No 'Bad Day At The Office'; An Injury Crisis and Failed Attempt To Paper Over The Cracks

After the two-week break we went into this one rather blind. We had no idea who of the pre-break injured would be back available, or how Southampton would shape up, still with an interim boss and 18th in the table but coming to us on the back of consecutive wins, against QPR and Sheff Wed, and residues of Premiership quality and expectations. They’re all hard to call with any confidence, but before kick-off this one looked capable of going any way.

After 10 minutes of the game the die already seemed cast, with Southampton pulling us apart and missing at least three presentable chances. At half-time, having shipped five, all we wanted was to fast-forward to get it over with and to try to forget about it as soon as possible. Of all the possible outcomes ahead of the game I don’t think we would have added being totally played off the park, pulled apart, a strong defensive record in tatters, and for good measure unable to turn 49% first-half possession into any meaningful threat (before Jones’ header from a corner). The second half was utterly irrelevant.

I decided to wait before penning anything, feeling like Gordon Ottershaw (bonus points for anyone who remembers that one). The day after, no point in giving any account of the game (the Southampton goals have already morphed into a seamless shape), just an attempt to if not make sense of it (impossible) to put it in context ahead of Tuesday night’s game at Stoke.

First off, I’d reject the idea that this was just a ‘bad day at the office’. Wrexham was that, when a stretched squad proved unable to muster the extra effort to get something out of the game. Sure, there was an element of everything possible going wrong. We’ve seen other games this season in which we made a slow start, seemed off the pace, only to avoid conceding and progressively get a foothold in the game. This was different. We did escape lightly in the first 10 minutes, but instead of learning from the early escapes we carried on ploughing the same furlough. That, to me, suggests there was no Plan B, no attempt to try Plan B if we had one. Why not? Why were we so taken by surprise with Southampton’s plan? Had nobody watched their last couple of games?

Second, let’s accept this for what it is: an injury crisis hitting a (deliberately) small squad. Ahead of the game we were waiting to see who would be back involved. In the event it was disappointment across the board. We knew it would be much too soon for Edwards, that Bree would not be available, but we had hoped Burke and/or Bell, plus Kelman, maybe Godden, would be in the squad. I do believe, with hindsight, that sticking with a 3-5-2/5-3-2 was an error of judgement ahead of the game. Sticking with it through the game, at least until nothing mattered anymore, compounded the error.

Press-ganging Apter into a wing-back role is always going to be a gamble, that his offensive qualities will overcome defensive weaknesses. Pressing Hernandez into operating on his wrong side in an unfamiliar role was a second gamble which failed. Apter was sacrificed after 24 minutes, by which time we were four down. Hernandez was left on to have a shocker; he seemed to be everywhere when not needed and nowhere when he was. The blame for the result doesn’t lie entirely with dodgy wing-backs, Jones looked uncomfortable against a mobile Armstrong from the start. But when a defensive line is hopelessly exposed by midfield runners and each individual loses confidence in the ability of those around him to cope, chaos results. It surely did yesterday.

I struggle to understand why we selected and then retained a back five when we had only three senior centre-backs and no real wing-backs. Jones had to play the full game despite being clearly in discomfort since being shoved into their keeper at a second-half corner, with Gough and Laqeretabua left to warm the bench. Sure, it was no game to be blooding youngsters, in terms of getting anything out of it, but what would we have lost if Gough had come on for Jones in the second half? What would we have lost if Laqeretabua had been used, or Fullah, when the game was lost and Southampton had no inclination to inflict further pain?

We can have no idea what might have happened if we had acknowledged our absentees and switched to a 4-4-2, or something similar. That would have allowed Apter to play as a regular winger, kept one of the three senior centre-backs in reserve. It might have meant sacrificing Carey/Knibbs/Berry in the more advanced midfield role, at least at the start. Bottom line is it couldn’t have turned out any worse.

