We need players back and we will improve, for the first 60 minutes we were second best and Dillon made a few saves. Only when we had two upfront and we turned them around a bit did we get any momentum.
Most people left on the goal. There were a few boos at the end, but nothing major. Most were largely gutted. The few hundred of us who stayed after the whistle stood and clapped the players off, who to a man all equally looked devastated.
I get people are frustrated, gutted, concerned etc, but players put a real shift in second half, in real poor conditions, and lost to a painful late sucker punch following an individual error. Through the situation that’s emerged, we have hardly any players playing at 90%+ at the moment. Personally I’d never boo a player wearing our shirt and I’ll always applaud when effort is given. This lot will regroup and work through it, I’m convinced.
Injuries are undoubtedly playing a massive part - no one can argue that we wouldn't be a better team with a fit Cullen, Taylor, Williams, Field etc etc. However, the players on duty really aren't making it easy for themselves.
Because we are creating so little the pressure is on the defence to keep a clean sheet. Solly's clearance that led to the goal was similar to Sarr's at Luton - a panic like aimless pass. However, I cannot believe how many times this season I've seen us retreat into our own box with not one player picking up the opposition runner.
It happened yet again tonight with six of our players (not including Phillips) in and around the 6 yard box and another two just outside the penalty area. But no one bothered to pick up the scorer, Daly, who was one of only three of their players in the area. Pratley actually tracks Daly back but switches off, is caught in no man's land and allows him enough space to pick his spot when the ball is pulled back. That simply isn't good enough.
A nonsense formation for a game like tonight, as if you play with 3 at the back you need attacking, energetic wing backs, and instead we had Solly and Purrington in effectively a flat back 5. As a result we were completely overrun in midfield, with Huddersfield runners breaking with ease, including Schindler who constantly carried it out from defence.
The formation also meant Doughty playing quite centrally, where he is less effective AND Gallagher playing too near our defence, where he was constantly pressed by the Huddersfield players, instead of in a more attacking No 10 position where he could cause damage. As a result we struggled to create anything going forward, and looking desperately ordinary with the ball
I moaned before the game about the absence of Morgan, and nothing that happened tonight has made me change my mind, seeing that in the last 2 games he wasn't on the pitch when either of the goals were conceded. Frankly bizarre that the best 2 outfield players from our statbank at Boro played NO minutes tonight.
I don't care who out of Sarr or Pearce played tonight, but we didn't need both.
Very poor first half probably the worst for a long time. Weather played a part but the team formation looks wrong. I thought a higher defensive line was needed because we have no midfield and couldn't keep the the ball.
Despite all his qualities as warrior, skipper and organiser, it's Pearce's lack of pace that lets him down. Consequently the defence invariably plays deeper with Pearce in the back line.
Deeper backline usually means the midfield gets stretched too thinly and loses connection with the front 2. It's not such an issue when the 1st choice midfield is able to play, because better quality and experience can often compensate and close down the holes in midfield.
However, It makes Bowyer's preferred pressing game very physically demanding of midfield, especially to be maintained over 90+ minutes.
Right now, expecting a veteran 34 year old and a bunch of 19 year olds to compete against experienced Champ players is asking too much. My thoughts are he needs to play a higher defensive line and compact the midfield, especially if we are to continue to play a short passing game.
And maybe in January we need to be looking to sign a pacier CB.
Very poor first half probably the worst for a long time. Weather played a part but the team formation looks wrong. I thought a higher defensive line was needed because we have no midfield and couldn't keep the the ball.
Despite all his qualities as warrior, skipper and organiser, it's Pearce's lack of pace that lets him down. Consequently the defence invariably plays deeper with Pearce in the back line.
Deeper backline usually means the midfield gets stretched too thinly and loses connection with the front 2. It's not such an issue when the 1st choice midfield is able to play, because better quality and experience can often compensate and close down the holes in midfield.
However, It makes Bowyer's preferred pressing game very physically demanding of midfield, especially to be maintained over 90+ minutes.
Right now, expecting a veteran 34 year old and a bunch of 19 year olds to compete against experienced Champ players is asking too much. My thoughts are he needs to play a higher defensive line and compact the midfield, especially if we are to continue to play a short passing game.
And maybe in January we need to be looking to sign a pacier CB.
