Charlton are down to 16th and three points above the relegation zone after a 3-1 defeat at Barnsley.
Barnsley opened the scoring on nine minutes with a rocket shot from distance by Benson which went into the top tight-hand corner of MacGillivray's goal leaving him with no chance.
Rak-Sakyi threatened, but was dispossessed and Morgan sent the ball high into the stands.
Morgan put in a long cross field ball but Blackett-Taylor shot over.
Rak-Sakyi was about to pull the trigger, but the defender was able to put the ball out for a corner. Nothing wrong with Morgan's corner, but the move ended with Clare shooting over.
In the two minutes added on a Barnsley corner had to be cleared from under the crossbar by O'Connell, the follow up corner was unproductive.
Charlton had had some chances, but were not clinical in front of goal with shots blazing over the bar. The tempo of the game was rather slow.
Scott Minto thought that it wasn't a bad first half in terms of performance. Steve Brown was critical of the lack of closing down for the shot allowing a midfielder to pick it up. We had picked ourselves up and played some good stuff, but we were too deep. Peter Shirtliff had had situations as good as the Barnsley goal, but the final piece wasn't there. Steve Brown said we hadn't had a shot on target (despite seven attempts).
HT: 1-0
Barnsley made it 2-0 on 53 minutes with a back flick in front of goal. Charlton failed to deal with a ball on the left side of their penalty area with O'Connell caught in possession.
Leaburn replaced Blackett-Taylor on 58 minutes. Kirk came on in place of Fraser.
Barnsley came close to scoring after Dobson gave the ball away in a rare error. Charlton were looking shell shocked. The game was slow and scrappy which suited Barnsley.
Charlton made a triple change including Rak-Sakyi who had picked up a knock. McGrandles replaced Dobson. Payne and Sessegnon came on. O'Connell was just over the bar from a corner, another chance missed.
Williams fed an unmarked Cole who made it 3-0 for the home side. On 84 minutes Charlton got a consolation through Payne who finished well after good work by McGrandles.
Charlton tried to apply pressure in the seven minutes added on but to no avail.
The pundits
Peter Shirtliff said that Charlton had played some nice football, but should have come in at least 1-1 at half time. They gave two goals to Barnsley in the second half, although the home side had hardly dominated the game.
Scott Minto said it was a really poor second half. Steve Brown thought that Rak-Sakyi and Blackett-Taylor were dangerous. You couldn't defend your penalty area like we did. Peter Shirtliff thought that the score flattered Barnsley.
Ben Garner: the difference between training and playing
Ben Garner said it wasn't good enough at both ends of the pitch, we didn't play with enough intensity. The first half overall was a very good performance. In the second half it was moments, two very poor goals, you can't give goals away like that. I'm not blaming anyone other than myself. We've given them the game second half. It has to improve and it's on my shoulders. [Asked about the five substitutions] he said that Jes had rolled his ankle. The players were trying possibly too hard. The way we controlled the first half here away at Barnsley was fantastic, there were so many positives. [Three shots on target for them, one for us]. We have to try and get back to where the club should be. [Can the players handle the pressure?] I don't know, there's a big gap between what I see in training and what I see in games.
Richard Cawley commented: 'Lot of talk internally at club about it not being a quick fix for Charlton, but this is their third season back in League One. And at the moment it's not really looking very promising - at all - for a Championship return.'
The jury's in on Garner - he's either massively arrogant or sorely stupid - amounts to the same thing he's not what Charlton needs. Atkins all over again. Football in theory is worthless
ReplyDeleteGarner hasn't got the squad for whatever he's trying to do
I'm not convinced Garnerball is even realistic, especially in a midtable 3rd division setup. Baiting Skintgaard over the squad budget is equally foolish. Worse still Charlton no longer has a long serving well loved ready made successor to paper over the many deep cracks of this lightweight ragtag rabble of crocks, journeymen and kids. Gonna be a joyless winter down SE7. Most costly season ticket I've bought in 24 years.
If Garner has a squad that consists of a "lightweight ragtag rabble of crocks, journeymen and kids" then is it realistic to criticise his attitude to the owner's parsimony? Who will achieve better than he? Who would make the attempt? The one player Charlton have that stands above the rest is a loanee from (of all places) Crystal Palace. He could be withdrawn should his parent club decide (as Chelsea did with Connor Gallagher) that the standard of football he is playing at is not worth the risk of injury to the player. Who would replace him? Sandsgaard junior? It seems Sandsgaard is content to allow the club to settle at its natural level, which is the bottom half of L2 flirting with relegation. Some excitement at least.
ReplyDeletefoolish only from Garner's perspective Skintgaard is a martinet how listens to few and never to dissenting or critical opinion Implicit criticism will get him the sack not dialogue and least of all budget
DeleteUnless paid off is what Garner has in mind already
If it is true, as you say, that Sandsgaard is a martinet who doesn't listen to his manager then we are back in familiar territory having jumped from one frying pan into another. If we accept your opinion then surely we cannot blame Garner for the failings on the pitch as the squad is not only poor but startlingly thin. He has no real options for a Plan B with the worst squad in Charlton's history to choose from. If Garner goes, what then? The usual cries for an ex Charlton hero? It seems to me that we have got what we wished for: no Roland, but we do have a new boss who is very much like the old boss. That's a reference Sandsgaard will like, he'll probably end his set with that on his next pitch gig. No encore, always keep 'em wanting more.
ReplyDelete