Morale is rock bottom among the Addickted at the moment and I am not particularly looking forward to my trip to SE7 tomorrow. I usually start the day optimistic, which you have to if you are making a long trip, but this may be an exception.
Brentford have acquired a new manager in the form of one time Charlton loan player Nicky Forster. A busy Bee of my acquaintance comments: 'Despite the premature sacking of Andy Scott, the period since his departure has brought some stability to the team. A good run of results has meant that a relegation battle is less likely (though still a possibility). That, combined with the forthcoming Wembley appearance in the JPT Final (for which, I understand, we have already sold 20,000 tickets) means that there is an air of optimism at the club that belies our rather inconsistent season. Nicky Forster has been appointed until the end of the season, which is sensible, but it would not surprise me if a reasonably high profile replacement was brought in over the summer (high profile for League One, that is).'
In a not uncommon sign of desperation, many of the Addickted are calling for youngsters to be played on the grounds that they couldn't be even worse. Well, they could be and I don't think these outbursts of Academy oriented sentimentality do us any good.
In the specific case of Calum Harriott Chris Powell has made it very clear that starting him at this stage would harm his development. Having him on the bench is part of that development, but he will only be brought on in exceptional circumstances. Replacing Francis with Solly is a different case as the latter already has first team experience which was only halted by injury.
We have a team at the moment that is drained of confidence. Unfortunately, the crowd is likely to get on their back at the first sign of a misplaced pass or a hoofed ball. If they ever needed our backing, it is now.
I am going for a 1-1 draw.
2 comments:
Wynn agree with you re academy players, but solly should be worth a shout in front of Francis who seems bereft of confidence at the moment and perhaps hinted at in the CAFC match notes. The pressue on CP evident by his first dismissal to the stands for the Brentford game.
Hopefully with Jackson and Beccone back we might have a bit more punch.
It makes such gloomy reading to see you predict a 1-1 draw...but sadly I don't think you're wrong.
Unfortunately, the one area of the pitch that we desperately need a spark is the one area we have no options: Centre Mid.
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