Saturday, February 09, 2008
Why we lost at Scunthorpe
Charlton Athletic Online can exclusively reveal the real reason why Charlton succumbed last week to a relegation-threatened Scunthorpe team at Glandford Park – Socks! Yes, it was the socks fault that the Addicks lost the game 1-0. Either side of excellent winning home performances, the result last Saturday was a real shock, and this could possibly lead to a Football League investigation.
Pedro45 can now divulge the amazing news, which had been kept under wraps for a week but was leaked via the match programme last night; internal murmurings indicate that heads will roll due to this oversight by the programme editor and picture researcher!
So what, you may ask, has the result got to do with the blue socks the team wore?
Pedro45 has learnt that Kelly Youga and other un-named members of the squad had a bet prior to the match, unbeknown to manager Alan Pardew, which the Frenchmen won. The forfeit for losing this bet was that all the team, barring Youga, were made to play the game against Scunthorpe with their socks on the wrong way round.
Pedro45 can now divulge the amazing news, which had been kept under wraps for a week but was leaked via the match programme last night; internal murmurings indicate that heads will roll due to this oversight by the programme editor and picture researcher!
So what, you may ask, has the result got to do with the blue socks the team wore?
Pedro45 has learnt that Kelly Youga and other un-named members of the squad had a bet prior to the match, unbeknown to manager Alan Pardew, which the Frenchmen won. The forfeit for losing this bet was that all the team, barring Youga, were made to play the game against Scunthorpe with their socks on the wrong way round.
Have you ever worn long socks the wrong way round? It is very uncomfortable, especially if you then have to not only put on football boots, but try to kick a football too. The blue socks are meant to be worn with the CAFC lettering to the front of the sock, and the Joma logo at the rear.
Youga was the only Addick with his socks on the right way (see left), and therefore the only player comfortable in his footwear, and capable of making a decent pass. The evidence was carried on pages 30 and 31 of last nights programme, where the forfeit is clearly evident in a number of the photographs from that game, and they show the level of discomfort the rest of the side were in during that match, bar Kelly, . Evidence is contained in some of the damning images which are reproduced here too - you can tell from the expressions on Andy Gray (top pic) and ZiZi's (bottom) faces that they are feeling the pain, whereas Youga looks positively happy.
Other blogs may claim that it was in fact simply Kelly who had his socks around the wrong way, but with the fantastic form being shown by Charlton’s left back in recent weeks, that simply cannot be the case. Youga has been outstanding since he came into Pardew’s side early in January, with consistent high class performances. How could anyone play as well as he is with his socks on backwards!?!
Pedro45 believes that Youga’s sock prank on the rest of the team is the sole reason for the poor performance in Lincolnshire, and does go some way to explaining Darren Ambrose’s poor corner kicks, plus Yassin Moutaouakil’s feeble attempt to clear the cross which led to the only goal of the game.Alan Pardew has banned any further betting and/or forfeits of this kind, and is understood to have added front and back labels to the inside of the team socks in an effort to prevent any of the side being duped at future matches. Sadly, rumour reaches Pedro45 that Darren Ambrose failed to check these labels last night…
Labels: Charlton, Kelly Youga, Scunthorpe
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Yassin - Le Idiot
Scunthorpe United 1 Charlton Athletic 0Oh dear. Just when everything seemed to be going well and heading in the right direction it is back to earth with a hard bump.
Charlton lost this game thanks to a single Scunny goal on a bitingly cold and blowy day. It wasn't a good move or anything: it was all the fault of one person - Yassin Moutaouakil. A long cross was swung over to the far post after an hour. The right back was alone but tried to do the sensible thing and knock the ball behind for a corner and safety. Sadly he missed the ball with his better right foot and simply saw the ball bounce off his left peg straight to Scunthorpe’s leading scorer Paterson eight yards out. Paterson buried the ball into the corner of the net giving Nicky Weaver no chance.
Yassin also wasted Charlton's best chance wastefully shooting wide from 12 yards with an open goal at his mercy when the scores were still level. It wasn't his best game by a long chalk.
