Home thoughts on this from abroad. I have loved watching this team this season. They've put a smile back on our faces after four or five years of dross.
But Powell will need to invest quite heavily again this summer, I think.
Take a look at the championship table, and ask yourself where you think Charlton would be if we were playing in that division this season with these players?
Being totally honest and trying hard not to be swayed by how much I've enjoyed watching the current team, I'd say at best we would have a chance of being in the company of the likes of Leicester and Barnsley - i.e. bottom half of the table, but hopefully well clear of relegation.
You could interpret that as a good season of consolidation back in the second tier. Or you could be disappointed that we hadn't pushed on like Norwich , Southampton and even Brighton (who are currently only two points off a play-off place).
I think Powell and the new board of directors are sufficiently ambitious that they would take the latter view. Hence I anticipate another busy summer in the transfer market.
how many new players did norwich sign when they went up to the championship? doubt it was many the core would still be from the league one days i guess, only once they got promoted to the prem did they sign a few, think the saints team isint to far off the team we faced last time we played them also.
how many new players did norwich sign when they went up to the championship? doubt it was many the core would still be from the league one days i guess, only once they got promoted to the prem did they sign a few, think the saints team isn't to far off the team we faced last time we played them also.
So you think the current CAFC team if playing in the championship would be automatic promotion contenders? I'd like to believe that, Adam. But I'm going to stick to my assessment above: we'd probably be somewhere around the likes of Leicester and Barnsley.
It probably only takes four or five new names. Doesn't have to be on the scale of last summer. But those four or five names would be vital, because much as I admire the current squad and thank them for restoring our pride, IMO they would struggle to push us beyond mid-table in the championship.
I thought it would be an interesting way of looking at this question: examine the championship table as it stands today, and assess where you think we would be if we were playing in that division with the current squad. But your point is well made - although I would have to point out that Norwich's reaction to promotion to the championship was to transfer the centre back who had just won their 'player of the year' award to a club still stuck in div three called Charlton!!!
Strange that a few don't think that Stephens or Kermit will cut it in the Championship. I think that Stephens is our play maker. Wouldn't change the back four, that's for sure. Midfield, not sure Green will fit in somehow, so would need to replace him. Hamer???? gives me the same kittens as Illic used to. Forwards, don't know.
I agree with IC on this. Most of the squad could cut it at Championship level but not all and without significant additions to the team I doubt our current lot would break halfway.
I agree with IC on this. Most of the squad could cut it at Championship level but not all and without significant additions to the team I doubt our current lot would break halfway.
its not always about the quaility of your 1-11 on the pitch, i think teams like blackpool, norwich ect had weaker starting line ups than we had but they have team spirit and good managers turning average players into promotion winning players, as norwich have shown if you get on a run in league one where you are winning most weeks you get into the habbit of winning and you can keep it going on and on.
its not always about the quaility of your 1-11 on the pitch, i think teams like blackpool, norwich ect had weaker starting line ups than we had but they have team spirit and good managers turning average players into promotion winning players, as norwich have shown if you get on a run in league one where you are winning most weeks you get into the habbit of winning and you can keep it going on and on.
Spot on.
Look at Forest, with their team no way should they be where they are.
Everyone will stay apart from some fringe players this season ie. Hayes.
I think Haynes will get more of a starting role along with a couple of new signings to push the others. Maybe a new right midfielder and goalkeeper but other than that it will pretty much stay the same I think.
Hamer divides opinion because he hasn't let in that many goals yet we have seen mistakes from him against Leyton Orient and Bury which cost us points, and performances against other sides, like Sheffield United, where he has been unconvincing but got away with it. I am among those who think his record of goals conceded is distorted by the superb performances of our back four and that he is just not good enough if we have hopes of progressing in the Championship. If he was good enough for that level, why did Reading consistently send him out on loan rather than have him playing in their first team?
I'm not sure about the midfield because Stephens has missed so much of the season. I'd like to think that he and Hollands have what it takes to be a successful central pairing and if Johnnie Jackson could be more consistently effective and stop disappearing for large sections of the match, he also might make the step up. Green will need to beef up a bit - and I don't mean by committing even more fouls - if he wants to do it at a higher level.
Up front I think we have problems. None of our forwards, with the possible exception of Danny Haynes, has proved himself at Championship level and I think they would all struggle. They're struggling now in League 1! But as always good strikers are at a premium and it will be a tough task to get better ones in. There's no point looking around us to find any. Tubbs has just committed himself to Bournemouth and Rhodes and Evans could very likely be coming up with us. Can't think of any other strikers below the Championship who look like they could make an impact at a higher level. Ideally, we should get two new Championship-quality strikers - perhaps players on the fringes of Premiership sides, like Ebanks-Blake, who might be persuaded that it is better to play consistently in the Championship than sit on the subs bench in the Premiership. Wages would be a problem, of course.
