâve got to be competitive. You canât have a career in football if youâre not competitive.â
Appleton 24/10/23 Lincoln defeat
âWe just didnât give ourselves a chance tonight. We didnât compete enough with them,â he told CharltonTV. âAnd if you do that against a really physical side like Lincoln, thereâs only going to be one scenario thatâs going to happen and thatâs what happened.â
Appleton also noticed some heads dropping after Charlton went behind: âOnce the second goal went in, there were one or two players who looked like they didnât really think they could get back in the game.
Appleton 2/12/23 Gillingham
âBut if you change three or four players in the team, you certainly donât expect the performance levels to drop as low as what theyâve done today.
âThatâs the slightly worrying thing from my point of view.
âThe players coming into the group, theyâve all had minutes at some point and theyâve all been exposed to this type of game.
âFrom that point of view, there was an opportunity for one or two of the players to really take the bull by the horn, drive forward and ask questions of me, basically.
âThere wasnât enough players asking questions of me today.
âNone of them can knock on my door and ask me why Iâm not in the team.
Kudos @Braziliance for hanging in there for that tripe, good video, and that stand, well, it ain't a stand is it, it's a pile of scaffold poles...oh and by the way, nothin' wrong with the song at the end mate, just the environment in which it is played...đ On to the next one eh...
We try to make apologies for basically our first choice side showing no bollocks and being outworked, outfought and outplayed by rhe mighty Gillingham.
Ridiculous.  We have a culture within the club - management, ownership and playing squad that stinking it up is acceptable for us as fans and the club as a whole.
Until that actually changes, nothing else will change.Â
Tedic. Loaned in at the end of August is already being named and shamed by the manager.
Chem Campbell and Abankwah are nowhere near the side.
Three of our loans are fucking terrible and Camara is injured long term. The ownership has to take responsibility for that.
They've wasted wages on that shit.
Two âfreeâ signings Terry Taylor midfielder signed from Burton on a 3 year deal and keeper Isted also out with long term injuries.
Gillingham clearly wanted it more than us. Fought for every ball. Not too down. What we need to do is stay in range and then replace some of the weak players we have in January (I don'y just mean physically but mentally too). Also some young players needs loan. Ness is so mistake ridden it cannot be ignored.
Problem is I don't trust Scott to replace them with anyone better and for Appleton to then get them playing as a team.Â
Christ, weâre not going to start calling for yet another manager sacking are we?? Is that what people want?
Gillingham clearly wanted it more than us. Fought for every ball. Not too down. What we need to do is stay in range and then replace some of the weak players we have in January (I don'y just mean physically but mentally too). Also some young players needs loan. Ness is so mistake ridden it cannot be ignored.
Problem is I don't trust Scott to replace them with anyone better and for Appleton to then get them playing as a team.Â
Christ, weâre not going to start calling for yet another manager sacking are we?? Is that what people want?
A rhetorical question James as that's exactly what they are calling for. Three defeats in seventeen games doesn't matter to these knuckle draggers. They specialise in the negative and in Charlton Athletic the easiest thing to be is negative. It's the same old names, and the same old rhetoric, boring, tired rants. Â
Where has anyone in the comments above called for another manager sacking? They havenât. But you go ahead and twist peopleâs words to suit your own rhetoric and defence of another shit show of a performance.
Err DDOUBLEE for a start. Large look through the posts. There are four targets generally used by these posters, Kirk, McGrandles, Appleton and the owners. I don't have a problem criticising any of them but apart from Kirk, it never is based on facts. Facts are, Appleton has improved performances and results, doing so without Camara, Isted, Chuks and Taylor, it isn't his squad and he and everyone else knows it needs improving. The owners and the January window, nobody knows whether they will fund the squad in January but there are people on here already stating nothing will be done and there will only be departures, they were having Miles as a certainty to leave, they must be desperate now his serious injury has put paid to any move in January. Lastly, McGrandles, a player booed on to the pitch and slaughtered on here when he has hardly played any games for the club and has been successful at most other clubs he has appeared for but they are certain 'he's shit' an opinion based on what? Tedic is getting close the amount of appearances made by McGrandles and yet he's not a target. As I say, it's easy to criticise Charlton, its almost self deprecating by these posters, 'I told you they were shit' therefore I am and always were better than you, apart from the facts tell a different story.Â
You didn't quote DOUBLEE post though you quoted a post which hadn't called for the managers head hence my picking you up on it.
