It is always preferable for any manager to get his squad as near finalised as possible at the earliest opportunity, and Chris Powell is no exception. If, as seems likely, there is minimal investment into the club over the close season, the only way the manager can refresh the squad is by moving players on, and he has certainly wasted little time in doing that. With Mambo and Sullivan deemed surplus to requirement last week, this week sees the release of Fuller, Kerkar, Taylor, and Wagstaff.
Wagstaff had openly stated that he was not going to be around next season, and although it is always sad to see one of the former youth players leave, it is absolutely the right decision. I suspect the two biggest wage earners at the club are Fuller and Wright-Phillips, and with the former on his way, I would be surprised if Wright-Phillips is not shown the exit as well. The release of these two will free up some significant wages for new signings, albeit that any new arrivals may well have to be free transfers in the first place.
The release of Kerkar is no surprise, as he is at best a squad player, and with Powell under pressure to run with a smaller squad, Taylor is also no surprise, although I believe we do need four centre backs at this level. Could Feely be considered ready to be given that fourth man role? I am sorry to see Taylor go, as he was a stalwart of the third division winning team, but although he would never let anybody down, it was fairly obvious that he was not considered up to the job of Championship level football.
So, what of the rest? Of those players who will be out of contract at the end of this season, the surprise package to some extent is Hughes. His presence during the final run in, and the results the team achieved with him in it, made a very big statement in his favour for a new one year deal. If that transpires, then any interest Powell may have harboured for Gower will surely evaporate. I would expect Cort, Dervite, Evina, Harriott, and Haynes to be given new deals. I would not be surprised, however, to see Evina go. An unguarded comment on Twitter that he stepped back from rather rapidly, did seem to lend weight to his leaving rather than staying, and if he did go, is Cousins considered ready for the step up to be Wiggins understudy as Evina himself has so patiently been for the last two years?.
Of those in the squad with contracts that don't expire this summer, I think that Green and Hollands may well be on their way if any club comes in for them, a suspicion confirmed for me when Green almost joined Swindon on loan in January, and Hollands did. I am also not convinced that an offer for Stephens would be rejected in the same way it was in January, Indeed, if Jimenez had not been so bullish shall we say, as to the players value, he would have been gone already.
Let us hope that if we are to lose Solly this summer, Jimenez will show more commercial finesse than the Stephens episode showed. Jimenez efforts aside, I think we probably do have to resign ourselves to losing our double winning player of the year. As with just about all clubs bar four or five, we are a selling club, and if we are able to gather in circa £4m, then that would fund a lot of the strengthening work that the squad needs, albeit I suspect that cash up front is likely to be nearer the £2m mark.
Contract End - June 2013
Cort
Dervite
Evina
Fuller (Released)
Harriott
Haynes
Hughes
Kerkar (Released)
Mambo (Released)
Sullivan (Released)
Taylor (Released)
Wagstaff (Released)
Wright-Phillips
Contract End - June 2014
Button
Cook
Green
Hamer
Hollands
Jackson
Kermorgant
Morrison
Pope
Pritchard
Stephens
Smith
Solly
Wiggins
Contract End - June 2015
Wilson
Loans
Gower (30/06/13)
Obika (30/06/13)
Rouamba (30/06/13)
Showing posts with label Chris Solly. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chris Solly. Show all posts
Wednesday, 8 May 2013
Sunday, 26 February 2012
Charlton 2 Stevenage 0
His head was down as he vanished into the dugout, and he barely acknowledged the pats on the back from Powell and Dyer amongst others. He was being lauded from the North Stand, but Wright-Phillips didn't even glance over. He knew that he had fashioned no fewer than six nailed on chances today, and that the one that did go in via a sizeable deflection off Henry, was likely in retrospect to be attributed as an own goal. He also knew that earlier in the season he would have been taking the matchball home for a richly deserved hat trick at least.
I cannot remember a time when the Charlton faithful were so patient with a misfiring striker, as we are with our current number ten. I hope the support continues as apart from putting it in the net, Wright-Phillips is doing everything else superbly well. The fact that he was still despondent despite having notched his first goal (hopefully) since last November, shows how much he cares.