I see the acquisition of a twenty goal a season striker as key to our progress beyond this season. Norwich, Southampton, Blackpool, Hull, Swansea, Brighton have all shown that the transition from League 1 to Premiership contenders can be achieved in short time. I'd love Charlton to be added to that list but without a Grant Holt or Ricky Lambert it won't be easy.
Hamer divides opinion because he hasn't let in that many goals yet we have seen mistakes from him against Leyton Orient and Bury which cost us points, and performances against other sides, like Sheffield United, where he has been unconvincing but got away with it. I am among those who think his record of goals conceded is distorted by the superb performances of our back four and that he is just not good enough if we have hopes of progressing in the Championship. If he was good enough for that level, why did Reading consistently send him out on loan rather than have him playing in their first team?
I'm not sure about the midfield because Stephens has missed so much of the season. I'd like to think that he and Hollands have what it takes to be a successful central pairing and if Johnnie Jackson could be more consistently effective and stop disappearing for large sections of the match, he also might make the step up. Green will need to beef up a bit - and I don't mean by committing even more fouls - if he wants to do it at a higher level.
Up front I think we have problems. None of our forwards, with the possible exception of Danny Haynes, has proved himself at Championship level and I think they would all struggle. They're struggling now in League 1! But as always good strikers are at a premium and it will be a tough task to get better ones in. There's no point looking around us to find any. Tubbs has just committed himself to Bournemouth and Rhodes and Evans could very likely be coming up with us. Can't think of any other strikers below the Championship who look like they could make an impact at a higher level. Ideally, we should get two new Championship-quality strikers - perhaps players on the fringes of Premiership sides, like Ebanks-Blake, who might be persuaded that it is better to play consistently in the Championship than sit on the subs bench in the Premiership. Wages would be a problem, of course.
I see the acquisition of a twenty goal a season striker as key to our progress beyond this season. Norwich, Southampton, Blackpool, Hull, Swansea, Brighton have all shown that the transition from League 1 to Premiership contenders can be achieved in short time. I'd love Charlton to be added to that list but without a Grant Holt or Ricky Lambert it won't be easy.
Jackson goes missing? Can't agree with that, he's not an out and out winger but is very valuable to us, he has won us points on his own and is a big fans favourite. And Haynes proven himself at champ level? Not at all, still young enough to do so, but he hasnt proven anything anywhere at the moment. I think we would need a new striker at champ level and I'm sure we will sing someone. And with regards to your comments bout Hamer, shall we say that Morrison isnt good enough for league 1 cos Wednesday didnt want him?
It's hard to predict who'll make the step up, 2 years ago when both were in L1 with us, would anyone have thought that Grant Holt and Steve Morison would be successful top flight strikers?
We haven't been very successful in recent years, but surely with Chris Powell's contacts and reputation we'd be able to get a couple of decent season long loan players in? After all, there were no complaints when we had Scott Carson for the season, and the likes of Ben Marshall were a great success this season.
And with regards to your comments bout Hamer, shall we say that Morrison isnt good enough for league 1 cos Wednesday didnt want him?
The circumstances of Hamer and Morrrison are entirely different. Hamer made only 1 first team appearance with Reading and otherwise was out on loan to lower division sides. Morrison was a constant member of Leicester's League 1 winning and Championship side. That he was unappreciated at Wednesday I find totally inexplicable but it is certainly not consistent with the rest of his career.
Out of interest, here are the stats for the three clubs promoted to the championship last season (numbers include transfers since the start of the season, as well as those completed last summer) :-
Southampton 12 in ; 12 out
Brighton 15 in ; 14 out
Peterborough 12 in ; 19 out
So on the precedent of what last season's promoted sides have done, I think we can expect Powell to have a busy summer as he sorts out who he thinks will do a job at a higher level and where he thinks he needs to strengthen.
Norwich when they were promoted: ins.. 21 May 2010 7 MF Andrew Crofts Brighton & Hove Albion £300,000[4][5] 4 June 2010 15 MF David Fox Colchester United Undisclosed[6] 22 June 2010 11 MF Andrew Surman Wolverhampton Undisclosed[7] 1 July 2010 22 DF Elliott Ward Coventry City Free[8] 26 DF Steven Smith Rangers Free[9] 5 July 2010 1 GK John Ruddy Everton Undisclosed[10]
15 July 2010 10 FW Simeon Jackson Gillingham Undisclosed[11]
Outs..
