Charlton Athletic 1 Sheffield United 0
Well, a few hours have passed allowing me to digest what happened this afternoon. Wine helps too.
We were extremely fortunate of course, but Sheffield United were their own worst enemies, which only they can control and 3 points is 3 points and we really needed them.
For 35 minutes the game was one of the most one-sided we have seen. Thomas Kaminski, the woodwork and luck were the only thing working for us. On the rare occasion we got the ball into their half, we turned around and went backwards just inviting more pressure.
Bamford caused Lloyd Jones the most problems we have seen this season, Bree showed why he wasn’t a LWB option, Ramsey was match-rusty and our midfield were anonymous.
How they weren’t at least 3-0 up we’ll never know. Then two moments of madness, and outright thuggery to be fair, changed the whole complex of the game.
I really hope Harvey Knibbs is okay, because that was a terrible, terrible tackle on him by Soumare. As for Tanganga, well he was the angriest man in London prior to charging into Carey leading with his forearm. He should’ve had a yellow for his bleating at the ref after Soumare was sent off.
Credit to the ref for having the balls to give two quick reds, and then not spend the rest of the game trying to level it up.
As for Wilder trying to compare Knibbs foul earlier to Soumare’s, oh come on, take a look at yourself.
This is however a bloody good Blades team. It is criminal the start they had under Ruben Selles, and a very different team from that we faced up there in September.
Not wanting to justify Nathan Jones’ comments afterwards about teams in this league, but United have a wealth of talent and they are trying to sign Ross Barkley on 70 grand a week.
Anyway, we won and thankfully we got that early 2nd half goal as I’d hate to think how anxious The Valley would’ve been. The goal was excellent. Gillesphey left-footed to Dykes, whose first touch in a Charlton shirt was a beautiful header down for Carey to slam home in style.
I really didn’t enjoy the 2nd half. I didn’t enjoy the 1st! Yet, I fully understood why the players were trying to keep the ball. Sheffield United were more than capable of scoring, and any loose cross, or gung-ho attack would have left us very vulnerable even with two extra players. I am not sure we win that 11 v 10, even.
We just needed to move and keep the ball, their press was done and they were out on their feet. Yes, I wish we pulled them around more and had the quality to thread a killer pass and score a hatful, but we didn’t, which is our problem but we just had to see the game out and win.
A second goal would’ve been lovely, but you rarely get these sought of opportunities and we just had to win, and win we did.
Kaminski kept us in the game 1st half, and I thought Leaburn had another good game. I liked Harry Clarke and Dykes got off to a great start and was a handful. Other positives were Coventry was rested, Ramsey got a rusty comeback under his belt, Carey reminded us of early season and then we got to see Matt Godden.
Last word for Harvey Knibbs. Really hope that wasn’t as bad as it looked. Chin up, mate.
🎙️ “We are new to this level, we have to grow, and we are going to need everyone. This is a monster of a league, one of the best in the world, one of the toughest leagues in Europe, and we needed three points today.” – Nathan Jones
⭐️ Thomas Kaminski
🏟️ 19,647 (3,004 Blades)
📸 Paul Edwards
Much needed 3 points, courtesy of the kind of luck we’ll need to stay up this year. Was shaping up to be another disaster of a game, so happy we got the positives CA mentioned. A lot more optimistic about the season than I was after 35 mins….
First hope Harvey knibbs is ok, secondly 3 points we badly needed gifted us by a excellent Sheffield utd side through there ill discipline, totally agree with you CA kaminski motm and nice to see godden coyr
We were dreadful at defending first half and dreadful attacking second half. We are so dreadful I fear relegation is on its way
I like that as a summary. Wish I’d used that.
Relegation would have been more of a fear if we hadn’t won 3 points.
I wasn’t at the game, so i’m relying on the social media I used to follow play.
Three very much needed points and that’s it.
The game was another incompetent shambles. In which we struggled to beat nine men.
It doesn’t seem to matter who the manager picks, the team never gels.
There’s something inherently wrong. I believe it’s the manager.
Social media tends to promote the outrage. I was at the game. Once they were down to 9 men we did not struggle to beat them. We just played safe which seemed to annoy a lot of people. I’m happy with the 3 points.
