@ken shabby Good post as always Ken, but it depends how you class a Slade "triumph". Personally I don't regard signing the likes of Crofts as much of a triumph. Ajose has been the only half decent/ambitious signing so far- Holmes looks average, Novak looks poor. Can't people see what is happening to our squad and team - the quality is getting worse by the month.
You are basing your comments on what? Novak, Ajose, and Holmes scored a joint total of 45 goals last year. Players like that do not simply forget how to score because they have joined our club; and now we have a british manager we have a better chance of being a success than had this not been the case. Give the players a chance before you criticise them. We all know the squad is far too thin at the moment, but efforts are obviously being made to add depth and experience. People such as you continually slagging off players who are yet to kick a competitive ball for the club will look very silly should we do well next year. Before you ask, l am not a fan of RD or KM either and l would love to see them sell; but that is not going to happen in the short term, so we are what we are. That does not necessarily mean that we are odds on to be relegated again unless we all think like you!
Yes, I have seen them in the 3 pre season friendlies. Holmes - another Danny Green figure, not blessed with a lot of pace and will have one good game in four (hence the fee of £140,000) Novak - dire. No pace, moves a lot but basically a lower league carthorse. Will become a Boo Boys target. Pavel Abbot Mk 2 Ajose- never has so much been read into a hat trick at Welling. Reminds me of Franck Moussa. P.S: I was the first to call out Tucadean, Reza and Makienok for being sh1te in previous pre seasons, while others were raving about them and putting Viagra out of business.
They have very similar styles - wait and see Never known so much fake euphoria over a tap in hat trick at Welling
Ajose is a poacher - loves to hang around inside the box, where as Moussa waited around the outside waiting for the ball to drop. Struggling with this comparison. Not denying Novak is underwhelming - never been impressed by him. Holmes I know little of.
I did - although his poor fitness record made me half right Hard to see him fancying League 1 when he eventually gets fit again.
Comparing Moussa to Ajose is ridiculous. Ajose will prove to be a good signing for us. But I fear that he will not get enough ammunition from midfield.
Roles are interchangeable Super - just look at Jeremy Corbyn as an example. Labour leader...and the next Prime Minister Rumours on social media that we are taking keeper Simon Moore on loan Unless I am missing something, he has only played 28 games in the last 3 years and had an unsuccessful loan at Bristol C last season.
A better comparison would be with my favourite Angolan - Igor, or dare I say it, Reza. Odds on Moussa scoring a 57 yard screamer against us?
I read an interesting comment from a Charlton fan on Twitter earlier - the reason the signings have dried up is that we failed to budget for paying Vetekole, Sarr and Watt's wages this season. Even though none of them play for us. Thoughts?
Logic would say they perhaps budgeted potential player sales, which haven't gone according to plan. Could explain why £900k was unacceptable for Pope, but that extra £150k saw us get a ''good'' deal.
Surely nothing has happened departures wise that we didn't expect? And on the whole the incomings (inc an experienced manager and a 20 goal a season striker) are better than I anticipated Of course there is a long long way to go until we have a competitive squad; but the makings of a decent first XI are apparent
As I can only base my views on internet stuff and haven't seen a game thus far (before you ask Royston ), I reckon that the fab three we originally signed (Novak, Ajose and Holmes) will probably do okay. The problems begin taht since then, we have signed one freebie (Crofts): Bearing in mind we werer relegated before the season ended, we seem to have squandered a huge advantage in knowing where we would be playing and having our famous 'top six budget'. We had good players last season, but never seemed to have enough to get eleven on the pitch at once (I'll say nothing about the Fraeye months this time). If we add to the squad with players with a bit of savvy and skill, and hopefully no predisposition do be injured most of the time, we may yet have a squad which can be looking at the top six. When even the manager says we are a long way off, and the money seems to have dried up, there's plenty to worry about.The problem is in whether Slade is allowed to chose the players he needs to construct a decent squad, or if we simply get in the first seven or eight out-of-contract nobodies who are prepared to play for air miles. As far as I am concerned, there are no excuses. There was time aplenty to build a squad to come out of the blocks at a gallop, and our owner is a multi millionaire. I'm not normally the most demanding 'customer' but faliure for me would be not going up.
Not goin up would be complete abject failure end of...a complete disaster with the blame laid completely at RD and KM door. I have seen Novak Ajose and Holmes pre season I can see Ajose scoring but as has been said he is a pure poacher lay it on a plate and more often than not he will score. Holmes looks very much like Danny Green to me ...tho on his day Green was ok just his day wasn't very often. Novak worked hard but agree if things ain't goin well the famous CAFC boo boys will get on his back. Saying that both Ajose and Novak scored loads last season so a repeat and ...happy days. Trouble is where is the creativity ...pretty non existant. The 5 or 6 new signings is minimum for me and out of the 5 or 6 they all need to be quality 1st choice signings for this league not freebie past it has beens looking for a last contract. It's a massive gamble relying on kids stepping up to the mark maybe integrate one or two into the squad gradually from the bench but expecting 3 /4 kids to hit the ground running is asking a lot. It's no good signing the Wigan centre back if we then sell Texiera or Bauer or even both . One worry about Slade he seems to favour useless crap Billy big boy relegation Roger. He starts every friendly I'm hoping it's because we lack numbers but I'm not so sure. If he starts the season we are really in trouble. Muldoon doesn't seem ready and has payed most games Konsa maybe good enough the rest benchwarmers at best for now .
O'hara would solve our midfield creativity issues. Surprised Fulham let him go in truth - but imagine someone will trump us.
