Charlton Athletic in 2011: Revival

Former Chairman Richard Murray welcomes
successor Michael Slater

New Year’s Eve, 2010: Charlton Athletic had just been taken over by a mysterious new company, fronted by businessman Michael Slater (no, not the former Australian opening batsman) and Tony Jimenez. Slater became chairman and made positive noises about manager Phil Parkinson, though it became clear very quickly that Parky was living on borrowed time. After a 2-4 home defeat to Swindon (who were struggling in the relegation zone) the Chairman moved in for the kill, and removed Parkinson of his duties. 5^th position was not good enough, clearly.

One question had been answered – that regarding the confidence of the board in the manager – but another raised: Who would replace him? The fear (and yes, it was definitely fear) was that Jimenez’s best mate Dennis Wise would be installed as manager, and Sky Sports News were quick to report this. Constant checking of betting sites became habitual. Speculation spiralled out of control. Wind-up merchants and spam posters on Charlton Life were verbally crucified. It was, evidently, an uncertain start to the year. There was hope when it became clear that Dennis Wise would not become manager. Furthermore, ‘Our Lord’ Alan Curbishley was among the top candidates for the job. For me, this promised a return to the good old days, and a club legend’s return would have an undoubted positive impact both on and off the pitch.

However, it was not this club legend that was appointed, but another. Chris Powell joined the club for the 4^th time, following 3 stints as a player. He was a hugely popular choice, but did not come without his doubters. Many said he was too nice. Others said we needed a more experienced manager. But most were thrilled we had him back, and gave him time to succeed.

Chris Powell sent off, but the fans still show their love for him.

Powell’s impact was immediate. He won his first four games in charge, much to the delight of the fans. However, this was as good as it would get for the rest of the season, as the team slumped to finish mid-table. There were a number of frustrating team performances in some games, and things just seemed to go against us in others. A prime example was the 2-2 draw away at Bristol Rovers. Charlton were 2-0 up early in the second half, before Kyel Reid and Jose Semedo were both sent off. From the away end, these both seemed harsh. Powell was sent to the stand for voicing his opinion. We sang his name as he walked past. He’s learnt to keep his emotions in check a bit more since then. The nine men couldn’t hold out, but the equaliser was, even from 100 yards away, a clear hand-ball to control. Not only did the ref not give it, and the goal was given, but the Football League show didn’t pick up on it either. The injustices of football...

13^th position finish: definitely not the aim at the start of the season. Powell was criticised for the severe drop in form encountered after January. However, a remarkably high proportion of fans stayed loyal to our new manager. I was one of them. I’ll give you my reasons:

Powell brought in a new style of football. He wanted us to pass it, not lump it forward like we’d done before. This confused many simple supporters at The Valley, who every time the ball was passed backwards in order to retain possession, would scream “FORWARD”, and boo rather unsupportively. It’s taken a while to coach these minds that having the ball is indeed a good thing. However, last season, it didn’t really work. We had no natural passers in midfield. As much of a hero Jose Semedo was, he’s no Iniesta. This played a part in why form dipped significantly – we were playing a style of football that didn’t suit the players we had. Powell was criticised. A few said he was out of his depth and should go in the summer. But he didn’t have his own players. This was key – ‘once he had his own team, then we can judge him’ was the view of many.

Michael Stewart was offered a new deal, but thought
he could hold out for a better offer from elsewhere. 

I think that the failings of last season were vitally important to the successes of this. It not only has taught Chris Powell a number of tactical lessons, but also the importance of playing as a team. The club needs players to be there for the right reason. Powell has said recently that a number just wanted to reach the end of the season and move on. He didn’t want players like that, but those who wanted success. That has been a key driving factor behind the signing of new players, and has emerged from a question-and-answer session with Powell. Michael Stewart, signed on a 3-month deal towards the end of last season, was offered a longer contract in the summer. He said he wanted to see his options, waiting for a Championship club to come in for him. Once this didn’t materialise, he came back and said he wanted to sign. But Powell said no. He only wanted players who were there for the right reasons, and Stewart was clearly not.

This, amongst other things that emerged over the summer, has increased my admiration of Powell further. His squad is now both full of quality and high in team spirit. He has brought back confidence to the club. The fact that we find ourselves 5 points clear at Christmas, ending Huddersfield’s (disjointed) unbeaten run in the process, is a testament to the job Powell has done since he arrived less than twelve months ago. Yes, he’s been helped by having a solid financial footing in order to sign new players. But the style of football, the quality of player, and the morale of the players, staff and fans has gone to show that you should never write a manager off so soon. Within a year, his critics have been well and truly silenced.

2011 saw the revival of our club. Chris Powell has got us moving in the right direction again. We’re a club on the up. Finally, our fans have got something to make them smile. Here’s to 2012, the year all us Charlton fans hope sees us promoted.

Merry Christmas. 

2 years ago, in Round 1 of the FA Cup...

Charlton two years ago were in a similar position to which they find themselves now. Towards the top of the table. The FA cup draw had pitted what was then Phil Parkinson's side against minnows Northwich Victoria, a sufficient minnow for the tie to warrant a Sunday lunchtime ITV slot.

Parkinson fielded a pretty strong side: Randolph; Youga, Dailly, Sodje, Omozusi; Bailey, Semedo, Shelvey, Racon, Sam; McLeod. When I say pretty strong, I mean many of those players were usual first teamers. The way the season unfolded, I am definitely not claiming that they were all gifted individually. I mean, if you were a barn door, you'd feel safe when Izale McLeod lined up to have a shot at you...

The crowd was in for what they hoped would be an upset. The Charlton fans, already feeling pretty humiliated following their plummet through the football league, concerned by a blip in league form, and experiencing their first First Round tie for a long time, were extremely wary of an upset.

