Looks Like Up To Me

Could we do it? Emerge from our three-game mini-series undefeated, having secured three (more?) points from it, remain outside the relegation zone? At half-time last night you would have got long odds on us coming away from Derby with anything (while other results were not to our advantage), but the game changed (as did others) – and how. We picked it up in the second half, made key substitutions, got back level, and that seemed to really spook Derby, who made the mistake which led to our winner. Three months since we’ve been able to use such words. Delight was unbounded at the end, for all of us. The players may need to get down to some training, but we’re entitled to bask in that one through to Saturday at least. 

The team showed changes, one enforced, others the result presumably of some tired legs and rotation. In front of Isted would be a back three of Edmonds-Green, Thomas and Gillesphey (with Jones suspended for two games, Ness back in among the subs), while Watson(T) and Small kept their places as the wing-backs. The main surprise was in midfield, with Coventry coming in to start in place of Dobson, who moved to the bench, while Camara would start and it was Bakinson’s turn to go from starter to not making the squad. Anderson after his impressive displays against Bolton and Portsmouth was retained, although it remained to be seen if he would keep a more forward position or drop deeper alongside Coventry to free up Camara. Up front Ladapo and Kanu were chosen to start, with Aneke and May on the bench.

My scribbled notes had just ‘survived first 10’, then ‘survived first 20’, etc. Perhaps not surprisingly we’d gone out with the priority being to stop them scoring, to stay in the game. And that side of things did work well enough for most of the half as Derby were kept at bay. Trouble was we were able to do next to nothing when we had the ball, with the wing-backs focused on defensive duties, Camara struggling to make a creative impact, and the front two not able to feed off the scraps.

For the first 40 minutes very little happened, the ball being thumped forward at every opportunity, a lot of head tennis, plenty of tackles, hard work, no serious chances created. We were seldom caught out of position and when we were players got back quickly to cover. But at The Valley in early February they hadn’t blown us away, rather they kept working and when a chance came took it, then never looked like giving the lead away. And as our thoughts were turning to getting to the dressing room on level terms, job done so far, we went behind. You have to say it was a set piece they’ve worked on as from a corner their guy at the near post shoved and pulled and when the ball was delivered ensured that a couple of defenders were unable to get off the ground. On cue another guy ran into the spot late and unmarked, to get the touch to send the ball into the net.

To say that changed the mood would be an understatement. The stats at half-time showed both sides had three attempts on goal but only one had been on target. We were losing and giving no sign of being able to create a decent chance – although we also knew that substitutions, most obviously the introduction of Aneke, might change the picture. The mood was not helped by Port Vale being 2-0 up at home to Fleetwood – although I kid you not I texted around our group of Addicks that there was no problem, Stockley was on the bench and would get on to save us.

There were no changes by us at half-time, but on the hour they came, with Aneke and May introduced for Camara and Ladapo, with May going into the hole behind the front two. The two taken off had struggled to influence the game, with probably too much expected of Camara to make things happen in the first half.

Absurdly, Aneke was almost on the scoresheet within seconds. A corner was flicked on at the near post and Chuks at the far one stretched to make a meaningful contact but only succeeded in diverting it against the post and out. That woke everyone up and we only had to wait a few minutes before we did draw level. On the turn in the middle of the pitch Coventry hit a lovely ball into the channel for Kanu to run on to. The keeper came out but Kanu got to it first, touching it forward and then taking the contact. No question about the penalty (pity it was only a yellow for their keeper but so be it). Now May had only been on the pitch for a few minutes but he stepped up to the plate and converted it cooly, shooting low into the corner. He deserved a serious pat on the back for that, well aware of the significance of the kick.

Not surprisingly Derby responded and we were under the cosh more clearly for a period. But we managed to prevent them creating a real opening, albeit with some periodically desperate defending, especially from set plays (long throws as well as corners/free kicks). Watson went down injured for a second time and this time was replaced, by Ness, with Edmonds-Green moving to wing-back. But with Derby pressing forward and seemingly getting a little rattled, perhaps unnerved by the pressure put on them by the home crowd as well as our greater attacking threat, we were getting more space in their half and with around 10 minutes of normal time left we took the lead.

Derby players were being pressed as they tried to move the ball around and eventually one of them miscontrolled the ball, with Aneke able to pounce and advance towards goal. He slid in an ideally weighted pass for Kanu to his right. The shot came in but was well saved by their advancing keeper. Just as we were about to bemoan our luck the rebound was slammed home from around the edge of the box by Anderson. I doubt there is an Addick who wasn’t out of his/her seat.

10 minutes or so plus stoppage time, which proved to be eight additional minutes. With hindsight, aside from a header from a decent position planted too close to Isted, and a shot wide at the death, we held on fairly comfortably – another thing in stark contrast to previous experience. We might even have extended the lead as May advanced only for Kanu to take the ball off him having come back from an offside position. It mattered not. The final whistle came and now the joy was compounded by the news that Stockley had come on and grabbed two late goals to deny Port Vale the win.

My partner this morning asked me what has gone right, both compared with the performances prior to Lincoln and between the first and second halves last night. You have to attribute the former to a number of factors. First, we have more available component parts able to be slotted into the same system, especially now we have four forwards to use. So often this season we’ve suffered late on due to players running out of steam and not having suitable replacements. Now, Jones is able to say ‘go out and bust a gut and if you get tired I’ll take you off’, as well as alternate it seems Dobson and Coventry, Bakinson and Camara, as well as defenders. There’s probably also an element of the team thrown together in January learning to play together with a new formation.

Along with that, Jones has to take the credit for certain decisions, most obviously the faith shown in Kanu and Anderson. With Coventry and Bakinson introduced in January, Camara becoming available, Dobson ending up staying, and Watson(L) retained, I doubt many Addicks would have seen a role for Anderson. The first game in which he was brought back to start, against Lincoln, you can’t say was a great success. But at Bolton, then against Portsmouth, then last night he has shone, the goal being the proverbial icing on the cake. And personally I was really impressed with his post-match interview for CATV. When asked about the goal I was anticipating the usual ‘it came to me and I just hit it and it went in’. Instead Anderson talked about technique, what was required in the moment. That indicates maturity and a cool head. I guess if your name is Karoy Zidane Lovebourne Anderson you have had technique drilled into you from an early age.

