Probably been said before. I think the season was lost by Racon and Semedo. These 2 players we poor for the middle part of the season. At the end of the season they looked class. Semedo last 10 games was magnificent, and Racon when he came on against Swindon looked a different player altogether. I felt we would have the best midfield in this league. However, they simply do not score enough goals. Bailey cannot pass a ball, Lloyd Sam ( in my opinion ) is a bottler who should never play for us again. Wagstaff will probably be average. I suppose were losing Reid? Randolph might be special. Burton and Forster need to come off the bench ( although Burton was terrific against Swindon ). The defense has played well last 10 games.
I think Parkinson should be applauded. I am not a fan, but he managed to get the team playing good football in the end. Luck deserted us, no blame should be apportioned, no player blamed. WE HAVE TO GO UP NEXT SEASON. Parkinson has earnt another crack at it. Would be nice if we all got behind him for all his effort this season and saving the slagging for those that have made no effort ( and wore dayglo boots adding to the stupidity of it all )...........
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"No blame should be apportioned, no player blamed. "
You've just slagged off half the team LOL
However, there is some sense in there.
Massively, disagree re Semedo, he was our player of the season IMO.
3/10 must try harder.
The rest of the top 6 and Southampton have two goalscoring strikers. We're missing that 20 goal a season striker, while we had Burton as the one alongside him getting 10-15.
Said in the Lloyd Sam thread a better debate might be Racon. At least Sam has a decent return of assists and goals, something Racon doesn't, which for a skilful technical midfielder, is disappointing.
missed penalty cost us. But he run himself into the ground for the cause. I will never forget Sam pulling out of the tackle, it summed up his whole season for me.
I am tired of hearing the Sam jokes, time he went somewhere else.
agree, luxury that rarely paid off
Play Bailey in the middle and at least once a game he's going to make a glaring error with a bad pass. Sometimes we get away with it, other times it's costly as it was on Monday. When the goals are flying in then you overlook it, but Bailey hardly scored after Christmas and certainly not enough to make up for some of the weaknesses in his game. From the persepctive you might say he looked like an unjustified luxury.
Truth be told we had none of these this year though. By and large all players pulled their weight even when out of form and none were floating enigmas in the way someone like Ambrose was - even Sam.
I'd have liked to have seen Bailey rested for while around March when I thought he was horribly out of form and seen us try playing with two more holding midfielders (Racon and Semedo) and two out and out wingers (Reid and Sam) but i think Parky always felt he needed Bailey in the team, a) because he was captain and b) beacause he just wasn't confident our strikers would score enough goals.
As it turned out though neither did Bailey and I think Parky unbalanced the side at times by insisting on playing him - perhaps we'd have created more and better chances for our strikers if he hadn't always been shoe-horned in.
We do keep possession better with Racon and Semedo in the middle, but of course you lost Bailey's goal threat. Wouldn't be surprised if we see a more consistent midfield line up next season (when injuries and suspensions aren't a problem). Start of this season we tried to fit 4 central midfielders into the team, later on 3, understandably because they were among our better players.
Shelvey has now gone and Bailey probably will, Parky will have the chance to get the balance right. A couple of players for each position, rather than using players out of position or on the wrong side. The problem will probably be finding the right quality on wages we can afford.
It's a shame, because Bailey is a whole hearted player, but for all his attributes he doesn't quite have the same quality on the ball as Semedo and Racon.
Our midfield play is a lot looser when Bailey plays CM, we lose shape, gaps open up and suddenly we're vulnerable.
But when he nicks a goal out of nothing or hits a stunning drive from the edge of the box - then of course he proves his true worth. But it does go wrong at times and often we get away with it, but sometimes we're punished.
I can remember when we played Bristol City in an evening match at The Valley last season - City were on a really good run and near the top of the league; for the first 30 minutes we pulverised them with quality passing football and should have been handsomely in front ........ until Bailey complicated his play and carelessly lost possession in a dangerous area - suddenly we were a goal down. Bailey's confidence went to pieces and we never got back into that match.
I'm not meaning to dig him out, but wanted to show just one example. But let's be fair to him ...... Parky put him out on the left, yet he never really complained. He didn't throw his toys out of the pram like Racon, and refuse to play there - but knuckled down and did the team thing.
I can understand why Parky wanted to keep him in the team at all costs.
It's a shame, because Bailey is a whole hearted player, but for all his attributes he doesn't quite have the same quality on the ball as Semedo and Racon.
Our midfield play is a lot looser when Bailey plays CM, we lose shape, gaps open up and suddenly we're vulnerable.
But when he nicks a goal out of nothing or hits a stunning drive from the edge of the box - then of course he proves his true worth. But it does go wrong at times and often we get away with it, but sometimes we're punished.
I can understand why Parky wanted to keep him in the team at all costs.[/quote]
Because he was covering the inability of Parky to find or motivate a striker?
Fundamentally disagree on Racon - our best chance for breaking down packed defenses and for outpassing the opposition. Bailey tries hard, but he isn't captaincy material as his public berating of people shows. Next season Dailly (or Semedo?)should be captain.
On the plus side, imagine a left side of Youga and Reid!!
No he was removed from the middle, to create a tighter midfield that could dominate and not give away possession so cheaply.
But Bailey has plenty of attributes that are valuable to the team unit, primarily:
1) Good movement off the ball and the ability to ghost in late and unmarked, thus being on the end of goalscoring opportunities.
2) To give additional defensive cover to his fullback, slotting in behind his overlapping team mate.
3) Being a very spirited and tenacious player, willing to lead by example.
While played on the left could blunt the cavalier side of Bailey's game, it meant that having a combative midfield unit made Charlton very hard to beat.
Last season in the Championship despite being bottom hopelessly adrift, once Bailey played on the left we narrowly lost just 3 of the final 15 matches.
This season with Bailey playing about 30 matches wide, we lost only 2 matches before Christmas; and in total just 8 matches from 46 - no club in the division had a better record.
Much of that was down to Bailey playing wide.
The First Rule of Football: Don't lose.
Sam, racon, bailey, burton... they can all go. If there is one player I want to keep this summer, it is Semedo. Brilliant attitude, workrate, still young. Could be crucial.