Dorian Dervite's (apparent) signing last night shook me out of the doom and gloom of this close season. Evaluating the squad on the eve of our first championship match I can't help but feel good about the business that Sir Chris has done.
Let's start with our first team for last season:
Hamer
Solly Morisson Cort/Taylor Wiggins
Waggy/Green Stephens Hollands Jackson
BWP Yann
At the end of last season, most of us on here agreed that no overhaul was needed. What we did need was to strengthen in a few key areas - 4/5 signings including a new CB, RB cover for Solly, creative CM, Winger and proven championship Striker was the consensus. A better backup GK than Sullivan would be a bonus.
Looking at the team above though, there are very few players that I don't like and would instantly relegate to the bench. In fact, this was one of my worries - if we do sign a top striker, who becomes second choice? Surely not Yann the man? Nor BWP with his 22 goals and 10 assists last season. And what if we sign a top CM or CB - do Cort and Taylor both become bench fodder after the heroics of last season? Will Stephens never be allowed a run of games in the Champ? Jacko never given a shot at CM? The likes of Haynes and Pritchard would not even make it to the bench! In a nutshell, the only change I would make to that team is moving Jacko infield to compete with Stephens for the creative CM berth. (On a sidenote, I believe that our Waggy/Green option is good enough for RM - SCP knows who to pick for which game and keeps them both on their toes resulting in 10+ goals and 10+ assists from RM last season when you add their stats).
So in a nutshell, we've made the perfect signings - Kerkar offers something different without making Stephens redundant; Wilson is great back up for Solly - don't compare him to Solly but to Hughes at RB which was our option last season for RB backup; Cook is someone I'm very excited about - a genuine winger with pace and skill who can play on both wings and will almost certainly improve with a run of games. And Dervite - arguably our best signing, much like Morisson last year - completely different from Cort and Taylor and a more than competent backup (partner?) for Morro.
The best thing about this bunch of players (apart from allowing us to keep our team spirit intact) is that they are definitely signings in the Powell mold. Wilson is similar to Green & Hollands - players who were ever present and POTY contenders for their previous team and looking to move to a bigger club. On the other hand Kerkar, Cook and Dervite are similar to Morisson and Hamer last year - promising young players at higher division clubs who were happy to come to Charlton to get regular football and reach their potential under a highly rated young manager. Both types of players have proven to be extremely loyal, committed and willing to play for each other and the club - so more of the same suits me just fine!
Yes, the squad is not perfect. We did need a striker and a creative mid - but they needed to be a class above BWP and our CMs in order to replace them. It was clear that the likes of Rhodes, Austin and Rodriguez were wanted by lower prem clubs for millions and we did not stand a chance. So I'm happy to give BWP and our CMs a crack till January - if it doesn't work, we should put in a bid for Baldock, Wordsworth, Quinn etc. in January.
So where do we stand today? With no signings at all, I would have put us between 15-19th in the Champ; with the likes of Quinn and Baldock we'd likely finish near playoff places but at present we're somewhere in the middle - 10th to 15th place. And that's great. Some people would love to do a Norwich or Southampton, but to me if Poyet was too loyal to his players and finished 10th, I'd take that in a heartbeat - be loyal to the players who won league 1 and do a Brighton!
COME ON YOU REDS!!!
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Comments
Well done to the helms @ the helm
Let's imagine we were Sheffield Wednesday and we bought players like Stephens, Pritchard, Hollands, BWP etc....off of us - we would be bigging it up and all excited about our prospects. This is what it is to be a football fan - the player who is not playing for you is always better than he really is.
Above all, the reason we will do well is that we are a compact side which defends very well and has the quality to get goals out of the blue. That for me is is an ingredient for success. We certainly won't struggle with this team and the players deserve to be able to show what they can do at a higher level. History shows that good players more than step up.
What we did need to do was sort out RB cover as last season showed us that this was a position we could not cover properly within the squad. SCP has done that. Yes it is a higher division, and the compromise looks to be us being tighter in midfield and not playing traditional wingers from the start. I think this is a good move as our full backs can have both got excellent engines and can give us attacking width too. Thankfully, the back ups do as well.
I really do feel that this season will be most satisfying.
There are so many on here wanting to right us off before a ball is kicked.
Nobody on here knows what the season holds but ten games in we'll have a better idea.
Maybe we'll be doing well/average/struggling but whichever it is we're still all Charlton fans ((I think) and the team need our support.
The one position I feel least confidenth about is up front. Not sure BWP will get enough goals at this level but hope I am proved wrong. Having said that I like the look of Smith and Cook (though they may be more bit part players this season. I think Pritchard will get better and better. If SCP is successful in getting in the one or two others he is trying for I would fancy us for the play offs.
