Mixed Messages From Fans Meeting

Have to start by admitting I was only able to watch/listen to the first hour of last night’s online fans meeting (French timings you know), so any comments/conclusions may need qualification if something more on the topic was said later. That said, within the context of appreciation for the time taken by all concerned and the information given, my overall impression was slight disappointment regarding ambitions for this season.

From all concerned – Gavin Carter and Charlie Methven at The Valley and James Rodwell and Nathan Jones at Sparrows Lane – there was the understandable emphasis on moving in the right direction, building steadily on and off the pitch etc, with openness on issues such as the state of the pitch (disappointing but the expectation it will be better from March and for next season) and some aspects of the club’s finances (although the figures were headline ones and gave no insight into key areas, including the balance on transfer dealings). When it came to hopes for this season the messaging was mixed.

Methven kicked off by acknowledging that it is pointless to talk about success as long as we are playing in League One, the only measure of success being a return to the Championship (the only other yardstick is the club remaining afloat). Amen to that. By implication, and with no disagreement from me, this season will be another of failure if we do not get promoted (of course a strong second half of the campaign and only just missing out on the play-offs or not winning them would make it a qualified failure, with reasons for confidence in next season’s prospects).

When we moved to Rodwell and Jones the message was relaxed. It was reiterated that this transfer window was about some streamlining of the squad and perhaps a little tweaking, possibly a couple more out and maybe, if the right target became available, one or two coming in. Rodwell said Jones was happy with the current squad and the club was under no pressure to either sell or buy. On the balance between loans and permanent signings and promotion of players from the academy, Rodwell gave a rather lame justification for preferring the last over loans, that with loans we are helping develop players to the benefit of their parent clubs (well sure, but the club benefits from the contribution of those players on the pitch here and now). He did acknowledge that if the squad was light in a certain area, and there was no available home-grown youngster, and a suitable loan signing became possible …

The question I would have liked to ask, given all this, was whether Jones being happy with the squad was because he felt it was strong enough to win us promotion this season, or just because he felt it was all moving in the right direction? The implication was the latter (Jones said the squad was stronger than last year, including in the forward department).

What was missing, for me, was any sense that this season we have the opportunity to get promoted, now that players have returned from injury and form and results have improved (Rotherham notwithstanding), and that on that basis that the club is working day and night to attract one or two influential signings, whether or not permanent, to help get us over the line. It is after all what most clubs around us are doing. Rodwell talked of an ambition to win more games than we lost (sure, that’s taken out of context but he had the opportunity to say we want to get promoted this season and that is the objective). Yes, we love a young player coming through the ranks, but I love promotion more.

Of course the club may announce today one or two signings to revoke all of the above. There is always that possibility. But nothing was said or indicated to that effect. It was added that retaining key players was as important as bringing some in, which is fair enough. Jones and Small were both cited. And with the news that Ramsay and Watson are both fit again it is like adding a couple of signings, or at least removing the need to bring in cover for a right-side wing-back.

With Taylor and Edun having left the building (and both go with our best wishes; it didn’t work out for Edun, not least given our style of play, and whether Taylor returns remains to be seen), it is apparent to all that we are light on midfield options. For the central three positions we have Coventry, Docherty, Berry, Anderson, and Campbell(A), if he is retained. The promising Enslin could be added to the list, but we are clearly thin on the ground in this department. An injury or two and/or suspension and we would struggle, plus we all know that someone to add more guile going forward would be welcome. Of course there’s no guarantee that a January loan signing will work out, it’s always possible that a new face or two will not help team bonding.

It all rather echoes an exchange with fellow Addicks over whether we need to get better over the rest of the season, ie to strengthen the team, to make the play-offs or whether with a fit squad now and form/results improved we are kicking on in the necessary fashion. If you take our results for all the season to date, you conclude the former. If you focus on recent form – 13 points from the last six games – you conclude the latter (and our season has been erratic, with three wins to start, then relegation form, now the upturn).

There is broad agreement on the need to average two points per game over the final 21 matches to make the play-offs. That would give us 79 points, probably enough (76 was enough last season, 77 in the one before). That has to be the target. If we end up falling short having lost players to injury/suspension (or loss of form) having failed to make material additions during the transfer window, that, with hindsight, you would have to conclude was a mistake. I hope the reality behind the scenes is different from the message conveyed on this front last night.

