Buyens goes to Genk

Yoni Buyens is leaving Standard Liege twelve months before the expiry of his contract and joining Genk on a four year deal: Yoni Buyens

He missed family and friends in Belgium when he was at Charlton: Buyens interview

Buyens may be staying in SE7

Yoni Buyens may make his move to Charlton permanent: Yoni Buyens

Buyens came from the mother ship after some difficulties there, but is enjoying his time in SE7 and working under Guy Luzon.

His record at penalties is 100 per cent this year, but this will not impress the 'penalties don't count' school. He started the season well, but then his form slipped. Let us hope that it is returning with a confidence boost from his first goal in open play.

Buyens brace helps Charlton to victory

Two often criticised Charlton players got the goals in a 3-2 win over Reading at The Valley. Yoni Buyens scored from a penalty and from open play and Simon Church got the third. Having gone ahead in the first half, the Royals scored an injury time goal. Apparently, this is the first time we've done the double over Reading since 1980-81. Charlton are now top of the form table.

Solly was injured in the warm up, so Diarra had to replace him and Gomez moved to right back as Charlton faced Reading at The Valley. Vetokele was not in the team or on the bench and Chris Eagles accompanied Watt up front.

Good work from Tony Watt won the first corner of the game. Gudmundsson’s shot from a training ground move was just wide of the goal.

A shot from Eagles flashed wide after being he was supplied by Watt.

Charlton threatened again, but Reading dealt with it. Reading counter attacked and Pogrebnyak got past Johnson and the visitors won a corner.

With ten minutes gone, the Addicks applied pressure with some good build up play.

Charlton won another corner through pressure from Watt. The ball was cleared, but Charlton retained possession and kept up the pressure. Mackie hit the side netting for Reading, but was offside anyway.

Charlton were looking comfortable in possession with some good passing football.

On twenty minutes Charlton won another corner, but it was unproductive.

Gomez stabbed away a ball that came into the box. Charlton counter attacked, but then Reading broke and Morgan Fox put his body in the way, referee Deadman raised no objection to the body check.

Reading started to get a foothold in the game and Charlton had to slow the pace down a little.

Roger Johnson got a yellow card for a foul on Mackie on the edge of the box, it was a fair booking. The ball went out for a goal kick to derisive whistles.

Charlton were marking their men well and closing them down effectively. They were not letting Reading get crosses in to the big men up front. Diarra put in a superbly timed tackle.

Watt was impeded by Hector and there were loud shouts from the Addickted, but referee Deadman was oblivious.

Morgan Fox covered back well. The game had evened up after Charlton had enjoyed the upper hand in the opening period. Charlton needed a goal.

Reading won a surprising corner, Guy Luzon was not happy, nor was the crowd.

Henderson had to put in good work after the ball hit Roger Johnson. On 39 minutes the ball came in from Obita and Pogrebnyak put the ball beyond Henderson. It was a straightforward finish to make it 0-1 to Reading.

A confident Reading won a corner. Cousins hooked the ball high in the air. Then the ball hit the roof of the East Stand and went over (I have seen that in a reserve game).

Reading won a free kick, but it was unproductive. One minute was added on. Reading did not look too strong at the back, but Charlton had not troubled them enough except in the early part of the half.

Half time: Addicks 0, Royals 1

In a good move Tony Watt put the ball just over the bar for Charlton.

An on target effort by Buyens hit a defender. The corner was unproductive for Charlton. The Addicks kept up the pressure, causing chaos in the Reading defence. The keeper made a save from Eagles.

Then Reading put on some pressure and won a corner. Henderson leapt and caught the ball. Norwood got a yellow card.

Hector used his left arm under pressure from Tony Watt. He received a yellow card and the penalty was awarded. The reliable penalty taker Buyens put the ball in the roof of the net to make it 1-1.

Gunter was in space and fired in a shot but it hit the shins of Johnson. Charlton counter attacked strongly but the ball went over the bar from Eagles. Charm merchant Norwood went off and Karacan came on.

A shot from Gudmundsson were straight into the arms of Frederici in the Reading goal.

