Funny how easily you get out of the habit of penning anything. This may have been down to work commitments and holidays, plus the feeling that it was difficult to get a handle on prospects for the season until the procession of players exiting had more or less come to a close and one or two new faces had arrived – and before actually seeing a game. Maybe we all just run dry sometimes. Whatever. As I’m out of practise there’s no theme to this post, just a series of random observations.
Linvoy Primus. Seems he’s not coming after all (OK, I've just seen according to the BBC that he is on his way after all, on a three-month loan). What a bloody relief that is. Richard Rufus is of course an Addicks legend and his early retirement is still a source of overall regret. But at least since he hung up his boots we have been able to live without (to the best of my knowledge) an out-and-out born again bloody born-again God-squader. The stream of athletes/footballers who declare that they have ‘given their life to Jesus’ is depressing (note to Kaka, stay in Italy, you’re just not wanted here) and needs to be stopped. Why do they seem to think this is something positive? I would much rather Andy Gray and Luke Varney come out and say ‘I’ve sold my soul to the other lot in return for a guaranteed 20-plus a season while I’m at Charlton’. Now that’s what I’d call commitment.
Barring a change of heart on the part of ‘Arry (am I the only person left in this country who thinks he comes across as a charmless nerd?) it seems we have to look elsewhere for another central defender. Presumably Sonko’s sending off and Duberry’s injury mean it is even less likely that Reading will allow Sam Sodje to leave. There’s no point speculating on who might come in, just the hope that if Zheng Zhi does depart before the window closes we have the opportunity to draft in one or two. I would have thought Jose Semedo could provide some cover at centre-back if necessary (well, he’s covering for almost every other position). But it would be nice to know exactly why we let McCarthy leave (we know why Bougherra went) if we have to pay to bring in a replacement.
The only other departure I actually regret, taking on board the club’s financial position, is that of Iwelumo, especially with Marcus Bent finally offloaded. In my simplistic way of looking at the game you have to have a few options and possible combinations. One of those for the forwards is bringing on the big lump when you’re behind and chasing the game with 20 minutes left (Liverpool got away with it last night, but if I was a fan I would have been wondering where was Crouch when you needed him?). I don’t know whether Stuart Fleetwood is seen as that sort of option, but my first impression from the Athletic friendly was that isn’t his game. Assuming Varney and Gray remain first choice, Svetoslav Todorov when fully fit looks like the other option to Gray (I can’t see how they could play together), while Chris Dickson and Fleetwood would seem to provide the alternatives alongside Gray as and when needed. Presumably Izale McLeod will come back into contention at some stage. But these three at least are really untested at Championship level. Consequently reports linking us with Helguson might seem strange given the money presumably involved, but from the perspective of striking options it wouldn’t look completely daft.
Just how Gray and Varney might react to another forward being brought in would be another matter. Gray was meant to be the man to revive a flagging promotion bid, only for Lita to arrive shortly after. None of it worked out. It’s another reason why I wish they would scrap the transfer window. Why is it necessary to push clubs into thinking about covering for possible requirements over the next four months? Similar thinking regarding Jonathan Fortune. It is clear that Pardew will for the foreseeable future play Mark Hudson in every game. Primus was not going to be coming here to warm the bench. To be fair it’s a bit of a clue when you’re given the number 24.
And for those who have been eagerly awaiting news of Lyon Duchere following their dramatic promotion last season to CFA Groupe B (and who can’t be bothered to look it up elsewhere), I am pleased to report a satisfactory start to their life in the French equivalent of a regional third division. After three games they sit 10th out of 18 with a win, a draw and a loss. The season opener produced an uncharacteristically high-scoring contest, a 4-3 defeat away at Toulon, before something like business as before as Agde were turned over 1-0 back at Lyon. The third match was away at Villefrance-sur-Saone, the team they were promoted with from CFA2. The result was a 1-1 draw, with La Duch probably a little disappointed not to take all three points having taken the lead and with their opponents having a man sent off.
Next up on Saturday is a home game against Jura Sud, a team which has lost its first three games. High hopes then for a surge towards the top. I had hoped to coordinate my visits to Lyon to try to take in some games this season, but I’ve made a poor start. My next trip to France sees Lyon Duchere playing away at Andrezieux. Now what are the chances of my persuading my French partner that what she really wants to do on a Saturday is to drive over to Andrezieux for a football match? I suppose finding out where it is would be a good first move; first look seems as if it might be close to Saint Etienne, which is reasonably close. It could prove to be my first away game of the season; well, I’m ashamed to say that (due to work commitments) there’s more chance of me getting to that game than to away at Preston on Saturday.
Thursday, 28 August 2008
Saturday, 23 August 2008
Welcome Back Team Spirit
Having sacrificed the Swansea and Watford games for the death-defying roads of Chios and the sweltering heat of Athens, I was wondering what to expect today, with the Athletico friendly having thrown up more questions than answers and the interim having confirmed the departures of Faye and Thomas, plus the long-term injury to Racon. More than anything else (with the possible exception of a decent seat for the new season ticket) I wanted to see a return of real team spirit. OK, more than anything else I wanted three points, but after that team spirit. After that an indication that we have combinations in key areas that look capable of gelling into a team that can mount a promotion challenge. Then came all the subsidiary desires, such as a referee and assistants capable of making reasonable decisions. In the event we got most of the above.
First off it should be said that referee Mason and his assistants might have got every decision right this afternoon. It may have been correct to award Reading a penalty for a soft challenge in the box; it may have been correct to give us a penalty for the challenge on Varney which could have been outside the box (although having given a penalty for what is deemed a professional foul why no card for the Reading defender, who was clearly beaten for pace? What’s good for Youga .....); there may have been a reason for deciding on two extra minutes at the end of the first half, during which there were no substitutions and no injuries, allowing the time for Reading to pull one back; there may have been a push on the Reading forward for their second penalty; Weaver may have moved to necessitate a retake; and Bouazza may have been onside to volley in our fourth goal. It’s just that each debatable decision mounts up and by the time of the penalty retake we were all prepared to see every decision as wrong. The belated award of a free kick for one of numerous foul challenges on Andy Gray and the sending off of Sonko (when Mason should have allowed play to continue) didn’t really even up the score. But it doesn’t matter ‘cos we won.
The game could easily have turned out differently; indeed, it proved to be a hard one to call all the way through, at least until the last five minutes, with a number of key moments. Reading created enough chances to have scored more, without Mason’s assistance, including a penalty which came crashing back off the bar. But in the end they paid the price for some sloppy defending and a game that was always competitive but played in a good spirit went our way, despite our losing a two-goal lead. What was most important is that the sense of injustice at Reading’s equaliser didn’t result in the players looking for excuses. Too much nonsense is talked about football teams’ character if they come from behind or win through adversity. After all, scoring goals and preventing the opposition from scoring are the point of the game. But the team should feel justifiably proud of itself tonight. It wasn’t perfect, but we know it isn’t going to be. It was more than encouraging.
