A game and a day that will live long in the memory. It was one of those very rare Charlton occasions where everything goes to plan. A near full house were treated to a spirited display against the league leaders and saw us beat them with something to spare. So often in the past we have managed to fall flat on our faces on days like these but something felt different today and it may just be the Johnnie Jackson factor.
Thomas Sandgaard updated fans this week on the position of a full-time replacement for Nigel Adkins and whilst he was complimentary enough about the job that Jackson has been doing, he also went on to talk about other managers and even suggested a situation where someone else could be appointed and Jackson return to his Assistant Manager position. Bit of an own goal for me - it didn't need to be said once he had made the point that he was taking more time to look at who was available. Maybe just trying to be open and honest but it was naive in the extreme.
Today's performance should seal the deal for Jackson. His players battled from the outset and made the league leaders look ordinary. Even their manager, Paul Lowe, acknowledged as much at the end of the game. Sandgaard spoke of making a decision within 30 days. Hopefully he has read the runes because he needs to realise that he has thrown a double-six with Jackson who has turned the fortunes of the season in just five league matches and has the commercial weight of the fanbase with him. Any further delay will begin to look like Jackson may not be wanted irrespective of performance and that would cause major problems for Sandgaard and the club. The idea that we might take a punt on someone like Gerrard's sidekick when we have a club-hero getting impressive results and slowly but surely undoing the horrendous Adkins start to the season is unthinkable. Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink was apparently telling people he was being lined up last week and I was angered to see Neil Harris in the Directors box again today. Don't even go there!
We got good news ahead of the match when it was confirmed that Famewo's ridiculous yellow card for time-wasting at the end of the first half at Burton had been rescinded and awarded instead to Purrington who had initially picked up the ball for the throw-in before leaving it for Akin. Not such good news for Jayden Stockley, however, as his red card was upheld, although I am not surprised by that decision.
With limited striking options we started with Davison and Washington upfront and they struggled to fashion a chance in the opening half despite a slew of crosses, particularly from Jayesimi on the right who gave the Plymouth defence a torrid time. Gilbey and Lee were busy keeping the pressure on Argyle and when they did manage to break out, it was usually with two or three players only who were fairly well marshalled by Clare, Pearce and Famewo in particular. In spite of everything, MacGillivray still had to make the smartest save to half-time to keep the score level when he pushed out a Hardie effort.
After the re-start and attacking the Covered End we managed to up the tempo and were able to find more space and really test the visitors. The breakthrough came when a cross into the box drew both central defenders and but evaded them and fell to Ben Purrington who had anticipated it and moved away to created a yard more space. He took the ball down and drilled it past Cooper to finally ease the tension in the home stands. After that it we looked imperious and the second goal killed the game. The impressive Elliott Lee played a long through-ball which split the defence and ran beautifully for Conor Washington who took a touch and steadied himself as he closed in on goal before stroking it home.
We lost Jason Peace to injury before the end but Chris Gunter stepped in and you didn't notice.
It was a thoroughly professional performance across the side and you were left wondering who might be able to beat us. Morecambe, Shrewsbury, Ipswich and Cambridge all look like yielding more points and having edged into 12th this evening, all eyes are on the points gap to sixth. There is obviously a long way to go but we are full of confidence and have momentum. We just need to ensure injuries don't hamper our progress and Thomas Sandgaard needs to capitalise on our current position and end speculation over the next permanent manager.
We've seen enough 'own goals' at the Valley this season, we don't want to see another one added by Thomas thank you very much.
ReplyDeleteCan't think what more Jacko and Euelly have to do to prove they are worth being offered the management jobs full time...
I would have thought yesterday would have been the perfect day to get Jacko to put pen to paper on the pitch at 2.45, but what do I and thousands of other Addicks know....???