Cold weather front sweeping in from Europe. Low barometric pressure. Wet. Windy.
We're in trouble despite the seasonal conditions. Not sure what more the team could have done...they ran around, tried, challenged. There were some misplaced passes etc but we didn't manage - as far as I could tell - an attempt on goal until the second half.
Relegation a definite possibility because of this run. And don't most owners want to start with a new shiny manager?
We got nothing which objectively is all we deserved. First half we had one off target shot. Second half another off target shot and we then twitched like a beheaded chicken and somehow bundled the ball into the net for a disallowed goal. That was it. In contrast Phillips had to keep us in it with two fine saves and lucky for us Huddersfield were profligate in front of goal as they created more than we did.
That said I thought they were a poor side and we are in real danger if we are not even good enough to pick up a point at home against such a side injuries or no injuries.
The most entertaining part of the evening was watching the Covered End Lower running for shelter from the squalls of rain blowing into our faces.
The wet winter's Tuesday night cliche was played out tonight and we were on the wrong end of it.
Hopefully we will perform better on Friday night but I won't hold my breath.
The players tried but they are running on empty and need a lift desperately.
That was awful tonight,absolute trash. I dont know why Doughty was subbed for Vennings who no disrespect but looks totally out of his depth;I think Oshilaja or Morgan would have been far more positive. Taylor should have been put on 10 minutes earlier,we needed him so much and he gave the place and the team a huge lift when he came on. As much as I love Solly,I really think that he shouldnt start;I would have put Oshilaja at Right back. dont know what has happened to players like Gallagher and Pratley,playing well below their capability. No creativity in the centre of the park,we badly miss Josh Cullen so if there is any cash in January then thats a MINIMUM REQUIREMENT to find a replacement for him if there is anyone??? Also the amount of space their players had to run into in the final third was frightening. Something doesnt seem right at the moment and I hope Bowyer and Jacko can come up with some solutions as we just dont look like the team that started this season and will end up in a horrible relegation fight if there are not some significant changes. Gutted.
That's because it's not. Pratley,Sarr,Gallagher,Pearce,Purrington,Bonne,Solly,Phillips,Lockyer,Leko??????
Just adding Taylor, Cullen and Williams would transform that lot. Three vital players the side was built around early on. Retaining possession to create chances and ease pressure on the back four.
It wasn’t pretty, particularly up until Taylor came on, but that is a team devoid of confidence and on edge, and they have just got to dig in as a unit and keep trying their best until we get some of our better players back, or there is some investment in Jan.
It might not be the most ambitious target, but we were so close to achieving a clean sheet tonight, that I believe would’ve given us a proper foundation to build on in the coming weeks as hopefully Taylor and Williams start to return.
I think it’s important to remind ourselves of our attacking threat tonight
Bonne, playing National League football last season, now leading the line (very well I might add), in the Championship, alongside Leko. Leko is frustrating, because he sometimes looks disinterested, or does too much, but he’s only 20, getting his first real run of games at a competitive level, pretty much playing week in, week out.
Gallagher has shown he can be a real talent, but this is his first full season, and apart from missing Sheff Wed through suspension, has had to play every game. He and Leko are still learning.
Doughty, who did well, was on loan at Bromley this time last month, and like Leko and Gallagher, they are young lads. Physically, they aren’t grown men yet. We can’t expect that attacking 4 to be pulling up trees, having only been thrown together in recent weeks.
Pratley has been immense, but he’s the other side of his career, and is being tasked with being the experienced hand to help guide a young team, when perhaps he should be getting rotated a bit more to keep him fresh. We miss Cullen as we are getting overrun in midfield and although I think Pratley didn’t have that good a game tonight, it’s all we’ve got. The midfield and attack are just being thrown together at the moment, game by game.
The defence is a cause for concern, as much as we are giving cheap balls away, but if I compare recent results to how we defended against very good teams like Leeds and Brentford, it’s clear that the defence were supported by the whole team defending as a unit, and had more of an outlet to relieve the pressure. I do think the likes of Pearce and Purrington are perhaps a little out their depth at this level, particularly Purrington in an attacking sense, and Naby Sarr is liable to give the ball away, but we were so close to getting a clean sheet, but for Solly’s error.