Err, but you said "Where has anyone in the comments above called for another manager sacking? They havenât. But you go ahead and twist peopleâs words to suit your own rhetoric and defence of another shit show of a performance."
He's just told you. Now you could either just apologise, or you could keep digging.
The comments above being the ones he quoted. The ones he quoted didnât call for Appletons sacking. Itâs not my fault he canât quote correctly.
Ben Garner did nothing wrong (apart from agreeing to come here in the first place)
His model introduced passing to a team mate (a wholly unknown concept for some Charlton players at the time and one that has not been taught to some since) and more possession of the ball (who knew Charlton were allowed to do that?) but it had a drawback on that it was based upon extending the midfield from the back four to the front line and either side of that, ie defending or scoring goals wasnât necessarily a priority.
To be fair to Appleton I think he has recognised the soft underbelly in the squad. There seems to be a lack of resilience and mental fortitude that was talked about by Ben Garner a year ago. Appleton has mentioned the lack of commitment, the lack of running off the ball and inability to compete several times since his arrival here. He also said on one occasion that he was aware of it at Charlton whilst at another club. Iâm not sure if the modern recruitment process picks up on player attitudes and will to win. Obviously ability 'on the grass' is important, but so too is that thing called spirit.
Garner 2/12/22.
We canât keep sacking managers to solve clubâs âcultural issuesâ
That comes back to mentality. Thatâs something that has to change at the football club. Iâm not trying to take pressure off me, but I donât think itâs a managerial issue.
âYou can keep changing manager every three or four months if you want. Itâs deeper than that. Itâs a cultural issue. Itâs a mentality issue. Thatâs harder to change, but thatâs what weâve got to do.
Appleton 30/9/23 Draw at Shrewsbury
âThe first half â I canât take that, I canât accept that. I made the players aware of that at half time.
âI think no matter what game of football you play in, whether itâs in the Premier League or the National League, youâve got to compete. You might not be the most aggressive person but youâve got to be competitive. You canât have a career in football if youâre not competitive.â
Appleton 24/10/23 Lincoln defeat
âWe just didnât give ourselves a chance tonight. We didnât compete enough with them,â he told CharltonTV. âAnd if you do that against a really physical side like Lincoln, thereâs only going to be one scenario thatâs going to happen and thatâs what happened.â
Appleton also noticed some heads dropping after Charlton went behind: âOnce the second goal went in, there were one or two players who looked like they didnât really think they could get back in the game.
Appleton 2/12/23 Gillingham
âBut if you change three or four players in the team, you certainly donât expect the performance levels to drop as low as what theyâve done today.
âThatâs the slightly worrying thing from my point of view.
âThe players coming into the group, theyâve all had minutes at some point and theyâve all been exposed to this type of game.
âFrom that point of view, there was an opportunity for one or two of the players to really take the bull by the horn, drive forward and ask questions of me, basically.
âThere wasnât enough players asking questions of me today.
âNone of them can knock on my door and ask me why Iâm not in the team.
Itâs all words. Iâm fed up with words. Be it from owners, employees, managers or players.Â
They can all talk the talk. No one has delivered anything approaching the walk for years.Â
Appletonâs seemingly inability to deal with an issue before half time at the earliest pisses me off; as does starting Tedic if Iâm honest; and as for making wholesale changes in cup games that completely misses the opportunity those games offer and is a total disrespect to the fans that turn up. Other than that I like the way we have attacking players creating space for May to run havoc, yesterday obviously disregarded that completely. Do I want to see Appleton sacked ? No fucking way, I think thereâs the making if a great manager there but he needs to a) set out to win every fucking game (I donât mind losing or drawing, Â I just donât want to see a team surrender before it starts); and b) he needs to start making changes as soon as itâs clear something, or someone, isnât working.Â
I forgot, there a third thing, get a natural Captain in, someone that will run the game from the pitch, someone that the other players will listen to and follow, someone the other players wonât want to piss off in case he kicks the shit out of them, someone that opposition will think he will kick the shit out of them in the tunnel if they get rough with any of our playersÂ
To be fair to Appleton I think he has recognised the soft underbelly in the squad. There seems to be a lack of resilience and mental fortitude that was talked about by Ben Garner a year ago. Appleton has mentioned the lack of commitment, the lack of running off the ball and inability to compete several times since his arrival here. He also said on one occasion that he was aware of it at Charlton whilst at another club. Iâm not sure if the modern recruitment process picks up on player attitudes and will to win. Obviously ability 'on the grass' is important, but so too is that thing called spirit.
