Chief tractor driver Jim Magilton has denied reports of a swap of Ivan Campo for Darren Ambrose, although he did admit that he and Alan Pardew had had a conversation about the ageing player:
Campo
Friday, 31 October 2008
Dickson may be in with a chance
Alan Pardew may start Chris Dickson against Barnsley tomorrow as he continues his search for someone who can find the back of the net. That person is evidently not Luke Varney but that fact does not seem to have been assimilated at Pardew Towers.
Pardew stated, 'I do feel that we have impact strikers and it was good to see Dickson come on and make an impact because he has come on as sub before and not, so that was a good sign. I want somebody to score us goals. [Don't we all?] In training there is nothing between my strikers at the minute, Dickson included.' [Why do I find this worrying?]
Given that Andy Gray is likely to be unavailable, and may be for some weeks, because of a serious family illness, I would have thought that there was a case for Todorov starting with Dickson. Elsewhere, I would agree with Pedro that Bouazza should start rather than Ambrose and Basey should be preferred to Youga.
One of our problems at the moment is that is a case of 'Fortress Valley - not!' Any team can look at our record in the Championship and turn up thinking that they have every chance of going away with three points. Barnsley are on a little run at the moment and Jamal Campbell-Ryce will be eager to impress at the club for which he retains an affection. See here: Jamal
Like Pedro, I think that Charlton will continue their current mini run as draw specialists with a 1-1 result which will probably leave our position in the table unchanged. The Sub-Standard says: 'PARDS PONDERS POSITION.'
I have had to go to London twice this week for meetings - I'm off again today, hence the early posting - and I just hope it will be third time lucky.
Pardew stated, 'I do feel that we have impact strikers and it was good to see Dickson come on and make an impact because he has come on as sub before and not, so that was a good sign. I want somebody to score us goals. [Don't we all?] In training there is nothing between my strikers at the minute, Dickson included.' [Why do I find this worrying?]
Given that Andy Gray is likely to be unavailable, and may be for some weeks, because of a serious family illness, I would have thought that there was a case for Todorov starting with Dickson. Elsewhere, I would agree with Pedro that Bouazza should start rather than Ambrose and Basey should be preferred to Youga.
One of our problems at the moment is that is a case of 'Fortress Valley - not!' Any team can look at our record in the Championship and turn up thinking that they have every chance of going away with three points. Barnsley are on a little run at the moment and Jamal Campbell-Ryce will be eager to impress at the club for which he retains an affection. See here: Jamal
Like Pedro, I think that Charlton will continue their current mini run as draw specialists with a 1-1 result which will probably leave our position in the table unchanged. The Sub-Standard says: 'PARDS PONDERS POSITION.'
I have had to go to London twice this week for meetings - I'm off again today, hence the early posting - and I just hope it will be third time lucky.
Hudson rallies the troops
The skipper has issued a rallying call in Pravda aka the South London Press:
Hudson
The comments response to the piece on Pardew show an interesting division of opinion and some good arguments on either side. Barring a defeat by Barnsley, I think that he will be with us for a while yet.
The move of Stuart Fleetwood on loan to Brighton, where he faces the Spanners tomorrow, has caused some bemusement. It's difficult to know whether he is good enough to perform at Championship level while he continues his tour around League 1 clubs. It may be well be that is his level, but it is a level that the club could find itself at next year.
Hudson
The comments response to the piece on Pardew show an interesting division of opinion and some good arguments on either side. Barring a defeat by Barnsley, I think that he will be with us for a while yet.
The move of Stuart Fleetwood on loan to Brighton, where he faces the Spanners tomorrow, has caused some bemusement. It's difficult to know whether he is good enough to perform at Championship level while he continues his tour around League 1 clubs. It may be well be that is his level, but it is a level that the club could find itself at next year.
Thursday, 30 October 2008
The manager makes a difference
He may not be a role model for football governance, but our 'Arry has already transformed the football scene at Spurs as last night's 4-4 draw with the Gooners at the Emirates shows. Phil Brown at Hull is also an example of how one can make silk out of a pig's ear, despite last night's defeat by Chelsea. And, dare I say it, Alan Curbishley achieved as much as was possible for Charlton given the resources available.
Football is a confidence game. Leamington are demolishing all their opponents in the BGB Midlands Division because morale is so high. You only have to look at the way the heads of the Charlton players go down if, as happens all too often, they go 0-1 behind. Even if they are 1-0 ahead, they are clearly nervous.
Some say that the players are not good enough. Pardew has now signed quite a few of them and, to be fair, he has made some good signings: Weaver, Hudson, Bailey. However, he is far too reliant on loan players, to a disastrous extent last season. We also buy players and then put them out to grass (or at least to Cheltenham or Dutch clubs).
