Or use Claire as a midfielder. We now have a left back which means sess on the right. No room for Claire.
Claire plays for Charlton's women team but Sean Clare has so far played RB, RWB, LB, LWB and Mid field ! Clare is a difficult player to sum up because similar to Naby Sarr he can go from the Ridiculous to the Sublime. Clare was like a Kamikaze RB at Old Trafford in the first 15 minutes before morphing into Carl Walker. A very unusual all rounder.
I haven't seen enough of Conor McCandles to judge but I know he gets on our fans wick and because of injuries his career at Cafc has been a slow burner, so I hope he can improve his football education at Cambridge.
Can't comment as haven't seen enough of him. He was unlucky as he got injured pre-season. He does seem a little lightweight from what I have seen. Hope he does well on loan at Cambridge United.
Lol this is absolutely Bananas. Why on earth did we sign him? Why did we want to move JFC on to bring him in instead of just focusing on rehabbing JFC? He signed injured. He then got injured. He then returned...and got injured again. I mean, it's bad luck, but he started playing for the U21s 2-3 weeks ago. No sign of him in the first team. He must just not be fancied at all. Baffling signing.
For those saying we signed rubbish players from League Two, McGrandles is easily the worst summer signing and he came from League One.
It's odd because at the time there was "reportedly" interest from top league one clubs and champ clubs. Agent talk I guess.
We signed a player who was captain and a key cog in a Lincoln side who had recently broke into the top 6.
And the bloke he effectively replaced has moved down to league two due to crippling injuries, all be it to a team flying, and was an unused sub in his last game.
Even though it’s not worked out for CM so far, and may never, it really was not some sort of left-field signing.
Right, sometimes players don't fit. Or get unlucky with injury. I do think it's possible that there were other League One clubs interested in him, his reputation was quite good.
My thing is, why have we given up on him so fast? We have a decent midfield, we can probably afford to ease him back in. This only makes sense to me if we bring in another box-to-box midfielder who we feel is as good (and more fit), if not better than McGrandles. Otherwise, we've just let our only natural box-to-box midfielder go out on loan to another League One side.
This has been the problem for 90% of the dozen plus midfielders we have had over the last 2 and a half seasons.
We have had some really good center mids over the last 2 and a half years but none of the 4, too early to judge Holden, have ever been able to per a good 3 put of it. Its probably part of the reason I rate, or did rate, JFC so highly. He was the only one that could do more than one thing well.
I think you can expand the thinking to other positions as well but it's quite clear to me with the CMs that the policy has been get as many decent ones we can and let the manager sort it out.
Hardly seen him play. Didnt he injure his finger in a tackle & missed 2 months recovering ?
And to think we let Gilbey leave instead. Poor recruitment all round, but then that's a Shay round here.
If there's anything that summarises the shortsightedness of Charlton fans it's people complaining that we signed a player who has been injured almost the whole season, which you don't exactly plan for when you sign them, instead of keeping a player who was consistently shit for us for two years. A Charlton player will never be closer to being world class than when he's not around and can be used as a prop for whining.
Shortsighted is being polite. Try the same smug self centered saddos who snipe at the club they supposedly 'support' whenever they sense there is an opportunity. Of course, they are usually wrong but you can't fix stupid.
Can't comment as haven't seen enough of him. He was unlucky as he got injured pre-season. He does seem a little lightweight from what I have seen. Hope he does well on loan at Cambridge United.
Nothing against him personally but he looked out of his depth, and that was in a poor Charlton side, so I'm glad to see the back of him for the moment. Let's hope he rediscovers his form and comes back to carve out a glittering career in SE7 - or doesn't and clears off in the summer.
I don't quite get the loan tbh, he's not a youth who needs minutes, he was a captain of a fairly decent (until this season) side and played the majority of games. We all know how tried and tested Albie is, and it seems very unlikely we get relegated so why would we not just utilise him here.
All assuming of course we don't bring some bodies in, but if they're only loans then that's also a bit pointless as they will go anyway and we didn't give a player who could be an asset next season some game time.
I don't quite get the loan tbh, he's not a youth who needs minutes, he was a captain of a fairly decent (until this season) side and played the majority of games. We all know how tried and tested Albie is, and it seems very unlikely we get relegated so why would we not just utilise him here.
All assuming of course we don't bring some bodies in, but if they're only loans then that's also a bit pointless as they will go anyway and we didn't give a player who could be an asset next season some game time.
Miserable season/window
I would assume in this case taking him out of a situation which saw him pick up some freak injuries and barely get any minutes, to go somewhere where it looks like he will constantly play, is probably better for his long term development.
