Duchalet finally breaks... he's gone f***ng mental!

Following on from Rolands idea being floated at last nights fans forum of the EFL buying Charlton these two items have now been added to the clubs website.

Buy Charlton demands owner

Owner Overview

Okay, i couldn't say for sure that the latter is new, but I've certainly not seen it before.

It strikes me after the last few days we are entering the end game.  Whatever that may entail.  It certainly seems after events on his home soil that Duchalets staying power is finally evaporating into a desperate last attempt at proving he has not been a complete and utter fucking failure at running a football club effectively.

If we do go up this season via the play offs, what Bowyer and his back room staff and team would have pulled off would be nothing short of miraculous. (I do however feel that with all that is going on behind the scenes along with the obstructive environment that management have to work within - promotion is unlikely).

I'm at the point where Duchalet throwing the towel in, administration, points deduction and one more season in League One - under sensibly ambitious stewardship, is beginning to look appealing.

The schmuck has to go! One way or another.

Charlton fail to capitalise with extra man...

A hugely frustrating afternoon at The Valley saw a Charlton side without either of their top strikers due to suspension of one and Duchalets cashing in of the other fall short against an unskilfull Southend United.

Having taken the lead against the run of play and then had a player sent off you’d have thought the extra man may help a lively Charlton team jog on to three points.

Bowyer moved to a back three in the second half introducing new boy Parker to the fray. Who impressed and it could have been a different story had he had decent foil to play off of him up front.

Charlton mounted wave after wave of attacks. Ben Reeves equaliser one would have thought would be the start of an expected come back. But for a mixture of the ineffectual Fosu, Marshall and Vetokele saw the ball end up pretty much every where else but on the target. This alongside some roughing up of mainly Marshall and some of the worst time wasting I’ve seen for a long time from Southend and The Valley faithful had to trudge home both frustrated and disappointed.

I’ll be interested to see how Parker and Taylor hook up next Saturday. It will be a very different dynamic to the type of partnership Lyle enjoyed with Grant. On the face of it Parker is the kind of forward who will knock down into Taylors path and hold the ball up for the wingers bombing on through.

Onwards and upwards.

Footnote. ‘I said ooh aah Nabby Sarr...I said ooh aah Nabby Sarr!’ What a revelation.

Oh please Monsieur Duchelet...do one!!!

As yet another transfer window passes under the Duchalet regime, this one more than any other epitomises what a stark and ineffectual period this has been for the club.

I was waiting to return to blogging about my favourite club until the takeover had taken place, as I was fed up with just posing pretty negative stuff. But having been sold a puppy for a third time now. This time via James White on the radio I figured I may as well get back on the bike. Otherwise it seems like I’d be waiting for hell to freeze over.

Grant going, based on the current form of his partnership with Lyle Taylor, was hugely disappointing. As was the 11th hour signing of his replacement, the slightly ageing Journeyman Josh Parker. We are extremely light upfront, and with the way Taylor likes to put himself about I have no doubt he will spend more time on the naughty step suspended as the season reaches its finale. 

The lack of decent and experienced back up in strikers certainly told on Saturday. And what about the blow to general morale losing one part of the most prolific Charlton goal scoring partnership in years? Can’t help.

I feel for Bowyer. What he has managed to achieve to date with no budget in comparison to our competitors speaks volumes for his motivational skills.

And so on to Saturday. We welcome back to The Valley Sir Chris. I know some get a bit fed up with the Sir Chris brigade banging on about the past. But I wonder what would have happened if he’d been backed and allowed to do his own thing?

One thing I do know, I hope he goes home with no points after being given a warm welcome by the Addicks home supporters.

Youngsters do Charlton proud...

Charlton followed on from last weeks dissapointment at The Stadium of Light by notching their first win and three points of the season.

We even actually managed to get six bodies on the bench.

In all honesty, and this isn’t me be over critical, it was a game contested by what looked like two very average third division sides.  Pluses were Lapslie (again) and Morgan who came on at half time for the ineffectual Marshall.

