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POST-MATCH THREAD: Charlton Athletic v Reading: Saturday 4th January 2025: KO 15:00
Comments
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We’re 2 points a game over the last six, I think, so it’s not impossible that it will continue. Unlikely, yes, but not impossible.paulsturgess said:My thoughts:
- Lloyd Jones was excellent;
- I really like what Small is doing despite the frustrations and lack of composure at moments. We have had nobody all season playing with any kind of attacking aggression, we never shoot, never cross, nobody is trying to make anything happen. Small wants to take people on, he wants to get a cross in wants to shoot, he is producing things / making things happen... we BADLY need that so I'd much rather take the odd wayward shot;
- thought at 65 mins a draw was a fair result, they missed a couple of huge chances, but we banged on the door last 25 and should really have won with the moments we had but didn't quite get the luck / lacked the composure in particular TC and obviously Small in on goal;
- found it particularly frustrating a couple of the late decisions from Mitchell and Coventry to take hopeful 1 in 50 shot / volley from distance respectively when we had them pinned back on the ropes in their box, take a touch and keep them defending.
Overall a much improved performance Vs a lot of what we've seen all season, but equally don't think they had the look of a side that will go on a 7 game winning run which is what we need. We also needed simply to win today, the gap looks much too much to ask now and we basically need title form now for the rest of the season i.e. 2 points per game. Which will not happen.0 -
Might agree re Leaburn, but not Jones. Our revival has coincided with his return. If we lose him, for whatever reason, it’d be season over, imho.Scoham said:Another day we win that. Said in the rumours thread we need one or two alternatives to TC and Small. I feel that’s holding us back, we don’t have pace and dribbling ability to bring off the bench or to rotate. If NJ doesn’t feel u21s such as Enslin and Dixon are ready then we need a signing or two.
Without their pace we’ll look a different team, we won’t be able to play the new style which is 1. not only much more enjoyable to watch but 2. more effective and better suits this squad than route one.
Leaburn and Jones are also key but we have others who can play in their positions and roles, just not to the same level. Take the pace away and using width won’t work.
I’d like upgrades on Berry and Gillesphey but realistically they might be signings for the summer.10 -
AFKABartram said:Not seen him mentioned but I think Doherty is definitely showing us more game by game. The one big disappointment for me is Berry. A senior pro with recent higher experience, he should be influencing games a lot more than he is. Another very quiet game today.That is his game though I'm afraid. A bit of a luxury that you won't even realise is playing for much of the time.He does have a knack for being in the right place at the right time in certain opposition box scenarios which is something we massivly lack and that is why Jones consistently picks him I believe.3
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It’s certainly not been Ho Ho for much of this season.RonnieMoore said:
4 year plan not only to get promotion but to have a string enough squad stay there and not be a Ho Ho club... Which acturally would be more damaging to the club if we went up to early..ElfsborgAddick said:RonnieMoore said:
No its not they want an improvement on last season as the first step in the process.… top 10 would be an improvement.……ElfsborgAddick said:Lewis Coaches said:
Come back to me in August.Callumcafc said:
Blimey. Sack the rest of the season off then. See you in August!Lewis Coaches said:
Win all our remaining home games and pick up a point at every away equals 79 points.Callumcafc said:
On the other end though, that means there’s plenty of poor teams still to come to the Valley where picking off three points consistently will be critical.Pelling1993 said:
Brum, Wycombe, Wrexham & Stockport all away from home will be a tough askCallumcafc said:23 games played and 34 points attained.
Need 41 from the remaining 23 to get to the 75 mark that’s usually needed for top six.
We can do it. 12 points from the last six with only two goals conceded and four clean sheets so recent form is tracking the right way.It’s not going to happen.
Blame first half of season for our downfall .
