Phew, that’s a relief. With reports indicating that Owen Coyle is taking over at Wigan, the rumours about Sir Chris decamping have happily come to nothing. But of course nothing’s ever that simple. For a day or two his odds on going north shortened dramatically and the bottom line is that there were sufficient grounds, or at least suspicions, on our part to fear that he could have been off. These relate to what might be inferred about the budget for the coming season, given that ahead of actual news all the indications seem to be that funds are in very short supply.
This is still all in the realms of speculation, especially as the assumption is that there will be more departures to add to those already released. But reaction does say something about the still apparent doubts about our owners’ goals and expectations. That’s a bit harsh when they are funding the ongoing losses and in view of the uncertain impact of the ‘fair play’ rules. But there it is, an underlying trust deficit, encouraged by secrecy and lack of transparency, which inclines us to think the worse. When the owners say the ambition is a return to the Premiership it’s hardly surprising that we want that sooner rather than later. And sensible or not the goal is hard to square with financial restrictions to the point of expecting Powell and his team to perform miracles with depleted resources.
I don’t know who’s going to win the lunch with Sir Chris advertised on the club site (it isn’t going to be me as when I click to fill out the survey for a shot at the prize the SurveyPlanet site just tells me I will have a better experience if I upgrade my browser; I had a better experience by not taking the trouble). But whoever it is might have ‘are you happy?’ at the top of the subjects for discussion.
With less than a month to endure now before Welling, for news items we’re still feeding off scraps and rumours (or at least I am as I’m never going to be first with them). The chances of the bulk of the further activity to come being concluded by the time we take the field have to be slim in the extreme, so note to self: get to Welling in time to pick up a programme and to try to hear the team announcement, or face once more the prospect of having to try to work it all out through the first half (before the inevitable surprises from the subs bench).
The club’s ebay auctions are undoubtedly fun and a good opportunity to pick up some memorabilia, both to display and as an investment for the time when we’re dominating world football and collectors worldwide scramble for curios of an age gone by. I’ve picked up the occasional item myself. But I couldn’t help wondering, just who bought (if anyone did) the nicely signed and clearly unwashed shorts worn by Callum Harriott for the last game of the season? Did seem to me that that one was only just about in the best possible taste.
Just who occupies the shorts for next season remains a matter of speculation. The Mercury last week flagged that Obika is top of the target list (which will surprise nobody) and mentioned that having had to return to Spurs he scored in the Premier League U21s final against Man Utd (Spurs lost 2-3). The paper might have added that he bagged two in the semi-final against Everton, including an 89th-minute header to win the game (3-2). Just par for the course really, albeit a little early in the game for him. I just hope this doesn’t encourage Spurs to keep hold of him, or to put an extra nought on the price. As noted elsewhere, Kermorgant notched the winner for Brittany against Mali, but it’s reasonable to suppose that we will need more than one established forward for the next campaign.
The contract extension for Hughes and the permanent signing of Gower may not have set the pulses racing, but the news on both fronts was welcome. Hughes clearly gives us something on and off the pitch and I’m perhaps more upbeat than others about Gower. He was clearly rusty when he first appeared for us but improved with match practise, suggesting that we have yet to see the best of him. Of course, his arrival casts more doubt over Stephens and Hollands, so on that front too we sit and wait.
All we can do is keep a tally on the effective balance of changes as they stand. As Hughes and Gower were around at the end of last season they don’t feel like new signings, so essentially we are down Haynes, Fuller, Obika, Wagstaff, Kerkar, Taylor and presumably Wright-Phillips and Evina. At the same time we are informed of our possible opponents for the Capital One Cup: AFC Wimbledon, Bristol Rovers, Cheltenham Town, Colchester United, Coventry City, Dagenham & Redbridge, Exeter City, Gillingham, Newport County, Northampton Town, Oxford Utd, Plymouth Argyle, Portsmouth, Southend, Stevenage, Torquay, or Wycombe. That is a timely reminder of exactly where we don’t want to go back to.
Friday, 14 June 2013
Sunday, 2 June 2013
5 Live Still Peddling Curbs Nonsense
This might be going over old ground, as the subject has already been well covered by others. But yesterday evening Radio 5 Live plumbed new depths in their attempt to perpetuate the myth that Curbs was somehow hounded out by Charlton supporters looking for the club to move up to the ‘next level’. Once again it was in response to a question about Stoke (and Hughes/Pulis), with us raised once more as the classic example of unrealistic expectations leading to disaster. The host went on to say that Charlton fans were now trying to deny that this was the case – which suggests that enough of us have been pointing out to the Beeb that this is drivel – and to indicate that of course Radio 5 Live knew the truth.
I remember hearing Donald Rumsfeld being interviewed on BBC radio before the Iraq war. He alluded to links between Saddam Hussein and terrorist groups. The interviewer interrupted and pointed out that the US intelligence agencies had said that they had found no evidence of such. Ah, replies Rumsfeld, just think how useful it would be for international terrorist groups to have ties with a country which people did not believe they had infiltrated. In other words, the total lack of evidence was just further proof that he was right. It seems now that Radio 5 Live are happy to peddle the line that the more Charlton fans might point out that they are plain wrong, the more we are in denial.
So (hopefully) for the last time, will Radio 5 Live please accept they are talking nonsense, perpetuating a simplistic misconception because it fits easily into their chosen theme. Did some Charlton fans complain about Curbishley and suggest that he had run his time? Sure. Were they at any stage any more than an isolated few? No. Did events subsequently turn out not to our advantage? Ahem, yes. Surely the real evidence in this is that we all knew what the ‘next level’ for Charlton was at the time: expansion of The Valley to a capacity that could enable us to compete consistently in the top flight.
It is never mentioned by the BBC that Curbs had one more year left on his contract and that he had said he wouldn’t be signing a new one, that he had just come out of the process of being shortlisted for the England job, which must have been unsettling, and that everyone knew that the team needed an overhaul. I also felt at the time that Curbishley might have been disappointed by the speed at which the dynamic and exciting team he’d put together at the start of that last season (Thomas, Kishishev, Smertin, Murphy, Rommadahl, Bent) fell apart, when Murphy threw his toys out of the pram and Smertin did a runner. There may well have been other factors, but unless and until either Curbs or Richard Murray lend support to the ‘next level’ theory I do wish the Beeb’s team would stop peddling this misconception. It is a slur on Charlton fans and the admiration and gratitude we have for the magnificent job that Curbs did for the club.
On other matters, well, it’s just about true by definition that nobody wants to be accused of sour grapes. If you are, the chances are that this is the result of a reaction to an outcome that you didn’t want, ie an undesirable (if not downright absurd, unnatural, incomprehensible) state of affairs. So instead we offer our heartfelt congratulations to Palace, just as we welcomed Millwall avoiding relegation. The fact that this was a play-off final that for long stretches bored the pants off all and sundry (in sharp contrast to a previous universally-celebrated and fondly remembered encounter) and that it was contested by one team largely comprising borrowed Italians, a situation criticised by the manager of the other team which contained a player sold and immediately borrowed back again, should be glossed over.
