Wallow
A few words on last night.
I was buzzing today. Absolutely wallowing in it. This Blog has always promoted enjoying the moment and that moment is now.
What a bonkers result last night was. An incredible performance that typified so many of the characteristics Nathan Jones drives into this group of players.
Jones is a club builder, and he also builds a culture and a togetherness both on and off the field. Mostly though he builds a belief, and that has been in short supply for much of the last decade, the Bowyer era in really difficult times an anomaly.
We were really up against it in that first half hour last night, but doing the basics and above all a resolute desire to defend our goal got us through it, and actually by the end of the half the pattern of the game showed signs that a home win might not be so crystal clear.
Old Charlton got taken to the cleaners at Portman Road twice in recent times. That 0-6 stuffing players didn’t even give a toss. Jones would never stand for that, last night or any night.
The 2nd half was all about a midfield tenacity and four forwards that ran and chased endlessly and scared the hell out of some of the best defenders in this league. Oh, and that Ramsey tackle..
I had an email from an Ipswich mate in my inbox when I woke up today in awe of ‘our non-stop running, throwing bodies in front of everything and wanting it way more than Ipswich did.’
As a Charlton fan, those are the attributes we’ve only ever asked for. Those and to give an actual shit.
Jones and these players hit the pre-requisite’s and there’s real belief that this journey has so much more to wallow in.
Jones has to take plaudits for building a resolute side and get believe in themselves and their team mates! Sonny Carey what a player and bigger things expected for him !
Nathan is still building at Charlton, when you build you build the foundations first and over the summer Nathan has already built a Championship capable defence, Ipswich 2nd half showed that the midfield has now stepped up (probably because of the addition of some tasty Bree) to rival the defence in Championship capability…., like last season, if the forwards can start mixing it 2nd half of the season then who knows where we could finish? Perhaps even better than the play offs?? Ipswich went L1 to Prem a few seasons ago so why not us?
However, a play off final at Wembley in May 2026 against Millwall to extend our winning run at Wembley and end our Millwall jinx wouldn’t be a bad way to end the season!
Absolutely!
Ipswich friend of mine.”Well, you saw what happened: lots of very pretty first half football without scoring, gift the opposition a goal then fall apart. It’s becoming a theme. First booing for nearly three seasons. Can’t score, can’t defend. Your manager looked happy!”
I’ve just watched the highlights! The result was of course fantastic.
But the expression “against the run of play” seems to apply here.
Ipswich dominated us until the first goal went in. Then clearly bouyed by that we took the game to them.
Very happy to take the three points. It will be some time before we repeat such a performance I suspect.
P.S. when TC crossed for Leaburn to score, the ball looked to have gone over the line. Not that I care particularly, we don’t seem to be getting too many decisions go our way so far this season.
Oh Daggs.. come on be positive! 😂
Who cares what the possession stats say.. they could not score and we did. If was the other way around, I think plenty of people would be criticising the manager, our strikers and the defence. We have experienced that ‘ against the run of play’ this season, look at the Leicester, and popped at our strikers and lack of creativity quality. We have just beaten a side down from the PL, massive squad and budget, put three past them, had other good chances as well and won at their place deemed a fortress. If never happens again.. who cares because we can fondly remember this game. For me this is why I support Charlton ! COYR!
When I was typing the piece you reference. I was sat here thinking someone is bound to come back and accuse me of being negative or moaning.
I’m absolutely not doing either. I watched the highlights and gave an honest opinion.
We had all the luck that evening. That is why I said “It will be sometime before we repeat such a performance”
I was at the home game V Leicester. A game we deserved to win. But they had all the luck that day.
Football innit !
Agree Daggs, after your comment I was waiting for RA to reply, as he has done on mine, previously and others. Unfortunately he is very quick to put down any sort of negative views as only his positive views in his eyes are relevent.
Like you I, don’t wear rose tinted glasses and always try and give an honest view of the game and when writing on here try not to give any bias, whether we win lose or draw and will say it as I see it, unlike certain individuals, who also seem to believe N.J. is the Messiah!
I watched the whole match on TV as I always try to do, as am unable to attend away games, due to certain circumstances and we honestly were well second best in the first half and under the cosh, but with some great defending and really poor shooting from the 30 efforts Ipswich had, we managed to keep it 0-0 at half time. Even Brownie commentating and said just before half-time, I can just see more of this in the second half.
Charlton then came out straight away in the second half all guns blazing on the front foot, which caught Ipswich by surprise and continued to do so for most of the second half and Ipswich never recovered. It was a fantastic result with all the team and subs playing their part and a complete turn around from the first half, which I don’t think anyone saw that happening, after the first half.
IMO That second half, as a team, was probably the best Charlton have played so far this season and was also one of the most entertaining games played by Charlton in that second period.
We needed a result like that as apart from winning games, lets be honest here, we have played a quite a bit of negative, boring football over last season and some over this season and to continue retaining existing supporters
and to bring in new supporters to keep attending, you also need some attacking and entertaining football.
So whilst, I don’t expect anything this season, just to stay in the Championship will be enough for me. We will have some bad days, but lets hope we get more of these really good sort of days, when apart from winning, we do it with style and entertainment, which can make such a huge difference to both supporters and the players themselves.
COYR.
I’m getting worried that we might get promoted! I couldn’t stand a Premier disaster!
Well we are where we are thanks to Jones and the coaching staff and let’s enjoy the dizzy heights we find ourselves…Hull away will be difficult but Jones and Curtis will have done their homework and I’m confident the squad will be shuffled to get the advantage we need.
I’ll mark their homework after the game 😃
We now have a squad of quality players with Godden hopefully enjoying a game soon.
One of our group of wonderful VOD casters reminded me today that it was in February 2024 that Nathan Jones first took charge. Only one year and 8 months ago.
Not always a wonderful 1 year and 8 months, but wonderful progression, nonetheless. We were in danger of falling into the relegation zone of league 1, at that point we were all scared of the season ahead. Jones stabilised by our defence, and rebuilt much of the team, even last season we flirted with danger until that magical point just before Christmas when it all seemed to click into place.
Nathan recently said that, the first thing that we need to do is to learn how to play at this level (championship), then we can push on. Only he knows whether we are pushing on now or still learning.
I am grateful to him and his staff, and the board for backing him. For the first time in a very long while, we are all together, heading in the same direction.