Massives defender could join Addicks

Sheffield sources are linking Charlton with a bid for highly rated defender Akin Famewo who has already had two successful loan spells at The Valley and was with Nathan Jones at Luton.  The Massives are currently having difficulty paying player wages: https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-wednesday/charlton-athletic-sheffield-wednesday-akin-famewo-5162900

We say farewell to Thierry Small who has been snapped up by Preston North End.   Most people would accept a better offer, although I did turn down a substantially better one towards the end of my career because I was happy where I was.

It is also costs less to live in Preston than London.

Winning run continues

Following a free kick, which was not well defended, Wimbledon got a free header, MacGillivray tried to claim it in the blustery wind and Wimbledon went ahead on three minutes through Chislett.  MacGillivray claimed he was impeded, but the referee did not agree.

A Gilbey shot was deflected just over the bar.  The corner was unproductive. 

Blackett-Taylor limped off on 12 minutes to be replaced by DJ.

On 18 minutes a corner from Morgan was intercepted by Inniss at the near post and his flick went over the line, arguably with some help from a defender which would have made it an own goal. 

DJ got booked for a challenge and it could have been a red.

After an excellent pass from DJ with the outside of his foot, Washington made it 2-1 on 31 minutes.

Wimbledon got the equaliser with a free header on the far post after poor marking at a set piece from a free kick.  This was after a spell when Charlton had been controlling the game.

Matthews put a good ball in, but Washington was unable to control it.

Curbs said we had not got our front two into really good positions.

HT: 2-2

Charlton had three early corners in succession, but they were unproductive.

The swirling wind seemed to be stronger in the second half.

Wimbledon had a good spell and Inniss put in a block at the expense of a corner.

Gilbey was booked for obstructing a throw in.

An Aneke shot was blocked away for a Charlton corner in play following an earlier corner.   Famewo met the corner from Morgan with his head to make it 3-2, he was too strong for his marker.   Morgan had whipped in the corner with pace which took out the keeper.

A tiring Chuks Aneke went off and Mason Burstow came on.   Curbs wondered earlier if he had arrived in a different car today.

An effort from Marsh skimmed off the post after the midfield went too deep.

Morgan came off as Scott Fraser made his Valley debut.  

The game became very stretched.   

A good build up led to a Charlton corner, but Gilbey's effort was cleared.

Clare had to concede a corner as substitute Cosgrave threatened.   The header went wide.

Inniss was booked for the fourth Charlton yellow card of the game.   Four minutes were added on.   A shot from Nightingale was punched away by MacGillivray and Inniss put the ball away for a Wimbledon corner.    The ball went over the bar for a Charlton goal kick.  

Matthews drew a foul.   Inniss won a free kick for a nudge.

Curbs said it was two free headers for their goals and you can't have that.   'We're definitely going to be tested in midweek.   Inniss is my main man.'

Jacko said 'the old heart was going towards the end, it was not how I wanted it to be.   I was gutted to lose Corey that early in the game,  I was really excited about him going into this game.  DJ did excellent when he came on, big credit to him.   We felt that Conor's movement down the side would cause them a problem.  Physically we competed great, both boxes was a good test.  Winning not at your best is nice, we weren't at our best today. We managed it quite well towards the end.  Let's go and back it up now.'  

Match winner Akin Famewo said he was very proud.  I am a happy player.  He had been working in training on getting goals at set pieces.   We stayed strong and took our chances.   Everyone's bouncing.

Morts said it was the best he had seen DJ play, 'I saw someone who produced bits of quality when it mattered.'

Charlton are now 11th.

Louis Mendez has his customary four takeaways from the game: https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/four-takeaways-from-charlton-athletics-3-2-win-over-afc-wimbledon-not-a-day-for-the-defences/

Gallen: Charlton won't splash out

 'You will have to be patient,' warned Charlton director of football Steve Gallen in an interview about recruitment with the SLP's Louis Mendez before today's pre-season match against Celtic.