Garner 2/12/22.
We canât keep sacking managers to solve clubâs âcultural issuesâ
That comes back to mentality. Thatâs something that has to change at the football club. Iâm not trying to take pressure off me, but I donât think itâs a managerial issue.
âYou can keep changing manager every three or four months if you want. Itâs deeper than that. Itâs a cultural issue. Itâs a mentality issue. Thatâs harder to change, but thatâs what weâve got to do.
Appleton 30/9/23 Draw at Shrewsbury
âThe first half â I canât take that, I canât accept that. I made the players aware of that at half time.
âI think no matter what game of football you play in, whether itâs in the Premier League or the National League, youâve got to compete. You might not be the most aggressive person but youâve got to be competitive. You canât have a career in football if youâre not competitive.â
Appleton 24/10/23 Lincoln defeat
âWe just didnât give ourselves a chance tonight. We didnât compete enough with them,â he told CharltonTV. âAnd if you do that against a really physical side like Lincoln, thereâs only going to be one scenario thatâs going to happen and thatâs what happened.â
Appleton also noticed some heads dropping after Charlton went behind: âOnce the second goal went in, there were one or two players who looked like they didnât really think they could get back in the game.
Appleton 2/12/23 Gillingham
âBut if you change three or four players in the team, you certainly donât expect the performance levels to drop as low as what theyâve done today.
âThatâs the slightly worrying thing from my point of view.
âThe players coming into the group, theyâve all had minutes at some point and theyâve all been exposed to this type of game.
âFrom that point of view, there was an opportunity for one or two of the players to really take the bull by the horn, drive forward and ask questions of me, basically.
âThere wasnât enough players asking questions of me today.
âNone of them can knock on my door and ask me why Iâm not in the team.
Itâs all words. Iâm fed up with words. Be it from owners, employees, managers or players.Â
They can all talk the talk. No one has delivered anything approaching the walk for years.Â
It sucks half of our gullible fan base in (who understandably are desperate for anything)where soundbites and waffle buy these bluffers time , followed by fuck all substance in realityÂ
To be fair to Appleton I think he has recognised the soft underbelly in the squad. There seems to be a lack of resilience and mental fortitude that was talked about by Ben Garner a year ago. Appleton has mentioned the lack of commitment, the lack of running off the ball and inability to compete several times since his arrival here. He also said on one occasion that he was aware of it at Charlton whilst at another club. Iâm not sure if the modern recruitment process picks up on player attitudes and will to win. Obviously ability 'on the grass' is important, but so too is that thing called spirit.
Garner 2/12/22.
We canât keep sacking managers to solve clubâs âcultural issuesâ
That comes back to mentality. Thatâs something that has to change at the football club. Iâm not trying to take pressure off me, but I donât think itâs a managerial issue.
âYou can keep changing manager every three or four months if you want. Itâs deeper than that. Itâs a cultural issue. Itâs a mentality issue. Thatâs harder to change, but thatâs what weâve got to do.
Appleton 30/9/23 Draw at Shrewsbury
âThe first half â I canât take that, I canât accept that. I made the players aware of that at half time.
âI think no matter what game of football you play in, whether itâs in the Premier League or the National League, youâve got to compete. You might not be the most aggressive person but youâve got to be competitive. You canât have a career in football if youâre not competitive.â
Appleton 24/10/23 Lincoln defeat
âWe just didnât give ourselves a chance tonight. We didnât compete enough with them,â he told CharltonTV. âAnd if you do that against a really physical side like Lincoln, thereâs only going to be one scenario thatâs going to happen and thatâs what happened.â
Appleton also noticed some heads dropping after Charlton went behind: âOnce the second goal went in, there were one or two players who looked like they didnât really think they could get back in the game.
