The first 15 minutes we were unlucky. Their goalkeeper made some great saves and any other day we would have been 2 up. We were totally in control at that point but then Rotherham started to get into the game a bit, although nothing really threatening. We, also, were content to just play the ball around without much penetration at all. I said to my mate that we were in dire need of a skillful attacking midfielder who could open the opposition up through the middle. Couldn't really see us going one down though but then there was the crazy five minutes when it all seemed to fall apart. From the Rotherham free kick (should it have been?), to the corner (should it have been?) to the goal (it shouldn't have been!) we were a mess. And then, after that, for the rest of the half we just had no urgency.
Second half started off much the same as the first had ended and it was obvious that Guy was waiting until around the 60 mark to bring on Big Mak. We guessed he would replace Igor as, quite frankly, he had done very little. And instantly Mak made the difference. Suddenly we had a big man who could hold the ball up or lay it on for others. And he was the big presence we needed. Both Watt and Igor are too small to play together up front IMO. And then it felt it would be only a matter of time until we got a goal but I also was getting the feeling that it may have been just one of those days. And get the goal we did after great play by Mak and Bauer was on the spot to drill it home. From then on it was mainly all us as we were playing well and opening them up but Rotherham did have their moments on the counter and Pope made a couple of good saves to keep us in it. And that was about it really. A disappointing game although quite a good game to watch. A bit blah though and two points lost at home is never a good feeling, especially when we should (could) have won.
Frustrating day. Rotherham will take a few beatings this season but we never really seemed to get out of second gear. Sure, our possession stats must have been impressive but it was all just too laboured and uninspired. We lack genuine width and creativity in midfield. Fox has come on in leaps and bounds but his crossing is lamentable. Needs real work in training. Watt is an enigma. Love him to bits but I can understand why he drives coaches mad. JBG is our only real creative spark but he is very in and out so far this season. Makienok is key to our season. He will frustrate and please in equal measure but we look so much better with him in the team. I get the feeling that Kashi, Ba and cousins are a perm any two from three scenario with Bergdich on the left. Deffo two points wasted but it could easily have been three. Hats off to Pope. Ref was an utter joke. Onwards to tuesday. Hopefully Huddersfield will be out to the sword.
Our record against Rotherham (admitledy we have hardly played them in recent times) in my time has always been poor so was never as confident as most that this would be an easy 3 points. If we could have scored from the early chances we would have gone on for 3 points, but once you go behind to a team like that you give them something to cling onto, so a point is not bad, just not brilliant.
Diawara was again excellent, and the 2 Pope saves were excellent. Cousins made some excellent runs beyond the forwards.
The ref performed like someone who was dropped from the Premier League for not being up to it and like he always does every time I see him, total incompetent.
Final ball was missing. Igor doesn't look the same player as he looked this time last year. Another assist from Mak. Diarra is sheer class. Going to have to be a bit more clinical than we were today. We need three players in. I hope one is a striker. Pope made some excellent stops and their GK was dominant in the air.
Opening 60 mins - Tippy Tappy nonsense. Sideways, Backwards, Sideways. No hold up play in the front line, no penetration and easily contained.
Last 30 mins- Mixed up the play well, the CF held it up and won flick-ons, and we caused them enough problems to have won the game, while also recognising two brilliant saves by Pope.
What a difference Big Mak made. Should've subbed him on at half-time. We wasted 15 mins after the break repeating what hadn't worked in the opening 45 mins.
Rotherham reminded me of Tranmere a few seasons ago. Ten men behind the ball, feigned injury, blatant time wasting, constant moaning at the inept referee and then got the point they came for. I hope they end up where Tranmere are now.
You're telling me you thought Mak was poor when he came on?
No mate I'm not. But he wasn't great, he needs a lot of coaching. It's not the first time I've thought "where on earth is he?" in terms of off the ball movement.
OK, example. 8 minutes left. Solly plays watt plays in JBG. Peach of a ball rolled across the six yard. Mak was on the edge of the area, every forward player knowns to run towards the back stick when your opposite winger has cut in and can tee it up along the floor. Withering looks cast Maks way from JBG and Solly.