To summarise the lessons, I’d say: one, we had an injury crisis and tried – unsuccessfully – to paper over the cracks, in advance of and during the game; two, there seems to have been a failure of planning to be ready for what Southampton would throw at us; and three, Jones does not seem ready to trust Gough, Laqeretabua, Enslin, Fullah, or Rylah, perhaps even the recovering Casey up front and Anderson in midfield. Jones and his staff have to take their share of the blame for yesterday, along with the players. In any other season, under any other manager, there would have been howls of protest in favour of sackings/changes after such a performance. Jones and the players are still heavily in credit, but need to react. 

So to my mind, unless Burke and/or Bell are available for Tuesday night, along with Bree being available again, we change formation. Perhaps a 4-4-2 and utilise the two banks of four in front of our goal, or go again with a front three, with two of Apter, Campbell and Fullah operating either side of Leaburn or Olaofe. We will not be reacting to a bad day at the office, we will be reacting to a drubbing, one which will have dented confidence across the board, to try to stop consecutive defeats turning into a slide.

Moment Of Madness Costs Us Dear

Had to be a risk today that, as at Wrexham last season, we might not be in the best shape to take them on. Last time, we went into the game on the back of the amazing 0-4 win at Wycombe, one which involved a huge effort. We effectively lost the game in the first 20 minutes. This time around, we knew we would still be missing four important players (five if you add Godden), including the three from the defence. And with an international break coming up, the game felt like one you just want to get through without defeat and then rest up.

That we didn’t manage that has to be largely attributed to a crazy moment by Hernandez, gifting them a penalty out of nothing. We’d had the better of the chances in the first half but didn’t take one (or more) and in the second were coming under the cosh. But we were coping well enough defensively, without doing anything in their half. If we’d kept it at 0-0 going into the final 10 minutes there’s no saying what might have happened. Even then it took a fine save at the death from Berry’s header to prevent him doing what he’d done for us at Hull. A hard one to take but them’s the breaks in tight games.

On Tuesday night the subs and formation change had turned the game; but it was still a surprise that Jones seemed to opt to start today’s game with the changed set-up. Fullah started, as did Knibbs, while Olaofe was selected as the effective lone striker, Leaburn dropping to the bench. It looked like in front of Kaminski a back three of Ramsay, Jones and Gillsephey, with Bree and Campbell as the wing-backs. Docherty would also be on the bench, with Carey and Coventry the main pair, with Knibbs and Fullah in front of them either side of Olaofe. It looked like a bold selection, one which would give Wrexham some pause for thought but one which carried risks. Could Campbell cope defensively against a fast winger (in the event he did) and what would happen when we would need to make changes?

The first half was a fairly even affair, but the cleaner chances were for us. In the first minute a poor Wrexham pass out went to Olaofe. He played it to Carey on the left side, who cut in and put in a decent shot saved, with Olaofe just unable to get to the rebound off the keeper (he claimed he was pulled back). On 23 minutes Campbell broke along the left touchline, and cut inside. His shot was blocked but came out for Bree, whose effort was saved, then Coventry sent his effort from the rebound well over. And best of all on 35 minutes Ramsay moved it on to Olaofe. His shot was miscued but ended up being blocked by their defender alongside Knibbs. As the defender ended on the ground, Knibbs was able to turn, but in looking to lift it over their keeper managed to hit the bar.

Against that, Wrexham did have moments, Kaminski having to save at his near post and then one at the far post which their guy put over. In terms of the flow of the game it was nip and tuck, very little in it. At the break the stats showed three efforts each on target – but ours were by far the more threatening.

Wrexham did take more of a grip in the second half, pinning us back, but aside from a corner headed back across goal and not converted we were making the interceptions and getting the tackles in to defend our goal. Trouble was, with Fullah and Knibbs both tiring we weren’t getting much relief from the pressure.

On 59 minutes we made our first change, with Docherty replacing Fullah, who despite an early yellow card had impressed again before running out of steam. On 67 minutes Wrexham made three substitutions and we did our first, Hernandez coming on for Knibbs. That meant a change back to our more usual shape, Hernandez filling in at left wing-back and Campbell moving further forward, with Docherty and Coventry renewing their partnership and Carey moving forward.

