In The Bleak Midwinter!

 It really doesn’t come as a surprise now as Charlton managed to concede yet another late goal as their winless run continues. 

It’s no surprise that Appleton post-match chose to ignore the poor defending and late goal as he opted instead to praise the team for its resilience! Yes, really!

A poor Port Vale side managed have 29 shots. That’s shocking and further underlines our current level of defending and lack of desire from a number of our players.

Vale’s third goal was pretty much a carbon copy of Oxford’s late New Year’s Day winner. A failure to close down quickly enough affording their player time and space to fire home from distance.

Week after week the manager seemingly ignores the need to work on our defensive frailties. A number of the team are apathetic about it, they must be as nothing changes.

Why would you worry as a player anyway? Doing things wrong will probably earn you the sort of mild rebuke that Fletcher used to get from Mr Barrowclough!

The one thing Appleton did get right on Saturday was to restore Louie Watson to the starting eleven bizarrely after having publicly criticised him earlier in the week.

One might think that was to gee up the Luton loanee ahead of the game but to do so gives our manager way too much credit. In any case it was uncalled for.

He remains tactically inept and lacks any game plan or game management. Those in charge need to bite the bullet, acknowledge their colossal mistake and get rid!

In the meantime, they are busy fire fighting by getting players in on loan one of whom who’s been injured and requires a gentle introduction in to matches! You couldn’t make it up!

Further to this I note that we’ve supposedly agreed a fee for Clarke-Harris. All well and good but he has yet to agree terms.

It has been shown that improving a team’s position (if not performance) relates more directly to the amount of money spent on salary as opposed to that spent on transfer fees. Therefore, the owners need to back up (to a reasonable extent) the transfer fee.

Despite what Appleton has said about reaching the play-offs we all know that dream has flown. Of immediate concern is the very real threat of dropping into the relegation places. Looking further ahead we need to now try and build for next season.

It doesn’t appear to matter who owns us, none of them ever seems to have sufficient self-awareness to know that talk is cheap.

Premier League in 5 years etc. and all the guff that Scott spouted in one of his first interviews.

In his most recent he acknowledged that it had been an horrendous December in terms of results (he might have included performances in that as it’s not just the former is it?).

On the back of that we’re going to give the clueless one a transfer window! Marvellous!

As ever, in this latest interview Scott isn’t asked if they had considered Appleton’s position or was he under pressure or what the manager intended to do to address the decline.

Growing up in South London propaganda used to mean having a good look at something. These days it refers to the communications coming out of our club!

Whilst Appleton remains at the helm and with the upcoming fixtures starting with Posh on Saturday, it’s hard to see things improving any time soon. I really hope I’m wrong.

It really doesn’t come as a surprise now as Charlton managed to concede yet another late goal as their winless run continues.

 

It’s no surprise that Appleton post-match chose to ignore the poor defending and late goal as he opted instead to praise the team for its resilience! Yes, really!

 

A poor Port Vale side managed have 29 shots. That’s shocking and further underlines our current level of defending and lack of desire from a number of our players.

 

Vale’s third goal was pretty much a carbon copy of Oxford’s late New Year’s Day winner. A failure to close down quickly enough affording their player time and space to fire home from distance.

 

Week after week the manager seemingly ignores the need to work on our defensive frailties. A number of the team are apathetic about it, they must be as nothing changes.

 

Why would you worry as a player anyway? Doing things wrong will probably earn you the sort of mild rebuke that Fletcher used to get from Mr Barrowclough!

 

The one thing Appleton did get right on Saturday was to restore Louie Watson to the starting eleven bizarrely after having publicly criticised him earlier in the week.

 

One might think that was to gee up the Luton loanee ahead of the game but to do so gives our manager way too much credit. In any case it was uncalled for.

 

He remains tactically inept and lacks any game plan or game management. Those in charge need to bite the bullet, acknowledge their colossal mistake and get rid!

 

In the meantime, they are busy fire fighting by getting players in on loan one of whom who’s been injured and requires a gentle introduction in to matches! You couldn’t make it up!

 

Further to this I note that we’ve supposedly agreed a fee for Clarke-Harris. All well and good but he has yet to agree terms.

 

It has been shown that improving a team’s position (if not performance) relates more directly to the amount of money spent on salary as opposed to that spent on transfer fees. Therefore, the owners need to back up (to a reasonable extent) the transfer fee.

 

Despite what Appleton has said about reaching the play-offs we all know that dream has flown. Of immediate concern is the very real threat of dropping into the relegation places. Looking further ahead we need to now try and build for next season.

 

It doesn’t appear to matter who owns us, none of them ever seems to have sufficient self-awareness to know that talk is cheap.

 

Premier League in 5 years etc. and all the guff that Scott spouted in one of his first interviews.

 

In his most recent he acknowledged that it had been an horrendous December in terms of results (he might have included performances in that as it’s not just the former is it?).

