Four takeaways from Charlton’s 1-1 draw with Oxford: Yet another game of two halves

Charlton are now winless in seven after playing out a 1-1 draw with Oxford United at The Valley. Here’s Louis Mendez’s four takeaways from the clash with former Addicks boss Karl Robinson’s side.

TWO VERY DIFFERENT HALVES

Yet another game of two halves from a Charlton side who just can’t string two competent 45-minute performances together. They were so flat from the off and fell behind to Marcus Browne’s drive on 11 minutes.

The hosts then failed to register a single shot – on or off target – before half-time. Something had to change and Ben Garner did shuffle his pack at the break. That change paid off with the Addicks much more of an attacking threat. Jayden Stockley thankfully bagged his first goal from open-play shortly after the restart and a much more open second-half saw both sides waste chances to go and win it.

But Charlton couldn’t find the clincher which means they now sit eight points off the top six, and three above the drop zone, after a seventh winless league outing.

FORMATION CHANGE

Garner looked to try and plug the gaping chasms that have appeared all too frequently in Charlton’s defence by switching to three at the back in a 3-4-3 – but again it didn’t work. He made a similar formation shift a fortnight ago at Fleetwood, when he went for 3-5-2, but in both games Charlton have nullified their own attacking threat and still managed to concede anyway.

The South Londoners stood off Browne as he took aim from range for the opening goal. The heart of the Charlton defence remains a problem that doesn’t look like being solved any time soon, even with the addition of an extra body. They’ve kept one clean sheet all season.

And by disrupting the shape of the midfield and the control of the ball that can provide, the Addicks were unable to get Jes Rak-Sakyi into the game at all during the first-period. The switch to the 4-4-2 at the break, along with the introduction of Charlie Kirk and Miles Leaburn was effective.

Charlton had threats down either wing, Jayden Stockley no longer looked isolated and the hosts became an attacking presence. Shifting shape to try and help the defence seems futile at the moment as they appear beyond helping. But dulling the forward momentum is an issue as it’s what keeps Charlton’s chances of taking anything from a game alive.

DRAW SPECIALISTS

That’s now five draws from Charlton’s last eight league outings – all of them by the same 1-1 score line. Nobody in League One has drawn more than the Addicks’ six so far this year – although they are even drawing that stat with Fleetwood who have also shared the spoils on six occasions.

The inability to turn these ties in their favour only serves to highlights the shortcomings of the side. They aren’t clinical enough in front of goal and are suspectable when defending their own.

These inadequacies still haven’t been overcome as we enter October. The amount of draws does suggest to the untrained eye that the Addicks aren’t a million miles away from where they need to be. But when they consistently fail to turn draws into wins, it seems more like a pattern than an anomaly.

LOW CROWD AND GENERAL APATHY

Train strikes will have hampered some Charlton fans from getting to SE7 but all season The Valley has been dogged by low crowds. The atmosphere was so flat inside the opening 45 minutes with little to reward those who had turned up on the field.

It did lift during the second-half but it’s no surprise to see a general level of apathy setting in amongst the Addicks crowd.

The summer’s recruitment was short and uninspired, results are middling and the play-offs are starting to look out of reach already. It could be another long season.

There was a, fairly muted, couple of chants aimed towards the ownership towards the end of the first-period. It’s not entirely surprising to see some fans hitting out as the Addicks once again don’t look like promotion hopefuls from the third tier.

PHOTOS: PAUL EDWARDS