They seemed like sensible changes to shore things up – and necessary to replace tiring players. But on 75 minutes the game changed materially for the worse. Hernandez was looking troubled by their pacey winger but there seemed no danger when he went for a cross to the far post. Nobody saw anything at the time, but the next thing we knew the ref had given them a penalty. And the replays did show that Hernandez had seemed to misjudge the flight of the ball and instead of getting his head on it managed to touch it with a raised arm. Very harsh but not one we can complain about. Kaminski guess right but couldn’t keep out the low hard shot.

Now we had to chase the game and Wrexham were more content to sit on what they had, happy to see out the game and look for the space as we became increasingly desperate. On 83 minutes Berry came on for Coventry, Carey dropping deeper again, but we weren’t looking like getting back on level terms. Indeed, Wrexham probably should have extended their lead when a Kaminski save went back to Moore, who tried to be too precise with the rebound and Kaminski saved again.

With Ramsey struggling – but still managing to intercept – and Jones limping, we weren’t sure if nine minutes of stoppage time was good news for us or just adding to the torture. But even then we managed one last effort. Carey whipped in a cross from the right and Berry got up to head it goalwards, only for their keeper to manage to turn it over the bar. Kaminski went up for the corner but it came to nothing and that was that.

Today the few key moments went against us and we have to live with that. Who knows how the final stages would have played out if it was still 0-0? Was the choice to go with Fullah and Knibbs from the start – rather than bring them on after say an hour to look to change the game again – the right one? Nobody can say, we don’t know the state of the players going into the game. We lost. There’s really nothing to be learnt from the experience, just have to take it, get players back fit, and go again after the international break.

Stoppage Time's Been Good To Us

First off, I have to confess to still having a soft spot for West Brom. This dates back to early 1969 when, having brushed aside a certain team down the road in the third round of the FA Cup, we were drawn at Arsenal in the fourth. My father said we would watch the next round wherever it was if we made it through. We didn’t, but Arsenal came out of the hat with an away tie at the Hawthorns, close to where some of our relatives still lived. So we went anyway – and an adolescent youth was smitten by a distant cousin a few years older than me, in spite of the accent.

All a long time ago – and sorry to say it did nothing to stop me howling with joy and leaping out of my seat late last night back in Lyon. For it had been a long, hard game and a pretty tough watch. To have it rounded off in such fashion was, shall we say, most enjoyable. Like against Hull, Swansea etc, whether or not we deserved it on the balance of play and chances is irrelevant. We scored. End of. The game will live long in nobody’s memory, but the ending will.

I felt we went into last night’s game, while very happy with our placing in the league, with perhaps a little to prove after successive draws and having been second-best against Swansea on Saturday. That said, we were well aware that there would be necessary changes to the team given that Bell and Burke were presumably added to Edwards on the injured list. In the event those three were out and so was Kelman, depriving him of the opportunity to build on his first goal for the club.

The result was Ramsay joining Jones and Gillesphey in central defence, while Hernandez was to start as wing-back, along with Bree, although which would take which side remained to be seen. Midfield saw no changes, with Docherty, Coventry and Carey retained, while up front Leaburn came in for Kelman to partner Campbell. That all meant places on the bench, with Anderson, Fullah, and U21 captain Gough drafted in, alongside Rankin-Costello and Apter (both unable to get a look-in at the moment), Berry, Knibbs, and Olaofe as the only forward replacement. It all rather drove home the point that small squads are fine, have advantages, but sometimes you come a cropper – both Mitchells out on loan, as well as Kanu and Mbick, even Ahadme.

The first 30 minutes can be instantly written off, a horrible mix of misplaced passes and hopeless balls forward to static forwards, our only possession being a case of going sideways or back, while West Brom quickly got everyone behind the ball, leaving little or no space to work with. They had the only moments of danger, usually involving the returning Grant, including an early effort by a guy at the far post, who shot wildly, a break needing a very timely Jones block to end the danger, and then their guy on the right comprehensively beating Hernandez and fizzing in a low ball across the face of goal with nobody there to touch it home.

