Thoughts on Charlton tonight...

[Turkey]

Charlton were excellent, which was bloody annoying!

 

[Snowy]

http://forum.charltonlife.com/discussion/54263/brighton-v-charlton-2013-post-match-news-views

Lots of good and interesting comments on this Charlton Message Board

 

[Monkey Man]

Very good opening post.

Charlton just didn't give us room to play, and never lost their discipline or concentration. We unlocked them a few times but either fluffed the chances or were denied by a top goalkeeper.

In hindsight, some subs may have mixed things up to our advantage but I remember thinking from 70 minutes onwards that we were gaining such momentum that a goal was surely imminent. Probably Gus saw things the same way and wanted to avoid any disruption.

 

[brightn'ove]

Was saying all game how well charlton were defending. We could have had another 1,000 corners and we probably wouldn't have scored with the form their defence was showing.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

They didn't have a thing up front though, did they? That guy Kermorgant was a complete waste of space, he offered absolutely nothing up front for them. Apart from giving the officials a lesson in how to complain and whinge in French, presumably. I thought the 23 (?) Wilson was also hopeless, and I didn't think we saw a lot from the kid on the wing (Harriott, I believe) although the Charlton fans seem to be raving about him. I certainly didn't feel he was any kind of threat to our full back.

Hamer has been slated recently by their fans, so it appears that he picked this particular evening to have his best game in ages. Joy.

 

[Surf's Up]

Excellent analysis which probably also explains why they're not so good at home because they have to open up a bit and thus are more exposed. I just hope Leicester haven't got the video of the game yet because they could hurt us more on the break.

 

[B52]

Don't disagree with the analysis but we still had sufficient chances to have put the game to bed comfortably.

Spot on!

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

Hats off to them, they did a fantastic job on us. Their scout needs a raise because they played an almost perfect game. Tactically, that was the best I have seen a side defend against us. It wasn't just as simple as kicking us off the park or sitting deep and trying to hit us on the break or score from a set piece, it was thought-out from front to back.


1. Their 14 was all over Bridcutt like a rash. Did not give him a minute's peace, snapping at his heels for 90 minutes and refusing to allow him the time on the ball when he drops in to receive it from the centre backs. Still amazes me so few teams have worked out how key he is to us.
2. Their back four actually played quite deep, with their centre backs taking it in turns to bump and jostle Ulloa, nothing blatant enough to be called a foul, but rarely did he get more than a yard or two of space as they were usually touch (shirt-pulling) tight.
3. Meanwhile, whilst the defence was deep, their wingers and striker pressed very high and with good intensity all game, as some opposing sides have tried, but vitally their whole team's shape was also very narrow. There was room in wide positions if we had time to pick out a switch ball or diagonal, but all the passes were being so rushed by the forward pressure we couldn't move it laterally with pace and accuracy. This meant it was just front to back, and they had Jackson and their other centre mid sitting in the hole between defence and midfield, blocking the route on the deck and crowding the space if Lopez or Vicente tried to drop deeper to pick it up.
4. The two centre mids also shifted across the pitch as a unit to help out their full-back whenever we got it wide to Buckley or Kaz, and much like we did to Zaha, they were happy to funnel them into blind alleys and towards the corner flag without really ever committing to the tackle and getting isolated one-on-one. It was so tight that we had to try impossible little one-touch triangles to get through, and inevitably they had enough numbers for someone to make an interception.
5. Their keeper had a worldie. I can't help thinking if we kept playing until Saturday we wouldn't have scored. Fair play to him.


All this leads me to wonder why Gus didn't want to make a change. With 25 minutes to go Orlandi & Hammond went out to warm up. Bridcutt was walking a bit of a tightrope on a yellow and with a couple of other fouls to his name, and LuaLua, whilst beating his man over and over, had his head permanently down and was just brainlessly smacking it fifteen yards over the bar or lashing missile-like crosses the same distance over Ulloa's head. It was more or less like-for-like, but would have given 'that something different' that Gus always wants. Orlandi, whilst not as quick or skilful as Kaz, is ten times more intelligent as a footballer and has an absolute wand of a left foot to whip some meaningful crosses in. Hammond is not as good at the role LB plays, but would perhaps have coped a little better with their 14 as he's bigger and stronger, and would also have added more height for the 1,286 corners we won. The time ticked away...game over. Job done for Charlton, and for once not a cynical hatchet job; or a sit back and time-waste from minute one, nick a mouldy deflected goal for a 1-0 type job, but a disciplined and tactically superb job. On that evidence I wouldn't mind having at least a look at Powell when Poyet eventually goes. Not as first choice, but perhaps put him on a shortlist.

Ditch whatever your job is now and apply to get on Gus's STAFF-----seriously

 

[TheMajor]

Don't disagree with the analysis but we still had sufficient chances to have put the game to bed comfortably.

Agree. The Calderon miss in the first half would have changed everything for Charlton if it had gone in. They would have been forced to come out more - however, credit where it is due they played well and we failed to take our half chances.

 

[dadams2k11]

Best away team goalkeeper that I have seen play against the albion for a very long time! Exciting young prospect, good luck to him! earned them a very valuble point last night.

Was speaking to a chalton fan on the train home and their keeper had only returned to the first 11 after being dropped for 3 games for being poor. Done him the world of good after last nights saves.

 

[Langley]

The problem was that without Orlandi the delivery of the corners was very poor so there was little point in getting the corners in the first place.

Absolutely correct. Also Charltons defence headed out virtually every high ball, I can only recall Buckleys missed chance.