I think we’re all aware of the pros and cons of the outcome. The former include being able to leapfrog them after next season without having to play them again; the latter includes a season of ruined Match of the Days (it’s much easier to fast forward a reply of the Football League Show), even assuming that Palace don’t actually win any games. It’s done and we live with it. Perhaps for one season the pubs around The Valley can be temporarily renamed ‘The World Turned Upside Down’ until the natural state of things is restored.
I did like Chicago Addick’s take on a club not long out of administration being handed a circa £120m windfall perhaps giving a thought to those, apparently including the St Johns Ambulance, who were screwed by their decision to take the points rap at a convenient time. Would be nice to see a bit of pressure to this end, perhaps police and others refusing to participate at Palace games until some money for worthy suppliers of services has been made. Wishful thinking I know.
As for us, this is one of the worst times of the year, not just because I’m already starting to miss proper football. More than a month to go before Welling. We’ve released players and it’s too early for anything more than rumours about possible new signings, while there is the obvious possibility of the sale of one or more. The decision to release Haynes did surprise me; I don’t know about his fitness, but we’ve seen enough to know that he was capable of being one of the two first-choice forwards for the coming season. At this stage (ie ahead of anyone coming in) it has to be worrying with respect to what resources might be available to Sir Chris. With Evina apparently turning down a new one-year contract, doubts about what will be done with a number of players (Stephens, Hollands, Green etc), and the possibility of Solly being sold, we wait for fresh news with a little trepidation, while hoping to be proven just a natural pessimist.
This does all raise the issue of what would constitute progress for us next season. Of course it’s tempting to say that after a ninth-placed finish it means a play-off spot. But perhaps progress might take the form of further development of the youth teams and the introduction of some of them into the first team, with a view to creating a team largely from internal resources over the next couple of seasons. I really can’t comment on the chances of such an approach, or the chances of it working, having only seen the Youth Cup game at The Valley. Powell and his staff will of course know whether they are (or are close to) being ready, I just hope it wouldn’t prove to be a strategy forced on him by finances but one driven by the kids’ potential.
I remember hearing Donald Rumsfeld being interviewed on BBC radio before the Iraq war. He alluded to links between Saddam Hussein and terrorist groups. The interviewer interrupted and pointed out that the US intelligence agencies had said that they had found no evidence of such. Ah, replies Rumsfeld, just think how useful it would be for international terrorist groups to have ties with a country which people did not believe they had infiltrated. In other words, the total lack of evidence was just further proof that he was right. It seems now that Radio 5 Live are happy to peddle the line that the more Charlton fans might point out that they are plain wrong, the more we are in denial.
So (hopefully) for the last time, will Radio 5 Live please accept they are talking nonsense, perpetuating a simplistic misconception because it fits easily into their chosen theme. Did some Charlton fans complain about Curbishley and suggest that he had run his time? Sure. Were they at any stage any more than an isolated few? No. Did events subsequently turn out not to our advantage? Ahem, yes. Surely the real evidence in this is that we all knew what the ‘next level’ for Charlton was at the time: expansion of The Valley to a capacity that could enable us to compete consistently in the top flight.
It is never mentioned by the BBC that Curbs had one more year left on his contract and that he had said he wouldn’t be signing a new one, that he had just come out of the process of being shortlisted for the England job, which must have been unsettling, and that everyone knew that the team needed an overhaul. I also felt at the time that Curbishley might have been disappointed by the speed at which the dynamic and exciting team he’d put together at the start of that last season (Thomas, Kishishev, Smertin, Murphy, Rommadahl, Bent) fell apart, when Murphy threw his toys out of the pram and Smertin did a runner. There may well have been other factors, but unless and until either Curbs or Richard Murray lend support to the ‘next level’ theory I do wish the Beeb’s team would stop peddling this misconception. It is a slur on Charlton fans and the admiration and gratitude we have for the magnificent job that Curbs did for the club.
On other matters, well, it’s just about true by definition that nobody wants to be accused of sour grapes. If you are, the chances are that this is the result of a reaction to an outcome that you didn’t want, ie an undesirable (if not downright absurd, unnatural, incomprehensible) state of affairs. So instead we offer our heartfelt congratulations to Palace, just as we welcomed Millwall avoiding relegation. The fact that this was a play-off final that for long stretches bored the pants off all and sundry (in sharp contrast to a previous universally-celebrated and fondly remembered encounter) and that it was contested by one team largely comprising borrowed Italians, a situation criticised by the manager of the other team which contained a player sold and immediately borrowed back again, should be glossed over.
I think we’re all aware of the pros and cons of the outcome. The former include being able to leapfrog them after next season without having to play them again; the latter includes a season of ruined Match of the Days (it’s much easier to fast forward a reply of the Football League Show), even assuming that Palace don’t actually win any games. It’s done and we live with it. Perhaps for one season the pubs around The Valley can be temporarily renamed ‘The World Turned Upside Down’ until the natural state of things is restored.
I did like Chicago Addick’s take on a club not long out of administration being handed a circa £120m windfall perhaps giving a thought to those, apparently including the St Johns Ambulance, who were screwed by their decision to take the points rap at a convenient time. Would be nice to see a bit of pressure to this end, perhaps police and others refusing to participate at Palace games until some money for worthy suppliers of services has been made. Wishful thinking I know.
As for us, this is one of the worst times of the year, not just because I’m already starting to miss proper football. More than a month to go before Welling. We’ve released players and it’s too early for anything more than rumours about possible new signings, while there is the obvious possibility of the sale of one or more. The decision to release Haynes did surprise me; I don’t know about his fitness, but we’ve seen enough to know that he was capable of being one of the two first-choice forwards for the coming season. At this stage (ie ahead of anyone coming in) it has to be worrying with respect to what resources might be available to Sir Chris. With Evina apparently turning down a new one-year contract, doubts about what will be done with a number of players (Stephens, Hollands, Green etc), and the possibility of Solly being sold, we wait for fresh news with a little trepidation, while hoping to be proven just a natural pessimist.
This does all raise the issue of what would constitute progress for us next season. Of course it’s tempting to say that after a ninth-placed finish it means a play-off spot. But perhaps progress might take the form of further development of the youth teams and the introduction of some of them into the first team, with a view to creating a team largely from internal resources over the next couple of seasons. I really can’t comment on the chances of such an approach, or the chances of it working, having only seen the Youth Cup game at The Valley. Powell and his staff will of course know whether they are (or are close to) being ready, I just hope it wouldn’t prove to be a strategy forced on him by finances but one driven by the kids’ potential.
