Bristol Rovers 3 Charlton Athletic 2
I blindly thought we’d see a reaction tonight, how wrong was I? How wrong was Nathan Jones?
The difference being Jones had his fingers all over that performance, and I just live in a world of false optimism.
That was truly rubbish, shameful even and despite what is becoming pitiful hope, sadly predictable.
We were second best all over the pitch to a team horribly out of form that had lost four on the bounce and conceded ten.
There was nothing endearing about that, and the two late goals only denied Rovers a deserved comprehensive result.
So what is going on? Where did the energy and the high press go? What happened to togetherness and a locked tight defensive unit? Why all the changes. Watson for Ramsey was mind boggling.
It all started at Blackpool when Jones switched out Mitchell for REG and Berry for A Campbell, both of whom haven’t been seen since.
I get that Jones has a way of playing, but he is showing zero ability here in being tactically astute or outsmarting the opposition. Post game he is honest, apologizes and admits to mistakes, but he has to quickly find solutions, and heaven help us another way of playing.
The midfield is woeful, lacking almost everything a dynamic midfield should bring. The TC experiment has to stop, and if we spent the May money on Ahadme then someone needs to be fired.
The result, the position in the table doesn’t bother me as much as the pattern of failure without any real belief in a successful way forward does.
🎙️”I’ll take full responsibility for this result, I got the team wrong – tactically I didn’t get it right today. I picked the team that didn’t perform” – Nathan Jones
⭐️ Matt Godden
🏟️ 6,638 (500 Addicks)
📸 Kyle Andrews
Again a good appraisal CA, I left my views on here after the Blackpool game which reluctantly were very negative about NJ and the complete lack of cohesion and tactical ability of the team, I’m not here to say I told you so, but!
What’s really concerning about what’s happening this season is the complete inability of the team to get the ball down and take control of a game at any stage.
2 minutes before half time last night I looked at the stats, Bristol 5 shots at goal, Charlton 0, and we were 2 – 0 down, only very, very late in the first half did we have our first attempt.
I absolutely agree with the comments you made in response to mine after the Blackpool game, we simply can’t keep swapping managers out every 6 – 12 months, the churn of players and change in backroom staff in those scenario’s is too damaging and yes we really do need STABILITY,
But for NJ to rescue this situation, he’s got to acknowledge his tactics, team selection and team formation are simply NOT working.
Which sadly means a harsh look at his own approach and that of his coaching staff.
Decisions like playing GA in preference to Matt Godden are now becoming mind boggling, leaving your Captain on the bench for successive games, not really seeing or knowing where TC is most effective and continuing to play a goalkeeper that seems incapable of saving any shot from outside the box are simply poor choices/decisions, but poor choices that are being repeated game after game.
it’s no longer wondering when GA is going to score a goal, it’s more wondering when is he going to have a shot on target!!!
Whilst I don’t agree with passing for passing sake (Ben Garner), we do need to stop these continual 50 yard ball launches by the back 3 which seems to dominate our game now and to start getting the ball down, retaining possession and passing through the midfield with intent, accuracy and pace.
But to change the above NJ has got to admit he’s got some fundamentals really wrong and I’m not sure he’s capable of doing that and I don’t mean publicly admitting it in the post match interview as an excuse for defeat as he did last night, I mean in the dressing room and with his coaching staff/game tactics and team selection, so we see a marked change in the way the team are set up and play on Saturday.
I’m starting to feel, with the completely inept performances, the Captain being on the bench that he’s starting to lose the ‘dressing room’ and that’s the beginning of the end for any manager.
So his Job must be on the line now and if he doesn’t start to change immediately, I feel he will be gone by the end of October or potentially sooner
I believe we really do have some very good players but a lot has got to change and soon!!
Apologies, I do do want to be positive but rant 2 over
I agree with most of your comments but I don’t blame Mannion for the long range goals, I blame the midfield players who do not protect the area 10 yards outside the penalty area effectively.
Has he got his eye and mind on Cardiff, no idea, but it’s a team transformed and it’s baffling? Or is it, we haven’t got a single creative midfielder in the club and got rid of the leagues golden boot – those of us that know nothing but feared the worst look like being proved right. October could be damaging.
The problem NJ has is, putting his obviously love and association with Cardiff City aside, would Cardiff actually want him given his current record with Charlton and his previous 2 clubs? I’m not sure NJ’s CV would attract an ambitious Championship club!
