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Thoughts on Charlton tonight...



brightonrock

Dodgy Hamstrings
Jan 1, 2008
2,482
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.
 


Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
31,722
Brighton
Very well written post. And correct, too. Charlton played very well.
 




MJsGhost

Remembers
NSC Patreon
Jun 26, 2009
4,408
East
Couldn't agree more. We looked out of sorts at times tonight (misplaced passes, less rhythm than usual), but it seemed more to do with their tactics than individual off-games. A great containing & frustrating game from them, but ANNOYING for us.
Would have favoured some changes to try and mix it up, though in fairness to Gus, our best chances came at the end.
 






Bakero

Languidly clinical
Oct 9, 2010
13,679
Almería
Thanks for a solid technical analysis. I wasn't at the game so it's nice to get a good explanation of the tactical battle.
 




BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
Full credit to Charlton and their tactics against us but what a boring team to watch every week. I certainly couldn't do it. It would have helped their cause if they had had just 1 attack for Kuszczak to have made a save.
 












bigcabboy

New member
Nov 7, 2011
235
i felt lua lua wasnt great last nite enjoyed plenty of the ball and for all his side steps and trickery his final shot or cross was woeful! charlton were good i felt never gave us a moments peace though still felt we did enough to nick it though!
 


Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
49,983
Goldstone
Tactically, that was the best I have seen a side defend against us.
...
5. Their keeper had a worldie.
Doesn't their keeper having a worldie suggest that their tactics didn't completely work, and we had chances to win the game, which on another day we'd take?
 


albie_noobs

New member
Jul 25, 2011
492
Newhaven
Couldn't agree more with that assessment and there's not much to dislike about Charlton, a manager that is well respected in the game and comes across very well indeed. The team he put out last night had absolutely no stars, just very well organised and got their tactics spot on.
 






wendy's tackle

Member
NSC Patreon
Jul 17, 2004
40
East Dean, Eastbourne
I'd also add that, not only did they have a great tactical plan, they worked their nuts off to make sure it worked. I can't remember seeing a harder working team this season, they really played for their manager. Much as I was desperate for us to score at the end, it would have been hard on Charlton. I was also worried they might just nick a goal on the break, in fact they nearly did. Although disappointing, a point against a team like that with their away record is not a terrible result.
 








Pogue Mahone

Well-known member
Apr 30, 2011
10,719
I agree with most of that.

However, maybe my memory is shot, but I can't remember their keeper as anything particularly special. The only save I remember him making was from Vicente right at the end, and that was a pretty powder-puff finish that gave him a chance to save it - Vicente should have scored.

That was one of three absolute sitters that we missed, so despite Charlton's plan working, it really shouldn't have.
 


Quinney

Well-known member
Aug 3, 2009
3,653
Hastings
Sorry I forgot about the one TK save near the end of the game, which was a very isolated happening on what was a very cold night with nothing to warm or cheer us up.

They also had a shot just over in the 1st half and Bridcutt blocked goal bound effort on the 6 yard line on 80 mins. Clearly we had a lot more chances but they had their fair share.
 



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