Go back to last season before Jones came in we were a complete mess, couldn't defend and most players brought in were not fit for purpose.
My take on the situation since.
Jones identified the players were the problem in the main between getting us out of trouble from when he took over till the end of that season. Last season the SMT were in place and Scott (one of the SMT) at the helm, they had a hand in players & managers.
Jones new we needed to do a rebuild when he entered the building and was likely told this will be the budget, which didn't go anywhere near doing a proper rebuild. SMT, If you want need more then you will need to generate it from sales of players.
The only player worth a sell on was May. He was sold to help fund a rebuild which still wasn't enough.
The SMT have also wanted a smaller squad which right now would have been catastrophic. The 8 8 8 system nonsense dreamt up by the SMT (great if your heads are not on the block as a managers is.) and comments from Jones during this season infers there is either a power struggle been going on in the background or interference.
Even though Jones has final say on player transfers & Charlie Methven has distant himself from all things on the playing side None of this exonerates them. Two of the SMT are still involved with player transfers on their own admission and others were instrumental in the 8-8-8.
Where we are now is a accumulation of decisions both the managers & the SMT, 'the buck lies at the top', its an easy get out to lay everything at the managers door. Not me guv I lead the SMT but I'm nothing to do with it.
AND before people start they pay the bills blah blah. I'm not complaining that they don't or they are not doing a reasonable job but they are also accountable when things are going wrong.
Jones talked about injuries but many of them realistically don’t improve that team.
He said 10 players but mentioned Edun who despite not really being able to play was on the bench. He’s our 3rd choice LB/a back up CM.
Mannion isn’t going to create or score goals.
Watson is an average at best L1 player.
Aneke, a miss yes but only capable of playing 30 minutes. Doesn’t improve us in the first 60, and Jones admitted we weren’t good enough in the first half.
Turned out Anderson had an injury. Might have been better than Allan Campbell or Docherty, but Jones chose to sign them this summer.
TC’s pace is a miss, but Jones chose not to sign another winger, that’s on him. Unless you count Dixon, who couldn’t make the bench ahead of Hylton, despite Ahadme being back.
Dan Potts probably doesn’t start ahead of Gillesphey, but neither are starters is L Jones is fit.
Kanu would no doubt be in the squad, but Leaburn and Godden on paper at least is our best front two. Either way a different striker doesn’t get the FBs an midfield playing better football, other than Kanu being the best at chasing lost causes.
Jones talked about injuries but many of them realistically don’t improve that team.
He said 10 players but mentioned Edun who despite not really being able to play was on the bench. He’s our 3rd choice LB/a back up CM.
Mannion isn’t going to create or score goals.
Watson is an average at best L1 player.
Aneke, a miss yes but only capable of playing 30 minutes. Doesn’t improve us in the first 60, and Jones admitted we weren’t good enough in the first half.
Turned out Anderson had an injury. Might have been better than Allan Campbell or Docherty, but Jones chose to sign them this summer.
TC’s pace is a miss, but Jones chose not to sign another winger, that’s on him. Unless you count Dixon, who couldn’t make the bench ahead of Hylton, despite Ahadme being back.
Dan Potts probably doesn’t start ahead of Gillesphey, but neither are starters is L Jones is fit.
Kanu would no doubt be in the squad, but Leaburn and Godden on paper at least is our best front two. Either way a different striker doesn’t get the FBs an midfield playing better football, other than Kanu being the best at chasing lost causes.
Jones and Ramsay were no doubt missed.
We do have injuries, but that points up is that ever season we have large squad but the back ups are not as good as the best starting eleven, and they are not thst good. Your squad has to be made up of good quality players through out. You should look at the players not making the match day squad and know any other team would have them in their starting eleven. We have never has a squad any where near that good. Do I believe we are the 4th highest spenders on players in the league, no!
My point was most of the injured players don’t get in the starting 11, and those that are good subs wouldn’t have changed the poor first half.
On wages probably around there, the clubs share their budgets which is why Methven is able to estimate that’s how much we’re spending.
You don’t need 20-25 top quality players. Bowyer and Powell had plenty of average players making up their squads. Other clubs weren’t jealous that we had the likes of Wagstaff, Evina, Reeves, Marshall etc.