In the first half for some time it looked a matter of whether Hameur Bouazza’s terrorising of their right-back could compensate for Reading’s Kebe running Basey ragged. Our first came from a long cross from the right which nearly caught out Hahnemann, with the ball going to Bouazza who crossed low to allow the Reading keeper to fumble it into the path of Matty Holland. Reading’s penalty came as Basey cut inside but lost possession and the result was some confusion and a poor challenge in the box allowing the Reading forward to conveniently fall over an outstretched leg. Soft it was, but probably a correct decision. Basey had already been turned inside out by the Reading winger and there was a threat every time the ball went in that area, with Weaver having to make one smart save. To his credit Basey stuck at it and the threat was much less apparent in the second half.
What seemed to be a real turning point came late in the half as a Reading attack was broken up and Lloyd Sam advanced down the right. He moved it on to Varney, in a position which is his strength, running at flat-footed defenders. Having moved past the last one he was taken down and – seemingly with the help of the linesman – Mason pointed to the spot. Andy Gray tucked away the penalty with no fuss. We deserved to be ahead on the balance of play, with Holland and Nicky Bailey working together effectively and John Fortune and Mark Hudson dealing well with Reading’s aerial threat. But instead of getting to the break with a two-goal cushion a Reading corner in mystery ‘additional time’ was cleared but the Charlton players held in the box and only Holland tried to close down the player returning the ball. The result was a decent cross and a header buried into the bottom corner by someone in a Reading shirt (sorry, I just never care who). Weaver had no chance.
The fear was that a lacklustre Reading performance had not been fully punished and that after a Coppell earbashing they would be stronger in the second half. And for a while that looked like being the case. However, they drew level with a near farcical sequence of events. There seemed little danger when a ball was crossed, with Weaver coming out to punch clear. But Mason had obviously seen something and another penalty was given. This time Weaver pulled off a super save, only for it to count for nothing. There wasn’t much chance of Reading failing for a third time on the retake.
At 2-2, the crowd upset and hostile, the Charlton players could have looked for excuses. Instead to their credit they went out and won the game. Absurd howls for a Charlton penalty were followed by a decent ball into the box and Luke Varney displayed a centre-forward’s nous for getting on the end of a cross which I haven’t seen from him before. A glorious header and we were in front again. And not long after Yassin Moutaouakil – who had a splendid game, including a crucial defensive header late on (OK Suzanne, France do have some sportsmen capable of winning) – played in Sam to cross to the left, with Bouazza scoring on the volley with some aplomb. Of course he was onside.
After that it was a case of job pretty much done, as long as Reading didn’t get one back. They nearly did on a few occasions, but their shooting was, well, like ours last season. Long may it continue. Once Sonko had his marching orders it was pretty much game up, with Darren Ambrose coming on for Sam and Jose Semedo replacing Moutaouakil. There was still time for Gray to almost round off a lovely move – and what I think was his best performance to date in a Charlton shirt – with a goal, only to see his header crash back off the bar. The linesman flagged for offside anyway, but in this game that would only have been the starting point for discussions.
What was best? Overall, the team spirit. This bunch looked as though they wanted to play (good luck at Portsmouth, Thomas). In particular the pairing of Holland and Bailey. I know next to nothing about the latter, but the two were talking to each other and seemed to understand their roles and how to play together. It’s just one game, but it was good to see – especially as without Racon and presumably Zheng Zhi we have only Jonjo Shelvey and Semedo as alternatives in central midfield. Also, Gray was excellent. He contested every ball and won a number of them, reading the game well to steal back possession and looking committed to the task. Varney scored an excellent third goal. If they can deliver the goals we are in with a shout.
Player Ratings:
Weaver: 9/10 (assuming the second penalty was not given for a foul against him). Made smart and important saves, could have been the hero with the ‘penalty’ stop. No chance with the goals.
Moutaouakil: 7/10. Got forward well and covered well in defence. Semedo in my view does a competent job covering at right-back, but Yassin gives us more, as evidenced in his role for the crucial third goal, as long as there are no silly mistakes. He loses a point because it was his challenge for Reading’s first penalty. Otherwise excellent.
Basey: 6/10. Exposed badly a few times in the first half by Reading’s most dangerous player. Could have been expensive. But for whatever reason the threat wasn’t repeated in the second half and he didn’t fall apart after a very difficult early phase of the game.
Fortune: 7/10. Same thinking as Moutaouakil. For most of the game he was excellent, but he gave away the second penalty. It may have been harsh, but don’t give the ref the chance to make a mistake. Otherwise he was committed and effective.
Hudson: 8/10. Same as Fortune except for not having a point deducted for giving away a penalty.
Bouazza: 8/10. Especially in the first half he was the obvious outlet and gave Reading a torrid time. Scored a splendid fourth goal (from a clearly onside position) and looked as though he will give defences at this level a very hard time. Also did good work covering back.
Holland: 8/10. Some players just make a team play better. Matty wrote the script. Seemed to tire late on, but we just have to get used to that.
Bailey: 8/10. Excellent. I must admit coming back I had doubts about another signing from a lower division, but the guy looks to have ability and honesty in his approach. More of the same please.
Sam: 6/10. Had a tough time against an experienced Reading left-back. But played a key role in our second goal and never stopped trying. He will find himself up against weaker opponents in most games, but will we end up opting for Bouazza and Ambrose as the wide pairing?
Varney: 8/10. In my opinion Varney was a major disappointment last season. Today he scored the sort of goal I didn’t think he had in him. Nobody doubts his effort and running. Give us the goals and we’re happy.
Gray: 9/10. Not an obvious man-of-the-match, but I thought he put in an excellent example of how to lead the line against tough and big opponents. I saw it as his best game to date in a Charlton shirt.
First off it should be said that referee Mason and his assistants might have got every decision right this afternoon. It may have been correct to award Reading a penalty for a soft challenge in the box; it may have been correct to give us a penalty for the challenge on Varney which could have been outside the box (although having given a penalty for what is deemed a professional foul why no card for the Reading defender, who was clearly beaten for pace? What’s good for Youga .....); there may have been a reason for deciding on two extra minutes at the end of the first half, during which there were no substitutions and no injuries, allowing the time for Reading to pull one back; there may have been a push on the Reading forward for their second penalty; Weaver may have moved to necessitate a retake; and Bouazza may have been onside to volley in our fourth goal. It’s just that each debatable decision mounts up and by the time of the penalty retake we were all prepared to see every decision as wrong. The belated award of a free kick for one of numerous foul challenges on Andy Gray and the sending off of Sonko (when Mason should have allowed play to continue) didn’t really even up the score. But it doesn’t matter ‘cos we won.
The game could easily have turned out differently; indeed, it proved to be a hard one to call all the way through, at least until the last five minutes, with a number of key moments. Reading created enough chances to have scored more, without Mason’s assistance, including a penalty which came crashing back off the bar. But in the end they paid the price for some sloppy defending and a game that was always competitive but played in a good spirit went our way, despite our losing a two-goal lead. What was most important is that the sense of injustice at Reading’s equaliser didn’t result in the players looking for excuses. Too much nonsense is talked about football teams’ character if they come from behind or win through adversity. After all, scoring goals and preventing the opposition from scoring are the point of the game. But the team should feel justifiably proud of itself tonight. It wasn’t perfect, but we know it isn’t going to be. It was more than encouraging.
