Colchester 3 Charlton 0

Last night was just a bad day at the office, but one that I have little confidence will get any better on Saturday. We are now playing teams in the top half of the league, and both the team and Parkinson need to show that they can be a force in this division. At the start of the month, I mentioned in a posting that I was unconvinced about Parkinson, and I was asked in return, what would convince me that he could do a job in the third division. After last nights result, I think it is worth posting my reply to that question.

How he conducts himself when the team starts to lose, or at a lower level, when they go behind during a match. Given the abject misery of last season, it wouldn't take too many losses on the spin, for fans to turn against him. The true test for me, is how he reacts in the above scenarios. Whether he is able to motivate a losing team, and what tactics he deploys to achieve a turnaround, will indicate to me, whether he is a good manager at this level, or not. Although not of his creation, he did not manage that last season, although I am happy to concede that we were playing better football towards the end of the last campaign. His conduct thus far has gone a long way to repairing damaged faith, but I still have lingering doubts, as to whether he possesses the wherewithal to dig the team out of a hole. In fairness to him, he hasn't had that opportunity yet, although he did manage to almost single handedly create that situation during the Wycombe game by switching to 4-4-2 for no apparent reason. That caused the team to take on pressure that wasn't present until that point. There was no further input from the bench to alleviate that pressure, and thus I still have my doubts.

Charlton 2 Exeter 1

That really wasn't very convincing was it? I suppose it could be put down to a mediocre day at the office, but I do hope that form isn't deserting the team collectively, just as our real test is about to begin. Charlton have only played one side in the top half of the table, and even Scunthorpe only just make it into the top half at 11th. Exeter should not have posed the danger to the team that they did, but you can be sure that Colchester and Leeds will be far more problematic. Charlton will need a step up in performance from yesterday's efforts if they are to emerge with anything from either of those games.

Spring for Semedo was the only change, so protecting the back four was never likely to be as efficient without the Portugeezer. That Spring did so, with some aplomb, is a credit to him, as his natural game is far more attacking than defensive under normal circumstances. It also cannot be easy coming into a settled side, so if Semedo is not back for the next couple of games, then Spring proved that we have the coverage to cope with his loss. Elsewhere in the team though, there were some definite "off" days going on. Llera was not as imperious in the pass as he can be, and Burton seemed to run out of legs in the second half, just as Exeter were changing their tactics, and making life difficult.

Parkinson obviously decided to let the players that have done so well so far, dig themselves out of the situation, as all three of his substitutions seemed to me to be more reactive, rather than proactive. McLeod for Burton made perfect sense, as the first touch, and hold up play of the former seemed to desert him in the second half. Racon and Sam, both had quieter games than of late, and the Frenchman eventually gave way to Wagstaff, switching Sam to the left, and allowing Bailey to go inside to his more natural central midfield role.

Exeter are a better side than most would give them credit for, so I don't want to sound negative about our own performance, and as the old cliche goes, sometimes you just have to grind out a result, and that is what we did. I had heard tell of Athena, the Grecian Goddess before the game, but instead of her charms, as seen here (including some language usually reserved for Victoria Beckham);

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUVbrZvmB2g

we were subjected to a fat bloke cavorting in front of the Jimmy Seed, while our stewards collectively decided to run into each other. For comedy value it was up there with the banan skin. Fortunately Charlton did not slip on it.

Norwich 2 Charlton 2

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that the month of September, ending with the game at Leeds on October 3rd was likely to be a very good indicator of what sort of season Charlton were likely to have. In the same way that I did not expect the purple patch to continue, I was also hoping that we would not see our promising start collapse like a pack of cards. The fact that it hasn't gone Pete Tong is pleasing, but it also shows that we are likely to be a top six, rather than a top two side. At the start of the season I would have taken this, as I believed we were likely to be mid table at best. A win, a draw, and a loss in our next three, will go some way to confirming for me, that we are a good team in the third division, but not a great one.

It was also very pleasing to see Elliott sign a contract extension, and as a reminder, below is the most up to date version of the players contract status. (I've given up on Google Docs)

2010
Basey
Burton
Clark
Dailly
Dickson
McKenzie
Randolph
Sam
Sinclair
Sodje
Solly
Spring
Stavrinou
Wagstaff

2011
Bailey
Fleetwood
Llera
McLeod
Moutaouakil
Racon
Richardson
Semedo
Youga

2012
Elliott
Shelvey

Scholars
Davisson
Mambo
Tuna

Loan - January 2010
Holden

Charlton 1 Southampton 1

So sure was I that this would be a draw, I even managed to predict the correct scoreline in the pub sweep in the Rose of Denmark before the game. All the portents were there, Sam wins player of the month, Parkinson wins manager of the month, a returning Pardew, the divisions draw specialists. Yep, couldn't be anything other than a draw really could it?

