|
|
| Wednesday, 28-Nov-2007 13:29 |
Email | Share |  | Bookmark |
|
Humbled at home
|
 |
|
CAFC 0 Sheffield Utd 3, 27/11/2007
|
|
|
On the back of four successive victories, three of them away from home, it was easy to be optimistic about this match, and the opening ten minutes did nothing to dispel that mood. But as the game wore on, with Charlton making very little headway, United started to settle and look more comfortable.
Beattie's first half penalty didn't seem too threatening to our chances of at least a point, but as we pressed forward in the second half we started to look very wobbly at the back. A goalmouth scramble late on put United two up, and when we were caught on the break for the third goal close to the end The Valley virtually emptied. First the first time ever I was amongst those who decided that they didn't see much point in staying.
We'll probably still be in the promotion chase at the end of the season, but this team would get slaughtered in the Premiership, even by mid-table sides, as I'm sure that Pardew would confirm. But, in spite of this, the football that we're watching under his management is still a damned sight more exciting and interesting than it's been since the loss of Parker did such enormous damage to our long term prospects.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Sunday, 11-Nov-2007 12:02 |
Email | Share | | Bookmark |
|
Boys in blue
|
 |
|
CAFC 3 Cardiff 0, 10/11/07
|
|
 |
|
Taxi!
|
|
|
The reputation of Cardiff supporters precedes them wherever they go, and I'm sure that the vast majority of them wish that it was otherwise. As usual, we had a good time at the RoD yesterday with the visiting supporters, and as usual we found that we had lots in common - in this case mainly that none of us rated Hasselbaink 
As we were lining up for the matchday photo a vanload of police arrived outside the pub. Remembering that a couple of seasons ago we'd invited them to join in with us we approached them again, and to their credit they were sporting enough to agree - well done, lads!
After two successive home defeats and two successive away wins it was difficult to know what to expect of this game, but two quick strikes in first half injury time (Sodje and Iwelumo) left us confident of the home victory that subsequently came, topped off with a late header from ZZ.
Before the game recently-qualified cabbie Kevin turned up on his way up to town to ply for hire.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Saturday, 27-Oct-2007 12:00 |
Email | Share | | Bookmark |
|
Two on the trot
|
 |
|
CAFC 0 QPR 1
|
|
|
Losing two home games in a row is unpleasantly reminiscent of our last two seasons in the Premiership, and it looks as if the weather matched the mood of the afternoon. This was the second consecutive home game that I've missed, but by the sound of it it's just as well that I did.
Ah well, we can't lose THREE on the trot .... can we? 
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Tuesday, 23-Oct-2007 23:25 |
Email | Share | | Bookmark |
|
Unexpected
|
 |
|
CAFC 1 Plymouth 2, 23/10/2007
|
|
|
This was a game I'd been quite keen to see, since I have friends who are Plymouth supporters and I haven't seen them in ages. In the event, a previous arrangement to cruise up Lake Nasser to Abu Simbel took precedence. 
I'm not usually overconfident, but I really hadn't expected us to lose this one, so the text that arrived telling me the result took me a little by surprise.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Sunday, 7-Oct-2007 08:54 |
Email | Share | | Bookmark |
|
One hundred photos
|
 |
|
CAFC 1 Barnsley 1, 06/10/07
|
|
|
It's probably true to say that most Addicks are enjoying their football this season more than for several years.
What does the average supporter want from watching a live professional game? I'd have thought that consistently attacking play against opponents who don't roll over and who themselves go on the attack will always generate excitement and expectation in any crowd, and that's what we had yesterday.
It took us until the 82nd minute to score, and I thought we'd done enough to deserve the three points, but Barnsley not only came back to equalise but nearly grabbed the win right at the death. Alan Pardew said afterwards, "I'd like to applaud Barnsley for their attitude towards the game - they came and played and made the pitch big for us in the first half."
The matchday photo was a problem for us yesterday. For the first time in years we couldn't find any away supporters in the RoD, and had to resort to calling at The Antigallican on our way to the ground. We were a bit nervous about wearing CAFC colours and stopping Barnsley supporters as they left the pub with the police watching, but all was well. After some initial uncertainty the Barnsley lads entered into the spirit of things and they were invited down to the RoD the next time they visit.
We first started taking our 'Members of the Opposition' photos in August 2002 and up until the start of this season we'd had five seasons of 19 games each, i.e. 95 in total. Yesterday's was therefore our 100th consecutive matchday photo - that's quite a record!
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Thursday, 27-Sep-2007 07:53 |
Email | Share | | Bookmark |
|
|
 |
|
CAFC 2 Leicester 0, 22/09/07
|
|
|
Many apologies for the delay in posting this photo - I was away in Sicily and missed the match, I'm afraid. I had to rely on the texted score after the game and it wasn't until much later on Saturday night that I found out that we were up to 2nd!
