its just bollocks really lets not pretend, no one can defend Roland his a , end of. the bloke asset strips, pockets the clash then inflates the price of his core product, us. his the biggest prick of a businessman ive ever come across. but until someone rescues us from this shithole situ this is what we have.
I for one will still be standing in the covered end signing my heart out hoping josh parker outperforms and fights with the heart of a lion like his boxing namesake. the only signing that can help out end goal of promotion is us, the fans. he, that prick we all hate, may not have invested as we'd hoped, in all seriousness we were foolish to think it would happen this time.
im gutted i really am, but it is what it is until that bastard either dies or sells.
If you had a house for sale you wouldn't rip our the fitted kitchen and put in an old fridge and camping stove and put a porta-potti in the bathroom and expect buyers to offer the same price.....would you? Business acumen is a strange concept I clearly know feck all about, bur tight arse does! Doesn't he???
We brought in Williams , Purrington, Maxwell and Parker, Three of which we know strengthened the squad. . Losing Grant was shit. But we have strong defence, a strong attacking midfield and a striker who will score more then 20 goals this season, midfield needs to step up.. Cullens set pieces will get us more goals as he finds form . Charlton supporters seem to revel in a disaster this is not one. Get behind Lee Bowyers team , il be shouting my head off at Fleetwood as usual. We are in a strong position and need to keep up the momentum COYR.,
The problem is that how much will Bowyer and Gallen take? He’s already worked wonders with just loans, he’s now had his top scorer flogged and replaced with a winger that not even Gillingham fans rate. No it’s not a ‘disaster’ but if we lose the best thing that’s happened to this club in ages, along with a mass exodus of players in the summer, then it’ll be a lot more than that.
That’s the bigger issue
The money for grant being used to fund a % of the loss although not how anyone would want the club to be run is understandable when you have a c@@t of an owner who is punishing the fan base for embarrassment caused , because he is rich enough for this to have little to no finiancial impact on him , if you think that this has nothing to do with vindictive spite then you’d be wrong
However the gamble by bowyer etc is lose grant Ajose and Clarke
One on fire
One not playing or looking like playing
One injured
Get in Williams Get in the goalie Get in the full back Then just for back up get in the Parker
Keeping
Taylor Bauer Pearce Cullen Solly Aribo
Was far more important and if the sacrifice was grant and Clarke then so be it
Bowyer also knows the realism of being a third division club with a tight fisted c u next tues of an owner
If you have the ability to make one loan you are a bit buggered. Probably a rule of thumb should be, if he isn't yours a day before deadline day, move on to plan B. This isn't the first time we have lost players in this way - in fact it happens in virtually every winter window to us doesn't it?
I think if Bent is available he might be worth a look. I can't see there is much to lose.
We brought in Williams , Purrington, Maxwell and Parker, Three of which we know strengthened the squad.
Do we know? Williams maybe, but have any of the other 3 have strengthened? I think Steer, Grant and Page were all stronger in their respective positions. Unlikely that any of them will be here beyond June so its a bit like putting sellotape on your broken glasses and saying they've been strengthened
There has been a lot of people talking about "if only Bowyer had gotten some of the Grant money." I've said this before, I don't think there is a 100-200k League One striker who makes us better. To get a good forward in, especially given teams know we just sold Karlan, I suspect it would have been in more of the 500+k range. And I don't even think there are many of those, I just think it's a very limited set of player.
So that leaves us with an out of favor championship loan, which it seems like what we were after. And I think that makes sense on a lot of levels. The problem is, with both Ajose and Grant, you need to get replacements in before you sell. It's apparently what Bristol City wanted to do, and why we couldn't get Mo Eisa in.
I don't know that there is much we could have done to keep Karlan this month, the mistake was made not tying him down to a longer contract. But even if he was destined to go, we should have had a deal done to replace him. It's just so frustrating.
Bit underwhelmed but no point in moaning - it is what it is...but assume we can still sign an out-of-contract player and/or a loan as we have 1 loan space. Not sure on the EFL loan rules - can we still loan a player??
Bit underwhelmed but no point in moaning - it is what it is...but assume we can still sign an out-of-contract player and/or a loan as we have 1 loan space. Not sure on the EFL loan rules - can we still loan a player??
No, goalkeepers only in extenuating circumsatances.
