Where was Naby? We surrendered possession for most of the match, and it was the complete opposite of the first forty five minutes v. Forest.
Yes, bodies were put on the line, and it was a valiant defensive performance, but we were very lucky to get anything from the game. The heat definitely didn’t help, and we generally looked a little lethargic. I’m assuming Otzumer wasn’t ready to play again, but a player like that who’s great in tight areas, would have been useful. Brentford's back four were superb.
In a backs to the wall type of last 20 minutes, Pearce is excellent. But the overall lack of quality in build up is why I believe Sarr fits better with how Bowyer wants to play, and would have helped us play more on the front foot. Pearce isn't good on the ball, and he tends to play very deep. Was excellent today, but I think Nabs deserves a shot in a back four.
Pearce was my MOTM by the way.
But Pearce is the leader.
And plays by example.
All the while the new players are settling in and buying into Bow's ethos, the team finding it's feet in the Championship and the players building self-belief ..... then we need the organisation and leadership of Pearce.
I believe many would agree with you that Sarr fits in better with how Bowyer ideally wants to play - the Nabster played an integral part in our exhibition passing game against Forest; he'll step in when Pearce is rested and to suit a certain game plan.
If team building was a case of selecting your 11 most talented players it would be simple. But a team like that might well be without the grit, tenacity, graft and leadership that is needed.
It's always a question of balance. As Lawrie McMenemy once said, "in every team you need 9 virtuoso and 2 roadsweepers".
And Curbs: "I expect my team to perform greater than its sum of parts".
Bowyer seems to have the same philosophy.
All great points. And what I should have added in my comment, and which I usually do when discussing Pearce, is something to the effect of "he is the captain and clearly a leader and how that impacts a team is hard for me to gauge from a distance."
And obviously, it's a good problem to have. Love him though I do, Naby wouldn't necessarily be in the team every week for me, I just think he'd be in the team more than he has been. Against Barnsley, for example, where we struggled in the first 60 minutes of so because they pressed us the same way they pressed us last season, and Conor Chaplain pressed us the same way he did for Coventry last season, and they really kept us from playing. For me, that's where Naby's ability on the ball is better suited (and Naby was suspended last year for the game away to Coventry in what was arguably our worst showing). Today, even though we were at home, it's clear Brentford like to have a lot of the ball, and I think to an extent Bows and Jacko were happy to let them have it--probably not to the extent that they did, but still. And when that's the case, if you're going to put men behind the ball and defend deep, that's where Pearce can be a real asset.
Again, I don't want it going unremarked, Pearce was excellent today.
You did finish your original post, saying: "Pearce was my MOTM by the way".
It wasn't unnoticed, SD. I just wanted to discuss your argument why Sarr should be in the team instead of Pearce. Bowyer will pick Sarr when he wants to change the game plan (perhaps depending on how opponents set up) or just to rest Pearce to allow him extra recovery - as he also did with Pratley in mid-week v Forest. Got to look after the old-timers!
Defence should be proud of themselves today as they soaked up everything that Brentford threw at us. Gallagher took his goal very confidently and other than that we couldn’t muster much else in attack. Lockyer my man of the match.
Brentford played us off the pitch for 80% of the game. But we scored a brilliant goal with prob our only real chance of the game then my my god did we not defend with our lives, bodies flying everywhere in that last 5 minutes. Never been prouder of a Charlton performance, my god LB has instilled some spirit in them boys! I’m still rocking!
Unbelievably gutsy performance against a strong well-drilled side - slightly worrying that they looked much fitter than us but to be fair we were chasing the ball nearly 70% of the time.
Knackered from Wednesday 1 million degrees hot 2 very early subs and still ground it out
11 points in the bag, 39 to go
COYR
50 points won’t win us the league mate.
😃 I cant think that far ahead or il have my heart broken. Safety first and then I can dream about the next benchmark. Theres a real buzz at the club atm, not felt like this there for many years.
I may have called 2 Charlton home games correct with 1-1 and 1-0 today and said it would be after the Lord Mayors show. But I didn't realize it would be Like the Alamo with Davy Crockett Pearce and the faithful few throwing their selves in front of 22 shots from point blank range and living to tell the tale of how one of our teenage troop broke out and shot the one and only bullet to break the Mexican/ Brentford hearts.
Proud to be a Charlton fan despite realising that teams who have 22 shots should score at least 3. We can play great football and draw or play ugly and win.
Play great football and win is my preferred choice.
Did anyone else see Lee Bowyer clear a chance of the line at the Jimmy Seed end ?
Knackered from Wednesday 1 million degrees hot 2 very early subs and still ground it out
11 points in the bag, 39 to go
COYR
50 points won’t win us the league mate.
😃 I cant think that far ahead or il have my heart broken. Safety first and then I can dream about the next benchmark. Theres a real buzz at the club atm, not felt like this there for many years.
It's one game at a time, as always. And see where it takes us.
I'm pretty sure, reading between the lines, that's Lee Bowyer's philosophy also. And you can guess what he is really thinking and working towards.
