Sandgaards marketing for season ticket sales has been good so far! Well, considering buying a football club in the pandemic, well that's about it so far? Recruitment has been dull up to date. Certainly going to struggle scoring goals, we sold our top 20-minute scorer, that would probably have scored more than JS in half the minutes. Stockley scores nice goals but is not prolific so expect plenty of Charlton 0 and low score draws especially at home games. As for future recruitments before the transfer deadline. If honest this squad is not an improvement on the last. If nothing changes fast we will be chasing a lot of smaller clubs' points advantage as well as the usual suspects. If we were not able to bring in a few game-changing players before the start what is now left for Gallen's hopes of finding any gems now I wonder? Meh - we bought the aspirations but doubt we will see it this term, so hold on tight for another season of ''Charlton Life'' manic depressive syndrome for supporting our club! As for last night - Good choice - this side will most definitely struggle with silly cup runs wasting energy which will be best used on trying to gain a top ten end-of-season position!
Probably the best rest for us tbh, we are out of that shitty cup and it's proven we won't be able to rely on most of those u23 players over the season as backup.
I'd have liked a cup run, but I'd much prefer a handful of new signings.
Probably the best rest for us tbh, we are out of that shitty cup and it's proven we won't be able to rely on most of those u23 players over the season as backup.
I'd have liked a cup run, but I'd much prefer a handful of new signings.
Individually they might be able to be relied upon as back up, but in larger numbers, definitely not.
Struggling for positives tonight, the squad is nowhere near where it needs to be.
Anyone else find the Roddy thing troubling, he just doesn't look good enough to me. Where did he come from?
He certainly looked out of his depth, but like all the other youngsters I wouldn’t be criticizing any of them tonight. I heard some bloke behind me dig him out with some terrible comment along the lines of ‘Roddy, he should be Doddy’. Doesn’t even make sense.
Fine to say they played badly, but not worth digging them out from the stands. Pointless when they’re that age and will not do anything to help
Totally agree,just how does booing players help the situation,really disheartening for these young lads,I really felt ashamed to be among these brain dead morons.
Probably the best rest for us tbh, we are out of that shitty cup and it's proven we won't be able to rely on most of those u23 players over the season as backup.
I'd have liked a cup run, but I'd much prefer a handful of new signings.
Individually they might be able to be relied upon as back up, but in larger numbers, definitely not.
Definitely mate, there's a couple that would be great on the bench for minutes, but equally there's some that are mils away from that atm and would literally just be making up the numbers.
The biggest annoyance for me is the change in tone from the management team.
We were originally led to believe we'd have a worthy squad ready to go on the b of bang at the start of the season. Premiership football, European football were just around the corner. Reality has set in and the club is now lowering expectations. I was always going to renew my season ticket, but there may be those who bought on the strength of the promises made. In a recent article Nige admits there is no quick fix.
"The ambition shown by the owner was one of the main reasons I accepted the offer. The reality is it's good to have ambition but you have to put things in place, you have to lay the foundations.
“So from my point of view, it's going to take time. The important thing is to make sure there's a stable football club for fans to be a part of and not worry about situations – because this club nearly went to the wall.
"It's important to put foundations in place to build on. Of course, we want to be winning things straightaway.
"But sometimes it takes a bit of time to put things in place. I think everybody understands that as well. It's going to take time.
I wonder what's changed in football where us and other lower league teams couldn't give a toss about a cup run.
Years ago you’d basically be able to name the team weeks ahead because it didn’t change much. Players got kicked, they got up and kicked somebody back. They were in the team the next week, a few days later, or even the next day sometimes (Christmas, Easter). Today, possibly because they are fitter and have less cushioning on their body they get kicked, they stay down and they are out for 6 weeks. It’s become a squad game these days because of that injury factor, not a team game and whilst clubs build up big squads most outside the likes of Man City or Chelsea don’t really have the depth of players they actually need, hence outside a few clubs the rest haven’t got much of a chance of winning a cup and would be risking their core players to injury if they tried. So clubs don’t try.
