Kismet Not Kermit

A dream come true......

I can't take credit for the headline as I've nicked it from a Foxes forum but it sums it up nicely eh ? The booing of Yann was anticipated but those Leicester fans did themselves and ultimately their team few favours. I suspect there was a hint of jealousy as we had the two best strikers on the pitch perhaps three if you include Ricardo's half time appearance !

An early departure from CMK saw myself and the ANEM junior having a couple of cheeky ones in the Market Porter in Borough Market just after 4pm. The Harveys best was most toothsome ! A couple of beers were had in the Liberal Club before taking our seats in the ground.

Leicester started brightly and enjoyed a good opening 10 to 15 minutes or so. They passed and moved quickly with a strong physical presence, too physical on occasion. The referee, Fred Barber, was poor and should have brandished yellow earlier and more frequently.

Our two goals were excellent and that Yann ultimately scored what proved to be the winner was the ideal scenario that I was hoping for. 

The Foxes are a good side and we were really under the cosh in the second half but we displayed some resolute defending. In addition, we're learning quickly. There was a first half spell when we didn't see much of the ball but to the lads credit when we got it back we started to pass it more and looked to just keep hold. Clearly the right thing to do at the time.

I can't fault anyone's performance. BWP had just about his finest game for us, he really put a shift in aside from delivering a great goal allied to superb overall play. No doubting his motivation last night. 

Yann was well, Yann and he won just about everything in the air whilst giving their defence a torrid time. Having sent the Frenchman and Sir Chris our way perhaps one of the better Leicester players can also miss a penalty soon and be hounded out all the way to SE7.

Konch backed up my view that he is more a left sided midfielder than left back. He got the run around on occasions yesterday and save for one decent cross in the first half, his passing and delivery were poor. 

Hamer continued to impress me. Not only is his handling vastly improved, his positional sense was spot on last night, I'm loving the 20-20 vision Ben !

The defence merits mention and praise. Well done boys. It'd be remiss of me not to refer to Solly's second half run down the line whilst shepherding the ball away from danger. Words are not enough, you had to be there I'm afraid !

A superb game then and an atmosphere to match. I reckon it was better than anything we witnessed all of last season even if the crowd was smaller than some of those games. It seemed just about everyone was up for it and I'm still struggling to speak this morning following all the singing and shouting !

The signing of Ricardo, albeit 10 years too late, is a good one. He'll be a great addition to the squad. I missed his introduction at half time as I met up with Ketts who had kindly secured me a copy of Anorak Addick. I believe another edition is due to hit the streets, well Floyd Road anyway, on Saturday so look out for that.

I also had the pleasure of meeting E.G. Addick too at half time. We felt that the next goal was crucial and whoever got it would go on to win, thankfully that didn't prove to be the case.

I'm switching sports today. On Sunday I saw Kent overcome Northants in the CB40 and today sees a must win game versus a Yorkshire side who, I hope, have half an eye on the T20 finals at the weekend. A Kent win today would set up a great game on Monday against Sussex.

I'll be stopping overnight in God's chosen county so a beer or two seems in order. Hopefully I'll be toasting a Kent win in addition to raising a toast to the Addicks and a certain Frenchman in particular !

  

How Much Is That Doggy In The Window

About £2,000 in Harrods since you ask........

Yesterday I had a day in the Metropolis with my partner. It was a nice, if hot and tiring day. With travelcards purchased from Milton Keynes Central, London was almost our oyster ( card ) !

We made our way to Embankment Pier to board a boat to North Greenwich. Those travlecards got us discount of a third off the price and we travelled for £4 each. A thoroughly enjoyable trip saw us take in numerous London landmarks although disappointingly the Olympics Rings on Tower Bridge were raised, not lowered. I guess this is due to the hiatus before the Paralympics but I can't see why they couldn't stay in place.

However, we sped onto North Greenwich and once there boarded the cable car. Those travelcards came to the fore again as we secured more discount and bought single fares at a cost of £3.20 each. The views were great ( for a more detailed and comprehensive review of the cable car check out Drinking During The Game blog where in June, Dave gave a very good account ).

From Royal Victoria Dock it was onto Knightsbridge by which time we were both hungry and thirsty. Given that we were in such an affluent area and with my penchant for knowing how to give a woman a good time, I made use of the McDonalds vouchers we got from a bloke just outside the tube station. £1.99 each later and we'd each secured a Big Mac and medium soft drink ( I did pay for hers btw ! ).