The ball came into the box but Henderson reached up and grabbed it. Watt fired in a shot that went straight into the arms of Frederici.

Eagles came off to warm applause and Simon Church came on to applause from the Reading fans. Gomez put a great ball in and Buyens scored to make it 2-1.

Church had the goal at its mercy but the keeper made a great save.

Charlton won a corner through Bulot. The Addicks kept up the pressure. Watt got round his man, after great work by Church, but the keeper made a good save. Watt delivered the ball and Simon Church scored on 79 minutes with a simple tap in to make it 3-1.

Gomez read a dangerous situation very well and snuffed it out. Reading made a substitution with Robson-Kanu going off and Stacey coming on.

Danny Williams was getting booked for handbags with Watt, who also got a yellow card. Williams then said something to Darren Deadman and got sent off.

Tony Watt came off to enthusiastic applause and was replaced by Christophe Lepoint. He made a good move, but was caught offside.

Five minutes were added on. Reading got their second goal to make it 3-2. Pogrebynak scored from very close range. Reading had a late soft free kick against Johnson on the edge of the box. Hendo gathered the ball and the final whistle went.

Charlton stay 11th, below Blackburn on goal difference.

Derek from Dymchurch says, 'The problem with this Luzon is we never score more than three goals and we nearly got caught out today.

Winning run comes to an end

Charlton's winning run came to an end today with a 1-3 home defeat at the hands of Blackburn Rovers. This is the third time we have been defeated by Rovers this season. The difference between the two teams was the skill and guile of Jordan Rhodes and defensive weaknesses on the part of Charlton. In particular, the returning Tal Ben Haim had a mare.

The initial play was balanced between the two teams, but Rovers then scored with a well executed poacher's goal, starting with a quickly taken throw in, Rhodes doing the damage. An awful defensive error by Roger Johnson then led Rovers score their second through Conway.

Charlton applied some pressure for a while, but then Rovers came back into the game. In the two minutes added on, there was mayhem in front of the opposition's goal, with claims of handball.

In the second half, a foul on Vetokele led to the keeper getting a yellow card and Buyens scored from another well dispatched penalty on 56 minutes. Not long afterwards, the Addicks hit the bar with a Vetokele header and Watt had a good run on goal. However, Rhodes then scored a second with a header after a deflected shot from Taylor looped into the air to put the game beyond doubt.

There was a vociferous Belgian contingent in the far bottom corner of the West Stand (apparently they were from Gent). I heard Flemish being spoken on the train to London Bridge, but it turned out to be Dutch fans whose main aim was to find Marks & Spencers.

Charlton remain 12th in the table, but have slumped to 4th in the form table. The Bloke Behind Me reckons we will soon be in a relegation battle.

Player ratings

Henderson didn't really have a chance with the goals. Johnson was featured in the programme yesterday: it's bit like the manager of the month curse in my view, so that either the player doesn't appear at all or has a mare. He said 'The smallest error can cost you a goal' and he should know after yesterday. When both central defenders are below par you have a problem and Talal Ben Haim was caught out again and again. I would bring Gomez back for Blackpool beach.

Fox tries very hard, but he still lacks enough quality. Solly was below best. For the throw that led to the first goal, he should have let the ball go out and it would have been ours. He then sportingly handed it to the player who took the throw quickly and it went into the space where Solly should have been. Blackburn knew what they were doing in a well-worked move and Solly was caught out.

Cousins was outstanding for much of the match in my view, although he faded towards the end. He was putting himself about everywhere, showing good positional sense and poise and strength. His progress has been one of the pleasures of this season. Bulot put in some good crosses, but was eventually substituted, receiving polite applause. Gudmundsson did his best to create something, but to no avail. Buyens delivered the penalty well, I think it's now six out of six, but did not keep possession well.

The Football League Paper this morning describes Vetokele as a 'constant source of menace' and he was. Watt showed great skill on the ball and it's the shame that the shot from his run went just wide.

Eagles came on and did his best, but not enough to secure a contract. He was booed by the away fans as a former Bolton player. Church contributed some energetic running, but was not a game changer.

Another win for Charlton

Charlton's run of good form under coach Guy Luzon continued with a 2-1 win at Cardiff this afternoon.

