Charlton Athletic 1 Watford 0
What a way to win a season opener. So many trademarks from last season in that performance and it was great to see Nathan Jones push for the win in the last part of the game and not be content with a point
I was grateful that my Qatar Airways WiFi held out and the game was a joy to watch and a very noticeable step up in quality.
It’s hard on the back of one game to work out where Watford will place in this division compared to others, yet they have some very good players, have made plenty of signings and were a powerful side.
They were probably stronger and more technical than any team we faced last season, and we went toe to toe and thoroughly deserved to beat them
Jones started with Bell over Gillesphey and TC partnered Kelman up front, and the 9-man bench was strong and included Berry, Knibbs, Mannion and Leaburn.
Following a lovely tribute to Pierre Bolangi, Ethan Ade-Oduwale and Jorge Costa, at kick off The Valley was a cauldron and we started really brightly and only a smart save by Selvik from Lloyd Jones prevented us from taking an early lead.
The opening half was about periods of play as the power switched from us to them and back again, but our defence was typically water-tight and we created the best opportunities.
Watford began the second period on the front foot, but again the pendulum swung but with players on both sides tiring in the early season heat, changes from both benches almost created a different game for the last 20 minutes.
Leaburn, Knibbs, Gillesphey and Olaofe all entered the fray to match Watford’s five subs.
Before the goal it was a story of three penalties, each pretty stonewall, that were all denied by the ref. Kaminski certainly got away with one, but instead of Watford sensing a chance to take all three points they appeared happy to settle for a point.
Charlton, however were not, and when a deep and almost too long an injury time corner from Coventry was superbly headed back across goal by the sublime Lloyd Jones Knibbs was there to half-volley home. The Valley roof came off at that point as Knibbs stood Jude Bellingham like in front of the Covered End to breathe it all in.
It was a tremendous win, and there was so much good to take away. Lloyd Jones and Ramsey excelled again, and although Bell made me nervous a couple of times, he was centre to a lot of good stuff. Josh Edwards bested a real battle with Baah, and was MoM material.
Rob Apter was excellent, never shirking a tackle and his left foot produced some superb crosses. He also came close to scoring twice. Aptor worked so well, I guess not surprisingly, with Carey who I thought was excellent and a real ball of energy.
Some of Conor Coventry’s passing was a little too reminiscent of L1 quality, but as always he never hid, but I did think Docherty at times struggled with the pace of the game.
TC was TC really, but he will need to up his game to survive and thrive at this level. The only disappointment was Kelman, but it just didn’t work out for him today and Jones will need to work out which striking partner will bring out the best in him.
All the subs played their part with Knibbs taking the 94th minute headline.
A clean sheet win! So much of the same, and also so much more.
🎙️“I just thought they are technically a wonderful side. They are ex-Premier League, they’ve got athleticism but I thought we matched them and once we got to grips with it we showed no fear. We went after the game and we demonstrated some wonderful, wonderful quality. I thought we just need something to fall to us in the box but when it did fall to us you probably didn’t want it to fall to anyone else on the pitch because that’s what we paid the money for and that’s what he did.” – Nathan Jones
⭐️ Sonny Carey
🏟️ 21,778 (3,138 Watford)
📸 Paul Edwards
Who could ask for anything more?
Boys did well and 3vpoints bagged already…onwards and upwards together !!!!!
Excellent summary CA.
Bearing in mind 1 of my two sons is a Watford season ticket holder, that was quite the spicy season opener. He’s keeping his head down tonight.
Technically I think, Ramsey is by far and away our best player, thought he was outstanding. Lloydy is Lloydy and yes, Raptor impressed going forward, you can get away with that as a WB in L1 but think he’ll need to offer more defensively. It wasn’t Kelman’s game for sure but way too early to judge, he’ll improve under Jones for sure.
My sis is a Luton fan and whilst she’s praised Kaminski as a shot stopper, pretty damning in terms of his comms and coming off the line, he had nothing to do all afternoon but that was a very indecisive and worrying moment that should’ve led to a pen.
Still, who’s complaining, a rip-roaring start to what will be a great and topsy-turvy season I’m sure.
