Charlton feel odd to me in so much that no matter where they are in the league, I feel like they should be somewhere else. They seem far too big for League One, but when they're in higher divisions it always seems a bit incongruous, like they're a bit too homely to be up there. They also don't feel like a London club to me, despite being very Londony. I file them in my mind as 'a bit like Ipswich' even though I know full well they aren't anything like them. I don't know why. They're also filed in my head under 'clubs I don't mind in general'
They've had a hard time of it during my life, two periods of turmoil with a big lump of success in between. When I was a kid, Charlton meant 3 things, all gleaned from my beloved football league centenary history book. The pictures within that tome have shaped my view of football as fundamentally as anything else and I remember, Sam Bartram diving in mud, that mad 7-6 game against Huddersfield and of course, a sad, sad shot of an abandoned Valley, the huge weed choked East terrace stretching to the sky, the pitch all overgrown.
They've had a hard time of it during my life, two periods of turmoil with a big lump of success in between. When I was a kid, Charlton meant 3 things, all gleaned from my beloved football league centenary history book. The pictures within that tome have shaped my view of football as fundamentally as anything else and I remember, Sam Bartram diving in mud, that mad 7-6 game against Huddersfield and of course, a sad, sad shot of an abandoned Valley, the huge weed choked East terrace stretching to the sky, the pitch all overgrown.
 |
| Sam Bartram. In the fog. |
Happily, they got home eventually and everything was ok. Then it wasn't and everything was shit again thanks to a succession of ownership nightmares. Conventional wisdom amongst Charlton fans suggests things might now be ok again thanks to their new Danish owner - though when I watched a series of videos welcoming him to the club I was troubled by his weird habit of posing as a rockstar, even though he's made his money in a more prosaic way and he's in his 60s. It all seemed a bit 'I'm a crazy guy, absolutely bonkers me' and I was really quite thankful we've avoided Simon Sadler inflicting his hobbies on us in attempt to project his personality. To be fair to Sandegaard, he's fairly open in saying 'I'm a rich guy having a late mid life crisis' and he seems a likable fella who knows he's setting himself up for a bit of pisstaking, but none the less, it's all a fair cry from some fella in a blazer with a side parting and a bit of a paunch which is what club owners should look like in any civilised world. I very much hope it works out for them with their crazy Dane. Just not tonight.
On the topic of hair (see what I did there) we've signed some more new players I didn't mention in the last blog and maybe some of them might play tonight. The one I want to see most is Kenny Dougall. Largely because when we signed him, he turned out to look nothing like I imagined he would. Hearing the name, I assumed he'd come from St Mirren or Hibs and would be a muscular lad from Govan. The name 'Kenny Dougall' makes me think of a 1970s leader of a Scottish Pipe Band and who were massive in Scotland but practically unheard of in England. Alternatively, his name evokes a fella who Rebus or Taggert go to for information about what's going on in the Glasgow underworld - the kind of dodgy character who they see their relationship with as a necessary evil, a demon who will lead them to the devil so to speak. You can practically see Rebus, sipping a whiskey and smoking a fag in a wood panelled bar, before saying, "Siobhan, we'll have tae gae an see big Kenny Dougall'
Imagine my surprise when he turned out to be a tanned, urbane looking fella with surfer hair and an Aussie passport.
Anyway...
All I want tonight is us to attack, to turn prettiness into threat, to take a few risks, cause a few scares. Ben 'he's from Liverpool y'know' Woodburn makes a first start ahead of Jerry 'just needs a goal' Yates and Demi Mitchell (great going forward, let's not talk about his defending) comes in for Luke Garbutt.
Let's have it. C'm the fuck on Pool!
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I'm in shock. A long ball over the top, Charlton gallop through with Omar Bogle and Husband... brings him down. It's a red. Fuck my life. I can't even dissect it. It was clip or a shove. I dunno. Watch the highlights, I don't even have adverts on this. I'm not putting myself through that again just for this shitty blog. Fucking hell. Fucking hell.
An actual centre back (Ballard) comes on and poor ol' Grant Ward goes off. 58 seconds. Nice one Pool. So much for attacking and all that.
CJ bursts through and is clattered. The full back gets a yellow card.. The free kick is awful - a theme that will recur.
Mitchell gets done all ends up by their right winger, a lad who is wearing some sort of bandage/skull cap/bobble hat affair on his head. He crosses to near post, where the big lad Bogle puts it just wide. Within 60 seconds, Mitchell is beaten again by the same player and a first sight of Daniel Ballard, is an encouraging one, a sliding centre backs tackle and a neat controlled clearance a good response to a dangerous moment.
