CHARLTON ATHLETIC 2 LEICESTER CITY 1
Report by Paul Weston
Supporting a football team can be exciting and thrilling. Supporting Leicester City can only be described as a sad addiction! Occasionally, as with Andy King’s goal against Peterborough last weekend, you realise why you enjoy the game so much.
However, there are too many occasions like the Charlton match on Tuesday night, when it is just so frustrating to watch City. If I had a cat to kick when I eventually got home that night I would have kicked it into orbit!
Anyway, about the game…
Pearson started the night with the same side which started against Peterborough. Again King was left on the bench. Marshall and Dyer both played which seemed to leave our midfield lightweight and so it proved.
The game started quickly and it soon became apparent that Chris Powell had decided on simple tactics. Knock the ball long down the channels and middle for their quick forwards to chase. At dead balls hit high to the far post for Cort. It was not rocket science but it worked. Moore, still learning his trade, tried manfully but both he and Morgan had a torrid time against Kermorgant. Charlton picked up all the second balls and were generally first in the tackle.
Charlton scored two goals from absolutely nothing. One from Wright-Phillips and of course the other had to be from Kermorgant. The first goal was from a break from our attack and another from a long throw that was not cleared.
City was all over the place and Charlton was easily breaking up play in midfield where Drinkwater was over-run and James ineffective. Dyer was, like Dyer normally is- great pace, creates fantastic opportunities but is like a rabbit in the headlights when near to goal! Marshall seemed lacking in confidence and was having little impact.
Up front Vardy was running his socks off to no avail and Beckford kept losing the ball in possession. And so the first half ended 2-0 to Charlton and it looked like complete capitulation was on the cards.
It was no surprise that Pearson took off James and Beckford and brought on King and Nugent. The result was that City upped a gear, got their passing going, using the wings and low crosses instead of long hopeful balls, and created chance after chance after chance, completely dominating the second half.
King (who else!) scored early on from a good Marshall cross and you felt it was only a matter of time before at least an equaliser came. The reason it never happened was because Nugent, Vardy, Dyer all missed very easy chances to score. They were not undone by bad luck or stupendous saves but by bad finishing!
City upped the pace, bringing on the exciting Knockeart for Marshall which injected more purpose into the play and good passing, but Charlton held on by their fingertips for a win which was scarcely believable. City had the better players but what use is that if you hand the initiative to the other team in the first half?
It was all so frustrating and no doubt all the City fans were scratching their heads on their way back asking themselves these and many other questions:
Why does it need a Pearson team talk to get the team into action after half the match has disappeared?
We have lots of strikers but why is Andy King the only calm finisher?
Why is James selected instead of King?
Can we get a fit centre back alongside Morgan and give Moore a break?
Should we be dispensing with two lightweight wingers for away games and stiffen up midfield instead?
No doubt Nigel Pearson is pondering over the team for the Blackburn match. I know it is early in the season but the Charlton match was like a replay of many frustrating away games of last season. We need to learn our lessons on how to play our way out of The Championship, and fast!
City: Schmeichel, De Laet, Morgan (c), Moore, Konchesky, Marshall (Knockaert 64), Drinkwater, James (King 46), Dyer, Beckford (Nugent 46), Vardy. Unused subs: Danns, Logan, Waghorn, Schlupp.
Goals: King 52
Charlton: Hamer; Solly, Cort, Morrison, Wiggins; Pritchard, Stephens (Wilson 81), Hollands, Jackson (c) (Kerker 87); Wright-Phillips (Cook 90), Kermorgant. Unused subs: Sullivan, Taylor, Green, Smith.
Goals: Wright-Phillips 19, Kermorgant 32
Attendance: 16,658 (1,628 away) Referee: Fred Graham (Essex)
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation