Friday, September 16, 2005
Blues times two
100% records.
Just one goal conceded in 9 matches.
18 goals scored.
The combined records of Charlton and Chelsea so far this season make awesome reading, and it needs to be said that Charlton are substantial contributors to the above statistics (Official club preview in title link above). This fact is missed by large parts of the media, who still see Charlton as a team that has had a good start but cannot be considered when it comes to end of season honours; a team of minnows compared with others like Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Newcastle. Well I suppose we are! But we are a Premiership team, and one look at the current league table in mid-September has Charlton above all of those other teams.
Charlton have a great (and I mean, GREAT!) manager; they have a fantastic (and I mean really FANTASTIC!) Chairman, and a fine board of Directors; they have a small (by Premiership standards) but compact stadium that is truly loved by the fans; they have (mostly) superb fans; and they are still considered to be the second most loved team by large numbers of football supporters in this country after their own.
They have also started this season by winning every game, up until now.
Yes, it is pretty awesome being a Charlton fan at the moment.
True, the Ashes win and England's pathetic Belfast showing have taken some of the gloss off our fine start. And the midweek shenanigans of Rooney and van Persie plus Everton's traumatic humbling to the third best team in Bucharest last night may have taken the gloss off many of this weekends matches. But we really do have a true top of the table clash at the Valley tomorrow afternoon.
1 Chelsea 5 5 0 0 10 0 10 15
2 Charlton 4 4 0 0 8 1 7 12
Normally, we just get to see our boys play the top of the table team (be it Chelsea, Arsenal, or Man Utd); but not this year. This year we are up there with them, challenging.
So how will our first (or is it second or third) big test of the season go? Can we make an even bigger name for ourselves than our club has done so far this season?
Curbishley has to make at least one change tomorrow - on loan Smertin not being allowed by rules to play against his contracted team - but he may make others. It's only when you look at the opposition though, that Curbs will consider if he needs to juggle things about a bit. If we were playing any of the other clubs that are deemed on a par with Charlton, then I doubt we would see anything other than Holland, Hughes or Ambrose coming in for Smertin. And look at the oppo we need to do, as they are by far the best team in the country now (even if they aren't really playing like it yet), and possibly Europe come next May.
Let's do some match ups:
Powell versus Robben/Wright-Phillips; Chrissy is playing really well, but would you fancy him to match either of the Chelses players pace? No, nor would I.
Perry vesus Drogba; "The Rash" was m-o-t-m for the last two matches, but Drogba is much bigger, quicker, and better in the air than Pandiani, or Yakubu.
Bent versus Terry; If JT is fit, Dazza is up against the best centre back in Europe. With Gallas or Carvallho alongside, will he get a kick all day?
Murphy versus Makelele; Spud is also playing really well but will the loss of Smertin mean he gets time on the ball? Will one kick early on from the Frenchmen put him out of the game?
I could go on (and on) but it would be so negative...and I don't do that.
Let us hope that Anderson plays as well as he did at Stamford Bridge back in May. Let's hope that Dennis and Jerome (didn't they make a record about ten years back?)can speed down the wing and put in decent crosses for Dazza to get on the end of. Let's hope that the centre backs can snuff out any danger from Drogba or Crespo. Let us hope that the midfield plays as if they want to play again on Tuesday and next Saturday when Smertin is back in contention. Lets's hope Joe Cole plays tomorrow as he did at The Valley for West Ham (ie crap). Let's hope theat Jose changes his team from those that played in midweek and rests the dangermen.
I hope to see El Kakouri back, in the midfield role that he started a few matches in early last season, and replace Smertin. Other than that, I can't see much point in changing the team, even though Spector, Sorondo, Holland, and Ambrose are fit and ready. If we get tonked, then all those guys will get a run out aginst Hartlepool on Tuesday with a view to playing them next weekend; if we get a result, then they will still get a run out on Tuesday as some of the first team will be rested.
Deep in my heart of hearts I hope that we get something out of tomorrows match. The realist in me says that we cannot score; cannot compete in midfield, and are too weak at the back. The romantic in me says we can nick a goal (or two); can mix it with Chelsea's reserve midfield (Jeremi, Cole and the like) and our defence and goalie will play out of their skins and restrict shots/chances to a minimum.
Pedro45's one to watch is Hermann, who has scored against the Blues before, and will be key to how the game goes tomorrow.
The ref is Howard Webb, who took charge of our first match of the season at Sunderland (and sent Darren Ambrose off!) which was won. He also reffed our games versus Everton (a) and Villa (h) last season which were won, and the nil-nil draw versus Boro (a) the season before. It seems we haven't lost when he's been in charge before...
The prediction however (oh how I hope I am wrong) is a 2-0 win for Chelsea.
