Pitch is costing Charlton

The Valley pitch is the one of the major contributing factors to Charlton's poor home form according to Ben Hamer.

Charlton's recent home defeat to Sheffield Wednesday was their sixth defeat at home all season.

In the form league Charlton have the sixth worst home record in the Championship. The statistics look even worse when you break them down further.

We boast the fourth worst defensive record at home in the division, winning just 27% of our home games this season and Hamer believes the pitch is to blame.

"Our pitch this season has been in absolutely awful shape and we`ve not been able to play our football game.

"I`m confident in our ability but I don`t feel confident of the pitch. You don`t know what it is going to do, because it is boggy one week and then hard and bobbly the next.

"I know it`s easy to say that is the excuse for not being good at home but it is a really major factor. Hamer told the South London Press.

He continued: "Our groundsman won`t be too happy with what I`ve said - but it is something that needs to be addressed.

"Our downfall has been our home form - we haven`t been good enough and have lost too many by the odd goal. We play with more freedom away and have got one of the best away records in the league."

In contrast, as Hamer eludes to we do hold the fourth best away record in the division, winning 40% of our games on our travels.

If our points per game ratio of 1.46ppg away from home could have been replicated across our home form as well, we would be five points better of and would be placed seventh in the league just a few points off the play-offs.

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