Dec 30
Back in June I celebrated 20 years of writing this Blog here initially and now on here.
To salute myself I decided to pick 20 Places and 20 Players (Addicks of course) to honour my anniversary. We are on Player number 18 in the series and next up I’ll give you Patrick Bauer.
Please click for moreDion Dublin and Mark Hughes pulled some cracking ties out of the hat this evening apart from about one, our tie away at Preston.
All around us there were some great ties, but for us it’s a very un-romantic away trip to Preston, our first visit to Deepdale since our last season in The Championship.
Please click for moreAs Charlton Athletic get tossed about like a rag doll between a couple of rabid dogs desperate to wring out some unjust dirty money, today will forever be remembered as, well, that day.
My brother and I got a cab from his house in Stoke Newington to Paddington early on that Sunday morning. We were both jet-lagged and a little quiet as the driver attempted to make conversation.
Please click for moreWith no football, and this time of year signaling the closing of season’s past I’ve enjoyed isolating over old Charlton memories – games at Stamford Bridge, Twerton Park, Portman Road and Brunton Park of course, but it was a year ago today that gave me one of my favourite away day memories.
The 1st leg play-off tie will always be overlooked because of the remarkable (there will never be a word that will describe the night properly) 2nd leg game, but that Sunday was a corker of a day out.
Another single goal defeat, another two goals conceded. Is it time to get worried yet?
Disappointing to see the line-up with the bench not including Josh Cullen or Jake Forster Caskey, and in fact even missing a body. No Chris Solly either.
Yet we started really well, and got a great early goal. We passed the ball around from left to right and back to the left side with Sarr releasing Doughty who burst into the box, and put a delightful cross on a plate for Green to score.
Not a six-pointer or a crucially must-win game but an important one nonetheless as we see how Lee Bowyer’s team can bounce back from last weekend’s first defeat.
Lyle Taylor’s knee injury has been described to similar to one that Patrick Bauer suffered last season. So no surgery but rest, time in a brace and then strengthening and fitness recovery. Bauer was out for 9 weeks. Meanwhile Lyle can dedicate his time to Cancer Research awareness. It’s a great cause, one close to my heart, and the club has dedicated the Derby home game on October 19th. Sadly he won’t be playing.
Ready or not, here we go. Back in The Championship, back after that wonderful Sunday at the end of May when we celebrated a goal like nothing before. It still gives me goosebumps.
Yes, we’ve had a another summer of player turnover, and potential ruination thanks to our short-sighted and arrogant owner. Our hero Lee Bowyer publicly rejected by him, Jacko and Marshall to follow suit. Only the calmness and loyalty of Bowyer preventing total Addick meltdown.
This is not a week for those Addicks with a dodgy ticker. Bad news tonight as Patrick Bauer aka BFG said his farewells to Charlton fans.
Not wholly surprising and we can’t say he never warned us. You have to think with a slightly more healthy budget he may have stayed but he maybe ready to move on after an often difficult four years. And of course he’s leaving on the ultimate high.
You’ll never going to believe us, but the reds are going up. Allez, Allez, Allez.
Well, what a journey that was. What a day. What a team, what heroes Lee Bowyer and Johnnie Jackson are. Yesterday will be a day Addicks, team and supporters as one, will remember for the rest of their lives.
The finer details of the game are a little blurry. It was game that flipped from scrappy to nervy to a finely balanced battle. It’s interesting that reports of the game seemed to think we were deserving winners. I wasn’t so sure from where I sat, but Sunderland are a very functional side, hard to beat, but lacking flair. Meanwhile Bowyer has put together a team that can change a game, be the more adventurous, can play around sides. The first goal, which was pure poetry, a great example.
Depressingly predictable.
Compare and contrast how we all feel now to how we felt before the Peterborough game a week ago. Thanks for everything Roland.
It sounded poor today. I was very disappointed to see Bowyer start with just Hackett-Fairchild up top on his own. Especially with the 6ft 6 Harry Souttar making his debut on loan for them.
Our forward line issues speak for themselves, but Bow really needs to work out what to do in the middle. Lots of skillful players, some neat passers, but no cutting edge. A couple are also too similar and none of those starting today can be relied upon for goals. The team needs pace and width. Both Fosu and Marshall can still play a big part. Igor at least sounded lively when he came on. What would we give for him to come back and do the business?