What this squad doesn’t have is enough players who could play at Championship level. We were supposed to get they in Docherty, Campbell and so on, but they look nowhere near it.
Take your point but the more immediate problem is we don't seem to have enough players who can play at League 1 level.
Someone said during closed season , we are looking to bring players in who can perform in The Championship for us as well.
Whoever that was , was pulling the wool over the supporters eyes.
The Owners need to stand up and tell us who is at fault for the mess we are in.
The club is run by the board who are also the management team. The owners clearly don’t want to get into running it, either because they don’t have the time or appetite, or indeed the expertise. They seem to have naively assumed that Charlie and co were competent, evidence for which is increasingly negative. Some of the management’s hires were an early giveaway of what they were likely to achieve.
The fragmented ownership empowers the management team. It may stifle any response to outcomes, but we will get there if they don’t improve sharply, I predict. I suspect the chums will fall out too. Some may want to sell up but I don’t see who is buying without the ground, except those already involved. That seems most likely where we go next to me.
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.
If comments about the quality and capability of players is restricted to those that have ever played to a required standard, then you might as well shut down half of this forum.
The player marks thread must make you apoplectic with rage!
I will continue to attend matches, but with very little relish. Our season is probably blown, yet again, and those who speak for the club in any form come across as out of touch simpering arse licking wallies. The club has lost a lot of its heart and identity, and I fear losing Steve Avory is the departure of the last good thing about the club. We have a team with no talisman, and very little to rally round. Nathan Jones says he hopes the fans can get onboard for the ‘journey’ he and the club is on, but sadly and quite shockingly, right now it looks like a road to nowhere.
After my post last night, I've had further time to reflect on yesterday's game. Some people, across SM, are calling for NJ's head, but I stick with my opinion, we can't keep sacking managers, we need to stick with one for at least 2 full seasons. Having 9 players out doesn't help, but, as I said the replacements are generally poor, however yesterday even some of the 'established' were very poor. Both the Mitchell's and Edwards couldn't clear a ball up field they mainly conceded throws and corners, Gillesphey was a liability, Coventry, who I like, was stiffled with no one to play an out ball to, so went backwards and sidewards! Finally Godden didn't have his shooting boots on. The overall performance was very poor, we couldn't/didn't play to feet, there was little fight until the last 10 mins, and we looked at least a yard off the pace. We might look good in training, as per NJ's comments, but recently, especially since the loss of Ramsay and Jones, we are just not doing it on a match day! The board have a decision to make, if it was me, I'd bin off Scott and even Charlie boy. I'd get an experienced DoF in to help NJ (Curbs?), spend 'proper' money in Jan, on attacking midfield 'flair' players, get a winger in, so we have TC and one other. We have Miles, Godden, Kanu up front, Ahadme as well, but we don't supply them enough! Finally I'd get rid of A. Campbell, send Z. Mitchell and Anderson out on loan, and look to get 1 or 2 prem players on loan, who can pick a pass. We're 5 points off the playoffs with 30+ games to go, this can still be turned around, but it needs the board and NJ to sit down NOW with a new DoF and get the team sorted out! Get our injured players back, and go for it, or this will be another wasted season.
But we’re also 7 points off relegation which is more the point. The board are the problem here the manager was given only so much money to spend. Charlie Farley and his merry men are to blame for us being stagnant. Carry on the way we are we may get dragged into the bottom 5 or 6. It’s up to the board to decide where we go from here but I’m pretty sure they won’t spend in January. Not a chance of play offs and the attendance at games will start to dwindle. If we don’t make the playoffs Mr Jones will be gone that’s if if he hangs around with these idiots in charge.
