Nothing Gained At Boro

When one team is top of the league, at home, averaging over two goals a game, and boasts the division’s leading scorer, and the other is on a winless run of nine, can’t keep a clean sheet, and is coming off the back of two disappointing defeats, you might be tempted to watch this one from behind the sofa. Before the game Middlesbrough were around 1/4 on with the bookies, with 5/1 the draw and a Charlton win around 10/1, in a two-horse race. Even the CAST was joining in the black humour, pointing out that we were unbeaten since April with 3pm kick-offs. But this is football, we knew well enough what happened last season and, however unrealistic, there is always hope.

What we were really hoping for was a performance to be proud of, anything out of the game would be a (very welcome) bonus. Make Boro do something special to score. We didn’t really get that. We weren’t that bad, some decent play at times. But we let the opposition score soft goals and didn’t muster an attempt on goal, never a happy combination. As a contest the game was over when Boro scored their second just before half-time. We avoided humiliation in the second, but Boro won at something less than a canter.

Ahead of the game the formation and personnel were in doubt. Last season we unashamedly parked the bus, seldom got out of our half, and came away with the ultimate steal curtesy of Coady’s diversion of a long throw. But the win was also thanks to Middlesbrough having nobody to actually put the ball in the net. This time it would be different.

Nobody was surprised that Jones reverted to a back three/five (in a 5-3-2), with Bindon added to Jones and Koumetio, Ramsay and Bell as sort of wing-backs. Jones did follow that choice to its logical conclusion in that there was no starting place for either Campbell or Grant. Skipp returned to accompany Rankin-Costello with Knibbs rather than Carey in the more advanced position, and Leaburn and Kelman paired up front. It meant no real wide threat going forward but with Leaburn and Bidon added, when the two teams lined up it was apparent we had a clear height advantage. Could we make that pay?

For the second game in succession we almost took the lead in the first minute. Ball flicked on by Leaburn and Knibbs made ground down the right. His cross just evaded both Leaburn and Kelman. It was as close as we came all game. Middlesbrough showed plenty of style when breaking forward with the ball, their right-winger looking dangerous. Although we held our own in the early stages, on 11 minutes we were behind.

I blame the ref. We were on the attack and a ball out in the air was going to be won by us before a blatant shove in the back (this was to happen several times during the game). Nothing given and Middlesbrough broke quickly, switching play to their right. The winger played the ball inside and their guy took the shot. It didn’t look that dangerous, but it narrowly avoided Koumetio, who probably unsighted Okonkwu, who wrongfooted couldn’t get to the ball.

After that half-chances came and went, mostly for them, but on the half-hour we were still in the game and enjoyed a decent spell. Knibbs had a dangerous shot inside the box blocked then from a long throw Leaburn headed just wide. Then we had the absurdity of a rule as Ramsay was fouled badly outside our box. A yellow but could have been more. He carried on but soon went down and needed attention. Then he had to leave the field for a minute and while off the pitch Boro nearly scored from his area.

It looked as though at least if we made it to the break just one down it was still a contest. But on 43 minutes we went two down. Boro guy brings the ball forward and slides a ball between two central defenders, Jones and Bindon. Lankshear timed his run well (I assume so, no offside was given) and finished calmly. All far too easy, Jones and Bidon looking at each other and wondering which was to blame.

That changed the picture at half-time. The stats showed they had 63% possession, had seven attempts on goal with three on target against three and zero for us. We would have to score to get back into it – and not concede again. In the event we managed neither.

In truth the second half was a non-event. Boro seemed content with what they had, happy with the lead and likely to add to it without much trouble. We didn’t exactly go gung-ho and played as before, causing them no problems.

Ramsay couldn’t continue and was replaced by McNamara. We kept losing the ball in poor positions, enabling Boro to spring more breaks, but they failed to convert the chances that came their way. On 66 minutes Jones opted to bring on Campbell and Grant, with Rankin-Costello and Leaburn giving way. That meant still five at the back but now not much in central midfield, with Knibbs and Skipp. Whatever the formation was, TC was unable to make his presence count on the left flank and Grant failed to impact the game.

It stayed pretty low-key until on 79 minutes Jones made a second double-change. Chalobah and Alli came on for Skipp, who had a reasonable game, and Bindon, meaning a switch to four at the back. Any thoughts of that leading to a storming finish disappeared instantly. Chalobah under pressure outside the box slipped and was dispossessed by Lankshear. He had the time and space to pick his spot, planting the ball into the top corner. All that remained was to avoid a four or five-goal humiliation and we did at least manage that.

We know our season won’t be defined by today’s game. But Bolton and Sheff Utd at home up next are now vital. We have to win at least one of the two, to put an end to the winless run. It’s up to Jones and his people to look at the opposition and get the right formation and people to make it count. Just what that involves I’ve no idea. But as before it has to start with conceding no goals. We’ve now shipped 10 in the last four games.

Now Officially A Crisis

A week ago we took on a team shipping bucketloads of goals, seemingly in disarray, questioning how long their manager would last etc and rolled over. We failed to score, played poorly, and ended up well beaten, in the process extending our own winless run to eight games. Today we welcomed Norwich, who had lost their last five games and stood just above the relegation spots. Surely not two weeks running, especially as it’s at The Valley.

Afraid so. You could say there were more positives to take from the game than Watford, that we bossed the first 20 minutes and took the lead (much as against Bristol City), that the game really should have come back to 2-2. All ifs and buts and for the second consecutive Saturday we trudged off the pitch in a despondent mood, now no win in nine, five points taken in those games. Officially a crisis.

