We are top. Don Howe’s Arsenal, reinvented for 2024. We have clearly got issues with the team & certain players, but you can only beat what is in front of you. Good atmosphere second half - I reckon the crowd was around 11,000. HMS Piss The League has left port
Three points but not impressed . No plan B (3 subs, one forced, all like for like). No goals in this team. Coventry has to be the most boring and uncourageous midfielder ever. Captain invisible Dougherty really didn’t feature. Aneke looked like he was going to sh*t himself when he had to chase a through ball. No doubt worrying about his hamstring Perhaps I’m just hot n bothered through sitting in the sun tho
I always expected we had a Southgate style manager - bit boring, bit lucky but solid enuf under a system. Can’t complain I’ll take winning over boring anytime.
As I have said before we lack flair. But looking on the bright side our back six, including the Keeper looked excellent. Berry popped up from midfield with a goal, just what we were hoping for. Ahadme is not an improvement on Alfie May. We defended corners and set pieces well. We also look very fit.
The fans were great today, got behind the team for all 105 minutes, even when we were shambolic. The ref booked Clare for a horror tackle then booked another player for a fair tackle when he won the ball cleanly.
We are crying out for a couple of creative players before the window closes. The owners were at the game today - hopefully Nathan Jones gets a direct conversation with them after the game - cutting out the greasers Rodwell & Scott etc - and impresses on them that we are close but still need to buy new players.
It's early days, but squad strengthening issues aside, Charlton have made their best start to a League One campaign since the Parkinson / Powell era (2009-2012) No 3rd tier season since then has begun with back-to-back league wins, until today Indeed Charlton had already lost one league game by now in every other L1 campaign since 2016 except 2022-23, where we had one win & one draw.
Put simply, we are a pacy winger and a creative midfield player / No.10 away from a promotion challenge. The former gives you options, particularly off the bench against tiring teams. The latter is imperative. We huffed & puffed a lot today, but did not create much. Our midfielders are much of a muchness.
I think Mannion look ok to me and the defence slightly more composed. I won’t repeat the creative player(s) that we desperately need in the middle. Up front we have dentures for teeth. Most of the interesting conversations to be heard today is why we got rid of May. Not a single one supported the move. I’m still far from convinced that this is a top 6 team
