That was the truimphant chant of the Covered End as Charlton beat Leyton Orient 3-1 at The Valley today. Relegation gloomsters hurried to re-write their stories as the Addicks recovered from a first half deficit.
It was very much a game of two halves with Charlton playing poorly in the first half. However, they were much more dominant in the second half with Benson's equaliser followed by a goal gifted to Bradley Wright-Phillips by Orient keeper Jamie Jones. Semedo then scored Charlton's third with a well-taken header.
Charlton actually started the first half well, but it was more about possession than penetration. Orient were going in for a curious back passing game. As Steve from Petts Wood commented, it was like Brighton without the quality. We thought that we should be putting their keeper, who looked like a potential comedy turn, under more pressure.
Instead it was Orient who provided the first real pressure with three corners in succession, the first given away softly by Solly. Fortunately, Charlton were eventually awarded a free kick to ease the pressure.
Then the midfield gave the ball away unnecessarily and Orient were given a chance they took advantage of. While the Charlton defence stood still, Scott McGleish was given the opportunity to slot the ball in the net to score his 200th career goal. All credit to McGleish for the way in which has perservered with his career. Some thought that there was a hint of offside, but I thought the goal should stand.
Racon and then Parrett won corners for Charlton, but they were unproductive. At the end of the half, Orient stormed through again but the shot went over the bar.
Half time: Addicks 0, Orient 1
Five minutes into the half Racon put in a great shot Jones parried the volley from Wright-Phillips, but Benson scored. Parrett then put in a good free kick and we thought that Benson was sure to put the ball in the net, but Jones pulled off a great save. Racon then put in a great shot, but the keeper was able to tip the ball over the bar.
On 70 minutes, against the run of play, Smith put a header in the net and East London went delerious. Fortunately the referee had put his contact lenses in and disallowed the goal for a shove on Llera, although the Orient manager claims it never happened.
Jones then threw the ball straight out to Wrighgt-Phllips who took advantage of the one on one to make it 2-1. The referee then made a strange decision in awarding a free kick on the goalline for an alleged back pass, but fortunately it was cleared. Smith picked up a yellow card for a foul. Wright-Phillips picked up an injury and Eccleston came on.
For once a Charlton corner led to a goal. The impressive Stewart set up Semedo to head the ball into the net to make it 3-1. It was the Portugeezer's first goal at The Valley.
In the four minutes added on, Charlton lived dangerously with both Dean Cox and Stephen Dawson hitting the bar. Orient won a free kick in front of the 'D', but Nouble went on a one man run all the way up the pitch. Wagstaff picked up a late and foolish yellow card.
On the train an Orient supporting couple had an argument about who was more miserable, ending with one of them calling the other a rude name.
Match analysis
Ivy the Terrible had some difficulty in awarding the Silver Bone as there was no player who was consistently good across the match as a whole. However, she decided that a popular choice would be Jose Semedo whose song was sung outside the ground after the match. He and his team mates showed real delight at his goal as he saluted the Covered End. Elliot had some moments of poor judgement, but he wasn't tested that much by Orient. Dailly forged forward well, often running a considerable distance with the ball and he also did his job in defence. Not all the long distance balls by Llera worked but he certainly tried his best.
Solly had his moments, combining well with Wagstaff and there was little to fault in his performance. Bessone was not very prominent and we sometimes seemed to lack cover on the left but that was probably more to do with the absence of a natural left winger. Wagstaff made some good runs down the right, but he did not create that much. In the first half Racon often looked as if he was not interested but he improved considerably in the second half and provided an excellent cross for the equaliser. Parrett was energetic and committed. Benson tried to put himself about, but he is still sometimes too static for my taste, but he did score the equaliser. Wright-Phillips did what he does well.
Stewart impressed Steve from Petts Woods who thought he was a calming influence and he set up Semedo's goal. Eccleston had limited time to impress and Nouble even less.
Hiss of the Match Juneau the Soccer Cat thought that referee S Hooper did not take command of the match and was far too tolerant of time-wasting by Orient in the first half.
10 comments:
Wyn,
As aggravating as you must find it to have other fans put across a less optimistic view than you, I’m sure those of us that thought we were bad enough to be in trouble this year find it as aggravating each time you hint at the fact that you think we like it.
For the record, I have hated every minute of Powell’s reign. This is no reflection on the man himself, but I thought we won four games that we should, probably, have lost and have, since then, looked the poorest Charlton side since I started watching the team 30 years ago.
I never wanted us to be relegated.
I am not, in the slightest, disappointed that we won today. Nor am I disappointed that we will not be dragged into a relegation dog fight.
I always go to games hoping that we will win.
I never get any satisfaction, at all, when we lose.
Sometimes things go against us, and I predicted that we might be relegated in 2007 – I didn’t want it then either. I predicted that we would be relegated in 2009 – I didn’t want it then either.
Today, as much as it looks like you took satisfaction to knock those of us that suggested that we could be in real trouble this season, my feelings were of relief. As much as you don’t like it, and to be fair to you, you have been proved right, I genuinely thought we were going to fall further and further down the table.
I am not hurrying to re-write my story. The fact that we have 53 points does, indeed, make relegation almost impossible, but it doesn’t change the fact that I, and some others, thought that we were not safe until today.
Anyway I’m glad we won today, and I’m glad it gave it gave you the opportunity to gloat, but might I remind you that last season you were the blog that was convinced that we would finish mid-table while the rest of us thought that we would make the playoffs, or do better.
I don’t remember gloating last season when we finished 4th.