I am not taking him apart in my constructive criticism. He is young and hasn't played in highly structured tactical football obviously. He needs coaching in his off the ball running, you have to play the percentages. That's all.
On the ball he did his best and his touch is pretty decent.
YOU could have come on and changed the game tbh because until igor went off we were playing with 10 and a passenger.
Opening 60 mins - Tippy Tappy nonsense. Sideways, Backwards, Sideways. No hold up play in the front line, no penetration and easily contained.
Last 30 mins- Mixed up the play well, the CF held it up and won flick-ons, and we caused them enough problems to have won the game, while also recognising two brilliant saves by Pope.
What a difference Big Mak made. Should've subbed him on at half-time. We wasted 15 mins after the break repeating what hadn't worked in the opening 45 mins.
Rotherham reminded me of Tranmere a few seasons ago. Ten men behind the ball, feigned injury, blatant time wasting, constant moaning at the inept referee and then got the point they came for. I hope they end up where Tranmere are now.
Frustrating afternoon.
Their keeper was from the Eric Nixon school of finding different ways to waste time, even pushing the injured defender back into play to hold the game up.
Frustrating is how everyone felt. Lot's of possession but we didn't create too much. If Big Mak started I think we would have won. He causes so many problems with his size.
You have to work very hard for a win in this league. I'm hoping we can get a left winger and fully fit Igor back as well to give us an extra edge in the final third.
My son was fully expectant of a win today, but being long in the tooth, how often have we seen Charlton struggle against so called lesser teams.
When I heard the starting lineups, I wasn't too displeased to be honest.Igor just doesn't look right, pretty ineffective, unfit and a shadow of the player we saw first half of last season, can he get back to those levels? I don't know, but I thought our attacking play went up a couple of notches when Big Mac came on, and wondered why he wasn't starting, if we basically have 3 decent strikers, but none of them are fully fit, then we are left with Kag, who I think can be good given time, but if he'd played today, and had missed a couple of easy chances, and we'd drawn the match, would he have got slaughtered by the valley crowd?
Nick Pope made 2 excellent saves today, which won us a point, but we need to be more clinical with our play, Kashi and Ba didn't looks as good today as previous games, and we still are looking for someone to play left mid, as guy doesn't appear to have full confidence in Bergdich delivering consistently.
For me the best thing to come out of today was the fact it was my 2 year old nieces first match, I did feel a bit sorry for her, and think what have we introduced her to!
I thought it was just simply 'one of those days', the through ball was either running too fast or too slow. players losing their footing on the counter, poor officials, a gk who made his debut and was very good, it just wasn't meant to be.
Diarra was a master, colossal at attacking the ball when defending high balls, loves the ball at his feet, technically the guy is Premier league, what a player for Bauer and the rest of the squad to learn from.
Think Bauer had the most touches in the first half, that says a lot, Rotherham tried to stifle our play and were hard to play through, but rather than hoof we held the play and were patient.
Big Mak was excellent, changed the game I thought, surprised by some negativity on here, won everything and was a nuisance. Sometimes against a team of knuckle draggers you have to fight fire with fire, big Mak is our option, their CB looked scared as soon as Mak started jogging over to his position.
Igor clearly not fit and was poor, wasn't positioning himself on the shoulder to get away from the defender or looked ready when the ball came to him.
Cousins did well but both him and JBG in my opinion should have each scored, got to turn these chances into goals.
One criticism, not a massive one, but thought Ba and the players infront of Kashi could have moved more to make space for themselves and the attackers behind them. We have players who can turn on the spot if given slight space and drive forward (Watt, JBG) think we didn't move enough to make that happen in the first half.
Good game for Pope, very assured, 2 very good saves.
Think Cousins drive and energy in the middle would have been more useful but Ba did ok.
I wish we had a player like Watt in the midfield, who get then supply Watt like he does to others, some of his movement is sublime although sometimes he tries to force too much at times.
More pressure to win on Tuesday but should be the drive to push us to want to win more than we clearly did at times today.
