Fourth-placed Derby County were the visitors to the Valley this afternoon to face interim head coach Cutis Flemming’s beleaguered Charlton, in what was likely to be his final game in charge before a permanent head coach is appointed. With Derby pushing for automatic, Charlton are wading just above the relegation spots. Notably, ever-present captain George Dobson, the subject of transfer rumours that suggests he off to foreign pastures, sat this one out with a supposed calf strain. The first half was not notable other than for continual frustrating stoppages that made any joy hard to hold on to and which was reflected in the 10 minutes of additional time. But before the half was brought to a close, a wayward pass exposed our defensive frailties yet again, leading to Derby’s Mendez-Laing with a glit-edge opportunity from the centre of the Ashley Maynard-Brewer’s box. Despite having spent three or so minutes being tended to with a bleeding foot, he dutifully dispatched it to put Derby ahead.
Changes in shape inspired Charlton’s second half performance improvement. But it was never enough and Derby comfortably saw out the narrow victory.
With it looking as though Nathan Jones is on the verge of being announced as the man to take us forward there is some hope that we can move back up the table to mid level obscurity. A tough run of fixtures lay ahead though, with Reading away next week a defining opportunity, one way or the other. Today puts Derby in second and Charlton down to nineteenth.
Charlton 0 Derby 1
Over to you.
3
Comments
Maybe we do need God on our side.
Why did we start the same but Dobbo out so Coventry in?
The new signings have currently added nothing to the shower of shit before them
Bakinson isn't very good at football
Good engine. Poor passing, poor touch.
Coventry looks tidy. That is all.
REG isn't a midfielder.
Fiorini is worse than Tedic.
Lapado has looked horrendous
Time to rest AMB.
Bewildered.
Imperative we stay up
1) We can’t keep a clean sheet. Every single match we concede a goal by an individual error.
2) We are struggling to create chances as we can’t get the ball to Ladapo & May in dangerous area.
Thought Coventry/Thomas and Ness played really well and defended well throughout.
We are in the SERIOUS poo.
But does anyone else think that we could sign a world best XI and still be shit? Like genuinely it’s like we have a disease slowly shutting the team down that we don’t have a cure for it.
Yes.
2 problems I think that make it seem like midfield is the problem:
1 - lack of creativity out wide means that eveeything has to go through midfield but this just makes us easier to play against. Hopefully the 2 new wing backs solve this.
2 - we don't have a hold up striker. Ladapo is more physical and hopefully will be a good partner for May but isn't the physical hold up type. So thr ball just keeps coming back at us which means we have to create so much more.
We started both halves well - would go as far as to say we were better than them for those periods. And they weren’t exactly better than us for long spells at all. But for all the effort, I think it dawned on us that there was going to be no way through them today and the confidence was sapped.
Another day where one mistake costs us but taking in the whole game, I do see signs of positive play and that the next win is right around the corner. It may even be next week at Reading.