Five points from the three games is quite simply astounding, unexpected, and very, very welcome. Now we have another mini-series of a different nature: away at Northampton on Saturday, away at Cheltenham on Tuesday, home to Carlisle the following Saturday. Nothing is easy, Northampton left The Valley with all three points in January thanks to a very late winner, Cheltenham may have had the wind taken out of their sails last night but are at home to Burton on Saturday and if they win that will be close on our heels, while Carlisle are probably playing with no pressure now, which can be dangerous.

Quite frankly a repeat win and two draws from these three would look acceptable, two wins and a draw very good. Clearly Cheltenham is a ‘must not lose’ one for us (but may by then have become a ‘must win’ for them), all rather different from the rather low-key affair at The Valley in late November. The test now is to maintain the standard set, for drive and commitment, for concentration in defence. Fair to assume Jones will be drilling this into the players before Northampton.

That said, yes, let’s just enjoy last night a little longer. And with the change of mood, hands up those who had a quick check even now on just how far adrift of the play-offs we are?

A Point To Be Proud Of

There was understandably a sense of déjà vu for yesterday’s game: like last Saturday we went into it as underdogs, ready to take a point before kick-off, with our grounds for optimism resting this time less on key players missing for the opposition (although it seemed Portsmouth would be lacking a few) than our recent record against them, including the fixture at their place in November when McGrandles made his only meaningful contribution for us by heading in the equaliser. Get something from this game and the evidence of Jones making a real difference would mount. And we did, with a gritty performance meriting a point in a game which either side might have one – and the other felt aggrieved if they had.

The team showed a couple of changes from Bolton, with Bakinson available again and going straight back in, displacing Coventry, for whom there was not even a place on the bench, while May was chosen to start ahead of Ladapo alongside Kanu, which had more of an air of rotation about it, with Ladapo and Aneke available from the bench, with perhaps the thinking being to go for greater mobility to begin with and presumably add more power and strength later against tiring defenders. Small kept his place as one of the wing-backs, with Edun among the subs, as did Anderson, to continue to play a more advanced role in midfield.

Everyone was still settling in when we almost took the lead then immediately after almost fell behind. Bakinson’s pass was allowed to run through to Kanu just inside the left side of the box. He took a touch then shot across their keeper, only for the ball to hit the inside of the far post and rebound for they guy to gather. A centimetre or two the other way and it would have gone in off the post. But the keeper then cleared upfield and suddenly we were stretched. Jones flattened one guy but the ref played advantage, leading to a decent shot which Isted turned aside. Just why the referee did not give Jones a yellow once play had stopped seemed a mystery, but was just as well for use that he didn’t.

The rest of the half was pretty even, although Portsmouth had spells when they were on top and during them looked the more likely to take the lead. In the end both sides had another very good opening each and both failed to capitalise. For them, on 15 minutes a cross from their right side found a guy unmarked close in. He really should have scored but directed his header at a good height for Isted to turn it aside, then a second header looped over him but came back off the bar. If the first guy had headed down it surely would have been a goal.  

For us, just after the half-hour good play down the right side ended with Watson able to deliver an excellent ball into the area of doubt around the near post. Unfortunately for us both Kanu and May went to the same place and really got in each other’s way. Kanu was first but seemed to make no contact with his lunge, which nevertheless at least distracted May, who was unable to make meaningful contact. It was the sort of chance you suspect he would have buried earlier in the season, if he’d been on his own.

Also, after Bakinson had picked up a yellow for kicking the ball away after conceding a free kick – after three had suffered the same fate for the same sin against Bolton – and to add insult to injury shortly after a Portsmouth player threw it away and escaped Scot-free, we had the opportunity to open the scoring in stoppage time. Anderson closed down their defender receiving the ball from the keeper, blocked his clearance and was first to the loose ball. He squared it for Kanu but a defender got there first.

At the break the stats showed us having had 42% possession but only two attempts on goal and none on target (a little harsh but true) against nine and three respectively for Portsmouth. That does suggest they edged it overall, but really there was little in it.

The second half was pretty even too. If you had to choose you’d say we shaded it this time, but the final good chances went to Portsmouth and we could easily have been on the end of a cruel defeat.

Aneke’s appearance came on the hour, replacing May, who continues to look rather out of sorts with the new set-up and requirements. And his introduction was followed by a flurry of chances, with Aneke shooting over, Kanu having a shot blocked, then a move from the left went across their box and ran for Edmonds-Green to get the shot in. That was saved but in the scramble which followed we had what proved to be a fair shout for a penalty, the ball being diverted away by their defender’s arm. Jones protested and picked up a yellow for his efforts (which will see him suspended for the next two), harsh you might say but he was fortunate not to have been booked for his early foul.

On 76 minutes we made two further changes, with Gillesphey on for a limping Watson (with Edmonds-Green moving to wing-back) and Camara replacing Bakinson, the assumption being that Anderson would drop deeper to accompany Dobson. We huffed and puffed, but with Aneke better contained this time struggled to carve out a real scoring chance, although an Anderson cross to the far post almost put Camara in. And with a few minutes of normal time left for a few seconds it looked like all being in vain as Portsmouth for once caught us napping and their guy was through on goal. He made it into the box but just as he was about to pull the trigger Gillesphey put in a match-saving tackle from the side. Final changes saw Campbell on for Kanu and Edun for Anderson, but the only moment of note in seven minutes of stoppage time was the final kick of the game, when from a Portsmouth long throw their guy hooked a shot just wide.

