Echo what others have said, AA should have come off earlier, poor and slow today, with Cousins moving inside and Wilson on the right.
Sordell our best player but I thought Poyet looked tired today, not his best game.
Didn't really think much of Riga subs, we were doing okayish at 2-1 when Reza came on for Harriott and we lost our shape. As said Wilson for AA would have been better.
Sordell had a good game but his pen was awful. Astrit just seems to want to do tricks all the time and he frustrated today. God knows what's happened to our defence lately. Reza. Well I can't really add anything new to what has already been said. But I was outraged at his selfishness. Hamer I'm still undecided on.
However, there was not much luck in 2nd balls and we weren't that bad.
If Donny or Millwall lose next Sat then we're safe regardless. Thank god for that!
To be fair Harriot had gone from a good start to poor and losing confidence and Reza would be a natural replacement. He did ok last time at the valley but reverted back to poor decision making. Riga or Powell can't legislate for that. Would have brought on Obika instead of Church and Wilson instead of the Man U reject.
I thought we played well and bossed it for the first 25 minutes but then it fell apart. Defensive lapses cost us their first and third goals, all of which came as a real kick in the guts:
- the first after we had the best of the first 25 minutes.....oooof! - then we miss a penalty which would have brought us level.....oooof! - we come out second half ready to put them under pressure and they grab a second.....oooof! - no sooner do we get one back than they go up the other end and get a third......ooof!
In reality they are a much stronger side and bossed it second half. Good to see Solly play 90 minutes though he looked like he isn't yet fully fit in the second half. Big up to Marvin - missed the pen but scored a good goal and played well throughout.
Let's hope we can get our noses in front against Watford, and then keep ahead. It's still in our own hands.
Football is a game of fine margins. I know individual performances have to be analysed, but putting that aside for a moment - as a team - we really struggle.
The first touch of most of our players is abysmal. Catching out defences at this level relies on quick, creative, one or two touch, accurate passing. How many times has Poyet (with the ball at his feet) thrown his hands in the air when looking for a useful pass? Movement off the ball and giving options to the player with the ball is equally as bad.
Even when under no pressure whatsoever we are capable of kicking the ball into touch or placing the ball to feet when it needs to be in front - or marginally wide when it needs to be to feet. It might be fine detail, but over the ninety minutes all these things add up. Another fine margin is the fact that some of our players can’t even last the whole game. The net result is an increasing error rate - leading to being over run.
OK I’m sure that we are not the only ones in the Championship struggling with these issues. However, we are where we are because we are a bottom six team - no matter how you look at it.
I dearly hope we survive - whether by hook or by crook. I hope that whoever takes charge next season is given some means to change the personnel, because I really don’t believe the present squad is anywhere near strong enough. That is meant as no disrespect to the present players who always seem to put in the best shift to their ability.
Being a football fan is never easy, being a Charlton fan is harder still! Anyway, as one famous South East Londoner once said … ‘This time next year’ ...
Shocking defensively albeit against a Blackburn side who were class going forward and put a lot of bodies forward. We better hope that the Watford frontline are made up of small players as we were mullered by Gestede whose touch and hold up play was very good. 3 free headers is inexcusable. Morro was bullied and so was Dervite to a lesser extent but he played some class balls from defence today, he took the ball out of defence, drove forward and distributed well on numerous occasions.
Nothing happened for Ajdarevic today, nothing. I think the guy is quality and I'm a big fan but he seemed to play the entire game in first gear. Not good today.
I thought Sordell was very good, such a shame about penalty though, there is no denying it was a poor one. It was a very good finish as well today, 4 goals in 2 games, it's just annoying it's not 5! He was infinitely better than Reza who looked god awful and as if he wanted to still be sitting on the bench. Solly went absolutely apeshit at Reza on numerous occasions and with good reason. There was a moment where Solly was clean through on the right but Reza decided to cut inside straight into trouble, he got tackled but somehow got the ball back, Solly was free AGAIN but Reza did the same thing and predictably lost the ball, awful.