Just one goal conceded in 9 matches.
18 goals scored.
The combined records of Charlton and Chelsea so far this season make awesome reading, and it needs to be said that Charlton are substantial contributors to the above statistics (Official club preview in title link above). This fact is missed by large parts of the media, who still see Charlton as a team that has had a good start but cannot be considered when it comes to end of season honours; a team of minnows compared with others like Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Newcastle. Well I suppose we are! But we are a Premiership team, and one look at the current league table in mid-September has Charlton above all of those other teams.
Charlton have a great (and I mean, GREAT!) manager; they have a fantastic (and I mean really FANTASTIC!) Chairman, and a fine board of Directors; they have a small (by Premiership standards) but compact stadium that is truly loved by the fans; they have (mostly) superb fans; and they are still considered to be the second most loved team by large numbers of football supporters in this country after their own.
They have also started this season by winning every game, up until now.
Yes, it is pretty awesome being a Charlton fan at the moment.
True, the Ashes win and England's pathetic Belfast showing have taken some of the gloss off our fine start. And the midweek shenanigans of Rooney and van Persie plus Everton's traumatic humbling to the third best team in Bucharest last night may have taken the gloss off many of this weekends matches. But we really do have a true top of the table clash at the Valley tomorrow afternoon.
1 Chelsea 5 5 0 0 10 0 10 15
2 Charlton 4 4 0 0 8 1 7 12
Normally, we just get to see our boys play the top of the table team (be it Chelsea, Arsenal, or Man Utd); but not this year. This year we are up there with them, challenging.
So how will our first (or is it second or third) big test of the season go? Can we make an even bigger name for ourselves than our club has done so far this season?
Curbishley has to make at least one change tomorrow - on loan Smertin not being allowed by rules to play against his contracted team - but he may make others. It's only when you look at the opposition though, that Curbs will consider if he needs to juggle things about a bit. If we were playing any of the other clubs that are deemed on a par with Charlton, then I doubt we would see anything other than Holland, Hughes or Ambrose coming in for Smertin. And look at the oppo we need to do, as they are by far the best team in the country now (even if they aren't really playing like it yet), and possibly Europe come next May.
Let's do some match ups:
Powell versus Robben/Wright-Phillips; Chrissy is playing really well, but would you fancy him to match either of the Chelses players pace? No, nor would I.
Perry vesus Drogba; "The Rash" was m-o-t-m for the last two matches, but Drogba is much bigger, quicker, and better in the air than Pandiani, or Yakubu.
Bent versus Terry; If JT is fit, Dazza is up against the best centre back in Europe. With Gallas or Carvallho alongside, will he get a kick all day?
Murphy versus Makelele; Spud is also playing really well but will the loss of Smertin mean he gets time on the ball? Will one kick early on from the Frenchmen put him out of the game?
I could go on (and on) but it would be so negative...and I don't do that.
Let us hope that Anderson plays as well as he did at Stamford Bridge back in May. Let's hope that Dennis and Jerome (didn't they make a record about ten years back?)can speed down the wing and put in decent crosses for Dazza to get on the end of. Let's hope that the centre backs can snuff out any danger from Drogba or Crespo. Let us hope that the midfield plays as if they want to play again on Tuesday and next Saturday when Smertin is back in contention. Lets's hope Joe Cole plays tomorrow as he did at The Valley for West Ham (ie crap). Let's hope theat Jose changes his team from those that played in midweek and rests the dangermen.
I hope to see El Kakouri back, in the midfield role that he started a few matches in early last season, and replace Smertin. Other than that, I can't see much point in changing the team, even though Spector, Sorondo, Holland, and Ambrose are fit and ready. If we get tonked, then all those guys will get a run out aginst Hartlepool on Tuesday with a view to playing them next weekend; if we get a result, then they will still get a run out on Tuesday as some of the first team will be rested.
Deep in my heart of hearts I hope that we get something out of tomorrows match. The realist in me says that we cannot score; cannot compete in midfield, and are too weak at the back. The romantic in me says we can nick a goal (or two); can mix it with Chelsea's reserve midfield (Jeremi, Cole and the like) and our defence and goalie will play out of their skins and restrict shots/chances to a minimum.
Pedro45's one to watch is Hermann, who has scored against the Blues before, and will be key to how the game goes tomorrow.
The ref is Howard Webb, who took charge of our first match of the season at Sunderland (and sent Darren Ambrose off!) which was won. He also reffed our games versus Everton (a) and Villa (h) last season which were won, and the nil-nil draw versus Boro (a) the season before. It seems we haven't lost when he's been in charge before...
The prediction however (oh how I hope I am wrong) is a 2-0 win for Chelsea.
