The journey begins
“We will get better” says Nathan Jones and I think we can see the groundwork of a team that will, but at the moment displays such as the one at Cheltenham are what we are going to be fed.
Games like Tuesday are a blunt reminder of what level we are at, but also, starkly, at what parameters of fitness and battling instinct we need to consistently be at to get success in this league.
Those levels have been horribly missing from Charlton team’s for a long time, and while Jones will have a plan of how to attack the top end of the table and will introduce quality, he will not allow his players to ever move away from his basic principles of bloody hard work and doggedness.
We have already seen a style of play form. Quick and intense in the press playing as much of the game as possible in the opponents third.
Players will change, although it will be hard to stomach another complete summer upheaval, I expect to see one.
Jones bar a couple – Terry Taylor, Louis Watson and Lewis Fiorini – has given every player a chance to play and make their case and it has been heartening to see players improve under Jones such as Tennai Watson and Lloyd Jones.
How Daniel Kanu, Karoy Anderson and Thierry Small have excelled has been fantastic to watch and he’s also put his trust in Terell Thomas, Harry Isted, REG and George Dobson. Some of those signed in January that we thought were duds, suddenly look a million times better too.
Jones has used around 18 to 19 players in his seven games of which Ness, Thomas, Hector and Campbell have contract’s expiring in the summer. We know about Dobbo’s pre-contract situation and Ladapo, Bakinson and Camara are on loan. Charlton have a further year option on Thierry Small (thankfully).
The biggest thing for me is that whoever plays or comes off the bench, Jones has quickly built trust between players and fans, and I think we all fill some long lost pride back inside us.
Jones will continue with his building blocks and other than those already mentioned he looks to have given the majority of the squad that he has under his management a chance.
As we hopefully continue to improve and Jones continues to shape character and style it will be interesting to see which current players come on the journey.
Great article. Agree on all points. Do you think the Dobson situation is salvageable?
Thank you Gareth.
I’m not sure, a pre-agreed contract might be hard to break and/or expensive.
It certainly is encouraging signs and I am pleased that new players generally have added something to the squad. There was a lot of chat on social media about if they were better than what we had. Hopefully that debate is now settled.
There were periods of play against Cheltenham were the season long form of making errors would punish us. I was recalling those early bloom days of Holden and Appleton where our form took an initial upturn only to go back to what we had. I don’t think Jones will let that happen and clearly he has his players he believes in . Sorry but 2 managers can’t be wrong on Louis Watson who name fans were calling for most matches when left out.
For me the goalkeeping position is a concern. Are Isted and MWB good enough or should we strengthen and left one of them go ? Current form of both is unimpressive.
I
I think a new keeper should be top of the summer list.
2nd top…. a commanding Centre Back who can act as a leader for the team is #1 requirement IMHO, replacing Hector with Patrick Bauer would be a great bit of business
Very good article good to have a proper manager.
Great read CA…
It would be great if we could keep Dobbo but it’s going to be expensive to retract the contract he’s signed….but you never know.
I feel more confident about staying in league 1 if Jones can maintain and improve the performances.We have to face reality that our squad is nowhere good enough for Championship football.
Let’s hope we can get 3 points tomorrow and I’m confident our fans will be vocal and spur us on.
I would agree with the fact that we need a new keeper. I’m sick and tired of watching Mr Punch throw away goals. That’s not the way to do it.
Very good 😊. I think Isted is more commanding than AMB. Although AMB is a better shot stopper. But neither feel me with confidence.
I agree, yet again we find ourselves in a situation whereby we have a high player turnover at the end of a season.
I would also make a goalkeeper my top priority, I recently watched an old Charlton game with Dean Kiely playing, wow what a difference a good (no, great) keeper makes.
I was at the Cheltenham game, Thierry Small was once again excellent. I get the feeling that was the first time he had had a crowd chant his name and looked as if it was an effort to keep his concentration, until the end! At the end his smile was a mile wide, he had clearly enjoyed himself. Personally I would go to him now and offer an improved deal and extend for 3 seasons. He is well worth that gamble and if we don’t we could lose him at the end of next season (just as we start life in the Championship ;-)).
The Dobson debacle shows just why we need a manager not a head coach, well done to Nathan for holding onto him. I do hope that we can do something to keep him, we are the architects of our own misery sometimes.
I’d want all players on long term contracts ideally, I am not a fan of the large scale reshuffles every year. That seems to be expensive and does not allow us to grow year on year.
I’m so glad that we made the change away from Apples now, in Nathan we have the beginnings of something. In Nathan we trust, through good and bad.
Agree Chistopher,
We need to back Nathan and not beat useless up if we lose a few games….it will happen !
I’m confident we will stay in this league and let him build for next season.
We need a good clear out and reduce the squad keeping players who can push fir promotion next season….new blood will be important too.
Maintenance work already underway on HMS Piss the League in the dry dock CA. Set for an August sailing.
I have my ticket El.