We were absolutely dire in the first half, incapable of putting two passes together (other than along the back line) and shaky at the back. Somehow we survived until half time but a dozy lack of marking at Exeter’s umpteenth corner early in the second half left their guy free for a near post header for what proved to be the winner.
We were better in that second half - we could hardly have been worse - but were unable to take either of two very decent chances, which would have earned us a point against a relatively modest Exeter side. Our loyal travelling support certainly deserved better.
What is now abundantly clear is that Nathan Jones has failed to construct a team with a discernible and effective style of play and anything approaching tactical nous. To compound matters, this summer’s recruitment has, with a couple of exceptions, been pretty lamentable. Although two of the manager’s favourites from Luton are on short-term deals until January, we are now saddled with 2,3 and 4 year contracts for a number of sub-standard players. Allied to Andy Scott’s generally poor recruitment in the two previous windows, we are now left with an under strength and unbalanced squad.
To make matters worse, Jones seems incapable of getting a tune out of them and his tactical, long-ball approach is neither effective nor remotely attractive to watch. We do have some good players but not enough of them and, even if we were able to acquire some quality in January (whether in permanent deals or on loan), I have little confidence that the manager would moderate his long-ball percentage game.
If the American owners have been labouring under a misapprehension about the level of investment required to make a credible attempt at achieving a top 6 finish, they will not be happy and the management team - on both the business and football fronts - may have some difficult questions to answer.
15 goals in 14 games is just woeful. Most of those goals also seem to come from when we are 1-0 down and going all out. Think we can count the number of first half goals on one hand still. To stand any chance of stopping this rut, we need to find a way to be better in attack.
Two first half goals in the league all season . That’s unforgivable
15 goals in 14 games is just woeful. Most of those goals also seem to come from when we are 1-0 down and going all out. Think we can count the number of first half goals on one hand still. To stand any chance of stopping this rut, we need to find a way to be better in attack.
Two first half goals in the league all season . That’s unforgivable
Highlights just how poor the tactics are from the outset doesn’t it
15 goals in 14 games is just woeful. Most of those goals also seem to come from when we are 1-0 down and going all out. Think we can count the number of first half goals on one hand still. To stand any chance of stopping this rut, we need to find a way to be better in attack.
Two first half goals in the league all season . That’s unforgivable
Yeah but it’s this amazing way we have been set up to keep it tight and nick one late on blah blah blah utter shit most of the season but a lucky start points wise created a false sense of we’re not shit .
Remember that our 3 most effective players last season were not replaced by anybody as good as them, let alone better. They are all 3 playing for clubs higher than us, unsurprisingly. Unless we can bring in 2 attacking midfielders and a striker who can score goals, in January, season is done.(And NJ too I reckon)
Remember that our 3 most effective players last season were not replaced by anybody as good as them, let alone better. They are all 3 playing for clubs higher than us, unsurprisingly. Unless we can bring in 2 attacking midfielders and a striker who can score goals, in January, season is done.(And NJ too I reckon)
I wrote a lot on the player marks thread so going to paste some here. Then I just ranted for a while.
A. M-B: 5 Ropey with crosses and coming off his line. Death, taxes, and AMB. Bless.
Z.MITCHELL: 4 - it's hard to say he did a lot wrong that isn't covered by "this is his first league start at RB, and like his fourth start in League One total." A promising player, but lacks the posotional awareness for RB and doesn't have the pure athleticism of a Konsa or Gomez to make up for it.
COVENTRY: 5 - Not his day, I worry he's struggling with two holding midfielders. He and Taylor sometimes look like they get in each other's way, and the areas they take up are either crowded, or teams sit off them knowing that the four players in front of them don't want the ball into feet in tight spaces. He gets stick for always going square, but in fairness to him, there just isn't anything on. It's narrow and teams just kill the space on the inside. Until we get more in front of the two holders we aren't going to do shit
DOCHERTY: 4 - I don't get him. He runs around a fair amount but doesn't make many tackles. He's OK in possession but not decisive. He doesn't really look like scoring. He doesn't play the killer ball. He's like a rhythmic passer who keeps things ticking over but we have two better options at the double 6. Campbell is better at the harem scarem running around. Dock is just kind of thete, except he drifts out of games badly.
A.CAMPBELL: 5 - I mean he runs around a lot and wins the ball back but he's shit with the ball at his feet. Guess we should give credit to Millwall fans who all seemed to think he was terrible. He's our only loan signing ffs. And he's 28 and a grafter. No wonder we're mid table.
LEABURN: 6.5 - I think did about the best he could with what he was given, which can generously be described as scraps. Because of our lack of width and creativity he has to drop off or pull out wide to look to provide that, which means he isn't in the box if crosses do miraculously come in.
GODDEN: 4.5 - He's really a poacher with a team that doesn't create much. Missed one where he should have at least hit the target. But it wasn't as easy as some said in the match report. No quick enough to press effectively. Undoubtedly handsome.
