Adahme is a weird one, anonymous for most of the game but that chest lay off was excellent and might’ve been a goal. Don’t think defenders feel comfortable with him around. Need more balls to his head to really see the quality
Winning headers in the box from set pieces was never going to be easy against a giant side marshalled at the back by the 6'5 Santos, but we can do better with them.
I get the feeling that it's not something we've really concentrated on yet, and expect an improvement as the season progresses.
I thought that was a tremendous Charlton performance against one of the favourites for promotion and a thoroughly deserved 3 points and clean sheet. I’m struggling to recall a more controlled and disciplined performance, certainly over the last season or two. Bolton barely had a sniff and failed to create a single meaningful chance.
The structure of the side was excellent and every single player knew his job. As my son remarked, this is a team that looked exceptionally well drilled and motivated, so all credit to Nathan Jones and his coaching staff.
It feels invidious to single out individuals after such an excellent team performance but Lloyd Jones was again imperious and Kayne Ramsey - with his seemingly effortless quality - is surely destined to play at a higher level.
The midfield three were all highly impressive and the rotation of the strikers on 65 minutes continues to bear fruit.
Another great afternoon at The Valley. More of the same will surely encourage an upturn in attendances, given the size of this club’s latent support.
Heaven knows when was the last time a post match thread read like this.
Before the season started I wondered what the NJ plan would look like..
After Wigan I thought that I get the defensive plan (very impressive), but not sure about what’s supposed to happen in the oppo’s half.
After Orient I thought , yep, now I get the midfield plan, especially Coventry. But still not clear where the goals are supposed to come from (as Curbs would ask)
Today, I’m delighted- but I still wonder. Is this the plan? A front two that wears the oppo out, then bring on two very different proven strikers on 65 mins and the goals will come, from anywhere? Are we looking at a plan that does not assume that the front two are mainly there to get most of the goals? Well look, if it continues to bring us results like this, I ain’t complaining, but is that The Plan? Or is NJ giving Gas/TC a run now, but banking on Miles to return and show us what the Plan really looks like?
Great performance all round, so much so I dont think there was a POTM as we won as a team.
My only gripe (about from the goalscoring 😉) is our crossing and free kicks remain awful. As I've said before, if you are using wingbacks then they have to be able to deliver decent crosses. Small seems to have regressed this season as his deliveries now are woeful. Ramsey doesn't try crossing anymore he just cuts in and gives the ball to a midfielder. And as for our free kicks& corners.....jesus what do they do in training. Surely someone else can take freekick or a corner.
Now it might sound churlish to be moaning when we've won our first 3 games & not let goal in, but it would be a better watch if we could actually do these simple things.
I don’t think the plan is to wear the team down and bring 2 different strikers on - we are just lucky to have good competition in that department currently. Jones wants us to be aggressive and front footed and win the ball high up the pitch. We have done that reasonably well, just failed with a bit of quality so far in those situations.
Jones has mentioned in most of his interviews that we need to be more fluid, and that’s something that will come. But rightfully whilst that is happening he is making sure we are hard to beat.
I think Godden will start, and would have started, when he is fully fit. Which as well as TC (Camp Elk 🫎) has done - Godden is a quality seasoned pro and I think would have given us an extra dimension.
Will be interesting when Leaburn returns. TC might drop down to 5th choice.
Most telling bit from the NJ post match for me was when he said “It’s bank holiday for you lot, it isn’t for us”. He makes this team work hard and it’s showing
Great performance all round, so much so I dont think there was a POTM as we won as a team.
My only gripe (about from the goalscoring 😉) is our crossing and free kicks remain awful. As I've said before, if you are using wingbacks then they have to be able to deliver decent crosses. Small seems to have regressed this season as his deliveries now are woeful. Ramsey doesn't try crossing anymore he just cuts in and gives the ball to a midfielder. And as for our free kicks& corners.....jesus what do they do in training. Surely someone else can take freekick or a corner.
Now it might sound churlish to be moaning when we've won our first 3 games & not let goal in, but it would be a better watch if we could actually do these simple things.
Moan over.
Honestly I can see where you are coming from but I suspect that Jones has focused on exercise drills and fitness mostly in preseason and hopefully now he's got the squad into condition then we start working on the "technical" side next.
I think Jones basically called Charlton a shit hole in his post match interview 😂
"not an affluent area"
Good, the penny is dropping if that’s the case. Reduce the price of season tickets, reduce the price of replica shirts, fill the ground, do what it takes to get to the PL, then act like one
As was clear in the 1st league match of the Season 3-5-2 was the choice of NJ and even 5-3-2 for parts of the game against Wigan if needs must.
