Charlton Athletic Online

Charlton Athletic 1 Carlisle United 0

A couple of weeks ago, when Charlton played up in Yorkshire, a Huddersfield Town supporting friend of mine was so appalled at how both teams had played on that day that he was convinced that neither team would make the play offs, let alone be in with a chance of promotion. He said that both sides were poor; no tactics, no cutting edge, no thrust – no chance! Two weeks later, and the contrary is likely, as Colchester have slipped, while the Terriers and Charlton have won a couple of games.

Charlton’s latest game was another where the result mattered a lot more than the performance, and it may well be like that until the end of the season now. On another day, without much pressure, it is entirely possible that Carlisle would have been blown away and lost by far more than just the solitary goal that eventually separated the sides. As it was, just Sam Sodje’s towering header after visiting ‘keeper Collins missed a corner was the difference between another inept showing and a valuable victory.

Phil Parkinson decided to switch his formation for this game, playing Jonjo Shelvey in the hole behind lone striker Nicky Forster. The defence and midfield were the same as had started in Saturday’s game, and while looking quite solid in the first half, there was no continuity to the game and the referee wasn’t helping by being very fussy. Shelvey struggled to get involved, and big hoofs out of defence were met by equally big hoofs in return as Forster couldn’t hold the ball and had no support to call on. When the ball did go to feet, the bobbly pitch didn’t help (come on Paddy, you would have hated to have played on that surface!), and Lloyd Sam and Kyel Reid often found their final ball over hit.

The goal (left), when it came, was from a series of decent corners delivered by the opposite sides full-back – Frazer Richardson for left wing corners, and Gary Borrowdale for right wing efforts. Prior to Sodje’s goal, fellow centre back Christian Dailly had almost added to his goal tally (currently standing at one) but his header was scrambled away from the line. Darren Randolph, at the other end, had almost nothing to do in the first forty-five, even though Carlisle did have some good possession.

The second half was much more open, and the visitors did come out in search of an equalizer. Randolph had to sprint from his line and with Sodje somehow the pair got one ball away from danger as curlybonce Jason Price bore down on goal. And then all of a sudden, chances started to come for the home team. For some reason, most of these seemed to fall to Shelvey, but through a combination of bad play and bad luck, each effort seemed to be blocked on or near the line. A couple of times, he took balls off better placed forwards feet annoyingly, and it was no real surprise when he was eventually replaced by Dave Mooney.

Both sides did get the ball in the net, but both were chalked off for offside; one of Price’s last kicks was to fall over the ball a couple of yards out and deflect it in, while Akpo Sodje – on for Forster – also had a shot go in but Richardson was interfering and that was disallowed too. The younger Sodje was desperate it seemed to match his older brothers goal, and he looked a real handful while on the pitch. With Nicky Bailey replacing Reid, there were plenty of bodies in the box, but numerous crosses had either too little or too much weight on them, and nobody could get a clean header at goal. There were no real alarms toward the end for a change, and a win is a win.

The real concern could still be that Charlton are not yet playing well. It’s great that Darren Randolph has kept a pair of clean sheets, and the form of Sam Sodje and Jose Semedo does look to be back near their best. The worry for Semedo is that if he is booked on Saturday then he faces a suspension (if he isn’t, then that suspension will not happen at all). With Bailey and Sam both now apparently back to full fitness, and with sufficient reserves on the bench, the squad is pretty strong now and has cover wherever needed.

Will this level of play be enough? The other teams are so close that two points cover the positions from second to fifth – one slip, and you are out of automatic contention, even though a play-off place does now look assured.

I hope that the team are on the up; the defence is now looking better, the midfield is combative and hard-working, and the options up front are many though still not abundant with goals. Parky just needs to pick the right tam for each of the next five games; if he does that, then we can have no complaints wherever we finish (though I’m sure we will!).

Labels: Carlisle, Charlton

MK Dons 0 Charlton Athletic 1

Sometimes performances are not reflected in results, but it seems fair to say that Charlton’s narrow win yesterday was hard fought but well deserved. Nicky Forster’s first goal for the Addicks, from the penalty spot midway through the second half, was enough to split the two teams, though Darren Randolph had to be the man of the match for three tremendous saves that kept Charlton in the hunt.

