Tuesday 28 February 2012

Watershed moment at Chesterfield

I could be wrong, I could be right? Well thankfully sort of right in this instance! I predicted, all be it rather unscientifically , a 3-1 repeat from earlier this season along with a BWP hat trick. The least likely of those two predictions came true.

The Spirites maybe bottom of the division, but BWP got the trio of goals that have amazingly eluded him so far during his career, AND this is exactly the sort of result away from home that you expect away against struggling opposition if you have true aspirations to be champions of your respective division. And, without getting to carried away, I really do believe that this is the now likely outcome of this season.

Not a rant, more a vent of both relief that my own belief is now becoming a reality and also happiness that he is, better than Shaun!


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Promotion march to continue...

The goal at the end of the ninety minutes this evening really must be another three points and sitting even prettier on 75 points at the top of the table.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not letting complacency get the better of me, but now we've tipped the seventy mark so early. The highest points accumulation of all 92 teams so far this season, it should no longer be about looking over our shoulders at how many points behind our nearest rivals are, but a resolution to acquire the maximum number of points between now and the 5th May.

We've managed to ride out blips in our performance levels, ride out tricky fixtures and still pick up points, and importantly never looked like underestimating our opponents.

Chesterfield are bottom and fighting for their lives in this division. But we're top, and you can see all players are completely focussed on getting Charlton back up to the Championship (how much fun will it be to play Palace and Millwall again in the league?)

If fit and available I'd like to see Waggy given a chance over Green. other then that, if it ain't broke why change it?

I think his goal on Saturday will see BWP return to full goalscoring form tonight. Not very scientific this, but back in our last third tier promotion season we recorded the double over Chesterfield with identical one nil wins home and away. Based on that I'm going for us to emulate our 3-1 win this time up in Derbyshire. Charlton out of the blocks early and BWP for a cheeky first half hat trick.


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Sunday 26 February 2012

Normal service is resumed

A fellow Charlton supporter said to me after the game he thought 'we was rubbish, they (being Stevenage) were none league two years ago!'. I think he must have been at a different game. We bossed the game and looked poles apart from the Hertfordshire outfit.

After negotiating a blip of, ahem, a couple of draws and scraping a couple of wins by the odd goal Charlton turned up yesterday and put in the sort of performance that lets face it we all know they are capable of.

A bumper crowd, the best of the season, enjoyed a creative performance in which after a slightly pensive start we were in control. Wright Phillips still not quite back to his earlier form, but you could see he was growing in confidence and desperate to get on the score sheet. To be fair by the end of the game he could and should have had a hatful, but the deflected one he did claim, which clinched the points for us should be just what's needed to help him kick on at bottom club Chesterfield on Tuesday night.

Morrison again continues to impress, another solid display and a barnstormer of a goal from the edge of the area to put us one up.

For me, after yesterdays performance Solly is not only going to challenge Yan for my player of the season vote, but I think being so young will go on to great things. Already on the short list and in contention for a place in the team gb Olympics football squad, I have no doubt we'll see him play in the Premiership (hopefully for us) and very possibly for England.

A thorughly enjoyable afternoon at The Valley. Upto 72 points now and we could realistically see ourselves hit the eighty point mark in our next home game against Colchester. Needless to say I'll be there.


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Friday 24 February 2012

Charlton return to form...





Stevenage's first ever visit to the Valley tomorrow could turn out to be one of the surprisingly most important games of the season and should be played out to a bumper crowd thanks to the five quid for a ticket promo.

Despite the fact that we have not lost since the trip to Orient, the slightly snidey way we've snatched wins and draws and winning games by the margin of the odd goal does seem to have the doom and gloom merchants creeping out from behind those rocks they seem to have been hiding under so far this season.

However we are still picking up points and retaining a decent enough lead at the summit and and even plumper cushion between ourselves and the play off places.

It's absolutely no secret and no surprise that on occasion Sir Chris has been tactically naive with his selection choice.  But we do need to appreciate that he is only just a year into his career as a manager. And we are still top.

The result tomorrow is of particular importance, with two sticky away games against Chesterfield and Bournemouth on the horizon, and it will be both vital that we pick up all three points AND more importantly play the way we all know this team is capable of.

According to the club website there is a good chance of seeing both Solly and Jackson return to the team. (If Solly's illness was the winter bug that me and the family have just been subjected to I sympathise. It was messy!

I think it's important to appreciate and remember how far we have fallen so quickly. Appreciate the fact that we have a young, intelligent and I think rising star of a manager. Enjoy a season like nothing we've seen for many a year.  The form hasn't really gone away. It's dipped a bit, but we are still picking up those vital points and not losing games.

My biggest worry is that WHEN we are promoted bigger clubs sniffing around our crown jewels; Solly, Wiggins, Yan the Man (my player of the year) and Jackson.

We will win and win well tomorrow. Stevenage lost at Notts County this week and I think that with one eye on the big trip to White Hart Lane the purple patch for the team from Hertfordshire will come to an end.

Charlton 3 Stevenage 0

Tuesday 14 February 2012

Game on...at last!

So after two weeks of absolutely no football for Charlton, as we wave goodbye (hopefully) to the cold snap in the rear view mirror, we now face four matches in just eleven days.

Following on from the dissapointing result against Bury we face Milton Keynes this evening, in what will be a real test against a very physical but good footballing side. It does seem of late that the MK manager is developing a bit of a chip on his shoulder and has got into more than one spate with various match officials and opposing managers or players.

It will be interesting to see what effect the enforced break has had on the players. Refreshed after a chance to sharpen up and re charge their batteries? Or out of sorts due to the lack of pitch time?

With the character our lot have shown on the bigger days this season I'm expecting a performance with sleeves rolled up and another three points toward promotion. (maybe even a goal from BWP ?)


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