Optimism Back With Ultimately Merited Win

After Saturday’s kick in the teeth the stakes for this one were even higher than before. A win and some of the damage is repaired, we would at least end the three-game mini-series against play-off contenders with four points and would move up to 10th in the table, just four points off a top-six place; a draw and a return of two points would look inadequate given our position; a defeat and the cry would go up that the season is already over and the management team had better start planning for another season in this bloody division rather than shelling out anything in this transfer window (and we’re not exactly being flooded with rumours as it is).

We could take heart from the job we did on Bolton at The Valley back in August, but that was really water under the bridge and would in any event be likely to spur them on in front of their fans. After all, their need for the points was just as great as ours, with murmurings of discontent with manager Evatt not quietened by them having needed a stoppage time own goal to get a point at home against Cambridge on Saturday.

In the event we got exactly what we needed – and ultimately, despite the stats and Evatt’s comments, what we deserved. A win looked unlikely through the first half, as Bolton dominated possession and chances, highly improbable when they took the lead on 55 minutes, and almost impossible in the subsequent 15 minutes or so as they led us a merry dance. But Bolton didn’t put us away, thanks to good saves by Maynard-Brewer and some dogged defending, and the game turned on its head as our substitutes made an immediate and lasting impact and as we equalised shortly after the changes. After that, we gained in strength and Bolton quite frankly fell apart, exemplified by the disgraceful stamp on Small’s leg when he was on the ground (and for the record their captain should have been sent off before the break, which would also have changed the game). They lost their composure as passes went astray and, while our winner may have had an element of fortune, by then it came as no surprise.

Evatt reportedly after the game talked of their performance being one of the best of their season, adding that “they got the win but they were very direct, very simplistic; I’m not sure I would want to watch that every week”. And the match report on the Bolton site talked of ‘sucker punches’. They are deluding themselves if they don’t also look at their team’s lack of character when it mattered. For sure we’re not playing the beautiful game; if we’d set out to match them for passing and movement alone we would have been beaten. They are well versed in that approach. But there’s a time and a place – but it seems some have a rigid approach to the game and how it ‘should’ be played. That’s their choice. Every team has to play to its strengths and on the night ours proved superior to theirs (and if comparisons are to be made Rotherham looked a far better side than Bolton when it came to forward movement and defending).

Rant over (and I’ve just seen the reports indicating Evatt may have been sacked), back to the game. In contrast with recent matches, there were decisions for Jones to make on team selection. Give the same players the chance to make amends for Saturday, look at whether some tired legs might need a rest and tweak a little, or perhaps make more extensive changes to personnel and/or formation? Jones went for the first option, with an unchanged starting XI and bench.

The first half was an edgy affair, with the contrasting styles of play producing more stalemate with few chances than an end-to-end affair. After a lengthy early stoppage due to an emergency in the stand (we all of course hope the person involved is OK) Bolton’s first real chance came as their dangerous right-side wing-back got to the byline in the box and his low cross was nearly converted, perhaps kept out by Maynard-Brewer, then a couple of wayward Gillesphey passes threatened to let them in. Our threat came primarily down the right side with Small, who had the beating of his man but didn’t manage to make it count, with either shots from cutting inside or crosses. And having created the first chance their guy rounded off the half with an effort of his own, poking a shot from inside the box which needed a strong hand from Maynard-Brewer diving to his left to keep out.

The first half was notable for some inconsistent card choices by the ref. Mitchell received an early yellow for a tackle close to the box deemed a foul (which raised the question of a red if a goalscoring opportunity, although there seemed to be cover), then Docherty, seemingly for kicking the ball away. Then in the lengthy first-half stoppage time their captain was quite rightly booked, then shortly after took out Mitchell as he was clearing the ball. Mistimed perhaps but surely another yellow. Instead the ref opted to give him a lecture. Would have been the guy’s own stupid fault if he had seen red – and that would have changed the game.

We had come under the cosh late in the first half with a spell of prolonged Bolton pressure – and they started the second half in a similar fashion. A cross from the right resulted in a looped header from their guy which hit the top of the crossbar with Maynard-Brewer beaten, other balls across our box only narrowly evaded their target. So it was no big surprise that they took the lead, although the nature of the goal was disappointing from our perspective. We were caught upfield and failed to cut out the break, with their guy in space down their right. Plenty of defenders were trying to get back but none made it in time as his low cross was tapped in from close range.

After that Bolton dominated us and threatened to make the game effectively safe. Jones made a timely decision to change the formation, with Mitchell withdrawn and Anderson on to bolster midfield, with Edwards switching to the right side and Small over to the left in what was now a 4-4-2. That did help to steady us and we saw out a very rocky period, ahead of the cavalry arriving.