True but then in my head there's always that risk the player then wants to stay there after a good spell
Also if he comes back he will still have to earn a managers trust..I understand the decision in the way you've said but I would have been happy to see him given minutes here, ah well
True but then in my head there's always that risk the player then wants to stay there after a good spell
Also if he comes back he will still have to earn a managers trust..I understand the decision in the way you've said but I would have been happy to see him given minutes here, ah well
He has 2.5 years left on his contract, if he wants to stay then Cambridge will need to pay whatever we think is an acceptable price.
True but then in my head there's always that risk the player then wants to stay there after a good spell
Also if he comes back he will still have to earn a managers trust..I understand the decision in the way you've said but I would have been happy to see him given minutes here, ah well
I think this season, especially with him on a short term deal, Holden doesn't have time to ease McGrandles back in. It looks like he's competing directly with Dobson and when he's come in here and there he hasn't looked at it. We don't have time to throw him in and wait for him to get back up to speed and he's not getting in regularly ahead of Dobson so better he play consistently and come back at the start of pre-season ready to compete. I 'd quite like to see him in a 3 with Dobson and Fraser some time to see what he adds there
True but then in my head there's always that risk the player then wants to stay there after a good spell
Also if he comes back he will still have to earn a managers trust..I understand the decision in the way you've said but I would have been happy to see him given minutes here, ah well
He has 2.5 years left on his contract, if he wants to stay then Cambridge will need to pay whatever we think is an acceptable price.
Funny how opinions differ about his performance on Saturday. My mate a Lincoln supporter at the game said he didn’t do anything and was substituted late on.
I don't quite get the loan tbh, he's not a youth who needs minutes, he was a captain of a fairly decent (until this season) side and played the majority of games. We all know how tried and tested Albie is, and it seems very unlikely we get relegated so why would we not just utilise him here.
All assuming of course we don't bring some bodies in, but if they're only loans then that's also a bit pointless as they will go anyway and we didn't give a player who could be an asset next season some game time.
Miserable season/window
A fairly decent until this season, where is that coming from? They are in there usual position this season
They had 1 good season, like Shrewsbury did a few seasons ago but are a lower league 1 side in general
Even though I never thought he was as bad as some were making out it was a shame that apart from the Swansea pre season game we never really got to see a fit and confident McGrandles.
What we saw from Kilkenny yesterday was what I expected to see from McGrandles this season.
Will be a good test of our recruitment nous going forward. If McGrandles is playing well at Cambridge then I hope we’re keeping a close eye on his form. We certainly never saw the best or even half best of Connor. He’s our player and if he is able to come back and make the squad stronger then we need to recognise that. If DH doesn’t fancy him we need to ask why.
Will be a good test of our recruitment nous going forward. If McGrandles is playing well at Cambridge then I hope we’re keeping a close eye on his form. We certainly never saw the best or even half best of Connor. He’s our player and if he is able to come back and make the squad stronger then we need to recognise that. If DH doesn’t fancy him we need to ask why.
The issue is, he will never get in ahead of Dobson…
clearly we want to play dobson and Fraser together, and ‘another CM’ whoever that is. McGrandles doesn’t fit the role unless Dobson isn’t playing
I get the impression our January/summer loan signings are people we are interested in as those are out of contract come July. So clearly Kilkenny could come back,
Comments
Can Henry step up to be a regular in the 18 man squad or does he need a Loan to turn into a young Scott Parker after his time at Norwich ?
Fascinated to see who the 'force' will be if it comes to fruition 🤔
We have had some really good center mids over the last 2 and a half years but none of the 4, too early to judge Holden, have ever been able to per a good 3 put of it. Its probably part of the reason I rate, or did rate, JFC so highly. He was the only one that could do more than one thing well.
I think you can expand the thinking to other positions as well but it's quite clear to me with the CMs that the policy has been get as many decent ones we can and let the manager sort it out.
All assuming of course we don't bring some bodies in, but if they're only loans then that's also a bit pointless as they will go anyway and we didn't give a player who could be an asset next season some game time.
Miserable season/window
Also if he comes back he will still have to earn a managers trust..I understand the decision in the way you've said but I would have been happy to see him given minutes here, ah well
They had 1 good season, like Shrewsbury did a few seasons ago but are a lower league 1 side in general
2019-2020- 16th
2020-2021-5th
2021-2022-17th
2022-2023-16th(currently)
What we saw from Kilkenny yesterday was what I expected to see from McGrandles this season.
clearly we want to play dobson and Fraser together, and ‘another CM’ whoever that is.
McGrandles doesn’t fit the role unless Dobson isn’t playing
I get the impression our January/summer loan signings are people we are interested in as those are out of contract come July. So clearly Kilkenny could come back,