Our point was a reward for endeavour. We kept to the simple gameplan of getting the ball forward into their half by any means as early as possible and hope the front two, plus Anderson, might feed off the scraps, while quite simply defending much better than before, people being shut down quickly and bodies thrown into challenges. Flowing, intricate football it was not, but no question needs must and nobody’s complaining about that.

We know Tuesday night is going to be more of the same. Once again anything out of the game would be a bonus and thoughts can then turn to the final 11 games and the need to start winning what are on paper at least easier fixtures. We also know there is a turnaround going on, in terms of commitment to the cause. Whether or not we are a better team than we were at the end of November is debatable. What is beyond doubt is that the doldrums that team got into followed by the upheavals of the January window left us in a mess. Some of the games this calendar year, including the lame display at Reading, left us looking like a team which was not up for the task. To Jones’ credit he has applied an approach and system which has stopped the rot, whatever happens at Derby and wherever we find ourselves in the table come Wednesday morning. That’s something to build on as we enter the phase that really matters.

Very Welcome Point And Performance

It may be a reflection on us, our inflated view of our club, but there are few fixtures in this league where going into it we feel very much the underdogs. But this was one of them. Anything from the game would be a bonus. We did get something and on top put in a performance which gave greater signs of the way that we assume Jones wants us to play the rest of the season, involving less backward/square passing but rather getting the ball upfield faster and looking to press in that area. We did I think catch out a rather complacent – and let’s not forget weakened (it was nice to not have to confront Santos for example) – Bolton, especially in the first half, and deserved our point. Three - via a late winner from a fierce Aneke shot - would have been wonderful, but each time Bolton went ahead or drew level we feared they would go on to win the game, which would have been cruel. So we grab the point and move on.

The team contained surprises. Having substituted him during Tuesday night’s game, Jones opted to drop May from the starting line-up; and there was no place in the squad for Bakinson, or for Watson(L), while Ramsay’s absence was assumed to have been down to him not being available. Instead, in a 3-5-2, in front of Isted would be Edmunds-Green, Jones and Thomas, with Watson(T) and debutant Small as the wing-backs. Dobson would be partnered by the returning Coventry, with Anderson kept in the more forward position, and Ladapo back to start alongside Kanu. With Camara, Campbell, May and Aneke on the bench we had plenty of forward options, less in the way of defensive cover, just Gillesphey and Edun, for a game in which we would surely need our back five to be as resolute as possible.

I have to say the first 15 minutes of the game I wasn’t fully concentrating as there was a coq au vin which had to be prepared for the evening. From a distance it seemed as though Small’s first contribution might have been to let them in for an early chance but he (and we) got away with that one. But once I’d settled in it didn’t take long for us to fall behind, to another example of our defensive weakness. There seemed no apparent danger from a throw on their left side, but the guy was allowed the space to send in what you have to say was a ball right on the money, into the near post area inviting someone to get on the end of it. That someone should have been a defender, most obviously Thomas, but he’d started to move out and was caught on the wrong side as their forward advanced, unable to make a meaningful challenge. All their guy had to do was get something on it to divert the ball past Isted.

It was disappointing after what seemed to have been a reasonable start. But we didn’t have long to dwell on it as just a few minutes later we were level. Small received the ball on our left, checked inside, and sent in a peach of a cross. It cleared their first defender and seemed tailor-made for Ladapo to head home unmarked. He managed to get nothing on it, but with their keeper having to cover for that prospect the ball just continued on its journey beyond him and into the net. One of those when you start to think that after all it might be your day and a goal on his debut for Small.

Bolton were stung, but still seemed to be playing within themselves, not being able to dictate play as our midfield did the hard yards, even if it involved a yellow card or two (usually for kicking the ball away). I had noticed that when Bolton scored the celebrations were rather more along the lines of normal order being restored rather than jubilation, and our equaliser seemed like an affront to them. If that was the case, when we went ahead before the break, once again in rather fortuitous circumstances, added injury to insult.

Kanu managed to make an interception in a good position and his attempt to play the ball across was put behind for a corner. This was played short and then a low ball was sent across the area, looking like a training ground move. If it was something went wrong in communication as nobody initially moved out for the shot. Instead it continued on until Jones met it on the turn, sending in a shot which went between or under a few and just beyond their keeper’s dive.

Glory be, this was not in the script. But if anything the break for half-time benefited Bolton as they were able to regroup, with probably some choice words exchanged in the dressing room. They made a substitution and came out for the second half in clearly more determined fashion. With greater intensity we found it more difficult to clear our lines effectively and it wasn’t especially surprising that after just six minutes of the second period they equalised.

Their guy received the ball on the edge of our area, to be confronted by Dobson. He moved to go on the outside, checked back, outside again, checked back etc. Finally Dobson bought the dummy and seemed to lose his footing. That enabled the guy to do what he had wanted all along, to shift the ball onto his right foot with the space ahead opened up. He was able to pick his spot, curling the effort beyond Isted. They would say an excellent piece of skill; for our part, as pointed out on CATV, the ballet between the two went on long enough for another Charlton player to have moved up to assist Dobson by cutting off the inside channel.

In the period after that equaliser Bolton threatened to put us to the sword. Kanu and Coventry picked up yellows, adding to the list (Jones, Dobson) – and by now raising concerns that sooner or later someone would get a second. So it was to most people’s surprise when just past the hour we took the lead again.

Kanu was again involved, this time intercepting to somehow get the ball across. That was cleared but we recycled it and a cross to the far post saw an ariel contest which saw their guy land, evidently, on his backside, seemingly rather painfully. He then tried to con the ref by feigning a head injury, rather giving himself away by holding his arms out in appeal. We, justifiably, kept playing. Small got in a scuffed shot which dropped for Kanu, who hit it on the turn in off the post. Bolton protested, but the ref got that one right.

Bolton responded and upped the pace again and we did start to look tired, the focus moving to when Jones might decide on replacements. If he was making up his mind the move came too late to prevent us conceding again. With some slick passing they created space for a guy to get to the byline on our left side; and when the low cross came in for the second time in the game our defenders were behind the play and another forward was left to complete a tap-in from close range.

