Jacko gets the blessing of the Orange One

 Johnnie Jackson was interviewed on Talk Sport today.   Here are a few key quotes, some of them courtesy of VOTV columnist Natasha Everitt.

Jacko said: “I've seen it all [at Charlton], I’ve been through some real ups and downs. There was a period there under Chris Powell where we had success and I was really hoping that that would be the catalyst for the club to kick on, and that never happened..."

“Then we got momentum again under Lee Bowyer and myself when we managed to get promoted again to the Championship, but history repeated itself really and we didn’t get the help we needed that season to make a real go of it. We found ourselves falling backwards again.  It’s been disillusioning..."

“But this time round with the owner we’ve got now, Thomas Sandgaard, there’s some real positivity around the place and he’s got some real ambitions for the football club... hopefully those couple of decades are behind us.  The club is in a much better place, much better hands.”

The Orange One recalled the hostile reception he got at The Valley, but spoke positively about JJ: ‘He sounds like a very grown up manager.  I want him to do well.’  Jim White, Roland's mate, reminded listeners that we were going to miss out on the play offs again.

Jacko said we’ve got to try and finish the season strong, win every game.   We need a feel good factor around the place, ending the season with some optimism, some positivity.    It was his 12^th season at the club in different roles. ‘I’ve got a real feeling for what the club’s about.   Although I am a young manager I bring a lot of club experience to the table.’

Jacko admitted that it had been more challenging than he had expected.  ‘We were at our most depleted when we faced the toughest run of fixtures.  We’ve come through it now.  It makes you stronger in the long run.’

‘It’s a really important summer for us, recruitment is going to be key.  I have a clear idea of the type of squad I want to build, keeping the right ones from this year that we’ve got a nucleus of.  We’ll need the owner’s help with that.’

More here: https://talksport.com/football/efl/1074825/charlton-athletic-news-johnnie-jackson-thomas-sandgaard-efl/

Magazine writes off Jonatan Johansson

The latest Four Four Two has a supplement on the invention of football, or rather 30 years of the Premier League.   One feature is on 'One-Season Wonders' and among those included is Jonatan Johansson.

This magazine has a bit of form with Charlton, having predicted a dire fate in the year we won the League One championship with Chris Powell.   The club bought the framed copy of the cover.

I liked JJ as a player and I think his contribution went beyond the goals he scored.   I remember the warm reception he received as a Finnish international (106 caps) when we played a friendly against Oulu in northern Finland.

Four Four Two points out that he scored his 13th goal of the season on New Year's Day 2001.   'Newly promoted Charlton were eighth in the table and the £3.5m attacker's noggin had just delivered league goal No.10 of a stellar six months.'

'The former Rangers man managed a mere 17 over the next five years, however, before a six month loan at Championship Norwich in January 2006 finished his spell in English football.'

He did some coaching in Scotland and married a Scottish television presenter.  Returning to Finland, he has been manager of TPS Turku (where he played) since 2020.

Third win and third clean sheet in a row

Charlton won 1-0 at Doncaster this afternoon in front of around 700 Addicks, many of whom had taken advantage of the subsidised coaches.   It was a story of missed opportunities for the Addicks, and they had to hang on at the end, but it was a third win a row and another clean sheet.   Charlton had nine shots on target to one for Donny.

On four minutes CBT broke and got into the box, Stockley poked a shot past the keeper but a defender was on hand to clear it off the line.

On 16 minutes Charlton were awarded a penalty after CBT was brought dow., Washington instead of Stockley took the shot and the keeper saved.

On 24 minutes a poor goal-kick saw the ball head straight to Stockley who got in the box and squared for Washington, but his close-range effort is saved by the scrambling Mitchell.

Close to the break, Stockley flicked on Matthews' long throw and CBT was inches away from turning it in at the back post.

Missed opportunities were the story of the half as the Addicks headed in all-square at the break.   Louis Mendez said it could have been 3-0 if they took their chances.

HT: 0-0

Finally on 67 minutes Stockley scored.    Excellent work from CBT who skinned his man on the left and pulled back into the box for Stockley to slot home.

A Washington shot was saved by the keeper. Stockley faced an empty net, but his effort came off the crossbar.  How did we not score?

The midfield was starting to tire, Gilbey had worked really hard.   Doncaster won a free kick on the right edge of the penalty area, tiredness showing on the part of Charlton.   Blackett-Taylor went down.   Purrington headed away.

Blackett-Taylor was booked for coming back on without permission, although he was waved on by the fourth official, as an argument broke out between the two benches.