Think we have to switch to a new formation now. 4-3-3 possibly. Fosu, Taylor, Reeves and then Bielik, Williams and cullen in midfield. Aribo can then slot in and push williams further forward when he is fit.
Bit underwhelmed but no point in moaning - it is what it is...but assume we can still sign an out-of-contract player and/or a loan as we have 1 loan space. Not sure on the EFL loan rules - can we still loan a player??
We brought in Williams , Purrington, Maxwell and Parker, Three of which we know strengthened the squad.
Do we know? Williams maybe, but have any of the other 3 have strengthened? I think Steer, Grant and Page were all stronger in their respective positions. Unlikely that any of them will be here beyond June so its a bit like putting sellotape on your broken glasses and saying they've been strengthened
Purrington has massively strengthened because our defence needed balancing now. Page is always injured, sometimes I forget we have him.
We are a striker short. If Roland was going to sanction a loan striker surely there’s a freebie out there to give us a glimmer of hope.
Think we have to switch to a new formation now. 4-3-3 possibly. Fosu, Taylor, Reeves and then Bielik, Williams and cullen in midfield. Aribo can then slot in and push williams further forward when he is fit.
Losing Grant and the partnership with Taylor could be detrimental to our season. There's only one person to blame for this.
However, as Bowyer has said, our strength now is our togetherness. The togetherness in the squad and the togetherness between fans and players - not the togetherness between the fans and board. They'll be aware that we're weaker as a team now, as are we. Now we need to demonstrate this togetherness more than ever (and hope for dear life that Taylor doesn't get injured/suspended again).
Let's TRY to be optimistic, here. Taylor is arguably the best striker in the league. Also, in his brief cameo against Peterborough, RHF offered more than Ajose offered this season when I've seen him play.
Parker is an extra body in, and we're yet to see him play in Charlton colours so let's not judge too quickly. He's not Grant and wasn't Bowyer's first choice, but he's a striker who has scored some goals at this level in a poor Gillingham team and may thrive in a partnership with Taylor - who knows? Igor is also back soon, too (granted he may well be crocked within 2/3 games).
Defensively we're sound now and Phillips has stepped up recently. Aribo, who is our closest to being a 'goal-scoring midfielder', is nearing return so soon we'll be spoilt for choice in midfield once everyone is fit.
This is no way defending Roland. The sooner he is out, the better.
Let's just get behind the boys now. There's been a positive atmosphere around the place recently which has translated into good performances and results on the pitch. Even though he's doing his best to ruin this season and our club, let's not let that Belgian tw*at ruin what Bowyer has miraculously managed to build so far.
I fear the final part of the season may be a struggle now, and momentum has been lost. All of our rivals have 'increased' their squads, look at Luton for arguments sake, and if they haven't increased numbers they have strengthened in the right areas. We let Ajose go out on loan, sell Grant, Igor is made of glass, RH-F is still learning his trade, Taylor out for 2 more games, Ward goes back to Forest is replaced by Williams, Purrington was needed as Page is still out and Maxwell replaced Steer. What did we do to strengthen up-front? We got Josh Parker from the Gills, who has hardly been tearing up trees. I hope he does well, because he will need to hit the ground running tomorrow, with Taylor still out for 2 more games. To me RD has now shown his hand yet again, best thing he SHOULD do now is sell and go, not keep saying he is going to and nothing happens. Also gotta say if we had put all our hopes in getting Mo Eisa, we should have had a Plan B and a Plan C, it seems we skipped both of those completely. Very disappointed in the outcome, but then why am I surprised after all its RD. I hope to be proved so wrong, but I fear we may struggle to keep up now, especially if Taylor gets two more yellows, he will be suspended again!! What a joke of an owner.
What Luton have done is raise a red flag. They’ve been firing on all cylinders so it doesn’t make sense to bring that many players in at the last minute. They must have a problem that’s about to break.
And let’s be honest, Ajose isn’t the answer, if Grant wanted to go then he was going to go whatever was in his contract and after last week’s penalty I wasn’t that bothered to see him go. We’ve got a solid squad with strength in all positions and this season we only bring in players that add something extra. I can’t see what all the fuss is about.
