TBF to Lee his weakness are amplified by others as much as himself.
If someone else could take free kicks and corners that fact he can't wouldn't matter. If our strikers finished more of the chances he did given them it would be enough.
It's endemic in the club no one person, or thing, is either THE problem nor THE solution.
Lee has become a lighting rod for some of our more critical fans. No one can argue he's been in top form recently, but he's been nowhere near as bad as some people are making out. He's still creating chances in matches. Still getting shots away. He looks every bit a decent player in a form rut, rather than simply a bad player.
Confidence is so fragile in our entire team and has been for a long time now - no better characterized than how much we struggle if we concede first and how much better our results are if we score first. A bit more belief and old fashioned grit could transform this side because, whatever some say, we do have above average talent in the squad for this level.
We do have a talent squad but we don't have the things that make a good team. The fire in the belly was put their by them wanting Jackson to get the job. It's now gone, again. Two players like Mark Kinsella would make the world of difference. The want to win AND the real want to improve. It would have a knock on effect on some of the others.
Cullen, Beilik/Gallagher and like it or not Taylor made a massive difference not only in what they brought in terms of quality but attitude. Aribo, Dijksteel, Sarr and even BFG, Pratley, Matthews and Pearce were sort of dragged along with them. We don't have those things now. It shows.
Lee isn't as good as some claimed or as bad as some are now claiming.
What you're saying is we're missing those star players who lift the whole team up a level.
Bowyer had Cullen, Bielik/Gallagher and Taylor as you say. Powell had Yann supported by several others.
This team doesn't really have that - Dobson and Stockley are very important but they need help.
Dobson and Stockley are both good at what they do but neither of them are in the kind of role that lets them lift teams by pure example.
Dobson is fantastic at his role of midfield warrior but if he is fighting fires all over the midfield he can't also be creating chances or tearing forward to have a shot - which is where Gilbey/Morgan/Lee need to be stepping up.
Stockley is likewise good at scrapping with defenders and winning the ball but he can't ALSO be making chances for himself and others at the same time (where Kermorgant could.)
It is a big if, but if we have enough in the tank right now to survive relegation, then I wouldn’t be signing Fraser. We need a clear out and re-build with a mind to bringing on the young players. I think Fraser would be more clutter.
Having read that and the other links posted it seems the question marks are over his fitness, work rate, athleticism etc. However any creative CM at this level is going to lack something in their game, perhaps alongside two mobile energetic players in Dobson and Gilbey (or John?) we'll have a good balance and will be able to support a player like Fraser. The player in that role needs to produce more than Lee has been.
If Castillo settles in well having pace and more of a threat (other than attacking the far post) than Purrington will make a difference too. As will having Chuks up front over Davison or Leko.
Isn't this a problem we have already in our midfield ? I would prefer we signed a midfielder that has those traits, with some pace and ability to take the opposition on and open them up.
No problem sir. That’ll be £1M, thank you very much. Cheap at the price.
Well we have wasted half of that on one player who's already been shipped out whilst the overall effect of our last season and a half is we are not in the mix for top 6 where we need to be. So just maybe its a false economy to keep paying out for players on smaller fees (250K) as been reported and still not have the engine that makes it work.
Having read that and the other links posted it seems the question marks are over his fitness, work rate, athleticism etc. However any creative CM at this level is going to lack something in their game, perhaps alongside two mobile energetic players in Dobson and Gilbey (or John?) we'll have a good balance and will be able to support a player like Fraser. The player in that role needs to produce more than Lee has been.
If Castillo settles in well having pace and more of a threat (other than attacking the far post) than Purrington will make a difference too. As will having Chuks up front over Davison or Leko.
Isn't this a problem we have already in our midfield ? I would prefer we signed a midfielder that has those traits, with some pace and ability to take the opposition on and open them up.
Gilbey has a fantastic engine. Dobson is quite mobile for a holding/sitting player. And Lee covers a decent amount of ground for a playmaker/#10. Even Morgan's workrate is decent these days. I don't think their issue is a lack of mobility. I think sometimes it's a lack of technical ability or tactical nous to find space off the ball.
Fraser is a tough one because he was there in the summer but we didn't get him. Plus, we did have a not particularly mobile playmaker in Shinnie, who we let go (though he is about five years older, and it's hard to see where he would have fit in Adkins' 4-2-3-1). This window does have a feeling of correcting mistakes we made in the summer. Which, hey, better late than never. But still frustrating.
I'm also a bit gutted we pulled out of a deal for Marcus Browne. Obviously there's a risk signing a player off of an ACL injury, but the bits I saw and read about him he seems to have a very high upside, especially at our level. He's one that, because he's coming back from injury, we may only have a shot at signing now. My bigger concern for him was where he would play in our system. But he seemed to have the technical ability and pace to be a game changer.
Fraser looked very good against us last season. And might turn into a decent signing, and is probably lower risk than Browne (and yes they do play different positions so it's a bit apples and oranges). But I don't think he has Brown's ceiling.
Totally agree with your assessment of Brown & Fraser, that's my thinking as well.
Dobson is a given he does the defensive job. I am not convinced of Gilbey or Lee as the main man to make the midfield tick consistently.
In those Youtube clips Fraser's style very much reminds me of Gilbey.
