RIP Charlie Wright

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

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

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

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

Points Secured But Performance Mixed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Santa Came To Town

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

20 Shots & Two On Target

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Time For Evidence That Lessons Are Being Learnt

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Not All About The Conditions

The conditions enable us to draw a veil over this one. Take the point and move on, focus on the clean sheet (in truth both defences were on top through the game), appreciate that a battling goalless draw at Lincoln compares favourably with being given a footballing lesson in a home defeat to Crawley Town (no disrespect intended). That said, both teams managed to serve up a display so full of errors on the ball that not all of it could be dismissed as a result of the severe – and apparently unpredictable – wind. This was a contest between two teams currently going nowhere. It would have been a mercy if after say an hour the ref had called together the two captains and said “good effort lads, well done, now let’s call it a day at 0-0”.

Over the game there were apparently two goalkeeper saves, one for either side, and neither were real chances or involved the keeper breaking sweat. The moments which almost broke the deadlock were really occasional quality crosses whipped in and failed to find an end-product. Given the line-ups and formation there seemed the possibility that space and possible defensive frailties on our right side/their left side might produce a goal, but either the pass was defective or the space not exploited. Otherwise it was competitive, long on effort, very short on quality.

Our team produced a few surprises. Coventry apparently picked up a knock and wasn’t available, but Docherty and Berry were back from suspensions and Jones and Kanu from their injuries. In the event we switched to a 3-5-2 for the start, with Jones back in alongside Mitchell and Gillesphey, with Campbell(T) asked to play wing-back with Edwards on the other side, Edmonds-Green dropping to the bench. In midfield Docherty came in to replace Coventry and Anderson replaced Campbell(A), along with Taylor. Up front Ahadme was paired with Kanu, reward for their midweek combination for our equaliser, with Leaburn and Godden both moving to the bench. The subs line-up for once appeared balanced, with Edmonds-Green, Laqeretabua and Small options for defence, Campbell(A) and Berry for midfield, and Leaburn and Godden up front – until you realised there was no back-up goalkeeper. Why on earth take that risk?

Lincoln had much the better of the opening spell, with us looking rather edgy in defence. But they failed to capitalise and as the half progressed we came much more into it, having probably our best spell of the game before the break as in contrast to recent performances we refrained from hoofing the ball forward at the first available opportunity. Campbell(T) was set up well but blazed well over from the edge of the area rather than taking on his man, then a Docherty cross was the first to go across the face of the goal without being touched home, and shorts from Anderson and Docherty went wide.

That was probably as good as it got in terms of football as the second half morphed into a extended period of both sides giving the ball away tamely then fighting like terriers to win it back. After the hour we swapped our front two, with Leaburn and Godden coming on, and later Small and Campbell(A) were introduced for Edwards and Anderson, with no change to formation. Leaburn did find Campbell(T) well on the right and his decent ball in was met first by Campbell(A) but he steered it wide. Lincoln had their occasional moments too, but snatched at anything inside the box or, like us, failed to get on the end of decent crosses. Right at the end we had a possible opening as Leaburn laid it off to Godden who took one touch and instead of pulling the trigger took another and then ran into a defender. The penalty appeals were suitably muted.

After just three minutes of stoppage time it was thankfully all over. As the clock ticked down it had become one of those games where you hope to nick something but desperately don’t want to lose the game. With hindsight the danger for either side was slight.

In terms of league position, hopes, expectations, the game changed nothing for either side. For us two home games beckon, against Orient on Tuesday night and Mansfield on Saturday. Every reason to expect both to be close games, we simply don’t score enough to point in another direction. But these games, together with the three which follow before new year, are of no little importance as decisions are taken ahead of the January transfer window. Do the owners think in terms of signings to try to drive a push for a top-six place, or pull in the horns and label the season as one in a rebuilding process (ie we stay out of the relegation area and that’s it). To make a good case for the former we surely need to be closer to the top six than we are at the moment (an eight-points gap as things stand).

Poor Approach And End-Result

Having scraped the win at bottom club Burton then seen off the challenge of Walsall in the FA Cup (a contest which went as well as could have been hoped: no new injuries, a morale-boosting brace for Ahadme, a first of the season for Campbell, and another for Godden), the hope/expectation for last night was that we would maintain our record of very good results against those at the lower end of the table. Win, hang in there, stay in touch, be looking upwards etc, once again no real thought about how we do it.

Well, perhaps that mentality cost us, because we played poorly and got beaten, by a team which focused, like Burton had done before their red card, on trying to play football. In our position nobody really minds winning ugly, but losing ugly is obviously a different matter. And be in no doubt, this wasn’t a case of inconsistency, after ‘good performances’. This was downright poor, consistent with recent league performances (Walsall aside). You have to go back to October before you find a game that you look back on and say we played well. Only difference was that last night we coughed up a couple of preventable goals and with one exception failed to capitalise on the few half-chances which came our way, against a side with one of the division’s worst defensive records and previously without an away win to their name all season.