We had produced nothing in their half, then on 33 minutes out of nowhere we were handed the opportunity to go in front. Leaburn got his head to a ball into the box but there seemed no danger as their guy covered, only to use his hand. The ref was well placed to see it and pointed to the spot. It’s been a long time since anyone but Godden took a spot kick for us in the league at least and it was Docherty who stepped forward to take it. It was a poor effort. He shimmied and shuffled to try to second-guess their keeper, who stood his ground then dived left and made a comfortable save as the shot was neither powerful enough nor well enough placed, making it a 50-50. That said, Docherty took on the job when it seemed forwards were not interested. And that’s a bad sign. Killer was a mediocre penalty-taker but he always took them as he knew he was more likely to score than not.

Shortly after West Brom nearly went ahead instead. A ball through the middle found a guy who was surely offside, but no flag and he was in on goal, only to drag his shot wide. That miss ensured that West Brom ended the half with no efforts on target while we had one, the penalty.

The second half if anything got worse for us as West Brom for a period of time looked odds-on to score. Another shot wide from a good position, then a guy running through down the right, leading to a Kaminski save. Our spirits were briefly lifted by a well-struck effort from Carey, which drew a decent save from their keeper, and from the resulting corner Leaburn flicked on at the near post (the only time that happened all game, with Bree’s deliveries strangely disappointing) but with no Berry or Godden to read the situation it came to nothing.

It was time for some changes and, unlike against Swansea, they were to have a material impact on the game. On 72 minutes Knibbs and Fullah were introduced for Docherty and Hernandez and we changed shape, with those two operating either side of Leaburn. Immediately Fullah turned and fed Leaburn, which must have planted some doubt in the minds of previously untroubled defenders. A Gillesphey cross from the left was met by Leaburn, but his glancing header went wide. On 82 minutes Olaofe replaced Leaburn, but in the closing minutes West Brom did come close. A move down their right led to a ball in which Jones just managed to intercept before it reached their guy for a tap-in, then their sub cut into the box and flicked a shot which went just wide, might have beaten Kaminski if on target.

So as we entered five minutes of additional time it looked as though it would be a point apiece and both sides left to consider their shortcomings. Until we won a corner right at the death. It was another poor delivery headed out at the near post. It went behind Carey and he did have the easy and sensible option to lay it back to Coventry to put back into the box. Instead he turned with it – and for a horrible moment it looked as though he would have it nicked off him, in which case their guy might have had a clear run on goal, albeit from a long way out. Carey just made it in time and in space steadied himself, then just put his boot through the ball. It took a deflection and that seemed to deceive their keeper, who allowed it to go under him and into the net.

Cue pandemonium in SE7, Lyon, and no doubt many other places. There was barely time to restart after the mass celebrations before Jones the Boss was in front of the Covered End hailing another home win.

Let’s face it, stoppage time has been good to us. Apparently five of our 16 league goals have been after 90 minutes – and if you consider Berry’s Hull equaliser, the sitter that Swansea missed, and Carey’s winner, we could easily have been four points worse off than we are from the last three games. That said, the substitutions made last night did prove to be game-changers, we did end the game strongly (unlike on Saturday), and by pushing them back in the final stages perhaps encouraged West Brom to sit back and be content with a draw.

Teams we have played and neutrals may question how we are sitting in fifth. The answer to that is pretty obvious: 11 goals conceded in 14 games, only bettered by Stoke. And last night’s clean sheet was achieved without three defenders who would have been in the squad at least. So as a footballing spectacle last night may not have been in the top bracket, but we took the points and move on, nosebleed or not.

Belated Thoughts On Saturday Through A Haze Of Wine

Does the extra distance from the game – resulting from my second actual visit to The Valley in three weeks, this time for the most enjoyable International Addicks Day, then a flight back to Lyon (very) early Sunday morning – enable a better perspective on it? Doubtful, especially as much of the red wine consumed with fellow Addicks from far and wide before and after the game is still being dealt with. Let’s just say it enables me to cheat and watch the highlights first, as well as to look ahead a little to the West Brom game on Tuesday night.

To get Saturday out of the way, sure no question we were second-best through the second half, with the injuries to Bell and Burke causing disruption and the substitutions made not really turning things back in our favour once they’d equalised. And sure things could have turned out worse. The first-minute error by Burke resulting in a ball bouncing over Jones’ head and Gillesphey making a desperate challenge could easily have resulted in a red card; the scramble in our box in stoppage time might easily have seen them score a late winner, one which we could have had no grumbles about.