The fact is that since Paul Hart left the club we can’t stop leaking goals and we no longer look solid at the back, if we play the way Jones wants us too then he must play 3 work horses in the middle of the park, me for one would sooner we went to a 4,4,2 formation, that way the full backs can overlap without leaving massive gaps in the full back areas. When you play 3 centre backs they must be mobile which I am afraid ours aren’t. Keep changing the team doesn’t help, he has had these players for a long time now so he should know what they are individually capable of but sadly he doesn’t seem to have a clue. Why Taylor is not getting a look in is somewhat confusing . The guy can at least play football and see an opening but of course we need to play the ball on the ground, so I have probably answered my own question. GA is a total mystery to me I would play Ramsey at RB, Edwards at LB with Jones and Mitchell as your centre halves, have Coventry and Doherty as your 2 central midfielders with TC and Kanu or Taylor as your 2 outside midfielders with Godden and Chucks/ML up front. That way the system is simple and players should know exactly what their roles are. Must at least be worth a try.
I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN SAID POST BRISTOL ROVERS , THERE IS NO STRUCTURE TO OUR GAME EVERYTHING IS PASSIVE PASSING AROUND THE DEFENCE AND THEN HITTING A 50 YARD CROSSFIELD PASS TO OUR FORWARDS ? . OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD I CAN THINK OF AT LEAST 6 GOALS WE HAVE CONCEDED FROM LONG RANGE DO YOU THINK GEORGE DOBSON WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THAT TO HAPPEN I DONT THINK SO , WE SOLD OUR 3 BEST PLAYERS IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS HAVE WE REPLACED THEM WITH BETTER PLAYERS ?
Awful performance once again and I shake my head in disbelief….I’m fed up with apologies and after all Nathan is the manager, “he’s not the Messiah just a very naughty boy !!!”
Here we go again same old Charlton different season same results makes me laugh how we were one of the favourites to get promoted this season I must say I laughed when I heard that. Managers fault again it’s nice he takes full responsibility for picking a team that could barely beat any under 18s team he should cop the blame cause it certainly wasn’t my fault. I’ve been a supporter since 1980 and I can only see this season going one way like last year. Rant over
I was one of the first to hail Jones on his appointment, but the miss-match of team selection and tactics in the last three games leaves me wondering. We have been lack lustre, shoddy, and toothless in every department. I am very close to going over to ‘Daggs’ opinions that Jones may not be The Messiah that some of us thought he might be!!!!
Blimey some one remembered me, or my opinion anyway.
I wasn’t going to post on here again until Birmingham had finished with us. But after that debacle’ last evening, it was all I could do to wait this long.
People calling me “tedious” “negative” “zzzzzz” I clearly wasn’t winning any friends. But I’ve been consistent since the moment the Welsh wonder hounded Alfie May out the door. An act of abject stupidity.
He has no clue. His system has failed. He doesn’t know what to do about it. His contrition after the match doesn’t mask the facts. We were well beaten by one of the poorer teams in the division (the two late goals masked the truth) I struggle to see how he can stay in the job. Other than I believe he is on a long contract and the pay-off would be expensive.
Sadly if Cardiff are watching? I should think their interest has cooled to the point of freezing…..
Birmingham could well score five against us Saturday.
I’m going for Stansfield 2 May 2 Ahadme OG 😉
😀. Daggs – you have been very consistent with your opinions, which are as valuable and welcomed as everyone else’s.
Well thankyou, much appreciated.
The answer is simple – he is not losing but has long lost the dressing room.
All starting, publically at least, with that stupid rant post Reading.
Look at the player body language, they are not playing for Jones any more. No matter who or what tactics he tries, without the player support he is finished.
Could be gone IMO by end of the month.
The issue around that is will the owners want to pay him off. I think he has 3 years left at least and will the SMT again admit to a cock up in appointing a manager and recommend he is sacked?
Agrre with CA, Trev and everything thats being said on here!
The first half was one of the worst performances and there have been quite a few over the years I have ever seen, especially against a team who had lost their last five out of six games!
Not one player actually performed well, with some players absolutely dreadful, as for Ahadme ( Bambi on Ice), he wouldn’t even get in our under 18’s team, yet Jones continues to play him week in week out, one of the worst number 9’s I have ever seen play for Charlton! Who the hell at Charlton recommended him or/or even saw him play, as his only goals were at Cambridge, as he hardly played a game for any other clubs! Plus cost similar to outed May and lets be honest here, Jones also really wanted him gone, as he didn’t fit into his big man up front!!!
