We have some genuinely exciting players in Holmes and Lookman and proven goal scorers at this level in Ajose and Novak. What makes the whole situation frustrating is that, despite that talent, we just look stifled and the blame for that lies with the manager. As soon as he put two up front, the game changed and Rochdale began to retreat. Why the hell did he wait until after an hour had gone to do it? To start the game with one up was bad enough but then to wait beyond half time to change it was criminal. I don't want to join the Slade out camp because all managers need time but he really cocked up today and, even after such a short period in charge, his conservativeness (is that a word) is a concern. We have strikers on the bench who scored 40 goals between them last season. 40!! Yet he's playing Jacko, God bless him, in the hole! Really?
What I will say on a slightly more positive note though is that I can't be having people saying that was the worst 90 minutes they'd seen particularly after Tuesday and not to mention some of the dross last season. At least we created some meaningful chances and deserved at the very least a point. We just need our manager to shake off the shackles and, in every game, play two out and out wingers, two up front and maybe even someone at the tip of a diamond midfield off them. That way you could accommodate Botaka, Holmes and Lookman as well as two of Magennis, Novak (who looked good off the bench today) and Ajose. Hopefully he'll wise up before it's too late.
One final point is that any success we do have this season will be in spite of the atmosphere at the Valley. I know we've had it rough over the last few years but the booing the team after 25 minutes ain't helping anyone.
We werent as bad as we were on Tuesday night. You dont though play 4-5-1 as the home side when your playing against a team below you in the League Should have gone to 4-4-2 right after Half-Time, I guess the penalty delayed that even more as it made us look competitive in the original formation Russell needs to grow a pair and not be so scared of the opposition
This seems to have confirmed what those who could see through the fanfare about Russell Slade being a British manager flagged ... he's not good enough. The nationality of the manager does not matter, Katrien. The fact you keep appointing duds does.
We're relegation fodder. I'm sure over on the Facebook Forum, Sue and the EDL scum who post on it, will be going on about how everything is great and we'll turn it around. But, back in the real world, we're in real trouble here.
And just an aside, if Meire wants to talk about honest dialogue with the fans, wtf did 14,500 come from? You couldn't make it up - but obviously they do, week in, week out. I happened to notice Watford had 20.5k today in the Premiership... how can they seriously expect us to believe anything when they're claiming we had 5k less at the Valley to watch that dross?
Just mentioned it on the player marks but what are the players doing in Training... Yes its been mentioned that the players stay late after training but do they each have their own individual table in the canteen? - Reason being twice a player bust a gut to get to a ball that had been overhit (Fox was the first / Magennis was the second), each time they made it yet when it came to crossing the ball into the middle, no one else had bothered to bust a gut to get into the area... And they bloody well wonder why we're not scoring more goals!!
Just mentioned it on the player marks but what are the players doing in Training... Yes its been mentioned that the players stay late after training but do they each have their own individual table in the canteen? - Reason being twice a player bust a gut to get to a ball that had been overhit (Fox was the first / Magennis was the second), each time they made it yet when it came to crossing the ball into the middle, no one else had bothered to bust a gut to get into the area... And they bloody well wonder why we're not scoring more goals!!
Just mentioned it on the player marks but what are the players doing in Training... Yes its been mentioned that the players stay late after training but do they each have their own individual table in the canteen? - Reason being twice a player bust a gut to get to a ball that had been overhit (Fox was the first / Magennis was the second), each time they made it yet when it came to crossing the ball into the middle, no one else had bothered to bust a gut to get into the area... And they bloody well wonder why we're not scoring more goals!!
Millwall V Charlton 17/18. That's going to be a big old attendance for a 4th tier fixture!
Both as sh*t as each other at the moment and for the foreseeable by the looks of it. No pride in south London football at the moment. Apart from those stripey ****'s down the road. But they're Surrey so they don't count. Sigh indeed.
Just mentioned it on the player marks but what are the players doing in Training... Yes its been mentioned that the players stay late after training but do they each have their own individual table in the canteen? - Reason being twice a player bust a gut to get to a ball that had been overhit (Fox was the first / Magennis was the second), each time they made it yet when it came to crossing the ball into the middle, no one else had bothered to bust a gut to get into the area... And they bloody well wonder why we're not scoring more goals!!
You're beginning to sound like Viewfinder mate .
Plus I reckon you should p**s off back to coaching kids in Blackheath on a Saturday afternoon... I really dont know your issues with sick kids from Hampshire either!!
For all the talk of the fact that we're a poisoned chalice, it's worth noting that Miere tried to reject the signing of Foley and Mowgli the signing of Crofts. Given that even @Leuth has turned against the latter, it seems the un-showered one may well have been right (stopped clock and all that).
Many on here wanted a non-network, British manager who had control over the signings. Here we are. A team of mostly British players with British experience. And what does it get us? A long ball mentality, lack of tactical and technical nuance, and no apparent game plan apart from "go out there, get stuck in, fight for the shirt. etc. etc. etc."