If he wants a reminder in clinical finishing, he should spend some time with the defence at Sparrows Lane this week, and Morrison in particular. His half volley for the first goal was clinically efficient, and had a "pick that one out" quality about it. Day in the Stevenage goal could only watch helplessly as it hit the top corner of his net. Oh, and while he is at it, Wright-Phillips should also watch Solly as well.
Yesterday saw a terrier like performance of some quality, and a never say die attitude from Solly, that made him my man of the match. One passage of play in particular stood out for me. Late on in the second half, our diminutive number twenty decided he was going to take the ball off Aneke, who for the sake of this story is about one and a half times the size of our right back. Snapping at his ankles, Solly did a full circumnavigation of the Stevenage man, niggling at him all the way round. It was a tour that ended with the ball in Solly's possession, and the man mountain dumped on his back. Alright, so a free kick to Stevenage was the end result, but there was no fear or doubt in Solly's mind at all. It was like watching a feisty little dog attacking a particularly large and juicy bone, and there was no way Solly was walking away without his hard earned prize.
Stevenage should be congratulated for what they have achieved this season, but Charlton made them look both toothless and ordinary yesterday. As the Covered End chanted that we are better than Spurs, the team from Hertfordshire will find out next week if they are as well. They aren't of course, and neither are we, but I wish them well. Meanwhile, we have a trip to Chesterfield on Tuesday as the relentless round of games continues. We have shown we can beat the top teams around us, but we must do the same to those who have a fight of their own to conduct at the other end of the table. Hat trick for Wright-Phillips maybe?
I cannot remember a time when the Charlton faithful were so patient with a misfiring striker, as we are with our current number ten. I hope the support continues as apart from putting it in the net, Wright-Phillips is doing everything else superbly well. The fact that he was still despondent despite having notched his first goal (hopefully) since last November, shows how much he cares.
If he wants a reminder in clinical finishing, he should spend some time with the defence at Sparrows Lane this week, and Morrison in particular. His half volley for the first goal was clinically efficient, and had a "pick that one out" quality about it. Day in the Stevenage goal could only watch helplessly as it hit the top corner of his net. Oh, and while he is at it, Wright-Phillips should also watch Solly as well.
Yesterday saw a terrier like performance of some quality, and a never say die attitude from Solly, that made him my man of the match. One passage of play in particular stood out for me. Late on in the second half, our diminutive number twenty decided he was going to take the ball off Aneke, who for the sake of this story is about one and a half times the size of our right back. Snapping at his ankles, Solly did a full circumnavigation of the Stevenage man, niggling at him all the way round. It was a tour that ended with the ball in Solly's possession, and the man mountain dumped on his back. Alright, so a free kick to Stevenage was the end result, but there was no fear or doubt in Solly's mind at all. It was like watching a feisty little dog attacking a particularly large and juicy bone, and there was no way Solly was walking away without his hard earned prize.
Stevenage should be congratulated for what they have achieved this season, but Charlton made them look both toothless and ordinary yesterday. As the Covered End chanted that we are better than Spurs, the team from Hertfordshire will find out next week if they are as well. They aren't of course, and neither are we, but I wish them well. Meanwhile, we have a trip to Chesterfield on Tuesday as the relentless round of games continues. We have shown we can beat the top teams around us, but we must do the same to those who have a fight of their own to conduct at the other end of the table. Hat trick for Wright-Phillips maybe?
Sunday, 22 January 2012
Charlton 1 Sheffield United 0
In 1974, the golfer Gary Player was asked how he was enjoying the luck that had just culminated in him winning his third Open Championship. His reply was, "You know what?, the harder I practice, the luckier I get". Thirty eight years later, and for the second time in successive matches, Jackson proved that simple truth with a sublime free kick, that Simonsen in the United goal could only admire from afar as it kissed his right hand post and in. I don't know if Gary Player likes football, but he would certainly approve of all the hours Jackson spends at Sparrows Lane honing his dead ball skills.