We took the opportunity to visit Al-Fayed's former corner shop. The Egyptian escalator ( which ironically doesn't allow pushchairs ) took us to the pet store where, as I alluded to above, puppies are £2,000 each. They looked cute but that was the sting in the tail !

Harrods is the shop with something for everyone and I couldn't help but feel that the current VW Golf ads could easily be bought to real life there. We resisted the temptation to buy sweets at £6 a quarter.

Having looked but not bought we had a pleasant stroll onto Chinatown. Plenty of choices of places to eat but you do need to be careful. Having settled upon our restaurant of choice we discovered the advertised meal wasn't as good as it sounded where a meal for two meant the sharing of single dishes ! The sharing of most things, let alone food, is an anathema to me so we left and went elsewhere, I'm glad we did.

Our dining took place in the Kowtoon Buffet on Gerrard Street and I can recommend it. Nothing fancy and you need to pay cash up front. Plenty of choice for starters and mains with the option of clean, fresh salad too if you wanted. In good old Marie Antionette fashion, they even let you eat cake !

Our meal with a soft drink each was £24.20 for both of us, all very good value I felt. Following that it was off to Euston satisfied that we'd had a good day and not spent loads of dosh in doing so.

Ok that was yesterday and before Ketts moves me off this site and banishes me to Tripadvisor, I suppose I'd better pen a few words on tonight's game versus Leicester City. 

Adam Werritty - a big fan of the Foxes

I quite like Leicester City and have fond memories of a sort of when we played them away on a Tuesday some years ago. I was working shifts at the time and me and a few mates had several beers during the day before leaving and once there too. I recall that we won 2-1 and even that I wasn't too sure about at the time as the beer certainly to its toll that day !

Nigel Pearson surprised me by returning to the club that treated him rather shabbily given his achievements during his first spell in charge. Pearson is a manager of proven quality and will always produce decent sides.

The Foxes bring former Addick and former youngest Charlton player, Paul Konchesky back to the Valley tonight. Konch gave sterling service to the Addicks although I felt his belief that he should play at left back in those Prem days was somewhat misguided. For me, Konch was always a better left sided midfielder who took a mean free kick. I hope he is given a good reception tonight.

Someone who probably won't get a good reception from the oppo's fans at least is Yann. I dare say he is expecting that and he'll been keen as mustard to put one over City and prove a point in the process. 

Let us not forget another man with Leicester connections and that's Sir Chris. He made a big decision to move away from there as assistant to Sven in order to join us and take the plunge into management. Not a bad move as it happens eh ? Foxes fans will recall that Sir Chris has a 100% win record as their manager !

Leicester are another side, like Brum, who'll be there or thereabouts come the end of the season and it will be a tough game. However, we should take heart from Saturday's performance. I'd happily settle for another draw meaning that we remain undefeated. A win with the winner from Yann remains the ideal scenario though of course !

Come On You Reds !

Edward Woodward is tardy on 30th November.....

late equaliser at St Andrew's.......

Given that Lee Clark is now Brum's manger I guess we should have put our mortgages on it being a draw. Despite being denied at the death I see this, like Sir Chris, as an encouraging performance. I think we'd all have taken a draw before kick off and that we're disappointed not to secure all three points speaks volumes.

Having read the reports of those who went it appears that the lads acquitted themselves very well. That is backed up by the stats on the BBC website that indicate that we dominated in the important areas. I hope we can trust them as it would lead you to believe that Green wasn't on bench following a bizarre decision by Sir Chris to name only 6 subs !

The lads should take some confidence by going to a place where the atmosphere is hostile with the home fans really up for it at the start of a new campaign where they are one of the favourites for promotion.

It sounds as though Stephens had a good game and let's hope that his can maintain that form this season. If so, he will be a crucial player in the months ahead.

I'm not sure if Sir Chris will keep the same side at home on Tuesday. If so, then he'll be resembling a latterday Alf Ramsey with his wingless wonders. I'd like to see us play with at least one genuine winger and nothing against the present midfield quartet, I hope we do so soon.

Tuesday see us face another tough game at home to Leicester. It should be a cracker. I suspect that we have at least one player who'll be up for it with a point to prove to an unforgiving and somewhat blinkered set of fans. 

Elsewhere, interesting to see how that nice Mr Pardew has embraced the spirit of the Olympics by shoving the fourth official because he didn't a throw-in. I saw it on the telly and I couldn't be sure if the whole of the ball had crossed the line not that it matters. I recall Di Canio getting heavily punished for a lesser push on an official, I hope that the despicable Pardew is treated the same way. 

French Connection 2

Ah yes, I remember it well........

