Queens Park Rangers 3 Charlton Athletic 1
I think that was a warning call today. We didn’t deserve to lose that match, from 60 mins on we looked the most likely to win, but we left Loftus Road with our tail between our legs.
I think us fans need to remember the ultimate goal here. Possibly our surprise element has been exhausted, we have to be better, and we have to learn quicker but for long periods as the away side we still had the upper hand.
I thought defensively we weren’t anywhere near the standard today, and we simply have to be more decisive going forward and pick better passes.
Questions on certain players can be left for another day, but the fact no one stood out tells its own story.
Set pieces are going to be vital for us, but every single one was terrible today plus Jones’ changes looked haphazard to me.
We started poorly and QPR threatened even before they scored on 8 minutes. Gradually however we got ourselves back into it and Leaburn was very unlucky not to convert an Edwards cross. His shot coming off the bar.
Kicking to a sold out away end we began the 2nd half better and equalized, perhaps fortunately but they all count, when Apter found the inside of the net after better work by Campbell on the left.
Campbell then had an angled shot saved, when perhaps he should’ve gone down for a penalty and then for once we got Kelman into a worthwhile position and he too was fouled. The free-kick I can’t even remember it was so poor.
Naively perhaps we should’ve shut up shop for a point as we neared the 90, but we turned the ball over in the midfield and for the first time in an age an opposing player turned Lloyd Jones inside out and they retook the lead.
A breakaway third came in the 97th minute as we pushed everyone forward.
Disappointing yes, the end of the world no, but there is no resting on laurels in this division. We have to be smarter, we have to be better and Jones has some selection decisions to make.
One last comment, which isn’t an excuse but the referee’s and linesmen are no better in this league than L1.
🎙️“I wanted us to start the second half really well. We were okay and then got the goal. We need to demonstrate more quality in moments. We were in the ascendency but then when we had opportunities they committed fouls. We had corners and set-plays but didn’t take advantage of them. We didn’t put the ball in areas to score.” – Nathan Jones
⭐️ Miles Leaburn
🏟️ 16,875 (1,720 Addicks)
📸 Kyle Andrews
Agree with you CA but I disagree with one thing for me Campbell stood out getting in all kinds of positions but just floundered at the last minute time and time again leaburn also looked better today I think we need another tendency and Hunt combo that’s for sure nj said we ll use the break wisely let’s see if we do, just remember sole aim this year is staying up…
Sorry mendonca and Hunt combo I meant
We guessed mate and those were the days
We started poorly and were under the cosh for most of the first half…..for some reason we looked (as a team) tired and slow, and reverted to (dare I say it) hoofball. We bucked up somewhat after half time and looked far better. Hey, having said that, we are a newly promoted team, and we are not going to be allowed to put in sparkling perfomances against everyone we come up against. Sometimes it’s going to be backs against the wall stuff. I do worry about the pairing of Leaburn and Campbell…..they don’t look strong enough together for the Championship. Campbell had a better game today, although he still lost posession at times, and had several passes go astray. I can’t understand why NJ leaves it so late to introduce substitutes either. Anyway a two week break now,then it’s Millwall !!!!!
What good position was Campbell getting in when we conceded the second goal. Seriously, Campbell is overrated in my opinion. Best from the bench.
Campbell is so frustrating. I feel like he can get us in some real good positions but at this level will be found out unless he can bring more variation to his game.
Sadly he also has no real goal threat, and we can’t carry a striker in this league.
I also had him down for fault for their 2nd goal, and at that point I couldn’t see them scoring.