Jones the Boss had hinted at changes ahead of the game and opted for four, plus a change in formation from the back 3/5 to the 4-2-3-1 set-up. In front of Okonkwo would be a back four of Ramsay, Jones, Koumetio and Edwards, with McNamara not in the squad and Bell, Bindon and Mesik on the bench. The defensive midfield pairing would be Coventry and Rankin-Costello, with Skipp out of the picture and Chalobah not yet risked, Mwamba being the back-up on the bench. The more forward three would be Campbell, Carey and Grant (with Campbell starting on the right side, Grant on the left), with Knibbs and Alli in reserve, while up front Leaburn moved to the bench, alongside Mbick, being replaced by Kelman.

It looked a more adventurous line up and that certainly seemed the case in the early part of the game, especially as the formation was more a 4-1-4-1 as Rankin-Costello operated to good effect in their half. We almost took the lead in the opening seconds as Norwich were sliced open by a ball through to TC in on goal. Wisely or not he opted to take a touch and that allowed their keeper to get closer and he was able to make the save. On four minutes Carey collected a loose ball out of defence and saw his shot blocked when there were others available in a good position.

Norwich looked decidedly shaky at the back and like a team that had lost five on the spin. However, they gave an indication of what they can do on five minutes as a good ball into the channel on the right side was collected and the guy planted the ball into the net. It was clearly offside, but served as a warning. That warning was quickly forgotten as we took the lead on nine minutes. Another ball out of their defence was intercepted, by Ramsay, and he played it on to Rankin-Costello, who in turn fed Kelman in the box. He still had a lot to do but pushed the ball wide of their keeper and managed from a tightish angle to find the net, avoiding a defender in the way.

That was no more than our start deserved. But we didn’t capitalise on it. Perhaps Norwich twigged what they needed to do to adjust to our set-up, perhaps we just took our foot off the gas. But from around 20 minutes they increasingly dominated possession and with their full-backs getting forward to good effect pushed Campbell and Grant back into defensive action. They took back the initiative and quite frankly seldom gave it back thereafter.

On 21 minutes it took a perfectly timed desperate last-ditch tackle by Koumetio to deny Norwich after their forward had got beyond both central defenders. Then a dangerous low cross that didn’t get converted. Increasingly out attacks were becoming sporadic and the result of long balls forward, one of which almost saw Kelman get in again. Grant was booked for a professional foul, then Edwards rather harshly for handball.

It wasn’t a great surprise that Norwich drew level, on 34 minutes. But it was a poor goal from our perspective. Ramsay did well to win the ball in the middle of the park, but unable to bring it under control ended up lobbing a ball back towards our goal, which nobody was anticipating. Their guy picked it up and with our back line pushed up picked the right pass, weighted just strong enough to wrongfoot Coventry, the last defender. Their guy took it into the box on the right side and from a narrow angle powered a shot above and beyond Okonkwu into the far corner of the net.

The rest of the half was played out with Norwich generally having the ball but not doing much with it, other than a shot over the bar from a reasonable position. The stats at the break showed they had 68% possession and had mustered six attempts on goal, one on target, against our four and two. So the game was still very much up for grabs, up to which team would take the initiative.

It proved to be Norwich, who came out of the traps like we had done at the start of the game. There was a credible claim for a penalty shortly after the restart as Coventry made a challenge and didn’t appear to get the ball, but nothing was given. A minute later Norwich broke and the full-back got forward, played it on down the right. The squared ball should have been converted, but fortunately for us the guy sliced wide.

It was a temporary reprieve as Norwich did take the lead on 49 minutes, another horrible goal from our perspective. We seemed to have won the ball outside our box but then lost it, allowing it to be played out to the left side. Nobody closed down the guy about to cross and inside the box it was chaos. Jones seemed to be drawn towards the near post, leaving Koumetio to cover the central forward. Only problem was behind him was all the space in the world for two Norwich players to get to the ball played in, with Edwards not sensing the danger. One of them headed in with Okonkwu getting a hand to the ball but not keeping it out.

We seemed to react well, Carey picking up a loose ball and driving into the box, his cross turned behind for a corner. It was his last contribution as he, along with Grant and Edwards, were replaced by Leaburn, Knibbs and Mesik. Looked like a switch to a 4-4-2, with Campbell on the right. And TC almost created an equaliser as he cut in on the left after the corner and his decent shot took a deflection that might have gone anywhere, just didn’t quite find the net.

It didn’t seem to matter as the corner was swung into the middle as was met firmly by the head of their defender and flew into the net. Everyone celebrated, Norwich seemed to accept their fate, then attention turned to a linesman with his flag raised. To total surprise he seemed to be indicating that Kelman was offside as the corner was played in. The replays showed that it was possible that his boot may have been, just possibly. It was the sort of one where if VAR had intervened there would have been howls about undue interference. Nobody would have looked twice at the possibility if the linesman had given nothing. He was probably the only man in the ground to believe the goal should have been ruled out, but technically he may have been correct.

We continued to make things happen and on 62 minutes TC broke on the right and played a ball in for Kelman. He took a touch to the side of their keeper but he reacted quickly enough and blocked the effort. On 74 minutes Mwamba came on for Coventry and by now it was all getting rather stretched. And we paid the price on 75 minutes as their guy broke down their right, bamboozled Koumetio around the byline and got in a low cross, which Mesik got a decisive touch to, sending it over Okonkwu and in for an own goal which did count.

After that we might have got one back, Norwich could well have added to their total. Mbick came on for Rankin-Costello, with no real formation after that, just hope that Norwich wouldn’t take advantage of the space left. Knibbs should have done better with a ball in from Campbell but failed to connect well, while Okonkwu made a couple of good saves in stoppage time to keep the scoreline down.