Appleton 2/12/23 Gillingham
âBut if you change three or four players in the team, you certainly donât expect the performance levels to drop as low as what theyâve done today.
âThatâs the slightly worrying thing from my point of view.
âThe players coming into the group, theyâve all had minutes at some point and theyâve all been exposed to this type of game.
âFrom that point of view, there was an opportunity for one or two of the players to really take the bull by the horn, drive forward and ask questions of me, basically.
âThere wasnât enough players asking questions of me today.
âNone of them can knock on my door and ask me why Iâm not in the team.
Itâs all words. Iâm fed up with words. Be it from owners, employees, managers or players.Â
They can all talk the talk. No one has delivered anything approaching the walk for years.Â
 Bowyer did. Powell did. For a while Jacko did. The rest of them?Â
Both Garner and Holden shouldnât have got anywhere near this job. Â Way too big for them, and they were lucky we were in such a state that they even got a foot in the door. Â No disrespect to either, but neither of them deserved to even have the job on their CV, albeit they both failed.
Appleton will do marginally better up until a point, because heâs more experienced and can probably make meals longer from the scraps in the kitchenÂ
Whatâs clear as we head into December is that we have another group of owners who donât know what theyâre doing. Â The dial hasnât been moved, we just have a few new faces in the squad that are of a similar level to the ones over the last 2/3 years, and itâs unlikely to change. Â
Bookmark this as I feel the current owners will put the club up for sale in the summer of 2025Â
To be fair to Appleton I think he has recognised the soft underbelly in the squad. There seems to be a lack of resilience and mental fortitude that was talked about by Ben Garner a year ago. Appleton has mentioned the lack of commitment, the lack of running off the ball and inability to compete several times since his arrival here. He also said on one occasion that he was aware of it at Charlton whilst at another club. Iâm not sure if the modern recruitment process picks up on player attitudes and will to win. Obviously ability 'on the grass' is important, but so too is that thing called spirit.
Garner 2/12/22.
We canât keep sacking managers to solve clubâs âcultural issuesâ
That comes back to mentality. Thatâs something that has to change at the football club. Iâm not trying to take pressure off me, but I donât think itâs a managerial issue.
âYou can keep changing manager every three or four months if you want. Itâs deeper than that. Itâs a cultural issue. Itâs a mentality issue. Thatâs harder to change, but thatâs what weâve got to do.
Appleton 30/9/23 Draw at Shrewsbury
âThe first half â I canât take that, I canât accept that. I made the players aware of that at half time.
âI think no matter what game of football you play in, whether itâs in the Premier League or the National League, youâve got to compete. You might not be the most aggressive person but youâve got to be competitive. You canât have a career in football if youâre not competitive.â
Appleton 24/10/23 Lincoln defeat
âWe just didnât give ourselves a chance tonight. We didnât compete enough with them,â he told CharltonTV. âAnd if you do that against a really physical side like Lincoln, thereâs only going to be one scenario thatâs going to happen and thatâs what happened.â
Appleton also noticed some heads dropping after Charlton went behind: âOnce the second goal went in, there were one or two players who looked like they didnât really think they could get back in the game.
Appleton 2/12/23 Gillingham
âBut if you change three or four players in the team, you certainly donât expect the performance levels to drop as low as what theyâve done today.
âThatâs the slightly worrying thing from my point of view.
âThe players coming into the group, theyâve all had minutes at some point and theyâve all been exposed to this type of game.
âFrom that point of view, there was an opportunity for one or two of the players to really take the bull by the horn, drive forward and ask questions of me, basically.
âThere wasnât enough players asking questions of me today.
âNone of them can knock on my door and ask me why Iâm not in the team.
