POST MATCH THREAD : Charlton Athletic V Portsmouth : Tuesday 17th February 2026 : KO 19:45

killerandflash · February 18

WrightCharlie said:

BigDiddy said:

Danny Addick said:

cafcnick1992 said:

BigDiddy said:

cafcnick1992 said:

The first few pages of these threads are always angry posts with little longer term perspective.

We're at 7 points from 12 since the Millwall performance - not terrible for a relegation-fighting team. We're also 7 points from the relegation spots and have shown real fight Vs Stoke and QPR.

I thought a few things went against us today early in the game and it was enough to rock us.

1. The ref simply wouldn't allow any contact between players which goes against our playing style.

2. Kiminski gifting Pompey a goal

3. A terrible decision by the ref to award a penalty

It's disappointing we couldn't recover but that's life in the Championship. Those whining and moaning about where we are in the table would be happier if we were 4th in League One. We're a new championship team - these results will happen.

For what's it worth, I thought the Portsmouth players were a credit to their badge tonight. Fought really hard and deserved the win.

No - I don’t accept any of that.

We were shite tonight and NJ is clueless when things go wrong.

The problem with posts like that is that you never set out what your expectations are.

Do you think we should be comfortably mid table?

The posts are always so basic and black and white as well. “Clueless”, like the man didn’t get us up. Like Karen Fraeye. Add something to the conversation

He did a great job to get us up, but does that mean he is right for the longer term ? And I think tonight’s selection, tactics and subs were clueless as evidenced by the shambolic display we witnessed.

NJ is not a long term solution, in my view.

Lastly, in his interview, NJ mentioned TCs effort over the bar a few times. I know it's goals that win games and all that but to so publicly mention it several times, knowing TC is a confidence player, was a couple of times too many in my opinion. TC didn't deserve being singled out like that. And if TCs performance was his yardstick then maybe there were others NJ should have called out too....... although he did do it to Kaminski.....

Odd to keep mentioning that miss, as it was in added time, and with only 4 minutes awarded it was very unlikely that we would have scored a 3rd goal. Pompey were hardly rocking at that stage, indeed should have had a penalty for Ramsay's handball (which was much more clear cut than the one given).

The time we needed to score a 2nd goal was soon after Fevrier's goal, as that would have built up a real head of steam, but after a bright few minutes, it faded again.

MuttleyCAFC · February 18

We have to stick with Jones as we have seen where hiring and firing gets us. The positive is we can recover from a poor performance. Not that we play like Real Madrid, but we can dig out results. So losing yesterday, whilst disapointing, won't be the end of our season. Yes, of course we can go down, but we can also stay up. If we do stay up, a rethink and re-evaluation is required and it is going to cost a few quid.

Bailey · February 18

chilham said:

As an observation from last night, apart from the Kaminski card, presumably for arguing', the others were all for '(serious?) foul play' with a Portsmouth player on the ground but as I recall, with 2 mins first half and 4 mins second half 'stoppage' time, no physio from either side came onto the pitch ?? A further indictment of the ref's 'quality'. On the penalty, apart from the delay between the impact and the whistle, I was looking at the East Stand lino for his flag position, penalty usually 'across the chest', don't recall seeing that either?

I think the majority were of the opinon that every decision he gave was correct, the issue is were they all bookable offences ? They assault on Docherty was rightly given as a foul but there was no booking, Adams was booked in the second half for a fifty fifty challenge with Bell. Nearly every challenge was deemed a yellow card, and I know that televised games are plentiful now but this clown was clearly out to take a starring role, one of the worst referring performances I've ever seen.

golfaddick · February 18

hoof_it_up_to_benty said:

It will be an achievement if NJ keeps us up but I can't see a lot of progress in terms of the footvall we play. We're pretty poor to watch and our midfield lacks pace and quality.

If we stay up we will undoubtedly be in another relegation battle next season...

We keep being told that the owners will spend more this summer. Partly (we are told) is that they werent sure if they could trust NJ last month because of the players he brought in last summer (3 of whom are now out on loan) and partly because they will have to.

If they had spent more / better last summer then we might not be in this predicament.

Buy cheap, buy twice.

mendonca · February 18

The giveaway of the ref's level of management was that he issued nine yellow cards in a match where neither physio was ever needed for treatment!

That alone speaks volumes. He should have spoken to both teams early on and set the tone for a more fluid game.

golfaddick · February 18

EugenesAxe said:

Someone mentioned mangers doing their research on how to setup against us, does NJ not do any? or is it hoof-ball regardless who we play, surely that's a big managerial shortcoming?

