Charlton Athletic 1 Preston North End 0
Hang it in the Louvre.
A somewhat scrappy game at The Valley today, but we edged it right across the pitch and Karlan Grant got the winner in the 2nd half in front of the Covered End. Our first win over PNE since 2011.
Ivan Mesik came in for Koumetio, but Bell went across to CB and the Slovakian played left back and I thought had an outstanding game.
The first 20 minutes were punctuated by free kicks and the game never got out of first gear.
The remainder of the half saw a headed chance from each side. Leaburn stooped low to head wide from a TC cross and then Lang headed over from a good position, but that was the half.
Carey had not impacted the game at all, and was replaced at half time in what proved to be a master move. Grant went to 10, and Millenic Alli went to right wing and that change allowed us to keep the ball better and in more dangerous zones of the pitch.
Preston did have the first shot on goal on 49 mins just before Harry Clarke skewed into the Jimmy Seed Stand, which is customary!
Alli was getting on the ball a lot and on 56 minutes he played into Grant with his back to goal, and he managed to get a shot off that squeezed between post and ‘keeper for the lead and his first goal on his return.
That took the stuffing out of Preston who really had not offered a lot. We grew in confidence as The Valley got louder and were much better in possession and all the while the back four were solid with Coventry the gatekeeper in front of them.
Chalobah was taken off injured with what looked like a muscle strain. Pick up your winnings for those that said 3 league games before he get’s injured!
A second would’ve been nice, but we had a good control over the game and I remember PNE only have one nervy moment when Lang wrestled himself free and back heeled over the bar.
Their ‘keeper was hardly busy, but the introduction of Mwamba, who belies his age, alongside Alli, Grant and TC were picking up the pieces and using the ball sensibly and a word for Leaburn who was a real trooper up front.
Mbick eventually replaced Leaburn and with JRC and Asiimwe also on we saw out the final minutes of the game comfortably.
In the old days they wouldn’t even have a league table until September, but I am going to take a few looks at it this weekend. UT*A
🎙️ “I wanted us to go on and get the second, which would have effectively killed the game but I’m really pleased. These are a good side, their well coached, they’ve got a good manager and they’ve had our number, so it was really good to show they we’re evolving, that we’ve got better and we’re learning.” — Nathan Jones
⭐️ Ivan Mesik
🏟️ 17,256(962 from PNE)
📸 Kyle Andrews
⏭️ The Hawthorns on Wednesday night
A very well taken goal by Karlan Grant, back to goal he looked to turn one way and then rolled the ball to the other side and got a shot away. We’ve needed that kind of composure in the box for some time. Possibly there was a shout for a penalty too – Harry Clarke handled the ball, maybe the referee didn’t see it?
Credit to NJ for switching things up at half time and being a bit more attacking in the second half.
Other than that it was a poor match, Preston seemed to have come for a point or a smash and grab win and didn’t contribute much and maybe the referee could have let the game flow a bit.
But who cares, we won and that’s three wins from three games and we’re top of the league. As last showed early season points are vital and with I think nine players injured we might have to enjoy these few days before reality kicks in.
We only had Nathan Asiimwe on the bench as a defensive reserve so we need to get the Tyler Bindon deal done and maybe see if we can draft another attacker in.
I don t disagree that Mesik had a good game today, and pleased to see a lot of players put in a good shift. For me though Leaburn was my MOM. He just didn’t stop and was offered zero protection from the ref; fouled so many times. A pal of mine thinks that Leaburn’s size wrongly affects referee’s decisions on the level of protection he should get.
So many good things and a few bad things from us during this hard fought game and we stuck with things till the end.
The officials had a poor game and totally lacked consistency and some very obvious fouls were ignored when less for were given yellows.
Credit to all the players and I’m getting attitude sickness looking down the table below.
3pt, clean sheet and top of the league. All the simmering of Wednesday dispelled and the happy singing addicks left the Valley. A sign of the good times are back ? well certainly at the moment, the signs are promising. I still heard grumbles about needing to be scoring more and better sides will challenge us. But hey, we beat a side that did a number on us last season, we have 3 wins on the spin.. yeah of course there will be tougher times ahead, but hey I am for one am enjoying it after too many dark years of trooping home disappointed and wishing for those glory days to return. Not getting ahead as survival is key. But I loved seeing Mwamba , Leaburn , TC and Mbick rolling out and impacting games. Our academy is still delivering and the sooner we get that status to stop clubs poaching our best young players the better. I suspect more work in the transfer market, and some will be leaving. So enjoy ride and I will heading upto WBA, friends up there are saying things are different for them, so who knows a Karlan Grant winner ? Can we get though these back to back midweek games without any more injuries.. 🤞all EFL clubs are picking up injuries, but no doubt the EFL will turn a blind eye, as there is a 2 week international break.
Well that was well hard 3 points we played like our lives depended on it, boring to watch but 3 points is 3points I too think leaburn was my motm too. We need to stop picking up injuries so easily or we ll be in trouble. Correct me if I m wrong guys I think it was way back in 1992 the last time we won the first 3 games in the second tier. Well done NJ on your team selection and to bring the subs on when you did masterful look forward to WBA game
It was 1992.
Have to give Jones credit for admitting to Cawley that the move to take out the ineffective Carey at half was suggested by his staff, and was not some genius decision on his part. Glad they were able to convince him, made all the difference in the match.
There is no doubt that after a strong start to last season, Carey’s form then tailed off, which seems to have carried over into this season. You can see that some of his decision making is fuzzy, and maybe that is a product of trying too hard?
I think that this could prove to be a defining period of time for him, as to how he reacts to some serious competition. Grant in the number ten role with Alli and TC either side seems to be working better. But this is the point of having some strength in depth, and I hope that Carey rises to the challenge…
I wonder if Knibbs will be around to challenge them also?
It feels like Knibbs is falling further down the pecking order. JRC looks a better option than him in the no.10 role at the moment. It’s a shame, but Knibbs never seems to grasp his opportunities, and the injury last season was unfortunate. That said, he has had more success coming off of the bench…
Couldn’t make the trip to the valley this week but by all accounts a well fought win, it’s away days for my son and I for a few weeks now, interesting to see how the transfer window pans coyr