Our season has pretty much fizzled out. The club really needs to up its recruiting come the summer and get all the work done early.
I don’t get why I keep reading this - we are still in a battle to stay away from relegation. If we think we are playing for nothing then we will have a big shock in a few months l.
Little bit in this on Fraser. Apparently the bid exceeds what Ipswich paid in the summer...
Gives me a bit of hope that comment - if Ipswich are leaking they are making a profit (whether they are or not, and it wouldn't surprise me), it feels like that's explaining it before it happens.
Fair play to Thomas. I've been doubting his willingness or ability to keep pumping more money in for transfers. Apologies direct to Thomas for questioning his commitment. How refreshing to have an owner that wants success as much as the fans.
Hooray transfer deadline day!!!, otherwise known in Charlton as monday!!!. Hopefully some proper straight into the 1st team signings, no more speculative hopeful train them up so they go back better types. Please nobody hold there breath, we don’t want any casualties!!🤷🏻♂️🤣
When the window opened we were looking to bring in two and possibly three players. Burstow has displaced Davison and we have added Chucks. We have bought in a left wing back who is out of contract in the summer so if he does well we may be able to make permanent. The extra one is an exciting youngster who looks destined for the Spurs 1st team in the near future. Overall a good January window.
Now we after a fourth and yet some are saying it is another disaster. If we do manage to get one of the two suggested targets on a permanent it will change a good window to a fantastic window IMO. We are edging towards having a squad of players that are actually our players which is good.
When the window opened we were looking to bring in two and possibly three players. Burstow has displaced Davison and we have added Chucks. We have bought in a left wing back who is out of contract in the summer so if he does well we may be able to make permanent. The extra one is an exciting youngster who looks destined for the Spurs 1st team in the near future. Overall a good January window.
Now we after a fourth and yet some are saying it is another disaster. If we do manage to get one of the two suggested targets on a permanent it will change a good window to a fantastic window IMO. We are edging towards having a squad of players that are actually our players which is good.
Many won’t be happy until they see consistent results and performances on the pitch, regardless of any signings made. That means winning promotion from this league and then competing in the Championship (not saying that’s right or wrong).
When the window opened we were looking to bring in two and possibly three players. Burstow has displaced Davison and we have added Chucks. We have bought in a left wing back who is out of contract in the summer so if he does well we may be able to make permanent. The extra one is an exciting youngster who looks destined for the Spurs 1st team in the near future. Overall a good January window.
Now we after a fourth and yet some are saying it is another disaster. If we do manage to get one of the two suggested targets on a permanent it will change a good window to a fantastic window IMO. We are edging towards having a squad of players that are actually our players which is good.
When the window opened we were looking to bring in two and possibly three players. Burstow has displaced Davison and we have added Chucks. We have bought in a left wing back who is out of contract in the summer so if he does well we may be able to make permanent. The extra one is an exciting youngster who looks destined for the Spurs 1st team in the near future. Overall a good January window.
Now we after a fourth and yet some are saying it is another disaster. If we do manage to get one of the two suggested targets on a permanent it will change a good window to a fantastic window IMO. We are edging towards having a squad of players that are actually our players which is good.
That’s a lot of reliance on unproven youngsters with potential, they still may not cut it. Hoping otherwise, but it’s a gamble on our part. We need some proven quality as we’ve been let down by the quality players we thought we had.
When the window opened we were looking to bring in two and possibly three players. Burstow has displaced Davison and we have added Chucks. We have bought in a left wing back who is out of contract in the summer so if he does well we may be able to make permanent. The extra one is an exciting youngster who looks destined for the Spurs 1st team in the near future. Overall a good January window.
Now we after a fourth and yet some are saying it is another disaster. If we do manage to get one of the two suggested targets on a permanent it will change a good window to a fantastic window IMO. We are edging towards having a squad of players that are actually our players which is good.
Many won’t be happy until they see consistent results and performances on the pitch, regardless of any signings made. That means winning promotion from this league and then competing in the Championship (not saying that’s right or wrong).
Comments
Dobson is fantastic at his role of midfield warrior but if he is fighting fires all over the midfield he can't also be creating chances or tearing forward to have a shot - which is where Gilbey/Morgan/Lee need to be stepping up.
Stockley is likewise good at scrapping with defenders and winning the ball but he can't ALSO be making chances for himself and others at the same time (where Kermorgant could.)
We need a clear out and re-build with a mind to bringing on the young players. I think Fraser would be more clutter.
When top proven league one players become available on a perm then you have to buy them.
Once the clock strikes 11pm, we’re gonna blow this league away.
Dobson is a given he does the defensive job. I am not convinced of Gilbey or Lee as the main man to make the midfield tick consistently.
Little bit in this on Fraser. Apparently the bid exceeds what Ipswich paid in the summer...
Burstow has displaced Davison and we have added Chucks. We have bought in a left wing back who is out of contract in the summer so if he does well we may be able to make permanent. The extra one is an exciting youngster who looks destined for the Spurs 1st team in the near future.
Overall a good January window.
Now we after a fourth and yet some are saying it is another disaster. If we do manage to get one of the two suggested targets on a permanent it will change a good window to a fantastic window IMO.
We are edging towards having a squad of players that are actually our players which is good.
Ever.