Anything other than a play-off finish is failure.You know my comment is correct...One place above our finish last season would be an improvement..,.,What process is this?....,.,.3 -
Is that the Christmas version of a yo yo club?RonnieMoore said:
4 year plan not only to get promotion but to have a string enough squad stay there and not be a Ho Ho club... Which acturally would be more damaging to the club if we went up to early..ElfsborgAddick said:RonnieMoore said:
No its not they want an improvement on last season as the first step in the process.… top 10 would be an improvement.……ElfsborgAddick said:Lewis Coaches said:
Come back to me in August.Callumcafc said:
Blimey. Sack the rest of the season off then. See you in August!Lewis Coaches said:
Win all our remaining home games and pick up a point at every away equals 79 points.Callumcafc said:
On the other end though, that means there’s plenty of poor teams still to come to the Valley where picking off three points consistently will be critical.Pelling1993 said:
Brum, Wycombe, Wrexham & Stockport all away from home will be a tough askCallumcafc said:23 games played and 34 points attained.
Need 41 from the remaining 23 to get to the 75 mark that’s usually needed for top six.
We can do it. 12 points from the last six with only two goals conceded and four clean sheets so recent form is tracking the right way.It’s not going to happen.
Blame first half of season for our downfall .
Anything other than a play-off finish is failure.You know my comment is correct...One place above our finish last season would be an improvement..,.,What process is this?....,.,.5 -
That doesn’t make any sense:newyorkaddick said:
It has to be a 'deliberate play', it's not sufficient for the defender just to touch the ball (Law 11.2)
DOUCHER said:
i was doing lino for my son's team about a month ago and gave offside for this and was overruled by the referee who said what you have above even though i didfn't and don't agree with it but would have helped today if that's the rule - the ref didn't know his arse from his elbow todayEastTerrace said:As far as I know, if a an opposition player plays the ball (which I think he did), then TC becomes onside again.
’Deliberate play is when a player has control of the ball with the possibility of gaining possession of the ball’
If you’re trying to gain possession of the ball then you don’t have control of the ball.
Is this actually from the Laws of the Game or some nonsense from X? If that is really the current law then no wonder refs make so many different interpretations. It may as well be written in Chinese.0 -
Dress it up how you want. Less than 1.5 points a game in the Third Division is still shit. So before we were very shit, now we’re just shit. It is arguably reason for optimism I suppose, but it’s tenuous.Callumcafc said:
We are only two points behind the 20/21 and 17/18 teams which finished 7th (on goal difference) and 6th respectively.
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AMB was getting stick for not distributing the ball more quickly yesterday. Earlier in the season, especially in those hoofball games, he’d boot it early, but I don’t remember it leading to anything. The ball seemed to come straight back. Now we’re trying to play with a bit more composure, it makes sense to wait until the team are set. It also means they get more used to playing through the thirds. Shouldn’t stop Ash from unleashing one earlier if the opposition are all over the shop though. Good to mix things up a bit. I think Ash is improving overall though.10
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Alot better than the Cambridge performance ( last game I was at). In between the spells of head tennis we played well not just lumping it forward.
Defensively we were excellent with Jones putting in another MOTM performance. Best I’ve seen Doc play. Small is a real threat with his pace and strength but as others have pointed out his delivery and shooting in the final third is poor. To be fair a couple of times in the first half he came inside on his left foot and got away two decent efforts on goal. Needs to work on that.
TC worked his socks off and had an excellent game but was out on his feet with 20 to go. Would have brought on Goden a bit earlier.Ramsey back sooner rather than later, a creative midfielder brought in and another winger with pace and who knows a play off push might not seem unreasonable.
The players and Jones deserved the applause of supporters at the end. A very good shift by them.6 -
Six undefeated in the league and conceded twice during that run - a small reason for optimism.jimmymelrose said:
Dress it up how you want. Less than 1.5 points a game in the Third Division is still shit. So before we were very shit, now we’re just shit. It is arguably reason for optimism I suppose, but it’s tenuous.Callumcafc said:We are only two points behind the 20/21 and 17/18 teams which finished 7th (on goal difference) and 6th respectively.
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Lucky. Imagine the meltdown on here if one of our keepers dropped the cross for the leaburn chance.Henry Irving said:Can't decide if their keeper was very good or very lucky.
One of those days when our forwards needed to mis-kick it to score.
