Got to disagree with most of your post, V-a-v. I thought that from the time we scored our first goal, which took me by surprise because I couldn't see us scoring, we played our best passing football of the season. I hate it when we welly it, but there was much less of it than usual, and it was Brighton who were the more physical team, conceding numerous free-kicks, and were very fortunate not to be down to 10 men. I agree about playing Stewart on the left. The subs weren't poor, Brighton were already throwing the kitchen sink at us and we were starting to buckle, lucky twice not to concede from corners. Evina's direct running took the weight off our defense, and I'm sure you'll agree he was better than Stewart. Agree about Pritchard for Wilson. And I wish one of the players would do the tunnel jumps, but the game wasn't all about Powell, which is my main point. It was all about getting 3 pointa against a team in great form compared to ours. Think of it that way and you'll enjoy results like yesterday's. AHLL- Isn't Fox doing very well at Notts County? It would be a shame to bring him back when he's hardly likely to feature for us except in the Cup, probably for one game only before we get knocked out.
Think that's down to he and Stewart building a relationship. Stewart cutting inside seems to allow wiggins to get nearer the byline and be more threatening.
Vol, please defend your use of the word 'milking'. How exactly is he doing that? He's done the tunnel jumps throughout his time at Charlton, both as player and manager, so it's hardly milking anything when he does them now. And how on earth can League 2 be his 'natural level' as manager when he not only smashed League 1 with us but lead us to a comfortable finish in the Championship with one of the less expensive squads in the division? If we finish half way that will be another remarkable achievement for a young manager with a squad not capable of any higher than that. Your saying you would still want him gone is baffling - what more do you realistically expect given our circumstances?
I just find the whole tunnel jump thing embarrassing and typical 'little old Charlton'...its why other Clubs laugh at us for tartan rugs and Thermos flasks etc. With our record this season a brief wave to the crowd would surely be enough. I think we have done the resources thing to death. Powell has been allowed to sign six new players already this season - right up there with most other Championship sides. Stewart will never make a left winger as long as I have got a hole in my back side. CP's natural level in terms of his team's style of football is undeniably League Two. Brighton were just the latest side to come to the Valley this season & play better football than us. Look at Mackay at Cardiff & Lomas at Millwall in the last 24 hours. CP would be GONE at any other Club now.
I am neither naive nor sentimental. Your obsession with wanting Powell gone is like a broken record. If Powell had lost the dressing room I would say that maybe it is time for a new manager, but he hasn't. It is obvious that the players wanted it, they came out fired up for the second half. Why should Powell doing the tunnel jump wind you up so much? If we win he can do a triple somersault with pike for all I care.Really don't see why it bothers you. I am getting so fed up with our whinging fans FFS get a grip. Reading forums like ITV and seeing nothing but criticisms of Powell takes the enjoyment of winning away. I will in future not read such forums.
Vol, you say Powell's natural level of football is league 2, he plays the exact same football if not slightly better football than Tony Pulis, someone you wanted to manage us and someone who has got Palace out the relegation zone. And Powell isn't milking it, if he thinks he can get the job done he will hang on, the Board won't have any sentiment towards him so they wouldn't have to worry about going, "ooo, he was a popular player" they would just sack him if they weren't happy. 6 new players.... how many of them did we pay for exactly? He also shifted players to free up any funds, our budget is possibly one of the lowest in the division apart from Millwall and Yeovil. And for once I agree with you about something, Stewart isn't a LW, but when Wilson is on form at RM and has a good relationship with Solly, why change that? Harriots didnt really impress me much this season sadly so Stewart is best option at the moment for that position.
"6 new players.... how many of them did we pay for exactly? He also shifted players to free up any funds, our budget is possibly one of the lowest in the division apart from Millwall and Yeovil". Red Herring Alert Sordell & Gower - undeniably terrible signings. Stewart - the most inauthentic left winger since Tony Blair. Wood - ok, but injury prone Alnwick - ok Church - limited
grinch! i bet you didnt buy anyone any christmas presents? just enjoy the 3 points, it doesn't happen that often.
How do you know that other clubs laugh at us for it? Did you criticise him for it when he did it as a player, or during the last 2 seasons? It's not the number of players but their calibre, and what we can afford - given our lack of money, I'd say Church and Wood have been 2 pretty good signings - Church will never score regularly but causes lots of problems for defences with his movement, and is a good foil for Kermorgant, and Wood is a reliable, solid centre half. Getting those 2 free was good business I'd say. Sordell hasn't worked out but there was reason to think he might. Stewart wasn't great yesterday, bottling out of at least 2 tackles (what winger doesn't), but it was from his 2 crosses that Wilson got his goals. I do get frustrated by his reluctance to cross first time, but there is a player in there, as he has shown on occasions, particularly at Yeovil. If you're going to judge managers purely on style of play, then surely Sam Allardyce and Tony Pulis aren't top level managers. Both have shown that they clearly are - Bolton and Stoke have both played in Europe. CP has had success at both League 1 and now Championship level. He is cut out for this league. Cardiff (crazy owner) and Millwall (deeply unpopular manager) are not good examples to pick. Even if it were true that at any other club he'd be gone by now, why is that a valid argument to sack him now? I think there's much to be said for stability, even if it's so rare to find in football these days; I was always proud of how long Curbishley was our manager, for instance. CP has proven that he can do the job and I think he can keep us up this season too.
Gower, I said at the time why? But was a free deal Stewart isn't a LW i said that, but who else is there? When he plays on the right he's very good, but with Wilson doing well why put Stewart on the right? Alnwick was simply back up and again, free transfer Wood - Free transfer but defence seems a lot more solid when he is playing. Church - free transfer, runs his socks off... give me a better striker alternative that was free and as cheap as I'm sure Church's wages are. Not going to deny that Sordell is a terrible signing, but how many of us were relieved when we signed Sordell as a striker with 2 day to go until the start of the season? Good Ol' Captain Hindsight has struck again eh?
I loved the tunnel jumps when he was a player, and also when Elliott took over, but I've never liked the manager doing them, one of the players should do them. I wish the upper north would stop calling for them, but in the great scheme of things it's not important.
Not as much as I laugh at you and your pathetic ultras goal music dancing girls now that is funny oh and your stupid banners plastic club plastic fans complete tossers comes to mind
And we laugh at you just as much. Particularly amusing is your record in the PL - 4 seasons played, 4 relegations.
Free transfers are not free, Ted. Enhanced wages and add-ons, plus possibly agents' fees, typically add up to similar amounts you would pay in transfer fees for an equivalent player on contract. I was mystified by the Gower signing at the time. I just assumed CP knew something about him we didn't. (Apparently not). Not a bad player, but did not fill a need for us. The others all look good signings, assuming they did not cost too much.
Yeah I vaguely remember them releasing the agent fees and that we were amongst the bottom of all championship clubs, not sure if that was this year or last year, but even if it was last year our agent fees must be less this year.
"Look at Mackay at Cardiff & Lomas at Millwall in the last 24 hours. CP would be GONE at any other Club now." - VaV Bet Man United are happy you didn't follow them when Fergie took over, you'd have called for his head in an instant.
