For what it's worth, with a month to go, I think our transfer window so far has been pretty impressive
really ??
lost 2 strikers that haven't been replaced lost a left footed left back that hasn't been replaced recruited 3 defenders, a defensive midfielder, a goalkeeper (that wasn't a priority) and 1 attacking midfielder.
In a team last year that didn't score enough goals to even get into the top half of the league. I understand you "build from the back" but goals win you games.
Currently I would give the "rebuild" 5 out of 10. The squad itself about a 7 (and that's being generous)
We start our first game tomorrow with just 1 fit striker. If Stockley gets injured or sent off tomorrow we have big problems.
But I'm just a doom monger & everything will be alright once the transfer window closes on Sept 1st.
This has been repeated a few times but it's a bit of a red herring. We played with two strikers last season so we needed 5 in the squad ideally. Garner only plays with 1, so we need 3. We don't actually have to replace both the strikers we lost as we're not playing the same way. One more will do it.
Remind me of that when all 3 are out either injured or suspended. Last season we had 5 strikers and in March that wasn't enough when Stockley, Washington & Aneke were all out injured.
Its funny, because in a World Cup squad you find Countries will almost invariably take 3 goalkeepers when they might only be playing 3 or 4 games, and will be lacking players upfront (Look at the 2006 WC when Bent didn't go). This is a 46 game season & currently we might have just 1 senior striker available tomorrow if Aneke isn't fit.
pfft.
So negative you fail to even understand the rules.
Fine. So I didnt know it was a FiFA rule that you must take 3 goalkeepers. My bad.
Second half of last season our striker options (for two places) were: Stockley, Washington, Aneke, Burstow, Kanu
Going into tomorrow, our striker options (for one place) are: Stockley, Aneke, Leaburn, Kanu
The fact that we have Aneke puts us in a difficult situation as theoretically the numbers we have (4) should cover us for the formation we want to play.
But the problem is that Chuks can't be relied stay fit and so, treating the real number as 3, we need someone with senior experience added to the group. I'd argue that we needed that additional senior presence last season too.
To reiterate, we are playing a formation this year that requires one striker fewer than we did last season. Hence it makes sense to have one striker fewer in the squad than we did last season. Add to the fact that Davison wasn't here while Aneke came in and we are in my opinion, no better or worse in terms of bodies vs positions to fill than we were at the end of last year.
The problem is that we were one short then and we remain one short now.
And, with the best will in the world, I would suggest we need more experience than Leaburn and Kanu to get us near to a top six position.
I don't disagree. I want us to sign another striker.
Asking for two is too much and will stunt the development of those same players.
Second half of last season our striker options (for two places) were: Stockley, Washington, Aneke, Burstow, Kanu
Going into tomorrow, our striker options (for one place) are: Stockley, Aneke, Leaburn, Kanu
The fact that we have Aneke puts us in a difficult situation as theoretically the numbers we have (4) should cover us for the formation we want to play.
But the problem is that Chuks can't be relied stay fit and so, treating the real number as 3, we need someone with senior experience added to the group. I'd argue that we needed that additional senior presence last season too.
To reiterate, we are playing a formation this year that requires one striker fewer than we did last season. Hence it makes sense to have one striker fewer in the squad than we did last season. Add to the fact that Davison wasn't here while Aneke came in and we are in my opinion, no better or worse in terms of bodies vs positions to fill than we were at the end of last year.
The problem is that we were one short then and we remain one short now.
And, with the best will in the world, I would suggest we need more experience than Leaburn and Kanu to get us near to a top six position.
I don't disagree. I want us to sign another striker.
Asking for two is too much and will stunt the development of those same players.
In all honesty Kanu is two years away from first team football. It won't stunt his growth.
Second half of last season our striker options (for two places) were: Stockley, Washington, Aneke, Burstow, Kanu
Going into tomorrow, our striker options (for one place) are: Stockley, Aneke, Leaburn, Kanu
The fact that we have Aneke puts us in a difficult situation as theoretically the numbers we have (4) should cover us for the formation we want to play.
But the problem is that Chuks can't be relied stay fit and so, treating the real number as 3, we need someone with senior experience added to the group. I'd argue that we needed that additional senior presence last season too.
To reiterate, we are playing a formation this year that requires one striker fewer than we did last season. Hence it makes sense to have one striker fewer in the squad than we did last season. Add to the fact that Davison wasn't here while Aneke came in and we are in my opinion, no better or worse in terms of bodies vs positions to fill than we were at the end of last year.
The problem is that we were one short then and we remain one short now.
And, with the best will in the world, I would suggest we need more experience than Leaburn and Kanu to get us near to a top six position.
I don't disagree. I want us to sign another striker.
Asking for two is too much and will stunt the development of those same players.