Three events of note in the first half. A header across goal met by nobody. A frantic goalmouth scramble. A wonderful reflex save from a header. And yes, you guessed it, all three involved Northwich on the attack. Charlton actually managed a shot in the 2nd half, but, of course, it didn't go in.

Large bundle of players following Randolph's
attempt to start a new dance craze.

The most vivid memory is of the goal. I hadn't really watched with any great interest. The result would only be news if it was a bad one for us. You win, well you're expected to. You draw, you get mocked. You lose? I didn't want to know about it... But the goal, the oh so humiliating goal. A header managed to get passed the defence. No matter, Randolph has been solid today, he will disperse the worried feeling by coming out and picking the ball up. But no. He decided to come out, then go back, then come back out, then go back again. It was the most jittery and utterly disturbing goalkeeping I'd seen in a while. All he managed to do was maroon himself to the spot, allowing an 18 year old substitute to slot it past him.

Disaster.

It was awful. ITV were lapping it up. Praise left right and centre for a team they tried to claim 'they'd always supported'. A pitch invasion at the end, for goodness sake. This was the scale of the woe. Addicks across the land were sat staring at what was an utterly shambolic event, unable to come to terms with the scale of the mockery that they faced on Monday morning.

It is the memories of this day that fill me with apprehension about tomorrow's game. The stage is set. A non-league opposition. A Sunday lunchtime ITV-televised game...

I should really feel slightly less concerned due to the squad we now have. Chris Powell has been a revelation, and his players have been equally effective. We no longer employ the uncertain 'shall we lump it?' tactics seen under Parkinson, but a better, more convincing passing style. Admittedly, this means we can be stopped by packing the midfield and employing Tranmere's 'lets kick the shit out of them' style, but still, I'd rather have it this way. I'm also more confident in our rotation players. McLeod was shocking. Benson is better (though some would disagree about Benno).

It would be unfair to write off FC Halifax Town. They've been promoted as Champions two seasons running, having emerged from the ashes of Halifax Town FC when they went into administration in 2008. Currently 12th in the table, they have certainly started the season well for a newly promoted team. Tomorrow aside, they are a team most Charlton fans would wish well in future. Nobody likes to see a club go out of business, and the resurgence is a credit to the people behind the new club. A quote from a recent Daily Mail article reads: "This club is for the fans. We are merely its custodians." What a brilliant ethos. If only every club was like this one.

Nobody knows what perils await tomorrow. The only thing I know is that I'll be watching the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix instead of the Halifax vs Charlton game. And if we lose? Well, at least we're top of the league.

Charlton 1-1 Sheffield Wednesday

League One, 7:45pm, The Valley.
Attendance 14, 014


The game: Charlton lacked a cutting edge in the second half, thanks to Sheffield Wednesday's gutsy and physical display.

On a cold and blustery night at The Valley, the Sky cameras were treated to what many would describe as a 'poor' game. Two shots on goal in the first half pretty much summed things up. The first shot, 3 minutes in, provided the first goal, when a neat passing move down the left hand side resulted in Bradley-Wright Phillips having a pop at goal from outside the box. His low effort powered into the bottom corner, near post, surprising many as it looked to be going wide. The goalkeeper's positioning was probably too far over to the far post, if I were to be critical. Despite that, it was a fine effort, and got Charlton off to a great start. Dale Stephens should have made it two, when a loose ball fell kindly inside the box. He had time to choose his spot, having run in from the edge of the area, but side-footed the ball over the bar. Disappointing. The rest of the first half provided little in the way of quality. The surface was slippery so long balls tended to skid on, away from players. 1-0 at the break. Satisfying for the Addicks but still work to do.

The second half performance was at best poor from Charlton, as despite still creating more chances, they allowed Wednesday to get back into the game, and secure a point. Clinton Morrison came on for early substitute Ryan Lowe, and was met by a chorus of boos from the home fans. How naive. Within 3 minutes, he had scored from a corner to make it 1-1 after 57 minutes. The ball was played in to the front post, where Jackson flicked it over Ben Hamer's outstretched hands, for Morrison to score from a matter of feet. His header hit the bar, but still, ended up in the back of the net. He duly celebrated by winding up the Charlton fans behind the goal. Revenge for his reception, and probably well deserved. the goal was hotly disputed by Hamer and Michael Morrison, who both remonstrated with officials for a length of time. From my viewpoint I could not see the actual finish, so have no opinion on the matter.

The rest of the game was frustrating, as the Addicks tried but failed to create any sort of decent chances. The main problem facing Chris Powell was his lack of an alternative strategy. There was no game-changer sat on the bench. Jason Euell was closest to it, but made little impact when he came on. Paul Benson and particularly Danny Green were sorely missed, as Green would have provided the perfect spark when introduced. However, few chances were made, and those that were resulted in goal kicks.

Wednesday played well, a victory for substance over style, as they say. The midfield battle was won by Semedo and Prutton, which meant Charlton were forced out wide, where they were isolated. Megson has chosen his style, as has Powell. I know which team I'd rather watch, but results are what matters and a point on the night seemed pretty fair for both sides. Charlton did not play well enough in the second half to deserve the win.

Charlton 1-1 Sheffield Wednesday (Wright-Phillips; C Morrison)


The performance as a whole was not too bad from Charlton. The defence was solid enough, though was put under little pressure as the game wore on. It appeared to be a rare off-day when things didn't go to plan in the attacking third. Powell needs an alternative strategy when the middle of the park is overwhelmed. I reckon he should look no further than Benno and Green. A deadly combination at Dagenham. Why not here?

Jose Semedo wins MOTM again at The Valley.
Even though he did get booked.
And doesn't play for Charlton any more.

