A Point And Some Positives

Last time out it was all about Appleton, with another late goal conceded resulting in another defeat, sealing his fate. This time, with speculation focused on the name of the next head coach (for crying out loud what is Warnock doing among the bookies’ favourites?), the practical question was could we expect any sort of bounce from the temporary stewardship of Fleming (we had after all won our other game this season under a stopgap)? Blackpool went into the game on the back of three consecutive wins, set against our three consecutive defeats (and of course no win in 10, a run stretching back to late November), hungry for points to try to close the gap on the top six and with a very strong home record. So, a tough ask.

What we got was a very mixed but ultimately satisfying afternoon. For much of the game it felt like more of the same, as Blackpool were well on top in the first half, could easily have been two or three up at the break, then started the second by hitting the bar and then getting gifted the lead. But this one ended up differently. First, the luck was on our side (now what was that Napoleon said about generals?). I imagine Rhodes had nightmares about his failure to put the ball into an empty net from a yard out, while Ness slept a relieved man having slammed an attempted clearance against the post and out. Also, we equalised completely against the run of play and out of the blue, via two deflections of a May effort. Second, and very different than of late, we finished the stronger team. Blackpool’s attacking threat was reduced at half-time by Rhodes being injured and replaced while for us the introduction of Kanu and later Watson(L) proved effective. Blackpool (and their fans) became increasingly frustrated and we were gaining ascendency.

Over the full game Blackpool will still be shaking their heads over their failure to take all three points; but had it gone on another 10 minutes I would have backed us to win it; imagine what a last-minute winner would have done for us. And for me the real encouragement was that after they took the lead we didn’t crumble; another for them then and the game would have been over; and after we equalised we dug in and saw out a tricky period.

Fleming’s team showed three changes from Appleton’s final game, two of them enforced. With Edun unfairly suspended, Watson(T) swapped sides and Asiimwe came in as the right-side wing-back. Coventry it seemed was having an enforced concussion break and the surprise choice was to move Edmonds-Green into midfield alongside Dobson and Bakinson, a pretty clear indication of the desire to protect a fragile defence. Nevertheless, Fleming opted for another change to the central defensive three, with Jones dropped to the bench and both Ness and Thomas coming in to accompany Gillesphey. Anderson made it back into the squad, taking the final place on the bench.

We did have a chance or two in the first half, but mostly it was a case of near miss after fluffed chance for Blackpool. They knocked it around well and exploited the spaces, with Asiimwe in particular looking rusty and the ball played behind him several times to a guy running on. He briefly switched sides with Watson(T) and the same happened there, leading to a ball in and a clearance off the line. And after around 30 minutes came a moment when we had, shall we say, the rub of the green. Back pass to Maynard-Brewer but his clearance hit Rhodes (suspicion of handball but nothing was given) and looped up. It fell to him again about a yard out, just needed firm contact and it was into the net. Instead he only managed to divert it sideways for a prostrate MB to gleefully collect. It will go down as one of the misses of the season.

Not long after another ball down their right side for a guy into our box. Maynard-Brewer rather rashly came out and was nowhere near it. The ball was clipped over him and towards another around the far post, only for Ness backpeddling to intercept but so nearly to send it into the net, the ball instead crashing against the post and out.

Add in a Blackpool penalty shout (Ness seemed to bundle their guy over before being able to make contact with the ball) and several dangerous crosses somehow not converted and the relief was palpable at half-time that the game was not already done and dusted.

Both sides made a substitution with for us Jones replacing Gillesphey, presumably the result of an injury, while for them Rhodes did not reappear. Either an injury or he just couldn’t stop shaking his head looking at the replays of his miss. It didn’t seem to matter as Blackpool started the second half by crashing one against the bar, with Maynard-Brewer well beaten. And just as it seemed our goal might lead a charmed life through the game we finally went behind, in the too familiar fashion of handing out gifts.

Jones won the ball facing his own goal, realised that the back pass had been cut off, so turned well to seemingly shrug off their player. But fatally he then took another touch instead of … well, anything else. Seems it was Morgan who got across to block the delayed ball forward and fortunately for them it ran to Dembele, in plenty of space. He needed no second invitation, driving the ball into the corner of the net from around the edge of the area.

For the next 10 minutes or so the game might have got away from us. Blackpool pressured us, we were picking up yellow cards (I thought Dobson had been booked in the first half, so when he fouled again and the ref went to his pocket I thought it was going to be another yellow and a red). But we managed to see out that period without conceding again.

Just past the hour we made another change, with Asiimwe withdrawn and Kanu coming on, with Edmonds-Green seemingly dropping into the back three and Jones moving across to wing-back. It wasn’t clear exactly where Kanu was fitting in, but really before we had the chance to find out amazingly we drew level. May collected the ball inside the area, cut across and put in a shot. Seemed on target but not especially dangerous, but one defender managed to deflect it wider but only onto another who caught on the hop sent it back into the net. I don’t know the rules on these things, but seemed to me that May’s original effort was on target before the first deflection, but seems to have been labelled another OG.

That stung Blackpool and once again for a while we came under the cosh. With still almost 20 minutes left on the clock Maynard-Brewer was booked for timewasting. But then with a little more than 10 minutes on the clock we made another substitution, with Watson(L) coming on for a tiring Lapado. That settled us back into a more classical 3-5-2 again and Watson(L) was to prove influential in the final stages. The balance of play tilted and we began to create chances.

Watson(T) collected from a throw and played in Kanu, his low cross not getting converted. Then Watson(L) picked out Kanu in space against a retreating defence. He seemed to hesitate between taking the shot or passing to May and a defender was able to get in the tackle. May shot over the bar, then we seemed to catch them very cold on the break with numbers getting forward, only for the ref to pull play back for a crafty tug by Thomas on one of their number. The final chance came from a corner for us, which looked as though it was going to be headed home for a dramatic winner. That wasn’t to be, instead there was just time for May to get himself booked again, for dissent.