14 May 2010 36 MF Damon Lathrope Torquay United Released[15] 29 FW Danny Kelly Barnet Released[15] 10 FW Jamie Cureton Exeter City Released[15] 12 DF Gary Doherty Charlton Athletic Released[15] 18 FW Paul McVeigh Unattached Released[15] 1 July 2010 20 MF Darel Russell Preston Released[16] 2 July 2010 15 DF Michael Spillane Brentford Undisclosed[17] 5 July 2010 35 DF David Stephens Hibernian Undisclosed[18]
Three new defenders - Keeper, RB & CB. Two new midfielders - RW and CM Two new strikers
7 players in total for me. Would keep all our first team and a number of squad players, and have a team that looked like;
K Solly Wiggins Morrison CB RW Stephens or Hollands CM Jackson S Kermy
On bench would have BWP, Haynes, Stephens or Hollands, Green, Hamer, Evina, Taylor.
If we could find a 25 goal a season striker (what a shame Maynard has gone), a dominant CB and CM and Keeper then we would run away with the championship.
Even if we did not add at all i think we would not be far off the play offs as next year the championship will lose West Ham, and quite poss Southampton and Cardiff...plus Forst going the other way...the Prem teams coming down look poor and the likes of Middlesbrough will run out of parachute money...to me that looks like a poor division...you only have to see Palace mid table to know we would be better than that.
Not losing any of our starlets like Wiggins would be great.
Hogan Ephraim would be a useful asset on the left wing. Someone up front who can read Yann's headers, maybe Simione Jackson? Not too bothered about covering Solly. A loanee can do that. Think Hamer and Stephens will kick on next season.
i can see a few departures in the summer. hughes, doherty, alonso, mambo and euell. imo six signings are needed. right-back, couple of centre backs, left mid and couple of centre mids to strengthen the squad.
my shortlist so just finding the six out of this.
right-back: lawrie wilson (stevenage), ben herd (aldershot), adam smith (spurs) centre-backs: dean leacock (derby), michael bostwick (stevenage), joel lynch (nottm forest). left-mid: enric valles (birmingham), charlie daniels (leyton orient), andy drury (ipswich), anthony wordsworth (colchester), hogan ephriam (qpr), eunan o'kane (torquay). centre-mids: nick powell (crewe), wayne brown (bristol rovers), george thorne (west brom), marvin elliott (bristol city), dean marney (burney) anthony grant (southend).
Comments
LB- Wiggins
CB- Taylor
CB- Morrison
RB- Solly
LM- Jackson
CM- Hollands
CM- Skacel
RM- Green
ST- Whittingham
ST- Bwp
subs- Hamer, Stephens, Hanlon, Obika, Mcgurk
But Powell will need to invest quite heavily again this summer, I think.
Take a look at the championship table, and ask yourself where you think Charlton would be if we were playing in that division this season with these players?
Being totally honest and trying hard not to be swayed by how much I've enjoyed watching the current team, I'd say at best we would have a chance of being in the company of the likes of Leicester and Barnsley - i.e. bottom half of the table, but hopefully well clear of relegation.
You could interpret that as a good season of consolidation back in the second tier. Or you could be disappointed that we hadn't pushed on like Norwich , Southampton and even Brighton (who are currently only two points off a play-off place).
I think Powell and the new board of directors are sufficiently ambitious that they would take the latter view. Hence I anticipate another busy summer in the transfer market.
In some of those games we haven't created chances like we were earlier this season either.
It probably only takes four or five new names. Doesn't have to be on the scale of last summer. But those four or five names would be vital, because much as I admire the current squad and thank them for restoring our pride, IMO they would struggle to push us beyond mid-table in the championship.
I thought it would be an interesting way of looking at this question: examine the championship table as it stands today, and assess where you think we would be if we were playing in that division with the current squad. But your point is well made - although I would have to point out that Norwich's reaction to promotion to the championship was to transfer the centre back who had just won their 'player of the year' award to a club still stuck in div three called Charlton!!!
Look at Forest, with their team no way should they be where they are.
I think Haynes will get more of a starting role along with a couple of new signings to push the others. Maybe a new right midfielder and goalkeeper but other than that it will pretty much stay the same I think.
