In an ideal world I'd get rid of: Seaborne - Clearly a CB playing at LB. Decent defensively but he can't control a ball, can't pass, is so slow and dire going forward. Hughes - Obviously not going to play any role and will be released at the end of the season. Do him a favour and try get him a club in January. Hollands - Probably the most over-estimated player in our squad. Was anonymous for half of last season and every game he played for us this season. Not good enough. Kerkar - Can't control a ball, has no pace, no tricks, predictable, can't cross, can't tackle, think's he's brilliant but offers nothing. Fuller - Just runs himself into dead-ends and tries to win the game by himself. Refuses to pass, shoots when he shouldn't, gets in other players way, moans all the time, has no pace off the ball, can't read passes, never bothers moving for a ball. Hulse - despite being 6foot3 he rarely wins a header. He can't control a ball, can't turn and is probably the worst finisher at the club. Decent holding the ball up but that's all he offers. Sullivan - nothing against him, he's just not good enough for a Championship team and seemingly out of favour. There's a common theme there. Most of those players were brought in this season. I've only been proud of our performance once this season, against Birmingham away, when the team was made up 100% (aside from subs) of players we had last year. The likes of Kerkar, Fuller, Hulse etc. don't seem to have bought into the Chris Powell ethos, they seem like panic signings and none of them appear to be willing to run themselves into the ground for the sake of our club. Last year we all said how that bunch were the most dedicated and commited Charlton players we had seen for a decade. This season our squad are made up of journeyman who couldn't care less for the club.
Seaborne- get rid as soon as possible. Does nothing better than even Salim Kerkar at left-back. I've never seen Fox play but I'm sure he can do just as good a job as both, put him in the side until Evina and/or Wiggins are back. Frimpong- definitely worth keeping if possible. People don't seem to see that we would have conceded a lot more in that first-half against Ipswich had he not been there. He in large did a good job of cutting out their play and trying to make things happen for us. People seem to be overlooking him because evidently he was very tired as he hasn't been rested since Millwall hence gave away a couple of silly fouls and misplaced a few passes. Hulse- seems incapable of heading the ball despite being 6"1. Majority of the time his hold-up play isn't even up to scratch. Misses 9/10 easy chances. There must be someone better we can get on loan for the second half of the season. Stephens- a bid of 1 million+ is worth more than him. Generally an inconsistent player but at the moment seems to be consistently bad. Takes too long to pick his pass and is therefore constantly nabbed, often inside our own half of the field which has led to more than one goal for the opposition this season. When in form, however, and picks his pass quick enough, is a valuable player. Hollands- forever anonymous. But, we may be forced into playing him if Frimpong goes back (as expected) and/or Stephens leaves. Jackson- a controversial opinion, but I think he offers us absolutely nothing on the left, and very little in the middle. He had a blinder against Millwall, but just isn't fit enough anymore. Better off with Pritchard and Frimpong, until Frimpong goes back, and we then we have a big hole in midfield. Fuller- his hold up play against Ipswich was brilliant, and received absolutely no support from the midfield, hence his frustration. As, in the first-half, Frimpong and Stephens were both sitting deep and Hulse can't move for the ball at all, leaving Fuller on his own. He is a very valuable player at least until the end of the season. Wright-Phillips- looks to be leaving but shouldn't be, unless there is someone guaranteed to be better lined up. Green- needs game time or to be used as an impact sub. Useless if played once a month. Cook- how could any of you possibly say he needs to leave? He's only played seven times, five of those as a sub. An unfair judgement.
I don't see what is wrong with Hollands being annonymous when he plays. For me the role he is given is to the be the man to make an interception and then pass the ball on with a simple touch. I didn't notice Semedo half the time he played for us but felt, that like Hollands, his role was one we shouldn't notice, and if you start to notice it then there are issues. I'm still adamant he can make the step up, he's a darn sight better then Frimpong anyway.
I appreciate what you say about Hollands, but Pritchard does that, and a bit more too. What has Frimpong done wrong?
I've only seen Frimpong the once and that was boxing day so my assessment might not be fair. My Dad however has sat through them all. When I told him Frimpong is a quality player at this level and one for the future (when we first signed him) he was like good stuff. Then he's seen the games and he's not be impressed in the slightest and he seems a bit hot headed. The pen he gave away on boxing day was as pathetic as it comes, going away from goal and he does a slide tackle, people know, when the ball is in the box stay on your feet. He couldn't pass imo and if he ever makes it that will be shameful. I saw Alex Song play for us and you could tell be was a class act, I can't even see if Frimpong would be in my championship first team in the future, let along Barca, just don't rate him.
Mambo-not good enough, Seaborne-not good enough as a Centre Half or left Back. Kerkar-not good enough,too lightweight,no pace. Bover-never going to make it with us,needs to be removed from the wage bill. Hughes- hasn't played,needs to be removed from the wage bill. Waggy-is nowhere near the first team,needs to be sold or to go out on loan. BWP- is nowhere near a starting slot,needs to be sold,when he has still got a bit of value. Green- has had numerous chances,but dissappointed me on Boxing Day as he did a number of other times. Sullivan-not good enough. Taylor-doesn't seem to be in the picture.Needs to be playing at his age. Hulse I would keep,if we get an offer of 1 to 1.5 m for Stephens I would take it. I would extend Frimpongs loan to end of Season if agreeable with Arsenal. We need to bring in at least two midfielders,one central and one left sided.Another pacey front player.A centre half with pace,that could be Feely.I feel that three to four quality signings in crucial areas could make a big difference to the squad. Ps I would give Hollands another try and if he doesn't make it,get rid in the Summer.
He was evidently very, very tired yesterday I thought. His passing was better than anyone's in the first-half. His silly tackles I thought were a result of tiredness. In general, I think he has filled a hole in our midfield that has needed filling all season, and when he goes back to Arsenal we will struggle to find a replacement. Obviously, he is no Alex Song and never will be, but he is the type of character that would big himself up to be. I think people are moaning about him because they had unrealistic expectations to start out. He is a good Championship midfielder at the moment, and I would argue better than any central midfielder currently at the club.
Strange that we always seem to have an over-sized squad. This has been the case under every manager since Curbs, and was true in Curbs' last years as well. Another constant is that we are afraid to dip into our reserve/under 21 players when we have injuries. I know the argument is that it could set a youngster back if he is thrown in too early, but it sets him back even more if he is released at the end of his contract and has to go to a lower or non-league side to start all over again. I agree with most of Dick's list, and for years if you look at the back of the programme our squad is considerably bigger than our opponents'.
Was about to create a post with my opinions but this pretty much says everything I think. Not quite so down on Stephens but thank god that somebody else sees what I see in respect of Hulse, Green and Frimpong. I was beginning to think that I know nothing about football.....
I thought apart from giving away the pen frimpong was our only decent player in the first half and he made one tackle in our penalty box to stop a scoring chance that was sheer class. I'd love to sign him if we could no we can't but I would Definately I also think hulse does an ok job
I agree a lot of the criticism of Hulse is OTT. One of the moans is that he doesn't win headers, but most of the balls into the box are hopeful punts forward which always favour the defender. And sure he missed a few chances when he first came but he hadn't played for months then and we haven't been creating chances at all in recent weeks. I'm not saying I'd have him in the starting line-up, but at least he tries to link up with our underperforming midfield.
It just seems to me I watch different performances from most everyone else But it's all about opinions ain't it . My favoured team today would be Hamer Solly Morrison Cort Evina Frimpong Jackson Pritchard Wilson BWP Kermogant