Man of the Match: This has nothing to do with me feeling sentimental, but I have chosen Jose Semedo tonight. He was booed by the North Upper (what do you expect) from the start and I heard complaints that he was fouling, cheating and being dirty. However, all he was doing was exactly what he'd done for us for the past few seasons, if not better. He worked hard, broke up the a lot, even gave a few attacking passes. His effort and work-rate were again faultless. He did exactly the job Megson was looking for tonight, along with Prutton. Despite the booing during the game, he was clapped off when substituted. The North Upper finally had the heart to appreciate their former hero, sending him off to the sound of his legendary song. Well played Jose.

Ref Rating: 7/10 for D Deadman: Spotted most fouls, played a great advantage when Prutton cleaned out a Charlton player when a break was on. I felt there were few errors on his part, in the opinion of other fans he was very inconsistent, and Michael Morrison was lucky not to be penalised for a lunge on namesake Clinton. I agree regarding the latter foul, but still felt his performance was among the better I've seen in this league. The two linesman were pretty bad though.

Match Rating 3/10: A very poor game in terms of quality. Some attractive football in very small doses from the home side, but Wednesday's mentality prevented any sort of open game from developing. There will be many better games this season, though unfortunately for Wednesday fans, their away matches will probably be pretty similar to this one.

Charlton 2-1 Reading

Carling Cup Round 1, 7:45pm, The Valley.
Attendance 6,668


Pre-match
Tonight was my first chance to see the new Charlton side play a competitive game. The game was initially called off due to 'civil unrest', and was rearranged at the same time as the second round games.

It was a drizzly evening, cold enough to require jeans and a jumper. Depressing for mid-August, really. The traditional pre-match walk over the level-crossing, past the rather sparsely populated pub, and round the corner into Harvey Gardens, at which point the stadium appears. A very reasonable ticket price for the game means I am only required to hand over £10 for entrance. Through the turnstiles and up to the East stand. Into the ground itself, affording me a sight of the Charlton side warming-up. It took a few minutes to put names to faces, and then work out their positions. Powell chose a 4-4-2 with Hamer in goal, a back 4 of Francis, Mambo, Doherty and Evina, Midfield of Green, Pritchard, Hughes (captain) and Bover, with Jason Euell and Paul Benson up top. 11 changes from the side that has played all 3 league games so far. Reading also made changes, but still had quality players such as Tabb, Harte, Church, Manset, McAnuff and Howard. I was not feeling to optimistic about our chances, and duly predicted a 3-2 defeat, with Benson and Green to score for the Addicks. Some of that was right...

The atmosphere built as some fairly decent music was played before kick-off, until the teams finally emerged to the ritual applause, in time with the Red Red Robin song that has become a traditional curtain raiser. After the usual 5 minute faff, the game finally kicked off.

Paul Benson scored first.
Happiness around (most of) the ground.

The game
The first half was extremely lively. End to end football with good build-up play provided the entertainment. Early chances fell to Manset for Reading, and Benson for Charlton, both efforts the wrong side of the post. Charlton then had a great chance to open the scoring. A great passing move, which was to become a familiar sight for the rest of the game, saw Pritchard find Benson, who set up Danny Green inside the area. His shot seemed destined for the bottom left corner, but his right footed shot curled wide. A good chance missed.

Following a goal-line clearance from Francis at one end, Tabb nearly gifted Charlton a goal at the other, as his poor header allowed Euell a run at goal. The shot was disappointing, but well saved nevertheless. Chances continued to be created, with 8 in the first 10 minutes of the game. Charlton again broke, with Green putting Bover through from halfway, but his shot was blocked by the retreating defence. Reading then went close when a cross was met by Church, forcing a good stop from Hamer. 25 minutes in, and finally the deadlock was broken. Danny Green had the ball on the right hand side of the area, and his cross was headed across the face of goal by Euell. From where I was sat, it was difficult to tell what Benson had done, but the ball hit the back of the net. Benson was really pleased to score, as he is trying his utmost to get into the starting eleven in the league. His performance should have pleased Chris Powell, as he knows he has a quality striker in reserve.

Hamer saves from Church

Soon after the goal, Pritchard had a shot cleared off the line, acrobatically by Cummings, almost defying the laws of physics to reach the ball. Pritchard was understandably amazed that his neat chip of the keeper had not doubled the lead. Another chance went begging when a mis-hit shot from Bover went across the face of goal, and Francis missed his kick, having been in a great position to score. Just before half time, Brian Howard took a shot from outside the box, forcing an excellent save from Hamer, who got his fingertips to a ball destined for the top corner. Charlton went in at half time a goal ahead. We all knew the game had more goals in it.

The second half begun with an extremely disappointing injury to Paul Benson. He won a header and then must have either landed badly or been trodden on, because he went off to receive treatment for a hand injury. It turns out that he had a possible dislocated finger, and had to go off. Powell put Wagstaff on, to play off lone striker Euell. Church again went close for Reading, and as a punishment for his misdirected header, he clattered into the advertising hoardings.

The Next 10 minutes proved to be one of the most scintillating passages of play I have seen for years at the Valley. Charlton launched four or five sublime counter attacks, with wonderful quick passing. Pritchard, Green and Wagstaff were involved, Bover and Evina too down the left. Wagstaff had a shot saved when he worked his way into the corner of the area. Bover also had a shot deflected for a corner. From these two corners, Danny Green whipped in two dangerous balls to the front post. The first was cleared by a defender, but keeper McCarthy had to scramble to his post, and ended up lying in the back of the net. The second corner crashed off the post, again forcing McCarthy to tangle himself up inside his own goal. Green also had a long-range shot well saved. Charlton finally capitalised on their dominant spell, as a great cross from Simon Francis was met by Jason Euell, whose header down went through the keeper's legs and into the back of the net. 2-0. Much happiness. Euell's first goal for the club since scoring against Norwich back in 2004 (though obviously, he has not had much of a chance to score since then).

Sean Morrison scores following an error from namesake
Michael, seen sprawled on the floor above...

