So, What's Gone Wrong & Goodbye To 2023

In the cold light of day, it really doesn’t feel any better, for us for sure and you suspect the players. December has been a disaster for our season. It wasn’t that we went into the month thinking that all was well, that we were good enough to get up to a top-six spot. Rather it was the feeling that we were capable of improving, had a series of games many of which on paper looked winnable, and that this could see us close the gap and that this would in turn pave the way for some decent acquisitions in January, to give us renewed impetus – and on that basis to have realistic play-off hopes.

Instead we’ve gone backwards, really since the night of the International Addicks game against Cheltenham. We didn’t play particularly well, but we won, May scored his 16th and 17th goals of the season. But we won at a cost as Leaburn limped off, with the later news that he would effectively be out for the season. Since then we have drawn three (of which one could be considered creditable and a couple affected by refereeing decisions) and lost one. Without credible options to give some a rest, we’ve looked increasingly jaded and frustrated, unable to create a winning combination. The mood has shifted from how we might strengthen in the window to whether or not two key players will depart.

Now I really hope neither Blackett-Taylor or Dobson are sold. They are both among the best players in this league (criticism of CBT for not always delivering the end-product seems to me crazy, he isn’t perfect but he’s actually one of the few players who the opposition are terrified of and who make them change the way they play). Equally, it surely can’t be helping the mood in the dressing room if the skipper and the star player (no offence Alfie, you’ve been the bright spark this season) are not signing new contracts and reportedly considering their options. You can’t blame either for that, now that the chances of our season ending in triumph and their playing in the Championship with us have if not entirely disappeared been severely reduced. If that’s the case, it surely has to rub off on other players.

In that context, if the club believes that both will walk in the summer and offers come in, fair enough if they are taken. Again, it isn’t what I’d want to see, but if it’s a choice between disruption now and in the summer I’d rather we have it now, even if the money isn’t spent straight away.  

You can break our season to date into three parts – arguably four if you stop after the first game, which resulted in our best league placing so far. First, the five games of Holden, which featured four successive defeats after that first win. Three points from five games and a points per game ratio of 0.6. Second, Appleton comes in and including the first post-Holden game under Pearce we had a run of four wins and three draws, 15 points from seven games, or 2.1 points per game. That spell, featuring players coming back from injury and the thought that Appleton might be applying a little more nous, gave real cause for optimism. Third, since then we have had 10 games and managed two wins and five draws, a points per game ratio of 1.1, obviously nowhere near good enough. If we had sustained the points per game ratio seen in the second period through the third we would have an extra 10 points in the bag and sit in eighth place on 39, four points behind Stevenage in sixth with two games in hand. What a different picture it would have been.

Of course ‘would have/could have/should have’ count for nothing, even if you can point to errors by the officials costing us points. So what went wrong? It is simplistic to say that injuries have ruined our season, but they have been a major factor. They ended Holden’s reign and of late have scuppered thoughts of progress under Appleton. Losing Leaburn has hurt us, especially as Tedic has so far not taken his opportunities and Kanu is understandably finding it difficult when it comes to starting rather than cameos off the bench. Not having McGrandles or Taylor available has meant that, even though Campbell(C) has been brought into the fold, Dobson, Fraser and Watson(L) have been required all the time of late to fill two spots, with Anderson having featured little. There has been no realistic option to freshen up the team, especially with some losing form.

Added to this you have to say the opposition has learnt how to deal with us. Most teams now double up on Blackett-Taylor (and again Orient were particularly astute with Pratley just blocking off the cut inside). With our attack’s right side not really functioning of late, with Campbell(T) looking short of confidence and nobody else comfortable in the position, and an inability to score from set pieces (Jones’ header against Burton notwithstanding), teams in the bottom third of the division know that if they get men behind the ball and don’t allow space, especially for CBT, we become pretty toothless. In that respect it’s perhaps not surprising that our better performances of late have been playing away at teams around the top (Portsmouth and Barnsley), which have felt obliged to play a more open game.

So what do we do?  First, let’s accept that now we really have nothing to lose. Being dragged into a relegation struggle is a very remote threat and not one to worry about at this stage. So just forget the pressure. We all want to see a determined and committed side wearing the colours, but it would also be good to see them play with a smile. The mood among us Addicks may be pretty low, but the risk of the atmosphere at The Valley turning really toxic isn’t high, the response is more likely to be apathy than howls for Appleton to be replaced.