Two abiding questions for me at the end. First, how did we turn from the vibrant side which started the game and dominated the first 20 minutes, taking the lead, into the defence-minded, cautious team which we became – with the exception of the period after we went 1-2 down and before it became 1-3. Sure, Norwich would have worked things out, but we allowed Grant and Campbell to get pressed back into defensive duty and gave away possession too easily. Second, why are we defending so poorly. All three goals were poor from our perspective and none of the back line emerged with credit. We conceded two goals in the first three games of the season but 16 in the nine games since then. You don’t win much if anything if you are letting in two a game.

More generally, this is now officially a crisis. Watford and especially Norwich may be better than their form and league position going into games against us suggested, but they were both there for the taking and we failed to take advantage. If we can’t beat them, where does the next win come from? Fortunately we were in a poor run of form last season when we went away to Middlesbrough, parked the bus, saw little of the ball, but won thanks to a Coady conversion of a long throw. You’d get good odds on a similar result next Saturday (and unlike last season I’m not prepared to eat cheese if we win, we aren’t that desperate yet).

It is back to the training ground and work on defence in particular. What he does in terms of fresh changes, in personnel or formation, I’ve no idea. I thought it was taking a risk to start with Ramsay and Edwards as the full-backs, given they are both returning after injury, although also Jones and Koumetio were well short of their best today. It’s going to take a lot of figuring out.

 

Post-Match Thoughts On Formations & Players

Nobody’s going to disagree with Nathan Jones’ post-match comments, including “it was as poor as we’ve been”. He, his staff, and the players have a week on the training ground to get things sorted, but is there anything useful that the rest of us can contribute, while acknowledging that the decisions and outcomes will be down to those who know vastly more about football than we do? No harm in trying.

First, the formation. Just why have we switched to a back five as the first choice option? For me there are only two reasons to play a back three/five with wing-backs. One, that you have real wing-backs available, players capable of getting up and down quickly and be comfortable both attacking and defending. Two, that you are up against it and want to park the bus. Sometimes that’s better done with a 4-4-2 but that’s another matter. I’d suggest that the former does not apply in our current situation and there was no good reason to go for the latter at Burnley or Watford.

Last season we struggled to secure a pair of proper wing-backs to play the formation. Experiments with Campbell and Apter were a (predictable) failure, Bree was able to play the part but he was recalled, Edwards worked well with TC in front of him going wide, but he got crocked. We ended up bringing in Clarke and Chambers in the January window, adding Fevrier (a true wing-back who I liked) for good measure. At the end of the season we allowed all three to return to their clubs, signed McNamara, a genuine full-back, all of which pointed to us being happy to switch to a back four.

It should have no effect, but I can’t help wondering if the sudden return from injury of defenders – Ramsay, Koumetio and Edwards – has influenced thinking. It has resulted in us, even without Burke and the unfortunate Sichenje, able to choose four or five from McNamara, Ramsay, Jones, Koumetio, Bindon, Bell, Edwards and Mesik. A back four and you have to choose between McNamara and Ramsay (or Mesik too), Koumetio and Bindon, and one from Bell, Edwards and Mesik, given that Jones is a nailed-on starter. I don’t see anything wrong with that, having good cover for each position.

Last season we played 3-5-2 (or 5-3-2 if you prefer). This time around we’ve gone to 5-2-3. And I don’t understand this either. Coventry and Skipp are coming in for a good deal of criticism, but the fact is that with 5-2-3 they are getting outnumbered when teams break forward in numbers and in possession they are quickly pressurised. Cardiff, Stoke and now Watford did that, steamrollering the defensive midfield and exploiting a poorly organised back line, in particular the spaces between the wing-backs and central defenders. That shouldn’t happen but is, with a confused look about us.

The fact is (IMO of course) that if you play with wing-backs, even though you don’t have the players for the formation, the last thing you want is a front three when two of the three expect to do their best work out wide. Against Watford Mesik was doing the wing-back role, getting forward to good effect, but that squeezed the space that Campbell would normally expect to move into. As a result not once did we see TC out wide with the ball at his feet looking to take on the defence, which has been our most potent attacking threat this season. Just the once, when moved to right-side wing-back, was he able to take on and beat for pace his opposite number.

As for the defensive midfield two, there has been disruption. Chalobah was excellent before his injury. That left Coventry, Ouma, Mwamba and then Skipp was added as Docherty (and Coady) were rejected. Ouma has looked accident-prone and there is speculation that we are looking to terminate his loan early. Mwamba is clearly a prospect, Skipp is no mean player. But the two in the formation in front of defence are not able to provide any coherent link to a front three. The play out from the back is too slow to utilise the wing-backs, especially when they are natural defenders.

In short, I find the return to a back three/five to not suit the players we have and to greatly reduce attacking options. Wing-backs who are really defenders, two in front of the defence getting overrun in and out of possession, and an isolated front three with little service and no space to operate in. Going to a back five and sticking with two in central midfield has (IMO) compounded the problem. Last season we had three, albeit with one (Carey) playing a more advanced role. Add into that mix a main centre-forward who currently can’t buy a goal – the headed chances against Burnley and Watford should have gone in – and you have, quite frankly, an impotent mess.

We started the season assuming as forward options, once Dykes opted to go somewhere else, Leaburn and Mbick as the big guys, Kelman and Godden as the goalscorers. Kelman got injured and is only just coming back, Godden is still out injured, and Mbick looks like a player asked to play at a higher level on his return from a long-term injury. Leaburn has done all that could be asked of him largely on his own, except put the ball in the net. There’s no easy answer to all this, except perhaps to go back to three behind the front man and bear the main responsibility for creating and putting away chances, as Grant did when fed by TC against Bristol City.