So mixed emotions at the end I suspect. We were enjoying our best period of the game, causing them problems and appearing less threatened at the back. Equally, after all that had gone on leaving the pitch clutching a point gave us tangible reward for hanging in there, one which may prove very important. Fleming now has a week to get them ready for the visit of Derby and for the board to decide whether or not to go for a quick appointment (and just in case anyone missed it, not Warnock, not in a million years).

All Over & Out

With all the focus seemingly on Appleton – rumours he had already been sacked, speculation that defeat tonight and the owners would have no choice – the danger was forgetting there was a crucial (for us) game of football to be played. Really no way of predicting in advance how this one, against opposition in good nick, might go, which of the new players would feature and how they might be coming together, so soon after the deflating Burton defeat, plus whether all the negative vibes since then might have got to Appleton and the players.

In truth it could have gone either way. After an even first half marked by two goals for them that owed much (yet again) to poor defending and two for us involving an element of good fortune, we did enough in the second to have won the game, other than the obvious. We were on the end of more poor refereeing decisions, with a penalty shout not given and a second yellow and red for Edun which the ref simply got wrong. Sure, Northampton were also not given a stonewall penalty, but that came after those two incidents. Instead the game entered its closing stages still level, and we know what that usually means. As we tired and made questionable replacements, while not making other more obvious ones, still chasing the game with 10 men, we lost at the death to a goal which smacked of fatigue. No points and Appleton was history.

The team showed two straight replacements in defence, with newcomers Gillesphey and Edmonds-Green in for Ness and Thomas, who took their places on the bench, with Jones retained. Well, they were brought in to play and none of our defenders could complain had they been dropped, given our recent track record. Otherwise it was as you were in midfield and attack, and as regards the 3-5-2 formation.

After a chance apiece – Maynard-Brewer saving well then Ladapo bullying his way into a good position only for the shot to be blocked – within the first 10 minutes we were behind. Bakinson lost out in midfield and their guy had time to look up. Against a team fielding three centre-backs, his one target was wide open through the middle, with Jones advancing to look for offside and Edmonds-Green hanging back. A simple pass and the guy was able to cut back onto his left foot and score from the edge of the area. Soft, but we’ve seen it all before.

Within 20 minutes we were level, deservedly on the balance of play as we were causing them problems down the right side. After Ladapo had already scuffed a good Edun cross from the other side, May played a ball forward to him in a clearly offside position. That was cut out, but from the rebound May was able to take it further forward and then deliver a low cross. Ladapo this time managed to completely miss the ball, but a bemused defender connected with it and did the job for him.

Within a couple of minutes we were behind again. Failed to clear our lines and a ball in from the right side found a guy around the penalty spot completely unmarked. He’d not made a run, just stood there, in space, ignored. He took it well, but you’d have thought somebody might have marked him, or just occupied that space.

In the remainder of the half we had more half-chances, not least from a free-kick Gillesphey connected well only for his header to rebound back off the head of Ladapo. Edun picked up a yellow for a poor challenge, while late on May seemed, like Saturday, to be losing his rag. It was all building up to a very difficult trudge back off the pitch for the players when we equalised again. From a decent attack Ladapo’s shot inside the box was blocked, but it ran kindly for Watson(T), who drove it in well from a tight angle.

That did change the mood at the break. More goals in the game surely, perhaps, just perhaps. Appleton made a change during half-time, with Jones withdrawn and Thomas on. Whether that was a knock, tactical, or due in part to his role in their first goal we don’t know.

We had a clearer territorial and possession advantage as the second half progressed and were the ones looking the more likely. And with around 20 minutes of normal time left we had the first major incident of the half. Their offside trap was sprung and Dobson got the ball into Ladapo. He couldn’t get the shot off but it fell for May, who hit a strong shot past their keeper. However, a Northampton defender had sensed the danger and dropped back to the line. He got his body in the way of the ball, which then looped up for their keeper to collect. My first reaction was a penalty for handball, which would also have meant a red card, and the replays seem to support that. As pointed out on CATV it might have been a tough one for the ref to call in real time, but it should have been a penalty.

Shortly after we had another near miss as an Edun ball in found May, who played in Bakinson. He couldn’t get his shot off and Dobson on the right side overhit the ball back in. Then on 75 minutes Appleton sent on fresh legs, with attacking intent. Fiorini and Campbell were introduced for Coventry and Watson(T), which meant a more attacking midfielder and a young winger playing wing-back. It seemed like a gamble, perhaps from a man knowing he needed a win to keep his job.

Whatever the motivation, the task was complicated shortly before the 90 were up as Edun brought the ball out, took too heavy a touch, and it ended with a 50-50 with their guy. Once again hard to call in real time, but the replays were clear enough. Edun had reached the ball first, feet on the ground, and nicked it past their guy, who ended up catching Edun with his studs halfway up his leg. Whether or not their guy deserved a red was an open question as the ref saw things differently, pulled out a second yellow for Edun, and he was off. When your luck is out …

Now at that point, with seven minutes of time added, surely we should have made more changes. Ladapo and Bakinson were both out on their feet and Kanu and Watson(L) were obvious replacements, especially with a need to tighten up being one man down. Nothing was done. Almost predictably in the final minute we had a throw and just tried to send it down the line, lost the ball, were slow in getting back, and one of their guys fed another who scored from inside the box, Fiorini being the closest to him. Cue disbelief all round on and off the pitch as the final whistle sounded on Appleton’s spell.

Just who replaces him I’ve no idea, whether a Charlton legend, a veteran, or a fresh face. We’ve tried them all in recent years. You ask yourself just how bad can it get? Trouble is the answer is obvious, just look at the league table.

