Cardiff City 3 Charlton Athletic 1
Massively disappointing today, Not just the result but the fact that we played with no heart. We were passive, weak and laid down a big fat doormat and winless Cardiff walked over it from about the 8th minute.
It was also massively disappointing because I was actually at the game.
I flew into Gatwick yesterday, holed myself up at Paddington and jumped the train early this morning with my brother and met a few mates in the Weatherspoon’s by Cardiff Central Station for a breakfast pint.
Sadly not long after that my football team got involved in my day and it was pretty much ruined, and that’s being polite.
Backed by a couple of thousand of noisy Addicks we started the game well, at least until minute 8.
A rare Lloyd Jones mistake saw Moylan, who was excellent throughout, collect the ball in an acre of space and he finished with aplomb.
Plenty of time left we said to each other. Hmm, in hindsight we probably should have got the 12.44 train back to Paddington.
Akonkwo made a good save before Salech received an unchallenged pass into the box and he was too smart and strong for Binden and he fired home.
Our midfield was getting dragged all over the shop, when we got on the ball, we turned it over, and Cardiff were playing the ball along our box like it was a attack v defence practice match.
Yet, out of nothing – it was a good ball from Binden – TC stayed onside, collected the ball and with still plenty to do, slotted home and we were back in it. Although we weren’t really.
Cardiff should’ve, could’ve had another two before the break. Akwonko made a great save and then they missed a sitter.
Weirdly at the break, the really quiet home crowd seemed pretty anxious. For us, we were hoping that Jones would make changes and we couldn’t be as bad again as you sensed in the ground that the home fans were not confident.
Alli was removed, he was poor, Binden was really struggling and he was off too. The calming influence of Bell joined, and perhaps strangely Ouma was also on at the break.
I wasn’t really sure of the formation at that point, but it was a big call by Jones to bring on Ouma ahead of Carey, Knibbs and JRC.
However again out of really nothing Grant found himself charging down on goal and he really should have scored, but hit the side netting. It was Grant’s worst game today since returning.
He wasn’t alone. Coventry, Leaburn played their worst games of the season and as for Ouma, I’m starting to think he might be the next Ali Dia.
Akonkwo made another save, before Ouma gave it away, one pass to Moylan and he hit an unstoppable shot to make it 3.
Kelman with his first touch had a really good chance, but it was more of a good save than a bad miss, but the locals started to relax and even sung a couple of songs as they realized they will not find a more welcoming opponent all season.
A dismal day out in Wales, and a very worrying performance.
🎙️ “I just didn’t recognise some of the players out there. I take full responsibility because I prepared the team. But the stuff that we prepare and do on a regular basis, I didn’t see today. You can’t build a performance if you don’t work hard, you don’t press with aggression and do the basics well. Then when you do eventually get on the ball you keep giving it away.”
⭐️ Arthur Akonkwo
🏟️ 21,108 (1,841 Addicks)
📸 Chicago Addick
⏭️ A welcome 3 week break
Sooner or later the club are going to have to acknowledge the problem…..
I know. I can see it now.
Man who saved club from relegation, got them promoted, kept them up with 2nd lowest budget, lie 8th in the table sacked.
Season so far? First four games, ten points and despite a severe slap from one of the worst teams in the Premier in the middle of that. Everything is looking rosy.
Next four games. Back to reality. Four games two points from two 0-0 home draws. Conceded seven goals, scored one. Relegation form.
It’s like Groundhog day.
Never mind, we’ll have our whole team available (bar Collins) after the three week break. You watch us turn into NJ’s all conquering Addicks……………..
Have to say I’m massively disappointed in the performance and result today. Cardiff haven’t won a Championship game this season and we didn’t turn up. I think NJ was as honest as he could be in his post match interview but we are kind of following the same pattern as last season in our performances. I’m certainly not looking for NJ to be sacked but it does worry me how our performances are so up and down. Hopefully the international break will be a reset and performances will improve. On a positive note how good was it to see Josh Edwards back.
I was at a wedding today so happy to say I didn’t watch the game but why are we always so poor in the early kick offs?
I’m wondering how many times NJ and our board can use the word evolve ?? Evolve to what £10 million last year on dud players can someone tell me different ? Apter Knibbs Kelman Olafe ?? Board don’t want to invest so we get bargain basement has beens ! Do you think we will finish 8th CA ?
No.
Just like everyone else, this was massively disappointing for me too.
Apart from the keeper, no one had a good performance, TC about the best of the rest. Alli was awful and many, as CA said, had their worst performances of the season – though you forgot to include Skipp.
It was three and could have easily been 5 or 6. Though what on earth Grant was doing aiming for a non existent near post gap when clear through on goal is beyond me. Had he made it 2-2 the whole outcome may have been vastly different.
I am not one of those negative against Nathan Jones but not starting Bell? And Ouma ahead of all those that CA mentioned?
