Our decision making in the final third is appalling. We get in good positions but consistently fail to capitalise. Our passing is badly weighted or wayward. Our crossing delayed or poor or fails to happen
Our shooting lacks technique or direction and any belief. Players lack the vision and awareness of their teammates positioning. We lack guile and nous. Washington only thrives in the shadow of Stockley's presence and his finishing is unreliable and when one-on-one virtually non-existent. Stockley has presence and is an asset in this league, but is nonetheless somewhat one dimensional and limited. We seriously need some real quality. We desperately need a couple of marquee signings, what you would call game-changers. Given the apparent tortoise like nature of our recruitment I suggest we start our summer recruitment now. I also think Tommy needs to push the boat out a little bit to get the players we need, not fifth on a list. Yes I know it's not my money, before anybody makes that cretinous statement. But Tommy needs to wake up and smell the coffee
Didn’t watch the game but followed on here, some general observations. Pearce has done very well for last 2 months, but probably the correct time to bring him out of the side again. DJ and Leko are so incredibly inconsistent, both should be disappointed with their contributions this season. Renewing CBT contract was a mistake. Elliott Lee needs to do more in the final 3rd.
Jacko has a massive squad to choose from but most aren’t good enough. Unfortunately, we have too many bad players to replace in this window.
To be fair to Jackson, he needs a striking option. That is a fault in the squad that needs to be addressed. There is no dynamism in the box and we are too easy to mark, out muscle, out jump there. When Stockley is not playing our front two play too individually.
The simple fact is that this group of players are not good enough. When we have our strongest 11 available we can compete with the top six. But it's not very often we have our strongest 11 available and there lies the problem. We have so many players nowhere near good enough who we have to call on as replacement s It makes no difference wheather Bowyer Adkins or Jackson is in charge if the players ain't good enough we will not get promoted. Sandgaard is the man responsible for bankrolling a decent squad but so far he's falling way short of what he initially promised This season has been nothing short of a disaster following our disastrous transfer window last summer. Will he learn and get it right this summer? We shall see. Personally I don't think he will.
The northern "local" commentators I had to endure were commenting (borderline taking the piss) on the amount of times the ball was going out of play in our possession. It was annoying, but only made slightly less annoying because they were right and it was even walked over the line a couple of times.
I thought Dagenham 2011 was the nadir of being a Charlton fan, but this feels on a par. When will things actually get better for us and we have more than 1 fleeting season of success surrounded by years of shite
Having been at both, Dagenham was worse. Lincoln was a bit worse than last night as well.
Still registered very highly on the s--- scale though. Shocking performance, I don't understand the disallowed goal but we didn't deserve it anyway
The problem with set pieces, even if we did try to bang them all into the box, who are we expecting to win the headers? Pearce has never prolific from corners, Famewo has never scored. Purrington only really scores on the 2nd chance and not the header.
I have said for a while, if you take a step back we are not in that bad a position because it is pretty clear what is wrong. Under Adkins it wasn't. We are toothless up front without Stockley or if Stockley plays but has a poor game - which to be fair is not a common occurrence but some defenders play better against him than others. We saw a great example yesterday with their first goal when a player was quick to follow up. We had a similar opportunity but our striker was on his heels! Our strikers are too static in the box, are not nasty and are too easy to mark. In fact, it looks sometimes like they mark the defenders. Address that and defeats would turn to victories. But there was an urgency there as this has not just become obvious and teams have sussed out how to play against us and we are in the window so it is same old Charlton for me. Always finding a way to cock it up.
Another example is what has been a common occurrence where a wide player has time to play a ball in and there is no free runner. In all honesty, there ought to be one or two making runs/finding space that the wide player knows they will be making/finding. Look at a good offensive team in those situations where players find space in different ways.
There is only one person to blame for the disallowed goall,Leko,he was offside by miles,he could not have contributed to a goal,he should have just got away from the area quickley,but no when the shot comes in he moves towards the ball,brainless.
My first in the flesh match for nearly two years as I had got used to settling down to watch a stream in the comfort of my living room. With the relatively safer environment than it was when the pandemic first struck it was at last time to vocally get behind the team.