It was a wholehearted all round performance, with everybody on the team contributing: the defence played well in patches and looked pretty solid; the midfield chased and harried and broke when able; and the forwards all ran and ran and closed down whenever they could. Even the three substitutes – Lloyd Sam for Scott Wagstaff, and Akpo Sodje and Jonjo Shelvey for Dave Mooney and Forster – played their part, with Sam and Shelvey both playing key roles in holding onto the ball in the closing stages and winding down the clock.

Although you could hardly claim that Charlton played exceptionally well during the game, it is fair to say that they did not play badly, so maybe the poor run of results and performances has been broken at last and things are on the up.

For a wonderfully written version of being at the game with MK Dons see this superb review.

Coupled with other results, the team now sit just two points off an automatic promotion place, and with certain other teams (who have yet to visit The Valley) in worse form than Charlton have been of late, the situation is certainly looking rosier than it did a couple of weeks ago. Parky even broke into a smile briefly after the game (see top pic!).

The key now is to build on this victory by backing it up with three more points at home tomorrow versus Carlisle. Easter is a tough time for all clubs, and though the Cumbrians had an extra days rest after their win on Friday, they have had to travel three hundred plus miles to the capital to fulfil their round of fixtures.

Carlisle’s latest win (over Bristol Rovers) has seen them past the magic 50 point mark for the season, and with no chance of making the play-offs either, their season is over bar playing for pride and next season’s contracts. While in some ways this makes them an easier team to play, it could also make them more positive and therefore more dangerous. Free kick and penalty expert Iain Harte will need to be denied a chance to swing his left boot, and on-loan striker and all round big boy Jason Price (Laura says “hi!”) will be hoping to finally make an impact after several substitute appearances in SE7.

Charlton will be hoping not to have incurred any injuries from Saturday’s game, and are unlikely to want to change the side too much. The defence will be retained I suspect, and with the forwards both given a rest toward the end of the MK Dons game they will also probably start together once more. If Nicky Bailey is still out injured (and there seems no point in rushing him back if there are any doubts bearing in mind the last two results when he failed to play) then Therry Racon and Jose Semedo will continue to patrol the centre midfield, and Kyel Reid is likely to play opposite Lloyd Sam I hope. Sam brought fresh life to the side when he arrived as a second half substitute on Saturday and he does offer more threat – when on form – than Scott Wagstaff.

This is the side I suspect Parky will send out to make Easter bunnies out of Carlisle –

Darren Randolph
Frazer Richardson
Sam Sodje
Christian Dailly
Gary Borrowdale
Jose Semedo
Therry Racon
Lloyd Sam
Kyel Reid
Dave Mooney
Nicky Forster

Subs from – Warner, Solly, Llera, Fry, Spring, Shelvey, Bailey, Wagstaff, Akpo Sodje, Burton.

Pedro45 was buoyed by the result from yesterday, and has to be confident that the players and management have finally got the idea and will attack the end of season games in an effort to get maximum points. If they can play with the same gusto and passion (back in small quantities…), then I forecast a 2-0 victory to keep up the pressure on the teams above.

My one-to-watch at The Valley is going to be Dave Mooney (left). The on-loan Reading striker has had plenty of adverse publicity and reaction following his ear-cupping celebration to the equaliser last time out at home, whether he or anyone else thought it justified. I am one of the few bloggers to have a good word for him it seems, and I do think that he offers the team something that no other striker on our books currently can – movement, intelligence, and whole-hearted effort. He also makes goals, and it was his pass that played in Forster against MK Dons that led to the penalty award. I don’t like to see him miss chances, but the goals he has scored have all been pretty important (three times he has scored the first goal of a game). Two or three more between now and the end of the season, and a burgeoning partnership with Forster will go a long way to deciding where Charlton finish the season, and I for one hope he is more than successful.