I said at the start of the season that Jones put all his eggs in one basket regarding formation. The lack of any first team wingers meant we were 532 or 352 whatever you want to call it. When that stopped working we reverted to the box midfield which superbly nullified Birmingham and got us a great 1-0 victory. What worries me is that he's now stuck with that formation regardless of the opposition. Yesterday was screaming out for a couple of wingers to get in behind their back line but guess what we haven't got any! Finally he brought Small on the left which gave us something different but it was too little too late. Who is our most creative player? Most fans would struggle to tell you and quite frankly yesterday was embarrassing. I can't understand how the coaching staff looked at this team in pre season and thought "Yeah he'll make us a load of goals"
I've managed a couple of teams in my time and when getting the squad together in pre season we always make sure we had the following:
1) a goalkeeper who would nick you a few points with good saves 2) two centre backs who could head and tackle 3) a midfielder that would score goals and assists 4) a striker that would score twenty
I always found if you had those 4/5 players that could do this you always have a reasonably successful season. We are lacking 2 of those 4 when everyone is fit. The coaching team have left us short this season
This is the worse group of players we have ever had, the likes of Gillesphy, REG, Anderson, Campbell, Hylton are standard non-league players, the rest bar leaburn, Jones, Ramsey are not far better. I despise Jones tactics, but change of managers wont see this group progress much further, its a horribly shaped squad with no creativity and Jones has to take the blame for that. I Genuinely wouldn't care if they all were sold tbh; the few likable fans favorites we had last year in May and Dobson were sold, its truly a rotten group of poor players
Worst group of players we have ever had? I mean, that's not even the case if this is your second season.
At least last season we had May and Dobby to bring as a glimmer of joy in the darkness, none of Dobby's replacements are fit to lace his boots despite being told otherwise, and May was the only player who could get bums of seats
There is no point performing against Wigan, Bolton, Wrexham, Birmingham..
If you can’t go away from home and get results against Exeter, Bristol rovers for example.
You just know when we come up against a smaller club we are going to drop points. We never look competitive or comfortable.
we shouldn’t be fighting for a draw away at Exeter or getting our arses handed by Rovers.
you can guarantee we will pick up some kind of result against Peterborough but go and lose away at Burton the following week
2 wins in 11 is simply not good enough
Mentioned this before Bristol Rovers away. Are away form is terrible and will never get us near a promotion battle. Already lost at Stevenage, Bristol & Exeter who probably will be in the bottom half.
Should have had a bet on Tristan Crama to score as I mentioned him on the pre-match thread, shame the scouting team didn't do their homework, and they're getting paid for it.
Same old, another season probably wasted in League1. I had hope, but the last few games have made me realise it's going nowhere. Outperformed again, for another season by teams who don't have anywhere near our riches, allegedly.
I'm not Jones out, but I also don't think he can turn it around anymore, not with this squad anyway. Usually only one thing happens when it gets to that point.
Also, I missed the game as I'm having chest issues again, but despite that, best weekend I've had in ages. Just dossed about playing Call of Duty and FIFA, didn't even watch the game on Charlton TV.
Sorry to those that went, but f**k me it's easier to accept we are shit from home. Only positive about the whole thing.
Also, I missed the game as I'm having chest issues again, but despite that, best weekend I've had in ages. Just dossed about playing Call of Duty and FIFA, didn't even watch the game on Charlton TV.
Sorry to those that went, but f**k me it's easier to accept we are shit from home. Only positive about the whole thing.
I didn’t go either, had the train booked but didn’t buy a ticket. Fully accepted that who ever we play away from home we will look second best to them, and without us playing a 100%, or with some luck we will probably get beaten at every match.
Also, I missed the game as I'm having chest issues again, but despite that, best weekend I've had in ages. Just dossed about playing Call of Duty and FIFA, didn't even watch the game on Charlton TV.
Sorry to those that went, but f**k me it's easier to accept we are shit from home. Only positive about the whole thing.
I didn’t go either, had the train booked but didn’t buy a ticket. Fully accepted that who ever we play away from home we will look second best to them, and without us playing a 100%, or with some luck we will probably get beaten at every match.
Great dodge by us.
My little cousin was actually happy we wasn't going and got to spend the weekend with his mates instead. Not to worry though, Charlie Methven said that young fans aren't too bothered about the match results and more so the match day experience.
He can't wait to get down to the Valley next week to experience our luxury match day experience before getting dumpstered by Peterborough
I’m more angry today than I was yesterday unusually after a defeat. I think the reason why is there is no way on earth this team should be putting in performances like that. We are so predictable!!! 3/4 passes across the back line then pump it forward and hope we get something. Teams don’t have to worry about our midfield because they may as well not be there. It’s boring and ineffective football but I think NJ is so stubborn he is unlikely to change. I appreciate that we have injuries but that team should never be losing yesterday. Such a shame after all the positive vibes and hope that our season will be done by Xmas again
I really don't want to go ( and probably won't) to the Peterborough game next week because i know what the outcome is going to be and that makes me angry.
