Very Close To Great Win

Today we were set to either take a material step to closing the gap on the top six, to suffer the opposite and fall further behind, or emerge with a point and at least keep the unbeaten run going and remain on an upward curve. This was always going to be a big one, for us more than them as we have the gap to close. In the end we had to settle for a point as we failed to find the goal to win it as a pretty even contest for the first hour – with Reading having shaded the first half on decent chances and started the second better than us – turned in our favour as they seemed to wilt, perhaps suffering from the extra game over the holiday period. Well before the end they were looking content to hold what they had.

You could look on the game as highlighting that both sides lacked the quality to make the most of good positions. Both had decent chances but clear-cut ones were very few, and as the game progressed they fell to us. That we didn’t score, and win, was down to a Leaburn shot after their keeper dropped a cross being blocked on the line followed by some decent saves, not getting the rub of the green inside the box, plus sometimes a lack of composure in picking the final option, most obviously involving Small down the right side, who had them for toast but couldn’t convert that into a goal for himself or setting up one for someone else. It wasn’t one you’d say ‘two points dropped’ but we were very close to what would have been a massive win.

With the Crawley game having been called off, easing concerns over legginess and the possible need to rest some, to nobody’s surprise Jones named an unchanged side, for the third successive game (ie making it the same team for four in a row). But there was a change on the bench, with Aneke deemed ready to return to the fold, leapfrogging Kanu with Hylton dropping out. For the record, Reading – who had of course played on new year’s day – made three changes to a winning side, two enforced by injuries.

The first half was nip and tuck throughout. The stats at the break indicated we had 55% possession and six shots (one on target) against four (and zero) for them. But they don’t really tell the story. Reading got forward quickly in numbers and caused our defence problems throughout. We only kept a clean sheet by virtue of two outstanding blocks (first from Berry, getting in the way of a Savage effort, then Jones getting across to prevent their guy scoring from close in), plus a bad miss, when their guy was left in space at the near post only for his flick on the cross to him going wide of the far post.

For our part Small was a constant threat down the right and Campbell was close on a few occasions, especially when he caught a defender trying to shepherd the ball going towards their goal, cut inside, but shot too close to the keeper. Bulk of possession, more shots apparently, some decent crosses which almost found their mark, but nothing you could point to as clear-cut or which forced something special from their keeper. Perhaps the closest we came was a good shout for a penalty as Campbell seemed to be taken down after he’d laid off the ball.

There was a curious and possibly unsavoury incident just before the break as the ref – who never seemed fully in control of the game and made some poor decisions on what were and were not fouls, most obviously ignoring several deliberate blocks on our players moving forward – seemed to give Reading a free-kick only for the ball to run on and Edwards to clear, then for him to get cleaned out by their guy’s late challenge. The ref ended up giving them the free-kick but also giving a yellow for the challenge, perhaps the doubt over whether he was pushed and couldn’t stop himself preventing it being a red.

Reading did come out of the blocks the faster in the second half. They almost took the lead at the start as Gillsephey was bundled off the ball and their guy was in on goal, only for Maynard-Brewer to get a vital touch to turn the ball wide. They also had an appeal for a penalty as a volley at the far post was blocked by Leaburn, perhaps with an outstretched arm, but from close range.

That was to be about as good as it got for Reading as the momentum swung in our favour, leading to a procession of chances/near misses. We seemed to have taken the lead on 52 minutes as Leaburn played in Campbell to run through on goal and plant a shot into the net, only for the game to be called back for an offside decision, one which looked a close call (similar to Leaburn being played in to score against Wycombe). Then Docherty was caught late having headed the ball by their guy on a yellow, the ref deciding against a second one, Leaburn’s low cross was not converted, then a corner was half-cleared and Docherty hit it on the volley only for their keeper to gather it well low down.

On 68 minutes again we thought we had the lead. A routine cross from our right was dropped by their keeper and Leaburn was on hand to plant it into what we assumed was an empty net, only for a guy to have moved back to block the effort on the line. On 74 minutes their keeper kept us out again, with a badly worked ending up with Small on the other side and his ball back in met by Jones to divert it goalwards. Then on 80 minutes Small took on and beat two defenders. A third had come across and should have cleared but missed the chance, leaving Small in space around the edge of the box. But he shot wildly and wide.