In his interview after the Stoke match he said he was off to Fratton park on Sat to watch Pompey v Sheff Utd.

EugenesAxe · February 18

golfaddick said:

EugenesAxe said:

Someone mentioned mangers doing their research on how to setup against us, does NJ not do any? or is it hoof-ball regardless who we play, surely that's a big managerial shortcoming?

In his interview after the Stoke match he said he was off to Fratton park on Sat to watch Pompey v Sheff Utd.

Fair enough, why did we then play exactly the same way as every other game? and Portsmouth knew what they were doing?

RodneyCharltonTrotta · February 18

Croydon said:

AberystwythAddick said:

Jayajosh said:

I wonder if we will get a worldly at all this season? 🤷‍♂️

I mean yeah you can ignore tc against Derby and Carey earlier in the season

TC against Derby was a well taken goal but was in no way a 'worldy'

Bree's goal v Derby was up there.

https://youtu.be/b6iyhPXTABk?si=jIVryfEL7dyeFpk9

Bailey · February 18

EugenesAxe said:

ForeverAddickted said:

EugenesAxe said:

Someone mentioned mangers doing their research on how to setup against us, does NJ not do any? or is it hoof-ball regardless who we play, surely that's a big managerial shortcoming?

No I've got a feeling that Jones just sleeps at the training ground, argues with a few players and then picks the team out a f**king hat
What an idiotic comment, if Jones doesnt do any of that, explain how we ever win a bloody game of Football

Chance, luck, take your pick... out of a hat if you like tiger

I think you are missing FA's point. It's only a 'big managerial shortcoming' if it's actually true ! Generally, a complete load of bollocks would not use facts or data to reach a result or successful conclusion to it's premise . Hope that's cleared that up for you Eugene.

Pelling1993 · February 18

cafcsinger said:

I didn't think Portsmouth were bang average, they looked a level above us, with quick incisive passing which we seem to never do.

All opinions obviously but I don't remember them having a shot outside of the 3 goals. 1 howler, 1 pen & 1 screamer.

BigDiddy · February 18

ForeverAddickted said:

BigDiddy said:

ForeverAddickted said:

BigDiddy said:

Danny Addick said:

cafcnick1992 said:

BigDiddy said:

cafcnick1992 said:

The first few pages of these threads are always angry posts with little longer term perspective.

We're at 7 points from 12 since the Millwall performance - not terrible for a relegation-fighting team. We're also 7 points from the relegation spots and have shown real fight Vs Stoke and QPR.

I thought a few things went against us today early in the game and it was enough to rock us.

1. The ref simply wouldn't allow any contact between players which goes against our playing style.

2. Kiminski gifting Pompey a goal

3. A terrible decision by the ref to award a penalty

It's disappointing we couldn't recover but that's life in the Championship. Those whining and moaning about where we are in the table would be happier if we were 4th in League One. We're a new championship team - these results will happen.

For what's it worth, I thought the Portsmouth players were a credit to their badge tonight. Fought really hard and deserved the win.

No - I don’t accept any of that.

We were shite tonight and NJ is clueless when things go wrong.

The problem with posts like that is that you never set out what your expectations are.

Do you think we should be comfortably mid table?

The posts are always so basic and black and white as well. “Clueless”, like the man didn’t get us up. Like Karen Fraeye. Add something to the conversation

He did a great job to get us up, but does that mean he is right for the longer term ? And I think tonight’s selection, tactics and subs were clueless as evidenced by the shambolic display we witnessed.

NJ is not a long term solution, in my view.

Its too early to tell... This season was all about survival and nothing else
2019/20 he did that with Luton, 2020/21 he got them 12th, 2021/22 he got them 6th (lost in the Play-Offs), 2022/23 he left the club in November but left them in 10th, and sowed the seeds for their promotion that season.
Does that sort of trajectory sound so awful?

Past record is no guarantee of future performance.

It’s not just NJ - the recruitment has also been poor.

I still think that since Luton, he has fallen out with clubs, players and fans - it may end well, but if i were a betting man, it is more likely to end in tears.

I just don’t see us evolving under NJ.

