It's funny how across the forum there is opinion among different people that we'd be fine losing Dobson, CBT and Leaburn. That's our best 3 players from last season, and really only May would come above them now.
That being said, I've also been curious in previous seasons whether Dobson is in some way holding us back despite his obvious strengths. Think he's been alot better on the ball this season though.
However if there's 1 thing we should have learnt over this long period of decline its that losing our key players is never a good thing.
Dobson holding us back? Asimwe or McGrandles to replace him? Most tackles won and most successful dribbles in League 1? Our captain? Our player of year from 2 years ago and our most consistent player?
I agree that he has improved as a 'footballer' although it may be the case that he always had that ability it is just that he is being given the encouragement to demonstrate it now. I disagree that he tries too many 'Hollywood' passes. One of his roles is to spread the play which I think he does extremely well. He brings more to the team than what he does on the pitch though. He models how each player should approach a game and is a great example to the young players in the squad. What I also like about his game is that he passes the ball properly. Even if it is a ten yard pass he gives it firmly to feet - that urgency is necessary. Remember when he signed and there was a lot of us questioning whether he'd be a success based on the comments on Sunderland fans. Let's not ignore the gap he would leave if he were to go elsewhere.
Personally think he's one of the best passers, if not the best, at the club. He could hit 60 yard diagonals all day long. I'd say his only weakness is pace and positioning, as well as a lack of ability to control a match from deep - but that is also down to the rubbish midfield around him.
It would be a categorical disaster if we lost him to a transfer in January or dicking him about with lowball contract offers.
I agree that we can't afford to lose Dobbo or CBT or Miles.
In my opinion this January window will be the first proper acid test of our new owners. Will they invest or go for a quick return on their 50p investment?
I'd love to see what players Apples wants to sign seeing as the side he's managing is all inherited and the only bloke he knows is McAmbles.... This I'm sure is why LWatson is struggling to get into the side.
I'd love to see a run for the playoffs but my money is definitely on CBT going and possibly Leaburn which would be a disaster and confirm our worst fears of another crap load of owners in a year when of all years we finally get a striker who is scoring for fun.... Only at Charlton could this happen.
It's funny how across the forum there is opinion among different people that we'd be fine losing Dobson, CBT and Leaburn. That's our best 3 players from last season, and really only May would come above them now.
That being said, I've also been curious in previous seasons whether Dobson is in some way holding us back despite his obvious strengths. Think he's been alot better on the ball this season though.
However if there's 1 thing we should have learnt over this long period of decline its that losing our key players is never a good thing.
Dobson holding us back? Asimwe or McGrandles to replace him? Most tackles won and most successful dribbles in League 1? Our captain? Our player of year from 2 years ago and our most consistent player?
My word.
I don't think it's so much about Dobson holding us back as us playing a player in the role where we use Dobson is holding us back. We use him as a wrecking ball to save us when we get into trouble but we'd likely be better off playing him differently. He needs more coaching on his positioning and his approach play but I think he can be converted to play in a way that will improve us overall. I want to see him evolve into a proactive player instead of a reactive one, then it'll be great for us to have a player who can control a game while also winning any tackles that he needs to. We're trying to get into the play-offs using one of our best players in a role that bottom half teams utilise but top teams don't, that's the real issue
It's funny how across the forum there is opinion among different people that we'd be fine losing Dobson, CBT and Leaburn. That's our best 3 players from last season, and really only May would come above them now.
That being said, I've also been curious in previous seasons whether Dobson is in some way holding us back despite his obvious strengths. Think he's been alot better on the ball this season though.
However if there's 1 thing we should have learnt over this long period of decline its that losing our key players is never a good thing.
Dobson holding us back? Asimwe or McGrandles to replace him? Most tackles won and most successful dribbles in League 1? Our captain? Our player of year from 2 years ago and our most consistent player?
My word.
I don't think it's so much about Dobson holding us back as us playing a player in the role where we use Dobson is holding us back. We use him as a wrecking ball to save us when we get into trouble but we'd likely be better off playing him differently. He needs more coaching on his positioning and his approach play but I think he can be converted to play in a way that will improve us overall. I want to see him evolve into a proactive player instead of a reactive one, then it'll be great for us to have a player who can control a game while also winning any tackles that he needs to. We're trying to get into the play-offs using one of our best players in a role that bottom half teams utilise but top teams don't, that's the real issue
Exactly how I feel, he's being used as a firefighter (and is great at that job to be fair) but what will take us to the next level is preventing the fires in the first place.