Jackson and Poyet were both very good. Fox was tentative. Solly unfit and not the same player, understandably. Cousins had a reasonably good first half but poor second I thought.
Felt sorry for Harriott who started the game very brightly but tailed off and then the boo boys got on his back which isn't helpful at all. I thought the abuse he got and also Sordell towards the end of the first half was disgusting. These guys together turned the game on its head on Monday with two assists and 3 goals between them. But there we go, football fans in short memory shocker.
Oh well, we still look unlikely to go down. With Doncaster and Birmingham the favourites. I can't see Doncaster beating a Leicester side looking to get over the 100 points marker. Shame about the Millwall equaliser. I think we'll be okay.
We started the game very very brightly, the first 20 minutes were superb and one of the best I've seen us this season, and I've been to most games, but we tailed off. We came up against a good side today who were on top of their game, so we mustn't be too disheartened.
A few people were berating Sordell taking the penalty, but I have no problem with it. His confidence would have been high after Monday and don't forget that Jackson missed a penalty at home to Blackburn last season, so I doubt he would have fancied it!
Individual mistakes the story of the day which is unfortunate, but we go again on Tuesday night! Do everything you can to get to The Valley to support the boys as they try and cross the line, we can do this! This could be the game that let's us breath easy on the final game of the season, so be there, be loud and be proud.
COYR!
Very measured analysis, rather than the boring boo boys shouting the same old insults from around me.
Change the tune Tuesday night and bore off.
We are where we are at the moment. As A2TR said above let's try and help them get across the line of this poor season.
ok first half didnt deserve to be lossing. Jackson should have taken the pen. Second half they were the better team.
How the hell does AA get away with it ? other players get slagged off eitheron here or actually at the game--------- unfit ? thats bollx---------lazy twat. He cant get up to support the forward and never looks like he will run for even 45 mins--------get rid.
Thought we aqcuitted ourselves relatively well against a strong Blackburn side but two silly goals after conceding possession in midfield (either side of a straightforward setpiece header) gave us too much to do.
It did seem odd to play Cousins out wide but maybe Riga wanted some extra height in an otherwise small side? The squad at Riga's disposal is crying out for 3-5-2 but like Powell, he continues to put square pegs in round holes (Cousins) or plays inadequate players (Harriott). The formation was dropped after the Millwall debacle in Sep and hasn't been tried again - however we beat the runaway Champions that way.
Sordell was outstanding - there is a quality player in there just waiting to come out. If we can get him on a free transfer perhaps, then with a proper run of games, he could be a 20 goal per season striker.
The afternoon could have been much worse though - Reading's fightback was vital. So long as Leicester don't start their summer holidays early, we may already be safe.
Read a few comments on first page blaming Cousins for third goal. Sorry but that is crap. He was pushed two handed in the back by a player who then got possession from which they scored. It was a foul and should have been a free kick to us.
How the hell does AA get away with it ? other players get slagged off eitheron here or actually at the game--------- unfit ? thats bollx---------lazy twat. He cant get up to support the forward and never looks like he will run for even 45 mins--------get rid.
Could be AA has a genetic condition that managers just have to respect and manage; as said in another thread, some people are long distance runners, some are sprinters, same with horses. AA is something in between that means he just don't do 90 minutes, 30- 50 minutes on a good day. I'm happy with that when we get quality but he isn't going to produce it every match.