I have a Kenyan friend so we have studied him intently together every minute he has played. I read with amazement a couple of replies in a previous post that they saw something in him. Ouma sadly is not anywhere near Championship quality. He came in place of Karoy Anderson or Docherty somehow – not that I am saying we should have kept either, just that Ouma is a downgrade.
We are joint lowest scorers in the division and the lowest XG and lowest shots on goal.
Today we were totally outfought and outplayed. We might be missing Chalobah and Koumetio more than I realised.
This was very poor I watched the game in disbelief only 2 players worth talking about the keeper and TC who literally plays like a lion every game I m afraid it will be the same again as last year all ranting and looking over our shoulders Nathan is no Curbishley but he is better than the likes of Appleton Garner and others. We desperately need another playmaker in midfield like Claus Jensen or Kinsella how we miss players like those. Last thing when is is M Leaburn gonna start scoring like his old man used to Onwards and upwards..COYR
Another shocker on the road, are we good to watch no, are we so called evolving no, NJ as played the same way since he arrived give up loads of possession we got away with it in league one and only just last year.the midfield is a big issue we loose doc and bring in skipp and sick note cholabah who’s both careers are on a downward spiral, apter knibbs jrc may as well not be there because they never going to played. Thank goodness for Arthur yesterday it could of been a lot worse, as NJ took us as far has he can? Coyr
Shocking performance all round…..at least we held a clean sheet in the Pompey game. Yesterday even our defence joined the ranks of the under performing.
Midfield lacked any consistency and drive, and were totally outclassed.
Okonkwo stopped the game from being a rout.
As a team I thought we looked laboured and unfit (apart from TC)
That surely must be Leaburn’s last start……..seven games,nil goals, nil assists, and yesterday only two touches in the opponents box in 80 minutes !!!
Things look very worrying, and maybe the international break has come at a good time for us, as three points from the last fifteen is relegation form.
I hope Jones can turn it round but if it doesn’t work after the break with more players back then he must go.
I’m happy to give him 3 games but if it’s not working I don’t want to be watching my team playing this bad at Christmas.
I want to be leaving a game with a smile on my face but I can’t see this happening at the moment
And after Jones who do we appoint?
I would have Chris Powell back in a heartbeat. And he is currently working at Luton Town. It’s serendipity I tell you ….
I love Chris and have had the good fortunate to have spent a fair bit of time with him, but I remember some bemoaning his style of play at the end of his time too.
Jones doesn’t have a plan b he plays the same negative way and teams know we play this way we don’t offer nothing coming forward…2nd half of last season rang some serious alarm bells things need to change…..leaburn is quite clearly not a championship player….and of course we will make a few mistakes at the back being we can never get out of our own half…we badly needed this break to regroup and reflect and changing the style of play wouldn’t go a miss !!
Need to get a grip on reality….ok we lost and its very disappointing for everyone…its a long season ahead and its not all doom and gloom !!!!
We have the break now for us to regroup and get injured players fully fit before we soldier on.
Look we ve been here before and coped….keep the faith everyone !!!!!!
Oh thank the Lordy. Chris – you can come again!
I was at the WSL game against London Lionesses and we were outplayed by a strong organised team who had quality and experienced players….I fear a long season ahead for our women.
I fear a very a long season for them.
PLAYERS or SYSTEM of PLAY (Or combination of both) ?
I now live near Carmarthen in West Wales, am 81 years of age have supported The Addicts for some 75 years, so made the trip by train to watch my team play Cardiff. My ticket in the middle of the Ninian Park stand on the half way line, amid all the Cardiff supporters.
I have in all of my 75 years as a supporter never been both so embarrassed and annoyed at the manner in which we played. It was totally inept and quite frankly a disgrace on the club.
Due to our appalling performance it is difficult to assess Cardiff as a team, but in this match they quite frankly for the most part played us of the park in terms of both quality of play and spirit.
The only positive for me was Nathan Jones review comments after the matche which just under scored all what the travelling fans witnessed.
We if we got 4/5 passes together which in the main where back or sideways then long ball over the top. Unlike Cardiff that at least looked like they new what there system of play was.
For me the following were for the most part very poor, light weight and uninspiring: Campbell, Alli, Leaburn, and Grant. Notice though all attacking players!!
So am I being unfair to these attacking players? They looked like Deers Caught Up In Headlights!!
My answer is YES.
Lets look at forward minded looking players including the above that are not making it at the moment and of late, if I may have missed a few forgive me: Apter, Leaburn, Campbell, Grant Alli, Kelmen, Godden, Olaofe, Ahadme, Knibbs, Casey & Ouma. So that’s 12 players either not good enough at the moment of just not good enough.
Then I hear time after time again and again, if we did not have this many out injured, when we get a few back etc etc.
Only having on average somewhere 30 odd % of possession per match and limited scoring opportunities, might see you get out of Division 1 but not so in the Championship. Yes at times and in certain matches we defend say as first priority, but not week in week out out as our ingrained match strategy.
