Charlton (Away) - 23/8/25

[Ric Flair]

1 hour ago, Sly said:

Yes, it isn’t happening. 
 

I changed my prediction after last weekend.

 

Major reality check for me. 

Same for me to be fair, in theory I presumed this lot (with no further departures) ought to be good enough to challenge top 6 even with a 6 point deduction but there's glaring warning signs. Decline and implosion escapes no man if they have the attitude and mentality that we currently have, seen it before here and sadly will see it again this season if we arent careful.

 

All enabled and fostered by an ownership and board that haven't made a single tangible change to the naked eye in the last 4+ years.

[Richmondfox]

2 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Same for me to be fair, in theory I presumed this lot (with no further departures) ought to be good enough to challenge top 6 even with a 6 point deduction but there's glaring warning signs. Decline and implosion escapes no man if they have the attitude and mentality that we currently have, seen it before here and sadly will see it again this season if we arent careful.

 

All enabled and fostered by an ownership and board that haven't made a single tangible change to the naked eye in the last 4+ years.

I’m not expecting much now from this season other than a change of manager for another useless one and more poor choices from above compounding with the current ones. 
 

If the manager has gotten over his “clean slate period” and has the balls to do something to fix the midfield, replacing Ayew and can get JJ and Thomas to actually carry the ball, pass and continue moving forwards, then we will get somewhere. I don’t think he is brave enough and has no experience with “prem” players but I will be happy to be proven wrong. 
 

Any team that are disciplined, can do the basics correctly and press will get something out of us. 

[Sly]

12 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Same for me to be fair, in theory I presumed this lot (with no further departures) ought to be good enough to challenge top 6 even with a 6 point deduction but there's glaring warning signs. Decline and implosion escapes no man if they have the attitude and mentality that we currently have, seen it before here and sadly will see it again this season if we arent careful.

 

All enabled and fostered by an ownership and board that haven't made a single tangible change to the naked eye in the last 4+ years.

Yes; I guess it’s that old adage that football games aren’t won on paper.

 

We “should” have the best squad on paper.

 

We’ll be gutted further and at this point I’m not sure we add anyone further.

 

We’re going to implode at this point if it carries on like this. 

[Happy Fox]

My only hope if you can call it that is if the club is sold and we can dream about promotion next season under our new ownership.

[Ric Flair]

46 minutes ago, Richmondfox said:

I’m not expecting much now from this season other than a change of manager for another useless one and more poor choices from above compounding with the current ones. 
 

If the manager has gotten over his “clean slate period” and has the balls to do something to fix the midfield, replacing Ayew and can get JJ and Thomas to actually carry the ball, pass and continue moving forwards, then we will get somewhere. I don’t think he is brave enough and has no experience with “prem” players but I will be happy to be proven wrong. 
 

Any team that are disciplined, can do the basics correctly and press will get something out of us. 

In Marti's defence, without any incomings he's severely limited in what he does to fix this midfield. He could try Page, which I hope he does but I still think it will be a weak area of ours. Ricardo and a motivated Harry Winks and things might not be as bad as they currently feel but both of those asks are highly unlikely.

[VLC86]

45 minutes ago, Happy Fox said:

My only hope if you can call it that is if the club is sold and we can dream about promotion next season under our new ownership.

We will still have similar constraints. PSR breach due to the wage bill and a black hole in finances due to TV money we aren’t getting being borrowed against.

 

Id struggle to see how this turns around in a season.

[Sly]

1 hour ago, Ric Flair said:

In Marti's defence, without any incomings he's severely limited in what he does to fix this midfield. He could try Page, which I hope he does but I still think it will be a weak area of ours. Ricardo and a motivated Harry Winks and things might not be as bad as they currently feel but both of those asks are highly unlikely.

I feel for Winks really. 
 

We’ve all played with inferior players, no matter what level you play football at. Those around you can make you look worse by standing still and not finding space. For all

we know, he could be purely frustrated with what’s going on at the club. 
 

I do think dropping Page in might improve things, however these are basically young players we’re looking to be our saviours. They aren’t the class of ‘92 so we need to temper people’s expectations on them really. 
 

Mens football is a massive step up. 
 

99% of footballs don’t make the grade.