Sorry @letthegoodtimesroll I cant agree with your synopsis. We have no idea about Luton or what is/isn't going on in the background that comment is pure speculation. I was talking about strengthening their squad, which they seem to have down, and they have done that, my guess would be, to give them a better chance of automatic promotion, Sunderland the same, and to some extent Portsmouth as well. I don't see us as having improved our squad in fact we are 2 players worse off - Ajose, Clark, Grant out, Parker in. We had the opportunity to strengthen the squad and in my opinion we haven't, Parker may prove me wrong, and I hope he does, BUT if we struggle over the next few games, while our rivals push-on then 6th place maybe a step too far now. The others have strength in depth, we don't. We are not going to agree on this, but that's my opinion and one that maybe wrong, the next few games without Grant and Taylor will tell us I guess. I still think this is an opportunity missed, but as I said I shouldn't be surprised its par for the course with RD in charge of the purse strings.
Probably get flagged but I’m gonna say that promotion is still well within our reach with this squad.
Via the play offs maybe which in themselves are a lottery but autos are much less likely given the signings made by our rivals and the end of the G&T partnership .
Bowyers took a gamble in that he had his sights set on the mystery loan player and it was all or nothing on getting him.
Gallen said it would run late so they must have had an element of doubt as the quotes earlier in the day said we was in a good position left a nagging doubt we was 100% certain.
unfortunately Bow and Gals gamble this time didn't pay off as it has previously with the likes of Cullen.
Leaving the loan signing so late gave us no option to look elsewhere but I do believe there was a budget there to use should we have been able to secure
Bowyers took a gamble in that he had his sights set on the mystery loan player and it was all or nothing on getting him.
Gallen said it would run late so they must have had an element of doubt as the quotes earlier in the day said we was in a good position left a nagging doubt we was 100% certain.
unfortunately Bow and Gals gamble this time didn't pay off as it has previously with the likes of Cullen.
Leaving the loan signing so late gave us no option to look elsewhere but I do believe there was a budget there to use should we have been able to secure
Don't blame Bowyer and Gallen- they were put in an unworkable situation by the.owner.
They won't come out and slag him off publically......yet!
The goalkeeper replaced Steer The left back replaced our injured left back Williams replaces Clarke and Ward Parker replaces Ajose We've sold Grant
How the fuck are we better off?
The owner loses 4m in the next 4 months and there is no way we win the play offs.
Our players will be knackered
Bowyer and Gallen leave in the Summer as do half the playing squad.
No way is a buyer lined up. They'd not have let this situation happen.
We're well and truly fucked.
Purrington is a massive step up from nobody (which is what we had with Page consistently injured) Williams is a significant step up from Clarke and Ward Indeed we are massively strong in midfield now Up front we are weaker
I would say when comparing 31 Jan to 31 Dec, we are slightly weaker but not massively so. We have plenty of depth now in all positions now except up front, a massive shame that we ended up with a spare loan slot.
Does anyone actually think that any thing RD does or doesn't do, is to piss us off?
Yes. He hates us and doesn't want us promoted. It wouldn't have taken too much more investment to push for the top two. If he wanted to he could, if he wanted to sell us he could.
But like everything about him it's strange. For a man with such an ego, surely getting us back to the level we were at when he purchased us would be damage limitation to his reputation?
Unlikely but are there any out of contract players out there who could work?
The only ones I could see that I knew are likely too old and having been out for a while would take too much fitness work to get back up to speed even if they could...
Darren Bent Gabby Agbonlahor Giles Barnes Lloyd Sam Leon best Jay Simpson
Comments
I for one will still be standing in the covered end signing my heart out hoping josh parker outperforms and fights with the heart of a lion like his boxing namesake. the only signing that can help out end goal of promotion is us, the fans. he, that prick we all hate, may not have invested as we'd hoped, in all seriousness we were foolish to think it would happen this time.
im gutted i really am, but it is what it is until that bastard either dies or sells.
The money for grant being used to fund a % of the loss although not how anyone would want the club to be run is understandable when you have a c@@t of an owner who is punishing the fan base for embarrassment caused , because he is rich enough for this to have little to no finiancial impact on him , if you think that this has nothing to do with vindictive spite then you’d be wrong
However the gamble by bowyer etc is lose grant Ajose and Clarke
One on fire
One not playing or looking like playing
One injured
Get in Williams
Get in the goalie
Get in the full back
Then just for back up get in the Parker
Keeping
Taylor
Bauer
Pearce
Cullen
Solly
Aribo
Was far more important and if the sacrifice was grant and Clarke then so be it
Bowyer also knows the realism of being a third division club with a tight fisted c u next tues of an owner
I think if Bent is available he might be worth a look. I can't see there is much to lose.