So many teams changed their line ups for this cup at this stage. Its shows how weak our squad is when we make 7 changes to the line up we end up with the side we had last night. Roddy at presant is simply not good enough, Ghandour wernt great but did keep trying, Claydon was on the wrong flank for most of the game. Deji is the only one who did not look out of place.
2 games in and we have barely created any chances, this should see us along with the low squad numbers make us realise we need to change this and get the new players in ASAP, 1st proper test of the new recruitment structure.
Off the pitch last night wernt great either, a very small crowd which the club struggled to get in on time due to some turnstiles not being open in the West.
We are evidently screwed if we lose Stockley . This version of 433 is pretty negative and leaves the forward isolated .
Thing is even with Stockley in the side his main threat is headed goals.
Any manager that has a basic bit of research will note that and nullify it by telling his side to close down DJ before he crosses, not give away corners and free kicks in range of a cross etc.
Stockleys aerial threat seems to be the strategy from this formation but Washington won't be crossing balls in and easy to nullify.
Would maybe be better off playing 2 up front allowing Washington a more direct route on goal.
Haven't got the luxury of Chuks Bergkamp coming off the bench to batter his way through tired defenders this year.
As it stands, we are going to be very reliant on our defence and keeping a player like Innis fit (no track record of that happening). We have lost a lot of goals and have very few players with any track record of scoring a decent number for their position.
A simple exercise is to look at last season. We scored 70 goals and missed out. If we had defended better through the season, 60 might have been enough. Now look at our squad and honestly attribute the amount of goals they can be expected to get (using their track records). I think you will be well short of 60.
We have three weeks to save our season. Which with some bad luck with injuries could even be a disaster.
Should have listened to me 6 weeks ago. It's been in the pipeline but too many were calling me a bedwetter & to trust in the process.
I haven't been Golfie. My view has been that we need players in and I will judge on who they are. I don't rate Clare at all. Sorry, I know that will upset some. I think Dobson is an improvement on Watson or Pratley there. We have lost goals through players leaving and injury and haven't replaced them. Yet!
I think we have to pull our rabbits out of the loans.
Roddy getting a start in a competitive match is deeply concerning.
Indeed. I wish him luck bit he's currently no where near the first team level, and I would expect at least Barker to be ahead of him playing RB with Gunter LB.
NA's words that this is our squad are chilling. Transparency required as to why we are in this state of affairs. And just like the Roland era, none of these talented youngsters have broken through to the first team yet, they are playing simply because we don't have anyone else.
I was at the game last night and can't believe we flogged Albie & Clare into another 90 minutes. Both stared at the bench puzzled when Watson came off, although he was pony as usual.
He's not going to do a Bowyer and call the owner out is he?
Because its not true. Why try to make stuff up when the fans can see its BS. Only Elewere showed any promise, the rest were completely out of their depth.
Go on then, what would you have said in the post match press conference?
That this shows we are a long way from being able to compete in this division, but dressed up so I do not get sacked tomorrow.
Just as well this wasn't a league game then 🤣
Isn't it just! But then we're only a few Saturday - Tuesday's away from the possibility that our first choice League team could look the same.
He's not going to do a Bowyer and call the owner out is he?
Because its not true. Why try to make stuff up when the fans can see its BS. Only Elewere showed any promise, the rest were completely out of their depth.
Go on then, what would you have said in the post match press conference?
That this shows we are a long way from being able to compete in this division, but dressed up so I do not get sacked tomorrow.
Just as well this wasn't a league game then 🤣
Isn't it just! But then we're only a few Saturday - Tuesday's away from the possibility that our first choice League team could look the same.
Last night is a classic example of why you need to take cup games seriously. Winning football matches is what matters. The club is now surrounded by negativity by gifting the match to Wimbledon.
Just to be clear, Wimbledon played a team largely of kids as well. They just performed better as a team.