Entertaining game which we finished on the front foot and looking to win.
Small had a good game, despite some poor touches, which got even better when he decided to go outside for a change. Oh for a natural right footed striker/winger and a No.10
Frustrating not to win against a top six side which is a measure of how we have progress in the last two months.
He spilled two but got lucky they hit another part of his body which covered his errors.8 -
A really enjoyable match between two good sides, despite the goalless scoreline. We had so many chances to score in the second half and I felt it was more down to poor finishing rather than their keeper that we failed to do so.
Defence looking very solid. Credit to AMB for that save when Sam Smith was in on goal one-on-one. Docherty and Coventry looking very good both individually and as a partnership.
Conversely, a little disappointed in Luke Berry. He had a quiet game. We could really do with more pace and creativity in that position and (very) hopefully we'll be able to add that in the Jan window.6 -
Just the 10 from the last 12 available. I admire your exceptionally high standards. 😀19addickted96 said:somewhat nice to come away from a game gutted at not taking all 3pts, after the first half of the season we've had!
So frustrating that almost every shot on target goes straight to the keeper - didnt even really make him work.
We play so much better having width to out performance, but its clear that Small and TC think theyre better than they are - so wasteful and nonchalant when attacking, and rather than beating their man they both prefer to check back or try a few fancy step overs- just get it in the box if youre not going to drive!!!
Defence looks solid, albeit gilesphey scares me everytime hes on the ball - our only real weak link there. Midfield solid too but with no magic or class to it.
Should really have won, but it keeps reading in touching distance... really need to start picking up points, especially the 6 pointers8 -
Love the use of "pea rollers." Wonderful.ValleyGary said:
Few people said this, not sure I get it. 3 pea rollers straight at him and he nearly gifted us a goal. Did well, but Savage was immense. His tackle against TC was quality, made up about 40 yards.msomerton said:
Their man of the match must be the keeper.JamesSeed said:We also could have scored in the first half. 0-0 or 1-1 would have been fair. Could never have been 0-3.Second half we battered them. How we haven’t got the three points I have no idea. Well, poor finishing I guess, but we’re now playing much better, and yet we’re now 7 points from 6th, albeit with a game in hand. Let’s hope they keep their heads up.0 -
We’re agreeing that they’re both key - in the second part of that sentence I said our replacements aren’t at the same level. It’s a weakness, but no promotion squad tends to have back up of the same quality for their best players.JamesSeed said:
Might agree re Leaburn, but not Jones. Our revival has coincided with his return. If we lose him, for whatever reason, it’d be season over, imho.Scoham said:Another day we win that. Said in the rumours thread we need one or two alternatives to TC and Small. I feel that’s holding us back, we don’t have pace and dribbling ability to bring off the bench or to rotate. If NJ doesn’t feel u21s such as Enslin and Dixon are ready then we need a signing or two.
Without their pace we’ll look a different team, we won’t be able to play the new style which is 1. not only much more enjoyable to watch but 2. more effective and better suits this squad than route one.
Leaburn and Jones are also key but we have others who can play in their positions and roles, just not to the same level. Take the pace away and using width won’t work.
I’d like upgrades on Berry and Gillesphey but realistically they might be signings for the summer.
The point I was making was that we can’t sub Small and TC at the moment and play the same way, we have no alternatives to them. Once they tire or are subbed we’re not the same team. Ramsay should help, he has the pace but he’ll need time to get up to full fitness.2 -
It's a screenshot of the current IFAB laws of the gamejimmymelrose said:
That doesn’t make any sense:newyorkaddick said:
It has to be a 'deliberate play', it's not sufficient for the defender just to touch the ball (Law 11.2)DOUCHER said:
i was doing lino for my son's team about a month ago and gave offside for this and was overruled by the referee who said what you have above even though i didfn't and don't agree with it but would have helped today if that's the rule - the ref didn't know his arse from his elbow todayEastTerrace said:As far as I know, if a an opposition player plays the ball (which I think he did), then TC becomes onside again.
