This afternoon’s televised clash featured a tale of Leicester possession-based football versus Charlton’s aggressive press, with the home side’s press winning out over the first 45. Charlton were immense out of possession, harassing, closing down, and forcing turnovers. The home side created almost all of the near chances, limiting Leicester to only shots off target.
Charlton’s best chance of the first half came on about 37 mins through a Conor Coventry strike from about 30 yards out. The whizzing effort was well struck and moving dangerously towards the top corner, forcing the Leicester keeper to make a diving save to his left and tip it over the bar.
The second started well for Charlton, winning a corner that resulted in a Jones header on target that was pushed out for a corner by one generic Leicester City defender or another, I don’t know. The second corner dropped onto Kayne Ramsay’s head, but his header was saved right on the line.
Leicester weren’t bothered though, because, only moments later a swift counter attack through Abdul Fatawu put the Foxes one goal to the good, against the run of play. Perhaps their only dangerous outlet this afternoon, he burst down the right and placed a twenty yard strike past Thomas Kaminsky, under pressure from Josh Edwards.
Charlton remained relentless and soon manufactured more chances, with the Valley faithful rising to the challenge and backing them in fine voice.
Changes were made on 74 mins, with Knibbs and Kelman coming on for Apter and Carey.
Coventry to Knibbs to Docherty forced a save resulting in a corner. The ball was driven into the box and Lloyd Jones rose like a leaping salmon to head it in, only for the referee to conjure a foul in the box and rule it out.
In an effort to capitalise on the momentum, Tanto Olaofe and Joe Ranking-Costello then came on for Miles Leaburn and Greg for the final four minutes of regular time, followed by Macauley Gillesphey on for Jost Edwards moments later.
In the 6 mins of additional time, Charlton again had the bulk of chances as Nathan Jones’ men threw everything forward.
Whilst the equaliser never came, Charlton can be more than satisfied with the performance. You don’t always get what you deserve on the day. And how Leicester didn’t concede, I’ll never know. Their keeper was their man of the match and their one moment of quality the difference between the two sides. Encouraging, but unfair.
Charlton 0 Leicester 1
Over to you.
Comments
Really need to work on the final third and either getting more bodies into the box for crosses, or trying to work Apter/Campbell into more dangerous areas cutting inside.
Only criticism is Jones could have made a sub or 2 earlier. Was clear we needed some fresh legs up front
Proud in defeat. Smash and grab for Leicester and we would’ve been fully deserving had we won that. Probably our best performance of the three so far this season, certainly the most chances created. Just lacked that moment of quality or fortunate bounce to fall to one of ours.
Typical for newly promoted sides to suffer the odd game like that - be the better side but not take your chances while the more established team takes their one chance.
A lesson to be learnt, but not a whole lot more we could’ve done. On the other side I thought the defensive side was just as good as it has been, and there were signs the attacking side is moving in the right direction. I think the goals will start to flow a bit soon.
Overall we can take heart from that because if we keep doing what we’ve done in the first three we should stay well clear of relegation trouble.
We go again.
Concerningly we’ve played well in the last two matches and have one point & no goals to show for it.
Probably our best performance of the season and we lost. If we continue to play like that we'll be absolutely fine this season.
Lots of positives to take, even if the result will sting for a bit.
Undone by a sublime bit of quality and an inspired bit of keeping. Another day we would’ve won that 3-0. I can’t fault any players, because this is all we can afford. We can’t buy a Championship ready team in one go, only Hollywood teams like Birmingham can do that.
Coventry was sublime but just couldn’t find the finish. Docherty much improved. Carey is so good in terms of how he’s just always available for the pass and it makes a big difference to our attacking play.
Its not going to make either player look good in those scenarios, because they're going to be trying to find a needle in a haystack.
To beat us at home, you need to score a goal of this quality.