I was playing cricket and so missed us tough it out. Not too displeased to have dodged a deployment of Unit Pearce/Pratley/Lapslie, which sounds like it will happen a few times this season, but glad they got it done.
I was playing cricket and so missed us tough it out. Not too displeased to have dodged a deployment of Unit Pearce/Pratley/Lapslie, which sounds like it will happen a few times this season, but glad they got it done.
Great battling performance even if we were a tad lucky.
The management team need a bloody medal, Gallagher is a quality player, can't believe he is only 19 and hasn't played 'mens' football. Lockyer is another great find.
It's very early days, but i've got a good feeling about this season, maybe not quite like last, but with performances like the first few weeks we shouldn't be troubling the bottom 4!
I'm not disputing they all played well and battled hard! They're very important players and they have the right spirit. They complement our more skilful players nicely and when they all play at once we're going to have about 31% possession every time
Williams and Gallagher are rightly getting plaudits for the goal but watch the centre-back who gets dragged really wide by Taylor and then realises he's in totally the wrong place. That doesn't happen if Taylor runs for goal himself or he doesn't have the goalscoring reputation to draw the centre-back with him. He deserves an assist on that goal as much as Williams.
What a stressful game... Though always felt until that last 5 like we were never going to concede, glad to have called the clean sheet. They really are toothless.
What Pearce breaks down in our forward movement, he resolves tenfold by absolutely dominates our defensive work.
Totally knackered after 2 nailbiting football matches and 1 exciting cricket match in the past 4 days - kicking every ball on Weds & today and hitting every ball last night.
But there's nothing like live sport, is there ?
I can only try to describe this afternoon's performance by the lads in single words....I have no energy left for more !
Gutsy
Characterful
Courageous
Never say die ( OK, that's 3 but SO true)
Determined
Committed
And finally FECKIN AMAZING !!!
What a fantastic backs to the wall victory that was !
Don't you just LOVE these players and their management team ?
( Not you, Roland. You'd probably titter at those heartfelt words. Huh ? )
Great battling performance even if we were a tad lucky.
The management team need a bloody medal, Gallagher is a quality player, can't believe he is only 19 and hasn't played 'mens' football. Lockyer is another great find.
It's very early days, but i've got a good feeling about this season, maybe not quite like last, but with performances like the first few weeks we shouldn't be troubling the bottom 4!
As Seve Ballesteros once said, “the more I practice, the luckier I am”.
I cant remember us being lucky over much today, in fact I thought the ref didn’t give us much today and 50/50s seemed to go there way. Even clear headers out of play they ended up getting the throw. The work ethic won us the game, not luck.
Comments
"Charlton had their pants round their ankles & their arse up in the air today.
We couldn't manage a semi. We didn't even tickle it."
It wasn't unnoticed, SD. I just wanted to discuss your argument why Sarr should be in the team instead of Pearce. Bowyer will pick Sarr when he wants to change the game plan (perhaps depending on how opponents set up) or just to rest Pearce to allow him extra recovery - as he also did with Pratley in mid-week v Forest. Got to look after the old-timers!
1 million degrees hot
2 very early subs and still ground it out
11 points in the bag, 39 to go
COYR
All of the defenders were immense.....
Proud to be a Charlton fan despite realising that teams who have 22 shots should score at least 3.
We can play great football and draw or play ugly and win.
Play great football and win is my preferred choice.
Did anyone else see Lee Bowyer clear a chance of the line at the Jimmy Seed end ?
Jim Bowie eat your heart out.
And see where it takes us.
I'm pretty sure, reading between the lines, that's Lee Bowyer's philosophy also.
And you can guess what he is really thinking and working towards.
What a shift from the boys today
enjoy your weekend addicks 
@ The Valley (London) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1jpkGwFCr9/?igshid=1t3qbm1f5byg2 …
Deji Oshilaja Retweeted Charlton Athletic FC
What A Win !!
The management team need a bloody medal, Gallagher is a quality player, can't believe he is only 19 and hasn't played 'mens' football. Lockyer is another great find.
It's very early days, but i've got a good feeling about this season, maybe not quite like last, but with performances like the first few weeks we shouldn't be troubling the bottom 4!
"We are not Disneyland, we do not need to excite everyone in every second".
What Pearce breaks down in our forward movement, he resolves tenfold by absolutely dominates our defensive work.
But there's nothing like live sport, is there ?
I can only try to describe this afternoon's performance by the lads in single words....I have no energy left for more !
Gutsy
Characterful
Courageous
Never say die ( OK, that's 3 but SO true)
Determined
Committed
And finally FECKIN AMAZING !!!
What a fantastic backs to the wall victory that was !
Don't you just LOVE these players and their management team ?
( Not you, Roland. You'd probably titter at those heartfelt words. Huh ? )
I cant remember us being lucky over much today, in fact I thought the ref didn’t give us much today and 50/50s seemed to go there way. Even clear headers out of play they ended up getting the throw. The work ethic won us the game, not luck.