Premier League - We're Having a Laugh
'Premier League, you're having a laugh' chanted the Yeovil fans during Charlton's 3-2 FA Cup victory at The Valley. The last laugh was, however, on Charlton who went through to the fifth round, but not without being seriously rattled by the Somerset side. It was evident that with Tuesday's key fixture against Liverpool in mind, Charlton were trying to play much of the game on cruise control with a strong side operating at around 75 per cent. Unfortunately, this didn't work against a skilled and determined Yeovil side but in the end Charlton showed just enough skill to get the result. The midfield seemed strangely unable to contain Yeovil attacks, which perhaps shows the case for generally playing with a 4-5-1 formation rather than the 4-4-2 used on this occasion.
On the Jubilee Line I was approached by one Glover who recognised me and another engaged me in conversation on the bus, asking if I thought they would score and I said that I was sure they would. The match attracted an encouraging crowd of 22,873, even without a Rickshaw service. However, there were some Glovers among the home crowd and in the second half some of them appeared to be escorted out of the East Stand corner of the Lower North.
Charlton started the game by applying some early pressure rather than being pinned down in their own half as is so often the case. Fortune went down and required treatment for a head injury. A throw in from the Herminator unsettled the defence of the team in green, but Jeffers was unable to connect with the ball in a way that would have made use of the opportunity. Terry won a corner for Yeovil but Deano had no difficulty in making the save.
Yeovil won another corner and then a free kick against the Herminator which was eventually saved. The visitors had a chance but were let down by poor finishing. Murphy turned provider for Jeffers but his angled ball went over. Luke Young provided a good tackle in a threatening two on one situation. Terry then collected the ball just inside his own half and as the Addicks defence retreated in some disarray, he forged through before putting in a drive from some twenty yards out which hit the post with Deano beaten. The follow up by Way was blocked.
Yeovil were awarded a free kick against Luke Young in a promising position on the West Stand touchline, but the effort was well over. El Karkouri nearly let Yeovil through in a rare moment of carelessness which epitomised the casual nature of some of Charlton's play. Young put in a good cross and Bartlett timed his run well as he had against Birmingham but somehow managed to put the ball over the bar from a few yards out. Good work by Murphy gave Hughes a chance but it was just over.
Then on 37 minutes an El Karkouri free kick from inside the Charlton half was headed down by the Herminator. Hughes seized the opportunity and volleyed the ball into the bottom corner of the net to make it 1-0.
Bartlett had a go but his effort was saved. Then on 44 minutes Gall forged forward, evading tackles by Hreidarsson and Fortune. Thomas tried to intervene, but he only helped the ball on to Terry who had no difficulty in putting the ball past a stranded Deano from two yards out.
Half-time: Addicks 1, Glovers 1
Repeated calls over the tannoy for the cleaning supervisor suggested that some teap cups had been broken. Certainly Curbs had looked more than usually agitated during the first half.
Charlton provided some early pressure with Weale having to punch the ball out in front of goal. On 51 minutes Murphy delivered a great ball in the form of a low cross and the fox in the box was there to tap it in and make it 2-1. Six minutes later Thomas turned provider for Bartlett and his shot went in off the post to make it 3-1.
Terry, who had gone down injuried in the goalmouth earlier, was pulled off in favour of Rose. Charlton won three corners in succession with Weale saving the last one. The Herminator got a yellow card for dissent. Murphy turned provider for Bartlett, but with an open goal in front of him the Springbok somehow missed. If he had made it 4-1, it would have been game over.
Instead Yeovil made it 3-2 on 66 minutes with substitute Davies delivering a thunderbolt of an angled shot which had Deano well beaten. Yeovil piled on the pressure and Charlton were often pinned back in front of goal. The visitors managed to hit the top of the cross bar with one effort.
