Charlton v Swans | Vital Football

Charlton v Swans

K

keith margam

Vital Football Legend
Up next Charlton away on Wednesday night, in what will be another tough match.
Our left back Bidwell will serve the last of his three match ban and I think we’ve missed him.
Charlton are a point behind us in sixth place after a 1-0 win over Leeds(their first away defeat of the season) at The Valley on Saturday.
Leeds were without the injured Pablo Hernandez, an ex- Swan and their key player, and gave forward Helder Costa, on loan from Wolves, his first start of the season.
Leeds had 72% of the possession in that match but hit the target with just 4 of their 19 attempts
We will meet up with an ex-Swansea hero again, Darren Pratley (remember his spectacular goal in the play-off semi-final against Forest).

After match comments -
Charlton manager Lee Bowyer:
"To beat the best team in the league is always a good achievement. I thought we deserved it. We knew we were going to be under pressure at times because everyone who plays Leeds is.
But we held our own and tactically got it spot on. I can't praise my players any more - they are a group that never says die. To get three points just shows how far we have come as a club.
If you don't work hard for the team then you don't play, they all know that. They are a good, honest bunch who want to do well in this division. They are hungry."

Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa:
"The difference between the two sides was big. We didn't impose our superiority and that was the reason for what happened.
They had one shot and scored one goal. We had possession and controlled the game.
Our players were better than their players. We didn't underestimate our opponents but we had more resources on the pitch."
 
Form Guide last 6 matches:
Swansea WWWLDD
Charlton DWWLLW

Swans have lost their way a bit in the last 3 matches, goals have dried up somewhat, with a shock 0-1 defeat at home to Forest, a 0-0 draw at Bristol City, and a 1-1 draw at home to lowly Reading who had lost their previous 4 matches.

Charlton bounced back last Saturday after two straight defeats, 2-0 at Wigan and 0-1 at home to Birmingham, to beat promotion favourites Leeds 1-0.
 
Steve Cooper says Swansea City are looking forward to facing Charlton in midweek and easing the frustration of their weekend draw with Reading.

The Royals snatched a point at the Liberty Stadium at the weekend thanks to a 90th-minute equaliser, while the previous home game had seen Nottingham Forest score late to take all three points.

Cooper acknowledged the disappointment at those results but, with Swansea second in the table with just one defeat from their first nine games, there is plenty of positivity in the camp ahead of Wednesday’s trip to The Valley.

“The frustrating thing is those goals have come a bit out of the blue, particularly the Nottingham Forest one,” said the head coach.

“With the one on the weekend, although I would have liked us to be higher up the pitch and have more possession, it was not as though they were peppering our goal.

“That makes it tougher to take, but we did not lose the game and we played some good stuff. I thought the first half hour was some of the best stuff I have seen from us.

“Obviously we need to sustain that but training has been good this week, it was excellent this morning, and there is everything to look forward to.”
 
Leeds beat WBA 1-0 last night and replaced them at the top of the table. WBA were previously unbeaten this season, so a big scalp for them in front of 34,000 at Elland Road.
In other matches, Forest extended their unbeaten run to nine games with a 1-1 draw at Blackburn.
Preston drew 1-1 at Middlesboro.
Fulham thrashed Reading 1-4 to put in perspective our recent home draw with Reading.
Stoke lost 0-1 at home to Huddersfield and it looks as if Nathan Jones will be on his bike by the time they play us this Saturday.
All this means that we have dropped down to sixth in the table before tonight’s game at Charlton. Draw and we go back to second, win and we go top.
In this very tight league, Cardiff are at home to QPR, if they win and we lose they would be only two points behind us.
 
Last edited:
Excellent result guys, we won 1-2 at Charlton and are back on the top of the table!
Dhanda and Ayew the scorers. Happy Days!
 