The visitors pulled one back in the 73rd minute, the same time as Scunthorpe had scored on Saturday, and worry was etched into the faces of us Charlton fans. A corner was not delt with very well, and the loose ball was not cleared by recent substitute Michael Morrison. His failed clearance Reading debutant Sean Morrison to poke the ball into the back of the net, through a crowd of players. Charlton had begun to tire, and the rest of the game was more about hanging on to the lead instead of pressing for further goals. It was at this stage when the referee decided he wanted to make the game closer, and attract more attention to himself. He started making bizarre and inconsistent decisions, handing Reading a couple of ffree kicks in dangerous positions despite minimal contact. One player was booked for complaining to the ref, and a fan behind summed up the mood, crying "Did he call you a w*nker ref? Let him off, he's right!" (See below for further lines from this entertaining fan). Manset had a header cleared off the line by Scott Wagstaff, following another corner. Reading created few clear-cut chances, and it was Charlton who came closest to scoring in the final few minutes. Ruben Bover's mazy run into the box resulted in a shot that hit the crossbar. This proved to be the final action as the whistle blew. Charlton were deserved winners.

Charlton 2-1 Reading (Benson, Euell; Morrison)

Aftermath

Chris Powell celebrates with
Alex Dyer.

The players were appreciative of the crowd again following the final whistle. The feeling was mutual, as the players disappeared down the tunnel to much applause. I think it was Powell who was last off (he has a habit of this, which is most pleasing), as he did one of his traditional tunnel 'jumps' where he re-emerges. I left the ground noting that significant defeats had been experienced by Premier League sides, especially Norwich. These ties had taken place in round 2, which we had just earned our place in. Preston at home lies in wait, a more winnable game than tonight's fixture was. Unfortunately, the BBC website decided to make it sound like Charlton were lucky to win. No mention of the higher number of shots on target Charlton had then...

Man of the Match
The player that stood out for me were Pritchard. He was heavily involved every time Charlton went forward, with skilful passes as well as important challenges when tracking back. He looks really lively and a great signing from the non-League. Benson also had a very good game, but his contribution was unfortunately cut short due to his injury. Hamer in goal was also very solid, as were the two full-backs Francis and Evina. Euell grew into the game as it progressed, and Danny Green looks like a class act on the right wing. But Pritchard was the man who stood out. He will be knocking on the door for the team that starts against Bury on Saturday.

Considered Opinion
Chris Powell: "Some people were a bit worried about me making wholesale changes, but I've said all along it's about the squad this year. After the start we've had in the league, the players that are on the fringes were looking and thinking 'will I ever get my chance? Tonight they got it, and they absolutely took it."
Bryan McDermott: "Credit to Charlton, I thought they played really well. But I look after Reading and the shape of our side.
@ReadingFC: Full time whistle goes at the Valley stadium. Charlton Athletic 2-1 Reading! The Addicks deserved the win.
@johnnie_jackson: No one told me Brazil were playing at The Valley tonight!

Fan of the Match (content warning - foul language)
A hugely entertaining evening thanks to an angry fan sat behind me in the East Stand. His anger combined with a funny voice meant that after a couple of outbursts many fans were in fits of laughter. First of all, following a marginal handball appeal, he shouted "Its not f*cking basketball ref!" Later on in the game, following a couple of lines that escape me, his anger at the ref boiled over: "Are you watching this game ref?" seemed sufficient, but then a wonderful pause gave way to "you tosser!" I noticed an older couple struggling to contain themselves following this masterfully constructed outburst. Finally, as seen above, following a booking for dissent, he shouted "Did he call you a w*nker ref? Let him off, he's right!" Superb.

Ref rating: 3/10 for Dean Whitestone.
A poor performance from the ref. Very inconsistent, poor knowledge of the advantage rule, as well as a late attempt to draw maximum attention to himself. He tried to give Reading a good chance to level the scores by awarding them free-kicks outside the box following innocuous, or even made-up fouls. To be fair to him, there have been many worse performances by referees at the Valley. Thankfully this had little bearing on the final result.

Match Rating: 9/10
My ratings keep rising. It was a super game with end to end passing football, goals, angry fans, poor referee, desired outcome. Usually I wouldn't expect to see a better game this season, but with the squad Powell has assembled  and the quality of the football played, you would be foolish not to expect more.

Manchester United 3-0 Tottenham

Sky Sports 1, 8pm.

Preview: Monday Night Football this week sees Manchester United play Tottenham at Old Trafford. It also sees Chamberlain and Neville return to the gadget-filled studio to treat die-hard fans to an hour long preview of the match, as well as a review of the weekend's matches. I prefer Neville to Redknapp: at least he's actually played a lot of football in his career. He also actually has an opinion, unafraid to give his view. Good.

Tottenham have a good record at Old Trafford...

United will play a youthful back 4 thanks to injuries to Vidic and Ferdinand. Phil Jones will be scrutinised especially, given his large transfer fee. Home debut for Ashley Young as well as goalkeeper De Gea, who is already under huge pressure following a few mistakes already this season. Cleverly is given another start, as is Smalling at right back. Welbeck partners Rooney up front. Evans and Jones play in central defence.

Spurs are without Modric, whose transfer saga has been followed by millions of lemming-like reporters scraping the barrel for a 'story', but really just wasting time and effort. Speculation about big name transfers is both annoying and unnecessary. It chews up space in the papers which could have been used for proper reporting on matches or other sports. The potential signing of 'toe-poke' Adebayor has been hyped up too. He seems another money-grabbing professional, intent on making Arsenal fans hate him even more.

Onto the actual Spurs team, not 2 absentees (one of which is a Man City player...). Friedel makes his league debut for Spurs, and is the only change from the side that hammered Hearts in the Europa League on Thursday, proving that Scottish football is indeed atrocious. Have a look at the picture for the full line-ups.

So far with my predictions I've got one right, and one wrong. Hopefully I'll improve my accuracy tonight, as I'm going for a home win. 3-1 the scoreline. Big pressure on Jones and Young to score me some fantasy points...