Jones made our first change with about 10 minutes to go, introducing Aneke (this time leapfrogging Ahadme) for a tiring Leaburn. The stage seemed set for Chuks to win it at the death, but nothing fell his way. Campbell cramped up and was replaced by Godden and he had the final shot of the match, into the keeper’s midriff from close range but a narrow angle.

We can all look at the table tonight and think about where we would be if we’d taken one of the chances. The more positive aspect is that after three consecutive victories we’ve ended up dominating a team currently in a top-six position, one by the end very grateful not to have lost. If we maintain this level of performance, ideally improve with slightly more composure and better decision-making when in sight of goal, we have good reason to believe that we can be in the mix. So not a great day, but a decent one.

Next Three Games May Hold The Key

I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to view the next three games – assuming they survive the weather – as potentially season-defining, especially as by the time they are done and dusted we will probably also have a good idea of our expectations for the transfer window. Home to Reading then (after the diversion of the FA Cup) trips to Rotherham and Bolton. Two of them above us in the league, a position we will probably have to reverse if we are to claim a top-six spot, and the third having surprisingly underperformed to date.

Of course with the season only half completed and with any side capable of going on a run higher (or lower) nothing can be said with certainty. But you’d get good odds on us overhauling any of the top three, and decent ones on us closing a 10 points gap to fourth-placed Huddersfield. There’s no current indication of anyone below us at present looking likely to burst onto the promotion scene (although no doubt one will), with Rotherham and Peterborough probably the two that would have expected to be higher than they are. So on that very provisional basis you could suggest that seven teams – Reading, Barnsley, Stockport, Leyton Orient, Mansfield, Bolton and ourselves – are in a scrap from now on for two play-off spots. No disrespect intended, but I suspect most people would be surprised if Stockport, Orient or Mansfield were to claim one of them. That leaves Reading, despite their problems, Barnsley, Bolton and us – ie in the next few weeks we play two of our three major contenders for a play-off place.

As things stand, clearly on a points-per-game basis extended over a full season we would miss out. So we have to outperform them in the second half of the season, starting with at least not losing to those we cannot afford to see move further away from us. I’d suggest five points (a win and two draws), arguably three (if three draws), might be the minimum requirement. It’s too early to call them six-pointers, but if we lose to Reading and/or Bolton it would be a serious blow to our hopes.

It's not as if we can draw any reliable conclusions about how we are likely to perform in the second half of the season. We started and ended the first half in fine fettle, with three consecutive victories to open the campaign and now three to finish 2024. In between of course we’ve gleaned just 15 points from 13 games. With the glorious victory over Wycombe (there was a bar in Aix-en-Provence that was, for a short period of time, more Charlton than Cezanne) we can point to having beaten Birmingham (crazily now being cited by the bookies at 50/1 on for promotion), Bolton and Wycombe and drawn with Wrexham, Barnsley, Stockport and Mansfield. We also have losses to Stevenage, Bristol Rovers, Exeter and Crawley (with no disrespect intended to any of them, the outcomes were not flukes).

So, have we rediscovered our early season mojo and are set to continue to close in on a play-off spot, or just had a second good run about to be ended, as was the first (at the end of August), by Reading?

Some things have gone right of late. Jones’ return has stiffened the defence, with a quite dependable trio of him, Mitchell and Gillesphey, while the switching of Small to the right side has been effective, reducing the impact of the loss of Ramsay, and has enabled Jones the Boss to return to a 3-5-2/5-3-2 (or however it gets described and sometimes tweaked). After suspensions Docherty and Berry have returned with what seems like greater purpose, certainly greater goal threat, with Taylor and Anderson now having to bide their time, while up front Leaburn’s continuing rehabilitation has come with goals and Campbell has added pace alongside him, notching a couple himself, even though being among the subs is harsh on Godden.