’Deliberate play is when a player has control of the ball with the possibility of gaining possession of the ball’
If you’re trying to gain possession of the ball then you don’t have control of the ball.
Is this actually from the Laws of the Game or some nonsense from X? If that is really the current law then no wonder refs make so many different interpretations. It may as well be written in Chinese.0 -
That showed so clearly yesterday with TC. He played really well but was clearly exhausted about 10 mins before he came off. The challenge of course was that there was no direct replacement for him.Scoham said:
We’re agreeing that they’re both key - in the second part of that sentence I said our replacements aren’t at the same level. It’s a weakness, but no promotion squad tends to have back up of the same quality for their best players.JamesSeed said:
Might agree re Leaburn, but not Jones. Our revival has coincided with his return. If we lose him, for whatever reason, it’d be season over, imho.Scoham said:Another day we win that. Said in the rumours thread we need one or two alternatives to TC and Small. I feel that’s holding us back, we don’t have pace and dribbling ability to bring off the bench or to rotate. If NJ doesn’t feel u21s such as Enslin and Dixon are ready then we need a signing or two.
Without their pace we’ll look a different team, we won’t be able to play the new style which is 1. not only much more enjoyable to watch but 2. more effective and better suits this squad than route one.
Leaburn and Jones are also key but we have others who can play in their positions and roles, just not to the same level. Take the pace away and using width won’t work.
I’d like upgrades on Berry and Gillesphey but realistically they might be signings for the summer.
The point I was making was that we can’t sub Small and TC at the moment and play the same way, we have no alternatives to them. Once they tire or are subbed we’re not the same team. Ramsay should help, he has the pace but he’ll need time to get up to full fitness.
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Your optimism to everything can be commended or be very annoying to people.Callumcafc said:
I guess I have two questions…ElfsborgAddick said:
Your optimism/wumming will be slammed in your face if the s*** hits the fan at the end of the season.Callumcafc said:We are only two points behind the 20/21 and 17/18 teams which finished 7th (on goal difference) and 6th respectively.
1. why do you think I’m being a wind up?
2. why would anyone want to slam this in my face at the end of the season?0 -
He's easily our best defender our revival is also down to him shoring up the backline lose either player we are going no where.JamesSeed said:
Might agree re Leaburn, but not Jones. Our revival has coincided with his return. If we lose him, for whatever reason, it’d be season over, imho.Scoham said:Another day we win that. Said in the rumours thread we need one or two alternatives to TC and Small. I feel that’s holding us back, we don’t have pace and dribbling ability to bring off the bench or to rotate. If NJ doesn’t feel u21s such as Enslin and Dixon are ready then we need a signing or two.
Without their pace we’ll look a different team, we won’t be able to play the new style which is 1. not only much more enjoyable to watch but 2. more effective and better suits this squad than route one.
Leaburn and Jones are also key but we have others who can play in their positions and roles, just not to the same level. Take the pace away and using width won’t work.
I’d like upgrades on Berry and Gillesphey but realistically they might be signings for the summer.2 - Sponsored links:
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"somebody doesn't agree with me!?!" *stomps feetElfsborgAddick said:
Your optimism to everything can be commended or be very annoying to people.Callumcafc said:
I guess I have two questions…ElfsborgAddick said:
Your optimism/wumming will be slammed in your face if the s*** hits the fan at the end of the season.Callumcafc said:We are only two points behind the 20/21 and 17/18 teams which finished 7th (on goal difference) and 6th respectively.
1. why do you think I’m being a wind up?
2. why would anyone want to slam this in my face at the end of the season?