Famewo came on for Charlton in place of CBT.   Six minutes were added on as Donny won a corner.  Fraser swiped it out.    Lee came on for Fraser.

Donny won a free kick near the corner of the area after an alleged foul by Purrington.   Macca made a great claim.   Macca had to make a save with his legs from a shot.   Clare blocked the ball but the referee awarded a goal kick rather than a corner.

The pundits

Steve Brown said we would have comfortably won the game.   Instead we were under pressure at the end.   It was three games without making changes so Jacko had a core he could trust.   They were good results if not great performances.

CBT was derided by negativists as 'scraping the barrel' when he was signed.   Scott Minto said that he had come in again and make a big impact.   CBT said he was enjoying the wing back role, he had never played it before.  He felt he had improved.   'We've got a lot of togetherness in the camp, let's finish the season strong.'   He definitely felt he could last the 90 minutes.

Charlton are now 14th.

Spurs may get the hump over Nile John

Johnnie Jackson hopes to give Nile John a chance before the end of the season, i.e., when we are mathematically safe: https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/tottenham-loanee-deserves-to-make-charlton-athletic-appearance-before-end-of-the-season/

He may well have great potential, but I am far from sure that he was the right loaning signing at this time for us.

The SLP's Richard Cawley has tweeted: 'I'd also say there is a way to conduct yourself. NJ seen as one of top young prospects. Sandgaard already said wants to loan significant number of players next season, can imagine Spurs will think twice about any others.'

I would like to see fewer and more carefully selected loan players, but I'm not paying the bills.

Back to back victories

Charlton had an unchanged team against Burton Albion on a beautiful spring day at The Valley.   Jason Pearce was struggling with injury and Akin Famewo replaced him on the bench.   The attendance was 11,348 with 320 in the away massive, the lowest attendance in a football for a fiver game.

Charlton didn't get a lot of early possession in a scrappy start.   Burton were trying to get forward as quickly as they could so as to turn Charlton.

Charm merchant Hamer put in a reckless challenge on Dobson, but referee Rebecca Welch showed just a yellow.   The Addicks were still not getting a lot of the ball.

Washington advanced via Route One and put in a chip over the advancing keeper to make it 1-0 on 12 minutes.    Macca flicked on from a long throw and kicked the ball straight up the field to Washington who scored with one touch.   It was his 10th of the season, all in the league.

Burton won a second corner.   Matthews cleared away and Charlton got a throw in.  

Charlton conceded another corner.   A free kick was given for a foul on Stockley.  

The Addickted started a chorus of Valley Floyd Road.    Burton won another corner.  Matthews headed away.  Charlton won a free kick for offside.

Charlton were struggling for possession and build up play.   They needed to be more clever with their movement to stretch the Brewers defence.   Niasse was booked for a high boot on Clare.

Lavelle had to head away a goal bound ball.   An effort by Oshilaja came off the bar.  He had time and space to pick his shot.

Garrett had to dive to make a save from his own player.    Charlton continued to look uncomfortable in possession.

Blackett-Taylor was coming into the game really for the first time, created some space and made it 2-0.  After some patient build up play, his ball dribbled in at the near post with Garrett's view obstructed by Stockley.  When he was signed, one leading moaner said we were scraping the barrel.

Despite the score line it had not been the most comfortable first half, but Charlton took their chances.  Hasselbaink was not happy and loitered to speak to the official.  He still wasn't happy after the break.  Steve Brown said there had been a lot of aerial bombardment.  We needed to defend the long throws well, getting the second phase right.  Scott Minto thought at times we weren't close enough.   Steve Brown said we need to keep the ball a lot better than we had.   Burton had shut us down quicker.

HT: 2-0

Oshilaja got a yellow card for a foul on Stockley.  Fraser's free kick wasn't the best.   An effort from Washington was blocked.

A Blackett-Taylor effort was over the bar.  He came off as a precaution as he had played more than expected in midweek when returning from injury.  DJ replaced him.

Charlton were looking more comfortable on the ball in the second half. 

Gilligan was booked for an off the ball foul on Washington.  Burton made a double substitution.

Fraser put in an excellent cross for Stockley but his header was saved by Garratt.

Burton won a corner at the Jimmy Seed stand.  The ball was blocked away by DJ at the expense of another corner which was unproductive.

Dobson dealt with a moment of danger with a superb challenge on Chapman.   There was a vigorous chorus of Valley Floyd Road.  A shot by Niasse was well blocked by Matthews.   Chapman was booked for a foul on Dobson.

On 81 minutes Fraser was replaced by Lee to provide fresh legs.   Burton claimed that Clare had handled the ball, but a free kick was awarded for a push.