In addition, aside from the bug which seemed to influence selection for the Northampton game, we’ve not suffered recently from fresh injuries. As a result of all this we’ve come some way towards having a settled and reliable side, something which a month or so ago looked a long way off. The message ahead of the three games coming up surely has to be to not let standards drop one iota, which means more determined and committed displays over the full game.

Whether Jones will be pressing the owners to provide a signing or two in January to bolster a play-offs push I’ve no idea. Clearly we cannot afford to lose Jones to Wycombe (or anyone else), or Leaburn. Letting either leave would send entirely the wrong message. But if Ramsay and Aneke are close to being available again, however rusty, that will feel like two new signings (I’m assuming Watson is further away). There are plenty who would benefit from going out on loan, if Jones wants to streamline the squad and if temporary homes can be found, while others could be offloaded if there are offers.

The call normally goes up for a more creative midfielder, but I’m just not sure Jones wants to operate with a real playmaker. If you assume we have Coventry, Docherty and Berry as the current first-choice trio, that leaves Taylor, Anderson and Campbell(A) as the back-ups, under the current formation. It clearly is an area where some changes could be made.

Same could be said about the forwards. Leaburn, Campbell(T), Godden, Ahadme, Kanu, Aneke and Hylton suggests seven competing for two starting places and two or three on the bench. Each has their own story: Leaburn coming back after a long lay-off, Campbell(T) still being converted from a wide starter (but still used in that role as and when), Godden with a good goals-per-minute record but not having had as many starts as he would have expected, Ahadme proving disappointing so far but also not getting a consistent run in the team, Kanu returning from injury, Aneke as usual absent for so long, Hylton really viewed as a stop-gap. Fact is with half the season gone our leading scorer in the league is on five and just makes the division’s top 30.

It’s perhaps fairer to look at the return for all those who have played in the two forward spots. Godden (5), Leaburn (4), Campbell(T) (2), Ahadme (1), Aneke (1), Hylton (1), Kanu (1). That makes 15 combined (if my numbers are correct), implying a front-two contribution over a full season of around 30. That’s not terrible, but it isn’t great either. We have scored 27 goals in 22 games and that’s not good enough for a promotion challenge. No team above us has scored fewer and three below us have scored more. But we’ve scored 9 in our last three games, so is the problem already being resolved, with Berry and Docherty have chipped in 7 between them (8 from midfield if you add the one from Coventry).

You’ve got to assume that Jones and his team, and the owners, have been working on the changes we would like to make to make us better and propel us truly into the promotion mix. But before that can happen we have these three games to deal with.

RIP Charlie Wright

Like every other Addick, I was saddened this morning to hear of the death of Charlie Wright. All our thoughts go out to his family and friends, hopefully the warmth of the appreciation to be shown by our club and others, most obviously Bolton, will be of some comfort.

I must have seen Charlton goalkeepers before him; Mike Rose and Peter Wakeham spring to mind, but mainly from scrapbook cuttings. Charlie was the first Charlton keeper that I truly remember, the uncontested number one for an extended period (195 games over five years, including ‘that season’ when under Eddie Firmani we almost made it back to the First Division).

I can’t claim to have actually talked to him during a game, or thrown a sweet in his direction, let alone shared a cigarette, but I remember this all going on, to the extent that as a child I thought warning the keeper that there might be danger coming and to turn around was part of the supporter’s role. In those days my father and I stood in the unnamed/uncovered/away end for games. He would take me down to the front behind the goal to get a good view, then go back up the terrace a little to talk to his friends (which became a rite of passage as eventually I was invited up to join them for the second half).

Before I left Blackheath for France the builders doing the roof – I discovered too late that they were Spanners – told me that they knew Charlie, from his Greenwich café days, and passed on a few anecdotes. That he was ‘a character’ is beyond question, a decent keeper too. Thanks for the memories Charlie.

Points Secured But Performance Mixed

It was tempting ahead of this one to be thinking in terms of ‘holiday season game against a team around the bottom, just get the win and move on’, with Wycombe up next. Nobody was questioning the need for a win above all else, but it was surely a more important game than that, even passing over the implied element of complacency which has so often cost us dear this season. After the thumping of Northampton and the excellent display, for me the question was are we a good team (ie one capable of a promotion challenge) still developing and perhaps on an improving trend as players return from injury, or are we a middling team which had a good day against poor opposition? With the January transfer window coming up, we need to know.