Let's not forget that Rovers have at least 1 player who cost possibly twice as much as the entire Charlton team. It was a pleasure to see some top players at the Valley and Rovers look decent. The penalty miss/save was bad news for us - however, against an England keeper, Sordell made up for it with a stunning goal for Charlton. Rovers fans were excellent, the game was played in a very good spirit. I am actually feeling really positive because a few other results went our way but, much more importantly, I saw some real effort from Charlton today and a vast improvement. Rovers won it from the midfield dominance, moved the ball quicker and, of course, have some serious big guns up front who did the business. I believe Charlton will stay up. Rovers should be higher up the table. Met some Rovers fans outside the ground a bit later and congratulated them on a clinical performance. They said that at 2-1 they were very nervous because Rovers have had a habit of imploding when they concede. Never a danger of that today. Think the third goal killed it but Charlton came out 2nd half strangely tentative and negative - yet they 'd been on the ascendency towards the end of the first half - strange! Really pleased with Sordell, Solly and Fox - think Fox has a future. Poyet may have saved us from a drubbing and I felt for him so many times when he was on the ball looking for an option that should have been there but wasn't. Diego, please stay at Charlton next season and learn your trade! Jackson was out of his depth today, not enough from Cousins. Adjarevic never got going and not fit enough still. Really impressed with Church when he came on and Reza also some decent stuff but needs to release the ball earlier - he either hasn't got his head up before and during the the run or doesn't have an option - today he had options but failed to spot the pass - some decent stuff, all the same. Decent fans, Rovers
so we might get 45 mins of quality but not every match ? herd this same horse manure from two guys behind me today-------------------seen to many con men stealing a living in the last few years -------he can fuck off
Attitude and desire was perfect. But we were uncharacteristically wobbly at the back. But Blackburn do look like a good outfit that could be launching a serious promotion bid next season. So maybe it was going to be tough anyway. I still think we'll be okay.
Read a few comments on first page blaming Cousins for third goal. Sorry but that is crap. He was pushed two handed in the back by a player who then got possession from which they scored. It was a foul and should have been a free kick to us.
Cousins reaction after the goal shows that he was at fault and knew it!
Read a few comments on first page blaming Cousins for third goal. Sorry but that is crap. He was pushed two handed in the back by a player who then got possession from which they scored. It was a foul and should have been a free kick to us.
i totally agree with this observation .i think that poet then slipped and fell over trying to reach the weak inside square pass that cousins was unable to complete due to the foul .I couldn't understand why Cousins didn't immediately fall over as the shove went in .Reza would have done
Beaten by the better team. Main points were 1. Harriott giving ball away for their first when he had fox on the wing to pass to and almost gifted them another in the first half. 2. Sordell winning the penalty and then hoping JJ would take it and instead Sordell see's it saved. 3. AA was too lazy at times, if only he had Poyets engine! 4. Cousins short pass gifting them the third. One of those games that was end to end but we couldn't get enough clear chances in the second half. Sordell has suddenly found his mojo and what a goal to make it 1-2 and my MoM. Can see this going down to the last game but praying to Buddah, Jesus, Allah and any one who will listen for a result on Tuesday.
No chance then! They'll never agree upon a result!
so we might get 45 mins of quality but not every match ? herd this same horse manure from two guys behind me today-------------------seen to many con men stealing a living in the last few years -------he can fuck off
I did not think he gave us 5 minutes of genius today. Would not want him here next season, unless there was a significant improvement.
Well after the euphoria of the "Hillsborough comeback" normal service was certainly resumed today to the extent that Len's little girl was able to say in all confidence that she would get 'Dave' tattooed on her Greenie Junior bits if Reza controlled the ball well enough to actually score! Her other comment, having missed a few games recently, was that we looked like 11 individuals in red shirts rather than a team.
My view was that in the first half we were as good if not better than them. Marvin's misplaced pass which led to their first goal was unfortunate but we were competitive despite that. I love Johnnie Jackson but I was very disappointed that he bottled the penalty. Sordell's body language was all wrong and I knew he would miss. An equaliser then and it could all have been very different.
It was a shame that our defence parted like the Red Sea following the corner from which they scored their second. That was effectively the end of any hopes of getting anything from the match although Marvin's goal gave a folorn hope. A third for them was always a distinct possibility given that we had to chase it.
I have to say that for long periods of the second half it looked like men against boys with the men in blue and white and the boys in red.
Watford is now massive I just hope we don't bottle it as I don't see us getting anything at Blackpool with the pressure well and truly on.
