A Little Patience Required?

Feels a little odd (presumptious?) commenting on the season to date, having seen all of one game, but I’ve been surprised by the extent of the negative reaction coming across from fellow Addicks. Doesn’t mean I’m delighted with the start, of course not, or that I think there grounds for believing we are poised to go on a strong run. Rather that there are reasons for the start we’ve made, some of our (or rather the club’s) own making, some beyond our control (and Holden’s) and grounds for expecting they will be addressed. Everyone wants to hit the ground running; we haven’t and may need a little patience.

Among the main reasons I’d cite injuries and the debilitating impact of the transfer window. I can imagine Holden starting off pre-season with the thought that at least ahead of fresh signings we can manage with Leaburn, Kanu and (at that stage) Aneke. Then Leaburn and Aneke drop out of the reckoning. OK, Holden thinks, we get in May and rely on fluidity and creativity from midfield to create chances for him and to contribute themselves. Next thing he knows two players central to that approach, Fraser and Campbell, are added to the injury list, then a third only just added, Camara, is forced out too.

Taking out five nailed on squad members and suddenly against Port Vale at least we were going with untried partnerships in key areas, with two up front and nothing on the bench in terms of replacements for them. The result is we still don’t know what the preferred formation is, if all are available, and have seen no real sign yet of the new style of play that Holden has talked about.

The answer? In most cases only time, getting players back available and then up to match fitness. Doesn’t bode well for a quick improvement but there it is. However, the addition of Campbell(2) does I think alter things, materially increasing our options. I think it brings back the possibility of playing a front three, like last season, with Campbell taking the role of Rak-Sakyi, Blackett-Taylor on the other side, and May or Kanu looking to get on the end of things. Not saying we will play that way, but it becomes an option again. We do have a formation dilemma (as regards Plan A, not when it comes to chasing the game), as Asiimwe may be more a wing-back (and a potentially very good one) but putting Blackett-Taylor as the one on the other side surely reduces his threat in the opposition half, one of our major weapons (even if we want to see improvement in the end-result).

Then the bloody window. I want it over just to end the uncertainty for a number of players. The injury list for last weekend meant that our bench contained Kirk, McGrandles, Jaiyesimi and Payne. I’ve no idea what may or may not have been said to them about their position at the club, but it’s reasonable to suppose that if offers came in for them they would be seriously considered, especially if moving some on cleared up space in the budget for additions. They are only human and it must be weighing on their minds. If they stay with us, great, then we expect them to be fully committed to the cause and Holden can see to what extent he might use them, but can we just end the uncertainty? These issues should have been resolved by now, but moving someone on requires a buyer and that’s out of the club’s hands.

Of the other imponderables there is no legislating for the individual errors which have cost us, or the ref’s decision not to show the Bristol Rovers defender a red card at 1-1, or May hitting the post rather than putting us ahead. Learn what lessons there are to be had and move on, sooner or later we’ll get a couple of howlers from the opposition.

We’re some way from being the finished article and for sure there’s a risk of too much of the season having elapsed before we can get into top gear. The goal of course remains getting promoted but I think we can expect at least more exciting football than last season (I’m looking forward to watching Asiimwe, Anderson et al progress, Fraser, Campbell(x2), Blackett-Taylor and others shine, and May and Kanu knock in a bucketload). And by the same token we expect players to deal with mistakes without it affecting their form, to give everything they have for the cause. It’s at least a bit too soon for us to be dropping our heads and drawing pessimistic conclusions about the new owners. They have yet to inspire us, but they can’t carry the blame for the years we have suffered – and their interests are aligned with ours. Let’s see if we can upset the odds at Oxford – seems you can get around 3/1 backing us, which looks a decent bet to me – and what the world looks like by next weekend and the closure of the window.