May 17
For all the chaos and deceit and uncertainties, no one can ever take away from us the three play-off games from last season. A year ago tonight was that game at The Valley. We actually lost on the night, but we won memories and photos and videos and soulmates that will stay with us a lifetime.
It was a truly incredible night. Very Charlton of course, but unbelievable all the same.
For all but the last five minutes that was bad. Yes injuries, yes budget, yes 12-year olds but I was worried as soon as I read Bowyer’s pre-match thoughts. It sounded so defeatist. I was much happier with his response after, and of course he is right, there is no excuse for the absence of fight and battle.
Equally we just didn’t go for it. We had a man advantage, maybe throw Sarr up front (he’s a liability at the back) with Davison and not take him off. Jesus we are about as useless against ten men as we are on the box.
Who would have thought it. We finish in 3rd place after improving our goal difference to better Portsmouth, who failed to beat Accrington Stanley whilst Sunderland lost at Southend meaning they drop to 5th.
Doncaster held onto 6th so we go there next Sunday with the 2nd leg at The Valley the following Friday.
Bowyer went with a strong team with Taylor, Bielik and Bauer returning. Albie Morgan was in the line up and Josh Parker started up front as Igor missed out to injury.
The communication machine is well and truly in motion among Roland Duchatelet’s power cracker management elite. Not quite a trans-channel telegraph but a text message, sent to Lee Bowyer last night telling him that he will probably get an offer of some kind from the owner next week.
Outwardly at least, Bowyer looks as if not much bothers him and rightly is putting results and performances over and above waiting for a text message “from someone who works for the owner.” Bowyer also reminds those concerned that Johnnie Jackson and Andy Marshall and he come as a team. All three of those gentlemen’s work will not have gone unnoticed by others.
Charlton had six players away on international duty – Lyle Taylor, Igor Vetokele, Krystian Bielik, Josh Cullen, Josh Parker and Chris Maxwell. The last three didn’t get to play although Cullen may get another chance on Tuesday when the Irish host Georgia.
Taylor’s long trip to the Cayman Islands ended most likely in disappointment, but Igor’s Angola qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations after they beat Botswana 1-0 on Friday. Bielik played for Poland’s U21 against England in a friendly at Ashton Gate and fell awkwardly in the 2nd half, but did finish the game.
A fantastic performance from the Addicks today, and on the TV as well. After taking five minutes to settle we dominated the vast majority of the game playing some wonderful stuff, chasing every lose ball, and never shirking a challenge.
Of course it wouldn’t be Charlton if we didn’t have to hang on a bit at the finish, and after last week I was shuffling uncomfortably on the couch at the end.
What a performance. A game of two halves from the Addicks. The first of quick movement, passing and attacking threat, the 2nd knee deep in the trenches repelling wave after wave of attack.
Last season’s victory at Fratton Park was one of the season’s best memories, and once again in front of a noisy Addicks’ support we beat the league leaders, handing them only their second deafeat of the season, following an immense display in equal measures of ability and backbone.
A very nice win today against one of the most consistent performers in this division. Charlton attacked with real pace and purpose and two goals from Karlan Grant gave us our first win in four and inflicted defeat on Barnsley for only the second time this season.
I was following along from Florida, and the result never seemed in doubt with the returning Bielik strengthening our back four and our midfield excelling doing both the pretty and ugly stuff with Josh Cullen at the centre of it all.
Three on Saturday against Wycombe. Nothing too serious but we are going to be without Darren Pratley for 2-3 weeks, Nicky Ajose probably this weekend and Krystian Bielik for a fortnight.
Jamie Ward snuck under the door at The Valley on Friday after Sky Sports and the BBC had wrapped up their final transfer window coverage and gone home for the weekend.
There was mad panic loaning today around the EFL, and it looked as if the Addicks were not going to get the one more player Lee Bowyer had hoped for. A striker, a good player who can play anywhere up top Bowyer described him as yesterday, but no whispers to who that could be until around 4.30pm, when this player turned out to be Jamie Ward.
Charlton added to it’s skeleton squad today with the season’s acquisition of Krystian Bielik from Arsenal. The 20-year old can play at centre-half and in midfield shielding the back four. The Pole should also be quite adept at playing in an oft-preferred Bowyer back three as well.
Chicago Addick 