The Drinking During the Game blog has made the point that everything seems a bit flat at the moment. A 1-1 away draw at Tranmere is not a platform for a 'Parky out' campaign, but nor is it anything to get excited about.
The automatic promotion places seem to be slipping away from us, but then it's a much more fluid division last year. If we can claim all six points in our next two home matches, then we could be in contention again.
Meanwhile, let's look back at sepia tinged memories of better times. I have recently been reading Football Nation an excellent history of the post-war game in England. Very sensibly, the authors structure their opening narrative in part around Charlton and in particular the first proper post-war cup final between Derby and the Addicks.
They start with the story of the Glikstens taking over Charlton. Much of the story is familiar enough, but there are a few anecdotes I hadn't heard before (or perhaps had heard or read and forgotten).
Four of the six houses owned by Charlton in Blackheath so when 'Sailor' Brown returned from the war there was nowhere for him to live. He put in a transfer request. Clearly matters were sorted out somehow or other.
Sam Bartram is described as a 'Burt Lancaster type figure'. Apparently, he was once asked to test protective headgear for a crash helmet manufacturer.
Charlton were allocated just 12,000 tickets for the final, although 98,215 attended. There were no supporters' clubs to aid the distribution of tickets and no voucher system. Successful applicants had to bring their identity cards with them.
I'm off to the States tomorrow, so I will miss the game against the Daggers and will be too jet lagged to attend the one against MK Dons. If we can get six points out if them, we should be in a much better position in the league in just over a week's time.
6 comments:
Wyn - am i missing something? Whilst i would acknowledge the performances have not been great to date .. we are only 3 points from the top of the league .. a bit early to say automatic promotion is getting away from us isnt it .. personally i dont think the table means too much until ten games gone ... by which time the team may well be playing with a bit more fluency. Would we rather go six unbeaten, lead and then fall away ... sound familiar?
Good points, perhaps I am a being a bit too pessimistic. Let's be a surprise package as the season develops.
It will be impossible for us to get out of this division unless we get a creative midfield player . All the other areas of the team, defense , defensive midfield , wingers and attack are OK.
There is no one to switch play , beat a man make a forward pass drive the team forward . A charlie Adam, a wes hoolihan, a graham stuart, a dick tydeman , an andy reid , a danny murphy , shall I go on
Racon is the only one who canplay in that position and he's actually useless ( and often a liability defensively too !)
Needless to say central midfield playmakers are few and far between in this division. If they're good enough to show creativity they are usually snapped up pretty sharply. Last year we had Shelvey who didn't help too much. Racon is the standard of playmaker you can expect in League 1. He's not consistent, he's not brilliant but he clearly has at least some footballing ability. To get out this league we need to be a solid team, hard to beat and hopefully find ourselves a reliable goalscorer. Illusions of flair players in the middle of the pitch is a bit far fetched for League 1.
Whilst it would be nice to have a Glen Hoddle or Jan Molby in the middle, I think our terrific wingers; Reed and Wagstaff more than make up for the creative vacuum left in the middle of the park. What we have lacked since Bent left is a consistant goal scorer. Somehow I don't thing we'll see Twenty Benson live up to his promise, but I live in hope. Maybe Akpo will start scoring. Pavel looks like a strike support partner rather than an out and out striker. Bailey was our top scorer last year, remember!
I'm sure I shouldn't get annoyed about this stuff , but the last 2 comments really hack me off .
The fact is you do need a decent creative midfielder to get you out of this division.Norwich & Leeds and to some extent Millwall proved it last year. Benson is not a bloke who is going to score loads of headed goals from wingers crosses,
he needs some forward passes from a central, midfielder too
Wake up guys !!
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