Don’t cast aspersions

A quick synopsis for those who missed a soggy episode in Charlton’s history on Saturday.  Charlton were already trailing 3-0 to Doncaster after 20 minutes played in driving rain when play was suspended for half an hour.  The remainder of the first half was played in atrocious conditions with Charlton managing to pull a goal back and Doncaster down to ten men following two yellow cards for Keegan.  The match was then officially abandoned shortly into the second half.

I was too damp and bewildered to do much blogging after the game but issues surrounding referees at the Valley continue to abound (David Webb having to be stretchered off against Peterborough game, the disallowed goal against Colchester to name but two), and this was no exception.  I also wonder if 34 minutes of extra time also counts as a record in the football league?

While such abandonments are quite rare and difficult to handle, I believe all agree with me when I say that the officials didn’t really handle the situation well.  I didn’t get to the ground too early so may have missed it but I don’t believe I saw the referee or match officials once roll a ball on the pitch to test its suitability at any time during the match.  I also wonder what had changed during the half hour suspension to warrant the game continuing.  The water cleared by the ground staff was minimal and the rain continued to pour steadily.

It was clear that the conditions were different in separate parts of the ground with the East stand side and the North stand goal mouth appearing to be particularly affected with standing water.  However, having restarted the game in the second half I thought that the game would be played to a conclusion, after all the rain was down to a light drizzle and nothing else had changed since half time.  So I didn’t believe her when my fellow supporter said that she saw the match day announcer mouth “match abandoned” and it was with incredulity when I heard the official announcement calling the game off. 

I do feel for Paul Dickov and the travelling fans and while I am relieved to see us have another opportunity I didn’t identify with the fans in the North Stand who were hollering out for the game to be abandoned and voicing their delight when they got their wish.  Regardless of the merits of calling off the game we know we were fortunate to have another crack at the whip.

Two further points to note were that Dickov criticised the manner in which the referee handled the events leading up to the abandonment rather than the game being called off itself and fair play to him on that front.  Secondly, while conceding three goals in 22 minutes is extremely poor in anyone’s books, the statistics, otherwise, show a fairly even game.  Doncaster will know that they have goal stopper Ross Turnbull to thank for keeping them ahead with some amazing saves from great Charlton efforts.

I spent the rest of the weekend at the Real Food Festival (www.realfoodfestival.co.uk) on the South Bank.  The quality of local fare combined with craft beer from London brewers has made me think about the the food offering at the Valley but more on this later in the week.

Tonight we are away to Huddersfield in the Capital One Cup.  This is always a difficult fixture and I’m not looking forward to it.  It’s one of those awkward games in which no-one else outside of the two teams will pay much attention to, with the winner coming away with little to show for.  Powell has a dilemma in choosing his starting line up.  Does he go for a wholesale change in the team as he has always done in the competition, or does he continue with his normal match day squad to get some much needed cohesion between the players?  I suspect he’ll go for a wholesale change to the strike force as before but will try out some different pairings in defence to find the right combination to protect the goal mouth.  With Huddersfield putting five goals past Bournemouth at the weekend I have a feeling we’ll need it.

Charlton Fans worship at the Church

Pre-match Entertainment

Tuesday evenings at the Valley usually start with a relaxing pint at the Anchor & Hope, watching the planes descending into City airport and wondering how Powell will mix up the team from the usual match day squad.  They usually also end in a humiliating defeat to lower league opposition such as our opponents that night Oxford United in the Capital One Cup.

I was pleased to see Joe Pigott making the starting line up.  Having seen him play in a number of pre-season matches, he deserved his first team place and made the most of it with a calm and assured manner on the pitch.  He started alongside Simon Church who also made the most of his Valley debut with two goals in the 4-0 win.

The 700 odd Oxford fans were in fine form chanting “We're gonna win 4-1” when Church banged in the first goal from close range.  This was a reference to the game on Saturday when they conceded the first goal to Portsmouth only to win by the same score line.  Incidentally, Portsmouth were playing our own victors on Saturday, Bournemouth.

Church scored one more before being substituted but should have made it a hat-trick when Pigott, who could have taken the shot, unselfishly passed over the ball to him only for it to be shot wide!  Pigott’s unselfish act was acknowledged by Powell who gave a big thumbs up to the debutant.

Cook and Evina played well down the left hand side combining neatly when going forward and proved themselves a match for regulars Harriott and Wiggins in that direction.  However, the Oxford right wing proved a strong match for them and it took a number of heroics from Leon Cort to save their blushes.

My only criticism was that the team at times tried too hard.  Danny Green’s crosses were viciously hard on ball, meaning that many of his lobs were well wide of the mark, although I suspect that he was actually trying to score, which he eventually did with a freakish daisy cutter of a free kick.  Others were trying to anticipate runs into the area by fellow players which would have been spectacular if they had come off.  However, against this opposition there was time to wait and pass with a more certain outcome.

