Aug 30
One day before the window shuts and I find myself sat here (on a sun lounger in Miami) hoping we actually keep the squad intact tomorrow. Hopes of adding a striker look a bit forlorn at least judging by Karl Robinson’s aspirint Bill Shankly mind games.
Ben Reeves scored a nice little taster of a goal tonight as a youthful Addicks won rather easily at the Checkatrade.com stadium in the pointless Checkatrade Trophy against Crawley Town.
12 academy graduates were named in Robinson’s 16-man squad, who managed to navigate around the stupid rules mostly becsause Josh Magennis and Jay Dasilva were away on international duty. 10 of the academy boys got on the field including George Lapslie (photo), who scored our second 20 minutes from time.
I may not have mentioned this before but I have two man crushes, and they have always vied for top spot, but after last night Chris Martin may have just pipped Johnnie Jackson after the Coldplay front man lit up the Miami Dolphins stadium into a technicolour frenzy.
We made it through a massive downpour and awful traffic to get to the out of town Hard Rock Stadium with 50,000 others who were each given wristbands which were wirelessly co-ordinated to flash throughout the show like halos of colour. To that there was the regular burst of fireworks, explosions of confetti and hundreds of large candy coloured rubber balloons that bounced over head in spells of rain that often left the whole arena in a mist of hues.
Sending a message..
That was a very good result in South Yorkshire today. There is the small matter of 42 games left, but these are the results it takes to win promotion. We were dogged, resilient, and carried a killer instinct. Solly by all accounts was tremendous as was Amos, Bauer and Kashi but plaudits all around the pitch and to the travelling Addicks.
Like a broken record, with 7 days left until deadline day, judging by Karl Robinson’s comments this morning it is looking more and more likely that the owner will leave his manager with another unbalanced and incomplete squad. Not for the first time, the first eleven looks very competitive and Robinson to his credit has created a playing system and a spirit which could take this team a long way towards the goal of promotion, except beyond the first team and three or four others it falls off a cliff.
Not me obviously, I grew up in Catford, but whenever I can I like to get amongst it, you know, have a nose and rub up against some big shoulder pads. Our summer plans got derailed so we were looking at quick breaks, easy-ish to get to from here, and the Google-search-other-half found us a short break in St Barts, or Saint Barthélemy as it is known in French France.
The volcanic Caribbean island of St Barts is what the French call an overseas collective, which puts it in a similar category to Bermuda and it’s relationship with the United Kingdom.
Can’t be too disappointed..
The Addicks League Cup campaign ended tonight at Norwich, despite us taking an early lead through Lee Novak. There was no embarrassment though and although Norwich deserved their victory, it somewhat flattered them in the end. We had a couple of chances at 1-2, but then fell to two late goals which gave the result an unfair polish.
With apologies for stealing a Kyle-like headline. Rumours are all pointing to the fact that Karl Robinson has Will Grigg in his sights as a squad addition as he attempts to force home a striking addition before the transfer deadline. I’d take him for the song alone.
Grigg is not first choice at Wigan but two questions linger. One is will Wigan let him leave to a potential promotion rival? And if it is permanent, how much will he cost?
Who needs strikers..
Will be the text from Roland to Katrien this afternoon after the owner would have doubtless watched on his iPad from his Flanders’ pied a terre Charlton’s demolition of Northampton. In fact Karl Robinson may have wished for own goals to help his cause in attempting to bring in another striker before the window shuts.
With Lee Novak looking as if he’d like an August move away from SE7, the need for a striker, or two, is paramount but let’s not take away from today’s four goal haul as the Addicks turned over an always dangerous Northampton side, who have now lost all three of their league games.
Wake up call..
Karl Robinson complained on Tuesday that our second string should have had the game wrapped up by half-time and back in Devon it was the same story today with our first XI as we went down to our first defeat of the season in front of a good turnout of Addicks at Home Park.
1st half we played well, good possession, attacked well and Luke McCormick performed heroics, but we should have been ahead at the break. Back from injury Josh Magennis had a couple of golden opportunities, and Clarke had a shot cleared off the line. Nonetheless it was a good half and a decent match at the break.
Second 45 we paid for those chances as the Pilgrims worked out our plan A, frustrated us, grew in confidence and took the lead, and in remnants of past seasons once we went behind we never looked like getting back into the game. Plymouth wrapped the game up in the dying minutes of normal time.
At Charlton at least. According to Rich Cawley the enigmatic Scottishman travelled to Belgium today to sign for 2nd Division side OH Leuven. Watt is in his last year of his Addicks’ contract and it is unsure whether Charlton can cash in with a fee or the 23-year old goes on a season long loan leaving him a free agent in the summer.