 

On the back of that we’re going to give the clueless one a transfer window! Marvellous!

 

As ever, in this latest interview Scott isn’t asked if they had considered Appleton’s position or was he under pressure or what the manager intended to do to address the decline.

 

Growing up in South London propaganda used to mean having a good look at something. These days it refers to the communications coming out of our club!

 

Whilst Appleton remains at the helm and with the upcoming fixtures starting with Posh on Saturday, it’s hard to see things improving any time soon. I really hope I’m wrong.

Port Vale Away

Charlton are off to Port Vale as we seek our first win since our last on 28th November. Should we secure 3 points it'd be only our second away win of the season, the other being a 3-2 win at Wigan that nearly wasn't after we were cruising at 3-0.

We go into this on the back of three straight defeats that followed three draws. The only really decent team that we've played in this time is Barnsley as I'd say Oxford's injuries nullified them to an extent although not sufficiently enough to prevent them winning of course.

Appleton continues to talk nonsense in his interviews as he seems to be watching a different game to the rest of us. I do wish he wouldn't take us for fools. He talks of having to play youngsters, how tired they are physically and mentally etc.etc.

This from a manager who made little to no changes to the starting eleven over a busy festive period. Unlike the Oxford manager he has failed to change the system as well as continuing to play players out of position.

It looks like we will be without May again. Let's not forget that it was Appleton's decision to play Alfie against Rovers whilst he had a back injury.

Only Scott's refusal to acknowledge just how poor the decision to appoint the manager was is keeping him in the job. A more pragmatic person would hold their hand up and get rid.

I've never known the fans so overwhelmingly wanting a manager to be dismissed. 

Leaving him in situ with the teams we play in February is utter madness. For reference we play Derby twice, Bolton and Portsmouth.

Carry on as we are and even Appleton will be forced to end his talk of the play-offs and telling us of his plans (ha!) to avoid relegation.

As for tomorrow, normally we ought to be more than a match for Port Vale but that's not likely. Almost no matter what the score going into the final 10 minutes of normal time and Vale will fancy their chances of getting something from the game.

We can only hope we don't lose.

Come On You Reds!

Perspective

Oxford arrived at The Valley following 2-3 defeat at home on Friday to Derby after having been 2-0 up as they conceded goals in the 81st and 86th minute. Sounds familiar and very much the sort of thing that of late we do on a regular basis.

In addition, like us they have several injuries. That's where the similarities end. Their recently appointed manager, Des Buckingham, changed their system for yesterday's game. The team had one day to run through that. Having been well coached with the message clearly getting through Oxford overcame the early set back, demonstrated resilience and emerged victorious.

Over the festive period our manager has changed virtually nothing as he has selected pretty much the same starting eleven despite a disastrous run of results and performances. 

All that aside during the festive period you'd expect a manager to rotate the players even if you're on a good run. We have a largely young and inexperienced squad but Mickey didn't think it was wise to do so.

Appleton hasn't seen fit to try a different formation or select one of our better players in Louie Watson whilst continuing to select Fraser, one of the worst.

His post match interviews offer little to no insight in to what his thinking or rationale is. Mind you, if you get asked the weak questions the manager was subject to yesterday it's hardly surprising.

Again, like Friday, he chose to have a dig at the fans whilst failing to acknowledge his part in yet another loss as a result of another late goal. No recognition that despite how good a strike it was someone really ought to have closed it down and denied the opportunity.

However, it's apparently, us fans need to have some perspective! Really?

The absence of Alfie May yesterday was entirely predictable since Appleton opted to play him on Friday when the striker was carrying an injury and was a real doubt less than 24 hours before kick off. I know we're short on strikers but that was as naive as it was daft. May isn't the type of player to rest up or give less than 100% so aggravating the injury was always going to happen.

I thought Appleton was already drinking in the last chance saloon but it seems that he can carry on imbibing there ad infinitum. I'm not sure how much more Appleton has to do to get the boot.

He is without doubt the most tactically inept, passionless and uninspiring manager we've ever had. When one considers some of our most recent managers that tells you everything. Holden may not have been everyone's cup of tea but at least he got the club and engaged with its fanbase. Appleton doesn't even try to do that!

I know some will say we can't keep sacking managers even though that is largely down to a failed recruitment process. However, I'd wager that almost anyone with a modicum of common sense and managerial ability would do a better job. 

Jason Pearce is unproven but I'd fancy him to motivate and deliver some pride and passion in to this squad and restore a bit of hope.  

As I've said before Andy Scott has a lot to answer for but continues to keep a low profile. He will be forced to comment soon and we can look forward to a carefully scripted interview as he tries to wash his hands of all responsibility.

It's hard to see where the next win will come from as we head closer to relegation. Appleton remaining in situ certainly won't help. 

Clueless manager, clueless owners.

New year, same old Charlton!