Duchere Update: A Stumble But League Leaders At Halfway Stage

As we lick our wounds (again), say farewell to Blackett-Taylor (and it would appear Fraser), and discuss whether or not Appleton has already been sacked or whether Northampton tonight will prove the end for him, thought it might be time for a diversion. A brief update on my adopted French team, Lyon Duchere.

To recap, when I started going to their games they were in effectively the regional French fifth division. Two promotions later they were in Championnat National, just one rung below the top two divisions. They were punching well above their weight in true Charlton fashion, competing against teams with much greater resources (reflected not least in attendance figures). After a good start in the higher division it all went sour as ambitious owners decided the club could never thrive based in the area and planned a move away from Duchere, across Lyon to the old and now vacated rugby stadium, changing the club’s name to Sporting Club de Lyon to try to sell it as all-Lyon’s second club (perhaps if they’d anticipated the current difficulties of Olympique Lyonnais they might have aimed higher). The longstanding manager was replaced, a host of new players brought in, and when Covid struck they were rooted to the foot of table. At the end of the uncompleted season it was decided to relegate them, with no appeal. Then at the end of last season La Duchere, who for much of the campaign harboured hopes of a fresh promotion, accepted a voluntary relegation for financial reasons.

So, we were back where I started, but with the club back to being rooted in Duchere and a part of the community. We’re now halfway through the season – and Duchere sit proudly at the top of the table. OK, like us they have suffered something of a blip of late. In December, the club felt able to issue a press release lauding the achievements to date. La Duchere was hailed as one of only two clubs (out of 266) in all five divisions (four and five are regional with many groups) unbeaten in the league or cup. Indeed, clear at the top they were preparing for a last 32 match against Le Puy Foot 43 of National 2, having already seen off Goal FC (National 1), Bastia (Ligue 2), and Thonon Evian Grande Geneve (National 2). The rest of the season, the club commented, “promises to be thrilling”.

You can of course guess what happened next. Duchere put in a spirited but ultimately unsuccessful effort against Le Puy, going out 1-2. Next up back in the league they travelled to bottom-of-the-table Ain Sud, the comments ahead of the game being that they would not be taken lightly. They came away with a rather disappointing 1-1 draw. And on Saturday there was the visit to Balmont Stadium of Clermont Foot(B) – the reserve teams of the top clubs compete in the lower divisions, Clermont currently battling it out with OL to avoid relegation from the French top flight.

Now Duchere had made it to the top – and here they clearly part company with the Addicks - on the back of their strong defence. Just five goals conceded in 12 games. So news that they had gone down 2-4 at home against a team in the lower reaches of the league came as something of a surprise. Seems Duchere were stung by two first-half goals for Le Puy, but pulled it back to 1-2 before the break then to 2-2 in the second half. They had the opportunity to take the lead but failed to convert a penalty, then fell behind again. Chasing the game in the final stages they were predictably caught out on the break, giving a rather misleading slant to the scoreline.

No matter, after 13 games of the 26-game season Duchere are still top, having won seven and drawn five, scoring 22 goals and conceding nine. Promotion (and relegation) can get a bit complicated at this level, but to be sure of going up you need to win your group (there are 12, each of 14 teams, making up N3). So the second half of the campaign is going to be interesting, perhaps indeed thrilling. Next up for Duchere will be the local derby, at home against OL’s reserves. A favour perhaps? We shall see.

 

No Turning Of The Page As Yet

This one was meant to mark the turning of a corner, with the incorporation of new players into a different formation, to draw a line under the dire period since late November - one which had effectively put paid to any thoughts of the play-offs – and to point towards better times next season. More prosaically, while a first win in nine games would have been most welcome, at the least we needed to avoid another defeat to avoid a possible material drop down the table and being sucked more clearly into a relegation struggle. Against opponents we had failed to beat at The Valley in December (despite being ahead for around 70 minutes of the game).

We ended up losing badly, in the sense that we were made to look increasingly ordinary and ineffective once we’d gone two down early in the second half. Our obvious frustration boiled over at the end with May’s petulant and nasty scything down of their guy heading towards our goal. As pointed out on Charlton TV, that could easily have seen a red card and him out for three games. Instead of a new start, the game revived old ghosts as we were treated to a re-run of so many we’ve seen this season and last, including conceding a goal that illustrated some of the problems of 3-5-2, more evidence that domination of possession means nothing if most of it amounts to going sideways and back, and the minimised threat down the flanks the system usually results in.

We were hard done by to be behind at the break, which could be attributed to us being denied a pretty clear penalty, a wonderful save by their keeper, our inability to turn half-chances into serious attempts on goal, and their scoring with their only real shot on goal. We were not hard done by at the end of the game, taking account of our lacklustre response to going two down and the comfort with which Burton saw out the game.

In all of this and other accounts, I suspect not enough credit will be given to Burton. When the came to The Valley they had a gameplan and stuck to it – stay in the game, get men behind the ball, deny space. Thanks to a late equaliser they went away with a point as having gone in front we didn’t do enough to finish off the game. This time around Burton had a similar approach but avoided going behind, took their chance when it came, defended by and large very well and the keeper helping them out, then having gone two up slammed the door shut in our faces, to the extent that until a late scuffed Kanu shot then his effort against the bar in stoppage time we really didn’t threaten their goal.

The team showed two changes from the Peterborough starting line-up, with both Campbells missing: one on the bench and one with his loan period ended. Lapado, signed on loan just the day before, leapfrogged Kanu to go straight into the team to play alongside May in a 3-5-2. The defence - still missing the injured Hector and with new arrivals Gillesphey and Edmonds-Green among the subs – was unchanged, with Ness, Jones and Thomas the central three and Edun and Watson(T) wing-backs, while Coventry started in midfield along with Dobson and Bakinson. Asiimwe and Anderson were the two still with us who missed out on a place in the squad.