Beaten and outplayed by a good Blackburn team. Let's not pretend the defence were anything but a shambles. Beaten on both flanks, outnumbered and outjumped in the middle. Hamer at his most hesitant. For all our sideways/backwards possession we did little to hurt them and when they attacked it was with pace and purpose. Bringing Church on was the final nail in our coffin and his non-contact with the diagonal cross towards the end summed up a wretched day. Absolutely gobsmacked that Obika didn't get a chance in front of spongefoot and that makes me question everything about Riga's judgement. Sordell was never going to score the penalty, but he was our best player on the day. Set up for a classic Tuesday night now and if I had to choose one player I want on the pitch who was absent today, it would be Wilson.
NB sickening about the Millwall equaliser. All I can say is that the performance of that QPR squad under Redknapp is a disgrace. They should be 20 points clear and yet they limp in to the play-offs. I hope they disappear without a trace. Shufflers.
Have read all the posts made so far & agree with the majority in that we came up against an in form team with some decent players - both costing a hell of a lot more than we've spent in many a year...
Performances for us ? Well, I was SO pleased that marvellous Marvin continued where he left off last Monday so that home fans could witness his transformation for themselves. However, as most agree, I didn't feel he was the best option for the spot kick. Mr F always says that the player who wins the pen should never take it.
The others ? Young Jordan is suffering out there big time - from playing out of position but more pertinently because he badly needs a rest, although he probably wouldn't admit to it. Diego was as "special" as ever albeit with a few hiccups under increased pressure at times. Callum showed glimpses of what he can do & I was amazed that Chris Solly played another 90 mins ...don't believe he'll start next Tuesday though. Charlton's no 1 - hmmm, the jury's still out but I would level the blame in his direction for the soft first goal. Thought Morro had his hands full with the Big 'Un up front but that DD had his usual steady game.
And I have to agree with others who point out the shortcomings ( fatcomings?) of the man in the middle, not for the first time this season. Blackburn have some tall, strong players and were guilty of lots of pushing & shoving whilst we had possession which went unpunished by the ref. When this sort of "play" isn't punished with the award of free kicks, then it's carte blanche to just keep calm & carry on. In fact, I couldn't believe it when he gave us a pen !!!! Sun in his eyes, maybe ?
All in all, I wasn't too despondent at the final whistle & glad we didn't concede a 4th goal that might bite us on the bum on the final day. The guy sitting behind me was keeping us up to date with the other relevant scores & Blackpool apart, it was a pretty good afternoon ...until Millwall equalised in the 90th minute AGAIN !!!!! Not sure what to expect from the lads on Tuesday night & hope that B'Ham fail to win their game in hand . All I DO know is that it will be another nervy 90+mins for all concerned so PLEASE do your utmost to get to the game - our last at home until some time in August - and shout yourself hoarse for the lads. We made a fair bit of noise this afternoon but our end of term report states " Must try harder " so let's go for an A+ .
As for those so called fans I've read about in other posts, if you can't support ALL the players in the red shirts, just do us a favour & stay home . I hear there's a good episode of Holby on at 8pm......
Well totally gutted haven't read any thing from above so no cliiques or how u spell it. Here it is Harriot can't play at how he is a liabilty, Morrison shouldn't ler Gestede get in front of him. For those blaming Hamer one of the best headers I have seen. Jackson grow some balks tell AA and Sordell to fuck off. Fox is a little lost child who don't won't anya nd I mean any responsibility. Reza FCUK right off, pass the fcuking ball.
I thought we started well. Were playing decent stuff although again lacked a little penetration. Couple if half chances but it all seemed fairly comfortable.
Then a header that Appeared Hamer thought was dropping wide but sneaked in. Knocked the stuffing out of us.
Then a penalty. Sordell shot low and down the middle and Robinson saved it with his legs.
Five mins into the second half they scored within five minutes from a other header.
Sordell scored a nice goal and I thought we would really push on.
Unfortunately, Cousins played a loose pass and they scored from the breakaway.
Seems all our mistakes are being punished.
We huffed and puffed after that but in all honesty it was a comfortable victory for Rovers who looked tidy enough.
In terms of performances I thought Sordell caused their centre backs problems bit he got zero protection from the ref. Fox looked assured.
I feel...well just a little numb really.
A win in Tuesday will see us ok but that will be a tough ask.
