Two decent permanents today. It depends on who we lose, but on paper they look like good additions, who will improve the squad. Proof will be in the playing of course, but the fact that we are recruiting from teams above us now, rather than below us, can only be a good thing. Still miles away from being promotion contenders, but maybe relegation fears will ease.
Macauley Gillespy is a pretty decent player and was up there with most in us winning league one last term. If he does as well for you as he did for us then you have a good signing there.
We should lose on Saturday which would put a lot of pressure on getting a victory at Burton. In a fortnight we could be fifth bottom....or worse.
I'm remaining resolutely sceptical. I have never before heard the names of any of these players we've signed. There is still no evidence to back up the talk from the Summer. Charlton are at the very lowest edge of positions in the 3rd tier after 25 games played compared to previous seasons. In 2011-12 we were 27 points better off (champions at the end of the season) In 2018-19 we were 13 points better off (play-off winners) In 2009-10 we were 21 points better off (play-off semi final losers) And in almost all the seasons we finished mid-table we were between 1 and 11 points better off than we are this season. Even under Russell Slade we had 3 more points after 25 games played than we have now. Only in season 2021-22 after the Adkins diet were we one point worse off. Defeats against Peterborough and Burton would make this Charlton's worst 3rd tier season after 27 games since 1926. SE7 have delivered nothing. All we've had is talk and spivvery. No substance whatsoever. And now apparently just getting back to the Championship is a five year project?
I for one am a little bit more positive about the signings we’ve made and the new assistant manager we’ve appointed- luckily I don’t have that dark cloud following me
Excellent factual post Lardi. No one can really argue against any of that. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again and again. You CANNOT achieve success on the pitch with the policy SE7 are pursuing. It’s simply about being able to compete against the teams that do spend more money and in football you can’t. SE7 Partners cannot outspend other teams while at the same time making several million pounds in savings from the annual losses. I’ll give the two new permanents a chance, but even if they are as good as some people are making out, they are nowhere near enough. We’ve now got a 5 year plan to get out of LEAGUE 1 FFS. Translation………. We’ve now got a 5 year plan for the SMT to earn lots and lots of money. Who gives a **** about the club. The League table doesn’t lie. If we continue with the form over the last 6 games we will finish 22nd. If anyone isn’t worried about that, then I’m afraid they must be running on blind optimism.
Even allowing for injuries we'd be higher in the league with better management. PLaying Alfie on the wing means Apples loses me, and his substitutions don't work. I can't listen to the man, I feel he's been watching a different game. I'm hoping that with the new additions he'll change the formation, and play Alfie as no. 10, where he was on fire.
It’s so frustrating to see Alfie’s lack of goals since he was moved to the right. It’s such a waste of his talents. I’m not sure he’ll be fit enough to start today anyway. Maybe come on as a sub late on when we’re 3-0 down.
We certainly aren't alone in being lied to repeatedly by our Club owners. Bad owners think nothing of lying to what they regard as their captive customers. They think we're stupid but we have life experience. We know when we're being lied to. Even the best owners won't always tell the whole truth of course, but good (honest & well intentioned) owners are more honest with fans and show them greater respect. That to my mind is just as important a measure of the character of owners as their financial nouse or ability to employ good football people. There are four vital aspects to running a Football Club well; Getting the football right Respect for and partnership with fans Good work in the Community Responsible financial investment & management These are not listed in any particular order, as (to me) they are all of equal importance. How many of the above are SE7 getting right? I would like to think they are continuing the work of CAFC in the community. But the other three? No evidence of anything good.
