Charlton Athletic v Exeter City
Tuesday 3rd October 2023 - Kick-Off: 19:45
Referee
David Rock - previously officiated Charlton in our 3-2 home loss to Morecambe at the end of last season. Mr Rock has also been involved in the most goals in games when being the man in the middle this season. He was the referee for Barnsley's opening day 7-0 win against Port Vale, and again the referee in the latest 5-4 score line in League Two at the weekend between Colchester and Notts County.
Introduction
Life under Appleton has started unbeaten, but that doesn't tell the whole story. A draw away from home and a clean sheet in normal circumstances is a good point, but against a Shrewsbury side who had lost 5 of their last 6 leading up to the game at the weekend, and a side who has only scored 4 in the league all season, it's a game we ought to be winning if we want to be pushing for top 6. The first half display was unacceptable whilst we showed fight and created some decent chances in the second half. Up next is a return back home (win your home games!) against a side who started brightly but have since dropped off a bit, a long journey up to the capital awaits for Exeter City.
Opposition
Stadium: St James' Park
Manager: Gary Caldwell (win %: 36.2)
Previous result: 0-2 loss at home to Northampton. Their line up was:
Sinisalo
Harper - Sweeney - Aimson - Hartridge - Jules
Cole - Carroll - Taylor
Wildschut - Cox
Caldwell is approaching a year in charge of the Grecians, and that's no mean feat in modern day football. A win percentage of 36.2% would often mean you finish bottom half, not quite in a relegation scrap but not pushing for much more either. I think that's probably the position most had Exeter down for this season. A bright start though has left them sitting outside the play-off places at this early stage, allowing them to have something to hold and build on. Not bad for a team who lost several key players over the summer, namely Nombe, Brown, Stansfield, Key, and Collins. That's 50 goals in all competitions taken from their side.
Exeter seemed to be playing most of September with a total of 7 games in all competitions, including a win against Luton Town to progress into the next round of the EFL Cup. The progression though may have influenced their league form with just 1 win from their last 4, and that was at home to rock bottom, goalless, Cheltenham Town. They have also played 6 of the bottom 9 and that will be 7 of the bottom 10 by 19:45 tomorrow evening. Managing to pick up results against teams who are not doing particularly well is hard to tell where they are as a team, and what that actually means for Exeter this season. In contrast, we have played 3 of the bottom 9 and picked up 7 of our 11 points. The Grecians have also not drawn for 8 games, and only scored 7 since their opening day win at Wycombe. Missing those key players from last season could be a tale of their season to come.
Charlton Team News
Something I rarely look at, but I think with the way we've been playing and struggling with set-pieces for so long, I think it might be worth a quick analysis... Charlton's xG (expected goals) for have us sitting 5th in the league, whereas our expected goals against have us sitting 7th from bottom. Now, this is slightly skewed as we have had more penalties so far this season than all of last, and xG goes up with penalties. To me, it screams of a side who struggle to keep hold of the ball in dangerous areas, struggle to progress through the pitch, and is easy to exploit their weaknesses. At home, our xG for increases to 1.68, showing we definitely create more at home than we do away, but our defence remains consistently poor throughout. An xG against at home of 1.31 puts us 6th worst in the league, we must tighten up at the back if we are to improve, just like last season.
What hasn't helped us is a lack of support for Alfie May throughout his time so far at the club, and now with another change of system, he's either being asked to do a job on his own, or play in a position that doesn't really suit his strengths either. Without Fraser, Camara, Anderson, both Campbells (either through fitness or form), we heavily rely on Blackett-Taylor. On his day, he's one of the best players in the league, but asking for consistency of that level has been the problem. If he was more consistent, he wouldn't be in League One in the first place.
We all know the difference Aneke makes to the side but it's difficult to explain. It's frustrating how we automatically look a better and stronger team, we play in dangerous areas, we create chances, we get players running forward, and if needed, we have the ability to go long. Getting him on the pitch for long enough has always been the issue, and I am hoping with a Head Coach now so focused on ensuring we are fit, he might start to put some of his issues behind him.
Personally, I wouldn't start Leaburn as other than his opening goal against Wycombe, I haven't seen him do anything to say he should be playing right now. He's not a winger, not fair to ask him to be, and he's not influencing the game enough. Tedic has done well when coming on and I would like to see him in a more central role supporting May. Get a winger out wide and don't play square pegs in round holes. Against a team who play 5 at the back, like Exeter do, if May is isolated up front on his own, it's going to be long and frustrating evening.
I've gone for two changes to the team which started on Saturday. L.Watson and Tedic coming in for Taylor and Leaburn.
Isted
T.Watson - Hector - Jones - Thomas
L.Watson - Dobson
T.Campbell - Tedic - Blackett-Taylor
May
Maynard-Brewer, Asiimwe, Ness, Anderson, Fraser, Leaburn, Aneke
Charlton Athletic 2-0 Exeter City
May
Aneke
Comments
Therefore, if it was down to me and with the same group of 18 as original post, I'd like to see...
Hector - Jones - Thomas
T.Watson - L.Watson - Dobson - Fraser - Blackett-Taylor
Tedic - May
Maynard-Brewer, Asiimwe, Ness, Anderson, T.Campbell, Leaburn, Aneke
Looking forward to seeing Fraser and Dobson starting the midfield together again.
I agree with the 3 at the back set up, though I would keep Leaburn in as he hasn’t really had the chance to play through the middle.
2-0 Charlton. Back-to-back clean sheets would be a bonus.
Think it will be just the 1 change for Watson to replace Taylor. Reckon we will continue with Leaburn out of the winger as long as we keep picking up points.
Leaburn or Tedic to play close to May rather than leave him isolated.
Leaburn out wide with Campbell playing more central doesn't do it for me.
Should be a good game, and a must win, as per...
Would like to see Tedic start, be nice to see what 90 minutes produces, his very short cameos have been good, and feel we are not getting the best out of him coming on for 20 minutes here and there...going for a 2-0, but long as we win...
That will be 8 games played at home to only 4 away games played. Any thing less than 7 points from Exeter,Blackpool and Reading in most peoples eyes would be disappointing.
I know we play Villia u21s also but it’s the league games we must win.
Marginally better in defence thanks to Jones, slightly worse elsewhere and still playing most of matches in our own half.
CBT, T Campbell and Leaburn offered next to nothing defensively last game and even less in the attacking third. All three need a rest in my view.
1-1
Away win written all over it.