Recruitment I'm still on the fence over; Chapple came in too late a year ago to have a proper effect on the Summer Window, he joined in May, and given the comments from the likes of Swisdom, we were already making signings.
January is a horrible window and one I never like.
Can argue as well that Southampton / Stoke were horrible times to be a Manager at those clubs, one was always doomed in the Premier League, the other hadn't long come down from the Premier League, with neither having the patience to wait for the sort of seasonal results that Jones had produced at Luton... We're a different proposition to those two, a much similar case to when he took over at Luton, and has already brought us success.
But hey... Lets consider replacing the Manager the moment things start going against us, it worked for the five years between Bowyer / Jones didnt it.

Did I say “get rid now “? My issue is about the long term health of our club and in my view, NJ may not be up to that long term job based on what I am watching week in/week out.

That is not to say that replacing NJ will solve our problems in this league.

I am saying that come the summer, whatever happens this season, massive changes are needed on the playing and tactics side of things, if we are are serious about staying in this league.

So, in a way I agree with you- getting rid of NJ now would stupid.

I still have serious doubts about his (and the team with him) can construct a squad that will preserve our place in this league.

If the owners also have such doubts, why would they give him any more money?

That is why they need to decide immediately we are safe or relegated.

Bailey · February 18

Pelling1993 said:

cafcsinger said:

I didn't think Portsmouth were bang average, they looked a level above us, with quick incisive passing which we seem to never do.

All opinions obviously but I don't remember them having a shot outside of the 3 goals. 1 howler, 1 pen & 1 screamer.

Sounds like our coaching staff

usetobunkin · February 18

NJ can't do a blind thing about a GK that has a tamely struck shot form outside the area go through his legs.
The Ref was booking anything in a Red shirt, and I think we were lucky to end up with 11 on the pitch at FT.
Pompey were running with pace and purpose and finding space all over the pitch leaving us chasing shadows.
All the good work against 9 man Sheff Utd 10 man Leicester , and the battling draw against an injury struck QPR
is forgotten.
We must now get something from Southampton, and WBA is a must win, given we have the circus and the NFL coming to town and are away to Northern cloggers Boro.

EugenesAxe · February 18

Bailey said:

EugenesAxe said:

ForeverAddickted said:

EugenesAxe said:

Someone mentioned mangers doing their research on how to setup against us, does NJ not do any? or is it hoof-ball regardless who we play, surely that's a big managerial shortcoming?

No I've got a feeling that Jones just sleeps at the training ground, argues with a few players and then picks the team out a f**king hat
What an idiotic comment, if Jones doesnt do any of that, explain how we ever win a bloody game of Football

Chance, luck, take your pick... out of a hat if you like tiger

I think you are missing FA's point. It's only a 'big managerial shortcoming' if it's actually true ! Generally, a complete load of bollocks would not use facts or data to reach a result or successful conclusion to it's premise . Hope that's cleared that up for you Eugene.

My original post was tongue in cheek, but nevermind.

The point still stands though, we have been playing hoof-ball regardless who we play.

Redshift · February 18

For such an important game we were awful and not up for it - all the players and NJ need to take responsibility for that. No other tactic than hoofing the ball is not acceptable in the Championship. Not a professional performance in any sense of the word.
But there was so much else about the game that underlined the woeful state of football now:
- appalling time-wasting ... the guy who was booked for the throw-in must have taken more than a minute for that incident alone, yet there was only 2 minutes extra time at the end of the half. The goalkeeper taking ages and the ref doing nothing, every time
- the continuous feigning injuries. We know they're not injured, the players know, the ref knows but we all go through the same old ritual of stopping the game etc. 99% of 'injuries' are not - don't stop the game for them unless the ref thinks it need it.
- the players mindsets to go backwards instead of forwards.
- a ridiculous ref reffing by ridiculous rules. The ball may have hit Bell's arm but in any view of real football that is never a penalty.
- Pompey players diving whenever a player got in reach and the ref falling for it all the time. Refs now seem hard-wired to blow anytime a player falls to the ground.

The only good aspect of the game last night was the whole ground clapping for Norman - especially the Pompey fans who did their club proud not only because of that but for their continuous support.

T · February 18

Lurker said:

One of many dreadful home games I've had to sit through this season.

We're good at defending our box but that's about it. Our game plan is to defend our box and try and nick a goal.

When something unforeseen happens, like the first goal tonight we don't have the skill or tactic fluidity to do anything about it.

100% this. Seems to be Jones tactics TBH like any other giant killing side in the cup, hang in the game and try and nick a goal, which is exactly what's got us to the place we are in the league so far.