Full Time: Manchester United 3-0 Tottenham (Welbeck; Anderson; Rooney)

Match Report: United put in a clinical second half performance to see off a spirited Tottenham side, who just ran out of energy.

The first half was even, both in terms of possession and real chances. Tottenham impressed, especially van der Vaart, who controlled the midfield well. Friedel was the busier keeper though, as he was forced into a good early save low down from a Cleverly shot. Rooney's cross after half an hour was met by Young, whose header crossed the face of goal and went past the far post, with Friedel rooted to the spot. Van der Vaart forced a save from de Gea just before half time, and both sides went into the break pleased with their efforts. IT has been an open, attacking and free-flowing game, which had been in the balance from the start.

Happy Danny. I think...

But it was in the second half where United took full control. After 55 minutes, they dominated the game. Cleverly and Anderson began to run the midfield. Friedel made another good save from Anderson, before United finally got the breakthrough on 60 minutes. Cleverly got into a wide position and chipped a good cross to the 6 yard line, where Welbeck met the ball with his head to open the scoring. Rooney then forced Friedel into another save from a free kick. United continued to run the game, creating further chances. De Gea collected a loose ball and threw the ball out, launching a sublime United counter-attack. Young gave the ball to Anderson, who played in Welbeck. A superb back heel to escape the challenge of Dawson allowed Anderson to side-foot into the back of the net, doubling the lead. United were now in full control, and made three changes. Welbeck went off to a standing ovation. Hernandez came on, as well as Giggs and Park. De Gea had one shaky moment when he spilled the ball following a challange from Bale, the ball falling to Defoe who hammered the post with his shot. Any faint hopes Spurs had melted away in the 89th minute. It was Giggs who set up the third and final goal, standing a ball into the box, with Rooney flicking a header to the far post. A classy finish to round off a superb performance from the young side.

Verdict: United will be a really tough side to beat this season, not just over 90 minutes but 38 games. With their second youngest side ever fielded under Sir Alex, they over-ran a good Tottenham side (missing a quality player in Modric). Welbeck worked hard throughout. Ferguson noted that both forwards played too deep in the first half, and the difference following the break was noticeable. And productive. The Manchester derby this season is shaping up to be an epic contest. I can't wait. Spurs on the other hand need to sort the Modric issue out and find a replacement, otherwise they risk being over-run in midfield, like tonight, against the top sides. This 3-0  defeat is comeuppance for the FA Cup 3rd round tie at White Hart Lane, when they beat Charlton by the same scoreline. Having been present, and able to see the impact that half time substitute Modric had on the game, it is imperative that he is either retained or replaced. Without him, Spurs lack that cutting edge.

Man of the Match: I was impressed by a number of United's players tonight, though I am giving the coveted prize to young Phil Jones. Despite a great second half from Welbeck, I was underwhelmed by his contribution in the first half (something Mr Huckerby eluded to. See below). Jones was excellent at the back, making strong challenges, a great block, and even making a run in the opposite penalty area, looking to score a goal. He promises to be a great player in future. Welbeck received the award from Sky, following their text vote, but like last week, I will not bow to public opinion! Plus Jones got me some vital fantasy points. Good work Phil.

Stat Attack: Tonight was Brad Friedel's 267th consecutive Premier League appearance. His last missed game was in May 2004. Good effort, Brad. (Thanks to @optajoe for the tweet)

Tweet(s) Knowledge: Darren Huckerby shows his powers of punditry:
@hucks6dh6: Just flicked game on, surely Berbatov is better than Welbeck
Goal, 1-0 United (Welbeck)
@hucks6dh6: curse of twitter,spoke too soon
Yes, you did. (Though Welbeck had had a poor first half, to be fair)
@hucks6dh6: Since I've said that Welbeck has turned into Henry. 
Goal, 2-0 United (Anderson, from a Welbeck back heel)
@MattDiner_Lon24: Welbeck was clearly riled by @hucks6dh6


Match Rating: 8/10. The number has increased by 1 since I've begun this blog. The game was really good to watch. End to end stuff, though the second half did become one sided fairly quickly. If United can produce halves like that second, there won't be many other teams worth watching this season.

Manchester City 4-0 Swansea

8pm, watched on Sky Sports 1

Chamberlain (left) and Neville talking
through possible Man City tactics.

Preview: Monday Night Football returns with all the gadgets that were exhibited last season with Richard Keys and Andy Grey, but this time with new faces. Ed Chamberlain and Gary Neville provide the build up which includes standing next to the large touch-screen reviewing the weekend's goals and incidents. The due do a good job, Neville's views are valuable, and it is nice to have a pundit other than Jamie Redknapp, who seems to have played more games for Sky than he ever did as a footballer himself. Neville's views are very incisive and valuable, and he isn't afraid to give his opinion. Chamberlain is also a good presenter, like Simon Thomas, who has made the step up from Sky Sports News.

Manchester City and Swansea line-ups

Manchester City have had a quiet summer by their standards, but still spent more than £50 million. Aguero's transfer fee takes up the majority of that amount, but three other signings for less than £10m each (Savic - defender. Clichy - defender, Pantilimon - goalkeeper) have also arrived. Expectations are high, as the squad has had time to settle (despite the best efforts of Messrs Balotelli and Tevez). Tevez not present in the squad, and stropbag Mario on the bench, with Adam Johnson rightly prefered. Aguero 'not ready' according to Mancini, having finished the Copa America only 25 days ago (how much rest do these players need?). Clichy makes his debut. The side assembled by City cost £154million. Wow.

