Cheers, AllHell. I suppose I'll have to get down to The Valley at some point, eh? Pistols at dawn and all that nonsense. I don't drink, so it'll have to be a pub with a coffee machine. Lemonade if the meet's going to be an evening game.
This close to the season starting and our coach is using the word "Hope" about bringing players in. Forget about plans and scouting. Dismal state of affairs. Our form/season last year showed that all we need is a decent amount of investment, nothing outrageous, and we would challenge for top 6. Seems to much to ask when nothing has been done about it. Ridiculous.
Agreed, but there are a dozen other clubs in the same situation who are only a couple of players light of a promotion challenge. That's a bit unfair. We have already signed six players. Four played yesterday in our first "proper" match and the consensus is that they all rated from "satisfactory" to "good". The two most recent signings we have yet to see in action, but on paper they look as though they will strengthen the squad and the first team respectively. If we add two or three more in the right positions we could well challenge for the play-offs. If we don't sign two or three more strong players, and Vetokele and Henderson continue to be injury-prone, we will be fighting relegation. That's how slim the margins are in this division where anyone can beat anyone. (I am not counting on anything from Jackson, Moussa, Wiggins or Harriott, but if any of these make a useful contribution that will be a bonus). The tardiness of the signings and the poorly planned pre-season can indeed be criticized, but if we end up with the right players at the right price that will all be forgiven and forgotten.
In my opinion the major plus point from yesterday's game was the form of Chris Solly. Did anyone else notice that crunching 30/70 tackle he went in for and won in the second half? He looks right back to his best and is easily Premier League standard . What a shame about his knee condition. Other areas of the team are a concern. Morgan Fox is Morgan Fox. Pulled out of position too easily again yesterday and caught short of pace a couple of times. Surely a natural centre half is coming in this week to replace Diarra. Nothing against Abu who is a good, honest player, but he is 33 and not a centre half. Central midfield sees three very similar players in Karshi, Ba and Cousins doing the same job, the good bits like closing down and tackling are fine, the creative bits like dribbling and passing are non existent. If JBG does not perform - and he was very quiet yesterday - we don't create chances. Up front Watt works hard but is basically short of pace (hence never really pushing from Celtic) and is not a natural goalscorer. Makienok will win his share of knock ons but not much else. Very slow and a poor first touch. Time for the Club to come clean on Igor. It shouldn't take 8 months to clear up an injury.
I agree with pretty much all of this. I'm hopeful that Ceballos can provide the dribbling and passing / killer through balls. However, I don't see us needing to start Ceballos if we have Makienok starting up front. Makienok needs to be paired with someone with pace, like a fit Vetokele, for him to run onto and get behind the opposition defence from Makienok's knockdowns. Makienok's pairing with Watt yesterday just didn't work. It's stating the obvious but if we are going to play with Makienok, then its long ball and we play with two decent wingers who get lots of crosses in. If we go with Watt/Vetokele - I reckon you bring in Ceballos in place of a winger and play a more narrow 4-3-1-2 formation. I fully expect Bergdich to be the number one choice at left-back, so this should solve the left-back issue.
I must admit that I was very impressed with two of the new players Ba and Baeur. Baeur won everything in the air and he and Diarra looked solid. Fox had one of his best games. Solly was excellent and Pope looked more confident. Peter Crouch looked okay but is not going to score many goals. We need more attacking intent. Watt disappointed me and showed yesterday that he is not a goalscorer. The deal for Henry is still alive but I feel another centre forward is required, probably on loan because Vetokele is seldom fit. But I was quite impressed with us yesterday.
Wham have highlights on their site http://www.whufc.com/News/Articles/2015/July/26-July/Highlights-Charlton-0-0-West-Ham-Utd
I Igor is injured. I don't think the Club need to come clean about it. He has got an Achilles injury that has not healed. What more do the Club need to say?
Not a chance, now you really are talking through your backside. I asked him a question so allow him to answer it, if I ever want your opinion I'll ask for it, until then keep your nose out. I'll be making a 450 round trip for the QPR game while the locals can't be bothered to travel a few miles? and you want to compare? You need to grow up and stop acting like a child, nobody cares about who goes and who doesn't and it certainly doesn't need a public announcement either. Comparing me and Ponders because I dared to ask a question is pathetic your just a waste of oxygen pal. As a fan I have nothing to prove, I go more than some but not as much as others but like I said who cares, I have my reasons why I don't go as much as I used too like where I live and what it cost to get there, £150 each home game is money I don't have spare anymore, I've done my time as a week in week out fan when I was younger had more time, no other financial responsibilities, was living at home and could afford to go regularly but I don't have to explain that to people like you. If you want to judge people do it to the stay aways who live within 10 miles of The Valley.