Itâs all words. Iâm fed up with words. Be it from owners, employees, managers or players.Â
They can all talk the talk. No one has delivered anything approaching the walk for years.Â
 Bowyer did. Powell did. For a while Jacko did. The rest of them?Â
Is that because they had an understanding of the club ? I think it helps but there were a good many people on here who wanted Jacko gone.Â
Comments
We've had plenty of opportunities to get good players in and we've signed ones who aren't up to it. It's not given us the opportunity to build anything, we're constantly trying to rebuild and ship out the plethora of players who don't make the grade.Â
And two of our top wage slots are tied up in players who don't play. If you took two of Bolton's top earners out the team - Santos and Charles - I doubt they'd be flying quite so high. Well, two of our top earners are Kirk and Aneke. It's a mess that shows no sign of ending.Â
Charlton: Walker, Asiimwe, Ness, Tennai Watson. Edun (Jones 60), Blackett-Taylor (May 60), McGrandles (Dobson 60), Tyreece Campbell, Louie Watson, Fraser (Kedwell 75), Leaburn (Tedic 75). Not used: Adegoke, Chem Campbell.
Are you saying that because we have no other players that can score we can't play them because they can't score ?Â
Or that because May can score we can't play him up front because he will show everyone up ?
I have no idea of the stats but I'd bet your mortgage that if Alfie May played half the season in a front 2 he'd score more goals than if he played the 2nd half of the season out wide.
Stats can be skewed to show anything. Alfie started the season up front & was unlucky on his debut to be denied a goal by a brilliant save by the keeper.
He scored 2 goals last Tuesday whilst playing on the right.....but both were from penalties and NOT because he was playing on the right. I believe I read that in the last 2 games against Carlisle & Cheltenham he hasn't had a shot on goal......WHILST PLAYING OUT ON THE RIGHT.
Ridiculous.  We have a culture within the club - management, ownership and playing squad that stinking it up is acceptable for us as fans and the club as a whole.
Until that actually changes, nothing else will change.Â
Tedic. Loaned in at the end of August is already being named and shamed by the manager.
Chem Campbell and Abankwah are nowhere near the side.
Three of our loans are fucking terrible and Camara is injured long term. The ownership has to take responsibility for that.
They've wasted wages on that shit.
And the merry-go-round just a'keeps on turning.Â
Hope you enjoy stillÂ
Garner 2/12/22.
We canât keep sacking managers to solve clubâs âcultural issuesâ That comes back to mentality. Thatâs something that has to change at the football club. Iâm not trying to take pressure off me, but I donât think itâs a managerial issue. âYou can keep changing manager every three or four months if you want. Itâs deeper than that. Itâs a cultural issue. Itâs a mentality issue. Thatâs harder to change, but thatâs what weâve got to do.
Appleton 30/9/23 Draw at Shrewsbury
âThe first half â I canât take that, I canât accept that. I made the players aware of that at half time. âI think no matter what game of football you play in, whether itâs in the Premier League or the National League, youâve got to compete. You might not be the most aggressive person but youâve got to be competitive. You canât have a career in football if youâre not competitive.â
Appleton 24/10/23 Lincoln defeat
âWe just didnât give ourselves a chance tonight. We didnât compete enough with them,â he told CharltonTV. âAnd if you do that against a really physical side like Lincoln, thereâs only going to be one scenario thatâs going to happen and thatâs what happened.â Appleton also noticed some heads dropping after Charlton went behind: âOnce the second goal went in, there were one or two players who looked like they didnât really think they could get back in the game.
Appleton 2/12/23 Gillingham
âBut if you change three or four players in the team, you certainly donât expect the performance levels to drop as low as what theyâve done today. âThatâs the slightly worrying thing from my point of view. âThe players coming into the group, theyâve all had minutes at some point and theyâve all been exposed to this type of game. âFrom that point of view, there was an opportunity for one or two of the players to really take the bull by the horn, drive forward and ask questions of me, basically. âThere wasnât enough players asking questions of me today. âNone of them can knock on my door and ask me why Iâm not in the team.
Kudos @Braziliance for hanging in there for that tripe, good video, and that stand, well, it ain't a stand is it, it's a pile of scaffold poles...oh and by the way, nothin' wrong with the song at the end mate, just the environment in which it is played...đ
On to the next one eh...
Appleton will do marginally better up until a point, because heâs more experienced and can probably make meals longer from the scraps in the kitchenÂ
Whatâs clear as we head into December is that we have another group of owners who donât know what theyâre doing. Â The dial hasnât been moved, we just have a few new faces in the squad that are of a similar level to the ones over the last 2/3 years, and itâs unlikely to change. Â