Edit: The following post is a load of auld bollocks. The team on the right is Doncaster’s. Oops. 😭
Hadn’t realised to what extent Wimbledon changed their team from Saturday, although not sure of the players ages. They looked older, certainly some were much bigger. Either way, that’s very alarming. Wimbledon on this evidence are way ahead of us.
My half full glass is beginning to look a bit empty.
He's not going to do a Bowyer and call the owner out is he?
Because its not true. Why try to make stuff up when the fans can see its BS. Only Elewere showed any promise, the rest were completely out of their depth.
Go on then, what would you have said in the post match press conference?
That this shows we are a long way from being able to compete in this division, but dressed up so I do not get sacked tomorrow.
Just as well this wasn't a league game then 🤣
Isn't it just! But then we're only a few Saturday - Tuesday's away from the possibility that our first choice League team could look the same.
A possibility indeed, but not likely.
Its not unlikely we could have 3 injuries or suspensions before next Tuesday for example. We already know Gilbert and Purrington won't be fit, Ronnie no idea and can Innis play 3 games in a week. So some of those players we saw last night we will see a lot more off in the coming weeks unless at least 5 new players are brought in
He's not going to do a Bowyer and call the owner out is he?
Because its not true. Why try to make stuff up when the fans can see its BS. Only Elewere showed any promise, the rest were completely out of their depth.
Go on then, what would you have said in the post match press conference?
That this shows we are a long way from being able to compete in this division, but dressed up so I do not get sacked tomorrow.
Just as well this wasn't a league game then 🤣
Isn't it just! But then we're only a few Saturday - Tuesday's away from the possibility that our first choice League team could look the same.
A possibility indeed, but not likely.
Its not unlikely we could have 3 injuries or suspensions before next Tuesday for example. We already know Gilbert and Purrington won't be fit, Ronnie no idea and can Innis play 3 games in a week. So some of those players we saw last night we will see a lot more off in the coming weeks unless at least 5 new players are brought in
That's quite unlikely. Not impossible, but quite unlikely. How often have we picked up 3 injuries/suspensions in short succession? I have only ever seen such injury madness one time and that was when Cullen and Vetokele both dislocated their shoulders and Dijksteel and Ben Reeves strained their hamstrings the week before. One shoulder dislocation is a freak injury, two is super freaky.
Hamstring strains are more common, but to get two in one game is once again very unusual.
I needed to see for myself the latest crop of player who are being given the opportunity for the gateway to the first team squad.
And there lies our strength and weakness. Great that we continue to let the parents of children who join our academy know there is that chance to go all the way to our first team. At the moment we have a couple of really talented 13 and 14 year olds we are trying not to lose to CAT A Academies. Joe Gomez's dad is a great help in giving chats to our best young kids and their parents.
The weaknesses; are they good enough ?
3 very reliable sources, who don't know each other told me verbatim about Ademola Lookman and why he joined Cafc at 16. The reason was his agent/rep said Ademola will come to Cafc if within 18 months he is given an opportunity to play in the first team IF, and obviously a big IF his form in U18 or U21 warrants the opportunity. Ademola did impress and the rest is history.
Joe Aribo went from a tall all arms and legs defender in a Foundation to the attacking midfielder, comfortable on the ball once he came to Cafc via Staines FC.
As an ex salesman, this really is our USP the problem we will have going forward is we need to keep the good ones, and realize double quick the players who will struggle.
That is the skill in youth development, even though it's not an exact science because of growth spurts and strength.
We are evidently screwed if we lose Stockley . This version of 433 is pretty negative and leaves the forward isolated .
Thing is even with Stockley in the side his main threat is headed goals.
Any manager that has a basic bit of research will note that and nullify it by telling his side to close down DJ before he crosses, not give away corners and free kicks in range of a cross etc.
Stockleys aerial threat seems to be the strategy from this formation but Washington won't be crossing balls in and easy to nullify.
Would maybe be better off playing 2 up front allowing Washington a more direct route on goal.
Haven't got the luxury of Chuks Bergkamp coming off the bench to batter his way through tired defenders this year.