On 68 minutes Jones made a triple change, with Aneke on for Leaburn, Godden for Berry, and Edmonds-Green replacing Edwards, who had looked decidedly uncomfortable on that side. Campbell moved wider.

Aneke had an immediate impact with his physical presence and within a couple of minutes we were level. A corner was half-cleared but the ball was put back to Gillesphey on the right side. He curled in an excellent cross and with Bolton’s defenders not reacting Jones (the player) met it and deftly turned it into the corner of the net.

To say it was against the run of play would have been an understatement, but the game had changed with the substitutions and now Bolton’s frustrations at being pegged back fed into their play. They couldn’t handle Aneke, Godden was looking likely to get on the end of knockdowns, Campbell was a threat – and behind all this Anderson was giving an excellent display of disrupting their free-flow in midfield.

To perhaps even things up on the cards front, Small I think came close to an early bath. He was involved in some handbags with their wing-back, who had clearly lost his rag over something. Both saw yellow. And not long after Small took him out along the touchline. Fortunately the ref was consistent in his not handing out second yellows.

The game was up for grabs now and on 86 minutes we won it. A ball into their box was half-cleared and there seemed no danger at all as a high ball was contested on the edge of the area. But their guys failed to deal with it and an excellent first touch by Anderson and a turn saw him in on goal. His decent shot – which I think might have been going in in any event – took a wicked deflection and looped up over their keeper and into the net.

All that remained was to see out the time with some corner flag antics, which we managed to do. It was with one of those that Small ended up on the floor and their guy quite clearly stamped on his leg. The TV replays left no doubt. Just how the ref decided on just a yellow is a mystery – unless set alongside his previous reluctance to pull out a red. In the end it mattered not.

The win changes the picture once more (perhaps even with respect to the chances of an addition or two before the window closes). We now have games at home against Shrewsbury and Bristol Rovers, followed in February by away at Blackpool, home to Stevenage and away to Peterborough before a trip to Birmingham (something that nobody in history has ever enjoyed). Nobody’s suggesting that any of these five games are going to be easy, but it would be disappointing if we don’t take perhaps 10 points out of the 15 available. Where that would leave us is impossible to say, but teams above us will be playing each other – on Saturday Huddersfield play Bolton, Leyton Orient play Reading. We have to see this period ahead as a real opportunity to get truly into the mix.

Reality Check Or Just Bad Day At The Office?

We all knew that this would be a big one (same for Bolton away on Tuesday night), away against a team which has surprisingly underperformed for much of the season but which had seemingly founds its feet, having won two and drawn two of its last four to sit just three points behind us. I didn’t agree with the Trust’s comment that a draw for us would not be enough, too early in the season for that, but I’d have said it was a game we could not afford to lose and would be massively encouraging to win, to help close the gap on those above us – and to provide evidence that we can sustain the improvement in form. We were looking for a performance comparable to that at Preston in the cup but with a different outcome.

In the event we got spanked. Turned over from start to finish (well, to be technical we did win the last minute) in all departments, not just in our final third. Rotherham were fluid, passed well, got numbers forward in support, had a front two which we failed to contain whatever our formation, causing individual and collective confusion in our defence, and for good measure had the better of our attack despite conceding a couple. We started sluggishly, chasing shadows, were two down within the first 15 minutes, then, having been given a get out of jail card just before the break, contrived to restore their two-goal advantage almost immediately. Once the fourth went in inside the first 10 minutes of the second half we were more than beaten, summed up with Mitchell’s bizarre hoof from the touchline to their forward. Maynard-Brewer helped keep it to four and the only relevance of our late second was that it reminded us that Godden is the best goalscorer we have and to push us back above them in the table, having dropped below curtesy of what was a six-goal shift in goal difference.

For the record, the team/squad contained no surprises, with Jones reverting to the line-up that had started – and taken 10 points from – the last four league games. Maynard-Brewer back between the sticks, Mitchell, Jones and Gillesphey in central defence, Small and Edwards the wing-backs, Coventry, Docherty and Berry in midfield, Leaburn and Campbell(T) up front. On the bench Edmonds-Green was the only defensive option, Anderson and Campbell(A) for midfield, plus Aneke, Godden and Kanu for the forwards, which meant that Ahadme went from a starting spot against Preston to not making the squad, effectively third-choice ‘big guy’.

Rotherham’s first goal did have an element of fortune, but even after eight minutes had been coming. A cross from the left was allowed to drop and rather hit their guy, rebounding fortuitously to a possibly offside Green, with Jones and others ball-watching, rooted to the spot. He mishit his effort, but it dribbled in off the post. Their second saw from a throw-in Jones completely miss his attempted clearance, leaving their guy to take it on. He squared it to another in space who shot across Maynard-Brewer with just enough on it to prevent Gillesphey from a decisive block.