Still 20 minutes of normal time left on the clock. Jones made a triple substitution, with Gillesphey, Camara and Aneke coming on for Coventry, Dobson and Ladapo, with Edmunds-Green moving forward into midfield and Anderson dropping back. Taking off both Dobson and Coventry may have been influenced by their yellow cards (Coventry had just committed another foul which fortunately had gone unpunished) but it was also a vote of confidence in these others to see out the job.

Bolton did almost get a fourth as the guy who scored their second found himself in a similar position, only this time to make a mess of the shot. On 85 minutes May was introduced for the understandably knackered Kanu, time enough for him to pick up a yellow for time-wasting; but when the board went up it showed nine extra minutes, too long for comfort. But we had the best chance to win the game in this period as Camara played in on for Aneke. The angle was tight, but he sent in a fierce shot which looked goal-bound until their keeper got a hand to it to turn it over. There was some panic defending for us, some injury time-outs for Isted, but we did manage to avoid another last-gasp goal against.

The point and the performance all constituted positives, although I don’t really buy the ‘best performance of the season’. I kept thinking back to the November draw away at Portsmouth. Had a check and just three of the 11 that started that game started yesterday. So I’d say it was the best this new team has played. The opposition, though missing some key players, was very strong and benefited from far greater coordination. We matched that with effort, in all areas of the pitch, married to a simple but effective game-plan, with Anderson of far more use in the advanced position against opponents such as Bolton than against Lincoln, who were happy to concede possession. The criticisms were allowing them two tap-ins, also that of our six yellow cards three were for kicking the ball away; you’d have thought that once the first was given for that we would have learnt the lesson.

There’s going to need to be the same level of desire and drive against Portsmouth and Derby – and of course thereafter. I don’t think the choices Jones is making now, in terms of personnel and tactics, are set in stone. We wait to see what he opts for when the emphasis switches away from getting something from the game to getting the victories we need to stay up.

Some Positives But Not The Points

Screw the game, screw the performance, just get the points! That was pretty much the message ahead of last night’s game. Only we didn’t get them. The outcome could have been better, could have been worse - which left us instead to focus on the positives to be taken – and the main one was pretty obvious – as well as what Jones might have learnt, especially as the starting team put out contained some adjustments and experiments.

That team showed five changes from the ultimately limp defeat at Reading. Out went Gillesphey (who had gone off injured at the break on Saturday) and Edun, both to the bench, Coventry and Watson(L), neither making the squad, and Ladapo, to the bench. In came Edmunds-Green to accompany Jones and Thomas in the central defensive three, Ramsay to operate as the right-sided wing-back, with Watson(T) switching to the left, Dobson, reinstalled as captain, to partner Bakinson, plus the real surprise of Anderson playing a more advanced role. Kanu came in to start to partner May. And on the bench there was the very welcome sight of Aneke. With him, Ladapo, Camara and Campbell available, we did have options to change the game from the bench.

Any optimism on that front was curbed by a poor first-half showing, one which highlighted failings in both boxes. We created little of note – a Bakinson nod down which Kanu couldn’t convert, a low shot from close range from Bakinson which was comfortably saved, and another from him from further out which went wide – and Lincoln, despite being content to stay behind the ball and concede possession (most of it going square and back), looking the more threatening when they did attack, exploiting uncertainty in our back line. And they took the lead, not long before the break, with their only effort on target of the half. A ball in from their left produced a mistimed header back out by Dobson, which was collected by Hackett-Fairchild, who took it beyond an unbalanced challenge and drilled the shot low off the turf and into the net. Dispiriting but all too familiar.

We had failed to take the game by the scruff of the neck, despite its obvious importance for us. As so often there had been no lack of effort, rather a lack of bravery in choices (Ramsay excepted) and of precision and pace. All the discussion at half-time was about how soon Chuks might appear.

There were no changes to start the second half, but we only had to wait until just after the hour for Aneke to appear. And it was for May. Now nobody is downplaying how important he is for us, but we have to acknowledge that for whatever reason he’s been looking jaded and out of sorts of late. I noted down that a couple of decent balls into their box had found no-one, largely because May was not getting into the areas which he had been, just appeared too late. A brave decision by Jones but an understandable one (the alternative, as suggested by Curbs on CATV, was to move him back to a No.10 role).

Almost immediately Aneke was causing problems, just with his presence. But before we could start to anticipate an equaliser we came close to going two behind, which might have killed the game off, as at Reading. Anderson fouled a guy moving forward. It was a fair way out, but the free kick was touched to one side and their guy hit a screamer. It beat Isted but came back off the outside of the post (possible he had it covered if it had been on target).

That was to be Lincoln’s final effort as an attacking force. On 70 minutes we made a double change, with Ladapo and Camara coming on for Kanu and Bakinson, and in no time at all we were level. A ball forward was met by a bustling Aneke, but Ladapo took it on from him, steadied himself, and sent a powerful shot through defenders and the keeper’s outstretched hands into the net. It was the equal of their effort.

The final 30 minutes (including 10 of stoppage time) were all about whether or not we could fashion a winner. The increasing pressure saw the game get edgy, with Lincoln not averse to rolling around on the floor and occasional handbags to try to break up play. Ramsay went down with what seemed to be cramp but may have turned into something else and was replaced by Edun, with Watson switching back to the right side. He was to be instrumental in the closing stages as we focused on getting balls into the box (usually too close to their keeper).

Right at the last we finally created the opening that might have won the game. The ball broke inside the box for Edun to be through on goal, albeit from a narrowish angle. But their keeper spread himself and made the save, and with that the points were shared.

It was far from pretty but at least with the reinforcements in the second half we overpowered them and came close to winning the game. That can’t gloss over a weak first-half display, during which Lincoln were seldom threatened and of course took the lead. What did we learn from that? That May needs to rediscover his zest and focus his energy on putting the ball in the net. That the experiment of asking Anderson to play an advanced role, presumably to provide energy and press high up, didn’t really work (not his fault). If the opposition is happy to sit behind the ball you need more guile, or pace down the flanks, to open them up. That Ramsay seems a breath of fresh air, hopefully he does not need a spell on the sidelines. And of course that Aneke, for however long he can spend on the pitch, changes our attacking threat.