Second, the CBT and Dobson situation needs resolving, quickly. If the club is ready to accept offers for them and if they want to go, invite bids for them – and don’t hold on to the final day of the window to try to squeeze out a few more quid. If this also means leaving them out of the matchday squad, so be it. That’s no slur on their commitment, just an acceptance under this scenario that we need to move on.

Third, make some changes to the team and possibly with this the formation. Without CBT and with Campbell(T) struggling, perhaps 4-4-2 is not the best option but rather 3-5-1, using Edun and Watson(T)/Asiimwe as wing-backs. We do have a third centre-back option with Thomas, Ness and Elerewe. I still haven’t given up on Tedic, more in hope than expectation, and feel he could use a run of games. So try him with May in the hole or alongside him in that formation.

I wouldn’t advocate just throwing in the youngsters, whatever we expect from the rest of this season, because they are ‘the future’.  Asiimwe, Elerewe, Chin, Mitchell, Henry, Anderson, Rylah, Kanu, Mbick, Casey, even Ness and Campbell(T), even Leaburn, have to be nurtured, not asked to do the impossible. For sure if you’re good enough you’re old enough, but not all emerging youngsters are like Bowyer or Shelvey and demand inclusion from an early stage and grab their chance. Parker had to go out on loan to assist in his development. I would advocate throwing in the loan players for a run of games, that is if they’re not returning to their clubs. Tedic hasn’t done enough to merit a run, but perhaps that’s what he needs to show us what he is capable of.

Which does leave the now apparent question, do we, yet again, change the manager? We all know it wouldn’t make the slightest difference. It doesn’t even really matter if he’s lost the dressing room, given the prospect of player changes in January and in the summer. And it’s not as if Appleton is really in charge of which players we target, now and in the summer. Appleton was chosen by the new regime for certain qualities and attributes, including I assume bringing a tougher edge to the team. I still feel Holden was harshly dealt with but that’s history now. I can’t see how any change of manager/coach will improve our situation and outlook – unless the owners really want to turn to a club legend or two.

So that’s it for 2023, another year which will go down as one of disappointment, straddling two failed campaigns. I’m flying off to Porto to welcome 2024, so this time it’s Happy New Year to all and sundry. May 2024 bring you all that you wish for.

Presents Given, Not Received

After recent results and often performances, before today's game I thought perhaps a different mindset was called for. The chances of materially closing the gap above us in the near term disappeared with the home draws against Cambridge and Burton. Maybe today we - the team as well as us supporters - just enjoy the game. A good, lively local derby against opponents were are happy to see back at this level, chance to say hello again to Pratley (and Pigott), maybe some goals and fluctuations to enjoy. Fat chance. We had an inadequate, tame performance in a game sadly lacking in quality. It deserved a 0-0 but we contrived to give away another collectively poor goal and lose.

Throughout the game we struggled to move above the mundane. On another day we score in the first minute and the game is very different, we might have snatched an equaliser if Blackett-Taylor’s low shot hadn’t been very well saved by their keeper, or if the pulling of Dobson’s shirt was seen as enough to give us a penalty. Against that, we were generally ponderous, unable to play out of defence to any great effect and surrendered possession with far too many aimless balls forward. Worse still, the team individually and collectively looked as though they’d had enough, dissatisfied with each other and probably with themselves.

The team showed no changes from Saturday – indeed the matchday squad was unchanged. Nobody was seeing that especially as a vote of confidence, rather not much in the way of alternatives – personally I’d prefer to see us play Campbell(C) on the right side, May in the centre, with Fraser in the hole and Watson(L) coming back in to start, allowing Kanu and still perhaps Tedic to come on to shake things up if necessary, as well as Campbell(T), who seems to be suffering a dip in confidence and lack of playing time. In the event there was a change of sorts as May took up the central striker’s role and Kanu played on the right.

