Disappointing derby draw
My predictions records has not been good this season but I did forecast a 1-1 draw for this match on a list based on regulars at a Woolwich Road pub. My reasons for doing so were that I thought fans were underestimating Fulham, whose performances have been better than their results, and overestimating Charlton, who are not suddenly a potential Champions League side. The old mistake of reading results off the table was made.
Fulham's strong midfield was a bit too much for Charlton, although Bothroyd added a new edge when he came on. Nevertheless, the last ten minutes of the game saw what Curbs later described as 'kamikaze' tactics by the Addicks as they defended desperately to hang on to their share of the points. The standard of play by the home side was disappointing with slipshod passes and missed opportunities. One does wonder if the international break led to a number of players becoming less familiar with what was required at Charlton or whether the effort and excitement had simply tired them.
It's a slightly odd business writing up your full match report nearly 24 hours after the event. By then you have been able to read everyone's comments on the lists, some of them having had the chance to re-watch the match on DVD. You then realise that you got some things wrong and your scrawled notes are even more difficult to read anyway.
So what I'll just do is try and draw a few comments together, looking at attack, midfield and defence. What is evident is that Bent was having an off night and messed up some chances to score. But the game might have been very different if Rommedahl, having been given a superb pass by Murphy early in the game, and one-on-one with the keeper, had put the ball in the net instead of hitting the post. It's one of those incidents that change the course of the game.
When we did get a goal it came from Danny Murphy again, the product of a good cross from Chris Powell which needs to be borne in mind when we look at the negatives of his performance.
Apparently Kishishev was booed when he came off which I think is hard on a player who really battles away. However, he gives the ball away too easily, both in open play and through free kicks in dangerous positions, which led to the Fulham goal, although all credit to Collins John for his strike. We can't afford a Makelele, who in my view is a key player for Chelsea, but can we do better?
Bowyer is still in the frame for the club and I think that what he would add in footballing terms is some real bite and edge when we are up against it. He would scare the other side. I know there are a lot of off pitch issues, but even Luke Young has had his problems and got through them.
For all his many qualities, I think that Chris Powell is becoming a liability, at least for the full 90 minutes. He just makes too many errors which allow the opposition to break through and score. The Herminator came close to scoring more than once last night (e.g., using a pass from Smertin just before half time) and I would put him back into the left back role and use El K in central defence. Those around me thought he was going to get sent off last night, but those who have looked at in more detail say that it was not that serious.
I thought that the whole match was a bit of a reality check. Talking of which, the train we were hoping to catch at Baker Street for Marylebone was halted because of a suspect package. We decided to walk and as we exited Baker Street armed police rushed in, fingering their guns.
There are bigger issues out there than football, but I always want more. That's why I am off to see the Brakes versus the Inscrutables tonight as Leamington take on Coventry Sphinx in the 1st v 2nd clash from last year's Midland Combination.
Match analysis
A somewhat subdued Hooch the Pooch who is under investigation by the Association of Canine Match Analysts for an alleged personal hygiene problem thought that no Charlton player was beyond criticism. However, rather than take the Silver Bone back up the M40 he awarded it to Danny Murphy for a well taken equaliser and a superb pass that Rommedahl should have put in the back of the net rather than hitting the woodwork. Nevertheless, some of his other play was below par. But, having looked through my notes, he did make more serious attempts on goal than anyone and some of them were not far off. Andersen has his critics, although in part that may be based on affection for Deano who was not even on the bench. He could hardly have stopped the Fulham goal, but he did seem to lack confidence out of occasion and to be out of position for some Fulham attempts that came close to finding the back of the net. Perry was generally stalwart in defence, but missed a golden opportunity to score at the end of the game. It took me some time to realise that Hreidarsson was on the pitch and he made some uncharacteristic errors in defence, but he was strong forging forward and came as close as anyone to equalising in the first half. Young seemed out of sorts after his heroics for England and had an uncharacteristically poor game. Powell made some dangerous mistakes through dithering on the ball and I would like to see someone else start at Portsmouth. Kishishev was the usual curate's egg: giving the ball away, once through falling over (although a number of plays did that - do they have the right studs?) but also displayed his battling qualities, snuffing out Fulham moves. Thomas had a poor game and was back to his showboating and deserved to be substituted. Rommedahl is an incredibly frustrating player. In many ways this was one of his best performances, his pace troubling the weak Fulham defence, but he messed up a succession of opportunities to score (or at least pass effectively). Smertin was neat and effective, taking the ball off Fulham a number of times. Bent was well below his best, his freshly awarded silver studs doing nothing for him. Perhaps the period on the England bench did not help him. Bothroyd looked impressive when he came on, his height being an advantage in making use of long balls which had previously failed to find Bent. But can he score against Premiership opposition? El Karkouri nearly got himself sent off just after coming on with a scything tackle. Hughes came on towards the end for his usual exhibition of the art of the journeyman, connecting with the ball once, although he did win a corner right at the end.
