Charlton friendly

[Stan1972]

90 mins 1-1 last 30 to go. We had a lot of the ball mainly in our half that 30. Unfortunately no goal threat still.

Agreed, this match has highlighted the need for a No.9 , but it’s early days and I’m RW and Lingy are working on it.

Not just 1 No.9, we need 2 x New No.9

[Top of the JES]

Charlie Pegram looks very decent.

[Max Fowler]

Happy for Drinan. That'll be a weight off his shoulders, and hopefully he can kick on this season and regain his goalscoring form from two seasons' ago.

Terrible outcome. Needs replacing and a few goals in preseason will just kick that can down the road.

Yeah, it's awful that one of our squad players for 2023/24 has got off to a good start in pre-season.

[Max Fowler]

90 mins 1-1 last 30 to go. We had a lot of the ball mainly in our half that 30. Unfortunately no goal threat still.

Agreed, this match has highlighted the need for a No.9 , but it’s early days and I’m RW and Lingy are working on it.

Not just 1 No.9, we need 2 x New No.9

We need 1.

We have Ruel and Drinnan as cover.

[RedDwarf 1881]

Agreed, this match has highlighted the need for a No.9 , but it’s early days and I’m RW and Lingy are working on it.

Not just 1 No.9, we need 2 x New No.9

We need 1.

We have Ruel and Drinnan as cover.

I'd still prefer we brought in two strikers .

[Stan1972]

Agreed, this match has highlighted the need for a No.9 , but it’s early days and I’m RW and Lingy are working on it.

Not just 1 No.9, we need 2 x New No.9

We need 1.

We have Ruel and Drinnan as cover.

So if our New No.9 is not available for a period of games, you would be happy for Drinan or Ruel to be our No.9 starting L1 matches?

[Equaliser0]

Heat kicking in , walk football now

[Top of the JES]

Ethan Light on for Ogie

End 1-1

[Beradogs]

Hope Agyei is just rusty.

[Stan1972]

Hope Agyei is just rusty.

I think he took a knock early and never recovered.
Didn’t see a lot of the ball.

[Stan1972]

One things that is def clear after todays 2 x 1 hour matches.
We were so lightweight up front.

1st team started with Drinan as No.9
2nd team started with Ruel as No.9

I really hope we have 2 x incoming Strikers, as we cannot go into the new season with Drinan and Ruel as our main strikers.

[BertPP]

1-1 drinan

[Top of the JES]

Second 60

Howes looked confident - 6
Hunt reliable - 6
Sodje promising -6
Beckles Did everything he had too -6
Ogie still making silly mistakes - 5
Pegram showed some good touches - 6
Galbraith - steady - 6
Pratley always there to put his foot in when needed- 6
Obeiro - busy but largely ineffective - 5
Ruel - too easily knocked off the ball today - 5
Ageyei - quite will improve - 4

Ethan Light - last 5 minutes

[Equaliser0]

One things that is def clear after todays 2 x 1 hour matches.
We were so lightweight up front.

1st team started with Drinan as No.9
2nd team started with Ruel as No.9

I really hope we have 2 x incoming Strikers, as we cannot go into the new season with Drinan and Ruel as our main strikers.

Thought you liked Drinan .

[Equaliser0]

Charlton mates think we are fitter & stronger & they need 5 or 6 quality players in .

[Mistadobalina]

Not just 1 No.9, we need 2 x New No.9

We need 1.

We have Ruel and Drinnan as cover.

So if our New No.9 is not available for a period of games, you would be happy for Drinan or Ruel to be our No.9 starting L1 matches?

If he's back to first season form then absolutely.

We are unlikely to be able to ship him out and he knows what the role involves, so you have to be realistic. This isn't a computer game where you can just get rid of players because you decide to. We are a small club by league 1 standards and can't carry massive squads, and I can't think of many of our third choice loanees from the prem ever having much of an impact - was Kane the last one to actually do something for us?

I'd rather we kept our powder dry and retain some budget for addressing problem areas that inevitably emerge between September and January. We'll have four players capable of playing the number no.9 role once a new man is brought in.

[gshaw]

Agreed, this match has highlighted the need for a No.9 , but it’s early days and I’m RW and Lingy are working on it.

Not just 1 No.9, we need 2 x New No.9

We need 1.

We have Ruel and Drinnan as cover.

That's the reason why we need two

Kelman needs replacing and we didn't replace Smith when we should've in January due to need for two CBs. We need one CB (Turns) but definitely need more attacking options as it looks really weak at present.

[RedDwarf 1881]

Ethan Light on for Ogie

End 1-1

I haven’t heard anything about Ethan since we signed him . Does anybody know how he’s progressing?

[Max Fowler]

Not just 1 No.9, we need 2 x New No.9

We need 1.

We have Ruel and Drinnan as cover.

So if our New No.9 is not available for a period of games, you would be happy for Drinan or Ruel to be our No.9 starting L1 matches?

I would accept an in-form Drinnan as back-up, yes. Agyei may also cover that position.

I'd rather we had 2 top L1 strikers competing for the lone striker spot but you have to be realistic.

[Max Fowler]

I really hope we have 2 x incoming Strikers,

We don't.

[moonwalk19]

Charlton mates think we are fitter & stronger & they need 5 or 6 quality players in .

I agree. Their Alfie May and Jack Payne looked good but apart from that I thought we played well. Our midfield in the second 30 minutes with El Mix Sanders and Moncur overrun their midfield. Archibald looked dangerous but the Trialist was poor .Definately need a no 7 and no 9. If Charlton are rated to be in the top 7 we are not far behind

[RedDwarf 1881]

Charlton mates think we are fitter & stronger & they need 5 or 6 quality players in .

I agree. Their Alfie May and Jack Payne looked good but apart from that I thought we played well. Our midfield in the second 30 minutes with El Mix Sanders and Moncur overrun their midfield. Archibald looked dangerous but the Trialist was poor .Definately need a no 7 and no 9. If Charlton are rated to be in the top 7 we are not far behind

It was only a friendly. I wouldn’t read too much into it until we’ve played at least half a dozen league 1 games. However I’m pleased by the way we played today.

[faith1234]

What did everyone think of ageyei need match sharpness and fitness as well but might be a good signing

[Rich Tea Wellin]

We need 1.

We have Ruel and Drinnan as cover.

So if our New No.9 is not available for a period of games, you would be happy for Drinan or Ruel to be our No.9 starting L1 matches?

I would accept an in-form Drinnan as back-up, yes. Agyei may also cover that position.

I'd rather we had 2 top L1 strikers competing for the lone striker spot but you have to be realistic.

I think a winger who can play as a striker and a striker is key. Theo's knees worry me. He was out at the backend of last season and seems to not have various ligaments in there. If he gets injured i'm not sure who replaces him, maybe Ruel but that isn't a great plan.

[Mistadobalina]

We're signing a winger as well, presumably either to replace Theo as we have two lefties as wingers now, or as depth and Theo will play on the left (where I think he's stronger anyway). Given there's a tendency amongst promoted teams to stick with the players who got them promoted, I've been impressed that we're not resting on our laurels. But we aren't going to sign 10 new players is one close season.

Most of the players who there are maybe question marks over at this level (James, Drinan, Ruel, Theo, Happe, Pratley) only have a year left on their deals. If any of them aren't up to it, they will be gone next year assuming we stay up. On paper we're in a good position for the step up, with the obvious caveat that it could go horribly wrong.