We began well enough, with early encouragement as a Lapado dummy for May to collect pointed at understanding, while Edun was getting some joy down the left side. A good move involving Dobson, Bakinson, then Edun saw a low ball in for Bakinson, who shot over the bar (the ball probably took a bobble, much else did through the game). And before 10 minutes were up we really should have had a penalty. Great work by Edun ended with him moving along the goalline, only to be bundled over from behind. There was contact, their guy was nowhere near the ball, but the ref just ignored it. Not long after Jones headed over from a good position at a free-kick, then another set piece on the right side after a foul on Dobson saw the ball squared for May to run onto it and hit one on the turn that went over the bar.

Added to the chances was the fact that we had nearly all the ball. Often it was sideways and back, but Burton barely had a kick. Despite being at home, it didn’t bother them, they kept to the plan – and hadn’t gone behind. And sure enough, on 24 minutes they took the lead. Goalkeeper kicks the ball out, their forward beat Ness to the ball to flick it on, and suddenly they have a guy in space down their left heading for our goal. Watson(T) was and remained out of the picture, being around the half-way line. Instead Jones moved out towards their guy. It would, however, be wrong to say he challenged him. Rather he backed off and, as stressed by Curbs in the TV coverage, did nothing to impact what their guy did, always being a couple of yards away from the ball. He was able to cut inside, in a fashion very similar to Peterborough’s second, only this time the curled shot was excellent and perfectly placed rather than taking a deflection on its way in.

That was to say the least a blow, enabling Burton to redouble their efforts at just keeping us away from their goal. We still had chances. Rather out of the blue on the half-hour Thomas collected the ball driving forward and unleashed what would have been a goal of the season contender, the ball arrowing its way to the top corner of the net, only for their keeper to get fingers to it at full stretch to turn it aside for a corner. From that corner we almost equalised with Bakinson’s shot from close range also saved. And just before the break a good move down the left ended with Bakinson curling one just wide of the far post.

The half-time stats showed we had 74% possession and nine shots (three on target) against three (two on target) for them. Them’s the breaks, still half the game to go. But the game changed more decisively just a minute or two into the second half, as a long throw into the box was cleared and our massed defence did what it has done so often this season, all moving out towards the ball. It was lofted back in to the far post where Watson(L) managed to intercept it but only to send it square to one of several of theirs on hand, who scored easily.

And with hindsight there the game ended, for us at least. Not long after their second Lapedo hooked a shot over the bar and we did have another shout for a penalty as Edun seemed to be taken out on the edge of the area (possibly just outside it) but nothing was given. Then a Coventry cross to the far post almost dropped for May to convert but a defender got there first.

With around 20 minutes of normal time left and us clearly flagging, Appleton made a triple change: Fiorini, Kanu and Gillesphey replacing Thomas, Ness and Coventry. That meant a switch to a back four and a sort of 4-3-3. The changes may have been necessary to get fresh legs on, but they really didn’t work, although Kanu was involved in our remaining efforts. A long Edun cross dropped for him but it was a difficult take and he shot into the ground then up. Watson(L) came on for Lapedo and in the nine minutes of stoppage time Kanu’s shot came back off the bar, him having been set up by Bakinson. But the game’s final meaningful action saw Burton break and May chase their guy all the way back, ending with a two-footed lunge which could easily have done their guy damage.

It wasn’t a game to take positives from. Bakinson continued to impress with his support of the attack, Lapedo showed good signs of being able to develop an understanding with May, Gillesphey looked assured when on the pitch (although by then Burton were not looking to pressurise our back line), while Edun might be given MotM for his work down the left side. Fact is the goals Burton scored were soft and once more we’d conceded twice. I’d imagine that Gillesphey and Edmonds-Green will start on Tuesday night against Northampton as the defence looks in need of a revamp. Whether Bakinson, Coventry and Lapedo are able to start another game so quickly remains to be seen, although presumably Appleton will be sticking with 3-5-2 for now. If he does, one practical change I’d make is ensuring we have back-up wingbacks on the bench as the system asks a lot of them.

All you can say is that we went up a place in the second half, having at one stage during the afternoon been in 17th spot. We would have been at least that low had the Port Vale v Wycombe game not been called off. It’s not reached the stage where you say we simply have to beat Northampton on Tuesday night, but it’s not far off, given not least the fixtures coming up in February..

Lessons To Learn, Positives To Take, But An Obvious Downside

With four new signings in the past few days, possibly May returning, was there cause for hope? Any realistic assessment would have been that with those incoming probably needing at least a little time to bed in, against opponents pressing for a top-two spot and on the back of a strong run of form, anything concrete out of the game would be a bonus. And that proved to be the case. We emerged with some lessons learnt, some positives for sure, but the obvious downside of no points and the implications for our chances of avoiding becoming embroiled in an outright battle against relegation.

The team did indeed contain May, but on the other side of the coin no Blackett-Taylor (slight injury was given as the reason but his absence has to increase speculation of a departure). Without CBT the way was open for a change in formation. Appleton went for a three centre-back pairing - but one not containing Hector (who it seems has picked up an injury), with Jones, Ness and Thomas in front of Maynard-Brewer, with Watson(T) and Edun to operate as wingbacks. Dobson was joined by debutant Bakinson in central midfield, with Campbell(C) returning from injury and lining up with Campbell(T) and May in a sort of front three. You could call it a 5-2-3, or a 5-4-1, even a 3-4-3 etc. On the bench Isted was able to return from injury, with his temporary replacement Walker having moved on. Asiimwe was the only obvious defensive replacement (with Elerewe not given a spot), Kanu the only alternative forward (Casey and Mbick not featuring), while for the midfield we would have Anderson, Watson(L), Coventry and Fiorini. Fair to say that reflected that we are still some way short of a balanced squad.