With hindsight the first minute was as good as it got. The ball made it’s way through to Fraser on the edge of the area. He poked it around their guy but couldn’t quite get around him clearly enough to get in a strike, instead diverted it for May to also not quite be able to get in an effort on goal. On 18 minutes Pratley almost gave us a gift with a poor Crossfield pass which only found CBT. He bore down on goal and laid it off inside for Campbell, who perhaps tried to be too precise with his shot which lacked power and was easily saved. And shortly after Kanu did well to set up Campbell again. This time his shot had more power but came back off a defender’s head, falling to Fraser whose curled effort was turned around by their keeper. That led to Blackett-Taylor sending in a low cross which found it’s way to May. His close-range shot was blocked by a defender’s body, probably the hands too, although it was too near for the guy to react and his arms were in a normal position.

Just looking at that para again makes it sound like we were unlucky not to be ahead at the break. But it was really three or four moments. The rest of the time we were locked in a scrappy contest. Kanu struggled to get in the game, May was isolated, and the service from midfield was anything but crisp. Our better moments usually involved Blackett-Taylor, although Orient employed a clever tactic to limit his impact: Pratley got back as cover for their full back and basically positioned himself to block off the cut inside, allowing the other guy to both anticipate and show him the outside. He took that path to good effect sometimes, but not decisively. Orient had few actual chances, but their set pieces, including long throws, caused confusion (nothing new there) and once almost enabled their guy to get on the end of a ball in.

At half-time it was a familiar story. We needed to play better, to get quicker service to the front men. Instead we deteriorated and seemed to become increasingly frustrated, for which perhaps you have to give Orient some credit. For an outsider the game had 0-0 written all over it. But we know better.

We made our first change with around 15 minutes left, with Campbell(T) coming on for Campbell(C), Kanu moving to the centre and May taking up the No.10 slot. And that had actually nearly brought results as Kanu was wrestled to the ground just outside the box on the left side. Fraser played the ball short inside for May to run onto but his effort went wide.

Instead with just over 10 minutes of normal time left we conceded. A simple enough 1-2 down Orient’s left side took out our defenders. The ball into the box was sliced into the air by Hector. Maynard-Brewer came to meet it and did make contact, enough for the ball to drop for Fraser to hook away – but really not clear. Blackett-Taylor failed to hold the ball or lay it off, instead their guy poked it away from him to another on their right side. He skipped past Edun, who went to ground, to the by-line. The pull-back went past a few and reached an unmarked centre-back who to round things off scuffed the shot in a fashion which fooled everyone before finding the back of the net. Several efforts to clear our lines, none taken. It was almost 2-0 immediately after that. Their guy went past Dobson down the right only for his ball across to be cleared.

A double-changed followed with Fraser and Edun replaced by Asiimwe and Watson(L). We then had the CBT shot very well saved, and in the six minutes of time added Dobson’s shirt-pull. But it was all pretty desperate stuff. When Orient got a corner and tapped it for a bit of keep-ball we didn’t even have players over to contest it. It was clear which team wanted it the most.

Another dispiriting display and result. And another game in a few days time (when I will be flying off to Porto to see in the new year). I hope there are changes for that one, in personnel and formation. The 4-3-3 has enabled us to utilise options and, given the goal return from two of the three concerned, can’t be said to have failed. But we are struggling now to get the most out of May, teams are doing everything to close out CBT, and with Campbell(T) looking a bit out of sorts it just isn’t working well enough. I’d switch to a 4-4-2 with May and Kanu or Tedic up front, one of the two Campbells operating on the right side of midfield. Puts a lot of strain on the two central midfielders for sure, but the stage has been reached whereby something might as well change.

Another Two Points Down The Drain

Before we took to the pitch this one felt a lot like Cambridge: just win, collect the points, hopefully close the gap a little, keep the dream alive. Perhaps the thought of four crucial points having not been accrued in the last couple of games due not least to referring error would spur us on, also the starting of some clearing out with Kirk’s contract terminated and Udinese seemingly cutting short Abankwah’s increasingly pointless loan. We may have won only one in our last five (despite being six games unbeaten), but that was one more than our opponents, who arrived on the back of five straight defeats. Nobody was anticipating a classic, we were expecting the points.

And perhaps that attitude was the problem. This was a game of football, the focus should be on going out and playing well, winning the key battles, defeating the opposition. Not trying to take points and go home. We didn’t do enough today to deserve to win but were ahead for 70 minutes and perhaps the team, like me, expected we would win right up until their late equaliser. Burton came with a plan: men behind the ball, deny space, stay in the game, see where things stood towards the end and make changes if necessary. They stayed in the game and that meant we were always vulnerable. The game stats showed we had two efforts on target all game. By a distance not good enough.