Another first was the ground which is about the 80th I’ve visited over the last six decades. It is all seater covered, with one very large cantilever stand down one side and the rest shallow with us away fans on the opposite side. Three hundred hardy Addicks had made the trek although for some of us luckier ones it was short albeit not sweet!
Where to start? Henderson in goal could only have been due MacG having picked up a knock in training but no worries me thinks, Hendo had acquitted himself reasonably well in the Cup games. Defence and midfield picks itself of late and with Washington returning but no Stockley, on paper Leko was given the nod.
We started with purpose with a few early attacks down our right with players getting to the dead ball line in the box. The final ball however never found a Charlton player. Was it poor deliveries, good defending or our forwards inability to get in front of their markers with some intelligent movement? A combination of all three!
Crewe offered no signs of what was to follow against the run of play but if you don’t take your chances when in the ascendancy you are liable to a sucker punch which was delivered with HT fast approaching. The ball was lumped upfield fell to one of their players who got a shot off which Hendo saved but didn’t hold and bingo the rebound was dispatched into the onion bag. The oppo couldn’t believe their luck against the mighty Charlton forming a big celebratory huddle in the corner delaying the restart like what seemed an eternity. Yes the time waisting had already started. Not to worry though we had all the second half to turn this around.
What we hadn’t bargained for was another haymaker on the chin before regrouping over a cuppa, this time from a corner. From my view their player had a completely free header but I now understand Hendo went AWOL hanging out the washing! The players were now truly punch drunk
With no changes for the second half and their ears ringing hopefully from a Jacko broadside the team huffed and puffed but couldn’t blow the Railwaymen’s house down. They time wasted dived to the floor at every opportunity and the weak, useless ref was easily swayed by the cries of two thousand partisans in the ‘ski slope’ stand.
On the hour changes were afoot with CBT and young Burstow replacing Purrington and DJ neither of whom did anything special but how Leko dodged the hook is a mystery and turned out to be very costly. The latter went to RWB with Burstow replacing him up top and CBT at LWB. This seemed to give us a bit of a lift but still we struggled to put decent moves together.
Apart from a couple of runs the ineffective Gilbey, just one of several players on the night, was replaced by Morgan and although not his biggest fan he did ok.
Famewo was not having one of his better games and was lucky not to concede a couple of penalties. He also got quite vocal with CBT who couldn’t read his mind with some passes down the line but that was six of one half a dozen of the other!
And then finally a glimmer of hope with Washington’s never say die work rate and Lee still showing for the ball come what may, a loose bouncing ball was nodded back into an unguarded net by Burstow with ten minutes plus injury time to go.
It wasn’t to be however despite Lee having smashed the ball over the line off the crossbar Geoff Hurst style in the dying embers, with the hapless Leko apparently infringing the laws of the game.
An honest bunch of players who have to be at the top their games to win week in week out but a squad lacking in real quality and depth to mount a serious challenge for top six let alone automatic promotion. Big reshuffle required again in the summer I’m afraid otherwise more third tier mediocrity beckons.
Felt sorry for those who’d made that journey up north for a midweek encounter to watch such an abject performance. Hats off to everyone of you👏.
See you at Harlepool those daring to venture northwards again so soon COYRs.
All those #givehimthejobpermanently will eat their words tonight, last week, the week before...next week. As nauseum.
There are, I'm sure, various reasons for keeping a temporary manager "temporary". For someone who has never been a manager before ... a 6month-one year probationary period is probably essential. Whoever they are. Because it is precisely the "pressure" when expectation arrives (that comes with things being made permanent) that reveals most.
Those who have dated someone, for example, will know the difference in pressure between dating that person ... and married life. In married life e v e r y o n e expects a certain standard from you. Forever! Not just the missus! Before marriage there is no such pressure.
If Sandgaard had not listened to all the "Give him the job permanently NOW" nonsense (because the team had won 6 in 9 and actually remembered caution we would still have a temporary manager and I have no doubt we would have A LOT MORE WINS.