We wanted/needed four or six points from the last two games. We got one. So be it. We know what’s coming up now: away at Bolton, home to Portsmouth, away at Derby. For sure we’ll be the underdog in each of the games and getting anything out of them will be a bonus. But hell, they aren’t supermen! Jones and his team will need to come up with plans for each of the games to try to counter the opposition’s main threats, perhaps looking to just stay in games until the later stages when we might be able to hit them with the changes. Wherever we find ourselves in the league at the end of this month, which will be primarily down to the results of others, will be far from the end of the story, so the other imperative is getting minutes into those returning and not picking up fresh serious injuries, since it will be all hands to the deck in March.

Bring It On

Just what are we to make of the Dobson affair? The negative interpretation would be it marks the culmination of a mismanaged transfer window, with complacency over the relegation risk behind the decisions taken. Alternatively – and not necessarily contradicting this – the U-turn on actually selling Dobson is the acknowledgement of a mistake and an attempt to correct it. Everyone makes mistakes but the far greater sin is not accepting them as such and not trying to do something about it.

Whether the decision not to take some cash for Dobson now – and presumably see him depart as a free agent in July – proves to be a good one really depends on him. It’s reasonable to infer that he felt alienated and disappointed by the new contract being offered to him by us, that he ended up embracing a move to Hungary both mentally and it seems physically (by preparing the relocation of his family), and that there has to be a question mark as a result over his full commitment to our cause for the rest of the season. This is despite what we know of the guy and have seem from him since he joined us. He wouldn’t be human if all that has gone on hasn’t affected his attitude, the question being whether he can quickly ‘get his mind right’.

That said, I hope he places some value on his legacy as a Charlton player. He has the appreciation and admiration of I’m sure all Addicks, which will only increase if he comes back into the team and helps guide us to safety. In a short playing career perhaps these things don’t matter, but he must know that his performances now will be scrutinised in terms of commitment and if he were to come up short, perhaps not feature regularly, it would impact on how he is remembered and treated on any return. He must know that Chris Solly did more than just blot his copybook by refusing to play post-Covid, whatever the circumstances and reasons, as well as Lyle Taylor. It is absurd that Scottie Parker gets booed when back at The Valley as a manager (he was and should be regarded as a Charlton legend), but it underlines that how a player leaves a club does have a lasting effect. I hope Dobson recognises that and wants to leave us with our unqualified gratitude and affection.

As for our club’s management, while there are extenuating circumstances, what has been done since the start of the year reflects poorly on them. By the time the January window opened, after a very disappointing December, the focus had shifted, away from strengthening in areas to try to get into the top six to looking to next season. The task was for sure complicated by both our captain and main attacking threat possibly leaving if we wanted to avoid them walking away for nothing in the summer. What we have ended up with is a recipe for disaster.

The players brought in all looked good on paper, they may go on to have great careers for us. But the influx was balanced by a similar number exiting left, including Blackett-Taylor (I have no idea if he was refusing to play but, as with Dobson, accepting £300k in return for him is bad business if we end up going down), Fraser (here too seems he wanted to move to Scotland for personal reasons), Campbell(C), whose departure along with that of CBT and Kirk stripped us of options out wide, just Campbell(T) now. Dobson’s absence and the injury to Hector meant that newcomers were unavoidably thrown in together, the formation changed, and to add to the chaos the manager – cited by so many players coming in as a factor in their thinking but one who had lost the crowd at least – sacked before the window closed. And what was a very disappointing December has of course been extended through January and into February.

It's not a tough task facing Nathan Jones, it’s now a massive one. The bookies at least have clearly written off Carlise and Fleetwood, both heavily odds-on for relegation; and Cheltenham are also still odds-on to join them. But just who ends up taking the fourth spot seems a very open question. Seems the bookies still fancy Reading to take it, which looks rather out of date. We’re still around 3/1, pretty much on a par with Shrewsbury, Burton and Port Vale. It really has come to this.

I’ll admit I just don’t really know enough about Jones to draw any conclusions, although bringing in Paul Hart to support him surely has to be seen as positive and astute. It’s really going to be a case of ‘the proof of the pudding is in the eating’ (and if I hear another person distort that saying and make it utterly meaningless with ‘the proof is in the pudding’ another thing is going to go through the window). It’s safe I think to say that all Addicks were somewhere between satisfied and delighted with the appointment. Some will have had others as a preferred choice, but out of all the names bandied about I’d guess that Jones would have been in just about everyone’s top three.

If there’s a sense of hesitation it is more down to the number of times we’ve been promised the new messiah over recent years than anything to do with Jones himself. Duchatelet may have picked new managers from among his cohorts until he finally lost interest (and in came Slade and after him Robinson); Sandgaard, having chosen Adkins and later disposed of JJ, went all-in for Garner - and when he failed may have come to the realisation that it was time to move on, that he might not have the Midas Touch after all. Now the new owners, having been instrumental it seemed in the selection of Holden, excitedly unveiled Appleton just months ago. So it’s hard to get worked up about the next one on the conveyor belt. When the joke started circulating about Klopp having decided to leave Liverpool because the Charlton job was available again my first thought was ‘no, would be a terrible choice; just how desperate would we feel if he came to The Valley and even he got sacked after six months having failed to turn us around?’

Well that may be the bad news, but frankly none of it matters. Nobody’s interested (yet) in a blame game for a still avoidable disaster. Jones begins the job with the backing of all of us, which is as it should be. Camara’s return was perhaps the one bright spark from Saturday and tonight we wait to see if Dobson is back in the fold and whether Aneke is ready to play some part. Hopefully Hector will be available again soon, since so far at least the incoming defenders haven’t looked like leaders/coordinators of a defence. We’re up against a side in decent form but we know what needs to happen. Whoever gets out on the pitch, the time for excuses is over. In the words of the great Peachy Camehan, “it’s time to polish up your buttons and brasses, shove ramrods up your jacksie, and act bold”. Bring it on.