My main issue with Pardew is his endless tinkering with the side. His defenders say that the fans couldn't name their best 16 this season. First, they are not paid to do that. Second, if the players were given the chance to get to know each other in a settled side, we might find out.
Charlton fans are long suffering and they put up with a lot. The Sunday Times claimed that a demonstration was planned for last Saturday if we had lost. I am not in favour of demonstrations personally. First, I think that Pardew is a decent man who has done his best, it is just that his best is not good enough.
Second, the board are Charlton fans and they feel the pain as well, but they are constrained in what they can do by the financial situation. But that situation will get worse if nothing is done and fans demonstrate silently by voting with their feet.
What the board needs to understand - and I think this is understood by intelligent people, of whom there are many within the club - is that this is not the usual moaners as identified by Inspector Sands (shortly sadly to move on from his job on the underground) who are complaining.
At Ipswich fans were chanting 'Pardew out' and 'You won't have a job in the morning' before Charlton scored and started to look interested in the match. What was significant, according to what I have heard, is that hardly anyone told them to shut up.
Of course, if you get rid of a manager you have to replace him. But I think we have reached the stage where almost anyone with football experience would do better because they were not Pardew. If you brought Jason Cadden in from Leamington he would have everyone's spirits up and, what's more, there would be lots of fun with his hair styles. (The former hair stylist is claimed to have the best barnet in West Midlands non-league football).
My serious suggestion would be to let Parkinson and Kinsella see what they could do. It could hardly be worse than the disorganised, demoralised performances we have been seeing.
Football is a confidence game. Leamington are demolishing all their opponents in the BGB Midlands Division because morale is so high. You only have to look at the way the heads of the Charlton players go down if, as happens all too often, they go 0-1 behind. Even if they are 1-0 ahead, they are clearly nervous.
Some say that the players are not good enough. Pardew has now signed quite a few of them and, to be fair, he has made some good signings: Weaver, Hudson, Bailey. However, he is far too reliant on loan players, to a disastrous extent last season. We also buy players and then put them out to grass (or at least to Cheltenham or Dutch clubs).
My main issue with Pardew is his endless tinkering with the side. His defenders say that the fans couldn't name their best 16 this season. First, they are not paid to do that. Second, if the players were given the chance to get to know each other in a settled side, we might find out.
Charlton fans are long suffering and they put up with a lot. The Sunday Times claimed that a demonstration was planned for last Saturday if we had lost. I am not in favour of demonstrations personally. First, I think that Pardew is a decent man who has done his best, it is just that his best is not good enough.
Second, the board are Charlton fans and they feel the pain as well, but they are constrained in what they can do by the financial situation. But that situation will get worse if nothing is done and fans demonstrate silently by voting with their feet.
What the board needs to understand - and I think this is understood by intelligent people, of whom there are many within the club - is that this is not the usual moaners as identified by Inspector Sands (shortly sadly to move on from his job on the underground) who are complaining.
At Ipswich fans were chanting 'Pardew out' and 'You won't have a job in the morning' before Charlton scored and started to look interested in the match. What was significant, according to what I have heard, is that hardly anyone told them to shut up.
Of course, if you get rid of a manager you have to replace him. But I think we have reached the stage where almost anyone with football experience would do better because they were not Pardew. If you brought Jason Cadden in from Leamington he would have everyone's spirits up and, what's more, there would be lots of fun with his hair styles. (The former hair stylist is claimed to have the best barnet in West Midlands non-league football).
My serious suggestion would be to let Parkinson and Kinsella see what they could do. It could hardly be worse than the disorganised, demoralised performances we have been seeing.
Tuesday, 28 October 2008
Addicks secure away point
Ipswich must think that Charlton are their bogey team after the Addicks secured a 1-1 draw at Portman Road tonight somewhat against the run of play. Ipswich had 29 goal attempts against nine for the Addicks and only three of those for Charlton were deemed to be on target. The result was described by Sky Sports News as a lifeline for embatlled Charlton manager Alan Pardew.
Youga was back in Charlton's side with Basey not even on the bench. The favoured Varney and Todorov started up front. It was 30 minutes before Charlton got a shot in on goal, a Matt Holland effort that whistled into the stand. Then on 37 minutes Garvan predictably put the Tractors ahead. Jon Stead was booked for Ipswich on 45 minutes.
Half time: Tractors 1, Addicks 0
Weaver showed his quality early in the second half with two good saves, one from the lively Garvan. Then Ipswich keeper Richard Wright send a long clearance down field and Lisbie burst through only to put his shot wide. It was ever thus.
The turning point in the game came when Youga hand balled in the box on 56 minutes, receiving a yellow card and Ipswich were awarded a penalty, but Nicky Weaver made the save.
