Four takeaways from Charlton’s loss at Plymouth: Addicks look a different side without key men

Kieran Agard’s goal is enough to condemn Charlton to defeat at Plymouth during Johnnie Jackson’s first game in permanent charge of the club. Here’s Louis Mendez’s four takeaways from Home Park.

A FLAT SHOWING

A laboured display that was a world away from the 2-0 win over Plymouth at The Valley a month ago. The South Londoners started brightly but quickly faded. Plymouth were almost invisible as an attacking threat until they broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time. That gave Steven Schumacher’s side renewed vigour after the interval and on another day they would have won by a larger margin. Charlton toiled towards the end and may have stolen an unlikely point in the last knockings, but it wasn’t to be. Jackson’s first game as permanent boss unrecognisable from the displays that earned him that deserved accolade.

TROUBLE ON THE ROAD

Three games without a win on the road feels like an issue with the away form – but really, it’s an indication of how Charlton struggle to perform without key men. The draw at Morecambe – having been 2-0 up – and the 1-0 loss at Shrewsbury both came as Jayden Stockley was serving his suspension. Saturday’s loss at Home Park happened as the Addicks were unable to plug the gaps left by Akin Famewo and Conor Washington’s Covid issues. For a side with a large squad, Charlton seem especially vulnerable when some of their main men are unavailable. A concern for Jackson who will want to see more from those on the periphery of the team.

KIRK STILL TO SHOW HIS FULL POTENTIAL

Talking of those on the periphery of the team who need to add more to their game… Charlie Kirk has found his chances limited and every time he does feature, you remember why. Other than his showing at Fleetwood a couple of months back, he’s been fairly anonymous when involved. There’s no doubt that there’s a player in there – his 24 goals and 32 assists in three years at Crewe prove there’s something to work with. But for whatever reason it hasn’t clicked yet and his cameo at Home Park – in a game in which nobody impressed in reality – left a lot to be desired. Needs an injection of confidence to rediscover his Railwaymen rhythm.

TRYING CIRCUMSTANCES FOR ALL

The decimation of the fixture list this weekend was inevitable following the spread of the omicron variant of Covid-19. It’s remarkable that a London-based club like the Addicks were able to name a side at all with the virus particularly troubling the capital. Is it fair to ask Charlton to play when they had key men missing but Plymouth were completed unaffected? The counter argument is that injury problems can cause clubs to be missing key men at any time – but absent players are only part of the issue anyway. The pandemic is an unprecedented situation for the EFL to try and battle and perhaps some sort of break could have been the best way to ensure the safety of teams and their fans plus the protection of a level-playing field in each division. It would cause a fixture pile-up later on in the campaign – but that’s happening anyway with this raft of postponements, the mere threat of which cause extra stress to fans who have to travel a long way to games during this uncertain time.

PHOTOS: KYLE ANDREWS