Swansea City are the first non-English side to play in the Premier League. It could have been Cardiff, but unlike their rivals, they failed to win the play-off final in 2009/10. Brendan Rodgers employs an attacking style similar to Blackpool, but in the Championship they were much more solid at the back. A fluid 4-3-3 becoming 4-5-1 has been successfully employed by Rodgers has proved a success in the Championship, but will it cut it in the more demanding Premier League?  Many pundits haven't given them a chance, but in the end that is just their opinion. We should give Swansea a chance before passing such judgement. The signing of Danny Graham, as well as the presence of Scott Sinclair (who has managed to become a good player. When he played for Charlton on a short loan spell, he looked very poor. To be fair, that was in a struggling side, with Sinclair only making sporadic appearances) will be important for the Swans if they hope to win enough points to stay up. I am very much behind Norwich as well as Swansea to stay in this division. Warnock can get lost though.

Having said all that, I can't really see anything other than a City win tonight. I hope I am wrong, but this could be a pretty one-sided affair unless Swansea hit City early. I'll predict a 2-0 home win, but come on the Swans!

(Half Time: MC 0-0 SC)
Full Time: Manchester City 4-0 Swansea


Match Report: Swansea were well beaten by a very strong Manchester City side, who look like they can provide a real challenge for the title this season. An unfortunate first game for Swansea to have, but they definitely showed some potential and quality. They look good enough to give mid-table teams a good game, so should be challenging for survival right until the end of the season. The lack of penetration was the key problem tonight for Rodgers' men, but that is understandable against such an expensively assembled top-4 side.

Swansea spent the first 20 minutes of the game holding on to the ball well, though City were very disjointed and often gave the ball away. But then City got things going, and the rest of the first half belonged to them. Both Silva and Barry hit the bar, and Silva also forced Michel Vorm, the new Swansea keeper, into a great flying save. Swansea had few chances in the match, as City began to dominate.

Aguero seemed rather happy with his performance.
So did most others.

The second half took off from where the first had ended. City dominating the game agian, with Swansea beginning to tire. However on 56 minutes, Swansea broke well, with a good effort on goal from Dobbie well saved by Joe Hart. Despite this, the crowd could sense a goal was coming, and it was. Adam Johnson's shot was parried by Vorm into the path of Dzeko, who did well to adjust his feet for the finish. Mancini then brought on Aguero for De Jong, which really emphasised the chasm between these two sides. Swansea themselves brought on Allen and Routledge. On 67 minutes, Aguero scored his first goal for his new side, with good build up play resulting in an easy finish. The third soon followed, when Aguero chased the ball to the byline and scooped it back for Silva to finish. Replays showed that it was extremely close to the whole ball being out of play, but the assistant decided that it remained in play, and truth be told, it didn't alter the outcome of the match. Vorm made a super save from a deflected free kick, stretching his arm behind him to prevent a fourth, and proving he will be a really important player for Swansea this season. City continued to control the game. In stoppage time, Aguero decided to have a long range shot at goal, which gave City their fourth. A powerful effort was brilliantly struck into the far corner, and Vorm had no chance of stopping it.

Verdict: Swansea will not have many tougher games than this. The quality of Manchester City made the game extremely difficult for the Welsh side. Long spells of possession never really threatened to split the City defence. However, Swansea will certainly have a chance of staying up this season. Their home form will be extremely important for them. City on the other hand have every chance of taking the title to the wire. The potential partnership between Silva and Aguero has already proven deadly. It is a really exciting prospect for a side that also has quality players like Dzeko and Tevez up front. A solid back line for City will be important in more difficult fixtures, particularly away from home. But if they can be a bit more positive in big games (none of last season's defensive mentality is necessary against sides like United) then they will have a real chance of winning this league.

Man of the Match: Even though he was on the losing side, I must give it to Michel Vorm, the Swansea City goalkeeper. As a keeper myself, I always enjoyed making saves, and watching Vorm tonight was a real pleasure. He made a number of good stops as well as some superb reflex saves. He is also a good ball-playing keeper, that will occupy a sweeper role throughout the season. Unfortunate to miss out is Sergio Aguero, who scored two, one of which was a super strike, and set up another. But by the time he came on, Swansea had tired and City could easily exploit the gaps emerging across the field. Also, David Silva proved that he is a top quality midfielder, creating chances and exploiting space really well. He won the Sky Sports text vote, but only just from my man Vorm!

Stat Attack: Wayne Routledge came off the bench for Swansea to make his 100th appearance in the Premier Leauge. He has so far amassed 0 goals. Oh dear.

Tweet Knowledge: @Optajoe: 11 - Michael Vorm has already made more saves tonight than any player managed in a Premier League game last season (10). Blinder


Match Rating: 7/10. A good game with Swansea passing well early on, before City recovered and then dominated the game. Goals were inevitable, but great goalkeeping limited City's goal tally to 4. It could have been a lot higher.

Riots and Football do not mix

The best laid plans of mice and men
often go awry

A poetic introduction seems civilised. The actions of many this week do not.

The 'best laid plan' was to follow up my debut post, written having watched the game on TV, with a report on the Charlton vs Reading Carling Cup match on Tuesday evening. It would have helped me shape how I write this blog in future, as the whole match day experience would require a different style of writing.

I was eager for the game. An exciting chance to see the new Charlton play competitively for the first time. I really thought that our side would be able to challenge a Reading team one league above (we still can, when the game finally takes place in two weeks time). But events outside of football on Monday were beginning to overshadow sport, and shaking the very foundations of our society.

Smoke from the furniture store blaze, seen from home

I will not dwell on the subject. Everyone has their opinions as to how things should have been dealt with, and everyone (with a brain) will rightly agree that this rioting was unjustifiable and disgraceful. Monday evening was when the situation became very real for me. It is one thing to see events unfolding on a TV screen, but to actually hear, see, smell and feel the problem close to home made things very unpleasant. As my house is on a hill, we can see across to Crystal Palace, with Croydon situated round to the left. When images of the burning sofa store appeared on TV, a glance out of the window certified things had become very real. The smoke from the blaze could clearly be seen, and smelt. Not only did this instil a sense of fear, but Bromley, to the East, was also under threat. It was an awful new experience, being surrounded by such despicable vandalism.