The next bit sounds like a blinkered fan view but last night a keeper howler, a dodgy penalty and complete thunderbastard of a goal all of which its difficult to mitigate against, in terms of chances created Pompey despite being head and shoulders above us on the pitch didn't really create too much, had a couple of dangerous crosses flashed across the box but Campbell and Clarke had higher XG chances than Pompey which werent taken https://www.sportinglife.com/football/live/211585/charlton-athletic-vs-portsmouth/xg-shot-maps?scrollTo=match-tabs

few more nails to bite over the coming weeks

Lewis Coaches · February 18

AberystwythAddick said:

No one is immune from criticism. Jones got it wrong yesterday. This is not a difficult concept to understand.

Got it wrong yesterday and not for the first time this season. Sometimes Nathan is just clueless.If plan A doesnt work he has no back up plan.

Now two tough away games to follow and if we are unable to pick up points this season will just get harder and somewhere along the line Nathan will lose it big time.

Alwaysneil · February 18

To be fair Jones the manager did make 3 subs at half time to try a plan B, just didnt work very well immediately

mogodon · February 18

Just about recovered from watching last night ... it wasn't that we lost so much as the way it happened. We seem to be set up to defend and hope we can nick a goal on the break. Nothing wrong with that in itself ...

The problem is once we do one or two down there doesn't seem to be a sense we can fight our way back in to the game. Our tactics seems to be to pass the ball around at the back and then eventually hoof it forwards to a front line who too often don't seem set up to win the aerial ball. As for our dead ball skills ...

Last night we looked at the best for the brief periods we actually ran at the defence but it was short lived before the aerial assault returned and Portsmouth seemed to know what to expect and dealt with it.

I'm not even going to comment on the useless Leigh Doughty. Despite what his ego may tell him, we weren't there to watch him. Nine cards in a game which barely registered on the toughness measure. I hope he got stuck in traffic on the way home.

eastterrace6168 · February 18

LEIGH DOUGHTY...🤢
I'm already looking for a doll, dress him in a black ref's garb and a collection of pins...😉

hoof_it_up_to_benty · February 18

eastterrace6168 said:

LEIGH DOUGHTY...🤢
I'm already looking for a doll, dress him in a black ref's garb and a collection of pins...😉

Thought he was a pompous fart who seemed to have no idea how to referee a game. Shouldn't be officiating at this level - can't imagine it's been his only bad game..

Blucher · February 18

What a thoroughly dispiriting performance and a wasted opportunity to put a greater distance between us and the bottom three.

Pompey outplayed and outfought us throughout and totally dominated the game in midfield, where we were completely inept. We all know that we are very limited in terms of creativity but the one thing we're entitled to expect from our set up is that our midfielders will at least deny the opposition space. This we singularly failed to do; on the contrary, Pompey found acres of it, as was amply illustrated illustrated by Devlin's two goals, where on both occasions he was able to carry the ball forward on long way without even the semblance of a challenge from a Charlton player.

A couple of things went against us in that first half, namely, Kaminski's hideous error for the first goal and the penalty decision, but the Portsmouth players won their personal battles all over the pitch, most of the 50/50s and played the better football throughout. They thoroughly deserved the 3 points and we never remotely looked like getting back in the game.

The result leaves us very much in the mix for that third relegation spot and a major improvement will be required if we're to get anything from Southampton on Saturday.

ro_addick · February 18

To stay up, clearly(as has been rightly pointed out here many times), we need to WIN against the teams in the group around us. It's just not happening and Portsmouth is a very good example. Do-able... nothing doing..yet again..and again. Beyond frustrating. Strikers need reliable midfield service...not happening. Few if any goals. What are the owners NOW doing to rectify this ongoing malaise?

brightonaddick87 · February 18

I don't think the inconsistency of our performances, and the swings from 'maybe we're a limited but hard-to-beat side' to 'that performance was relegation form bad' will change whilst we play the way we do. So much of how we are set up to play is to do with what we do out-of-possession - the pressing, forcing errors, catching the opposition out when they've just won the ball back etc. We don't generally dominate possession, I don't think, and I'm not sure we want to, given that our chances generally come from the chaos of winning the ball back high up and winning second balls. When we do play out from the back, I always find it hard to tell if we are deliberately trying to draw teams on to us to create gaps up the pitch, or if the defenders are just terrified of playing a forward ball to a static midfield. Either way, it has a tendency to invite pressure, at which point we just go long.