Let’s not pretend that the 4-2-3-1 we started the season with has worked like a dream. We won the first three thanks to coming from behind at home to Derby, eeking out a one-goal win at home to Preston (two teams which have struggled so far this season), and had one magnificent backs-to-the-wall victory, at West Ham, helped by an overhead goal from a centre-back and a last-minute missed penalty. We struggled to link up play and in particular to find the right guy to play in the middle of the more forward three. We understandably started with Carey, but the role places an emphasis on coordinating play between the three, picking the right passes, rather than powering forward on your own. We tried Grant in the central role but that didn’t work. Jones has been reluctant to try either Knibbs or Rankin-Costello in the role. Perhaps it is now time to try (with Carey ready from the bench depending on the state of the game). One cliché is that the fastest eight individually do not always produce the fastest boat. If Knibbs is viewed as too lightweight then go for Rankin-Costello.

Another cliché is that every good team knows its strengths and plays to them. Right now we have lost sight of our strengths. Grinding out clean sheets served us well last season but I don’t think the answer right now is to pack the defence. Burnley scored twice with goals from around the edge of the area, Watford could have scored far more than two.

So my advice, for what it is worth, is abandon the back three/five. We don’t have the wing-backs to make it work. If we stick with a back three/five, we need to have a midfield three, not two, they are getting overrun. If we go with 5-3-2 bite the bullet and accept that it means no place for Campbell or Grant, with Carey brought back to a more natural role as he played last season (if his confidence has not been shot). Alternatively, go for the 4-2-3-1 with either Knibbs or Rankin-Costello in the centre of the three. Whether Leaburn needs a rest and whether Mbick or Kelman might start instead is another one for Jones and his team to look at and decide.

Added to all of this, we do need every player to play their hearts out against Norwich (and beyond of course). A week to get ready, no excuses.

 

Dispiriting Defeat

A six-day jolly around the UK (Givry-London, London-Whitehaven, Whitehaven-Burnley, Burnley-London, London-Givry) meant I was able to be at The Valley for the Bristol City game and at Turf Moor for the midweek clash with Burnley. Both games had pluses and minuses, both could have gone either way, but ultimately they meant two more added to the list of games without a win. That set up today’s game, against opponents seemingly on the ropes and probably low on confidence. This had all the hallmarks of one we needed to win, to stop the run, to show the ruthlessness necessary to thrive in this division.

Win? We came away beaten and our tails very much between our legs after a performance right out of the worst of last season. Played ugly and lost, to a team which didn’t match our expectations – although we seldom pressured them sufficiently to find out why they have conceded so many of late. They had a game-plan and stuck to it, breaking quickly and with numbers. We degenerated into a mess with curious substitutions and if Watford could shoot straight would have lost by more.

Ahead of the game there was uncertainty about the team/squad Jones would select, driven not least by whether we would revert to the 4-2-3-1 system or go with five at the back as against Burnley. It proved to be the latter, with Mesik rewarded for his glorious last-gasp strike with a start in place of Bell, with McNamara the right-side wing back and Ramsay, Jones and Koumetio the central three. Coventry and Skipp would be the midfield pair and Campbell, Leaburn and Grant as a kind of front three. So pretty much as you were, with the formation leaving a defensive bias and Knibbs, Carey and Rankin-Costello (he not in the squad) to bide their time, while Kelman and Mbick, plus Alli out wide, were the options from the bench.

We began the game sloppily, poor passes and miscontrol giving away possession and encouraging Watford. Rather out of the blue we almost took the lead on eight minutes. Moving out of defence Koumetio created space and played the ball wide for Mesik. He delivered an excellent cross to find Leaburn in space. But he finished like someone very low on confidence in front of goal, heading wide when he really should have scored. How different the game may have turned out if he had.

That moment was the exception to the rule in the first half as we allowed a succession of Watford chances and ended with McNamara, Skipp and Campbell all on yellow cards (followed early in the second half by Coventry), Skipp going on to test the ref’s patience with further fouls. On 14 minutes the shot from another player cutting inside drew a good save from Okonkwo; on 21 Ramsay misjudged a ball forward only for their guy to shoot wastefully wide from a good position; on 26 minutes it took a perfectly timed flying challenge from Koumetio to prevent what looked a probable goal; and on 29 a simple one-two put another Watford player in, his effort saved by Okonkwo.

We did get more of a foothold in the game later in the half, with a scuffed effort from Campbell after a corner was headed out turned only just wide by Koumetio; and on 46 minutes Campbell might have done better when let in by a Watford mistake. But at the break you felt that Watford had nullified our threat with their 5-3-2 formation, with Campbell and Grant barely in the game, and made use of their extra man in central midfield to create more openings. The stats at the break showed they had 53% possession with eight efforts on goal, three on target, against five and one for us. Bottom line was we had to play better.

Jones kept the formation unchanged for the start of the second half, but replaced Skipp with Mwamba, with a possible red card for the former probably in his mind. The game continued in a similar fashion, although we did have another chance to take the lead. On 53 minutes Leaburn got the better of his marker on the right and took the ball on. His low cross was delivered just behind the incoming Grant, who was unable to control the ball and put it away. And in the next minute it was almost Watford as a break saw them with three on two. The guy was played in on goal but put his shot wide. It proved to be a temporary reprieve as Watford did finally score on 57 minutes. One of theirs was allowed to advance unchallenged into the box. His shot was parried by Okonkwu but only into the path of their forward who scored.

