Having had more than our fair share of luck at both Doncaster and Nottingham Forest, this game proved a step too far for not so Super Alan Pardew's men, as they went down 2-1 to a poor Sheffield Wednesday team. There has been much (rightful) derision at Pardew's theorising about the joys of a defence that can all speak the same language, so on that basis, can he explain to us why the vast majority of that defence, and for that matter, the midfield as well, who as far as I am aware, speak English, weren't in fact speaking the same language as each other at all, for five mad minutes yesterday afternoon?
Let's get real here. For the most part, footballers are not the sharpest knives in the cutlery drawer, and the average vocabulary, swear words aside, that are used during a game, probably struggles to get past a dozen. Would that really be an insurmountable feat for Semedo or Mouatakil to manage? I would suggest that concentration is probably more important than linguistic ability, as Charlton dominated this game completely, aside from the first five minutes of the second half, and disastrously, as it turned out, the last five minutes of the first
Although a vocal minority at present, there is definitely a ground swell building against Pardew amongst Charlton fans, and unless he can get his team playing consistently, it will get much louder, very quickly. A trip to Selhurst Park on Tuesday, needs no further hype than its announcement for Charlton fans, and I would suggest that a win is actually more relevant to Pardew's chances of job survival, rather than furthering any thought that he might be using the job as a stepping stone, which quite frankly I find laughable at present,
Sunday, 28 September 2008
Tuesday, 23 September 2008
Kinsella & Parkinson
Another clean sheet - very gratifying, if a tad lucky, just as we had been against Doncaster a few days earlier. Ninth place is ok, but to put it into perspective, this time last season we were second, with the best home record in the division, and somewhat bizarrely our away record was better than this term to date as well. Much to do therefore, but is Alan Pardew about to have the harmony at Sparrows lane disrupted?
Having spent four years in Colchester, I regard them as my second team. Indeed, many a Friday night in the late seventies, and early eighties, saw me on the terraces of Layer Road, watching a team, soon to be doomed to life in the Conference, going through its unconvincing paces. Thirty years later, and Geraint Williams has left the club by mutual consent. Struggling in League One, the U's Chairman is upbeat about the quality of candidates coming forward. Much of this will be agents touting their wares, of course, but I wonder if the names of either, or both, of Parkinson and Kinsella are potentially in the frame? I would be extremely surprised if they were not.
For me, I would be more concerned if Kinsella went, as I see him as a Charlton manager in waiting, and am I the only one who is a little puzzled as to what Parkinson actually does? If all was sweetness and light between Pardew and the Board, I might be less concerned, but with our results to date, planted square at the balance point, I am still not convinced that he would survive if we were to lose say, the next three on the spin. Personal opinion, of course, but I would rather have Kinsella in the wing, ready to back shyly into the limelight, than Parkinson.
Having spent four years in Colchester, I regard them as my second team. Indeed, many a Friday night in the late seventies, and early eighties, saw me on the terraces of Layer Road, watching a team, soon to be doomed to life in the Conference, going through its unconvincing paces. Thirty years later, and Geraint Williams has left the club by mutual consent. Struggling in League One, the U's Chairman is upbeat about the quality of candidates coming forward. Much of this will be agents touting their wares, of course, but I wonder if the names of either, or both, of Parkinson and Kinsella are potentially in the frame? I would be extremely surprised if they were not.
For me, I would be more concerned if Kinsella went, as I see him as a Charlton manager in waiting, and am I the only one who is a little puzzled as to what Parkinson actually does? If all was sweetness and light between Pardew and the Board, I might be less concerned, but with our results to date, planted square at the balance point, I am still not convinced that he would survive if we were to lose say, the next three on the spin. Personal opinion, of course, but I would rather have Kinsella in the wing, ready to back shyly into the limelight, than Parkinson.