I appreciate that many hundreds, thousands, of people experienced these events much more close at hand. But the point is that the entire south London area no longer felt safe. To reduce police presence on the street (and the 16,000 last night were magnificent) in order to stage football in the capital would have been suicidal. So rightly, the games were off.

The riots put sport into perspective. It seems insignificant. But it provides people with solace , a place they can escape everyday life and enjoy. Reading FourFourTwo magazine earlier, Terry Venables was making the point that football has a great role in taking people's minds away from their financial position, housing problems. It is an escape. It is therefore not as insignificant as many would think.

And so here is where I try and move on from those problems, and refocus on my football. The violence denied me an opportunity to watch a good game of football. Damn. Unable to watch on Saturdays (and Sundays) thanks to my role in a Club Cricket team, I must resort to sporadic and hastily cobbled together reports of televised matches, whoever the participants.

Jason Euell playing in a recent pre-season friendly whilst on trial

The good news of today, not just that the admirable police services (as well as groups of football fans!) did a superb job of defending London's streets last night, but that Charlton have signed Jason Euell on a one year deal. This excellent news means that our squad now looks even stronger than before, bolstered by 16 men who, this time, actually look like they want to be here. What a long time since I've been able to think that... He seems genuinely happy to be back, which is lovely. Hopefully he plays against Reading.

So there we are. My best laid plans went, slightly, awry, thanks to some youths who didn't feel like ascertaining some new trainers in the usual manner. Hopefully the end of these problems is nigh, and that the rebels can get out of the way of what is shaping up to be an excellent football season. If last night's Carling Cup results are anything to go by, this should be a good one.

Thank you for reading. I hope my attempt at a thoughtful blog was adequate. I did my best!

Hull City 0-1 Blackpool

Friday 05-08-11, 7:45pm, Watched on Sky Sports 1

First game of the season, live on Sky Sports as well. Infrequent updates will appear but the main post will be the match report after the final whistle. 


Small preview: Sky treat us to the company of Peter Beagrie all season - a depressing development - but the presenter Simon Thomas has always been one of the better products of Sky Sports News (better than some of the brain dead people they've hired recently)

On to the actual football. Both Hull and Blackpool were teams I followed last season, Hull due to a northern relative (and a cheap shirt bought a year ago), Blackpool due to Holloway and their performance in the Premier League last year. Both have promotion aspirations. Hull appear to have strengthened well and are 'more balanced' according to the interview with Pearson prior to kick off. Holloway has managed to keep a lot of his squad from last season, and although few expect them to return at the first time of asking, it would be disrespectful to write them off at this stage. I think Hull will use the home advantage to good effect, winning this one 2-1.


Full Time: Hull 0-1 Blackpool


Match Report: Blackpool showed good spirit in their victory against a promising Hull, who despite having a plethora of chances, lacked the killer instinct in front of goal.

Hull started the game well, playing good, incisive passing football. Chances were few but the hope was there. Cairney hit the bar from a free-kick for the Tigers after 11 minutes, Gilks not being given credit for his good attempt to save. The game then became disjointed, with neither side holding onto the ball for any length of time. This 20 minute period of play was summed up by Ian Holloway's cries of 'hold on to it for f*ck's sake'. Indeed. Following Holloway's rallying calls on the half hour, Blackpool picked the tempo up. They were transformed from hopeful hoof-ballers to clever and canny passers, and they began to take control, with Kevin Phillips hitting the outside of the post which a fizzing shot. People would presume that Dele Adebola does not fit well into a passing side, but he worked well up front for Hull, using his strength well and allowing Fryatt a couple of half-chances. Robbie Brady looked a tricky winger as well, constantly probing and creating opportunities.

The loss of Adebola just after half time seemed to take an option away from Hull. They had no target up front. Gulacsi in the Hull goal made a couple of poor attempts at punches, nearly handing Blackpool the lead. Just before the hour Fryatt had his first opportunity. He should have got a shot off but was denied by a good Baptiste tackle. Brady then broke speedily down the right hand side, putting a delightful cross along the ground, which was just out of the reach of a sliding Nick Barmby. Despite a missed header from Taylor-Fletcher at the other end, it was Hull who continued to create chances. A golden opportunity opened up for Fryatt, as he was through on goal on 68 minutes. The ball broke to Fryatt on the edge of the box, past the Blackpool defence. His second touch was very heavy, taking him too close to the keeper (Gilks), who was able to slide and block the tame effort. Barmby skewed the rebound over the bar. A big let-off for the Tangerines.

The game began to open up. Fryatt created an opening down the right and slid another cross past Barmby, who could have scored twice were his legs a few inches longer. A minute later, Fryatt again squandered an opportunity to put the Tigers in front. Brady had worked another clever opening, pulling the ball back from the byline, only for Fryatt's shot to be blocked superbly by Craig Cathcart. On another night, Fryatt would be leaving the ground with the match ball, but he seemed slightly off the pace tonight.

On 80 minutes though, Hull were punished for their failure to put the ball in the net. From an unlikely position, Taylor-Fletcher played a clever one-two, receiving the ball in the air on the far side of the box. With the ball waist high following the first bounce, he rifled a shot across Gulacsi into the top corner of the net. The Blackpool faithful had been repaid for their trip across the Pennines, with the team celebrating in front of their loud and loyal supporters. Following the goal Brady continued to create chances, but the end product was lacking. In stoppage time the ball broke for substitute Simpson, who got under the ball with his shot and sent it way over the bar. This summed up Hull's evening in front of goal. The whistle blew and the game was Blackpool's. Perhaps not dominant, but they were able to take their chance when it came, unlike the beleaguered Hull forwards.