It feels like the system has momentum when it works (Leicester at home is the one for me where I thought 'we'll be fine if we keep playing like this', but you look at where they are now and perhaps that was a misjudgement), but I just don't think the players are fit or mentally sharp enough to do it consistently. We go man-to-man a lot when trying to win the ball back and it leaves little margin for error. If everyone is physically and mentally at it, we nick wins. If *any* of the starting 11 aren't, we fall to pieces. If teams are smart enough to pull our midfield around, it also becomes a gaping hole very quickly and our defence is generally not good with players running at them (the Southampton horror show).

I think these problems are all baked into how we play. Would it change with better versions of the types of player we have now? Maybe. We'd probably be a more solid mid-table Championship side.

I think Jones is our best bet for the foreseeable future and he obviously made this style of play work in the Championship at Luton, but I do wonder if the game has moved on even in just the last few years, in terms of the general level of physicality and tactical sharpness, to the point where being a dogged out of possession side just doesn't really cut it consistently anymore.

When we play well but draw, Jones has a tendency to say we weren't clinical enough or needed a bit more quality. To my mind that's all part of the problem - chances are generally at a premium for our strikers, so the style of play relies on minimal chances being converted. We don't have the money to buy the kind of striker that can guarantee that, so bemoaning a lack of clinical edge or quality starts to look like a refusal to actually work with what he has. That recent Kelman goal feels like a case in point; great finish from a difficult chance, but the best case scenario is probably that he scores 1 in 5 of those. So either we play a way that creates more (proper) chances, or we buy a better striker. I can understand why the owners might have some reluctance at handing over anymore cash given how it was spent in the summer.

ro_addick · February 18

...and secure our survival in this Division...

Callumcafc · February 18

Chris_from_Sidcup said:

Callumcafc said:

Fortune 82nd Minute said:

ForeverAddickted said:

https://x.com/CAFCofficial/status/2023894584707973138

Hmm. When he says we had the better chances I'm not sure what game he was watching.

He does seem genuinely deflated in that interview.

It was a low quality game, their right back aside.

I know people love to slate xG but it does paint a picture on nights like this.

Charlton 0.80
Pompey 1.14 (0.79 came from a very harsh pen so 0.35 otherwise)

Don’t think Jones is wide of the mark to say we had the better chances. But I won’t argue we did enough to deserve to win the game.

If Kaminski doesn’t flap and Devlin doesn’t spank one in off the post, we’re talking about a 1-1 draw with a harsh Pompey penalty.

I think we got away with the one in the second half though when Ramsay shoved their guy over. Looked far more of a pen than the one he did give and i'd have wanted it given if it was down the other end. Pretty sure the ref gives that if he hadn't given them the first half one.

No chance. Adams stepped across Ramsay looking for / initiating that contact. One of the rare moments the ref was clever enough to spot what was going on.

LargeAddick · February 18

chilham said:

As an observation from last night, apart from the Kaminski card, presumably for arguing', the others were all for '(serious?) foul play' with a Portsmouth player on the ground but as I recall, with 2 mins first half and 4 mins second half 'stoppage' time, no physio from either side came onto the pitch ?? A further indictment of the ref's 'quality'. On the penalty, apart from the delay between the impact and the whistle, I was looking at the East Stand lino for his flag position, penalty usually 'across the chest', don't recall seeing that either?

Clarke was for kicking the ball away.

ro_addick · February 18

brightonaddick87 said:

I don't think the inconsistency of our performances, and the swings from 'maybe we're a limited but hard-to-beat side' to 'that performance was relegation form bad' will change whilst we play the way we do. So much of how we are set up to play is to do with what we do out-of-possession - the pressing, forcing errors, catching the opposition out when they've just won the ball back etc. We don't generally dominate possession, I don't think, and I'm not sure we want to, given that our chances generally come from the chaos of winning the ball back high up and winning second balls. When we do play out from the back, I always find it hard to tell if we are deliberately trying to draw teams on to us to create gaps up the pitch, or if the defenders are just terrified of playing a forward ball to a static midfield. Either way, it has a tendency to invite pressure, at which point we just go long.

It feels like the system has momentum when it works (Leicester at home is the one for me where I thought 'we'll be fine if we keep playing like this', but you look at where they are now and perhaps that was a misjudgement), but I just don't think the players are fit or mentally sharp enough to do it consistently. We go man-to-man a lot when trying to win the ball back and it leaves little margin for error. If everyone is physically and mentally at it, we nick wins. If *any* of the starting 11 aren't, we fall to pieces. If teams are smart enough to pull our midfield around, it also becomes a gaping hole very quickly and our defence is generally not good with players running at them (the Southampton horror show).