The temporary basis for a year would have taken a lot of pressure off while JJ momentum got the points on the board a January window where the club could have added a few new faces and a review in May.
I do not believe the argument that players wouldn't sign permanently in January if the manager was temporary. It is not like Bowyer where players were actually drawn to the club because of the "big name" manager. I don't think many young players will have even heard of JJ.
The decline after making managerial appts permanent is SO PREDICTABLE we could have preempted this problem and kept things going on a temp basis until May.
After tonight's humiliating defeat we have confirmed that this season will be remembered as one of battling to stay out of a relegation dogfight and not one of even beginning to entertain thoughts of playoffs. To that end there doesn't seem much difference in direction from the Adkins era.
In fairness JJ has a squad assembled by someone else and he will have a good idea of who needs to be shifted out and what sort of replacements are needed. And this is not to take away from the brilliant momentum he produced as temporary manager. The problem was making it permanent when they did.
The question for Sandguaard is How many seasons are you prepared to bankroll a failing football in League One?
And one for Gallen and co:
Washington, DJ, Leko and Kirk are not good enough.
The exact same thing happened when United appointed Ole. Never understood the clamour for Jacksons appointment to be made permanent, unfortunately whipped up every week by Mendez and Co, probably because he was nice to them and easy to get on with.
Feeling really fed up and annoyed about the mismanagement of our club over several years atm.
This team is so weird. Great under Bowyer then bad under Bowyer, then terrible under Bowyer. Great under Adkins then unspeakable awful under Adkins. Now great under Jackson and suddenly completely useless under him. The worst thing is the periods between the switches are getting shorter and shorter. The team were good under Bowyer for two years before collapsing. They gave Adkins a few months, Jackson it felt more like weeks before the jank has set back in. I know we're missing some key players but Jesus Christ, losing to a terrible Crewe side that we even beat under Adkins is a real low. I briefly felt good about Charlton when Jackson came in but I've got that feeling again where I'm really not surprised or even that bothered when we go down against these teams, it's just par for the course with this horrible club.
That disallowed goal was bonkers though. I can see why the linesman might give it in the moment but the only way the keeper is getting near that is if he's 9ft tall, Leko could have cut the keeper's legs off and it still wouldn't have interfered with the flight of that ball. The only highlight from that game, unfortunately, is watching back their second goal and playing a game of 'where's Hendo'. Every time I watch it I swear he's further forward. Starts off somehow beyond the bloke who headed it in and the next time I watch it he'll be in the car park. Atrocious decision-making from him.
My first in the flesh match for nearly two years as I had got used to settling down to watch a stream in the comfort of my living room. With the relatively safer environment than it was when the pandemic first struck it was at last time to vocally get behind the team.
Another first was the ground which is about the 80th I’ve visited over the last six decades. It is all a covered seater, with one very large cantilever stand down one side and the rest shallow with us away fans on the opposite side. Three hundred hardy Addicks had made the trek although for some of us luckier ones it was short albeit not sweet!
Where to start? Henderson in goal could only have been due MacG having picked up a knock in training but no worries me thinks, Hendo had acquitted himself reasonably well in the Cup games. Defence and midfield picks itself of late and with Washington returning but no Stockley and on paper Leko was given the nod.
We started with purpose with a few early attacks down our right with players getting to the dead ball line in the box. The final ball however never found a Charlton player. Was it poor deliveries, good defending or our forwards inability to get in front of their markers with some intelligent movement? A combination of all three!
Crewe offered no signs of what was to follow against the run of play but if you don’t take your chances when in the ascendancy you are liable to a sucker punch which was delivered with HT fast approaching. The ball was lumped upfield fell to one of their players who got a shot off which Hendo saved but didn’t hold and bingo the rebound was dispatched into the onion bag. The oppo couldn’t believe their luck against the mighty Charlton forming a big celebratory huddle in the corner delaying the restart like what seemed an eternity. Yes the time waisting had already started. Not to worry though we had all the second half to turn this around.