Having just missed out on Van Persie, Charlton have added another player of Gallic descent and it is the big name player we were promised, Dorian Dervite-Vaussoue. An anagram of that is ravenous, devious tirade ( what do you mean I've too much time on my hands ? ).

At 6ft 3in he is a tad taller than Chris Solly. Formerly of Spurs and more recently Villareal B he will probably go into the squad ahead of Saturday's trip to Birmingham. If Cort is injured then that's definite. Un ami for Yann then.

If Dorian does as well as his French counterpart then we're in for a treat !

This season it will be interesting to see how we individually and collectively we make the step up to the Championship. I'd be happy with mid-table but fear we may struggle. The addition of a striker and midfielder of decent pedigree may allay those fears and I hope it comes to pass.

I know I ought to want for us to ultimately go back up to the Prem but I have reservations about that. The cost of home matches would increase for sure as well as the cost of attending away games. To give you an example of costs, this weekend Southampton fans are having to pay £50 to watch them play City away in a game live on Sky ! Ridiculous if not scandalous ! If it were Charlton then I'd be hard pushed to justify that level of spend even leaving aside the travel costs.

It's not hard to envisage the South London trio of us, Palarse and Millwall all in the lower reaches of the table come season's end.

I hope the players are looking forward to the challenges ahead. For one or two I'd say this is a make or break season. Stephens will need to re-capture his early promise from last season as towards the end he wasn't doing it for me. 

I remain frustrated and amazed that Wagstaff is still with us. He could be good but his continued lack of physical presence ( get down the gym young man ! ) and reluctance to attack defenders and running round in circles should consign him to a place on the bench at best.

On Tuesday Hamer looked more confident and decisive than last season. He came for crosses and caught or punched with authority. I hope he continues to progress and hopefully he'll develop into a keeper of some quality.  

Like others I was shocked that Mambo was kept on. Being loaned out is fine upto a point but if he's good enough then surely he ought to play. Today's signing does nothing to make you think Sir Chris sees him that way.  

The boss himself faces the biggest test of his fledgling managerial career. Can he cope ? Yes, I believe he can as I feel he's very intelligent and quick to learn. At this stage I wouldn't want anyone else in charge of our team. 

I think we'll do well to come away with anything from Saturday's game. Brum are strongly fancied to do well this season in spite of having Lee Clark as a manager. I didn't like him at Huddersfield, going to Birmingham hasn't helped my affections towards him. Had he stayed at Hudders I don't think they'd have gone up, too many draws would have transpired I feel.

I note that the delightful Marlon King plays for the Blues and the law of sod says he's odds on to score along with Ambrose.

I fully expect our team to be that which for the most part finished the League One campaign although I wouldn't be surprised if Pritchard didn't sneak a starting place.

Good luck to all those braving the trip to a place not quite as welcoming as Carlisle ! Sing your hearts out for the lads and I hope that for all of us Addicks but you especially that we come away with something.

Come On You Reds !

  

Lawrie Versus Life

" Not a bad game for Lawrie last night Terry "

" Yes Colin but he won't be happy with that penalty, as ever, he was hoping to hit the back of the net "

Things didn't go according to plan yesterday in S.E. 7. My much awaited trip on the cable car had to be postponed as my eldest lad decided to drive. Never mind, another day for that. We did pop down to Greenwich instead and had a pleasant time wandering around there.

Of course, not beating Orient was not part of the plan for anyone connected with the Addicks. I thought for a largely second string we played some neat, tidy football for the most part. We dominated the first half with few chances for the O's as far as I can recall.

The second half saw Orient have more of the game and I guess a draw at full and extra time was about right. Penalties remain the lottery they've always been, however, Orient did take theirs much better than we did. Fair play to them.

I was disappointed that Sir Chris didn't send on some subs earlier. Smith for example could have been helped by the addition of Wright-Phillips inside the ninety instead of being replaced by him well into extra time. Smith had a good game I felt and show some nice touches and flicks.

I was impressed with new boys Kerkar and Cook. Kerkar has time on the ball, uses it well and last night played some lovely passes. Cook showed good skill and attacking intent. I was not so impressed with Wilson ( pictured below ). Lawrie was adequate but no more than that I'd say. No blame attached to him for the penalty even the Orient fans were giving Tom Daley gestures upon its award.

Sad to see Sir Chris losing his bottle and getting sent to the stand but I think we all shared his frustration at an inept referee who amongst other things hasn't heard of playing advantage let alone recognising a bad challenge ! 