The Addicks had to stage a second-half recovery. Keeper Stephen Henderson was unable to return after the break following a knock, Dmitrovic replacing him. Federico Macheda gave Cardiff the lead early in the second half, turning in Kenwyne Jones' knock-back.

But Addicks substitute Chris Eagles cut back a cross for Tony Watt, who was lurking off his markers to fire home. (In fact, it may have been Roger Johnson who put the cross in according to a tweet from Richard Cawley of the SLP). Then Charlton substitute Simon Church went tumbling under Sean Morrison's challenge in the area, with Yoni Buyens tucking the penalty away on 87 minutes.

Charlton remain 12th: in fact, there is quite a squeezed area in mid-tale with Birmingham 14th on 46 points and Sheffield Wednesday 10th with 49 points. They are, however, 2nd in the form table.

Millwall's troubles continued with a 1-4 defeat at home to Norwich. Beleaguered boss Ian Holloway was jeered by the Spanners every time he emerged from the dugout. Holloway decided to hunker down in his bunker, explaining 'I felt if I came out from the dugout the fans would vent their spleen on me and that would not benefit the team.' Looking for positives, he said, 'I felt the lads kept going and showed a Millwall spirit, but maybe I'm the only one in the ground who did.'

A Welsh report, not surprisingly, gives a more negative view of the game: Dominant Cardiff throw it away

However, the match stats do not really support a picture of dominance by the Bluebirds. Admittedly, they had a lot of shots off target, but led only four to three on shots on target and five to four on corners. Possession was 54-46 per cent in their favour.

This morning's Football League Paper gives its highest scores (8) to Tony Watt ('should have had a penalty') and Chris 'Red Robin' Eagles who replaced Lepoint on 60 minutes and 'galvanised Charlton ... It took the former Manchester United forward less than 60 seconds to register his side's first shot on target in an hour.' Stephen Henderson got a 7 and Jordan Cousins got a 7 for 'a game of two halves like his team. Quiet before the break but lively late on.' Christophe Lepoint gets slated: 'A poor man's Peter Crouch. Brought in to offer height and presence and lacked touch.' His miserable score of 4 will give some comfort to those who doubt the quality of some of our acquisitions.

On the two halves point, Guy Luzon gave the team a telling off at half time. He said, 'We didn't play well in the first half and I told the players at half time that something had to change if we wanted to take three points back to London. In my philosophy, there is no point to play long balls. If you keep the ball and move it, then you have the chance to score goals. That is the first thing of football. We also showed character when we were 1-0 down away from home to get the goal and then to continue playing after the goal.'

By now the evidence is accumulating that he is quite a skilled coach who is able to motivate the players, but hard liners insist they will only chant his name if we beat Millwall at The New Den. Given our record against Millwall, that is a tough challenge to meet. Others point that they have no quarrel with Luzon personally, but rather with Roland.

As far as Stephen Henderson is concerned, he twisted his ankle. Normally reliable sources say that he got on the coach without any strapping on his ankle and shout be fit for the clash against the chicken farmers on Saturday.

Buyens could start against Blackpool

With Johnnie Jackson out injured, Yoni Buyens could start against Blackpool as he returns to full fitness: Line Up

We often wonder what Jackson contributes until he goes off and then something seems to be missing, perhaps the spaces he fills as he reads the game are then unoccupied. Buyens impressed me at the start of the season, but then seemed to fall away.

Selection problems increased with the news that Francis Coquelin has been recalled to Arsenal to ease a defensive crisis: Coquelin. Radio 5 seemed to think he was on loan at Leicester.

Playing Wolves

When I first started supporting Charlton, one of the most feared visits was that of Wolves. This was understandable because in 1953/4 they became champions for the first time and were then runners up the following year. This was the era of Billy Wright, their skipper and right half, who had clocked up 54 international appearances by 1953 and was the England captain. He joined Wolves straight from school and he was nearly turned down because he was so small.

It is common these days for footballers to have celebrity partners, but Wright pioneered this trend by marrying Joe Beverley of the Beverley Sisters. With their saccharine style, they were big in the 1950s.

