Sunday, April 04, 2010
Don and Dusted
MK Dons 0 Charlton Athletic 1Sometimes 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
Friday, April 02, 2010
Don Fishing
It really has got to crunch time for Charlton, with just eight games left in this season. Much will now depend on the balls that the manager has as much as the ones that the players will be kicking about over this Easter break. By that, I mean has manager Phil Parkinson (left) got enough front to pick a team that will potentially win these last eight games, or will he see away draws (and avoiding defeat) as the be-all and end-all of matters, hoping to catch other sides above us on the sly.The onus must surely be to go all out for victory; with five teams vying for the remaining automatic promotion place, and with Huddersfield hoping to gate-crash the play-off party should any team self-implode, now is not the time for pussy-footing around.
Of course, Parky’s picks are compounded by who is available and who is injured; the Addicks have enough bodies, and with one or two now fitter (than they were last week at least), decisions will need to be made on who plays and who misses out. Add to that the conundrum that Charlton have six players in the building on loan, when only five can make the match-day squad, and some tough decisions will need to be made. I only hope that they are the right ones!
The goalkeeper slot should be straight-forward; that is, unless Parky thought that a week in training was enough for Tony Warner to oust perennial reserve who now has a chance Darren Randolph. Randolph did little wrong last week, and certainly had no chance with the goal he conceded, so it would be harsh to see Warner step up, though stranger things have happened (this year).
The defence looks to be a fairly straight forward choice, unless anyone else got a late training injury; Frazer Richardson, while not setting the world alight, will start at right back, and Gary Borrowdale, hopefully now fully recovered from his virus, should be in situe on the left. Between these two will be Sam Sodje and Christian Dailly. Matt Fry will have to wait his chance to make his debut, and if the other loanees play, he may not even make the bench. Miguel Llera will also have to see if he can get game time at the place he made his name.
Up front, Dave Mooney is likely to partner new signing Nicky Forster, as he did last weekend. Mooney does give much more movement to the front line than any other option we have, and allied with Forster's knack for goals, could be a very useful pairing. Deon Burton is closer to fitness apparently, which seems a bit rushed to me, and Akpo Sodje is also available for a place on the bench with game time likely late on. Leon McKenzie is still out injured, and may now never make a starting line-up for Charlton.
The midfield is where most of the decisions need to be made; Nicky Bailey was a late casualty last weekend and missed his first match of the season. Rumours are that he may be fit again, or fit enough, which is different but maybe enough for Parky. Where he plays though is a conundrum, as Kyel Reid played pretty well on the left wing last week – and scored a stunning goal – so it’s unlikely that Bailey will slot in there, while Jose Semedo had a good game in the centre. If Bailey is to start, it has to be in place of Therry Racon and alongside Semedo, though this pairing is the one that Parky has seemed not to want to pick at any stage so far this season – maybe it’s a master plan?
Out wide, Reid will play opposite either Scott Wagstaff but more likely the returning Lloyd Sam, who was only fit enough for the bench last week in Yorkshire. Sam ripped the MK Dons team apart in The Valley fixture last November, so has to play if fit enough ahead of Wagstaff. Even an hour of Sam with Waggy replacing him if he runs out of steam would be good enough in my opinion.
This is the side I would love Parky to send out to run roundabouts around the home team tomorrow –
Darren Randolph
Frazer Richardson
Sam Sodje
Christian Dailly
Gary Borrowdale
Jose Semedo
Nicky Bailey
Lloyd Sam
Kyel Reid
Dave Mooney
Nicky Forster
Subs from – Warner, Solly, Fry, Llera, Racon, Shelvey, Spring, Wagstaff, Akpo Sodje, Burton.
The MK Dons are a team in limbo – too far (8 points) away from the play off picture, and with no chance of getting relegated either, they have little to play for but pride. They do have some decent players, and Wilbrahims scored a great goal at The Valley in the reverse game to start the scoring off on that day. He will no doubt be paired with Jermaine Easter - who I'm sure will be hoping to see his name up in lights this weekend for all the right reasons rather than it just being this time of year - who missed the away game due to a call-up for Wales. Easter was of course the player who scored Wycombe’s winning goal in the League Cup quarter final that saw Les Reed leave SE7 once and for all a few years back. Luke Chadwick was once the next David Beckham while playing for Manchester United, so he is another that will need closely marking – we must stop the crosses coming in!
Pedro45 has to hope that Parky goes for it and picks an attacking team; it is so much easier to get in front and then shut up shop than try to make something happen late on in a game when you need to. If Parky picks the team I show above, then I am confident that Charlton can scrape a 2-1 victory that will bring a crucial three points. Playing a negative team though may result in a draw, which does nobody any good.
My one-to-watch in this match is going to be Darren Randolph (left). Big Darren will need to play well if he is to contain the goal threat that the home team have; if he’s on form, we could go on to win, and if he plays poorly then we will probably lose.It’s now or never for Charlton; let’s forget the other teams around us for once and make them sit up and take notice of us; a confident performance and win will do this, and if it can be followed up on Monday, then six points could see us retake one of the loftier positions in the league once more.