He's got the capability to do it to, but not the opportunity. That's not really a dig at him though - more of a case that injuries to Camara and (possibly) Taylor have left us with a limited midfield, for all the numbers.
It's funny how across the forum there is opinion among different people that we'd be fine losing Dobson, CBT and Leaburn. That's our best 3 players from last season, and really only May would come above them now.
That being said, I've also been curious in previous seasons whether Dobson is in some way holding us back despite his obvious strengths. Think he's been alot better on the ball this season though.
However if there's 1 thing we should have learnt over this long period of decline its that losing our key players is never a good thing.
Dobson holding us back? Asimwe or McGrandles to replace him? Most tackles won and most successful dribbles in League 1? Our captain? Our player of year from 2 years ago and our most consistent player?
My word.
I don't think it's so much about Dobson holding us back as us playing a player in the role where we use Dobson is holding us back. We use him as a wrecking ball to save us when we get into trouble but we'd likely be better off playing him differently. He needs more coaching on his positioning and his approach play but I think he can be converted to play in a way that will improve us overall. I want to see him evolve into a proactive player instead of a reactive one, then it'll be great for us to have a player who can control a game while also winning any tackles that he needs to. We're trying to get into the play-offs using one of our best players in a role that bottom half teams utilise but top teams don't, that's the real issue
Exactly how I feel, he's being used as a firefighter (and is great at that job to be fair) but what will take us to the next level is preventing the fires in the first place.
He's got the capability to do it to, but not the opportunity. That's not really a dig at him though - more of a case that injuries to Camara and (possibly) Taylor have left us with a limited midfield, for all the numbers.
We do have a lot of fires to put out. We have a team that can lose its duels all over the pitch, paired with the defensively lowest-performing wingers in the top 12, and Dobbo is the one sniffing the danger and coming across to cover - which does leave its gaps from time to time. I don't feel that him improving positionally is going to solve that much bigger problem. That's a team issue that Appleton has identified and is hoping to solve in January, judging by his interview comments.
Feels like an injustice to see fingers being pointed at Dobbo when he works so hard to cover for the team's weakness. Take him out for a few league games and the absence would be glaring.
It's funny how across the forum there is opinion among different people that we'd be fine losing Dobson, CBT and Leaburn. That's our best 3 players from last season, and really only May would come above them now.
That being said, I've also been curious in previous seasons whether Dobson is in some way holding us back despite his obvious strengths. Think he's been alot better on the ball this season though.
However if there's 1 thing we should have learnt over this long period of decline its that losing our key players is never a good thing.
Dobson holding us back? Asimwe or McGrandles to replace him? Most tackles won and most successful dribbles in League 1? Our captain? Our player of year from 2 years ago and our most consistent player?
My word.
Calm down dear. If you'd read the post properly instead of zero-ing in on a few words, then you might not be soiling your nappy in disbelief.
It's funny how across the forum there is opinion among different people that we'd be fine losing Dobson, CBT and Leaburn. That's our best 3 players from last season, and really only May would come above them now.
That being said, I've also been curious in previous seasons whether Dobson is in some way holding us back despite his obvious strengths. Think he's been alot better on the ball this season though.
However if there's 1 thing we should have learnt over this long period of decline its that losing our key players is never a good thing.
Dobson holding us back? Asimwe or McGrandles to replace him? Most tackles won and most successful dribbles in League 1? Our captain? Our player of year from 2 years ago and our most consistent player?
My word.
I don't think it's so much about Dobson holding us back as us playing a player in the role where we use Dobson is holding us back. We use him as a wrecking ball to save us when we get into trouble but we'd likely be better off playing him differently. He needs more coaching on his positioning and his approach play but I think he can be converted to play in a way that will improve us overall. I want to see him evolve into a proactive player instead of a reactive one, then it'll be great for us to have a player who can control a game while also winning any tackles that he needs to. We're trying to get into the play-offs using one of our best players in a role that bottom half teams utilise but top teams don't, that's the real issue
Exactly how I feel, he's being used as a firefighter (and is great at that job to be fair) but what will take us to the next level is preventing the fires in the first place.
He's got the capability to do it to, but not the opportunity. That's not really a dig at him though - more of a case that injuries to Camara and (possibly) Taylor have left us with a limited midfield, for all the numbers.