Charlton are coming forward at will, a floated ball is met on the half volley from about 12 yards but crashes into the side netting.
The 10 man formation is weird. it looks to all intents to be 4-2-3 - A tough night in store for Robson and Williams if so. It's Robson who is involved a couple of times in Pool's best move so far, eventually setting Hamilton free, he comes inside but plays a nothing ball, a pull back aimed for Williams that's never going to be anything but cleared.
Williams clears a fabulous corner from underneath his own bar after a few seconds in which Turton mis-controls to concede a needless throw, then make a brilliant saving tackle to concede the corner.
Super Ollie is the first Pool player to go past anyone with a trick (on about 33 minutes) when he takes on the full back and hang a deep cross. It comes to naught, but at least it's something.
Bogle wrestles his way on to a cross, brushing defenders off like a horse flicking away flies with it's tail, he brings the ball down but the finish is lacking.
Then great work from Williams, a sharp interception and a clever ball forward sets Hamilton free, he pokes the ball past the full back and goes, he's flying and the full back is grabbing, grappling, wrestling, then tumbling and dragging him down. The ref goes to his pocket and it's game on. 10 v 10... That's more like it.
Charlton whip a lovely ball across and Bogle leaps, twists and flicks a backward header that's a matter of inches over.
Ben Woodburn (he plays for Liverpool in case you didn't know) gets on to a Madine flick and goes between the defenders like mercury and glory be! it's a shot! (it's over by miles, but we take what we're given...)
Chissy ends a half where he's been disapproving of just about every human on the planet by disapproving of Brett using Peter Kay's 'fine rain' line.
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Flippin' heck - I'm a bit done in by that.... Charlton have come close several times and Pool have barely threatened, but it has to be said, the 10 men have done well and now it's anyone's game. Charlton's right winger has made Demi Mitchell look like he's barely played football before several times but now he's playing left back since the sending off and Pool will very be glad of that.
The midfield two have done well to keep from being completely over run and Williams again catches the eye as both he and Robson are tenacious and tidy with the ball. Williams looks to have that knack of playing a pass just at the right time under pressure and decent awareness.
Up front, CJ has essentially been fouled twice and delivered a couple of ropey crosses, but it's clear his pace is terrifying to play against. Madine has got little change out of the ref or his centre half and I'm wondering if the fresher and more mobile Yates would be an idea. Charlton look like they could happily head the ball away all week and Yates offers a bit more on the turn or running at the defence.
Marv and Ballard have done fine with the new lad seeming to have that art of just being in the right place. He looks like he reads the game well. It's a good job, as he'll surely now be starting on Saturday.
CJ bursts through and is clattered. The full back gets a yellow card.. The free kick is awful - a theme that will recur.
Mitchell gets done all ends up by their right winger, a lad who is wearing some sort of bandage/skull cap/bobble hat affair on his head. He crosses to near post, where the big lad Bogle puts it just wide. Within 60 seconds, Mitchell is beaten again by the same player and a first sight of Daniel Ballard, is an encouraging one, a sliding centre backs tackle and a neat controlled clearance a good response to a dangerous moment.
Charlton are coming forward at will, a floated ball is met on the half volley from about 12 yards but crashes into the side netting.
The 10 man formation is weird. it looks to all intents to be 4-2-3 - A tough night in store for Robson and Williams if so. It's Robson who is involved a couple of times in Pool's best move so far, eventually setting Hamilton free, he comes inside but plays a nothing ball, a pull back aimed for Williams that's never going to be anything but cleared.
Williams clears a fabulous corner from underneath his own bar after a few seconds in which Turton mis-controls to concede a needless throw, then make a brilliant saving tackle to concede the corner.
Super Ollie is the first Pool player to go past anyone with a trick (on about 33 minutes) when he takes on the full back and hang a deep cross. It comes to naught, but at least it's something.
Bogle wrestles his way on to a cross, brushing defenders off like a horse flicking away flies with it's tail, he brings the ball down but the finish is lacking.
Then great work from Williams, a sharp interception and a clever ball forward sets Hamilton free, he pokes the ball past the full back and goes, he's flying and the full back is grabbing, grappling, wrestling, then tumbling and dragging him down. The ref goes to his pocket and it's game on. 10 v 10... That's more like it.
Charlton whip a lovely ball across and Bogle leaps, twists and flicks a backward header that's a matter of inches over.
Ben Woodburn (he plays for Liverpool in case you didn't know) gets on to a Madine flick and goes between the defenders like mercury and glory be! it's a shot! (it's over by miles, but we take what we're given...)
Chissy ends a half where he's been disapproving of just about every human on the planet by disapproving of Brett using Peter Kay's 'fine rain' line.