 

We maybe need to drop in Nelson, Alunko, Page, Evans, Alves and Monga and they all then need to hit the ground running. 
 

We could truly have a team of largely academy players if we sell everyone, with McAteer, Choudhury, Stolarkzyk and Thomas as well. It would be practically unheard of to succeed with that level of home grown players. 

[Richmondfox]

1 hour ago, Ric Flair said:

In Marti's defence, without any incomings he's severely limited in what he does to fix this midfield. He could try Page, which I hope he does but I still think it will be a weak area of ours. Ricardo and a motivated Harry Winks and things might not be as bad as they currently feel but both of those asks are highly unlikely.

I understand.  It’s just when managers come in they all seem to think they are the solution when they won’t fix Soumare or Ayew. The give them preseason, 10 games, till Christmas just gets restarted. Having no leaders that speak the truth doesn’t help. Maybe that’s why Winks fell out of favour, doubt it though.

 

Winks, Ricardo and Page, Monga,

Mav and Fatawu.  Get JV to stop slowing everything down and get the useless full backs to defend properly if we have people with energy in midfield. Easy. 😂
 

[honeybradger]

14 minutes ago, Sly said:

I feel for Winks really. 
 

We’ve all played with inferior players, no matter what level you play football at. Those around you can make you look worse by standing still and not finding space. For all

we know, he could be purely frustrated with what’s going on at the club. 
 

I do think dropping Page in might improve things, however these are basically young players we’re looking to be our saviours. They aren’t the class of ‘92 so we need to temper people’s expectations on them really. 
 

Mens football is a massive step up. 
 

99% of footballs don’t make the grade.

 

We maybe need to drop in Nelson, Alunko, Page, Evans, Alves and Monga and they all then need to hit the ground running. 
 

We could truly have a team of largely academy players if we sell everyone, with McAteer, Choudhury, Stolarkzyk and Thomas as well. It would be practically unheard of to succeed with that level of home grown players. 

I dont like this narrative at all. They dont need to be the class of 92, they just need to be as good or better than Vestergaard, Faes, Justin, Ayew, Daka, Soumare etc.

 

It's not an impossible hurdle to jump, it feels like a large portion of our fanbase have developed Stockholm syndrome regarding these players despite all the times they have proven that theyre not very good.

 

Our academy has produced Premier League players before, our players are championship quality now. It would make sense that the best talents our academy have produced in decades in Monga, Evans, Page, Nelson can reach those same levels as Premier League players and displace our Championship quality ones.

 

Also Winks was one of our worst players last season, he hasnt proven outright that he is better than those around him. Have we ever had a player who has been consistently bad for us a for a year yet still get lauded by the fans like Winks does?

Edited 19 August 2025 by honeybradger

[trooky]

1 hour ago, Ric Flair said:

In Marti's defence, without any incomings he's severely limited in what he does to fix this midfield. He could try Page, which I hope he does but I still think it will be a weak area of ours. Ricardo and a motivated Harry Winks and things might not be as bad as they currently feel but both of those asks are highly unlikely.

No, but he has to find solutions with what we have. 

 

Even with the free transfers at the seasons end, can you image our wage bill in league 1😭

[mattlcfc15]

Feels like it’ll be a very similar afternoon to Preston. They’ve got a defined way of playing and will work really hard off the ball, really shows what can be done with some buy in from the players. Wouldn’t be surprised if they nick it 1-0, and it really would be pressure on after that. 

[Lambert09]

7 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

Same for me to be fair, in theory I presumed this lot (with no further departures) ought to be good enough to challenge top 6 even with a 6 point deduction but there's glaring warning signs. Decline and implosion escapes no man if they have the attitude and mentality that we currently have, seen it before here and sadly will see it again this season if we arent careful.

 

All enabled and fostered by an ownership and board that haven't made a single tangible change to the naked eye in the last 4+ years.

I think that the only way is removing those attitudes from the 11 and we have the options to do it. Even if it’s a struggle at first. 

[Richmondfox]

18 minutes ago, Lambert09 said:

I think that the only way is removing those attitudes from the 11 and we have the options to do it. Even if it’s a struggle at first. 

