Knibbs and Carey joining despite Berry being a player NJ really likes shows NJ definitely isn’t being too loyal to the squad that took us up.
As well as the money being more than expected, we’ve also gone for a bigger squad than I thought we would - we also have Fullah competing for that attacking midfield spot, and it’s clear NJ rates him highly.
Exciting to see where this squad (and any last few signings) takes us.
I think talk of formations based on last season fall because we have different players, will be playing better teams and we will no longer have the expectation to win every game as we did in League one.
An away point at, for example, league 1 Cambridge would be seen as failure, an away point just about anywhere in the Championship would, IMHO, be seen as a decent return.
Unless we start steamrollering teams I don't expect many teams to sit back and hope to catch us on the break or score from a set piece as we saw frequently last season, especially at the Valley.
We'll play with width, we will press and work hard but I can see it being us who play deeper and on the counter using Apter and Tanto.
Honestly, Knibbs sounds like a Nathan Jones wet dream. When NJ is at the training ground and fancies cracking one off, I'm almost certain it'll be to this...
Everyone keeps saying best window since the Powell rebuild, but I think that's clouded by how well that team did. This window is miles better and is the best I can ever remember us having, it is mental
Honestly, Knibbs sounds like a Nathan Jones wet dream. When NJ is at the training ground and fancies cracking one off, I'm almost certain it'll be to this...
Now it makes even more sense.
We know Jones is a man of faith, and what does that look like to you?
Welcome to Charlton Athletic, Harvey 'Jesus Christ' Knibbs.
Just a ridiculously good window. May take the team a few weeks to gel, but it definitely has the quality to compete in the Championship.
Definitely this. It will take a couple of months for the players to all bed/in and learn each other’s game. It will also take a few months for Nathan to figure out his starting 11 ae, as a fan base, need to stay behind the team through thick and thin and look at the long game here.
As Russell Slade and Gary Barlow once said “we need a little patience”
I think the squabbling over Apter and his exact position basically comes down to the fact that the "Small position'' isn't exactly a winger or a full back or even a wing back but a weird hybrid thing.
So maybe Apter has or hasn't played as a WB before, but essentially he has been bought in specifically to play in Small's role/position and Jones clearly sees that as his main role.
Winger, full back or even wing back, Small wasn't specifically any of those. You're right, it' waas a hybrid role of shunting up and down the line, wherever required at any particular time - but with the emphasis of getting forward from deeper positions.
And apart from the height and physicality, Apter should be well capable of playing that 'hybrid' role.
Everyone keeps saying best window since the Powell rebuild, but I think that's clouded by how well that team did. This window is miles better and is the best I can ever remember us having, it is mental
Potentially yes but this team will need to avoid relegation first, doesn’t need to finish as high as the Powell 12/13 team but if it can finish 21st or above then I’d agree.
I wonder if Small is having a few doubts about his decision to leave us. 🤔
Would be interesting to know the reason he went in the end.
I get the feeling if we’d really wanted to keep him we could have. Guess we’ll never know
It’s been my suspicion all along and I suspect if given the choice he would have wanted to stay. The manager wasn’t mad on him though, the offer reflected that and there was other interest that actually did want him.
Time to move on. That’s football
I’ve a mate who is a football scout using the same data model that’s brought Brighton so much success, and that I believe NJ favours.
He worked for a number of League 1 clubs last season, sometimes to report on Charlton.
He was telling me the one player he didn’t rate, under that stats model, was Small.
I don’t know for sure but I suspect that could be one reason NJ didn’t go all out to keep him. The data didn’t back up the hype.
I should add, I hope for Small's sake that he succeeds at Preston. He seems a decent lad. But if I was a betting man I'd say that transfer was largely based on Thierry's fleet-footed performance against Preston in the FA Cup. I don't think they're using the same stats based model we are. Small of course is still young and could well go on to be a big success at Deepdale and beyond.
But I don't reckon we're now signing players solely on the basis of something as old fashioned or simplistic as a manager's opinion, which is another huge positive IMHO.
