Match Day Thread CHARLTON V ARGYLE

Bad luck in picking that game Plymborn - believe me, leaving aside the first 3 months, we have been very good at times this season and difficult to beat for the rest of it!

 

My local club notDistant.....my son and grandson are both season ticket holders...they normally have half a row to themselves most home games...so it was easy for him to get two seats next to them for us....unfortunately behind Argyle's goal in the first half.....certainly wasn't 13,989 supporters in the ground plenty of space.

Lewis Page's shot was probably 25 yards out and went in Matthews top left hand corner....maybe he should of got a hand to it....who can tell.
I saw Matthews first game against AFC Wimbledon (1-0 win) and he was confident and good......yesterday I wasn't too sure what to make of him....he certainly didn't look on top of the job....maybe it was because of the defence in front of him....it looked very vulnerable every time we gave the ball away and they came poring forward....behind the goal was a great place to sit if you were a Charlton fan....but I wasn't and I was literally looking through my fingers cringing...my son and grandson were lapping it up and grinning like Cheshire cats.......Don't ask me what Matthews was doing when he handled the ball outside of the area....definitely on purpose....he wasn't even booked and I was waiting for a red card....strange decision by the Ref.

Oh didn't we miss Bradley and Edwards.....Songo'o is game enough but he doesn't fill you with confidence in central defence....on the right Threlkeld was having a hard time and not winning much ball....on the left Sawyer just hasn't got the pace to contain a winger......Vyner was coming to their rescue far to often.....Makasi looked out of his depth and totally one footed.

When Adams made early changes in the second half it made no difference at all....Argyle just weren't in control....how Charlton didn't score 4 or 5 goals I just don't know......down to bad finishing I expect.....even so first away defeat for 4 months....hard to believe having witnessed that diabolical performance.

 

You'll remember I had a real downer on Songo'o a while back but he did then strike a bit of form, albeit I still felt happier with him in midfield where there's a least a chance to recover from an error. It seems he was back to his old ways against Bristol City and continued that yesterday.

Personally, I haven't liked the look of Sawyer in the last couple of games I've been to. He was really solid in the early part of the season but perhaps playing every game is proving a bit much for 32 year old legs in the full back position.... up and down the line for 90 minutes.

There's always going to be a first 11 from whom any absentee is a loss but our squad is such that we lack strength in depth. Still, we'd have all settled for this position at the start of the season so let's not be despondent!

 

Songo'o played in midfield when I saw him at Wimbledon....in front of the back four....he played well, like a busy bee breaking up any threats, that's the period when he was becoming noticed and would be one of the first names on the team sheet....he always tries his best and plays where his Manager needs him....but he is more of a liability in central defence....bur who else is there when we have injuries there.
Modern day wingback play is not for Sawyer, he hasn't got the pace and when it breaks down he cannot get back quick enough.
Sawyer and Threlkeld play every week and it must take the edge off their game trying to overlap down the wing.
Of those out at present.....Bradley, Edwards,.Sarcevic are first eleven choices....but after a long time out plus his age I'm not counting McCormick as a nailed on first teamer anymore....maybe he'll come back and prove us wrong....but I'm not sure about that.

 

At the end of the day, Charlton scored two very good goals. Dust yourselves down and move on to the next game. You can't be good all of the time and a play off spot is still very much up for grabs.

 

I think Argyle's limitations are coming home to roost a bit. We have a decent enough squad but we are now suffering with absentees like in the beginning of the season. I don't think many are completely expecting a play off place if honest although still harbouring a bit of a wish for it to happen. We know we still can and I doubt people will give up on it or the team give up on it until it is either cemented in or ruled out because we cannot reach the numbers required. Personally I am happy with the mid table idea and sort of have been all season. It's only the fact that a second promotion might be possible that has made me question that recently. Other teams have learned who to target in our team now and it isn't going to be quite as easy as it was from here on in. It's perm any two from half the league at the minute and when it comes down to being in it or out of it Argyle have a habit of being out.