Lee Bowyer:
“It was a good even game between two teams that try and play.
First 15 minutes we were the better side and got an early goal.
We got sloppy in possession in the last 20 and gave them a lift.
The goal from a set piece is disappointing and frustrating.
But my men gave me 100% and that’s all I can ask from them.
I thought a draw would’ve been a fair result, but sometimes you don’t get what you deserve.”
It was only Charlton’s second defeat at The Valley this year, with goals from Yan Dhanda and Andre Ayew cancelling out Jonathan Leko’s early opener.
Bowyer wouldn’t be drawn into blaming the referee on the two penalty appeals turned down, but suggested he felt hard done by.
Chuks Aneke was adjudged to have fouled Joe Rodon before going down under the challenge himself, and a late handball appeal was also waved away by ref Peter Banks.
“The referee has got hardest job in the world. If we got the penalty I’m sure their manager would have moaned. But I will say a lot of decisions didn’t go our way tonight. Hopefully that will even itself out over our season because a lot has gone against us this season already.”

Steve Cooper:
“It’s a good three points, that’s for sure. It was a really good atmosphere, you can see the fans get behind their team. It’s a club that’s used to winning.
We gave ourselves a difficult start by going 1-0 down so early, so to reply as we did and give a performance like that is pleasing because we had to show all sides of the game.
We played with possession, trying to build our way up. We played some really good stuff, working our way up the pitch with good identity.
We scored a good first goal in terms of how we worked it, and likewise for the corner where it was great to score of a set-piece.
Then in the latter stage there is an onslaught, but I cannot remember Freddie having to make a save so it shows we want to deal with what is coming up against us and we are proud to do it.”
 
Charlton v Swans
Possession: 52% - 48%
Shots: 8 - 13
On target: 3 - 4
Corners: 3 - 3
Fouls: 14 - 14
Bookings: 4Y - 1Y
Attendance: 15,741 (away fans 1,222)
Ref: Peter Bankes

......... and just a mention of how misleading match statistics can be. Cardiff had only 28% possession in their resounding 3-0 win over QPR last night.
Cardiff v QPR
Possession 28% - 72%
Shots 10 - 14
On target 4 - 4
Corners 3 - 5
Fouls 18 -12
 
keith margam said:
Lee Bowyer:
“It was a good even game between two teams that try and play.
First 15 minutes we were the better side and got an early goal.
We got sloppy in possession in the last 20 and gave them a lift.
The goal from a set piece is disappointing and frustrating.
But my men gave me 100% and that’s all I can ask from them.
I thought a draw would’ve been a fair result, but sometimes you don’t get what you deserve.”
It was only Charlton’s second defeat at The Valley this year, with goals from Yan Dhanda and Andre Ayew cancelling out Jonathan Leko’s early opener.
Bowyer wouldn’t be drawn into blaming the referee on the two penalty appeals turned down, but suggested he felt hard done by.
Chuks Aneke was adjudged to have fouled Joe Rodon before going down under the challenge himself, and a late handball appeal was also waved away by ref Peter Banks.
“The referee has got hardest job in the world. If we got the penalty I’m sure their manager would have moaned. But I will say a lot of decisions didn’t go our way tonight. Hopefully that will even itself out over our season because a lot has gone against us this season already.”

Steve Cooper:
“It’s a good three points, that’s for sure. It was a really good atmosphere, you can see the fans get behind their team. It’s a club that’s used to winning.
We gave ourselves a difficult start by going 1-0 down so early, so to reply as we did and give a performance like that is pleasing because we had to show all sides of the game.
We played with possession, trying to build our way up. We played some really good stuff, working our way up the pitch with good identity.
We scored a good first goal in terms of how we worked it, and likewise for the corner where it was great to score of a set-piece.
Then in the latter stage there is an onslaught, but I cannot remember Freddie having to make a save so it shows we want to deal with what is coming up against us and we are proud to do it.”
Click to expand...

Maybe I'm biased but I felt we more than deserved it, were by far the better side and should have killed the game off but we can't seem to do that this season. It got nervy at the end!
 
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