Must be changes for the Scunthorpe game .. Konsa out or moved to central midfield (not recommended against a team as good as Scunthorpe) with Bauer or Johnson in the middle of defence .. Ajose was signed to be the main goal scorer, it's not happening and he needs a rest .. Magennis is a big ol boy but is not a consistent scorer .. Put Lookman up front with Hayden & Jackson back in midfield to give some leadership ..
I was not at the game, the writers here suggest that Wimbledon outfought and outthought us .. we need to get stuck in and be a bit nastier and a bit more shrewd .. Scunthorpe United is a tough and well organised outfit with no little skill .. don't just write them off as dirty fecking norveners .. we need at least a point there as a morale booster .. it will not be easy
Have we at long last signed Hayden Mullins? hurrah!!
lol .. freudian slip .. am still hoping that he'll sign, he can still do a job at 37 ((:>) .. meant Hanlan
Spoke briefly with Chris Parkes after the game. He said that we should be grateful we have Roland as our owner because otherwise we could end up like Wimbledon!
What did his old woman say?
She was standing behind him with her hand up his back
Beaten at home in a third division London derby by a team formed about 15 years ago. This was a low point. Buck your ideas up fellas or the spanners will wipe the floor with you.
Rudd: Beaten twice at short range this week, after two at long range last week. Should have done better with their first goal.
Solly: Decent performance, but we don't win with him as captain. Dunno why.
Fox: The odd nervous tackle, but he doesn't hide.
Konsa: Looks a solid defender for such a young guy
Pearce: Looks another good defender - so why do we keep conceding ?
Holmes: 90% of his play results in a ball inside the box or a shot - top man.
Ulvestad: Not creative enough, but one or two nice touches.
Crofts: Waste of time - never any end product
Lookman: Keep shooting son - you are class.
Magennis: Took him 70 mins to win a header - another Makienok ?
Ajose: Should stop coming back to get involved in play - just stay on the defensive line like a predator.
Novak Unlucky with a decent header near the end that was deflected out.
Had to laugh yesterday, my grandson and his mate wanted a programme each, Mum reluctantly agreed and handed over 20 quid, the late teen seller proceeded to get his phone out to work out the change.
Grandson promptly told him £14 and 3 minutes later the bloke agreed, typical of the staff employed by the club, possible future CEO?
A very good mate of mine supports Wimbledon - I met up with him and his pals prior to the game. They were all fearing a thumping based on how badly they were against sheff utd
The thing that's pissed me off about this result is that I just started to give myself a little hope and want to get behind the team. There were times last season and up until the start of this season, that I actually wanted the team to lose, based on my logic of it being another nail in the coffin of project ductape's mental experiment. However, encouraged by some of the signings and Slade's outward attempt at trying to rally the fans post Bolton, I just let my guard down, and I've been suitably burnt once again.
The lack of killer instinct on display y'day was pathetic. My friend said that at HT, they were amazed they were only 1 down. Not because we were ripping them to shreds, but that we should've been ripping them to shreds. He said post game it's almost as if charlton's scouts hadn't bothered to watch Wimbledon over the last few weeks. He said all we needed to do was put the squeeze on as 2 goals would've been beyond them he believes.
Except Slade showed himself to be tactically inept and Ardley taught him a lesson. Quite an embarrassing day all round really. Some of those players aren't up for it based on what I've seen so far. I cannot stand players who cannot turn on the ball. Crofts is excellent at this. How hard is it to turn as you're receiving the ball. If you have no one around you or a bit of space, this should be a pre-requisite for me as a player. Goals are scored and games won when balls are played in early, there is good movement and passing is quick and fluid. I appreciate that's easier said than done, but Slade could be working on this in training. Does he get a drill where you take players like Crofts, play balls into his feet and see if he can turn? Conversely games are drawn and lost when your 2 central midfielders receive a ball into feet and cannot get the move flowing quick enough, it ends up going back across goal between our 2 CBs, out to the full backs and then lumped to Magennis.
Even more frustrating was having to meet my mate and his mates after the game. They were buzzing as you often are when you win coming from behind. The spirit in that club is very good. They've been broken down and rebuilt again and have a togetherness that we once had.