I really don't want to go ( and probably won't) to the Peterborough game next week because i know what the outcome is going to be and that makes me angry.
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)
Season is done already mate.
I hear you. Just hope we can go on some sort of cup run to give us a tiny bit of excitement for the first time in years.
I don't understand how we expect to score goals, what our plan of attack is. We pass it sideways, go nowhere, then hoof it forward, hoping for something to happen.
This is a goal scored by Notts County yesterday in L2. When was the last time we played flowing, incisive football like this?
The more I see it, the worse Godden's miss gets. How we doesn't even hit the target is beyond me
Do you think Alfie would have buried it? 😉
I've now had a look at that chance & it's not as easy as people made out at the time. Whether is was a bad first touch or that the ball came to him quickly it certainly wasn't a clean through ball where he had time to steady himself. By the time the ball was on the ground Godden had no time to do anything but get a shot away. The keeper was rushing out & he had defenders around him too.
I have no idea if Alfie May would have scored, but statistics & the past 3 years history shows that he scores more than most other strikers in this division do. So why do you sell the best striker in the league & replace him with lesser players ? All that does is make you weaker up front. And currently the goals scores column in the table shows that.
Look at Peterborough United. They have a tiny budget compared to ours but their scouting system is fantastic. Every season they seem to find a player or two from nowhere who scores goals for fun and they play some beautiful football at times. Ivan Toney , Epohron Mason Clarke , Jack Marriot , Sammi Smodicks , Siriki Dembele , Ronnie Edwards and now they have Kwame Poku who has ten goals already this season and scored at hatrick today in a 6-1 win.
Sure they all have to move on ( for massive profits) in time but their fans get to see some lovely football.
Why cant' we even come close to doing that ?
Agree about Posh but every club outside the top two tiers are envious of their ability to find the talent that has been released or missed by the top football academies. Peterborough have improved so many players from low down in the pyramid that were either good League 1 players, Championship standard or in Ivan Toney's case, Premier standard.
Posh are a yo-yo club between League 1 and Championship and will carry on in this vein until their infrastructure changes when scouts retire or move on or until Darragh MacAnthony calls it a day.
Barry Fry the extrovert manager was instrumental in networking and starting the process of Peterborough hearing about talent.
Football recruitment isn't an exact science but Posh have the formula.
I don't understand how we expect to score goals, what our plan of attack is. We pass it sideways, go nowhere, then hoof it forward, hoping for something to happen.
This is a goal scored by Notts County yesterday in L2. When was the last time we played flowing, incisive football like this?
They have clearly mastered the concept of ‘pass and move’ (to adopt the old fashioned parlance). It’s what made Liverpool so dominant in the 70s and 80s.
I don't understand how we expect to score goals, what our plan of attack is. We pass it sideways, go nowhere, then hoof it forward, hoping for something to happen.
This is a goal scored by Notts County yesterday in L2. When was the last time we played flowing, incisive football like this?
I do like how Notts County's owners have stuck to their principles , played really really good football under Luke Williams - obviously Williams went to Swansea off the back of it , brought in Stuart Maynard who had done a lot with part time Wealdstone and it's continued.
Would love us to play that kind of football but doubt you'll see it under Nathan Jones
I don't understand how we expect to score goals, what our plan of attack is. We pass it sideways, go nowhere, then hoof it forward, hoping for something to happen.
This is a goal scored by Notts County yesterday in L2. When was the last time we played flowing, incisive football like this?
I do like how Notts County's owners have stuck to their principles , played really really good football under Luke Williams - obviously Williams went to Swansea off the back of it , brought in Stuart Maynard who had done a lot with part time Wealdstone and it's continued.
Would love us to play that kind of football but doubt you'll see it under Nathan Jones
the key to Notts County continuing to play well is that when their manager got poached they appointed someone who plays a similar style. Obviously you need a style in the first place for that but it means you don’t need to overhaul the squad every time you need a new manager
It’s not that we lose games . That’s inevitable. It’s the way we play or lack of quality that’s so depressing. It’s definitely the ugliest team ( football Wise ) to watch since I saw my first game in 1977.
