Doubting Thomas

Wow! What a fantastic day Saturday was. Aside from the nightmare I experienced getting from Euston to the Valley, it was truly superb! A few toothsome pints pre-match set up the tone for the day.

It was great to see The Valley so full and the atmosphere was right up there and probably the best since the play off semi.

I think that the season ticket offer resulted in more people with a greater affinity to Charlton in attendance than we usually get for a Football For A Fiver day for example. There’s was even a decent bit of noise from where I sit in the Alan Curbishley stand.

At half time I was fearful that we might regret not having scored the goals that our dominance deserved and that Plymouth would make us pay in the second half. Of course, that wasn’t to be the case and two great strikes from Purrington and Washington saw us gain all 3 points.

I could go on about how good all the players were and make no mistake, everyone had a good game but I feel I ought to focus on the owner.

His comments in the SLP interview are quite staggering. Sandgaard is either naïve or extremely foolish (that’s putting it politely!). New to football or not, as a successful businessman how do you explain what he said?

It was a masterclass in how to undermine and unsettle your manager. At the same time he managed to alert a number of clubs that Jacko might be available soon.

Go back to being assistant manager and Euell reverting to his previous role! Really!! What world in Sandgaard living in?

Clearly, he thinks JJ and Euell would accept that and in addition, that the new, “better” manager would want them as part of their management team. Imagine the tension that would create from day one!

Those two gentlemen are hot property at the moment and would be snapped up straight away.

All that aside, how unprofessional was Sandgaard in referencing someone who is currently in another role? Surely that piece of etiquette isn’t confined to football!!

What else does Jackson have to do to get the job? None of us in our wildest dreams could have expected the results and performances we’ve seen since Adkins left. Is Thomas that disappointed with the two points we “dropped” against Rotherham?

We’ve had injuries and suspensions to key players but yet the squad is still turning out great results and performances like Saturday’s.

Sandgaard has done so much good and continues to do so with the vast  majority of things right but my God does he need a decent CEO and the ear of someone who truly knows our club and its fans and can give him sound advice.

That person would at the very least tell him that fans don’t want to hear ATV after a great win. That’s twice now at least that the end of the game has been slightly spoilt by that. Why is no one telling him? Surely he’s not silly enough to surround himself with sycophants?

Delaying making Jacko permanent manager is hindering any planning and potential signings and contract extensions. Surely he can see that?

No one could have done better than Jacko’s done. He has united players and fans alike.

Does Sandgaard really believe that the Valley would have been so full if Adkins was still manager? The answer is an emphatic no of course.

What is Thomas waiting for? It seems like he’s waiting for Jackson to lose a game or two and for what purpose?

I know he’s been stung by a payoff of allegedly around £800k to Adkins but there’s no guarantee of success with whoever he appoints now. The difference for me is that everything suggest it’s less of a gamble with Jacko.

I seriously think Sandgaard would have fans up in arms if he doesn’t give Jacko the job. I would seriously question whether I’d want to go if he doesn’t, I feel that strongly about it.   

I am very concerned about this unnecessary delay. I sincerely hope this isn’t hand of Roddy looming large over proceedings. By now, Thomas should know better than to listen to him. I can just imagine Roddy advising him to follow his lead and get his son working for the club…………….

Anyway on to Morecombe and let’s hope that we can maintain the great run. Given the injuries and Stockley’s suspension it will be tough but if anyone can orchestrate a win it’s Jacko ably assisted by Euell. Let’s hope our Doubting Thomas can see the light!

Come On You Reds!

 

 

Fill The Valley

 Another win for the Addicks on Saturday as the revival under Jacko continues.

The lads even overcame the early loss of Stockley to secure victory. Burton were restricted to few chances and only a decent strike in the second half was all Albion had to show for their efforts. That attempt was thwarted by a good save from Mac. 

Referee Kettle lived up to his billing as always. Two reds and 5 yellows in the first half is testament to that! Booking unused sub Arter at half-time was the icing on the cake! 

Clearly the lino had a lot to do with both players getting red cards but Kettle should have asked for a clear description of what happened. In reality, as far as I can see it little more than a tussle on the floor.

In fact, so hopeless was the lino that he failed to spot the clear penalty that ought to have had. 

We have appealed the red card but how do we think that’s going to go? Some of us still gobsmacked when Sankofa’s red card appeal was increased by a game as it was deemed “frivolous”! No one even knew such a thing existed at the time.

There little doubt that Stockley will miss the next three games starting with the important Plymouth game.

Further damage in respect of Saturday’s game was done when the clueless Kettle booked Famewo for timewasting…….in the first half!! This means further adjustment to a back line already missing Inniss and Lavelle.

Purrington, like most of the squad, is really thriving under Jacko’s leadership. Another goal for him and it’s so pleasing to see such an underrated player doing so well.