We were strong defensively because of Small though, not despite of him. I will be amazed if Apter can defend as well as Small which is why he was such a unique asset, despite his attacking flaws. Severely underselling Small and what he did for us there (An attacking role with 'some' defensive discipline) we wouldn't have got promoted if we didn't have Small, his versatility and movement out wide while also being able to defend changed our dynamic.
We are up a league and we have signed a pure winger to play a role that requires an engine and to be able to defend, just doesn't make sense.
Even if he does end up being this all action right sider, it still doesn't mean he has successfully done it before as there is no proof of it. His whole career shows he is a winger, and a good one.
We still need a right wing back if we persist with 5 at the back/want to be more defensive minded, away from home particularly.
I get what you're saying, but Apter didn't play as a conventional right winger for Blackpool.
Bruce favoured a Curbs style old skool 4-4-2, and Apter was his right-sided wide midfielder with traditional defensive midfield duties, but also being an important outlet for the team from frequently deep positions.
He did have Offiah behind him, nominally as a fullback, who could also be effective overlapping and getting forward - but also staying back playing an almost CB role, a bit Kayne Ramsey, if you like.
I guess NJ is looking to play the same fluid style as we saw 2nd half of last season?
It's important to remember that Apter has a good engine, and built a reputation for tracking back and tenacity - not afraid of defending or making a tackle. I can't imagine NJ would have wanted him otherwise.
Where Small did have an edge was with his biig build; his strength and physicality was a great advantage when he powered forward. But then his lack of composure and reading of the game was often a big disappointment.
There'll be other team mates to compensate for losing Small's physicality - and it's up to NJ to select players to provide the crucial balance in the team. Apter doesn't have that physical presence in the same way, of course, but his football brain and end product appears to be far ahead of Small.
I don’t see Apter as a rwb at all. From what I see he is an inverted winger but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him pop up in the middle behind the striker from time to time. He’s got that little bit of flair we lack so maybe he’ll end up “in the hole” threading passes through to the strikers.
Even if Knibbs signs I get the impression Apter will be the creative spark along with Carey.
Four stand out summer transfers for me - managed to sneak in and watch the Cambridge pre-season game, while my family went shopping...
KAMINSKI - class keeper how we managed to grab him well that is a masterstroke!!! his positioning, saving ability and distribution is a different level. (clearly our best summer signing so )
OLAOFE - Wow fantastic positioning, deft touch and skill, fantastic control beautiful through balls and very strong - he will not be fazed by the Championship level of players. (our best outfield signing this summer - this player is everything we ever imagined Chuks would turn out to be - but quicker and more skilful)
COSTELLO - solid player with the ability to pick a accurate quick pass at any distance, great awareness of team mates movement, strong in a tackle will bring great experience to the centre of the park
APTER - Jesus this guys pace is rapid - very skilful with the ball and not afraid to get in where it hurts, although he is slight and will sometimes find it hard against very physical players he is tough and has that can do attitude, very good passing and knows where the goal is - may take him time to settle but this guy is streets ahead of TC
so far so very good. Mix these with the championship quality players we already have such as JONES, BELL, COVENTRY and RAMSAY then we are nearly there to a strong Championship squad as I have not seen KELMAN yet. and not seen enough of CAREY. plus BURKE wasn't even in the building.
FULLAH will be the surprise package for us this year and LEABURN played very well (best I have seen him play in a while) so he is showing encouraging signs he has the potential to step up.
The Players in the balance for me are DOHERTY not sure he has enough slow and commits need less fouls. GILLESPHEY solid strong however may be a bit one dimensional. ANDERSON makes silly mistake although still developing not sure he will get enough game time. TC he looked way off it and struggled against the league 2 outfit and a right back smaller than him, also his formed dipped in last few games of the season when the pressure was on.
Really exciting to finally be in a place where the players who were regulars/at times key to us last season are now seen as possibly replaceable by the new additions. Finally being run like a proper football club again.
Really good window in terms of attacking g options.
Less convinced by the defensive reinforcements - not sold on Bell, and Burke is injury prone.
But then the defence was our biggest strength last season and I'm confident Jones and Ramsay will step up well, hopefully Kaminski is a good buy behind them too.