Some teams can play ugly but theres an effectiveness to that way of playing . This team doesn’t have a clue how we are meant to play and that must fall on the manager .
I don't understand how we expect to score goals, what our plan of attack is. We pass it sideways, go nowhere, then hoof it forward, hoping for something to happen.
This is a goal scored by Notts County yesterday in L2. When was the last time we played flowing, incisive football like this?
The more I see it, the worse Godden's miss gets. How we doesn't even hit the target is beyond me
Do you think Alfie would have buried it? 😉
I've now had a look at that chance & it's not as easy as people made out at the time. Whether is was a bad first touch or that the ball came to him quickly it certainly wasn't a clean through ball where he had time to steady himself. By the time the ball was on the ground Godden had no time to do anything but get a shot away. The keeper was rushing out & he had defenders around him too.
I have no idea if Alfie May would have scored, but statistics & the past 3 years history shows that he scores more than most other strikers in this division do. So why do you sell the best striker in the league & replace him with lesser players ? All that does is make you weaker up front. And currently the goals scores column in the table shows that.
It matters not a jot but Alfie May had a chance to win it for us at that same end at Exeter at the end of last season. He went round the 'keeper and had an empty net to knock the ball into. He failed to do so. It happens.
We are pony, I'm gutted, I'm going to Huddersfield and Burton and hoping we win them both. We probably won't. The evidence is building that we've another season bobbing about in the third tier. I've wrestled with how to deal with this and decided I'll keep on going and enjoying my day out as best as I can.
I compartmentalise my support of Charlton. I love the club so much and it hurts terribly when we are so utterly meek, bland and inconsequential in the football landscape. But I still look forward to our games and I have faith we'll somehow improve. When Charlton are the main source of worry in my life I know I am blessed and I don't have anything to complain about.
Roll on the Bristol Street Motors game on Tuesday , I need my next fix.
Comments
Go back to last season before Jones came in we were a complete mess, couldn't defend and most players brought in were not fit for purpose.
My take on the situation since.
Jones identified the players were the problem in the main between getting us out of trouble from when he took over till the end of that season. Last season the SMT were in place and Scott (one of the SMT) at the helm, they had a hand in players & managers.
Jones new we needed to do a rebuild when he entered the building and was likely told this will be the budget, which didn't go anywhere near doing a proper rebuild. SMT, If you want need more then you will need to generate it from sales of players.
The only player worth a sell on was May. He was sold to help fund a rebuild which still wasn't enough.
The SMT have also wanted a smaller squad which right now would have been catastrophic. The 8 8 8 system nonsense dreamt up by the SMT (great if your heads are not on the block as a managers is.) and comments from Jones during this season infers there is either a power struggle been going on in the background or interference.
Even though Jones has final say on player transfers & Charlie Methven has distant himself from all things on the playing side None of this exonerates them. Two of the SMT are still involved with player transfers on their own admission and others were instrumental in the 8-8-8.
Where we are now is a accumulation of decisions both the managers & the SMT, 'the buck lies at the top', its an easy get out to lay everything at the managers door. Not me guv I lead the SMT but I'm nothing to do with it.
AND before people start they pay the bills blah blah. I'm not complaining that they don't or they are not doing a reasonable job but they are also accountable when things are going wrong.
The fragmented ownership empowers the management team. It may stifle any response to outcomes, but we will get there if they don’t improve sharply, I predict. I suspect the chums will fall out too. Some may want to sell up but I don’t see who is buying without the ground, except those already involved. That seems most likely where we go next to me.
The player marks thread must make you apoplectic with rage!
Our season is probably blown, yet again, and those who speak for the club in any form come across as out of touch simpering arse licking wallies.
The club has lost a lot of its heart and identity, and I fear losing Steve Avory is the departure of the last good thing about the club.
We have a team with no talisman, and very little to rally round. Nathan Jones says he hopes the fans can get onboard for the ‘journey’ he and the club is on, but sadly and quite shockingly, right now it looks like a road to nowhere.
