Charlton Athletic 4 Huddersfield Town 0
The perfect response.
It was a fantastic performance from beginning to end. A totally dominating display against a play-off rival. The sunshine wasn’t the only thing to light up The Valley today as to a man the red shirts shone bright ☀️.
It was the dream start with us pressing Huddersfield into an error which Small leapt upon and sent a peach of a cross in for Godden to masterfully head home. 30 seconds were on the clock.
Number two came on 17th minutes when Berry found TC who sauntered towards the box, and fired in a wonderful left footed shot across goal which nestled into the far corner.
Our dominance continued and Huddersfield were not getting a sniff as we pressed them into submission, and scooped up every second ball.
Berry and Godden went close before the visitors had their best spell of the game before the break which included five minutes of injury time after Ramsey was taken out in a fierce but fair tackle.
The beginning of the 2nd half was going to be vital, but we started it like we did the first. Nicholls was forced into early saves from TC and Berry.
It was one-way traffic and our midfield three immense, individually and as a unit, swarmed all over their opposite numbers.
The third came with all three midfielders involved, the ball found its way out TC on the left edge of the box. He cut inside and bent a lovely shot into the right hand corner for his second.
The noise had hardly abated when another attack saw TC pass a ball inside to Docherty who hit a firm shot that bounced off the bar and down onto the line and hit Nicholls to rebound in.
Nathan Jones made a swathe of changes following that but it didn’t change the tempo or the direction of the majority of play. Kaheim Dixon was given a chance, and he was busy as were Anderson and Watson. Aneke shot wide and had a goal chalked off for offside.
It was a very assured win full of energy, lightning quick attacking play and rapid reactions to second balls. The midfield didn’t give them a second, and Jones epitomized our defence when he threw himself to block a shot on target at the end.
Everyone played their part and it was impossible to pick stand-outs, but having Edwards back gave us better balance, and Small was such a threat down the right.
TC played out of his skin, Godden was Godden and the midfield three of Coventry, Docherty and Berry hunted and roamed like a coalition of cheetah’s.
A good day to be an Addick.
🎙️“This week we were clinical, we were aggressive, we had everything I wanted us to be and I’m proud of that performance. It takes a lot to bounce back.” – Nathan Jones
⭐️ Tyreece Campbell
🏟️ 17,278 (1,589 Huddersfield)
📸 Paul Edwards
We’ve endured a lot but that was simply immense.
Hats off to NJ, he’s turned us from relegation chumps into real contenders and who knows what the next 6-8 weeks will bring. But on the up and up as a club we are for sure, great day to be an Addick.
hello
we all played exceptionally well can’t choose a motm as they were quality can’t wait till the Mansfield game on Tuesday hopefully another astounding display
A great showing, the only shame is that run of poor form earlier this season as it seems unlikely that we can nab an automatic spot.
Yes, TBF a few other sides too and Wycombe did have a bad run as have others but one team Wrexham seem to be so lucky with refs decisions and the one against Stockport absolutely disgusting and their nasty piece of works.
Putting things in respective we would have given our right arm to be where we are and yes first we have to make sure of the top 6 and yes still 7 games to go but footie is a very strange game but we are very much outsiders for the autos/
Another great result but this time a great 90 minute performance to go along with it. That, the immense team spirit & the rapport with the supporters is down to the nouse & passion of the manager, & all it’s required of us is a little patience as he’s built what we see now. Think what was happening this time last season – we’re looking forward to Wembley instead of worrying about relegation.
I’m slightly concerned about your (former) regular contributor “Daggs” though, he seems to have gone quiet..?😉
No need to be concerned ‘Shetland’ I’m still here. Haven’t had much to say recently been busy eating the humble pie.
In my defence, look back to how the team were playing up until Christmas. We were a shambles. At the time we looked more like relegation candidates than promotion. NJ’s hoofball and puzzling team selections weren’t working. In previous times our manager would have been sacked for that.
Suddenly everything changed. Two players back from injury, notably Ramsey. Complete transformation of tactics and things improve and how.
If NJ had looked at his decisions and tactics earlier in the season perhaps our run of good form could have come earlier too. Perhaps we could have been top two. But I’m being churlish.
Play-offs is way more than I was expecting as 2025 began and I certainly don’t believe I was alone in those thoughts. I just chose to post them here.
NJ remains an enigma to me. I don’t like him, not that he would care. But I welcome the improvement and hope we compete in the play-offs and would love to see us win them. Not for NJ, but for me and the thousands of Charlton fans who have endured some pretty awful times since; well since Curbishley departed and the stream of awful decisions across the whole club that have taken us from a Premier league club to a third tier club.
Well I have to agree with you Daggs as we were clearly heading in the wrong direction. I’d like to know who persuaded NJ to stop the hoofball system as they are the ones responsible for our improvements. I’m sure it wasn’t just NJ at Luton. Our backroom staff and the team spirit evident since December is the reason we’re performing much better.
Yep criticism from many quarters started even before we were out of the nappy stage, as described this is a long term project given the last few years, and not a cash transformation like some of the teams around us. In NJ we most definately trust. 😎
As per daze agree with your points Daggs, plus a really great performance, probably our best this season.
