Dean Holden suffered his first defeat as Charlton boss because the Addicks have been crushed 3-1 at Oxford United. Right here’s Louis Mendez’s 4 takeaways from the journey to the Kassam Stadium.
ANOTHER LONG NIGHT
A recreation that felt pretty even for the primary 10 minutes or so quickly swung within the hosts’ favour – and was then pretty much as good as over throughout a devastating, four-minute first-half spell.
Christmas could also be winding down, however Charlton have been nonetheless shelling out presents. Josh Murphy, an actual dwell wire all through his time on the pitch, was given approach too lengthy to measure an ideal low cross for the opener. Billy Bodin was then afforded the liberty of the far put up to faucet residence the centre that no defender dare attempt to clear.
Bodin was concerned once more moments later as his shot was deflected in by Matty Taylor to double the lead on 24 minutes. The U’s had already hit the woodwork at 0-0 and got here near including a 3rd on the stroke of half-time in a first-period the place Charlton have been at sixes and sevens – and doubtless eights, nines and tens too.
They improved after the break as Corey Blackett-Taylor and Miles Leaburn specifically added some impetus. These two mixed to halve the deficit via the latter’s seventh objective of the marketing campaign, halfway via the second half.
However this Charlton aspect are all the time open on the again and Gatlin O’Donkor made certain of the end result inside the ultimate ten minutes. One other regarding night.
EIGHT WINLESS AGAIN
It’s some achievement to squeeze two eight-game winless runs into half a season, however the Addicks have managed it. They’ve gained simply three of their final 19 league outings.
Of their final eight League One video games, no group has picked up fewer factors than the Addicks’ three. No group has misplaced greater than Charlton’s 5. And no aspect has conceded greater than the 17 that they’ve shipped – at over two per recreation.
This alarming slide merely needs to be addressed through the January switch window. How, and who will fund that, stays a thriller at this second in time. But it surely’s one which wants fixing in a significantly well timed method.
DIFFERENT PERSONNEL, SAME PROBLEMS AT THE BACK
Terell Thomas was drafted into Charlton’s backline final night time, with Ryan Inniss benched. However his introduction didn’t assist tighten up a defence that has stored a woeful 4 clear sheets all marketing campaign.
Billy Bodin’s opener was carved out approach too simply – and he was the given an excessive amount of time and area on the sting of the realm minutes later to fireplace a shot that went in off Taylor’s midriff.
The third objective discovered makeshift full-back Tyreece Campbell out of place, no shock given he was being requested to step into an unfamiliar position. Holden may have seen the defensive frailties that Charlton have proven over the course of the season and can hone in on that division as one which wants fixing promptly.
LEABURN TALENT
Charlton have gotten an actual expertise on their arms right here. The teenager notched his seventh objective of the marketing campaign with a effective header halfway via the second half, making use of the end that Corey Blackett-Taylor’s pinpoint cross deserved. The 19-year-old has been an actual bonus for the Addicks this season and also you dread to assume the place they might be if he hadn’t discovered that additional gear to make the step up into senior soccer in the summertime.
He’s averaging a objective in each 97 minutes of league motion in the intervening time – much better than anybody else who has notched not less than six this time period.
He’ll appeal to curiosity in January. The resolve of Thomas Sandgaard, who or whoever else could also be accountable for making selections at that time, will probably be examined. With out him, the siren calls of relegation into League Two will echo ever louder.
PHOTOS: KYLE ANDREWS
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