The defence can and should be working to address things, but they’re only as strong as the attack in front of them to offer an outlet, and up until Taylor came on, there was very little
Finally, what other manager in the world at the moment would be doing a better job than Bowyer? I read all of this ‘he got it wrong’. I don’t think any manager in the world would genuinely know which of our depleted squad to line up in such a way to get us a result at the moment. He has tried to mix it up, but is probably reverting to a back five, because he feels that’s the most stable shape given the injury crisis. Yes, we can argue the likes of Luton, Boro and now Huddersfield have been poor, but surely it must be clear the confidence has just drained from that team and they are feeling their way as best they can to get any sort of result
I wasn’t at Boro, so will happily go along with those that were when they talk of how poor we were. We weren’t great tonight, but I could see a game plan to try and get that much needed clean sheet and instil just a shred of confidence ahead of Friday. They are giving their all, they are just coming up short at the moment and individual mistakes are being punished
the luck will turn, and I remember very clearly what Solly said at the end of his testimonial game against Villa, ‘stick with us, we’re gonna need you this season’. I know we will and I can understand a lot of the posts on here tonight given the manner of the defeat and the run we’re on, but it will get better
This will be long & rambling as I have so much bile to spew.......
First I will say that Bowyer does not deserve the sack nor am I advocating it......but Jeez he needs to take a long look at himself & the players he picks as that starting 11 had defeat written all over it.
I've said it many times on here that if you are going to play 5 at the back then your wingbacks have to be fast & attacking. Solly & Purrington are neither. On the right should be Matthews or Oshilaja & on the left Doughty (until the Jan transfer window opens & a proper wingback can be bought or borrowed).
The midfield needs a playmaker and/or someone who can run with the ball. Without Williams we are bereft of pace. Oztumer can do a job there but isn't really the answer. Leko could possibly but tonight his touch was abysmal. At one point this evening in the 2nd half he got given the ball with no one around him. His first touch took the ball 5 yards away from him & by the time he caught up with it there was a defender taking it off him. So so poor. With no one wanting to run at defenders, and your wing backs consistently passing backwards means you ain't going anywhere. Tonight I would have gone long ball. Bypass the midfield, put 3 up front & just hoof it forward. Let Bonne, Taylor & Leko fight it out with Gallagher, Morgan (remember him) & Oshilaja waiting to pick up the pieces.....and then tell the fuckers to shoot. If I was one of the new owners I would ban Expected Goals being discussed by any of the coaching staff. Just get the ball forward & shoot on sight. Now is not the time to play pretty football.....especially not in that weather tonight.
However, I dont see much changing between now & January. Football managers are a stubborn lot (remember Gobbinson and his no plan b) & I expect Bowyer to just keep plodding on expecting a miracle to happen. Williams should be back soon but I dont expect Cullen will be playing regularly until the end of Jan.....if he hasnt already been recalled by West Ham by then. Unfortunately that's about all of the injured players that would make the starting 11. You can add in Aneke, Field & JFC to the bench but Kayal & Hemed are a waste of space and wages.
So, unless Bowyer has an epiphany expect the same old same old on Friday.....and at QPR....and against Bristol City, Swansea & Derby. Then the transfer window opens & the fun begins..........
Ps. If you thought the last month was bad dont look at January's fixtures. We have just played 3 of the bottom 6 & lost to all 3......scoring once in the process. In January we play most of the top 6. We have lost 5 out of our last 6 games & now no win in 9. As we are in election week I thought I would end on the immortal words of Jim Callaghan. Crisis.....what crisis..??
PPS. Golfie Jnr was ranting towards the end about how poor we had been & why couldn't we score just 1 goal & take all 3 points. Surely we can beat Huddersfield, who were probably the worst team we've seen all season (even worse than Stoke). I kept saying to him to be happy with a point as I've seen it all before & knew the sucker punch was coming. The only saving grace was that isnt wasnt Grant with their winner. The fact that Millwall won (again) just about capped off a really shit evening. Rowett's team unbeaten in 6. Who would have thought a change of manager could have such an impact.....