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Flippin' heck - I'm a bit done in by that.... Charlton have come close several times and Pool have barely threatened, but it has to be said, the 10 men have done well and now it's anyone's game. Charlton's right winger has made Demi Mitchell look like he's barely played football before several times but now he's playing left back since the sending off and Pool will very be glad of that.
The midfield two have done well to keep from being completely over run and Williams again catches the eye as both he and Robson are tenacious and tidy with the ball. Williams looks to have that knack of playing a pass just at the right time under pressure and decent awareness.
Up front, CJ has essentially been fouled twice and delivered a couple of ropey crosses, but it's clear his pace is terrifying to play against. Madine has got little change out of the ref or his centre half and I'm wondering if the fresher and more mobile Yates would be an idea. Charlton look like they could happily head the ball away all week and Yates offers a bit more on the turn or running at the defence.
Marv and Ballard have done fine with the new lad seeming to have that art of just being in the right place. He looks like he reads the game well. It's a good job, as he'll surely now be starting on Saturday.
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It's notable and worrying that skull cap/bobble hat/bandage lad is back on the right, but Charlton fashion the first chance of the half on their left, a neat, quick passing move which sees them hit the side netting from a tight angle.
It's Charlton again, playing lovely football, crisp, quick passing, physical strength and movement eventually fashioning a shooting chance which bends round Maxwell's far post.
Pool manage a couple of shots! First Madine crashes a shot into a defender, then Woodburn picks up the rebound, shoots low and wide but it's deflected for a corner. Which, not unusually for a Pool corner is easily dealt with. Still, two shots in less than 30 seconds is not to be sniffed at.
Charlton switch play, a gorgeous pass from skullcap/bobble/bandage lad, which results in their left winger drifting inside, and firing it across the box, causing all sorts of chaos, air kicking and panic before it's smuggled away for a corner.
The corner is swung deep, right onto one of the big Charlton lads who heads it home. Pool are outraged and run to the linesman. There ensues a debate between referee and linesman, who weirdly stands for ages with his flag out. What happened is anyone's guess, it's not a foul, but it's either the ball swinging out of play from the corner or possibly a player offside from the header at goal impeding Maxwell's view. Whatever happens, the linesman has his way, but why the ref needed to talk about it for 90 seconds isn't clear. Perhaps he was just adding drama. Maybe he hummed a tense tune to the amusement of everyone before indicating his decision.
CJ has a snap shot into the keeper's arms from a Woodburn lay off - The lad from Liverpool (it might not have been mentioned before, but that's where he's from) has looked quite good second half, I like his decisiveness. He looks quite lightweight but at the same time pretty clear he's going to trust himself to go at goal or try something.
Pool manage a couple of shots! First Madine crashes a shot into a defender, then Woodburn picks up the rebound, shoots low and wide but it's deflected for a corner. Which, not unusually for a Pool corner is easily dealt with. Still, two shots in less than 30 seconds is not to be sniffed at.
Charlton switch play, a gorgeous pass from skullcap/bobble/bandage lad, which results in their left winger drifting inside, and firing it across the box, causing all sorts of chaos, air kicking and panic before it's smuggled away for a corner.
The corner is swung deep, right onto one of the big Charlton lads who heads it home. Pool are outraged and run to the linesman. There ensues a debate between referee and linesman, who weirdly stands for ages with his flag out. What happened is anyone's guess, it's not a foul, but it's either the ball swinging out of play from the corner or possibly a player offside from the header at goal impeding Maxwell's view. Whatever happens, the linesman has his way, but why the ref needed to talk about it for 90 seconds isn't clear. Perhaps he was just adding drama. Maybe he hummed a tense tune to the amusement of everyone before indicating his decision.
CJ has a snap shot into the keeper's arms from a Woodburn lay off - The lad from Liverpool (it might not have been mentioned before, but that's where he's from) has looked quite good second half, I like his decisiveness. He looks quite lightweight but at the same time pretty clear he's going to trust himself to go at goal or try something.
The might Goal Machine goes off and Yates is on. Pool seem a bit more lively for a few minutes as Yates is kind of like a human adrenaline shot, legging it round like mad for a bit and getting it a couple off times and not quite getting a shot off.
Woodburn goes down with horrible cramp, curiously, CJ Hamilton, who's just cracked a half decent shot into the defence acts as an auxiliary physio for a whole minute before the actual physios come on. (Why have got two now? Phil Horner was fine on his own for years and now two fellas run on every time. I bet neither of them scored a brace in my favourite game of football ever either...) Woodburn is literally so tired he can't play any more and Bez is ready to come on.
It's anyone's game.
