Oct 7
As many of you would have seen recently Matt Southall is once again attempting to get his slimy hands into a professional football club.
Southall is set to buy a 25% share in Rochdale. This news has been met head on by the Rochdale’s Supporters Trust with significant guidance from Addicks’ fans.
Please click for moreRight. Now let’s go on a run.
A dominate performance today at Rochdale. An early goal, then another one for breathing space, their woodwork rattled three times, some good movement off the ball and a very assured defensive display.
That was like watching us in the late 70’s. For those of you old enough to remember. Soul destroying, uplifting and slapstick in equal measures.
In all honesty the first half was pretty abominable. Our five man defence parted like the Red Sea on numerous occasions, and yes Rochdale probably couldn’t believe their luck as they hit goal of the season bingo with every effort on target, but it was another harrowing start to the first half. Well the middle, and end too.
The Addicks back in the third tier for the fourth time in five seasons. From our first season back down there in 2016/17 AFC Wimbledon, Fleetwood, Gillingham, Oxford United, Peterborough, Rochdale and Shrewsbury are all still there. Both Gillingham and Peterborough are the longest serving with this season being their 8th consective.
The 24 teams are evenly spread north and south, but I will begin my quick glance at our League One rivals at the top of the country.
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.
I was thinking before the game, that with no disrespect to Rochdale, if a team is to win promotion from this league then these are the kind of games that have to be won. Dale have lost at home to Peterborough, Barnsley, Walsall, Portsmouth and Doncaster already this season.
However a Charlton win never looked likely today. I watched on ifollow and we were hugely disappointing. There was effort and Pearce for example, had an excellent game, but Dale had our number. They closed us down at every opportunity, chased us into every corner, they defended in packs, and further to their credit, they showed plenty of threat going forward led by the experienced Henderson.
Part One of my 2018/19 League One preview, which went from Accrington Stanley to Coventry City is here and Part Two that began at Doncaster and ended at Portsmouth is here.
Mission accomplished…
But, it still peeved me a little that we played crappy on the telly again, and very disappointing for the 1,611 Addicks who made the long journey and whilst they made a lot of noise deep down they will feel a little cheated.
Sure, our play-off spot was pretty much sealed early in the game with what was going on at Priestfield, but we didn’t really get out of first gear and to use a ‘Bow-ism,’ they wanted it more, and the points meant more to them.
After last night’s Scunthorpe win over Plymouth our task on Saturday became clear. Plymouth were soundly beaten at Glanford Park, with 2-0 flattering the Pilgrims, but we have to expect them to give it everything at Gillingham on Saturday, and likewise at the same time Lee Bowyer’s team must not let up their current levels of work rate at Spotland.
Plymouth failed to capitalize on their games in hand, just as we didn’t either, proving that points in the bag are eminently more valuable.
Hard fought..
And a stuttering and often ugly performance tonight but 3 very valuable points against what I was thought was a very decent Rochdale team, playing with a style far better than their league position indicates.
I watched for the first time on EFL’s iFollow service, which allows overseas fans to watch live games. Charlton remember don’t subscribe to iFollow but almost all of our League One opponents do and for a fiver for a match pass I thought it was good. No commentary just live pictures and atmosphere, although there was a delay in the sound, but I’d recommend it, if you are able to take advantage. By the way I would encourage you take this CAFC media team’s survey on their Valley Pass service.
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.
I’m not really on board with those that have declared today a good point. I may be living in the dark ages but a last minute equalizer at Rochdale in front of 2,842 is hardly the start of a new dawn. Rochdale had failed to score in their last 5 games!
We did score 3 goals which is pleasing but according to the commentary our defending was woeful especially for Dale’s 3rd. We were also ahead but somehow should be pleased with a point, although to his credit Robinson wasn’t. 3 points from 12 and another game is ticked off from a monotonous season with our mid table mediocrity looking intact.
“We know we made mistakes managerially. Everything is now in place with Russell to give us stability.” – Katrien Meire before the game getting her size 10 stilettos stuck in her big fat gob again.
If I remember rightly she said a similar thing about Chris Powell, Bob Peeters and Guy Luzon before she fired them.
1 point from three home games against AFC Wimbledon, Oldham and Rochdale. One point. Add that to the two points away at Fleetwood and Oxford, clubs that were in the National League just a few years ago. Now, we have no given right to beat anybody, but what we do have is a right to change. This club is rotten to the core, and if those that are intent on destroying it won’t do the honourable thing, then we need to enforce it.
Part I is here and Part II is here.
Rochdale under Keith Hill have made the transition to League One look fairly comfortable. Two top ten finishes are not to be sniffed at as Dale keep company with much bigger and financially stronger clubs. Hill also remains at Spotland and unlike 95% of the countries managers, you have to think that the manager does control quite a lot of his own destiny.
Just a couple of additions aligned with a bit of a clear out, should mean that Dale at least stand still but with the lowest home attendance in the division last season, Hill must continue to get his players to punch above their weight. Led by young skipper Jamie Allen, it is not a squad of household names although Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, ex of Peterborough and Wolves, is there, but it is a young but clearly a non-intimidated group of players. Hill and is his team should expect a mid table finish again. Promotion 12/1. Relegation 9/2.
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Charlton Athletic 3 Rochdale 1
Whoopee, a win. Now do I make that four decent performances in a row or have I just eaten too much chocolate? I listened in on Player and unlike normal, it was actually quite enjoyable. Some good individual performances, particularly from Eccleston, Racon and Parrett, plenty of heart and some pleasing passages of play.
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Chicago Addick 