A win on Saturday is worthless if the Addicks throw away all that good work by being sloppy in another home game. It will not be easy I suspect, but then no game is to Charlton these days, but if we can gather some of that confidence recently gained and turn it into a further positive performance then I am sure we will win through once more.

Come on you reds!

Labels: Carlisle, Charlton, Dave Mooney, MK Dons

Carlisle United 3 Charlton Athletic 1

Another poor game from Charlton resulting in the second defeat of the season for Phil Parkinson’s side. It always seems to be the way that when a manager gets a new contract, or a loan player signs permanently, that performances dip; Parky extended his managers deal for another year on Friday which gives him security and the club stability, but possibly at the expense of this result.

The manager did at least try to earn his corn, having to make two enforced changes after injuries last week to Rob Elliot and Frazer Richardson. Two players arrived on loan as replacements – Carl Ikeme, a goalkeeper from Wolves, and Elliot Owuzusi, a young right-back from Fulham – and both made reasonable debuts at Brunton Park.

Charlton made a slow-ish start, as they seem to do in most games these days, while Carlisle merely sat back and waited to see if Charlton were as good as they had been built up to be and that their lofty league position suggested. Eventually, the game burst into life in a mad five minute spell just before half-time.

First, Christian Dailly was beaten for pace and fouled Dobie, earning himself a yellow card that could easily have been red. Ex-Charlton triallist Harte then crashed the resulting free-kick against the post, with Ikeme beaten. The ball was cleared for a corner, and when that came in, Sam Sodje appeared to be climbing all over a Carlisle player in an attempt to get to the ball. Penalty appeals were waved away as the ball went out for another corner, but when this came swinging over, a mere nudge by Deon Burton warranted a spot-kick award according to the inept referee. This was the first penalty - either for or against - in a Charlton match this season.

Ikeme (or Carly Keyma as the radio commentator seemed to like calling him) guessed right and dived left to save Harte’s penalty but, unfortunately for him and the 550 Addicks supporters who had made the trip, Harte was on hand to scramble home the rebound. The manager, Parkinson, was then sent to the stands for complaining about the initial decision, and having viewed it and the previous claim, you have to say that two wrongs (for that is what they were…) do not make a right!

Almost immediately, Charlton bounced back when a passing move led to Burton bursting into the Carlisle penalty area and he was tripped; Charlton therefore had their own first penalty of the season. Like buses, when you wait ages for one, two come along together! Burton confidently despatched the kick and Charlton made it to half-time on level terms. It was Burton’s 100th league goal, and one he has been seeking for quite some time.

The game was really calling out for Charlton to take control, but for some reason (which I am sure Parky will look deeply into) possession was easily relinquished on numerous occasions, and few chances seemed forthcoming. Just after the hour mark, veteran Kavanagh seized on an Owuzusi clearance and with nobody coming out to close him down, thundered in a shot from 25 yards to give Carlisle back the lead.

This led to Parky making three on-field changes, with a tiring Owuzusi, a disappointing Izale McLeod, and Jose Semedo sacrificed for Jonjo Shelvey, Dave Mooney, and Grant Basey. Kelly Youga switched to right-back to accommodate Basey, and the Welshman seemed to have most passion driving forward and getting in several dangerous crosses. Dailly then came close to being sent off when he fouled again, before Therry Racon forced a good save. It was all Charlton pressure now, but a break would not come as Mooney headed wide, Shelvey had a free-kick saved, then Mooney had another header saved.

The game was settled when, eight minutes from time, Kavanagh strode forward again and, once more unchallenged, stroked the ball into the top corner of the Charlton net to make it 3-1.

For Charlton to take just one point from their last two away games is not good enough, and the real danger now is that all the good work over the opening weeks of the season is going to waste. It seems obvious to many that Deon Burton (despite his penalty goal yesterday) is a shadow of his former self and that delaying his hernia operation (as Charlton have) is doing the side more harm than good. With Clinton McKenzie close to fitness, and with Mooney chomping to get a start, Parky has enough options to accommodate the loss of our top scorer for three weeks, especially as one game during that time is the cup tie at Northwich Victoria next weekend. The break from league action at least gives Charlton the chance to recover and take stock, while the next two games (in the FA Cup and Johnstone's Paint Trophy) should be used to give the various options a try, and to bed in the new players if possible.

