Port Vale 3 Charlton Athletic 3
A game where only a win would do and I didn’t care how it was achieved. Three times we led, and Port Vale’s third an injury time equalizer meaning more points lost to a late, late goal.
Mid table League One mediocrity and it is not good enough.
The game in isolation was quite a good watch and if we’d not had such a disastrous past month a draw would have been more than a fine result. As it stands with four months to play the season is in the toilet.
One positive was that of our forward play. All three of our forwards scored, each well taken and each giving us the lead. The team showed good spirit to get ahead for a third time with 7 minutes of normal time remaining, but our defending and penchant for conceding late goals is almost parodic.
There are so many things wrong and Michael Appleton doesn’t appear to have any idea of mending them.
Appleton did finally give Louie Watson a start, and it was his deft header that set up CBT for the first goal. Maynard-Brewer looked at fault for their second goal but he did make some good saves.
AMB does lack authority but then again the back five as a unit is a disheveled mess. That comes down coaching. I did think Lloyd Jones was particularly bad yesterday. He got booked early and struggled all the way through.
It does looks as if the management are planning on sticking with Appleton, let’s see who else can be added to his squad this week.
MoM: CBT. I do not buy into this cash him in crap. Where an earth would we be without his goals and assists.
Appleton of my eye: I’ve given up listening to his interviews. I’m sorry but he is one of the most uncharismatic managers I have known in almost 50 years of supporting the club.
Elsewhere: Below us Exeter bear Carlisle and Burton and Wycombe drew. Cheltenham had the result of the day beating Portsmouth.
Dont forget before the season started Scott et al told us that top 6 was the bare minimum required, and that mediocrity was not acceptable.
Dont think we have ever made the top half let alone top 6.
Well they are all mediocre as each other…hence we are known for mid table mediocrity, and by mid Jan pretty much each season.
I am in the Appleton get rid camp, but Scott wont have the minerals to do it.
So in the summer we could have a team of JCH it wont matter a jot with him in charge.
Imagine if you were a player listening to his bollox all week long. At least we only get the interviews.
Mr Motivator…dont piss down my back and tell me its raining.
Muppet.
“…don’t piss down my back and tell me it’s raining” never heard that before….blinking genius that. Consider it stolen and to be used at the next available opportunity.
Spot on CA, if Appleton in all this time still hasn’t been able to sort out the defence & get the midfield to be a link between defence and attack and help out both when needed he isn’t the manager to take us any further. All the panel and all the supporters can see the problems, along with his poor tactics, including playing players out of position and strange use of subs and lifelessness on the touchline, so can’t see this is going to change no matter who he gets in and we will just be floudering around next season in a similar position!
Totally agree Mike, although I can’t see him lasting till next season. Or at least, I hope he doesn’t !!!
Can Appleton explain why we have conceeded very very late goals in the last 7 games ?
He and the coaching staff have failed to address the issue over the past 6 games.
OK we have inexperienced player in defence but you can’t pin the blame on them.
Tactically you should have organised players to kill the game early…..you ARE the manager after all.
In the deep bowels of The Valley a phone rings in on a dusty desk of the SM Panning Room.
Cobwebs are blown off the phone….
“Hi Andy here how can I help ?”
“This is the owner of Luton…..what the hell is going on ?…We loaned Louie to you but your manager for some reason has dropped him to the bench.
The agreement was to play him but your manager has not got a clue,either he plays or we want him.back.”
“Thanks..I’ll ring Michael now !!!!”
Wow…..Louie starts at Port Vale and does the business yet again.