Charlton Athletic 1 Chelsea 5
That was never a 5-1 game. I thought the boys did well tonight, showed good organization, discipline and courage. They even gave us a goal to cheer.
Yet, the second and third goals were poor to concede and the timing a killer.
It was a shame we couldn’t keep them at bay until half-time, but it was a great strike. Until then they had really been limited to long-range strikes as we performed the low-block well.
Our lines of defence were getting pushed back as the 1st half went on, but the 2nd we started much higher up the pitch and were the better team before they scored from a set-piece, which will annoy the hell out of Nathan Jones.
Then Leaburn raised the roof with a great finish after their keeper makes a stretching save from a Lloyd Jones header.
The Valley was roaring at that point, but annoyingly the wind at our backs was zapped just 5 minutes later when they scored a third, which was another poor goal to concede.
Plenty of subs followed, and we still had our moments but it looked as if Mannion would keep the final score to 3-1, until we reached the 91st minute.
Their penalty was a joke, and VAR would’ve scratched that off, and possibly given us a penalty instead for a challenge on Lloyd Jones earlier. Nevertheless despite the scoreline we put on a good show against one of the most expensively assembled squads in the world. All that plus every media focus on their new head coach.
There were some really good performances tonight. I thought Mannion was excellent and gives Jones a selection headache. Young Keenan Gough did not look out of place, Docherty had a very strong game and both Carey and Bree were consistently good throughout.
Our best player was Leaburn though, who led the line well, was constantly available and enjoyed having more time on the ball as opposed to getting into a bundle every time he is challenged in The Championship. Great finish for the goal as well.
The worst thing about the night, was of course seeing Amari’i Bell go off with an injury, that looked hamstring related. He played as if he plays this level every week. Campbell was also taken off injured.
Finally wasn’t it great to see The Valley like that again. Not sure what it was like pitch-side but on the box The Valley was serene as the mist rolled across the pitch under the vivid lights.
🎙️ “For long periods we were good. The game plan worked, we nullified them to certain things. The goal before half-time was a killer, but it was a good strike. The second and third goal killed us, and it was poor defending from the set play. We can’t allow him to run in front of us like that, and that is why they scored. We then got ourselves back into it, and then the third goal is the one I have sleepless nights over.” – Nathan Jones
⭐️ Miles Leaburn
🏟️ 26,475 (3,317 Chelsea)
📸 Keith Gillard
Frustrating scoreline but put in a great effort. If we can replicate that first half discipline should be able to stay up this year. That’s all we want.
Difficult night but not embarrassing like losing to, I don’t know say a team from the Northern league, somebody like Macclesfield.
Oh well it was going to be a very difficult ask for us but we battled and at times had the upper hand…I was delighted with the commitment showed and again we never never gave up.
Chelsea have top players but we did match them for periods of the game….the Chelsea substitutions made the difference in the end.
We can be very hopeful.that with the effort made tonight is sustained for the rest of the season we will be safe.
The pre match light and fireworks display was impressive and our fans were fantastic….lots of Chelsea fans were making their feelings heard about their owners….we been there 😃
Garnaucho £40m Hato £35m Delap £30m to name 3 players while our whole team is less than £20m 3 goals of theirs were scored in extra time. We played exceptionally well in the first half especially Mannion who I ve always liked and will surely give Jones something to think about now we ve got ex premier league ref Mark Clattenburg saying our goal should not have stood because Campbell was offside but overall good game rather frustrating though would’ve been better if it would finish 1-3 main thing to do this season is stay up onwards and upwards COYR
Well, it is little consolation but their fifth goal was never a penalty! Mansion pushed the ball away, I thought, looking at the replay this morning.
Just shows the gulf between the Premiership and the Championship. I thought we showed guts but were penned in our own half for much of the first period. Realistically we were never going to get a result against a side that has been put together by spending over £300m in the last two seasons. Lets dust ourselves off, and get back to the real objective this season……staying in the Championship. On the plus side at least we didn’t break any records by being beaten by a seventh tier club !!! COYR.
Just an afterthought, but why was Garnacho hounded by the crowd whenever he touched the ball ?
A fairly good first half even though we never tested their keeper. Chelsea looked assured and patient. The goal before half-time was a sickener, but then I never expected us to win. The second half apart from Leaburns goal was all Chelsea. Even at 1-2 I knew Chelsea would score more. Mannion had a fantastic game, some were blaming him for the third goal, wrong or right, he did a lot more to keep the score down. As for the penalty! Wasn’t the Ref a Premier league referee? Shameful.
We now have a further depleted squad. If the Messiah doesn’t lift his self-imposed ban on loan players this month, were heading back to League One I’m sorry to say.