In all honesty Kanu is two years away from first team football. It won't stunt his growth.
So say we did buy two strikers... how do you fit Stockley, plus two more, and Aneke, into one position? Injuries do happen but it'd be overkill.
Leaburn will start a lot of games this season through ability rather than necessity
You appear to be ITK but on this I have my doubts. Just ask his mum and dad if this is agood thing.
He will remain a charlton player and in two years expect him to be the main man up front.
He will start tomorrow
You know that for certain?
That was the plan. Things change etc etc
Aneke was going to start and Garner wants more hight in the team, for obvious reasons.
Surely there was no way Aneke was going to start?
Firstly I don’t think Stockley would be made captain if the plan is not to start him, and secondly it’s established that he is much better coming off the bench, and considering he wouldn’t be able to play the full 90, it would make sense to use him that way.
Leaburn will start a lot of games this season through ability rather than necessity
You appear to be ITK but on this I have my doubts. Just ask his mum and dad if this is agood thing.
He will remain a charlton player and in two years expect him to be the main man up front.
He will start tomorrow
You know that for certain?
That was the plan. Things change etc etc
Aneke was going to start and Garner wants more hight in the team, for obvious reasons.
Surely there was no way Aneke was going to start?
Firstly I don’t think Stockley would be made captain if the plan is not to start him, and secondly it’s established that he is much better coming off the bench, and considering he wouldn’t be able to play the full 90, it would make sense to use him that way.
If true I assume he’d have started in midfield as he did in preseason.
Leaburn will start a lot of games this season through ability rather than necessity
You appear to be ITK but on this I have my doubts. Just ask his mum and dad if this is agood thing.
He will remain a charlton player and in two years expect him to be the main man up front.
He will start tomorrow
You know that for certain?
That was the plan. Things change etc etc
Aneke was going to start and Garner wants more hight in the team, for obvious reasons.
Surely there was no way Aneke was going to start?
Firstly I don’t think Stockley would be made captain if the plan is not to start him, and secondly it’s established that he is much better coming off the bench, and considering he wouldn’t be able to play the full 90, it would make sense to use him that way.
Why would Leaburn definitely start over CBT and Kirk? Sure he had a good preseason, but he's not the second coming. And isn't Inniss, O'Connell, Stockley, Clare adequate height in the side already? Hell, Fraser is 6ft, Dobson too, so is Gilbey, and McGrandles, and the 2 aforementioned wingers as well. In fact only Payne and Sessegnon are well under 6ft of the first team, so I don't get that
Leaburn will start a lot of games this season through ability rather than necessity
You appear to be ITK but on this I have my doubts. Just ask his mum and dad if this is agood thing.
He will remain a charlton player and in two years expect him to be the main man up front.
He will start tomorrow
You know that for certain?
That was the plan. Things change etc etc
Aneke was going to start and Garner wants more hight in the team, for obvious reasons.
I don't think Leaburn has to be wrapped in wool. He's from a football family. He's grown up with a career's worth of knowledge and experience sat every night at his kitchen table, not to mention his mum coming home talking about what's happening at the club. I'm sure the boy knows he belongs on the pitch. He's not some first timer with his family's dreams resting on his shoulders.
Why would Leaburn definitely start over CBT and Kirk? Sure he had a good preseason, but he's not the second coming. And isn't Inniss, O'Connell, Stockley, Clare adequate height in the side already? Hell, Fraser is 6ft, Dobson too, so is Gilbey, and McGrandles, and the 2 aforementioned wingers as well. In fact only Payne and Sessegnon are well under 6ft of the first team, so I don't get that
Maybe hight was the wrong word, maybe physicality was a better choice. I am specifically talking about tomorrow as well, not more hight/physicality generally.
I would have thought the idea was the front six to look something like
X X X X X X
Where now I see it being more like
X X X X X X
Once Aneke was injured the team that started last Saturday will start this one. Obviously things change.
Why would Leaburn definitely start over CBT and Kirk? Sure he had a good preseason, but he's not the second coming. And isn't Inniss, O'Connell, Stockley, Clare adequate height in the side already? Hell, Fraser is 6ft, Dobson too, so is Gilbey, and McGrandles, and the 2 aforementioned wingers as well. In fact only Payne and Sessegnon are well under 6ft of the first team, so I don't get that
Maybe hight was the wrong word, maybe physicality was a better choice. I am specifically talking about tomorrow as well, not more hight/physicality generally.
I would have thought the idea was the front six to look something like
X X X X X X
Where now I see it being more like
X X X X X X
Once Aneke was injured the team that started last Saturday will start this one. Obviously things change.
I do feel that a portion of our fanbase need to wake up and realise we are a league one side. People seem to expect us to be spending millions on household names.