Saturday sees table-topping Plymouth at The Valley. The Pilgrims often fall away towards the business end of the season but one feels that this time it could be different.

It will probably be Jacko's toughest test to date and they will rightly arrive with lots of confidence. However, they did so for Bowyer’s first game in charge and we all know how that turned out!

The Valley will be packed of course thanks to Thomas’s generous offer of 3 free tickets for season ticket holders.  

Let’s hope the lads are really up for it and that we do ourselves justice on the back of the Fill The Valley initiative and buck the trend of previous ones.

Friday would be a good day to give the management role to Jacko and Euell on a permanent basis just to crank up the crowd and atmosphere another couple of notches!

I'd take a draw right now with a win a real bonus.

Come On You Reds!

Burton Up Next

Back to league for The Addicks this weekend as the lads travel to the Pirelli Stadium. As much as one would never tire of playing there they will have to tread carefully and hope the wheels don't come off, if they are to emerge with the 3 points.

Jackson is under pressure to maintain the good start to his caretaker role. The fans clearly want him to get the job on a permanent basis especially given the good mileage he has in terms of goodwill and support. He is proving more than a KwikFix manager!

Spare me the tyre puns I hear you cry!

Most of the squad have had the week off from playing but we will be missing Gunter and Washington from the usual matchday squad.

We ought to be able absorb their absence without too much disruption. I didn’t see why we cancelled games previously when affected by international call ups. The extra time never saw any benefit under Adkins. Despite having nearly two weeks in some instances to work with the squad we never seemed to improve or play any better. Nigel would repeat the "tired" old excuses!

In terms of player availability it seems that there won’t be any involvement for Leko or Matthews, however, Arter could in line to return to the squad.

No one has really grasped the opportunity that the cup games offered to enhance their case for inclusion in the league side save for CBT perhaps.

I’d expect Jackson to select pretty much the same starting eleven as last time out against Rotherham sans Washington and Gunter of course. One assumes that Davison comes in for CW and probably Deji for CG.

Burton provide another tough test for us but we ought to go with the confidence gained from the last few games not least those against Sunderland and Rotherham.

BTW since we played Sunderland and kicked them off the park and got away with a blatant head-butt etc. I do find myself paying more attention to their results. At least poor old Mr Johnson won’t have to worry about another defeat tomorrow as their game is off due to the international call ups.

In the meantime, the Addicks are seeking a win at The Pirelli. That would be “wheely” good and perhaps we can anticipate a "good year " after all!

Come On You Reds!

Still Up For The Cup!

A win and a rare defeat for Jacko’s Addicks in the two cup games played on Saturday and Tuesday.

Firstly, the FA Cup win over H&W was a good effort with a much changed side playing a team that, understandably, set out to stifle us.

The margin of victory may have flattered us somewhat but you’d expect us to become more dominant the longer the game went on.

Good to see Stockley add more goals including a well dispatched penalty. The icing on the cake was the well-taken goal for Burstow.

Jackson was as good as his word and treated the FA Cup with respect and we now face beatable opposition away in Round 2. That we have avoided a League side is good.

It won’t be easy especially away but it’s better than playing Rotherham away which was what I feared we might get at one stage!

The Papa Johns was not so good but we were already through to the next stage for that and fielded an even younger and less experienced side.

The slip from Deji was unfortunate and to lose against what was a ten man side for the last few minutes was equally so. However, in the overall scheme of things we shouldn’t concern ourselves too much.

If we are to lose games under Jacko then in relatively meaningless fixtures like this are ok with me.  

We will be back to League One stuff on Saturday of course. I’m pleased we haven’t opted to postpone the Burton game. Going up there in a few weeks on a Tuesday night isn’t something one would relish.

We don’t need games piling up either and we’re not greatly impacted by the international call ups. I couldn’t understand why we did it earlier in the season although I have to acknowledge if favoured us with the Rotherham game.

We can now add those two cups game to the voyage on the good ship HMS Jackson and the smooth passage continues. Long may it do so.

Another win this weekend would help Skip’s prospects of being made permanent. That’s what we all want to see I’m sure even those who were of the opinion that Jacko wasn’t ready. Lacked experience etc. etc.

Onwards and Upwards we hope!

Up For The Cup!

A break from league action this weekend sees The Addicks take on Havant & Waterlooville in the FA Cup.

In recent times it has been a welcome distraction but given our revival under Jack we’d really rather be playing league football.

However, such has been Jackson’s impact to date that we might even witness the lads secure a cup win which has the most rare of beasts in recent times.

It would be nice to think that we could reach round 3 and get a decent tie against a big club. Who knows? Anything is possible under Jacko though, of course and he has expressly said he values it!

