let's take stock

superclive

ok.. we are all upset by this last week. but let's try to give it some perspective.

we started the season thinking we'd possibly be battling relegation or be in mid table. bowyers signings and coaching have seem us in am around the playoffs all season and starting to thinking about the top 2 in recent weeks. looking back just weeks ago when we bear Accrington, real positivity was around the valley one more and it felt like the dark clouds might be lifting. we've had a couple of false dawns here before though.

then a nil nil at posh, grant leaves, no adequate replacement and a 1 nil loss at Fleetwood.

so where does this leave us.

well 2 games without scoring. 2 games without Taylor too. his return will definatley boost us. Aribo to come back soon who can score from midfield, without a recognised experienced striker for our next match, but Parker yet to be tried. others strengthening and picking up points.


so how could this end up?

I think he top 2 is very hard now and we won't make that.

however we can make the playoffs and if by the time we get there. Aribo is back, Lyle is scoring perhaps Igor is back fit and in some form. then it could still be positive. the next month or so is going to be a big test but fans need to stay inside and positive. one defeat and suddenly it's complete soon and gloom from some. I admit it's heart breaking to be undone in January again but we need to be strong here and give it a real good go.

there's little point going on and on about what a twat Roland is... we all know that. but don't turn on bowyer, that's ridiculous.


see you at Wembley for an Igor and Taylor inspired victory.

seth plum

The real stocktaking now happens at the end of the season when the manager and loads of decent players are out of contract.
In that context what would be gained by promotion anyway?
Financial gain?
No, because players need signing, and any promotion financial bonus goes the same way as the Gomez/Cousins/Harriott/Lookman/Konsa/Grant money.
We won't get relegated this season, we have a thin chance of promotion, but we don't have a future either way under Duchatelet.

timken

"there is little point in going on and on a bout what a twat roland is ".Personally I think there is a lot of point.
I believe the protests should resume immediately otherwise the "silence" will encourage the rat to think he can hang around another year or two .
Its like groundhog day.no investment so another season in league one [or the third division as I still call it].

Stu_of_Kunming

I'm making beef stock right now, you can't take any though.

letthegoodtimesroll

When we lose it’s by one goal. The defence is tight. We have a points cushion that keeps us in the playoff position. We are still in the mix and a run of 3 wins would put us in contention for an automatic spot. Despite all the crying about Grant, he was just there to pick up the scraps Taylor left and anybody who witnessed his pathetic penalty at Peterborough will know that he is not a striker, just somebody playing at one. He won’t be missed. Taylor is key for our game plan because LB hasn’t worked out how to make the most from the exceptional amount of attacking talent available to him in midfield and they are being employed to stop goals - we tend to concede after he weakens it. At the moment they are just getting in each other’s way when we go forward because we’ve stopped playing this through balls that were so effective before or shooting when near the goal. That will change and there will be plenty of goals to come from those players in the run in. The teams above us, have to play each other and every week one or two of them are dropping points. Pompey are the only ones playing this coming midweek and that’s a cup match. Sunderland have 3 games to fit in at some point. That could take its toll. Most of the remaining away games are easier travelling distances. The away support will be noisy for the run in now.

superclive

intersting thoughts. for me we have to believe promotion is a real positive. it gives us a better chance to keep our good players, more chance of the club being sold and better football to watch.

in terms of grant I see your point but he is a striker with 14 in 25 and his pace and skill were a huge part of our season. I agree though that Taylor is even more key. his performance against Sunderland was one of the best ive seen from a Charlton forward. players who I remember being that unplayable were mendonca kermo and bent.

in Igor we might just end up with the perfect replacement if we got really lucky and he stayed fit.

superclive

and 're protests I see your point timken, but I don't think the atmosphere the protests create help the team at all. I know you'll point to results being ok. but it sours the whole atmosphere.

the protests need to get to one man and he ain't even there. so all credit to those hardy souls getting to him in Belgium.

MuttleyCAFC

Whilst the league is not stronger this year, the play off places will be. The teams we will have to beat to go up in them will be harder, and they have strengthened in the window. It isn't impossible, but we have done a great job of tying one hand behind our back. We put out a team yesterday with absolutely no goals in it whatsoever. And we knew it before hand ....and we were right. This is a disgrace and people are going to support the team, but are also entitled to get mighty annoyed with crass statements like "there is little point in going on and on a bout what a twat Roland is ". There is every point.