The sides trade half chances, the best of which for Pool comes when Hamilton does brilliantly to get between two, bears down on goal and only a stunning thumping, sliding challenge can deny him.
Charlton have a spell of three dangerous moves which only ends when the referee stops play for Ballard's injury.
Then... a deep cross is nodded back from the line by the skullcap lad (who has been brilliant) and the massive no 10 nods home. It feels like they deserve it, though Brett bemoans Pool's luck, the balance of play has been Charlton's and they've had much better efforts on goal.
Can Pool chuck the kitchen sink?
Woodburn goes down with horrible cramp, curiously, CJ Hamilton, who's just cracked a half decent shot into the defence acts as an auxiliary physio for a whole minute before the actual physios come on. (Why have got two now? Phil Horner was fine on his own for years and now two fellas run on every time. I bet neither of them scored a brace in my favourite game of football ever either...) Woodburn is literally so tired he can't play any more and Bez is ready to come on.
It's anyone's game.
The sides trade half chances, the best of which for Pool comes when Hamilton does brilliantly to get between two, bears down on goal and only a stunning thumping, sliding challenge can deny him.
Charlton have a spell of three dangerous moves which only ends when the referee stops play for Ballard's injury.
Then... a deep cross is nodded back from the line by the skullcap lad (who has been brilliant) and the massive no 10 nods home. It feels like they deserve it, though Brett bemoans Pool's luck, the balance of play has been Charlton's and they've had much better efforts on goal.
Can Pool chuck the kitchen sink?
It seems they can't. Pool pick the ball up but it's the same story. Pass, pass, pass but too slow. They go all across the halfway line but then give it away. They win it back and pass it out of play. They hit it first time, but only to the Charlton full back. Understandably the midfield pair look knackered and if I was a betting man and I had to guess the next scorer, it would be a grey shirt.
Brett is putting a brave face on things and looking at the positives, but I'm getting pretty frustrated. Lubala jumps and misses the ball a few times. Why aren't one of the massive centre halves going forward? Sit Williams in at the back cos he's run miles and send them both! Send Mitchell forward and put Lubala in middle. Do SOMETHING! We don't look like scoring for all the hedge fund money in the world,
We're into the final seconds, Robson picks it up. He drives at the heart of their defence in a way we've rarely seen tonight then spreads it nicely to Turton who pragmatically touches off to Hamilton who, not for the first time tonight lifts a nothing cross into the defender and that is basically that.
Fucks sake Pool.
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Brett is putting a brave face on things and looking at the positives, but I'm getting pretty frustrated. Lubala jumps and misses the ball a few times. Why aren't one of the massive centre halves going forward? Sit Williams in at the back cos he's run miles and send them both! Send Mitchell forward and put Lubala in middle. Do SOMETHING! We don't look like scoring for all the hedge fund money in the world,
We're into the final seconds, Robson picks it up. He drives at the heart of their defence in a way we've rarely seen tonight then spreads it nicely to Turton who pragmatically touches off to Hamilton who, not for the first time tonight lifts a nothing cross into the defender and that is basically that.
Fucks sake Pool.
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I was impressed with Charlton. They showed a canny mix of muscle, football and crucially purpose. They created chances and though Maxwell didn't have a lot to do, they flashed the ball just wide or just over 5 or 6 times. They knew what they were doing going forward and when they went down to ten men, it didn't have a huge impact on their play. They showed tactical nous and made a change to match Hamilton up with a lad who could deal with him.
Lets start with the positive. Ballard looked excellent and also has the classic Daniel Shittu style massive shorts. That's a bonus. Marvin is looking calmer and better with the ball every game. Williams did well again, especially as he and Robson had a crap deal in midfield and Woodburn was involved with our best attacking work - he didn't blow my mind but I liked his movement and he had some really nice touches and showed a desire to go towards goal and the sense to get closer to Madine in the second half. We worked hard and did well with ten against a side it looked like might overwhelm us.
How about the less positive? Again, we didn't cause any problems. We didn't make their keeper work at all and aside from a few moments, we didn't make their defence work. I wanted Yates on, but to be honest, when Madine went off, the ball just didn't stick up front at all. Bez might as well have not come on for the influence he had off the bench, Yates looked ok for few minutes but then just gave away a load of fouls. Demi Mitchell looked exactly as expected defensively. We again rarely beat a man and again, the passing was slow and lacking purpose. I feel like I've just watched us play 90 minutes with ten men against 11.