Yet another desperately bad performance: we could have easily lost 5-1 or 6-1 to a mid-table team. Same old problems: if our defensive clearances don't land in Row Z they arrive at the feet of the opposition. Our midfielders lack the strength to seize possession, lack the speed to advance, and lack the ability to thread incisive balls to the strikers. Striker, singular, today: Sordell alone - Ajdaveric didn't get forward to support.
All this lateral passing - I've been watching Charlton for almost 50 years and know that this set of players will lose possession under the slightest pressure. OK, so we take a punt and hammer it to Harriott forward on the left (a pertinent example in the second half) - and instantly he has four Blackburn defenders closing him down, while our midfield is still thirty yards away, staring at him.
Blackburn always had a man over, and got forward almost without exertion. Our possession goes sideways along the half-way line - and thousands of spectators applaud without irony if we manage to control the ball and string five passes together. When we do actually reach the edge of the box, our men can't turn - turn and slither and shoot like Paul Walsh could do - but Hang on!, here's a hopeful attempt from 20 yards out - and it goes curving and spinning in to the crowd.
This is thin, ragged and hapless stuff: poor in the essential fundamentals of a well-drilled, skilful and competitive side. I feel sure we'll stay up, courtesy only of Birmingham, intent on their most spectacular self-destruction. But over the summer, Duchatelet, Riga and the coaching staff should think long and hard about the physical strength and technical skills that are required to give us, the fans, something to enjoy.
I thought we played the better football, but made defensive errors and they were sharper up front. I always thought the key was to be above Doncaster by a point at least by the end of the day. They will be away against one of the strongest home teams in the league, who will have a lot to play for (reaching 100 points is a big deal). Remember - it meant something to us a couple of years back. And we still have Brum and Millwall who can cock it up too - that game on Monday was so big - I knew it at the time and know it all the more now.
We wan't and need to put this seaosn behind us, and if we can sign up Poyet, it may not be looked upon so negatively in years to come. Saw the push on Cousins too - but officials will miss them more than they see them.
Comments
Sordell our best player but I thought Poyet looked tired today, not his best game.
Didn't really think much of Riga subs, we were doing okayish at 2-1 when Reza came on for Harriott and we lost our shape. As said Wilson for AA would have been better.
Astrit just seems to want to do tricks all the time and he frustrated today.
God knows what's happened to our defence lately.
Reza. Well I can't really add anything new to what has already been said. But I was outraged at his selfishness.
Hamer I'm still undecided on.
However, there was not much luck in 2nd balls and we weren't that bad.
If Donny or Millwall lose next Sat then we're safe regardless. Thank god for that!
- the first after we had the best of the first 25 minutes.....oooof!
- then we miss a penalty which would have brought us level.....oooof!
- we come out second half ready to put them under pressure and they grab a second.....oooof!
- no sooner do we get one back than they go up the other end and get a third......ooof!
In reality they are a much stronger side and bossed it second half. Good to see Solly play 90 minutes though he looked like he isn't yet fully fit in the second half. Big up to Marvin - missed the pen but scored a good goal and played well throughout.
Let's hope we can get our noses in front against Watford, and then keep ahead. It's still in our own hands.
Football is a game of fine margins. I know individual performances have to be analysed, but putting that aside for a moment - as a team - we really struggle.
The first touch of most of our players is abysmal. Catching out defences at this level relies on quick, creative, one or two touch, accurate passing. How many times has Poyet (with the ball at his feet) thrown his hands in the air when looking for a useful pass? Movement off the ball and giving options to the player with the ball is equally as bad.
Even when under no pressure whatsoever we are capable of kicking the ball into touch or placing the ball to feet when it needs to be in front - or marginally wide when it needs to be to feet. It might be fine detail, but over the ninety minutes all these things add up. Another fine margin is the fact that some of our players can’t even last the whole game. The net result is an increasing error rate - leading to being over run.
OK I’m sure that we are not the only ones in the Championship struggling with these issues. However, we are where we are because we are a bottom six team - no matter how you look at it.
