POST-MATCH THREAD; Charlton Athletic V Bolton Wanderers | Saturday 28th January 2023 | KO 12.30pm

Reality check for anyone who was foolish enough to believe we are now a playoff challenger. Bolton much much better than us at the business ends of the pitch. We remain decent 40 yards from either goal, but neither prevent or create enough chances to win consistently. 

How many points has Innis cost us this season, needs dropping.

Hartleypete said:

How many points has Innis cost us this season, needs dropping.

I don't think Inniss is the player most deserving of blame for that goal. His header was poor but he was pulled to the wrong side by a total defensive collapse. Penney got done out on the wing, Ness came all the way across to cover but failed to mop it up while Penney didn't reset which meant we had two defenders out of the game. Inniss went with the defender and didn't make the clearance, but then Clare and AMB got into a mix up where Clare should have pressured the attacker and AMB should have stayed put but instead they did neither between them and left an open goal. A rare goal where the entire 5 in the defensive unit need to have a think

Garrymanilow said:

Hartleypete said:

How many points has Innis cost us this season, needs dropping.

I don't think Inniss is the player most deserving of blame for that goal. His header was poor but he was pulled to the wrong side by a total defensive collapse. Penney got done out on the wing, Ness came all the way across to cover but failed to mop it up while Penney didn't reset which meant we had two defenders out of the game. Inniss went with the defender and didn't make the clearance, but then Clare and AMB got into a mix up where Clare should have pressured the attacker and AMB should have stayed put but instead they did neither between them and left an open goal. A rare goal where the entire 5 in the defensive unit need to have a think

Dobson and Penny (I think that's the two it was) sort of stood there and watched as Inniss came out of his position to full the gapping hole Ness had made.  One of the big differences between us and Bolton is they had two players in the middle attacking it and we only had 2 defending.  If that ball had gone into their box they would have had a 3v1 in their favour.

Their gaffer has had almost as many years to work on his team, and squad, than Holden has had weeks.

I think I am right in saying that once in 10 years we have ended the season with the same manager and owner as we started it, we went up that year!  It's not rocket science is it? 

Cafc43v3r said:

Garrymanilow said:

Hartleypete said:

How many points has Innis cost us this season, needs dropping.

I don't think Inniss is the player most deserving of blame for that goal. His header was poor but he was pulled to the wrong side by a total defensive collapse. Penney got done out on the wing, Ness came all the way across to cover but failed to mop it up while Penney didn't reset which meant we had two defenders out of the game. Inniss went with the defender and didn't make the clearance, but then Clare and AMB got into a mix up where Clare should have pressured the attacker and AMB should have stayed put but instead they did neither between them and left an open goal. A rare goal where the entire 5 in the defensive unit need to have a think

Dobson and Penny (I think that's the two it was) sort of stood there and watched as Inniss came out of his position to full the gapping hole Ness had made.  One of the big differences between us and Bolton is they had two players in the middle attacking it and we only had 2 defending.  If that ball had gone into their box they would have had a 3v1 in their favour.

Their gaffer has had almost as many years to work on his team, and squad, than Holden has had weeks.

I think I am right in saying that once in 10 years we have ended the season with the same manager and owner as we started it, we went up that year!  It's not rocket science is it? 

You're right, I left out Dobson who could have dropped in to plug that gap but didn't, good spot.

I had Bolton in my top two and I could still see them going very close.
Nothing happened today that should've been a surprise other than we never threw the towel in despite not being able to unlock the Bolton defence and then we were vulnerable to every attack.

The last teams that I can remember having so many shots at our goal was Leeds and Brentford in the Championship: we won both games 1-0 but the difference was we parked two buses  after going 1 up and relied on those teams missing their myriad of chances, and blocks galore.

Quite right we don't play like that in the 3rd tier and we should get at teams at the Valley. If we had gone 2-1 today then possible against a team like Bolton you do retreat a tad and defend so they don't have space. 

Still thinks it important that a couple of high wage players * ( by Cafc standards) are moved on and Holden can do his utmost to try to get a 10th to 8th finish. Holden wants that but will it happen with a couple more coming in before Feb 1st.