Going behind sparked a triple substitution by Jones on 61 minutes with Knibbs, Carey and Kelman replacing McNamara, Coventry and Grant. We kept to the three/five at the back but with Campbell moving to right wing-back, while Kelman joined Leaburn up front and we were left with a midfield three of Knibbs, Carey and Mwamba. Basically both defensive midfielders had been replaced – and it showed.

Watford dropped deeper but continued to pose a threat on the break. From our free kick on 68 minutes (after Jones was clearly elbowed in the face, one which VAR would have had a good look at) they went up the other end. Okonkwo blocked the first effort and another put the rebound over the bar. We huffed and puffed and created a scramble or two, most notably on 78 minutes as Alli, who had replaced Campbell, was pulled back and the resulting free-kick went in to the mix. Ramsay almost got on the end of it, finally Kelman did, but his effort from close range was blocked by their keeper on the line and then cleared.

On 81 minutes it took a late challenge by Ramsay to prevent Watford scoring again, then Okonkwo made an excellent save from a flicked header at the near post from a corner. On 84 minutes Watford missed another, while our afternoon was summed up by a horrible Carey shot. In five minutes of stoppage time Mwamba picked up a yellow and then Watford finally finished things off as a pass inside caught us out and their guy chipped Okonkwo to put, for them, the icing very much on the cake.

It was a depressing afternoon. We chose what was in essence a defensive formation (as at Burnley as McNamara and Bell/Mesik are not natural wing-backs, although Mesik did get forward well), supposedly keeping things tight, against opponents we thought would be worse than they proved to be (but hardly worldbeaters). We failed to impose ourselves on the game and were caught on the break by passing and movement so often it was embarrassing. We needed to score first but didn’t take the best chance of the first-half, or another early in the second. Then having gone behind we made changes which left us even more open – and confused me at least. Who thought that bringing on both Knibbs and Carey would work (one or the other would have done)? And Campbell as right-side wing-back?

The only positive for me was another excellent display by Koumetio. Jones will have a lot of thinking to do before Norwich come visiting next Saturday. Top of the list is surely that playing with wing-backs and having a sort of front three with Campbell and Grant stymied for space is not playing to our strengths. Not once today did TC have the ball at his feet on the left wing while Leaburn's lack of a goal is looking increasingly a burden. Why have we reverted to five at the back from the start? Is it the result of suddenly having more defenders back and available (such that some have to be dropped)? We badly miss Chalobah back fit to partner Coventry. All is not well and needs sorting out before this becomes an outright crisis.

 

Plenty To Ponder During The Break

For sure we don’t want to overreact, but equally all of us, including Jones, were disappointed by Saturday’s display. And one of the main reasons for that is that Cardiff played the same formation as us and gave us an object lesson in how to utilise it, forcing us to change our shape. They took more risks than us, with a greater focus on attack and covering defensive vulnerabilities by playing the game in our half, had a player in Moylan who orchestrated the game in the centre of a three behind a bullying centre-forward, and caused the sort of havoc through passing and movement in the final third that we hoped to see from us this season.

Stoke might have been down to an exceptional combination of circumstances, but we have now conceded seven in our last two away games, even though our goalkeeper has been excellent, and kept clean sheets but failed to score in our last two home games, albeit with poor key refereeing decisions going against us. would hope to see from us. Ship goals and lose away and can’t score at home is not exactly a happy combination – but equally we shouldn’t overlook the opening three games, when we came from behind to beat Derby at The Valley, pulled off an outstanding win at West Ham with a mix of dogged defence and goals, then found a way to beat a stubborn Preston.

The three weeks off gives the opportunity to get more of the injured – Mannion, Ramsay, Koumetio, Chalobah and Godden - back into shape, that list having already been shortened with the return of Kelman and Edwards. It gives Jones and his team the time – which has been in very short supply of late – to work on the training ground. And it gives those of us removed from the action, with no idea how things are working behind the scenes, to throw in their sixpennethworth on what might be done to be in the best situation once the games come thick and fast again.

Defensively, having Ramsay back will be a big bonus, but the two we have really missed have been Koumetio and Chalobah. Bindon has been thrown in at the deep end and has had to play a lot of football in a short space of time. But the fact is that he and Jones together has looked far less comfortable as Jones and Koumetio – and the game is about partnerships in key area. Just why Bindon and not Jones was having to deal with Cardiff’s physical centre-forward I don’t know. Perhaps the feeling was that Jones would be better placed going for the loose balls, against a lone forward but others getting forward quickly around our box, but that didn’t work. Pointing any blame at Bindon is neither fair nor useful, he and Jones had no time to work on building an understanding.

Similarly Skipp came in right at the end of the transfer window and was quickly thrown in as Chalobah picked up an injury, which we know is going to happen given his track record. Irrespective of Skipp’s abilities we have missed Chalobah’s ability to sense danger to the defence and act to head it off. He has a calming, reassuring effect on those around him. In terms of the defensive midfield pairing, Coventry and Chalobah looks very good, but Coventry and either Skipp, Ouma (who looks raw, does good things but has an unsettling effect as he appears prone to a mistake) or Mwamba, who has not featured of late, even Rankin-Costello, is less obvious.

The positives have been Okonkwu, McNamara and Mesik, plus incomers Koumetio and Chalobah before they got injured. McNamara is another who has had to play a lot, but aside from his tendency to get on the wrong side of referees has been very good. Equally Mesik has been required to play in a number of positions across the back line and hasn’t let anyone down.

The obvious answer to outright defensive problems is getting Ramsay, Koumetio and Chalobah back available. With them, and despite losing Sichenje, we are well covered and capable of switching to a back five as and when: McNamara/Ramsay, Jones and Koumetio/Bindon/Bell/Mesik, plus Mesik/Bell/Edwards. With Coventry and Chalobah, with Skipp, Ouma and Mwamba available, we should be covered there – and there’s no point thinking now that Docherty or Coady would provide better defensive cover.

