Charlton Athletic 0 - West Bromwich Albion 0

Summary:

According to the WBA web site:

"Albion turned in a display full of grit and determination to earn a precious point on their travels at The Valley."

According to the Sky Sports commentary:

"It's been a good game despite the 0-0 scoreline. Plenty of attacking intent from both teams."

According to BBC Radio London:

"Blah blah West Brom came for a point and got it blah blah must be painful for their supporters blah blah what is it with Midlands teams blah blah long ball blah blah linesman got it wrong blah blah dismal game blah blah killing football blah blah moan whinge moan."

Take your pick. Further observations:

• Paul Robinson's booking means he will miss the Fulham game.
• Jay Bothroyd has a very dodgy moustache.

Matty_b:

In a nutshell, we got a point and that's the main thing. Didn't play that badly tonight, especially the first half. First 10 to 15 mins we looked the most lively.

Good edge of the box shot from Greening produced a good save and after a sustained bit of pressure, a decent ball in saw a back post header (ball bypassed Campbell - not sure whether dived or fouled) from Carter onto the post.

Other first half effort from Horse after AJ battled well, although never really going anywhere. They didn't have much first half, but there were two chances that should have seen us punished.

Second half I can't remember us having a shot and I'd say all in all, lucky for a point.

My main perception is the distinct lack of pace and creation in the team in general. We've obviously got nothing up front, but the lack of anything in midfield means nobody can get past a man and join up with the front two or get behind the defenders. We're reduced to lumping balls in as unable to get to the line or pick up the ball and take it past people.

Few other points:

• Referee very poor and didn't give much. Lots of pushing etc wasn't picked up on
• PIG - Couple of good saves, but kicking appalling. What surprises me more, is we don't try and get the ball out quickly to full backs or try anything different. Therefore, we either get a kick into touch or a huge thump up to Campbell who will get a head on 1 in 10.
• AJ... Did ok. Good harassing, but cannot offer much else. Also, just a bit slow.
• Carter, abysmal second half and offered nothing
• Clem, back to switching off. I would try and find a partner for Davies.
• Robbo, form isn't good at moment. Looks like a first div player.
• Horse did well... well, better than Campbell
• MOM Davies, everyone else, nothing above a 6. However, Carter 3, Robbo & Clem 4, Ellington 4, AJ 5

Dave Watkin:

The Baggies away contingent gave the Albion players a standing ovation after a battling performance earned a point from a goalless draw at The Valley.

Our defence was solid with Curtis Davies giving a man-of-the-match performance and Tomasz Kuszczak not that far behind. The midfield played well as a unit, with Jonathan Greening the pick of the bunch and the recalled Andy Johnson not looking out of place. Campbell and especially Horsfield held the ball up well, but we're lacking a pacy forward to take advantage of our good approach play.

The big concern amongst supporters is that although we've strengthened in other areas, the failure to purchase a new striker will make the task of staying in the Premiership very difficult indeed. Commendable as it is for the Board to balance the books, for a club which has only scored four away league goals to sell a ?3m goalscorer and not seriously attempt to bring in a replacement, seems a false economy.

TEAM NEWS

In the absence of the injured Steve Watson and the suspended Ronnie Wallwork, Neil Clement was reintroduced into the centre of the defence and Andy Johnson made a rare appearance in the centre of midfield. Geoff Horsfield was preferred up front to off-form Nathan Ellington.

HIGHLIGHTS

Albion looked comfortable on the ball in the early stages and came closest when Jonathan Greening chested down a loose ball and cracked a half volley which keeper Myhre at full stretch pushed around the post.

The home side were quick on the break and after Darren Bent muscled his way to the ball down by the corner flag, he cut inside and from a narrow angle hit a wicked cross shot which Thomasz Kuszczak did well to push clear.

The quarter-of-an-hour before half time saw Albion enjoy their best spell of the game. Waves of attacking play meant Charlton were pinned back inside their own half. An inswinging cross from Greening wide left created havoc amongst the defenders and Geoff Horsfield stealing in at the far post headed downwards onto the upright with the goalkeeper scrambling to try and keep the ball out.

The general opinion at half time was that the Baggies deserved to be in the lead, but that they really ought to have scored during that period when we were on top, because a lucky strike or piece of brilliance from Charlton would most likely cost us the game.

Shortly after the resumption, Nathan Ellington came on for the injured Campbell. The Addicks were now much more dangerous. The nearest they came to taking the lead was when Davies slid in to cut out a cross and only a combination of Kuszczak and the post kept the ball out.

A couple of classy tackles by the outstanding Curtis Davies kept Charlton at bay as they pressed for a winner. However the Baggies were well worth their point over the ninety minutes.

ALBION FORMRATE : GOOD

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH : CURTIS DAVIES

Chris (Another London Baggie):

Would have taken a point before the game given our depleted resources. First half we were clearly the better side - not much skill but plenty of determination and effort. Second half we were lucky to hang on for a point. Horsfield played well and was our only threat upfront - should have scored with the point blank header just before half-time. Charlton were pretty poor - their only threat seemed to be balls over the top for the Bents to chase. Lost count of the number of times they were caught offside. In fact can't remember one instance when they weren't offisde.

Can't understand why Robson keeps playing the enigma which is Darren Carter - his confidence is completely shot to bits. He looks like he's got everything - athletic, good footballing skills, strong - yet he drfifts around on the fringes of the game, never bothers to break sweat and gives the impression he doesn't give a s***. And he's so, so, so slow. Baggies around me were on his back after his first touch last night - the abuse got worse and worse as the night went on. This can't have helped his confidence much - its Robson who deserves the stick for continuing to play him.