Last 4 matches 2 points, one goal for, seven against, and just two points, that’s what they call relegation form.
So for me if we do not adapt and change our core match strategy and philosophy we shall without doubt be in yet another dire relegationstruggle this season.
It will not be an overnight fix and will take a little while in my opinion, say till now and until Christmas. But change we must, and difficult questions must now be asked of the team management overall. One question being, is that in some has the limit to achievement been reached?
If I was the Chairman or CEO of the club at the moment, I would be asking some members of team management to meet with me a 9am on Monday morning.
Footnote: I am not some form of oracle or some wise old owl, but I genetively do not believe all the attack minded (going forward & playmakers) players are not good enough.
I agree peter but don’t forget TC has scored 4 this season and one perfectly good one against qpr disallowed he was the only outfield player yesterday who wore his shirt with pride…
I too agree Peter us older generation life time supporters are very rarely wrong when talking about football and our team. Best manager out of a job CA McKenna
Could be worse we could be Burnley 😀
Acknowledging Saturdays really poor performance, in my mind there’s a bigger fundamental issue at the club that desperately needs to be resolved and that’s their internal recruitment process!
This is my personal view only, but since NJ’s been manager, we’ve signed the following players who simply either haven’t made the grade or are warming the bench more than playing:
:
Gassan Ahadme -£1.0m
Rob Apter – £2.0m
Tanto Olaofe – £1.75m
Thomas Kaminski – £1.0m
Harvey Knibbs – £1.8m
JRC – £0.75m
Total – £8.3m
There are some which I’ve given the benefit of the doubt to, such as:
Charlie Kelman – £3.0m who I think could be really good but is close to getting a ‘sicknote’ tag!
Collins Sachenje – £2.0m who again looked impressive when playing but he’s definitely bought the ‘sicknote’ tag!
Total – £5.0m
But lets forget the potential ‘sicknotes; for now, this equates to a team with the 2nd lowest budget in the Championship last season and regarded as one of the bottom clubs budget wise this season. So spending £8.3m on players they have either sent out on loan, sold or who are simply warming the bench………..WE SIMPLY CANNOT DO THAT WITH OUR LOW BUDGETS!!!
Now lets look at some of NJ’s successes, again my personal views:
Kayne Ramsey – Undisclosed, but he came from Harrogate Town so it wouldn’t have been in the millions! But lets say £0.5m
Matt Godden – £0.4m (reported)
Greg Docherty – £Free
Sonney Carey – £Free
Total – £0.9m
Clearly the club really seems to struggle to successfully identify the more expensive players on the market and can we really afford to continue to have such unsuccessful £1.0m+ transfers?………. I think we all know the answer to that!
Cheers
Trev
Turn it around lol…get a grip pls
Since my post a few days ago titled: PLAYERS or SYSTEM of PLAY (Or combination of both) ?, I have had time to both reflect on things, as you do, and read and considetr others points of view, all being worthy. These points cover; 1) Lack of budget for new players – 2) Poor stats re poseission, goal attempts, shots on target, 3) Touches in penalty area, and so on . All valid and must be taken into the mix. And indeed the compedence of team management, and where we were a little while ago.
I have conmfidence in NJ and both the team and executive management. But in any good buiness one must react to situiastions that have arisen and make the neccassry adjustments to the ‘buisness’ plan. part of the overall business plan being how the team is set up to play.
In my last article I said the front four ‘Looked like dears in headlights’, as in fact they did. But I did not say this to be over crictical and cetainly not against the indiduval.
I say in my opinion that some players not confident enough of how to play, and lacking belief. I could be wrong but do not think I am.
Our defence record is very good, but sadly it has very much has effected our transitional and attackin play. and hence as ‘A Team’,
I feel we must make adjustments to our playing strategy/style, and give good players the opportunity, not currently being considered by some as not good enough.
I lised 12 in my last atricle.
We have some very gifted front footed players and I sight one, that being Charlie Kelmen, whom I consider very highly as an instinctive natural goal score (as is Godden), that you cannot coach, but to give them the oppurtinity to show just how good they are. If you should doubt this go onto Youtube and type in ‘Every Charlie Kelmen Goal of 2025/26′ Its 3min 34sec long and shows his 7 goals. Ok 3 I think are penalties, but others especiaslly the last one against Hull City, from a very talented player.
So I am both hopeful and confident that NJ and and other team management know that we must both adapt and play at times a more attack based system, that all players will have confidence in, and that their indoividuial and team skills will very much come through.
As per the norm’foundations’ laid properly take a little while to achieve, so it will take some time and we must be patient, but please rest assured we have the players to do it.
Lets give them, over the coming weeks, the platform to show us just how good they are both as individuals. and as a team.
So NJ and coaches have faith in yourselves and the players, and I close on a Brian Clough quoitation ”It’s a simple game made complicated by people’ COYR