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What needs to happen to get us back on track?

Tommy2holes

Life President⭐
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
11,420
It very much seems that the pre season ambition has not been met with performances. I can't remember a time for some while that we have lost 3 league games at roots hall so early.

So what is going on.

Well let's be frank, we have a team full of talent but actually getting that talent to perform to potential and keep them fit is another thing.

We have been creating chances but our goals to shots on target ratio must be one of the lowest in the league. We aren't scoring enough goals.

We have also more worryingly been conceeding goals in nearly every match.

There has also been the case the when players perform or don't perform the team is not appropriately rotated. This had been difficult at times due to injury but at other times this has almost be farcical. Having a player that has played 2 scored 4 and doesn't get a sniff sends out the wrong message.

Is it case of just bad luck.
Is it a case of bad management of the current squad.
Is it time for other players to get there chance.
Will we be ok if and when we get a fitter squad.
 
I like CP but some of his selections are poor, Mc goalsky should be given a start not left on the bench until a few mins before full time. We are poor at the back why is not the new loan center half signing getting some action, he surely must be quicker and energetic than White and Turner. I know the injuries have been bad for much of the season, but CP must put his hands up and take some of the blame !
 
Even with our poor start to the season I still think that we ARE a decent side, with a good squad. It's all been fine margins so far, but the obvious big problem is that you can't win games when you are conceding so many sloppy goals. I have been concerned about the central defence for a while. I don't have any issues with our full backs, but White and Turner together is a clear issue. For me Turner is the real problem. He is nearly 35 and it shows. He's blowing hard less than half an hour into games and add that to his lack of mobility and pace, it's not a good mix. White is clearly not a natural central defender and with Turner it's just not working, especially when teams attack us with pace and movement. I'm certainly not feeling the doom and gloom that some are, but things do need to change and soon.
 
Even with our poor start to the season I still think that we ARE a decent side, with a good squad. It's all been fine margins so far, but the obvious big problem is that you can't win games when you are conceding so many sloppy goals. I have been concerned about the central defence for a while. I don't have any issues with our full backs, but White and Turner together is a clear issue. For me Turner is the real problem. He is nearly 35 and it shows. He's blowing hard less than half an hour into games and add that to his lack of mobility and pace, it's not a good mix. White is clearly not a natural central defender and with Turner it's just not working, especially when teams attack us with pace and movement. I'm certainly not feeling the doom and gloom that some are, but things do need to change and soon.

I agree to a certain extent , but would the following from my observations.
Elvis and Coker attack very well , but both of them get caught out of position and / or 'ball watching' more than they should.
In fairness though , I think that they are getting very poor support from both McLaughlin and Kightly ( we miss the Atkinson type in this area ).
Consequently though , both Turner and White are having to cover more areas than they should be at times.
I guess that my conclusion is that the defence has been poor , but not necessarily all down to the CB's
 
I think we've only played the same back 4 as the previous match twice this season and we kept a clean sheet in one of those matches (Bristol Rovers away).

I think we've only once played the same midfield pairing as the previous match and that was with a central midfielder who was only 50% fit.

I don't believe Chris Powell is a compulsive chopper and changer and I think results will pick up once we're able to get some consistency in team selection (and also training - is someone like Sam Mantom actually training between matches at the moment?).

Getting back our best player should also help.
 
Maybe a 5-2-3 is in order

Demi
Turner
White
Lennon
Coker
Dieng
Mantom
McCoulsky
Hopper
Cox

3 CBs/2 wing backs who can provide support to CMs who are more defensive. Front three, with Cox providing link between midfield and defence.

With the ball, changes to a 3-4-3.
 
We desperately need Yearwood back.. He's the driving force through the middle of the team we've been missing.

Defensively we look a shambles and that's worrying as straight away that was something Powell shored up when he came in. Hopefully Lennon isn't too far off

But your best form of defence is attack and with Yearwood back in the team driving everything forward, that's taking the pressure off the back 4
 
The fact we haven’t been able to have a settled team for more than 3 games hasnt helped. We have missed the youth and enthusiasm of dru, the experience of dieng and Hyam. We won’t really settle down till the end of September but by then Oxley , Lennon, Demi, Kyps, dru, Hyam, Kightly , should all be back so will be stronger and more strength in depth. We will get there but always takes time .
 
The fact we haven’t been able to have a settled team for more than 3 games hasnt helped. We have missed the youth and enthusiasm of dru, the experience of dieng and Hyam. We won’t really settle down till the end of September but by then Oxley , Lennon, Demi, Kyps, dru, Hyam, Kightly , should all be back so will be stronger and more strength in depth. We will get there but always takes time .