Every team in the division knows exactly how to play against us--put three in central midfield and over-crowd us (even when we have three in central midfield), press us because we have a center back (Pearce) and a full back (Fox) who are poor on the ball, and our central midfielders aren't that great either. Press us, we go long, and all you have to do is win the second balls because we struggle to get players near our center forward(s). We've been found out.
We now have two weeks before our next meaningful match. We have seen no improvement or evolution in tactics. We still have the same problems we had in pre-season. Were it up to me, Slade would go today so we had two weeks to bring a new manager in.
We're outside the relegation zone on goal difference. Our last three home matches have been AFC Wimbledon, Oldham, and Rochdale. We've taken ONE point. We've dropped four from winning positions. I struggle to see how we could get in someone drastically worse.
Millwall V Charlton 17/18. That's going to be a big old attendance for a 4th tier fixture!
Both as sh*t as each other at the moment and for the foreseeable by the looks of it. No pride in south London football at the moment. Apart from those stripey ****'s down the road. But they're Surrey so they don't count. Sigh indeed.
The thing is mate, no matter how bad you lot play, we roll up and it's 3pts for you. The intl break is probably a massive bonus for us given how bad we are. It's probably not a good thing for you lot, as I'm certain your bad run would've come to an end next sat
First time iv seen us this season, gave up my boycott, as I felt it unfair to criticise a team I had not seen. Blimey am I justified now !
It was awful, Rochdale will be mid table and are nothing special. However, we made them look so good. This is a crap leauge with crap teams in it, and my god we fit the bill perfectly.
Lookmans, few moments of magic apart it was awful from the entire team. Even, Lookmans moments come to nothing. Even worse, is we are not unlucky or nor jelled, we are just a poor team. I didn't in all honesty think we could be that bad, but we are. An I seriously cannot see us turning this round. Being relegated is a serious possibility !
Millwall V Charlton 17/18. That's going to be a big old attendance for a 4th tier fixture!
Both as sh*t as each other at the moment and for the foreseeable by the looks of it. No pride in south London football at the moment. Apart from those stripey ****'s down the road. But they're Surrey so they don't count. Sigh indeed.
If Millwall v Charlton coming up was a fight it would be this...
His CV said everything we needed to know about Brussel. The Cardiff fans helpfully advised the sort of football we would be watching too. You can sort of blame the regime for dragging us down to a point where a nobody like this was the height of our aspirations, but FFS, 1-0 down at half time, and we carry on with the same? Sue Perks was probably the only perosn in the ground who could'nt see we needed a change. The last few minutes, we went for it. Sorry but that's not good enough. We are at fucking home you waster. The table told you we needed two wins this week, and you tried to win by defending. A bit like fucking for chastity. Arsehole!!
Took a chance as it was a fiver. Won't again this season. I was hopeful that things had improved ever so slightly from last season, couldn't of been more wrong. Players that individually are mostly good enough, though they are not a team and are being directed by a clueless joker. Shame.
His CV said everything we needed to know about Brussel. The Cardiff fans helpfully advised the sort of football we would be watching too. You can sort of blame the regime for dragging us down to a point where a nobody like this was the height of our aspirations, but FFS, 1-0 down at half time, and we carry on with the same? Sue Perks was probably the only perosn in the ground who could'nt see we needed a change. The last few minutes, we went for it. Sorry but that's not good enough. We are at fucking home you waster. The table told you we needed two wins this week, and you tried to win by defending. A bit like fucking for chastity. Arsehole!!
Even my pet goldfish knows more about football than Sue (I've got my head in the trough) Perks .
That it I'm out. Can't face wasting any more of my time, energy and money on the shower of shite that this club has become (from boardroom to the pitch).
Somebody has said that the poison at board level has permeated down to the players. That looks worryingly accurate.
For 20 minutes the ball was played to feet then they scored a poor goal to give away, and our midfield disappeared. The rest of the first half was bossed by the goal scorer who laid on two more chances.
Holmes had a mare first half, (he lost the crosser for the goal and overhit or under passed everything), was better second, won the penalty...and was taken off (why?)
Jackson sadly is descending to into a never world of embarrassment. He can't even put away the spot kick.
The moment which showed how far the rot has set in is when Pearce hit a hopeful ball forwards in the first half which Fox chased down and put a good ball into the box. Their wasn't a red shirt in 20 yards. Was this 1/ no one thought Pearce could hit a reasonable pass? Or 2/ no one thought Fox capable of getting to the ball and getting it across?
I get all the criticism of Slade, and agree with a lot of it, but there is no point in asking for this regime to sack him and make a change. After meeting the AFCW CEO yesterday ( interview to come in Trust News) I am sure of two things:
1. English football knows how toxic we are. Nobody decent will come here and work for this regime. 2. No manager can do a decent job if everything else behind the scenes is toxic. Certainly not Curbs. His success was founded on a mutual trust between him and the chairman, and belief throughout the club, and filtering down to the fan base, that we were heading in the right direction. That, right now, describes AFCW.
