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I doubt this will be a long blog, as I’m sure that I am as upset and angry as many other Charlton fans must be feeling after the Addicks first ever defeat to a non-league club in the FA Cup. Suffice to say that the Addicks simply failed to come to terms with the match against very limited opposition who relied ever so heavily on set-plays to create chances. Such was the home teams ineptitude, that they never looked like scoring from open play until they actually did! And that just goes to show how badly Charlton must have performed…

With Darren Randolph in goal, manager Phil Parkinson chose to start with Jonjo Shelvey and Izale McLeod in attack, and the rest of the side as per expected. The pitch, often a leveller in games such as these, was like a billiard table, but for some strange reason, Charlton always seemed to want that extra touch on the ball, and that allowed Northwich to close them down and disrupt and passing movement.

It quickly became apparent that the main thrust of any home attacks would come from either the long throws into the area aiming at the six foot seven inch centre back Bailey, or from corners also aimed in that direction. Sam Sodje, Christian Dailly, Jose Semedo and Kelly Youga all had trouble dealing with the plentiful balls into the box, but did enough to prevent any near misses. When one ball did come to Bailey, his header was saved well by Darren Randolph in goal at the expense of a corner.

Charlton had little to show in attack, with Lloyd Sam crowded out, McLeod lonely and with no service, and Shelvey, Nicky Bailey and Therry Racon only visible in defence. Even though the home side kept giving the ball back to Charlton, the Addicks often simply ran the ball out of play when nobody was near to challenge, resulting in another heave into the penalty box and more pressure. One throw led to an almighty goalmouth scramble with five shots being blocked on or around the line before Randolph fell on the ball, Charlton surviving on level terms thanks to Dailly's positioning. Just before half-time, Bailey headed on another long throw and this time a Northwich player was able to connect with a header on target, but Randolph pulled off a tremendous save.

You hoped that the half-time talk from Parky might have livened things up a bit, and it was true that their was more fight from Charlton early in the second half, not least from McLeod who’s use of his elbow may yet see him banned for a game or two. The pattern continued, with Charlton conceding throw-ins,, the resultant heave headed up in the air and clear, then being presented back to Northwich for the cycle to start over. Even the substitution of Deon Burton, still yet to have his hernia operation, and Leon McKenzie (for Shelvey and McLeod) did little to change things, though Burton did have a shot blocked.

It was left to the home side to break the deadlock, when a punt from the ‘keeper was headed out by Sodje, then headed back past him for the substitute Riley to chased through and poke past the hesitant Randolph. Scott Wagstaff came on as a last throw of the dice, and did give one of the best 10-yard passes by a Charlton player all day (it may also have been the only accurate one?), but sadly it was in his own half and the home ‘keeper will not have had an easier afternoon. He simply did not have one single shot to save all match, showing how rubbish Charlton were.

Credit for Northwich; their fans were great and they celebrated like they should after their famous victory. They now have another home tie against league opposition - Lincoln - and I hope that they win that game too.

Where to go from here then? Parky has it all to do now in my opinion; the confidence that was so prevalent at the start of the season seems to have vanished into thin air. Maybe it was the disallowed goals versus Southampton, and/or maybe it was Holt’s injury-time goal at Carrow Road, but since those games, the confidence has slowly leaked like a punctured tyre and is now completely flat.

The management now have a midweek cup game of far less importance (but also on TV) to try to turn things around, though that will not be easy. Too many players are not on-form, and the style and tactics seem to have been forgotten. Failure on Wednesday, and in next weekend’s crucial league game could see the tide turn against the man at the helm once more, as fans will refuse to see a repeat of the mistakes of two years ago made when a similar start to the season went wasted by missed opportunities and lack of direction.

History was made by Charlton today, but it was not the kind that we wanted.

Labels: Charlton, Northwich Victoria

It’s been one of those weeks; Charlton lose a game and the World is coming to an end! Sure, the result at Carlisle was poor, and the Addicks do currently sit in 18th place in the League One form table, but we aren’t going to get relegated (famous last words!) and we will finish near the top of the table. The defeat at Brunton Park was just the second Charlton have had all season in the league, and all of us fans would have been happy to be where we are if we had been given this option back in July. It was obvious, after the first half a dozen games, that a dip in form would arrive at some point in the season, simply because you cannot expect to go through the whole season unbeaten. As this blog has said before this season, we will lose some games as we progress, but the simple thing is not to panic when we do…

But enough of that; we now have two cup games to play and thoughts of league form can disappear for a week or so.

First up on the Cup calendar is Sunday’s FA Cup tie at Northwich Victoria. Charlton have, of course, never lost to a non-league club in the FA Cup, so a little bit of history is on the line here. I don’t sit with the suggestion that we should play a weak team in this competition (so we can concentrate on the league) but I fully expect to see at least some changes in the Addicks starting eleven. The line-up is further complicated by the situation with loan players (of which we currently have three) and injuries (of which we also have a few!).

