[Archived] Match Report: Blackburn Rovers 3 - 0 Charlton Athletic

[Kamy100]

Parsonblue's match report from the Charlton game:

Saturday 19th September 2015 – Football League Championship

Blackburn Rovers 3 v 0 Charlton Athletic

Blackburn Rovers (1) 3

Rhodes 45 + 1, Rhodes 75, Lawrence 85

Jason Steele; Adam Henley, Shane Duffy, Grant Hanley, Marcus Olsson; Ben Marshall, Corry Evans (Lee Williamson 89), Danny Guthrie (Hope Akpan 78), Craig Conway; Jordan Rhodes, Fodé Koita (Tom Lawrence 75).

Subs not used: David Raya (gk), Matt Kilgallon, Nathan Delfouneso, John O’Sullivan.

Manager: Gary Bowyer

Charlton Athletic (0) 0

Nick Pope; Chris Solly, Alou Diarra, Patrick Bauer, Morgan Fox; Mikhail Kennedy (Igor Vetokeke 61), Jordan Cousins, Ahmed Kashi, Zakarya Bergdich (Conor McAleny 69); Johann Berg Gudmundsson, Tony Watt (Karlan Ahearne-Grant 89).

Subs not used: Dimitar Mitov (gk), Johnnie Jackson, Naby Sarr, El-Hadji Ba.

Manager: Guy Luzon

Referee: Mr. C. Boyeson

Bookings: Blackburn Rovers – Grant Hanley

Charlton Athletic – None

Attendance: 12,088

Blackburn Rovers finally notched their first win of the season when they dispatched a rather lacklustre Charlton Athletic in convincing fashion at Ewood Park. The Rovers carried on from where they left off on Wednesday night with a confident display of attacking football which had the visitors at full stretch. It has taken awhile for the new players to be assimilated into the team but there now seems to be an increased understanding and definite pattern of play being developed. Over the past few games there has been a marked departure from the long ball game to one which sees the ball being played through midfield with Danny Guthrie and Corry Evans being at the hub of things, ably supported by Craig Conway and Ben Marshall on the flanks. The inclusion of Fodé Koita has taken some of the weight off Jordan Rhodes, who has never really convinced as a lone striker, and enabled him to find the sort of goalscoring positions from which he can do what he does best. In terms of a Championship season it is still early days and, of course, one win proves nothing, but the signs have been there in previous games to finally give rise to some cautious optimism.

The early stages proved to be a cagy affair although Zakarya Bergdich got the better of Adam Henley on eight minutes but his cross came to nothing. A minute later, a lofted pass from Jordan Cousins enabled Tony Watt to beat the offside trap and find himself one-on-one with Jason Steele on the edge of the area. As the Rovers ‘keeper came out to meet Watt, the Charlton striker chipped him but his effort was weak and off target and easily cleared. However, it was a warning to the Rovers that the visitors could be a danger on the break.

Within a minute the Rovers had a wonderful chance to take the lead when Ben Marshall played an inch perfect through ball which found Jordan Rhodes totally free in the penalty area. The striker spun and whipped a in a shot which Pope did well to save one-handed and push away for a corner.

A wonderful flowing move down the left involving Marshall, Craig Conway and Marcus Olsson ended with the Swedish full-back sending in a dangerous cross which was headed clear by a Charlton defender. A cross from Henley was cleared only as far as Rhodes and he, in turn, sent in another cross which was cleared for a corner.

At this juncture the Rovers were slowly increasing the pressure on the visiting defence with some attractive and patient football which saw them working the ball around the pitch to unsettle the Charlton back line.

A shocking backpass by Alou Diarra sold his ‘keeper short and Rhodes intercepted the ball well clear of any defenders. He rounded the ‘keeper but then Pope recovered quickly to slide in and block Rhodes effort for a corner.

Marshall almost played Fodé Koita in with another excellent spot but, sadly, the pass was just over hit.

On nineteen minutes the visitors had their first real chance of the game when Bergdich played a quick one-two with Johann Berg Gudmundsson on the edge of the area but his low shot was beaten away by Steele.

Koita was the next to have a shot at goal when a corner fell to him in a crowded penalty area. The Frenchman showed good technique to turn and hit the ball in one movement but, unfortunately, he couldn’t get sufficient power behind his shot which was comfortably saved by Pope.

On twenty-seven minutes Watt was adjudged to be onside – a very debatable decision – and as moved into the area he fired his shot across the face of the goal and wide of the target.

At the other end a cross from Henley was met by Marshall and Pope did well to scoop the shot away with one hand.

Watt then had a chance to give the visitors the lead when Shane Duffy completely misjudged the path of the ball and Jordan Cousins was able to race into the area before picking out Watt in the centre of the goal. The striker seemed to tie himself up in knots and eventually hit a tame shot straight into the arms of Steele.

Just past the half-hour mark, Koita was tripped as he latched onto the ball and Marshall struck the free-kick narrowly over the bar. Pope then found himself under pressure again when he was forced to punch a headed backpass away for a corner when under pressure from Rhodes.

On forty-two minutes Pope did well to collect a cross from Marshall when being challenged by Koita.

However, as the game moved into the first minute of added on time the Rovers got the breakthrough that they so thoroughly deserved. Grant Hanley met a corner from the right and his glancing header seemed destined for the net when Rhodes popped up, completely unmarked and virtually on the goalline, and got the faintest of touches to it with his head to make sure.