We will be using 4 strikers/ forwards in most of our matches and the two Strikers on the pitch at the business end are as important as the two strikers who start the game. Add Leaburn and Kanu and we have a great mix of forwards plus the wild card of Dixon who will be introduced slowly to the squad. Great that Godden and a forward finally scored a goal to gain the 3 points with just minutes to go; Fantastic pinpoint cross from Chuks to set up the goal.
Great start to the season and beating our Nemesis Bolton, should give all the players and CAFC fans/critics, confidence that we can be contenders.
This CAFC 24/25 team will be one of the hardest working Charlton team's and organised sides we have seen which will continue to take a pragmatic approach and make up for a slight lack of flair in the current squad.
We knew Nathan Jones was passionate and slightly barking but if he hadn't 'Failed' at Stoke and Southampton he wouldn't have dropped down to the mediocre 3rd tier to prove he's the Dogs testicles at the equally crazy CAFC.
Still a week of the window to see if we can get a couple in and ship out one or two more.
Great performance all round, so much so I dont think there was a POTM as we won as a team.
My only gripe (about from the goalscoring 😉) is our crossing and free kicks remain awful. As I've said before, if you are using wingbacks then they have to be able to deliver decent crosses. Small seems to have regressed this season as his deliveries now are woeful. Ramsey doesn't try crossing anymore he just cuts in and gives the ball to a midfielder. And as for our free kicks& corners.....jesus what do they do in training. Surely someone else can take freekick or a corner.
Now it might sound churlish to be moaning when we've won our first 3 games & not let goal in, but it would be a better watch if we could actually do these simple things.
Moan over.
I think you watch a match looking for negatives. There were a couple of really good corners. Right into the danger area and away from the keeper. The fact that our players didn’t get close to those was not down to the delivery. I assume you had nipped out too trap 3 and missed Chucks missing a great chance from a corner? Another great corner.
But really I think it was that midweek trip to the MJ musical that got us the win today.
On a slightly more serious note, there is a good team spirit in this team, great passion being shown. Over the course of the season that will bring us extra points that could make all the difference to getting out of this godforsaken league.
Great performance all round, so much so I dont think there was a POTM as we won as a team.
My only gripe (about from the goalscoring 😉) is our crossing and free kicks remain awful. As I've said before, if you are using wingbacks then they have to be able to deliver decent crosses. Small seems to have regressed this season as his deliveries now are woeful. Ramsey doesn't try crossing anymore he just cuts in and gives the ball to a midfielder. And as for our free kicks& corners.....jesus what do they do in training. Surely someone else can take freekick or a corner.
Now it might sound churlish to be moaning when we've won our first 3 games & not let goal in, but it would be a better watch if we could actually do these simple things.
Called a 2-0 win in the pre match more in hope than expectation but that was a proper performance, we're expertly drilled and everyone on the pitch knows exactly when to press and when to sit in.
was excellent to see Boltons front line be nullified and on paper at least we won't face many better than them and gave them nothing
Coventry was a standout for me, didn't misplace a pass and constantly getting a foot in where needed, he is flourishing this year and long may it continue
I guess I'm just curious as to whether NJ is relaxed that neither Gas nor TC had a significant goal-scoring opportunity today. Maybe he is. We beat Bolton 2-0 with two good goals. I also think about Chuks. Pre his latest long injury he would come on as a sub, we'd get the ball to him on the ground in the box, and he would cause absolute mayhem with his combination of strength and close ball control. Haven't seen that yet from him since his return. Is that him, the way we set up, or what?
I guess I'm just curious as to whether NJ is relaxed that neither Gas nor TC had a significant goal-scoring opportunity today. Maybe he is. We beat Bolton 2-0 with two good goals. I also think about Chuks. Pre his latest long injury he would come on as a sub, we'd get the ball to him on the ground in the box, and he would cause absolute mayhem with his combination of strength and close ball control. Haven't seen that yet from him since his return. Is that him, the way we set up, or what?
I think he's pretty okay with it yeah. It's percentage football and playing numbers. Jones doesn't seem very bothered about if x or y player scores the goals. As long as the goals are there it's mission accomplished.
1-0 up and I get a goal alert in the 85th minute. I’m so conditioned to the opposition snatching late equalisers or winners, it never occurred to me we might have scored a second. The last few seasons have shredded my belief but I’m starting to think this could be very different to what’s gone before.