I said at the start of the season that Jones put all his eggs in one basket regarding formation. The lack of any first team wingers meant we were 532 or 352 whatever you want to call it. When that stopped working we reverted to the box midfield which superbly nullified Birmingham and got us a great 1-0 victory. What worries me is that he's now stuck with that formation regardless of the opposition. Yesterday was screaming out for a couple of wingers to get in behind their back line but guess what we haven't got any! Finally he brought Small on the left which gave us something different but it was too little too late. Who is our most creative player? Most fans would struggle to tell you and quite frankly yesterday was embarrassing. I can't understand how the coaching staff looked at this team in pre season and thought "Yeah he'll make us a load of goals"
I've managed a couple of teams in my time and when getting the squad together in pre season we always make sure we had the following:
1) a goalkeeper who would nick you a few points with good saves
2) two centre backs who could head and tackle
3) a midfielder that would score goals and assists
4) a striker that would score twenty
I always found if you had those 4/5 players that could do this you always have a reasonably successful season. We are lacking 2 of those 4 when everyone is fit. The coaching team have left us short this season
the buck has to lay with someone.
There is no point performing against Wigan, Bolton, Wrexham, Birmingham..
If you can’t go away from home and get results against Exeter, Bristol rovers for example.
You just know when we come up against a smaller club we are going to drop points. We never look competitive or comfortable.
we shouldn’t be fighting for a draw away at Exeter or getting our arses handed by Rovers.
you can guarantee we will pick up some kind of result against Peterborough but go and lose away at Burton the following week
2 wins in 11 is simply not good enough
Same old, another season probably wasted in League1. I had hope, but the last few games have made me realise it's going nowhere. Outperformed again, for another season by teams who don't have anywhere near our riches, allegedly.
I'm not Jones out, but I also don't think he can turn it around anymore, not with this squad anyway. Usually only one thing happens when it gets to that point.
Sorry to those that went, but f**k me it's easier to accept we are shit from home. Only positive about the whole thing.
My little cousin was actually happy we wasn't going and got to spend the weekend with his mates instead. Not to worry though, Charlie Methven said that young fans aren't too bothered about the match results and more so the match day experience.
He can't wait to get down to the Valley next week to experience our luxury match day experience before getting dumpstered by Peterborough
I wonder how many more people feel the same?
This is a goal scored by Notts County yesterday in L2. When was the last time we played flowing, incisive football like this?
https://x.com/NTT20Pod/status/1855562709976158650
I have no idea if Alfie May would have scored, but statistics & the past 3 years history shows that he scores more than most other strikers in this division do. So why do you sell the best striker in the league & replace him with lesser players ? All that does is make you weaker up front. And currently the goals scores column in the table shows that.
Agree about Posh but every club outside the top two tiers are envious of their ability to find the talent that has been released or missed by the top football academies.
Peterborough have improved so many players from low down in the pyramid that were either good League 1 players, Championship standard or in Ivan Toney's case, Premier standard.
Posh are a yo-yo club between League 1 and Championship and will carry on in this vein until their infrastructure changes when scouts retire or move on or until Darragh MacAnthony calls it a day.
Barry Fry the extrovert manager was instrumental in networking and starting the process of Peterborough hearing about talent.
Football recruitment isn't an exact science but Posh have the formula.
It’s what made Liverpool so dominant in the 70s and 80s.
I hope Nathan is watching.
I do like how Notts County's owners have stuck to their principles , played really really good football under Luke Williams - obviously Williams went to Swansea off the back of it , brought in Stuart Maynard who had done a lot with part time Wealdstone and it's continued.
Would love us to play that kind of football but doubt you'll see it under Nathan Jones
We are pony, I'm gutted, I'm going to Huddersfield and Burton and hoping we win them both. We probably won't. The evidence is building that we've another season bobbing about in the third tier. I've wrestled with how to deal with this and decided I'll keep on going and enjoying my day out as best as I can.
I compartmentalise my support of Charlton. I love the club so much and it hurts terribly when we are so utterly meek, bland and inconsequential in the football landscape. But I still look forward to our games and I have faith we'll somehow improve. When Charlton are the main source of worry in my life I know I am blessed and I don't have anything to complain about.
Roll on the Bristol Street Motors game on Tuesday , I need my next fix.