I don't remember Pardew ever setting up a Charlton side to be as physical as the Saints were yesterday though? We were outmuscled occasionally, but never cowed. Everybody worked hard, and as the highlights last night showed, our second disallowed goal was not offside. I have been quite impressed with the standard of refereeing at this level, but yesterdays officials collectively had a shocker.

How we managed to pick up three bookings in the second half, when Southampton had not picked up a single one in the first half was beyond me. Their right back Harding, had obviously been told to "do a job" on both Sam and Shelvey if they ever strayed into his territory, and he went about his task with both vim and venom. He should not have been allowed to stay on the pitch, never mind escape a booking. Add to that, the same player hauling Sam down for a clear penalty that wasn't given, and Lallana escaping scot free after the handbags incident in the second half, which he started, and you have three incidents, which were but the tip of the iceberg, of poorly handled refereeing decisions.

On balance, a draw was a fair result, and unfortunately other teams will now have seen that the best way to try and stop Charlton, is to rough the team up a bit. The good news for Charlton fans, is that the team can handle it.

Charlton 2 Brentford 0

The day started well with news of a contract extension for Shelvey. I like the way both player and club are helping each other here, as the extension just increases the ability of the Charlton board to hold out for premium price, and Shelvey no doubt gets an increase in salary for his pains, as well as the ability to insert get out clauses into the agreement to help smooth the way for the inevitable exit strategy. Indeed, the new contract is in itself, part of that strategy.

As for the game, it was probably for Charlton, the strongest test of the season so far, and they came through it with some aplomb. This wasn't as easy a victory as you might think, as Brentford also had clear cut chances, that with a bit more composure would have stretched our resolve to make it six out of six. The fact that they didn't take them, is down to wasteful finishing as much as anything

There is little doubt that we will be one of the best passing sides in this division, and the lead up to the second goal was little short of sublime. I lost count of the number of passes involved, but I reckon it must have been a dozen plus, before Burton put Sam through, to wriggle his way past the last line of defence, and slot coolly past the Brentford keeper. The first goal was very much one from the training ground, and you could see it coming. Llera firing huge, and deadly accurate cross field passes to Sam was already a signature move, before Sam got the better of a poor defensive back header from one such ball, to cut back for Burton to push it home against one of his many former clubs. I only wish our mercurial winger could last ninety minutes, but hey, I am happy for a fully firing Sam to give us seventy any time.

This game was the first test in a month, ending up at Leeds on October 3rd, that will go a long way to telling us what sort of season we may have. Southampton, Norwich, and Colchester all have to be faced, as well as the Elland Road outfit, but on the evidence of the season to date, Charlton deserve to be feared, far more than Charlton should be fearing any opponents.

A Very Good Days Work

Hats off to Messrs Parkinson and Murray for what did not happen yesterday. I still can't quite believe that we have manged to hold onto Shelvey, Bailey, Racon, and Sam, all of whom have attracted interest from elsewhere over the past few months. Whether the tide can be held back again come the January transfer window is another question, but one that can be left for another day.

It does show the ongoing commitment by the board to give the team the best possible opportunity to fight its way back into the Championship. It has to be considered a last throw of the dice though, as failure to achieve promotion this year, will see a fire sale at the end of the season. Unless the takeover happens, there is no Plan B for next season.

Whilst I remain unconvinced about the merits of Parkinson, one thing I do appreciate, is his straightforward, direct communication style. He said he wanted a striker, a left sided midfielder, and a central defender, and that is exactly what we got. The return of Sam Sodje will be almost universally welcomed by the fans, and represents a superb signing for the third division. Bigger risks, but for entirely different reasons, are McKenzie and Holden. The former has spent large parts of the last three seasons injured, but will be a potent force at this level, if he can just stay fit. The latter is an unknown quantity, a la Fleetwood, and Dickson. Time will tell if Parkinson's eye for a non-league gem is better than Pardew's.

With Moo2 and Fleetwood farmed out on loan, I am perhaps a little surprised that Chris Dickson is still with us, but not half as surprised as I am with the club's retention of our midfield four intact. Surprised, and delighted.