Before turning to the forward players, there has to be criticism of our playing of the ball around the back. It is laboured and lacks conviction. The back line seem as if they are supposed to try to knock it around, but passes are too slow, too safe (so too often by the time the ball reaches another he is being closed down), and almost inevitably end with a lofted ball forward for Leaburn to battle for. Surely we ought to be able to play through the lines better than we are currently doing. And after aimless passes and the ball knocked long, the opposition is set and waiting. Everyone has to work harder to move the ball better out of defence – or if we are going to end up lofting it forward it is better done sooner than later and the three behind Leaburn more alert to second balls.

Added to that, we are too happy to be defensive, getting everyone behind the ball when out of possession. Of course players have a job to do and need to cover, it’s rather that having moved into a defensive shape we appear too happy to stay in one. Nobody getting close enough quickly enough to Leaburn. We have to stretch the opposition more than that.

I was mystified by changes made and not made on Saturday. If Jones didn’t make the call, somebody on the pitch in the first half needed to tell someone else to just stay tight to Moylan, he was causing us way too much damage. Somebody to say 'OK, you're Rodney Marsh, I'm Peter Reeves'. The change to a back 3/5 at the break was a reasonable response. What didn’t make sense (to me) was that we moved Grant alongside Leaburn and asked Campbell to go back to playing wing-back. I thought we’d moved on from that. Mesik and McNamara as wing-backs, put Campbell alongside Leaburn (in any event TC would do his main work down the left flank), and get Carey on – because we had abandoned the midfield 2 and 3 and he’s the best player we have at supporting the front two in that formation, as we saw last season. Instead we had a midfield of Coventry, Ouma and Skipp, which helped shore things up at the back but gave us no forward impetus. Carey did get on the pitch, as did Kelman, but then in a kind of 4-4-2.

And as for being overly defensive, we seemed to have given up on the game with plenty of time left. Yes, we were 3-1 down and didn’t want to concede a fourth. But we were up against a team which had not won all season. I don’t care how dominant they had been, Moylan had been shifted out wide and then withdrawn with perhaps 10 minutes still left. If we had got one back to 3-2 surely their nerves would have been jangling and who knows? Instead we had all 11 back for their corners. Surely it was worth trying something in that final period, to make them worry about us. Leave Campbell and Kelman on the half-way line. They would have to cover them. It’s called taking the initiative.

As for the personnel, the switch of Grant to the middle of the forward-looking three was worth a try but hasn’t paid off. For that position it seems we have Grant, Carey, Knibbs and Rankin-Costello. I don’t know how Knibbs is doing in training, but if he’s ready give him the job, with a view to bringing Carey on for him on the hour, to take better advantage of tiring opponents. If Knibbs is still out in the cold (and if he is why pick him as a sub?), the best option for me could well be Rankin-Costello. That central guy has to knit the three together, it requires speed of thought and the ability to pick the right pass.

Finally, the fact that Leaburn has yet to score is irrelevant. He has been instrumental in goals and hasn’t missed much that’s come his way. Playing all game trying to fend off centre-backs and do something with the ball is a task he is carrying out well, but it is a very tough ask when you are the only outlet for a lofted ball – and it’s too predictable. Leaburn is perfectly capable of running into channels for balls to his feet, but that requires the ball being brought out of defence and into midfield. At some point Kelman and/or Godden are going to be required to plough the lone furrow and there will be even less point in lofted balls forward. We need (IMO) to aim higher and to be braver on the ball. I thought at the start of the season we had that in mind, but it has slipped away over the past four games.

More Dispiriting Than Stoke

Last one before the extended break. Every team in the league wants to win their match, to go into the period feeling good. For us, a win would cement an excellent start to the season (four wins and only one defeat), a point would be OK but would mean three consecutive draws, a defeat would mean a record of 3-3-2 for the first eight but no win in five. All against a team which has struggled so far on its return to the Championship with no win to date but four draws themselves in seven - and with the stats showing they’ve created a considerable number of chances but converted few.

Well, we were beaten. Badly. I found it more dispiriting than Stoke. You could write that one off as a combination of poor refereeing, bad luck, errors, and just one of those days. This time we were lucky to get away with conceding only three. Their set-up, in particular their number 10 Moylan, caused us all sorts of problems in the first half – and we did nothing to try to close him down. That the game was still a contest at half-time was down to poor finishing, excellent goalkeeping, luck, and Campbell taking a good opportunity. We did change formation for the second half and for a while seemed to be competing, only to concede again, Moylan hitting a screamer after not being closed down.

Behind all that, we were too often poor in possession, struggling to control and pass the ball. In that area Cardiff gave us a real lesson. They had weaknesses of their own, with a vulnerability in defence that we too seldom exploited. Even then, at 3-1 with perhaps 10 minutes to go you felt if we just get another it could be interesting. Then our lack of ambition was evident in all 11 back for a corner and everyone getting behind the ball when out of possession. Had we given up on the game? Perhaps we had. We deserved nothing and the game will give Jones the Boss a great deal to ponder over the next couple of weeks.

The team was unchanged from Portsmouth. A back four in front of Okonkwu of McNamara, Jones, Bindon and Mesik, with no sign yet of a return for Koumetio, Mesik continuing to get the nod ahead of Bell, and increased competition on that side with the very welcome return of Edwards, among the subs. Coventry and Skipp would be the defensive midfield pairing, with Ouma among the subs (but not Mwamba or the still injured Chalobah) as well as Rankin-Costello. The three further forward of Campbell, Grant and Alli meant Carey and Knibbs still waiting their turn, with Nkeng another option but again no place for Apter. Up front it would be Leaburn again with Kelman on the bench.