In the first half for some time it looked a matter of whether Hameur Bouazza’s terrorising of their right-back could compensate for Reading’s Kebe running Basey ragged. Our first came from a long cross from the right which nearly caught out Hahnemann, with the ball going to Bouazza who crossed low to allow the Reading keeper to fumble it into the path of Matty Holland. Reading’s penalty came as Basey cut inside but lost possession and the result was some confusion and a poor challenge in the box allowing the Reading forward to conveniently fall over an outstretched leg. Soft it was, but probably a correct decision. Basey had already been turned inside out by the Reading winger and there was a threat every time the ball went in that area, with Weaver having to make one smart save. To his credit Basey stuck at it and the threat was much less apparent in the second half.
What seemed to be a real turning point came late in the half as a Reading attack was broken up and Lloyd Sam advanced down the right. He moved it on to Varney, in a position which is his strength, running at flat-footed defenders. Having moved past the last one he was taken down and – seemingly with the help of the linesman – Mason pointed to the spot. Andy Gray tucked away the penalty with no fuss. We deserved to be ahead on the balance of play, with Holland and Nicky Bailey working together effectively and John Fortune and Mark Hudson dealing well with Reading’s aerial threat. But instead of getting to the break with a two-goal cushion a Reading corner in mystery ‘additional time’ was cleared but the Charlton players held in the box and only Holland tried to close down the player returning the ball. The result was a decent cross and a header buried into the bottom corner by someone in a Reading shirt (sorry, I just never care who). Weaver had no chance.
The fear was that a lacklustre Reading performance had not been fully punished and that after a Coppell earbashing they would be stronger in the second half. And for a while that looked like being the case. However, they drew level with a near farcical sequence of events. There seemed little danger when a ball was crossed, with Weaver coming out to punch clear. But Mason had obviously seen something and another penalty was given. This time Weaver pulled off a super save, only for it to count for nothing. There wasn’t much chance of Reading failing for a third time on the retake.
At 2-2, the crowd upset and hostile, the Charlton players could have looked for excuses. Instead to their credit they went out and won the game. Absurd howls for a Charlton penalty were followed by a decent ball into the box and Luke Varney displayed a centre-forward’s nous for getting on the end of a cross which I haven’t seen from him before. A glorious header and we were in front again. And not long after Yassin Moutaouakil – who had a splendid game, including a crucial defensive header late on (OK Suzanne, France do have some sportsmen capable of winning) – played in Sam to cross to the left, with Bouazza scoring on the volley with some aplomb. Of course he was onside.
After that it was a case of job pretty much done, as long as Reading didn’t get one back. They nearly did on a few occasions, but their shooting was, well, like ours last season. Long may it continue. Once Sonko had his marching orders it was pretty much game up, with Darren Ambrose coming on for Sam and Jose Semedo replacing Moutaouakil. There was still time for Gray to almost round off a lovely move – and what I think was his best performance to date in a Charlton shirt – with a goal, only to see his header crash back off the bar. The linesman flagged for offside anyway, but in this game that would only have been the starting point for discussions.
What was best? Overall, the team spirit. This bunch looked as though they wanted to play (good luck at Portsmouth, Thomas). In particular the pairing of Holland and Bailey. I know next to nothing about the latter, but the two were talking to each other and seemed to understand their roles and how to play together. It’s just one game, but it was good to see – especially as without Racon and presumably Zheng Zhi we have only Jonjo Shelvey and Semedo as alternatives in central midfield. Also, Gray was excellent. He contested every ball and won a number of them, reading the game well to steal back possession and looking committed to the task. Varney scored an excellent third goal. If they can deliver the goals we are in with a shout.
Player Ratings:
Weaver: 9/10 (assuming the second penalty was not given for a foul against him). Made smart and important saves, could have been the hero with the ‘penalty’ stop. No chance with the goals.
Moutaouakil: 7/10. Got forward well and covered well in defence. Semedo in my view does a competent job covering at right-back, but Yassin gives us more, as evidenced in his role for the crucial third goal, as long as there are no silly mistakes. He loses a point because it was his challenge for Reading’s first penalty. Otherwise excellent.
Basey: 6/10. Exposed badly a few times in the first half by Reading’s most dangerous player. Could have been expensive. But for whatever reason the threat wasn’t repeated in the second half and he didn’t fall apart after a very difficult early phase of the game.
Fortune: 7/10. Same thinking as Moutaouakil. For most of the game he was excellent, but he gave away the second penalty. It may have been harsh, but don’t give the ref the chance to make a mistake. Otherwise he was committed and effective.
Hudson: 8/10. Same as Fortune except for not having a point deducted for giving away a penalty.
Bouazza: 8/10. Especially in the first half he was the obvious outlet and gave Reading a torrid time. Scored a splendid fourth goal (from a clearly onside position) and looked as though he will give defences at this level a very hard time. Also did good work covering back.
Holland: 8/10. Some players just make a team play better. Matty wrote the script. Seemed to tire late on, but we just have to get used to that.
Bailey: 8/10. Excellent. I must admit coming back I had doubts about another signing from a lower division, but the guy looks to have ability and honesty in his approach. More of the same please.
Sam: 6/10. Had a tough time against an experienced Reading left-back. But played a key role in our second goal and never stopped trying. He will find himself up against weaker opponents in most games, but will we end up opting for Bouazza and Ambrose as the wide pairing?
Varney: 8/10. In my opinion Varney was a major disappointment last season. Today he scored the sort of goal I didn’t think he had in him. Nobody doubts his effort and running. Give us the goals and we’re happy.
Gray: 9/10. Not an obvious man-of-the-match, but I thought he put in an excellent example of how to lead the line against tough and big opponents. I saw it as his best game to date in a Charlton shirt.
Saturday, 2 August 2008
Some Positives But No Sign Of Key Partnerships
As pre-season friendlies go, it was half-entertaining – in that the second half was fun after a sterile first 45 minutes. How many times last season did the break come and we were left to reflect on a total absence of goalscoring chances created? We lost with no complaints to a more accomplished side – and could easily have lost by more. The game would have been a better contest had we equalised in the first half from the penalty spot, a gift from out of nothing, but Thomas hit the post. Otherwise it was a case of what did we learn from the contest.
Given that the list of absentees included Weaver, Ambrose, Holland, Dickson, McLeod, Sinclair, Todorov, and Zheng Zhi it was hard to draw any conclusions about the season to come (even leaving aside thoughts of who may still go and who might come in). Most of the crowd treated it for what it was: a chance to try out a few things and to look at certain combinations in a relaxed atmosphere. There were two exceptions: the obligatory moron who insisted on screaming abuse at the referee (and anyone else who was unfortunate enough to be within earshot), including when play was stopped for a clash of heads, and Athletic’s engaging manager, who seemed to care a good deal more than many of the players. Oh, and one Athletic player obviously had his eye on the showers by managing to get a red card for some silly shoving late in the game.