We do have a lot of fires to put out. We have a team that can lose its duels all over the pitch, paired with the defensively lowest-performing wingers in the top 12, and Dobbo is the one sniffing the danger and coming across to cover - which does leave its gaps from time to time. I don't feel that him improving positionally is going to solve that much bigger problem. That's a team issue that Appleton has identified and is hoping to solve in January, judging by his interview comments.
Feels like an injustice to see fingers being pointed at Dobbo when he works so hard to cover for the team's weakness. Take him out for a few league games and the absence would be glaring.
Again, fingers aren't being pointed at Dobson as much as they are at the midfield set-up. He's not perfect, which is why he plays in L1, but he's capable of being used better. It's not just his positioning, it's his use of the ball and how he interacts with the players around him, who also need a tune-up. Dobson actually isn't brilliant at sniffing out danger in the top level sense; he smells the smoke on a fire that's already started but not the ones that are about to. He puts out a lot of fires but if you take away the matches in the first place then those fires don't start. We'd really miss him if you took him out but that's also a wider indictment of the team. I don't want our players losing duels but I don't want them having duels either. Typically in a really good team it's your full backs who are doing the most work in that area against wingers, but otherwise you want it fairly low. Hector is putting in 2 tackles a game putting him 36th in the league which is also too high in a team that plays four at the back. We're constantly reacting to what teams are doing to us and players find it really easy to drive through us. We need to start building up our play better and we need three central midfielders who work well together consistently and control the flow both ways. Right now we've got a fairly changeable array of players who all do their own thing and it contributes to us conceding. Hopefully we will bring in some new midfielders who complement each other better but the instructions look they could so with some work as well
It's funny how across the forum there is opinion among different people that we'd be fine losing Dobson, CBT and Leaburn. That's our best 3 players from last season, and really only May would come above them now.
That being said, I've also been curious in previous seasons whether Dobson is in some way holding us back despite his obvious strengths. Think he's been alot better on the ball this season though.
However if there's 1 thing we should have learnt over this long period of decline its that losing our key players is never a good thing.
Dobson holding us back? Asimwe or McGrandles to replace him? Most tackles won and most successful dribbles in League 1? Our captain? Our player of year from 2 years ago and our most consistent player?
My word.
I don't think it's so much about Dobson holding us back as us playing a player in the role where we use Dobson is holding us back. We use him as a wrecking ball to save us when we get into trouble but we'd likely be better off playing him differently. He needs more coaching on his positioning and his approach play but I think he can be converted to play in a way that will improve us overall. I want to see him evolve into a proactive player instead of a reactive one, then it'll be great for us to have a player who can control a game while also winning any tackles that he needs to. We're trying to get into the play-offs using one of our best players in a role that bottom half teams utilise but top teams don't, that's the real issue
Exactly how I feel, he's being used as a firefighter (and is great at that job to be fair) but what will take us to the next level is preventing the fires in the first place.
He's got the capability to do it to, but not the opportunity. That's not really a dig at him though - more of a case that injuries to Camara and (possibly) Taylor have left us with a limited midfield, for all the numbers.
We do have a lot of fires to put out. We have a team that can lose its duels all over the pitch, paired with the defensively lowest-performing wingers in the top 12, and Dobbo is the one sniffing the danger and coming across to cover - which does leave its gaps from time to time. I don't feel that him improving positionally is going to solve that much bigger problem. That's a team issue that Appleton has identified and is hoping to solve in January, judging by his interview comments.
Feels like an injustice to see fingers being pointed at Dobbo when he works so hard to cover for the team's weakness. Take him out for a few league games and the absence would be glaring.
I'm absolutely not pointing fingers at Dobson. He's fantastic at what he does. But with a better set up and with a properly balanced squad/team, he wouldn't have to do it - that's the bit I want addressed.
I'm not saying he's limited as a player. I DO think he's stuck in a role that limits what he can do. And that's part of a much bigger problem that he's left to deal with. He's not the cause of the problem, he's a victim of it.
It would be huge to see Dobbo go. Especially if you look at Fraser/McGrandles consistency.
Apparently the club are offering pretty piss poor contract to him to extend.
If that's the case, don't expect some magical squad improvements in Jan. There's a reason we have Tedic, Abankwah, Campbell etc (£ v ££)
It’s funny how different people hear different things, I actually I have heard the contract offer would make him our highest paid player.