Up the Addicks!
Labels: Charlton, MK Dons, Sam Sodje
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Blown Away
Charlton Athletic 5 Milton Keynes Dons 1
Was it the weather, the referee favouring Charlton, or just an excellent home performance that blew MK Dons out of The Valley yesterday? Well, probably a bit of all three. Certainly Charlton handled the weather better than the visitors, going in at half-time in front having played against the viciously strong gusting wind. And yes, the ref did seem to miss a blatant handball by Christian Dailly in the penalty area that could have brought the Dons level before half-time, though I didn’t see too much else wrong with his performance on the day (but others may disagree?). And yes, Charlton did play with a confidence - especially in a second half period - that could have brought more than the three goals in eleven minutes and led to a complete rout in the visitors first visit to SE7 (No, I don’t class them as the ex-Wimbledon team we played in the eighties and nineties). Ultimately though, this result is more important than how we gained it, and it should provide the surge required to make a promotion push valid over the coming months.
It could have been all so different though, as Wilbrahims capitalised on Lloyd Sam’s lack of challenge resulting in Frazer Richardson’s poor header to volley past Carl Ikeme after less than ten minutes. The Dons almost made it two a couple of minutes later, when a cross found its way to the same player, but this time his crisp shot was blocked on the line (somehow) by Kelly Youga. If there was to be a turning point, it came here, as Charlton broke, won a free-kick, and Deon Burton nodded down for Dave Mooney to fire home his first goal in Addick’s colours.
The equaliser revived Charlton, and very soon we took the lead; Mooney was inactive as Sam burst down the right beating the offside trap, and his measured cross just eluded the arriving Burton but spun up to be headed home by the fast arriving Nicky Bailey (seen celebrating, top pic). The skipper, playing centrally with Therry Racon out on the left in this match, looked a new player, and certainly put his effort into the game, and plenty of tackles too.
Wilbrahims headed wide when well placed to score, then saw Ikeme make the save of the match to turn away his shot after Dailly had lost his man. With both teams attacking, and the visitors playing the ball along the ground much of the time, it was excellent fare. Bailey then almost scored from about 45 yards with a free-kick that was over-hit but dipped late in the wind and crashed back from the bar.At half-time, Charlton had done well to be in front, and the Dons just complained to the referee. I didn’t think he had had a bad half, booking Davis for a crude challenge on the breaking Sam and Sam himself for a naive tackle a few minutes later, but on viewing the Dailly hand-ball incident on TV in Bartram's, you could see why they whinged so much.
With the wind at their backs Charlton looked a much better team, with Mooney and Burton being supported by Bailey, Sam, and Racon as they put pressure on the deep lying Dons defence. Darren Powell, once a Charlton triallist was slow, and Charlton capitalised on his lack of pace to get behind him, and soon the lead was extended. Burton set up Sam on the corner of the penalty box and Sam jinked past one defender before shooting right footed across goal and into the corner of the net (above pic). 3-1 soon became four, as Sam Sodje met a corner with another powerful unchallenged header (left), then moments later Sam headed back substitute Grant Basey’s cross-field ball into the path of Burton who side-foot volleyed past the stranded ‘keeper (bottom pic).Charlton were looking like scoring on every attack at that point, but for valid reasons, Burton and Mooney then made way for Leon McKenzie and new loan signing and Sam’s brother Akpo Sodje (who has joined from Sheffield Wednesday). Basey had come on earlier in the half when Richardson had what looked like a recurrence of his thigh injury.
The last fifteen minutes didn’t have the same goal threat though McKenzie and the taller Sodje both looked lively up front. It was left to McKenzie to be the victim of the last Dons mugging, when he and Powell were booked after a ground-floor scuffle. They say that teams often mimic their manager in style, and the visitors certainly kicked anything that moved in the vein of Paul Ince; hence the four bookings they received.It would be easy to forget some of Charlton’s failings in this game after such a resounding victory, but churlish to harp on about them. I found it sad that two of the three Addicks respondents to the League Football programme on BBC last night made negative comments after such a win! With winnable games to come over the next few weeks, the confidence should have returned. Richardson’s injury will be a concern, but with Omozusi available and with Youga also comfortable on the right with Basey an adequate reserve on the left, Manager Phil Parkinson has options. Bailey’s return to central midfield, some 9 months since he last played in that position, was very good, and Racon provided balance on the left if not the cutting edge of Sam on the opposite flank. The substitutes bench also looked strong (with Darren Randolph, Miguel Llera, Jonjo Shelvey, and Matt Spring not used), and many of those players will get their chance as the season progresses.
The wind blew strong at The Valley but did not contribute to any of the goals; if Charlton attack teams like they did here, we could be seeing plenty more scores to rival this over the next few months.
