| Viewpoint: Charlton Athletic - 29/10/2022 Written by scants_itfc_88 on Monday, 31st Oct 2022 15:35 I don’t think anyone saw that coming! I don’t really know where to start with that one. I actually had to miss the game this week so only caught the highlights, so there will be a few things I cannot comment on. What I can comment on is the craziness of the game and how it sums up League One for any outsider. Let’s begin with the negatives and then I can end on a positive note. I keep hearing pundits and commentators refer to Town’s clean sheet record under Kieran McKenna. As with everything in football, the past doesn’t matter (unless it’s points). Right now, defensively Town are too weak. Defending set pieces has become a particular problem. All of Charlton’s goals were avoidable. As great as Wes Burns and Leif Davis are going forward, they are leaving a lot to be desired defensively. The three centre-backs should be dealing with crosses better. They used to do it. Hopefully it is just a phase which a two-week break from league football will cure. Lots of set-piece defending needed in training. As for Christian Walton, he has been fantastic for Town. Saturday was not his best game but everyone has an off day. Let’s hope it’s his one for the season done. Yet again Town have returned to losing two-goal leads, this time they did it twice in one game. We saw it in the week against Port Vale too. It’s looking like 2-0 is a dangerous scoreline for us. We have to cut it out if we are to make top two. I didn’t see enough of the game to comment on the referee’s performance, but from what I hear nothing is surprising me. Both Charlton and Town fans seemed hard done by with some of the decisions, although Tyreece John-Jules was just onside in my view. The fact that the game went beyond the 99th minute is questionable. It probably shouldn’t have, but Town need to do better and seeing it out and not assuming the game is done. Now for the positives. Charlton had not lost at the Valley until the game prior and were not going to make for easy opponents. Therefore scoring four goals away from home against a decent side is yet again a demonstration of Town’s attacking dominance this season. We are generally so exciting to watch and it isn’t often we will score four and not win the game. Town also had four different goalscorers. The shouts for a regular scoring number nine are not going away, but the team are clearly capable of spreading the goals around. Freddie Ladapo once again on the scoresheet with what should have been the winner is a sign of growing confidence in our main forward man. It was also great to see another centre-back in George Edmundson coming up with a header and just before the break. That was two goals from crosses into the box. Those are the moments that can make a difference through the season. Despite the deflating feeling of drawing the game and throwing it away, Town remain in a great position, still averaging over two points a game. That’s promotion form. We didn’t take the opportunity to go top, but there will be other opportunities. There is still a buffer to third, albeit a smaller one, but with a run of games I expect us to pick up some more wins. Next up is an FA Cup tie away at Bracknell and on TV. This is potential banana skin territory and hope for the sake of all Town fans, it’s one we avoid. Our cup record is not a good one. Please Kieran McKenna, don’t go with all U18s in a game that offers a good opportunity for confidence and momentum. I don’t expect a full-strength side of course, but we need to make sure it’s one we win! Cheltenham then follows at Portman Road. Surely a great opportunity for Town to get back to winning ways. Just need to sure up defensively and pray for a referee with a little experience and we should be all good! Uppa Town Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
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