If true I think that’s a mistake…
Why ? He’s our captain and arguably our most influential player .
He’s a good League One player who I think would struggle to make the step up. I might be wrong but I would imagine he’s already one of the best paid at the club and is likely being compensated at a fair value for his ability.
If the “piss take” offer is a renewed deal on the same terms, I’d say that’s very fair. He’s been an influential player at a club that can’t get out of mid table in League One. That’s not good enough to become the highest paid player at Charlton Athletic.
It's funny how across the forum there is opinion among different people that we'd be fine losing Dobson, CBT and Leaburn. That's our best 3 players from last season, and really only May would come above them now.
That being said, I've also been curious in previous seasons whether Dobson is in some way holding us back despite his obvious strengths. Think he's been alot better on the ball this season though.
However if there's 1 thing we should have learnt over this long period of decline its that losing our key players is never a good thing.
Dobson holding us back? Asimwe or McGrandles to replace him? Most tackles won and most successful dribbles in League 1? Our captain? Our player of year from 2 years ago and our most consistent player?
My word.
I don't think it's so much about Dobson holding us back as us playing a player in the role where we use Dobson is holding us back. We use him as a wrecking ball to save us when we get into trouble but we'd likely be better off playing him differently. He needs more coaching on his positioning and his approach play but I think he can be converted to play in a way that will improve us overall. I want to see him evolve into a proactive player instead of a reactive one, then it'll be great for us to have a player who can control a game while also winning any tackles that he needs to. We're trying to get into the play-offs using one of our best players in a role that bottom half teams utilise but top teams don't, that's the real issue
Exactly how I feel, he's being used as a firefighter (and is great at that job to be fair) but what will take us to the next level is preventing the fires in the first place.
He's got the capability to do it to, but not the opportunity. That's not really a dig at him though - more of a case that injuries to Camara and (possibly) Taylor have left us with a limited midfield, for all the numbers.
We do have a lot of fires to put out. We have a team that can lose its duels all over the pitch, paired with the defensively lowest-performing wingers in the top 12, and Dobbo is the one sniffing the danger and coming across to cover - which does leave its gaps from time to time. I don't feel that him improving positionally is going to solve that much bigger problem. That's a team issue that Appleton has identified and is hoping to solve in January, judging by his interview comments.
Feels like an injustice to see fingers being pointed at Dobbo when he works so hard to cover for the team's weakness. Take him out for a few league games and the absence would be glaring.
I'm absolutely not pointing fingers at Dobson. He's fantastic at what he does. But with a better set up and with a properly balanced squad/team, he wouldn't have to do it - that's the bit I want addressed.
I'm not saying he's limited as a player. I DO think he's stuck in a role that limits what he can do. And that's part of a much bigger problem that he's left to deal with. He's not the cause of the problem, he's a victim of it.
Fair enough, we're in total agreement there.
I'm hopeful we'll see a more robust and physical side in February.
It would be huge to see Dobbo go. Especially if you look at Fraser/McGrandles consistency.
Apparently the club are offering pretty piss poor contract to him to extend.
If that's the case, don't expect some magical squad improvements in Jan. There's a reason we have Tedic, Abankwah, Campbell etc (£ v ££)
It’s funny how different people hear different things, I actually I have heard the contract offer would make him our highest paid player.
If true I think that’s a mistake…
Why ? He’s our captain and arguably our most influential player .
He’s a good League One player who I think would struggle to make the step up. I might be wrong but I would imagine he’s already one of the best paid at the club and is likely being compensated at a fair value for his ability.
If the “piss take” offer is a renewed deal on the same terms, I’d say that’s very fair. He’s been an influential player at a club that can’t get out of mid table in League One. That’s not good enough to become the highest paid player at Charlton Athletic.
I take your point but if he’s not the highest paid, a regular starter and captain, then who should be? In my opinion there is no one who should be earning more than Dobbo, no one deserves to be (although a case could be made for Alfie I suppose but that’s it).
It would be huge to see Dobbo go. Especially if you look at Fraser/McGrandles consistency.
Apparently the club are offering pretty piss poor contract to him to extend.
If that's the case, don't expect some magical squad improvements in Jan. There's a reason we have Tedic, Abankwah, Campbell etc (£ v ££)
It’s funny how different people hear different things, I actually I have heard the contract offer would make him our highest paid player.