Interesting times ahead in the next few weeks. Let's see what Slade is made of. Some changes like dropping Crofts and AJose would be a start
A very good mate of mine supports Wimbledon - I met up with him and his pals prior to the game. They were all fearing a thumping based on how badly they were against sheff utd
The thing that's pissed me off about this result is that I just started to give myself a little hope and want to get behind the team. There were times last season and up until the start of this season, that I actually wanted the team to lose, based on my logic of it being another nail in the coffin of project ductape's mental experiment. However, encouraged by some of the signings and Slade's outward attempt at trying to rally the fans post Bolton, I just let my guard down, and I've been suitably burnt once again.
The lack of killer instinct on display y'day was pathetic. My friend said that at HT, they were amazed they were only 1 down. Not because we were ripping them to shreds, but that we should've been ripping them to shreds. He said post game it's almost as if charlton's scouts hadn't bothered to watch Wimbledon over the last few weeks. He said all we needed to do was put the squeeze on as 2 goals would've been beyond them he believes.
Except Slade showed himself to be tactically inept and Ardley taught him a lesson. Quite an embarrassing day all round really. Some of those players aren't up for it based on what I've seen so far. I cannot stand players who cannot turn on the ball. Crofts is excellent at this. How hard is it to turn as you're receiving the ball. If you have no one around you or a bit of space, this should be a pre-requisite for me as a player. Goals are scored and games won when balls are played in early, there is good movement and passing is quick and fluid. I appreciate that's easier said than done, but Slade could be working on this in training. Does he get a drill where you take players like Crofts, play balls into his feet and see if he can turn? Conversely games are drawn and lost when your 2 central midfielders receive a ball into feet and cannot get the move flowing quick enough, it ends up going back across goal between our 2 CBs, out to the full backs and then lumped to Magennis.
Even more frustrating was having to meet my mate and his mates after the game. They were buzzing as you often are when you win coming from behind. The spirit in that club is very good. They've been broken down and rebuilt again and have a togetherness that we once had.
Interesting times ahead in the next few weeks. Let's see what Slade is made of. Some changes like dropping Crofts and AJose would be a start
If we play the way we did for the fisrt 75 minutes we will have better luck and more goals and we will be fine.
Better luck, better referees, fewer injuries etc and all will be well. Pretty much what some kept saying throughout last season and that ended up well.
There is no 'boycott' - people have drifted away because of the contempt shown towards them by those that run the club and the total lack of hope or vision. Until there is direction and a new sense of positive leadership nothing will meaningfully improve. And that will only come with a change of ownership. Without that change we are looking - potentially - at years of stagnation and decline.
In fairness, while some of those not attending are boycotting, there is a sizeable proportion of the absentees who have simply decided to do something else. The former may come back, the latter are unlikely to. Both are a result of Duchatalet's running of the club.
It's a little bit like a certain fragrant and lovely CEO's comparison of a football club with a restaurant/cinema, faced with a shit meal or a shitty cinema experience, the natural reaction is not to return (unless something dramatic - ownership/management - changes).
TBH, I had a bad pint at the Ladywell Tavern a couple of years ago and won't go back even though it's changed ownership. When the "customer experience" is so awful and there are other alternatives, you really are ruining the business for the future. Meire is even crap on her own terms.
Saw it coming part way through the 2nd half. It was all too easy and we were complacent in the extreme, happy to drift through to the end for a 1-0 win that would have had many fans giving it the "promotion" story.
We got exactly what we deserved. If we can't put away teams like Wimbledon we'll end up in mid-table.
I just hope Duchatelet decides to sell if it becomes clear we aren't going up this season.
I don't think it was tactics, Slade's subs/motivation, the midfield, protestors (hope no one genuinely believes that but I expect some do) or whatever else. Yes some of things may have won the game but it was a game where we shouldn't have even been in that position in the first place.
For me it was mainly down to not taking our chances. It's just not good enough if you want to be promoted.
My dad text me at half time to ask if we were looking good. I said we needed a second goal and that was predictably the case.
Ajose had a couple of decent chances. If he's not scoring goals he doesn't add much enough.