Stig

- We're in the third tier
- It's touch and go whether we'll get out (certainly not automatically)
- We are owned by a deluded liar with no interest in the club
- As with every transfer window, our most saleable asset has just departed
- There is no recognised senior management running the club
- More fans are staying away than attending
- The deluded one reckons we are worth £70m
- We aren't going to be sold at any time soon

Yeah, not worth talking about Roland. He's inconsequential to all of this.

Killarahales

It was only after things were made unpleasant for Duchatelet that he was finally persuaded to get out of Standard Liege. I would like to see protest activity resume, but only in Belgium, and would be happy to support financially (in a modest way!)

AddickFC81

Stu_of_Kunming said:

I'm making beef stock right now, you can't take any though.

No chicken stock

AddickFC81

No it ain't issue for one performance like yesterday. We only start worrying if it's about 3.

superclive

mutley and stig. point taken. Roland has ansis damaging our club hugely.

I guess what upsets me most is how at times he's taken away football. people not going, people going but not being able to fully embrace it.

there's stuff to be positive about in this squad though.

letthegoodtimesroll

AddickFC81 said:

No it ain't issue for one performance like yesterday. We only start worrying if it's about 3.

The main aims about yesterday’s game were achieved, it was played and not postponed. We have a near perfect run in now with decent breaks between games and we don’t want to have to fit tough midweek games with shit journeys in. And it was another one out of the way for Taylor’s 3 match ban. It was always going to be a tough away match and a draw would have been nice but as we didn’t get that it only cost us 1 point.

Macronate

We’re very fortunate that we’ve got Bowyer, Jackson and Gallen.

Without them, god knows where we’d be.

stonemuse

Macronate said:

We’re very fortunate that we’ve got Bowyer, Jackson and Gallen.

Without them, gods knows where we’d be.

Unfortunately we might find out in a few months time

T_C_E

It's been said all along that the squad is not strong enough, if one player is injured or suspended his replacement should be of equal quality. Saying you have a squad of 17/18 players when 3 of them have just left school is nonsense. Two players for each position is the desired squad with youngsters drafted into the squad when injuries and suspensions happen. My biggest fear that all/half the squad walk away at the end of the season, Bowyer will rightly get the hump and follow them leaving Jacko to sort the mess out after Taylor has been sold.
I hope I'm wrong, but unless this muppet sells can anyone put a positive spin on this mess?

LargeAddick

I don’t see why Bowyer shouldn’t get criticism if justified. He’s been dealt no worse a hand than say Slade or Robinson and they certainly got a right royal bashing so I don’t see why he should escape it.

MuttleyCAFC

You don't have to be a football expert to criticise Bowyer yesterday. I mean the flaw in his set up could easily be shown statistically. Look at the goals to games ratios of the side he put out. Part of the reason was that Grant has been sold and Taylor is suspended, but there was something we could have done to give us half a chance.

You don't have to be a football expert to see that Fleetwood were there for the taking, but at half time, they realised we were there for the taking, and Bowyer didn't even respond when that was obvious. He responded when they scored which was too late!

I have been positive about Bowyer and he does have a difficult hand to play until Taylor is back, but he has to allow Fosu a bad game or two and give him a run, because Fosu has become a very important player for us if we are going to do well this season. He must appreciate that.

Covered End

letthegoodtimesroll said:

AddickFC81 said:

No it ain't issue for one performance like yesterday. We only start worrying if it's about 3.

The main aims about yesterday’s game were achieved.

I'll never really know if your trolling or just plain ridiculous.

happyvalley

Pretty sure we'll make the play-offs , whether we win them or not could depend on keeping Igor fit.

Aethelstan

seth plum said:

In that context what would be gained by promotion anyway?

The benefit of promotion is that it makes the club easier to sell.

letthegoodtimesroll

Covered End said:

letthegoodtimesroll said:

AddickFC81 said:

No it ain't issue for one performance like yesterday. We only start worrying if it's about 3.

The main aims about yesterday’s game were achieved.

I'll never really know if your trolling or just plain ridiculous.

Let me help you work it out, did LB set out a team and formation to attack and score more goals than Fleetwood, or any goals for that matter ?; would it have been better to have played the game or seen it postponed because of bad weather and have a long midweek trip there instead after having played on a Saturday and then have to play again on the following Saturday ?; did playing yesterday use up another one of Taylor’s 3 match ban ?

