It is safe to assume that last Saturday will not go down as the greatest day in Phil Parkinson’s football career. Parkinson’s stuttering, inconsistent charges were ruthlessly given a football lesson, whilst his only real in-form player was ruled out for a minimum of a month.
A small section of our fanbase have long held the opinion that Parky is not the right man to take things forward, but more worryingly for him, Saturday also saw a larger chunk of the supportive masses really begin to question whether there backing is starting to look ill-judged.
The disappointing, and most concerning aspect of last Saturday was not so much the embarrassing scoreline, but the apparent tactical naivety that led to our downfall. Our game plan was clearly to get the ball wide as quickly as possible then pepper the Brighton box with crosses. We stuck to the remit for the opening 15 minutes, launching around a dozen crosses of varying quality in the Brighton penalty area with little success.
Whilst this initial bombardment failed to yield an advantage, Brighton slowly eased their way into the game. Once they realised we were poorly aligned to deal with their tactical set up, specifically failing to pressure the two holding midfield players or pick up the player in the hole between midfield and attack, the game was effectively won.
It was no secret of how Brighton have been tactically approaching games of late. Failing to recognise and combat this from the beginning lent the impression of poor preparation. Failing to adapt to it at any stage throughout the game raised far more worrying concerns.
In the aftermath, Parky said he would ‘work harder than ever’ to put things right. Admirable on the surface, the same words however were echoed following a similar embarrassment at Millwall last season.
Football teams generally react in two ways to heavy defeats; it either signals the beginning of the end as confidence, spirit and belief evaporates, or it provides the kick-start to increased determination and collectiveness.
The wider fanbase is clearly beginning to stir. Further continued deterioration simply cannot be tolerated and unless results and performances improve in the short-term, speculation will continue to grow with regard to his future.
What Parkinson does still appear to possess however is the belief of his players, and it is those players that now have to ensure this faith is repaid in the correct way.
Saturday’s trip to Carlisle looks on paper to be particularly unappealing, but a long-distance trip in front of our smallest away following for many seasons’ is probably just what is needed for a backs-to-wall, determined effort where the onus is on the opposition to offensively dictate the game.
Carlisle have been equally inconsistent, their last three home games have yielded a win, a draw and a defeat, but they will see this as a prime opportunity to bounce back from last week’s defeat at Exeter and cement themselves further in the play-off positions. Charlton, despite the current gloom, will go level on points with Carlisle if they secure victory.
Opposition fans with a weak bladder should note that eleven of the seventeen goals Charlton have conceded this season have come in the last 15 minutes of each half.
Will Charlton create anything of note without influential Kyel Reid ?
Will Parkinson change the formation and tactics without his creative force ?
Will the faltering pairing of Semedo and Racon continue ?
Will Christian Dailly replace Doherty and will Francis replace Doherty ?
Have Charlton the backbone for a daunting away game ?
Who the hell is going to score the goals ?
Could Parky survive another harsh defeat ?
You tell me.........
AFKA’s Prediction: Carlisle 0 Charlton 1 (solid, defensive away performance with a steal against the run of play)
I've voted for a win, bonkers as that may seem. The general pattern this season has been for a poor performance to be followed by a good one and I expect to see a reaction to last weekend's defeat. I think lack of away support will probably be to our advantage, taking some pressure of the players, and am therefore predicting something akin to the MK Dons away performance in the JPT.
Unfortunately I'm expecting to be brought back down to Earth at home to Wednesday the following week.
[cite]Posted By: nolly[/cite]carlisle are a team we could beat,not hostile place and they are not one of the fancied teams,either way it only holds off what we already no
Exactly. I'm not a Parky hater, but if he's going to end up getting the bullet then probably better that we lose the next two and he goes then, rather than stumbling along with a good result here and a bad result there for the next few weeks.
No pressure in either expectation or from the crowd, so i can see us getting a 1 nil. Whether that would be a sign of an upturn in form, i'm not too sure.
Well Kyel Reid says : "On Saturday the team will be ready and I can’t see us not getting a result at Carlisle."
He doesn't say what kind of result but one presumes the word ''positive'' is meant to be somewhere in his double negative.
