In various threads and posts the complex, multifaceted and historical analysis of how we have ended up in this position has been well considered and high quality (mostly 😂). To expect any manager, the third this year, to turn it around in five days is the opposite of that wisdom and is simply not realistic, neither was it particularly achievable.
We are starting from a very low place indeed and it’s going to take a little more time than a week to gain traction. There are several games which I think can be won if progress is made, we do have a better team on paper than has been apparent and we do have some key players returning from injury
It’s clearly going to be a rollercoaster spring however let’s give the new manager time to work and our support and goodwill. We might stay up we might not but we cannot keep going through managers three a season and we cannot keep expecting managers to exert messianic powers and undo a decades worth of harm in a few days.
I'm all up for a roller coaster ride. It's just the thought of being on this one that worries me...
Felt for Alfie today having to run around like a madman chasing every ball because his so called "striking partner" bloody Lazyapo couldn't give a toss about us and our plight, and seemed happy fannying around doing fu*k all all game...we need to start Kanu with Alfie, hopefully that will be sorted Tuesday, also hopefully Chuks will be ready too, coz lose that one and it will be relegation zone for the rest of the season...
Grim. Not all down to them, but T Watson and Edun were terrible today, not solid Ben Purrington types defensively, but also providing zero attacking flair.
Desperate lack of quality until Camara came on. Couldn't see very well from the away end, so who was at fault for the first goal?
I was up that end, but it was just another long throw and, with all the jostling, no one got a proper head on it. Happens.
Second one someone did get a head on it but Azzez executed something I don’t think any of our players could have pulled off - a shoulder high volley.
[Edit: having seen the highlights it was a nice assist by T. Watson for the second.]
We were bloody awful again, however if it's given NJ the opportunity to see what we need to do to start winning games and changing personnel then I'll take the loss. He was never going to turn it around in 5 days, but Tuesday is an imperative win. Good to see Camara back, he looked class, let's hope Ramsey and Small come in and Chucks, Taylor are close to returning. Kanu has to start in place of Ladapo, oh and Scott needs dumping!
Also, I'll have what some of you are having, heard a fair few people when walking out say 'we still won't go down'. I don't know where the confidence comes from when we have one of the worst squads in the league, especially after losing 2 of our only good players. Proper relegation fodder squad.
Really does have the feeling of a relegation squad. I'm just hoping Jones can get a tune out of them
Criminal recruitment I'm afraid. Not getting another striker in is gonna cost us, especially as Ladapo has turned out to be worse than useless. We have all sorts of problems, but we pose NO goal scoring threat. Scott should fall on his sword, the total tosspot
Concern for me is that having looked like we would at least score every game but can’t keep a clean sheet, we let our biggest attacking threat and most creative midfielder leave since which we’ve not scored in two games. If NJ doesn’t manage to tighten up the defence pronto we’re goners
Big shout out to a large contingent of Charlton fans today who were so ridiculously badly behaved. You know who you are, you know what you were doing, stop being absolute idiots and just support the team and watch the bloody game. Morons.
come on, what did they do?
Women and kids had to run to safety because some of our morons and morons from Reading started throwing stuff. I nearly got hit by a coin, my son got hit by a vape, Charlton 'fans' causing the large majority of the issues made worse admittedly by poor stadium management. It wasn't just kids either it was fully grown men just acting like they've never had a beer before.
one bloke, in his rush to join the action, tripped on the steps and knocked a kid flying who had to be take out with blood on her face.
Just a total bunch of morons.
I’m assuming this is what was going on around ht. But… at any away game why would you chose to stand within vape/coin/dart range of the home fans? I’m not defending the behaviour, cos it is a bit nobbish, but it is quite easy to avoid
Problem stems from clubs putting home fans right next to away fans and not stewarding correctly. It's completely stupid and I'm amazed
No it doesn’t. It’s people not being able to behave like adults.
Was there today, my first in the flesh game this season. I’ve only seen 2 .5 games on TV the two Cray Valley cup games and half a league game on the stream - can’t remember which one.
Where to start? My god we looked awful, all over the pitch. Players who can’t even kick a ball properly. Passes too long, passes too short, intricate fannying about all over the pitch. Let’s not gloss over it, Reading were really not good. But time and again, we gave the ball straight to them, we didn’t seem to win second balls anywhere on the pitch, when tackling we were too weak to come away with the ball. Terrible crossing from the wing backs, how many times did Edun hit the first man?