What we hadn’t bargained for was another haymaker on the chin before regrouping over a cuppa, this time from a corner. From my view their player had a completely free header but I now understand Hendo went AWOL hanging out the washing! The players were now truly punch drunk
With no changes for the second half and their ears ringing hopefully from a Jacko broadside the team huffed and puffed but couldn’t blow the Railwaymen’s house down. They time wasted dived to the floor at every opportunity and the weak, useless ref was easily swayed by the cries of two thousand partisans in the ‘ski slope’ stand.
On the hour changes were afoot with CBT and young Burstow replacing Purrington neither of whom did anything special but how Leko dodged the hook is a mystery and turned out to be very costly. The latter went to RWB with Burstow replacing him up top and CBT at LWB. This seemed to give us a bit of a lift but still we struggled to put decent moves together.
Apart from a couple of runs the ineffective Gilbey, just one of several players on the night, was replaced by Morgan and although not his biggest fan he did ok.
Famewo was not having one of his better games and was lucky not to concede a couple of penalties. He also got quite vocal with CBT who couldn’t read his mind with some passes down the line but that was six of one half a dozen of the other!
And then finally a glimmer of hope with Washington’s never say die work rate and Lee still showing for the ball come what may a lose bouncing ball was nodded back into an unguarded net by Burstow with ten minutes plus injury time to go.
It wasn’t to be however despite Lee having smashed the ball over the line off the crossbar Geoff Hurst style in the dying embers with the hapless Leko apparently infringing the laws of the game.
An honest bunch of players who have to be at the top their games to win week in week out but a squad lacking in real quality and depth to mount a serious challenge for top six let alone automatic promotion. Big reshuffle required again in the summer I’m afraid otherwise more third tier mediocrity beckons.
Felt sorry for those who’d made that journey up north for a midweek encounter to watch such an abject performance,? Hats off to everyone of you👏.
See you at Harlepool those daring to venture northwards again so soon COYRs.
Mac’s wife had gone into labour which was why he was missing.
two things wrong 1) we can't defend .. 2) we don't score goals ...
Clare is a decent player but not a natural defender Famewo, I'll say again, not all that, tries hard but lacks talent Pearce is showing signs of wear and tear after a tough career .. I said months ago our priority is for a good old fashioned no nonsense centre back .. one like Inniss but one who can get up and play regularly
Our second priority is for a striker to play alongside Stockley .. read my post about the London cost of living .. we will have to pay BIG bucks to attract a good one .. has Sandy got the money ?
I can just tolerate a midfield that lacks goals so long as they are creating chances. As we all know, a t m without Stockley, there is precious little for the midfield to create chances for. I expect little activity in this window, BUT a lot of strengthening will be needed in the summer if we are to achieve Sandy's ambition of European football, that is anything more than a pre season friendly in Ostend
My first in the flesh match for nearly two years as I had got used to settling down to watch a stream in the comfort of my living room. With the relatively safer environment than it was when the pandemic first struck it was at last time to vocally get behind the team.
Another first was the ground which is about the 80th I’ve visited over the last six decades. It is all a covered seater, with one very large cantilever stand down one side and the rest shallow with us away fans on the opposite side. Three hundred hardy Addicks had made the trek although for some of us luckier ones it was short albeit not sweet!
Where to start? Henderson in goal could only have been due MacG having picked up a knock in training but no worries me thinks, Hendo had acquitted himself reasonably well in the Cup games. Defence and midfield picks itself of late and with Washington returning but no Stockley and on paper Leko was given the nod.
We started with purpose with a few early attacks down our right with players getting to the dead ball line in the box. The final ball however never found a Charlton player. Was it poor deliveries, good defending or our forwards inability to get in front of their markers with some intelligent movement? A combination of all three!
Crewe offered no signs of what was to follow against the run of play but if you don’t take your chances when in the ascendancy you are liable to a sucker punch which was delivered with HT fast approaching. The ball was lumped upfield fell to one of their players who got a shot off which Hendo saved but didn’t hold and bingo the rebound was dispatched into the onion bag. The oppo couldn’t believe their luck against the mighty Charlton forming a big celebratory huddle in the corner delaying the restart like what seemed an eternity. Yes the time waisting had already started. Not to worry though we had all the second half to turn this around.