As often the case recently, we started the game brightly, looking the better team. But that only lasted until the seventh minute, when they scored. It has to go down as an error by Jones (the Player). A ball forward to their guy and Jones committed himself to an interception, as he had in the first game against Derby. He didn’t get there and effectively took himself out of the game. The ball went through to another, who played the pass to Moylan, Jones’ guy, now unmarked, who shot well into the far corner.

Another period of relative parity followed, with Leaburn flicking it on for TC, who didn’t make the most of the chance, then Alli on the left (they had switched sides very early in the game) was played in by Docherty and his low cross was blocked. Until they scored again. Okonkwu had already turned a low shot around his post when a ball into our box was controlled by their centre-forward with his back to goal. He totally outmuscled Bindon, turned while protecting the ball, and before anyone else intervened was able to shoot home from close range, Okonkwu again having no chance.

On 28 minutes we got the lifeline. Bindon brought the ball forward and spotted the run of Campbell. He played the pass into the space and nobody was catching TC. He got to the ball and slotted it low under their keeper. Now, we thought, perhaps we can get more of a grip on the game and expose their back line. Instead the remainder of the first half turned into a series of gilt-edged chances for Cardiff, which they somehow failed to convert.

On 31 minutes a Cardiff guy was played in inside the box on their right side. He managed to get the ball past Okonkwu but it ran just wide of the far post, with a corner given. On 36 minutes a cross to our far post found two Cardiff players free. The ball was headed back but their guy muffed the shot from close range. On 42 mionutes we made a mess clearing our lines, guy into the box. He squared it for another, seemingly to tap into an empty net, but Okonkwu managed to get back and down to the ball to stop that happening. In between McNamara picked up a yellow card to tugging someone back, which through the second half meant he was treading a fine line with every foul.

At the break one thing was clear: if we carry on playing like this it could become a rout. The stats showed they had 58% possession and 10 attempts on goal, four on target, against three and one for us. We scored but otherwise their keeper did not have a save to make, while Okonkwu and inept finishing had kept us in the game.

Jones did make changes. Bell and Ouma came on for Alli (who had looked rather lost, especially after switching wings) and Bindon, which meant switching to a back three/five but actually replacing one of the central three. Mesik and Bell were either side of Jones, McNamara and Campbell now wing-backs, a midfield of Coventry, Skipp and Ouma, Leaburn and Grant up front.

For a while the change did confuse, or at least stymie, Cardiff. But Steve Brown as usual got it right on CATV by saying they would sooner or later work out where the spaces and opportunities would come from. Skipp picked up a yellow, putting him in the same boat as McNamara, with his foul resulting in a free-kick in a dangerous position, although the wall did its job. On 52 minutes we did fashion a chance as a throw was flicked on by Leaburn and played on by Ouma to Grant in space on our right side. He chose to shoot and found only the side-netting from a difficult angle, when a squared ball for TC seemed the better option.

At the other end Cardiff came close again as a cross to our far post eluded defenders but not their guy, whose decent header was saved by Okonkwu. And we were for one the right side of a poor refereeing decision as Skipp slipped and lost the ball in a dangerous position only to get awarded a very dubious free-kick.

On the hour we conceded another. Didn’t seem their most dangerous situation as Moylan moved onto the ball just outside the area. But he hit an absolute screamer, with enough curl to send it into the net off the post. That knocked the fight out of us and it was almost four on 68 minutes as Skipp and Ouma managed to mess up and their full-back took it on, skipped past a couple of static defenders, and shot powerfully against the base of the post.

On 69 minutes it was Kelman for Coventry, which meant another formation change, to a 4-4-2. And Kelman almost scored with his first touch. Grant found him with a ball through the middle. He got to it before their keeper but couldn’t get enough lift on the ball to clear him, instead the keeper’s face got in the way.

A goal back then and the closing stages might have been interesting, but it was not to be. Instead the game petered out. Edwards and Carey came on for Leaburn and McNamara and we seemed more intent on not conceding again than going for an unlikely rescue act. Edwards might have given away a penalty in stoppage time, with a clear tug on the guy’s shirt, but the ref deemed he had gone down too easily and gave him a yellow card. It really didn’t matter, nor did Mesik managing to pick a fight at the end, earning him (and the other guy) a yellow card.

The game exposed several vulnerabilities and shortcomings. Bindon against their big centre-forward was a mismatch, Skipp looks a good player but surely the role of the two in front of the defence is just to tackle, cover and win the ball back. It was hard to avoid the conclusion that Docherty could do that job better. Ouma looks prone to errors. Alli had a poor afternoon, Grant didn’t convince in the central advanced midfield role, and Leaburn’s struggles were in vain. Campbell was asked to play on the left of midfield, then on the right side, then wing-back, then back to left-winger as we changed formation. He must have felt that nothing had changed from last season. And through the first half at least we allowed Moylan to control the game, as if blinded by the fact that so far this season Cardiff had usually failed to take the chances they created.

The only positives were the return of Edwards (although not surprisingly he looked rusty) and Okonkwu. We surely have to get better at playing a 4-2-3-1, playing between the lines, passing and doing the basics better. If we can’t, the formation will not be working. Having more players back from injury will help for sure, but Jones needs to find the right mix if we are to turn around what is now three points in five games.