First home midweek game for years , ummed and aaaahed whether to go and let my 13 year old decide and he wanted to go , which took me by surprise . 1hr 40 mins later and the 24 mile journey from Epping to Charlton was complete , got to love the rush hour ! Thankfully they delayed the kick off for us and we got there just in time . Nice to buy a matchday programme again . After the game finished and only a few of us were left in the asylum a good round of applause by us simple folk for the Charlton team . My eldest was given the option of Club Shop or not and he chose the shop because he expected it to be empty and so it was , home and away top purchased for him just the £45 each for a small adult top and £9.99 for a calendar , bargain time . A quick walk down the Woolwich road and in to the car and through the blackwall tunnel and home in 35 minutes . half a packet of chocolate digestive , 3 penguins and a bar of fruit and nut later to take the edge off the night and off to bed I go ,
that’s the Tourette’s free , kid friendly version of tonight for the numerous blinkered fans amongst us , the hard bare facts will come out with the IBS induced chocolate dump overnight .
We just don't have the quality in the squad and now we've been missing our players with quality, it's showing big time. Are we really just a 3 or 4 man squad? And the rest just are not up to this level? Cullen, Williams, Taylor. Is that it? Have we just been putting so much on their load that they've taken the injuries? I've got no idea but I'm trying to get my head around what has gone on over the past few games. What a transformation from earlier in the season. Back then it wasn't just about the results but the performances as well were very good. But now it's totally the opposite. Our creativity has 100% gone and it's rubbing off all over the pitch.
We're on a free fall. I believe earlier in the season we flattered to deceive a bit with the results but our performances were good. But now the performances have deserted us. I can't remember looking as bad as this for a while.
I'm hoping Bowyer can slowly turn it around as players start coming back but it just seems to be an uphill slog. Is it finally catching up with us? Because of the threadbare resources, is Bowyer's magic starting to take its toll? He seems to have been cajoling them for ever now, including last season. Have they reached their limit? Is that the reason for the injuries? It's all taking it's toll?
I hope not. I hope we get our players back and they can stay healthy and we can start playing again. But, I don't know. Certainly a challenge for Bowyer and his team.
I just hope the new owners are patient and give Lee Bowyer the resources he needs. I believe he's the future of Charlton. This is a difficult spell to handle though, what with the owner changes as well. Hopefully they can see that Bowyer has done miracles but things have to give sometimes and maybe that's what's happening now.
One thing I'm sure of, things won't continue like this. We will get better.
Well we can't get much worse.
1 win in 12. Without a win or clean sheet in 9. 2 points from 27.
About the only consolations we can take right now is that: a) players will come back b) we aren't getting smashed out of sight. We're still in every game late on.
Having had a good nights sleep to calm down and provide some well thought out comments I have decided to wait until after I have finished work and hopefully forgotten last nights shocker.
This will be long & rambling as I have so much bile to spew.......
First I will say that Bowyer does not deserve the sack nor am I advocating it......but Jeez he needs to take a long look at himself & the players he picks as that starting 11 had defeat written all over it.
I've said it many times on here that if you are going to play 5 at the back then your wingbacks have to be fast & attacking. Solly & Purrington are neither. On the right should be Matthews or Oshilaja & on the left Doughty (until the Jan transfer window opens & a proper wingback can be bought or borrowed).
The midfield needs a playmaker and/or someone who can run with the ball. Without Williams we are bereft of pace. Oztumer can do a job there but isn't really the answer. Leko could possibly but tonight his touch was abysmal. At one point this evening in the 2nd half he got given the ball with no one around him. His first touch took the ball 5 yards away from him & by the time he caught up with it there was a defender taking it off him. So so poor. With no one wanting to run at defenders, and your wing backs consistently passing backwards means you ain't going anywhere. Tonight I would have gone long ball. Bypass the midfield, put 3 up front & just hoof it forward. Let Bonne, Taylor & Leko fight it out with Gallagher, Morgan (remember him) & Oshilaja waiting to pick up the pieces.....and then tell the fuckers to shoot. If I was one of the new owners I would ban Expected Goals being discussed by any of the coaching staff. Just get the ball forward & shoot on sight. Now is not the time to play pretty football.....especially not in that weather tonight.