What we hadn’t bargained for was another haymaker on the chin before regrouping over a cuppa, this time from a corner. From my view their player had a completely free header but I now understand Hendo went AWOL hanging out the washing! The players were now truly punch drunk
With no changes for the second half and their ears ringing hopefully from a Jacko broadside the team huffed and puffed but couldn’t blow the Railwaymen’s house down. They time wasted dived to the floor at every opportunity and the weak, useless ref was easily swayed by the cries of two thousand partisans in the ‘ski slope’ stand.
On the hour changes were afoot with CBT and young Burstow replacing Purrington neither of whom did anything special but how Leko dodged the hook is a mystery and turned out to be very costly. The latter went to RWB with Burstow replacing him up top and CBT at LWB. This seemed to give us a bit of a lift but still we struggled to put decent moves together.
Apart from a couple of runs the ineffective Gilbey, just one of several players on the night, was replaced by Morgan and although not his biggest fan he did ok.
Famewo was not having one of his better games and was lucky not to concede a couple of penalties. He also got quite vocal with CBT who couldn’t read his mind with some passes down the line but that was six of one half a dozen of the other!
And then finally a glimmer of hope with Washington’s never say die work rate and Lee still showing for the ball come what may a lose bouncing ball was nodded back into an unguarded net by Burstow with ten minutes plus injury time to go.
It wasn’t to be however despite Lee having smashed the ball over the line off the crossbar Geoff Hurst style in the dying embers with the hapless Leko apparently infringing the laws of the game.
An honest bunch of players who have to be at the top their games to win week in week out but a squad lacking in real quality and depth to mount a serious challenge for top six let alone automatic promotion. Big reshuffle required again in the summer I’m afraid otherwise more third tier mediocrity beckons.
Felt sorry for those who’d made that journey up north for a midweek encounter to watch such an abject performance,? Hats off to everyone of you👏.
See you at Harlepool those daring to venture northwards again so soon COYRs.
Mac’s wife had gone into labour which was why he was missing.
There is only one person to blame for the disallowed goall,Leko,he was offside by miles,he could not have contributed to a goal,he should have just got away from the area quickley,but no when the shot comes in he moves towards the ball,brainless.
The person to blame is the referee. He had a good view from the right angle. He would have noted (or should have done) that the keeper didn't complain ( @LargeAddick, you never heard Browney lecturing you that player reactions are a great giveaway? - something that Browney himself forgot last night with his initial reaction, before Scotty gently helped him engage his brain). If (and I didn't realise that until this morning,) the shot took a Crewe deflection then Leko may not have been offside anyway.
Then he sees the linesman has decided to Assert Himself. A linesman whom Terry Smith had been calling out from about the first minute. A linesman who was much further away and more or less level with Leko and the keeper. So, completely unable to judge the flight of the ball and the relevance of Leko's position. And they talked and talked and talked. And the 4th official, who had apparently persuaded the ref earlier to book one of ours, I think Gilbey, goaded by Crewe touchline bullying? Nothing to say, apparently. So the ref bottled it.
We should always be ready to forgive officials for missing incidents, in play. It's an impossible job to get 100% right. But when they make decisions after giving themselves time, (in this case about 2 minutes) and then make such a bad decision., then they have failed to do their job. Just as most of our players failed to do so last night, and for which they are rightly getting pelters. So let's not let that ref off the hook.