Holmes is a very good dribbler and works hard. I find him frustrating at times though, as with the Northampton game he would be even better if he picked out the right pass rather than trying to do too much, or going for goal himself. At one point he drove forward with the ball from around the halfway line, had a chance to play Lookman in but instead took the ball further and chipped the ball straight the goalkeepers arms. At that moment it seemed he was thinking more about scoring the goal of the season than the team finishing off the game.
We've also got to cut out the long balls. Fox especially was playing far too many. In Holmes or Lookman he has a wide player that will come and get the ball, or run into space, Magennis isn't that great in the air for his size.
Defending must improve. Hope I'm wrong but I get the feeling Slade isn't keen on Bauer or Tex. Konsa has done well and I'm sure he will play at a higher level but I don't think he's as impressive as some academy players that have come through at a similar age.
Ulvestad had something about him, at least looks different to what we have. More comfortable running forward with the ball than Crofts, Foley and Jackson, more mobile and seems more creative in terms of his passing. We need him to do well given our other options in CM.
I was a bit surprised with the atmosphere, so quiet at times, including from the away fans. It was perhaps summed up by a couple I could see in front of me. At half time I noticed the woman knitting and she carried on about 20 minutes into the second half. The man was looking at e-mails, a restaurant website and maps (including London Underground) on his iPad early on in the second half before briefly checking messages on his phone (and yes it was the West Stand).
What's so frustrating was although I wouldn't at all say we dominated or even played that well we had enough decent chances to win comfortably. Yet the equaliser was predictable. I still have the feeling this is more likely to be similar to a Parkinson team battling along for a play-off place than a Powell team being right up there after a top two place.
After relegation from SBC the team inevitably changes out of recognition. Unaware of parachute payments for SBC exiters. The renewables say they're supporting the team and NOT the regime. Fair enough but if that's the team then one wonders if yet again we're looking at far more agony than ecstasy. Why would you winter at the valley to watch that lot. Said before that Slade has until October 8 to get his act together from the fans perspective. As for selling, am afraid we're whistling in the wind. Douchebag probably now needs £40m to clear the account. Whose going to fork out that kind of dough for a mediocre league 1 outfit. Worrying that after 8 games we can't dominate a 4th quartile outfit like AFC. Teams in the top half will chew us up at this rate. We're either 4 points off the play-offs or 2 points from relegation. I s'pose you pays your money....
I don't think it was tactics, Slade's subs/motivation, the midfield, protestors (hope no one genuinely believes that but I expect some do) or whatever else. Yes some of things may have won the game but it was a game where we shouldn't have even been in that position in the first place.
For me it was mainly down to not taking our chances. It's just not good enough if you want to be promoted.
My dad text me at half time to ask if we were looking good. I said we needed a second goal and that was predictably the case.
Ajose had a couple of decent chances. If he's not scoring goals he doesn't add much enough.
Holmes is a very good dribbler and works hard. I find him frustrating at times though, as with the Northampton game he would be even better if he picked out the right pass rather than trying to do too much, or going for goal himself. At one point he drove forward with the ball from around the halfway line, had a chance to play Lookman in but instead took the ball further and chipped the ball straight the goalkeepers arms. At that moment it seemed he was thinking more about scoring the goal of the season than the team finishing off the game.
We've also got to cut out the long balls. Fox especially was playing far too many. In Holmes or Lookman he has a wide player that will come and get the ball, or run into space, Magennis isn't that great in the air for his size.
Defending must improve. Hope I'm wrong but I get the feeling Slade isn't keen on Bauer or Tex. Konsa has done well and I'm sure he will play at a higher level but I don't think he's as impressive as some academy players that have come through at a similar age.
Ulvestad had something about him, at least looks different to what we have. More comfortable running forward with the ball than Crofts, Foley and Jackson, more mobile and seems more creative in terms of his passing. We need him to do well given our other options in CM.
I was a bit surprised with the atmosphere, so quiet at times, including from the away fans. It was perhaps summed up by a couple I could see in front of me. At half time I noticed the woman knitting and she carried on about 20 minutes into the second half. The man was looking at e-mails, a restaurant website and maps (including London Underground) on his iPad early on in the second half before briefly checking messages on his phone (and yes it was the West Stand).