The team showed a couple of changes from last time out against Barnsley. In central defence Thomas made way for a fit again Jones and up front Kanu was given the start over Tedic, both of those replaced moving to the bench. Otherwise it was as you were, with Campbell(C) having gone quickly from out of the squad to starting in the No.10 role, Dobson and Fraser also in midfield. Mbick was the one to miss out on a subs spot. It meant May once more starting on the right side, but whether he would stay there was anyone’s guess.

The first half, as the second would prove, was really all about two moments in a game of few real chances. That we controlled possession (60%) meant nothing. We had started brightly, creating three or four moments which might have had a better end-result, with Campbell and Blackett-Taylor to the fore. But that enthusiasm seemed to peter out as we failed to make the breakthrough, then Burton astonishingly failed to go ahead. Some scrappy play led to a corner and from that their guy found himself with what looked like an open goal from close range. He made a mess of his shot and Maynard-Brewer was able to push it away. Just as astonishing, a few minutes later we were ahead, with a goal from a defender from a set piece, something we have been waiting for all season. The original ball in from Fraser from the left beat everyone but Hector chased it down, turned, and delivered an excellent cross. Jones decided it was his and he climbed above his man to head powerfully down into the net, taking a knock on the way down for his effort.

That goal settled us but it also failed to rattle Burton. We started to seem more comfortable to just knock it sideways or back, they posed little threat but were doing enough to keep May peripheral on the right side and CBT most of the time cramped for space on the left. Kanu was doing OK in isolation, but it all added up to pretty dull fare.

At the break it was reasonable to assume that a second goal would be enough, perhaps open the floodgates by obliging them to change shape. But it was also one that would be criminal not to win.

Through the second period there were again moments when we threatened, without their keeper ending up being called on. Whether that was down to good defending or our lack of precision was unclear, probably both. Changes were made to try to freshen things up, with Watson(L) on for Campbell(C) after the hour, Campbell(T) for Fraser, then late on Tedic for a tiring Kanu. Nothing seemed to change the pattern of play, except that Burton had made changes of their own, with more attacking intent.

Not surprisingly we looked the more tired as we just wanted the game to be over. But with a couple of minutes left on the clock the chance came to seal the points. They lost possession down the left and for once CBT was in, with space ahead of him. He also had Tedic to his right. He opted to go it alone and did get the shot off, but from a narrow angle and it was turned aside from a corner. After that we were just pleasantly surprised that there would be just three minutes added.

There seemed little danger as around the halfway line Watson(L) was robbed and he pulled back their guy to give away the free-kick. There seemed little danger as a long, high one was sent to the edge of our box. But nobody was well positioned to get in a header clear, allowing their guy to head inside, then nobody stopped another touch. Suddenly all our defenders bar one were converging on the ball, only for it to be nicked away from them back to another of theirs, with Edun slow to move out and probably ensuring he was onside as well as in the clear with just Maynard-Brewer to beat. He didn’t miss. Aside from their other chances we had defended pretty well to that point, but we lost our heads when it mattered. 

So another immensely disappointing result, the consequences of which are all too apparent from the league table. But what is more dispiriting than the two points was the fact that we really were not robbed, we had failed to seen off another poor team down on its luck. To be fair to them they did a good job on our two most potent threats and they will say that aside from a defender’s header from a set piece they had protected their goal well, plus that they really should have taken the lead. That is true, but just another reflection of the fact that we were not good enough to see them off. All the talk of the January window and what we might do/need to do has perhaps diverted attention away from the job in hand and it’s hard not to be downbeat about the chances of us improving in a fashion that brings the play-offs into view.

Merry Xmas everyone.

Both A Point Gained And Two Dropped

This was always going to be a big one, potentially season-defining (or ending if you like). Win and we are reinvigorated, closing the gap on those above us; lose and the gap appears insurmountable, especially as we would have failed again to get anything from a game against a promotion contender; draw and … well, the uncertainty continues. Would we put in a storming and determined performance or feel sorry for ourselves (I didn’t like the way the club site preview listed all those not available through injury, as if we weren't aware and offering an excuse before the game had started) and succumb tamely?