I have the programme for their visit on 21st November 1953, a match which we lost 0-2. Wolves had three other internationals in their team, wing forward Hancocks scoring one of the goals.

The programme described Wolves 'as strong representatives from the Midlands whom we have always associated with all that is best in the game. Before World War II in the Major Buckley era, Wolves were prominent in big transfer deals, and at one period fielded the youngest team in the First Division. Between 1935 and 1939 Wolves received £110,658 in transfer fees - a colossal sum when it is considered that top prices of that period were nothing like as high as they are today.' According to the Bank of England inflation calculator, that would be £6,577,484 in today's prices.

I am looking forward to the game tonight which will be a big test of what Charlton can expect to achieve this season with Wolves one point and two places ahead of the Addicks. Away from home, they have won one, drawn one and lost one. Odds are 19/10 Charlton, draw 9/4, Wolves 6/4.

Solly is likely to be rested and Gudmundsson is likely to be unavailable. I would consider playing Joe Gomez at right back and having Lawrie Wilson further up field.

Yoni Buyens pays tribute to Bob Peeters as a coach here: Buyens

One is enough - after 100 minutes

The Watford fan on the train complained, 'We conceded a penalty in the first two minutes, we bossed it for the next 88, but we couldn't score.' Part of the problem for Watford was that some chances were thrown away through wayward shots, but credit must also go to the Addicks for resolute defending. The Hornets complained that they were denied a penalty of their own, but it was difficult to get a clear view from where I sit. Having looked at it on television from behind, there was contact, although not a lot so it was easily missed.

After Buyens had dispatched the penalty, Watford came back into the game, but increasingly resorted to blatant fouls as their efforts got them nowhere. The referee was keen to dish out yellow cards, although the Addicks got their share in the second half.

The Hornets came out of the traps determined to score in the second half and for a while we lost our shape and composure. Deeney did score, but it was rightly ruled offside. However, I thought that we recovered somewhat towards the end of the game. Even so, possession was 62-38 in Watford's favour. But then last season we would have capitulated to such an onslaught.

On the way into the ground, a long-standing fan expressed the view that the David Whyte commemoration had gone over the top, albeit it with the best of intentions. However, I thought that the applause on the 10th minute was very appropriate and went well.

I don't know what went wrong at Charlton Station, but there was a long wait for trains and I was lucky to get on one at 5.30. My train from Marylebone had a noisy group on it who turned out to be dentists who had been to a course on botox which they had found 'very draining'. I found the match quite draining in an edge of the seat way, but it was absorbing and in no way like drawing teeth.

Charlton remain unbeaten and are 5th in a table that is tightly packed at the top. Wolves on Tuesday will be a crucial test. Home games are juts like buses: you don't get one for a month and then they come along in pairs.

As Steve Claridge said on The Football League Show, 'The sign of a good manager is doing the best with what you've got and there's no doubt that Bob Peeters is doing that.'

Derek from Dymchurch writes, 'That Belgian geezer can't go on riding his luck. As I've said before, the wheels are coming off. And, no, Acworth is not my long lost cousin.'

Match analysis

Stephen Henderson was my Man of the Match, not just for his saves, but also for his command of his area. One save in the first half required him to spot the ball through a crowd of players. In the second half he made two outstanding saves to keep us in the game. Bikey made a few errors in distribution, but I wouldn't like to face him if I was on the pitch. Ben Haim came close to giving away a penalty, but he also stood up to the onslaught. Solly had a good game, some nice skill and touches. Wiggins foraged forward a few times, but is perhaps not up to the standard of last season.

Buyens took the penalty very well. He made some errors going forward. Cousins didn't seem that involved a lot of the time and some of his corners were poor. Jackson looks a bit off the pace a lot of the time. Playing Gudmundsson when he had picked up an injury on international duty was probably a mistake. It must have been a disappointment for the two Iceland supporters in front of me to see so little of him. Tucudean has a good work rate, but got muscled off the ball too easily. Vetokele didn't seem to be too affected by his recent return from Africa, although he did have a chance to score in the second half.