Just feel we’re in the best place as a club since them prem a years…bring it on.
and btw think Knibbs will end up player of the season btw, definitely a touch of the Jude Bellingham’s about him
That’s the first three points, hopefully of many !!! I thought everyone did their jobs pretty well today, so congrats to NJ and the boys. I’ve just watched Bristol City’s anhialation of Sheffied Utd on their own patch. They look to play the ‘high press’ game, and are very sharp on the break……It will be a massive test at Ashton Gate next Saturday. COYR.
I thought it was a good team performance with Casey and Apter the stand out players. Conversely, TC and Doherty looked leggy and were our less impacting players. But you can’t say there was no desire and the players coming on were impact players. So you could not ask for more, 3 pts, clean sheet and a home win. As for Watford.. mid table team last season looks like the same for this season. They were a strong until, with a nice playmaker (10)in the midfield. Clearly there is a better quality moving up a league. But we held our own, and I think we will get better. That Bristol City match away looks like a mountain now .. yikes fingers crossed for that one.
Enjoying the rollercoaster ride, and actually enjoyed the game.
A great game, a great atmosphere and a great finish.
There were only a few players who had played at this level before – I think Doc, Kaminski and Carey while one or two others had a few games here and there. But we didn’t look overawed and had spells when we were dominant, then we had spells when we were under pressure but we coped. But we kept Watford down to one decent chance on goal, their keeper Selvik was by far the busier.
There should have been two penalties and Kaminski needs to have come off his line there and made a routine punt forward a simple collection. Why he hesitated I don’t know, some Luton fans suggested that he was poor at coming out for those sort of balls so possibly it’s an inherent thing. I’m not sure about the shout on Olaofe, I simply didn’t get a decent view.
After the substitutions I thought Watford lost momentum while ours gave us a second wind. Finishing strongly was a feature of many matches last season and the introduction of Leaburn, Olaofe and Knibbs gave us that impetus. Our set balls weren’t that good but that last one worked.
With a new side three points against tough opponents will do wonders to settle things down. Not only did we win but we deserved the win. You can grab a goal and three points while not playing particularly well but its more satisfying to do it on the back of a good team performance.
Thought Josh Edwards was outstanding today in his personal battle with Baah, as indeed he was for most of last season.
Well done Charlton and yes only the first game but onwards and upwards.
Well done Charlton and onwards and upwards!!!
That’s the first time I’ve missed the first home game of the season for many years (I was at a wedding in Hertfordshire)
Great start. I intend to be at the home game V Leicester.
Great result. A goal from a set play again, a nod down by Jones, finished by Knibbs. Kelman had a quiet game, he was too isolated. NJ claims Campbell to be a striker but to me he is an inverted left winger and rarely got within 20 yards of Kelman. Kelman is a goalscorer but not technically strong, he needs a technically strong co-striker who can hold the ball up and create chances for him. the pair should regularly be less than 15 yards apart. This means Leaburn or Knibbs as the co-striker. How to fit this in with Campbell may be difficult with the present 3-5-2 system.
Kaminsky did not look as confident as Mannion and fouled a Watford forward which the referee failed to punish with a penalty, I was not impressed, Mannion should be first choice.
As you know I follow the academy sides and the two players whose progress I will be following this season are Keenan Gough and Reuben Reid
I’m always pleased to get thoughts on academy players.
Couple of questions for you — who do you think would benefit from a loan move and to what level and second what do you think or Fullah’s potential?
Great game & result with Carey, showing how an attacking midfielder should play, always looking to move forward and not sideways and backwards, which is the easy option! He looked class, it’s what we have really been missing for so many seasons.
The only downside, which a few on here have mentioned and others around where we sit were commenting, was Kaminski. In that he never, apart from rushing off his line then hesitating, that he never comes out, for corners & crosses he just stays on his line, which is what Luton supporters advised about him. Plus the hospital short kicks out to players at the back who had players bearing down on them, nearly caught us out a few times.
Which is all quite concerning and can’t at present see that he is any better than either Brewer or Mannion, especially as he is the top wage earner now in the team, by quite a bit!
Anyway it was his first game so will give him the benefit of the doubt, so lets just hope that was a one off.
Onwards to Bristol City which will be a much tougher task, so even a draw would be an excellent result.
Brilliant day, one for the history books, terrific performances on the pitch. Shame it couldn’t be said the same for the East Stand Bars which were an absolute shambles . The club must’ve lost mucho revenue with fans giving up on ever getting a beer.
Nice to hear from you Rick.
Yes, a lot of great work on The Valley but loos and bars still stuck in the 90’s unfortunately.