Frustrating today. Felt we played ok but we did not move the ball quick enough or play at quick enough tempo. We seemed to change a bit in the second half when big Mak came on and he made a difference as he gave us a different option and gave their defence more to worry about, I thought he played well. Igor looked pretty poor and still not sure he is totally fit although he does need more games to show anything like his full fitness. Thought it showed up our lack of a creative central midfielder as Ba, Kashi and Cousins all seem pretty much the same. Thought a few players had in and out games today. Kept waiting for JBG to spark into life but he never really did. Pope made a great save to stop it going 2-0. Rotherham were pretty poor and their goal should not have been as was never a corner but we still should have defended it better. Diara man of the match for me. Always looked at ease and like he always had time. Let's move on to Huddersfield on Tuesday and hopefully we can get the win
As per usual posting before further forum interaction.
As the great Jimmy Greaves would say "funny old game Saint."
At times we looked many divisions better than Rotherham but a combination of smart goalkeeping by Camp and our profligacy in front of goal prevented us taking advantage. Seasoned Charlton watchers such as me sensed that in these circumstances it was only a matter of time Rotherham scored, regardless of the appalling assist from an incompetent referee. In the end Charlton Life's favourite catholic scapegoat ended up keeping us in it with two saves of quality which eclipsed anything produced by Camp.
One hopes his detractors will have the magnanimity to acknowledge that our one point would have been none without Nick Pope's two excellent saves.
In general I felt that all the Charlton players put a decent shift in but it was very evident that Igor has a way to go before he is fully fit. not his fault but the way I saw it. That said I think a 50% Igor would have buried the two chances that fell to Jordan Cousins. Not intended as a sleight on Jordan who deserves credit for being there to get the shots in.
We move on to the visit of Chris Powell and his merry men.
There was a certain inevitability that Charlton being Charlton would draw against Rotherham at home having defeated QPR and Hull, two better sides on paper.
One of those days. It happens. Really like our team at the mo. Would have preferred Big Mak putting in a shift for 55 mins and then Watt changing the game for the last 40, but hey ho.
Seriously developing an unhealthy hatred for that Scottish fat fook of a manager.
should have won it easily & we only have ourselves to blame. Yes, it shouldn't have been a corner....in fact, I doubt whether there should have been a free kick that led to the corner, but have to defend better but we should have been ar least 2 up by that stage - as I said, only ourselves to blame, Should have wrapped iy up 5 mins from the end - cross from the right went right across goal with our 2 numpties standing on the 6 yard line.
Also, we still haven't learnt that Cousins cant play wide left. Everytime the ball went left it either went backwards or back from whence it came We had no attacking threat down that side & it only changed when Berdich came on & Cousins went back into the middle
Opening 60 mins - Tippy Tappy nonsense. Sideways, Backwards, Sideways. No hold up play in the front line, no penetration and easily contained.
Last 30 mins- Mixed up the play well, the CF held it up and won flick-ons, and we caused them enough problems to have won the game, while also recognising two brilliant saves by Pope.
What a difference Big Mak made. Should've subbed him on at half-time. We wasted 15 mins after the break repeating what hadn't worked in the opening 45 mins.
Rotherham reminded me of Tranmere a few seasons ago. Ten men behind the ball, feigned injury, blatant time wasting, constant moaning at the inept referee and then got the point they came for. I hope they end up where Tranmere are now.
Frustrating afternoon.
Big Mak could not have played 45 mins plan was for him if needed to only play 20 mins
What was the plan for Vetokele then because from my vantage he could not have played 45 minutes for the Dog and Duck?!!!
Seriously who the heck is that playing in the inflatable Vetokele suit , proper pony Big Mak has to start in front of him
Keepers done well today , lack of guile on our part with that much possession meant we didn't get what we'd have hoped for
Mid table mediocrity is where we are gonna be
What about the fool who lobbed the bottle of sprite on the pitch , yes it was frustrating with all their time wasting tactics etc but come on that was bang out of order today And that sort of shit should be left to our Neanderthal League One neighbours
Seriously who the heck is that playing in the inflatable Vetokele suit , proper pony Big Mak has to start in front of him
Keepers done well today , lack of guile on our part with that much possession meant we didn't get what we'd have hoped for
Mid table mediocrity is where we are gonna be
What about the fool who lobbed the bottle of sprite on the pitch , yes it was frustrating with all their time wasting tactics etc but come on that was bang out of order today And that sort of shit should be left to our Neanderthal League One neighbours
With all due respect to the dearly departed, I think that was David Whyte upfront.