There are two ways to describe the first half: awful or a gameplan that failed to work. I prefer the latter as it was clear early on that Appleton was prioritising congesting key areas in the hope of nullifying their threat. And in some respects that worked. Peterborough were restricted to a few threatening moments, with both sides pressing and space at a premium. However, with our wing-backs pinned back, Campbell(T) having a poor game, getting regularly brushed off the ball, and Campbell(C) doing some good stuff but not in their final third, May remained isolated and we carried no attacking threat. We had zero attempts on goal in the first half. Oh, and the gameplan pretty much went up in smoke as they scored.

There had only been one serious direct threat before the goal, with a cross from their left seemingly on course to be headed home by an unmarked guy only for Maynard-Brewer to manage to palm it away. But before the half-hour another cross in from their left was touched back by a forward to their winger in space. He curled an excellent shot inside the far post. The replays showed that Jones had been tracking the scorer, only for the latter to drop a little deeper as the cross came in and for the former to stay in his position. Simple enough but it made the space and the finish produced the goal.

The only difference the goal made to play was that Peterborough felt even more comfortable with their set-up, content to dominate possession and easily snuff out any threat we might have posed. At the break the stats showed we had 34% possession and no attempts on goal, let alone anything on target. It was apparent to just about everyone that if we carried on as before they would score at least one more and run out comfortable winners. Seems that Appleton agreed as two changes were made at the break, both Campbells being withdrawn for Kanu and Watson(L), marking a switch from 5-2-3/3/4/3 to a more conventional 3-5-2.

Would that all such changes have the result these did, as within a few minutes of the second half – and after we had almost gifted Peterborough a second, Dobson playing a poor pass back under pressure and almost letting them in - we had drawn level with our first attempt on goal. Watson(L) took a chance on the edge of our box, not hoofing clear but holding the ball and passing to Dobson. He looked up and hit a long ball forward into the channel for Kanu to run on to down the left. He got to it and sent in a low cross. For a moment it seemed the chance had gone as their defender intercepted the cross. But he made rather a mess of it and it fell for Bakinson, who had run the length of the pitch. Somehow he managed not to score from close range, but thankfully the ball looped up for May to head in from about a yard, surely the easiest finish even he has ever had.

The game had changed, we now carried a real threat and caused panic in their defence, and through the second period both teams had good chances to score. The surprise was that only one of many chances was converted – and that a shot deflected in.

Not long after our equaliser Peterborough came as close as you can get. A break and they had numbers available. First shot was saved by Maynard-Brewer, the second produced another save, the third came back off the bar, and the fourth was put over the bar. Then a free kick for us resulted in a Thomas header saved low down – and it was clear that with the three centre-backs we did have a height advantage from set pieces. May almost chipped in from range with their keeper having come away from his goal, then some desperate defending as they broke down the right and Dobson failed in his attempt to take the guy out, resulting in some desperate defending to keep them out. Up the other end and Kanu was almost in, eventually getting off a shot that was saved.

The most obvious danger arising from our change of formation was getting caught out down the channels and with a little over 10 minutes of normal time left, just after Coventry had come on for his debut, replacing the understandably tiring Bakinson, we paid the price. The scorer of their first goal was starting to do a fair CBT impression of gathering the ball and cutting inside to open up the space for an attempt on goal. This time the replays showed Watson(L) high up the pitch supporting an attack and when it broke down only ambling back. He never did catch up with their guy. Instead Dobson, ever willing, came across to try to cover, only to end up diverting the guy’s shot into the net. The goal felt as deflatingly soft as Port Vale’s late equaliser.

The chances kept coming. May had a shot well saved, then Watson(L) had an effort palmed away at the last by their keeper; if his shot had been lower it surely would have been a goal. And from another free kick we really should have equalised as we had a free header from close range, only for Ness (I think) to try to square it for someone instead of going for goal.

That header was proved to be our last real opportunity to take a point. Fiorini came on for Dobson and in the final minutes – including seven of stoppage time – we were putting them under pressure. Just couldn’t fashion one more chance to take a point.

The lessons? The first-half formation didn’t work, clear to all. In particular Campbell(T) suffered by having to operate in an area where there was no space to be had. The 3-5-2 set-up, with Kanu full of energy and threat, was a different story. The lesson from their second goal was surely that the wing-backs have to get up and down quickly all the game, while as pointed out by CATV with three centre-backs surely one of them could have been covering for Watson(T)’s absence rather than Dobson.

The positives? Bakinson looked very good, in his use of the ball and ability to get up and down the pitch, especially for our goal. Coventry looked excellent, picking forward passes which pulled them apart. Fiorini looked rather rusty by comparison, but far too early to draw conclusions. He looks like a natural No.10, so how involved he is will depend on the formation we adopt. With another central defender added, the squad is now crying out for the additional centre-forward. Hopefully there will be movement on that front soon.

The obvious downside? Well, by definition it is obvious. We got no points. We are now very much looking down rather than up and at least avoiding defeat next time out away at Burton is if not a necessity then absolutely key. The gap to the bottom four is already down to seven points – and with two of those having a game in hand on us and on reasonable runs. Defeat at Burton and other results could see us slump in the league. There was enough yesterday to have faith that the new players will be hitting the ground running, but next time out Appleton will need to get the starting choices and the system right from the start.

Takes On The Online Fans Meeting

Takes on last night’s Online Fan Meeting? Overall I guess I’m more sympathetic – and cautiously optimistic - than many others regarding the new ownership. And that’s fundamentally for a reason I’ve cited before and which was articulated by Paul Elliott: the owners of our club are not going to make any return on their investment unless and until we are either in the Premiership or within sight of it, and they have no wish to simply write cheques ad infinitum to cover our losses, so there is common purpose with the fanbase. They want what we want, which is not to say they will succeed but something which I’d say has not been the case at least since Duchatelet emerged on the scene.