Second Tier Podcast last covered top players for this coming season at each Championship club. For Charlton one host went for Kaminski and claimed we would be involved in a lot of tight games, Kaminski could prove the difference. The other went for Rob Apter and was waxing lyrical about his progression despite only being 22. Rightly claimed more to come from a development perspective under NJ, but spoke highly on his ability to dribble past players and create or score. Came strong in the second half of last season, as did Carey who also got a small mention.
Four stand out summer transfers for me - managed to sneak in and watch the Cambridge pre-season game, while my family went shopping...
KAMINSKI - class keeper how we managed to grab him well that is a masterstroke!!! his positioning, saving ability and distribution is a different level. (clearly our best summer signing so )
OLAOFE - Wow fantastic positioning, deft touch and skill, fantastic control beautiful through balls and very strong - he will not be fazed by the Championship level of players. (our best outfield signing this summer - this player is everything we ever imagined Chuks would turn out to be - but quicker and more skilful)
COSTELLO - solid player with the ability to pick a accurate quick pass at any distance, great awareness of team mates movement, strong in a tackle will bring great experience to the centre of the park
APTER - Jesus this guys pace is rapid - very skilful with the ball and not afraid to get in where it hurts, although he is slight and will sometimes find it hard against very physical players he is tough and has that can do attitude, very good passing and knows where the goal is - may take him time to settle but this guy is streets ahead of TC
so far so very good. Mix these with the championship quality players we already have such as JONES, BELL, COVENTRY and RAMSAY then we are nearly there to a strong Championship squad as I have not seen KELMAN yet. and not seen enough of CAREY. plus BURKE wasn't even in the building.
FULLAH will be the surprise package for us this year and LEABURN played very well (best I have seen him play in a while) so he is showing encouraging signs he has the potential to step up.
The Players in the balance for me are DOHERTY not sure he has enough slow and commits need less fouls. GILLESPHEY solid strong however may be a bit one dimensional. ANDERSON makes silly mistake although still developing not sure he will get enough game time. TC he looked way off it and struggled against the league 2 outfit and a right back smaller than him, also his formed dipped in last few games of the season when the pressure was on.
Agree with this but I think you're missing Bell, I was pretty impressed with him on Saturday and can see him being a mainstay in the side this year.
yes i included him - sorry I put him under players we already have that are championship quality - he is quality, composed, producing passes that switched play, had a tendancy to make the pass back a few to many times but hard to be cynical in only 60 minutes - oh i noticed I missed Edwards difficult to say I guess he has the potential to make the step up.
Comments
Over 100 new posts, did any of you go to bed last night?
As well as the money being more than expected, we’ve also gone for a bigger squad than I thought we would - we also have Fullah competing for that attacking midfield spot, and it’s clear NJ rates him highly.
We know Jones is a man of faith, and what does that look like to you?
Welcome to Charlton Athletic, Harvey 'Jesus Christ' Knibbs.
ae, as a fan base, need to stay behind the team through thick and thin and look at the long game here.
Winger, full back or even wing back, Small wasn't specifically any of those.
You're right, it' waas a hybrid role of shunting up and down the line, wherever required at any particular time - but with the emphasis of getting forward from deeper positions.
And apart from the height and physicality, Apter should be well capable of playing that 'hybrid' role.
But if I was a betting man I'd say that transfer was largely based on Thierry's fleet-footed performance against Preston in the FA Cup.
I don't think they're using the same stats based model we are. Small of course is still young and could well go on to be a big success at Deepdale and beyond.
But I don't reckon we're now signing players solely on the basis of something as old fashioned or simplistic as a manager's opinion, which is another huge positive IMHO.
we do actually appear to have a number of options
Less convinced by the defensive reinforcements - not sold on Bell, and Burke is injury prone.
But then the defence was our biggest strength last season and I'm confident Jones and Ramsay will step up well, hopefully Kaminski is a good buy behind them too.
Oops! I've beeen WHOOOOOSHED! haha!
Yesterday's!
'Kelman again' 😃
Charlie needs a different moniker than Matty !
Is Killer Kelman allowed or is it too soon ?
Plus is there only one killer 🤔