However, I dont see much changing between now & January. Football managers are a stubborn lot (remember Gobbinson and his no plan b) & I expect Bowyer to just keep plodding on expecting a miracle to happen. Williams should be back soon but I dont expect Cullen will be playing regularly until the end of Jan.....if he hasnt already been recalled by West Ham by then. Unfortunately that's about all of the injured players that would make the starting 11. You can add in Aneke, Field & JFC to the bench but Kayal & Hemed are a waste of space and wages.
So, unless Bowyer has an epiphany expect the same old same old on Friday.....and at QPR....and against Bristol City, Swansea & Derby. Then the transfer window opens & the fun begins..........
Ps. If you thought the last month was bad dont look at January's fixtures. We have just played 3 of the bottom 6 & lost to all 3......scoring once in the process. In January we play most of the top 6. We have lost 5 out of our last 6 games & now no win in 9. As we are in election week I thought I would end on the immortal words of Jim Callaghan. Crisis.....what crisis..??
PPS. Golfie Jnr was ranting towards the end about how poor we had been & why couldn't we score just 1 goal & take all 3 points. Surely we can beat Huddersfield, who were probably the worst team we've seen all season (even worse than Stoke). I kept saying to him to be happy with a point as I've seen it all before & knew the sucker punch was coming. The only saving grace was that isnt wasnt Grant with their winner. The fact that Millwall won (again) just about capped off a really shit evening. Rowett's team unbeaten in 6. Who would have thought a change of manager could have such an impact.....
But when we had a full strength side we beat Leeds and drew away at West Brom and Fulham. The current top 3.
Most people left on the goal. There were a few boos at the end, but nothing major. Most were largely gutted. The few hundred of us who stayed after the whistle stood and clapped the players off, who to a man all equally looked devastated.
I get people are frustrated, gutted, concerned etc, but players put a real shift in second half, in real poor conditions, and lost to a painful late sucker punch following an individual error. Through the situation that’s emerged, we have hardly any players playing at 90%+ at the moment. Personally I’d never boo a player wearing our shirt and I’ll always applaud when effort is given. This lot will regroup and work through it, I’m convinced.
No one should be booing, and i'd guess those that were are the same morons chanting abuse at Grant. We're decimated by injuries and are currently fielding a side that would struggle to make the play offs in league one.
Whilst our great start has obviously helped us (as we'd be down there with Barnsley without it), it's given people a lot of false hope. Some people seriously thought we'd be going straight through the division and up again. They need a reality check, this seasons aim was always just to stay up.
We just need to get through to January, get players like Williams, Cullen and Field back, buy 3-4 players and then go again.
9 points from 15 games last night there was only going to be one winner and a draw was the best we could hope for, a little flutter of improvement when Taylor came on but once again my MOTM would be Dillon who didn’t deserve to lose and he’s getting plenty of practice this season , reminds me of Scott Carson from that relegation season . There are players out there who are passengers and I believe aren’t good enough for the Championship , they are trying their best but they’re no good, they’ve had their purple patches and now it’s their norm and it’s not good enough . I genuinely fear for us because even though we got results with graft , skill and there was plenty of luck at the beginning of the season there wasn’t many a game where you’d have hung your hat on us and said we were the much better side . Of course it’s fine margins and everything fell for us earlier on in this campaign but now we are a shadow . Taylor , Cullen and Williams fully fit are what’s gonna be needed to turn this ship around and will that be possible , who knows . Unlike most this run of results hasn’t surprised me as it’s gone on and it will more than likely continue till February looking at the fixture list and the way we are playing . Crap teams like Huddersfield, there for the taking , are creating chances at will, cutting through us with ease . The teams below are closing in on us 6 points from the bottom 3 and just 6 points above is 13th place Hull who we play on Friday and the best we can hope for on Friday will be a draw . I believe fresh quality players will be needed to survive this and it’s not often they’re available in January . its gut wrenching but this will need a miracle to stop this slide , the players are bereft of any confidence and all the gee em up management in the world won’t get em out of this . This will be a bigger footballing miracle than promotion if we stay up because we look beaten every time we enter the field. 4th bottom has always been the aim , let’s hope we don’t miss it .
i think the crowd have been very supportive and there have been little to no booooos for the team in this abysmal run .
best thing for me is going to a midweek game for the first time in years ,with my eldest , reminded me of all the games I used to go with my old man (he played on a Saturday ) and that is only possible cos my Charlton mojo is back. Just need the EFL to confirm our new owners and I can live with anything this season cos I’ll have my Charlton back and my Addick conscience will be clear.
