Charlton match thread - 15 Sept

How has that happend?

 

Only just!!

 

I expected a worse defeat than this
(who really didn't)
We seem to be holding the ship instead of it going backwards every game
Roll on October

 

I might be on my own, but there were some positives there. It was a better performance than the Burton game we won - we were up against a better side today.

Charlton has two big, quick, powerful forwards who can finish. We need to find one. And we need to improve a hell of a lot at the back.

We looked fitter, better in midfield and better down both flanks. A bit of improvement at least.

 

Irrelevant.

We're three points off rock bottom, and nine off the play offs.

We're in the relegation zone, and it's not even goal difference.

But it's early days, thank God, because come game 46, it doesn't matter if you're 'only just' in the relegation zone or well and truly stuck down there, there's only one outcome.

 

Another disappointing result but a better performance. I think Hopkin will do a good job but right now he can only use the tools at his disposal and it will take time. This is where Edin has left us

 

If you are going to take any plus points better performance. People say doesn't matter. Well it seemed to when we beat Burton.

 

No question the coaching of Hopkin is already having an impact; but ol' Edin is praying to whatever divine power he may or may not believe in that competent coaching can dig him out of the ungodly mess he has created.

At this point, I'm still not sure it will be enough.

This is professional football in the third tier of English football - success doesn't come about purely through an ability to organise a side - it takes far more than that, and we were never in a position to be able to afford to give the other 23 clubs an advantage over us.

Unfortunately we have.

 

We appear to be On The Road To Somewhere.

 

You're not on your own, the crowd saw the same and showed it too.

 

That was definitely progress. Surreal to be pleased after a 2-0 defeat but I am. Hopkin is definitely the right man, he's got a hell of a job ahead of him though. Thank god he's managed to start sorting that midfield out... let's hope for more of the same with his January signings.

 

The difference in quality was noticeable, and unlike under Collins, the team actually looked like they had a game-plan. Defense was poor - letting them turn inside and shoot for both goals. Connor Wood looked like a big improvement over Chicksen though, as did the two O'brien's over Wright and Akpan. We just seem to screw ourselves over in front of goal, as per.

 

A damning indictment on our pre season recruitment when a player no one wants to take a punt on comes in and gets man of the match. A far better game in terms of performance especially central midfield where the two O’Briens put in good performances. Wood again had a decent game and Doyle and Ball worked manfully despite chasing goal kicks all game.
Hopkin now has to work out how to get the best out of a very slow and shaky back three and to work out a plan to actually make us look why we could score a goal from open play.
The big positive today was the fact we actually looked the better side at times in this game and we were competitive in the middle of the park.
But those goal scoring chances are gonna have to start coming soon or we could get set adrift.

 

Very accurate assessment.

 

Its amazing what a pair of half decent central midfielders can do. Unfortunately our higher profile preseason signings Scannell and Payne were poor today, these two now need to show us and Hopkin why they were so highly rated. At least i came away feeling i had watched a team that had an idea what they were doing. We could do with looking at any out of contract target men because Hopkin’s style looks tailor made for it and Bruenker ain’t good enough for league football. Makes it easier to justify Doncaster tickets now on the back of that.

 

If only we had an experienced defender that could come in and steady things at the back eh?

 

Payne poor? Jeez you are harsh. I thought Payne was busy and had a lot of the ball and looked to try to create things.
Scannell looked unfit and needs to learn how to judge a cross when he is trying to head the ball.

 

Well, I got the desire from the players today, so that's one positive.

I thought Jim O'Brien did very well, and looks captain material to me. Constantly encouraging, organising and bollocking players when necessary. So another positive.

Impressed with Wood, looks a big improvement on Chicksen, so another positive

However, the defending just as bad as it has been all season overall.

Apart from that first minute effort from Doyle, we didn't remotely look like scoring, which is a major worry

Somehow, we need to conjure up some scrappy points to get the points tally moving again, or we are going to get left behind in the bottom 4

I see our next opponents Donny are flying high and will be a tough ask to even get a point next week.

Worrying times, that's for sure

 

I expected better of our defence at the start of the season tbh. Payne needs to know when to pass and I thought Scannell had a good first half.

 

Trouble with taking all the positives out of a loss is you're left with negatives and if it goes on,relegation.

It's early days ( there's a positive) and the effects of a defeat are not as traumatic for me in defeat,as I don't have high expectations yet.I will have after Jan window so here's hoping DH will do the business.CTID!