Clare intercepted a shot from Chapman. 

Five minutes were added on.   There were two opportunities for Charlton, but they were not taken.  An attempt from Washington was blocked.

It wasn't a classic game, but it was another three points.   It was the first double of the season.

Charlton are now 15th, Shrewsbury had a surprise win at Rotherham.

Johnnie Jackson said it was a good professional performance, not at our best, would like to have seen more goals.   The conditions were difficult.  There was a swirling wind and a dry pitch.   We defended our lead well, they have that threat with the long throw.   We dealt with double figures in terms of long throws coming into our box.  We're scoring goals again and now we're looking more solid.  I think we can manage it better at times, there was lots of space in behind them at times.   The players have stepped up.   They've all done that to a man.

Charm merchant manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink insists that Charlton were not better than his side and their defeat was down to individual errors.   In a sense he may be right, but they only had one shot on target while we took at least some of our chances: https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/you-cant-tell-me-charlton-were-better-burton-boss-hasselbaink-blames-defeat-on-individual-errors/

I am not pretending that it was a great performance but we are 13 points above the relegation zone and Crewe will find it very hard to overtake us now.

Moaners confounded

Moaners searched for a new narrative as Charlton beat Gillingham 1-0 at The Valley tonight, the goal coming on 39 minutes from Alex Gilbey pouncing in the box.    Pontus Dahlberg spilled Corey Blackett-Taylor's initial attempt and although the keeper reacted quickly to block Jayden Stockley's follow up, Gilbey slammed home.

Gillingham stayed in the game, their midfield pressing up the pitch more in the second half, but the Addicks held firm.  Masterton blasted over one of the best chances for the visitors on 89 minutes.  Charlton were able to manage the six minutes added on.   There was a tunnel jump for the first time in ages.

The returning Corey Blackett-Taylor was impressive in the first half but faded somewhat and was eventually replaced by Jason Pearce as the game to an end.   Curbs said the returning player was really dangerous, put such a shift in.   

The return of Conor Washington was a big plus.

Attendance was 9,278 with 1,559 away fans.

Charlton are now 16th, ten points above the relegation zone.  Teams below us lost.

Alex Gilbey said he knew his output this season had not been good enough.  He had a few chances before the goal.  'We knew we had to start on the front foot, get our fans on side  We were a little bit sloppy towards the end, but showed a lot of heart.'

Smiling supremo Johnnie Jackson had plenty of praise for Gilbey and the way in which he had responded to advice: https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/charlton-athletic-matchwinner-alex-gilbey-played-like-he-had-a-point-to-prove/

Gillingham's new venture in charm merchant managers, Neil Harris, thinks they deserved something out of the game: https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/gillingham-boss-neil-harris-only-an-individual-error-cost-us-at-charlton-we-deserved-something/

'Kent Derby' brings more gloom to The Valley

 In his latest post the Chicago Addick captures well the pall of gloom and the nervousness that hangs over The Valley ahead of this evening's so-called 'Kent Derby' against Gillingham.

Confidence is an important ingredient in football and Charlton can't find a win or even score a goal from open play.   Under their new manager Gillingham have won a couple of matches and have moved towards the middle of the form table while Charlton remained rooted to the bottom.

All this has provided a field day for the many Charlton fans who seem to derive their greatest football pleasure from being negative and pessimistic about the team they support.   If I felt as negative as they did, I think I would think stay away.  As it is, the negativity and high expectation of the fans lead me to think that might be the right thing to do.

Now, of course, they have a point.  Many of them put it down to persistence with a 3-5-2 formation, but are the players there for a 4-4-2?   Do the players care very much anyway?  Good performances in training crumble once they get on the pitch for a game, although that could be confidence again.

One can imagine the Gillingham manager's team talk: 'Push them hard from the kick off.  They will concede a silly free kick in a promising position.   MacGillivray will stay rooted to his line while the defence lack height and will be at sixes and sevens (although watch out for Stockley).  You will get a free header and they will be chasing the game with their heads down.'

Calling for the head of JJ now is a waste of time as we would have difficulty in getting a good replacement, quite apart from the cost.  His position should be reviewed at the end of the season before making any signings.  

If we are relegated, we will need a different kind of manager.   League 2 football is closer to non-league with a reliance on hoofball and a penchant for head tennis in midfield.

One bright spot tonight could be the return of Conor Washington to the starting line up.  He has an ability to get in behind defences and could even score himself.

I think we will get a useful home point.  Bear in mind that six of the teams below us have far worse goal differences, itself worth a place in the table.