tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079412554751733989.post2738529418701940257..comments2024-03-27T09:39:58.987-07:00Comments on Addick's Third Division Diary: No Candlemas cheer for CharltonWyn Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17473299774041779419noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079412554751733989.post-44573770959905531462021-02-04T00:59:03.886-08:002021-02-04T00:59:03.886-08:00Thanks for the comments above. As for Sandgaard&#...Thanks for the comments above. As for Sandgaard's ambition of achieving the Premier League, it is hopelessly ambitious. Consolidating in the Championship in two or three seasons is achievable. League One is not a trash league when there are teams like Hull, Portsmouth and Lincoln City in it. Every season when a few matches are lost, Charlton fans starting talking about relegation. I don't think it's at all likely, but if we were relegated, we would play in League Two.Wyn Granthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17473299774041779419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079412554751733989.post-43829364340897023422021-02-03T06:48:16.264-08:002021-02-03T06:48:16.264-08:00I've only seen a couple of matches this season...I've only seen a couple of matches this season but there are a few thoughts I've had from afar:<br /><br />- A lot of enforced churn in the squad over the past season and a half. The 18/19 team had a great team spirit with some strong characters in it. Most those players have left and I sense the squad has less of a bond than it previously did. Often overlooked as a key part of a winning team. Of course winning helps create a bond so there's a bit of chicken and egg involved but I sense there's more to it. Covid also probably prevents creating a bond off the pitch quite like it previously was. It was key to what Bowyer cultivated in the promotion season and even in the Championship fight.<br />- The signing of Schwartz worried me. Sandgaard is obviously a vast improvement on Roland but I have some concern that a rock and roll football owner might have an ego that interferes with the running of the club. Bowyer's previous success came without upstairs involvement. The coaching staff and Steve Gallen took on an old fashioned role of running the footballing side of things themselves...and it worked. I don't think a 'finisher' is what a league 1 team needs, they need strikers who impact the game, shape the game and control the game. A finisher is a luxury for teams who create multiple chances, that's not league one football. Nor do I suspect Schwartz is as good a finisher as we're led to believe. Does Bowyer feel the need to play him because he was the owner's suggestion? There's something I find uneasy about the Schwartz signing.<br />- Bowyer deserves more time. His squad was disintegrated season after season, best assets sold and best players not tied down to contracts (still not resolved as Aneke sure to leave this summer, Williams just left, given league 1 wage cap...they can be a relatively cheap Championship signing). Eventually you run out of luck replacing entire squads every season. That has happened at Charlton just as the pressure has been ramped up by having an ambitious new manager. <br />- What Bowyer has previously shown us is that he can improve almost all the players he signs to the club. There have been very few players he has not improved. It is an extremely difficult season to make those improvements on the training ground with two matches being played every week and the need for players to rest. The squad has been in churn, has had injuries etc and the matches are coming so often he has to rest players and change the team constantly. This means the team cannot gel in matches or in training. All teams have this problem, however, no team has been confronted with the churn in players that Charlton have over the past two/three seasons.<br /><br />Overall, I have huge faith in Bowyer. I think his ability to improve players and find a winning formula will return. I think it would be hasty to say one poor season out of four is enough to show him the door, especially as he knows the club so well and is genuinely passionate about moving the club forward. I can accept a season of transition, some stability brought to the squad over the summer and a promotion push we can all enjoy together when crowds are allowed back. I think Bowyer is the man to do it and a run of a few bad performances should not shape our view of the long term future of the club.James O'Brienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01869399976131848522noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079412554751733989.post-18436353858129846262021-02-03T03:03:53.501-08:002021-02-03T03:03:53.501-08:00The thought of another season in this trash league...The thought of another season in this trash league horrifies me.<br />Sandgaards plan of Premier league in 5 years, is going to collapse quickly if he lets Bowyer carry on failing. I genuinely fear we could end up in a relegation battle.Daggshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11259262458285058990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079412554751733989.post-84825649619508280372021-02-03T02:27:20.367-08:002021-02-03T02:27:20.367-08:00After the summer I never expected automatic promot...After the summer I never expected automatic promotion, although I did hope for a chance at the play offs. I know that Charlton fans have the reputation of being some of the most pessimistic anywhere, but there is enough strength in that squad to secure a decent mid-table finish. Next season is the crucial and Sandgaard will not make any decisions about the management until the summer.Wyn Granthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17473299774041779419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079412554751733989.post-29539254717692133872021-02-02T23:42:49.649-08:002021-02-02T23:42:49.649-08:00Bonkers Bowyer played his diamond formation, a sys...Bonkers Bowyer played his diamond formation, a system that has no width and leaves us vulnerable to the oppositions wide players.<br />Two days ago he assured us we didn't need defensive reinforcments despite the fact we leak goals, as we did last night.<br />In his interview he said " I don't fink they were betterrer than us" (sic)<br />I hear the lakes in France are fishing well for the time of the year. He needs to bag his gear and go. I'm not even confident of staying out of the relegation battle while this incompetent is in charge<br />DaggsDaggshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11259262458285058990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079412554751733989.post-54741614190858458592021-02-02T15:26:10.133-08:002021-02-02T15:26:10.133-08:00Laudrup was in stands bowyer has to go now 4 wins ...Laudrup was in stands bowyer has to go now 4 wins in 15Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09898228380629807204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079412554751733989.post-9531377820285457152021-02-02T14:22:03.941-08:002021-02-02T14:22:03.941-08:00Pratley was on a yellow card and being targeted by...Pratley was on a yellow card and being targeted by Portsmouth so Curbs replaced him with Ben Watson.<br /><br />Curbs...? A Freudian slip or wishful thinking?TonyRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05983663851221656340noreply@blogger.com