That seemed to spark a change in formation, to more of a 4-4-2 (call it a diamond midfield if you want), with Small switching back to the left and Mitchell covering at right-back. Didn’t make much difference, with Rotherham almost getting a third as their guy was able to round Maynard-Brewer in the box but this time from a tight angle Gillesphey was able to prevent the ball going in. We might have had a penalty with a rare foray forward as Campbell moved the ball into the box and was shoved over from the side, their guy not getting anything on the ball. Soft perhaps, but VAR would have given it.

As it was, out of the blue we were thrown a lifeline just before the break. Mitchell made a good interception on our right and Docherty took the ball on, played an excellent low ball in, and Leaburn dispatched it well into the far corner. Outplayed and outfought we now had the chance to get into the dressing-room only one down, sort out a few things and come out all guns blazing. Instead, criminally we let in another, a horrible one at that.

Coventry delayed a ball forward and ended up getting robbed, pulling back their guy to take a yellow. The free-kick into our box found defenders poorly positioned to be able to clear, the ball headed down weakly. Their guy’s first-time shot was blocked but the rebound sat up for the same guy to head it back, it looping over Maynard-Brewer off his line and into the net. It was a throwback to the defending of last season and completely altered the mood as the ref blew for half-time.

Jones made one change at the break with Aneke introduced early, for Small, cementing the shift in formation (he had failed to have an impact on either flank but quite frankly nobody could have complained about being taken off). It pointed to us going (very) long and keeping things simple, but before we had a chance to see if we might get back into the game we conceded again. Simple enough stuff but effective. A ball played forward to their forward with his back to goal. He played it on and the other guy read the intention well and time the run to avoid being offside. In on goal, Maynard-Brewer coming off his line, he duplicated Leaburn’s effort against Wycombe and chipped the keeper, the ball bouncing in just under the bar.

That was effectively game-over, if it had not been before. We had Mitchell’s moment of madness just before the hour, then Godden and Anderson introduced for Leaburn and Berry. Godden almost scored at the near post with just about his first touch. We were given a free-kick around the edge of the box for a foul on Aneke that never was. All went forward only for Coventry to send in a horrible attempt. Then it was Campbell(A) and Kanu for Docherty and Coventry, presumably with Bolton in mind, and the confusion was such that as the clock ran down Maynard-Brewer was needed to pull off some good saves to prevent a fifth.

Three minutes of stoppage time seemed three too many, but Campbell(A) got in the way of Rotherham breaking out of defence and the ball ran through to Godden, just inside the box. He steadied himself and from a difficult position hit a super shot into the far top corner, with Phillips only able to watch.

So, is there any way to make sense of what happened or do we write it off as just a very bad day at the office, one which we began very badly and failed to recover from? Let’s be fair to start, Rotherham were good, in form and confident, seldom gave us a look-in and could have scored many more than four. Perhaps it was just the style of their forwards which we couldn’t cope with. Jones (the player) has been excellent this season, but was partially culpable for their first two goals (in neither case were they real howlers but the errors cost us). He’s been so influential that perhaps with him shaky the others around him went to pieces. Their third goal was just rank bad defending collectively. At the other end Leaburn and Campbell(T) both struggled to have any impact in the first half, nothing came down the flanks from the wing-backs, and our central midfield was overrun.

I think we’ll only find out the answer to the question on Tuesday night. Another performance like this one and another defeat and it would be one point out of nine against three teams with play-off ambitions and with most ready to write the season off. A positive performance and result and the world will look different again. We began the season with three wins but couldn’t sustain that, albeit with injuries playing a large part. Three consecutive wins and a decent draw can’t be allowed this time to be followed by the same kind of drift.

I’ve no idea if Jones (the boss) will make changes for Bolton. But you do have to ask yourself one thing. We have scored 29 goals in 24 league games, fewer than any of the teams in the top 10. Our leading scorer is joint 18th in the division’s top scorers on six. But his goals per 90 minutes and minutes per goal stats are 0.53 and 170 respectively, effectively a goal every other full game. Only six players in this league have better minutes per goal readings than Godden. Why is it that a team which doesn’t score enough goals chooses to leave by far its most effective goalscorer on the bench? Of course there are other factors involved, including the attributes others offer. But the impression is still that we let May leave because Jones wasn’t that keen on him and it would appear that Jones isn’t that keen on selecting his erstwhile replacement (even though the other front man brought in, Ahadme, has so far been a disappointment).

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)!