On 75 minutes it looked as if it was going to be 3-3. Yeovil had managed to create an opportunity after a Jeffers error. Davies drew Deano from his goal line. Deano managed to block with his legs, but a scramble in the goalmouth continued, El Karkouri somehow managing to deny Jevons. Substitutions had been in preparation for some time, but Curbs now decided to act and withdrew Hughes for Konchesky and Jeffers for JJ.
Thomas won Charlton a corner, but it ended in a Yeovil free kick. Murphy was fouled by the advancing keeper as he bore down on goal. Under some interpretations that should have neen a red card. Murphy was clattered so badly that he had to be replaced by Euell.
Yeovil were unable to create any more chances. What the Addicks must now hope for is a favourable draw in the fifth round. At some point we are bound to meet one of the top three clubs, but let's hope it's not too soon. Blackburn at home would replicate our 1947 cup run.
Match analysis
Cup match analyst Monty Martin from Blewbury, Oxon awarded the Silver Bone to Danny Murphy for the consistent skill with which he played throughout the match. Deano could not do too much about the two goals that got past him. Fortune was solid most of the time, but suspect once or twice. El Karkouri seemed not to have brought his shooting boots with him today, but was stalwart in his defensive role. Young was once again one of the best Charlton players on the pitch, forging forward and putting in some quality crosses. Hreidarsson also tormented the Yeovil defence, but made one or two errors in his defensive role. Thomas did not have his best game, despite some inspired moves at times. Sometimes he is too inclined to showboat and try and beat the player rather than get a cross in. Holland played with his usual quiet efficiency and determination. Hughes put in another good performance, showing the ability to move forward in attack when the opportunity presented itself. Jeffers scored, but missed other opportunities. Bartlett could have scored three if he had been more accurate. Konchesky added solidity to Charlton when he came on.
Johansson in contrast added very little. Euell got a few touches during his cameo appearance.
Hiss of the Match The West Stand linesman was a model of inconsistency and wagged his finger in an officious way when the Yeovil manager came on the pitch to feed the ball to his keeper while the referee and the fourth official simply smiled which was the right way to react.
Crowd rating 'You're not singing any more' chanted the Glovers. But we weren't singing in the first place. Admittedly it's difficult to know how to react to the enthusiastic supporters of a lower division side (the CAFC Picks site suggested we were in danger of becoming 'Glover huggers'), but a bit more singing than one chorus of 'Valley Floyd Road' would have been welcome. However, the crowd's applause of the Yeovil players at the end was generous. 5/10
On the Jubilee Line I was approached by one Glover who recognised me and another engaged me in conversation on the bus, asking if I thought they would score and I said that I was sure they would. The match attracted an encouraging crowd of 22,873, even without a Rickshaw service. However, there were some Glovers among the home crowd and in the second half some of them appeared to be escorted out of the East Stand corner of the Lower North.
Charlton started the game by applying some early pressure rather than being pinned down in their own half as is so often the case. Fortune went down and required treatment for a head injury. A throw in from the Herminator unsettled the defence of the team in green, but Jeffers was unable to connect with the ball in a way that would have made use of the opportunity. Terry won a corner for Yeovil but Deano had no difficulty in making the save.
Yeovil won another corner and then a free kick against the Herminator which was eventually saved. The visitors had a chance but were let down by poor finishing. Murphy turned provider for Jeffers but his angled ball went over. Luke Young provided a good tackle in a threatening two on one situation. Terry then collected the ball just inside his own half and as the Addicks defence retreated in some disarray, he forged through before putting in a drive from some twenty yards out which hit the post with Deano beaten. The follow up by Way was blocked.
Yeovil were awarded a free kick against Luke Young in a promising position on the West Stand touchline, but the effort was well over. El Karkouri nearly let Yeovil through in a rare moment of carelessness which epitomised the casual nature of some of Charlton's play. Young put in a good cross and Bartlett timed his run well as he had against Birmingham but somehow managed to put the ball over the bar from a few yards out. Good work by Murphy gave Hughes a chance but it was just over.
Then on 37 minutes an El Karkouri free kick from inside the Charlton half was headed down by the Herminator. Hughes seized the opportunity and volleyed the ball into the bottom corner of the net to make it 1-0.
