Saturday 17 August 2013

First six pointer coming up ...

A big game ahead this afternoon, after only two league games suprisingly, as we travel to Barnsley.

The fact we have only recently hammered them at their place fills me with dread that we'll be on the wrong end this time. This is further compounded by the fact that Doncaster won last night and Millwall play at home to fellow strugglers elect Huddersfield.

We could see ourselves rock bottom come five o clock this afternoon. And as much as you can ride the wave of enthusiasm picking up points through good runs and getting that winning mentality; you just as easily fail again and really get into that rut of low confidence that saw us relegated twice in recent years.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not totally doom and gloom - regardless of the rumours and reportage coming from a variety of well informed and respected writers regarding our current internal problems at the club. We do have pretty much the same playing squad that proved we can on our day match pretty much anyone in this division. What we really need today is a big performance from those who dazzled last term, and more importantly some points on the board.

It's a game that when pre season targets were being set I would imagine SCP would hav hoped for at least a point.

I've a feeling that the ever cautious Powell will go 4-5-1 with Kermo up top. (Although I'd like to see him take a punt on Piggot). Hopefully Hughes will come into a five man midfield with Harriot and Wilson providing some width. The other two Pritchard and maybe Stephens.

Jackson missing due to 'a knock' makes me wonder whether we're now in advanced negotiations regarding his sale. What a furore that would see?

I'll be crossing everything and wearing my lucky pants, socks, shorts and t shirt and egging us on to grab all three points whatever way we can.

Saturday 10 August 2013

...Insipid Charlton beaten by Boro



I wish i'd kept my mouth shut now.

Defeat is something we have to face up to with dignity when we support a football team. However the nature of the defeat can sometimes make this a tad more difficult to do.

Today, pretty much to a man, we were dreadful. Defensively we were abysmal. Considering this has been one of our strong points since the doors started revolving at The Valley it is a big worry.

I know and appreciate that no one gets relegated after only two games, but there will need to be a big improvement if we are to stay in this division, and stop crowds really plummeting. 14,800 odd supporters today is not the sort of attendance that will help us financially with the new ffp rules.

The goal was gifted by two minutes of shambolic defending, and there was also a back pass that we really should not have got away with. (Thankyou for rubbish ref's).

Our passing and movement was not up to scratch. To many times players ran into the wrong space, didn't run at all or passed to blue shirts or empty spaces. It was a bit like watching the blind football at the Olympics, but without the skill!

I suppose if I were to look for positives it would be Harriot, boy can he run and is tenacious, Gower looked promising for me and Church played with intent.

Kermi looks like he's spent the summer enjoying a bit too much smelly cheese back home and Sorrdell was full of running but very little else.

When Stephens came on it did seem to add a bit of spark, for about ten minutes and then he was back to his usual self. (I still can't understand why we didn't bite Villas hand off).

On the plus side Millwall lost again so are below us on goal difference. Off to Barnsley, where we really will need a performance and a result to kick start our season.

Cheers.

Friday 9 August 2013

...Charlton to take on the mighty Boro - and win big!

I can't wait for tomorrow. Tony Mowbray brings his Middlesborough side to The Valley, hopefully to eat a nice big slice of 'umble pie. (I won't mince my words, after his comments last season after we got a draw at their place the word mug springs to mind).

Last seasons 1-4 home defeat was my late fathers last game as a Charlton supporter (although he wasn't there in person he was pretty dammed close - QEII Hospital.) So the first game of the season, along with me taking his seat under my name as a season ticket holder will be even bigger for me than the usual first home game of the season.

Apparently Boro are so big that they can actually start rewriting results, so they should have a pretty good season. http://www.mfc.co.uk/page/matches/first-team-table

According to the clubs official website everyone else got it wrong and they actually didn't lose 1-2 at home to Leicester City http://www.mfc.co.uk/page/matches/first-team-fixtures but actually won two nil and are now sitting third after one game.

Now that is the kind of spin that even our very own communications department would be proud of! (If the Boro website realises it's mistake and the correct result shows when you click through to the link I assure you that at 7.20pm on Friday night they believed on their website they won 2-0).

Hopefully if they carry on with this policy then they'll be top of the league and reporting a rousing '5-0' victory on Saturday night.

It's so hard this early to make any kind of prediction, but i'm going to anyway. Because of all of the important things that are linked to tomorrows game for me, I feel supremley optimistic the lads won't let me/us down. It's gonna be goals, goals, goals at The Happy Valley. Charlton 6 Boro 1.

Come ooooooooooooooooooon youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuureeeeeeeeeds!

Friday 2 August 2013

I'm so excited i could crush a grape...come you reeeeeds...

It's here. Not sure about everyone else, but hasn't it come round quick?  (Especially considering how quiet the close season was).

Interestingly SCP was quoted on the BBC website banging on about how we 'overachieved' last season. Like most of what drivel has come out of the club via the official site it does all really smell (stink) of club based spin driven to keep the (simple and unimportant) supporters quiet (how little the powers that be know us lot!). Honesty being the best policy in my opinion they should just 'fess up' and say thing are tight and we've got to cut our cloth.

On a more positive note I really do feel quietly confident about this season. I've no expectation that we're going to run away with the league, or even sneak through the play off's. But what I do know is that we have a great group of players who have a respect and comrade re with the management team.

We have a group of young players who are coming through and being bigged up (more spin, am I becoming cynical?) by the management. If the example of Callum Harriot is repeated (who I think will be a star this season - think Paul Walsh, who was 17 when he first made a BIG impact) then we have several reasons to be cheerful.

The big question is how will we line up tomorrow. It's going to pan out one of two ways as far as I see it. With the first the most likley.

4-5-1 with Yann up top, Harriot and Green on the flanks and Hollands/Stephens/Pritchard. Jackson and Gower in the centre. Solly and Whiggins at full back and Morrison (#cafc legend in the making) aand Cort in the centre. Hamer of course in between the sticks.

The other alternative is Prtich backed up to the bench and Sordell up front in a four four two (a formation SCP does seem to like).

I'm going to make a bold and silly match prediction for this one. (It is the first game of the season though, so allow me that) 451 to start, finishing on 442, 4-1 to Charlton with Yann getting one and Sordell claiming a hat trick.

As is always the case my predictions are often out there and often wrong, but i am feeling confident and excited and really cannot wait for it all to kick off tomorrow.

COME ON YOU REDS...