Disappointing to go out as I would have hope for a big draw at home in the next round. The only plus side is that we now won't get an extra game to play midweek sometime.

It's A Funny Old Game

Primate Goalie offers advice........P.G. Tips

Here we go again then...........the new season is upon us, so soon, already !

The Olympics have just finished, summer has hardly started, there's a test match still to play and the League Cup campaign starts ahead of the league programme.....it just don't make no sense !

I'm just past the half way point of the well deserved 6 week summer break that those of us in the teaching profession are rewarded with. To date I've been on a cricket tour of North Devon, watched Team GB's women football team beat Brazil's at Wembley, visited Canterbury ( the home of cricket ) to see my beloved Kent CCC and not moved much from the sofa in between in order to catch the best of the Olympics....it's been great !

What to make of the goings on in S.E. 7 then between season end and now ? To be honest I've no idea and I sure I'm not alone. No point in fretting about things, this is Charlton and after all, nothing ever runs smooth with us does it ? 

We can be sure that before August is out there'll be a few comings and goings in terms of players and possibly in the boardroom too eh ! In my opinion we still need the striker, midfielder and central defender of decent pedigree that most of us wished for at the end of last season........let's hope.

Onto tomorrow's London derby then. I'm pleased we've drawn Orient, I quite like them although we'll have to suffer a Hearnia. Ex-players Lisbie and Mooney will make a Valley return. Last time out Mooney had a point to prove having been deemed to be surplus to requirements in S.E. 7 and he duly did so, he was as bad as we thought and remembered. It's always good to see " Young Kevin " though and as I've observed before, he's a player we let go far too early.

We really ought to win this one and a tidy draw in the next round would be most welcome. It's difficult to call the team given that Sir Chris will need to balance the need for a competitive side against the demands of Saturday's game versus Brum. I trust we'll get to see Kerkar and Cook at least, I like what I've heard about both to date. 

I'm early down to the Metropolis tomorrow and intend to take a trip on the cable car thingy........perhaps we can re-enact Where Eagles Dare ? If so, I hope it's Mooney doing the shooting.

Following all that shananigans I'm hoping to partake of a couple of fine ales and a bite to eat ahead of kick off.

It'll be good to be back in the old routine and let's hope the lads can get a win and send us all home happy !    

Nearly There

I trust that everyone is enjoying the break following a fabulous season last time out. Let's hope the sun will finally come out and stay a while. If I do have any time away it will be in Blighty and probably taking in some cricket in God's chosen county so decent weather is somewhat central to the success of that.  

Tomorrow sees the long awaited release of the Championship fixtures. These are hardly set in stone and by the time Sky has finished bu**ering around with them the best indication it'll give is what month we are likely to be playing each time.

One of the main things we'll miss about League One, record breaking wins etc. aside is a regular 3pm Saturday kick off. Games against Palarse and the Spanners are likely to be moved to Friday evening kick offs. Other fixtures may well be midday on a Sunday or somesuch.

A decent scheduling for the Blackpool away game would be appreciated but the law of sod suggests a Tuesday night in February. I assume or rather, would like to assume, that Euelltide will see us play London derbies or Watford at worst. With MK Dons failing ( again ) in the playoffs, Watford is the most local fixture for me and it's a welcome return to Peterborough, all being well......I like it there !

I'm very pleased with the one competitive fixture we do know of, that being the League Cup fixture with the O's as I've a soft spot for them. I'm not sure if it's unique but this being playing before the season kicks off is unusual and presents something of a dilemma to Sir Chris. How strong does he make the side ? He'll probably aim to strike a balance between those he sees starting on the following Saturday alongside one or two fringe players.

Given that we're not playing home friendlies due to the Olympics, does anyone know why we are allowed to play the Orient game before they've finished ? Very odd.

Of course we're all looking forward to the Championship but I will miss some aspects of League One in addition to the one I referred to earlier. For a start we can expect some ludicrous prices for some away games......exhibit A Leeds United. It's likely to be super silly up there.

The new giants of Cardiff City who've just flushed all their pride and history down the pan in selling their soul will probably raise prices as the owners look to recoup some money on their investment. Anyone else think that particular " project " will end in tears ?  Obviously the far sighted Vera Lynn does....." There'll be Bluebirds over the white cliffs of Dover ".......just prior to jumping off to put an end to the despair of it all.

Whatever, whenever we play I'm looking forward to it. In the meantime any potential extended stay by the England side means we can enjoy watching John Terry repeatedly being outpaced by geriatrics and perhaps more of Wellbeck's cliche-ridden interviews !