What's so frustrating was although I wouldn't at all say we dominated or even played that well we had enough decent chances to win comfortably. Yet the equaliser was predictable. I still have the feeling this is more likely to be similar to a Parkinson team battling along for a play-off place than a Powell team being right up there after a top two place.
You're spot on as usual. My point whilst agreeing with you, is that many fans could sense the equaliser coming. We were tiring and they were getting stronger using their subs. Botaka totally changed the game at Fleetwood, yet he wasn't brought on for say Lookman, who was flagging.
Also Jackson invariably gets a goal when it's most needed especially from corners and he wasn't brought on either, not even when we had a corner right at the end.
A very dispiriting result against a team which, with all due respect, is likely to finish in the bottom half of the table. We played pretty well, albeit a little sporadically, in the first half, with Lookman completely unplayable.
Opportunities were harder to come by in the second half, although if Holmes or Magennis had got the second goal, you feel that we would have secured the three points reasonably comfortably. In the event, the energy levels dipped, we dropped deeper and deeper and seemed incapable of stringing more than two passes together in the last twenty minutes. Wimbledon showed much greater cohesion, passing ability and drive during that period and there was a sense of inevitability about their equaliser. Their winner was, however, a surprise, even if they were on top at that stage.
The problem with Charlton is that, offensively, we only really have two strings to our bow: individual moments of class from Lookman or Holmes or the long ball to Magennis. We cannot rely the former week in, week out, whilst a percentage long ball game is reasonably easy to counter, especially as we win a limited amount of second balls and do not have a midfielder making runs beyond the forwards. A further problem with a slow and unimaginative midfield is that an inability to retain possession inevitably puts pressure on our defence.
Overall, a very worrying performance from a team which has aspirations of a top six finish. On what we've seen to date, mid-table is a more likely outcome.
Defending must improve. Hope I'm wrong but I get the feeling Slade isn't keen on Bauer or Tex. Konsa has done well and I'm sure he will play at a higher level but I don't think he's as impressive as some academy players that have come through at a similar age.
Interesting point and one I made to someone I was with on Saturday re Konsa.
Now Bauer is fit I really think he needs bringing back into the team. At this level he is a class above just about every strike force I've seen.
I really rate Konsa and think he has a big future ahead of him - I just hope Slade looks after him. Part of me wonders whether there is pressure from above to keep him in the team given that I imagine he's already on the radar of a number of PL clubs.
Interestingly I said Palace's AM going into the west stand before the match. I wonder what he was doing there..!!
im afraid too many people on here think the boycott is working. People have actually gone elsewhere and won't be returning. If and when the club is sold there will be no return of the masses, they have all gone. As controversial as this might sound, our only chance at survival might be these owners. No match comments from me, I'm boycotting. Well , I'm on holiday so can't get there. Am amazed how many boycotters are able to see the match though...
things will never ever change the shower of shit dished up at bury should of been a reminder of how far weve fallen, same shit tactics from the mananager i think hes a puppet on a okayish wage i will never sing russel slades red and white army despite the club tweeting that is was being "pumped" out from the covered end, until that belgian sack of shit roland sells up we will never progress no reason why we cant get relegated again this season, will continue to do away games as different places to see and a good beer up with my mates may go down to the valley for millwall and possibly gills as they are derbies but aside that fuck em.
could be in the relegation zone by close of play tuesday evening.
I went on Saturday. First home game I've paid for this season, and won't be doing it again. I turned up because with the 'black and white day' I thought it was a special day of protest. What was with the atmosphere though? You would have thought we could have at least one chant of 'we want roland out' during the game? Everyone seems to have totally given up. Don't understand how there are a couple of thousand black and white scarfs sitting there and everyone's singing the name of yet another under-performing manager brought in by these belgian pricks, and not expressing any dissatisfaction at all about the way the club is run. Most of the time it was just silent. Hoping for a much better mix of supporting the team/telling the regime where they can stick it at Oxford on Saturday.