We got the performance but not all the points. We started brightly and generally kept that up (underlining the point that if you begin slowly it’s very hard to up the tempo), with the play often crisp and flowing. The contrast in formations added to a lively encounter, with us often playing like the home team and Barnsley on the break. Their 3-5-2, as we used to find, often left space to exploit, especially for Blackett-Taylor, who might have been more effective in the final third but ended up redeeming himself with the equaliser. Equally both sides struggled to create clear-cut chances. While we dominated possession, Maynard-Brewer was called on to make a couple of excellent saves (one superb tip over the bar at full stretch) whereas all their keeper’s work was routine aside from our goal. Against that, the world and his dog knows that the ball was out and I’m in the camp which believes we should have had a first-half penalty for handball, their guy stretching out his arm having turned his back on a cross. I’ve no doubt that if it had been in front of the Charlton fans, a unified howl for a spot kick would have moved the ref. Perhaps those critical of VAR can be invited to see what we have to put up with in this division.

The team showed just one change from the starting X1 against Cambridge, with Rylah going from starter to out of the squad and Tedic doing the reverse. That indicated him playing centrally and either Campbell(C) or May taking up the right side slot in the front three, probably the latter, with one or the other in the No.10 role. The subs bench was unchanged. It looked like the opportunity to impress that Tedic had hopefully been waiting for.

Again, we were bright from the start, with Campbell and Blackett-Taylor involved. And the first real chance fell to him. A Barnsley defender made a hash of an interception and CBT had a run-in on goal on the left side. Into the box but then a weak effort which went wide. It looked a bad miss, especially with a square ball to May available, but I think the ball bobbled up as he went to strike it. Still within the first 10 mins a challenge on CBT inside the box might have resulted in a soft penalty.

In the first 20 minutes Barnsley had a couple of moments, one handed to them on a plate by a very poor Campbell pass and the shot from distance that Maynard-Brewer turned over. But it was rather out of the blue, adding insult to injury, when they took the lead on 23 minutes. Surely everyone by now has seen it, but a ball forward down their left side was overhit. Their guy chased it down, covered by Dobson. He got his foot to it, but not sufficiently to kill the momentum of the ball and, with the guy now on his back, Dobson was content to let it run out for a goal kick. When the prostrate guy played the ball again we paid it no mind, but play continued, he played it across the box, and another planted an excellent first-time shot back inside the far post. All you can say is that the linesman can have had no view from the other side of the pitch and it will have been hard for the ref from his position to be sure all the ball had gone out. Watching on TV we had the best angle and that left no doubt.

For the rest of the first half we persevered in the face of adversity, salt rubbed in when the ref inexplicably gave a goal kick when their guy under pressure from May had hoofed it behind. There was the possible handball penalty on 40 mins, when Edun’s cross was defelected – but perhaps crucially not fully blocked – by their defender’s outstretched arm. But at the break, despite the lion’s share of possession, we were behind and you felt another Barnsley goal, which they looked capable of scoring, and we could be done for.

We started the second half well too and had a couple of half-chances. Dobson found Tedic, who turned well and shot only just wide from the edge of the box, then CBT was played in by Tedic only for a couple of efforts to be blocked. That said, after the hour mark we had a sloppy period, relying more on long balls and passes not finding their targets, which seemed to let Barnsley in again. Maynard-Brewer was called on again, this time blocking an effort from close range, while another guy fluffed a shot from a decent position.

Consequently it was slightly surprising that we squared the game. Tedun seemed to be going nowhere down the left side, but his ball forward took a deflection which wrong-footed their defenders. Blackett-Taylor read the flight of it best and made it his, shrugging off a desperate challenge. Instead of shooting first time he had the calmness (I didn’t, screaming at the TV for a shot) to cut across the goal before from a central spot finding the net.

After that either side could have won it, but neither was able to fashion a decisive clear chance. Kanu, who had replaced Tedic (who I thought had a decent game leading the line) before our equaliser, was lively, Mbick came on the tiring Campbell, with Kanu moving to the right side and May dropping into the hole, while late on Campbell(T) replaced a knackered CBT. All to no avail.