We have to persuade them to leave, and hope that Varney is involved because the club will have to be rebuilt from top to bottom.
The atmosphere was like nothing I have ever experienced in 40 plus years, and quite difficult to put into words. "Toxic" only starts to give a sense of it.
That was mainly down to Slade - tactically inept. As said by most - poor, defensive, boring line-up and toothless centre midfield. We only looked dangerous when Ajose was up front with Novak and Botaka was running at them. Jacko anonymous a lot of the time and I just knew the penalty would be saved - might have been different if it had gone in but would probably have been a draw anyway. Didn't think Rochdale offered much. Brussell should make some major changes for the next game...otherwise it won't be long before "Slade out" starts ringing around the ground.
Comments
What I will say on a slightly more positive note though is that I can't be having people saying that was the worst 90 minutes they'd seen particularly after Tuesday and not to mention some of the dross last season. At least we created some meaningful chances and deserved at the very least a point. We just need our manager to shake off the shackles and, in every game, play two out and out wingers, two up front and maybe even someone at the tip of a diamond midfield off them. That way you could accommodate Botaka, Holmes and Lookman as well as two of Magennis, Novak (who looked good off the bench today) and Ajose. Hopefully he'll wise up before it's too late.
One final point is that any success we do have this season will be in spite of the atmosphere at the Valley. I know we've had it rough over the last few years but the booing the team after 25 minutes ain't helping anyone.
You dont though play 4-5-1 as the home side when your playing against a team below you in the League
Should have gone to 4-4-2 right after Half-Time, I guess the penalty delayed that even more as it made us look competitive in the original formation
Russell needs to grow a pair and not be so scared of the opposition
We're 18th in the League, We're 18th in the Leeeague, Charlton Athletic we're 18th in the League
AND
We are beatable, We are beatable?
I'm sure over on the Facebook Forum, Sue and the EDL scum who post on it, will be going on about how everything is great and we'll turn it around.
But, back in the real world, we're in real trouble here.
Both as sh*t as each other at the moment and for the foreseeable by the looks of it. No pride in south London football at the moment. Apart from those stripey ****'s down the road. But they're Surrey so they don't count. Sigh indeed.
Many on here wanted a non-network, British manager who had control over the signings. Here we are. A team of mostly British players with British experience. And what does it get us? A long ball mentality, lack of tactical and technical nuance, and no apparent game plan apart from "go out there, get stuck in, fight for the shirt. etc. etc. etc."
Every team in the division knows exactly how to play against us--put three in central midfield and over-crowd us (even when we have three in central midfield), press us because we have a center back (Pearce) and a full back (Fox) who are poor on the ball, and our central midfielders aren't that great either. Press us, we go long, and all you have to do is win the second balls because we struggle to get players near our center forward(s). We've been found out.
We now have two weeks before our next meaningful match. We have seen no improvement or evolution in tactics. We still have the same problems we had in pre-season. Were it up to me, Slade would go today so we had two weeks to bring a new manager in.
We're outside the relegation zone on goal difference. Our last three home matches have been AFC Wimbledon, Oldham, and Rochdale. We've taken ONE point. We've dropped four from winning positions. I struggle to see how we could get in someone drastically worse.
It was awful, Rochdale will be mid table and are nothing special. However, we made them look so good. This is a crap leauge with crap teams in it, and my god we fit the bill perfectly.
Lookmans, few moments of magic apart it was awful from the entire team. Even, Lookmans moments come to nothing. Even worse, is we are not unlucky
or nor jelled, we are just a poor team. I didn't in all honesty think we could be that bad, but we are. An I seriously cannot see us turning this round. Being relegated is a serious possibility !
For 20 minutes the ball was played to feet then they scored a poor goal to give away, and our midfield disappeared. The rest of the first half was bossed by the goal scorer who laid on two more chances.
Holmes had a mare first half, (he lost the crosser for the goal and overhit or under passed everything), was better second, won the penalty...and was taken off (why?)
Jackson sadly is descending to into a never world of embarrassment. He can't even put away the spot kick.
The moment which showed how far the rot has set in is when Pearce hit a hopeful ball forwards in the first half which Fox chased down and put a good ball into the box. Their wasn't a red shirt in 20 yards. Was this 1/ no one thought Pearce could hit a reasonable pass? Or 2/ no one thought Fox capable of getting to the ball and getting it across?
1. English football knows how toxic we are. Nobody decent will come here and work for this regime.
2. No manager can do a decent job if everything else behind the scenes is toxic. Certainly not Curbs. His success was founded on a mutual trust between him and the chairman, and belief throughout the club, and filtering down to the fan base, that we were heading in the right direction. That, right now, describes AFCW.
We have to persuade them to leave, and hope that Varney is involved because the club will have to be rebuilt from top to bottom.
The atmosphere was like nothing I have ever experienced in 40 plus years, and quite difficult to put into words. "Toxic" only starts to give a sense of it.