We're fielding a team of journeymen at present who are out of their depth at this level - the lack of creativity is startling. The perseverance with wing backs simply isn't working.
We have a lot of injured players but I'm not clear which of them can lift us from this depressing run. The team looks very disjointed.
Phillips is our only outstanding player at present even if his distribution isn't great.
Comments
I get people are frustrated, gutted, concerned etc, but players put a real shift in second half, in real poor conditions, and lost to a painful late sucker punch following an individual error. Through the situation that’s emerged, we have hardly any players playing at 90%+ at the moment. Personally I’d never boo a player wearing our shirt and I’ll always applaud when effort is given. This lot will regroup and work through it, I’m convinced.
Because we are creating so little the pressure is on the defence to keep a clean sheet. Solly's clearance that led to the goal was similar to Sarr's at Luton - a panic like aimless pass. However, I cannot believe how many times this season I've seen us retreat into our own box with not one player picking up the opposition runner.
It happened yet again tonight with six of our players (not including Phillips) in and around the 6 yard box and another two just outside the penalty area. But no one bothered to pick up the scorer, Daly, who was one of only three of their players in the area. Pratley actually tracks Daly back but switches off, is caught in no man's land and allows him enough space to pick his spot when the ball is pulled back. That simply isn't good enough.
Made the trip to the valley worthwhile
The formation also meant Doughty playing quite centrally, where he is less effective AND Gallagher playing too near our defence, where he was constantly pressed by the Huddersfield players, instead of in a more attacking No 10 position where he could cause damage. As a result we struggled to create anything going forward, and looking desperately ordinary with the ball
I moaned before the game about the absence of Morgan, and nothing that happened tonight has made me change my mind, seeing that in the last 2 games he wasn't on the pitch when either of the goals were conceded. Frankly bizarre that the best 2 outfield players from our statbank at Boro played NO minutes tonight.
I don't care who out of Sarr or Pearce played tonight, but we didn't need both.
Consequently the defence invariably plays deeper with Pearce in the back line.
Deeper backline usually means the midfield gets stretched too thinly and loses connection with the front 2. It's not such an issue when the 1st choice midfield is able to play, because better quality and experience can often compensate and close down the holes in midfield.
However, It makes Bowyer's preferred pressing game very physically demanding of midfield, especially to be maintained over 90+ minutes.
Right now, expecting a veteran 34 year old and a bunch of 19 year olds to compete against experienced Champ players is asking too much. My thoughts are he needs to play a higher defensive line and compact the midfield, especially if we are to continue to play a short passing game.
And maybe in January we need to be looking to sign a pacier CB.
Excellent post.
We got nothing which objectively is all we deserved. First half we had one off target shot. Second half another off target shot and we then twitched like a beheaded chicken and somehow bundled the ball into the net for a disallowed goal. That was it. In contrast Phillips had to keep us in it with two fine saves and lucky for us Huddersfield were profligate in front of goal as they created more than we did.
That said I thought they were a poor side and we are in real danger if we are not even good enough to pick up a point at home against such a side injuries or no injuries.
The most entertaining part of the evening was watching the Covered End Lower running for shelter from the squalls of rain blowing into our faces.
The wet winter's Tuesday night cliche was played out tonight and we were on the wrong end of it.
Hopefully we will perform better on Friday night but I won't hold my breath.
The players tried but they are running on empty and need a lift desperately.
COYR
It might not be the most ambitious target, but we were so close to achieving a clean sheet tonight, that I believe would’ve given us a proper foundation to build on in the coming weeks as hopefully Taylor and Williams start to return.
I think it’s important to remind ourselves of our attacking threat tonight
Bonne, playing National League football last season, now leading the line (very well I might add), in the Championship, alongside Leko. Leko is frustrating, because he sometimes looks disinterested, or does too much, but he’s only 20, getting his first real run of games at a competitive level, pretty much playing week in, week out.
Pratley has been immense, but he’s the other side of his career, and is being tasked with being the experienced hand to help guide a young team, when perhaps he should be getting rotated a bit more to keep him fresh. We miss Cullen as we are getting overrun in midfield and although I think Pratley didn’t have that good a game tonight, it’s all we’ve got. The midfield and attack are just being thrown together at the moment, game by game.