It’s like the managers are too scared to make the change incase it backfires but also continue with the shit football and results because they are so called “prem” players 

[Lambert09]

34 minutes ago, Richmondfox said:

It’s like the managers are too scared to make the change incase it backfires but also continue with the shit football and results because they are so called “prem” players 

Winks is the tough one on a manager because he’s very obviously better than the alternatives. But we have to bite the bullet and remove him until he either leaves or stops acting like a baby. 
 

the others, are no loss to the first team imo 

[Bob Weasel Fox]

59 minutes ago, Lambert09 said:

Winks is the tough one on a manager because he’s very obviously better than the alternatives. But we have to bite the bullet and remove him until he either leaves or stops acting like a baby. 
 

the others, are no loss to the first team imo 

I agree, don't really care how good he is as such because his attitude is so off at present 

 

definitely remove him from the team and accept a reasonable bid or let him play for the reserves until his attitude changes

[hackneyfox]

It's a godforsaken place to get to.

[murphy]

Wout and the boys will have a cigar on for this.  3-0.  A brace for the young lad Ayew.

[RedSoxUK]

Realistically if Martì is learning and they're fit.

 

Riccardo - Okoli - Faes - Justin

----------- Skipp - Soumare --------

Fatawu ---- Ayew ---- Monga

-------------------Daka----------

 

Absolutely hate the attack and holders but until Rudkin pulls his finger out we're ****ed.

[Dan]

9 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

Same for me to be fair, in theory I presumed this lot (with no further departures) ought to be good enough to challenge top 6 even with a 6 point deduction but there's glaring warning signs. Decline and implosion escapes no man if they have the attitude and mentality that we currently have, seen it before here and sadly will see it again this season if we arent careful.

 

All enabled and fostered by an ownership and board that haven't made a single tangible change to the naked eye in the last 4+ years.

We look more like Luton than Sheffield United. Three crap performances against bad sides.

 

This is a classic 'my expectations were low but holy shit'.

[Ric Flair]

51 minutes ago, Dan said:

We look more like Luton than Sheffield United. Three crap performances against bad sides.

 

This is a classic 'my expectations were low but holy shit'.

Agreed

[jv1]

1 hour ago, Dan said:

We look more like Luton than Sheffield United. Three crap performances against bad sides.

 

This is a classic 'my expectations were low but holy shit'.

Bang on - red flags everywhere- we are bang in trouble and not sure where we go from here - we have been so awful - I’d love to believe the gaffer can see what we see and that he is actively doing something about it but does he even have the power to stop the rot that has set in - im watching bek and fatawu who both supposedly are worth 30m plus and they have been just as bad as the rest of them - even the bright lights we thought just might make this season fun again are struggling at a level that let’s be honest is average at best -  it’s like the sole has been sucked out the club and all of us - there is no patience with the players because we are all so bored of things being cr*p and seeing how our club is falling apart - it’s proper sole destroying isn’t it 

[FosseSpark]

Faes as a holding midfielder/sweeper to keep him away from the penalty area where possible

Nelson Okoli keeping a high ish line and looking to engage strikers as opposed to sit 10 yds off them like Lurch.

Get Page and Monga into the team as they are better than the alternatives, they can always be replaced by McAteer and Ayew later in games. 

Mavididi as a false 9 similar to Nicolas Jackson for Chelsea last season, with Fatawu and Monga pushed super high by the positioning of the fullbacks in what is essentially a 3-4-3 in possession.               

 

                  Stola

          Nelson  Okoli

Ricardo     Faes     Aluko

              Winks

Fatawu    Page        Monga

              Mavididi

 

 

[FosseSpark]

and importantly it keeps Skipp Soumare Vestergaard Ayew Daka AS FAR AWAY FROM THE TEAM AS POSSIBLE>

[adejo92]

Like many others, I expected us to be pushing for automatic promotion even with a points deduction. 

 

Just from the first two games its evident we're starting games a goal down just by sheer lack of confidence, interest & desire to play for the shirt.

 

Theres been enough managers now to see quite clearly the failings are down to the toxic and horrendous squad.

 

Downward trajectory unless anything changes.

[lcfc sheff]

It’s an old saying but any great team is built on their defence!

ours currently doesn’t have any sort of bond or coordination to handle these counter attacks