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Despite having the better chances in the first half with Garry Flitcoft coming close early on, Rovers went in at half time 0 - 0.
Four minutes after the restart Charlton went ahead when El Karkouri headed home a Danny Murphy corner.
Rovers looked to have had a reasonable penalty appeal after Hreidarsson appeared to handle in the box, but no it appears that Rovers are heading for a world record, after going 52 games without being awarded a penalty.
With the game being played on a Monday night not many members from the message board ventured south of Watford Gap, let alone attempted the joys of navigating the M25 during rush hour to get to Charlton in time for kick-off. We are therefore for once lacking a I was there match report, however I believe that the game can be best summed up by comments made by members who watched the game on tv.
Posted by Kamy 100.
Can't fault the effort and commitment last night. However there was a serious lack of quality all over the pitch. The defence did OK for long periods but the problem remains that they go to sleep sometimes, you can't afford to that at this level as teams will punish you. The passing was woeful. Yes we had lots of possession but in the second half but we did very little with it. In the first half we gave the ball away, a better team would have punished us more than Charlton did. I thought that the midfield four worked extremely hard but the end result was there was a lack of creativity and the service up to Stead and Dickov could be best described as poor. Dickov continues to work hard and Stead is full of running but is seriously lacking confidence.
Posted by DarthPaul.
Rovers were unlucky last night. Fact, as far as I am concerned. We were at least as good as Charlton for pretty much the full game. Rovers should have had a penalty. It was handball, the players arm was out away from his body, it had contact with the ball, it was in the penalty area. Now, being a Rovers fan I cannot profess to actually knowing much about penalties but I have actually seen other teams get them and this looked just like one. You cannot compare it to the Matteo incident as it was a completely different scenario and NOT a penalty. (And I definitely know what a penalty is NOT because I have seen Rovers NOT get loads of them!)
Anyway, penalties do not guarantee goals but even the most hardened Doom and Gloom Merchants on this board (and you lot are a gathering storm) would have to agree that a penalty would have given us a better than even chance of a goal and therefore a better chance of a share of the points.
Posted by speeeeeeedie
My own perception of the match was that we were hard done by, I think we deserved a point for all the pressure but goals count in this game and we can't find them. Maybe another penalty opportunity slipping us by would have made the difference.
Rovers relied too much on the long ball without any real creative flair from our midfield. Our best two chances fell to Flitcroft, and Amoruso was unlucky to miss kick it with the goalmouth scramble. The goal was yet another bit of bad defending from Lucas Neill.
Both Jansen and Emerton played well last night, they were full of toil and some invention but most of it was done 40 yards out. My theory is that our fullbacks aren't up to it. Neill for all his defensive misgivings alone should be worthy of the hoof, but his attacking play is desperately numb. He seems to go forward with no ease, never puts in a good ball and constantly gets caught upfield when it goes wrong for him. Grey is similar, a good defender but offers no attacking options. They are both woefully short of pace which may answer why they don't like going forward. Hreidarsson and Young were excellent for them, a constant menace at both ends, ours were the opposite. With the fullbacks offering nothing it means that our wingers have to do more leg work and start further away from their goal when they do get it. If the fullbacks pushed up more, when they have the chance, it will force the opposition to think about them. Look at Ashley Cole, (I'm not comparing us to Arsenal and I know there is far more to it) he spends half the game bombing down the left side, our lads never do. If we address this it will help.
As for the rest of the team:
Friedel had nothing to do, apart from one great save late on.
Matteo and Amoruso did well. I like Amo, he can organise well, but their lack of pace added to the other two give me a great sense of dread against fast strikers.
Ferguson got into it the more the game was played on the floor. I like him, but he needs the ball at his feet. Flitcroft was OK but he can't cut it anymore.
Dickov and Stead toiled without much help, we need to play shorter balls up front giving our midfield more time to get there and support them.
Match report edited by Alan75
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