We were remarking that it was exactly like when David Whyte Whyte Whyte came back after his super season looking like he had eaten all 172 branches of Little Chef.
Give Vetokele a break, he,s hardly played and then is in a game, where he received no service at all. He can only perform if he has the ball, he was part of an overall first half disaster. They looked like no one told them they were playing 4-3-3 until they ran out at 3 o'clock.
It was an experiment that failed. I think a 4-4-2 would have taken Rotheram apart.
However, we were the better side, we should have won, we didn't. We live and learn and move on. However, we must learn from the mistakes, and not repeat them .
No Mr milne, and although you passed away this week I shall respectfully disagree with you.
He was turd. He tried to run off the ball and he couldn't escape a donkey CB, if he can't get space by running a Channel between the CB and FB because he is too slow then I'm really really concerened for his game.
Has bob peeters done a kidnap and swapped him for some fat cnut who can't play football? Mmm I hope we see the old Igor back soon, or at least a bit of pace. Because as we saw today, an igor with no pace is a pretty useless player
Frustrating game, I felt we were treating it like a formality and it took their 'never should have been given corner goal' to wake us up. I've got my doubts about Pope's strength of character but two absolute class saves today to keep us in the game. Diarra and Bauer look like a good pairing that will only get better. Solly is not captain material and with JJ not getting back into this team, Luzon needs to give the armband to either of the CB's or make a brave decision and make Cousins our new long term skipper. JBG looked jaded from international duty but did himself justice with his performance in the final 25 minutes. Makienok was a game changer once again and needs to stay fit as Watt and Vetokele just doesn't work. We're going to be fine this season but can't see us pushing for anything more than a final play off position (which is great) but squad looks 3/4 players light
One thing about Vetokele that no one has mentioned.
Midway through the First Half (Might have been when we were 1-0) down Rotherham counter attacked on us and Igor made a run back and made a brilliant tackle just past the half way line, definitely not the sort of tackle you'd expect a Striker to make
Seems like today was a game where we would have benefited from Ceballos being fit and playing centrally. We're well set up to brawl with teams and surprise them with a bit of pace or invention but I don't know that Ba, Kashi and Cousins is a midfield that can pick apart a team like Rotherham who set up to defend and set up well. On another day with a fully fit Watt and Vetokele we might have come away with more if we'd had some more speed but I think we still lack that creative force in the middle. It could well be that Ceballos is that man once he's fit. I do fear a little for our strategy sometimes as it's pretty unpleasant to deal with if Makienok is there but we seem to be uncertain of how to inject variety into our game
From what I saw Pope purposefully did not do anything at the corner we conceded at in some stupid protest at a corner that should have been a goal kick. Will need to see the replay but no excuse for not catching the ball that went across him, was pathetic and juvenile, certainly not of the calibre he ought to be playing.
He otherwise had a flawless game including some cracking saves.
Only one side playing football today - Charlton 1 Mr Stroud's friends 1 . Not too disheartened however as long as we are continuing to play the game properly. Perhaps a little cameo from JJ might have given the extra lift/drive required at the end.
Most things worth saying already widely said. But I must emphasise 2 things - one good, one not.
Thought Diarra was absolutely immense today. His class absolutely shone through. Watching his superb display couldn't help but chuckle at those who said he's a midfielder, can't play in defence before the season started!
But what has gone wrong with Igor? He was absolutely awful today - slow, not in the game at all. Maybe the injuries he had last season have affected him more than we know. But all I can say on that performance is unless he bucks up, if anyone comes in with an offer for him we should bite their hand off.
After the euphoria of the last 2 home games this will add a bit more perspective of where we will finish this season. I suspect the 2 sides that ultimately automatically go up, will not drop points at home to Rotherham. We needed to make the early breakthrough and when we didn't I thought our tempo was too slow. Kashi did nothing wrong today but felt he could have been sacrificed for a player with a bit more flair given Rotherham lack of ambition. None of the strikers looked fully fit and demonstrates the lack of depth to our squad to maintain a challenge.
Comments
Second half started off much the same as the first had ended and it was obvious that Guy was waiting until around the 60 mark to bring on Big Mak. We guessed he would replace Igor as, quite frankly, he had done very little. And instantly Mak made the difference. Suddenly we had a big man who could hold the ball up or lay it on for others. And he was the big presence we needed. Both Watt and Igor are too small to play together up front IMO. And then it felt it would be only a matter of time until we got a goal but I also was getting the feeling that it may have been just one of those days. And get the goal we did after great play by Mak and Bauer was on the spot to drill it home. From then on it was mainly all us as we were playing well and opening them up but Rotherham did have their moments on the counter and Pope made a couple of good saves to keep us in it. And that was about it really. A disappointing game although quite a good game to watch. A bit blah though and two points lost at home is never a good feeling, especially when we should (could) have won.
On to 'udders.
Diawara was again excellent, and the 2 Pope saves were excellent. Cousins made some excellent runs beyond the forwards.
The ref performed like someone who was dropped from the Premier League for not being up to it and like he always does every time I see him, total incompetent.
Last 30 mins- Mixed up the play well, the CF held it up and won flick-ons, and we caused them enough problems to have won the game, while also recognising two brilliant saves by Pope.
What a difference Big Mak made. Should've subbed him on at half-time. We wasted 15 mins after the break repeating what hadn't worked in the opening 45 mins.
Rotherham reminded me of Tranmere a few seasons ago. Ten men behind the ball, feigned injury, blatant time wasting, constant moaning at the inept referee and then got the point they came for. I hope they end up where Tranmere are now.
Frustrating afternoon.
OK, example. 8 minutes left. Solly plays watt plays in JBG. Peach of a ball rolled across the six yard. Mak was on the edge of the area, every forward player knowns to run towards the back stick when your opposite winger has cut in and can tee it up along the floor. Withering looks cast Maks way from JBG and Solly.
I am not taking him apart in my constructive criticism. He is young and hasn't played in highly structured tactical football obviously. He needs coaching in his off the ball running, you have to play the percentages. That's all.
On the ball he did his best and his touch is pretty decent.
YOU could have come on and changed the game tbh because until igor went off we were playing with 10 and a passenger.
You have to work very hard for a win in this league. I'm hoping we can get a left winger and fully fit Igor back as well to give us an extra edge in the final third.
When I heard the starting lineups, I wasn't too displeased to be honest.Igor just doesn't look right, pretty ineffective, unfit and a shadow of the player we saw first half of last season, can he get back to those levels? I don't know, but I thought our attacking play went up a couple of notches when Big Mac came on, and wondered why he wasn't starting, if we basically have 3 decent strikers, but none of them are fully fit, then we are left with Kag, who I think can be good given time, but if he'd played today, and had missed a couple of easy chances, and we'd drawn the match, would he have got slaughtered by the valley crowd?
Nick Pope made 2 excellent saves today, which won us a point, but we need to be more clinical with our play, Kashi and Ba didn't looks as good today as previous games, and we still are looking for someone to play left mid, as guy doesn't appear to have full confidence in Bergdich delivering consistently.
For me the best thing to come out of today was the fact it was my 2 year old nieces first match, I did feel a bit sorry for her, and think what have we introduced her to!
Diarra was a master, colossal at attacking the ball when defending high balls, loves the ball at his feet, technically the guy is Premier league, what a player for Bauer and the rest of the squad to learn from.
Think Bauer had the most touches in the first half, that says a lot, Rotherham tried to stifle our play and were hard to play through, but rather than hoof we held the play and were patient.
Big Mak was excellent, changed the game I thought, surprised by some negativity on here, won everything and was a nuisance. Sometimes against a team of knuckle draggers you have to fight fire with fire, big Mak is our option, their CB looked scared as soon as Mak started jogging over to his position.
Igor clearly not fit and was poor, wasn't positioning himself on the shoulder to get away from the defender or looked ready when the ball came to him.
Cousins did well but both him and JBG in my opinion should have each scored, got to turn these chances into goals.
One criticism, not a massive one, but thought Ba and the players infront of Kashi could have moved more to make space for themselves and the attackers behind them. We have players who can turn on the spot if given slight space and drive forward (Watt, JBG) think we didn't move enough to make that happen in the first half.