The outcome was overall, for me, slightly disappointing. We did get the points, so no quibbles on that front. Can’t argue with a win. What we didn’t get was the level of performance. As against Northampton we found ourselves two goals up inside 20 minutes, but what followed was Cambridge having the lion’s share of possession, with arguably greater cohesion than us going forward, at least until they got to the danger zone. They put the outcome back in doubt with a goal early in the second half and hit the post with a curler. We had chances too, with Berry denied by an excellent save, but if Cambridge had nicked a late equaliser, as they did last season, we really couldn’t have complained. They were stiffer opposition (underlined by Northampton shipping another four goals yesterday) and, although we were ahead through the game, failed to dominate them or put the game to bed.

According to Jones, we went from “magnificent from first to last” on Saturday to doing “really well for the majority of the game”. In reality we did OK, not more. The defence deserves credit for the resolution shown, although the copybook was blotted by their goal, which was poor from our perspective, and the way they worked the chance for the one off the post. Docherty and Berry had decent games, both could have scored, but didn’t stand out in the same way as Saturday; and up front we laboured rather after the early goals. Oh hell, we won, give Cambridge some credit (and a complements of the season to Euell, Morrison and Cousins), move on.

To nobody’s surprise, the team – indeed the whole squad – was unchanged from Northampton. You don’t tinker with a team which should have been buoyed by a 0-5 victory unless you have to. My only quibble as before was again going with three forwards on the bench rather than going for a second defensive option (Tedun, Potts or Asiimwe), or adding Taylor assuming he was well again, while presumably Kanu if fit might have made the squad.

On Saturday we took almost 10 minutes to take the lead. Yesterday it took 36 seconds. An interception and a hook of the ball over his head and down the line by Leaburn for Campbell to chase. He got there first and managed to maintain the advantage over the chasing defender. But he was still facing a tight angle on the right side with no prospect of being able to square it to anyone. He rolled the dice and put in a decent enough strike, but their keeper allowed it to go through his legs and into the net. Any goalkeeper beaten at their near post in such a fashion is going to come in for flak.

After that Cambridge had the bulk of possession but gave an insight into their problems by almost coughing up a second – as Campbell’s ball across from the right was only just diverted from danger – and then actually conceding again on 20 minutes. An Edwards long throw from the left into the box was flicked on and up by Gillesphey. Leaburn, Berry and Campbell, plus a defender, were involved as the ball dropped, but their keeper was clear favourite to either collect or punch away. Instead, by accident or design, Campbell made contact with him and that proved enough to prevent him dealing with the danger. Oblivious Leaburn kept his eye on the ball and headed into an empty net. Nine times out of 10 it would have been given as a foul on the keeper – they usually get the benefit of the doubt. That their keeper was not as strong and decisive as he should have been is not in question, nor is it really in question that VAR would have rightly concluded it was a foul. The ref made some odd decisions through the game and this was the first.

At that point I suspect we all thought that Cambridge’s defensive frailties would lead sooner or later to a third for us and game over. Didn’t turn out that way. For the remainder of the first half they had most of the play and we weren’t able to have enough of the ball to threaten again. They weren’t exactly threatening either, one shot over the bar from a decent position being the best they could muster.

Monk’s dissatisfaction with their first-half display was apparent with a double substitution at the break, and before the hour was up they were back in the game. There seemed little or no danger as their playmaker, Stokes, collected the ball in a central position, but he rode two ineffectual challenges to advance and slide the ball into the channel for another to run onto. His first touch was good, his second saw him square the ball for a tap-in. A poor goal from our perspective, but from theirs reward for perseverance and good execution when the chance arose.

With over 30 minutes left the odds were heavily on there being at least one more goal in the game, which by implication meant we probably needed to score again if we were to win. Wrong again it proved, but so nearly the case. Only minutes after their goal Cambridge came within a whisker of equalising. The worked the ball down their left and it was played square to Stokes on the edge of the area. He seemed to shape to shoot, only to decide that either the angle wasn’t right or he would be closed down. Instead he played it back to the guy on the left edge of the box. With the balance having shifted, he was able to cut inside on his right foot and suddenly the goal just opened up before him. There was nothing Maynard-Brewer could do about the curler, just hope (as we all did) it wouldn’t curl enough. It hit the post and came out.