Ladapo - dear God, when did we last have someone so slow and so lacking with his first touch, I don’t think he will score in his time with us.
I know everyone was calling for Louis Watson but he is not the messiah. Camara showed in his cameo what a skilled footballer looks like.
He and May possibly the only ones out there today with any guile and ability. Kanu worked really hard but not sure he is really up to this level, he wouldn’t be playing if we weren’t so desperate. He had a one on one but fluffed his lines, sidefooting tamely at the keeper.
Bakinson was poor, slow, inability to kick the ball, seemed to be running in treacle, god awful.
Coventry set pieces were poor. He doesn’t offer what Dobbo can offer.
Istead seems an improvement on AMB and kept us in it in the first half during several kamikaze moments. Gillesphey looked slow too.
Tyreece - not sure he should have been brought on, really failed to offer anything.
All over the pitch, poor decision making, a lack of skill and ability, a lack of cohesion and desire. A bunch of strangers playing a team sport. No stomach for the fight, no ability to create, embarrassing all round.
Jones will have learned more today than in training sessions this week. If he can keep this lot up over the remaining games, he will really have earned his pennies.
Big shout out to a large contingent of Charlton fans today who were so ridiculously badly behaved. You know who you are, you know what you were doing, stop being absolute idiots and just support the team and watch the bloody game. Morons.
come on, what did they do?
Women and kids had to run to safety because some of our morons and morons from Reading started throwing stuff. I nearly got hit by a coin, my son got hit by a vape, Charlton 'fans' causing the large majority of the issues made worse admittedly by poor stadium management. It wasn't just kids either it was fully grown men just acting like they've never had a beer before.
one bloke, in his rush to join the action, tripped on the steps and knocked a kid flying who had to be take out with blood on her face.
Just a total bunch of morons.
I’m assuming this is what was going on around ht. But… at any away game why would you chose to stand within vape/coin/dart range of the home fans? I’m not defending the behaviour, cos it is a bit nobbish, but it is quite easy to avoid
Problem stems from clubs putting home fans right next to away fans and not stewarding correctly. It's completely stupid and I'm amazed
No it doesn’t. It’s people not being able to behave like adults.
That's a given though. When booze and drugs are involved treat them like children, it's the safest option
Half way through reading these posts & wanted to briefly say my piece before the angst, depression & disappointment completely take hold tonight.
I have little appetite for praising any of our lads on the pitch today but I agree with some on here that Isted was an improvement on AMB & did appear to communicate with the defence. And yes, Camara was a glimmer of sunshine amongst the gloom. Alfie ran his socks off as usual but with little support & Jones looks to have regained most of his former composure. But maybe I'm too easily pleased, compared to the reaction of 90% of tonight's posters...
Tonight, on reflection, I see a group of players thrown together, some coached by more than one manager in their short Charlton careers, by "someone" who is clearly unfit for purpose & I believe was relieved of his duties at his previous club ( hardly successful ) and who appears to believe quantity is more valued than quality. And who, as the majority of posters emphasise, has little concept of the skills required for a player to successfully fill a particular role in the team- think wing backs for example. Confusion appears to reign IMO with my finger pointed in the direction of a certain member of the Board/SMT.
So, square pegs in round holes in some cases, players debuting when not match fit, rarely a settled team from one match to the next and changes in formation in addition ....Of course, we'd expect a player worth his salt & with pride in his role, to deal with such issues, albeit not overnight but this isn't just one or two players at any given time. Think of the reactions of Dobbo & Alfie as an example and the utter frustration, anger even that they've shown when the final whistle has been blown at several recent games. I can't help but think that the expected loss of our captain is due in part to his complete exasperation of yet another poor team performance/defeat/lack of management of substitutions etc when it's glaringly obvious to those of us watching. WE feel p*ssed off following another loss & I can't help but feel that the cumulative effect must have some bearing on his home life especially with a young child. No-one could accuse George of giving less than 100% and I feel he may expect more from some of his colleagues and possibly has had his fill of the changes in management this season with the disruption inevitably caused.
