The 2022 season kicked off for the Addicks at Accrington Stanley, with a starting line up comprised mostly of revenants from last season, but with key changes at the back. Our possession-based football overwhelmed Accrington at times, but it took over half an hour before it showed dividends. Quick movement travelling the length of the pitch resulted in a great team effort, with Fraser finding the back of the net.
The second half was a different story. Accrington made changes to adapt and began to assert themselves. Within the first minute, Accrington had a clear chance they should probably have converted. We fended them off as best we could, but it wasn’t until extra time (and a number of substitutions later) that we found another opening. A brilliant lofted cross from Payne fell straight to the marauding big man on his debut. Darting from the far side, young Leaburn nodded the ball into the back of the net in front of the travelling fans, who lost themselves in what seemed to be the winner. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be, because in the euphoria to follow, we left big gaps at the back that Accrington quickly exploited. No more than a minute or so after resuming, Accrington pushed forward into the gaps and found an equaliser.
Last season our biggest problem was consistent calamitous defending. This year, we may solve that with more composure on the ball, but it’s unlikely we’ll see many clean sheets.
Acc. Stanley 2 Charlton 2
Over to you.
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Comments
I'd call that an improvement considering it's a first game learning a new style with the transfer window still open.
Looked good in the first half, faded in the second. Subs were positive though could have been 5-10 minutes earlier in my view.
Lots of positives for me, and also some of the same old negatives that have plagued us consistently over the recent years.
However a point on the road against Accrington is nothing to scoff about, and I honestly think we are going to improve as the season continues.
Also, that Leaburn goal felt almost akin to Bauer’s play off final goal to me. Just no words.
Going to check out of the forum for a few days because I want to let that all soak in, and don’t really fancy reading the negative confirmation bias posts that I’m sure will follow this.
We can whinge, cry, show a sense of entitlement about being in League One for as long as we want - But the likes of Accrington are going to upset a lot of people this season, but by god they dont give up from one whistle to the next... Not many teams are going to head to the Crown Ground this season and escape with three points!!
They were a constant threat throughout, and whilst we took a deserved half-time lead, basically forced us to abandon our system in the second half because they'd put us under too much pressure whenever each individuals had the ball.
At times we've shown our potential, and hopefully Garner can build on that.
scum top of the championship
us 10th in league one
things can only get better
I don't think it's great that we're happy to get a point there, but appreciate it's the first game of the season and there's still lots to work on.
We didn't deserve to go 2-1, but we have to hold on with a minute to go. That's disappointing
We took a point which was a tough away game, follow it up with a win at home to Derby and its a decent start.
This team is a WIP, it's going to take a few months for us to see Garner ball in full swing.
On to the next game.
No meltdown required 😉
As I've said until I'm blue in the face......until we can bolster our attack we wont be scoring enough goals to win games. End of.
I’d have taken a draw before kick off, but the circumstances by the which it came about are incredibly frustrating. We’ve all been here before with this feeling, haven’t we?
Flashes of what might be good this season, but some pretty poor stuff as well, especially in defence. Game would’ve been lost already if not for Wollacott.
Delighted for Leaburn, it was a bright cameo from him, and the goal was straight out of his Dad’s play book.
Business to be done and lots of the season left to build and improve, but we looked every bit a mid table team today. A point to start the season could be worse though.
Positives, we didn’t lose and Leaburn scored the most Leaburn-esque goal you could imagine
Well done Miles and Scott.
First half we were much better, second half they were better.
And whilst people thought that that subs were slow and late (Match Thread), its worth pointing out that Leaburn was set to come on, just as Accrington scored, at least going by Airman Brown's tweet at the time.
Once those subs got made, I thought we turned the tide with the fresher legs, and by the time we got to injury time, thought we'd actually taken back control of the game a lot more than what we had done that half.
Yep lessons to be learnt on defending, but look at it sensibly a wet day up at AS playing against a big team using direct football.....not many teams will take a point from them up there. Right now onto next week.
But a point on the road is not too bad. But we need more experience in the side or games like this will happen again.