Williams maybe, but have any of the other 3 have strengthened?
I think Steer, Grant and Page were all stronger in their respective positions.
Unlikely that any of them will be here beyond June so its a bit like putting sellotape on your broken glasses and saying they've been strengthened
So that leaves us with an out of favor championship loan, which it seems like what we were after. And I think that makes sense on a lot of levels. The problem is, with both Ajose and Grant, you need to get replacements in before you sell. It's apparently what Bristol City wanted to do, and why we couldn't get Mo Eisa in.
I don't know that there is much we could have done to keep Karlan this month, the mistake was made not tying him down to a longer contract. But even if he was destined to go, we should have had a deal done to replace him. It's just so frustrating.
The left back replaced our injured left back
Williams replaces Clarke and Ward
Parker replaces Ajose
We've sold Grant
How the fuck are we better off?
The owner loses 4m in the next 4 months and there is no way we win the play offs.
Our players will be knackered
Bowyer and Gallen leave in the Summer as do half the playing squad.
No way is a buyer lined up. They'd not have let this situation happen.
We're well and truly fucked.
We are a striker short. If Roland was going to sanction a loan striker surely there’s a freebie out there to give us a glimmer of hope.
However, as Bowyer has said, our strength now is our togetherness. The togetherness in the squad and the togetherness between fans and players - not the togetherness between the fans and board. They'll be aware that we're weaker as a team now, as are we. Now we need to demonstrate this togetherness more than ever (and hope for dear life that Taylor doesn't get injured/suspended again).
Let's TRY to be optimistic, here. Taylor is arguably the best striker in the league. Also, in his brief cameo against Peterborough, RHF offered more than Ajose offered this season when I've seen him play.
Parker is an extra body in, and we're yet to see him play in Charlton colours so let's not judge too quickly. He's not Grant and wasn't Bowyer's first choice, but he's a striker who has scored some goals at this level in a poor Gillingham team and may thrive in a partnership with Taylor - who knows? Igor is also back soon, too (granted he may well be crocked within 2/3 games).
Defensively we're sound now and Phillips has stepped up recently. Aribo, who is our closest to being a 'goal-scoring midfielder', is nearing return so soon we'll be spoilt for choice in midfield once everyone is fit.
This is no way defending Roland. The sooner he is out, the better.
Let's just get behind the boys now. There's been a positive atmosphere around the place recently which has translated into good performances and results on the pitch. Even though he's doing his best to ruin this season and our club, let's not let that Belgian tw*at ruin what Bowyer has miraculously managed to build so far.
We are not going to agree on this, but that's my opinion and one that maybe wrong, the next few games without Grant and Taylor will tell us I guess. I still think this is an opportunity missed, but as I said I shouldn't be surprised its par for the course with RD in charge of the purse strings.
Under one definition it is something that is useful and gives great pleasure ...
Gallen said it would run late so they must have had an element of doubt as the quotes earlier in the day said we was in a good position left a nagging doubt we was 100% certain.
unfortunately Bow and Gals gamble this time didn't pay off as it has previously with the likes of Cullen.
Leaving the loan signing so late gave us no option to look elsewhere but I do believe there was a budget there to use should we have been able to secure
They won't come out and slag him off publically......yet!
Williams is a significant step up from Clarke and Ward
Indeed we are massively strong in midfield now
Up front we are weaker
I would say when comparing 31 Jan to 31 Dec, we are slightly weaker but not massively so. We have plenty of depth now in all positions now except up front, a massive shame that we ended up with a spare loan slot.
But like everything about him it's strange. For a man with such an ego, surely getting us back to the level we were at when he purchased us would be damage limitation to his reputation?
The only ones I could see that I knew are likely too old and having been out for a while would take too much fitness work to get back up to speed even if they could...
Darren Bent
Gabby Agbonlahor
Giles Barnes
Lloyd Sam
Leon best
Jay Simpson
Back 5 picks itself
Fosu LM
Bielek CM
Cullen CM
Aribo RM (just so he plays)
Williams ACM
Taylor
Vetokele on the bench to switch to a 4-4-2.
Hate the January window and hate Roland