If Sky are correct and we have used 32 players which is more than anyone else this season then you don't need a football analyst to tell you why some players are not forming partnerships.

* Stockley and Kirk if Holden decides that is for the best.

Disappointing but hey ho we gave it a go! Major surprise was Bonne starting instead of Leaburn. We could/should have been 3- 0 down at halftime but fought hard to stay in the game. Main difference between the teams was Bolton being organised and calm and more or less in control and us being a bit frantic. It was more even in the second half. Then the Iniss howler and we are losing again. Glad we didn't get Jerome. Think Penney will be good and Bonne will do a job for us. 

Exiled_Addick said:

Reality check for anyone who was foolish enough to believe we are now a playoff challenger. Bolton much much better than us at the business ends of the pitch. We remain decent 40 yards from either goal, but neither prevent or create enough chances to win consistently. 

I would say that we got into just as many good areas as they did but, while they excelled and finding space and picking out players with accurate clever passes, we, once again, excelled at running down dead ends and picking out defenders with our final ball.

Fraser the only one of our attacking players close to having that speed of foot and mind but even he does a nice line in passing to defenders when it really counts.

Hate digging out individuals, but I have to get it off my chest, I thought Bonne was shite and offered no more than Stockley would have done. And was moaning at his teammates almost as much as well. Doesn’t look to have evolved as a player at all in his time away. Still looks not quite fast enough, not quite strong enough, and not quite bright enough. 

Echo all of that, especially the bit about Bonne. Thought we pulled QPR's pants down when they paid us £2m for him & nothing I've seen since has made me change my mind. 

Why oh why do we always go for the wrong player. Stockton is available yet we go for another non scoring forward. 

ct_addick said:

Bonne showed why he couldn’t make it in the champiosship….shouldn’t start…..Leaburn would have been better 

Bone wasn't the problem

2nd best all over the pitch

strangest part of the day, sitting in the North Upper and my Flashscore app pings goal Bolton…1-2…..I show my mate and we carry on watching, they attack down the right and less than 60 seconds after the ping, they score.

f**king freaky 

Can't fault the effort but today showed exactly what we are, a very average 3rd Divison side. If Bolton had been 3 up at half time it would not have been unjust.

Great to get back into it.

The money and time that has been wasted by this owner should not be forgotten, just clear off take the family with you and let us start to rebuild

For me the standouts. 
AMB kept us in the game. Worth a goal advantage. Looking like our number 1 for next season. 

Rak Saki is such quality it is a joy to watch him, despite his youthful errors, he is far and away put most skillful player. Good luck for him in the championship next season. 

Bonne was invisible, similar to what happens when Stockley plays. Doesn't create anything for himself, unlike Rak Saki who can. He isn't going to be the forward line answer post summer.

Ness is doing a good solid job. Lots of timely blocks. 

Inniss, is just a lump. He's so slow I'm sure he'd struggle to catch up with himself. I'm not ever going to criticise his work ethic, in that respect he's a pro, but he's not up to standard needed to be top 2 side defender. His slack header gifted their winner. 

Morgan, despite his very well taken goal, is not a scoring midfielder or creator of much. 

Fraser had a go but didn't really create much which is his job. 

Dobson was quite but manage few Dobson-esque blocks. Still the captain's armband is rightly his. Had a bark a few times at the team. 

Holden
I'm not sure his review of the first half being even was accurate but his view that so much still needs to be done at the club, on and off the pitch seems honest and as he (and every fan) sees it. 

Browny said after the game he only remotely expects a single loan to come in before the window shuts, but doubts it. 

All in all a very sobering afternoon. 16 points behind a 5th placed Bolton side who were better all over the pitch. The result flatters us. Dad said they are what we aspire to be on and maybe off the pitch. Agreed with the 82 Yr-old that has watched many more years of mediocre football, than I. 

Covered End said:

I thought we played well & did our best.
They were miles better than us & could have scored 5 or 6 if they could finish.
I thought they were the best L1 team at The Valley this season. 

This - though I wouldn't say miles better, better but not miles better. Plus we could have had four if we could finish.

Enjoyed the game, we tried really hard and worked for each other.

Annoyingly an error leads to points dropped once again.