It was a golden opportunity to improve our goal difference, currently -6
Firstly, I do hope Knibbs is ok, the Ref. pulled the Red card out quicker than Ive ever seen. As for the match, it was dreadful, they were all over us, Kaminski definitely MOTM although he needs to be a bit quicker deciding where to kick the ball. I thought the new lads did alright, but we just didn’t want to move forward, kept coming back all the time. However, we did get 3 points thankfully. Good to see Godden back and hope we can get a settled team playing half decent football.
Wow….that was a game that tested us to the limit and Sheffield must be shaking their heads at the outcome.
The two red cards were right and credit to the ref for having the courage to use them.I hope Knibbs injury is not as serious as it seems…
Kaminski had a great game and once TC was on the pitch we gave them.lots of issues.
3 points is 3 points and they are valuable for us
The Covered-End choir did their job and roll on next Tuesday.
I’m off to watch Charlton play Swindon in the WFL Cup game at The Valley this pm and hoping we get another win
COYRs
Seven changes from Chelsea really affected the balance of the team and we were playing against a team that are a lot better than their position in the table. We struggled to get any momentum in the first half and were lucky not to be a goal or two down. Thereafter we did enough to win but we need to play better – on the other hand we’ve played better than our opposition and not picked up points. These things balance out…
Then we got the break with the two reds – Soumare really should be banned for a lot longer than the standard three matches. That kind of “tackle” could have ended Harvey Knibb’s career and has probably done for his season and maybe more. When a player is stretchered off it rarely means they are out for just a few weeks.
The other red was deserved too – their player went for a ball he could not get too unless he barged Sonny Carey out the way and an elbow to the head is a mandatory red.
On a positive note both our new recruits had solid games, Lyndon Dykes created an assist, we’ve not won enough of those first balls or second balls in our opponent’s penalty box. That’s exactly what he was brought in to do.
It’s good to see Matty Godden back and hopefully Josh Edwards isn’t far away, I have seen a couple of recent social media clips which suggest that he’s back in training, whether that’s contact training or not I can’t tell but he’s getting there.
Don’t know who the trainer is but I think we need someone new.
Firstly we all hope knibbs is OK after that horrendous tackle any updates on his injury would be much appreciated CA I ve seen many a tackle like that end careers so lets hope this isn’t one of them. Sheffield United should really have been 2 or 3 up so to win this is karma I think soumare should really be banned for longer. The game was a shambles ftom start to finish really with only a few positives Clarke had a solid performance Dykes also had a great game and got an assist to his name Carey got an excellent goal and Kaminski definitely deserve s motm he did some masterful s saves to keep it 0-0 in the first half just something not clicking at the moment i kinda agree daggs maybe it is the manager but lets remember the one aim for this season. Let’s cheer the lads on Tuesday COYR
Firstly, terrible tackle and hope its not too serious with Knibbs, as if had been a lot worse I don’t think we would have seen come back out hobbling on crutches, he would have ben straight off to the hospital!
Second that was probably one of the worst displays I have seen this season and if it hadn’t been for two red cards, we definately wouldn’t have got three points, as CA intimated, think it would have been a different outcome if they had got only one red.
As soon as we saw the team selected we all thought we would be lucky to get anything. We hardly got out our own half in the first half and apart from Kaminski, give credit where its due, the rest looked as though they had never played together. Then come the second half with nine men, after that quick goal, we looked scared to to go forward, nearly everytime Ghilsphey got the ball he looked to play it back or sideways and apart from the goal, their goalie hardly had an effort to save, in fact with their nine players they looked more likely to score on there fast brakeaways. I don’t know what would have happened if Carey hadn’t got that early goal!
With just 9 players we needed someone speedy to take them on and a lot around me were calling for Apter to be brought on, but it appears NJ has had some sort of rift with him and will not play him.
Anyway we urgently needed that three points, so at this stage, I have to forget how absolutely dismal the performance was and go from there, but if we play anywhere near like that Tuesday, we will come away with zilch.
PS CA, Bree also isn’t a RB option 🙂
Knibbs should report Soumare for GBH. That tackle was atrocious.Knibbs will be lucky to get away without ligament or bone damage. I wish Knibbs well, as I don’t think we have seen the best out of him yet. and hope the injury doesn’t keep him out for too long. As for the game,it was probably one of our worst displays of the season, and possibly Kaminski’s best, but I will take the three points thank you.