The Rovers began the second half brightly and, once again, had Charlton on the back foot as they knocked the ball around with a growing confidence.

However, on fifty-four minutes, Rhodes lost possession in midfield and Cousins gave the ball to Watt and he, in turn, found Bergdich. The Moroccan international, although at full stretch, got his shot past Steele only for Hanley to clear the ball for a corner. This led to a succession of corners for the visitors which the Rovers dealt with.

On fifty-eight minutes Hanley found Rhodes, who beat the offside trap, and he slipped the ball back to Conway who cut inside from the left but blasted his shot high and wide of the target.

Three minutes later Conway sent in a wonderful cross which appeared to be destined for the head of Rhodes in front of goal. Sadly, the striker was just unable to get a touch on the ball which flew narrowly wide of the far post.

The Rovers continued to pour forward in search of a second goal and an intricate move involving Guthrie, Koita and Olsson ended with the latter firing in a cross which was cut out just before it reached Rhodes.

Charlton’s attacks were becoming more and more infrequent and when Watt did get a sight of goal he shot well wide.

Olsson, who was having a fine game at left-back, then picked out Koita with another inch-perfect cross but the French striker opted to head the ball back to Corry Evans rather than going for goal and the chance was lost.

Duffy then did well to clear the ball for a corner when Watt tried to get between the defender and the advancing Steele.

On seventy-five minutes the Rovers grabbed the second goal that their play had deserved. Tom Lawrence, who had only been on the pitch a few moments, worked his way to the deadball line before finding Rhodes on the near post and the striker, from the narrowest of angles, prodded the ball past Pope from close range.

The visitors hit back when Watt created a chance for Igor Vetokele but Henley was on hand to make a vital block. From the resulting corner it was the Rovers who had a wonderful opportunity to finish off the opposition when they broke and suddenly found themselves with four players in ‘Blue & White’ shirts running at a solitary Charlton defender. The ball was eventually played into Marshall whose shot was saved and when the ball came out to Olsson his effort was blocked for a corner.

Fortunately, moments later the win was sealed by a fine goal from Tom Lawrence. The Rovers worked the ball down the right wing with Henley and Hope Akpan exchanging passes before Akpan played in Lawrence who skipped past a defender before, from about twelve yards out, blasting the ball into the roof of the net.

There was much to admire about the Rovers play in this game and was further evidence of a marked difference in the style of play that the manager and his coaching staff appear to be adopting. There seems greater emphasis on working the ball through midfield and on retaining possession to try to pull the opposition out of position. In Ben Marshall, Danny Guthrie, Corry Evans and Craig Conway, the Rovers have a midfield quartet who seemed happily suited to this style of play and Hope Akpan has also shown, in his substitute appearances, that he too is comfortable on the ball as well as providing a bit of old fashioned ‘muscle’ to the midfield.

In defence, the Rovers had one or two uncomfortable moments, in the first half in particular, but these were weathered and in the main the pairing of Shane Duffy and Grant Hanley looked relatively comfortable as the game went on. Adam Henley had a difficult afternoon at times and in the first half looked quite vulnerable to the pace of Charlton down the wing. However, he got to grips with things after the break. Marcus Olsson had a fine game at left-back and offers so much more than Tommy Spurr, both in defence and in overlapping down the left wing.

The midfield quartet looked very impressive at times. Conway and Marshall were a constant threat down the wings whilst Evans and Guthrie worked non-stop in the centre of the park. Both were always available, always wanting the ball and keeping the play moving at pace. Both challenged and pressed the opposition whenever they had the ball. Akpan also caught the eye with a brief cameo at the end. He looks comfortable on the ball, has a bit of pace and is not frightened of making a tackle. With the recently capped Lee Williamson also making a brief reappearance the Rovers now seem well served in this area of the park.

In attack Jordan Rhodes looked back to his best in terms of getting into goalscoring positions. He took both goals with his usual predatory instincts and worked hard throughout. The change in style, which has seen the Rovers playing the ball through midfield rather than pumping long balls forward, has allowed Rhodes to take up the sort of positions in the penalty area from which he can profit. It has been noticeable that the last three games have provided Rhodes with numerous opportunities to score as the new system plays to his strengths. Although Fodé Koita has yet to open his account, he did enough to suggest that he will be a decent partner for Rhodes. His physical approach is different from Rhodes and as a result, the latter seems to be finding more space and greater opportunities to score.

Tom Lawrence, nominally a winger, proved something of a revelation playing alongside Rhodes after Koita went off. Lawrence has pace, is quick to spot a pass and showed great composure when scoring his maiden goal for the club. He looks like being another excellent acquisition by Gary Bowyer, albeit one that is only on loan.

The three points have lifted the Rovers out of the relegation places and should provide a huge boost for the players ahead of their tough trip to Hull next week.

[oldjamfan1]

Many thanks Parson. A rare enjoyable trip back to Scotland after the game in the afterglow of three sweet points and a clean sheet. Although I thought Charlton were poor, we seem to have found a bit of form and - more importantly - confidence. Many good signs. Now that Bowyer has found his best side (by hook or by crook) I hope he stops with the tinkering and sticks with them, even if we have the odd hiccup!