Craving something to get behind
Football hardly went away this summer what with the Euro’s and then the Olympics. I think there’s even already been European qualifying games going on the last week or so, but here we are again on the eve of the new EFL season.
League One for the Addicks for the fifth consecutive season on the back of our worst league finish for 98 years.
But, that was then and this is now. Another fresh start but one that brings a lot more optimism with it than any of the four season’s previous.
Again we saw a summer of player churn, but for once it looked to have more thought and order to it, and on paper at least an upgrade in those that joined Nathan Jones’ ‘project’ than we’ve seen in countless preceeding transfer windows.
This is now Jones’ squad and he’s had plenty of time and games to assess, rebuild and style it. We should also expect a few more additions as well as others moving on during the next couple of weeks.
In the meantime L1 looks to have become more competitive with the introduction of free-spending Birmingham, the yo-yo Rotherham and old third tier foes Huddersfield, in the Premier League the last time we won promotion out of this division.
Joining them are A-Listers Wrexham and Stockport County, who have been on an impressive upward trajectory themselves, just without the glitter.
Then we still have with us Bolton, Barnsley, Peterborough, Reading, Wigan and all manner of other sides who decide that this is the year they are going to disrupt the top of the table.
This is however not the Premier League and awards rarely go to those that buy success or think they can swagger around small tight grounds on a wet Tuesday night.
The best and most consistent team that does the simple things right will outdo the majority of the others in what can be a graveyard of a division.
Add to that quality a fighting spirit, stability, momentum and some bloody good backings connecting pitch and stands then you will be on a winner.
I think this is a bit of a pivotal season for fans. It has been miserable for so long now that we are craving something to cheer, something to get behind.
Nathan Jones wants to rebuild reputations too, so let us do this together, come on you reds.
I genuinely wish I was excited by the new season, but I’m not.
Five seasons in this crap division has knocked it out of me. If we’re in the top six after ten games I may find a little enthusiasm.
Well said CA – C’mon you reds!
Yes, CA precisely and unfortunately football is not played on paper but surely the worm must turn around again but let’s never forget last season eith the worst league position in 98 YEARS.
Many of us have supported this club for 7 or even 8 decades and have seen just about the lot.
COYR and again it is how we play on the pitch and not on paper or blackboards and yes good to hear the positives from the Manager and the players but also important to realise go overboard and yes guaranteed with CAFC there will be ups and downs but TBF for a lot of teams and yes agree the stongest league in several years,
COYR and let’s hope some of big boys find it a real struggle and also no team is going to lay down for anyone and that includes CAFC and we are still a scalp but not so much in now 5 seasons in this league One!!!
Indeed CA – I’m always half glass full in August so let’s see – I would’ve liked to have seen a bit more creativity in midfield tbf even though this is an area that’ll be quickly bypassed I think and perhaps a right back other than Tennai Watson who’s a problem. NJ has got it though so yeah COYR the time to be depressed and pessimistic is definitely not now.
Here we go again CA. Strapped in and ready to go. Did my annual list of the newbies and where they are from etc so I can get them sorted in my mind. I know I can look on my phone but the paper list has become a sad tradition.
COYR.
All in all I think we’ve had a good close season, the main negative was Alfie May, but that was really out of our hands and we did the right thing there both by the player in agreeing to his move and to our club by not letting it drag endlessly on and undermine what else was going on. That is a good template for how Nathan Jones seems to operate – decisively.
We’ve recruited well – strengthening the defence which was our achilles heel last season. Alex Mitchell and Lloyd Jones are as solid a pair of centre halves as you could hope for although we are still lacking a strong goalkeeper, we have good options at left and right back and strength in depth once the injuries, suspensions and games mount up. The midfield looks good with Greg Docherty and Luke Berry alongside Conor Coventry and we have signed a couple of strikers plus there’s the on-going project to turn Tyreece Campbell into a fleet-heeled goal poacher. There’s competition for places all over the field.
As always though we had to rebuild in the summer meaning we go into these first few games yet again needing the team to gel before we really know what we have. The pre-season Dons match was a let down – a soft defeat but we bounced back with an aggressive performance against Pompey which suggested to me that the players understand how NJ wants the team to play.
I’m not expecting fireworks or fluid end to end football but I expect a bit more muscularity about our game.
I’m nervously optimistic about the coming season as we have an extensive “re-boot” with a fresh influx of players who will hopefully get results.
It might be a good idea for Nathan to take the squad into the Charlton museum to see how much the club means to fans both past and present.
Wigan will be a hard game and will be a indicator of where we stand. I’m looking forward to watching the game live on sky later today.
COYRs !!!!
I’m hoping I will eat my words but I can’t get excited about this team I think it still lacks in certain areas a prolific goal scorer comes to mind and a midfield general if we are in the top six around Xmas I’ll be surprised
we need to get out of this league and I’m praying we do