Moots wasn't the only defender to make a mistake but his were crucial. Why the errors crept back into the teams play is anyones guess - Weaver and Bougherra both fell in clearing the ball and, though hurt, were lucky not to be punished. McCarthy’s distribution was awful and Youga as trying too hard against his former club and kept running down lines that led nowhere.
This should not take anything away from Scunthorpe who just deserved the win. Sad to say they even accomplished it playing with ten men for the last 20 minutes after Butler was sent off for a second bookable offence - this time tripping Ambrose.
Both Addicks wide men - Sam and Ambrose - were poor but it was the right sided players consistently terrible free kicks and corners which had most impact.
The only bright spot was the continued form of Matt Holland who once more gave everything when others were having off days. Zheng Zhi seemed to have this weeks travel plans on his mind or maybe it was Butler's horrendous two foot challenge in the first half which was playing on his mind most.In attack Pards started the Gray/Varney partnership but they had so little protection from the poor referee and barely mustered a shot between them.
Late pressure was applied but shots by sub McLeod and Holland didn't really trouble the home keeper.
My mood wasn't helped by the whinge-ing supporter sat beside me who kept up a constant commentary of the bitingly obvious. He wasn't wrong - I just wish he hadn't bothered trying to get me and others to acknowledge all he was moaning about.
This was a real blow after the excellent midweek win and puts added pressure on to win all remaining home games.
A brief word about Scunthorpe, as it was my first visit there - very suburban with lots of arched windows and plenty of stained glass, and not the semi-industrial town that the steelworks image depicted.
At least it didn't snow...
Labels: Charlton, Scunthorpe
Friday, February 01, 2008
Snow Forecast for Scunthorpe
That was a hectic last day of the transfer window for Alan Pardew and Charlton – out went Andy Reid to Sunderland for £4m, and Aswad Thomas to Accrington on loan, and in came loanees Greg Halford and Lee Cook from Sunderland and Fulham respectively.Hopefully, the weekend will be quieter.
Charlton’s new looking squad take on Scunthorpe on Saturday afternoon, weather permitting. The forecast itself is poor, with arctic winds blowing snow down the east coast today, and a very cold night in store for Lincolnshire it seems. It the snow does get as far south as Scunny, and if the pitch is not protected, then there is a possibility that the 1000 plus Charlton fans making the trip may be in for a disappointing day out.
Hopefully though, the game will go ahead, and forking out for my train ticket will not have been in vain.
Now Alan Pardew has his squad settled for the last few months of the season (barring emergency loans which have not been ruled out yet), he can concentrate on continuing the good form shown recently, and try to get the Addicks even higher up this league. Reid, who will be missed in the long term, was injured anyway, and would not have featured for a few weeks yet, having only just returned to training after resting his knee for a couple of months. Thomas only made the bench for League Cup games, and is one for the future; the experience he gets in tier four will stand him in good stead.
But with the two new signings hopefully fit and ready (why get them in if they are not?), and with almost all the rest of the squad fit, Pardew has a large group of players to pick his team from this weekend.
We can expect midweek hero Nicky Weaver to start in goal once more. It has taken some time, but at last we are seeing what a good goalie he is. His two second half saves on Tuesday (one early, one late) won us the game, and though Darren Randolph is an able deputy, Weaver is cemented between the sticks for the foreseeable future based on recent displays.
The defence is, all of a sudden, looking like a strong area of the team. Gone has gone the lack of communication and unforced comic errors of early in the season, and in has come a steely determination coupled with a “they shall not pass” attitude.
The two full backs – Yassin Moutaouakil and Kelly Youga – have fitted in to the side extremely well since the new year, and it would be a surprise if either was dropped for this game. Halford is most well known for his play at right back, but he is also a utility player – it would be surprising to see him played in favour of Moots on the right side in this match but you never know with Pards. Youga has been a revelation recently, but Chris Powell is rested, and has been sitting in the wings for a month now, and Grant Basey has also bided his time since coming back from his injury. Both are keeping Kelly honest – he knows that if he fails to deliver then either the veteran or the youngster will be aching to step in and replace him.