As underlined in the post-match TV show, if we had taken the three points against Cambridge the draw away against a promotion contender would have been much sweeter. As it is now, we are 12 points behind Stevenage (on a points per game basis the team in sixth) with two games in hand and four places to climb to get into sixth. It isn’t insurmountable, it is obviously tough. As things stand, Stevenage are on course to get 83/84 points for the season. For us to get to 84 it will require we average 2.15 points per game. Things are never that simple of course, the chances are that one or more of the teams in the top six will fall away (surprisingly at the moment it’s Bolton) and the points required could be lowered. Either way, as Curbs stressed we will need to go on a run of wins sooner rather than later – and with Burton at home, followed by Leyton Orient away, Bristol Rovers away, Oxford at home, and Port Vale away all condensed into the festive season there are 15 points up for grabs. Irrespective of the transfer window, perhaps we have to take 10 points from these games, including a win against Oxford, if our position is to be strengthened. We are unbeaten in six, albeit with only one win in the last five, and as at Portsmouth showed that we are capable of at least matching teams above us.

As for what yesterday’s game said about January objectives, there were in my view positives. Again, I thought Tedic had a decent game, although clearly the guy needs a goal, and Kanu is looking less raw than last season. Although we are missing Leaburn, Aneke and Camara, that means we can choose between May (not really a choice, he is nailed on in whatever position), Tedic, Kanu, Mbic, both Campbells, and CBT, perhaps Rylah too, to fill three spots. We do at least have options. And I thought Hector, as against Cambridge, played well, marshalling the defence more clearly.

Finally, like everyone else I’m sending best wishes to Tom Lockyer and his family. Hopefully he and they will have a festive period they can look back on happily.

Unable To Close It Out

It doesn’t matter how poor we were in the first half, or who deserved what, when you have a two-goal lead at home with three minutes of normal time left on the clock (it proved to be 11 before the final whistle) and looking reasonably comfortable you can’t but feel gutted not to take all three points. And we really, really needed all three. Taking a step back, you have to give Cambridge some credit; they threw caution to the wind, didn’t give up, and got something out of the game to reward a decent travelling contingent. That’s no comfort at all for us.

Steve Brown got it spot on again in commentary early in the game. It was clear that Cambridge had a height advantage and were causing all sorts of problems from set pieces. We were keeping them out with some scrambled defending and desperate blocks. He stressed then that we could not afford to switch off once, not once, from any set piece. We finally did and their guy read the flight, made his move, and ended up with a free header from close range. The replays seemed to point to Thomas perhaps the culprit as from a central position he failed to adjust or get off the ground. And just when we thought we could in any event see it out, Edun put in what looked like a tired challenge and brought down their guy. The fact that replays showed VAR would have ensured the ref only gave a free kick on the edge of the box, the contact having been made outside, only added insult to injury.

The team did contain surprises. Jones it seems is out for a few weeks and Thomas came in to replace him, alongside Hector, with Watson(T) and Edun the full backs. Dobson and Fraser took two of the midfield spots, with McGrandles and Taylor still out of the picture, but seemingly out of nowhere Campbell(C) made the starting X1. And May and Blackett-Taylor were joined by Rylah making his full debut having featured against Reading, ahead of Campbell(T). On the bench there was no sign of Ness, that spot taken by the returning loanee Elerewe, while the options up front were Kanu and Mbick, with Tedic missing out.

All you can say about the first half was that we stank outside our box but managed to keep a clean sheet. The front three weren’t in the game (we had almost reached the break before a serious attempt on their goal, May shooting over from the left side), and there was no midfield control. Whether it was the front three not making themselves available or the midfield three not doing enough was hard to tell, probably both. Defensively we were getting caught out sometimes down both flanks and came close to panic whenever they had the opportunity to pack our box from the set pieces. They even created a chance or two from open play.

No question at the break Cambridge will have been kicking themselves not to be ahead. If we carried on as before we were very probably going to lose, the question being whether we would improve, either by working harder or with changes. In the event Appleton made one change, with Kanu coming on to play down the middle, May moving right, and Rylah making way. Appleton I thought went a bit far in the post-match interview, saying he held his hand up for that selection. Rylah had indeed struggled, but in that he was far from alone.

No matter, the change did have an immediate impact as Kanu unsettled them and with May to his right suddenly we carried more threat. It was a different game. And just five minutes after the restart we were ahead. An excellent crossfield pass from Hector found Kanu on the right and he moved forward then delivered a low cross. Fortune favours the brave and when their defender made the interception the ball ran kindly for the incoming May to shoot low into the net.