Something is rotten. I’m befuddled by it. New owner, new manager. Still shite. I have always said that this squad of players is hugely overrated. Even our “stars” Stockley, Washington, Purrington, Gilbey etc are bog standard league 1 players IMHO. With the exception of Famewo (not ours), JFC (who may be knackered) and possibly Dobson and Clare I do not think we have a single player who would cut it consistently at championship level. Stockley and Purrington have tried it and come up short. Our recruitment has been pretty disastrous with the exception of the aforementioned players both in terms of quality and timing (and it looks like last minute business will be the order of the day this time round as well). Kirk - dud. CBT - dud. DJ, Leko and Lee well on the way to Dud City. Don’t let’s mention Arter. Oh well, let’s. And step forward (zimmer frames available if needed) our motley selection of has-beens - Watson, Gunter, Mathews (who has not tried a leg for the last year from what I’ve seen). Our academy is producing but there’s no sign of a Lookman or a Gomez or a Konsa. Albie is surely heading for league 2 either on loan or with us if we don’t pull the finger out. Young Burstow has promise as has Deji2 (who seems to have disappeared) but the likes of Davison, Barker, Henry, Vennings etc have seemingly had their fleeting moments in the sun and are destined for lesser things.
Now having just done a hatchet job on our virtually our entire squad, while they are never getting us promoted they are clearly capable of better than they have been showing. Why they have reverted to the malaise is the million dollar question. I’ve no more idea than the next guy or gal why no one can seem to get the best out of this lot for more than a few weeks. Jacko must be scratching his head. If, as we are given, to understand, his contract renews annually depending on unpublished performance metrics) he must be shitting himself already.
I like Thomas. I like the breath of fresh air he has brought. He and his good lady seem to be embracing the things that matter albeit in a slightly egocentric way that may not suit all tastes. But there is a big style over substance issue that he needs to overcome. I hope he’ll do it. He needs in short order to attend to the non football management. Unpopular officials remain in situ despite long term rumours of their demise. Nepotism abounds and we are left with a few shining stars (take a bow Tracy and co) doing all the hard graft and good stuff.
It’s not a happy cocktail at the moment. It’s by no means a disaster but fingers need to be pulled out of arses from top to bottom.
I’m glad I saved a tenner last night and didn’t bother.
Well, it started brightly, tailed off a bit at the end, and the least said about the intervening period the better, we have gone backwards spectacularly since Jacko has been in the perm position, which is very strange, and seems as if the players have relaxed after what they wanted was granted. It does show the reliance we seem to have on Jayden to get us anything up front, and up till last night the last person to score apart from Jayden was Gilbey against Ipswich, we urgently need some new impetus this month, and the sooner the better. We certainly missed Mac in goal, let's all hope that all went well for Mr & Mrs Mac, and look forward to hearing of the new arrival..
I'd suggest we look at simplifying things in our next games.
Wing backs aren't working without a big man for them to deliver to.
That’s the problem with no Stockley who let’s not forget has his detractors amongst the fan base. Man City cope admirably without a target man but we can only dream of having players of that quality.
Who was it who said ‘One man doesn’t make a team’? It shouldn’t but in our case Stockley certainly does at the moment.
We have played Pearce because there has been hardly a credible alternative. Most thought he would lead the U23’s most of the season as he transitions from player to coach. We have wrung Pearce dry this season, the approach has been similar to rolling and squeezing the toothpaste tube to get the last bit out. As far as I am concerned Pearce has metamorphosed into a genuine lesser know club legend like Webster. He is who and what he is and massively deserves respect.
Crewe ,must love us. £500,000 for Kirk not even on the bench, surely he had something to prove? Also why not bring Innes on at half time as Pearce and Famewo were both terrible! Strangely Lee cannot take a decent corner or free kick at the moment and why oh why was Leko standing next to their goalkeeper. That was the nearest he got to their goal.
Comments
We get in good positions but consistently fail to capitalise.
Our passing is badly weighted or wayward.
Our crossing delayed or poor or fails to happen
Players lack the vision and awareness of their teammates positioning.
We lack guile and nous.
Washington only thrives in the shadow of Stockley's presence and his finishing is unreliable and when one-on-one virtually non-existent.
Stockley has presence and is an asset in this league, but is nonetheless somewhat one dimensional and limited.
We seriously need some real quality.
We desperately need a couple of marquee signings, what you would call game-changers.
Given the apparent tortoise like nature of our recruitment I suggest we start our summer recruitment now.
I also think Tommy needs to push the boat out a little bit to get the players we need, not fifth on a list.
