Wrexham 1 Charlton Athletic 0
I am old enough to remember the 6-0 FA Cup shellacking at the Racecourse, and other than a league win at The Valley in the early 1980’s, Wrexham game’s have rarely provided us much if any good fortune.
Equally three of our four losses this season have come in the games coming before the international break, so the omens weren’t good especially with whispers of further injuries and illness to the squad.
Full disclosure: I didn’t watch the game, so I am taking bits and pieces from eye-witnesses.
We did start well, and made the early chances, and other than defending some corners our walking wounded back line didn’t have much to do.
Harvey Knibbs came the closest to breaking the first half stalemate when a shot smacked the bar with their ‘keeper beaten. Goalless at the break and perhaps we’d rue those chances.
2nd half we didn’t sound as if we had the same appetite to take the game to our Welsh hosts, and the locals were always going to crack a chant at some point and create a bit of noise kicking into their one end.
Frustratingly despite some chances and Thomas Kaminski making a couple of good stops, it was an unnecessary penalty that gave Wrexham the lead.
Onel Hernandez, stood on his own in the box, touched the ball with his fingers as he jumped for a header and the eagle-eyed ref gave it. Windass made no mistake from the spot with 13 minutes of normal time left.
After that we looked done, but deep down and following the game on my phone, I knew we’d have one last chance, and on 99 minutes a Luke Berry header was sailing into the net, but their keeper got the tip of his fingers to it. Defeat it was.
Nathan Jones confirmed after that James Bree shouldn’t have started and both Kayne Ramsey and Lloyd Jones have been sick and were isolating from their teammates.
Two weeks to rest and recover and hopefully open up some beds in the treatment room. Then we can go again.
🎙️“We need it [the international break]. For the first time we’ve really, really needed it. Bree couldn’t take a set-piece today and he’s, for me, the best in the league at doing it, but he couldn’t take it because he’s injured. Lloyd and Kayne shouldn’t have played — they had temperatures and sickness. They had to separate from the group and couldn’t train yesterday, but such is the crisis in the defensive area that they played.” – Nathan Jones
⭐️ Kayne Ramsey
🏟️ 10,594 (1,279 Addicks)
📸 Kyle Andrews
Ohhhhh well…..wrap up the defeat and put it away in the draw and focus on Southampton in a few weeks time.
At leat the break will give injured,sick and lame players time to recover and prepare to continue the excellent form we’ve shown to date…..I’m off to see the women’s team take on Southampton women on Sunday….they are doing fantastically well too !!!!
Just shows how much lloyd and kayne wants to play they looked completely shattered the whole team really wants to play apart from last year I haven’t seen our boys play as a team since lee bowyer took us up. I m sure all of us addicks would have took this position all day long after 15 games if somebody said that’s where we ll be I know I would have. Onwards and upwards.. coyr
Does anyone know why NJ wont play Apter ? We all have theories and conjecture, but no hard facts Time will tell
Another drab and uninspiring performance from us. O/K the injuries are piling up and apparently there was sickness in the camp. Plenty of excuses there and NJ will make use of them.
The root problem this team has, is an inabilty to score goals.
I said after WBA, relying on 1-0 snatched wins will come back and bite us. So it has. NJ has to change his style of play if he wants to continue the success he’s brought so far.
The International break is very welcome right now. Hopefully some of the sick and injured will be fit for the Southampton game.
Come January it would be useful to see if we can get some alternative attacking player(s) in. If the owners are willing to fund it of course.
We move on and games like these will happen. We were on the wrong end of a tight game this time around.
The squad was depleted and will mean a disruption to our play and formation. I thought we were positive in the first half and created the best chances to score. Not drab and uninspiring as others may say, when their keeper has kept them in the game. 2nd half was different and we found it hard to get a foot in the game. But we dug in and only a stupid error of judgement cost us the game. We nearly snatched a goal at the end, only to be denied by their keeper who was arguably the games man of the match. Last season we got outplayed by them at their place, as they rollercoastered to promotion. With their considerable budget, they spent millions on players notably with a new forward line. Yet we still managed to compete against them and arguably had the better chances with a depleted squad. They were unimpressive for me, given how they have strengthened their squad.
So no need to change anything, kept going, 23 points in the bank, and carry on.
I am interested to see how NJ manages Miles from now. Clearly he was disappointed with him. For those Apter fans he will be playing against Southampton as Bree is ineligible.
Fullah’s development continues, he found out the main difference between u21 and 1st team football yesterday, his energy level depleted. He will be back and will be a star that I am sure, but we need to be patient. I thought TC did ok, he tracked back and had a tough job against Kobebe but he matched him for pace.
We can rest up, hopefully get some players back, and go again after the international break.
We are mid-table for team goal scoring and only pipped by Stoke for goals conceded. 23 points in the bank.
The main goal is staying up and anything else is a bonus… so keep calm and carry on !
Well said RA.