Charlton Athletic (A)

[ianofcleveleys]

We hadn't really played well last season since Xmas, notwithstanding all the injury issues. However, there was one performance that showed what the squad of that time could do when they really put their minds and backs into it. The away effort at Barnsley in the play offs was the blueprint, hard work off the ball from front to back, tenacious defending, lower-risk policy around playing out from back, quicker transfer of ball to the forwards, stretching and turning defenders. One of the best, if not the best, performances of the season. 

What's baffling is that it was such a one-off. We hadn't seen anything like it in the weeks preceding and we haven't since. Why is something known only to Evatt, Markham and the players themselves. The approach and the levels were there that night and were highly effective. The close season analysis should have taken as long as required to watch that match back through again, and no more.

[worthy10]

Fascinating to see how passionate and frustrated we are.

Its safe to say, the theory of us playing cityesque tikka takka, is history. We have been found out and the better teams have the quality to break us down. The minnows know how to do it and even without better players will know what to do and frustrate us.

 

[Dr. Feelgood]

I wonder how the players see this system. He's clearly not one to enjoy a debate &  I wonder whether some who speak up are the ones sidelined or shown the door.

Personally, admittedly with zero itk knowledge, I feel removing the shackles may be a huge relief for many of them. This squad has talent & skill enough to sweep opponents away if allowed the freedom.

[waffer cup 07]

Am i missing something, i can't remember us playing with just two in midfield before.

[Kane57]

13 minutes ago, worthy10 said:

Fascinating to see how passionate and frustrated we are.

Its safe to say, the theory of us playing cityesque tikka takka, is history. We have been found out and the better teams have the quality to break us down. The minnows know how to do it and even without better players will know what to do and frustrate us.

 

I still think it's one thing being shown how to play out from the back by Pep Guardiola, and another being taught by Ian fuckin Evatt, member of the League Two team of the season in 2013.

[Take Hunt Off]

It was certainly a shitshow yesterday , hard to find any positives apart from Johnstones performance.

Like others after the Wrexham game I thought Evatt would pick a midfield three with one of the previous front three dropping to the bench as it is clear even at this stage that Collins & Mcatee are too similar & operating in each others space.

Victor on his own up front is not an option & if we are going to go more direct we need someone who can actually hold the ball up !

At best it looks like an early WIP , at worst it looks like a tactical miscalculation.

Santos is a shadow of his former self , not sure his head is in the right place.
 

 

 

[tomski]

29 minutes ago, Kane57 said:

I still think it's one thing being shown how to play out from the back by Pep Guardiola, and another being taught by Ian fuckin Evatt, member of the League Two team of the season in 2013.

Not sure I am signed up to that but simple logic says playing a hard pressing system with tiki taka seems more for elite players. Not L1 players. 

[RONNIE PHILLIPS]

It's not rocket science..... With Division 3 players the more you play in your own half the more likely you are to concede than score..... There endeth the lesson for Mr Evatt. 

[Marc505]

His thing has always been about how he wants us to be playing Championship style (whatever that is) football now, in L1, so that when we do get promoted we'll be ready.

I've never quite got that, we've got to be pragmatic and do what needs to be done to get out of the league we're in. It's felt like diminishing returns for months now. We can't end up stuck here for 8, 9, 10 seasons everything will wither.

We definitely wouldn't be needing to expand the capacity, that's for sure.

[desperado]

9 minutes ago, Marc505 said:

We definitely wouldn't be needing to expand the capacity, that's for sure.

Fucking made me laugh that 🤣.

From one week to the next as a Bolton fan……

[Greg_BWFC]

49 minutes ago, tomski said:

Not sure I am signed up to that but simple logic says playing a hard pressing system with tiki taka seems more for elite players. Not L1 players. 

Really is this simple. 

Nothing wrong with his footballing philosophy at all.

But the players he has at his disposal aren't good enough to implement it.

Again, not their fault,  they are division 3 players more prone to basic mistakes when put under pressure. 

No idea what the answer is as I'm not a football coach (😁), but I'll say again, it's easier to destroy than create.