Cambridge never came as close again (they did have a hooked shot which went wide and one from close in blocked). Perhaps surprisingly they took off Stokes with over 20 minutes left and rather tailed off. Perhaps we just kept the lid on things well, although with only one goal in it nerves were showing as the clock ticked down. We might have got the goal to make it safe, with a scramble in their box on the hour ending with a strike from Berry. It looked a goal, but their keeper earnt a little redemption with an excellent instinctive save to turn it wide. Also, Edwards got the better of a defender trying to shepherd the ball out for a goal kick and kept it in play, only for the ref to absurdly deem it as a foul.

Jones waited until normal time was up before making any changes, which was surprising as fresh legs up front might have helped sooner. Ahadme and Anderson came on for Leaburn and Campbell, and right at the end Edmonds-Green replaced Berry. When it came the final whistle was a blessed relief, not that we were really under the cosh but rather any slip in the final minutes could have meant two points given away.

For sure Wycombe on Sunday is going to be an altogether different challenge. They haven’t lost for jonks and average over two goals a game. Against that, our record against the teams at the top has been good, primarily due to the outstanding win against Birmingham and draw against Wrexham. Jones will have to think about whether to change the formation, back to the compact and defensive 4-4-2 we have employed when the priority has been not to concede. The mantra might be ‘don’t change a winning team’ but we’ve used that formation to good effect to frustrate the opposition. Would it work against Wycombe? No idea, that’s for Jones and his team to decide.

For me, I’ll struggle to be able to watch the game as we are decamping to Aix-en-Provence for a few days to see in the new year and are likely to be in transit for much of it. So on that note I’ll take the opportunity to wish all Addicks a fabulous 2025 (and we all know what that means)!

Santa Came To Town

 A week ago we didn’t get our ‘reason to believe’. This time around we needed it with bells on, our last chance for an Xmas prezzie. Up against a team with only one win in six (like us), close to the relegation zone, and with an interim manager (one who had overseen a thumping at Peterborough). Three points please Santa, with a few goals thrown in for good measure. And for once Santa gave us what we wanted – although as football is a zero-sum game you would also have to conclude that Northampton fans must have been very, very naughty over the past year. And to continue the theme, I’m sure I’m not the only one to highlight Jesus coming to town for his birthday and sticking five past Palace in a week.

With confirmation of the team came the news that a bug had laid low some players, making it difficult to discern which of the four changes from the Mansfield game were choices and which were enforced. Anderson and Godden dropped to the bench while Taylor and Kanu didn’t make the squad. It left us with an assumed 3-5-2 with Jones, Mitchell and Gillesphey the three centre-backs in front of Maynard-Brewer (still holding off Mannion), with it turned out Small switching sides and Edwards the left-sided wing-back. Docherty and Berry came into midfield to operate alongside Coventry, while up front Leaburn and Campbell(T) started. On the bench would be Edmonds-Green as the sole defensive back-up, Anderson and Campbell(A) for midfield, and three replacement forwards, Ahadme, Godden and Hylton.

I can’t answer for the fitness of the individuals, but before the game I wrote that if it were Godden alongside Leaburn it was pretty much the side I’ve have chosen. Docherty and Berry have yet to really make their mark, but they were bought to do so, give them the chance, especially as Anderson has been struggling of late, while reverting to a ‘big man/little man’ combo up front made sense. Whether Edwards or Small should operate as the left-sided wing-back is a split decision for me, as is whether Edwards or Potts might replace Gillesphey. As for the right-side wing-back, I found it curious that Jones had commented that all those who could play there were currently out, citing Ramsay, Watson and Mitchell(Z). No mention of Asiimwe, who was brought back from loan when Ramsay and Watson were crocked in quick succession. I’ve no idea whether or not he’s looked the part in training, but why on earth did we bring him back only to be ignored? As for the subs, having three forwards on the bench again looked odd, especially if one of them was below-par, when Edun, Potts or Asiimwe might have given better balance.

