Bolton Wanderers 2 v Charlton Athletic 1

Another miserable evening for Charlton fans as our side slumped to a highly predictable 2-1 defeat at Bolton Wanderers. It was our 13th defeat from 30 games this season which tells you all you need to know about the suffering of 2021-22. 

Saturday's flattering 3-2 home win over a poor Wimbledon side meant our players would be strolling or half-hearted tonight in a match most didn't look like they fancied. The first-half was truly turgid with Bolton making a bit of the running and us content to let them. After his winning goal on Saturday, Akin Famewo was back to the alarmingly poor form he has shown now for seven or eight matches now. All the urgency has gone from his game. He is being caught in possession more often and giving the ball away almost casually.  Both happened tonight as he muffed a long punt from Bolton and under-played a header back to MacGillivray after only ten minutes. Charles pounced, rounded MacGillivray and slotted home. It's as if he has been told he will be going back to Norwich Reserves at the end of the season come what may.

Inniss was presumably rested (his vulnerability is a weakness), so we also had Pearce back and he did not have a great game either. Clare has done very well in the back three but games like tonight's make me wonder if he's really up to a promotion campaign. He gets caught in possession in deep positions too often. When he was playing further up field he could get away with that but he has to learn quickly that it's not on in the backline. He has to make a pass and not continue to try and beat the waiting winger.

After Saturday's stupid booking, Alex Gilbey was very lucky to be on the bus tonight, let alone starting the game. He hadn't done nearly enough and for me, Scott Fraser was a shoe-in to start. Not only did Gilbey start, but he got himself booked needlessly once again. These are frustration bookings because he's lost possession or been beaten. They are the sign of an average player and we need better. We didn't see much from Morgan either until it was too late and with precious little service from the wing-backs, Burstow and Washington didn't get a look in during the opening 45 minutes. 

It took the arrival of Chuks Anneke and Scott Fraser before we finally looked like scoring and unsurprisingly they combined for the 76th equaliser. Fraser's flighted free-kick and Aneke's powerful downward header. At that point you would fancy the last scorer's but this is Charlton, away from home, midweek, in February, when safe in mid-table. Desire to really push on and threaten the play-offs? No chance, this lot are happy to lose some before upping the ante again. Within seven minutes we concede the game to another poorly defended set-piece. Free-kick, header, goal, game over.

Quite who can be bothered making the sort of effort 250 hardy souls did tonight for the remaining 16 games, I don't know. Accrington and Doncaster away? No chance. A thumping at Rotherham or the last-day surrender at Ipswich? Nope.

Next season just has to be better and Jackson has to be hard this Summer and face up to rooting out the dead wood. That will determine his success as a manager at Charlton. We need leadership throughout the side and that is seriously lacking at the moment. Time for some from the manager before this season fizzles out. We all know that Sandgaard set him finishing targets for the season to trigger a new deal and it looks very much like his players either aren't aware of those or don't care. I don't want to see Jackson leave but, let's face it, if he can't motivate this squad to a top ten finish from here, then we probably need someone with more influence over a side at the helm for next season. We have to rise above being the second or third poorest side in London and we have to do it quickly.