All well and good , but the question is, in the meantime why are we not playing Moore and McGoalsky?
 
All well and good , but the question is, in the meantime why are we not playing Moore and McGoalsky?

The only thing I can think of is because Powell wants to get more out of white and tuner and cox and hopper. But I def agree Mcclousky should of been first sub on sat not Theo. I do think Moore will start soon poss Saturday if not Fleetwood game as Powell probs knows he has more pace and offers more but really he should of started Saturday wih White goin to right back and Moore cb just to offer a bit more defensive . Remember Powell is developing his squad so will take time. Up the Blues !!!
 
I am a great believer that if you are doing the right things in football the results will eventually come and I have seen more to be positive about than I have to be negative about. I'll break things down in various points.

1. We are creating a lot of chances, we aren't putting them away though. Hopper has done alright and has kept his spot on that basis (he has 4 league goals that puts him joint 5th for top goalscorers in league 1). Cox is one of our better paid players and has done well in the past so you can understand CP wanting to give him ample opportunity, Theo has had a couple of games and has done OK but hasn't claimed a place in the 1st 11. I think that we are near seeing McCoulsky getting in ahead of Cox, who deserves a shot on the basis of his 2 starts in cup comps. If we start putting away a few more of these chances we'll win more than we lose.

2. We look leaky at the back. Turner and White are both good players but they don't compliment each other IMO, we need somebody with a bit more pace and mobility. I think they both have a role to play this season but hopefully alongside Lennon or Kyprianou. Also Elvis whilst being a promising youngster does have mistakes in him, with Demi and Lennon back I am hoping we look a lot more solid.

3. We move the ball quickly and have a couple of very good ball players in Dieng and Mantom now, I actually think Dru may struggle to get in every week. It's a nice problem to have! I do wonder if this style of play will be as effective in the winter months when the pitches deteriorate though.
 
I am a great believer that if you are doing the right things in football the results will eventually come and I have seen more to be positive about than I have to be negative about. I'll break things down in various points.

1. We are creating a lot of chances, we aren't putting them away though. Hopper has done alright and has kept his spot on that basis (he has 4 league goals that puts him joint 5th for top goalscorers in league 1). Cox is one of our better paid players and has done well in the past so you can understand CP wanting to give him ample opportunity, Theo has had a couple of games and has done OK but hasn't claimed a place in the 1st 11. I think that we are near seeing McCoulsky getting in ahead of Cox, who deserves a shot on the basis of his 2 starts in cup comps. If we start putting away a few more of these chances we'll win more than we lose.

2. We look leaky at the back. Turner and White are both good players but they don't compliment each other IMO, we need somebody with a bit more pace and mobility. I think they both have a role to play this season but hopefully alongside Lennon or Kyprianou. Also Elvis whilst being a promising youngster does have mistakes in him, with Demi and Lennon back I am hoping we look a lot more solid.

3. We move the ball quickly and have a couple of very good ball players in Dieng and Mantom now, I actually think Dru may struggle to get in every week. It's a nice problem to have! I do wonder if this style of play will be as effective in the winter months when the pitches deteriorate though.

Do we know if/when Lennon is back? Chris Powell said 3-4 weeks - and that was 4 weeks ago.


Edit: he said another 3-4 weeks last week and that's he's still wearing a protective boot.
 
Lennon may not be the solution to the defensive problems, he looked anything but solid against Doncaster. Hopefully he will improve during the season but he does seem to have a mistake in him, as Charlton’s fans well know. I think Kyprianou deserves more of an opportunity, he always seemed to do well when called upon last season.
 
I agree that kyprianou should be given a chance. He performed excellently when given the chance last season till he got injured. Also Taylor Moore looked good in the game on Tuesday night. He allegedly cost 1.5 million and has played for England under 17-20's teams so must have something about him. Our defence is terrible at the minute. No pace and hoof hoof hoof!!!
I would also like to see us play with 3 center halfs and wing backs. I feel this would stop us leaking all these goals, and would suit Hopper up front with Cox linking midfield.
Also I know McCoulsky scored twice on Tuesday, but that was the only contribution he made!! The rest of the game he was totally anonymous.
 
"Also I know McCoulsky scored twice on Tuesday, but that was the only contribution he made!! "

Well, if he can do that every game I'm not worried that he makes no further contribution!

We should be doing better with the players we have. I think CP, who I admire tremendously, has been making some errors recently.
 
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