Our performance to date compares very favourably with those of our last two seasons in this division, both of which saw us promoted. Our subsequent failure in the Carling Cup doesn't really take the shine off our current optimism, but it really is about time that we did something in one of the Cups.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Wednesday, 19-Sep-2007 08:35 |
Email | Share | | Bookmark |
|
Electrifying
|
 |
|
CAFC 2 Norwich 0, 18/09/07
|
|
|
I know that it sounds as if I'm making the best of our relegation, but I'm really starting to enjoy being in the Championship.
Under dear old Curbs things were getting very stale and boring. There was very little adventure in our play and fewer and fewer home points. At least under Dowie there was more excitement, even if his appointment did end in tears.
And now, under Pardew, we have electrifying entertainment. Last night it was frantic end-to-end stuff, and even though it was 0-0 for most of the match it was constantly entertaining, even for the Norwich fans, I'd guess.
For the first time in ages we seem to have a front pairing that troubles defences. Iwelumo and, especially, Varney were excellent last night. It was ironic that it was when Varney was taken off late in the game that our breakthrough came. McLeod twice tempted the Norwich defence into fouling him in the area and both penalties were tucked away by the splendid Andy Reid.
So we're up to third in the table, with points and goals scored comparing favourably with our last two promotion seasons, without yet really hitting our stride. Maybe we really are in the running for that free season ticket next year 
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Saturday, 25-Aug-2007 12:00 |
Email | Share | | Bookmark |
|
The sun breaks through
|
 |
|
CAFC 3 Sheffield Wednesday 2, 25th August 2007
|
|
 |
|
'Killer' flag
|
|
|
The sun finally broke through on the morning of the match and set up a great day for Charlton fans. The pre-match session in the Rose of Denmark was cheerful, and as usual we feared that a great day out would be spoiled by 90 minutes of football.
And up to half time it looked exactly as if that's what'd happen, with Wednesday 2 up after only 15 minutes, having scored goals that Charlton seemed to have had no idea how to defend against. At that point the idea of staying up in the Championship looked a bit optimistic, let alone reaching the playoffs.
The turning point was the injury to Thatcher that saw him replaced by Zheng Zhi shortly before half time. The re-shaping of the team that this necessitated made a huge difference; everyone seemed to play better and there were signs of genuine teamwork
Iwelumo was an eye-opener, scoring two excellent goals that will have heartened the Addicks enormously. If we can keep this level of performance going until Holland and Varney return from injury I think we could have a very satisfying autumn.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Saturday, 11-Aug-2007 17:50 |
Email | Share | | Bookmark |
|
It's not going to be easy
|
 |
|
CAFC 1 Scunthorpe 1, 11/08/2007
|
|
 |
|
A full North Stand
|
|
 |
|
Excellent turnout from Scunthorpe
|
|
|
It seems that it's going to be a long, hard season. No matter how good Pardew's signings turn out to be he still has to make a team out of them, and by today's showing that'll take a while.
Marcus Bent has never been a great favourite at The Valley, especially when compared with Darren, but the consensus is that the Championship might be more his level. He just needs to apply himself properly and he could become something of a hero. On a similar note, it was good to see the crowd burying the hatchet with erstwhile villain Weaver, who did enough to give us hope that he too could become a favourite.
Andy Reid had a very good game, reminding us how much we missed him in last season's run-in, and Moutaouakil seems to be an excellent investment. I'm far from sure that our strikers are good enough at present, having seen four of them against Scunthorpe - let's hope that Luke Varney and Chris Dickson are a bit better.
We had a great time pre-match with the visiting supporters and I hope we meet up with them again one day. After all of the hype and nonsense in the Premiership it's nice to meet up with people whose club is closer to the realities of life. Scunthorpe brought a sizeable contingent to The Valley, and a draw would have to be seen as a great result for them, especially since their goal was a cracker.
One of their chants cracked me up, i.e. 'That's why we're Champions!' We've had that thrown at us by Chelsea, ManU and Arsenal when they stroll past us, and to hear Scunthorpe doing it to us was brilliant. I'd love us to go up as Champions just so we can do it back to the Premiership's bigheads if/when we outperform them  )
Here's an interesting bit of trivia that the Scunthorpe supporters mentioned. Three England captains have played for Scunthorpe; who are they?
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Saturday, 4-Aug-2007 09:21 |
Email | Share | | Bookmark |
|
Off again
|
|
Well, sort of 
It's the first home fixture of the season today, a friendly against Jorge Costa's Sporting Braga. And, of course, we face a season in the Championship, following our relegation from the Premiership in May - that seems SO long ago.
But we'll carry on with our 'Members of the Opposition' photos in the Rose of Denmark - perhaps we'll meet up again with fans from clubs that were relegated during the last five years.
I'm about to leave for the RoD, bearing with me the composite picture from last season, which I hope Dermot will be able to hang before next Saturday's first home, against Scunthorpe.
|
|
|
|