If true I think that’s a mistake…
Why ? He’s our captain and arguably our most influential player .
He’s a good League One player who I think would struggle to make the step up. I might be wrong but I would imagine he’s already one of the best paid at the club and is likely being compensated at a fair value for his ability.
If the “piss take” offer is a renewed deal on the same terms, I’d say that’s very fair. He’s been an influential player at a club that can’t get out of mid table in League One. That’s not good enough to become the highest paid player at Charlton Athletic.
I take your point but if he’s not the highest paid, a regular starter and captain, then who should be? In my opinion there is no one who should be earning more than Dobbo, no one deserves to be (although a case could be made for Alfie I suppose but that’s it).
Don’t disagree with that for the most part. But just because some players got massively oversized contracts relative to their contributions under the past owners shouldn’t set the bar for going forward.
It might mean losing Dobson in the short term if he really won’t come around but I hope it’s healthier for the club’s future if sentiment is being put aside.
The last possibility is that it is a truly insulting offer in which case you might as well have not offered him anything at all. I really doubt that that’s the case but none of us have seen the details to know.
It would be huge to see Dobbo go. Especially if you look at Fraser/McGrandles consistency.
Apparently the club are offering pretty piss poor contract to him to extend.
If that's the case, don't expect some magical squad improvements in Jan. There's a reason we have Tedic, Abankwah, Campbell etc (£ v ££)
It’s funny how different people hear different things, I actually I have heard the contract offer would make him our highest paid player.
If true I think that’s a mistake…
Why ? He’s our captain and arguably our most influential player .
He’s a good League One player who I think would struggle to make the step up. I might be wrong but I would imagine he’s already one of the best paid at the club and is likely being compensated at a fair value for his ability.
If the “piss take” offer is a renewed deal on the same terms, I’d say that’s very fair. He’s been an influential player at a club that can’t get out of mid table in League One. That’s not good enough to become the highest paid player at Charlton Athletic.
I take your point but if he’s not the highest paid, a regular starter and captain, then who should be? In my opinion there is no one who should be earning more than Dobbo, no one deserves to be (although a case could be made for Alfie I suppose but that’s it).
Don’t disagree with that for the most part. But just because some players got massively oversized contracts relative to their contributions under the past owners shouldn’t set the bar for going forward.
It might mean losing Dobson in the short term if he really won’t come around but I hope it’s healthier for the club’s future if sentiment is being put aside.
The last possibility is that it is a truly insulting offer in which case you might as well have not offered him anything at all. I really doubt that that’s the case but none of us have seen the details to know.
To an extent, contract offers are golden handcuffs which lock a player into a club for a period of time and in that context they should mirror prevailing market values. If we do progress up the pyramid I can't see us overpaying the market and potentially cause comparison wobbles for future negotiations with current and new players.
Andy Scott will no doubt address instances of under and overpaying market value with the current squad as soon as he's able to, within the bounds of contract length and budget room.
As you say, where that leaves Dobson, who knows? Where AS sees Dobson fitting into our future pyramid ambitions is another critical component both from the prospective of what he thinks Dobson can offer in the Championship and how quickly the strategy anticipates us getting there.
Someone with creative nous could easily use Charlton to write a soap based on the machinations of football ownership and management........... it might be a bit painful for us all to relive it all one more time though.
Would like to see if there is a correlation between tackles won and goals conceded tbh
You really need to see some data on that?
With our defence I think he is probably the second hardest player to replace (obviously may is top)... rak sak has been replaced by cbt and over the years we have had quite a few tricky wingers, allbeit not with the samw end product. I cant remember us having a proper cdm since Kashi and Dobbo is far more dynamic
Would like to see if there is a correlation between tackles won and goals conceded tbh
You really need to see some data on that?
With our defence I think he is probably the second hardest player to replace (obviously may is top)... rak sak has been replaced by cbt and over the years we have had quite a few tricky wingers, allbeit not with the samw end product. I cant remember us having a proper cdm since Kashi and Dobbo is far more dynamic
Would like to see if there is a correlation between tackles won and goals conceded tbh
You really need to see some data on that?