I dearly hope we survive - whether by hook or by crook. I hope that whoever takes charge next season is given some means to change the personnel, because I really don’t believe the present squad is anywhere near strong enough. That is meant as no disrespect to the present players who always seem to put in the best shift to their ability.
Being a football fan is never easy, being a Charlton fan is harder still! Anyway, as one famous South East Londoner once said … ‘This time next year’ ...
Change the tune Tuesday night and bore off.
We are where we are at the moment. As A2TR said above let's try and help them get across the line of this poor season.
COYR
How the hell does AA get away with it ? other players get slagged off eitheron here or actually at the game--------- unfit ? thats bollx---------lazy twat. He cant get up to support the forward and never looks like he will run for even 45 mins--------get rid.
It did seem odd to play Cousins out wide but maybe Riga wanted some extra height in an otherwise small side? The squad at Riga's disposal is crying out for 3-5-2 but like Powell, he continues to put square pegs in round holes (Cousins) or plays inadequate players (Harriott). The formation was dropped after the Millwall debacle in Sep and hasn't been tried again - however we beat the runaway Champions that way.
Sordell was outstanding - there is a quality player in there just waiting to come out. If we can get him on a free transfer perhaps, then with a proper run of games, he could be a 20 goal per season striker.
The afternoon could have been much worse though - Reading's fightback was vital. So long as Leicester don't start their summer holidays early, we may already be safe.
Took his goal well which ruined everything.
Let's not forget that Rovers have at least 1 player who cost possibly twice as much as the entire Charlton team. It was a pleasure to see some top players at the Valley and Rovers look decent.
The penalty miss/save was bad news for us - however, against an England keeper, Sordell made up for it with a stunning goal for Charlton.
Rovers fans were excellent, the game was played in a very good spirit.
I am actually feeling really positive because a few other results went our way but, much more importantly, I saw some real effort from Charlton today and a vast improvement.
Rovers won it from the midfield dominance, moved the ball quicker and, of course, have some serious big guns up front who did the business.
I believe Charlton will stay up.
Rovers should be higher up the table.
Met some Rovers fans outside the ground a bit later and congratulated them on a clinical performance. They said that at 2-1 they were very nervous because Rovers have had a habit of imploding when they concede. Never a danger of that today.
Think the third goal killed it but Charlton came out 2nd half strangely tentative and negative - yet they 'd been on the ascendency towards the end of the first half - strange!
Really pleased with Sordell, Solly and Fox - think Fox has a future.
Poyet may have saved us from a drubbing and I felt for him so many times when he was on the ball looking for an option that should have been there but wasn't.
Diego, please stay at Charlton next season and learn your trade!
Jackson was out of his depth today, not enough from Cousins.
Adjarevic never got going and not fit enough still.
Really impressed with Church when he came on and Reza also some decent stuff but needs to release the ball earlier - he either hasn't got his head up before and during the the run or doesn't have an option - today he had options but failed to spot the pass - some decent stuff, all the same.
Decent fans, Rovers
Well after the euphoria of the "Hillsborough comeback" normal service was certainly resumed today to the extent that Len's little girl was able to say in all confidence that she would get 'Dave' tattooed on her Greenie Junior bits if Reza controlled the ball well enough to actually score! Her other comment, having missed a few games recently, was that we looked like 11 individuals in red shirts rather than a team.
My view was that in the first half we were as good if not better than them. Marvin's misplaced pass which led to their first goal was unfortunate but we were competitive despite that. I love Johnnie Jackson but I was very disappointed that he bottled the penalty. Sordell's body language was all wrong and I knew he would miss. An equaliser then and it could all have been very different.
It was a shame that our defence parted like the Red Sea following the corner from which they scored their second. That was effectively the end of any hopes of getting anything from the match although Marvin's goal gave a folorn hope. A third for them was always a distinct possibility given that we had to chase it.
I have to say that for long periods of the second half it looked like men against boys with the men in blue and white and the boys in red.
Watford is now massive I just hope we don't bottle it as I don't see us getting anything at Blackpool with the pressure well and truly on.
Why do Charlton do this to us?!
Let's not pretend the defence were anything but a shambles. Beaten on both flanks, outnumbered and outjumped in the middle. Hamer at his most hesitant.
