A Missed Opportunity

I must start by paying tribute to Dave Thompson author of Drinking During The Game who sadly passed away last Thursday.

Dave wrote so well and his blog was always an excellent read as the result of his insightful thoughts and knowledge. He always saw through the façade of the various characters that inhabited S.E.7 in recent years. Dave always wrote with passion and his love of our club was clear and obvious.

Outside of Charlton, he wrote about the Scottish rugby team and also Welling United and he often attended games there.

I never had the pleasure of meeting Dave but it is clear from all the comments and tributes on Charlton Life, Twitter, the CAST website and other media that he was a decent person and loved by many.

Chicago Addick was a close friend and you have already read it, here’s a link to his tribute :-

https://chicagoaddick.com/2023/11/22/dave-thomson-rip/

My condolences to his family and friends. RIP Dave.

Saturday saw the Addicks throw away a glorious opportunity to pick up a rare away win. We dominated the game and not to leave with all 3 points is at best disappointing.

If we harbour any aspirations of a play-off spot at a minimum that we need to far more clinical especially when you get the volume of chances we created on Saturday.

Appleton again decided that Louie Watson was not deserving of a starting place despite being one of our best performers of late. Having previously dropped him because “ not everyone sees the oppo getting in behind him “ he left him out on Saturday based on experience.

Huh? Why not pick a player on form? In addition, we were playing Carlisle, a team who aren’t pulling up any trees this season.

As it happens Fraser went on to have a poor game. In fact, in the lead up to their goal it was the number 10 who was cheaply dispossessed. He also seems to have lost the threat he once had from free kicks.

Other aspects of Appleton’s decision making ought to be questioned. As much as we all like Miles, in the last 3 or 4 games he has been poor. Despite having a poor and ineffective game the manager didn’t see fit to give Tedic even 20 minutes or so.

Imagine if the City loanee had started the last 3 games and performed the same as Leaburn? The message boards and social media would be full of comments slating him.

To be in charge and in control for virtually the whole 90 odd minutes and not secure a win is criminal really.

Post match and the gaffer reckons it’ll be viewed as a good point if we beat Cheltenham tomorrow. No it won’t! It’ll be viewed as 2 points dropped and just not good enough.

Saturday and the next two games are ones where it’s not unreasonable to expect a 9 point return. Despite Cheltenham’s mini-revival if we don’t get 6 points from the next two league games it will also not be good enough.

I get that the current squad isn’t of his choosing but Appleton has enough at his disposal to do better.

Let’s hope he can get the team to deliver starting tomorrow.

Come On You Reds!

I must start by paying tribute to Dave Thompson author of Drinking During The Game who sadly passed away last Thursday.

 

Dave wrote so well and his blog was always an excellent read as the result of his insightful thoughts and knowledge. He always saw through the façade of the various characters that inhabited S.E.7 in recent years. Dave always wrote with passion and his love of our club was clear and obvious.

 

Outside of Charlton, he wrote about the Scottish rugby team and also Welling United and he often attended games there.

 

I never had the pleasure of meeting Dave but it is clear from all the comments and tributes on Charlton Life, Twitter, the CAST website and other media that he was a decent person and loved by many.

 

Chicago Addick was a close friend and you have already read it, here’s a link to his tribute :-

https://chicagoaddick.com/2023/11/22/dave-thomson-rip/

 

My condolences to his family and friends. RIP Dave.

 

Saturday saw the Addicks throw away a glorious opportunity to pick up a rare away win. We dominated the game and not to leave with all 3 points is at best disappointing.

 

If we harbour any aspirations of a play-off spot at a minimum that we need to far more clinical especially when you get the volume of chances we created on Saturday.

 

Appleton again decided that Louie Watson was not deserving of a starting place despite being one of our best performers of late. Having previously dropped him because “ not everyone sees the oppo getting in behind him “ he left him out on Saturday based on experience.

 

Huh? Why not pick a player on form? In addition, we were playing Carlisle, a team who aren’t pulling up any trees this season.

 

As it happens Fraser went on to have a poor game. In fact, in the lead up to their goal it was the number 10 who was cheaply dispossessed.

 

Other aspects of Appleton’s decision making ought to be questioned. As much as we all like Miles, in the last 3 or 4 games he has been poor. Despite having a poor and ineffective game the manager didn’t see fit to give Tedic even 20 minutes or so.

 

Imagine if the City loanee had started the last 3 games and performed the same as Leaburn? The message boards and social media would be full of comments slating him.

 

To be in charge and in control for virtually the whole 90 odd minutes and not secure a win is criminal really.

 

Post match and the gaffer reckons it’ll be viewed as a good point if we beat Cheltenham tomorrow. No it won’t! It’ll be viewed as 2 points dropped and just not good enough.

 

Saturday and the next two games are ones where it’s not unreasonable to expect a 9 point return. Despite Cheltenham’s mini-revival if we don’t get 6 points from the next two league games it will also not be good enough.

 

I get that the current squad isn’t of his choosing but Appleton has enough at his disposal to do better.

 

Let’s hope he can get the team to deliver starting tomorrow.

 

Come On You Reds!