Apart from having no midfield except for Coventry who tries to do a three man job, each game, we also have a goalie who has yet to get even a finger to any of the goals that have been scored! Yes we can keep blaming the defense, which haven’t been closing down quick enough, but Mannion has also got no where near any of the long range shots, Brewer use to! If Coventry had struck the same ball, that their goalie did a great save and pushed over the bar at Mannion, it would have just flown past him into the net. So far good for catching the crosses but not much else.
Currently far from being a promotion side we are more & more looking like a relegation one and Charlton at present will definately not be enticing more supporters to come and see the games , as apart from our poor performances, the enertainment value is non exisitant.
I have been trying to keep an open mind about Jones, but it just seems he is clueless, on bringing in so called better players, team selection, tactics and making changes during the game, even yesterday any decent manager would have made three changes at halftime, they were so bad.
Another display like that against Birmingham or them hitting us hard with a hatful of goals, which currently looks likely, I can see Jones on his way and it won’t be to Cardiff!
The alternative view here is that we’re not yet 10 games in, only 2 points off playoffs, clearly was saved from relegation last season by his approach and we’ve not been able to field the preferred front 2 until yesterday (even though it was a 3 in the end).
We’ve recruited, rightly or wrongly, for a specific style of play, changing manager once again at this stage would be pretty catastrophic I think, saddling whoever could be persuaded to take over with someone else’s toys…could easily end up in the same mess as last season.
I saw it too last night and the issues are inescapable but in the same way 3 wins on the bounce doesn’t make you a messiah, 3 losses doesn’t make you an idiot either. And come on, the players can’t really be that precious that they can’t take a rollicking, public or otherwise, when they turn a first half out like Reading. Or can they, who knows.
Surely some calmness, togetherness and patience wouldn’t go amiss and let’s see in a few months, genius or one club wonder? Still to early to tell in my humble opinion.
Thanks for the calming voice, Steve.
Hi CA – how is everything in Florida? Were family and friends OK after the storm?
Currently in Scotland and very glad not to be there on Saturday. Walking in glorious sunshine in the Highlands today and able to keep in perspective the horrors of last night. It feels like Groundhog Day to me being a Charlton fan in recent years. Same old, same old – from managers, owners, players and fans. I don’t have the answer but I really don’t want another manager sacked – its ridiculous. They are never given a chance. I know Sir Chris performed a miracle with a new set of players but it ain’t going to happen again. Its going to take patience and hard work – something sadly lacking in the modern world.
As for all the comments about Alfie May on social media and blaming NJ – we are also missing a pretty good midfielder courtesy of Mr Scott.
Anyway, if it is same old, same old, we may surprise everyone, including ourselves on Saturday. God I hope so.
Thanks for asking LP. I was going to write a post about the storm but was too busy clearing up the garden. We had a lot of debris, lost a couple of small trees, but we were extremely lucky compared to others further north of us. Some of the beautiful barriers islands close to us were severely damaged.
My overriding opinion last night was like yours. Give us a break I thinking. When are we going to find a way out of this downward spiral..
Enjoy Scotland 🏴, drink some whiskey and find a good tartan blanket to hide under on Saturday afternoon.
Is it possible that Iain Dowie could still be available; given that Ron Saunders has since “moved on”????
Curbs 14/1 😁
I think Jones (and us) is very lucky the Burton game is postponed, giving a 2 week break after Birmingham. It is not beyond the realms of possibility that we remain on 13 points at the end of the month, and a poor result against winless Burton could have been catastrophic. As it is Stockport, Barnsley and Wrexham offer little hope. And of course shortly followed by Posh and Huddersfield, with only Exeter and Bromley ?? offering any respite.
But if the players don’t care – Luke Berry is certainly not playing for Jones judged by his “couldn’t be arsed” attitude – what hope is there?
Bob comes to mind.
A bit late to this (work…).
Those two late goals flattered us.
That was peak Michael Appleton poor which is worrying me, then I saw a team that didn’t believe in the manager and his strategy and again I saw a team, that has been assembled by NJ not left to him as Appleton’s was, not responding to his commands. Some of these players were at Luton with NJ and should fully understand how he wants the game to be played, we aren’t moving the ball through the lines, there’s little sign of players looking for space and trying to unlock defences. But then we had four changes on Tuesday, six on Saturday, does NJ know his best side?
Our midfield were chasing shadows – we lost just about every first and second ball and let an average Bristol Rovers side look better than they were.
The midfield have to screen the defence too, we conceded twice from just outside the box – we simply shouldn’t be letting in those sort of goals.