As for the game, what a load of shit. We were easily in control then just threw it away in a manner that has become very familiar over the last few years. Up until they scored no one had a particularly bad game, but there are obvious limitations throughout the squad, and with our tactics. Don't understand why any of our back four (especially Pearce and Fox) can't take a touch before aimlessly lumping the ball upfield. Centre mids showed a few moments each that impressed, but still looking pretty anonymous. Still crying out for creativity there. The wingers are good to watch, and I thought Lookman in particular was excellent yesterday. Up front Magennis had another good game. Much more useful than Makienok. Lots of people slagging off Ajose, but I think he causes lots of problems with his movement, and will score goals up there with Magennis for sure. We looked FAR worse - and less likely to score - after Novak came on. I've not seen much of him this season so will reserve judgement, but on Saturday he looked useless.
Absolutely have to win games like that - both on paper, and how the game was going - if we want to have any chance of getting promoted. Would be amazed to see us finish in the top six this season. Sad thing is, how much I'm struggling to care...
I went on Saturday. First home game I've paid for this season, and won't be doing it again. I turned up because with the 'black and white day' I thought it was a special day of protest. What was with the atmosphere though? You would have thought we could have at least one chant of 'we want roland out' during the game? Everyone seems to have totally given up. Don't understand how there are a couple of thousand black and white scarfs sitting there and everyone's singing the name of yet another under-performing manager brought in by these belgian pricks, and not expressing any dissatisfaction at all about the way the club is run. Most of the time it was just silent. Hoping for a much better mix of supporting the team/telling the regime where they can stick it at Oxford on Saturday.
As for the game, what a load of shit. We were easily in control then just threw it away in a manner that has become very familiar over the last few years. Up until they scored no one had a particularly bad game, but there are obvious limitations throughout the squad, and with our tactics. Don't understand why any of our back four (especially Pearce and Fox) can't take a touch before aimlessly lumping the ball upfield. Centre mids showed a few moments each that impressed, but still looking pretty anonymous. Still crying out for creativity there. The wingers are good to watch, and I thought Lookman in particular was excellent yesterday. Up front Magennis had another good game. Much more useful than Makienok. Lots of people slagging off Ajose, but I think he causes lots of problems with his movement, and will score goals up there with Magennis for sure. We looked FAR worse - and less likely to score - after Novak came on. I've not seen much of him this season so will reserve judgement, but on Saturday he looked useless.
Absolutely have to win games like that - both on paper, and how the game was going - if we want to have any chance of getting promoted. Would be amazed to see us finish in the top six this season. Sad thing is, how much I'm struggling to care...
Completely agree with all of this except your view of Ajose who I think is a dud. Otherwise spot on. One other thing Occured to me about the lack of vocal protests. We wrote to Wimbledon fans asking them to help us. Some of them were apparently turned away for attempting to bring in Roland out flags and there was one faint rendition of "we want Roland out from them". Bet they wondered what on earth was (or wasn't) going on with the silence from our end.
Comments
Listening to bbc London on the way home Ardley said it was a tactic to bring on more height into the team. The tactics were won along with the game.
Looks like a frustrating season ahead.
This was a low point.
Buck your ideas up fellas or the spanners will wipe the floor with you.
Rudd: Beaten twice at short range this week, after two at long range last week. Should have done better with their first goal.
Solly: Decent performance, but we don't win with him as captain. Dunno why.
Fox: The odd nervous tackle, but he doesn't hide.
Konsa: Looks a solid defender for such a young guy
Pearce: Looks another good defender - so why do we keep conceding ?
Holmes: 90% of his play results in a ball inside the box or a shot - top man.
Ulvestad: Not creative enough, but one or two nice touches.
Crofts: Waste of time - never any end product
Lookman: Keep shooting son - you are class.
Magennis: Took him 70 mins to win a header - another Makienok ?
Ajose: Should stop coming back to get involved in play - just stay on the defensive line like a predator.
Novak Unlucky with a decent header near the end that was deflected out.
Grandson promptly told him £14 and 3 minutes later the bloke agreed, typical of the staff employed by the club, possible future CEO?