I wasn't as down on selling May as some were, I get getting a huge profit on a player the wrong side of 30, but May's pace and creativity would be a real help this season.
This is a team playing with two #10s that starts zero number 10s. There's no width, and Berry is the only midfield player who looks even slightly comfortable turning in tight spaces. Campbell ain't it.
It is absolutely no coincidence that this team looks better with Karoy in it. He presses well and plays on the turn looking to drive the ball forward. He's not perfect but he's our only Midfielder with a balance of ability on the ball and energy in the press.
So we did all that business early in the summer. Sold last year's best player. And ended up relying on a talented but still raw 20 year old from the academy to be the heart of our midfield.
I'm not Jones out at this stage, but I am Jones doesn't get to do transfers anymore. There's a reason why everyone worth a damn uses the DoF to do their transfers, it provides balance and oversight. Instead we got Jones' mates, and we have a desperately one dimensional team.
I really hate long ball football, but I'm basically at a point of "go back to 3-5-2 and lump it to Miles and Gas." I mean that's what this team is built for. It just wasn't built well enough for that, but it's definitely not built well enough to play football through the lines.
Godden scored 6 times this season same as May who playing with a squad worth 30 mill just saying
It's not May's goals that I miss, it's his ability to make something happen from nothing.
Could be worse. Man City are on the verge of losing 4 in a row... puts our issues into perspective. Imagine supporting them right now...
Need some owners who are willing to invest.
Please, not this old bollocks again.
Totally fed up listening to football fans with no idea about how a business works just demanding more money gets spent. As if that's a guarantee for success.
Dead right,we have spent a lot of money this year on fees and wages,,I think the owners have financially backed the manager,but the recruitment is dire,there are gems out there in the lower leagues,and even in the top semi pro leagues,get the scouts off their arses,go and find an Adeloma Lookman,playing in the park,a Joe Aribo in the National league.
In terms of the "football" we play this is the worst Charlton side I can recall seeing in 40+ years. That includes under Appleton where we were mentally weak. The football under Jones is horrendous.
We’re a pathetic excuse of club. I was quite lucky in that when I was growing up, my first season I can recall was 88/89, although my dad had been taking me to games before that, but that opening day of the season and the 3-0 defeat to Liverpool and John Aldridge hat trick really stuck in mind as one of my formative memories.
I say lucky because everything back then, despite being at Selhurst park was momentum to get back to the valley, good owners, good managers in Lawrence and then Curbs, seemingly always moving forward. This culminated in the Prem and the seasons I was lucky enough to experience back then.
Since 2007, bar the promotion season with Powell in 11/12 and the season in the Championship just after, replicated by Bowyer taking us up in 18/19 and doing what I thought was a decent job with some decent players in 19/20, every other season has been varying degrees of s***, just a different cast playing out a mediocre play.
That’s knocking on 20 years now.
A lot of it has to do with the fact football has changed quite dramatically since the days of trying to get back to the valley and the money involved now. But apart from the fans, this club just feels like it loses a bit of its identity with each passing year, and we put up with another cart load of crap to fill it. We’ve had so many poor players over the last 20 years, I would wager that you could probably tell me some names, and I wouldn’t remember them, yet ask me about any player from 93-07 I’ll remember them all and have good memories.
Not to put the boot in or pick on him, but Adhame is a great example. The bloke is an absolute non entity and not being arrogant, shouldn’t be anywhere near a Charlton shirt. But it’s this sort of crap that has become so engrained in our club over the last 20 years, we have gotten use to it.
I forget what the our latest owners call themselves, but we’re almost 2 years into their project. Nothing’s happening. Last season’s shit has been replaced by this season’s shit as it was the season before last, and so on. The cast continues to rotate, the play and the storyline continues to be the same old decrepit show in a run down theatre that has been running for almost 20 years now.
Could be worse. Man City are on the verge of losing 4 in a row... puts our issues into perspective. Imagine supporting them right now...
Need some owners who are willing to invest.
Please, not this old bollocks again.
Totally fed up listening to football fans with no idea about how a business works just demanding more money gets spent. As if that's a guarantee for success.
Dead right,we have spent a lot of money this year on fees and wages,,I think the owners have financially backed the manager,but the recruitment is dire,there are gems out there in the lower leagues,and even in the top semi pro leagues,get the scouts off their arses,go and find an Adeloma Lookman,playing in the park,a Joe Aribo in the National league.
The playing budget hasn’t really been the problem, except in 2019/20 when it was a significant factor in the team’s relegation. The issue has been and evidently remains the people spending it.
Why can't we get anywhere near anything good at all ever.
Because as we been told its a 4 year project not just to go up but stay there that's going to take another two windows.. this club was on its knees after years and years of poor management and asset stripping, finally we have owners that have put a structure back in place, and invested large sums in all areas of the club.. The mess we were in not going to be solved in 12 months..
