Charlton Athletic 2 Northampton Town 3
Tonight Charlton are looking for their 17th permanent manager in less than 18 years after Alan Curbishley gracefully left his post.
Michael Appleton’s final game was anything but graceful and in a bear pit of an atmosphere he was fired straight after the game following another injury time defeat, this time to Northampton Town who scored their winner in the 97th minute.
Tonight’s game was a swot analysis of Michael Appleton’s time in charge of Charlton.
We started apprehensively, and conceded early thanks to pitiful defending. Jones was the offender. To go a goal down in 7 minutes was the last thing Appleton needed.
We pulled a goal back, with a bit of luck but within two minutes were behind again after granting their scorer the freedom of the penalty box. Nonetheless going forward we still looked a threat and Watson (T) fired home right on the stroke of half-time.
That should have been the conductor to a strong start to the 2nd half, but the game turned into a humdrum affair punctuated by misplaced passes from both sides.
The Addicks were the more potent force though despite some odd subs from Appleton – Campbell was put on as RWB, and Fiorini replaced Coventry. I have to say I have seen absolutely nothing from Fiorini in his time on the pitch to warrant his signing.
Ladapo is another not match fit and was so rusty and out on his feet. Only Appleton will know why Kanu didn’t replace Ladapo and of course he kept Watson (L) on the bench.
The referee didn’t help of course, who knows where they find them and the linesmen at this level. Edun was sent off after almost having his own leg broken and then as a warning Northampton were denied a blatant penalty after AMB tripped their player one-on-one. The Cobbler was booked for his pain.
Only bottom of the table Fleetwood have conceded more goals than us, and sure enough as the clock approached the last seconds of injury time we concede another late, late goal which was truly the final nail in Michael Appleton’s coffin.
My question to the management team is why they allowed Appleton to take another game. They threw those 3 points away, and we deserve an explanation from the numpties we now have to trust in picking the next stooge.
In the meantime we face a really tough run of game’s and sit just 4 points above the relegation places having played more games than most of the teams below us.
Numbing isn’t it.
MoM: Terell Thomas. He only played 45 minutes after replacing Jones at HT, who was having a ‘mare.
Appleton of my eye: 👋
Elsewhere: Wigan beat Wycombe 1-0 with a goal in the 110th minute. Reading beat Derby where CBT made his debut and Exeter had a big win away at Bristol Rovers.
Just a dreadful appointment. Tactically inept, seemed to piss players off, failed to engage with the fans and had no pragmatism with his subs to earn points. 10 without a win with recent fixtures is appalling. I know Dean was in a bad run earlier in the season but was surprised we got rid of him – at least he communicated.
And so we go around again, this time in a relegation fight.
My hands are my pockets and I.m ready for this !
Playing out from the back ,passing across they’re own goal when the clearly don’t have the confidence to do it ,marking space rather than the man woeful defending I could go on and on school boy errors chasing for a winner when we were down to 10 men ,you knew their winner was coming….dreadful absolutely dreadful I hate to see anyone lose their job but come on !
Truth is we were poor. A lot of honest effort and graft but whether it was the pitch or lack of match fitness the first or second touch of too many players was poor. We were fortunate with both equalisers – Ladapo had an air kick at May’s cross and the ball hit their defender and went in, the second equaliser came after a poor touch from Ladapo who let the ball get away from him, fortunately it deflected into Tennai Watson’s path. But bad defending gave us a mountain to climb. You can’t win matches when you make basic defensive mistakes that gift goals.
Even Edun’s second yellow was brought on by a poor touch, he let the ball get away from him and then rescued it, unfortunately a contrarian referee decided that he committed a foul. He missed a handball on the line too (from an Alfie May shot), that should have been a red (on the basis of the letter of the law) and then he gave AMB the benefit of the doubt after tripping their player in our box. It’s almost as though they deliberately chuck referees into League One who are bad.
Two things:
It was widely rumoured Appleton was sacked after the Burton debacle. As unlikely as it may seem, I believe that was the case. The club however asked him, as part of his pay-off, to take the team V Northampton. A stupid idea but I think that’s what happened. When has any manager ever been fired at the final whistle?
The new manager/head coach is not going to be signed as a permanent. It will be a contract to the seasons end, with the simple brief, avoid relegation. If in the event he seems to do well and fits in, then maybe a new contract would be offered.