With our defence I think he is probably the second hardest player to replace (obviously may is top)... rak sak has been replaced by cbt and over the years we have had quite a few tricky wingers, allbeit not with the samw end product. I cant remember us having a proper cdm since Kashi and Dobbo is far more dynamic
Bielik, Cullen, Pratley
Bilek yes, forgot about him... cullen is a totally different player... and pratley isnt a touch on dobson
Would like to see if there is a correlation between tackles won and goals conceded tbh
You really need to see some data on that?
With our defence I think he is probably the second hardest player to replace (obviously may is top)... rak sak has been replaced by cbt and over the years we have had quite a few tricky wingers, allbeit not with the samw end product. I cant remember us having a proper cdm since Kashi and Dobbo is far more dynamic
Bielik, Cullen, Pratley
Bilek yes, forgot about him... cullen is a totally different player... and pratley isnt a touch on dobson
Pratley has loads of Championship experience, and has played in the PL. Dobson has basically played his entire career in L1.
Would like to see if there is a correlation between tackles won and goals conceded tbh
You really need to see some data on that?
With our defence I think he is probably the second hardest player to replace (obviously may is top)... rak sak has been replaced by cbt and over the years we have had quite a few tricky wingers, allbeit not with the samw end product. I cant remember us having a proper cdm since Kashi and Dobbo is far more dynamic
Bielik, Cullen, Pratley
Bilek yes, forgot about him... cullen is a totally different player... and pratley isnt a touch on dobson
I don't know about that, aside from the fact Dobson will have to do a hell of a lot to reach the heights Pratley did at the peak of his career, even as he declined he was part of a L1 promotion squad and was one of our better performers in his Championship season with us. Dobson might be capable of that one day but he hasn't done it yet
I'd be curious to know what is seen as an insulting package..
I believe he is currently on approx £4k pw, where our highest earners are approx £7k tops. They've offered him a years extension, probably somewhere in between.
That's all I've heard. I know this is CL so the next 4 pages will be full of debates about what is a high/low/reasonable salary, but hopefully we can avoid that.
I was surprised to hear that L1 professional footballers earn less than directors in the City who spend most of their in the pub!
Pratley's salad days may have only pre-dated Dobson's by 10-15 years but that was enough time for football to completely change. Dobson is technically far in advance of where Pratley ever was, and far more appropriate for a current Championship side.
I will concede that Pratley was far more appropriate than prime Dobson ever would have been for Prem/Champ football as it was at his own peak.
Comparing between eras is dangerous. An acceptable L1 midfielder now is both technically and physically adept. What holds Dobson back, strangely, isn't the technical side at all - his tackling and passing are both fantastic, and he does a Cruyff turn pretty much every game now. His mental side can be worked on. But I actually believe it's his physical side, his engine, that will prevent him reaching higher levels. It CERTAINLY would have done ten years ago. That he even has a shot now is because of how the game's changed.
Bielik was by far the closest we've had to a complete package CDM at this level. Him, Cullen and Aribo in the same midfield was also the closest thing to a 'cheat code' we've had since being relegated out of the Premiership, and that includes Kermorgant, JRS, Wiggins and so on
Pratley's salad days may have only pre-dated Dobson's by 10-15 years but that was enough time for football to completely change. Dobson is technically far in advance of where Pratley ever was, and far more appropriate for a current Championship side.
I will concede that Pratley was far more appropriate than prime Dobson ever would have been for Prem/Champ football as it was at his own peak.
Comparing between eras is dangerous. An acceptable L1 midfielder now is both technically and physically adept. What holds Dobson back, strangely, isn't the technical side at all - his tackling and passing are both fantastic, and he does a Cruyff turn pretty much every game now. His mental side can be worked on. But I actually believe it's his physical side, his engine, that will prevent him reaching higher levels. It CERTAINLY would have done ten years ago. That he even has a shot now is because of how the game's changed.
Worth remembering that Pratley played in the Brendan Rodgers Swansea side that got promoted to the Premier League, at a time when they played "modern" passing football. No way would he have got in that very progressive side if he was just a runner and clogger.
Pratley's salad days may have only pre-dated Dobson's by 10-15 years but that was enough time for football to completely change. Dobson is technically far in advance of where Pratley ever was, and far more appropriate for a current Championship side.
I will concede that Pratley was far more appropriate than prime Dobson ever would have been for Prem/Champ football as it was at his own peak.