The thing that's pissed me off about this result is that I just started to give myself a little hope and want to get behind the team. There were times last season and up until the start of this season, that I actually wanted the team to lose, based on my logic of it being another nail in the coffin of project ductape's mental experiment. However, encouraged by some of the signings and Slade's outward attempt at trying to rally the fans post Bolton, I just let my guard down, and I've been suitably burnt once again.
The lack of killer instinct on display y'day was pathetic. My friend said that at HT, they were amazed they were only 1 down. Not because we were ripping them to shreds, but that we should've been ripping them to shreds. He said post game it's almost as if charlton's scouts hadn't bothered to watch Wimbledon over the last few weeks. He said all we needed to do was put the squeeze on as 2 goals would've been beyond them he believes.
Except Slade showed himself to be tactically inept and Ardley taught him a lesson. Quite an embarrassing day all round really. Some of those players aren't up for it based on what I've seen so far. I cannot stand players who cannot turn on the ball. Crofts is excellent at this. How hard is it to turn as you're receiving the ball. If you have no one around you or a bit of space, this should be a pre-requisite for me as a player. Goals are scored and games won when balls are played in early, there is good movement and passing is quick and fluid. I appreciate that's easier said than done, but Slade could be working on this in training. Does he get a drill where you take players like Crofts, play balls into his feet and see if he can turn? Conversely games are drawn and lost when your 2 central midfielders receive a ball into feet and cannot get the move flowing quick enough, it ends up going back across goal between our 2 CBs, out to the full backs and then lumped to Magennis.
Even more frustrating was having to meet my mate and his mates after the game. They were buzzing as you often are when you win coming from behind. The spirit in that club is very good. They've been broken down and rebuilt again and have a togetherness that we once had.
Interesting times ahead in the next few weeks. Let's see what Slade is made of. Some changes like dropping Crofts and AJose would be a start
We got exactly what we deserved. If we can't put away teams like Wimbledon we'll end up in mid-table.
I just hope Duchatelet decides to sell if it becomes clear we aren't going up this season.
Summer spent drinking lemonade,
Fleetwood, Wimbledon, put him in the shade,
Russell Slade, Russell Slade.
Russell Slade never explained,
Why his team were poorly trained,
Never once did he assert,
That none were fit to wear the shirt.
Russell Slade always ignoring
Hoof-ball makes for football boring.
Fans all watch like graveside mourners,
Charlton botch up all their corners.
Russell Slade will never win it,
His team gives up in the tenth minute,
Can't be asked to run and strike it,
Eff of fans, if you don't like it.
Russell Slade, Russell Slade,
Under worked, and overpaid,
Yet when he's sacked, he'll have it made,
Russell Slade, Russell Slade.
2ft 7.5 ins
2ft 9.5 ins is the correct answer on his correct height.
I don't think it was tactics, Slade's subs/motivation, the midfield, protestors (hope no one genuinely believes that but I expect some do) or whatever else. Yes some of things may have won the game but it was a game where we shouldn't have even been in that position in the first place.
For me it was mainly down to not taking our chances. It's just not good enough if you want to be promoted.
My dad text me at half time to ask if we were looking good. I said we needed a second goal and that was predictably the case.
Ajose had a couple of decent chances. If he's not scoring goals he doesn't add much enough.
Holmes is a very good dribbler and works hard. I find him frustrating at times though, as with the Northampton game he would be even better if he picked out the right pass rather than trying to do too much, or going for goal himself. At one point he drove forward with the ball from around the halfway line, had a chance to play Lookman in but instead took the ball further and chipped the ball straight the goalkeepers arms. At that moment it seemed he was thinking more about scoring the goal of the season than the team finishing off the game.
We've also got to cut out the long balls. Fox especially was playing far too many. In Holmes or Lookman he has a wide player that will come and get the ball, or run into space, Magennis isn't that great in the air for his size.
Defending must improve. Hope I'm wrong but I get the feeling Slade isn't keen on Bauer or Tex. Konsa has done well and I'm sure he will play at a higher level but I don't think he's as impressive as some academy players that have come through at a similar age.
Ulvestad had something about him, at least looks different to what we have. More comfortable running forward with the ball than Crofts, Foley and Jackson, more mobile and seems more creative in terms of his passing. We need him to do well given our other options in CM.
