Charlton follow Cardiff and Hull in rebranding the club name...now to be known as Charlton Nil...

It's been a while, lifes been a tad busy, what can I say.

Perhaps i've found it difficult as the only things that really could be said would have been pretty negative this last month (with the exception of the Leicester result, which now is looking more and more like a bit of a fluke from us and bad day at the office for the foxes). And dare I criticise SCP.

A lacklustre display by pretty much the whole team (and i'm not buying Jackson was up for it, he may well have been - but it doesn't mean he didn't also have a stinker!)

The crowd today were understandably subdued. From the get go the game plan seemed to be pass back, pass sideways and pass back then hoof it upto to the unfortunate and awful debutante Piggott.

Church for all his charging around looked lacking in skills or cutting edge, the midfield to a man, were woeful and lacked idea's and any intent.

We were well beaten by a very average looking Millwall side who never really had to break a sweat.

Our tactics looked tactless and once again Sir Chris left it far too late to make any changes. Those who came on had a bit more about them, but the in-cohesive look of this team of players currnetly was never going to be effective, and lets all be honest with ourselves, had we nicked anything from this game it would have been entirely undeserved.

Kermo would not have made a difference today. We simply were not good enough!

Personally i think we need to go back to basics. I think 4-4-1-1 with Harriott, Jackson, Hughes and Pritchard across the middle, Kermo up top and the lad from Hull City sitting free behind him.

We've won one game playing 3-5-2. It ain't working. A long hard season ahead i'm afraid.

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.

...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.

...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!

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...

Winge, winge, winge...

I was kind of waiting for the late transfer flurry and end of pre-season to post any kind of comment on the close and pre season.

It's been a pretty quite one for sure. Besides lots of recriminations from fellow Addicks over the lack of transfer activity and the antidote of the 'in Sir Chris we trust' brigade.

One thing is for sure is that we are extremely light in the striker department, with only the great Kermogant as our only recognised senior striker.

I think there are two realities we all need to come to terms with. 1. We simply ain't got much money and 2. The fair play rules are coming into force, thus we really do need to cut our cloth accordingly. Problem being that although there is no maximum wage bill the most important rule which can result in sanctions is that if the club owner DOES NOT inject equity into the coffers the maximum loss the club can make is just 3 million, which we all know based on recent accounts is entirely possible. The real irony of the new rules this season is that in the event that the owner DOES inject cash into the club then they can make up to a maximum loss of 8 million! (How is that fair?)

Simon Church got a run out against Ebbsfleet today, I've checked his goalscoring credentials out, and they're far from pretty reading.

I think playing Yann the Man up top on his own is one option, but you do need to have a bit more that and i've always found him most effective with a partner to take the heat off of him(and even then he ends up black and blue).

Many have expressed their relief that we have managed to keep hold of our key players, and there have been one or two nonsense rumours floating about. It's a while until the premier league season starts, and i'm sorry to say i wouldn't be surprised to see one of our crown jewels move on for money between our season starting and the Premier kicking off. I suppose the big question would be how much would go towards balancing the books and how much, if any, would be given to SCP to bolster or improve the squad.

I'll be taking my son to Princes Park on Tuesday night to see a Charlton eleven take on Dartford, and would not be surprised to see one or two free agents get a run out.


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...It all starts here

...So the boys travel to Park View Road today to begin the pre-season friendly programme.

You'd usually like to see any new personnel on board by now so player combinations can be tried and tested before a competitive ball is kicked in anger, but this term this just isn't going to be the case.

Much has been said about lack of signings but as I've said before, we've got we've got both in terms of players and money so we'd better get on with it.

It would seem that from last seasons success we have a good development squad and young players, and it could actually work in our favor for these players to come through hungry and with a real chance of making a name for themselves and challenging for a first team place.

If the case is that we're not going to see any or many new faces incoming then we'll need a strong pre season where the key will be getting match fit and integrating those young players who are making the step up into the first team squad and creating a competitive nature where no player feels they are a shoe in for a first team start.

I'm guessing we'll see most of our first team from last season start along with the couple of trialists we have up front and in defence starting and then making way for some of the young blood in the second half. Piggott and Jordan I think will almost certainly get a run out.

It'll be a good day out in the sunshine and I think some of those more negative among us will be pleasantly surprised by a fresh performance and some maturing youngsters stepping up.

It's now the excitement begins and we can start dreaming of a good campaign.