Not a good week for the manager, even after putting pen to paper, and not a good week for Charlton (or Zoe Lucker!).

Labels: Carlisle, Charlton

Matches at Carlisle bring back very fond memories for older supporters like myself; Charlton won promotion at Brunton Park in both 1981 and 1986, and I was lucky enough to be present on both occasions. In 1981, Mike Bailey’s young team needed a couple of goals (from Robinson and Smith) to win, and the champagne flowed on the train journey back with the players sitting in first-class happy to share their liquid refreshment. That victory took Charlton back into Tier Two at the first time of asking, and six years later, the 3-2 win advanced the Addicks to the top league for the first time in 29 years. That match saw the Away Train Travel Supporters present their player of the year award to left-back Mark Reid outside the ground prior to the game, and once back in London (after a six hour journey along the Carlisle – Settle line due to engineering works on the West Coast mainline) news came through from my cabbie that it had all gone off down at Wapping outside the News International plant. May 3rd 1986...

We can all wish to see similar celebrations come next May, especially if Charlton do bounce out of this league like their 1981 counterparts at the first time of asking. It may also be a left back that we honour as player of the season, with Kelly Youga throwing in outstanding performances week after week at the moment. Time will tell.

But the game this season at Carlisle is just another to be fought over, with victory offering another three points during a long, hard season.

Manager Phil Parkinson has a few choices to make after last weeks poor performance at Gillingham; although a point was gained, the pitch and weather conditions made Charlton’s style of play onerous, and it was only a lucky own goal that gathered the point won. Injury news is starting to mount up as well; Frazer Richardson went off in that match with a tight hamstring (not for the first time this season), while Deon Burton continues to struggle to match early season performances and his hernia operation must happen soon.

The biggest injury news though concerns first choice goal-keeper Rob Elliot who has a muscle injury and will be out for at least six weeks and probably until Xmas. Parky has moved quickly to secure the services of Wolves fourth-choice Carl Ikeme. Being the fourth goalie at Wolves doesn’t make Ikeme as bad as it sounds; he simply has other preferred players in front of him in the form of Hennessey, Murray, and Hahnemann. Additionally, until he sustained an injury himself, Ikeme held down the first choice spot for some time last season when Wolves won promotion to the Premiership. While Darren Randolph is a good back-up ‘keeper to have at this level, Parky will need to make a choice between him and his new loanee, and I suspect that Ikeme will get the nod, much to Randolph’s chagrin. I just cannot see any point in Ikeme joining to sit on the bench for a month, even though he cannot play in the FA Cup tie at Northwich next weekend. One for Parky to ponder then…

Richardson does seem to go from week to week with some sort of injury concern, whether it be thigh, or hamstring, or groin. If taking him off after an hour last week did protect him from further damage, and if he has recovered sufficiently to train and play, then he will undoubtedly get the nod; if not, options do not now include bringing in Chris Solly as he is now out injured (for 3-months), so the only likely scenario is for Youga being switched and Grant Basey to play at left back. Whoever plays, it should not weaken the back-line untowardly, with Christian Dailly and Sam Sodje certain to play centrally.

Last weeks restored central midfield, with Jose Semedo starting the game after injury alongside Therry Racon, looks likely to be unchanged, and barring injury we can expect to see Lloyd Sam continue on the right wing, with Nicky Bailey holding fort on the left side. I like the way that Bailey and Racon are switching positions tactically when Parky feels he needs a bit more bite in midfield, and I see no reason to suggest that this type of tactical manoeuvring should not continue and flourish.