Wednesday, 8 May 2013
So Much For A Pause For Breath
You take a deep breath after the final game and with some satisfaction ponder the benefits of being an Addick (including justifiable pride at the community club award, the emergence of the Trust, and the return of Voice of the Valley), especially as the post-international break mini-season proved as good as we could have hoped for. You look forward to the season’s DVD and spare a thought for those less fortunate than us, including those still holding forlorn hopes of advancement (even when all past experience suggests that promotion would only bring tears afresh to accompany a season of humiliation), plus those who have failed to hang onto their managers (yes, you couldn’t help having a high regard for Jackett; and yes, wouldn’t Dowie be a splendid choice to replace him). And rather lazily, with work getting in the way, you start thinking about maybe writing something who might have to leave us to prepare the ground fresh blood for the season ahead.
Then suddenly there’s the news that to the list of disposals to date (Sullivan and Mambo, plus presumably Wright-Phillips) have been added the names of Wagstaff, Taylor, Kerkar and Fuller. All seven go with nothing but best wishes, especially Wagstaff, for obvious reasons. He hasn’t at least yet quite become the John Robinson all-round nuisance (for the opposition and officials) on the pitch but will hopefully find a suitable home not far away (I was thinking Orient rather than Millwall). He, Taylor and Wright-Phillips made key contributions last season, but if we are looking to push on tough decisions have to be made. These clearly include the calculation over Fuller, in terms of wages per likely availability. We will remember him a good deal more fondly than Hasselbaink. Kerkar promised much with his early appearances, but ended up not really taking the chance to nail down a starting place.
The announced departures at least should put a stop to thoughts about whether the late season form might suggest we can progress next season with a virtually unchanged squad. I do remember penning something a few months ago along the lines of the squad perhaps needing to be reduced in size and a little extra quality added, which might look like the plan. We are after all letting go two of our only four players who have reached double-digits in Charlton career goals (assuming BWP doesn’t get a new contract), a sometimes outstanding forward, one who has shown he is capable of unnerving defences, plus a decent centre-back.
Any thoughts about who we might bring in have to be conditioned by the owners’ financial planning. Of this of course we know little, but it’s not unreasonable to think in terms of three broad options: first, accept a similar level of losses (and financing) as this season; second, look to at least trend towards trying to balance the books; third, spend more and target promotion. We all want attendances to rise and revenues to expand, but there’s no prospect of the club’s finances being truly stabilised in this division through substantially higher revenues, leaving aside player sales (and we all know who that would mean). The second option is probably as much of a gamble as the third, even with the phasing-in of fair play rules, given the consequences of relegation. But I’m not the one writing the cheques. I’d be inclined to expect the first option to prevail, with the emphasis on adjusting the player cost base by slimming but improving the squad.
Then you turn to the spine of a side, what you want to build on. In the promotion season just about all component parts made up that spine. Through the past season in the Championship it was refined down, but I think it’s fair to say that with Hamer, Morrison, Jackson and Kermorgant you have the essential core. That doesn’t mean they’re perfect (my partner Suzanne doesn’t like perfection, which is just as well for me; ‘there is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in’), rather that they form the base. The character, spirit and determination may stem from the manager and his team, but you need it to be evident on the pitch too. This also suggests a bias when looking for new players in favour of a type who would play well in partnership with them.
Consequently for the defence, nobody (at least not me) would have any complaints if we lined up next season with Hamer, Solly, Wiggins, Morrison and Cort/Devite, or if the back-ups remained Button, Wilson, Evina and the one of Cort/Devite not in the first team. Releasing both Mambo and Taylor does suggest a new centre-back, unless one of the youngsters is deemed ready to be on standby. And clearly the imponderables are whether we will get a bid for Solly which cannot be turned down, plus whether Button, Wilson and especially Evina are prepared to wait for fresh chances. Hopefully they are.
Losing Wagstaff and Kerkar would seem to imply that Harriott, Pritchard and Green, plus Wilson, will contest the wide midfield positions absent fresh blood. But central midfield is more complicated. Hollands, Stephens, Hughes, possibly Gower too, along with Jackson and Pritchard. I thought Gower looked increasingly effective with more match-practise, but you can’t really make a case for both him and Hughes. Neither would we (or presumably they) want another season in which Hollands and Stephens played a similar number of games; they both deserve to be starting regularly for us or someone else. It’s a decision for Sir Chris to make as for me either one or both of the two become mainstays next season or we bring in another option – or perhaps of course the new ace in the pack will prove to be Rouamba; hopefully he’s been enjoying the sun of late.
Up front, shorn of Fuller and presumably Wright-Phillips, with Cook seemingly peripheral, and with it entirely unclear whether Obika might be an option, we are as things stand down to Kermorgant and Haynes. Smith might be moving up the pecking order, as might other youngsters, I really don’t know. But in an ideal world, even if 4-5-1 (or variations) is used periodically, you would want four available strikers (and in my simple world usually two bigger guys matched with two speedy goal-poachers).
So with seven down and no doubt more changes to come, you can make the case for a new centre-back, central midfielder and two forwards. Don’t look to me for suggestions beyond the obvious (seems both Baldock and N’Guessan ended their seasons looking rather disgruntled); I seldom pay attention to any of our opposition during games as basically I just want them to fall over, balloon it over the bar, or pick up a second yellow for another silly challenge. What I do hope is that the latest news heralds a better planned strategy for new recruits than appeared to be the case last time around, based on the VotV commentary. We should appear a more attractive club to sign for than a year ago, as long as the owners ensure that first and foremost Sir Chris and his team are signed up securely.
Then suddenly there’s the news that to the list of disposals to date (Sullivan and Mambo, plus presumably Wright-Phillips) have been added the names of Wagstaff, Taylor, Kerkar and Fuller. All seven go with nothing but best wishes, especially Wagstaff, for obvious reasons. He hasn’t at least yet quite become the John Robinson all-round nuisance (for the opposition and officials) on the pitch but will hopefully find a suitable home not far away (I was thinking Orient rather than Millwall). He, Taylor and Wright-Phillips made key contributions last season, but if we are looking to push on tough decisions have to be made. These clearly include the calculation over Fuller, in terms of wages per likely availability. We will remember him a good deal more fondly than Hasselbaink. Kerkar promised much with his early appearances, but ended up not really taking the chance to nail down a starting place.
The announced departures at least should put a stop to thoughts about whether the late season form might suggest we can progress next season with a virtually unchanged squad. I do remember penning something a few months ago along the lines of the squad perhaps needing to be reduced in size and a little extra quality added, which might look like the plan. We are after all letting go two of our only four players who have reached double-digits in Charlton career goals (assuming BWP doesn’t get a new contract), a sometimes outstanding forward, one who has shown he is capable of unnerving defences, plus a decent centre-back.
