Charlton Athletic 1 Cambridge United 1
A frustrating watch, but a fair result yesterday.
Lots of possession, but little to show for it, and we just weren’t able to overload attacking areas like we did at will on Tuesday.
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Aug 21
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Formulae
I wrote the other day that it’s nigh on impossible to guess how we will line up in games. Bow said yesterday that it was the first time the team had played to that formation. It looked like (from watching on Valley Pass) that we were 5-4-1 with Solly and JFC advanced wing backs and a flat midfield. That put a lot of trust in Bonne, but he did not disappoint, despite the fact a year ago he was playing in a FA Cup qualifying tie at Maidstone.
Whilst Jacko and Marsh are drilling the players on set-pieces, Bowyer must spend hours in a room studying opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. Derby and Phillipe Cocu are no slouches but yesterday we picked them off at a corner and targeted the £10m Krystian Bielik. Teams appear to be obsessed in playing out from the back pedestrian like believing they are playing for Man City.
Do not disturb
The first proper day of the World Cup. The do not disturb sign is hanging around my neck.
As suspected the Bermuda TV coverage is worst than terrible. Not sure where they stole the pictures from, but sounds as if the commentator is doing it from his sofa, and there is no pre or post game punditry and the half-time show consists of crowd scenes interrupted by adverts from local companies who have each thrown in about a hundred bucks to ‘sponsor’ it. Please don’t let me hear you moan about Martin Keown and Glenn Hoddle..
Also, during the game the screen has no score or time on it, which is a very disconcerting and a nightmare if I need a wee. Who knows what the score is and how long is left, doubt if the commentator knows either.
Aussie, Aussie, Aussie
After what has seen like a length of a James Cook expedition the Aussies are apparently finally coming. We have seen plenty of false dawns but word is that next week we may eventually get rid of the Belgian poison and have new owners.
According to the sage Richard Murray there were two bids accepted. One was obviously the Aussies, and the other may have been an Arab consortium, or was it English or was it the Scots, and someone said today there was some American interest. Who the hell knows, except that we finally rid ourselves of Roland Duchatelet.
The circus of Karel Fraeye
The timing of Guy Luzon’s sacking was a surprise to a lot of people but not to Karel Fraeye. He was waiting patiently in the wings confident and ready for the job that he had long been earmarked for. The Interim tag was to appease us, Duchalelet and Meire hopeful that his articulate and open manner would grow on Charlton fans. More engaging with the players especially Johnnie Jackson, all he had to do was turn around the disastrous form of Guy Luzon before being given the job of his dreams full time.
I wrote after Fraeye took over as Interim Head Coach that his ability or lack thereof would stand on its own two feet. His appointment was another piss take, but there would be no hiding place. Time would judge him in front of us all.
After his 9th game which has yielded two wins in Fraeye said “To be fair, we’ve had an away game at Middlesbrough, an away game at Birmingham, an away game at Burnley and a home game against Ipswich.” Yes Karel my old son this is The Championship. It does not suffer fools gladly.
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Birmingham City 0 Charlton Athletic 1
An excellent result and not just a clinging on rear guard action. The Addicks created chances too, with youngsters Ademola Lookman and Tareiq Holmes-Dennis outstanding, especially Holmes Dennis playing out of position at right back who danced down the wing to provide a teasing cross for super skipper Johnnie Jackson to head powerfully home.
Lookman started up front with Simon Makienok with Reza on the bench along with the returning Harry Lennon and new loanee Ricardo Vaz Te. There was no place for Moussa.
We were under the gun for a lot of the 1st period, especially before half-time but the Blues never caused many heart-fluttering moments, at least listening to the radio. That was until the final seconds when Holmes-Dennis rounded off a terrific performance preventing Grounds from a sure equaliser.
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Enough is enough
I don’t know whether to laugh of cry. Mind you, I can’t imagine what it must be like working in the media department at the club. Poor sods.
“Interim Head Coach.” In capitals. So Fraeye has given up a full time job at homely VW Hamme to take up an interim position? As has Wim De Corte. Then again it is like giving up a full time paper round to take up a makeshift role in the city at an investment bank. You wouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth would you?
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Song for Guy
Well not really. A slight maunder of “Guy Luzon’s red and white army” from a few in the Upper Covered End but that was about it as the Israeli left just like he arrived. By the back door looking like a rabbit in the headlights.
I grew to accept Luzon like a child-hating Auntie, but then the £5 WH Smith voucher at Christmas would see that acceptance grow to a like and when Luzon talked passionately and sensibly about his players and the club in a language that wasn’t his mother tongue, I think a lot of Addicks took kindly to him. I know I did.
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Luzon deserves better
A huge week for Guy Luzon as the vultures arrive in SE7 ready for their next meal. Tomorrow night 8 games without a win Charlton host 8 games without a win Preston at what could be an angry Valley.
