The Stats Don't Lie
Our last 38 Premiership games have delivered just 35 points, a damning and extremely worrying statistic. Indeed, between the start of the 2002/03 season and the end of last season, our previous worst 38-game spell produced 42 points (the best was 60 incidentally, culminating in a draw at Leicester on 22 Nov 2003). The stat reminds us that the decline began long before Dowie arrived, and given that his first job was to clear out most of the curbus detritus as they say in Latin, we owe it to him to be patient. Equally however we should recognise that if there's any sense around the club that we are 'too good to go down', then in all likelihood we will.
For 34 minutes today, there were some promising signs for Charlton. We had forced the best save of the game inside five minutes, and we looked relatively composed albeit without threatening again. And then, just as invariably happens when you're already in the bottom three (and the two observations are not unrelated), Hreidarsson falls asleep at the far post, the impressive Agbonlahor nips in and we're staring another defeat in the face.
And even after that disappointment, Hasselbaink forced another fine save from Sorensen emphasising that whilst he may not be the hardest-working forward in the land, he knows where the goal is. The Dutchman has already come in for some rather unfair criticism in my view, and if those critics would prefer a harder working striker who averages about a shot-on-target every month, then let's get Shaun Bartlett back.
Once the second goal went in, the heads dropped and a late Marcus Bent header aside, we created little. Like the first, this was another preventable goal, a missed header from El Karkouri and then his fatal decision to jog back for a second instead of sprint was enough to give Moore the lead he needed and he finished with aplomb. Thus the game finished 2-0 as I predicted on Friday, and with Killer's position as 'official tipster' increasingly untenable, I await a recruitment call from the club.
Having seen the game in full, I'm not yet as pessimistic as some. For sure Dowie's preference for Hughes and Holland is peculiar to say the least though I could understand his game plan, if not the way he chose to execute it. He chose to forego any width on the left by playing Holland, Hughes and Faye as a central trio, thus allowing Rommedahl more freedom than he might ordinarily have been given (and at times he used it to good effect).
With a resurgent Arsenal to come on Saturday, we face the very realistic prospect of needing to accumulate 37 points from just 31 games to reach the magical 40-point mark. This translates to form equivalent to nearly 46 points over a 38-game period. Equally however let's not forget the fixture list has required us to play all the teams currently occupying the top four places (that's partly why they're in the top four - Ed.).
Looked at another more promising way, I am confident enough to say that Watford and Sheffield United have no prospect of staying up so we just need to finish above them and one other. If that challenge is beyond Dowie, injuries or otherwise, then the Board really did get the appointment wrong.
Worried? You bet I am. Terrified? Not just yet.
posted by New York Addick @ 9:22 PM
5 comments
In appointing Ian Dowie as manager Richard Murray got it terribly wrong. His track record at Palace was at best average. He got them relegated and then failed to win promotion the following year. Yet the board believed that he was still the best candidate for the job.
His start at Charlton is appalling. I accept that we have an injury crisis, however some of these injuries are probably down to bad management decisions. Players pull hamstrings when they not fully fit. Instead of getting the new players in place in the close season Dowie makes most of his signings just as the transfer window is closing, and therefore playing them when they are not fully fit and then he wonders why they pull hamstings.
Other Dowie decisions mystify me like getting rid of Perry. Sending Walton of to Ipswich and instead playing Hughes and Holland. I could go on and on.
We are stuck in the releagation places are will probably stay there unless something is done, and done quickly. History tells us what happens to teams in the relegation places at Christmas, and with this shambles that is where we are heading.
I cannot think of one positive thing to say about this prat.
i wasn't in favour of dowie's appointment but i still think it's to early to jump on his back. only time will tell if the clubs who are occupying the top four places and who we've played will still be their by christmas and so give an indication of us having so far played the best and therefore some excuse for our current plight.
i do agree though that it seems poor management to put players in who obviously weren't fit and now we are paying the price with a crippling injury list which i'm reluctant to use as a total excuse but does have a bearing.
and i'm totally pissed off with the continued use of hughes and holland who bring nothing at all to our play, maybe it was written into dowie's contract that he has to play them. considering all the problems the team have surely this is the time to blood a few youngsters early in the season when there is hope of being able to redeem the situation and why not try walker and ashton or is dowie curbs in disguise?
beginning to sweat!!!!!
I think we are all beginning to sweat, my concern with Dowie and I did suppoprt his appointment and still do, is that he does not have Curbs's back to the wall philosophy and screw what anyone else thinks. If this had been urbs we would be playing 451 by now, ugly football but mabe picking up a point at Villa and drawing with Pompey.
It is not bad management to bring in signings late, its a fact of life for Charlton, we do not have the wonga to snap players up, so they wait to see if anyone else ios going to come along before signing for us. Curbs's record was not great - Murphy and Jeffers two days before the season started, players bought witrh injuries who hardly everplayed for the club Poole and Rowett come to mind. Give Dowie a chance and for those on other boards calling for Curbs to come back, it won't happen, he ain't that dumb ... never go back
I was supportive of Dowie too and still am. However moving Perry out was at the time questionnable - he was over the course of last season far better (and fitter) than El Kak, Fortune, HH and Sorondo.
Also agree that he needs to get Walton back now. Pointless bemoaning injuries and having first-teamers out on loan.
Holland and Hughes are not good enough - but it is obvious that only people not in the game seem to appreciate that.
Still plenty of time to go but agree it gets harder every week to look at the table.
Living in NW England I no longer get to matches in the South, so the Villa game was my first live match this season, having watched the others courtesy of Mr Murdoch.
At Villa Park it reminded me how the spectator gets the full picture at the match as opposed to the resticted picture of the TV screen, an obvious comment you may think, but it was brought home by seeing just how useless Matt Holland has become, as he is rarely on the ball he isn't noticed on the TV screen but on the pitch he is so far off the pace.
We can't keep blaming the injury list for our results, as poor management has exacipated the injury list, the decision to let Walton go on loan without a recall clause and on Saturday leaving HH without support have all been other instances of poor management.
As for the "Management" I wonder why we recruited Dowie when O'Neil was available, but we did and we have to give him time, how long? I suggest until Pardew leaves Upton Park!