Relentless
Talking Point 🗣️
What happened and what did they do with our drab-season’s already over Charlton Athletic?
I wrote after the Blackpool game that suddenly I felt invested again. For the first time in an age watching them is edge of the seat stuff, air thrashing, chair tipping over moments that we live for, when being an Addick in recent years has been a footballing journey to death row.
I’m starting to get a little skittish if I’m honest. This has to be the first time since a Nigel Adkins late run four years ago that our season was alive as we entered the spring.
So, what happened to our long ball hapless team. “We really are a pitiful excuse of a football team. Devoid of any quality, creativity and ideas” I wrote after the Crawley game, just a couple of months back.
Is it as simple as players clicking, having injuries back, stumbling upon a formation and confidence. Maybe it is. Jones is a notable builder of clubs, and not to everyone’s style, but has had success when he’s been allowed to build a foundation and a culture.
There has been a whole sea-change though which is hard to fathom. Why mostly the same players now look to thread a pass as opposed to hoof it aimlessly forward is a mystery but we can attempt to work that out at a later date, in the meantime you have to enjoy these moments when they come.
When Jones talked of relentlessness, fluidity, being the best version of ourselves and us watching players that care and run through walls I was not the only one that found it jarring, but now when I write about performances all of those phrases race through my mind.
Those narratives are best describing recent displays since whenever the penny dropped. One thing is for sure these players have been relentless, look uber fit and are playing for the shirt to the very final whistle.
There’s much to admire in that and tomorrow we face the season’s toughest test, but these players, and Jones, have given us something to believe in.
I think Lloyd Jones returning was key, suddenly the squad had confidence that we would keep clean sheets again, with a few months of training together Coventry, Berry and the Doc started to gain an understanding of each other’s games and confidence in each other’s positioning. Small then found a role (other than Edwards understudy) and we had an attacking threat down the right.
We can not underestimate TC’s contribution in injuring Gas in the pre game warm up which gave Godden/Leaburn an extended run in the team.
All in all, confidence breeds confidence, and the team now trust in each other’s abilities so we go to St Andrew’s tomorrow in expectation rather than dread!
It’s obvious to witness the improved positive spirit amongst the players in recent games and the “never,never,never give up ” mentality to give all till final whistle.The fans are responding vocally and this lifts the team to dominate the opposition.
Birmingham will be a tough test but I’m more confident that we can get a result…COYRS!!!
I actually like Charlton fans but God your manager talks some shit. Nothing much in the game between the two teams today. Maybe he should join that pathetic referee we had today at Specsavers. In all reality Blues should have been at least 3-0 by half time but for hitting the post and some great saves by your keeper. I can’t remember a shot by Charlton.
The officiating at this level is shockingly poor and I’m not sure what the linesman was there for as he just waited for the referee to make the decisions despite him standing a few feet away from the action. One of the most blatant handballs by your keeper not given. The size of the crowd reaction and from our bench is usually a good indicator. Our manager got a yellow for his reaction.
Great goal by Stanno to win the game. His 20th of the season in all competitions including one for Fulham when they played us in the Carabao cup. Nine clear of second place Wycombe with a game in hand. I think 7 more wins and 90 points should be good enough to seal automatic promotion. Just a little matter of EFL Trophy semi final on Tuesday and a chance of a double this season.
We’ve got that strong spine – not just good players but genuine experience: Lloyd Jones, Conor Coventry, Greg Docherty, Luke Berry and Matty Godden, all have a lot of games under their belts. Around them we have youth and pace, we look a genuine attacking threat on both wings – TC on the left, Thierry Small on the right and they both link well with their wing backs. Best of all we are playing to these strengths. We have recruited very well over the last year.
We also have the fittest looking Charlton side in a long time. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that we’ve scored quite a few late goals and conceded relatively few late on, at least compared to previous seasons. Going back to the pre-season training camp in Slovakia it was clear that the squad were working hard, most teams like to peak physically in the new year and we have done that.
We shouldn’t discount the Will Abbott effect either, he was brought in to make sure that players trained properly and avoided unnecessary strain injuries, that means we have a full squad of players to select from. We’ve had very few pulled muscle/hamstring type injuries. I wonder what effect Curtis Fleming has had too – our defence has improved since he joined in late January last year. Again not a coincidence.