Phil Parkinson will have weighed up his options, and the first thing he will have decided, with little alternative, is that Darren Randolph will get his first start of the season in goal. As Rob Elliot is injured, and loanee Carl Ikeme is unable to be cup-tied, Charlton have just two goalies to call upon, and Randolph, even though he has been told he can leave Charlton if not holding down a regular first team place come January, will get the nod over youngster Jack Binks.

The second of the new loanees, Elliot Omozusi, should be able to play; his situation is that although his registration is held by Fulham, he has signed a contract at Charlton, so technically it isn’t a loan. Unless Frazer Richardson has recovered from his thigh injury (which I doubt), then Omozusi should start at right back for the second week running. He will also have benefited from an extra weeks training, and hopefully can last the 90 minutes this week.

The third loanee is Dave Mooney, here from Reading until the start of December. I do not know if Reading will allow him to play, and it will be a shame if they don’t, because he may well have started this game from the off. It has been well over a month since news of Deon Burton’s hernia problem leaked out, and his performances since then have been full of effort, but little skill. I really hope that the club took the opportunity to get Deon’s operation done earlier this week, so that Mooney can at least begin a few games before Deon return’s from injury. Should Burton be out, and Mooney unable to play, then the attack will focus more on Izale McLeod, who hasn’t had much decent press recently. I think it fair to say that McLeod will never be a favourite with Addicks fans, probably in much the same way that Kevin Lisbie, Kim Grant, and Martin Pringle weren’t. All had pace to burn, but were profligate in front of goal, and to supporters brought up with clinical finishing (by the likes of Derek Hales, Darren Bent, and Clive Mendonca) simply will not accept missed chances. McLeod does at least get into those scoring positions, which is more than some recent Charlton forwards have, and if he scores on a regular basis (about every third game in this league), I am happy to see him start games.

The rest of the team will probably be the pick of those that need a game, need confidence, or replace those needing a rest. I doubt that Parky will want to make wholesale changes that might unbalance the side, but he will need to beware the underdog and put enough talent on show to enforce the win.

This is the team I think he might start with but I could be very wrong –

Darren Randolph
Elliot Omozusi
Miguel Llera
Christian Dailly
Kelly Youga
Jose Semedo
Matt Spring
Nicky Bailey
Scott Wagstaff
Izale McLeod
Dave Mooney (or Jonjo Shelvey)

Subs from Binks, Basey, Sodje, Clark, Stavrinou, Racon, Sam, Shelvey, Tuna, McKenzie.

I will stand corrected, but I think that you only get five substitutes in FA Cup this season?

As an aside, and knowing that our next game is the Johnstone’s paint Trophy cup game at Southampton on Wednesday, I would not be at all surprised to see both Llera and McLeod booked in this game so that their suspensions fall for the JPT game and not any following league game.

As for our hosts, Northwich Victoria, they are a club with financial worries and the fact that this game is being shown on TV will be a huge boost to their finances. Sadly, with the game moved to a Sunday lunchtime kick-off, the travelling support from London will be much reduced, with maybe less than five hundred Addicks in attendance. Also missing will be two of the better Vics players – Danks and captain Grand - who are both suspended. Of the rest of the team, striker Newby played well over a hundred games for Bury, full-back Brown played 40 times for Port Vale, and winger Elam has played for many successful Conference teams. Charlton will also need to beware of Matt Bailey, Northwich’s six foot seven inch defender, at set-pieces. The Northwich supporters really seem to have got excited over this game, and who can blame them! It will provide a welcome financial boost to them, and their rivalry with Witton has had many fans laughing on the Charlton Life forum site.

Pedro45 is well aware that cup games can and do provide upsets, but I think that Charlton will have just a little too much, whatever side starts, for the home team to handle. I am predicting a 2-0 victory for the Addicks, and a relatively comfortable game on a good pitch. With two of Vics key players out, McLeod and Llera should have easier games (if they start) and provided that nobody drops any clangers, we should see the Addicks safely through to the second round at 3.15 on Sunday.

My one-to-watch in this game has to be the only player that I am confident will start – Darren Randolph. With it likely that he can cement himself into the team for the JPT game too with a good showing, Randolph will be keen not to make any faux-pas like he did on his home debut against Southampton about 18 months ago. Not as big as Elliot (or Ikeme) it will be important for him to take control of his penalty area and deal with crosses coming into the box. If he can do that, and clear his lines quickly, then the shot-stopper should have a good afternoon.

I am confident that Charlton's record of never having lost to a non-league team will be maintained on Sunday, and even have a (small) hope that the game is drawn so that Northwich get some additional revenue from a replay. Other than that, we should be simply too strong and have too much skill and desire.

Up the Addicks!

Labels: Charlton, Darren Randolph, Northwich Victoria