Personally, I can only see a one-way negative result, even if we are ''ready'' and have checked out how Carlisle play (something we clearly had not done v Brighton who, Parky told us aftwerwards, took him by surprise with their tactics).
2-0 to Carlisle and Parky needing a win at the Valley on the 30th to save his job.
Thought we'd be untroubled at the same stage last season and look how wrong I was... we made elementary mistakes then in letting one of the best potshotters outside the PL have the space and time to pick his spot on no less than two occasions.
At best a battling 1-1
Any, and I mean any of that laxness shines through and it's 2-0 for me. A trademark early goal will surely see us buckle, we HAVE to keep it tight.
Oh and if Doherty plays again I expect us to concede three or more!
I'd bring back Francis so that Dailly and Fortune can play CB together and bring Fry in at LB.
Jackson to LM and Anyinsah to play alongside Abbott.
A battling performance is needed and if Kyel Reid's comment that the team support Parky then this is the match where they ahve to demonstrate that they mean it. My heart says a Charlton win, my head says a struggling performance which might or might not go our way, but I suspect it'll be a nervy match for players and fans.
[cite]Posted By: Ketman[/cite]A Draw which as it turns out is the worse possible result for us as it prolongs the un-certainty surrounding the Manager.
Much as I think Parky should go, can't agree with that.
The worst possible result will be to get no points.
The best possible result will be to get three points.
Given the way we are performing, we should be grateful for a single point.
I know what you mean, Ketman, about the debilitating nature of the uncertainty. But we cannot join those who think it would be better to lose because another defeat will hasten Parky's departure and end that uncertainty. What if Murray has decided that Parky really is here for the season, whatever happens? We should be grateful for a point because it might end up being the difference between 20th and 21st place next May!
I so want to be positive but cannot given our woeful lack of a midfield at the weekend.
Reid was the one player with the ability to open defences even if the end product was not always there. The strikers, whoever they are, will have to forage for scraps as they will get no service. If we can't score then we have to make sure we don't concede and I cannot see us managing that.
A repeat of last season at Brunton Park. Carlisle 3 Charlton 0.
From the perfomances at brentford and brighton i would snatch your hand of for a point, can't see where the next win is coming from though, but i hope im wrong
Comments
It is safe to assume that last Saturday will not go down as the greatest day in Phil Parkinson’s football career. Parkinson’s stuttering, inconsistent charges were ruthlessly given a football lesson, whilst his only real in-form player was ruled out for a minimum of a month.
A small section of our fanbase have long held the opinion that Parky is not the right man to take things forward, but more worryingly for him, Saturday also saw a larger chunk of the supportive masses really begin to question whether there backing is starting to look ill-judged.
The disappointing, and most concerning aspect of last Saturday was not so much the embarrassing scoreline, but the apparent tactical naivety that led to our downfall. Our game plan was clearly to get the ball wide as quickly as possible then pepper the Brighton box with crosses. We stuck to the remit for the opening 15 minutes, launching around a dozen crosses of varying quality in the Brighton penalty area with little success.
Whilst this initial bombardment failed to yield an advantage, Brighton slowly eased their way into the game. Once they realised we were poorly aligned to deal with their tactical set up, specifically failing to pressure the two holding midfield players or pick up the player in the hole between midfield and attack, the game was effectively won.
It was no secret of how Brighton have been tactically approaching games of late. Failing to recognise and combat this from the beginning lent the impression of poor preparation. Failing to adapt to it at any stage throughout the game raised far more worrying concerns.
In the aftermath, Parky said he would ‘work harder than ever’ to put things right. Admirable on the surface, the same words however were echoed following a similar embarrassment at Millwall last season.
Football teams generally react in two ways to heavy defeats; it either signals the beginning of the end as confidence, spirit and belief evaporates, or it provides the kick-start to increased determination and collectiveness.
The wider fanbase is clearly beginning to stir. Further continued deterioration simply cannot be tolerated and unless results and performances improve in the short-term, speculation will continue to grow with regard to his future.
What Parkinson does still appear to possess however is the belief of his players, and it is those players that now have to ensure this faith is repaid in the correct way.
