Some of you guys believe that criticism so early in the season represents fickleness. I beg to differ. If the criticism is valid and based on fact, then all supporters retain the right to voice their concerns. Being a loyal supporter is not always about accepting without reproach. For example: Monday's match was a poor showing. We can play better and have played better this season. To watch us scrape out a draw against a very average Wednesday side is frustrating. The performance deserves a critical analysis. Highlighting inept individual performances, including that of the manager, does not mean that the critic is trying to be negative on purpose. Realistically, even the greatest critic accepts that sometimes not all is perfect. But that should not deflect the rights of the customer to question their purchase from time to time. After all, this forum would be pretty boring if it was conducted in Utopian harmony. Thanks for reading.
Nice read Ponders, very valid. I've never been one for criticising the team, even during the recent relegations. I've never understood the 'Boo-Boy' mentality. But since Powell's come in it's pretty much all I've done. I'm not impressed at all - As ridiculous as that sounds as we have undoubtedly made a solid start. But to me a solid start isn't good enough. We should be walking this. 2 Draws at home already - from winning positions - is far from championship winning form. Sheffield Weds in the first half may genuinley have been one of the worst teams we have witnessed in League 1, and we blew it. But all that said, I am not a particuarly vocal fan - I would never boo at a game. I prefer to hide behind my computer screen.
Wednesday were poor in the 1st half because we were good. We didnt scrape a draw wednesday did with their only effort on target that I remember. Thing margins between wining and losing. If srtephens had scored and we`d won 2 0 there would of been no criticism at all.
Not sure that's true Mikey? If the performance of both the players and management were the same as they were on monday night then I am sure people would have said that they were happy with the result but not the performance. As it was, a lot of people are happy with neither.
Very fair post Ponders. I think its valid to ask why we went from neat footballing side in the first half to hit and hopers in the second when they had a 6ft7 centre half? My view is as this is the first Charlton team in 6 years capable of playing neat, incisive football, I am definitely glass half full and we are moving in the right direction. That doesn't mean we should not raise eyebrows about such a blatant tactical melt down.
So true Ponders would be very dull if we all agreed. I will criticise with the best of you when its warranted but on Monday I thought we played well for the first hour against a Wednesday side determined to prevent us playing fluently. My main worry this season has been how we appear to fade for the last 20 minutes especially against the more powerful teams like Sheffield. Powell needs to get the subs on earlier IMO.
I think it's slightly fickle due to the drastic change in reactions. After Bury it was all hunky dory, and before Sheff Weds we were believing we could win every game up until MK Dons. Now after Monday people started to question individuals (same players who received high praise the week before), and the manager (6 games, no defeats). So I ask what has changed so much from the previous Saturday at 16:50 to Monday 21:35 that makes us now doubt everything CAFC?
i'd still much rather be where we are now than where we were last year. last year we was shocking for most of all games. this year we dominate most games, with a team that has played only 5 times together (not counting reading as that was the second 11). we now have a run of games against teams at the bottom whilst the top two have to play top half teams. we'll soon be top again, if we're not after these games - then thats when we should complain.
I agree, I believe a person should be entitled to their view and just because it may be contrary to other people's beliefs, does not automatically make it negative. I got criticised recently on the O/S for stating what I felt went wrong with my team's performance on Saturday, hence being called negative, however, this leads to my point, which is, it was not being negative but a view of a paying customer. It appears when you challenge such accusations, they tend to go quiet, for example when I stated, why don't you post a positive and more constructive approach about your view on witnessing the game, instead of accusations - I get no response, could that be because they were not a paying customer but more just a keyboard warrior?
I would agree. As fans we have every right to assess and make comments and fair criticism if we don't like what we are seeing. But that doesn't mean that we immediately want the manager out, or a player dropped or the board to resign. Personally as much as I though our performance was below par on Monday I think we need to give Sheffield Wednesday a bit of credit for the way they stifled us and prevented us from getting our passing game going. After their change of formation they looked a better outfit and they harassed well and didn't give us the time on the ball that other teams have. Our main issue was that we didn't have a plan B.
Good points made by ExiledAddick. Wednesday, for all their faults, forced us to hoof it up the field (the same as Bury made us do in the first half of that game). As much as we want to (perhaps fairly) criticise the way the team played, they were forced to play that style by a very physical Wednesday side who would just not let us maintain possession on the floor. This style of play was even more problematic with Euell as the only striker on the bench, making our 'plan B' less effective than our 'plan A'.
Ponders,you know my views on freedom of speech so I am quite happy to let you criticise so long as you allow others to support or have a contrary view. I am one of those who was critical of our hoof ball performance in the second half on Monday and don't understand what has happened to the neat incisive passing that has typified our performances elsewhere this season. Whilst I was at the ground I also recorded the game on Sky for review yesterday and what we found puzzling, the sky commentators were also questioning. They believed we should have come out on top until about the 60th minute when they started questioning the long ball tactics and lack of passing and were asking about our midfield. I doubt that CP will be reading our reviews of the game, but I bet he will have replayed the Sky commentary and possibly shown it to the players. Lets hope so and expect an improved performance against Exeter.
You're right, Ponders. If a fan can't say it as he sees it without being called names what is the point of a discussion forum? I was full of praise for the way we played against Reading and there were some outstanding individual performances. But there was very little of this exciting play on monday so in a discussion forum you have to discuss the reasons why this was the case as honestly as possible.
What you should be asking is are you ready to go up this season. I personally don't think so, as that team you had out on Monday night is nowhere near physical enough for the Championship. Teams like MK Dons, Sheff Utd and Huddersfield seem to have that balance in their sides and would probably do a lot better than you in a higher league
Sheffield United could easily survive in the Championship in my opinion, but I reckon Huddersfield would struggle and MK Dons would have no chance surviving in the Championship without significant investment. Our number one priority at the moment is getting out of this league, and thats what this squad has been assembled to do. The style of football is completely different in The Championship and League One, yet a number of our first teamers could make the step up, with us needing to use the transfer window perhaps to purchase a few more 'physical players', but only once we're up.
TC, before you start proselytising about this, let's see how your lot fair against Brighton this season. Physicality is not everything and football is a skill game as well. Sure they need to be tought enough to ride some tackles but physical means you will either stay in the championship or go back to league 1. It don't get past the better quality officials at the top end of the game.
Oh I beg to differ; we did have a plan B... Only trouble was our plan B basically consisted of; thumping the ball the length of the pitch onto the big wagon head of a 6ft 7" goliath... Completely and utterly pointless...!! I am convinced that had we maintained our patience and discipline by continuing to believe in the football we played in the first half we would have gone on to win that game at a canter...!!
Sorry- still going to say there has been an over exaggeration. I could understand if all criticism was in regards to the one game where the team underachieved- but the doubts around CP and certain individuals.. I can't see the justification in it. CP has led us to third in the league, unbeaten (despite being victorious against teams we saw as promotion rivals)- yet one bad performance chucked those past efforts out the window. I'm not saying we played well as that wasn't the case- I just don't see the need to panic, nor for a drastic change to the set up.