Bag Restrictions Not Required By New Legislation, Clubs Taking Cheap & Easy Way Out

I don’t think there’s any doubt that the new bag restrictions policy introduced by Charlton for games/events at The Valley - and it appears many other football clubs - is driven by convenience and a desire to save money, by taking the cheap way out, despite the inconvenience to supporters. The basic reason it appears – and just why Charlton and other clubs don’t acknowledge this I’ve no idea, unless it might expose that there are other options available other than restricting bag size to A4 – is compliance with The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, otherwise known as Martyn’s Law, which has received Royal Assent with new rules expected to come into force in spring 2027 (ie before the end of the current season).

Charlton restricts itself to commenting that the new bag policy is in order “to ensure the safety and security of entry of all spectators”. Brentford go into more detail, stating openly that new bag restrictions (ie the A4 rule) are in line with “incoming crowd safety legislation” which, the club states on its site, “requires Brentford to demonstrate enhanced, robust security arrangements”. It adds that “we must now tighten our bag policy to comply with incoming legislation and align with best safety and security practise across major UK sport and entertainment venues”. Chelsea are a little more vague, stating that “the bag policy is one of the measures we have in place for the safety and security of everyone attending our matches”.

So let’s be clear. The new legislation does not require bag restrictions. Clubs, such as Brentford, attempting to present new policies as required by the new legislation are quite frankly not being truthful. Note that Brentford actually give a dual reason for the change: first, to comply with new legislation (not true); second, to align with best practise (which is a choice, not a legal requirement, and the definition of best practise is of course subjective). Clubs are quite within their rights to imposes new regulations for entry to the venue, but it is a choice.

You get a clue to the real motivation from another justification for the bag restrictions. “Reducing the size and number of bags entering the stadium limits the opportunities for prohibited or dangerous items to be concealed and also speeds up bag searches, reducing queues for supporters”. Ah. So there is no legal requirement to reduce bag size, let alone to the absurd A4, but it is so that fewer staff are required to deal with bag searches and no special equipment is needed. It is common practise at many venues to put a bag through an X-ray scan or similar, to go through one yourself. But clubs don’t have the machines in place, don’t want to spend the money on them, don’t want to bring in additional staff to handle bags, and to be fair want to avoid what would probably be time delays getting into the ground. But there is nothing to prevent clubs from having a dedicated turnstile/entrance for people with bags, for these bags to be searched/X-rayed. Those wishing to bring in a bag accept it will take longer to get in with one.

If anyone doubts that Martyn’s Law doesn’t advocate/require bag restrictions, take a look through it yourself:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025/terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025-statutory-guidance

A cursory look at the legislation is sufficient to determine that The Valley and other football grounds fall under its definition of enhanced tier premises, so it is right and proper that clubs look at the new legislation and what might need to be done to comply with it. The legislation is actually more focused on how venues deal with a terrorist attack than options such as bag restrictions. Relevant sentences include: the legislation requires venues to “have in place, so far as reasonably practicable, appropriate public protection measures that could be reasonably expected to reduce both the vulnerability of the premises or event to an act of terrorism occurring and the risk of physical harm being caused to individuals if an attack occurs there or nearby”; and “those responsible for enhanced tier premises or events must also put in place measures to reduce their vulnerability to terrorism. These may be implemented through people (such as training), processes (such as a bag search policy) or physical measures (such as CCTV)”; and “… for example, there is little point in arranging search and screening of bags at a main entrance, if additional entrances or exits elsewhere at the premises are open and can be accessed without bag checks in place”. So the legislation talks of a possible ‘bag search policy’, not a need for restrictions on bags, just for measures to deal with them.

OK, so let’s assume that Charlton want to impose this A4 restriction, because everyone else is doing it (which counts for nothing). What can be done to limit the inconvenience for supporters? It is accepted that most supporters do not want to take bags into the ground and are unaffected. But some are, both home and away fans.

Lockers? Hardly. If the objective is to make it more difficult for a terrorist you don’t provide the opportunity to anonymously put a bag in a locker. Bag storage areas? OK in principle, but for a start don’t charge for the service. Bloody ridiculous and offensive. Supporters are now asked to pay for the privilege of complying with a new restriction imposed at the whim of the club. And make it accessible to both home and away fans (which in practise means two different locations). Transparent bags? Also ridiculous and offensive to ask fans to pay for them. In any event these do not address the needs of a supporter who has a bag with him/her.

Why did I bother with all of this? Personal interest for sure. I’m planning a trip for October, to take in the Bristol City game at The Valley, go up north to visit a friend, then train back to Burnley for the away game at Turf Moor before back to London then France. That means I’d be carrying a small backpack, an easyjet-compatible one, for clothes and toiletries. In light of Charlton’s policy change I thought I’d better check what Burnley do.

Checked out the Burnley FC website and it states that ‘Small bags/backpacks – must be able to fit under your seat’. Great, I thought, my bag will comply with that. To double check I emailed, using the address provided. There was a prompt and helpful reply: “I can confirm that small backpacks are allowed at the Turf Moor, and we’d ask that you just store this under your seat”. All is well. Until the next day when I received another email, from a different person at the club. “We do not allow bags that exceed an A4 size”. I have sent another email to ask for clarification on which is correct. The second email added that “we offer a storage service where you can leave your belongings with us; however, you might find it difficult to move between this space and our away end, especially post-match”. So as much use as a chocolate teapot to someone hoping to get a supporters’ coach back to London. Pending clarification, seems my only option is to either not take my bag with me (ie try to wear the changes of clothes) or arrange to meet the Charlton coaches arriving at the ground (assuming there are some) and to put my bag on one of them for the post-match return.

I don’t add this to embarrass Burnley in any way, just seems that there is considerable confusion around the (possible) new restrictions. And I very much doubt if my case is unique. Are clubs really unable to deal with a supporter wishing to take into the ground a bag which will fit under the seat, one who is happy to have it searched/emptied etc?