Any thoughts about who we might bring in have to be conditioned by the owners’ financial planning. Of this of course we know little, but it’s not unreasonable to think in terms of three broad options: first, accept a similar level of losses (and financing) as this season; second, look to at least trend towards trying to balance the books; third, spend more and target promotion. We all want attendances to rise and revenues to expand, but there’s no prospect of the club’s finances being truly stabilised in this division through substantially higher revenues, leaving aside player sales (and we all know who that would mean). The second option is probably as much of a gamble as the third, even with the phasing-in of fair play rules, given the consequences of relegation. But I’m not the one writing the cheques. I’d be inclined to expect the first option to prevail, with the emphasis on adjusting the player cost base by slimming but improving the squad.
Then you turn to the spine of a side, what you want to build on. In the promotion season just about all component parts made up that spine. Through the past season in the Championship it was refined down, but I think it’s fair to say that with Hamer, Morrison, Jackson and Kermorgant you have the essential core. That doesn’t mean they’re perfect (my partner Suzanne doesn’t like perfection, which is just as well for me; ‘there is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in’), rather that they form the base. The character, spirit and determination may stem from the manager and his team, but you need it to be evident on the pitch too. This also suggests a bias when looking for new players in favour of a type who would play well in partnership with them.
Consequently for the defence, nobody (at least not me) would have any complaints if we lined up next season with Hamer, Solly, Wiggins, Morrison and Cort/Devite, or if the back-ups remained Button, Wilson, Evina and the one of Cort/Devite not in the first team. Releasing both Mambo and Taylor does suggest a new centre-back, unless one of the youngsters is deemed ready to be on standby. And clearly the imponderables are whether we will get a bid for Solly which cannot be turned down, plus whether Button, Wilson and especially Evina are prepared to wait for fresh chances. Hopefully they are.
Losing Wagstaff and Kerkar would seem to imply that Harriott, Pritchard and Green, plus Wilson, will contest the wide midfield positions absent fresh blood. But central midfield is more complicated. Hollands, Stephens, Hughes, possibly Gower too, along with Jackson and Pritchard. I thought Gower looked increasingly effective with more match-practise, but you can’t really make a case for both him and Hughes. Neither would we (or presumably they) want another season in which Hollands and Stephens played a similar number of games; they both deserve to be starting regularly for us or someone else. It’s a decision for Sir Chris to make as for me either one or both of the two become mainstays next season or we bring in another option – or perhaps of course the new ace in the pack will prove to be Rouamba; hopefully he’s been enjoying the sun of late.
Up front, shorn of Fuller and presumably Wright-Phillips, with Cook seemingly peripheral, and with it entirely unclear whether Obika might be an option, we are as things stand down to Kermorgant and Haynes. Smith might be moving up the pecking order, as might other youngsters, I really don’t know. But in an ideal world, even if 4-5-1 (or variations) is used periodically, you would want four available strikers (and in my simple world usually two bigger guys matched with two speedy goal-poachers).
So with seven down and no doubt more changes to come, you can make the case for a new centre-back, central midfielder and two forwards. Don’t look to me for suggestions beyond the obvious (seems both Baldock and N’Guessan ended their seasons looking rather disgruntled); I seldom pay attention to any of our opposition during games as basically I just want them to fall over, balloon it over the bar, or pick up a second yellow for another silly challenge. What I do hope is that the latest news heralds a better planned strategy for new recruits than appeared to be the case last time around, based on the VotV commentary. We should appear a more attractive club to sign for than a year ago, as long as the owners ensure that first and foremost Sir Chris and his team are signed up securely.
Saturday, 4 May 2013
Signing Off In Style
As end-of-season sign-offs with nothing really to play for go, this one was as good as it gets. We managed to sign off the campaign with a fourth straight home win and, with us unbeaten away since mid-February, that meant 18 points from our final eight games. We didn’t quite manage a first home clean sheet since late November, but perhaps you shouldn’t crave everything. Not even Palace missing out on the play-offs, or Millwall getting relegated. There’s a part of me that doesn’t want to return to the Premiership on the back of one point from four games against them. So let’s go again next season with the words of Sir Chris in our ears, the impetus that we have, and confidence in the strengths that have contributed to our end of the season. In between, a decent holiday won’t go amiss.
I don’t want to indulge in a blow-by-blow account of the final game, perhaps just to focus on the main moments as I remember them (which given the early pub start are fading by the moment). The team showed a couple of surprise changes, forced by injury, with Hamer unavailable and no sign of Fuller. Button came in in goal with Obika getting a start up front, while Jackson returned for Hollands but Gower kept his place alongside him , Hughes being kept on the bench. It did give us a chance to look at the two loan players in the final run-out.
Let’s face it, the first-half didn’t exactly set the pulses racing. Bristol City were playing for pride and beyond ensuring ninth place and signing off in style I can’t think what we were going for. It was a contest crying out for a goal to make something happen. In the event we had a couple of early headers, one glancing and one powered, but with neither troubling their keeper, plus Harriott being played in only to blaze wide. They had a free-kick which summed things up as after their guy made a run towards the box and was adjudged to have been fouled by Gower (who picked up a yellow), the shot went into the centre of the wall at about knee-height. The ref entered into the spirit of things, as after at least two interminable breaks for injuries and drinks, including the premature departure of Wiggins (with Wilson coming on and Solly switching sides), he thought two minutes of stoppage time would suffice. Hard to disagree if he’d gone for the obligatory one.
It was a case of Sir Chris telling the players at the break that they can kip in tomorrow but had 45 minutes left to send us home happy. Maybe he planted an idea in Kermorgant’s head that he would end up on single figures and behind Jackson in the goalscoring chart for the season. Whatever was said, the deadlock was broken in a fashion entirely out of keeping with what had gone before, prompting a quick reassessment of the goal-of-the-season competition.
Good work fashioned a position out right and the ball was played into the box slightly behind Yann. If you want to hit a shot on the volley and on the turn you couldn’t dream of doing it better. Kermorgant fairly leathered it into the top corner of the net. If I fall asleep before the League Show on TV tonight I’ll be watching it tomorrow. And now with the impetus and attacking the Covered End, it wasn’t long before we extended the lead, with a goal that in its way was almost as good. The ball was worked wide left and when the cross came in Kermorgant made sure it was his, burying the header.
Suddenly we were 2-0 up and having a party. But the game itself then settled back into first-half mode as we assumed it was done and Bristol perked up after replacing Baldock, who looked like a player who felt he’d made a poor decision in pre-season. No worries, but the game as a contest came back to life as we managed to gift a truly poor goal, passing the ball back progressively until an awkward ball to Morrison saw him try to lay it back to Button, only to screw it up and lay it on a plate for their guy to lob over the keeper into the net. I’ll have to see it again, but I think they didn’t touch the ball between our throw-in in their half and the guy scoring. Tough on Button too as he’d had nothing to do through the game, had no chance with the goal, and was to depart shortly after following a pulled muscle, with Pope taking over between the sticks.