It's perhaps harsh to point at Critchley in a game where he's been forced into two of the three substitutes (though he chose to start the left back who got sent off in a 100% identical way a week or so previously and the lad who couldn't get beyond an hour without literally collapsing) but again, he's not altered the shape at all regardless of the situation. The two midfield lads were broken, Robson in particular, by the end of the game and I don't understand why we can't divert from a template ever, especially in the last 10 minutes of a game where we've essentially not had a shot on target and are losing at home. I'd have been happy with anything, whether chucking Turton to centre mid to at least help or lumping it all the tall players in the hope of overloading their defence. Anything to try and influence the game.
Lets start with the positive. Ballard looked excellent and also has the classic Daniel Shittu style massive shorts. That's a bonus. Marvin is looking calmer and better with the ball every game. Williams did well again, especially as he and Robson had a crap deal in midfield and Woodburn was involved with our best attacking work - he didn't blow my mind but I liked his movement and he had some really nice touches and showed a desire to go towards goal and the sense to get closer to Madine in the second half. We worked hard and did well with ten against a side it looked like might overwhelm us.
How about the less positive? Again, we didn't cause any problems. We didn't make their keeper work at all and aside from a few moments, we didn't make their defence work. I wanted Yates on, but to be honest, when Madine went off, the ball just didn't stick up front at all. Bez might as well have not come on for the influence he had off the bench, Yates looked ok for few minutes but then just gave away a load of fouls. Demi Mitchell looked exactly as expected defensively. We again rarely beat a man and again, the passing was slow and lacking purpose. I feel like I've just watched us play 90 minutes with ten men against 11.
It's perhaps harsh to point at Critchley in a game where he's been forced into two of the three substitutes (though he chose to start the left back who got sent off in a 100% identical way a week or so previously and the lad who couldn't get beyond an hour without literally collapsing) but again, he's not altered the shape at all regardless of the situation. The two midfield lads were broken, Robson in particular, by the end of the game and I don't understand why we can't divert from a template ever, especially in the last 10 minutes of a game where we've essentially not had a shot on target and are losing at home. I'd have been happy with anything, whether chucking Turton to centre mid to at least help or lumping it all the tall players in the hope of overloading their defence. Anything to try and influence the game.
It's not feeling right to me. We were definitely unlucky against Plymouth and Stoke, we looked a good side ready to click into action, but for a number of games, we simply haven't caused any trouble for the opposition. We're selling a brand of all out attack and it's come in a very glossy packaging but opening it up, it just looks a bit aimless at the moment.
We've got players out, we've got even more new players to come in and we've got plenty of games to get things right but we've got to learn to attack teams with intent otherwise the pattern that is emerging is going to become ingrained. Confidence is hard earned and we're not earning it. We're not playing with verve or risk and that can become habitual.
C'mon Pool. Remember you are Tangerine Wizards ffs! Drive at a defence, run at a man, have a fucking go! This what not what I expected to be urging at the outset of the season. I thought I'd be defending 3-4 defeats and revelling in goals, goals, goals, bemoaning the luck of hitting the post 3 times and so on. It's a funny old game....
We've got players out, we've got even more new players to come in and we've got plenty of games to get things right but we've got to learn to attack teams with intent otherwise the pattern that is emerging is going to become ingrained. Confidence is hard earned and we're not earning it. We're not playing with verve or risk and that can become habitual.
C'mon Pool. Remember you are Tangerine Wizards ffs! Drive at a defence, run at a man, have a fucking go! This what not what I expected to be urging at the outset of the season. I thought I'd be defending 3-4 defeats and revelling in goals, goals, goals, bemoaning the luck of hitting the post 3 times and so on. It's a funny old game....
Charlton fan here. Enjoyed your write up, had me smiling. I recognised a lot of the gallows humour. The lad with the bandage is Alfie Doughty, one of our Academy products who we've held on to in this window. He got headbutted against Wigan.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the rest of the season and I'm pleased you've left the bad owners club as have we hopefully. We had Sullay Kaikai on loan a few seasons ago and he was terrible, so hopefully he's got better.
Sullay is an enigma. He was great when he first signed and I thought he started this year ok but he's been crocked for a lot of last year and some of this. I'm probably over egging his impact but we're so rigid in the way we play and he's unpredictable and he's got a lot of talent. Never quite seen it consistently tbh, but I live in hope.
ReplyDeleteYes, the owner is the one thing we can't moan about. Touch wood! He's been spot on so far.
I enjoyed your precis which I thought was very fair and balanced. Naturally as a Tangerine fan your are looing specially at Blackpool but your comments re Charlton are encouraging. Needless to say we have several new players and it is our hope they they gel and prove quite a force in the league. I wish Blackpool well, been a fan ever since the Stanley Matthews days. Sorry your stay in the Premier was so brief. Good luck for the season.
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