Wednesday, 17 September 2008
Playing Away From Home
A dirty, scrappy, resolute, and ultimately lucky 1-0 win. We were almost certainly owed one, and hopefully this will be the start of building a better away record, as our performances on the road in 2008 have been nothing short of woeful. Hats off to the fans who hit the road week in, week out, as they have had precious little to cheer them on their travels.
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Can we keep the momentum going at Nottingham Forest? Well, on the basis, that we have played, and beaten, three teams this season already, who we did not play last season, the portents are good, but hey this is Charlton Athletic we are talking about. Nevertheless, I shall stick my neck out and go for 1-2 to the mighty Addicks.
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If only games stopped at half time. If they did, we would be top of the league right now!
Sunday, 14 September 2008
Business As Usual
And so the league leaders met a mid table team. Not a difficult result to call for the neutral, and so it proved. Wolves were simply better all over the park, and even after Nicky Bailey's wonder goal, I don't think anybody believed that it would stay at 1-0 for too long. In reality, the surprise was that Charlton even held out until half time, as aside from the first fifteen minutes, there was really only one team that was ever going to win this contest.
Charlton had chances, but had we got anything out of this, it would have been flattering to deceive, as Wolves were simply too strong, and had we sneaked a draw or a win, we would all have spent a few delusional days believing that we were going to get promoted. Sixteenth in the table is a little lower than I would expect come the end of the season, but only by a couple of places.
Performances were generally of the barely adequate variety, although Kelly Youga had a day at the office that I suspect he will want to forget. Nicky Bailey was probably the only player who can justifiably feel that he put in a good shift, and I haven't met anybody yet that can categorically state that yes, or indeed no, it was, or wasn't a penalty. Yet again I was left baffled at a couple of Alan Pardew's tactical decisions. Remove a right sided midfielder, and what do you replace him with? Yep, a left sided defender. OK, I know that he went to left midfield, but only at the expense of moving Bouazza, another natural left footer, to the right sided berth. Why? If Ambrose was fit enough to make the bench, surely that would have been the more logical choice of sub for Lloyd Sam?
It was also obvious that Pardew felt that the keeper was suspect to the odd long range shot. Why else would Boazza and Bailey keep hitting speculative efforts from somewhere near the halfway line. Even Nicky Weaver was party to this flawed thinking, raining Wimbledon style power kicks into the opposition penalty area without so much as a bounce. Keep this level of performance up, and the conspiracy theorists that believe Pardew has ten games to show that his team has what it takes will be in full voice once more.
Still, at least Chris Iwelumo didn't get to score against us!
Charlton had chances, but had we got anything out of this, it would have been flattering to deceive, as Wolves were simply too strong, and had we sneaked a draw or a win, we would all have spent a few delusional days believing that we were going to get promoted. Sixteenth in the table is a little lower than I would expect come the end of the season, but only by a couple of places.
Performances were generally of the barely adequate variety, although Kelly Youga had a day at the office that I suspect he will want to forget. Nicky Bailey was probably the only player who can justifiably feel that he put in a good shift, and I haven't met anybody yet that can categorically state that yes, or indeed no, it was, or wasn't a penalty. Yet again I was left baffled at a couple of Alan Pardew's tactical decisions. Remove a right sided midfielder, and what do you replace him with? Yep, a left sided defender. OK, I know that he went to left midfield, but only at the expense of moving Bouazza, another natural left footer, to the right sided berth. Why? If Ambrose was fit enough to make the bench, surely that would have been the more logical choice of sub for Lloyd Sam?
It was also obvious that Pardew felt that the keeper was suspect to the odd long range shot. Why else would Boazza and Bailey keep hitting speculative efforts from somewhere near the halfway line. Even Nicky Weaver was party to this flawed thinking, raining Wimbledon style power kicks into the opposition penalty area without so much as a bounce. Keep this level of performance up, and the conspiracy theorists that believe Pardew has ten games to show that his team has what it takes will be in full voice once more.