Yes I know it's not my money, before anybody makes that cretinous statement.
But Tommy needs to wake up and smell the coffee
Jacko has a massive squad to choose from but most aren’t good enough. Unfortunately, we have too many bad players to replace in this window.
The two have built up a good relationship on the pitch, but this comes at the sacrifice of being able to play with others up top.
When we have our strongest 11 available we can compete with the top six.
But it's not very often we have our strongest 11 available and there lies the problem.
We have so many players nowhere near good enough who we have to call on as replacement s
It makes no difference wheather Bowyer Adkins or Jackson is in charge if the players ain't good enough we will not get promoted.
Sandgaard is the man responsible for bankrolling a decent squad but so far he's falling way short of what he initially promised
This season has been nothing short of a disaster following our disastrous transfer window last summer.
Will he learn and get it right this summer?
We shall see.
Personally I don't think he will.
Having been at both, Dagenham was worse. Lincoln was a bit worse than last night as well.
Still registered very highly on the s--- scale though. Shocking performance, I don't understand the disallowed goal but we didn't deserve it anyway
Another example is what has been a common occurrence where a wide player has time to play a ball in and there is no free runner. In all honesty, there ought to be one or two making runs/finding space that the wide player knows they will be making/finding. Look at a good offensive team in those situations where players find space in different ways.
My first in the flesh match for nearly two years as I had got used to settling down to watch a stream in the comfort of my living room. With the relatively safer environment than it was when the pandemic first struck it was at last time to vocally get behind the team.
Another first was the ground which is about the 80th I’ve visited over the last six decades. It is all seater covered, with one very large cantilever stand down one side and the rest shallow with us away fans on the opposite side. Three hundred hardy Addicks had made the trek although for some of us luckier ones it was short albeit not sweet!
Where to start? Henderson in goal could only have been due MacG having picked up a knock in training but no worries me thinks, Hendo had acquitted himself reasonably well in the Cup games. Defence and midfield picks itself of late and with Washington returning but no Stockley, on paper Leko was given the nod.
We started with purpose with a few early attacks down our right with players getting to the dead ball line in the box. The final ball however never found a Charlton player. Was it poor deliveries, good defending or our forwards inability to get in front of their markers with some intelligent movement? A combination of all three!
Crewe offered no signs of what was to follow against the run of play but if you don’t take your chances when in the ascendancy you are liable to a sucker punch which was delivered with HT fast approaching. The ball was lumped upfield fell to one of their players who got a shot off which Hendo saved but didn’t hold and bingo the rebound was dispatched into the onion bag. The oppo couldn’t believe their luck against the mighty Charlton forming a big celebratory huddle in the corner delaying the restart like what seemed an eternity. Yes the time waisting had already started. Not to worry though we had all the second half to turn this around.
What we hadn’t bargained for was another haymaker on the chin before regrouping over a cuppa, this time from a corner. From my view their player had a completely free header but I now understand Hendo went AWOL hanging out the washing! The players were now truly punch drunk
With no changes for the second half and their ears ringing hopefully from a Jacko broadside the team huffed and puffed but couldn’t blow the Railwaymen’s house down. They time wasted dived to the floor at every opportunity and the weak, useless ref was easily swayed by the cries of two thousand partisans in the ‘ski slope’ stand.
On the hour changes were afoot with CBT and young Burstow replacing Purrington and DJ neither of whom did anything special but how Leko dodged the hook is a mystery and turned out to be very costly. The latter went to RWB with Burstow replacing him up top and CBT at LWB. This seemed to give us a bit of a lift but still we struggled to put decent moves together.
Apart from a couple of runs the ineffective Gilbey, just one of several players on the night, was replaced by Morgan and although not his biggest fan he did ok.
Famewo was not having one of his better games and was lucky not to concede a couple of penalties. He also got quite vocal with CBT who couldn’t read his mind with some passes down the line but that was six of one half a dozen of the other!
And then finally a glimmer of hope with Washington’s never say die work rate and Lee still showing for the ball come what may, a loose bouncing ball was nodded back into an unguarded net by Burstow with ten minutes plus injury time to go.