I sent a text around at the start asking if someone might wake me up at half-time, for obvious reasons, but yesterday rather turned out as the exception that proves the rule. Within the first 10 minutes we were ahead and within 12 we’d scored again and come close with a Leaburn header in between.

Reports on Docherty’s opener talk of the ball dropping to him. That’s not accurate. It was a bit of a scramble in their box as Campbell tried to control a cross, but nothing ‘dropped’ to Docherty. He saw an opportunity and drove forward for it, getting ahead of his marker. He then planted a shot across their keeper and into the net, focusing on placement rather than power (ie he didn’t blaze it over the bar as so many have done before him). He deserves the credit for forging a goal out of very little.

Our second owed more to good play from us than poor defending. Leaburn was allowed the time on our left side to consider his options, but his pass forward and inside was weighted perfectly for an onrushing Campbell to get there first and poke it home. Far too often of late we’ve been choosing the wrong option or executing the pass poorly when in such positions. This time Leaburn got it right, as did Campbell with his timing, to score a very welcome first league goal of his season.

To say that Northampton were all at sea is an understatement. Every time they lost the ball going forward they looked in danger of conceding again, while after an initial threat from their big centre-forward was progressively dealt with by Jones in particular, leaving them looking toothless up front, in addition to being stretched and outfought in midfield and defending not just like schoolboys but like very bad schoolboys.

The game was effectively sealed before the break with a third that was mostly down to that sort of defending. A fairly aimless ball forward was about to be contested by Berry for us, plus their defender. For some reason another defender decided to leave Leaburn and get involved, only for all three to barely get a touch on the ball, which ran on to a now isolated Leaburn. He took it well, scoring with a low shot, but the defending was just shockingly bad.

Football’s arguably an easy game to play when you are three goals to the good, but now we were passing and moving in a fashion totally at odds with many recent performances, taking chances that paid off and created openings. Docherty and Berry were both playing as if someone had really had a go at them – and what a difference it made, both getting forward to lend support while Coventry tidied up well in front of the defence. Northampton provided nothing for their supporters to latch on to.

Not surprisingly Northampton did up their effort in the second half and, with us equally unsurprisingly a little lacklustre, for a while had a majority of possession. They did have one fierce shot which was a little too high and wide. But that really was it and any thoughts of a comeback went out of the window on 68 minutes as we scored again. Berry did well down our right and managed to deliver a low cross from the byline back into their area. If found Docherty. While his opener may have been more about placement than power, this time it was both as he hit a crisp shot into the roof of the net.

Game over, cue the changes. On 75 minutes Anderson, Ahadme and Hylton were introduced for Docherty – denied a hattrick but with a MotM display – plus the front two. Campbell(A) later came on for Berry, then Edmonds-Green for Coventry. And just to rub it in, going into stoppage time we worked the ball on our right side and played in Mitchell, with half the Northampton defence moving forward to play offside and the other half quite simply not. He took it on and was able to pick out his man, providing the assist for Hylton to do what he had singularly failed to do while at Northampton (in 30 appearances), ie score.

Just as it was hard to say whether the team selection was down to choices made or the fitness of individuals given the bug, so we can’t sing the praises of our performance without putting it into the context of the opposition. That said, Docherty and Berry took the game by the scruff of the neck, backed up by those around them, while both of the front two scored and the defence snuffed out whatever threat there might have been.

Suffice to say, as Jones acknowledged post-match, it has to be followed up with similar if not better displays. The bar was set high early this season and standards subsequently dropped, the task now – hopefully helped by renewed confidence – is to avoid that happening. Four points off a play-off place may be slightly misleading, given could easily make it seven with their game in hand, and we have at least five places to climb. But at least this morning we are looking looking up.

20 Shots & Two On Target

Fair to say that today we just needed something to raise the spirits. Could be a thumping win, or a win of any kind, decent performance, encouraging performances from individual players, perhaps even just an enjoyable game of football. A reason to believe. Given that both teams were going into the game on the back of pretty awful recent form, and had managed to score 40 goals in 35 games between them (while conceding 41), hopes weren’t especially high.

