POST-MATCH THREAD: Norwich City v Charlton Athletic: Boxing Day 2025: KO 15:00

closet_addick said:

Kaminski and Gough are the only two that can head back to London with no shame. The rest were absolutely pathetic.

We've got a lot of work to do. Hopefully January brings in some much needed, Championship-quality enforcement. 

Don't think Bell or Coventry were pathetic personally. 

One crumb of comfort is that only 2 teams have scored less goals than us.
One of them being Pompey.
Not really confidence inspiring going forward after that though.

Jones appears determined to persist with his wing-back system, yet we simply don’t have the personnel to make it effective—certainly not in attacking areas. Edwards is a solid defender but offers very little going forward, while Bree now looks vulnerable defensively and also provides almost nothing in attack. He started brightly with his set-piece delivery, but that has steadily declined. When you combine this with an extremely slow, ponderous midfield that lacks any real creativity, it inevitably raises serious questions about both recruitment and tactical approach. Responsibility for that sits with the ownership, but in particular with Jones himself. Ultimately, you have to ask: is anyone genuinely happy with the way we play?

CaptainRobbo said:

Oakster2 said:

Going to take some quite inspired signings. At the moment it seems our primary plan B is that  TC -(who is currently at best an impact sub at this level) - has an inspired game coming off the bench. Given that this happens once in a blue moon, things are looking a little bleak. We didn’t look like scoring today. Oloafe & Leaburn were totally insipid today but then again they were feeding on scraps. Carey is at his best driving forward, Coventry & Anderson will bring honest toil - but there is zero creativity, absolutely zero.

We don't have one player with the X factor.

To be fair mate we need more than singers!!😜

Southbank said:

CaptainRobbo said:

Oakster2 said:

Going to take some quite inspired signings. At the moment it seems our primary plan B is that  TC -(who is currently at best an impact sub at this level) - has an inspired game coming off the bench. Given that this happens once in a blue moon, things are looking a little bleak. We didn’t look like scoring today. Oloafe & Leaburn were totally insipid today but then again they were feeding on scraps. Carey is at his best driving forward, Coventry & Anderson will bring honest toil - but there is zero creativity, absolutely zero.

We don't have one player with the X factor.

Fullah

If he's what we're relying on at this level then we are bang in trouble.

Southbank said:

CaptainRobbo said:

Oakster2 said:

Going to take some quite inspired signings. At the moment it seems our primary plan B is that  TC -(who is currently at best an impact sub at this level) - has an inspired game coming off the bench. Given that this happens once in a blue moon, things are looking a little bleak. We didn’t look like scoring today. Oloafe & Leaburn were totally insipid today but then again they were feeding on scraps. Carey is at his best driving forward, Coventry & Anderson will bring honest toil - but there is zero creativity, absolutely zero.

We don't have one player with the X factor.

Fullah

No pressure then, c’mon really? I’m sure he’s going to do well but let’s be realistic at the moment.

Zero shots in 90 mins. 

eastterrace6168 said:

Bree was getting plaudits from every direction and regarded as a massive loss when he was injured, and NJ introduced him maybe a bit early into the squad, and admitted he was unable to cross the ball fully following his groin injury.
I just can’t see him suddenly becoming the worst ever seen just like that, he must still be suffering from the injury and should not have been left with all the dead ball stuff.
Thats my opinion…🤷‍♂️

From in the ground it was clear that he couldn’t lift a dead ball. We even tried one corner where Carey played it short so he could hit a moving ball. He kept looking to the bench. I don’t understand why someone else didn’t take over corner taking

Chunes said:

2121 said:

Don't know why players are shouldering the blame (maybe except for bree’s set pieces), jones has no plan b. Just one system it seems

I keep reading this and I'm not sure it's fair. He has changed formation a lot and none of them have particularly worked.

He even played a different formation at the end of today’s game!

If you’re Apter watching Brees performance today and you still can’t get a start …. What’s the point of him being here ! 

I was there today - honking performance - an insult to the thousands of Charlton fans who made the effort to get there today, with no trains etc etc - utter disgrace all of them, apart from the young lad at the back for us - Bree in particular, WTF has happened to him 

I’m putting this out there, but has TC been tapped up, and looking to leave in the window - his performance today had the smell of a player desperate to avoid injury …….

Sword65pf said:

Chunes said:

2121 said:

Don't know why players are shouldering the blame (maybe except for bree’s set pieces), jones has no plan b. Just one system it seems

I keep reading this and I'm not sure it's fair. He has changed formation a lot and none of them have particularly worked.

He’s playing all the right notes but in the wrong order, don’t know why this came to mind when I read this. 

Thanks Mr. Preview 

We really do seem to be missing that cultured ball playing forward  thinking midfielder that can control games, if there were that player available, do people think NJ would adjust and use him? I’m not certain he would, which concerns me a bit. This isn’t an NJ out thing but do wonder if he might have to adapt. We just don’t give our strikers the best chance of being successful, for example miles Leaburn against Oxford was really good but didn’t do much in front of goal as I remember. I feel like our strikers are having to create and score for themselves. 

Most has been said already.. but.

1. That was a long way to go for such an insipid performance from the players.  No shots on target (or meaningful shots at all) against a poor Norwich side.
2. At the end it looked like we were actively wasting time, Gillespie taking an age to take throw ons.  Kaminski same on a goal kick.
3. Leaburn and Tanto are not a good combination.  Then we took them both off and yet continued to play long ball.  It was idiotic.
4. Bree was awful and clearly shot of all confidence midway through the second half.  Should have been subbed.  At the very least he should have been taken off set plays.  That is on the manager.
5. We have too many hard working grafters and not enough (any?) naturally talented attacking players that get other teams on the back foot and push us up the pitch.
6. Poor Lloydy has a kid on one side and Gillespie on the other.  Add a poor performing Bree and make shift LBs when Bell went off and it's amazing it was only one against.
7 TC is not, never has been and never will be a wing back.  Never play him there again.  Mental decision which was when the goal happened.  Poor management.
8. Doc should not have come on when he did.  He is a great fella and has been an excellent captain for us, but he is L1 standard sadly and should not be in our first team squad.
9. We desperately need reinforcements.
10. Gough impressed and I am delighted for him.
11. Our recruitment has been poor IMO for the last summer window given the money spent.  I would be looking to bulk up the scouting and medical teams (and CEO) if I was the owners.
12. That was my 5th away this season. Yet to see a win, with Pompey, Millwall and Leicester tickets I hope that changes soon.
13. Would have been delighted to be in our position in the table before the season started so not panicking.
14. Crowd v quiet.

RonnieMoore said:

Strange game we were dealing with them quite easily but sometimes you need that bit of luck they got it with Jones tackle hits inside of the striker leg and bounces down perfectly .. then late on the keeper got lucky when the ball spun back to him with Kelman ready for a tap..   but this game was down to poor substitution at the wrong time … Kelman Apter and Doc should have been on at HT for Leaburn , Anderson and Bree …… the important games were and still are Pompey and Blackburn nothing changed 

Why are/were Pompey and Blackburn more important? Norwich were in the bottom three for a reason. They can’t keep clean sheets. Yet we didn’t have a single shot on target. Same again at Pompey and Blackburn and we are bang in trouble.