Charlton Athletic 1 v Walsall 0

A game to match the weather today. Dull and uninspiring.


Walsall came to the Valley on the back of only one defeat in ten although they have drawn too many and remain perilously close to the relegation scrap. Given our ongoing superiority battle with the Sheffield pair, perhaps I shouldn't have expected too much but I was hugely disappointed today.


After a bright opening ten minutes in which we again threatened to sweep our opponents away, we settled back to mediocrity and our first half opener gave us the lead we sought and were evidently more than content to protect.


Walsall came with far more ambition than many and perhaps that is how they have managed to hold eleven sides on the road. I was impressed with youth product Alex Nicholls in the first half and they had more movement and commitment to attack than we did. Certainly that was the case after we edged ahead through a routine goal when a Jackson flighted free-kick was dinked home by Djombe N'Guessan in a crowd of converging players.


After the break we threatened to up the ante but failed to put any sustained pressure together and Walsall continued to look like they would snatch the equaliser. Ball after ball flashed into our box but Morrison, Cort or Hamer were there to clear up. Solly out-shone Wiggins once again on the first day that the Player of the Year vote was being collected at the turnstiles and, for me, that seals his win (even though I think Wiggins is the more accomplished player at the moment).


Yann Kermorgant was as physical and as competitive as he always is but there was no end product today and Bradley Wright-Phillips offered him few options. With Stephens adrift in midfield it was no wonder we lacked punch. Bradley Pritchard kept it competitive in the middle and N'Gueussan held his own on the right. Jackson looked like a player returning from an injury, so, all-in-all, that was our problem - midfield.


That we saw it out and collected the three points tells it's own story and those of us tempted to complain too loudly were reminded what it's all about when watching the West Ham v Birmingham match afterwards.


It's just about when we manage promotion and if we can win the title now. One will surely lead to the other but it is beginning to feel like it could be a huge anti-climax. I will be at Carlisle next week looking for a promotion party that is probably dependent upon too many other factors. I will take a ground-out win but I really want to see more from Champions-elect. If I am looking for a straw-poll on opinion here, I only need look at today's Bank Holiday gate. A relatively paltry 15, 263. The importance of League One football was evident to the Walsall faithful. I reckon they had 263 there today urging them on.


Marketing is a fascinating subject and one you don't want to get me on, but in this game it's performances that count and the men running the club might not be quite as ecstatic as you might think. We have failed to recover the relegation gates from the Championship and I am convinced that it is the quality of the football that is to blame. Sure, we need to get out of this division but when you win corners in the last couple of minutes at home and are one-up, the fans expect an effort on goal. Two men in the corner playing keep-ball and one in the box to give the pretence of an actual corner doesn't pass muster.


In tune with this season, I expect more away from home next week and suspect that's what we will get. Shame.