Good game for Pope, very assured, 2 very good saves.
Think Cousins drive and energy in the middle would have been more useful but Ba did ok.
I wish we had a player like Watt in the midfield, who get then supply Watt like he does to others, some of his movement is sublime although sometimes he tries to force too much at times.
More pressure to win on Tuesday but should be the drive to push us to want to win more than we clearly did at times today.
Thought it showed up our lack of a creative central midfielder as Ba, Kashi and Cousins all seem pretty much the same.
Thought a few players had in and out games today. Kept waiting for JBG to spark into life but he never really did.
Pope made a great save to stop it going 2-0.
Rotherham were pretty poor and their goal should not have been as was never a corner but we still should have defended it better.
Diara man of the match for me. Always looked at ease and like he always had time.
Let's move on to Huddersfield on Tuesday and hopefully we can get the win
As the great Jimmy Greaves would say "funny old game Saint."
At times we looked many divisions better than Rotherham but a combination of smart goalkeeping by Camp and our profligacy in front of goal prevented us taking advantage. Seasoned Charlton watchers such as me sensed that in these circumstances it was only a matter of time Rotherham scored, regardless of the appalling assist from an incompetent referee. In the end Charlton Life's favourite catholic scapegoat ended up keeping us in it with two saves of quality which eclipsed anything produced by Camp.
One hopes his detractors will have the magnanimity to acknowledge that our one point would have been none without Nick Pope's two excellent saves.
In general I felt that all the Charlton players put a decent shift in but it was very evident that Igor has a way to go before he is fully fit. not his fault but the way I saw it. That said I think a 50% Igor would have buried the two chances that fell to Jordan Cousins. Not intended as a sleight on Jordan who deserves credit for being there to get the shots in.
We move on to the visit of Chris Powell and his merry men.
There was a certain inevitability that Charlton being Charlton would draw against Rotherham at home having defeated QPR and Hull, two better sides on paper.
Seriously developing an unhealthy hatred for that Scottish fat fook of a manager.
Also, we still haven't learnt that Cousins cant play wide left. Everytime the ball went left it either went backwards or back from whence it came We had no attacking threat down that side & it only changed when Berdich came on & Cousins went back into the middle
Diarra MOTM
Big Mak has to start in front of him
Keepers done well today , lack of guile on our part with that much possession meant we didn't get what we'd have hoped for
Mid table mediocrity is where we are gonna be
What about the fool who lobbed the bottle of sprite on the pitch , yes it was frustrating with all their time wasting tactics etc but come on that was bang out of order today
And that sort of shit should be left to our Neanderthal League One neighbours
......... 3rd-6th 2% .........7th -12th 53%...... 13th-21st 45%
We really aren't that far off
With all due respect to the dearly departed, I think that was David Whyte upfront.
We were remarking that it was exactly like when David Whyte Whyte Whyte came back after his super season looking like he had eaten all 172 branches of Little Chef.
I love you DW btw, RIP.
It was an experiment that failed. I think a 4-4-2 would have taken Rotheram apart.
However, we were the better side, we should have won, we didn't. We live and learn and move on. However, we must learn from the mistakes, and not repeat them .
He was turd. He tried to run off the ball and he couldn't escape a donkey CB, if he can't get space by running a Channel between the CB and FB because he is too slow then I'm really really concerened for his game.
Has bob peeters done a kidnap and swapped him for some fat cnut who can't play football? Mmm I hope we see the old Igor back soon, or at least a bit of pace. Because as we saw today, an igor with no pace is a pretty useless player
Midway through the First Half (Might have been when we were 1-0) down Rotherham counter attacked on us and Igor made a run back and made a brilliant tackle just past the half way line, definitely not the sort of tackle you'd expect a Striker to make
He otherwise had a flawless game including some cracking saves.
Thought Diarra was absolutely immense today. His class absolutely shone through. Watching his superb display couldn't help but chuckle at those who said he's a midfielder, can't play in defence before the season started!
But what has gone wrong with Igor? He was absolutely awful today - slow, not in the game at all. Maybe the injuries he had last season have affected him more than we know. But all I can say on that performance is unless he bucks up, if anyone comes in with an offer for him we should bite their hand off.