Quick Decisions And Fast Improvement Needed

No questioning the importance of this one, for us in particular, with the winless run having reached 12 and a league position of 19th, plus some tough fixtures coming up - although when you’re on a run which has included failures to beat Port Vale, Burton (twice), Bristol Rovers and Cambridge just what constitutes an easy fixture is hard to say. But we were against opponents who would undoubtedly have been boosted by their midweek win at Stevenage, which took them out of the bottom four, with two wins and two draws in their last four. Throw in the wildcard factor of our possible ‘new manager bounce’, plus the backing of a substantial away support, and you had the makings of an unpredictable six-pointer.

We may have turned them over 4-0 at The Valley, a result which at the time took us to four points off the play-offs, but that was back in October and even then it had taken us almost an hour to get in front. Although we merited the victory, the final score flattered us. Indeed, a look back at the game made for sobering reading. We opened the scoring from a Blackett-Taylor cross for Aneke to head home, with the game also featuring Tedic, Fraser, and Leaburn. Would anyone say we are stronger now?

What we ended up with was another disappointment, a sobering one. In a scrappy, error-ridden contest we lost because we were not clinical enough to take one of the few half-chances we created and not strong enough at the back to keep them out for a full game. Not good enough in both boxes is not exactly a recipe for footballing success. And perhaps worse than that, we ended up clueless as to how to play to strengths as we don’t really know what they are, in terms of both personnel and formation. All played out by a group which looked as if it had just been thrown together and placed under a new manager, which is of course the reality of the situation.

The team selected by Jones contained some surprises. As against Derby there was no sign of Dobson (and this time really no mention of him). Isted replaced Maynard-Brewer in goal, harsh on the latter but a judgement call. And Jones returned to the starting X1 in place of Ness (who might also feel hard done by as he had a reasonable game against Derby) in the central defensive three alongside Thomas and Gillesphey. Watson(L) and Edun were the wing-backs in a retained 3-5-2 while in midfield Edmonds-Green moved to the bench, with Watson(L) coming in to replace him alongside Coventry and Bakinson, with Ladapo and May up front. On the bench there were returns for both Anderson and long-term absentee Camara, with Fiorini not making the squad.

As so often of late we began the game brightly, dominating possession and dictating the tempo, albeit not causing them any problems. It wasn’t to last as Reading gradually got into the game and over the first half probably shaded it in terms of good chances, with us ending up without an effort on target and with Isted having been called on to make a couple of good saves.

Both sides coughed up possession cheaply and from a couple of those times we had our best moments, with Watson(L) sliding a ball through for May, who waited an age for it to sit right for him to shoot which gave the time for a defender to get across, then later Watson(T) played in Ladapo, who cut inside and got in a shot which caused the net to billow – but only because it had been deflected behind and bounced back to hit the netting. For a glorious two seconds I really thought we had scored. But again those two moments for Reading early on a corner returned to the taker saw him send in a shot turned over by Isted, then a long ball was missed by us and found a guy in space, only for his early effort to be saved by Isted and equally important he managed to palm the rebound away. And shortly before the break they caused chaos in our box as we failed to clear, the threat ending when their forward took out two defenders trying to reach the cross. Added to those moments were a fair shout for handball against Thomas in our box, one which the replays at half-time showed could easily have been given.

I trust that doesn’t make the first half sound exciting. In truth it was very poor fare between two sides which struggled to string passes together and seemed more intent on keeping the other at bay than taking risks. At half-time my abiding thought was that the game had 0-0 written all over it, but that meant that if one side did take the lead it would be crucial.

We made what seemed to be an enforced change at the interval, with Edmonds-Green (getting the nod ahead of Ness) coming on for Gillesphey, who had taken a knock to the head. That changed nothing and quite frankly the first 20 minutes of the second half was a good opportunity to go and make a cup of tea – and take a long time about it. Poor passing, balls into the area under- or overhit, plenty of endeavour from both teams but precious little cohesion. And then in five minutes the game turned as we missed probably our best chance to date – as a free kick dropped for Bakinson around the far post but he was unable to bring the ball under control or get in a decisive strike – and shortly after they went ahead.

Long throw into the box not dealt with decisively, it sat up for their guy to hit it on the turn across Isted. Well taken but once again just soft from our perspective. That was the cue for Kanu to enter the fray for Ladapo, but his first meaningful touch was probably to prevent us from equalising. A Watson ball in from the right seemed to be going through to an unmarked Bakinson to poke into the net only for Kanu to manage to make contact and divert it away from his path. And on 75 minutes the game was up as we went 2-0 down. Another long throw, this one headed on, Watson failed to get any power or distance on his header away, and the ball dropped nicely for their guy to volley home into a similar spot to the first one.

We might have got back in the game when a long ball was missed by their defender and Kanu was able to take it on, but his shot was comfortably saved. Camara and Campbell were introduced, for Coventry and Watson(L), for the final 10 minutes or so, but quite frankly nobody was bothering to work out what that meant for the formation as Reading, like Derby a week ago, saw the game out quite comfortably, our only bright spot being a good cameo from Camara.

When a manager says that the positives from the game were that he learnt a lot you pretty much know there weren’t any. There were flashes from players, most often Watson(L) and especially Camara, and there was no lack of effort. Rather at the back we continued to look like a group of strangers, a midfield trio of Coventry, Bakinson and Watson(L) doesn’t look like a particular productive mix, while Ladapo and May are generally feeding off scraps and both now looking in need of a goal.