I'm not sure about the midfield because Stephens has missed so much of the season. I'd like to think that he and Hollands have what it takes to be a successful central pairing and if Johnnie Jackson could be more consistently effective and stop disappearing for large sections of the match, he also might make the step up. Green will need to beef up a bit - and I don't mean by committing even more fouls - if he wants to do it at a higher level.
Up front I think we have problems. None of our forwards, with the possible exception of Danny Haynes, has proved himself at Championship level and I think they would all struggle. They're struggling now in League 1! But as always good strikers are at a premium and it will be a tough task to get better ones in. There's no point looking around us to find any. Tubbs has just committed himself to Bournemouth and Rhodes and Evans could very likely be coming up with us. Can't think of any other strikers below the Championship who look like they could make an impact at a higher level. Ideally, we should get two new Championship-quality strikers - perhaps players on the fringes of Premiership sides, like Ebanks-Blake, who might be persuaded that it is better to play consistently in the Championship than sit on the subs bench in the Premiership. Wages would be a problem, of course.
I see the acquisition of a twenty goal a season striker as key to our progress beyond this season. Norwich, Southampton, Blackpool, Hull, Swansea, Brighton have all shown that the transition from League 1 to Premiership contenders can be achieved in short time. I'd love Charlton to be added to that list but without a Grant Holt or Ricky Lambert it won't be easy.
We haven't been very successful in recent years, but surely with Chris Powell's contacts and reputation we'd be able to get a couple of decent season long loan players in? After all, there were no complaints when we had Scott Carson for the season, and the likes of Ben Marshall were a great success this season.
Southampton 12 in ; 12 out
Brighton 15 in ; 14 out
Peterborough 12 in ; 19 out
So on the precedent of what last season's promoted sides have done, I think we can expect Powell to have a busy summer as he sorts out who he thinks will do a job at a higher level and where he thinks he needs to strengthen.
ins..
21 May 2010 7 MF Andrew Crofts Brighton & Hove Albion £300,000[4][5]
4 June 2010 15 MF David Fox Colchester United Undisclosed[6]
22 June 2010 11 MF Andrew Surman Wolverhampton Undisclosed[7]
1 July 2010 22 DF Elliott Ward Coventry City Free[8]
26 DF Steven Smith Rangers Free[9]
5 July 2010 1 GK John Ruddy Everton Undisclosed[10]
15 July 2010 10 FW Simeon Jackson Gillingham Undisclosed[11]
Outs..
14 May 2010 36 MF Damon Lathrope Torquay United Released[15]
29 FW Danny Kelly Barnet Released[15]
10 FW Jamie Cureton Exeter City Released[15]
12 DF Gary Doherty Charlton Athletic Released[15]
18 FW Paul McVeigh Unattached Released[15]
1 July 2010 20 MF Darel Russell Preston Released[16]
2 July 2010 15 DF Michael Spillane Brentford Undisclosed[17]
5 July 2010 35 DF David Stephens Hibernian Undisclosed[18]
Two new midfielders - RW and CM
Two new strikers
7 players in total for me. Would keep all our first team and a number of squad players, and have a team that looked like;
K
Solly
Wiggins
Morrison
CB
RW
Stephens or Hollands
CM
Jackson
S
Kermy
On bench would have BWP, Haynes, Stephens or Hollands, Green, Hamer, Evina, Taylor.
If we could find a 25 goal a season striker (what a shame Maynard has gone), a dominant CB and CM and Keeper then we would run away with the championship.
Even if we did not add at all i think we would not be far off the play offs as next year the championship will lose West Ham, and quite poss Southampton and Cardiff...plus Forst going the other way...the Prem teams coming down look poor and the likes of Middlesbrough will run out of parachute money...to me that looks like a poor division...you only have to see Palace mid table to know we would be better than that.
Hogan Ephraim would be a useful asset on the left wing.
Someone up front who can read Yann's headers, maybe Simione Jackson?
Not too bothered about covering Solly. A loanee can do that.
Think Hamer and Stephens will kick on next season.
my shortlist so just finding the six out of this.
right-back: lawrie wilson (stevenage), ben herd (aldershot), adam smith (spurs)
centre-backs: dean leacock (derby), michael bostwick (stevenage), joel lynch (nottm forest).
left-mid: enric valles (birmingham), charlie daniels (leyton orient), andy drury (ipswich), anthony wordsworth (colchester), hogan ephriam (qpr), eunan o'kane (torquay).
centre-mids: nick powell (crewe), wayne brown (bristol rovers), george thorne (west brom), marvin elliott (bristol city), dean marney (burney) anthony grant (southend).