Fifteen minutes in and we were 2-0 up. CBT held up play on our left side, jinked one way then the other, finally bought a yard of space to get to the byline and dink in a cross just begging for someone to attack. That person was Campbell, ghosting in well and burying the header. A game which could have been beyond us at the break suddenly seemed to be in the bag.

For the next perhaps 20 minutes we might have added another as we dominated play, with Blackett-Taylor increasingly influential. And he nearly sealed the points, working a great position only for his shot to be deflected by a flailing defender for a corner. Cambridge did have their moments, with Hector making a superb late tackle to deny one guy and Watson making sure a cross to our far post wasn’t converted. But they seemed less of a threat than in the first half and perhaps we started to think that, against a team which had lost nine of its 19 league games and had no doubt before seen decent displays go unrewarded, they would fade away.

To their credit that didn’t happen. Instead the CBT shot was as good as it got for us. Inside the final 10 minutes and Blackett-Taylor stayed down, to be replaced by Campbell(T). By now we were content to run down the clock and Cambridge, with nothing to lose, leaving players up front, pushed us back. Maynard-Brewer was called into action a couple of times, then a blocked header led to the corner that swung the game again. And when their guy headed home we all hoped the ref wasn’t really going to add on that much.

Eight minutes. Curiously I thought Campbell(C) had by then been replaced by Mbick. I couldn’t fathom that one as surely we needed another body in midfield to shore things up and keep the ball, either Watson(L) or Asiimwe for fresh legs. Into stoppage time and May was withdrawn for Elerewe to provide more defensive cover. By now any thought of actually controlling the ball and the game seemed to have gone out of the window, we were just hanging on. Which we failed to do, thanks to Edun’s late lunge and the ref not really focusing on where the original challenge and contact was made. The penalty was scored and there was no way that we were going to respond in the final couple of minutes. We may have felt gutted at the final whistle but were well aware that if the game had gone on another 10 we probably would have lost.

Those extra two points would have put us in a far better position to travel to Barnsley next Saturday. Now, lose that one and many will say that the season is already effectively over. Where to lay the blame? Appleton has to take some. Opting to start with Rylah over Campbell(T), or starting with Campbell(C) wide right, will have ended up doing nothing for either’s confidence. Not having Ness or Tedic on the bench seemed strange, the late replacement of Campbell(C) for Mbick seemed to me the wrong choice of replacement for the circumstances, and removing May for an extra defender just failed to have the desired impact. Far from being able to hold the ball towards the end and play out time we became increasingly disjointed. Of course injuries: Isted, Jones, Taylor, McGrandles, Camara, Aneke and Leaburn is just too many to be able to cope with (and for heaven’s sake let’s hope CBT is not included here again). For good measure let’s add the ref. It wasn’t a howler but everyone’s first thought was inside or outside and he was close enough with a clear sight to have got that one right.

The Good, The Bad Or The Ugly In January?

Two exits and a hamstring. Not a great few days. I’m indifferent to the bare fact that we are out of the two cups (of course in both cases there are good reasons for wanting to win and progress, but for me the league is paramount). Equally there is damage done. Fans feel more dispirited and/or apathetic after Saturday’s trip to Gillingham, murmurings about Appleton increase, he in turn talks in a downbeat fashion about what is in the dressing room is all we have and points to the January window, and general cynicism is expressed about the chances of our new owners providing the funds to improve the situation.

Let’s remember, however hollow the words may have been before the campaign began it was made clear that the goal was a top six finish (not in my opinion a good objective to state; you aim to be the best team, to get promoted, automatically if possible and if we failed in that via the play-offs). The owners now have a decision to make, made more acute by the Leaburn news. It is clear to all and sundry – and has been for some time - that if we are to make the play-offs we have to improve, beat the teams above us, as a result of either the squad gelling and performing better, those on the fringes getting a shot and doing well, or fresh blood – or a combination of all three. Leaburn’s absence clearly reduces the chances of the first (as do the extended absences of Isted, Taylor and Aneke), from displays in the cup confidence in the second is low, so it does seem to be over to the owners.

Presumably plans for the transfer window are formulated, if not already set in motion. I’d guess the approach will be one of the following three, even if we will only know it by inference from what is actually done: the good (‘we have a group of players capable of continuing to climb the table and nail down a play-off spot if we can add some more quality in key areas, which we are ready to spend to achieve’); the bad (‘we will look to improve the squad in January if the opportunity arises in the context of our long-term plan of steady improvement’), or the ugly (‘this season is effectively a write-off, ruined by injuries, and there’s no point splashing the cash in January; instead we’ll look to the youngsters to provide fresh impetus on a wing and a prayer and to keep fans interested’).