Just as well they weren’t as both sides conspired to show why they have scored so few. The chances were balanced in that in the first half Mansfield, who were much the better side in that period, missed a sitter and at least two other decent chances, while we failed to convert an early one-on-one and produced nothing after that, but in the second we improved and had the gilt-edged one, along with other moments – including a good shout for a penalty, an unusual one but so what? They did still manage to sky a shot or two from good positions. The stats showed there were 20 shots in the game, just two on target. A point apiece was a fair result as neither side deserved to win.

The team showed three changes from the Lincoln game and pointed to a 3-5-2. The central defensive three in front of Maynard-Brewer were unchanged (Jones, Mitchell and Gillesphey) but while Campbell(T) was asked again to play wing-back, on the other flank Edwards was given a rest and Small started, presumably to provide a greater attacking threat. In central midfield Docherty dropped to the bench as Coventry returned from a knock, while up front Jones opted to start with Godden and Kanu, with both Leaburn and Ahadme among the subs. Jones also decided to revert to having a back-up goalkeeper available, with Mannion seemingly available again after injury.

For us the game started brightly as Campbell cut inside from a throw and played an excellent ball for Anderson, who made a very good run from deep, to be effectively through on goal. But his second touch was heavy, sent him a bit wide, and gave their keeper the chance to advance and save the effort. That was as good as it got in the first half as Godden and Kanu were marked out of the game, Campbell after his early involvement was unable to create anything down the right, while Small seemed to have the beating of his guy on the other flank but didn’t see enough of the ball.

By contrast Mansfield had a centre-forward capable of matching our back line for strength. He gave a master class in holding and laying off the ball, also providing a reminder to all that a big, strong guy up front doesn’t mean you have to hit everything in the air. He was instrumental in allowing their midfield to get up in support and stretch is. He was also responsible for blowing their best chance. We were opened up on their left and the ball was played in low. The forward was in space but sent his shot on the turn high and wide. That was followed by a two-against-two around the edge of our box which we just about got away with, then from a set piece a ball was played back on their right and was met by a guy around the penalty spot. He didn’t know much about it and the contact sent the ball wide, but if it had been on target would surely have been a goal.

Not surprisingly Jones made a change at the break, with Leaburn replacing Godden. And that did change the balance of the game. Our penalty shout came early on. The ball seemed to be running behind for a goal kick, Oshilaja thought so. But Leaburn managed to get to it and knock it back into play. Both were on the ground but Leaburn was getting up first to the loose ball, only to be clearly held back/dragged down. It was a curious one, but no question VAR would have resulted in a penalty.

The bulk of the chances after that were for us. The main one was just before the hour as Campbell flicked on a throw and Leaburn was, like Anderson before him, effectively through on goal. But his right-foot effort went wide of the advancing keeper. A ball into the box later found Leaburn’s head, but he couldn’t divert it on target. Mansfield did seem to wilt through the second half, and by the end were probably the more content with a stalemate, but still managed to send a couple of shots well wide from good positions.

We made more changes, with Berry replacing Taylor and then Ahadme for Anderson, with by then Leaburn and Ahadme the front two, Campbell and Kanu on the flanks as we tried in vain for a winner. It wasn’t through lack of effort we didn’t get one, but in addition to profligate finishing far too often the ball forward was poorly placed or under/overhit. Lack of quality, lack of confidence. And while we might praise a clean sheet that too was the result of poor finishing.

So we ended up with a game which would have disappointed the purist and gave no reason to believe that we are about to hit the gas with players back. Jones must have had a plan in mind for the first half to go with the two smaller strikers, but whatever it was didn’t work. And it was noticeable that the bench contained Docherty, Berry and Campbell(A), the three Jones midfield stalwarts brought in during the summer. There are three more league games before the end of December. We have to hope they will show the improvement we are hoping for, but for that to happen somebody has to start scoring some goals.