So the Winter Clearance has happened - Earnshaw, Big Dave, Dyer, Scimeca all gone for good - probably all for the best. Chaplow out on loan and Hoult likely to follow. Talk of Horsfield going to Blades - this could be a cut (sorry) too far as on last night's showing the Hoss is a better bet up front than Campbell. On the replacements, Quashie is a good player and Kozak looks good on paper - no idea about the South American. But we desparately needed a new striker - no idea where the goals are going to come from. Hoss - battles hard but not a Prem striker. Campbell - too slow. Ellington - no confidence. Kanu and Kamara - neither are out and out strikers. And uh... that's it.

If we keep battling as we did last night, we've got a chance of staying up but its going to be pretty damn close and will probably depend (again) on how others (esp. Blues and Boro) do.

Goulds Coffin:

I couldn't help feeling disappointed on leaving the Valley last night. We deserved to be ahead at half time, having had a lot of possession and pressure. Charlton were absolutely there for the taking, and you would hope that we would come out for the second half with that in mind.

Instead we decided very early on that a draw would do us nicely. We invited pressure from a team that were begging us to beat them. Any number of teams in the league would have punished us, but we held on for a point. Yes, I'd have settled for that before the game, but the pattern of the match meant that this was two points dropped.

Ironically it was the players we were most surprised to see on the pitch who did well, especially in the first half. Horsfield held the ball up brilliantly at times, while Johnson added a bit of energy. I thought Davies looked a bit shaky at times, but the defence didn't do too much wrong. And if Kuszczak could kick, he'd be Pope.

The big negative?and I take no pleasure in saying this?is Carter. Why we are thinking of loaning out Chaplow and consistently picking Carter is beyond me. I think he can do it but he is running out of chances. First Purse, now Carter... how much longer are we going to be the recycling bin for the Pornographers?

Dan_London:

I left for the game about 6.30 in high hopes - after reading Robson's comments the night before - I generally thought that Earnie would start the game, at the scene of his greatest triumph in an albion shirt. I was then shocked when I heard that Earnie had left to join Norwich, particularly as their had been no news of us bringing in a striker.

I was even more preturbed when I heard the lineups, and that Darren Carter (the worst player I've seen in my fifteen years supporting Albion) was named captain. I coudn't for the life of me see where a goal was coming from!

That said, we were the better team in the first half, even though we were effectively playing with nine men (Carter and Campbell have not had a good game between them this season). I worked out that Campbell had won one header and passed to a teammate twice in the first half (and they were both backward passes), whilst Carter continued in his terrible vein of form.

The Horse and AJ were at their industrious best. The Horse basically bullied the Charlton defence and was unlucky on two occasions, although particularly with his far post header, that somehow didn't cross the line. Greening, who had a very good first half, also went close, with a twenty-five yard volley.

At the other end, Darren Bent had a couple of openings, he really should have done better when albion dithered at the back and he put it wide when one on one with the Pole.

The second half was a completely different story. We barely got into their half, and didn't have a shot of note. The Pole made a good save from Hughes, and it seemed that if there was going to be a goal, Charlton were the only side capable of scoring.

This leads me onto another criticism of Robson - he is clueless when it comes to substitutions. AJ, having not played for three months, was clearly shattered, yet played the whole ninety minutes, whilst Carter somehow stayed on the pitch for the full ninety, despite being totalyl out of his depth. Surely, Chaplow has to be a better option than him?

The main concern for all albion fans is the lasck of goals in the team. Whilst I think ?3.5m is good money for Earnie, I can't believe we sold him with six hours of the transfer window to go. I have no idea where the goals are coming from. The Horse battled well, but his goalscoring record isn't great; Campbell is a league one player at best, whilst the Duke's confidence seems to have been shot, and Kanu and Kamara are hardly fifteen goals a season players! When he sold Earnie, BR said that Earnie's goals record isn't great, yet its four times better than Campbell's. Why he persists in playing KC I'll never know - four goals in thirty-eight games (one in the last thirty) says it all!

Ratings:

• Pole in Goal 8: Colossus as usual
• Robinson 6: Not his best performance but still reliable
• Clement 6: As above
• Davies 7: Would be an 8 but almost gifted Bent a goal in the first half
• Albrectsen 7: Did well, considering he had no support ahead of him
• Ina 7: much better than of late. Ran the midfield in first half
• AJ 7: Hard working perfomance but seemed shattered and should have been taken off
• Greening: 8 first half, 6 second
• Carter: 1 - would be a zero, but suppose he deserves one for being on the pitch
• The Horse: 8 - ran Charlton ragged first half. Tired a little in second, but still far better option than Campbell.
• Campbell: 2 - Gets an extra point as I don't believe anyone deserves to be compared with Carter. I honestly believe he should never play for us again though - he's just too old and slow. BR is the only manager in the premiership who would have him near their squad. If he's better than Earnie then I'm a Wolves fan
• Sub: Duke 5: Better option than Campbell - at least he can run!
• Robson 5: Got good performances from AJ and The Horse, although what he sees in Campbell and Carter that 20,000 albion fans don't, I'll never know. Selling our most prolific striker 6hrs before the window shut sums him up!
• Our fans: 8 - brilliant noise, far better than some of our players deserve
• Theirs 5 - Really was like being in a library!