Finally, what other manager in the world at the moment would be doing a better job than Bowyer? I read all of this ‘he got it wrong’. I don’t think any manager in the world would genuinely know which of our depleted squad to line up in such a way to get us a result at the moment. He has tried to mix it up, but is probably reverting to a back five, because he feels that’s the most stable shape given the injury crisis. Yes, we can argue the likes of Luton, Boro and now Huddersfield have been poor, but surely it must be clear the confidence has just drained from that team and they are feeling their way as best they can to get any sort of result
I wasn’t at Boro, so will happily go along with those that were when they talk of how poor we were. We weren’t great tonight, but I could see a game plan to try and get that much needed clean sheet and instil just a shred of confidence ahead of Friday. They are giving their all, they are just coming up short at the moment and individual mistakes are being punished
the luck will turn, and I remember very clearly what Solly said at the end of his testimonial game against Villa, ‘stick with us, we’re gonna need you this season’. I know we will and I can understand a lot of the posts on here tonight given the manner of the defeat and the run we’re on, but it will get better
First I will say that Bowyer does not deserve the sack nor am I advocating it......but Jeez he needs to take a long look at himself & the players he picks as that starting 11 had defeat written all over it.
I've said it many times on here that if you are going to play 5 at the back then your wingbacks have to be fast & attacking. Solly & Purrington are neither. On the right should be Matthews or Oshilaja & on the left Doughty (until the Jan transfer window opens & a proper wingback can be bought or borrowed).
The midfield needs a playmaker and/or someone who can run with the ball. Without Williams we are bereft of pace. Oztumer can do a job there but isn't really the answer. Leko could possibly but tonight his touch was abysmal. At one point this evening in the 2nd half he got given the ball with no one around him. His first touch took the ball 5 yards away from him & by the time he caught up with it there was a defender taking it off him. So so poor. With no one wanting to run at defenders, and your wing backs consistently passing backwards means you ain't going anywhere. Tonight I would have gone long ball. Bypass the midfield, put 3 up front & just hoof it forward. Let Bonne, Taylor & Leko fight it out with Gallagher, Morgan (remember him) & Oshilaja waiting to pick up the pieces.....and then tell the fuckers to shoot. If I was one of the new owners I would ban Expected Goals being discussed by any of the coaching staff. Just get the ball forward & shoot on sight. Now is not the time to play pretty football.....especially not in that weather tonight.
However, I dont see much changing between now & January. Football managers are a stubborn lot (remember Gobbinson and his no plan b) & I expect Bowyer to just keep plodding on expecting a miracle to happen. Williams should be back soon but I dont expect Cullen will be playing regularly until the end of Jan.....if he hasnt already been recalled by West Ham by then. Unfortunately that's about all of the injured players that would make the starting 11. You can add in Aneke, Field & JFC to the bench but Kayal & Hemed are a waste of space and wages.
So, unless Bowyer has an epiphany expect the same old same old on Friday.....and at QPR....and against Bristol City, Swansea & Derby. Then the transfer window opens & the fun begins..........
Ps. If you thought the last month was bad dont look at January's fixtures. We have just played 3 of the bottom 6 & lost to all 3......scoring once in the process. In January we play most of the top 6. We have lost 5 out of our last 6 games & now no win in 9. As we are in election week I thought I would end on the immortal words of Jim Callaghan. Crisis.....what crisis..??
PPS. Golfie Jnr was ranting towards the end about how poor we had been & why couldn't we score just 1 goal & take all 3 points. Surely we can beat Huddersfield, who were probably the worst team we've seen all season (even worse than Stoke). I kept saying to him to be happy with a point as I've seen it all before & knew the sucker punch was coming. The only saving grace was that isnt wasnt Grant with their winner. The fact that Millwall won (again) just about capped off a really shit evening. Rowett's team unbeaten in 6. Who would have thought a change of manager could have such an impact.....
1hr 40 mins later and the 24 mile journey from Epping to Charlton was complete , got to love the rush hour ! Thankfully they delayed the kick off for us and we got there just in time .
Nice to buy a matchday programme again .