It would be wrong to make it sound dramatic, but the game was now up for grabs, with the sub-plot being whether Kermorgant could complete his hat-trick and overtake Jackson as top scorer for the season. You wanted a last-minute penalty to see who would demand to be the taker. In the event, after Wagstaff replaced Harriott, the outcome was just about settled by additional goals. Kermorgant worked some space outside the box and tried to chip the keeper. It didn’t quite fade into the net, but came back off the bar for Obika to nod home.
That pretty much settled the result, but there was still the mini-contest to decide – and Jackson made sure he won out, by getting on the end of a cross to extend the lead. More goals could have come, with a daft sequence of blocks in a goalmouth scramble preventing Yann getting his just rewards, but it ended as it did, not too soon for Bristol and with us sated.
No player ratings for today as it was no match to judge performances. No question who gets man-of-the-match, as Kermorgant’s first strike could well get goal-of-the-season and his brace settled the contest. Just a good deal of satisfaction with how we’ve performed overall, especially when the chips were slipping if not down. Clubs talk about good spirit and character but not all of them have it. We do. Ninth becomes the benchmark for next season, but let’s worry about that tomorrow.
I don’t want to indulge in a blow-by-blow account of the final game, perhaps just to focus on the main moments as I remember them (which given the early pub start are fading by the moment). The team showed a couple of surprise changes, forced by injury, with Hamer unavailable and no sign of Fuller. Button came in in goal with Obika getting a start up front, while Jackson returned for Hollands but Gower kept his place alongside him , Hughes being kept on the bench. It did give us a chance to look at the two loan players in the final run-out.
Let’s face it, the first-half didn’t exactly set the pulses racing. Bristol City were playing for pride and beyond ensuring ninth place and signing off in style I can’t think what we were going for. It was a contest crying out for a goal to make something happen. In the event we had a couple of early headers, one glancing and one powered, but with neither troubling their keeper, plus Harriott being played in only to blaze wide. They had a free-kick which summed things up as after their guy made a run towards the box and was adjudged to have been fouled by Gower (who picked up a yellow), the shot went into the centre of the wall at about knee-height. The ref entered into the spirit of things, as after at least two interminable breaks for injuries and drinks, including the premature departure of Wiggins (with Wilson coming on and Solly switching sides), he thought two minutes of stoppage time would suffice. Hard to disagree if he’d gone for the obligatory one.
It was a case of Sir Chris telling the players at the break that they can kip in tomorrow but had 45 minutes left to send us home happy. Maybe he planted an idea in Kermorgant’s head that he would end up on single figures and behind Jackson in the goalscoring chart for the season. Whatever was said, the deadlock was broken in a fashion entirely out of keeping with what had gone before, prompting a quick reassessment of the goal-of-the-season competition.
Good work fashioned a position out right and the ball was played into the box slightly behind Yann. If you want to hit a shot on the volley and on the turn you couldn’t dream of doing it better. Kermorgant fairly leathered it into the top corner of the net. If I fall asleep before the League Show on TV tonight I’ll be watching it tomorrow. And now with the impetus and attacking the Covered End, it wasn’t long before we extended the lead, with a goal that in its way was almost as good. The ball was worked wide left and when the cross came in Kermorgant made sure it was his, burying the header.
Suddenly we were 2-0 up and having a party. But the game itself then settled back into first-half mode as we assumed it was done and Bristol perked up after replacing Baldock, who looked like a player who felt he’d made a poor decision in pre-season. No worries, but the game as a contest came back to life as we managed to gift a truly poor goal, passing the ball back progressively until an awkward ball to Morrison saw him try to lay it back to Button, only to screw it up and lay it on a plate for their guy to lob over the keeper into the net. I’ll have to see it again, but I think they didn’t touch the ball between our throw-in in their half and the guy scoring. Tough on Button too as he’d had nothing to do through the game, had no chance with the goal, and was to depart shortly after following a pulled muscle, with Pope taking over between the sticks.
It would be wrong to make it sound dramatic, but the game was now up for grabs, with the sub-plot being whether Kermorgant could complete his hat-trick and overtake Jackson as top scorer for the season. You wanted a last-minute penalty to see who would demand to be the taker. In the event, after Wagstaff replaced Harriott, the outcome was just about settled by additional goals. Kermorgant worked some space outside the box and tried to chip the keeper. It didn’t quite fade into the net, but came back off the bar for Obika to nod home.
That pretty much settled the result, but there was still the mini-contest to decide – and Jackson made sure he won out, by getting on the end of a cross to extend the lead. More goals could have come, with a daft sequence of blocks in a goalmouth scramble preventing Yann getting his just rewards, but it ended as it did, not too soon for Bristol and with us sated.
No player ratings for today as it was no match to judge performances. No question who gets man-of-the-match, as Kermorgant’s first strike could well get goal-of-the-season and his brace settled the contest. Just a good deal of satisfaction with how we’ve performed overall, especially when the chips were slipping if not down. Clubs talk about good spirit and character but not all of them have it. We do. Ninth becomes the benchmark for next season, but let’s worry about that tomorrow.
Sunday, 28 April 2013
No Cigars; Well, Maybe A Couple
So the dream is over, so shortly after the nightmare went away. It is some consolation for being cruelly robbed of two points yesterday – if Sir Chris says we should have had two penalties for me they were nailed on – that they wouldn’t have made any difference when it comes to keeping the play-offs possibility alive for the final round (barring of course Palace going into administration). However, while I was pretty relaxed about the outcome yesterday, having seen the daft post-match comments from Tony Mowbray I wish we had indeed mullered them.
When anyone begins by saying “with respect ...” the chances are what follows shows anything but. His full quote on the BBC site was “with respect, in my opinion we should be beating teams like Charlton here at our place. And the fans think so too”. In that case you are all suffering from the sort of denial apparent from Dean Saunders’ remarks: “forget this game, we should never have been in this position”. Sounds a bit like the old joke about ‘well, I wouldn’t start from here’. To be (a little) fair to Mowbray, on the Middlesbrough site his quote is a little different: “With total respect to Charlton, who have finished the season strong, I feel we should be beating them”. But the message is essentially the same.
I’ve absolutely nothing against Boro (among our entourage there is a Boro fan who now views Charlton as her second-favourites) or Mowbray, who usually comes across as a decent guy. But for the record, Mr Mowbray, with total respect, there is absolutely no good reason for you or any Boro fan to be thinking in such terms. When Middlesbrough came to The Valley and took us apart, we didn’t question that the better team had won, with Boro then looking like a shoo-in for the top six at least. I have no idea why they’ve fallen away so badly; clearly Mowbray doesn’t either. Suffice to say it can’t have anything to do with some misguided idea that there Boro are a ‘bigger’ or ‘better’ team/club. If Mowbray really meant to say something like ‘if we want to get promoted we need to be winning games like this – but we didn’t because we are falling down the league while they are climbing up it and we’ve blown it anyway’, fair comment.