I’d guess right now most people, including myself, are expecting the bad, sitting on the fence (perhaps someone can ask the question which it is to Rodwell and Scott at the upcoming Bromley Addicks Q&A). The third option may be ugly but it would be honest, if that’s how the owners actually feel. And if two things happen in January we can conclude that it is the way they are thinking. First, if Blackett-Taylor is sold. He is out of contract in the summer and nobody could really blame him if he decided then to take an offer from a Championship side. Presumably there have been discussions over a new contract, but if one isn’t going to be taken up and an offer for him is made in January, whether or not it is accepted will be an acid test for this season’s ambitions at least. Second, quite simply if we do not spend cash, real cash, preferably well before the window closes.

I do think it’s premature to write off our promotion chances. We know we have real weapons, also that the squad could use strengthening in all areas, including the defence (we have a worse goals against per game ratio than anyone above us). For sure the focus at present is on at least one more forward, but I hope all areas have been explored and we are ready to move on day one.

Have to start with whether any will be leaving in the window, leaving aside the CBT issue. Kirk managing to find another club would be good news for all concerned, he needs to kick-start his career and we need to save the wages. I’ve no idea whether the loans for Campbell(C) and/or Abankwah have recall options, but if neither could be included in the squad for last night you wonder what they are doing with us – and so must their clubs. I’ve no idea why Campbell in particular can’t get a game, he impressed me in his few cameos, but who knows what happens in training etc. When the manager says after a bad performance that he has to lift the dressing room as what’s in there is pretty much what we have and you’re not in it surely you draw your own conclusions.

As for incomings, clearly with May the only nailed on starter and Tedic, the only other more experienced option, so far failing to make his mark, backed up just by the returning Kanu and emerging Mbick and Casey assuming that Campbell(C) stays unused, to say that we are light without Leaburn and Aneke is obvious. We all of course hope Tedic comes good and/or that the three coming through prove capable of making the step up quickly. But you can’t say it’s a situation that holds out the prospect of pushing us into the top six; rather the temptation is to conclude, albeit prematurely and ahead of fresh signings, that the injuries to Leaburn and Aneke at the start of the campaign set us back (and did for Holden) and their fresh injuries, along with that of Camara, will prevent us from mounting a promotion bid.

This all of course remains to be seen. For the record I missed the Carlisle game as I was en route to London for the International Addicks match against Cheltenham and some convivial glasses with the German, Swedish and Swiss contingents plus others. At half-time on the pitch Watson(L) joined the travellers and shook hands with all, asking where they were from. That prompted the following brief exchange: ‘I’m from Blackheath’; ‘what are you doing here then?’; ‘I live in France’.

Too late for a report for what was in any event a fairly non-descript game, one which we were eventually pleased to just take the points from. But perhaps a few things of note.

First, I was struck by whenever Cheltenham had a set piece and we were loading our box, just about everyone was shouting and pointing at each other. Now the temptation has been to attribute our defensive frailties to a lack of communication, but this looked like a case of too many cooks and nobody actually in charge (or nobody listening to whoever was supposed to be in charge). Perhaps this is the plan but it smacked of chaos. I’ve always assumed that the keeper commands the box and the leader of the defence works with him to give the orders.

Second, and related, it didn’t look to me as though Dobson and McGrandles were comfortable playing together. That’s not a criticism of either, may also just be down to the fact that they haven’t had the time on the pitch to gel (and with McGrandles currently out it may not be an issue).

Third, anyone thinking our club has a good future in this league would only have to look around on a night like that. I often cite a game I went to at home to Rochdale in January 1973, when a few thousand were scattered around the terraces on a freezing day. King Arthur may have scored another to give us the win, but that night we looked like a club on its knees. A lot of water has gone under the bridge since then, expectations have changed, but there was just a scent in the air as May went about his business.

So here’s hoping the players blow away any cup hangovers with a good performance and victory over Cambridge on Saturday, especially as it will be Spanner Harris’ first one in charge. We can’t move up any places in the table, but both we and the owners need reason to believe that this season remains worth fighting for.