We started with Elliot starting in goal, Semedo and Youga as the full-backs, and Fortune and Hudson in central defence. Central midfield paired Shelvey and Racon, with Thomas and Wagstaff providing the width and Gray and Varney up front. The second-half substitutes included Sam, Moutaouakil, Basey, Wright, Fleetwood, and Faye (I never thought I would see him pull on a Charlton shirt again). There may have been others.
First, the good news. Elliot looked comfortable and accomplished. No chance with the goal and one excellent save (albeit the forward was offside). If we have to rely on him at the start of the season it’s a plus. The other positives are qualified. Shelvey was anonymous for much of the game and a partnership with Racon was not a success. Both looked as if they would benefit (as Shelvey did late last season) from the steadying influence of a Holland alongside them, allowing them the freedom to do the box-to-box role. However, individually both had reasonable games. Racon was behind some of our best moments and Shelvey continued to look as if he has the knack of being in the right place for loose balls in the box. So a plus for both individually, but not as a pairing. Semedo looked as if we can rely on him as back-up for Moutaouakil if needed, but isn’t a natural right-back. Defensive midfielder or central defence looks best for him, but it was a capable enough job.
Youga and Moutaouakil are likely to be the first-choice full-backs. Nobody is happier about that than me. But they can’t afford the sort of mistakes they made today. The only goal of the game came from Youga losing possession and there could easily have been a repeat in the first half. Moutaouakil added vibrancy and drive when he came on in the second half, but he too gave away the ball and nearly cost us a goal. We just have to hope they both keep these sort of mistakes to a minimum.
Fortune and Hudson didn’t seem to be a natural pairing. There was no sign of communication. And wouldn’t you just have scripted it, for a general that Napoleon would not have favoured. No sooner had Pardew said how important it was that Hudson stays fit than we see him hobbling off injured. Hopefully it was just a precaution. Fortune must feel decidedly cheesed off at Charlton. We don’t seem to trust him and are not prepared to regard him as first-choice. Personally I think he can do a job if his partner is exceptional. We started last season in pretty much the same situation and paid the price.
Wagstaff will know he had a poor half and was rightly substituted. He has plenty of time. Sam looked lively when he first came on, but became increasingly ineffective against accomplished defenders. Thomas. Ah, Jerome Thomas. We need you badly this season. My heart sank the first time he lost the ball, displayed petulance in squaring up to their player after a poor effort to win it back. But thereafter he was involved in most of the good things that we did.
As for Gray and Varney, in their defence their service was almost non-existent. But Gray in particular offered nothing; Varney offered strong running but delivered no more, like last season. We need both to perform better this season and to become a pairing. This was the only pre-season game I’ve seen and maybe in others they were more impressive. Fleetwood had little chance to impress (coming on after Thomas had been moved inside). I left hoping that Gray and Varney are still feeling their way into the season – and that Todorov and Dickson can push them hard.
The two major negatives for me were: first, there was no sign that we were playing to any sort of style or system that indicated we knew our strengths and would play to them. Second, I know it was a pre-season friendly but in the first half in particular there was no sense of urgency or determination. This was a collection of many fringe players with an opportunity to make a case for inclusion in the first team. Leadership and collective spirit were not in evidence. I hope it will be come the time of Swansea, because they are vital for our coming season. Finally, I don’t want to hear Pardew giving any indication of being disappointed. Quotes are always taken out of context. But I want to hear that we are ready and up for the fight ahead – and to see evidence of this on the pitch. Today was a day for reserving judgement and to focus on the pluses. Elliot and Racon. Well, the latter’s French after all.
Given that the list of absentees included Weaver, Ambrose, Holland, Dickson, McLeod, Sinclair, Todorov, and Zheng Zhi it was hard to draw any conclusions about the season to come (even leaving aside thoughts of who may still go and who might come in). Most of the crowd treated it for what it was: a chance to try out a few things and to look at certain combinations in a relaxed atmosphere. There were two exceptions: the obligatory moron who insisted on screaming abuse at the referee (and anyone else who was unfortunate enough to be within earshot), including when play was stopped for a clash of heads, and Athletic’s engaging manager, who seemed to care a good deal more than many of the players. Oh, and one Athletic player obviously had his eye on the showers by managing to get a red card for some silly shoving late in the game.
We started with Elliot starting in goal, Semedo and Youga as the full-backs, and Fortune and Hudson in central defence. Central midfield paired Shelvey and Racon, with Thomas and Wagstaff providing the width and Gray and Varney up front. The second-half substitutes included Sam, Moutaouakil, Basey, Wright, Fleetwood, and Faye (I never thought I would see him pull on a Charlton shirt again). There may have been others.
First, the good news. Elliot looked comfortable and accomplished. No chance with the goal and one excellent save (albeit the forward was offside). If we have to rely on him at the start of the season it’s a plus. The other positives are qualified. Shelvey was anonymous for much of the game and a partnership with Racon was not a success. Both looked as if they would benefit (as Shelvey did late last season) from the steadying influence of a Holland alongside them, allowing them the freedom to do the box-to-box role. However, individually both had reasonable games. Racon was behind some of our best moments and Shelvey continued to look as if he has the knack of being in the right place for loose balls in the box. So a plus for both individually, but not as a pairing. Semedo looked as if we can rely on him as back-up for Moutaouakil if needed, but isn’t a natural right-back. Defensive midfielder or central defence looks best for him, but it was a capable enough job.
Youga and Moutaouakil are likely to be the first-choice full-backs. Nobody is happier about that than me. But they can’t afford the sort of mistakes they made today. The only goal of the game came from Youga losing possession and there could easily have been a repeat in the first half. Moutaouakil added vibrancy and drive when he came on in the second half, but he too gave away the ball and nearly cost us a goal. We just have to hope they both keep these sort of mistakes to a minimum.
Fortune and Hudson didn’t seem to be a natural pairing. There was no sign of communication. And wouldn’t you just have scripted it, for a general that Napoleon would not have favoured. No sooner had Pardew said how important it was that Hudson stays fit than we see him hobbling off injured. Hopefully it was just a precaution. Fortune must feel decidedly cheesed off at Charlton. We don’t seem to trust him and are not prepared to regard him as first-choice. Personally I think he can do a job if his partner is exceptional. We started last season in pretty much the same situation and paid the price.
Wagstaff will know he had a poor half and was rightly substituted. He has plenty of time. Sam looked lively when he first came on, but became increasingly ineffective against accomplished defenders. Thomas. Ah, Jerome Thomas. We need you badly this season. My heart sank the first time he lost the ball, displayed petulance in squaring up to their player after a poor effort to win it back. But thereafter he was involved in most of the good things that we did.
As for Gray and Varney, in their defence their service was almost non-existent. But Gray in particular offered nothing; Varney offered strong running but delivered no more, like last season. We need both to perform better this season and to become a pairing. This was the only pre-season game I’ve seen and maybe in others they were more impressive. Fleetwood had little chance to impress (coming on after Thomas had been moved inside). I left hoping that Gray and Varney are still feeling their way into the season – and that Todorov and Dickson can push them hard.