So did you enjoy dowie & les reed's tenure more than cp? Or what about parky''s 20 odd games without a win? The last few weeks haven't been pleasant but cheer up a bit...please! The 2nd half was awesome today.
In answer to your question ac, Dowie's reign was ok, won two and drew two of twelve, in the Premier League, somewhat better than the recent run of 1 win and three draws in twelve in the 3rd division. When Dowie left we were one win from getting out of the bottom three, in the Premier League.
Les Reed was out of his depth, but he managed one win and one draw out of seven, still a better average than the last 12 games, and, again, it was in the Premier League.
The twenty game run without a win in 2008/09 that you referred to was, in actual fact, eighteen games, and Pardew was the manager for the first 8 games, of which we managed to draw three (three draws in eight is still better than three draws in eleven – and it’s a higher division.) Parkinson managed the next ten games without a win (still less than eleven – and a division higher), and we drew three of those ten, so a much beter performance than the eleven games before today.
What makes this season, and especially the games since Powell came in, the worst I've seen is the fact that we are in the 3rd division, and we have performed well in something like four games out of sixteen, and not for a full 90 minutes in any of them.
You just can't compare the football, performances and the results against Exeter, Carlisle and Brentford to Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool and Spurs. You just can't compare them at all.
"Cheer up a bit, please" ?
Maybe the second half was entertaining, and I did, indeed, come away from The Valley feeling very satisfied today, but to beat Orient to record out first win in twelve in the 3rd division is hardly sufficient reason to break out the Champagne, at least not in my opinion.
"You just can't compare the football, performances and the results against Exeter, Carlisle and Brentford to Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool and Spurs. You just can't compare them at all."
And yet that's just what you've done. The main reason you can't compare is that our current squad cost about £500K. Our team in the Premier League cost significantly more. By virtue of the fact we are in a lowly position in League 1 and previously we were only a lowly premier league team, you are right that this is a worse team. This is hardly news to any of us.
Since Curbs left, arguably since Parker left, Charlton have been in decline. We all know that but the pessimistic atmosphere around the club is has had a detrimental effect on the players and club as a whole. It is self-propogating to constantly be pessimistc. It pervades the crowd, the management and ultimately the players. As fans, as supporters, i.e. people who want to support the club we should try to be slightly more optimistic.
Stop harking back to the Premier League. This sense of entitlement is compounding the club's misery and creating an unfair expectation on a squad that was built on a shoestring. Face facts. What has happened, has happened, now get behind the team, stop booing the players and making the place miserable. People who are promoting this positive outlook do not have blind faith in the club, they merely wish to support the club and accept that prolonging the gloom is detrimental to everyone associated with the club.
Chris Powell needs the opportunity of a transfer window and a pre-season. Then he can be fairly judged. The board has a seven year plan and that is a realistic timescale for recovery. But I do think that a bit less gloom and doom from the fans would help.
It's quite obvious Chris Powell is going to get a 'transfer window and pre-season' The new board put him in place and were unable to do anything else but stick with him. Despite what was happening.
Ask yourself this 'how many managers at how many clubs would have survived 3 points from 33'
Yesterday's win virtually secures third division football,again.
I guess right now,that's cause for celebration. But i've watched this team since 1968, therefore i've seen them in the third division before. But i can't remember so many gutless, incompetent performances as we've seen this season.
Don't let one win cover up what has been happening. Tuesday we visit Southampton, any sort of performance there and i may begin to believe we can 'turn the corner'
After what we've been through over the last few years, it's hardly surprising some of our fans are pissed off.....In fact it's more of a surprise some of them aren't!
Conceited much?
KHA what in Wyn's post leads you to believe his comments are addressed to you? It's apparent that the notion that others might have differing opinions and views to your own is far more aggravating to you, otherwise why so hurt?
3 points from 33 is indeed relegation form and the worst in the division by some distance. Fortunately Parky's tenure had banked plenty of points, then Powell had his honeymoon run of luck before he got so badly found out. Neither of you address the absence of Johnnie Jackson and the catastrophic effect it has had on performances and results - not just because we have lost a player playing below his proper level but also because CP has been so completely stumped by how to paper over that particular crack.
I'm hopeful that yesterday will restore a little confidence, for confidence was the deciding factor in the game. Orient were brimming with it for most of the first half. Jamie Jones's successive blunders evaporated their brio and at the same time stoked up Charlton's, who, with renewed vim, played without fear, matched and then squarely won the match. Attention has been drawn to Orient's chances towards the end of the game, but they had only been kept in it earlier by 2 excellent saves from the eratic Jones.
Cheer up indeed, even Southampton on Tuesday night aren't really that good. We are almost definitely safe, SCP's staying til next season whether we like it or not and the sun shone on a home win - what's not to like
I'm enjoying this...it's like the good old days with Frankie Valley!
As someone who raised concerns over CP's appointment & felt more than justified soon after, strangely, I now find myself feeling more positive.
Although the results leave a lot to be desired, over the last couple of weeks you can see that he is trying to get the Team play more of a passing game. How many seasons now have we been moaning about how dreadful the football at the Valley has been. If Powell gets it right we should see a more entertaining & hopefully successful Team. Unfortunately some of the players he inherited are just not good enough & I suspect Parkinson realised this, which is why he adopted a different approach.
I'm now prepared to wait & see what CP does during the summer & how we start next season before I make my final judgement.
Dowie was useless and would have dragged us down more. Give chris Powell a chance and let him get mus playing football again. Don't remember much of that in the Dowie years.
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