No one could fault the application of the team, there was just a lacking spark throughout the pitch. The win being the result of lots of hard work as opposed to skill.

Naby Sarr (the legend) did a decent enough job, he would however I think be well exposed by better opposition.

It is early days, once we get the long list of injured back, if we avoid any more injuries I can certainly see us improving on last seasons sixth place. Espiecially if Taylor and Grant continue to grow together and get goals.

Who knows, we may even finally see the takeover finally happen and few decent loan signings coming in. It’s hard work being a Charlton supporter at the moment, but i’ll Keep on keeping on in the hope that things will finally change behind the scenes.

The season ahead...

So the season is nearly upon us. Still no sign of any takeover. Various musings, rumours and sound bites on social media platforms, press speculation, and forums; but no actual solid news. Good or bad.

An unbeaten pre season must be good for moral amongst the team, but gives no real indication of how we will fair over the next year and a bit.

Players have been sold at bargain basement prices leaving a threadbare squad further depleted by injuries.

The bookies have us as one of the favourites for promotion, I don’t see it myself based on our current circumstances. That is unless we see an example similar to that shown by Leicester City a couple of seasons ago. (Us punching well above our current weight.)

I really don’t want to sound negative, but I just can’t see us pushing for promotion this season. An unprecedented fourth season in the third division being the outcome.

In Bowyer I do think we have a manager, who working within a normal situation and environment (which he isn’t) could succeed.

I think we could get off to a good start, Bowyer does seem to have the Knack of polishing a turd down to a fine art form. But, with our small squad, lack of quality in certain areas of the pitch and all of the uncertainty in the background just cannot see us sustaining momentum and challenging throughout the whole season. Mid table at best.

Add to all this CARDS threat of restarting the protests and making The Valley the toxic place it was season before last.

It’s going to be yet another rollercoaster of a season in SE7. My personal opinion would be to get behind the players and the manager, create a siege mentality at home, and ignore the idiot who has driven us to this point and hope for a change of ownership, sooner rather than later.

COYR

Fakeover News...

Well there is none is there!

Its now nearly a week since the reported 'deadline' set by Duchalet, and nothing but daily banal news coming from the official site. Going through the moitions of trying to keep a fastly dissapating fanbases interest.

Rather foolishly, in a moment of excitement rallied on by claims a takeover was imminent, not only did i renew me and my sons season tickets but i took on additional one for my daughter who has begun to show an interest. I've never had much luck when it comes to taking a punt.

Numerous players have returned to their parent clubs, along with the annual sale of a potential crown jewel and only one new player has come in.

On the face of it, IF we see a miracle and have zero injuries or suspensions all season, the first eleven can compete in this league. But we all know thats not going to happen.

A threadbare squad it is then, subsidised by some of the better players from the under 23 team.

Still i'll be there come the start of the season cheering the mighty Addicks on.

I just really hope something does happen and i'm proved entirley wrong. Wouldn't be the first time.

...Decisions, decisions...

My frustration is mounting as we wait for the much mooted takeover to happen.

Strangely decisions seem to be getting made at the club, large and small, regardless of the fact that we have currently no Full Time Manager, no Finance Director, no CEO.

The decision was made to open the club shop over the weekend to try and knock out some merchandise whilst we still had the hope of a Wembley appearance via the play off's.

The decision was made to take season ticket off of the market, and then re-release them still at the early bird pricing. (However they have not yet been put back to market).

The decision to extend Harry Lennon's contract.

The decision on who to release and keep going into next season. (I would imagine that at the moment, anyone out of contract will go. Surely?  With no one in control from a footballing point of view.

The only decision i'm really interested in at the moment is the one that involves Duchalet and whoever our new owner will be signing the bloody contracts and transferring ownership of the club  across.  Whoever does come in will surely bring an improvement on the last four years. Won't they???