It was a tough watch from the performance to that horrific tackle on Knibbs, watching first hand I winced and feared the worst. I guess we will have to await on the assessment, how Wilder said what he said afterwards on both red cards is beyond me.. the second was pure rage from their captain.
Ok so we got 3 points and you take them everyday given our current run of form. So with 20 games left, the target is 16-18 points. Our performances need to better if yesterday’s game was anything to go by. We clearly go long ball cos our midfielders are at the same technical levels with the better championship teams. I am afraid Anderson struggles at this level and perhaps a loan to league 1 is required. Doherty and Berry struggle to keep up with the pace and with Knibbs out for weeks, months or rest of the season, the midfield and left side are focus areas of concern. Coventry and RCB are currently our best central midfielders but they need cover so 2 more there and 2 two left sided players. So that is 3 out and 4 in. So who is out there, rumours are scare.. but perhaps our interest with Keillor- Dunn of Barnsley will be reignited as we need a 8 / 10 to cover Carey. Aribo availability might be worth testing, if something on his wage demands can be negotiated.
The target remains staying up, 16-18 points are the target from our last 20 games. We need to keep picking up points at the valley starting with Derby and grab some on the road. Both are obvious statements and the reality is that we need squad depth/ changes , i think that NJ is still the person for the job, some players need to step up, and some need to move on. We go again against Derby who have turned things around since our away game, but they are beatable and I will be there supporting the boys to get another result. Every point counts now as we go into the business end of the season. All clubs will have ambitions of promotion, play-offs and staying up. The latter is our target and has been since the first game back in August. COYR and get behind the team as they will need us now more than ever.
Charlton won 10-0 in WSLCup …..credit to Swindon though as they fought till the bitter end
I saw that. Great win. Looked up Swindon to see where they were, and they play two levels below us but had played 21 games this season and won them all!!
I could see why they have won their games…it was a case of us having ‘better” players and as the game progressed it showed….but they can be very very proud
Hope you enjoyed your wine CA, I certainly enjoyed my Saturday night vintage toasting a much needed 3 points.
Maybe I’m easily pleased but at the level we find ourselves now, a win is a win is a win.
You’re right, Sheff Utd are in a different stratosphere, playing and courting players on 70 grand a week is a few years off for us, until then, we punch above our weight and yeah, at times it might be ugly, might be a tough watch, but I know we’re I’d rather be and who I want at the helm.
I don’t share the entitlement syndrome as some others, maybe its the Tuesday night trips to Mansfield that keeps me the right side of disillusionment, but our place in this league has been earn’t, taken a long, long time and needs to be preserved.
20 games to go, I reckon 7 wins and a draw or two will do us.
We could always go back to bland, journeyman managers and disinterested owner/investors as some it would appear aspire but in the meantime, in NJ I certainly trust.
Can’t make Tues night but will in Bermondsey Sat, we’ll give it a right good go I’m sure.
Peace & Harmony to all
I’d love to have your optimism, as mine is fading…….which seven games are you hoping we can get 3 points from ?
I left The Valley on Saturday pleased to have the win obviously, but frankly a bit embarrassed. I agree with most of what people have said but just a quick word on Nathan.
I think he has done really well for us considering where we were when he came in. He is plainly an emotional character, and i imagine pretty demanding to work for. These traits aren’t good or bad necessarily there are pros and cons to all character types.
What jumped out at me in the two post match interviews i heard was his defensiveness. Yes there was a nervous atmosphere in the ground, and plenty of groans (and some boos) in response to our reluctance to move forward, but i have heard a lot worse since we left the top tier all those years ago. In my opinion NJ should simply acknowledge that we were well off it and just say, ‘yeah, we got lucky today.’ I fear that if things do go a bit wrong his lack of emotional intelligence will do for him.
Last point on NJ. He rigidly sticks to his system. However, it is dependent on having proper (and good) wing backs and currently we don’t have them. Given the personnel we do have i can’t help but think a different formation would suit us better. Back four anyone?
The second half of the season is going to be hard work for all concerned. I honestly think that we have enough to stay up. Josh coming back, or finding an alternative left wing back is a priority. Rankin Costello looks really good and could form a potent partnership with Coventry. So not panicking, just slightly concerned and hoping that Tuesday night brings an all round better performance. COYR
I think we can safely say that we would not have got anything from that game without the sending offs as we were pretty dreadful. Kaminski kept us in it until the red haze started. Great to get the 3 points though.