Semedo replaced Moutaoukil on 69 minutes whilst Bouazza replaced Sam and the tiring Todorov was replaced by Dixon on 78 minutes.
Then Charlton scored with what was their first threatening shot on target. Bouazza who had just come on put in a cross, enabling Nicky Bailey to score on 82 minutes. Cranie received a late yellow card.
Charlton remain in the 20th place they have made their own, just as they occupied 5th
place for a long spell last season, but Saturday's opponents Barnsley are on the same number of points. One worrying observation was that by the Sky Sports News commentator that Charlton's body language was all wrong.
Youga was back in Charlton's side with Basey not even on the bench. The favoured Varney and Todorov started up front. It was 30 minutes before Charlton got a shot in on goal, a Matt Holland effort that whistled into the stand. Then on 37 minutes Garvan predictably put the Tractors ahead. Jon Stead was booked for Ipswich on 45 minutes.
Half time: Tractors 1, Addicks 0
Weaver showed his quality early in the second half with two good saves, one from the lively Garvan. Then Ipswich keeper Richard Wright send a long clearance down field and Lisbie burst through only to put his shot wide. It was ever thus.
The turning point in the game came when Youga hand balled in the box on 56 minutes, receiving a yellow card and Ipswich were awarded a penalty, but Nicky Weaver made the save.
Semedo replaced Moutaoukil on 69 minutes whilst Bouazza replaced Sam and the tiring Todorov was replaced by Dixon on 78 minutes.
Then Charlton scored with what was their first threatening shot on target. Bouazza who had just come on put in a cross, enabling Nicky Bailey to score on 82 minutes. Cranie received a late yellow card.
Charlton remain in the 20th place they have made their own, just as they occupied 5th
place for a long spell last season, but Saturday's opponents Barnsley are on the same number of points. One worrying observation was that by the Sky Sports News commentator that Charlton's body language was all wrong.
The need to score goals
Charlton face Ipswich at Portman Road tonight. The Tractors have a good record at home and they will want to get revenge for their somewhat unfortunate (from their perspective) recent defeat at Charlton when two of the three goals were scored by the famous Welsh international, Owen Goal.
We have a leaky defence and a midfield that often goes awol. However, leaving those substantial problems aside, one can't win matches if one doesn't score goals and we have scored one in three.
I think one of the problems here is Luke Varney who is a like a rabbit caught in the headlights when he sees the goal in front of him. A few years ago Varney was playing for Quorn in the Midland Alliance at the same time that Leamington was in that competition.
The line between success and relative failure in football is very thin. Leamington have a side made up of former Academy players at Villa, Blews, Sky Blues and the Baggies (one or two have played in the Football League). There is a lot of hoofing the ball, but also some fluent passing and occasionally one sees flashes of real skill which suggests that one or two of these players could have made the grade if they had had a lucky break.
In particular, like Varney, they are good at penetrating defences at speed which is why the Brakes have a 100 per cent league record. But I wouldn't take Josh Blake off his postal round and sign him up for Charlton. My point is that Varney lacks the experience and polish that players with a consistent Football League track record have. He may have shone at Crewe but there is a difference between League 1 and the Championship - note the way in which Forest and Doncaster are struggling.
We don't lack strikers, although we have never seen Fleetwood play. It is possible that he may be recalled from Cheltenham when his loan spell ends, given that Pardew is increasingly clutching at any straw - and Fleetwood could just be the firm branch he can grasp to get out of the raging torrent sweeping him and the club towards Relegation Falls.
No doubt Pardew will go for 4-5-1 tonight with Todorov or Gray lonely as a cloud as long balls whistle past them. Given that we will probably lose anyway, I would shake Ipswich with an attacking 4-4-2 formation with Varney on the wing. I would put Todorov up front, perhaps replaced by Gray in the second as he tires and combine them with Dickson. I would drop Bailey who has been having a bad run. Mouto2 at right back, Cranie and Hudson in the centre and Basey over Youga at left back. Holland, Ambrose and Sam to complete the midfield. It may sound crazy, but it's no crazier than anything Pardew has done.
My prediction: a 2-0 defeat, another outing for Pardew's big book of excuses, and real pressure on us for the game on Saturday.
We have a leaky defence and a midfield that often goes awol. However, leaving those substantial problems aside, one can't win matches if one doesn't score goals and we have scored one in three.
I think one of the problems here is Luke Varney who is a like a rabbit caught in the headlights when he sees the goal in front of him. A few years ago Varney was playing for Quorn in the Midland Alliance at the same time that Leamington was in that competition.