I am a great fan of Wilson and he did managed to get forward when others didn't, but it wasn't the best performance by the player described in the programme as 12th on the head coach's list. Dyer managed to get round him to create a goal scoring opportunity, but fortunately his shot was dire. Moussa has energy and enthusiasm, but he squandered opportunities a couple of times by failing to pass the ball when he forged forward. Harriott couldn't score and he couldn't help anyone else to score.

If I was still doing Hiss of the Match I would give it to charm merchant Troy Deeney who seemed to think that his role as captain was to try and intimidate the referee.

Charlton go fourth

Charlton took fourth place in the Championship after defeating Derby County 3-2 at The Valley yesterday evening. The Addicks have now beaten two of the teams who made the play offs last year, although as promotion favourites the Rams were faster and fitter than Wigan. After going 2-1 ahead just before half team with a penalty, the Addicks made it 3-1, but then allowed Derby to get back in the game with a second goal. This made for a tense finish with four minutes added on, but the Addicks survived to claim all three points.

In the first five minutes of the game we played some of the best possession football I have seen at The Valley, putting together something like forty passes. Charlton were ahead in the 11th minute when Tucudean latched onto Jordan Cousins' cross to smash the ball past Derby keeper Lee Grant. I think that the new wider pitch does help our players to make more use of the wings.

Derby started to get back into the game. They were given too much space and were progressing down the wings in particular. At times our midfield lost its shape. After Pope had made one good save, he could not stop a powerful equaliser from the dangerous Ward going into the top corner in the 31st minute. The Rams went close to taking the lead but Craig Bryson and Jeff Hendrick shot tamely at Pope. During this phase of the game Big Bob was going ballistic on the touchline.

As everyone was whistling for half time, four minutes being added on, Tucudean advanced into the area and was brought down by Keogh. Buyens, who has replaced Jacko as penalty taker, dispatched his shot with coolness and force into the goal.

Franck Moussa fired wide from close range before Vetokele headed in Laurie Wilson's cross, the move having been started by Jackson. A weak effort from Ward squeezed through Pope's legs to give Derby hope of snatching a draw but Charlton held on for the three points.

Here's what the Derby paper thinks of their team's failure to secure an historic clean sheet: Ram View

Congratulations to the guy who flew from Melbourne to see the game and got there just in time despite flight delays and a big queue at immigration. His dad and uncle were waiting for him at the gate.

Match analysis

Ivy the Belgian Shepherd has awarded George Tucudean his first Silver Bone. Even though he had to go off at half time, his opening goal was well taken and then won a penalty on the brink of half time.

Before the game one prominent Addick was arguing that Nick Pope should remain in goal when Henderson was fit (hopefully for Saturday). Pope still has a lot to learn and tonight will have made a valuable contribution towards that process. He has lots of potential, but the Championship is different from League 2 in terms of the crowd and the quality of the play. We shouldn't have played so many back passes to him. Bikey once again showed that he is an effective central defender, although he did fall over a lot. Tal Ben Haim put himself about, requiring treatment at one point. Gomez showed what a promising player he is, shame that the referee gave him a yellow card. Wiggins had a far better game than on Saturday. Buyens took his penalty well and has a great work rate, we are fortunate that personal circumstances required him to spend a year away from the mother ship. Jackson looked sharper and fitter and was much more involved than on Saturday. See him accept the ice bucket challenge here: Ice bucket Cousins perhaps wasn't quite as good as on Saturday, but still made an effective contribution. Gudmundsson showed a good turn of speed and had one shot saved. Vetokele was muscled out of the game somewhat in the first half, but his goal was well taken. Moussa did not make as great an impact on Saturday. One promising attack ended when he slipped up. Once again Wilson was an effective substitute. Fox had a cameo.

Fat Cat Fleur has awarded the Hiss of the Match to me for being home late, but I was back in Leamington by midnight which is something of a record. Just as well as I have to be in London by 12.30 for lunch.

Glass Half Empty

Introducing the pessimistic view contributed by Derek from Dymchurch.

I must admit I had some cogitating to do on the coach home. The Daily Express said that this Belgian geezer was useless, had managed the equivalent of a pub side, but it seems he knows how to get the team to play football. It was cold on the walk back to the bungalow and the Daily Express said the other week that we were going to have the hottest weather ever. If you can't believe what you read in the papers, where are you?