The team showed a couple of changes from Walsall, both it seems enforced (Berry’s suspension, to add to that of Docherty, and Anderson not fit). It was a 4-4-2 (or a diamond if you prefer), with an unchanged back four (Edmonds-Green, Mitchell, Gillesphey and Edwards), in midfield Campbell(A) given a start alongside Coventry and Taylor, with Godden behind the front two to make up the four, while Leaburn returned to accompany Ahadme up front, reuniting the ‘big man/big man’ combination. On the bench there was the (very) welcome return of Jones, along with Laqeretabua and Small, plus Edun (presumably either as full-back or a midfield option), while Campbell(T) and Kanu provided the forward options (with Hylton missing out).

Hindsight of course, but as against Burton the set-up smacked of nothing down the flanks and no pace, with all the pace and width on the bench. Have two big guys up front, lob the ball in their general direction, have both Godden and Campbell(A) looking to feed off the scraps, despite them trying to occupy the same space and deprived of any option to spread the ball if they received it. Quite frankly, not much above ‘hit and hope’. Against Crawley Town.

The result was as comfortable an evening for Crawley’s back line as it could have hoped for. Never put under sustained pressure, never pulled out of position, always able to anticipate what was coming next. Wollacott was beaten once but otherwise didn’t have a shot to save. At the same time, Camara and others had the time on the ball to play through midfield, getting joy down both flanks. And their big guy up front gave ours an object lesson in how to hold off a defender and score.

The first half was pretty nondescript, as we are used to. But instead of keeping a clean sheet, just past the half-hour that goal came along. A throw-in on their left and the forward did what Newton and Robinson (Martin) used to do for us, quick dummy while letting the ball run across them, take it on, hold off the defender (in this case Gillesphey couldn’t get close to the ball) and the space is open for a shot if nobody cuts off the route. The guy did put in an excellent shot, but it was a set-up which afforded him some margin of error to curl it into the top corner. Super strike but also poor defending.

We did respond to some degree, with Campbell putting in a decent shot on the volley from the edge of the area which went just wide, and especially as Mitchell failed to get decent contact on a whipped cross from the left from Edwards after a throw-in. Not much of a return for 45 minutes of graft.

There was no surprise that Jones opted to change things at the break, with Leaburn – who had looked off the pace from the start – taken off and Small coming on, prompting a shift to a 3-5-2 with Godden moving back up front. But it was Crawley who next came closest to scoring as before the hour was up a simple one-two around our area enabled their guy to cut inside Small and put in a good shot well saved by Maynard-Brewer and the effort from the rebound was blocked.

On the hour, after a superb delivery by Taylor from a free-kick found nobody to get the necessary touch, further changes were made. Campbell(T) and Kanu were introduced for Edmonds-Green and Coventry. This meant now Campbell(T) and Small operating as the wing-backs, Taylor and Campbell(A) trying to hold the fort in central midfield, with Godden now moving deeper again and Kanu up front. It looked like a case of shit or bust.

Indeed, the game appeared to change within minutes as we equalised. Another high ball was met by Ahadme. He seemed to head it into a congested area, but Kanu anticipated well and got on the end of it and as Wollacott came off his line coolly chipped it over him and into the net.

Surely, we all thought, this would be the cue for us to go on and win the game. It was not to be. Instead with around 10 minutes of normal time left we let in another soft goal. What appeared a routine shot from distance was not dealt with well by Maynard-Brewer, who like Mannion earlier in the season palmed it out into a dangerous area.

In the time that remained we huffed and puffed but failed to create a meaningful opening. Laqeretabua came on for Godden, with Campbell(T) moving forward, and finally Jones replaced Gillesphey, to add more height up front. Maynard-Brewer came up for a corner in the final minute of stoppage time but to no avail.

It was a real kick in the teeth, for the manager and players as well as us. But where we might part company is this talk of inconsistency and not being able to reproduce recent ‘good performances’. There have been none. Last night was different, but only to the extent that in front of a Valley crowd there was greater pressure on the team to get a result and instead of translating into strong resolve it made us nervous, edgy, and increasingly desperate. And responsibility for that has to lie in an inappropriate approach to the game in terms of team selection and formation. What is good for a battling effort against a side around the top is not necessarily good for putting away a struggling team. And we did have alternatives, as the changes from the bench in the second half demonstrated.

OK. It is done. Surely what we have to look at now is that for a tough trip to Lincoln on Saturday we have Docherty and Berry back available, with it would appear Potts, Jones and Kanu back, presumably Anderson also available. Quite suddenly what was a lengthy injury list is much reduced, with only Ramsay and Aneke standing out, even if some returning will not be match-fit. Jones the Boss is going to have to look again at what he thinks will work in what context and decide between alternatives. It is his job after all, not ours.