Friday, November 13, 2009
MK Tax
Four away games, only a draw to show, and a lucky one at that – not the best form from the Addicks recently then…but now we are back at The Valley, and hopefully, hopefully, things will change.Charlton will play their first ever game against MK Dons on Saturday, and if things had turned out differently, it could have been an MK Athletic team playing Wimbledon: Way back in the early seventies, it was rumoured that Charlton were looking to up sticks and move to the new town with concrete cows and lots of roundabouts themselves; luckily for us, it never happened. Wimbledon themselves followed Charlton into ground-sharing, and sadly for south London, they found it as unbearable as we did but left for pastures new instead of returning home. It is a moot point if the team now billed as MK Dons are in fact Wimbledon, or if that moniker still belongs with AFC Wimbledon, a team just two divisions below having worked their way upwards consistently over the last fifteen years or so. Whatever they are called, they are the next team we have to try to beat, so let’s move on.
Out of the cups, but still second in the league doesn’t look like a gloomy situation, but if you said we were out of the cups and 18th in the table (as we are form-wise) then not many would be happy. Charlton really do need to start to win again, and a victory against the team in third-place in the table would be a welcome boost.
At least manager Phil Parkinson has a pretty full squad to choose from, but this in itself will cause him headaches I’m sure as he looks for that winning combination.
His first problem is who to play in goal, with Rob Elliot still some weeks short of fitness. On-loan Carl Ikeme got the nod at Carlisle, saved a penalty but was beaten by a couple of long range thunderbolts; then Darren Randolph played in the FA Cup reverse at Northwich, made a couple of outstanding saves, but hesitated on the goal that separated the teams; Ikeme returned at Southampton but had a 40% success rate on crosses (one which he should have come for resulting in a goal) and let the second goal slip under his hand. A tough call this, but I hope that Parky reverts back to Randolph and gives him the opportunity for a run of games that he has craved for over the last few years.
At right back, we now know that we can rely on Kelly Youga to switch and do a good job if necessary, but the choice is likely to be between Frazer Richardson, who could be fit, and on-loan Elliot Omozusi; I do think if Richardson is fit he will play, and if Grant Basey is included as a substitute, then we have cover (with Youga switching) if Richardson cannot last the full match. If Richardson has to miss out again, then Omozusi will play.
Sam Sodje is available having turned down a chance to play (or more likely travel but be left out of the match day squad) for Nigeria so I expect him to start at The Valley, with Miguel Llera making the bench against his former club.
The rest of the team really depends on how Parky views the last couple of weeks, but I do suspect that Nicky Bailey and Therry Racon will return after their midweek rests, with Jose Semedo and Lloyd Sam also starting. Then we get to the million dollar question – do we start Jonjo Shelvey and play 4-5-1 or play with two attackers? I suspect that such is Shelvey’s form at present that he may well be left out once more, and we see Dave Mooney (who ran his heart out and put in a very good 90 minutes on Wednesday) and Deon Burton play from the beginning. With Leon McKenzie and Shelvey, plus maybe Tamer Tuna on the bench, we have options when either of these get tired or we need to bolster or reduce our forward line. Izale McLeod is of course banned for three games as a result of his elbow use last week, so the dilemma of whether to play him or not disappears.
This is the side I would like Parky to pick to start the match tomorrow –
Darren Randolph
Frazer Richardson
Sam Sodje
Christian Dailly
Kelly Youga
Jose Semedo
Therry Racon
Nicky Bailey
Lloyd Sam
Dave Mooney
Deon Burton
Subs from Ikeme, Basey, Omuzusi, Llera, Stavrinou, Spring, Wagstaff, Holden, Tuna, McKenzie, Shelvey.
MK Dons have Jermaine Easter, scorer of the Wycombe goal that knocked Charlton out of the league cup quarter final four years ago, missing due to his involvement with Wales, and could also be without other key players due to injury. One time Charlton triallist Darren Powell could start in defence, and Charlton summer target Jason Puncheon is the obvious threat from the wing. Hopefully, having tried to sign him, Parky knows all about how he plays and how to counter him.
Pedro45 really hopes that Charlton have hit a low point, and can start to get back to playing some of their better football from now on. The confidence that the side exuded early in the season seems to have disappeared, and maybe some of that came from missed chances (by McLeod?) or mistakes at the back (by Omozusi and Ikeme?); by leaving out those three players and committing to Charlton registered players (bar Mooney), the team should be committed once more and work together. I think this may take time though, and against a good side, the best we can hope for is my prediction of a 1-1 draw.
My one-to-watch this week is going to be Nicky Bailey (left). Our skipper has had a bit of a torrid time recently and hasn’t scored for a while, so he is due. It is difficult for him to be playing out on the left wing, but he showed that he is more than capable during the early part of the season when he was taking on and beating full backs at will. When Sam had the ball, Bailey’s runs into the box to support Burton also had much goal-threat. Bailey needs to roll his sleeves up and find his form, and soon.It has been all doom and gloom over the last few weeks, but the sun does always rise, and maybe it is Charlton’s turn to rise out of the November haze? The team need our support at this tough time, and they will get it if they show determination, team work, and skill; with that, we can get a positive result and hang on in there near the top of this league.
Come on you reds!
Labels: Charlton, MK Dons, Nicky Bailey