It was a disappointing performance given where QPR were as a team going into the game. The first goal was going to be key and we let them in softly to get ahead and give them some belief. We should have scored before halftime to make it 1-1. That was the only real quality ball we got into our forwards. We got back into the game and then we were taking the game to them and you could sense the apprehension in their fans and players. Our set pieces were abysmal for this level, and they need to be improved. Set pieces are a key component, and our delivery and inventiveness needs some improvement. We couldn’t capitalise on good free kick positions and let them off the hook. Dead ball delivery is a skill, we had seen Apter putting in good deliveries. However, today we had numerous players taking them all with the same ineffectiveness. Leave it to one or two, right foot and left foot players. Something for the training ground , where I am told they work on them but today it seems we lacking any real quality. So time for a reset on that strategy.
The TC debate continues.. perhaps one of his better games in terms of movement and runs. However, at this level any weakness is exploited, his lack of strength was exposed again and resulted in them breaking away for their second. It was hard to take as we were arguably on top at that moment. NJ appears to be switching TC to the rh side and perhaps highlights the need of RWB from the bench to bring on for Apter. Tbf to TC, he was not alone and some other players had below par performances. We have time to reset and get a few things sorted. We have shown we can compete at this level but those levels need to be maintained as in this league.
There will be some transfer movement before the window closes. We will have to take some of these performances during the season against better teams, but today I left the ground frustrated as we didn’t perform against an average team with a frailty to be exposed.
Chatting to my QPR friend afterwards, he felt we were too naive at times, highlighting TC not going over in the box as an example.
Unless we start scoring goals we will be in the bottom three, only Sheffield Utd has score less than us with just one goal and lets be honest Apters goal was a fluke! At present we don’t look like a team that can score more than one in a game if that, we struggled last season and without Godden we wouldn’t be in the Championship now. The players brought in up front including the midfielders were all regular goal scorers last season, but most have hardly had a decent effort on target let alone score a goal, so its time to step up and show what they can do, as the defence as shown today, can’t keep bailing them out!
Also very concerned about Kaminski, as from the showings so far for a so called Premiership goalie, he doesn’t look as good either Mannion or Brewer!
As I said previously, whilst certain others thought they would be an easy taking, QPR will be a hard task after losing by such a big score and it will be even harder against our rivals Millwall who we can never seem to beat, who also lost to today.
So lets hope we can at last put on a good show against them and come out on top for once as we really need this, with the following away game at Sheffield Utd, who have to start winning at some point and we all know from last season, how our form seemed to drop against some of the lower teams, which we were expected to win.
Agree with Greg, as myself and others have previously commented on Jones still continues to bring on the subs far to late to change the game, especially in the the last 5 minutes, which he has now done in the last two.
Mike.. on the subs, two came on in the 68 minute when it was 1-1. They allow at least 25 mins to influence the game. They scored and we brought another one. We can all visionary after the game.. so when you would have brought on the subs , when and who ?? Just interested? Given they scored in the 85 minutes. When is too late ?? I do agree with the 90 mins substitutions seem pointless to me when chasing the game. What are your concerns on the keeper? He can’t be blamed for the goals or perhaps you think differently?? . His kicking is far better than Mannion or AMB. What are you expecting from him ?
Be good to know as we can then see what you are saying or expecting from him in future games.
The last 10 minutes were appalling from just about everyone and yes they all part of the defence and we had them under the cosh but again very little quality and even Apter was struggling but he was always trying to do things, and for the second successive match taken off and the subs much too late and IMHO the costly recruits are simply not doing the business and why is Mannion who had a great season last year but AMB is bit good enough.
Very little quality and there were 2 sides going hammer and Tongs and saw it live and enjoyed it but we knew what was going to happen.
Still at least, but it does not make us any happier and saw Brentford conceding 2 goals to lose the game.
Ifs and but and are we missing Godden and wonder if you will be the same player again and is anyone really going to get 10 goals amonst the lot of them up fromt?
Red Army, this issue re the too late subsituitions by NJ has been brought up both now and previously by various people on this site and apart from you all have been on the same wave length, that they are brought on too late! Also for your information NJ bought on Olafe, Costello and Fuller on 90+2 mins with similar late subs for the Leicester game Olafe & Costello 86mins and Gillisphey 90 mins.
