Charlton Athletic 1 Swansea City 1
That was a point won today and not two lost. Despite taking the lead we were unable to take hold of the game and in the end were baying for the final whistle.
We weren’t ourselves today, definitely not the best version of ourselves, but we didn’t lose and move onto another busy week.
Reece Burke, James Bree, Conor Coventry and Charlie Kelman all returned to the side that drew at Hull.
The first half won’t live long in the memory, but we did edge it and Gillesphey came the closest to breaking the deadlock when he had a header from a corner well tipped over.
The half was really only memorable due to us losing both Amari’i Bell and Reece Burke to injuries meaning enforced changes.
Within 60 seconds of the re-start we were ahead and it was Kelman with his first Addicks goal. The Valley noise lifted for him as he expertly hit a rising ball over the keeper from a tight angle after a regular pass into the box from Coventry eluded a Swans’ defender.
The game was then set for us to move into the next gear and get the win, but the loss of Burke and Bell seemed to throw us out of kilter. I didn’t like TC at LWB and we lacked energy and the press was non-existent as we dropped deeper and deeper.
The game became far too open and Swansea always looked like they could pick a pass and score, whereas we did not.
Their goal came after about twenty odd passes, each one we were not within five yards off, and eventually Idah was allowed to manoeuvre three defenders, make room for a shot and fire in off the post.
After that it was about holding on as we were second best. Carey did have a stinging shot, but it was straight at their ‘keeper, and their man Key should’ve won the game but contrived to fire into the top tier of the Jimmy Seed Stand instead of the net.
Knibbs and Oloafe added some much needed energy alongside a busy Leaburn and the game ended with the points shared.
Swansea were good, yes they passed the ball immaculately, but they also had an edge that at times we couldn’t deal with. For the first time parts of this game resembled what I thought we’d see more often this season with us chasing shadows and sitting deeper and deeper with little possession.
Importantly, however we still got a point, but some Energizer Bunnies need to be called upon this week, as well as replacements for Bell and Burke.
🎙️“In the end we had to make sure that we stayed in the game and that we didn’t lose and that’s what we did today.” – Nathan Jones
⭐️ Charlie Kelman
🏟️ 20,405 (2,227 Swans)
📸 Paul Edwards
Precisely, and never forget there are always 2 teams out there, and yes, again, credit to Swansea who are a very good side, and yes it was a point gained, and hope we can cope with the inevitable injuries and if necessary recall our loan players, that is if CAFC have that option in their deals.
Not the best performance today, as you say, but really pleased to see Charlie Kelman get off the mark.
I hope you can bear with me while I relay this tale;
I intended to be at the game yesterday, but didn’t get there in the end.
Since Greenwich council destroyed any hope of driving to the home games with their new parking restrictions, I have been going by train.
Yesterday SE rail in their wisdom decided to shut the lines from Dartford to Charlton for Maintenance.
Why do this on a Charlton home game day? Why not when we are away?
I have contacted both the club and CAST about this issue. Surely Charlton and SE rail can liase over this. Surely Greenwich council could relax their rules on a Saturday. This combination of travel difficulties, must both reduce the attendance and reduce SE rails income.
Having said all that. It seems It was a good game to miss 🙂
Hey Daggs, always enjoy reading your posts, and sorry to hear you couldn’t get there yesterday. In the interests of being helpful i always drive up from the south coast and can still park for free just off of Shooters Hill Road. Specifically Farjeon Road. I walk in from there, and my trusty step counter tells me that it’s a 3,200 step round trip. Not too bad at all really. Hope you get to the next one….COYR
Hi Richard, I always used to park just up near Charlton house. When that got stopped I too parked over by Shooters Hill, usually Hervey Rd.
Unfortunately as I’ve grown older, my ability to walk any sort of distance has declined severely.
At least when using the train it’s not a bad walk to the NW quad where I sit.
The only plusses out of that game was a point gained and the first Kelman goal…..not sure that overshadows the loss of Bell and Burke though. Unless it now unleashes a goalfest from Kelman, LOL..
That was a challenging game and I must say that Swansea have a really good team that battled till the end.
Delighted that Kelman scored and loved the chip.over their keeper…It was a pity we lost two.playeres during the game and Jones will now have to plan carefully for the visit of WBA on Tuesday.
I was very impressed with the new led displays around the ground together with the new floodlighting bringing that makes The Valley look better.
The pitch also looked great and credit to the grounstaff.
I’m pleased that Charlie Kelman got off the mark and with a good finish. You’d have thought from the way he took the goal that he was bang in form, not getting the first of the season and his career at this level. Now he’s off and running hopefully there’ll be no stopping him.
Other than that a match I thought we should have won, again we went a bit too defensive and aimed to soak up the pressure rather than try to win it but there was a good finish from Adam Idah, so a draw was about the right result.
Losing Imari’i Bell and Reece Burke raises a few issues. We’ve just lost Josh Edwards to an ankle injury and have sent three other first team defenders out on loan leaving us very much with bare bones at the back. Compounding that we are lacking a left back/left-wing back unless Macauley Gillesphey relocates there and we bring Kayne Ramsay in at CB and play James Bree at RWB. I think we’ll probably persevere with TC at LWB but he’s not a natural defender. It could though be a chance for one or two of the Academy players to step up – I’ve liked what I’ve seen of Josh Laqeretabua in the few matches he’s played for the first team and while I’ve not seen him play good things have been said about Toby Bower at left-back.
Fullah and Apter could play LWB.
Assume there’s no recall on the loan players until January.
Very decent point that against a very capable Swansea outfit. I agree with you CA that TC is a not a left wing back. We do have to find a solution to that position while we wait for Josh to come back.
The Baggies arrive on Tuesday and that’ll be another tough game that could go either way. This division is relentless and i think we are going to be grateful for these early points as we surely don’t have the depth of squad to aim higher than mid table.
Hi CA, we didn’t play well in the first half with Swansea pushing the ball around quickly, although not taking there chances. We started the second half off like the team we want to watch with good passing, running and getting forward. pleased for Kelman scoring a quite difficult goal over the head of their keeper and at a difficult angle. The ball seemed to be in the air more than on the ground most of the time. Clearly the loss of two players didn’t help us and we seemed to retreat more, but a point is a point and probably a fair result. Let’s hope the injuries aren’t too bad.