We’ve gone from being a team playing 4-3-3, with the division’s leading goalscorer and the top player for assists, which shipped too many goals to be competing for promotion to one stymied by 3-5-2/5-3-2 – as the wing-backs are not providing the necessary attacking threat, central midfield is not cohesive or providing any goals, the front two are still working out how to play together (with one of them still building match fitness and the other looking in need of a break), we don’t look like scoring from set pieces, and we still can’t manage clean sheets. And of course now the pressure is really going to be on, starting on Tuesday evening.

Heaven only knows what Jones will decide to do. First up, if the indications today are accurate, is reincorporating Dobson, who it seems will be off to Hungary but not until July, with Charlton having prevented an early departure. That may be chaotic but surely good news. Having Coventry join us and immediately be the cornerstone in the middle of the park was a big ask. Second, the formation. Needs a decision now and whatever it is stuck to. A decision on that for me rests on whether Aneke will soon be available, even if not for full games. Third, sort out central midfield. If Dobson is staying and up for the task, pair him with Coventry and have the pair of them shore things up, then add either the box-to-box option (Bakinson, perhaps Camara) or more of a No.10 (Watson, even Fiorini). We can’t go back to a front three as we no longer have the players (CBT, Campbell on loan, while our Campbell is struggling for form and confidence), so look at options, including a front two or even a lone striker if you pack midfield. Tottenham many moons ago played with Clive Allen up front on his own and didn’t expect him to do anything other than get on the end of things in the boxes. They did have Hoddle and Ardilles, plus Galvin out wide, but it can work.

In that context we have to hope Jones learnt a lot yesterday, because time is obviously not on our side. Relegation has gone quickly from being no more than a theoretical possibility to a frighteningly feasible outcome. If we play the rest of the season as we have been doing it will become a reality. We have to improve, quickly. The first step is obviously winning a game, by whatever means necessary, and see what that does to confidence. And yes, the crowd will need to play its part on Tuesday night. We remember that game against Cardiff at The Valley under Sir Chris. A repeat performance would be very welcome.

Not Enough On The Day

With no confirmation as yet of Nathan Jones as the next messiah, this one wasn’t going to mark the start of a new era. Rather it was all about whether we could pull off what would be a surprise and end the winless run, the secondary issue being how we played and whether it looked as though the new players were bedding in. Clearly we failed as regards the former; and the best you could say re the latter was that it’s too early to tell. It wasn’t a terrible performance, we weren’t taken apart by a free-flowing promotion-chasing outfit, there was plenty of endeavour and some good individual displays. But throughout we lacked the pace and guile to unsettle an experienced and well-drilled Derby defence.

They were ahead for over two-thirds of the game, curtesy of yet another individual defensive error, and saw it out quite comfortably, never needed to chase things; we couldn’t manage to turn 61% possession into meaningful chances; the closest we came to scoring was not so much Kanu’s header as a low cross deflected by a defender almost into the net. The best you could say at the end of the game was that we shouldn’t judge our prospects for the rest of the season on the basis of this one, the performance might have been good enough to take the points against lesser opposition.

The team showed something we had feared through January, the absence of Dobson – although we are assured this was not a Blackett-Taylor-style injury (and he missed out on a place in the Derby squad). He was replaced straightforwardly by the returning Coventry, while Edun returned after suspension to replace Asiimwe (who didn’t make a place on the bench, with newcomer Ramsay given the spot). It did mean Edmunds-Green being retained in midfield in the 3-5-2, while May took the captain’s armband.

There was really nothing in a tight, disjointed, injury-disrupted first half (there were 10 additional minutes, including the time necessary to patch up Maynard-Brewer after a brave early intervention). The best we could muster was Lapedo being first to a knock-down of a Coventry ball forward in search of May only for his fierce shot to be blocked, possibly by a hand (although there was no obvious movement of hand to ball). And we gifted them a goal.

Maynard-Brewer out to Gillesphey on our left side. As we’ve all seen many times by now, he shaped to send it down the line only to sell the dummy and slide the ball inside towards Coventry, only problem being he’d bought the ball down the line and was moving forward. Their guy intercepted and we’ve been caught. They made the most of it as the pass to the forward bisected defenders, Mendez-Laing took an excellent first touch and set himself to drive the ball low into the far corner. Well taken for sure, but another howler from our perspective.

At the break we’d enjoyed 54% possession but managed only three attempts on goal, none on target, to Derby’s six and two respectively. All the hard work that had gone into making us competitive had been undermined by an error and we now had to look at what we could do to change the picture. And Fleming did make a change, with Kanu introduced and Edun withdrawn, which seemed to mean a back four with Thomas taking the left side, while May dropped more into the hole.

And in the first 15 of the second half we did have our brightest and most threatening period of the game, might easily have drawn level. May had a shot routinely saved but then we worked the ball down the right, with Edmonds-Green sliding it through for Watson. His low cross had to be played by their defender and his touch diverted the ball towards the net but not by enough, it going past the post and behind. Ladapo had a decent shot deflected up for the keeper to gather, then just before the hour Gillesphey put in an inviting high ball from our left side. An unmarked Kanu got to it but his header from close range was turned over the bar. It wasn’t a gimme but if he’d managed to head the ball down the keeper would have had no chance unless it just hit him.

Then Derby reminded us that they carried a threat, Bakinson just managing to intercept a ball destined for a guy in space, then after a May low cross was put behind they did have a near miss. A guy danced past a couple of challenges and then poked the ball just wide. And really that chance, just past the hour mark, was to prove as near to another goal either side came.

We made changes, with Ramsay making his debut for Gillesphey (and picking up a yellow with almost his first involvement), then later Watson(L) and Campbell introduced for Bakinson and Watson(T), finally Fiorini for Lapado at the start of five added minutes. It was all to no avail as Derby, having weathered our good spell, closed the door.