Verdict: Both sides should be challenging for the playoffs come May next year. Hull showed promise in midfield but need to sort out their finishing. Despite the booing at the final whistle, Hull fans should take the positives from the game, as they still have 45 remaining in a long season. Blackpool again were defensively frail but not as exposed as last season. On another night, Hull would have taken the points.

Man of the Match: A closely fought contest between two players that impressed me. Robbie Brady on loan from Manchester United looked a real handful. He created opportunities, beat his man often and always looked to take his man on. The only reason he does not get the coveted award (well, there isn't one) is that the end product was just not quite there. The goalscorer for Blackpool is my man of the match, as Gary Taylor-Fletcher showed his quality with a hard-working performance in midfield. He outshone the captain Barry Ferguson and his goal was a real quality finish. Blackpool will do well to hold on to him this transfer window.

Stat Attack: Had Kevin Phillips scored for Blackpool, it would have been the 5th time in a row that he scored on his debut for a new club. Alas, he didn't, so he has to make do with 4 debut goals. Bad luck Kevin.

Match rating: 6/10. A good encounter lacking goals and chances. The football itself was nice and enjoyable, but few chances failed to make this the exciting start to the season that many desired.

CAFC Preview: Cautious Optimism

So here we go. Charlton kick off their season against Bournemouth tomorrow (unless of course AFCB win the toss, but no matter). 15 new faces have arrived on the playing staff so far, and I doubt that will be the final total. Chris Powell inherited a squad unsuited to his style of football, and the poor run last season, culminating in a 13th position finish, was partially due to a poor squad, and also due to a manager not willing to play the style of football the squad preferred (hoofball, basically). Despite being dissatisfied with the results, I was encouraged by the football we began to play, and I finished the season thinking that Powell would be the right man to lead us forward, as long as he could do good work in the transfer market.

And what good work he has done!

A sight many Charlton fans will be hoping to see
 (though with a red shirt on)

Of all the new players signed, I have to say that Danny Green looks to me to be the most exciting. He has an ability to whip a good ball into the area from most positions on the right hand flank. He works hard, cuts infield every now and then and generally looks very skilful. Dale Stephens looks like a very good deep-lying playmaker, with a good range of passing. Him and Danny Hollands, a hard-working player whose work on the pitch slips under the radar, will form a superb midfield partnership. With captain Jackson on the left, I am very pleased with what we've got in midfield, especially given that Mikel Alonso - an unknown quantity at present, but has played at a much higher level - as well as Ruben Bover-Izquierdo - an exciting young Spaniard with great skill and creativity - will occupy the bench.

The strike-force looks one player light. Paul Hayes will play behind Bradley Wright-Phillips, as he has a good record of providing the main striker with goalscoring chances. However I look forward to the games Paul Benson plays. I have to say a lot of Charlton fans are not convinced by him, but I like his high work-rate, and he is a good finisher in the box. Danny Green supplied many of the crosses for Benson to score for Dagenham and Redbridge, which is why I look forward to seeing this combination at the Valley. I still think a target man style player is required, but as Jason Euell and Grzegorz Rasiak are on trial, I would not mind at all if they both signed.

The defensive aspect is a little less assured. The two centre backs signed - Matt Taylor from Exeter and Michael Morrison from Sheffield Wednesday - arrive with mixed reviews having not been first choices at their previous clubs. From what has been said they are not great aerially, which could prove a problem against a number of sides that choose not to play the was Mr Powell does. Rhoys Wiggins is a promising addition at left-back, but his performance in the friendly matches suggest his greatest strengths are attacking as opposed to defending. We'll see. Andy Hughes has been signed from Scunthorpe, whose fans did not make happy noises regarding his ability. A right-back that can play on the left or anywhere across midfield, he has been tagged as a player who puts in 100% effort but is limited technically. Will he fit in with the Charlton style of play? From what I've heard of his time at Leeds, where he is somewhat of a hero, I really hope he does well for us, as I'd really like to like him as a player. He is someone who loves the fans, so he can't be that bad, surely!

The goalkeeper situation has taken a strange twist in the past week. Ben Hamer was signed from Reading unexpectedly last weekend, and immediately handed the number 1 jersey. This seems logical, as reviews of his loan spells at Exeter reveal he is a very talented keeper, and someone who I'm sure will be successful at the club. However, he replaced Rob Elliot as numero uno, who decided that his second choice was 44. Many theories have been devised, particularly on the Charlton Life message board (a great fans forum, by the way). His failure to agree a new contract has been said to have caused Powell to sign Hamer, and many think that now he will be off. John Sullivan, the other keeper, must be feeling rather bemused at the whole situation, having signed earlier in the summer on a free transfer.

Predictions are always difficult. A vast array of different things can happen in a football season. However, the signings made by Powell have given every fan a sense of cautious optimism regarding the new season. 3 years in League One is enough to drive any fan with aspirations of Premier League football mad. Patience has not been exhibited often at the Valley in recent seasons, but I feel it needs to be this year. It is unlikely that such a new team will gel instantly, and many have not predicted a victory in the opening game. But I do think that the team should be capable of automatic promotion, so that is what I will go for. I may as well...

Welcome to my Rambling page

Just a quick welcome blog. At this stage, nobody knows this blog exists, so you could say there isn't much point in me writing this... Well the hope is that in future some people might actually like what I've written and scroll down to see this lying at the bottom of the page. Some hope.

I will be writing mostly on Charlton games, but if I watch something on the TV, such as the first game of the season between Hull City and Blackpool tonight (bet you can't wait), then I may write about that too. Also, any random games I end up attending will probably deserve a report - a sort of comparison to my usual match experience, and views on the different styles of play witnessed. Who knows. I could write anything at this stage and nobody would read it. One does hope this will change!

So my voyage into the new season starts here. I hope that you enjoy reading this blog (or enjoyed, seeing as this will be at the bottom of the page, and you'll have read the above first).