As per my previous post the only real concerns at present is we only really have one recognised striker, Godden, If he gets injured, it could be came over! As lets face reality, Chucks, Hylton are passed it now and just too slow to play the lone ranger striker up front, Ahadme is not up to playing any role, even Jones, I hope has finally realised this, as he was yet again completely dropped from the team selection and Leaburn and Kanu looks like they could both be out for the rest of the saeson! Though I was pleased Jones at last put Dixon on the bench, and gave him some game time, as if we do reach the playoffs and maybe the final, we will need another striker with speed, especially at Wembley where legs will falter due the size of the pitch.
Glad you’re still here Daggs! Football is all about passion & opinions & it’d be boring if it wasn’t. I was as unhappy as anyone else at our performances early on this season, but Jones was asking for time to build something & he deserved to get it after coming in & improving our fortunes so much at the back end of last season. I wasn’t happy but I thought he should get a chance. Why don’t you like him? I don’t know him, so I neither like nor dislike him, but if he takes us up I’ll love him! He hasn’t achieved anything with us yet, but I think he’s got something about him & I like the fact he inspires so much abuse from opposing supporters. I don’t think anyone will fancy getting us in the playoffs…
Good to hear from you Daggs. Football is all about opinions, these pages are a place for them. We all have Charlton Athletic running through our blood. COYR.
Well thankyou Chig and all the others who have commented today.
I thought I might be a pariah on here now.
I’m humbled once again.
P.S. If NJ gets us promoted and keeps us there next season. I’ll personally send him a thankyou card.
Shetland Addick here – the reply to Daggs from Goateehopefulebbe or whoever is from me, but CA’s WordPress has somehow changed my name to this! 😂
Strange. I thought I had a new follower 😀
Having been at the Valley to almost all the home games this season, my early morning train journey was rewarded with possibly the best performance of the season.The prematch atmosphere was added to by the attendance and on pitch display of our “Nordic five” from our glory years, inc JJ, Claus (Class), The Herminator, Matt Sven and Martin Pringle.The sun shone brightly, but i was prepared with my peaked CAFC baseball cap.Thirty seconds on the clock and Thierry Small, who apparently has a somewhat strong dislike of our near neighbour in nearby Bermondsey, intercepted a pass out from the opposition defender, outpaced his full back, crossed and Matt Godden arcs in front of his defender and heads into the corner for 1-0, the covered end erupted with the latecomers still in Harvey Gardens, missing out.We were front footed and aggressive against a well drilled and coached team, relegated from the Championship, as NJ repeats each week, with the Valley fortress winning the last 7 on the bounce, hoping to make it 8.Again, Lloyd Jones immence in the middle intercepted a pass out, Luke Berry headed to a lurking TC who had terrorised the opposition already, met the ball and struck it in from the edge of the box, 2-0.The next goal is always critical, as we discovered at Blackpool, with this time, TC again continued the threat in the second half, with his dancing to the “Samba music down the wing, scoring a peach of a goal, and the Charlton sing” 3-0 and game over.Further strikes from Captain Doc, which went in off the bar and their keeper and the unluckly Chucks Aneke having another chalked off for a close offside from an Anderson head on, concluded the match and maintained our push for our dream back to the Championship.Tunnel jump and celebrations in front off a noisy Covered end with young Dixon being pushed forward with Docherty and the wonderful TC (I sponsor his shirt) taking the tunnel jump. The downside of the day was a sick Steve Smiffy Smith and my Grandson Riley (Somerset Addick Junior) due to the Sky induced early ko.The day was continued in a raucious Royal Oak, Charlton Lane, with the Guinness flowing to an early DJ and also onto the East Greenwich, River Ale House, with me knowingly and narrowly missing my train home by THREE HOURS haha.I resisted the onward journey to the famous Pelton Arms to watch the “Tutanskaman” band, as i am off to overnight Mansfield for Tuesdays game, and the understanding Mrs W wrath is not recomended. Finally, i failed to mention a penalty appeal by young Dixon, who was played in by an unselfish Chuks and taken out in front of goal and denied a certain goalscoring opportunity…… did anyone see it differently on TV? Watching live from the front row of North upper it was a certain pen. COYA’s with another bouncing Valley expected next Saturday with attendances rising slowly (circa 18k yesterday i heard) but will Lincoln match The Terriers following? Sent from Sky Yahoo Mail on Android
Fantastic match and day out report. You can come again sir.
Very positive performance. Having Edwards back made a difference as Campbell and Small could operate where they are most effective. The one criticism I would make is we have no cover for Edwards which allows Small to stay up field.
Campbell will have been identified by future opponents as our danger man so I think NJ should seriously consider Campbell and Small switching wings for significant periods during the game to wrong foot the opposition. Campbell is comfortable on the right as he played there regularly in the U18s. Small seems comfortable on both feet although stronger on his left.
Does anybody know the situation with Mbick who has been missing for several months?
Take a bow Nathan and players, that performance was emense and just illustrated how good we can be. One of our weaknesses is being consistent each game but the signs are there that we can do that.
We can look forward to a place in the play-offs unless we trip over (doubtful).The Valley rocked for 90 minutes and great to see fans getting behind the team.