Also FYI people that are relentlessly negative can be just as annoying to people.12 -
It seems to me Elfsborg, that the only measure that would satisfy you is automatic promotion. You only have to look back at the start of the Alan Curbishley/Steve Gritt years to realise that it was not instant success but a steady build up from a poor position. Not to say that Lennie Lawrence did anything wrong but the first game that we played at Upton Park, the squad was threadbare, winning 2-1 incidently, fast forward to the Wembley play off final and the squad was unrecognisable from that day at Upton Park. In between that time we sold and lost some great players, Simon Webster, Robert Lee, Carl Leaburn, Lee Bowyer, Bob Bolder, Colin Walsh, Darren Pitcher. Even when we got to the Premier there was a steady build up of players able to handle that level. There is the early shoots of hope springing up at the Valley and the thing that I absolutely agree with Nathan Jones, Charlie or any of the people running the club, is that considering what has gone before this has to be based on steady progress, not the rarity of overnight success.ElfsborgAddick said:RonnieMoore said:
No its not they want an improvement on last season as the first step in the process.… top 10 would be an improvement.……ElfsborgAddick said:Lewis Coaches said:
Come back to me in August.Callumcafc said:
Blimey. Sack the rest of the season off then. See you in August!Lewis Coaches said:
Win all our remaining home games and pick up a point at every away equals 79 points.Callumcafc said:
On the other end though, that means there’s plenty of poor teams still to come to the Valley where picking off three points consistently will be critical.Pelling1993 said:
Brum, Wycombe, Wrexham & Stockport all away from home will be a tough askCallumcafc said:23 games played and 34 points attained.
Need 41 from the remaining 23 to get to the 75 mark that’s usually needed for top six.
We can do it. 12 points from the last six with only two goals conceded and four clean sheets so recent form is tracking the right way.It’s not going to happen.
Blame first half of season for our downfall .
Anything other than a play-off finish is failure.You know my comment is correct...One place above our finish last season would be an improvement..,.,What process is this?....,.,.4 -
Yesterday was a prime example of our one dimensional squad building, we were knocking on the door throughout and just needed a bit of luck/ extra spark and it's 1-0 and 3 points.
We're crying out for some proper attacking influence from the bench, especially in midfield, I'll keep calling for Taylor to make the bench as looking to him in a game like that would offer a lot more than Anderson/ Campbell but, much like May, he just isn't fancied by Jones.
Hopefully we see a midfielder with a bit of quality to come in but I'm not convinced Jones will ever really go for it.
About the game overall, entertaining and Reading impressed given their off field issues. A point is better than none and we didn't suffer from the old "rue your missed chances"
Small and TC short on composure but played well.
Jones quality display again.1 -
And one two less league games in half a season compared to last season.JoshAddick said:We’ve now kept twice as many clean sheets as last season in half of the games.
but this is the worse team in history and jones should go 😂1 -
I know it’s less than a week in but this is by far my favourite post of 2025soapy_jones said:
Aneke?MintoHumbugs said:Anyone recognise the pitch invader on 81 minutes ?1 -
Bailey said:
It seems to me Elfsborg, that the only measure that would satisfy you is automatic promotion. You only have to look back at the start of the Alan Curbishley/Steve Gritt years to realise that it was not instant success but a steady build up from a poor position. Not to say that Lennie Lawrence did anything wrong but the first game that we played at Upton Park, the squad was threadbare, winning 2-1 incidently, fast forward to the Wembley play off final and the squad was unrecognisable from that day at Upton Park. In between that time we sold and lost some great players, Simon Webster, Robert Lee, Carl Leaburn, Lee Bowyer, Bob Bolder, Colin Walsh, Darren Pitcher. Even when we got to the Premier there was a steady build up of players able to handle that level. There is the early shoots of hope springing up at the Valley and the thing that I absolutely agree with Nathan Jones, Charlie or any of the people running the club, is that considering what has gone before this has to be based on steady progress, not the rarity of overnight success.ElfsborgAddick said:RonnieMoore said:
No its not they want an improvement on last season as the first step in the process.… top 10 would be an improvement.……ElfsborgAddick said:Lewis Coaches said:
Come back to me in August.Callumcafc said:
Blimey. Sack the rest of the season off then. See you in August!Lewis Coaches said:
Win all our remaining home games and pick up a point at every away equals 79 points.Callumcafc said:
On the other end though, that means there’s plenty of poor teams still to come to the Valley where picking off three points consistently will be critical.Pelling1993 said:
Brum, Wycombe, Wrexham & Stockport all away from home will be a tough askCallumcafc said:23 games played and 34 points attained.