My (relative) misery was completed by the fact that I missed Kelman’s goal. For this one I’d opted to sit with Addicks friends in the Lower North, despite the endless up and down this would entail. I told people before the game that I just wanted to see the net billow in front of me for a Charlton goal (and to win the game of course). At half-time one of our number opted for a drink and we went along with it, losing track of time as we chatted. We were just starting the move towards the stairs to our seats when the roar went up. And quite frankly, like against Sheff Wed, we seldom gave the Covered End anything to cheer about in the second half after that moment.

Obviously the loss of two of the back five in the first half had an impact. With Ramsay the only centre-back option from the bench, we switched to a 4-5-1 in the second half but even with a midfield overload we were unable to retain possession and put them under any meaningful pressure. And they deserve some credit for that, playing decent stuff and moving well, with unfortunately Galbraith pulling the strings. My satisfaction at half-time was grounded on their front two looking rather inept (we know they were missing their leading scorer), shooting when others were in better positions – and shooting badly at that - and failing to exploit good openings. Then one of them gets the ball in a situation we seem to have under full control, takes a touch wide of Jones and turns, then getting off his shot just before Gillesphey’s challenge and placing it in the perfect position to beat Kaminski.

My only (perhaps related) gripes at the end were that I thought the substitutions made were questionable and that we failed to put them under any pressure in the closing stages. On the former, Leaburn came on at the break to replace Burke and it wasn’t clear to me how that was going to work, perhaps as a 4-4-2. Then when Kelman made way after 68 minutes it was for Hernandez and not Apter. We were then going to a 4-5-1 and surely that created the backdrop for Apter to cause them problems in their own half, not having to pretend to be a wing-back. The best way to stop them playing was surely to push them back by causing them problems. Not a criticism of Hernandez, but I found it odd. Equally, while Olaofe for Campbell was predictable, taking off Docherty and replacing him with Knibbs, rather than a more like-for-like with Casey coming off, or even giving Berry another short burst after his late goal rescued the point at Hull. Apter or Berry might have given them more food for thought. Of course hindsight is wonderful, I’ve no idea if Docherty was struggling or how things had looked on the training ground through the week.

On the latter, with 10 minutes left on the clock I just felt that we needed to up the effort and try to pressure them rather than be reasonably content with the point. Yes, we were second-best and rather disjointed, but the game’s there to be won if we played it in their half. Who cares whether or not you deserve a late winner? A decent attack, a set piece or two, and the Covered End would have been very vocal in its backing, which would surely have impacted on Swansea. Instead we almost lost it in stoppage time.

All of this is of course relative. The team/squad and of course the manager are in such credit that any criticisms are minor – and will be quickly forgotten if we beat West Brom. On that front, clearly Jones has defensive issues to work out, perhaps for the first time this season, being (we assume) stripped of Bell and Burke in addition to Edwards. Presumably either he will go with Ramsay, Jones and Gillesphey as a central three, with Bree on the right and someone filling in on the left, or start with a back four. We are going to be short of options from the bench and whether Jones will go with the versatile Rankin-Costello or the untried Fullah remains to be seen. Zac Mitchell is out on loan and I don’t know if Laqeretabua or Enslin – who both looked so impressive in cameos last season – are viable options.

I talked to an Ipswich-supporting friend today (I tried not to mention the score) and he said that West Brom carried very little goal threat when they recently beat them 1-0 at home. And the stats don’t lie – 12 goals for them in 13 games, two losses and a draw in the last three games, including failing to beat Sheff Wed at home. Clearly they don’t concede many either. Just how both teams go into this one is an open book. They may feel that we have had changes forced on us and may be a little cautious and vulnerable. Up to those called on to dismiss that. Let’s hope the Covered End gets good reason to provide the vocal support in the second half (assuming of course we don’t kick that way in the first). Every game in this division is tough – but we are loving (almost) every minute of it, even the one I missed on Saturday.