Charlton have played better than this, and I am sure Sheffield United have as well, but yesterday the spoils went to Charlton, courtesy of our captain's "luck". It was a moment of quality in a game that was cagey for the most part, and courtesy of referee Deadman, and his trigger happy cards routine, produced no less than six yellow, and two red cards. It was never the sort of game that warranted that much colour, or at least it wasn't, until the melee that broke out after Russell was sent off for what I thought was a perfectly good challenge.
If that was a poor call by the referee, the straight red shown to Beattie moments later was inevitable, and correct. His attempt to squeeze the life out of Kermorgant was spotted by the East Stand lino, who hurriedly joined Deadman on the pitch to help restore order, and to report on Beattie's attempts at diplomacy by strangulation. I wonder if United will appeal the straight red? I somehow doubt it.
With regard to the game, and I don't mean to sound overly negative about this, but I personally believe that Hamer had a bit of a nightmare yesterday. I am sure the gusting wind may have had something to do with it, as did the close attention from the opposition he was getting at corner kicks, but our number one did not acquit himself particularly well. His shot stopping was fine, but his catching and punching left a lot to be desired. By the length of his contract, he has been given the nod that Championship football is there for him, but on the strength of his showing both yesterday, and on other occasions recently, I would question his ability to step up to that. Perhaps he just needs some of Jackson's "luck"?
Elsewhere, the back four were immense, and congratulations to Solly on his new deal. Although not at his best, Wright-Phillips, by playing yesterday, has triggered the one year extension to his contract apparently, so that is good news as well, although I wonder with the arrival of Haynes, whether he will be rested, as he is not the same player he was earlier in the season. The arrival of Haynes from the bench certainly gave United a new problem, as his speed drew a foul within minutes of his arrival. A free kick from the edge of the box on the East Stand side, showed that our captain is human after all, as he sent it out for a throw in on the West Stand side. Bad "luck" eh Johnnie?
This, for me, was another of those significant games that will shape our season. It was never just another game, and the team came through with flying colours. Onwards and upwards, COME ON YOU REDS!
Charlton have played better than this, and I am sure Sheffield United have as well, but yesterday the spoils went to Charlton, courtesy of our captain's "luck". It was a moment of quality in a game that was cagey for the most part, and courtesy of referee Deadman, and his trigger happy cards routine, produced no less than six yellow, and two red cards. It was never the sort of game that warranted that much colour, or at least it wasn't, until the melee that broke out after Russell was sent off for what I thought was a perfectly good challenge.
If that was a poor call by the referee, the straight red shown to Beattie moments later was inevitable, and correct. His attempt to squeeze the life out of Kermorgant was spotted by the East Stand lino, who hurriedly joined Deadman on the pitch to help restore order, and to report on Beattie's attempts at diplomacy by strangulation. I wonder if United will appeal the straight red? I somehow doubt it.
With regard to the game, and I don't mean to sound overly negative about this, but I personally believe that Hamer had a bit of a nightmare yesterday. I am sure the gusting wind may have had something to do with it, as did the close attention from the opposition he was getting at corner kicks, but our number one did not acquit himself particularly well. His shot stopping was fine, but his catching and punching left a lot to be desired. By the length of his contract, he has been given the nod that Championship football is there for him, but on the strength of his showing both yesterday, and on other occasions recently, I would question his ability to step up to that. Perhaps he just needs some of Jackson's "luck"?
Elsewhere, the back four were immense, and congratulations to Solly on his new deal. Although not at his best, Wright-Phillips, by playing yesterday, has triggered the one year extension to his contract apparently, so that is good news as well, although I wonder with the arrival of Haynes, whether he will be rested, as he is not the same player he was earlier in the season. The arrival of Haynes from the bench certainly gave United a new problem, as his speed drew a foul within minutes of his arrival. A free kick from the edge of the box on the East Stand side, showed that our captain is human after all, as he sent it out for a throw in on the West Stand side. Bad "luck" eh Johnnie?
This, for me, was another of those significant games that will shape our season. It was never just another game, and the team came through with flying colours. Onwards and upwards, COME ON YOU REDS!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)