Also, the importance of the January transfer window has, in my view, shifted greatly since the end of November. Had we entered it on an upward trend and with a realistic shot at the play-offs, I’d be among those howling for quality signings at whatever cost to go for it. That is no longer the case. The window is now about doing what is necessary to avoid a continued slide to the relegation zone. So for me the acid test of the window now is whether we end up avoiding a relegation struggle, not how we might start to shape up for next season. Of course if we were to end up getting relegated – and with two of our key players possibly to leave and already obvious shortages in personnel it is, while almost unthinkable, a possibility we have to acknowledge - they will have screwed up big-time, in which case if I was one of the investors I’d be looking at whether those employed to run the club should or should not be retained.

Assuming we stay up, I think we judge the new regime on what is done during the summer, not before. And quite frankly I wouldn’t blame the owners for shelling out next to nothing this month if short-term patches can be found. We are not going to build a squad to compete next season in this window. I’d guess that if the opportunity arises to buy someone who fits our requirements for both now and next season – most obviously Clarke-Harris – great, the club does all it can realistically to make it happen. But if not then so be it. there is no case to be made for simply spending money. If we bring in a veteran or two on short-term deals or loans, not a problem. Personally I’d be putting in a call to Amiens to ask them how much it would cost us to take Andy Carroll for 12 months (or less), or to Bristol Rovers to see if Marquis might be tempted away. I'm really not joking. 

As for what was actually said, there were not surprisingly no revelations, it wasn’t a forum for breaking news or spilling the beans. It was a PR exercise and one to be built on, taking at face value what Rodwell said about being open to engagement. There was one occasion when I thought it might get interesting, when he was asked about why Appleton is being given the time that Holden was not. I thought Rodwell was able to wriggle out of that one by trying to imply this left them ‘damned if we do, damned if we don’t’ rather than addressing just why it is different now. He did start to suggest that what was going on on the training ground didn’t look good under Holden, but it’s hard to avoid the impression that it’s different now because when they arrived on the scene they were happy to appear decisive, but now repeating the exercise, ditching a man so quickly they chose themselves, would leave them open to ridicule.

There was a hint from Rodwell that ‘matters are underway’ as regards acquiring The Valley and Sparrows Lane, but it was no more than a suggestion that a long-term process may have begun. I think we can rule out any concrete moves while we are in League One.

On the squad front, there was the suggestion of a breakdown of an ideal squad for Charlton, involving eight ‘elite League One players’, eight ‘reliable’ ones, and eight academy graduates. It’s the sort of thing that seldom stands up to serious scrutiny as you can’t categorise players (including loan players) in such a simple fashion, while it also begs certain questions, such as ‘if you have eight elite players are they all in different positions and do they all start, if available? But it's a rule of thumb and what the grid did highlight was that if Dobson and Blackett-Taylor are sold in this window, beyond May we’d be struggling to put any others into that first category (some, like Fraser, could get in there when on song, Aneke when fit - but neither's the case at the moment). The implication would be we need to sign say half a dozen ‘elite’ playes, which is clearly a task for the summer, not now.

On other matters, Rodwell indicated a desire to bring down losses, from £6-7m a season, which is understandable. But he wasn’t really pressed on how this is to be done and whether this might come at the cost of compromises on the player front. I hope it is impressed (if not tattooed) on the new owners that they can forget about reducing losses by raising revenues (other than player sales) as long as we are in the third flight. The immediate priority, when it comes to season ticket prices, is to try to avoid a further decline. To achieve that requires reason to believe that next season will not be more of the same, not the quality of the pies on offer.

Punished Late Again, But It Was Entertaining

What was to be expected from yesterday’s game? Quite frankly heaven only knew, given our dire recent run of results, our opponents’ mixed form of late, and with a squad stretched to its limits and with the January reshaping having only just begun with the arrival of Bakinson and Fiorini on loan and the premature release of Tedic. I’d have said the bottom line was we really needed something from the game, at least a draw, to avoid being sucked further towards the relegation area.

We did at least get that. And with thoughts of closing the gap on those above us really redundant now I actually enjoyed the game, warts and all, even with another late goal resulting in more points surrendered. The two teams had contrasting styles and different strengths, while added to the mix were some heroic goalkeeping (with a costly error or two thrown in), defensive howlers (not especially from us this time, although our failure to close down their guys proved our undoing), one penalty awarded out of three possibles, and final stats which showed we had seven attempts on goal, four of them on target, and scored with three of them, compared with 29, 12 and three respectively for Port Vale. Those figures, plus the fact that our third goal came at a time when there appeared only one team likely to win the game and it wasn’t us, did at least ease the pain of their late – and third of the day – equaliser.

The contrast in styles was epitomised by the two centre-forwards on display. They had a 28-year-old powerhouse in Ikpeazu, a guy who made his professional debut about a decade ago and recently returned from playing in Turkey. He has been around the block as they say and knows what his game is all about. He put in the sort of display we sometimes saw from Aneke and was, to say the least, a handful from start to finish. We had a guy just turned 19, full of promise with his career ahead of him but still learning his trade, one who began this season being loaned out to National League Southend. Asking Kanu to compete for balls in the air and to hold up play for others, against seasoned defenders, a task tailor-made for Ikpeazu, was grossly unfair. He was nevertheless rewarded for his efforts with his second-half goal, one which underlined that he may not yet have the strength but he can make up for it with other attributes. Port Vale were able to feed off Ikpeazu inside and outside the box, while our real threat had to come down the flanks, relying more on moments of individual skill.

The game came too soon for either Bakinson or Fiorini to be included, and too soon also for May to be ready to return. That meant the only change from Oxford was an enforced one, with Campbell(C) added to the injured list. Watson(L) was given the nod to start over Fraser, who stayed on the bench, with Ness added to the squad.