The competition does afford the manager the opportunity to play some fringe players and to rest some of course should he wish to do so. Given his comments yesterday I can’t see Jackson changing the team too much.

More good news yesterday with Deji signing a new deal. That will give everyone a lift and securing our youngsters on decent contracts has been sadly lacking under successive poor owners. Hopefully, he and the club can progress together up the league structure.

The turn round of the team’s results and performances is nothing short of remarkable. The interview with Jason Pearce that Charlton Live played last night was very insightful. His comments were very candid and it was obvious that the team lacked direction under Adkins not that we needed telling much.

The displays all season had been so disjointed and unorganised with no clear vision, tactics or game management. The shame is the lost time and opportunity as Nigel stayed in situ for far too long.

Cup competitions are like buses as Tuesday sees us return to Papa john’s action against Orient. One would anticipate a degree number of changes for that one of course.

The allows a full week ahead the trip to Burton where we ought to be travelling with some confidence.

In the meantime we need to steer our way past H & W and into round two. An apparently similar favourable draw would be nice to give hope for that appearance in round 3.

Come On You Reds!

 

 

 

 

Johnnie's Journey!

A decent draw against a very good Millers’ side saw a battling Addicks’ side emerge with a point that they wouldn’t have secured had the game been played on its original date.

A stronger referee might have seen us emerge with all 3 points but as Jacko readily acknowledged a Rotherham side down to ten men might have gone totally defensive.

Jackson made just one change from the eleven that started against Donny on Saturday. It was as expected with DJ coming in for an injured Leko.

Thankfully, memories of Adkins’ tenure as manager are starting to fade. All the talk of unfit players and wanting a settled side was just guff. Jackson has delivered that settled side in the last three games and the players seem far from unfit.

Whilst acknowledging that Nigel wasn’t to blame for all the ills of our season, he’s got to take the lion’s share of it given what we’ve seen since he left.

A true test last night then and we saw the team keep going and getting the goal and point they deserved as a minimum.

A break from league action this weekend offers the chance to rest some and give others a chance to stake a claim. If they want to be part of the journey under Jackson then they need to show up.

It’d be good get past round one and if we could progress to round three then one can but pray for a decent draw that would see us pitted against good higher league opposition.

The Jackson revolution continues and if it carries on as it has started then it can’t be too long before Thomas sits down with Johnnie and Jason to get them signing new contracts.  

Four-midable!

What a day!

Real ale in Crossbars ( I’m not calling it the Fans Bar, that doesn’t sound right).

A terrific performance and result with four different scorers.

A silly Donny fan ejected ( eventually, after literally making an a**e of himself).

I was eagerly anticipating Jacko’s first home game in charge (albeit caretaker) knowing that I would see football that was so much better than we’d seen under Adkins this season.

Johnnie duly received the very warm welcome you’d expect before the match and was loudly cheered down the tunnel after.

Right from the off, it was clear that the players were up for it. I can’t think of one player who had a bad game.

Gilbey and Dobson were immense. It’s always been clear that Dobson’s best role is CDM and he capably stepped up to fill the vacancy left following Pratley’s departure. It obviously needed addressing and Jackson did just that by putting Dobson in there.

Lee was great and is delivering the kind of displays that one expected following his arrival.

Purrington was superb and really carried the attacking intent that has also been missing previously.

The early departure of Leko was a blow but DJ manfully came in and was another who turned in a good shift.

The drive and motivation in this side was summed up in the last 10 minutes. In the 80^th minute two of our defenders chased down a ball to see it out even though there was no Donny player around.

In the 89^th minute Stockley ran across like a man possessed to block a Donny defender playing the ball out of defence.

There were 4, yes 4 tunnel jumps at the end presumably one for each goal.

Such was the Addicks’ dominance that we could easily have doubled that 4-0 scoreline.

Jackson’s post-match comments were again spot on. He is right to mention that before the performances and not just the results were awful. Adkins used to refer to the results only and never acknowledged just how bad we were playing.

Nigel would refer to the 20 minutes or so where we played ok.

There will be tougher tests than Rovers of course but this was another encouraging display following that at the SOL the week before.

Following our win up there one Sunderland podcast claimed we had kicked them off the park and that’s not how you’d want your team to play. They would do well against Rotherham because they like to play the right way!

Oh dear! They won’t have enjoyed McGeady tackle for the second yellow then, never mind the result!

Onto Tuesday then and it’ll be interesting to see if Jackson decides to shuffle the pack against a strong Rotherham team. To date he hasn’t made any changes other than those that have been forced out of necessity due to injury.

I guess Matthews may come back in and I assume that Leko will be left due to his injury.

This should be a good game and should we win then we really are on the right track as Rotherham are bang in form. If we don’t, well with this side currently it won’t be for the won’t on trying.

Come On You Reds!