Charlton Athletic 2 Wrexham 2
I think a last kick of the game equalizer hides another below par performance, but it was still great to hear the noise when Matty Godden smacked home that penalty.
It was not in anyway memorable, and the build up to this week’s game has been a little odd, but if a few of those day trippers or lapsed fans return, then at least that’s something, as we don’t get any better at nailing these ‘big games.’
I wasn’t sure by Nathan Jones starting XI, which instantly changed when Watson was taken off after four minutes but the manager has a physio’s room brimming with crocks. It’s two weeks now until the next league game, so hopefully we can get a couple back.
We knew that Wrexham are surfing on a big wave, but are little more than efficient and unspectacular. We meanwhile still look a work in progress and sometimes I sit back and wonder what we want to be when we grow up, which sadly still looks a long way into the future.
The Red Dragons took the lead to another goal that looked defendable. I wasn’t sure if Coventry touched it but he was tagged by the own goal. Perhaps Mannion could’ve done better?
For the third game in succession we went behind, but drew level just 7 minutes later when Gillesphey looped in a header from an Edwards cross.
Elliot Lee stung the crossbar before half-time and things ended up even, with maybe us slightly ahead on points.
The 2nd half saw some changes, but once Wrexham re-took the lead they went into game management mode and I wasn’t convinced about a way back, but it was our turn to get an late injury time equalizer. The penalty was given for hand ball and Godden smashed it home.
In his favour Jones has instilled a fighting spirit, epitomized by Alex Mitchell, but if we thought he’d bottled a more exciting way of playing against Birmingham and Stockport, we have since gone backwards creating little and now with the loss of Jones and Ramsey look defensively susceptible again.
He does need to settle on a midfield, who combined might make a decent player but individually are uninspiring.
Uninspiring is what we’ve got. Even down to the half and half scarves!
🎙️”It’s the first time I’ve watched a penalty for about eight years. We have had two penalties here and we’ve missed them both, so I thought it ain’t doing me any good. TC and Chuks both missed penalties here, so I thought I might as well watch it.” – Nathan Jones
⭐️ Alex Mitchell
🏟️ 24,692 (2,647 from the Hollywood Hills)
📸 Kyle Andrews
Glass half empty/Glass half full???…. really not sure but a patched up team scrapping for a point isn’t to be sniffed at imo…NJ is levels above what we’ve endured in recent years…levels above… you take the best two players out of a top team they’ll struggle, we’re not a top team and missing our best two so credit where it’s due.
Agree. And plenty of games to play. Think my glass is just half filled! I would really like to see a bit more potential though. November could be a big month.
Yes, agree Steve and CA and noticed Jones going on about injuries but even before the loss of Jones and Ramsey though we had still have sub-standard players.
At the end of the day what point and yes the season us still young but???
How Ironic that 2 defenders have scored their first goals for CAFC and now the defense very shaky.
However, Mitchell is very aggressive indeed and at fault for the first goal but it must be said the 2nd one he put a wonderful tackle in and then the ball fell very kindly for the sub first touch.
Definately a point gained!!!
A scrappy point is decent but I agree that we have to improve and develop some better attacks.
Also that Wrexham second looked offside to me.
I suppose I should be pleased with a point against the mighty Wrexham. But (predictably) I ain’t.
Bailed out by a late late penalty doesn’t tell the story. Another faltering performance under a faltering manager.
Our strikers (what’s left of them) can’t score. Our midfield has no dynamism and our defence is shaky to put it politely.
Goalkeeper Mannion was brought in as a number two (no pun intended) It’s a shame the number one never arrived. AMB is a better keeper, but he seems to have fallen foul of the Messiah (like Alfie)
I believe we have a match in the pointless trophy, midweek. A good opportunity to put out a team weaker than the usual first choice eleven (if that’s possible) The best we can hope for is to get knocked out ASAP. The whole thing is a farce.
Then we move on to Southend who I fully expect will end our FA cup run ……………………….
P.S. Cardiff City are still seeking a new permanent manger. Can someone remind NJ of the vacancy, it’s perfect for him (and better for us)
Cardiff should give it to the caretaker.
Nooooooooooooo
Nathan Jones is the man for the job, please.
Jeez it’s hard work supporting Charlton! I think a draw was probably the fair result. Wrexham weren’t great and if we had just defended properly we wouldn’t have conceded. I can’t quite work out our plan in midfield. Coventry frustrates me…he’s obviously a player but he seems reluctant at best to play a forward pass. Doherty i can’t work out at all. I really want Leaburn to get fit and find his pre injury form, but he looks off it at the moment. (But yes he probably needs some time.) Godden slotted the pen, so well done for that, but i want more from him. On the bright side, i think oppositions are terrified of TC’s pace, and while he lacks finishing ability, perhaps there’s a way to utilise him better? One thing seems to clear to me…we need to be better all over the pitch if we are going to trouble the top six this season.
I was hoping Charlton would kick on after your result versus us but it seems like you raised your game versus the leaders and fell back to the same poor standards. I was impressed with the fight Mansfield’s showed yesterday though the referee was extremely poor. We should in all reality have been 4 or 5 up by half time but a combination of horrible finishing and good defending kept it at 0-1. Defending from set pieces seems to be a concerning trend developing with a free kick going through a wall which parted like the red sea. On paper the next set of fixtures looks a lot easier but we can’t relax as every team will be up for the game and we need to maintain our standards. Your late equaliser was a good for us as it kept Wrexham at bay. It is all about consistency and stringing together a few results.
Before the season started this was my predicted league table.
💙💙BLUES💙💙
Stockport
Bolton
Huddersfield
Wrexham
Charlton
Peterborough
Rotherham
Barnsley
Wigan
Reading
Leyton Orient
Wycombe
Lincoln
Blackpool
Bristol Rovers
Stevenage
Exeter
Shrewsbury
Mansfield
Northampton
Burton
Cambridge
Crawley
The truth is we have a really decent starting team, if all are the fit and Jones would actually play them together, with the exception of Mannion who is fairly average. As whilst he has made a few decent saves he has also cost us goals and IMO Brewer should now be given a game, but Jones as Daggs has implied, appears he is completely out of favour with Jones!
After that, apart from a couple of others on the fringe, we don’t have any decent backup to take their places, as you can easily see just at the back with Jones & Ramsey missing, we are a complete shambles, as Reg and Gilisphey are definately not adequate replacements in any shape or form. The same goes for the midfield and the strikers.
Unfortuantely whilst Jones has kept on some of the dross from last year he has also bought others in who are no better &/or worse than he got rid of, so little wonder as we have quantity rather than quality, which I believe Jones told us all when he arrived, he wanted quality over quantity! Well somethings gone wrong somewhere so whose to blame, as all the new signings are his doing, with Ahadme, Potts, Hylton etc to name but a few!
Not convinced by Docherty or A Campbell either.
Agree CA I was including them in a few with others as well, rather than naming all of them! 🙂 and the rest are from the previous year who are still with us.