What a great feeling when we go a goal up to feel that is effectively the game won. We have a organised & hardworking team & as the confidence builds with each win you will gradually see the flair added as well. I thought in the main every player was excellent today but the standout for me was Ramsey. Incredible performance. Plus to win relatively comfortably against Bolton, one of the teams we traditionally struggle against was the icing on the cake for me. I will admit Ahadme is a bit lightweight for my liking but you can’t knock his work rate . Great support today & I can also see the crowds coming back when people see this team is a serious contender. I felt confident that Nathan Jones was the man we needed to get us out of Div 1 when he was announced & I’m not seeing anything to change my mind so far !
Comments
I get the feeling that it's not something we've really concentrated on yet, and expect an improvement as the season progresses.
The midfield three were all highly impressive and the rotation of the strikers on 65 minutes continues to bear fruit.
Another great afternoon at The Valley. More of the same will surely encourage an upturn in attendances, given the size of this club’s latent support.
Today, I’m delighted- but I still wonder. Is this the plan? A front two that wears the oppo out, then bring on two very different proven strikers on 65 mins and the goals will come, from anywhere? Are we looking at a plan that does not assume that the front two are mainly there to get most of the goals? Well look, if it continues to bring us results like this, I ain’t complaining, but is that The Plan? Or is NJ giving Gas/TC a run now, but banking on Miles to return and show us what the Plan really looks like?
My only gripe (about from the goalscoring 😉) is our crossing and free kicks remain awful. As I've said before, if you are using wingbacks then they have to be able to deliver decent crosses. Small seems to have regressed this season as his deliveries now are woeful. Ramsey doesn't try crossing anymore he just cuts in and gives the ball to a midfielder. And as for our free kicks& corners.....jesus what do they do in training. Surely someone else can take freekick or a corner.
Now it might sound churlish to be moaning when we've won our first 3 games & not let goal in, but it would be a better watch if we could actually do these simple things.
Moan over.
Jones has mentioned in most of his interviews that we need to be more fluid, and that’s something that will come. But rightfully whilst that is happening he is making sure we are hard to beat.
I think Godden will start, and would have started, when he is fully fit. Which as well as TC (Camp Elk 🫎) has done - Godden is a quality seasoned pro and I think would have given us an extra dimension.
3-5-2 was the choice of NJ and even 5-3-2 for parts of the game against Wigan if needs must.
We will be using 4 strikers/ forwards in most of our matches and the two Strikers on the pitch at the business end are as important as the two strikers who start the game.
Add Leaburn and Kanu and we have a great mix of forwards plus the wild card of Dixon who will be introduced slowly to the squad.
Great that Godden and a forward finally scored a goal to gain the 3 points with just minutes to go; Fantastic pinpoint cross from Chuks to set up the goal.
Great start to the season and beating our Nemesis Bolton, should give all the players and CAFC fans/critics, confidence that we can be contenders.
This CAFC 24/25 team will be one of the hardest working Charlton team's and organised sides we have seen which will continue to take a pragmatic approach and make up for a slight lack of flair in the current squad.
We knew Nathan Jones was passionate and slightly barking but if he hadn't 'Failed' at Stoke and Southampton he wouldn't have dropped down to the mediocre 3rd tier to prove he's the Dogs testicles at the equally crazy CAFC.
Still a week of the window to see if we can get a couple in and ship out one or two more.
So far so good.
There were a couple of really good corners. Right into the danger area and away from the keeper. The fact that our players didn’t get close to those was not down to the delivery.
I assume you had nipped out too trap 3 and missed Chucks missing a great chance from a corner? Another great corner.
All a bit Mr Kippling!
Alfie who?!
On a slightly more serious note, there is a good team spirit in this team, great passion being shown. Over the course of the season that will bring us extra points that could make all the difference to getting out of this godforsaken league.
Brilliant from the boys today!
was excellent to see Boltons front line be nullified and on paper at least we won't face many better than them and gave them nothing
Coventry was a standout for me, didn't misplace a pass and constantly getting a foot in where needed, he is flourishing this year and long may it continue
I also think about Chuks. Pre his latest long injury he would come on as a sub, we'd get the ball to him on the ground in the box, and he would cause absolute mayhem with his combination of strength and close ball control. Haven't seen that yet from him since his return. Is that him, the way we set up, or what?
"How green is my Valley"