It was a game for us of might have beens. If we’d conjured a goal in the first half to get our noses in front Derby might have had to change their approach, if we’d equalised during our good spell we could have come away with a point. But overall we just didn’t carry enough threat. And I wasn’t convinced by the changes we made. I thought before the game that a fair bit rested on how well Bakinson and Ladapo would shape up. In the end both were peripheral as attacking threats, as Bakinson had no space to move into and Ladapo looked still rusty. For me we needed someone in midfield or in the hole to provide a bit of the unexpected, either a Fraser (OK, too late for that) or an early introduction for Watson(L), even giving Fiorini the chance to show us what he has. Later, after our threat was ebbing and players tiring, we needed a fresh, physical presence up front, soon hopefully an Aneke but if we’d signed him Ikpeazu. Someone to bully their defenders and even enable us to go long.

So we were really left with a lot of unanswered questions, ones presumably for Jones to start to address next week. He will need to come up with answers quickly for we know the importance of the next game, at Reading. We do now have options in most positions, within the context of just one genuine wide player and only three available forwards. Getting the right combinations in defence and midfield looks paramout – and quickly.

Window Over, Now Make It Count

So, that was the window that was. Not exactly a final flourish, but with Ramsay brought in and McGrandles exiting left there was a certain symmetry, with eight in and eight out. Do we emerge materially stronger? I’d say potentially, but that depends on whether those coming in really shape up. There’s been no statement signing, we have arguably lost more as an attacking force than we have gained, but we hope – and expect – that from the changes will emerge a tougher defence, in particular a properly functioning and coordinated central three and wing-backs playing that role to good effect, assuming of course that the new manager – who heavens be praised it seems will not be Warnock – sticks with 3-5-2.

Of those leaving, of course we didn’t want to lose Blackett-Taylor. If he wasn’t before, he became this season one of the divisions outstanding players. There aren’t many who force the opposition to change the way they play to try to contain someone. He did. And the hairs rose on the back of your neck when he received the ball in space with only one between him and the goal. Of course the end-result often could have been better, but if it was he wouldn’t be moving to Derby but playing in the Premier League. Can you imagine how it would have been this season if we’d had May and Rak-Sakyi along with him as a front three? Good luck to him (although of course I hope he has the decency to have a mare on Saturday if he features).

And for me to all the rest. I seldom think ‘good riddance’ when someone who hasn’t worked out moves on, more disappointment that we haven’t managed to get the best out of them. Kirk (who it appears has returned to Crewe) may have disappointed too often, but he was the best crosser of the ball we had, scored a brace when playing as a No.10, and is still a decent footballer. Equally Fraser has failed to spark this season, but when played in his best position (No.10) and on song he could find that pass and take chances. I thought Campbell(C) had quality but for some reason was not played wide-right in a front three. I even thought Tedic merited more chances playing as a central forward – he leaves and we switch to a front two! Of course we trust that Ladapo will prove a better alternative.

Of the others, McGrandles will always be remembered for that late headed equaliser at Portsmouth. Walker will struggle to get into a Charlton history book, but that really wasn’t his fault. And Abankwah returns to Udinese after one of the strangest and least successful loan period of recent years, but with his career still ahead of him. Good luck to all of them.

Taking each unit of the team as it now is, three goalkeepers means we are well covered, will be up to the new manager and form whether Maynard-Brewer remains first choice through the rest of the season.

Assuming we stick with three central defenders, it’s a choice out of Ness, Jones, Gilleshey, Thomas and Edmunds-Green, with Hector to return at some point. I don’t know what combination is best, of course there will be injuries and suspensions in this area, but most important is that a unit is chosen and gets used (asap) to playing together, develops an understanding, and has a leader, one who coordinates with the keeper and sets the tone.

For the wing-backs seems we now have a fresh choice on the right side at least. Edun appears unchallenged, in that if he is not available either someone switches sides or a central defender fills in, although perhaps Chin will come into the picture. I’ve no idea how well/badly he is progressing, but wing-back at least suits him. With Ramsay there is the choice between him, Watson(T), and Asiimwe. Incumbent Watson does have his moments (including scoring recently), but too often it appears that he doesn’t move too far from the halfway line, not in the frame when we are caught out and not providing the attacking threat we need from the system. Asiimwe has looked rusty when called on of late. I’d add that for me if you play wing-backs you really need a back-up one on the bench. It’s a demanding role physically and if you want to keep the same shape but need fresh legs surely you keep a like-for-like option among the subs.

Central midfield and really the big news of the window was that Dobson is still with us; whether or not he will be off in the summer I have no idea. So the current first picks are him, Coventry and Bakinson, with Watson(L) and Anderson as the only real straight alternatives, assuming that using Edmonds-Green in midfield at Blackpool was a one-off and that Taylor will be eased into things returning from injury (and quite frankly none of us knows yet what he is capable of). That leaves Campbell(T) and Fiorini, plus Camara as and when fit, but they are really for a different formation during a game (other than in extremis, such as asking the former to play wing-back). For now it has to be assumed they will be on the bench.

Up front of course it’s Ladapo and May with Kanu as the third option/back-up. I don’t know how close/far Aneke is from a return, but safe to say we went into the window light in this area and come out of it light. We seemed to have lined up the extra option with Ikpeazu, who in the game against us had given a passing impression of Chuks, but that one mysteriously failed to happen after Ladapo was brought in. With Aneke available, at least for a period of a game, all should be OK, but we all know that’s a big ‘if’ – and an injury to Ladapo or May – even to Kanu as he has to be available at least as a sub - and we are once more seriously stretched. Casey and Mbick could be called on but they really should be developing on loan.

It would appear that the choices are going to be down to Nathan Jones, now it seems 1/12 on to take over. If Richard Crawley indicates its done bar dotting the ‘i’s and crossing the ‘t’s that’s fair enough. He can expect universal backing from the fan base, even from us atheists, given that none of us are ready to contemplate what failure for him would look like. We just desperately need a win, to put a stop to all the negative statistics. Sure, we also just need to play consistently better, but confidence needs that shot in the arm. Whether or not Jones will be installed in time to take charge on Saturday or the responsibility will stay with Fleming and Pearce remains to be seen. Sure it’s going to be a tough ask to beat Derby, but they’re not worldbeaters and the winless run has to stop.