The ACN Match Review: Charlton (a)

How did we play? 

Not perfectly, but a lot closer to what we know these players are capable of! They needed to show a lot of grit and bravery which they have been totally bereft of in recent weeks, particularly in last Saturday’s shameful display.

Like Connor Southwell of the Pink Un, I don’t believe recent performances have been due to a lack of effort, but possibly an overload of information and a loss of the sort of clarity Clement initially gave them when he stepped in a year ago. He probably felt he could add pages to the playbook after how this squad ended last season. 

Unfortunately, they are a fairly limited bunch, and – as has been drilled into us every week – a young bunch, which makes drops in form – like the one we’ve seen/are seeing – sharper and more shocking. 

Clement hasn’t been blameless during this slump but he hasn’t lost the dressing room, and national stories talking of toxicity and burnout are likely exaggerated – or could just be the efforts of one or two players/agents to grind their axe. There’s never going to be total unity during a losing run – and also not when players know there’s an easy ‘out’ in the sense that Norwich City will not be their forever home (Ben Knapper doesn’t even try to sell it as such).

A hard working week should be expected, especially when you’re near the bottom of the table. But hey, it looks like the tough love paid off, and maybe they can go and get a haircut now.  

What was the best bit of the game? 

There were mistakes and miscommunications, especially early on, but – on this occasion – they snapped themselves out of it. Nobody shied away from the ball, nobody stopped running, nobody shirked a challenge. 

They had to survive a couple of sticky periods, especially when Charlton brought on a couple of NBA power forwards. Blocks and tackles were being met with big chest thumps. Ante Crnac was booked for celebrating the third goal on the pitch – as a substitute. This clearly meant something and they deserved their win. Now take this forward into next week and the week after and the week after that.

What was the worst bit of the game? 

It was shaping up to be a long, miserable day, and a very different review in the first 20 minutes or so. Even in that period, however, there were more attacking moments (than we saw against either of the Hampshire sides combined) to cling to. Defensively though, it was about as hopeless and brainless as you’re likely to see at this level.

Thank goodness for the remaining 70 minutes, because it doesn’t bear thinking about how awful another abject defeat would’ve felt in this weather – and while stuck on the A11 for almost two hours on the way home (due to fallen power lines). 

It didn’t sound any better for those on the trains, either. Hopefully everyone got home safe! The things we do for football…

On that note, this week brought another stark reminder of how little those sacrifices mean to higher-ups of sporting organisations. The Milwaukee Brewers are in the World Series – you may have heard. Long-term, loyal fans who bought an incredibly expensive ‘Timeless Ticket’ ten years ago so as to receive priority over general sale found, however, ahead of such a historic series that that previous outlay meant nothing. 

The Brewers removed that window and instead allowed anyone – with sufficiently deep wallets – to jump on the bandwagon. Our club has already taken away the ability for season ticket holders to claim cash refunds for games they can’t – or don’t want to – attend. I fear this is just the start of a slippery slope. Be warned.

What was the atmosphere like? 

Hardly anyone turned up for Charlton, which may have helped us shake off the dismal start. Had this been at The Den or Bramall Lane, those fans would’ve been “right on top of us.”

The game turned at just the right time to keep the away end on side too, which was sold out. Once the team started showing some fight, they were duly backed – and that’s how it should be. Support and approval have to be earned, not given. 

Hero of the match 

Dan Grimshaw has brought steadiness between the sticks, which is a strange thing to say after a game in which he raced out of his goal to make an opposition’s striker’s task much easier. 

Overall though, he has been consistent and decisive in coming off his line and he made a vital, sprawling save in the second half to thwart the same player from a very similar attack with the score at 2-1. He didn’t let the first one change his decision for the second one. The change in goal has been a net positive (pun intended) over the  past three games.

A few more 7s from me: Ben Chrisene marshalled their danger man (Tyreece Campbell) well. Andre Brooks looked more like the Andre Brooks of August and September. Mathias Kvistgaarden put in a good shift up against two giants. Kenny McLean brought calmness and assuredness in the second half. 

Summary in five words 

Crisis averted for one week.