Again re Kaminiski, I am not alone in that he is not any better than Mannion or Brewer, which many, just not on here, but other sites have mentioned. For one he does not command his area as he mostly stays on his line for corners free kicks etc, which ask any Luton fan, was one of his faults. He also keeps playing these short passes to both right and especially left backs when they have an opposing player right on top of them and in the end they are mostly hurried into trying to get rid of the ball. Plus apart from the third goal, where he differed again whether to come out or not, which was mentioned by the commentator, same as in a previous game which almost cost us a goal, he also let a quite easy shot bounce of his chest, which luckily no opposing player was near to follow up. So at present and nor do many others, see any improvement on what we already had, considering it would appear, his wages far exceed any other current Charlton player! Hopefully this has given you my answers to both your questions.
I have been on this site for many years and have disagreed sometimes with some of the points on a post as others will have disagreed with some of mine. I have also disagreed sometimes with some of CA’s points as others have also done, as we all have our own opinions on different matters, but unlike you, since you have come onto the site, if you don’t like &/or agree with certain comments you always come back in a patronising manner, which quite frankly isn’t called for on here as in general its a nice friendly site run by an excellent person in CA, who spends a lot of his own time, keeping us up to date on Charlton & other interesting matters.
I know it’s not the same on certain other sites where they are very sarcastic etc if they don’t agree, but I and believe others on this site don’t want that on here, so suggest if you can’t be civil with your questions to other opinions if they don’t agree with yours, that you go back to your previous sites to post there!
From someone who didnt watch the game ,i agree on substitution timing Some managers even sub at HT when things arn’t working,Let alone late in the second half
I dont understand the constant rubbishing of TC, He seems to be the only effective player going forward,I am an old school supporter,where a winger is a winger,not this modern ,wing back BS. Like Small TC should be an out and out winger,full stop. To be winger and defender, together, demands super,fitness Or playing a larger proportion of a game, with resting periods Starting ,Or impact
Have to agree with all the comments made that highlighted the positive and negative aspects of the game….we need to focus on the facts that we are a new squad lacking experience and tactical skills to deal with Championship teams.
Sensible and realistic fans will realise this season is about survival and Jones I’m sure will focus on that.
It was evident that we really need to be scoring more goals from the chances we made and it was frustrating to see.
Fingers crossed that we might find a striker before the window shuts.!!!
QPR lost their last match 7-1 and were clearly going to react to that – so we needed a strategy to hold them for the first 15 minutes. Unfortunately we were 1-0 down by then.
I though Doc and Coventry were a bit over-run in midfield and we needed to have brought fresh legs on way before they departed. By then Saito was on and running at our defenders and got the winner. We needed to have changed things to nullify him.
We also need to work on the final third – we either take one touch too many or try and lump it forward and get behind their lines.
Our set pieces were poor – I can’t remember a decent corner or free-kick into the box.
With a fortnight before Millwall we need to work on being a bit sharper in and around the penalty box.
I wasn’t at the game so I’m relying on what those who were observed.
It seems we were all over the place for most of the game. NJ is in love with TC despite the latters constant failure to do his job properly.
Ramsey, who I genuinely think is a class player, had a stinker. If he’s carrying an injury, don’t play him.
NJ who now can use five subs, when things aren’t going well. Sticks to his long held philosophy of leaving them as late as possible, regardless of the state of the game.
We don’t look capable of scoring more than a single goal and that is far from guaranteed.
Millwall next at The Valley. No matter how many different personnel, how many different teams and how many years pass. We regularly capitulate to them.
If NJ is going to use the “International break wisely” He might consider dropping his favourites, altering the formation to combat the opposition and using the bloody subs. if it ain’t going our way.
It’s still early days for us a promoted side. There’s plenty of time to get it right. I just hope NJ achieves that before Christmas this year. This is a tough division.