Nearly 25,000 people were recorded as having turned up at The Valley today. Those who had been away for a while would have seen the same old Charlton: a midfield lacking in creativity and unable impose themselves on the game and a defence prone to match losing errors. When we were 0-0 the Bloke Beside Me said that sooner or later the defence would make an error and so they did, or rather three of them. All that Bradley Wright-Phillips could do was score a consolation goal as the Addicks went down 1-3 to the Grecians.
Bradley Wright-Phillips drew an early save from the Exeter keeper. Duffy had to be withdrawn by Exeter on 10 minutes and there was a delay while Sercombe found his shin pads. Eccleston was looking lively and Johnnie Jackson won the Addicks a corner. Dailly defended well.
Eccleston advanced but the ball was cleared off the line for a Charlton corner, followed by a second. Good work by Abbott won Charlton a corner. In the four minutes added on, a good run by Fry won the Addicks a corner. Bradley Wright-Phillips got a yellow card for dissent after an Exeter free kick.
Exeter had never really threatened during the first half and we had had only one real chance.
Half time: Addicks 0, Grecians 0
Charlton opened the half with another corner, but once again it was unproductive. Tully got a yellow card for obstruction. Exeter won a corner which was taken short followed by a second. The game entered a phase of very open, end-to-end play. Carl Jenkinson won a corner for Charlton. Wright-Phillips made an attempt on goal. Johnnie Jackson caught sight of goal and put in an effot that was only just wide.
Exeter won a couple of corners in succession. Elliot pushed the ball out with both hands. On 63 minutes the unmarked Sercombe ran on to a good pass from Harley and the substitute blasted the ball into the back of the net.
Elliot had a tip an Exeter free kick round the post. McCormack was taken off and replaced by Racon. Doherty put in a weak back pass to Elliot and O'Flynn was able to slot the ball in an empty net. After O'Flynn was brought down by Elliot, the referee pointed to the spot and Tully converted.
Following a Charlton corner, the ball came back off the bar and Wright-Phillips showed no hesitation in finding the back of the net to score the consolation.
Match analysis
Ivy the Terrible has awarded the Silver Bone to Carl Jenkinson on his Valley debut. It wasn't a perfect performance: there was some naivety and at least one poor cross, but he snuffed out the Grecians in the first half and got forward well in the second. Elliot did not come out quickly enough for the second goal and gave away a penalty for the third. Dailly was solid enough for much of the match, but one wonders if he tires. Doherty had a good game with some excellent defensive headers until the howler that led to the second goal. Fry was energetic and pushed forward well, but all too often he cannot complete a simple pass. McCormack had a poor game from one or two flurries forward. Jackson was one of the better players and had one decent attempt on goal. Semedo provided some nice moves.
Eccleston had his moments, but too often he was left to do too much on his own, he needed more support. Abbott did his best and he was often being held back, but his ball control with his feet is often not good.
Wright-Phillips showed once again that he has an eye for goal.
Racon was an improvement on McCormack, he got forward well and provided some good passes, something often lacking in the side. Reid tried to get involved, but didn't have a great impact. Wagstaff came on too late to have any chance of making a real difference.
Hiss of the Match This goes to 'Day Glo' man, Exeter goalkeeper Ben Hamer for being visually offensive. Having worn a pink outfit in the first half, he decided to model an even more revolting lime green number in the second.
4 comments:
I thought their keepers tactics were spot on. His florescent outfits completely froze anyone playing with a red shirt.
Having been away for several weeks I was hoping to see some decent football. How disappointing was that. Why can't we pass to each other and why can't we mark players. Its not rocket science.
But we made Exeter look like Barca. Shame really with so many there. The 167 who went to Hartlepool deserve a medal.
If Ecclestan had converted one of those early chances...............
Why is it we always shoot oursleves in the foot when we organise these big occassions. I'm going to give CP the benfit of the doubt (injuries affecting the hand he can play) re picking McCormack and Semedo again as the midfield centre pairing, they are too similar in style. They do not create anything except passing the ball wide that comes to a dead end. Racon showed with a few tocuhes he can actual mix up the play and take on defenders.
Fry is not a natural left back and looks uncomfortable coming forward.
Agree re Jenkinson, looked solid and as game went on appeared to gain more confidence in taking people on.
Would rather CP had played it more defensively, we seem to go Kamikaze at times and the legs at the back are tired.
We looked solid if not spectacular in the first half but threw it away in the second. having said that we hit the woodwork twice and some more composure in the box may have seen us through.
CP has some work to do, we looked unbalanced from the start, hopefully with Racon, Francis, Beccone and Aiyansah back from injury we'll look a different and more competitive side.
Game spoilt for some by some idiots in the crowd not knowing how to behave to their fellow supporters and some idiot drivers not slowing down when driving through the crowds on way home saw at least 2 near scuffles - pathetic.
keep up the blog, hope springs eternal.
I actually thought we played alright, created a fair few chances (admittedly we weren't clinical in front of goal)and on another day we may have even won the match.
That is glossing over the defensive lapses but overall performance I thought was pretty good.
A point on the £5 tickets. Whilst I appreciate it may not be feasible to run this every game owing to the club's running costs, I do feel £5 a fair value for League 1 football.
The football is pretty dire and anything above say £10 for adults just doesn't represent value for the product we're being asked to support. Football clubs are lucky as a business in that they can overprice the value of the product and all but guarantee a core support will turn up out of sheer loyalty to the 'brand'.
The truth for Charlton is that we do not have a large enough core support to maintain the size of our stadium outside the top division and certainly not in League 1. A lot of the Premier League 'fans' were really neutral observers who found Charlton a convenient ground to watch regular Premier League football.
Yesterday's crowd was swelled by young famillies (a lot of young children) and it was an admirable inititiative by the club. That being said, I would not count on many coming back (and not just because of the performance) when the prices rise again to their standard cost. It just does not represent value for money as a family entertainment.
I'm a fan and turn up out of loyalty but most floating supporters are more rational when considering how to spend their weekends. The club's detrmination to boost the support must face this reality when considering strategies to boost the numbers coming through the gates.
Agree with anon e pricing and standard for LG1. For £11 and £3 a kid you can see virtually the same standard of football a Welling where the players, despite apparently being owned monies, are putting in 100% effort and passion every week.
Post a Comment