What's the solution & if found, will it be in time to avoid the dreaded drop ?
I honestly think that NJ is the man to sort out this mess. But time is running out.
As others have stated earlier, there has to be changes to the starting eleven on Tuesday evening. The gaffer will have seen what we saw this afternoon but will have only one, possibly two days to "experiment" with the options available to him. For me, I'd bench Ladapo who at present is adding little of any consequence on the pitch, and start with DK. But there are others whose places must be at risk as Nathan tries to identify his strongest matchday squad with March & then April fast approaching. An unenviable task indeed. But it won't be shirked.
All we can do is try to support whoever wears the shirt, or even to "zip it" when mistakes are made however difficult that will be. I trust Nathan to improve performances & deal with the numerous issues on hand for this to take place. How quickly could this start to be apparent ? I'd hope that each & every match and training session he attends will make the necessary changes more obvious & that he will implement them as swiftly as possible. If we can have a settled, fit squad of players that show they have the fight & determination that we saw from Reading today, by the end of this month, I believe we should have enough to avoid "R".
Scoring goals & keeping clean sheets. Isn't that all we need to do ?
Big shout out to a large contingent of Charlton fans today who were so ridiculously badly behaved. You know who you are, you know what you were doing, stop being absolute idiots and just support the team and watch the bloody game. Morons.
Haven’t enjoyed the last few away games I’ve been too. Post-lockdown I think people have forgotten how to behave.
That is different to avoiding oppo knobs and agree with others it should be clamped down
Criminal recruitment I'm afraid. Not getting another striker in is gonna cost us, especially as Ladapo has turned out to be worse than useless. We have all sorts of problems, but we pose NO goal scoring threat. Scott should fall on his sword, the total tosspot
You can have all the bloody strikers in the world but if you can't get the ball to them it's not a lot of use is it? This squad not only lacks a spine but it lacks any form of creativity. That is a recipe for disaster and it's playing out in front of us
Criminal recruitment I'm afraid. Not getting another striker in is gonna cost us, especially as Ladapo has turned out to be worse than useless. We have all sorts of problems, but we pose NO goal scoring threat. Scott should fall on his sword, the total tosspot
You can have all the bloody strikers in the world but if you can't get the ball to them it's not a lot of use is it? This squad not only lacks a spine but it lacks any form of creativity. That is a recipe for disaster and it's playing out in front of us
I do agree in part but if we're gonna play two up front, at least one of them will also have to contribute to making the ball stick and holding it up. We've essentially got two poachers up top and it just doesn't work.
Criminal recruitment I'm afraid. Not getting another striker in is gonna cost us, especially as Ladapo has turned out to be worse than useless. We have all sorts of problems, but we pose NO goal scoring threat. Scott should fall on his sword, the total tosspot
You can have all the bloody strikers in the world but if you can't get the ball to them it's not a lot of use is it? This squad not only lacks a spine but it lacks any form of creativity. That is a recipe for disaster and it's playing out in front of us
Ladapo didn’t know what to do with the ball when he got it today. He’s contributed absolutely nothing since he arrived.
I’m glad to see our fans being called out. I didn’t have any actual trouble around me today but I’ve really not enjoyed most of the away games I’ve been to this season (with the exception of Port Vale) due to the selfishness and toxicity of some of the idiots that follow our club on the road. I would much prefer unreserved seating at away games but this inconsiderate and stubborn attitude that has been emboldened by social media to sit/stand anywhere when seats have been allocated regardless of how it could affect anyone around them is pathetic. I saw grown men stood in the stairwells - all because they couldn’t be bothered to find their own seat - calling people wankers because they wanted to get past to go to the toilet. I also saw a father get into an argument with a young fan because he wanted to see in three seats with his partner and son and this idiot and his mates had sat there. Derby away for me this season and then I’m done.
Half way through reading these posts & wanted to briefly say my piece before the angst, depression & disappointment completely take hold tonight.
I have little appetite for praising any of our lads on the pitch today but I agree with some on here that Isted was an improvement on AMB & did appear to communicate with the defence. And yes, Camara was a glimmer of sunshine amongst the gloom. Alfie ran his socks off as usual but with little support & Jones looks to have regained most of his former composure. But maybe I'm too easily pleased, compared to the reaction of 90% of tonight's posters...