SCMP means we can only spend 60% of turnover on wages. Sensibly this stops clubs paying way beyond their means unless they have a super rich owner who is happy to throw money at it at their own cost and not risking the future of the club.
Overall considering the limitations of being a league one club I think we have assembled a good squad that should be competing for the top 6 at a minimum. We can probably all agree our defence and midfield look stronger than the last few years, yes we need a couple of additions up top to give us options but one is almost through the door and we should sign another prior to the window closing.
It feels like a corner of our support will use any excuse to bash the club/owner. We are a third division side with a top end third division budget.
Myself, I am excited to see how we get on this season. BG will have us playing a good style of football and I am confident he will get us into the playoffs.
Personally I am less convinced. And when respected pundits like the Not the top 20 podcast forecast us to finish 12th, that reinforces my concerns that against the other decent L1 sides, we are still lacking.
How accurate were their predictions the season before?
They had us in 8th for last season. Ahead of both Blackpool and Wigan...
Why would Leaburn definitely start over CBT and Kirk? Sure he had a good preseason, but he's not the second coming. And isn't Inniss, O'Connell, Stockley, Clare adequate height in the side already? Hell, Fraser is 6ft, Dobson too, so is Gilbey, and McGrandles, and the 2 aforementioned wingers as well. In fact only Payne and Sessegnon are well under 6ft of the first team, so I don't get that
Maybe hight was the wrong word, maybe physicality was a better choice. I am specifically talking about tomorrow as well, not more hight/physicality generally.
I would have thought the idea was the front six to look something like
X X X X X X
Where now I see it being more like
X X X X X X
Once Aneke was injured the team that started last Saturday will start this one. Obviously things change.
The league is very much split into two groups of 12. One dozen will be hopeful of promotion, the others will likely be happy with another season in this league.
Of the 12 contenders, I'd bracket them like this:
1st to 8th: Sheff Wed, Ipswich, Peterborough, Bolton (something would go horribly wrong for them to not be top six)
4th to 12th: MK Dons, Barnsley, Portsmouth, Oxford, Derby, Charlton, Wycombe, Plymouth (dog fight between eight clubs for 2-4 additional places in the top six)
Out of interest, why do you rate Bolton so much and ahead of Barnsley? Have they really strengthened this summer or something?
Bolton would have gone up if the season started at Christmas last season IMO, they have got better every window for 2 seasons.
Shows how disconnected I am with some of the other clubs going’s on…. Last I remember they were bankrupt and about to go out of existence with 5 players on the books
Why would Leaburn definitely start over CBT and Kirk? Sure he had a good preseason, but he's not the second coming. And isn't Inniss, O'Connell, Stockley, Clare adequate height in the side already? Hell, Fraser is 6ft, Dobson too, so is Gilbey, and McGrandles, and the 2 aforementioned wingers as well. In fact only Payne and Sessegnon are well under 6ft of the first team, so I don't get that
Maybe hight was the wrong word, maybe physicality was a better choice. I am specifically talking about tomorrow as well, not more hight/physicality generally.
I would have thought the idea was the front six to look something like
X X X X X X
Where now I see it being more like
X X X X X X
Once Aneke was injured the team that started last Saturday will start this one. Obviously things change.
Hard to believe Morgan gets in ahead of Dobson.
Personally I find it hard to believe that either of them get in ahead of a fully fit JFC. But there you go.
Morgan wouldn't get on the bench in "my team" but I am not the manager and I won't get sacked if I balls it up.
There is something about Dobson that I obviously can't see, he isn't highly rated "in the game" remember last year Sunderland paid him off to leave. He was our best player, once we changed formation, last season. By far IMO.
When was the last time we had a stand out POTY and they weren't ever seriously linked with a move away?
Comments
Asking for two is too much and will stunt the development of those same players.
Garner today in the SLP
https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/charlton-athletic-boss-coy-on-transfer-interest-in-crystal-palace-winger-but-talks-about-three-positions-that-need-strengthening/
It won't stunt his growth.
He will remain a charlton player and in two years expect him to be the main man up front.
Aneke was going to start and Garner wants more hight in the team, for obvious reasons.
I would have thought the idea was the front six to look something like
X
X
X X
X X
Where now I see it being more like
X
X X
X X X
Once Aneke was injured the team that started last Saturday will start this one. Obviously things change.
X
X X x
X
Morgan wouldn't get on the bench in "my team" but I am not the manager and I won't get sacked if I balls it up.
There is something about Dobson that I obviously can't see, he isn't highly rated "in the game" remember last year Sunderland paid him off to leave. He was our best player, once we changed formation, last season. By far IMO.
When was the last time we had a stand out POTY and they weren't ever seriously linked with a move away?