It wasn’t to be however despite Lee having smashed the ball over the line off the crossbar Geoff Hurst style in the dying embers, with the hapless Leko apparently infringing the laws of the game.
An honest bunch of players who have to be at the top their games to win week in week out but a squad lacking in real quality and depth to mount a serious challenge for top six let alone automatic promotion. Big reshuffle required again in the summer I’m afraid otherwise more third tier mediocrity beckons.
Felt sorry for those who’d made that journey up north for a midweek encounter to watch such an abject performance. Hats off to everyone of you👏.
See you at Harlepool those daring to venture northwards again so soon COYRs.
Feeling really fed up and annoyed about the mismanagement of our club over several years atm.
That disallowed goal was bonkers though. I can see why the linesman might give it in the moment but the only way the keeper is getting near that is if he's 9ft tall, Leko could have cut the keeper's legs off and it still wouldn't have interfered with the flight of that ball. The only highlight from that game, unfortunately, is watching back their second goal and playing a game of 'where's Hendo'. Every time I watch it I swear he's further forward. Starts off somehow beyond the bloke who headed it in and the next time I watch it he'll be in the car park. Atrocious decision-making from him.
Clare is a decent player but not a natural defender
Famewo, I'll say again, not all that, tries hard but lacks talent
Pearce is showing signs of wear and tear after a tough career ..
I said months ago our priority is for a good old fashioned no nonsense centre back .. one like Inniss but one who can get up and play regularly
Our second priority is for a striker to play alongside Stockley .. read my post about the London cost of living .. we will have to pay BIG bucks to attract a good one .. has Sandy got the money ?
I can just tolerate a midfield that lacks goals so long as they are creating chances. As we all know, a t m without Stockley, there is precious little for the midfield to create chances for.
I expect little activity in this window, BUT a lot of strengthening will be needed in the summer if we are to achieve Sandy's ambition of European football, that is anything more than a pre season friendly in Ostend
Then he sees the linesman has decided to Assert Himself. A linesman whom Terry Smith had been calling out from about the first minute. A linesman who was much further away and more or less level with Leko and the keeper. So, completely unable to judge the flight of the ball and the relevance of Leko's position. And they talked and talked and talked. And the 4th official, who had apparently persuaded the ref earlier to book one of ours, I think Gilbey, goaded by Crewe touchline bullying? Nothing to say, apparently. So the ref bottled it.
We should always be ready to forgive officials for missing incidents, in play. It's an impossible job to get 100% right. But when they make decisions after giving themselves time, (in this case about 2 minutes) and then make such a bad decision., then they have failed to do their job. Just as most of our players failed to do so last night, and for which they are rightly getting pelters. So let's not let that ref off the hook.
I see slow-as-a-carthorse Pearce was turned again for the action that led to the "not a penalty but a corner" that led to their 2nd.
2 games in a row he's been turned & left treading water.
It does show the reliance we seem to have on Jayden to get us anything up front, and up till last night the last person to score apart from Jayden was Gilbey against Ipswich, we urgently need some new impetus this month, and the sooner the better.
We certainly missed Mac in goal, let's all hope that all went well for Mr & Mrs Mac, and look forward to hearing of the new arrival..
Wing backs aren't working without a big man for them to deliver to.
Who was it who said ‘One man doesn’t make a team’? It shouldn’t but in our case Stockley certainly does at the moment.
Most thought he would lead the U23’s most of the season as he transitions from player to coach.
We have wrung Pearce dry this season, the approach has been similar to rolling and squeezing the toothpaste tube to get the last bit out.
As far as I am concerned Pearce has metamorphosed into a genuine lesser know club legend like Webster.
He is who and what he is and massively deserves respect.
Also why not bring Innes on at half time as Pearce and Famewo were both terrible!
Strangely Lee cannot take a decent corner or free kick at the moment and why oh why was Leko standing next to their goalkeeper. That was the nearest he got to their goal.
There were 11 players on that pitch that should be doing better and they were very capable of beating that Crewe team but they never turned up!