We barely got a touch in the opening minutes and they just looked much bigger than us. But that Port Vale dominance didn’t last and within the first 10 minutes both Campbell(T) and Blackett-Taylor beat their opposite numbers and gave us grounds for optimism. Indeed, as we settled into the game we dominated possession, content to go back and sideways while Port Vale got men behind the ball. We had moments without creating anything clear-cut, but just before the half-hour we did take the lead. A Dobson corner was headed out but Edun managed to turn it back goalwards. Watson(L) rose well to flick the ball on and CBT read the developing situation better than anyone else, having the pace to get to the loose ball first. He shot low and hard and we were ahead.

Not long after we had the game’s first penalty appeal. Ikpeazu won another contest and played the ball out left. The cross came in and their guy met it first time with a shot which looked on target. Hector was close by and the ball hit his outstretched arm. There was no movement of the arm to the ball, no time for that, but it was held out. A VAR review would I think have resulted in a spot kick, it fell into the category at this level of ‘seen them given’.

As half-time approached Port Vale seemed to up their game and from a position of dominance we quickly came under the cosh. They really should have equalised as a cross found their guy with the goal at his mercy, only he scuffed the shot and Maynard-Brewer was able to claw it away, then followed that up by saving a decent shot. And we were unable to see out the half as they found space down their right side and as Anderson stretched to try to close down the cross his arm came out, the ball hit it, and the ref really had little option but to award the penalty. No intent but … The penalty was converted and we almost managed to fall behind as Jones, who was already on a yellow, was caught out, the move ending with a shot over the bar.

At the break there were mixed emotions, seemed like a game which could easily go either way. Port Vale had begun and ended the half strongly – and when they were in the ascendency we had panicked, or at least struggled to keep them at bay. But in between we had been setting the pace, controlling the game, and had scored. The first-half stats said a lot as we had 62% possession and two shots (one on target), against 12 for Port Vale (six on target).

The early second-half exchanges were inconclusive, with Vale winning a number of corners, which in general we coped with well, while we had a decent CBT cut inside and shot, Kanu was almost in but his touch took the ball too wide, and Cambell had a low cross/shot which went just past the post. But before the hour we took the lead again, in a fashion the Vale defence will not want to be reminded of. Blackett-Taylor found himself on the right for once, but his cross went to one of their guys. He opted for a square pass rather than clearance and their guy was challenged by Edun. The ball ran kindly for Kanu, but he made the most of the chance, firing home.

The lead lasted a few minutes. Maynard-Brewer had already made another decent save before their guy laid the ball off on their right side for another to put in the cross. He had the time and space to choose where to put it and dinked one in that was meat and drink to Ikpeazu. He made it his, getting in front of Hector, but his header across goal probably should have been saved, Maynard-Brewer getting an arm in the way of the ball but not managing to keep it out. It was the only blot on his afternoon.

That heralded another spell of Port Vale pressure and the script seemed all too familiar: we get tired, can’t bring on effective replacements, the opposition eventually score a winner. For a while that did look likely. Thomas coming on for Edun seemed indicative of the need for more height in our area. More Port Vale corners, yellow for Dobson, but just when we were fearing the worst we went and scored again, somewhat out of the blue. A CBT cross from the left was headed out but Thomas got to the ball first and managed to divert it back across goal, where it found Campbell, who had taken the chance to move inside. His shot was decent and across their keeper. It really should have been saved, but wasn’t.

With almost 10 minutes of normal time plus stoppage time to go, nobody was feeling confident about holding the lead. But with some desperate defending, a yellow for Watson(L), and despite a Thomas howler we managed to get to the six extra minutes still in front, with Asiimwe having replaced a tired and/or injured Blackett-Taylor, Campbell moving to the left side. That the equaliser did come was not so surprising, but the circumstances were. There seemed little danger as the ball was played forward, just evading Watson(L). But from the edge of the area their guy put in a shot which seemed to curl around Jones and left Maynard-Brewer rooted to the spot.

There was still time for the game’s final penalty appeal, this one for us. The ball was chipped in delightfully and for a moment Dobson looked like scoring. But he ended up trying a backheel, one which resulted in the ball hitting the arm of their guy. Was his arm outstretched? Had he moved it towards the ball? Was hard to tell. I’d say it was on a par with the earlier one by Hector which wasn’t given, so perhaps for once these things did even out over the game. Still would have been very nice for it to have been given. Instead Port Vale’s keeper cleared the ball quickly and it looked as though they were on for a late break, only for the ref to pull back play to book Thomas. We were incensed by being denied a penalty, Port Vale were incensed by play having been stopped, and chaos reigned as the final whistle blew.

I do still view it as a point gained rather than two lost. Perhaps that reflects my thoughts before the game. If we had lost, which for periods of the game looked likely even if we were never behind, that would have started to fray the nerves. We know more changes are coming in January, that before long some of the injured will return. We also know that in terms of the season the objective now is to ‘see how high we can get’ and to prepare for the next campaign. Of course two more points would have been very welcome, we would now be sitting in 11th rather than 13th and be nine rather than seven points above the drop zone. But whereas the points lost through December were season-defining, these two were surely not.

Past The Definition Of Insanity

Thanks (if that’s the right word) to some nifty baggage removal work and the astonishing (if not unique) experience of my partner Suzanne remembering where she parked the car at Lyon airport I was able to catch some of the first half of yesterday’s game on a mobile driving back, then all the second from the luxury of an armchair in front of the TV. Everyone knows what happened – fair bit to like about the first half, which was pretty even and quite entertaining despite their equaliser, before a progressive tailing off through the second half as we ran out of steam and lacked effective replacements, rounded off with the almost inevitable conceding of a second – so just a case of anything to be learnt and where do we take it from here.