Tonight, on reflection, I see a group of players thrown together, some coached by more than one manager in their short Charlton careers, by "someone" who is clearly unfit for purpose & I believe was relieved of his duties at his previous club ( hardly successful ) and who appears to believe quantity is more valued than quality. And who, as the majority of posters emphasise, has little concept of the skills required for a player to successfully fill a particular role in the team- think wing backs for example. Confusion appears to reign IMO with my finger pointed in the direction of a certain member of the Board/SMT.
So, square pegs in round holes in some cases, players debuting when not match fit, rarely a settled team from one match to the next and changes in formation in addition ....Of course, we'd expect a player worth his salt & with pride in his role, to deal with such issues, albeit not overnight but this isn't just one or two players at any given time. Think of the reactions of Dobbo & Alfie as an example and the utter frustration, anger even that they've shown when the final whistle has been blown at several recent games. I can't help but think that the expected loss of our captain is due in part to his complete exasperation of yet another poor team performance/defeat/lack of management of substitutions etc when it's glaringly obvious to those of us watching. WE feel p*ssed off following another loss & I can't help but feel that the cumulative effect must have some bearing on his home life especially with a young child. No-one could accuse George of giving less than 100% and I feel he may expect more from some of his colleagues and possibly has had his fill of the changes in management this season with the disruption inevitably caused.
What's the solution & if found, will it be in time to avoid the dreaded drop ?
I honestly think that NJ is the man to sort out this mess. But time is running out.
As others have stated earlier, there has to be changes to the starting eleven on Tuesday evening. The gaffer will have seen what we saw this afternoon but will have only one, possibly two days to "experiment" with the options available to him. For me, I'd bench Ladapo who at present is adding little of any consequence on the pitch, and start with DK. But there are others whose places must be at risk as Nathan tries to identify his strongest matchday squad with March & then April fast approaching. An unenviable task indeed. But it won't be shirked.
All we can do is try to support whoever wears the shirt, or even to "zip it" when mistakes are made however difficult that will be. I trust Nathan to improve performances & deal with the numerous issues on hand for this to take place. How quickly could this start to be apparent ? I'd hope that each & every match and training session he attends will make the necessary changes more obvious & that he will implement them as swiftly as possible. If we can have a settled, fit squad of players that show they have the fight & determination that we saw from Reading today, by the end of this month, I believe we should have enough to avoid "R".
Scoring goals & keeping clean sheets. Isn't that all we need to do ?
If only it was that simple.
Great post @Fanny Fanackapan @Fanny Fanackapan and perfectly encapsulates the despair engulfing us fans. I have been texting back and forth my son who is away at present, but here is his take generally: -
Two poor bits of defending cost us today but almost more worrying is our inability to create chances, even May hasn’t looked like scoring as we have zero creativity behind him.
We are in the shit BIG TIME, this has been many seasons coming but we hit rock bottom a few weeks ago, now we are falling through the cracks. The players we employ are mostly second rate (Alfie May being the exception) We have been owned by chancers, con artists and narcissists.
We have spent the little budget we had like a drunken sailor, we dress things up, roll a turd in glitter and say” How clever are we”
I think relegation is a real possibility, and should we be relegated I think the club will very quickly fail.
I travelled to day and saw players who were for the most part Kent league standard, they lacked basic footballing ability.
Recruitment has been dire for years . I feel like a am watching a much loved person slipping away and there is nothing I can do.
Comments
Where to start? My god we looked awful, all over the pitch. Players who can’t even kick a ball properly. Passes too long, passes too short, intricate fannying about all over the pitch. Let’s not gloss over it, Reading were really not good. But time and again, we gave the ball straight to them, we didn’t seem to win second balls anywhere on the pitch, when tackling we were too weak to come away with the ball. Terrible crossing from the wing backs, how many times did Edun hit the first man?
I know everyone was calling for Louis Watson but he is not the messiah. Camara showed in his cameo what a skilled footballer looks like.
Bakinson was poor, slow, inability to kick
the ball, seemed to be running in treacle, god awful.
Coventry set pieces were poor. He doesn’t offer what Dobbo can offer.
Istead seems an improvement on AMB and kept us in it in the first half during several kamikaze moments. Gillesphey looked slow too.
