Charlton v Leeds United | Sat 28 Sep | 3pm KO | POST-MATCH THREAD

PWR

I am sure the stats will say Leeds were all kinds of everything and for those fond of using the term on the basis of the stats Leeds 'deserved' something. Like Brentford did.

Errr no.

Charlton deserved to win because even at this level courage, resilience, work rate, belief and desire still counts. If you can add a little bit of skill, footballing intelligence and creativity to the effort you're always in with a chance. Perhaps Leeds were hampered by assumptions and complacency, perhaps hampered by arriving at 2pm(!), their fans too, the quietest I've ever (not) heard them, but those stats also say 1-0.

Yeah a scrambled goal, scruffy and untidy like Lee Bowyer was as a great Leeds player in a great Leeds side. I wonder if any Leeds fans of a certain age could recognise the spirit of Bowyer as a player in Charlton Athletic as a team? Talking of teams, clubs and resources, the bloke of theirs that dived, Costa, is on loan from Wolves and will seemingly sign in January for 15 million quid.

Fifteen million!

Sheesh you could assemble 20 Charlton teams for that money, but the stats today say 1-0. Doesn't add up.

Lets face it Leeds were damn good, them and Brentford are the best we've played so far in my view. Early on their clever around the box approach play always threatened, but our defending was far from seat of the pants. It was as if the players knew their exact role in the fluid intricacies of Leeds attacking and close interplay, and the blocks headers and clearances were much more the considered kind than the desperate kind. Fantastic set up by Bow and fantastic work from our players. A clean sheet says it all.

Immaculate performance from the referee-stalked Phillips, Solly was superb I thought, bringing every minute of experience to the game, Lockyer and Sarr were more than just stoppers, and Purrington was his usual 7. 
Who can't say that in the context of the game the midfield weren't outstanding, particularly in protecting the defence and water carrying unselfishly all over the shop? I wonder why Pratley seemed such a meh signing when he arrived he is a phenomenal asset to the team, Cullen is so consistently good it is ridiculous, and Gallagher was wonderful today especially in tracking back. Williams mercurial until his body gave up on him.

Leko bought us time and became an outlet especially early on when we needed a breather from all the Leeds pressure, and how about Bonne? Far more effective than Hemed has been so far, a scruffy sniffed scrambled strikers goal. Always willing and present, Bonne was outstanding.
All three subs came on and contributed which was very nice to see. I thought the referee was pretty decent overall.

Then there were the fans. Us I suppose. We are becoming consistently very good, the Josh Cullen of fans, brilliant sustained support which in this day and age is rarer to see from fans at home than those who travel, indeed our fans are better away by a distance than the Leeds fans were (unusually) today.

Three valuable points at the start of a very tough week.