We have learnt one thing at least, that the new owners, wherever they may be, are not ready to sack Appleton. If they were presumably he would have gone by now. It wasn’t a performance which absolutely demanded a change, even given the context of our recent results. He said the players had given him all they could and that sounded credible. When we heard that both May and Tedic had been added to the unavailable list we feared the worst, while of course hoping for one of those little football miracles. The things I’d quibble about are relatively minor and probably wouldn’t have affected the outcome.

Also, I’d suggest in the debate over Appleton too little weight is being given to the fact that he was appointed ‘head coach’, not manager. Some like to claim this is a more modern approach; really it’s just a different structure, nothing modern or progressive about it. It does mean that Appleton’s main task is to get the squad playing to its full potential. Given those missing through injury, he can’t really be hauled over the coals for the results – even though Holden was. And he was the choice of the new regime (we have to keep calling it ‘new’ because we don’t know how else to describe it) less than four months ago. If he were to go now not only is there little reason to believe another could do a better job in the circumstances (and we don’t yet need a ‘new manager bounce’ to stave off relegation, at least not yet), we would not be bringing in some ‘new broom’ as the replacement would presumably have no greater say in the choice of new signings for example than Appleton.

The downsides for the new regime of a change now are pretty obvious: yet another cheque to write (Appleton was given a two-year contract), another round of accusations that our club has become a laughing stock, and the door kicked open for others to be held responsible for this season’s failure. Again, Appleton was their choice, why should he go and not say ‘technical director’ Andy Scott and/or managing director James Rodwell? Similar reasons really. Scott and Rodwell are on the board of directors (accompanied only by two non-execs and a finance director). In turn they are answerable to the invisible Charlie Methven and his group of investors. Those investors will presumably be ready to accept that this season has been a failure and go again, ideally with greater understanding that avoiding another will require spending more money than to date. Whether they would accept another season like this one is an entirely different question.

The only reason(s) for Appleton to be replaced are if the regime consider that he is not the best coach we can get and (related) if he has ‘lost the dressing room’ – and I’d suggest the latter is pretty irrelevant as that dressing room will once again be very different next season. As regards the former, you’d have to say the jury is still out, although whether or not the new owners are qualified to judge is a moot point.

I do think, from my armchair and with my absence of any direct experience of the football world, that some of Appleton’s selections and tactics have been at least questionable, which could be contributing to our problems. For example, I’m glad Campbell(C) has been getting a run in the team. But he went from out of the squad for an extended period straight to starter in the No.10 role. You’d normally expect someone to have had a sub cameo or two before going straight in to start. Watson(L) has been dropped to the bench but then seen Anderson leapfrog him having been out of the squad for some time, similarly Tedic has been generally kept in reserve following the recall of Kanu. There’s a good reason why Kanu (and Elerewe) were out on loan, as part of their development, and they are being deprived that opportunity to develop, even if injuries have forced our hand. I can understand if some of this ‘in favour/out of favour’ has been having a demotivating impact on some.

Equally tactics and formation. For me there is one – very good - reason we play 4-3-3 (or however you want to describe it). It suits Blackett-Taylor. Last season it suited him and Rak-Sakyi. There’s a price to be paid as it doesn’t really help May, who has worked his socks off to try to make the best of being a lone, isolated central striker, widish right, or the No.10, or Kanu, or for that matter Campbell(T), who is struggling for confidence and being asked to take on a role more challenging than outright winger. It also works against playing with wing-backs as CBT is not one of them (and should never be asked to try).

OK. There’s no perfect formation, just best options for the players available. But why on earth if Blackett-Taylor is knackered (as Appleton says he was against Oxford) and has to be withdrawn, with probably more than 10 minutes left to play, do we stick to that formation, switching briefly Campbell(C) to the left and introducing Fraser? When we were increasingly on the back foot and desperately in need of either shoring up the middle or giving them something to think about with a switch to two up top? If that one was mystifying, the introduction of Casey for Kanu, in the final minutes, to operate on his own for crying out loud when we were behind at home, was almost cruel. What did Appleton expect him to be able to do? Just try something different. If Kanu had to come off, what about having Thomas, who was on for the injured Watson(T), play central defence alongside Jones and put Hector up front to accompany Casey and go long? It would have confused them. No idea if it would have worked, but things could not have turned out any worse (even if we had conceded another).

Appleton must have known we would be increasingly tied down through the game by Oxford, given their style of play, so why not have a plan to deal with tired legs rather than just replacing tired round pegs with fresh(er) round pegs? All of us watching the game were well aware that it would have been a point won had we been able to keep it at 1-1 as in the final 30 mins or so there was only one team likely to score again, the fact that it came via a wonder-strike was irrelevant. If that one had stayed out Oxford would probably have been more intent on looking for another in the final minutes.

So I’m disappointed in what we’ve seen so far from Appleton in certain respects, most obviously some seemingly erratic team/squad selections and what seems to be tactical rigidity when games are not going our way, usually the final 20 minutes (to be fair we have sometimes made changes when defending a lead which have not worked in terms of seeing out a game, nothing’s guaranteed). I hope in the weeks/months to come we see more evidence that he can be instrumental in turning us around. In the interim he deserves our support, as do the players during games at least, as we are in a tough spot and need backing. Just have to bear in mind that Appleton’s track record indicates he doesn’t tend to stick around for long, for a variety of reasons. Including caretaker roles we seem to be his ninth appointment since 2011.

And on that note, while the game is different now and such comparisons are unfair and misleading, Charlton Athletic has been in existence for not much short of 125 years. In that time apparently we have had 31 permanent managers (inc head coaches). Some 13 of them have been since 2013 and the arrival of Duchatelet; if you include Riga having two stints and caretakers, we have had 19 changes in that time. Even by modern standards that’s a lot. I’d say we’ve gone well past the definition of insanity.