So, all that remains is to have a bit of fun on the last game – but at the same time ensure that we at least hold onto ninth place, which will be a more than respectable outcome. Given that aside from the first few games of the season we’ve not been anywhere near the play-offs until the last couple of weeks, it doesn’t feel like a case for ‘what ifs’. I think there was too much disruption to the team in the first half of the season, largely due to injuries but also some filtering out of some players struggling then to cope with the step up, for a serious and sustained promotion bid to have been feasible, following the failure (for whatever reason) to land some targeted players. We should be happy that we are ending the season on a high and in good shape. But if we have to indulge in the blame game, aside from the inexplicable decision to hand over 11 points to a couple of local rivals, in hindsight it is possible to point to Birmingham’s two stoppage-time equalisers which cost us four points that we deserved. Stoppage time was blindingly good for us last season but it’s only been the last two home games when for this campaign we’ve more or less evened things up.
There will be time enough after the formal end for the debriefing, awards, and assessments of what will constitute continued progress next season and what we might need to do to make that possible. But for me, as reflected in some of the recent comments from Morrison in particular, the biggest plus has been no loss of the character and commitment of the squad which showed through in bucketloads last season. It’s fair to say that last season we did indeed get our Charlton back and this season we’ve kept our Charlton. The credit for that goes to the players and to Powell and his staff, plus the fans, whose support at key points (most obviously Cardiff) was vital. You do generally get back what you put in. More of the same next season please.
With our promotion hopes killed off in the afternoon, it is apparent that in the interests of the entente cordial (especially with my French partner Suzanne in London for the weekend) Lyon Duchere decided that they should turn their backs on their own ambitions, to wait for us to go up together. They had a top-of-the-table clash last night at home to Strasbourg in CFA Groupe B, with six teams closely grouped for the one promotion place. They lost 1-5. A victory would have seen Duchere move up to second, behind Raon l’Etape, who could only muster a 0-0 draw at home. As it is, they drop back to sixth, six points off first place with only four games left to go. As Saunders reminded us, strange things do happen in football. But both Duchere and Charlton will settle for progress this season but no cigar. Suzanne and I will settle for the rabbit I’m about to smother in wine and plonk in the oven, plus a good bottle of St Joseph, followed by her excellent first effort at tarte au praline. Plus a cigar or two for me in any event.
When anyone begins by saying “with respect ...” the chances are what follows shows anything but. His full quote on the BBC site was “with respect, in my opinion we should be beating teams like Charlton here at our place. And the fans think so too”. In that case you are all suffering from the sort of denial apparent from Dean Saunders’ remarks: “forget this game, we should never have been in this position”. Sounds a bit like the old joke about ‘well, I wouldn’t start from here’. To be (a little) fair to Mowbray, on the Middlesbrough site his quote is a little different: “With total respect to Charlton, who have finished the season strong, I feel we should be beating them”. But the message is essentially the same.
I’ve absolutely nothing against Boro (among our entourage there is a Boro fan who now views Charlton as her second-favourites) or Mowbray, who usually comes across as a decent guy. But for the record, Mr Mowbray, with total respect, there is absolutely no good reason for you or any Boro fan to be thinking in such terms. When Middlesbrough came to The Valley and took us apart, we didn’t question that the better team had won, with Boro then looking like a shoo-in for the top six at least. I have no idea why they’ve fallen away so badly; clearly Mowbray doesn’t either. Suffice to say it can’t have anything to do with some misguided idea that there Boro are a ‘bigger’ or ‘better’ team/club. If Mowbray really meant to say something like ‘if we want to get promoted we need to be winning games like this – but we didn’t because we are falling down the league while they are climbing up it and we’ve blown it anyway’, fair comment.
So, all that remains is to have a bit of fun on the last game – but at the same time ensure that we at least hold onto ninth place, which will be a more than respectable outcome. Given that aside from the first few games of the season we’ve not been anywhere near the play-offs until the last couple of weeks, it doesn’t feel like a case for ‘what ifs’. I think there was too much disruption to the team in the first half of the season, largely due to injuries but also some filtering out of some players struggling then to cope with the step up, for a serious and sustained promotion bid to have been feasible, following the failure (for whatever reason) to land some targeted players. We should be happy that we are ending the season on a high and in good shape. But if we have to indulge in the blame game, aside from the inexplicable decision to hand over 11 points to a couple of local rivals, in hindsight it is possible to point to Birmingham’s two stoppage-time equalisers which cost us four points that we deserved. Stoppage time was blindingly good for us last season but it’s only been the last two home games when for this campaign we’ve more or less evened things up.
There will be time enough after the formal end for the debriefing, awards, and assessments of what will constitute continued progress next season and what we might need to do to make that possible. But for me, as reflected in some of the recent comments from Morrison in particular, the biggest plus has been no loss of the character and commitment of the squad which showed through in bucketloads last season. It’s fair to say that last season we did indeed get our Charlton back and this season we’ve kept our Charlton. The credit for that goes to the players and to Powell and his staff, plus the fans, whose support at key points (most obviously Cardiff) was vital. You do generally get back what you put in. More of the same next season please.
With our promotion hopes killed off in the afternoon, it is apparent that in the interests of the entente cordial (especially with my French partner Suzanne in London for the weekend) Lyon Duchere decided that they should turn their backs on their own ambitions, to wait for us to go up together. They had a top-of-the-table clash last night at home to Strasbourg in CFA Groupe B, with six teams closely grouped for the one promotion place. They lost 1-5. A victory would have seen Duchere move up to second, behind Raon l’Etape, who could only muster a 0-0 draw at home. As it is, they drop back to sixth, six points off first place with only four games left to go. As Saunders reminded us, strange things do happen in football. But both Duchere and Charlton will settle for progress this season but no cigar. Suzanne and I will settle for the rabbit I’m about to smother in wine and plonk in the oven, plus a good bottle of St Joseph, followed by her excellent first effort at tarte au praline. Plus a cigar or two for me in any event.
Monday, 22 April 2013
This Is All It Takes
In light of a gratuitous comment posted by a friend, and an inquiry from another non-Addick as to what might need to happen for us to make the play-offs, here is a simple breakdown of the combination of results that would see us win promotion (I haven’t spent too much time on the exact scores required for each game, but you’ll get the drift).
Saturday:
Leicester 0 Watford 6
Blackburn 3 Palace 0
Cardiff 6 Bolton 0
Millwall 1 Forest 0 (much as I hate to predict it)
Middlebrough 0 Charlton 6
We end the weekend on 64 points, go above Forest (on goal difference) into eighth, behind Leicester (65), Bolton (66) and Palace (67).