The two major negatives for me were: first, there was no sign that we were playing to any sort of style or system that indicated we knew our strengths and would play to them. Second, I know it was a pre-season friendly but in the first half in particular there was no sense of urgency or determination. This was a collection of many fringe players with an opportunity to make a case for inclusion in the first team. Leadership and collective spirit were not in evidence. I hope it will be come the time of Swansea, because they are vital for our coming season. Finally, I don’t want to hear Pardew giving any indication of being disappointed. Quotes are always taken out of context. But I want to hear that we are ready and up for the fight ahead – and to see evidence of this on the pitch. Today was a day for reserving judgement and to focus on the pluses. Elliot and Racon. Well, the latter’s French after all.
Thursday, 31 July 2008
Back In The Fold
OK, there have been excuses. For example, one of my nefarious activities in the real world involves making recommendations for investments in financial stocks. That in itself would have been enough to leave me mired in depression through the close season (and beyond). But ultimately the sabbatical was down to two things: a perfectly understandable desire for a break, which soon turns into something more as you lose the habit of posting anything (I am reliably advised that I have not lost a life-long habit of verbosity), and a feeling that there wasn’t much to be gained from thinking about the composition of the team for the coming season when it was clear that more players would be leaving.
Whether its a feeling that the (apparent) sale of Bougherra might see the balance shift now to one or two being brought in (which is not to suggest that I have any idea whether the stream of departures has ended) , whether it is confirmation that Royal Bank of Scotland have passed my subtle acid test of their repaired capital position by being duped into a restructuring of my personal finances, or whether it’s just the feeling that when the going gets tough it’s time to do something daft, it was off to The Valley today to do something I haven’t done for a couple of years: buy a season ticket.
I don’t think I ever felt it was inappropriate to write one of these things without being a season ticket holder. I’ve done my time - and to the muppet who last season suggested I might be a newcomer bussed in from Kent (as if that would be something to be ashamed of) have the accumulated season ticket stubs (complete with never-needed cup ticket vouchers) to prove it. I dropped out as it were when Curbs left. I just felt like a break and didn’t want to think about renewing – and before I knew it the deadline had passed. What was a decent bloc in the Upper North was in any event dispersing, with a couple moving out of London and some moving to the family stand (well, that was what they told me anyway). I decided it would be an advantage to be flexible: to see games from different parts of the ground and to go to more away games by missing a few at home. Some chance. I ended up going to nearly all the home games (from different vantage points) and only managed the usual token gestures when it came to getting out of London, trips which invariably ended in tears (Sheff Utd and Scunthorpe).
There might also have been an element of a treat with the season ticket, as Saturday is my birthday. It is, apparently, a big one. Suffice to say the Romans had a letter for it. I knew my schoolboy algebra would come in handy one day, so in a couple of days I will indeed by 20x years old, with ‘x’ being a variable function of reality and self-deception.
So there it is. I’m not going to go out of my way to claim the moral high ground (although it is a place where I feel naturally at home) but there was an element of thinking this is the time to be showing some comm... comit... commnt ... (as previous girlfriends can confirm I seem to have problems with the ‘c’ word). Let’s just hope the season ahead proves more enjoyable than the last two; it would be hard for it to undercut them.
This doesn’t mean that I’ve adjusted to the possibility that we could be back in this division for the foreseeable. And I’m not ready, if I ever was, to just sit back and enjoy the game. Whatever the obstacles and whatever the limitations, there is still a batch of players which if they can be gelled into a coherent unit will be capable of being in the frame, especially if the fans can play their part in making The Valley a place to fear (for good reasons of course). And when it comes to enjoyment I’ve never walked away from a Charlton victory feeling depressed. Frustrated, exasperated, relieved, perplexed, even occasionally rather bored. But never depressed. So if there is a sure-fire way of ensuring that the season is enjoyable it is to run away with the league.
Now it’s time to do what all good season ticket holders should do. Get down to The Valley for a pre-season friendly assessment (whether this can morph into a coherent match report on what is likely to be a liquid day remains to be seen) and then bugger off on holiday and miss the start of the season proper. France still shuts down for August, so my vacation will be spent at the hottest point of the year, in Greece. As someone who turns blue after bright pink following five minutes of sun, I’m going to fry (we once went to a splendid Roman baths off the beaten track in Tuscany and literally everyone there stopped to look at my body; they had simply never considered the possibility that one could be so white). It just might be worth it if this time around the text from Blighty says something better than a 1-1 draw against a newly-promoted team.
Whether its a feeling that the (apparent) sale of Bougherra might see the balance shift now to one or two being brought in (which is not to suggest that I have any idea whether the stream of departures has ended) , whether it is confirmation that Royal Bank of Scotland have passed my subtle acid test of their repaired capital position by being duped into a restructuring of my personal finances, or whether it’s just the feeling that when the going gets tough it’s time to do something daft, it was off to The Valley today to do something I haven’t done for a couple of years: buy a season ticket.
I don’t think I ever felt it was inappropriate to write one of these things without being a season ticket holder. I’ve done my time - and to the muppet who last season suggested I might be a newcomer bussed in from Kent (as if that would be something to be ashamed of) have the accumulated season ticket stubs (complete with never-needed cup ticket vouchers) to prove it. I dropped out as it were when Curbs left. I just felt like a break and didn’t want to think about renewing – and before I knew it the deadline had passed. What was a decent bloc in the Upper North was in any event dispersing, with a couple moving out of London and some moving to the family stand (well, that was what they told me anyway). I decided it would be an advantage to be flexible: to see games from different parts of the ground and to go to more away games by missing a few at home. Some chance. I ended up going to nearly all the home games (from different vantage points) and only managed the usual token gestures when it came to getting out of London, trips which invariably ended in tears (Sheff Utd and Scunthorpe).
There might also have been an element of a treat with the season ticket, as Saturday is my birthday. It is, apparently, a big one. Suffice to say the Romans had a letter for it. I knew my schoolboy algebra would come in handy one day, so in a couple of days I will indeed by 20x years old, with ‘x’ being a variable function of reality and self-deception.
So there it is. I’m not going to go out of my way to claim the moral high ground (although it is a place where I feel naturally at home) but there was an element of thinking this is the time to be showing some comm... comit... commnt ... (as previous girlfriends can confirm I seem to have problems with the ‘c’ word). Let’s just hope the season ahead proves more enjoyable than the last two; it would be hard for it to undercut them.
This doesn’t mean that I’ve adjusted to the possibility that we could be back in this division for the foreseeable. And I’m not ready, if I ever was, to just sit back and enjoy the game. Whatever the obstacles and whatever the limitations, there is still a batch of players which if they can be gelled into a coherent unit will be capable of being in the frame, especially if the fans can play their part in making The Valley a place to fear (for good reasons of course). And when it comes to enjoyment I’ve never walked away from a Charlton victory feeling depressed. Frustrated, exasperated, relieved, perplexed, even occasionally rather bored. But never depressed. So if there is a sure-fire way of ensuring that the season is enjoyable it is to run away with the league.