Time For Evidence That Lessons Are Being Learnt

Jones the Boss said after the game “I have learned a lot tonight”. I don’t think the rest of us did. Rather the match reinforced what most of us already knew: first, that the notion of us having good cup form but not being able to reproduce that in the league was always an illusion; second, that to date Jones has not been able to fashion a formation and team/squad (including partnerships in key areas) from the available resources capable of getting us into the promotion mix.

I’d suggest on the cup form/league form point last night did provide further evidence of what we currently can and can’t do. Against the weaker teams (including those from divisions below us) we have enough power and strength to overcome them, as our record shows (you might say what about Crawley but against us they didn’t look weak). Our record also shows that against the top teams in League One we can put in a determined shift to get good results. But against teams broadly on a par with us at present, in terms of league position, we are generally poor, tending to concede goals and simply not scoring enough.

We thought after the first three games of the season that Jones had the Midas touch, but that all seems a long time ago. Injuries have for sure taken a heavy, disruptive toll. Some are still short of match fitness, but aside from Ramsay (plus Watson) and Aneke (who we are unfortunately used to living without), perhaps Mitchell(Z) too, all are now back available. I don’t want to hear anymore after a game that “we weren’t good enough”, I do want to see evidence that the causes of poor team performances are being identified and corrected.

It is far too soon to write the season off, this league just doesn’t work that way. If we don’t improve performances we are going nowhere, that’s for sure, and it’s fair to say, given the playing resources available, we are underperforming. The upside of that is potential to improve – but of course if potential remains unrealised it never existed.

It is indicative I think that if you sit down to put the shoo-in names on the teamsheet it’s a struggle: after Maynard-Brewer (I’ve no idea when Mannion may be back available) you’d say Mitchell(A), now Jones, Edwards, and Coventry. I’d add Godden to that (Ramsay too if he were fit). By this stage of a season to be succeeding there surely should be more, plus a Plan A in terms of formation.

It reflects poorly (so far) on Jones the Boss that the midfield stalwarts he identified and brought in - Docherty, Berry, Campbell(A) – are not on that list. But they are not the only underperformers (for whatever reason). We rightly take pride in our club’s development of young players, but so far this season they have been peripheral. Leaburn of course is still feeling his way back after a long injury, Mitchell(Z) is injured, Anderson has played quite a bit but really hasn’t shone, Asiimwe was called back from loan and since then overlooked, Campbell(T) we were told was now a central forward but is now being asked to play wing-back or outright winger, Kanu has been out injured, and Dixon had a tough initiation last night. Laqeretabua has been introduced and for sure looks a prospect, as does Enslin from the little we have seen, but Rylah, Casey and Mbick have not featured (are they injured?).

With the players returning from injury there is plenty of sorting out to be done ahead of the January window. Nobody expects transformation in the window, but let’s get at least some of the young players out on loan and have Jones identify one or two areas where he wants more quality and get the business done, even if it means some moving out.

As for the game last night, it was clear that if Orient had brought their shooting boots we would have been humiliated. They rained in shots of poor quality, hit the bar, and fluffed sitters – set again which were really Godden’s first-half excellent hit on the turn which came back off the post and Leaburn’s run through on goal early in the second - and it took two horrible goals (from our perspective) at the death for them to avoid penalties (my note before them was that from what we’d seen so far we could end penalties at 0-0). Both came from our set pieces in their half – the first we lost possession from a throw and were overwhelmed on the counter, although it took Small’s failed interception to actually put the ball in the net, and the second following an awful free-kick from Taylor when we were loading the box for an equaliser, with their forward doing it all himself from inside his own half.

The match was an experiment for us in some respects, a chance to suss out some alternatives as well as provide match time for some who need it. The positives? Laqeretabua was excellent in the first half (before tiring in the second), Edun provided a reminder that we do have some footballers, interested in passing the ball and retaining possession, and the combination of him and Small on the left side was genuinely exciting – but that is the area where Edwards has established himself. The negatives? Orient cut through our defence sometimes at will, the reasons for that are for Jones and his team to examine. Our midfield as usual struggled to maintain possession and provide good service to the front two. And Leaburn continued to struggle. Oh, and can someone please tell Jones that not having a reserve goalkeeper isn’t ‘being bold’, it’s plain silly.