The line between success and relative failure in football is very thin. Leamington have a side made up of former Academy players at Villa, Blews, Sky Blues and the Baggies (one or two have played in the Football League). There is a lot of hoofing the ball, but also some fluent passing and occasionally one sees flashes of real skill which suggests that one or two of these players could have made the grade if they had had a lucky break.
In particular, like Varney, they are good at penetrating defences at speed which is why the Brakes have a 100 per cent league record. But I wouldn't take Josh Blake off his postal round and sign him up for Charlton. My point is that Varney lacks the experience and polish that players with a consistent Football League track record have. He may have shone at Crewe but there is a difference between League 1 and the Championship - note the way in which Forest and Doncaster are struggling.
We don't lack strikers, although we have never seen Fleetwood play. It is possible that he may be recalled from Cheltenham when his loan spell ends, given that Pardew is increasingly clutching at any straw - and Fleetwood could just be the firm branch he can grasp to get out of the raging torrent sweeping him and the club towards Relegation Falls.
No doubt Pardew will go for 4-5-1 tonight with Todorov or Gray lonely as a cloud as long balls whistle past them. Given that we will probably lose anyway, I would shake Ipswich with an attacking 4-4-2 formation with Varney on the wing. I would put Todorov up front, perhaps replaced by Gray in the second as he tires and combine them with Dickson. I would drop Bailey who has been having a bad run. Mouto2 at right back, Cranie and Hudson in the centre and Basey over Youga at left back. Holland, Ambrose and Sam to complete the midfield. It may sound crazy, but it's no crazier than anything Pardew has done.
My prediction: a 2-0 defeat, another outing for Pardew's big book of excuses, and real pressure on us for the game on Saturday.
The board's charm offensive
The board has been reaching out to fans through Charlton Life and the Glynne Jones list and all credit to them for that. There has been a feeling that communication between the board and the fans has not always been as good as it was in the past and following the disappointment of the Zabeel bid, something needed to be done to lift morale, although the best tonic would be an improvement on the pitch.
Derek Chappell's comments on Charlton Life can be found here: Chappell
The old joke asks how one can make a small fortune: start with a large fortune and buy a football club. Not only do some fans expect the directors constantly to dig into their pockets more than they have already, but some even accuse them of taking money out of the club.
Hence it is worth reproducing what David Sumners said on the Glynne Jones list:
'The only money I've ever taken out of the club since 1995 is
1. The benefit of being a member of the club health insurance scheme.
2. Interest on the loan and the convertible bond, and on the latter we've
just deferred the September interest payment.
I've always paid the train fares etc for any away travel out of my own
pocket. Believe me, even taking account of where the stock markets are now,
any investment would have made me more money than that of my investment in
CAFC.....'
There is no doubt that the board are fans and what one would really likely to know is what they think of Pardew, their public expressions of confidence notwithstanding. Obviously I don't expect them to come on a web board and say, 'We told Pardew, if you lose at Ipswich and against Barnsley, you're out.'
One of Pardew's comments after Saturday was, 'I felt the squad needed a shake up but coming in at half-time in the dressing room, we could see we hadn't got the balance of the side right.' Indeed, but what he did he think he was doing in the first place? McLeod is unproven in my view, but in any case he wasn't match fit. If you wanted someone to run around, why not start with Dickson?
I do think that Pardew has lost the plot, if indeed he ever found it. My hope and expectation would be that the board will not stand idly by as the club drifts closer to League 1.
Derek Chappell's comments on Charlton Life can be found here: Chappell
The old joke asks how one can make a small fortune: start with a large fortune and buy a football club. Not only do some fans expect the directors constantly to dig into their pockets more than they have already, but some even accuse them of taking money out of the club.
Hence it is worth reproducing what David Sumners said on the Glynne Jones list:
'The only money I've ever taken out of the club since 1995 is
1. The benefit of being a member of the club health insurance scheme.
2. Interest on the loan and the convertible bond, and on the latter we've
just deferred the September interest payment.
I've always paid the train fares etc for any away travel out of my own
pocket. Believe me, even taking account of where the stock markets are now,
any investment would have made me more money than that of my investment in
CAFC.....'
There is no doubt that the board are fans and what one would really likely to know is what they think of Pardew, their public expressions of confidence notwithstanding. Obviously I don't expect them to come on a web board and say, 'We told Pardew, if you lose at Ipswich and against Barnsley, you're out.'
One of Pardew's comments after Saturday was, 'I felt the squad needed a shake up but coming in at half-time in the dressing room, we could see we hadn't got the balance of the side right.' Indeed, but what he did he think he was doing in the first place? McLeod is unproven in my view, but in any case he wasn't match fit. If you wanted someone to run around, why not start with Dickson?
I do think that Pardew has lost the plot, if indeed he ever found it. My hope and expectation would be that the board will not stand idly by as the club drifts closer to League 1.
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