The centre back pairing of Madjid Bougherra and Paddy McCarthy has now gelled, but Jon Fortune and Sam Sodje, when his cut hand/arm heals, will both be able back-ups.
In midfield, we have the incumbent Matt Holland and Zheng Zhi, who are both doing a fine job. We seem to criticize one when they fail to be man-of-the-match, but both are playing at a consistently high standard at present, running their hearts out, making tackles, and producing a goal threat too. With Jose Semedo and Therry Racon (who failed to get out on loan anywhere it seems) in reserve, this area is covered amply too.
The addition of Lee Cook is interesting, simply because Jerome Thomas is still at the club. If JT had waltzed off somewhere, then fans would see the reason why Cook has been brought in. Now, we have wingers in spades – Darren Ambrose (who can play centrally too) and midweek goalscorer Lloyd Sam have the shirts at present, but Thomas and Cook will be pressing hard for a bench place. I’m not sure who Pards will pick here, but he does tend to stick with players until they fail to perform, then switch things, so Dazza and Lloydy had better keep doing the business.
In attack, the injury to Chris Dickson is a blow to the lad, and us fans who love it when we see a Roy of the Rovers character burst through. He will be back, but not for a while sadly. Thankfully, the other forwards are still around, and no potential loan deals were agreed before Dickson fell over (metaphorically). Izale McLeod will see this as an opportunity to push hard in reserve games, and Chris Iwelumo, Luke Varney and Andy Gray will no doubt be rotated as the various games dictate.
I make that 22 squad players who realistically have a chance of getting a game at least every now and then in the last four months of the season. With Ben Thatcher, and Dickson (and maybe Cory Gibbs?) likely to be available in time too, we have the players who can get us promoted if they play to their potential. Sure, Andy Reid is a loss, but not a season ending one in the way that selling Parker or Murphy could have been seen.
This is the side I think Pards will play at Glandford Park –
Nicky Weaver
Yassin Moutaouakil
Madjid Bougherra
Paddy McCarthy
Kelly Youga
Matt Holland
Zheng Zhi
Darren Ambrose
Lloyd Sam
Andy Gray
Luke Varney
Subs from Randolph, Halford, Fortune, Powell, Basey, Semedo, Cook, Thomas, Iwelumo, McLeod.
Scunthorpe themselves have made what they hope will be a key signing – Geoff Horsfield. The feed the horse man will be hoping to bully some defenders into conceding goals to him and he will try to take the Iron out of the relegation zone.
Scunny haven’t won for quite some time (12 games I think?), and are not in very confident mood. They do score goals, especially at home, but have a leaky defence that Charlton should be able to breach a few times. The home team will have nothing to fear though, and will look at this as a no-lose game so can really go for it. A real minnow against the giant (of this league) as it was on the first day of the season – they upset Charlton and forced a draw that day, hopefully they won’t be able to do the same in Lincolnshire. Pedro45’s score forecast is a 2-0 win for the Addicks. That should warm up the travelling fans!
My one-to-watch in this match has to be Kelly Youga. Our Kelly became something of a legend in Lincolnshire during his initial loan spell between August and December, and it was only the loss of other left backs that forced Pards to recall him from his time with Scunthorpe. Since then, he has maintained his blossoming legend status, but in SE7! Kelly did get sent off for the Iron twice in December, but he also scored his one and only goal that month. It will be interesting to see what sort of a response he gains from the home crowd, but hopefully they will be thankful of his time with them and the kind words he said once he had returned to Charlton.A win in this match, weather permitting, could see Charlton move up a couple of places above the fifth place they currently occupy. It would also take Charlton to fifty points, and almost safe from relegation (I'm ever the pessimist!). Without Andy Reid, we may be gloomy, but at least we won’t go down. And if we aren’t going down, we might as well concentrate on trying to win promotion. Three more points at Scunthorpe will keep the pressure on and with the other clubs near the top of this league also meddling in the transfer window we may see some subtle changes in position over the next few weeks as the men are sorted out from the boys.
Up the Addicks!
Labels: Charlton, Kelly Youga, Scunthorpe