Need to find a way to get goals.
Washington in the second half against Sheff Wed, desperately tried to get on his right foot from the wide left but the defenders knew that and blocked his shots I know Nigel Adkins wants 25 clean sheets but if 20 of them are 0-0 it will be like watching paint dry at the valley.
It's too easy for mediocre League 1 clubs to play against Cafc at the valley with the isolation of Stockley. Jayden needs a strike partner closer to him. It so patently clear that I'm bemused.
No problem playing 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 if you have goal scoring wide men or attacking midfielders who will hit 15 goals but as Gilbey is the only midfielder who appears to know where the goal is we will continue to struggle at the Valley but will pick up more points away.
The turnstile queues last night were problematic. I suspect the staffer responsible was spending time wondering if it’s best to cut cheese sandwiches into triangles or squares.
The turnstile queues last night were problematic. I suspect the staffer responsible was spending time wondering if it’s best to cut cheese sandwiches into triangles or squares.
On Saturday the Chief Operating Officer was stood at the West Stand turnstiles assisting supporters use the turnstiles possibly as not all of them in that stand are currently not working, last night at least 2 were closed. Perhaps it would be better to get them fixed before the season started.
If you piece all the clues together, you might come to the conclusion that the anticipated budget has been slashed for whatever reason. Maybe the next 2 and a bit weeks will prove that conclusion wrong, but the last three months haven't.
I am minded of Star Wars when I think of Albie. Help me Albie Morgan, you are our only hope. He is a bit of an enigma as you sort of know there is gold in there, but how do you get it out? Bowyer thought, logically, that if he improved his fitness and work rate we would see the best of the player. He has done that, but the talent we know he has isn't showing to the degree we need it to. Not saying he is bad, but we need him to be great. Maybe if the players around him were better, he would be better.
Do you really see gold in Albie? I really never have. What has he done to suggest he’s an enigma? He looks like a very mediocre footballer to me. A nice kid for sure but I don’t see this classy midfielder that everyone else does. Might just be me.
Keeping my powder dry at the moment but if TS and NA fail to come up with some new signings before the end of the window, they can have both barrels. Very disappointed with the two games so far, though young Deji did impress against Wimbledon.
I wonder what's changed in football where us and other lower league teams couldn't give a toss about a cup run.
I agree in the League cup, but the FA cup is still the lifeblood to the smaller sides.
And the sad news is we are 3rd tier and TS would love us to go the whole away to the 3rd round where if we got Man utd or Liverpool away, they would probably declare at 5 Goals but at least Thomas would feel you can make some money from football.
Very little chance of Cafc getting to 2nd round with the total disdain of Cafc managers in recent years to the cup competitions. (We are not alone)
Sums up how the majority of fans feel about the competition.
On to Saturday
About ANY cup competition to be fair. Haven't attended one for ages as result is usually a foregone conclusion. Charlton are just one of many who put out weak teams and who can blame them?
Comments
I'd have liked a cup run, but I'd much prefer a handful of new signings.
We were originally led to believe we'd have a worthy squad ready to go on the b of bang at the start of the season. Premiership football, European football were just around the corner. Reality has set in and the club is now lowering expectations. I was always going to renew my season ticket, but there may be those who bought on the strength of the promises made. In a recent article Nige admits there is no quick fix.
"The ambition shown by the owner was one of the main reasons I accepted the offer. The reality is it's good to have ambition but you have to put things in place, you have to lay the foundations.
“So from my point of view, it's going to take time. The important thing is to make sure there's a stable football club for fans to be a part of and not worry about situations – because this club nearly went to the wall.
"It's important to put foundations in place to build on. Of course, we want to be winning things straightaway.
"But sometimes it takes a bit of time to put things in place. I think everybody understands that as well. It's going to take time.
https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/charlton-athletic-nigel-adkins-league-one-new-season-b949584.html
PS. I've just rechecked - My bed is dry!
2 games in and we have barely created any chances, this should see us along with the low squad numbers make us realise we need to change this and get the new players in ASAP, 1st proper test of the new recruitment structure.