Tuesday:
Millwall 1 Palace 0 (can’t bring myself to go for more goals for them)
Final round:
Bolton 0 Blackpool 6 (Bolton finish on 66 points)
Forest 1 Leicester 0 (Forest finish on 67 points but behind us on goal difference, Leicester finish on 65)
Palace 0 Peterborough 6 (Palace finish on 67 points but behind us on goal difference)
Charlton 10 Bristol City 0 (we finish on 67 points, and in fifth place).
In the play-offs, we take on (and understandably beat) Brighton over the two legs. The other contest would see Watford (or conceivably Hull) up against Forest. On to Wembley to beat whichever one it proves to be.
What could be more simple? The more analytical website still puts our chances of promotion at 1.8%, but we know it’s (almost) a done deal.
Saturday:
Leicester 0 Watford 6
Blackburn 3 Palace 0
Cardiff 6 Bolton 0
Millwall 1 Forest 0 (much as I hate to predict it)
Middlebrough 0 Charlton 6
We end the weekend on 64 points, go above Forest (on goal difference) into eighth, behind Leicester (65), Bolton (66) and Palace (67).
Tuesday:
Millwall 1 Palace 0 (can’t bring myself to go for more goals for them)
Final round:
Bolton 0 Blackpool 6 (Bolton finish on 66 points)
Forest 1 Leicester 0 (Forest finish on 67 points but behind us on goal difference, Leicester finish on 65)
Palace 0 Peterborough 6 (Palace finish on 67 points but behind us on goal difference)
Charlton 10 Bristol City 0 (we finish on 67 points, and in fifth place).
In the play-offs, we take on (and understandably beat) Brighton over the two legs. The other contest would see Watford (or conceivably Hull) up against Forest. On to Wembley to beat whichever one it proves to be.
What could be more simple? The more analytical website still puts our chances of promotion at 1.8%, but we know it’s (almost) a done deal.
Saturday, 20 April 2013
Now We're Even Winning Ugly
What’s going on? Now we’re even winning ugly. We looked leggy and jaded through the game, which is understandable given the run of games and effectively unchanged side, lost Hughes to injury after about 15 minutes, and struggled throughout to create much worthwhile in a game that won’t go down in too many people’s choices for their most beautiful games. The ball spent a lot of time being humped in both directions. That we won said a fair deal about Wolves. Met a couple of their supporters in the pub before then game and they mentioned that their team had no pace, which proved to be true as they failed to get behind our defence once. What was surprising was their lack of ambition, given their position, as with more endeavour they could well have won.
Perhaps they know their limitations, but having gone 1-0 down they made a change to bring on a forward, then made another when they went 2-1 down. They even had a corner in stoppage time and their keeper started to go forward, only for them to take it before he reached half-way. No problems, we’ll take the points and keep the play-off fantasy alive. I’ve never bemoaned a win and am not about to start now. Neither am I going to suggest that we truly deserved to win, other than that their lack of ambition and some praiseworthy defending on our part (one effort on target from them – admittedly one outrageous effort from distance in the first half came back off the bar - tells its own story) perhaps saw us edge it on points.
The team was unchanged again, as were the subs. Perhaps the real question was whether, with safety already all but assured (it is now), we would relax and play well or whether we’d look quite frankly knackered and ready for the summer hols. In fairness it was something between the two. After inconclusive early exchanges the first incident of note was Hughes pulling up and leaving the scene, to be replaced by Gower. That did provide an opportunity for him to show what he could do and to provide a comparison with Hughes. It’s a bit unfair to do so since as a team we didn’t play as well as we have been. He did well enough, but we missed Hughes’ drive and effort, especially as the game was passing Jackson by (I’d just voted for him as player of the season and I don’t think he touched the ball more than a few times before being subbed in the second half).
Harriott was a menace down the left and good work by him fashioned an opening for Fuller, who turned on the pass just inside the box and hit a shot that was fierce enough but straight at the keeper. But with Wolves seemingly content to rely on balls to Doyle to do something with and generally sitting back, the game was generally about two defences thumping the ball out and neither midfield able to provide any control, while a series of injury stoppages worked against flowing football. The only other first-half moment of note was their effort from distance. With Hamer off his line all he could do was watch it come back off the underside of the bar and, like the rest of us, give thanks for the fact it didn’t dip enough.
No sweat, attack the Covered End in the second half and let’s see if we could pick it up. We did, to an extent, but with Kermorgant and Fuller pretty well shackled and Harriott by now getting crowded out (and us not supporting him well enough by getting players closer) it was hardly pulsating stuff. The comfort came from the fact that Wolves seemed to carry little threat, with all of the back four working well. With the game in a stalemate, after the hour Sir Chris made a bold change, but one which on the day could hardly be argued with. Jackson went off to be replaced by Green, with Pritchard moving into the centre. The impact was immediate, not least as the first thing they did was to play a sloppy pass across the pitch straight to Green, who forced a corner.
That one – and a few other decent deliveries – came to nothing, but when another corner came our way the deadlock was broken. Let’s face it there was luck involved. Green slipped as he took it and the ball ended up around the near post. A first effort was saved by the keeper but Devitte managed to get enough on the rebound for it to go over the line. Like the rebound against Bolton, he was in the right place.
Any thoughts that a goal might open up the game were quickly dashed as, after their first substitution, they equalised. If you like route one this was a classic. Long throw into the box flicked on and Doyle making contact to send it looping over Hamer, who had no chance. That perhaps should have been the cue for Wolves to go for the win, as they should have had the momentum. Instead the game settled back into its previous pattern. A few efforts from us came and went without troubling their keeper, while Hunt drove through for them and opted to continue when the ball was clearly Hamer’s, resulting in a poor challenge and a yellow.
All that was left was for us to bring on Obika to produce his customary stoppage-time winner. Powell waited until around five minutes were left on the clock, with Fuller making way. And when it was around the ninetieth minute Green put in another good delivery and Obika cropped up at the far post to convert the chance. Six minutes of stoppage time followed, but Wolves failed to make Hamer work, aside from catching/punching the obligatory long throws. Cue final whistle and, if the mood was less celebratory than for the Leeds game, it is good enough for me.
There’s no point in looking at the table and thinking about what might have been. We’re ending the season in some style and can use that as the basis for preparations for next season. But two more wins and it only needs Palace to lose three, plus Bolton, Leicester and Forest losing their last two. I’m happy enough to still be looking at the possibility.
Player Ratings:
Hamer – 8/10. Dealt well with what he had to, which wasn’t much (apart from Hunt’s studs). No chance with the goal and would have been unfair to mark him down if their one off the bar had gone in.
Solly – 8/10. Outstanding defensively, not in evidence much going forward but that’s picking holes.
