Sunday 9 February 2014

Narrow Minded


Another bad day at the office in this most dreadful of seasons. There have been some bad ones but this one is right up there and should things carry one in the same vein it may secure a place in the top 5. There's little joy to be found with the Addicks at the moment.

Possession and all the other stats count for nothing at the end of the day and as we know the only stat that really matters is goals scored and conceded. Although we didn't deserve to lose, if we don't score and especially at home then we're unlikely to get anything and so it proved. That we were denied on several occasions by an ex-Addick made it slightly more galling.

Birmingham looked as poor as any team that have visited The Valley this season and should have been beaten. It's looking increasingly bleak and I'm struggling to see a way out. I think if Chris stays in charge then sadly we're doomed whatever.

As I've said before I love the man and always believed he was the best man for the job and that he would just get better and better as he grew into the role. Sadly that doesn't seem to be happening or at least not at the rate that we require. I don't think we've got that much time available.

Relegation doesn't bear thinking about and we will surely lose players such as Cousins and Poyet to name but two. That would be dreadful as the emergence of them and to a lesser extent Lennon is one of the few pluses this term. We've got to hold on to Championship status and look to move forward with them next term.

Chris is not using his resources to his best advantage. Cousins was again on the right and as such offered little all afternoon. Seemingly this is to allow Skip to play. Wilson was at right back but would probably have been better deployed in right midfield. Nego could have played right back.

I'm probably in a minority in that I thought Sordell did ok without pulling up any trees. I thought he linked up well with others. He can't play with Reza on the evidence of yesterday though as the rather comic collision proved only too well.

One has to question the use of the subs again. Wrong choices for me and all of them took too long to make. Why was every sub kept waiting on the sidelines for at least 5 minutes ? Why Piotr didn't come on when Church did I just don't know. We needed a goal and Simon is unlikely to give you that.

We lacked width again and this needs to be addressed. Ajdarevic looked good and I believe was meant to be playing wide left but he played as though he had a free role. Fair play upto a point and he may well be better suited to playing as an attacking midfielder.

As has been suggested elsewhere we may be better advised to go for a 4-2-3-1 formation. That would be with Poyet and Cousins in front of the back four with AA in the middle of the three. Reza could from part of the three too with Piotr up front.

With next week's cup game allowing a break from the trials of the league it offers the chance to try something different and since we're drinking in the last chance saloon then there's no better time to try it or something like it anyway.

As I observed last week Chris, isn't helping himself by repeating the same mistakes. These can't be blamed on previous or current owners. These are decisions that he and his team make. I'm not sure on the thinking. I can only think that a change is required I'm afraid. Some will cite Chris's abilities as a motivator and a man manager and this is undoubtedly true but I'm afraid set against the background of the weaker aspects of his management it is not enough.  

There are some good managers out there or in the case of Nathan Jones a potential manager that would offer fresh impetus and renewed hope I believe.

I hate writing this but sadly I believe it's in the club's best interests. I'd love Chris to prove me wrong, I think we all would but I don't believe he will.


10 comments:

  1. Oh dear ! At last someone respected has mentioned the unthinkable and as I imagine opened up a can of worms . I agree we have waited far to long for some CP tactical magic and string 3 or 4 wins together . Life as a football manager is ruthless and it should be no different at Charlton . The CP dream sad as it may seem could be coming to a premature end.

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  2. Chris has been dealt a duff hand and I defy any manager to be able to mould a winning team immediately. I felt we played a really good passing game on the ground and in many ways look more technically accomplished than we did a month ago. What is clear to me is that we deperately need our two quality full backs operational to create both defensive security and offensive threat. Yesterday there was no width - Green coming on was obvious - Polish Pete not coming on was clearly wrong.

    I also have an issue with the morons who boo Sordell. He is a good player given the service - just look at what he has done to get a multi million move to Bolton. I think he linked quite well with Raza but we did not have enough width to get balls into the box and that was CP's fault and I think he got that wrong.

    One win - no matter how it comes - is what we need - however yesterday made me wonder where that win would come.

    My guess is that CP will go tomorrow - sad as it makes me say it.

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    1. I don't boo anybody & I don't like it but I have some sympathy with the 'morons' who do boo Sordell. His running off the ball is atrocious & his decision-making in possession of it is just baffling.
      I have given short shrift to those calling for CP to go (citing lack of support from above) but, with heavy heart, I think a change is needed. For all the possession we 'enjoyed' against a very average looking side, we never really looked as though we believed in ourselves to turn this winnable game around. There were chances (Cousins maybe should have scored) but not enough in a game we knew we had to win.
      Tactically it was poor & even though we passed it quite well on a pitch that looked like the Somme, I couldn't really see what we were trying to do & it looked as though the team were as unsure as the rest of us. Too few players are taking responsibility to support those in possession & the frustration is there for all to see.
      We look like a side heading in only one direction & maybe it is time to bring someone else & start the rebuilding process for next season.

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    2. P.S. I agree that CP has been dealt a duff hand & I don't blame him for the predicament we're in. I'm just not sure he can get us out of it & some of his recent statements have sounded like a man resigned to the worst; i.e. his departure, relegation or probably both.

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  3. Powell needs to go, tactically inept and unable to motivate the team (remember the Millwall debacle). As much as he will always be a legend his stewardship this season has been shocking, forget about dealt a duff hand, impossible task, quite simply he is tactically naive and his substitutions beggar belief.

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  4. I have already commented but it failed

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  5. Changing managers is a big gamble. Look at the lower half of the Premier League - some teams improved but some deteriorated. Others kept their managers without much difference. Whilst doubtful of some of his tactics, I would rather he stayed. He has had to work in very unhelpful circumstances in the last 6 months - a reduced sguad, important players injured for long periods, and now the upheaval of the last month. CP achieved more than anyone since Curbishley.

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  6. I don't agree with last comment that Powell must go. He is as much a victim caught up in a set up that has failed to give him the proper support. By support I mean the backroom staff I.e the last owners who seemed to have lost their way giving the support were it was needed the most, helping in the stability to ensure the club is strong enough to maintain a place in the Championship, to drop out would be a travity, to avoid it will need fresh ideas, and most of all, the believe that we can do achieve what is not impossible, and I amongst many true Charlton know the best man for the is a the helm right now CP

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  7. I don't agree with last comment that Powell must go. He is as much a victim caught up in a set up that has failed to give him the proper support. By support I mean the backroom staff I.e the last owners who seemed to have lost their way giving the support were it was needed the most, helping in the stability to ensure the club is strong enough to maintain a place in the Championship, to drop out would be a travity, to avoid it will need fresh ideas, and most of all, the believe that we can do achieve what is not impossible, and I amongst many true Charlton know the best man for the is a the helm right now CP

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  8. Thanks for the various comments. Chris hasn't been dealt a great hand, however, has to make the most of what he has got and I don't feel he is doing that. I don't think there's an Addick who wants to see him go as we all want him to do well. Sadly, as I said it seems he doesn't learn. The need for width on Saturday was clear as was the fact that playing Cousins on the right doesn't work. Wilson could have played wide right as that's his best position, Nego is a right back I believe. Michael, we do need fresh ideas and a fresh approach, that's why I think a change is needed as nothing is changing. I'm not sure of your definition of " true Charlton " but I assume all fans want our club to survive in the championship. We may disagree on who is best placed for that to happen but I don't think any of us should claim to be more or less of a fan if that is what you are implying. My support for the club hasn't wavered over many years and I'll always support it pretty much irrespective of who the manager is. It won't now and I can't see that changing.

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