Now it’s time to do what all good season ticket holders should do. Get down to The Valley for a pre-season friendly assessment (whether this can morph into a coherent match report on what is likely to be a liquid day remains to be seen) and then bugger off on holiday and miss the start of the season proper. France still shuts down for August, so my vacation will be spent at the hottest point of the year, in Greece. As someone who turns blue after bright pink following five minutes of sun, I’m going to fry (we once went to a splendid Roman baths off the beaten track in Tuscany and literally everyone there stopped to look at my body; they had simply never considered the possibility that one could be so white). It just might be worth it if this time around the text from Blighty says something better than a 1-1 draw against a newly-promoted team.
Monday, 14 July 2008
How The Mighty Fall
So Chris Iwelumo is off to Wolves, Marcus Bent is Cardiff-bound, and Scott Carson is leaving Liverpool for ... Stoke. They say all sporting careers end in failure, but Carson’s has barely started. It’s one thing to endure two seasons out on loan and to have to sit back and watch Liverpool and Villa struggle to agree on a price, quite another to see the devastating impact on standing and valuation of one howler for England. A nation’s fans may be extracting collective revenge, but even so the Potteries seems a little harsh. Maybe Scott is attracted by the prospect of going to a club where he will be the best ballplayer. At least the ball won’t get slippery as it won’t touch the turf.
To my mind Iwelumo goes with all best wishes. It isn’t just that he always gave of his best, whether asked to play alone up front or in a 4-4-2 or to come on as a sub in a hopeless cause. He tended to get blamed (by many fans at least) for the failings of others. A contribution of 10 goals (more if he had been first-choice all through the season) would have been OK (for a target man) if he had a strike partner (or partners) scoring 20 (the pairing with Luke Varney never really took off but was it Big Chris’ fault? I just hope – and expect – that we haven’t yet seen the best of Varney). And was it Iwelumo’s fault that, especially when playing alone up front, the other players seemed content to hump useless long balls in his direction?
Big Chris was nearly a success for us – and he did score what seemed at the time important goals. He knew his way around the division (better forwards used to playing against better defenders would for example never have thought to try to score the two he bagged against Sheff Wed). He won’t make Charlton’s hall of fame, but he wasn’t the worst we’ve had and I for one will be applauding him when he returns. Wolves? Well, at least we can say he’s capable of filling Jay Bothroyd’s shoes.
Marcus Bent? Of course it’s a different story. We seemed to pay over the odds for him, but there was a rationale if it was going to get the best out of Darren Bent (read also Jimmy Floyd). Quite rightly we have been looking to offload him to all and sundry, the only pity being Wigan would have paid more for him. Presumably Bent has chosen Cardiff because as a capital city he can still stand relatively tall in the Wagg-pulling league. But Marcus here too your best days are behind you.
My abiding memory of Bent will be that glorious interview when he arrived at The Valley. When asked whether it would be confusing to have two Bents at the club he replied to the effect that, yes it would be a bit of a problem as Darren’s nickname was ‘Benty’ and he liked to be called ‘Benty’. He seemed totally oblivious to the possibility of his strengthening the impression that at least most footballers are a little lacking in the grey cell department.
Episodes like that should serve as a reminder – as the practise of a Charlton open day seems to be being revived - that actually meeting players (nay, heroes as the club website likes to remind us) may not always be the uplifting experience we hope for. I remember as a callow youth walking around the rooms where the players were sitting and chatting among themselves, in between fag breaks. They presented a picture of total indifference as autograph books were pushed under their noses. I still have the autograph book, which does rather date me if nothing else (looking at it now I can make out the signatures of Eddie Firmani, Len Burns, Cliff Hall, A. Fagan, Lucio Masiello, Paul Gilchrist, Charlie Wright, Ian King, Len Glover, Peter Reeves, Theo Foley, Graham Moore, and a few others that are totally indecipherable). Charlton North Downs says that he even saw Len Glover thump one fan at such a gathering.
So please, Mr Pardew and Mr Murray, tell the current crop that it’s in their best interest to keep the fans, however young, on their side and to at least feign interest. After all, sooner or later for you it will be Cardiff, Wolves or Stoke (and at the risk of plagiarising the Eamon Dumphy quote for some truly unlucky sods even Palace or Millwall).
Sunday, 22 June 2008
Is It The Championship In Disguise?
I thought I was on a summer sabbatical. But I guess it still isn’t really summer; and one of the prerequisites for doing one of these things, as others are seldom reluctant to point out, is an inability to keep it shut for any length of time. So, here we go. What can we learn from Euro2008? There have to be some messages, given that the tournament itself is rapidly taking on the appearance of The Championship: no outstanding teams, competitive games but not of the highest quality, just about any team capable of winning on the day. I actually wanted a few weeks when I could forget about this sort of football.
It’s not because England aren’t there, or even attributable to the lamentable quality of the match analysis (with in my view some honourable exceptions), but I haven’t really warmed to Euro2008 (which is not to say I haven’t welcomed a ready-made excuse for slobbing out on the sofa watching hours of football or that I won’t miss it when it’s gone). People are generally critical of the last World Cup; but I found that a damn site more exciting. In Italy (then) there was a great side (I did choose them to win in a pre-tournament competition). Best goalkeeper in the world (Buffon), one of the best centre-backs marshalling a defence (Canavaro), an inspired defensive midfielder (Gattuso), and an ability to play 4-5-1 with a tall target man (Toni) because there was the necessary counterpart in a roving forward playing around him (Totti). The Italian team was not boring at all; it was inspired. And the tournament had a real classic (the Germany v Italy semi-final).
So far in Euro2008 only one game has held real interest from start to finish: the Holland v Russia upset. Others have provided drama, moments of excitement, great goals etc, but they have all fallen short, as have the teams (the only real quality so far has come from the referees, who have been outstanding). Nobody seems able to shoot from distance with the ball they are using, or to be able to get any dip for free kicks. No team seems able to defend while the ones that have provided the real entertainment (Holland and Portugal) failed once pressure was applied. Germany are in the semis thanks to a sneaky and cynical foul by Ballack, Russia are there because the Dutch underestimated them and thought they could stroll it, and Turkey are there because .... well god only knows the answer to that one.
Basically I don’t want Russia to win, given that such a success would be used to bolster an unwanted degree of nationalism in what is still a near-dictatorship. I don’t want Spain to win as the racism of their fans was (maybe still is) disgusting. I’d go for Italy, but the team is a shadow of what went before and would be unworthy winners. So I guess I’m going to join forces with a mate and belatedly support Turkey. Surely they can’t make it past Germany given the decimation of their team. Well, any chance they did have just went up in smoke anyway.
I’d like to think that there’s no future for a European national tournament (as opposed to the World Cup, which provides a delight of diversity and contrasting styles). The fact is that none of the national teams would make it past maybe the last eight of the Champions League. The best football is no longer played by national teams. This is all indicative of the (very welcome) drift towards near-irrelevance of national parliaments in Europe – provided of course that European federalism is accompanied by a strengthening of regional institutions. Maybe I’m just bitter at yet another phone-in on the European Union being hijacked by ardent and activist opponents of the entire concept. Just how they can present a ‘no’ vote in Ireland as a victory for democracy and national sovereignty is beyond me when the vote itself was heavily influenced by the electorate being inclined to vote against their domestic politicians.