Tyreece - not sure he should have been brought on, really failed to offer anything.
All over the pitch, poor decision making, a lack of skill and ability, a lack of cohesion and desire. A bunch of strangers playing a team sport. No stomach for the fight, no ability to create, embarrassing all round.
Jones will have learned more today than in training sessions this week. If he can keep this lot up over the remaining games, he will really have earned his pennies.
I have little appetite for praising any of our lads on the pitch today but I agree with some on here that Isted was an improvement on AMB & did appear to communicate with the defence. And yes, Camara was a glimmer of sunshine amongst the gloom. Alfie ran his socks off as usual but with little support & Jones looks to have regained most of his former composure. But maybe I'm too easily pleased, compared to the reaction of 90% of tonight's posters...
Tonight, on reflection, I see a group of players thrown together, some coached by more than one manager in their short Charlton careers, by "someone" who is clearly unfit for purpose & I believe was relieved of his duties at his previous club ( hardly successful ) and who appears to believe quantity is more valued than quality. And who, as the majority of posters emphasise, has little concept of the skills required for a player to successfully fill a particular role in the team- think wing backs for example. Confusion appears to reign IMO with my finger pointed in the direction of a certain member of the Board/SMT.
So, square pegs in round holes in some cases, players debuting when not match fit, rarely a settled team from one match to the next and changes in formation in addition ....Of course, we'd expect a player worth his salt & with pride in his role, to deal with such issues, albeit not overnight but this isn't just one or two players at any given time. Think of the reactions of Dobbo & Alfie as an example and the utter frustration, anger even that they've shown when the final whistle has been blown at several recent games. I can't help but think that the expected loss of our captain is due in part to his complete exasperation of yet another poor team performance/defeat/lack of management of substitutions etc when it's glaringly obvious to those of us watching. WE feel p*ssed off following another loss & I can't help but feel that the cumulative effect must have some bearing on his home life especially with a young child. No-one could accuse George of giving less than 100% and I feel he may expect more from some of his colleagues and possibly has had his fill of the changes in management this season with the disruption inevitably caused.
What's the solution & if found, will it be in time to avoid the dreaded drop ?
I honestly think that NJ is the man to sort out this mess. But time is running out.
As others have stated earlier, there has to be changes to the starting eleven on Tuesday evening. The gaffer will have seen what we saw this afternoon but will have only one, possibly two days to "experiment" with the options available to him. For me, I'd bench Ladapo who at present is adding little of any consequence on the pitch, and start with DK. But there are others whose places must be at risk as Nathan tries to identify his strongest matchday squad with March & then April fast approaching. An unenviable task indeed. But it won't be shirked.
All we can do is try to support whoever wears the shirt, or even to "zip it" when mistakes are made however difficult that will be. I trust Nathan to improve performances & deal with the numerous issues on hand for this to take place. How quickly could this start to be apparent ? I'd hope that each & every match and training session he attends will make the necessary changes more obvious & that he will implement them as swiftly as possible. If we can have a settled, fit squad of players that show they have the fight & determination that we saw from Reading today, by the end of this month, I believe we should have enough to avoid "R".
Scoring goals & keeping clean sheets. Isn't that all we need to do ?
If only it was that simple.
This squad not only lacks a spine but it lacks any form of creativity. That is a recipe for disaster and it's playing out in front of us
I would much prefer unreserved seating at away games but this inconsiderate and stubborn attitude that has been emboldened by social media to sit/stand anywhere when seats have been allocated regardless of how it could affect anyone around them is pathetic. I saw grown men stood in the stairwells - all because they couldn’t be bothered to find their own seat - calling people wankers because they wanted to get past to go to the toilet. I also saw a father get into an argument with a young fan because he wanted to see in three seats with his partner and son and this idiot and his mates had sat there.
Derby away for me this season and then I’m done.
I have been texting back and forth my son who is away at present, but here is his take generally: -
Very concerned that we will go down.
The players we employ are mostly second rate (Alfie May being the exception)
We have been owned by chancers, con artists and narcissists.
I think relegation is a real possibility, and should we be relegated I think the club will very quickly fail.
I travelled to day and saw players who were for the most part Kent league standard, they lacked basic footballing ability.