Need 41 from the remaining 23 to get to the 75 mark that’s usually needed for top six.
We can do it. 12 points from the last six with only two goals conceded and four clean sheets so recent form is tracking the right way.It’s not going to happen.
Blame first half of season for our downfall .
Anything other than a play-off finish is failure.You know my comment is correct...One place above our finish last season would be an improvement..,.,What process is this?....,.,.A play-off finish as a minimum.1 -
All about opinions but I thought their keeper was bad. Dropped a cross at the feet of leaburn and got lucky with two spilled saves that hit other parts of his body and stuck. Another day and he could have been at fault for three soft goals. He was a very lucky boyMarcusH26 said:A quality creative midfielder could really be what rounds this side out. Berry has been a letdown but an upgrade on him and Ramsay getting fit again would be great options to have. LCB I'd have a look at too as I'm assuming Potts isn't staying?
Another game where I've been impressed by Joel Pereira their keeper.4 -
Good point but you need to consider that the majority of his crosses have been aimed at gas “the assist ruiner” ahadmeAthletico Charlton said:
I'm a huge Kayne Ramsey fan but he has 0 assists in 18 L1 games since joining us so why do you think his crossing is better?Rothko said:I’ll give Small the benefit of him being a left footed player on the right, but if that had been Ramsay, the crossing would have been a level higher2 -
Neither of those things are being a wum though, which is what you called Callum initially.ElfsborgAddick said:
Your optimism to everything can be commended or be very annoying to people.Callumcafc said:
I guess I have two questions…ElfsborgAddick said:
Your optimism/wumming will be slammed in your face if the s*** hits the fan at the end of the season.Callumcafc said:We are only two points behind the 20/21 and 17/18 teams which finished 7th (on goal difference) and 6th respectively.
1. why do you think I’m being a wind up?
2. why would anyone want to slam this in my face at the end of the season?5 -
Elfsborg, genuine question, not a dig, do you attend the matches at the Valley ?ElfsborgAddick said:Bailey said:
It seems to me Elfsborg, that the only measure that would satisfy you is automatic promotion. You only have to look back at the start of the Alan Curbishley/Steve Gritt years to realise that it was not instant success but a steady build up from a poor position. Not to say that Lennie Lawrence did anything wrong but the first game that we played at Upton Park, the squad was threadbare, winning 2-1 incidently, fast forward to the Wembley play off final and the squad was unrecognisable from that day at Upton Park. In between that time we sold and lost some great players, Simon Webster, Robert Lee, Carl Leaburn, Lee Bowyer, Bob Bolder, Colin Walsh, Darren Pitcher. Even when we got to the Premier there was a steady build up of players able to handle that level. There is the early shoots of hope springing up at the Valley and the thing that I absolutely agree with Nathan Jones, Charlie or any of the people running the club, is that considering what has gone before this has to be based on steady progress, not the rarity of overnight success.ElfsborgAddick said:RonnieMoore said:
No its not they want an improvement on last season as the first step in the process.… top 10 would be an improvement.……ElfsborgAddick said:Lewis Coaches said:
Come back to me in August.Callumcafc said:
Blimey. Sack the rest of the season off then. See you in August!Lewis Coaches said:
Win all our remaining home games and pick up a point at every away equals 79 points.Callumcafc said:
On the other end though, that means there’s plenty of poor teams still to come to the Valley where picking off three points consistently will be critical.Pelling1993 said:
Brum, Wycombe, Wrexham & Stockport all away from home will be a tough askCallumcafc said:23 games played and 34 points attained.
Need 41 from the remaining 23 to get to the 75 mark that’s usually needed for top six.
We can do it. 12 points from the last six with only two goals conceded and four clean sheets so recent form is tracking the right way.It’s not going to happen.
Blame first half of season for our downfall .
Anything other than a play-off finish is failure.You know my comment is correct...One place above our finish last season would be an improvement..,.,What process is this?....,.,.A play-off finish as a minimum.0