I think in most cases the anger is not against Luzon, who joined in very difficult circumstances but slowly won the Valley faithful over by doing his work on the field, and in public providing honest assessments of his team and their performances.
Luzon needs to be backed by the owner and his CEO, who suggested that the Israeli could emulate Sir Alex Ferguson on his arrival. You have to laugh, Fergie was the poster child for stability, the opposite of what we have seen under the Belgians.
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Reading 1 Charlton Athletic 0
2 shots at goal compared to 23 by Reading tells it’s own sorry tale. More than 1,100 Addicks bravely got behind an impotent Charlton side with their only ambition to grab a point. I am starting to realise that I have never seen Bob Peeters and Guy Luzon in the same room. Although to be fair to old baldy he had 8 more points at this same point last season.
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Bikey out, anyone biking in?
Three out and no new arrivals as we enter the last day of the August transfer window. Andre Bikey had his contract cancelled yesterday, why both parties waited that long to divorce I don’t know, but it allows Bikey free agency and the chance to find another club.
Bikey had been frozen out by Guy Luzon and was playing in the stiffs, if the reserve team made up of youngsters can be called that these days. A year ago he was an intricate part of Bob Peeters unbeaten start to the season, but Luzon didn’t like how the experienced Cameroonian negatively dominated the dressing room. Add to that a couple of defensive howlers and a drop in professionalism and Luzon pulled rank.
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New squad numbers
Nothing earth shattering regarding the new squad numbers on first glance. Cousins moves to no. 8, there is no no.2 perhaps hinting at the club’s hopes to sign another defender imminently. Patrick Bauer and Naby Sarr become 5 and 6, and the young Spaniard Cristian Ceballos is given the no.10 shirt.
However upon scrutiny there is no shirt for Andre Bikey or Loic Nego and apparently Franck Moussa is only deserved of one once he can prove fitness, which presumes will not be for a long while.
A year ago Andre Bikey and Tal Ben Haim began the season as our centre-half pairings, eventually forcing Michael Morrison to leave. Admittedly once Guy Luzon showed up Morrison was already half out of the door, but that move still grates with me and his handling Bikey leaves a little bit of a bad taste, and one assumes he will be left to ‘rot’ in the reserves.
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Concrete rumour
Or at least a foam one
After a month of nothing in terms of Charlton transfer gossip, today Belgium football Journalist Sven Claes put out probably the most concrete rumour so far this summer.
Claes is very well connected in Belgium and has a good knowledge of the Addicks set up, as well as a decent track record in prediciting the mostly unpredictable in Charlton’s timeline. Today Claes reported that we are in the race to sign Lokeren winger Nill De Pauw. According to Claes the 25-year old has a €750,000 buy out clause.
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15 players released
Part one of Luzon/Duchatelet/Meire’s summer transfer strategy was executed today with the announcement of 15 players released.
They are: Tal Ben Haim; Simon Church; Chris Eagles; Roger Johnson; Lawrie Wilson; Oguchi Onyewu; Neil Etheridge; Jack Munns; Harry Osborne; Harry Gerard; Kadell Daniel; Kurtis Cumberbatch; Kieran Monlouis; Rhys Browne; Levander Pyke.
A mixture of the unfortunate attrition of young pros who were unable to step up plus 7 first teamers. My only disappointment is seeing Ben Haim go, although it was apparently his own decision. Not so much disappointed but sad to see Lawrie Wilson and Simon Church move on.
The Welshman scored just 10 goals in Charlton colours, but his work rate could never be questioned, but I expect his career will have to continue down a division.
Lawrie Wilson’s form dipped this season after an excellent 2014/15 season, when I personally thought he was player of the year. He was very friendly with Hamer, Morrison, Hughes and Jackson and an integral part of Chris Powell’s squad but he was sidelined under both Peeters and Luzon and the writing was on the wall. However I am pleased that he was able to come back to the club where he began his career to show us what a great pro he is. Best of luck Lawrie.
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The season in one post
9 months ago 1,600 Addicks welcomed Bob Peeters’ new look team with 7 new signings at Griffin Park, and most left with a positive feeling. It was a gritty Charlton performance that Charlton fans could relate to. Yet the biggest reservations pre-season were over the unknown head coach and the lack of obvious goals in the side. Roland Duchatelet had added some much needed quality, but on the face of it, Peeters’ squad was thin and lacking in Championship experience.
Nonetheless by the time pre-season promotion favourites Derby came to The Valley we were three games unbeaten and Peeters had warmed the Addicks’ fans with his over enthusiastic tête-à-tête with then Wigan boss Uwe Rosler the game before.
The Derby game was a little surreal if we are honest. Peeters’ passing game, still a work in progress, was some of the best I had seen for a long time, but the Valley crowd came across as unsure to what they were witnessing. However it was a great 3 points won at a spruced up Valley and with two away draws following we sat happily in 6th place at the end of the opening month. Please click for more
Chicago Addick 