I was a bit surprised with the atmosphere, so quiet at times, including from the away fans. It was perhaps summed up by a couple I could see in front of me. At half time I noticed the woman knitting and she carried on about 20 minutes into the second half. The man was looking at e-mails, a restaurant website and maps (including London Underground) on his iPad early on in the second half before briefly checking messages on his phone (and yes it was the West Stand).
What's so frustrating was although I wouldn't at all say we dominated or even played that well we had enough decent chances to win comfortably. Yet the equaliser was predictable. I still have the feeling this is more likely to be similar to a Parkinson team battling along for a play-off place than a Powell team being right up there after a top two place.
The renewables say they're supporting the team and NOT the regime. Fair enough but if that's the team then one wonders if yet again we're looking at far more agony than ecstasy.
Why would you winter at the valley to watch that lot. Said before that Slade has until October 8 to get his act together from the fans perspective.
As for selling, am afraid we're whistling in the wind. Douchebag probably now needs £40m to clear the account.
Whose going to fork out that kind of dough for a mediocre league 1 outfit.
Worrying that after 8 games we can't dominate a 4th quartile outfit like AFC. Teams in the top half will chew us up at this rate. We're either 4 points off the play-offs or 2 points from relegation. I s'pose you pays your money....
Also Jackson invariably gets a goal when it's most needed especially from corners and he wasn't brought on either, not even when we had a corner right at the end.
I'm still non plussed.
Opportunities were harder to come by in the second half, although if Holmes or Magennis had got the second goal, you feel that we would have secured the three points reasonably comfortably. In the event, the energy levels dipped, we dropped deeper and deeper and seemed incapable of stringing more than two passes together in the last twenty minutes. Wimbledon showed much greater cohesion, passing ability and drive during that period and there was a sense of inevitability about their equaliser. Their winner was, however, a surprise, even if they were on top at that stage.
The problem with Charlton is that, offensively, we only really have two strings to our bow: individual moments of class from Lookman or Holmes or the long ball to Magennis. We cannot rely the former week in, week out, whilst a percentage long ball game is reasonably easy to counter, especially as we win a limited amount of second balls and do not have a midfielder making runs beyond the forwards. A further problem with a slow and unimaginative midfield is that an inability to retain possession inevitably puts pressure on our defence.
Overall, a very worrying performance from a team which has aspirations of a top six finish. On what we've seen to date, mid-table is a more likely outcome.
Now Bauer is fit I really think he needs bringing back into the team. At this level he is a class above just about every strike force I've seen.
I really rate Konsa and think he has a big future ahead of him - I just hope Slade looks after him. Part of me wonders whether there is pressure from above to keep him in the team given that I imagine he's already on the radar of a number of PL clubs.
Interestingly I said Palace's AM going into the west stand before the match. I wonder what he was doing there..!!
Tuesdays match at Skatrienmeirehorpe will see us do well to take a point
0.5% Top two ......... 22.5% 3rd-6th ......... 60% 7th-12th ......... 17% 13th-20th ........ 0% relegation
could be in the relegation zone by close of play tuesday evening.
As for the game, what a load of shit. We were easily in control then just threw it away in a manner that has become very familiar over the last few years. Up until they scored no one had a particularly bad game, but there are obvious limitations throughout the squad, and with our tactics. Don't understand why any of our back four (especially Pearce and Fox) can't take a touch before aimlessly lumping the ball upfield. Centre mids showed a few moments each that impressed, but still looking pretty anonymous. Still crying out for creativity there. The wingers are good to watch, and I thought Lookman in particular was excellent yesterday. Up front Magennis had another good game. Much more useful than Makienok. Lots of people slagging off Ajose, but I think he causes lots of problems with his movement, and will score goals up there with Magennis for sure. We looked FAR worse - and less likely to score - after Novak came on. I've not seen much of him this season so will reserve judgement, but on Saturday he looked useless.
Absolutely have to win games like that - both on paper, and how the game was going - if we want to have any chance of getting promoted. Would be amazed to see us finish in the top six this season. Sad thing is, how much I'm struggling to care...