After the game finished and only a few of us were left in the asylum a good round of applause by us simple folk for the Charlton team .
My eldest was given the option of Club Shop or not and he chose the shop because he expected it to be empty and so it was , home and away top purchased for him just the £45 each for a small adult top and £9.99 for a calendar , bargain time .
A quick walk down the Woolwich road and in to the car and through the blackwall tunnel and home in 35 minutes .
half a packet of chocolate digestive , 3 penguins and a bar of fruit and nut later to take the edge off the night and off to bed I go ,
that’s the Tourette’s free , kid friendly version of tonight for the numerous blinkered fans amongst us ,
the hard bare facts will come out with the IBS induced chocolate dump overnight .
We're on a free fall. I believe earlier in the season we flattered to deceive a bit with the results but our performances were good. But now the performances have deserted us. I can't remember looking as bad as this for a while.
I'm hoping Bowyer can slowly turn it around as players start coming back but it just seems to be an uphill slog. Is it finally catching up with us? Because of the threadbare resources, is Bowyer's magic starting to take its toll? He seems to have been cajoling them for ever now, including last season. Have they reached their limit? Is that the reason for the injuries? It's all taking it's toll?
I hope not. I hope we get our players back and they can stay healthy and we can start playing again. But, I don't know. Certainly a challenge for Bowyer and his team.
I just hope the new owners are patient and give Lee Bowyer the resources he needs. I believe he's the future of Charlton. This is a difficult spell to handle though, what with the owner changes as well. Hopefully they can see that Bowyer has done miracles but things have to give sometimes and maybe that's what's happening now.
1 win in 12.
Without a win or clean sheet in 9.
2 points from 27.
About the only consolations we can take right now is that:
a) players will come back
b) we aren't getting smashed out of sight. We're still in every game late on.
Whilst our great start has obviously helped us (as we'd be down there with Barnsley without it), it's given people a lot of false hope. Some people seriously thought we'd be going straight through the division and up again. They need a reality check, this seasons aim was always just to stay up.
We just need to get through to January, get players like Williams, Cullen and Field back, buy 3-4 players and then go again.
last night there was only going to be one winner and a draw was the best we could hope for, a little flutter of improvement when Taylor came on but once again my MOTM would be Dillon who didn’t deserve to lose and he’s getting plenty of practice this season , reminds me of Scott Carson from that relegation season .
There are players out there who are passengers and I believe aren’t good enough for the Championship , they are trying their best but they’re no good, they’ve had their purple patches and now it’s their norm and it’s not good enough .
I genuinely fear for us because even though we got results with graft , skill and there was plenty of luck at the beginning of the season there wasn’t many a game where you’d have hung your hat on us and said we were the much better side . Of course it’s fine margins and everything fell for us earlier on in this campaign but now we are a shadow .
Taylor , Cullen and Williams fully fit are what’s gonna be needed to turn this ship around and will that be possible , who knows .
Unlike most this run of results hasn’t surprised me as it’s gone on and it will more than likely continue till February looking at the fixture list and the way we are playing .
Crap teams like Huddersfield, there for the taking , are creating chances at will, cutting through us with ease .
The teams below are closing in on us 6 points from the bottom 3 and just 6 points above is 13th place Hull who we play on Friday and the best we can hope for on Friday will be a draw .
I believe fresh quality players will be needed to survive this and it’s not often they’re available in January .
its gut wrenching but this will need a miracle to stop this slide , the players are bereft of any confidence and all the gee em up management in the world won’t get em out of this .
This will be a bigger footballing miracle than promotion if we stay up because we look beaten every time we enter the field.
4th bottom has always been the aim , let’s hope we don’t miss it .
i think the crowd have been very supportive and there have been little to no booooos for the team in this abysmal run .
best thing for me is going to a midweek game for the first time in years ,with my eldest , reminded me of all the games I used to go with my old man (he played on a Saturday ) and that is only possible cos my Charlton mojo is back. Just need the EFL to confirm our new owners and I can live with anything this season cos I’ll have my Charlton back and my Addick conscience will be clear.
We have a lot of injured players but I'm not clear which of them can lift us from this depressing run.
The team looks very disjointed.
Phillips is our only outstanding player at present even if his distribution isn't great.