Why can't we get anywhere near anything good at all ever.
Because as we been told its a 4 year project not just to go up but stay there that's going to take another two windows.. this club was on its knees after years and years of poor management and asset stripping, finally we have owners that have put a structure back in place, and invested large sums in all areas of the club.. The mess we were in not going to be solved in 12 months..
Yes, that’s the official line but how does signing people like Campbell and Hiylton show ambition?
Why can't we get anywhere near anything good at all ever.
Because as we been told its a 4 year project not just to go up but stay there that's going to take another two windows.. this club was on its knees after years and years of poor management and asset stripping, finally we have owners that have put a structure back in place, and invested large sums in all areas of the club.. The mess we were in not going to be solved in 12 months..
Yes, that’s the official line but how does signing people like Campbell and Hiylton show ambition?
Hylton I agree with but Campbell had some pedigree coming in at least. He’s underperforming so far but I can see why we signed him at least
Why can't we get anywhere near anything good at all ever.
Because as we been told its a 4 year project not just to go up but stay there that's going to take another two windows.. this club was on its knees after years and years of poor management and asset stripping, finally we have owners that have put a structure back in place, and invested large sums in all areas of the club.. The mess we were in not going to be solved in 12 months..
Yes, that’s the official line but how does signing people like Campbell and Hiylton show ambition?
They trusted NJ as we have been told numerous times he wanted them he got them…so you can’t say they haven’t backed the manager so it’s seems it was NJs ambition on said players,cause I doubt our owners woulda heard of them & so trusted the manager,whom most of us wanted out of the pile of turds out there…it’s not worked for him at all,question all are asking now is…would you know trust him with more money for some more rejects…
Being a Charlton fan is like being hopelessly in love with a beautiful partner who cheats on you every weekend and sometimes on a Tuesday or Wednesday.
Honestly, she ain’t even all that, and most of your friends can’t work out what you see in her.
Being a Charlton fan is like being hopelessly in love with a beautiful partner who cheats on you every weekend and sometimes on a Tuesday or Wednesday.
Honestly, she ain’t even all that, and most of your friends can’t work out what you see in her.
She doesn't even make a nice sandwich. The bread is stale and has got that bluey mould starting to form on it.
Players with little or poor technical skill…no creativity in midfield…always giving up set play goals…I could go on and on….always put me in a bad mood for the weekend….was thinking of going to Hudders when in London next month as brother lives up north but no chance….would be bored to death
Do tell what ever level of football - if any - you've ever played at.
Comments
We were absolutely dire in the first half, incapable of putting two passes together (other than along the back line) and shaky at the back. Somehow we survived until half time but a dozy lack of marking at Exeter’s umpteenth corner early in the second half left their guy free for a near post header for what proved to be the winner.
We were better in that second half - we could hardly have been worse - but were unable to take either of two very decent chances, which would have earned us a point against a relatively modest Exeter side. Our loyal travelling support certainly deserved better.
What is now abundantly clear is that Nathan Jones has failed to construct a team with a discernible and effective style of play and anything approaching tactical nous. To compound matters, this summer’s recruitment has, with a couple of exceptions, been pretty lamentable. Although two of the manager’s favourites from Luton are on short-term deals until January, we are now saddled with 2,3 and 4 year contracts for a number of sub-standard players. Allied to Andy Scott’s generally poor recruitment in the two previous windows, we are now left with an under strength and unbalanced squad.
To make matters worse, Jones seems incapable of getting a tune out of them and his tactical, long-ball approach is neither effective nor remotely attractive to watch. We do have some good players but not enough of them and, even if we were able to acquire some quality in January (whether in permanent deals or on loan), I have little confidence that the manager would moderate his long-ball percentage game.
If the American owners have been labouring under a misapprehension about the level of investment required to make a credible attempt at achieving a top 6 finish, they will not be happy and the management team - on both the business and football fronts - may have some difficult questions to answer.
HMS PTL was in fact the Woolwich Ferry, that when it's running, sets sail just to arrive back at the very same place.
I say lucky because everything back then, despite being at Selhurst park was momentum to get back to the valley, good owners, good managers in Lawrence and then Curbs, seemingly always moving forward. This culminated in the Prem and the seasons I was lucky enough to experience back then.
Since 2007, bar the promotion season with Powell in 11/12 and the season in the Championship just after, replicated by Bowyer taking us up in 18/19 and doing what I thought was a decent job with some decent players in 19/20, every other season has been varying degrees of s***, just a different cast playing out a mediocre play.
That’s knocking on 20 years now.
Not to put the boot in or pick on him, but Adhame is a great example. The bloke is an absolute non entity and not being arrogant, shouldn’t be anywhere near a Charlton shirt. But it’s this sort of crap that has become so engrained in our club over the last 20 years, we have gotten use to it.