The biggest concern over tactics currently under discussion by fans and bloggers is what to do with our forward line? My own opinion is that Burton should have had his operation last weekend, after another poor showing (even though it was full of effort and commitment) at Gillingham; this would allow Dave Mooney to get valuable starting time during his own loan spell, and for Burton to be fit when this spell comes to an end on 1st December. If Burton is yet to go under the surgeon’s knife, then he will undoubtedly start, but the question is then who should play alongside him? Jonjo Shelvey has had a rest for the last couple of weeks, and it really did look like he needed it too; while he has sat on the bench, Izale McLeod has come into the side and run sides ragged. Sadly, that pace has not always developed into goals, aside the winner against Huddersfield, with potential game-winning chances missed versus Gillingham and Oldham. A goal in every other game would normally be sufficient to placate fans at this level, but it is the chances that McLeod misses that rankle supporters and bring his position into stark view. While Shelvey can help out in link play and support the midfield during times when required, my own view is that McLeod scares the hell out of League One defences, who simply cannot cope with his pace. I would like to see Mooney, no slouch himself, being given a starting berth alongside McLeod in this game, with the continued option of bringing on Shelvey or Tuna if the need arises. However, I doubt that Parky will see it that way, and I suspect that he may continue to delay Burton’s enforced absence until Clinton McKenzie is close to regaining fitness (which cannot be too far away now?).

This is the side I expect Parky to pick on Saturday –

Carl Ikeme
Frazer Richardson
Christian Dailly
Sam Sodje
Kelly Youga
Jose Semedo
Therry Racon
Nicky Bailey
Lloyd Sam
Jonjo Shelvey
Deon Burton

Subs from Randolph, Clark, Basey, Llera, Spring, Stavrinou, Wagstaff, Tuna, Mooney, McLeod, McKenzie.

Carlisle will obviously see this as a big opportunity to gain some ground in the middle of the table, and stop themselves from falling into the clutches of the relegation places. They won their first game in eight last weekend (versus Southend) and have 14 points from their 14 games (under half what Charlton have). Unusually for a smaller club, they have a few well-known names amongst their ranks, with ex-Chelsea reserve Lenny Pidgeley in goal (Pidgeley made his debut against Charlton in the final game at Stamford Bridge about five years ago when he came on as a sub for the last minute of the season), Scottish international and top scorer Scott Dobie, journeyman Graham Kavanagh, one-time Charlton triallist Ian Harte, and on-loan Vince Pericard (and once of Juventus!). They may therefore be a team that is quite good when it clicks, so Charlton will just have to make sure that they do not allow the home side to dominate from the off, as they did last week against the Shrimpers.

Pedro45 was quite upset with how badly Charlton played last weekend, but is old and ugly enough to realise that sometimes that is going to happen (as it did at Colchester too); what Charlton need most at present is goals, and I do feel that only a positive move from the manager will enable the Addicks to hit the goal trail once more. Even when games are a bit more open with just four in midfield, as the Gillingham and Huddersfield games were, Charlton should still have enough to win the midfield battle with Semedo, Racon and Bailey all excellent at this level. For that reason, I would prefer to see a 4-4-2 formation preserved; whether this is the case or not, I still expect Charlton to get back on an away game winning burst, and forecast a 2-0 victory, whatever formation we play.

My one-to-watch in this game is going to be centre half Sam Sodje. The Nigerian international (seen scoring versus Huddersfield, left) has been in excellent form since his return to the club and side, and he has looked a lot more solid than his predecessor Miguel Llera. Sodje does have to manage his knees during matches, having required treatment in three out of the four games he has played since coming back, but provided that they hold up, he is the defensive lynchpin for the team, and also a focus of attacking intent from set plays. With Bailey taking corners and free-kicks, the delivery has improved recently (bar a couple over-hit in the Medway wind...), and Sodje is very able to get on the end of these crosses; I wouldn’t be surprised to see him on the score-sheet once more this weekend.

Running in second place at the end of October is just about the best that Charlton fans could have hoped for, and the club simply needs to manage resources, injuries, and tactics over coming weeks in an effort to extend the gap between us and those teams currently sitting directly below in the league table. The squad may be thin, but it is more than capable of victory when playing near their best; after last week, they owe us a performance.

Up the Addicks!

Labels: Carlisle, Charlton, Sam Sodje