Who are you replying to? Me or AllHell? If you want to measure cocks, then you should know I regularly travel back from Eastern Europe, the Middle East and South America. My working calendar revolves around getting to the Charlton matches, both home and away, and I rather doubt there are more committed fans in that respect. This years needs to be different, though, because personal circumstances demand it. And why the need for such aggression?
Your last post has told me more about Igor's injury than the club have. If they have made a statement about it then I've missed it- what did they say? After yesterday's game I'd say Igor and Big Mak could be an effective combination, all those flick-ons to nobody would have been fine for a fit Igor.
Maybe I'm a bit to harsh here, but I didn't think we played well, especially against a very weakened West Ham side (Tompkins, Payet and Sahko would have been their only first team starters). We had I believe four good chances, which we didn't take. Only remember West Ham having one during the second half which went right into the side netting. Few stand outs, Ba looked okay, but these guys lack something. If we play a stronger opposition, things won't have been as forgiving.
You forgot Valencia, who cost a reputed 12 million pounds, more than our entire playing staff combined. He, Payet and Sakho are genuine Premiership standard attackers. The fact that our makeshift defence restricted them to nil goals and few chances is encouraging. But most of the Hammers were third-string. Their second string had been in Malta, struggling to beat a bunch of waiters. Hard to read anything into these pre-season matches, especially as we are "behind schedule". For the moment, let us just be happy we are going forward, not backward.
Come on dick, of course the Club has to say something about Igor's injury. His wife has Tweeted that he was "forced" to play last season despite being injured. Why ? I remember being at away games like Birmingham when I.V was so bad it was like playing with ten men. It is short changing the fans. Why is it taking so long to diagnose and treat his injury ? Why hasn't he had an op? Has he been told to run it off ? Why was he seen by fans at Welling to be limping ? There are loads of questions to be asked. Fans will soon be parting with their "hard earned"....I for one do not want to be travelling to Derby on 15 August to see "Watt No Pace" and Douglas Igor Bader playing up front for us. It gives us no outlet or cutting edge, and we are beaten before we start. Perhaps Luzon will really go for it, and play Igor up front alongside Moussa....
The Club have come out many times and said that Igor has an Achilles injury. It looks like that Achilles injury is still bothering him. Perhaps the injury is inoperable, should the Club come out and say that? They have also said that Igor spent most of the Summer having treatment. What else do you want the Club to say?
Was this on the OS, Dick? I check fairly regularly and haven't seen it, maybe I just happened to miss it.
This interview with Igor was on the OS six days ago. I don't know that the Club can do more than that. Forward says that fresh faces help to keep everyone sharp George Jones reports Igor Vetokele says the Charlton’s new signings have brought a freshness to the squad. The Addicks brought in Ahmed Kashi this weekend, adding to the additions of Patrick Bauer, El-Hadji Ba and Simon Makienok so far this summer. And Vetokele, who traveled back from the club’s pre-season tour of Belgium to play 63 minutes at Dulwich Hamlet on Saturday afternoon, is looking forward to the squad being bolstered further in the coming weeks. “It’s definitely good news,” said the Angolan striker. “It’s nice to have some more bodies around training - it keeps everyone sharp. “We want to do better than last season and we’re going to have to play better and discover some more consistency. We need to record some more wins in a row. “At the moment, we have a small squad and with more players coming in that is good and hopefully we will get some more in and keep everyone fit.” The striker has been working hard to strengthen his Achilles throughout the summer and he also provided an update on his own fitness. He said: “I’m on the right track now but there is still a lot of work to do. We still have three weeks until the season starts and it’s important for me to get minutes and games now. “I’m definitely getting there and I’m just looking to keep on working, take care of it [my Achilles] and everything should be ok.” Read more at http://www.cafc.co.uk/news/article/...lwich-hamlet-2558039.aspx#8jdcQMDS16qm8T1F.99
I missed it too. I don't really give a **** what they say about his injury, I just want them to get it sorted. 8 months is a complete joke, particularly when they made him play thru it.
