Saturday 26 February 2022

Massive defeat

For the third match in a row Charlton failed to score at Hillsborough this afternoon and went down 2-0 for another defeat.    Louis Mendez thinks it's the first time we've lost five games on the spin outside the top two divisions. 

Charlton had to defend an early corner on a poor pitch at Hillsborough, but a quality ball was well defended.   The Addicks had to cope with early pressure and couldn't get out of their own half while Wednesday won a series of corners.

Charlton didn't want to concede an early goal but it came after five minutes from a free kick leading to a header from Byers to make it 1-0.  It was a poor goal to concede.

Charlton won their first corner of the afternoon after work by Gilbey.   However, it just led to a Wednesday corner at the other end as they flooded forward.   Charlton counter attacked which ended in a throw in near the corner flag.

Lavelle had to head a Johnson cross clear.   Charlton remained on the back foot, chasing shadows. 

Dobson covered well as the home team threatened after Charlton gave the ball away.   Nevertheless, the Addicks were starting to grow into the game a little more and asked more questions, in particular a ball in from Morgan.

Matthews went down and had to receive treatment, but he came back on.

The team did not seem to communicate well as Bannon threatened.   Matthews was down on the floor again.  DJ replaced him with half an hour gone.

Burstow was being well marshalled by Hutchinson and Storey.

Wednesday won a corner after Hunt put in a good cross.  The corner was taken quickly, but Johnson's strike took a deflection leading to a second corner which ended in a goal kick.

Curbs said that we could not get enough attacking possession in the final third to get anything going.

Gilbey did well to win a free kick for Charlton, Palmer receiving a yellow card.  Charlton loaded the box, but the free kick was headed away by Storey and eventually the offside flag went up.

The ball behind DJ found Johnson whose cross found Paterson to make it 2-0.   Curbs said it was very similar to the ball played inside Matthews midweek.  In the final third teams were trying to thread balls through us.     Steve Brown said we could have made it much harder for Wednesday.   It put them in cruise control.   Charlton didn't keep the ball well enough, you can't put yourself under pressure time and time again.   What no one wanted to see was people not trying or a lack of belief.

Curbs said it was just repeat after repeat.   They kicked off and spun us around.  We were on the back foot from the fifth minute.   Sankofa said that the early clearances lacked quality.   Panic started to set in.  Scott Minto said it was a question of basic defending.  Curbs said it never looked as if were going to score a goal.

HT: 2-0

Jayden Stockley replaced Albie Morgan.  DJ was booked for a challenge on Johnson who had to receive treatment on the ground.

A shot from Burstow was straight at the keeper.    The 1,100 Addicks started a chorus of Valley Floyd Road.

Stockley had to head away a home corner.   Leko came on in place of Burstow.

Wednesday got close to a third, but a Gunter block saw the ball go over the bar at the expense of a corner.

Gilbey came off and Fraser came on, Matthews having been a concussion substitution.   A decent Lee free kick ended with a save, but in any case the referee saw an infringement.

Steve Brown said that despite the substitutions we were still struggling.   It hadn't made any difference to shots on and off target.

Dobson cleared a free kick at the expense of a corner.   Purrington received a yellow card for handball.

Storey got booked for a foul on Leko.  

Charlton won a corner taken by Lee but it ended in a free kick for Wednesday.  

Charlton won another corner, but the keeper claimed the ball.

Five minutes were added on.  Charlton won a corner, but it ended in a throw in.   MacGillivray had to make a save.

Wednesday had just two attempts on target, but they scored from them.

Curbs said that the start was important.   It was so poor, it didn't look as if we were ready for it.  Stockley did us give a bit of presence and gave the players a lift.   We can't keep a clean sheet and it doesn't look as if we can score a goal.   Teams have been turning us around and putting us under pressure.   Sankofa said he thought there was a slight improvement in the second half, but it felt very flat towards the end.   Wednesday would have been smelling blood at the start of the game and we did nothing to disappoint them.   If you had to pick a man of the match for Charlton, you would be struggling.   The manager had a big week ahead.

Jacko: 'There's a lack of confidence among the group'

Johnnie Jackson said: 'Disappointing.  They got ahead early which we wanted to avoid.  It was completely against what the plan was.   I don't think we did nearly enough to get back in the game.  I don't think we played the conditions smartly at all.  We got what we deserved.  It was a terrible start.  There's a lack of confidence among the group and going behind that early in the game is not going to help.  Stockley coming on is a positive, he's back now.   Even then we didn't play smart enough.  We didn't test their goalkeeper nearly enough.'   Scott Minto asked if we had enough players with character for a club the size of Charlton. 'I think we'll find out in the next few weeks, they're all playing for their futures.  If they want to be a part of it, they need to show more than they're showing now.'  Asked about a relegation scrap, Jacko said he was worried we were not winning games.   'We've got a clear week to work, we've missed Jayden, an opportunity to do some work with him around.  It's an important week.'

Charlton remain 16th, but are now eight points above the first relegation position.



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