MATCHWATCH : Charlton athletic (a)

[Crowbar6753]

Howdy guys, looking in from across the pond. Hearing that the Winter apocalypse is due to hit the UK My igloo is nice and toasty this time of year and i don't really want to get out of bed to find the match is called off!!
Realistically is there any chance it will be called off?
Cheers guys, sending you all love and hugs in these hard times Canada is thinking of you, off to club some seal's for dinner (Only kidding).

hiya Crowbar

Of all the L1 games tomorrow, I would expect The Valley to be less at risk than most. They have their hybrid-stitched Desso pitch and under soil heating (that unlike ours, still works).

Enjoy your ‘climate’ I was swapping video calls with one of my ex-colleagues in Sask, he was enjoying -15c and 2 foot of snow on NY eve….standard stuff….and their roads (unlike ours after an inch or two) remained open

Hi Spizz, Yep it was a high of -17c here yesterday, not quite as much snow. Watched the game early this morning, dunno what all the fuss was about as it seemed pretty good overall. Great point in a hard fought game.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Glad you enjoyed it

[Armadillo Roadkill]

Great point.

The Valley is always a good day out.

The football on offer was low on quality, high on endeavour, from both teams.

Savage outstanding - MOTM. Wing had an off day.

[Hound]

It’s a decent ground isnt it? Charlton itself seems a pretty uninspiring place; not sure if I missed a good bit of it somewhere

[tidus_mi2]

The Valley is definitely a weird ground, I thought it felt really close to the pitch and there is like oxf*rd all space between the pitch and the stands so that's probably the reason.

[Gunny Fishcake]

Just back from the game, great point and unbelievable support from the away end. We were under a lot of pressure second half but with a touch of good fortune managed to hang on for a precious point.

Charlie Savage was outstanding today , making a couple of fantastic tackles, his hard work and spirit typifies the ethos of this team and he should be very proud of his performance today.

The way this team is battling this season with our resources and the youth of the squad is really inspiring , they deserve every bit of success they get this season as do the tremendous supporters out in the freezing cold today .

[SouthDownsRoyal]

It’s a decent ground isnt it? Charlton itself seems a pretty uninspiring place; not sure if I missed a good bit of it somewhere

You didn’t

[Whore Jackie]

Yeah Greenwich more than decent, Woolwich serviceable, Charlton is that bit in the middle that’s just a bit meh. Always a good day out, match certainly wasn’t a classic, but felt a point wasn’t unjust. LOL at their goal celebration, he definitely injured himself doing that knee slide / somersault, but couldn’t own up to it. Onwards and upwards.

[Whore Jackie]

Lahore Kebab House and Pride of Spitalfields as brilliant as ever.

[Royal Ginger]

It’s a decent ground isnt it? Charlton itself seems a pretty uninspiring place; not sure if I missed a good bit of it somewhere

It’s alright, but the inability to see the goal line from anywhere further back than the first 5 rows is a bit of a downer.

[stealthpapes]

Savage and Pereira made some properly last gasp stops, tackles and blocks.
Dean was used appropriately. Did well.
Knibbs put in a shift but not a lot came off.
Wing, wingers and Smith not the best games but also did a solid job in keeping Charlton on their toes. If they'd have downed tools, we'd have noticed.

[Clyde1998]

Happy to get a draw at Charlton. Their form has certainly picked up of late and helps continue our run of better away results (even if it's simply another draw).

It's particularly good to get that point when the side is looking increasingly makeshift - Abrefa coming in for his first start since early October and it being at right-wing; Garcia moving forward to left-wing; Harlee Dean starting again; Mbengue being shifted to right-back; only U21 players available on the bench again.

Mentioning Harlee Dean, I think he's done well when coming in and looks a much better player than he did at the start of last season. He still made a few mistakes yesterday, but I don't fear him starting and may even be beneficial to our young defence to have him playing.

[WestYorksRoyal]

I thought Dean was an excellent signing when we announced it, and the last couple of games have shown the player I thought we'd signed. We've seen glimpses off the bench too. I don't think he's suited to games where we expect to dominate and play a high line, but where we need to scrap and soak up pressure he's a great experienced option at this level.

He'll be a bigger player under Hunt, who is more pragmatic. Selles wanted to be front footed and win every game, whereas Hunt admitted yesterday his aim was not to concede and that gave us a chance of winning. I think it's a step in the right direction; an away day disaster-class was never far away under Selles.

[Snowflake Royal]

There was a couple of points yestrday where I was on the verge of screaming at Dean to close down the winger who'd got behind the fullback. Both times he stood off, positioned well and comfortably stopped the ball across.

One time in particular when the ball was coming from their right, he glanced back across and positioned himself perfectly to cover the ball to the striker.

That level of experience is really useful. And he's bigger and stronger too. Definitely someone we should be looking at for the back line against the more physical sides.

[Stanmore Royal]

Very decent point, yes they were more dominant in latter part of game but overall the main chances were even, Charlton commentary ( which was in the main ok) completely forgetting the similar off the line blocks and Smith’s one on one.
Felt we were more organised today still too much head tennis at times but given the experience of this team they held out well.