Let’s not deny it, but Lewis Page has more reason than most of the other young starlets that Lee Bowyer is attempting to secure to a contract extension beyond the end of this season, to sign one.
The injury plagued 22-year old has only played 55 league games, the majority of those coming this year, and just as he was starting to establish himself under Bowyer’s tutelage, once again the unfortunate left back is on the sidelines. Page know he needs a run of games and to be settled and hence it’s no surprise to me that he is the first player out of those offered to commit.
Is how long it is expected both Josh Cullen and Igor Vetokele will be out after both dislocated shoulders in the win at Walsall. Tuesday’s victory came with a heavy price. Cullen, on loan from West Ham, has been outstanding at the fulcrum of the midfield.
Sep 17
I’d imagine this was a surprising blow to all of us this morning. With the latest round of injuries to Bielik, Pratley and Ajose said to be just a couple of weeks of inability, after an MRI this morning Patrick Bauer tweeted that he has ruptured his fibular collateral ligament, which is located on the outer side of the knee, and will be out “for a couple of months.”
Lied to again by the club it seems. Patrick Bauer wasn’t offered a new contract, just an extension on his new one, which he has refused, or in fact Duchatelet offered nothing at all. Judging by his Tweet today to 4,700 followers he may not be sticking around until Saturday. And who can blame him?
So where are we..
4 days left before we kick off at Sunderland, and we waved farewell to Josh Magennis today who signed for Bolton Wanderers. The fee is said to be £200,000, a severe haircut on the £500,000 offered to Duchatelet in January. Discounts for cash. The Belgian continues to dismantle our football club in front of our very eyes.
He asset stripped Standard Liege and he is asset stripping Charlton Athletic. Nicky Ajose is also been touted to anyone who has got a penny. Coventry City are interested but the cancerous owner thinks he can get more from overseas. Ajose will be gone by week’s end.
Another less than straight forward day for us Addicks.
I woke to an article from Rich Cawley saying that Duchalelet was preparing the sale of Patrick Bauer to Blackburn for as little as £400,000. A deal attractive to the Belgian as the cash would all be upfront.
Rich followed this by suggesting that Duchatelet is also planning to cash in Tariqe Fosu and Joe Aribo, and that he will not sanction a pre-season tour. This because he refuses to pay for anything other than the operating costs, which he will fund with a fire-sale.
No not another ode to Yann or a post on Patrick Bauer’s potential move back to Germany, but more on the Americas Cup which continues to be the talk of the island.
Saturday saw the end of the Round Robin Americas Cup Qualifiers which meant that the French team had to exit the competition. Groupama Team France and Jose Mourinho look-a-like Franck Cammas over acheived and made a lot of friends during their stay here but after eight defeats but two suprising wins, they finished bottom of the 1st Round standings and will play no further part in the 35th Americas Cup. Although Cammas has said the team will stay and provide practice competition for the now idle Team Oracle.
A thoroughly undeserved point on Saturday after Patrick Bauer equalized in taxi time against most people’s promotion favourites Sheffield United.
Despite United’s dominance and a superb display from young Dylan Phillips, the Blades only had a single goal to show for it, a well worked free kick move. As we all know one goal is never often enough and sure enough from a lovely Adam Chicksen free kick, the big German bundled in late.
Next week’s senile statement missive from Charlton might well mention balloons. 50,000 black and white ones are planned to float around The Valley tomorrow, and I expect lapdog Tony Keohane’s honey to-do list today will include re-writing the list of items banned from bringing into the ground.
In the week of beach ball-gate, the Metropolitan Police have said they are not pursuing a criminal investigation into Addicks’ supporters who accidentally spilled beach balls onto the pitch against Middlesbrough in front of a live TV audience. This should remind us all that the club can do absolutely nothing against lawful and harmless protests.
Also if you haven’t seen this week’s CARD video, it’s a cracker.
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Charlton have completed the signing of Patrick Bauer from C.S. Maritimo for an undisclosed fee, the club confirmed on Monday evening. (more)
Good news. The German 6ft 4in centre-back has played 43 first team games for Portuguese Primeira Liga over-achievers Maritimo on the island of Madeira, which should allow him to acclimatise to Woolwich Dockyard just nicely. Bauer played for Maritimo for two seasons after signing from childhood club VfB Stuttgart, who by all accounts were attempting to re-sign the 22-year old.
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City of London