This will be Watt’s third time in Belgium and his 9th club and this stop off in Flanders has to be his last chance to form some sort of prolonged career for himself.
Another farcical Carabao Cup draw last night, with our tie and three others home and away venues being mixed up. We were drawn at home to Norwich, but then it was apparent that we should have been away.
Norwich were seeded, as were Brentford, Crystal Palace and Watford and they each had their ties around the wrong way. Among the confusion the dopey TV hosts also appeared to forget that both Newport and West Ham were meant to play away due to home ground issues.
Come on the 10 men..
Dirty old Charlton turned around a 1-0 deficit to beat a good League Two side 2-1 last night with seven academy graduates on the field.
There were some excellent performances from some of our youngsters as we played some fine attacking football, which should have really had the game done and dusted before City took the lead. But sub Billy Clarke equalized and then one of the young guns 20-year old Regan Charles-Cook calmly slotted in the winner.
That’s what Karl Robinson said on Saturday for tonight’s Carabao Cup game down in Exeter. By the way I thought a Carabao was a water buffalo, but in fact a Carabao is a Thai energy drink. Who knew.
Anyway a whole different eleven is not easy to do, and only two will travel that were involved on Saturday, but I will have a try before Karl does his video nasty in an hour or so.
Plucky little Charlton..
Three words to warm your hearts. A well deserved victory yesterday where despite being down to 10 men from the 7th minute, Charlton battled like soldiers but continued to show attacking intent with Tariqe Fosu and Ricky Holmes outstanding. Billy Clarke ran his socks off as Robinson decided against replacing Novak like for like, but instead Ahmed Kashi and Jake Forster-Caskey allowed Clarke, Holmes and Fosu to play further forward preventing the age-old Charlton problem of sitting back on the lead that Patrick Bauer gave us in the 38th minute.
In the Karl Robinson house, but of course all football fans understand that analogy very well.
This is easily the most positive pre-season we have had in the Duchatelet-Meire era, not that it’s difficult, but keeping faith in Robinson was a positive. He is marmite of course and can’t stop talking, but one can’t fail to see his commitment to the club and his passion and energy.
Words are easy, and actions do speak louder, but when we’ve been used to a complete lack of communication and when we were spoken to, we were given mostly lies, or we had head coaches not able to make any connection with fans whatsoever.
Despite my growing age putting me in ever higher brackets in surveys, I still take a keen interest in both Charlton kits and squad numbers. I haven’t worn a football shirt for donkeys, but I do like to check out the squad numbers for ideas of who is most likely to be first choice or any signs of wacky superstition by players.
Today is about the last day squad numbers can be announced, and that is what Charlton did today.
At last. More will he wont he’s than a vegetarian sat in front of bacon sandwich.
Ben Reeves, a long time target of Karl Robinson, signed a 2-year contract this afternoon. Reeves is an attacking midfielder with a good eye for goal and played 86 league games in 4-years for MK Dons scoring 24 goals. The Dorset born 25-year old has 2 Northern Ireland caps.
Part I, Lancastrians and Yorkshire types here, Part II for Greater Mancunians here, and Part III for Middle Englanders here.
Right then, my final part and the good old South of England. I’ll start my way from the eastern most club to the one furthest west.
One of a few seaside clubs in the division, Southend United chased a play-off berth all the way to the final game of last season, a nod to what a bit of experience and stability in these trigger happy days of football management can do. Only Keith Hill pips Phil Brown in the League One longevity stakes.
Part I, Lancastrians and Yorkshire folk here, Part II and the Manc’s here.
Onto Middle England then, which is a little sparse when it comes to League One clubs. Just Walsall the only proper Midlands side.
Last season was a whole lot of disappointment for Walsall’s supporters after the incredible campaign the year previous when they finished 3rd, but ultimately missed out on promotion in the play-offs. The man credited with that inspirational season was Jon Whitney, but last season he and his players were a million miles away from a repeat in what was a turgid if not relegation threatened season.
Part I here.
Out of Yorkshire then and back to the north-west of the country and those teams that have to live in the shadows of United and City in Greater Manchester.
Wigan Athletic have been a league club for less than 40 years, and under the generous ownership of Dave Whelan, the Latics have spent almost half of that time in the top two divisions. This season they find themselves, now under the chairmanship of Whelan’s grandson David Sharpe, back in the 3rd tier. After winning the League One title Wigan should have had enough to survive in The Championship and relegation appeared to be avoidable, but relegated they were and four managers later they begin this season as one of the bookies’ favourites for promotion.
Sarasota, Florida