I think these problems are all baked into how we play. Would it change with better versions of the types of player we have now? Maybe. We'd probably be a more solid mid-table Championship side.

I think Jones is our best bet for the foreseeable future and he obviously made this style of play work in the Championship at Luton, but I do wonder if the game has moved on even in just the last few years, in terms of the general level of physicality and tactical sharpness, to the point where being a dogged out of possession side just doesn't really cut it consistently anymore.

When we play well but draw, Jones has a tendency to say we weren't clinical enough or needed a bit more quality. To my mind that's all part of the problem - chances are generally at a premium for our strikers, so the style of play relies on minimal chances being converted. We don't have the money to buy the kind of striker that can guarantee that, so bemoaning a lack of clinical edge or quality starts to look like a refusal to actually work with what he has. That recent Kelman goal feels like a case in point; great finish from a difficult chance, but the best case scenario is probably that he scores 1 in 5 of those. So either we play a way that creates more (proper) chances, or we buy a better striker. I can understand why the owners might have some reluctance at handing over anymore cash given how it was spent in the summer.

Fully agree @brightonaddick87 with you...your last point hits the nail squarely on the head...I do believe the key to our survival relies on a strong midfield, pressing and supplying strikers ( who we certainly have), with reliable service to regularly score. It's clearly just not happening now on a regular basis. Portsmouth scored three...when did we last do that? This is solely about Survival..and netting goals regularly....others around is in the Table most certainly are...

Callumcafc · February 18

AFKABartram said:

Callumcafc said:

Fortune 82nd Minute said:

ForeverAddickted said:

https://x.com/CAFCofficial/status/2023894584707973138

Hmm. When he says we had the better chances I'm not sure what game he was watching.

He does seem genuinely deflated in that interview.

It was a low quality game, their right back aside.

I know people love to slate xG but it does paint a picture on nights like this.

Charlton 0.80
Pompey 1.14 (0.79 came from a very harsh pen so 0.35 otherwise)

Don’t think Jones is wide of the mark to say we had the better chances. But I won’t argue we did enough to deserve to win the game.

If Kaminski doesn’t flap and Devlin doesn’t spank one in off the post, we’re talking about a 1-1 draw with a harsh Pompey penalty.

They’re all ‘ifs’ though Cal and you can pretty much work most results that way. ‘If Sheff U didn’t get 2 men sent off…’ ‘if Leicester scored their penalty, or took any of their 21 shots v 9, or 1.98 xg v 1.31…’ etc

I missed a chunk of the first half, but from what I saw, we were awful last night, but it wasn’t an outliner.

If you analysed the last four months you’d conclude to pick up points we need either the opposition to be reduced or really not be at the races:

Nov - West Brom 1-0 late winner - WB last 4 games were 3 losses, 1 draw and have continued to flounder
Dec - Oxford 1-0 - Ox run at that point was 1 win in 10
Jan - Sheff U 1-0 - Sheff U 9 men 1st half
Jan - Leicester 2-0 - Leicester early 10 men, massive low around club and have lost 7 of last 8 games
Feb - Stoke 1-0 - Stoke now no wins in 8

That’s kind of the reality of being one of the worst sides on paper in the league. We set up so we can take advantage of other side’s poor performances. If we tried going toe to toe with the better teams we’d have a lot fewer clean sheets and fewer points.

Pompey had scored 9 goals in 14 away matches up until last night. They don’t pull out nights and performances like last night often but when they do, it will be enough to beat this season’s version of Charlton.

ThomasOliver3 · February 18

Not going to say anything different to everyone else.

The main issue for me is the completely inadequate midfield set up. There's no pace, no ability to pass the ball or create, no size or stature and outside of Coventry no legs.

If your going to play Jones's crap long ball football then you need to have a midfield that is ready to land on the knockdowns and second balls and it would seem to be a far fetched dream to have someone who can move the ball and pass it forward using the green stuff.

Somehow we failed to strengthen in that key area only adding Coady who's not a CM and not physically able to compete every game. In fact we weakened ourselves (in numbers at least) by sending out Karoy.

I hate watching this team because while the heart and effort is there (mostly) the football is just awful and boring. IF we stay up I don't think NJ is the man getting us up this league table.

POST MATCH THREAD : Charlton Athletic V Portsmouth : Tuesday 17th February 2026 : KO 19:45

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