Might  not be as entertaining, but a lot easier. 

Anyway, plenty of games left yet so let's hope we can come up with a style that gets the best out of an undoubtedly talented squad.

[wakey]

37 minutes ago, Marc505 said:

His thing has always been about how he wants us to be playing Championship style (whatever that is) football now, in L1, so that when we do get promoted we'll be ready.

I've never quite got that, we've got to be pragmatic and do what needs to be done to get out of the league we're in. It's felt like diminishing returns for months now. We can't end up stuck here for 8, 9, 10 seasons everything will wither.

We definitely wouldn't be needing to expand the capacity, that's for sure.

Our results from the start of Feb to now - 23 games, so half a season - are mid-table:

P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
23	8	10	5	38	29	34

If we'd done that for the full season we'd have finished just above Wycombe in 10th, and 8 points off 6th (24points off 2nd!).

I've excluded play-offs btw. Worse if they're included.

I wish this was just a couple of ropey results and we're on the cusp of fixing it, but it feels like we're regressing.

 

[RoadRunnerFan]

1 hour ago, Kane57 said:

I still think it's one thing being shown how to play out from the back by Pep Guardiola, and another being taught by Ian fuckin Evatt, member of the League Two team of the season in 2013.

Nice soundbite but meaningless for me Clive. Plenty of coaches playing possession football successfully had far less successful playing careers than Evatt. 

[radcliffe white]

Think it’s evident that those injuries last season wasn’t solely the reason we didn’t go up as some suggest (certainly didn’t help the situation) 

[passmosster]

Two in midfield against the bruisers of this division is madness.

At home there is a now a well known tactic against us even for the weaker teams. Play three midfield defenders in front of your back four and let them tiptap in their own half.

Evatt's been rumbled.

 

 

[masi 51]

2 hours ago, waffer cup 07 said:

Am i missing something, i can't remember us playing with just two in midfield before.

Played numerous times for my school team then every week every Sat, Sun must be 1k plus games

In not one of those games did i play in a two man midfield.

Watched well over a thousand games at Burnden then at the Reebok and all over the country and until two weeks ago i have never ever seen a game with two in midfield

[Kane57]

11 minutes ago, passmosster said:

Two in midfield against the bruisers of this division is madness.

At home there is a now a well known tactic against us even for the weaker teams. Play three midfield defenders in front of your back four and let them tiptap in their own half.

Evatt's been rumbled.

 

 

Exeter is a gimme but it's Huddersfield for me that should be the game now. Win or go, simple.

[1969]

1 minute ago, Kane57 said:

Exeter is a gimme but it's Huddersfield for me that should be the game now. Win or go, simple.

IMO Exeter is not a gimme 

I just don't/lost confidence in IE to make the required changes in formation and personnel 

[Jol_BWFC]

7 minutes ago, Kane57 said:

Exeter is a gimme but it's Huddersfield for me that should be the game now. Win or go, simple.

Carlisle.

[Marc505]

1 minute ago, Jol_BWFC said:

Carlisle.

Exeter away 

[1969]

1 minute ago, Marc505 said:

Exeter away 

Anyone at the moment 

[Zico]

You know when folk say "we'd have lost this last season" and all that

7-0 last season 

Simply no excuses 

[Steejay]

21 minutes ago, Zico said:

You know when folk say "we'd have lost this last season" and all that

7-0 last season 

Simply no excuses 

Did you cash out???

[Zico]

2 minutes ago, Steejay said:

Did you cash out???

Sadly not

[only1swanny]

1 hour ago, wakey said:

Our results from the start of Feb to now - 23 games, so half a season - are mid-table:

 

P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
23	8	10	5	38	29	34

If we'd done that for the full season we'd have finished just above Wycombe in 10th, and 8 points off 6th (24points off 2nd!).

I've excluded play-offs btw. Worse if they're included.

I wish this was just a couple of ropey results and we're on the cusp of fixing it, but it feels like we're regressing.

 

Out of interest, how many league penalties did DC score last season? 

How many league goals since January? 

Don't care about the cups lol. 

 

Anyone know?