Enough of the soapbox. What does it all mean for Charlton? Well, the team that reminded me most of us last season was France: disjointed, unable to get the best out of the best players or to find the right combination(s), lacking team spirit, and ultimately failing badly. I should add that I have no wish to suggest that Alan Pardew in any way reminds me of Domenech. Other than that both have of late been selecting two defensive central midfield players. In both cases there are excuses (the availability of alternatives), but please can it not be repeated next season. Message? Holland and Semedo: individually fine, even excellent; together insufficient.
Neither France nor Italy have been able to adapt to the loss of great players: Zidane for France (arguably Henry too), Totti and Canavaro for Italy. France were unable to come up with a new system that would get the best out of what are very good if disparate forwards. Starting a tournament with a front two who had never played together competitvely, then making changes for each of the next two games was just poor planning and management. Italy began against Holland with Toni on his own but nobody to play around him to provide the spark. Message? If the kids are to play a bigger role for us next season than last they need to be given the responsibility early – and the time to improve. Also, unless we sign a Totti, or Ambrose demonstrates he can play in the hole on a regular basis, it’s going to be 4-4-2 for us.
I think there’s less danger next season (compared to last) of us doing a Holland and failing to turn up against a ‘lesser’ team. Having seen off the last two World Cup finalists the Dutch thought they could get past Russia at half-pace. They started slowly and failed to score when the chances came their way. A team with more self-belief and better finishers than Russia would have really demolished them. As it was, one of Russia’s successes, highlighted by the analysts, was two attack-minded full backs. They were effective in pushing back the Dutch wide men and minimising their support for their forwards. Message? Yassin and Youga please, not Halford and Thatcher.
So, if we were most like France, with a smattering of Italy and Holland, and Euro2008 is The Championship in disguise, who were the rest? Well, Turkey are doing a passable imitation of Hull. It’s a little unfair on West Brom but they have to be Germany, ie probably the best team around. Greece were about as popular as Stoke, but obviously less successful; maybe they will resemble Stoke next season. Poland were the tournament’s Palace. Nobody wanted them there and nobody noticed that they were there. Romania were Scunthorpe or Colchester. Both worthy but ultimately not good enough – except when they played us. Sweden resembled Ipswich, while Austria and Switzerland were the tournament’s Coventry- basically pants.
It’s not because England aren’t there, or even attributable to the lamentable quality of the match analysis (with in my view some honourable exceptions), but I haven’t really warmed to Euro2008 (which is not to say I haven’t welcomed a ready-made excuse for slobbing out on the sofa watching hours of football or that I won’t miss it when it’s gone). People are generally critical of the last World Cup; but I found that a damn site more exciting. In Italy (then) there was a great side (I did choose them to win in a pre-tournament competition). Best goalkeeper in the world (Buffon), one of the best centre-backs marshalling a defence (Canavaro), an inspired defensive midfielder (Gattuso), and an ability to play 4-5-1 with a tall target man (Toni) because there was the necessary counterpart in a roving forward playing around him (Totti). The Italian team was not boring at all; it was inspired. And the tournament had a real classic (the Germany v Italy semi-final).
So far in Euro2008 only one game has held real interest from start to finish: the Holland v Russia upset. Others have provided drama, moments of excitement, great goals etc, but they have all fallen short, as have the teams (the only real quality so far has come from the referees, who have been outstanding). Nobody seems able to shoot from distance with the ball they are using, or to be able to get any dip for free kicks. No team seems able to defend while the ones that have provided the real entertainment (Holland and Portugal) failed once pressure was applied. Germany are in the semis thanks to a sneaky and cynical foul by Ballack, Russia are there because the Dutch underestimated them and thought they could stroll it, and Turkey are there because .... well god only knows the answer to that one.
Basically I don’t want Russia to win, given that such a success would be used to bolster an unwanted degree of nationalism in what is still a near-dictatorship. I don’t want Spain to win as the racism of their fans was (maybe still is) disgusting. I’d go for Italy, but the team is a shadow of what went before and would be unworthy winners. So I guess I’m going to join forces with a mate and belatedly support Turkey. Surely they can’t make it past Germany given the decimation of their team. Well, any chance they did have just went up in smoke anyway.
I’d like to think that there’s no future for a European national tournament (as opposed to the World Cup, which provides a delight of diversity and contrasting styles). The fact is that none of the national teams would make it past maybe the last eight of the Champions League. The best football is no longer played by national teams. This is all indicative of the (very welcome) drift towards near-irrelevance of national parliaments in Europe – provided of course that European federalism is accompanied by a strengthening of regional institutions. Maybe I’m just bitter at yet another phone-in on the European Union being hijacked by ardent and activist opponents of the entire concept. Just how they can present a ‘no’ vote in Ireland as a victory for democracy and national sovereignty is beyond me when the vote itself was heavily influenced by the electorate being inclined to vote against their domestic politicians.
Enough of the soapbox. What does it all mean for Charlton? Well, the team that reminded me most of us last season was France: disjointed, unable to get the best out of the best players or to find the right combination(s), lacking team spirit, and ultimately failing badly. I should add that I have no wish to suggest that Alan Pardew in any way reminds me of Domenech. Other than that both have of late been selecting two defensive central midfield players. In both cases there are excuses (the availability of alternatives), but please can it not be repeated next season. Message? Holland and Semedo: individually fine, even excellent; together insufficient.
Neither France nor Italy have been able to adapt to the loss of great players: Zidane for France (arguably Henry too), Totti and Canavaro for Italy. France were unable to come up with a new system that would get the best out of what are very good if disparate forwards. Starting a tournament with a front two who had never played together competitvely, then making changes for each of the next two games was just poor planning and management. Italy began against Holland with Toni on his own but nobody to play around him to provide the spark. Message? If the kids are to play a bigger role for us next season than last they need to be given the responsibility early – and the time to improve. Also, unless we sign a Totti, or Ambrose demonstrates he can play in the hole on a regular basis, it’s going to be 4-4-2 for us.
I think there’s less danger next season (compared to last) of us doing a Holland and failing to turn up against a ‘lesser’ team. Having seen off the last two World Cup finalists the Dutch thought they could get past Russia at half-pace. They started slowly and failed to score when the chances came their way. A team with more self-belief and better finishers than Russia would have really demolished them. As it was, one of Russia’s successes, highlighted by the analysts, was two attack-minded full backs. They were effective in pushing back the Dutch wide men and minimising their support for their forwards. Message? Yassin and Youga please, not Halford and Thatcher.
So, if we were most like France, with a smattering of Italy and Holland, and Euro2008 is The Championship in disguise, who were the rest? Well, Turkey are doing a passable imitation of Hull. It’s a little unfair on West Brom but they have to be Germany, ie probably the best team around. Greece were about as popular as Stoke, but obviously less successful; maybe they will resemble Stoke next season. Poland were the tournament’s Palace. Nobody wanted them there and nobody noticed that they were there. Romania were Scunthorpe or Colchester. Both worthy but ultimately not good enough – except when they played us. Sweden resembled Ipswich, while Austria and Switzerland were the tournament’s Coventry- basically pants.