Wiggins – 8/10. Same as for Solly.
Morrison – 8/10. The defence today was individually and collectively excellent and deserved a first home clean sheet since November.
Dervite – 9/10. My man of the match. We’ve all focused on the difference that Hughes has made and have perhaps overlooked the fact that he’s come in and, after a poor first 20 minutes against Bolton, contributed to the tightening up of the defence. He’s also notched two goals.
Pritchard – 6/10. The midfield didn’t function well today, but he put in his usual good shift and switched into the centre well enough.
Jackson – 5/10. His efforts this season have sometimes been immense and today it looked as though there wasn’t much left in the tank. Fair enough.
Hughes – 7/10. Only on the pitch for 15 minutes.
Harriott – 7/10. The main threat in the first half but less in evidence in the second as they teamed up on him.
Kermorgant – 6/10. Found it tough today against decent defenders and he too looked a bit knackered. As with Jackson, no complaints.
Fuller – 6/10. Sometimes effective but generally kept under wraps by their defenders.
Subs – Gower (6/10 – Passed the ball well enough but in a scrappy game wasn’t too influential); Green (8/10 – Undoubtedly made a difference when introduced and involved in both goals, his crossing is still the best we have); Obika (9/10 – What can you say? His goals-per-minutes ratio must be the best in the league).
Perhaps they know their limitations, but having gone 1-0 down they made a change to bring on a forward, then made another when they went 2-1 down. They even had a corner in stoppage time and their keeper started to go forward, only for them to take it before he reached half-way. No problems, we’ll take the points and keep the play-off fantasy alive. I’ve never bemoaned a win and am not about to start now. Neither am I going to suggest that we truly deserved to win, other than that their lack of ambition and some praiseworthy defending on our part (one effort on target from them – admittedly one outrageous effort from distance in the first half came back off the bar - tells its own story) perhaps saw us edge it on points.
The team was unchanged again, as were the subs. Perhaps the real question was whether, with safety already all but assured (it is now), we would relax and play well or whether we’d look quite frankly knackered and ready for the summer hols. In fairness it was something between the two. After inconclusive early exchanges the first incident of note was Hughes pulling up and leaving the scene, to be replaced by Gower. That did provide an opportunity for him to show what he could do and to provide a comparison with Hughes. It’s a bit unfair to do so since as a team we didn’t play as well as we have been. He did well enough, but we missed Hughes’ drive and effort, especially as the game was passing Jackson by (I’d just voted for him as player of the season and I don’t think he touched the ball more than a few times before being subbed in the second half).
Harriott was a menace down the left and good work by him fashioned an opening for Fuller, who turned on the pass just inside the box and hit a shot that was fierce enough but straight at the keeper. But with Wolves seemingly content to rely on balls to Doyle to do something with and generally sitting back, the game was generally about two defences thumping the ball out and neither midfield able to provide any control, while a series of injury stoppages worked against flowing football. The only other first-half moment of note was their effort from distance. With Hamer off his line all he could do was watch it come back off the underside of the bar and, like the rest of us, give thanks for the fact it didn’t dip enough.
No sweat, attack the Covered End in the second half and let’s see if we could pick it up. We did, to an extent, but with Kermorgant and Fuller pretty well shackled and Harriott by now getting crowded out (and us not supporting him well enough by getting players closer) it was hardly pulsating stuff. The comfort came from the fact that Wolves seemed to carry little threat, with all of the back four working well. With the game in a stalemate, after the hour Sir Chris made a bold change, but one which on the day could hardly be argued with. Jackson went off to be replaced by Green, with Pritchard moving into the centre. The impact was immediate, not least as the first thing they did was to play a sloppy pass across the pitch straight to Green, who forced a corner.
That one – and a few other decent deliveries – came to nothing, but when another corner came our way the deadlock was broken. Let’s face it there was luck involved. Green slipped as he took it and the ball ended up around the near post. A first effort was saved by the keeper but Devitte managed to get enough on the rebound for it to go over the line. Like the rebound against Bolton, he was in the right place.
Any thoughts that a goal might open up the game were quickly dashed as, after their first substitution, they equalised. If you like route one this was a classic. Long throw into the box flicked on and Doyle making contact to send it looping over Hamer, who had no chance. That perhaps should have been the cue for Wolves to go for the win, as they should have had the momentum. Instead the game settled back into its previous pattern. A few efforts from us came and went without troubling their keeper, while Hunt drove through for them and opted to continue when the ball was clearly Hamer’s, resulting in a poor challenge and a yellow.
All that was left was for us to bring on Obika to produce his customary stoppage-time winner. Powell waited until around five minutes were left on the clock, with Fuller making way. And when it was around the ninetieth minute Green put in another good delivery and Obika cropped up at the far post to convert the chance. Six minutes of stoppage time followed, but Wolves failed to make Hamer work, aside from catching/punching the obligatory long throws. Cue final whistle and, if the mood was less celebratory than for the Leeds game, it is good enough for me.
There’s no point in looking at the table and thinking about what might have been. We’re ending the season in some style and can use that as the basis for preparations for next season. But two more wins and it only needs Palace to lose three, plus Bolton, Leicester and Forest losing their last two. I’m happy enough to still be looking at the possibility.
Player Ratings:
Hamer – 8/10. Dealt well with what he had to, which wasn’t much (apart from Hunt’s studs). No chance with the goal and would have been unfair to mark him down if their one off the bar had gone in.
Solly – 8/10. Outstanding defensively, not in evidence much going forward but that’s picking holes.
Wiggins – 8/10. Same as for Solly.
Morrison – 8/10. The defence today was individually and collectively excellent and deserved a first home clean sheet since November.
Dervite – 9/10. My man of the match. We’ve all focused on the difference that Hughes has made and have perhaps overlooked the fact that he’s come in and, after a poor first 20 minutes against Bolton, contributed to the tightening up of the defence. He’s also notched two goals.
Pritchard – 6/10. The midfield didn’t function well today, but he put in his usual good shift and switched into the centre well enough.
Jackson – 5/10. His efforts this season have sometimes been immense and today it looked as though there wasn’t much left in the tank. Fair enough.
Hughes – 7/10. Only on the pitch for 15 minutes.
Harriott – 7/10. The main threat in the first half but less in evidence in the second as they teamed up on him.
Kermorgant – 6/10. Found it tough today against decent defenders and he too looked a bit knackered. As with Jackson, no complaints.
Fuller – 6/10. Sometimes effective but generally kept under wraps by their defenders.
Subs – Gower (6/10 – Passed the ball well enough but in a scrappy game wasn’t too influential); Green (8/10 – Undoubtedly made a difference when introduced and involved in both goals, his crossing is still the best we have); Obika (9/10 – What can you say? His goals-per-minutes ratio must be the best in the league).
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