Depleated Squad

braydex

Is it just me, or is anyone else a tad annoyed that already, we are struggling to field a squad of first choice players? I accept Buyens is banned and will hopefully take advantage of a rest, but for me, before the season started and even once it had started, it was clear we were going to be relying heavily on Vetokele who is now injured. Should we have got another striker in...even on loan? Gudmundsson is still out and I just have this niggling feeling he's not going to be back for a while, same with Gomez - they've got to get over their injuries and then they wont be fit etc. They have arguably been our best 3/4 players so far. Should we be looking to get some new faces in? Should we rely on our under 21's? The team is doing much better than I expected them to, so I will give them full credit for that, but I can't help being frustrated that already...we are struggling with our squad, something that seems to happen year in year out.

seth plum

It doesn't look like a matter of 'should' but more 'have to'. We have footballers at Sparrows Lane, but many are young and inexperienced, it looks as if the strategy is to make them young and experienced. I would love glam signings if the money is there, but I prefer our youngsters to indifferent loans, and goodness knows we have seen a shedload of those in recent years.

AdTheAddicK

I find this very frustrating. But there is no one to blame.

Kap10

In years gone by we have complained about loanees coming in when we should give the youngsters a go, its really a balance. I don't think we have got it right, but I like the feel of the team and the management.

JiMMy 85

We are not an exception. We are not blighted by injuries more than any other team, big or small. Chelsea probably can't field a recognised striker this weekend, United often end up with no defenders. There will be times when any squad is tested, and given that we started this season with the hope of hitting the top half, and we're currently just off the top, I'd say that financially, Duchalet has made the right decisions on the playing squad from his perspective. Obviously we would all want a bigger, deeper squad no matter what, but to be annoyed, to me, is a little unfair

stilladdicted

I genuinely do not understand. After year upon endless year of having been told that youngsters should not be thrown in at the deep end due to immature development of musculature and trying to shield them from the mental pressures that gets heaped upon them, why is it suddenly so brilliant to have to rely on them. Who is telling/ has told me porkies?

se9addick

stilladdicted said:

I genuinely do not understand. After year upon endless year of having been told that youngsters should not be thrown in at the deep end due to immature development of musculature and trying to shield them from the mental pressures that gets heaped upon them, why is it suddenly so brilliant to have to rely on them. Who is telling/ has told me porkies?

Youngsters should be brought in when they are ready, not when we need them to be ready. Just take a look at what being chucked in against Millwall last year did to Joe Pigott. It's not good for their development and it's certainly not good for us.

If we're in October and already relying on unprepared teenagers to plug gaps then our summer recruitment policy has been a failure. Our points tally so far this year has been impressive but our bench worries me.

seriously_red

After tonight we should have Buyens, Vetokele and Gudmundsson back in the frame and Peeters has just stated one or two quality player purchases in January if we are in a "similar position".
Whatever happens tonight, Peeters and the existing squad need to deliver around 14 points from ten games to keep us in the frame. Given we are playing Blackpool, Wednesday and Millwall plus a lot of other bottom half teams I can see four wins and I don't expect four losses from the next ten. (not looked at the detail)
One loan striker might have helped but loans send the wrong messages to the academy and players like Moussa and Tucudean who need to improve to stay in the first team. If we had a long term injury to a key player then that changes but right now the rumours are that we have a fully fit squad again in November.

DamoNorthStand

Going by the official preview on our website, they are saying that JBG could be back in contention.

thenewbie

This has to be the best title typo I have seen for a long time!

Lincsaddick

thenewbie said:

This has to be the best title typo I have seen for a long time!

our team is David Depleated ((:>)

Kap10

se9addick said:

stilladdicted said:

If we're in October and already relying on unprepared teenagers to plug gaps then our summer recruitment policy has been a failure. Our points tally so far this year has been impressive but our bench worries me.

But sadly no one else!

LargeAddick

there were two deals done with players on transfer deadline day but we couldn't get them over the line with their clubs. so we did try to bolster the squad. I'd rather persevere with George, Moussa, KAG etc than loan A.Nobody from somewhere who is no better, maybe worse, and not going to benefit us long time like blooding KAG will. I trust Bob and Two Chalet to sort it in January unless a better player becomes available on loan who we can afford.

ricky_otto

As frustrating as it is, it gives one or two of the younger players a place on the bench and the possibility to get on and stake a claim for a place.

Oggy Red

ricky_otto said:

As frustrating as it is, it gives one or two of the younger players a place on the bench and the possibility to get on and stake a claim for a place.

Okay, we're currently short of numbers in the squad and we've already seen Gomez and KAG show what they can do in our 1st team - but the question is perhaps whether these and other youngsters would benefit more from being out on loan gaining experience?

Harriot also looks like he needs to be playing regularly somewhere else to rebuild confidence..


17 year old Tariq Holmes-Dennis is already making a huge impression at Oxford in Division 2 and looking a class above his team mates. That experience surely will make him a better more experienced player when the time comes to make his Charlton debut.

tangoflash

On the plus side, Church is still injured.



Every cloud an all that..............

ross1

tangoflash said:

On the plus side, Church is still injured.



Every cloud an all that..............

Sorry, do not see how any Charlton supporter can think that we benefit from his injury. Plus there was a chance he could have gone out on loan, bringing us some money into the club

sam3110

I'm glad they have all been told to wear tube skirts from now on, no more pleats is a good thing in my eyes.

Just hope Wilson doesn't return to the frills though.....

tangoflash

ross1 said:

tangoflash said:

On the plus side, Church is still injured.



Every cloud an all that..............

Sorry, do not see how any Charlton supporter can think that we benefit from his injury. Plus there was a chance he could have gone out on loan, bringing us some money into the club

Erm, cos he's shit?

And as for going out on loan, who would want him? I was told on good authority that before his injury a L1 team showed some interest in him. When he was told of this, he told Bob he wasn't interested, as he's a championship player. So not only a poor player, but deluded too.............

Ledge

Ebanks Blake formerly of wolves is available on a free .

A-R-T-H-U-R

Ledge said:

Ebanks Blake formerly of wolves is available on a free .

But we'd have to fork out for two wheelbarrows to cart his buttocks about in.

dickplumb

He had a recent trial at Brentford, he scored in an U21 game but they didn't take him on.

Addick_in_Exile

stilladdicted said:

I genuinely do not understand. After year upon endless year of having been told that youngsters should not be thrown in at the deep end due to immature development of musculature and trying to shield them from the mental pressures that gets heaped upon them, why is it suddenly so brilliant to have to rely on them. Who is telling/ has told me porkies?

I think this was code for "I'm not going to lose my job by playing youth players" rather shielding them from the mental pressures of the game.