Friday, 13 June 2008
No Scoops Here
A venerable Chinese sage once said (well, by the law of averages one of them must have said at some point) “beware not of the wine in the pub but of the cognac when you get home”. How right he was (or was the proverb meant to be allegorical?). As a result of not heeding this ancient advice any thought of trying to outscoop the other bloggers who attended last night’s meeting with Richard Murray went right out of the window. Suffice to say, as I’m sure others have already done, Murray impressed everyone with his candour and enthusiasm and a great time was had by all (especially given the added pleasure of putting more faces to names when it comes to other bloggers). Even though going to the ground out of season felt a little like sneaking into school during half-term.
The intention, as I understood it, was an embargo on what was said until midday today. That implies we would wish to impart to all and sundry what was said, to ‘scoop the rest’. Information is king? Personally, I prefer to say nothing and to filter through/plagerise what we learnt in future posts, to give the impression of blinding analysis and deep insight rather than being the first to report what somebody else said. If you’ve seen the gap between a journalist’s pay cheque and that of an analyst you’ll appreciate the difference. It’s all in the packaging.
So I’m going to say diddly about what was said last night. A clear head/steady hand and it might have been a different story. Aside that is from stressing if anyone feels that that the need to keep the club financially stable and cutting our cloth accordingly smacks of a lack of ambition on the part of the board let him/her put his/her hand in his/her pocket and provide the necessary readies. It’s an extra incentive for Pardew to ensure the team hits the ground running and for the fans to play their part in making The Valley a fortress next season.
There was one question/issue that was posed before the end but not really answered (by us), namely whether there could be any mutual benefit from ongoing/deeper contact between the club and the bloggers. It’s not that easy to answer, as ‘the bloggers’ are not ‘the fans’ (especially as a number of them can’t get to SE7 for a chat). I think the club is right to pursue a forum setting for feedback from the fans when the fans’ director role disappears and that this forum should not be bloggers (we already have the opportunity to vent our spleen when the mood takes). If there is an answer, from my perspective it has to be that making the gatherings a regular event should happen if they are enjoyable and informative for both parties, ie not just us. Clearly we appreciated and very much enjoyed last night.
For personal reasons (ie self-interest) as well as being a francophile, I am cheering for Les Bleus to win Euro2008. But they obviously didn’t learn anything from us last season about the drawbacks of having two essentially holding/ball-winning players in central midfield. The thinking might well have been that with Ribery, Malouda, Anelka and Benzema you only need to get the ball forward to them and let them get on with it. However, as Romania demonstrated it is much easier to contain a team when no-one is breaking from midfield. So, Holland and Semedo individually fine, just please not together in the centre next season. For France hopefully it will be different tonight with Henry and Vieira returning.
As this is a day for gripes, what is it with football pundits on TV? It’s bad enough having the odd game ruined by the BBC, for some reason totally unknown to me, using Lawrenson. But we had through the Switzerland v Turkey game the commentator and the panel consistently stressing the idea that ‘a point is no good to either team’. Well, as Switzerland lost their first game and had Germany in the final round of games a point was, for them, of limited value. But Turkey? A point would have left them only having to beat the Czech Republic in their last group game to qualify (assuming Switzerland did not beat Germany). If they had lost they would have been out of the tournament. So why do well-paid analysts of the game try to suggest that a point was no use to them? Of course, Turkey won and now to qualify ... have to beat the Czech Republic in the next match. The truth is it was their winner that was of little value. The results left Turkey and the Czech Republic on the same points and with the same number of goals scored and conceded. It would have been good to hear inform us how they are going to work this one out if they draw their final game.
It’s not exactly rocket science is it? But as the final group matches draw near no doubt we will have the pundits saying ‘you need a maths degree to work out the possible combinations for these teams ... ho, ho’. Sorry guys, you don’t. Just a brain cell would be sufficient.
The intention, as I understood it, was an embargo on what was said until midday today. That implies we would wish to impart to all and sundry what was said, to ‘scoop the rest’. Information is king? Personally, I prefer to say nothing and to filter through/plagerise what we learnt in future posts, to give the impression of blinding analysis and deep insight rather than being the first to report what somebody else said. If you’ve seen the gap between a journalist’s pay cheque and that of an analyst you’ll appreciate the difference. It’s all in the packaging.
So I’m going to say diddly about what was said last night. A clear head/steady hand and it might have been a different story. Aside that is from stressing if anyone feels that that the need to keep the club financially stable and cutting our cloth accordingly smacks of a lack of ambition on the part of the board let him/her put his/her hand in his/her pocket and provide the necessary readies. It’s an extra incentive for Pardew to ensure the team hits the ground running and for the fans to play their part in making The Valley a fortress next season.
There was one question/issue that was posed before the end but not really answered (by us), namely whether there could be any mutual benefit from ongoing/deeper contact between the club and the bloggers. It’s not that easy to answer, as ‘the bloggers’ are not ‘the fans’ (especially as a number of them can’t get to SE7 for a chat). I think the club is right to pursue a forum setting for feedback from the fans when the fans’ director role disappears and that this forum should not be bloggers (we already have the opportunity to vent our spleen when the mood takes). If there is an answer, from my perspective it has to be that making the gatherings a regular event should happen if they are enjoyable and informative for both parties, ie not just us. Clearly we appreciated and very much enjoyed last night.
For personal reasons (ie self-interest) as well as being a francophile, I am cheering for Les Bleus to win Euro2008. But they obviously didn’t learn anything from us last season about the drawbacks of having two essentially holding/ball-winning players in central midfield. The thinking might well have been that with Ribery, Malouda, Anelka and Benzema you only need to get the ball forward to them and let them get on with it. However, as Romania demonstrated it is much easier to contain a team when no-one is breaking from midfield. So, Holland and Semedo individually fine, just please not together in the centre next season. For France hopefully it will be different tonight with Henry and Vieira returning.
As this is a day for gripes, what is it with football pundits on TV? It’s bad enough having the odd game ruined by the BBC, for some reason totally unknown to me, using Lawrenson. But we had through the Switzerland v Turkey game the commentator and the panel consistently stressing the idea that ‘a point is no good to either team’. Well, as Switzerland lost their first game and had Germany in the final round of games a point was, for them, of limited value. But Turkey? A point would have left them only having to beat the Czech Republic in their last group game to qualify (assuming Switzerland did not beat Germany). If they had lost they would have been out of the tournament. So why do well-paid analysts of the game try to suggest that a point was no use to them? Of course, Turkey won and now to qualify ... have to beat the Czech Republic in the next match. The truth is it was their winner that was of little value. The results left Turkey and the Czech Republic on the same points and with the same number of goals scored and conceded. It would have been good to hear inform us how they are going to work this one out if they draw their final game.
It’s not exactly rocket science is it? But as the final group matches draw near no doubt we will have the pundits saying ‘you need a maths degree to work out the possible combinations for these teams ... ho, ho’. Sorry guys, you don’t. Just a brain cell would be sufficient.
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