For all our sideways/backwards possession we did little to hurt them and when they attacked it was with pace and purpose.
Bringing Church on was the final nail in our coffin and his non-contact with the diagonal cross towards the end summed up a wretched day.
Absolutely gobsmacked that Obika didn't get a chance in front of spongefoot and that makes me question everything about Riga's judgement.
Sordell was never going to score the penalty, but he was our best player on the day.
Set up for a classic Tuesday night now and if I had to choose one player I want on the pitch who was absent today, it would be Wilson.
NB sickening about the Millwall equaliser. All I can say is that the performance of that QPR squad under Redknapp is a disgrace. They should be 20 points clear and yet they limp in to the play-offs. I hope they disappear without a trace. Shufflers.
Performances for us ? Well, I was SO pleased that marvellous Marvin continued where he left off last Monday so that home fans could witness his transformation for themselves. However, as most agree, I didn't feel he was the best option for the spot kick. Mr F always says that the player who wins the pen should never take it.
The others ? Young Jordan is suffering out there big time - from playing out of position but more pertinently because he badly needs a rest, although he probably wouldn't admit to it. Diego was as "special" as ever albeit with a few hiccups under increased pressure at times. Callum showed glimpses of what he can do & I was amazed that Chris Solly played another 90 mins ...don't believe he'll start next Tuesday though. Charlton's no 1 - hmmm, the jury's still out but I would level the blame in his direction for the soft first goal. Thought Morro had his hands full with the Big 'Un up front but that DD had his usual steady game.
And I have to agree with others who point out the shortcomings ( fatcomings?) of the man in the middle, not for the first time this season. Blackburn have some tall, strong players and were guilty of lots of pushing & shoving whilst we had possession which went unpunished by the ref. When this sort of "play" isn't punished with the award of free kicks, then it's carte blanche to just keep calm & carry on. In fact, I couldn't believe it when he gave us a pen !!!! Sun in his eyes, maybe ?
All in all, I wasn't too despondent at the final whistle & glad we didn't concede a 4th goal that might bite us on the bum on the final day. The guy sitting behind me was keeping us up to date with the other relevant scores & Blackpool apart, it was a pretty good afternoon ...until Millwall equalised in the 90th minute AGAIN !!!!! Not sure what to expect from the lads on Tuesday night & hope that B'Ham fail to win their game in hand . All I DO know is that it will be another nervy 90+mins for all concerned so PLEASE do your utmost to get to the game - our last at home until some time in August - and shout yourself hoarse for the lads. We made a fair bit of noise this afternoon but our end of term report states " Must try harder " so let's go for an A+ .
As for those so called fans I've read about in other posts, if you can't support ALL the players in the red shirts, just do us a favour & stay home . I hear there's a good episode of Holby on at 8pm......
Keep the faith !!!
All this lateral passing - I've been watching Charlton for almost 50 years and know that this set of players will lose possession under the slightest pressure. OK, so we take a punt and hammer it to Harriott forward on the left (a pertinent example in the second half) - and instantly he has four Blackburn defenders closing him down, while our midfield is still thirty yards away, staring at him.
Blackburn always had a man over, and got forward almost without exertion. Our possession goes sideways along the half-way line - and thousands of spectators applaud without irony if we manage to control the ball and string five passes together. When we do actually reach the edge of the box, our men can't turn - turn and slither and shoot like Paul Walsh could do - but Hang on!, here's a hopeful attempt from 20 yards out - and it goes curving and spinning in to the crowd.
This is thin, ragged and hapless stuff: poor in the essential fundamentals of a well-drilled, skilful and competitive side. I feel sure we'll stay up, courtesy only of Birmingham, intent on their most spectacular self-destruction. But over the summer, Duchatelet, Riga and the coaching staff should think long and hard about the physical strength and technical skills that are required to give us, the fans, something to enjoy.
We wan't and need to put this seaosn behind us, and if we can sign up Poyet, it may not be looked upon so negatively in years to come. Saw the push on Cousins too - but officials will miss them more than they see them.