Gallen said: 'We try to get players that will take us close to the top of the table.  There are a lot of players out there who think Charlton is going to splash out and we're not going to do that.  It's tiring, non-stop work.'

'We don't want to be without money for the last few players.  We're in the middle of he window.'

Gallen said that the Matthews signing had been an on off, it was the same last season as well.  Forster-Caskey was sorted out after a chat at the training ground.

'I have to get the best value for the chairman, we've got to give Nigel Adkins a chance to finish top two, top six.'

'I don't want to be signing ten players every summer, I want to sign two or three, hopefully that is where we will be next summer.'

'Get your striker right, get your goalkeeper right, then build around them, that's what we're doing.'

'Akin Famewo, that's been going on before the season ended.  He's a left sided centre back, he's young, he's hungry, there's things he needs to improve on.'

'I've got a few things, I'm working on daily, sometimes I have to ask myself which should be the priorities.  I want to reduce the age of the squad.  We've got a bit to do, the manager keeps reminding me of that in the nicest possible way.'

More about the interview here (Richard Cawley no doubt takes a faster note than I do): https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/charlton-transfer-chief-gallen-we-want-permanent-deal-for-norwich-defender-akin-famewo/

Famewo returns

Charlton have signed Akin Famewo on a new loan from Norwich City with the option of a permanent deal: https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/akin-famewo-back-on-loan-with-charlton-athletic-including-an-option-to-buy/

In my view this is a good move as he did well for us last season despite some fitness issues.   He is also an excellent pairing with Ryan Inniss.

Six players in contract talks

Charlton are in talks with six players about extending their contracts - Ben Amos, Chuks Aneke, Jake Forster-Caskey, Jason Pearce, Adam Matthews and Ben Watson: https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/charlton-athletic-in-contract-talks-with-six-of-squad-and-confirm-exit-of-trio/

Oshilaja has been let go and Otzumer will not be returning.   Thomas Sandgaard has confirmed that Charlton are interested in two loan players, presumably Famewo and Stockley.

Of those engaged in talks, Ben Watson has attracted some criticism from fans.

Midfielders James Vennings and Ben Dempsey have been offered contracts and various forms of contract have been offered to a number of Academy players: https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/james-vennings-and-ben-dempsey-offered-deals-as-addicks-take-up-options-on-ghandour-and-ness/

Minto: loan players I would sign

Charlton TV's Scott Minto has selected the two loan players he would like to see signed by Charlton: https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/scott-minto-reveals-which-loan-players-he-believes-charlton-athletic-should-move-for-in-transfer-window/

Time on the buses harms hamstring

Ryan Inniss is back in full training and will play an under 23s match next week: https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/charlton-athletic-boss-outlines-comeback-plan-for-ryan-inniss/

Meanwhile hours spent on the team bus might have affected Akin Famewo's hamstring (I must say this is a new explanation for me): https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/charlton-boss-hoping-defenders-tight-hamstring-down-to-miles-clocked-up-on-the-road/

Adam Matthews will not be available tomorrow, but Darren Pratley will have served his two match ban.

Elsewhere, Omar Bogle is finding his shooting boots again with another goal for Doncaster on Saturday.   However, Lyle Taylor was caught offside when he thought he had scored for Forest.   Josh Davison managed ton race clear of the Grimsby defence for the Vegans, but his effort hit the post.

Morgan out of favour with Bowyer

Albie Morgan has not been in the squad for the last three Charlton matches and it's not because he has been injured.   Once again he appears to be out of favour with the somewhat mercurial supremo who says he is 'still learning his game': https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/albie-morgan-absence-explained-by-charlton-athletic-chief/

I have to say that I am never quite sure what to make of Morgan who sometimes looks quite good and at other times makes little impact.   It may be that his contemporary George Lapslie was the better player.

It is still uncertain whether Akin Famewo will make the journey to Wigan Pier tomorrow.  Bowyer is waiting for the medics.   