Point a piece was fair result, get January out of way see what we have left then we can see what can be achieved, this division is crap ( yes we deserve to be in it and we are no world beaters…not an arrogant pov) think we can develop into a solid play off team.
But what we are achieving with this bunch is brilliant, there will be a couple of 3/4 nil away defeats but think Noel has settled everything down after Selles going and outgoings aside we have players to come back which will avoid the team picking itself.

Love Smith but think we need to change the way we play to him and he needs to adapt how he plays against the centre half’s as he gets nothing from every referee. He is a pain in the ar*e to play against but feeds off scraps with better service he’d be on 15 goals already, his work rate is superb ……he should have buried the 1 on 1

Can’t be ar*ed with the cup game now as they won’t rest many and we will as we have to to give a break

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Very decent point, yes they were more dominant in latter part of game but overall the main chances were even, Charlton commentary ( which was in the main ok) completely forgetting the similar off the line blocks and Smith’s one on one.
Felt we were more organised today still too much head tennis at times but given the experience of this team they held out well.

Point a piece was fair result, get January out of way see what we have left then we can see what can be achieved, this division is crap ( yes we deserve to be in it and we are no world beaters…not an arrogant pov) think we can develop into a solid play off team.
But what we are achieving with this bunch is brilliant, there will be a couple of 3/4 nil away defeats but think Noel has settled everything down after Selles going and outgoings aside we have players to come back which will avoid the team picking itself.

Love Smith but think we need to change the way we play to him and he needs to adapt how he plays against the centre half’s as he gets nothing from every referee. He is a pain in the ar*e to play against but feeds off scraps with better service he’d be on 15 goals already, his work rate is superb ……he should have buried the 1 on 1

Can’t be ar*ed with the cup game now as they won’t rest many and we will as we have to to give a break

I think Burnley will heavily rotate their side next week. They have massive games against Sunderland and Leeds coming up in the league.

[Bucks Dave]

Their manager said after the game "when we play a top side we raise our game". Looks like we're now acknowledged as a top side. Not bad for an outfit that hasn't cost a penny.

[Hound]

Being as the schedule eases up a bit now hope we don’t rotate too much next week. No midweek games in the next 2 weeks afaik

Hopefully can get Dorsett, Akande, Kelvin E, Yiadom and Craig back for the next league game.

It’d be great if the likes of Ahmed, Kanu and Holzman were on the edge of the first team squad rather than starting 11

I feel a lot more confident of challenging for a play off spot after yesterday. Hunt has added something I think.

[Snowflake Royal]

Being as the schedule eases up a bit now hope we don’t rotate too much next week. No midweek games in the next 2 weeks afaik

Hopefully can get Dorsett, Akande, Kelvin E, Yiadom and Craig back for the next league game.

It’d be great if the likes of Ahmed, Kanu and Holzman were on the edge of the first team squad rather than starting 11

I feel a lot more confident of challenging for a play off spot after yesterday. Hunt has added something I think.

On Burnley, I'm not sure we have a lot of choice about playing a strong XI. We don't have many players to come in.

About the maximum extent of thr changes we could make is this isn't it? And I can't think of a single winger.

......................Button
Ahmed, Holzman, Kanu, Osho
......................Senga
............Sackey, Rushesha
???.......................................???
...................Wareham

Hoping for something more like:

...................Button
Abrefa, Dean, Kanu Garcia
....................Senga
...........Wing.........Savage
Knibbs........................Wareham
....................Smith

Definitely some fringe players I'd like to see more of, or who might soon be very important.

[Hound]

Being as the schedule eases up a bit now hope we don’t rotate too much next week. No midweek games in the next 2 weeks afaik

Hopefully can get Dorsett, Akande, Kelvin E, Yiadom and Craig back for the next league game.

It’d be great if the likes of Ahmed, Kanu and Holzman were on the edge of the first team squad rather than starting 11

I feel a lot more confident of challenging for a play off spot after yesterday. Hunt has added something I think.

On Burnley, I'm not sure we have a lot of choice about playing a strong XI. We don't have many players to come in.

About the maximum extent of thr changes we could make is this isn't it? And I can't think of a single winger.

......................Button
Ahmed, Holzman, Kanu, Osho
......................Senga
............Sackey, Rushesha
???.......................................???
...................Wareham

Hoping for something more like:

...................Button
Abrefa, Dean, Kanu Garcia
....................Senga
...........Wing.........Savage
Knibbs........................Wareham
....................Smith

Definitely some fringe players I'd like to see more of, or who might soon be very important.

Yeah true, the second side looks about right. I guess we could always bring in more u21s - Okine Peters etc

Senga doesn’t seem to have progressed - would like to see him as he’s always looked handy to me but didn’t make the bench yesterday

Swap in Rushesha who I really do want to see get some minutes

Would also be nice if Craig was fit for a go in midfield. And maybe yiadom, Dorsett etc on the bench