But it's early days. We've only played three matches, two of those were at home and we won each of those by a margin of just one goal. Why can't we hang on to a lead? When we went 3-1 ahead, Peeters should have gone for the fourth or parked the bus. He did neither. Belgians don't know whether they are French or Dutch and they don't know whether to attack or defend. We may be fourth from top now, but we could well be fourth from bottom by Christmas!

Some players rested for cup tie

Although Vetokele is on the bench, and Wilson comes in with Solly rested, Bob Peeters has still put out quite a strong team for tonight's cup match with Colchester United. Gomez gets a start and Morrison returns to the sign. Wiggins is replaced by Fox. Tucudean gets another chance to see if he can get the ball in the net with Church and Pigott on the bench. I thought that Pope might get a chance in goal but Henderson kept his place.

01 Henderson 03 Gomez 21 Fox 24 Cousins 05 Morrison 06 Bikey Amougou 02 Wilson 17 Buyens 29 Tucudean 10 Moussa 11 Harriott

Substitutes 07 Berg Gudmundsson 14 Vetokele 18 Church 22 Nego 23 Pigott 26 Ben Haim 30 Pope

The Addicks have never lost to Colchester in a cup game, but the U's have won in three of last five outings to The Valley.

On 13 minutes Moussa put in a shot from outside the box but it was blocked. Charlton had the edge in terms of possession in the first quarter of an hour.

On 23 minutes the Adddicks went ahead through a penalty. Yoni Buyens converted the penalty with a right footed shot to the centre of the goal. Magnus Okuonghae was shown the red card for hand ball. The Us had to make a forced substitution and Charlton's share of the possession went up to two-thirds. Charlton pressed for a second goal, but attempts by Tucudean, Moussa and Harriott in quick succession were saved. However, Charlton failed to score before the break.

HT: Addicks 1, Us 0

Henderson dealt comfortably with a shot from outside the box by Sears in the first minute of the second half. Wilson put in a shot from outside the box but it just missed the target.

On 54 minutes an assist by Cousins allowed Lawrie Wilson to make it 2-0 with a shot to the centre of the goal. Four minutes later it was Moussa who turned provider as Wilson scored again with a shot to the bottom left hand corner. Vetokele replaced Moussa.

Church came on in place of Tucudean. Gudmundsson tried a right footed shot from more than 35 yards which was saved in the bottom right corner. Callum Harriott put in a right footed shot from the left side of the box which was too high.

On 88 minutes Church made it 4-0 shooting into the bottom right corner. Fox had a narrow miss with a shot from outside the box.

Even if it was against League 1 opposition, this was a morale boosting win for Charlton, showing that they can score goals and that Belgian Bob has something going for him.

Thumbs up for Buyen

The CAS Trust have published another interesting article by Belgian journalist: View from Belgium

He is very positive about Yoni Buyens whom he describes as a physical box-to-box player.

Yoni Buyens signs

26-year old midfielder Yoni Buyens has signed for Charlton today from the mother ship: Buyens quitte Le Standard pour Charlton. He joined Standard in 2011.

Although I do not have confirmation of this, I believe it will be a one year loan deal. Astrit Adjerevic has described him as an excellent signing for Charlton.

A number of clubs in England, Belgium and Spain were interested in him as well as Vancouver in the MLS.

Yoni Buyens on his way?

Back from a spectacular short break at the home of the world's smallest football league to find that the Addicks are increasingly being linked with Yoni Buyens: Buyens

The Liege midfielder could be seen as a replacement for Diego Poyet who has changed his biography to describe himself as a 'professional footballer' rather than a Charlton player. The word is that he is waiting to see what offers come in before making a final decision. The little known Buyens is hardly likely to compare in quality.

Meanwhile, Frédéric Bulot is not keen on coming to Charlton after two seasons at SL despite the fact that he is not part of their future plans and his agent would like him to go. Apparently, the wideman has been influenced by the fact that ace keeper Yohann Thuram-Ulien did not have a positive experience in London: Bulot