Well you’re not sorry to say because that has been your wish ever since we got promoted. It’s very clear from all your posts that you despise NJ. You never have one positive thing to say, it’s really quite sickening to think that we have people like you supporting our club.
What a vile and innaccurate post you creep. I have supported Charlton since 1968 I don’t think my loyalty to the club can possibly be questioned.
The club, not the current manager who i have disliked since he arrived. His incompetence and big-headed attitude will take us back to League one. But you love NJ and refuse to see or hear any criticism.
To suggest I want us back in league one is a distortion of some magnitude by you.
I want the very opposite. I want us to mantain our Championship status. I just don’t feel confident about that with the Messsiah at the helm and would welcome a new manager to take over the task.
It’s called giving an honest opinion, not typing distorted lies about someone you don’t even know beyond this blog.
Totally agree with you Daggs!Eaststand needs to take his rose tinted glasses off and get real. Plus if he thinks NJ’s one trick pony style of football is entertaining then I pity him, though he probably knows no better, as suspect he has only started supporting Charlton since NJ took over the reigns. I like many on this site have been supporting Charlton since the middle/late 60’s and quite honestly, whilst managers have come and gone, good and bad, the way NJ’ sets out his team to play every game, apart from anything else, there is also very little entertainment in watching playing mostly backwards and sideways passing in your own half for the majority of the game. Ask any Luton supporter as whilst he got them promoted to the Championship, they will agree the football was very tedious and boring and not that really enjoyable to watch.
As Daggs has intimated and I have also, if he doesn’t change his ways and also listen to certian others who are more experinced and only trying to help and drop his large ego, yes he does have one, of I know whats best as no one else does, we will be lucky to stay up as it’s very hard to play that negative way in the Championship with trying to keep a clean sheet, continually playing your favourites no matter how poor they play and hopefully nick a goal to win or draw, as you need to score goals. You certainly can’t play that way in the Premiership, as he found out both with Southampton and Stoke.
As per Daggs, for this first season back in the Championship I just want us to stay up no matter what and if results continue to deteriorate and that means getting shot of NJ, so be it and get it done before its too late.
Not that it’s important but I’ve been supporting Charlton since the early 60’s. I don’t view NJ through rose tinted glasses at all, he has his faults as a manager and I don’t agree with everything he does. He is the best manager we have had since Bowyer and I know he will keep us in the Championship. Must be hard for you to read that bit mustn’t it.
I’ve been supporting Charlton longer than you but that’s not important. Yes I am challenging your loyalty. NJ will keep us in the Championship and that will really get under your claw. Perhaps you choked on a Welsh cake in a previous life
I read it the first time. The second time was no better.
As I keep trying to get through your head. I desperately want CAFC to remain in the Championship. But I don’t believe NJ is the man to do it. Is that too difficult for you to understand?
You both seem too old for name calling. Let’s drop that, and rally behind the team we all support.
Football is about opinions and all are welcome on here. COYA.
If Kaminski had been in goal Chelsea might well have registered double figures. From day one of this season I never saw Kaminski as being better than Mannion……(I was a goalkeeper in my time).
I thought Mannion had a at best a reasonable game but made it is easy for Chelsea to score a couple of goals because he only parried the effort instead catching the ball. I you cannot hold onto the you must surely make sure you push the ball to the widest point away not simply stop the shot and send it back into play which what he did for two of the goals. I am not sure that Kaminski would have done any better, but that should be something for the goalkeeping coach to address.
I’m not too disheartened – it was a shot to nothing, win and it’s a great morale booster, lose and with a full stadium, live on TV etc means that for once we got a decent pay-day out of the FA Cup and can now focus on the league where we need points.
Other than that we worked hard and 5-1 flattered Chelsea a bit but they were significantly stronger than us – look at their subs bench plus they were playing for a new manager.
I’d rather get three points against the Blades next week than win this match.
The result was as expected as the gulf between the 2 sides was plain to see with a £350mil team being announced. Gittens (£55mil) caused problems down our well known left side Achilles heel. Brave performance by the team, flattering scoreline yes. Was pleased with Leaburn’s performance and goal. The pace of Chelsea caused us problems and control of the midfield. We desperately need players more now with Bell and Campbell out. It was brilliant to see The Valley full and the atmosphere was good too. Mannion did well, shaky start with the fumble but had plenty of opportunities to show his keeping skills, the third goal perhaps he was unsighted by Jones, but allowing a player space and time outside the area was more of a concern than Mannion’s save with his legs. Gough I thought did well, he could be a real find but if he continues on this development path.
Let’s hope for some reinforcements this week, as the left side is looking very weak and has been a concern for many games now. Positives to take forward, now we go back to our league form. Home games are going to be crucial. Depending on other cup results we might be playing Portsmouth on the weekend of the 4th rd. Now that is a big game !