Charlton win bonkers owners derby

Belgium beat Italy at Elland Road today with the Addicks winning the bonkers owners derby. Lookman probably added to his selling price.

Pope had to make a good save with his feet early in the game at Elland Road as he faced a one on one from Leeds. It looked like a 4-4-1-1 formation with Harriott and Lookman out wide and Gudmundsson behind Vetokele.

Charlton won a free kick 25 yards out after Lookman was fouled. Lookman’s free kick was over the wall but just wide. Leeds fans started to sing ‘Your owner is a ****, so is ours.’ The 363 Charlton fans subsequently started a chant of ‘We want Roland out.’

Diarra got a yellow card for a foul on Wood. Pope had to tip the resulting free kick over the bar. He claimed the corner well.

A strike from Gudmundsson hit the foot of the post from 25 yards.

Around the half hour mark Leeds started to apply a bit more pressure, but Bridcutt shot high and wide from distance.

Pope claimed Coyle’s low cross after Leeds advanced down the Charlton left.

Leeds won a corner after Pope tipped the ball out following a good block by Jackson.

After a great move down the left involving Lookman and Fox, Gudmundsson took the opportunity from Fox’s cross and scored with a low strike.

Charlton won a corner taken by Lookman but it went out for a Charlton throw.

Pope flew out of his area to deny Wood with a diving header. Vetokele put in a shot, but it was blocked in the area.

Teixeira won a corner in time added on.

HT: 0-1

Gudmundsson nearly played in Vetokele, but he was too slow to react and the keeper gathered.

A great strike from Lookman into the bottom corner put Charlton 2-0 ahead on 49 minutes, the whole move starting with a Fanni nutmeg of Dallas who was subsequently taken off.

The referee pulled play back for a Charlton free kick despite Vetokele racing through on goal. What about advantage?

A header from Wood hit the bar. Bamba fired the rebound into the side netting.

Charlton won a corner, Bamba fell over after a collision and the referee gave a free kick to Leeds.

From a Leeds corner Cooper headed well over. Fanni put in good defensive work as Charlton looked as if they might be under pressure.

Leeds won a corner, but the ball was headed over by Botaka.

Charlton made a good break away, but Harriott’s shot was just wide. Kashi was booked for a late challenge.

Bamba got a free header from a free kick to make it 1-2 on 71 minutes. Pope was furious with his defence. Suk Young came on for Gudmundsson.

Pope saved an angled shot from Antenucci who had come on a sub. Pope claimed the corner at the second attempt.

Pope saved well with his feet in a one on one with Wood after a free kick. Vetokele made way for Makienok on 82 minutes.

Fox dealt with a cross well with a header. Harriott blocked a cross at the expense of a Leeds corner. Makienok headed the ball away.

Leeds threatened with a series of attacks, but Charlton held firm. Kashi, who had had a good game on his return, went down injured. Ba replaced Lookman on 88 minutes.

Six minutes were added on. Kashi put the ball behind for a Leeds corner. Diarra headed clear at the near post.

Charlton broke away well, Ba played in Harriott but his shot was blocked for a Charlton corner. Kashi gave away a foul.

Three balls into the box were headed away by Makienok. Pope had to save as Cook tried his luck, leading to a corner.

Would promotion deal with customer concerns?

Apparently there is a view at the top at Charlton that if the club won promotion back to the Championship at the first attempt, supporters' concerns would be assuaged: Wishful thinking

In my view, the fans' relationship with Roland Duchatelet has been damaged beyond repair. Trust would not be rebuilt, even if he replaced Katrien Meire with a competent chief executive and brought in a manager with appropriate experience. CAST have urged him to sell, but he has no inclination to do that.

Fans may, of course, have already been consoled by the club receiving the 'most improved pitch in the Championship award: Top turf. They don't come much more meaningless than that.

Expectations management

Charlton chief executive Katrien Meire says that the club does not want to build up customer expectations about what will happen in League One: Dampening expectations

Well, they weren't very high anyway. But she does claim that we will have one of the six biggest budgets in the division.

A game without meaning

It's a pretty meaningless fixture against Leeds tomorrow and I would have thought that very few Addicks, even those who live in the north, will be making the journey. I must admit I am more interested in the Southern Premier League play off final on Monday when Leamington play at Hungerford Town.

Patrick Bauer and Reza are still unavailable and Stephen Henderson has a calf problem. Johnnie Jackson may start.

Leeds have failed to win in any of their last seven at home to Charlton (D5 L2), last winning in October 2000 with a brace from Mark Viduka and one from Alan Smith securing a 3-1 win for the Whites. Last year we drew 2-2 at Elland Road and the year before we won 1-0.

The Addicks have lost only one of their last 10 games against Leeds, winning four (D5).

Leeds, of course, have their own issues with owner Massimo Cellino whose eccentric decision-making has done nothing to revive the sleeping giant.

Odds are: Leeds 8/13 Draw 3/1, Charlton 17/4.

The arrogance of certainty

In a superbly written essay, author and Charlton fan Charlie Connelly looks back to us celebrating the Championship trophy on April 29th 2000 and discusses the 'arrogance of certainty' displayed by the current regime: The arrogance of certainty

Cousins player of the year favourite

Jordan Cousins is favourite to win player of the year, with Diarra in second place: Jordan Cousins

This certainly fits in with the vote tallies I saw. How one might feel about being player of the year in a relegation year is another matter, but Cousins is certainly not to blame.

Tallest player to leave

Simon Makienok is to leave The Valley at the end of the season, but he won't be returning to Palermo from whence he came on a one year loan. He will be seeking a new berth somewhere abroad, perhaps in the lower leagues in Belgium?

His agent reckons that he has been an 'ok success' at Charlton if you look at goals per minute which is quite an ingenious way of calculating it, as his appearances on the pitch have been increasingly brief.

The Addickted seem to have reacted calmly to the news.