Saturday’s trip to Carlisle looks on paper to be particularly unappealing, but a long-distance trip in front of our smallest away following for many seasons’ is probably just what is needed for a backs-to-wall, determined effort where the onus is on the opposition to offensively dictate the game.
Carlisle have been equally inconsistent, their last three home games have yielded a win, a draw and a defeat, but they will see this as a prime opportunity to bounce back from last week’s defeat at Exeter and cement themselves further in the play-off positions. Charlton, despite the current gloom, will go level on points with Carlisle if they secure victory.
Opposition fans with a weak bladder should note that eleven of the seventeen goals Charlton have conceded this season have come in the last 15 minutes of each half.
Will Charlton create anything of note without influential Kyel Reid ?
Will Parkinson change the formation and tactics without his creative force ?
Will the faltering pairing of Semedo and Racon continue ?
Will Christian Dailly replace Doherty and will Francis replace Doherty ?
Have Charlton the backbone for a daunting away game ?
Who the hell is going to score the goals ?
Could Parky survive another harsh defeat ?
You tell me.........
AFKA’s Prediction: Carlisle 0 Charlton 1 (solid, defensive away performance with a steal against the run of play)
Reid is going to be a masive loss, our only real goal threat along with Waggy
agree with this, can't for the life of me see us getting a win......hope to be proved wrong
Unfortunately I'm expecting to be brought back down to Earth at home to Wednesday the following week.
However it is away and we will probably be quite solid have a few half chances then a defensive error and Carlisle take the lead in the 1st half.
Can't see us winning I'm afraid and can see Parky being even more on the brink.
It's not just me! There's already three other weirdos on here who have also deluded themselves into thinking we might get a result.
Exactly. I'm not a Parky hater, but if he's going to end up getting the bullet then probably better that we lose the next two and he goes then, rather than stumbling along with a good result here and a bad result there for the next few weeks.
He doesn't say what kind of result but one presumes the word ''positive'' is meant to be somewhere in his double negative.
Personally, I can only see a one-way negative result, even if we are ''ready'' and have checked out how Carlisle play (something we clearly had not done v Brighton who, Parky told us aftwerwards, took him by surprise with their tactics).
2-0 to Carlisle and Parky needing a win at the Valley on the 30th to save his job.
At best a battling 1-1
Any, and I mean any of that laxness shines through and it's 2-0 for me. A trademark early goal will surely see us buckle, we HAVE to keep it tight.
Oh and if Doherty plays again I expect us to concede three or more!
IF Fry plays LB and Jackson LM to give us a more solid defence and midfield and more creativity.
IF Abbott partners Anyinsah (an Ex-Carlisle player) up front.
IF Waggy starts on the right
IF Semedo and Racon make a huge improvement from last week.
Then maybe we'll win. Maybe.
I'd bring back Francis so that Dailly and Fortune can play CB together and bring Fry in at LB.
Jackson to LM and Anyinsah to play alongside Abbott.
A battling performance is needed and if Kyel Reid's comment that the team support Parky then this is the match where they ahve to demonstrate that they mean it. My heart says a Charlton win, my head says a struggling performance which might or might not go our way, but I suspect it'll be a nervy match for players and fans.
i am saying loss, but hoping for a win! Everytime i say we lose, we actually win the match.....
This could be Parkys last match. If he goes, then Kinsella will prob be interim manager til we find a full-time replacement.
Much as I think Parky should go, can't agree with that.
The worst possible result will be to get no points.
The best possible result will be to get three points.
Given the way we are performing, we should be grateful for a single point.
I know what you mean, Ketman, about the debilitating nature of the uncertainty. But we cannot join those who think it would be better to lose because another defeat will hasten Parky's departure and end that uncertainty. What if Murray has decided that Parky really is here for the season, whatever happens? We should be grateful for a point because it might end up being the difference between 20th and 21st place next May!
Reid was the one player with the ability to open defences even if the end product was not always there. The strikers, whoever they are, will have to forage for scraps as they will get no service. If we can't score then we have to make sure we don't concede and I cannot see us managing that.
A repeat of last season at Brunton Park. Carlisle 3 Charlton 0.
PLEASE, PLEASE PROVE ME WRONG!!!!!
but i hope im wrong