Celebrations as Piggott scores

It was pleasing to see Pigott get on the scores sheet after being given the opportunity to convert the late penalty won by fellow academy player Jordan Cousins who came on in the last few minutes.

Despite the 5,000 crowd, the covered end choir in the North block made the most of the game with loud renditions of old favourites during the second half.  Let’s hope we can keep it up when Middlesbrough visit the Valley on Saturday who have now lost both their first two games.

Also of note that evening was Yann Kermorgant’s Cantona’esque hair style.  While Yann's place is pretty much assured, with four recognised strikers now in the team, the competition for a starting berth is heating up and he’ll be hoping to ensure that he keeps banging them in like Eric.   

Bring on the Smoggies, the Valley is waiting !

Pre season friendlies and the League Cup...are you going?

With the announcement on Monday of the League Cup draw against Oxford, I see the moans have already started about Charlton's lack of success in the competition, the likely weak team that will be fielded and the low attendances.  Within minutes of the announcement going up on the official Facebook page we had comments like:-

"10 quid we lose"

"Shall we give them the game now"

"Out on pens end opf cup run AGAIN"

"bye bye league cup"

Now admittedly some of them may have been in jest (especially given our last performance against Oxford) but it was good to see a few supporters sticking up for the team with retorts such as:-


"Yep-fully aware of our cup record thanks. Don't mean we should write the team off before they've even kicked a ball!"

"Give the under 21s a game rest some 1st team players .... Good draw"

I have to say that I for one am firmly in the second camp, booking my ticket for the fixture and ensuring that I also get to see a number of the friendlies taking place this summer.  With the stakes so high in the leagues, the first few rounds of the League Cup are the only places for the development squad to show they have the mettle to step up to the plate in a first team fixture atmosphere at the Valley.  Apart from the first chance to see some decent football over the summer the friendlies are also a chance to get a first glimpse of our new signings (we hope) and more likely a look at any trialist that Chris Powell may be running the rule over.

There are two moments in Charlton history that stick in my mind that sum this up.  The first was when Alan Pardew brought on Scott Wagstaff for his first full blown premiership game.  Despite his experience and captaincy of the reserves he was like a rabbit in headlights when faced with a full Valley crowd.  Pardew himself admitted that he had introduced Waggy too soon.  The full match day experience phases some people more than others.  I'm the same when it comes to public speaking.  I can go into a room of ten strangers and comfortably present my business with them in a professional manner but stand me up in an auditorium full of people and my eyes glaze over and I turn to putty.  It should be no surprise that is no different for football players who need easing in and the first few rounds of the League Cup are a perfect opportunity to give them a chance in an appropriate competitive environment.  I'm pleased to say that Scott got over this and produced some marvellous football for us down the wing in subsequent games.

Many of the development squad members will be well known to Charlton fans by name, from the match reports and their call ups to various youth squads for their country but I for one just don't get the opportunity to see them play much during the season.  For many of us the summer will be the first opportunity to see some of the younger squad in action as they mix with the first team in a competitive environment.  Yes, it may lead to disappointment for fans as we get knocked out of cup games but with Financial Fair Play kicking in it looks like Charlton will be relying more and more on its youth set up for the Championship so this may be a more important factor than revenue from ticket sales in the League Cup.

The other memorable moment is the look on fans' faces in a friendly at the Valley in 2009 when the match day announcer first mumbled the name of Christian Dailly over the tannoy.  There was no programme or team sheet available and most of us did not catch the full name.  As the Scotsman came on to the pitch you could here talk of

"He looks familiar",

"Didn't he play for....",

"I remember him being pretty decent"

and similar comments, rippling through the crowds as we racked our brains on the history of this iconic player (no smart phones for the majority of us in those days folks).  Dailly went on to be named Charlton's player of the year that season but the first glimpse the pitch that day was a special moment for me when we first witnessed him as a trialist.

I am sure other fans have nabbed the bragging rights of when they first saw another trialist, Bradley Pritchard first play in a friendly for Charlton.  Given the current lack of signings and the need for Charlton to be inventive in this transfer window I am sure we will see a few more surprises over the coming pre-season fixtures. 

Friendlies are therefore a breeding ground for the rumours that are the bread and butter of Charlton bloggers and diarists.  Miss a match and you miss the opportunity to report a first.  So enough with the negativity, lets get behind what will be the future of Charlton Athletic and hope that they have a decent kit to wear when the club unveils the new strip tonight!


Acknowlegements
League cup quotes are all from Charlton Athletic Football Club's official facebook page