Covered End

letthegoodtimesroll said:

Covered End said:

letthegoodtimesroll said:

AddickFC81 said:

No it ain't issue for one performance like yesterday. We only start worrying if it's about 3.

The main aims about yesterday’s game were achieved.

I'll never really know if your trolling or just plain ridiculous.

Let me help you work it out, did LB set out a team and formation to attack and score more goals than Fleetwood, or any goals for that matter ?; would it have been better to have played the game or seen it postponed because of bad weather and have a long midweek trip there instead after having played on a Saturday and then have to play again on the following Saturday ?; did playing yesterday use up another one of Taylor’s 3 match ban ?

So you're suggesting Bowyer's MAIN AIM was to play the game and set out a defensive team knowing we wouldn't score ?
He was content to lose the game and would rather that than the game being played later in the season ?

I understand what you are saying, but will agree to disagree.

NB on the KAG to Crawley thread you also said.

"Roland has clearly backed LB this season, when he’s wanted quality players he’s got them, the team is challenging for the automatics and that has a positive impact on the value and attractiveness of the club to any potential buyers. I very much doubt that there is going to be any pressure from RD to sell Grant. Karlan and his agent are going to be key and moving on in this transfer window instead of playing out the last 4 months of the season is just plain stupid imo. I can’t see him going. I hope I’m right but if I’m not it won’t stop us now."

Chizz

Relegation form since the window closed. That's entirely Roland's fault.

We might still go up, but that will be despite Roland and not because of him. And if we do go up, the losses will increase, we will have fewer players, we will be even less well prepared for the season ahead than we were this season. And the shitshow will start again, but without this season's distraction of regular wins.

If this post seems a bit "glass half-full", I apologise, because that's not how I am feeling right now. I am feeling more "the glass is completely empty, the bottle used to fill it up has smashed and some arsehole's nicked my wallet, so I can't buy any more".

MuttleyCAFC

I think his plan was to play a strong midfield and HOPE we score and not concede. Had he done what some of us are saying he should, we may still have lost for a different reason. But I do think we could have set up to be more likely to score and it usually goes against you when you are completely toothless!

Missed It

Roland just sold half our goals. Same as always, there are not nearly enough goals from midfield in this team and Taylor won't be able to pick up the slack without a decent partner up front. Seventh place finish on the way.

Roland sucks dead clown's balls.

ken_shabby

letthegoodtimesroll said:

AddickFC81 said:

No it ain't issue for one performance like yesterday. We only start worrying if it's about 3.

The main aims about yesterday’s game were achieved, it was played and not postponed. We have a near perfect run in now with decent breaks between games and we don’t want to have to fit tough midweek games with shit journeys in. And it was another one out of the way for Taylor’s 3 match ban. It was always going to be a tough away match and a draw would have been nice but as we didn’t get that it only cost us 1 point.

You what? Instead of a game in hand, we have a loss chalked up. Ditto one of Taylors games. I'm happy you aren't our manager, as your aims seem to be solely about getting the games out of the way.

MuttleyCAFC

Bowyer has to have a rethink of how we set up, and that rethink has to involve Fosu. That probably means dropping one of Cullen or Bielik to the bench. I do understand why that is hard as they are both well above this level and strong players, but if you lose goals from one place, you have to find them from somewhere else.

simonmatthews

T_C_E said:

It's been said all along that the squad is not strong enough, if one player is injured or suspended his replacement should be of equal quality. Saying you have a squad of 17/18 players when 3 of them have just left school is nonsense. Two players for each position is the desired squad with youngsters drafted into the squad when injuries and suspensions happen. My biggest fear that all/half the squad walk away at the end of the season, Bowyer will rightly get the hump and follow them leaving Jacko to sort the mess out after Taylor has been sold.
I hope I'm wrong, but unless this muppet sells can anyone put a positive spin on this mess?

Our squad is above average for this level...but not by enough to be confident of automatic promotion.

It'll be the play-offs.

Grant leaving for Huddersfield (and £20k a week when we offered him £6k) has ended our chances IMO of an automatic slot, which was never that likely but looked at least feasible given how the team were playing.

If we're promoted via the play-offs I think we'd struggle in the Championship. And RD would be no nearer selling. His price for the club would increase too.

MuttleyCAFC

To be fair, we could never match £20k a week for Grant and if we had even offered half that, it would have been ridiculous. But we could have used a small amount of the money to bring in a replacement or even two.