Where's my razor blades.
He said he'd like all the new players in before Welling or at least before the Spain trip. Now the new season is here and he is still "hoping".
It's not that he hasn't brought many in but why hasn't he brought many in. And it's clearly not because he doesn't feel the need.
While you say we should give last seasons players a chance Powell is on record as saying that he had spoken to Gus Poyet who told Chris that he regretted being too loyal to his existing players.
We are back in the championship and middle table is fine by me. If we are not spending money we have not got.
These boys pissed last season. This league is higher standard but not that much higher. Think defensively we should be excellent. If we can take our chances better than last season then I can see a top half finish.
Then I'll be one of those w*nkers that digs up these threads and say I told you so.
The only two players in the potential starting 11 that I would like to see stronger replacements brought in for are Cort/Taylor and Stephens.
Whilst Cort and Taylor are solid, no nonsense centre backs I think they will ultimately get found out at this level given the quality of players they will come up against in this league.
I was one of the people saying last season that Stephens will kick on and that his game would be more suited to the Championship but I have my doubts about the lad now. What is his best position, holding or attacking mid? I certainly do not know and I would guess CP doesn't either at this stage.
A decent Premiership CB and CM (players on the verge of first team squads with a point to prove) on a season loan to come into these positions would be ideal I think.
Agree that the rest of the team should be left as is and given a chance to prove themselves at this level.
Too many times last year the ball was just pumped up to Yann.
Champ defenders will lap that up all afternoon.
We need to play through our full backs, into midfield, use our wide men when available. Get the ball into Yanns feet, use the pace of BWP on the floor.
Southampton had Lambert last season, a giant of a man, but they were one of the best footballing sides in the division.
Use what we have to the best of their abilitys.
Haven't seen enough of the Champ last few seasons to say how I think we'll do, my hunch though is it is a much stronger league than people think.
I don't see any real quality standouts in our midfield and attack where I can in most other squads, and I think that may be our downfall.
Like others have said, expect to get 1 or 2 loans in once the prem sort out their squads. What others haven't said is that everyone else will be doing the same !
The quality and impact of those will have a huge impact on what sort of season we have.
Dervite signing will be a boost. Two big centre backs are needed in this division. What he needs now is a biggish and skilful midfielder. Kerkar may prove to be another Pritchard, a masterstroke signing.
I'm lookng forward to a successful season. Come on you Addicks !!
Defense will be our strong point this year and what better base to build on. I feel surprisingly optimistic about how we'll do this season, think a solid mid-table finish would be one I'm happy with.
What I am concerned about is the fact that after such success last season people on here and at the games will be expecting the same all over, and when it doesn't happen straight away that negativity will spread unnecessarily quickly, impacting on performances through lack of decent support. Its amazing how on here people are already starting that negative vibe, despite the fact we've not seen 1 minute of championship football yet!
So what if we cant afford a new top striker? BWP will score this season if he gets that patience from the crowd. Who gives a shit if it would have been better to get a new CM in? We've got decent up and coming players who will be hungry to prove what they can do on the highest stage they've played on so far.
Please please please, lets at least give them 10-15 games before passing ANY judgement, get behind them fully even if we're 0-3 down at half time 1st game and for f**ks sake stop worrying!
Whilst I haven't paid too much attention to the Championship over the last couple of years, the games I have seen have been pretty mediocre and the level isn't the leap that many seem to think.
We have a great team of players, the majority of whom all came in at the same time and all of whom worked their (wal)nuts off for each other last season. There are teams in this, and any division, that would beg for the sort of spirit that we have and then we have the bonus that they are also a technically gifted bunch of footballers.
When Chris came in, he had an idea of how he wanted to play football and knew almost immediately that he hadn't the squad to play that way and be comfortable on the ball with a strong passing game. He rectified that last summer. I also think we have a tougher group than in a good few years. I just can't see these guys getting roughed up by many in this League and that also bodes well.
We'd always like to add quality wherever and whenever we can. That's natural for us as fans and will be exactly what the board would want to do as well. It's their chance to realise their investment and make a profit, but mortgaging our future on a roll of the dice isn't how I want to build our club again. We've just had the best year in the last 7/8 and have made the investment in the youth/development squad that was desperately needed. I'd love to do a Norwich/Southampton, but I equally don't have a problem watching us develop steadily over the next few seasons and see where it takes us.
Can't wait for tomorrow...COYR!
Don't think we'll get relegated.
Win up at Brum and with a bit of luck, momentum can bring us up to the top 6, lose and we'll still be all right.