Off the pitch last night wernt great either, a very small crowd which the club struggled to get in on time due to some turnstiles not being open in the West.
We have failed to add strength and depth. In fact we don't even have depth in the forward line in the 1st team, squad or U23 squad.
Any manager that has a basic bit of research will note that and nullify it by telling his side to close down DJ before he crosses, not give away corners and free kicks in range of a cross etc.
Stockleys aerial threat seems to be the strategy from this formation but Washington won't be crossing balls in and easy to nullify.
Would maybe be better off playing 2 up front allowing Washington a more direct route on goal.
Haven't got the luxury of Chuks Bergkamp coming off the bench to batter his way through tired defenders this year.
Need to find a way to get goals.
I think we have to pull our rabbits out of the loans.
NA's words that this is our squad are chilling. Transparency required as to why we are in this state of affairs. And just like the Roland era, none of these talented youngsters have broken through to the first team yet, they are playing simply because we don't have anyone else.
I was at the game last night and can't believe we flogged Albie & Clare into another 90 minutes. Both stared at the bench puzzled when Watson came off, although he was pony as usual.
Hamstring strains are more common, but to get two in one game is once again very unusual.
I needed to see for myself the latest crop of player who are being given the opportunity for the gateway to the first team squad.
And there lies our strength and weakness.
Great that we continue to let the parents of children who join our academy know there is that chance to go all the way to our first team. At the moment we have a couple of really talented 13 and 14 year olds we are trying not to lose to CAT A Academies. Joe Gomez's dad is a great help in giving chats to our best young kids and their parents.
The weaknesses; are they good enough ?
3 very reliable sources, who don't know each other told me verbatim about Ademola Lookman and why he joined Cafc at 16. The reason was his agent/rep said Ademola will come to Cafc if within 18 months he is given an opportunity to play in the first team IF, and obviously a big IF his form in U18 or U21 warrants the opportunity. Ademola did impress and the rest is history.
Joe Aribo went from a tall all arms and legs defender in a Foundation to the attacking midfielder, comfortable on the ball once he came to Cafc via Staines FC.
As an ex salesman, this really is our USP the problem we will have going forward is we need to keep the good ones, and realize double quick the players who will struggle.
That is the skill in youth development, even though it's not an exact science because of growth spurts and strength.
Washington in the second half against Sheff Wed, desperately tried to get on his right foot from the wide left but the defenders knew that and blocked his shots
I know Nigel Adkins wants 25 clean sheets but if 20 of them are 0-0 it will be like watching paint dry at the valley.
It's too easy for mediocre League 1 clubs to play against Cafc at the valley with the isolation of Stockley. Jayden needs a strike partner closer to him. It so patently clear that I'm bemused.
No problem playing 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 if you have goal scoring wide men or attacking midfielders who will hit 15 goals but as Gilbey is the only midfielder who appears to know where the goal is we will continue to struggle at the Valley but will pick up more points away.
I suspect the staffer responsible was spending time wondering if it’s best to cut cheese sandwiches into triangles or squares.
I am minded of Star Wars when I think of Albie. Help me Albie Morgan, you are our only hope. He is a bit of an enigma as you sort of know there is gold in there, but how do you get it out? Bowyer thought, logically, that if he improved his fitness and work rate we would see the best of the player. He has done that, but the talent we know he has isn't showing to the degree we need it to. Not saying he is bad, but we need him to be great. Maybe if the players around him were better, he would be better.
Very disappointed with the two games so far, though young Deji did impress against Wimbledon.
I agree in the League cup, but the FA cup is still the lifeblood to the smaller sides.
And the sad news is we are 3rd tier and TS would love us to go the whole away to the 3rd round where if we got Man utd or Liverpool away, they would probably declare at 5 Goals but at least Thomas would feel you can make some money from football.
Very little chance of Cafc getting to 2nd round with the total disdain of Cafc managers in recent years to the cup competitions. (We are not alone)