Comparing between eras is dangerous. An acceptable L1 midfielder now is both technically and physically adept. What holds Dobson back, strangely, isn't the technical side at all - his tackling and passing are both fantastic, and he does a Cruyff turn pretty much every game now. His mental side can be worked on. But I actually believe it's his physical side, his engine, that will prevent him reaching higher levels. It CERTAINLY would have done ten years ago. That he even has a shot now is because of how the game's changed.
Worth remembering that Pratley played in the Brendan Rodgers Swansea side that got promoted to the Premier League, at a time when they played "modern" passing football. No way would he have got in that very progressive side if he was just a runner and clogger.
Any side like that still needs a disruptive presence, and it wasn't getting it out of little Leon Britton
Comments
Asimwe or McGrandles to replace him?
Most tackles won and most successful dribbles in League 1?
Our captain?
Our player of year from 2 years ago and our most consistent player?
My word.
He brings more to the team than what he does on the pitch though. He models how each player should approach a game and is a great example to the young players in the squad. What I also like about his game is that he passes the ball properly. Even if it is a ten yard pass he gives it firmly to feet - that urgency is necessary.
Remember when he signed and there was a lot of us questioning whether he'd be a success based on the comments on Sunderland fans. Let's not ignore the gap he would leave if he were to go elsewhere.
It would be a categorical disaster if we lost him to a transfer in January or dicking him about with lowball contract offers.
In my opinion this January window will be the first proper acid test of our new owners. Will they invest or go for a quick return on their 50p investment?
I'd love to see what players Apples wants to sign seeing as the side he's managing is all inherited and the only bloke he knows is McAmbles.... This I'm sure is why LWatson is struggling to get into the side.
I'd love to see a run for the playoffs but my money is definitely on CBT going and possibly Leaburn which would be a disaster and confirm our worst fears of another crap load of owners in a year when of all years we finally get a striker who is scoring for fun.... Only at Charlton could this happen.
He's got the capability to do it to, but not the opportunity. That's not really a dig at him though - more of a case that injuries to Camara and (possibly) Taylor have left us with a limited midfield, for all the numbers.
Feels like an injustice to see fingers being pointed at Dobbo when he works so hard to cover for the team's weakness. Take him out for a few league games and the absence would be glaring.
I'm not saying he's limited as a player. I DO think he's stuck in a role that limits what he can do. And that's part of a much bigger problem that he's left to deal with. He's not the cause of the problem, he's a victim of it.
If the “piss take” offer is a renewed deal on the same terms, I’d say that’s very fair. He’s been an influential player at a club that can’t get out of mid table in League One. That’s not good enough to become the highest paid player at Charlton Athletic.
I'm hopeful we'll see a more robust and physical side in February.
It might mean losing Dobson in the short term if he really won’t come around but I hope it’s healthier for the club’s future if sentiment is being put aside.
The last possibility is that it is a truly insulting offer in which case you might as well have not offered him anything at all. I really doubt that that’s the case but none of us have seen the details to know.
To an extent, contract offers are golden handcuffs which lock a player into a club for a period of time and in that context they should mirror prevailing market values. If we do progress up the pyramid I can't see us overpaying the market and potentially cause comparison wobbles for future negotiations with current and new players.
Andy Scott will no doubt address instances of under and overpaying market value with the current squad as soon as he's able to, within the bounds of contract length and budget room.
As you say, where that leaves Dobson, who knows? Where AS sees Dobson fitting into our future pyramid ambitions is another critical component both from the prospective of what he thinks Dobson can offer in the Championship and how quickly the strategy anticipates us getting there.
Someone with creative nous could easily use Charlton to write a soap based on the machinations of football ownership and management........... it might be a bit painful for us all to relive it all one more time though.
That's all I've heard. I know this is CL so the next 4 pages will be full of debates about what is a high/low/reasonable salary, but hopefully we can avoid that.
I was surprised to hear that L1 professional footballers earn less than directors in the City who spend most of their in the pub!
I will concede that Pratley was far more appropriate than prime Dobson ever would have been for Prem/Champ football as it was at his own peak.
Comparing between eras is dangerous. An acceptable L1 midfielder now is both technically and physically adept. What holds Dobson back, strangely, isn't the technical side at all - his tackling and passing are both fantastic, and he does a Cruyff turn pretty much every game now. His mental side can be worked on. But I actually believe it's his physical side, his engine, that will prevent him reaching higher levels. It CERTAINLY would have done ten years ago. That he even has a shot now is because of how the game's changed.