Bartlett had a go but his effort was saved. Then on 44 minutes Gall forged forward, evading tackles by Hreidarsson and Fortune. Thomas tried to intervene, but he only helped the ball on to Terry who had no difficulty in putting the ball past a stranded Deano from two yards out.
Half-time: Addicks 1, Glovers 1
Repeated calls over the tannoy for the cleaning supervisor suggested that some teap cups had been broken. Certainly Curbs had looked more than usually agitated during the first half.
Charlton provided some early pressure with Weale having to punch the ball out in front of goal. On 51 minutes Murphy delivered a great ball in the form of a low cross and the fox in the box was there to tap it in and make it 2-1. Six minutes later Thomas turned provider for Bartlett and his shot went in off the post to make it 3-1.
Terry, who had gone down injuried in the goalmouth earlier, was pulled off in favour of Rose. Charlton won three corners in succession with Weale saving the last one. The Herminator got a yellow card for dissent. Murphy turned provider for Bartlett, but with an open goal in front of him the Springbok somehow missed. If he had made it 4-1, it would have been game over.
Instead Yeovil made it 3-2 on 66 minutes with substitute Davies delivering a thunderbolt of an angled shot which had Deano well beaten. Yeovil piled on the pressure and Charlton were often pinned back in front of goal. The visitors managed to hit the top of the cross bar with one effort.
On 75 minutes it looked as if it was going to be 3-3. Yeovil had managed to create an opportunity after a Jeffers error. Davies drew Deano from his goal line. Deano managed to block with his legs, but a scramble in the goalmouth continued, El Karkouri somehow managing to deny Jevons. Substitutions had been in preparation for some time, but Curbs now decided to act and withdrew Hughes for Konchesky and Jeffers for JJ.
Thomas won Charlton a corner, but it ended in a Yeovil free kick. Murphy was fouled by the advancing keeper as he bore down on goal. Under some interpretations that should have neen a red card. Murphy was clattered so badly that he had to be replaced by Euell.
Yeovil were unable to create any more chances. What the Addicks must now hope for is a favourable draw in the fifth round. At some point we are bound to meet one of the top three clubs, but let's hope it's not too soon. Blackburn at home would replicate our 1947 cup run.
Match analysis
Cup match analyst Monty Martin from Blewbury, Oxon awarded the Silver Bone to Danny Murphy for the consistent skill with which he played throughout the match. Deano could not do too much about the two goals that got past him. Fortune was solid most of the time, but suspect once or twice. El Karkouri seemed not to have brought his shooting boots with him today, but was stalwart in his defensive role. Young was once again one of the best Charlton players on the pitch, forging forward and putting in some quality crosses. Hreidarsson also tormented the Yeovil defence, but made one or two errors in his defensive role. Thomas did not have his best game, despite some inspired moves at times. Sometimes he is too inclined to showboat and try and beat the player rather than get a cross in. Holland played with his usual quiet efficiency and determination. Hughes put in another good performance, showing the ability to move forward in attack when the opportunity presented itself. Jeffers scored, but missed other opportunities. Bartlett could have scored three if he had been more accurate. Konchesky added solidity to Charlton when he came on.
Johansson in contrast added very little. Euell got a few touches during his cameo appearance.
Hiss of the Match The West Stand linesman was a model of inconsistency and wagged his finger in an officious way when the Yeovil manager came on the pitch to feed the ball to his keeper while the referee and the fourth official simply smiled which was the right way to react.
Crowd rating 'You're not singing any more' chanted the Glovers. But we weren't singing in the first place. Admittedly it's difficult to know how to react to the enthusiastic supporters of a lower division side (the CAFC Picks site suggested we were in danger of becoming 'Glover huggers'), but a bit more singing than one chorus of 'Valley Floyd Road' would have been welcome. However, the crowd's applause of the Yeovil players at the end was generous. 5/10
posted by Wyn Grant at 9:28 AM
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