Still, at least Chris Iwelumo didn't get to score against us!
Friday, 5 September 2008
A Case For The Defence
Anybody who can put the words "Denis Wise" and " "Executive Director" in the same sentence really deserves an award of some description. Not entirely sure whether it should be for comedy, or misrepresentation though. With King Kev disposed off, perhaps wee Denis will take his place at the FA disciplinary hearing for Joey Barton? A man of Denis's moral fortitude should be just the ticket really, and lest we forget, he does have some "previous" experience, due to a training ground bust up of his own with Callum Davenport over a game of cards whilst at Leicester City. Oh, and isn't there a London taxi driver out there, who might also have an opinion? What are we to make of a man who Ken Bates once described as being like a son to him? The questions just keep coming don't they?
And yet, it would appear that Mike Ashley has sided with the wee man against the Geordies favourite son. I suspect that there is a whole lot more to this story, which will start to emerge over the next two days, culminating in a News of the World exclusive this coming Sunday. All of which, as pantomime deviancy goes, makes Charlton look like a model of sense in a mad world.
Now the possibly contentious bit. I actually agree with the hierarchy of a first team coach, and a football director. There, I've said it. I just don't believe that English football has garnered enough experience to make it work properly yet. In Europe, the concept is a whole lot more familiar, and has operated successfully for a number of years, and with the ever increasing pressure in the Prem these days, I do not believe that one man can perform the roles of coach, scout, PR, HR, commercial, media monkey, chief bottle washer etc etc in there entirety. They are in danger of becoming a jack of all trades, and crucially, a master of none.
Now I don't know if Curbs and Kev were told that their respective clubs were their oysters in terms of control, but both are in danger of being seen as dinosaurs in a game that is rapidly changing, and regardless of whether you agree with it or not, it will continue to change at an ever increasing pace, until the whole damn thing explodes in a failed TV contract, or a few very rich men getting bored with their toys.
The main failure for me in the football director role, is not the role itself, although it does need to be refined and more clearly understood, by owners, clubs, and fans, not to mention the manager! For me, the biggest failing is in the quality of the individuals who are being given the positions in the first place. I am not entirely blaming them, as an owner employed them in the first place, but in the same way that the cream of managers rises to the top, so, I believe, it will be with the abilities of those who would be football directors.
Until then, we have Denis Wise.
And yet, it would appear that Mike Ashley has sided with the wee man against the Geordies favourite son. I suspect that there is a whole lot more to this story, which will start to emerge over the next two days, culminating in a News of the World exclusive this coming Sunday. All of which, as pantomime deviancy goes, makes Charlton look like a model of sense in a mad world.
Now the possibly contentious bit. I actually agree with the hierarchy of a first team coach, and a football director. There, I've said it. I just don't believe that English football has garnered enough experience to make it work properly yet. In Europe, the concept is a whole lot more familiar, and has operated successfully for a number of years, and with the ever increasing pressure in the Prem these days, I do not believe that one man can perform the roles of coach, scout, PR, HR, commercial, media monkey, chief bottle washer etc etc in there entirety. They are in danger of becoming a jack of all trades, and crucially, a master of none.
Now I don't know if Curbs and Kev were told that their respective clubs were their oysters in terms of control, but both are in danger of being seen as dinosaurs in a game that is rapidly changing, and regardless of whether you agree with it or not, it will continue to change at an ever increasing pace, until the whole damn thing explodes in a failed TV contract, or a few very rich men getting bored with their toys.
The main failure for me in the football director role, is not the role itself, although it does need to be refined and more clearly understood, by owners, clubs, and fans, not to mention the manager! For me, the biggest failing is in the quality of the individuals who are being given the positions in the first place. I am not entirely blaming them, as an owner employed them in the first place, but in the same way that the cream of managers rises to the top, so, I believe, it will be with the abilities of those who would be football directors.
Until then, we have Denis Wise.
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