Charlton are to appeal the red card for Chuks Aneke, while Bowyer has defended Darren Pratley: https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/charlton-athletic-appeal-chuks-aneke-red-card-as-lee-bowyer-defends-darren-pratley/

Curbs thought that we should appeal the Aneke red card, but the pundits on The Football League Show thought it was justified.  Personally I doubt whether it will succeed, although I think the referee had a mare (but according to him his worst game changing mistake was down to the linesman).  I was wrong: the card has been overturned.

As for Pratley, he is committed, but the problem is that he is too committed for the modern game.  One might also argue that commitment is a substitute for skill.

Three changes in line up

There are three changes in this afternoon's line up with Akin Famewo joining the defence: https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/charlton-athletic-v-blackpool-team-news-akin-famewo-starts-as-lee-bowyer-makes-three-changes/

Some are disappointed that Chuks Aneke is on the bench, but we don't see him in training.

Curbs did express some concerns about the line up pre-match, in particular only two players in midfield given there are two wingers, but he noted that Bowyer was going for pace.

Besieged boss says selection decisions are based on medical advice

One or two fans have been suggesting that Akin Famewo should be sent back to Norwich but he is in the squad for Saturday.

Besieged boss Lee Bowyer has defended his selection decisions, pointing out that he relies heavily on the medical advice of head physio Danny Murphy: https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/on-loan-norwich-city-centre-back-set-to-start-against-blackpool/

Please note that is not the Danny Murphy who used to play for Charlton; whose former wife slagged off Curbs in her column in The Times; and now delivers his verdict on Match of the Day in a droning monotone. 

The midfield is critical

Alex Gilbey pulled a hamstring in training on Thursday and is not available for the game against Burton Albion tomorrow night.   Jake Forster-Caskey will also be out for a couple of games.   An assessment will be made about whether Akin Famewo is fit (he understandably looked a bit rusty at Fleetwood, although his stats were good): https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/charlton-boss-on-chances-of-akin-famewo-starting-against-burton-albion-tomorrow/

Underrated?   Keith Jones

Fans keeping talking about the failure to bring in a central defender, but it seems to me that the midfield often offers insufficient protection to the defence.   People always criticised Keith Jones back in the day, but I think that an intelligent defensive midfielder offers a lot that is not always apparent.

Jake Forster-Caskey in my view is an underrated member of the side, he is an intelligent box-to-box midfielder.   We miss him when he isn't there.

Results go Charlton's way

Pessimists have argued that every game in hand for Charlton's rivals represents three points but that's not how it worked out tonight.   Accrington lost 0-1 at home to Plymouth Argyle.  Sunderland lost 2-1 at Shrewsbury.  Even mighty Doncaster lost at Fleetwood, so Charlton remain in 6th place.

There is also good news on Akin Famewo's return to match fitness.  He was able to play over 60 minutes with the under 23s this afternoon: https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/addicks-boss-pleased-to-see-on-loan-norwich-man-make-comeback-positive-news-on-midfields-scan/

Elsewhere, charm merchant Marcus Maddison got sent off on his first appearance for Bolton Wanderers.

Bowyer's forced rotation policy

Besieged boss Lee Bowyer has responded to criticisms of the fact that Charlton have made more team changes than any other club in League One.  Alan Curbishley has been emphasising the 'consistent team, consistent results' theme in his interviews.

According to Bowyer, the problem has been the state of the squad at the start of the season and injuries to key players since then: https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/lee-bowyer-has-his-say-on-why-charlton-lead-the-way-for-most-team-changes-in-league-one/

I can see that, although I sometimes wonder about who starts and who gets substituted and when.  But those decisions are tricky for any manager.

Akin Famewo and Andrew Shinnie should be back for the game against Peterborough, although 'back' usually means a ringside seat on the bench: https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/charlton-get-positive-news-on-injured-duo-with-marcus-maddison-set-for-scan-on-ankle-injury/

Marcus Maddison is going to have a scan on his ankle injury.