Saturday 19 February 2022

Confidence drains from defeated Charlton

The rain eased off as the game started but conditions remained blustery.  Charlton started brightly getting in behind the Oxford defence twice.  Charlton won an early corner after three minutes, but it was unproductive.  

Charlton won another corner after good work by Leko, but it was cleared.  

After good build up work, DJ put the ball into the side netting.    Leko got booked for delaying the goal kick.

Inniss had to put a ball away for Oxford's first corner.   A second corner followed, the ball moving in the air as it came across.   The move ended in a Charlton goal kick.

Charlton switched off and Oxford's top scorer Taylor found the top right-hand corner of the goal curling it above MacGillivray to put the visitors 1-0 ahead on 21 minutes.

DJ put in a poor challenge and was booked.   Purrington then followed into the book in a sign of frustration.  The Oxford shot from the free kick went over the bar.

A Brannagan shot came off the post after a long ball in behind and MacGillivray reacted well to make the save.

After a counter attack Taylor got the second, putting the ball through MacGillivray's legs.   Steve Brown commented, 'We don't deal with setbacks well.   It takes us ten minutes to recover our confidence.'

The Oxford captain was booked after he dragged back Leko.  

Inniss went down and needed some treatment.   He came back on.

As the half edged towards an end, Oxford won a corner.   Lee cleared away.  

Curbs said that we started well.   'Without our main players up top, it is difficult.'   Mervyn Day said that Leko is never going to be a centre forward you can play into or play off.   'When you start that well, you need something off it.'

HT: 0-2

Mason Burstow replaced DJ.   Charlton switched to a diamond, but Oxford won an early corner.  Following play led to a second corner.   The referee spotted a foul.

After a great through ball from Dobson Lee found Burstow, but his effort crept wide after a deflection.

Williams drew a free kick from Matthews who was having a poor game.  

Sykes received a yellow card for an agricultural tackle.    Morgan's free kick was headed away.

January transfer signing Baldock struck with a free header to make it 3-0 for Oxford.   The move started when MacGillivray came out of his goal and headed into the wind.

Steve Brown said it all went down to the character of the team.   It didn't respond well to going behind.

Sean Clare received a red card for bundling into Taylor.  Jacko feels unable to comment on it yet: https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/charlton-boss-explains-why-he-cant-comment-on-sean-clares-red-card/  Curbs thought it was a soft sending off.  Inniss got a yellow card.   An effort by Burstow went over the bar.   Leko came off and Famewo came on.

An effort by Burstow was put behind by the keeper.  In the end Oxford were able to clear the corner from Morgan.

The referee rebuked the ball boy for putting the ball on the pitch when Brannagan was down.   Morgan got a yellow card for a foul.

Famewo received a yellow card after a collision.   

Brannagan put the ball into the top right-hand corner to make it 4-0 for Oxford.   Steve Brown commented that 'People are scoring simple goals against us.'    Campbell came on for his senior debut.

MacGillivray had to save with his face from Williams.   Sykes cut through the Charlton defence.  His shot was parried and then saved by MacGillivray in time added on.   A shot from Morgan was straight at the keeper.

Steve Brown said that it was the sort of performance that was going to draw extreme criticism from some quarters.

Curbs said it got worse and worse and worse for all sorts of reasons.  Once Clare got sent off, that was it.   Mervyn Day said if you haven't got the focal point up front it's always difficult.   Oxford won the game in midfield.

Charlton are now 16th, but still nine points above the relegation positions.

Shell shocked supremo Johnnie Jackson said: 'I thought we started really brightly, we was moving it well.  After we conceded we stopped doing the things that had got us a little bit of joy.  We never recovered from the first goal.  I was disappointed with the goals, especially the second one.  Taylor's movement caused a lot of issues.  Once you concede the third goal and the red card it made it impossible.   It hurts, we're all hurting, a knock to your pride, you have to pick yourself up.  These are the moments when you find out about people.'

Four takeaways from the game by Louis Mendez can be found here: https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/four-takeaways-from-charltons-4-0-home-humiliation-against-oxford-a-chastening-afternoon/


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