Hiss of the Match When Juneau the Soccer Cat heard that the referee was Reilly she started to hiss even before the game began. He gives Charlton no favours, but he disrupts the flow of the game by blowing up for every minor infringement.
Crowd rating A good crowd for a Monday night on Sky, and they did their best to get behind the team, not being daunted in any way by the massed ranks of Harrods shoppers (even Leamington take more away). 7/10.
Fulham's strong midfield was a bit too much for Charlton, although Bothroyd added a new edge when he came on. Nevertheless, the last ten minutes of the game saw what Curbs later described as 'kamikaze' tactics by the Addicks as they defended desperately to hang on to their share of the points. The standard of play by the home side was disappointing with slipshod passes and missed opportunities. One does wonder if the international break led to a number of players becoming less familiar with what was required at Charlton or whether the effort and excitement had simply tired them.
It's a slightly odd business writing up your full match report nearly 24 hours after the event. By then you have been able to read everyone's comments on the lists, some of them having had the chance to re-watch the match on DVD. You then realise that you got some things wrong and your scrawled notes are even more difficult to read anyway.
So what I'll just do is try and draw a few comments together, looking at attack, midfield and defence. What is evident is that Bent was having an off night and messed up some chances to score. But the game might have been very different if Rommedahl, having been given a superb pass by Murphy early in the game, and one-on-one with the keeper, had put the ball in the net instead of hitting the post. It's one of those incidents that change the course of the game.
When we did get a goal it came from Danny Murphy again, the product of a good cross from Chris Powell which needs to be borne in mind when we look at the negatives of his performance.
Apparently Kishishev was booed when he came off which I think is hard on a player who really battles away. However, he gives the ball away too easily, both in open play and through free kicks in dangerous positions, which led to the Fulham goal, although all credit to Collins John for his strike. We can't afford a Makelele, who in my view is a key player for Chelsea, but can we do better?
Bowyer is still in the frame for the club and I think that what he would add in footballing terms is some real bite and edge when we are up against it. He would scare the other side. I know there are a lot of off pitch issues, but even Luke Young has had his problems and got through them.
For all his many qualities, I think that Chris Powell is becoming a liability, at least for the full 90 minutes. He just makes too many errors which allow the opposition to break through and score. The Herminator came close to scoring more than once last night (e.g., using a pass from Smertin just before half time) and I would put him back into the left back role and use El K in central defence. Those around me thought he was going to get sent off last night, but those who have looked at in more detail say that it was not that serious.
I thought that the whole match was a bit of a reality check. Talking of which, the train we were hoping to catch at Baker Street for Marylebone was halted because of a suspect package. We decided to walk and as we exited Baker Street armed police rushed in, fingering their guns.
There are bigger issues out there than football, but I always want more. That's why I am off to see the Brakes versus the Inscrutables tonight as Leamington take on Coventry Sphinx in the 1st v 2nd clash from last year's Midland Combination.
Match analysis
A somewhat subdued Hooch the Pooch who is under investigation by the Association of Canine Match Analysts for an alleged personal hygiene problem thought that no Charlton player was beyond criticism. However, rather than take the Silver Bone back up the M40 he awarded it to Danny Murphy for a well taken equaliser and a superb pass that Rommedahl should have put in the back of the net rather than hitting the woodwork. Nevertheless, some of his other play was below par. But, having looked through my notes, he did make more serious attempts on goal than anyone and some of them were not far off. Andersen has his critics, although in part that may be based on affection for Deano who was not even on the bench. He could hardly have stopped the Fulham goal, but he did seem to lack confidence out of occasion and to be out of position for some Fulham attempts that came close to finding the back of the net. Perry was generally stalwart in defence, but missed a golden opportunity to score at the end of the game. It took me some time to realise that Hreidarsson was on the pitch and he made some uncharacteristic errors in defence, but he was strong forging forward and came as close as anyone to equalising in the first half. Young seemed out of sorts after his heroics for England and had an uncharacteristically poor game. Powell made some dangerous mistakes through dithering on the ball and I would like to see someone else start at Portsmouth. Kishishev was the usual curate's egg: giving the ball away, once through falling over (although a number of plays did that - do they have the right studs?) but also displayed his battling qualities, snuffing out Fulham moves. Thomas had a poor game and was back to his showboating and deserved to be substituted. Rommedahl is an incredibly frustrating player. In many ways this was one of his best performances, his pace troubling the weak Fulham defence, but he messed up a succession of opportunities to score (or at least pass effectively). Smertin was neat and effective, taking the ball off Fulham a number of times. Bent was well below his best, his freshly awarded silver studs doing nothing for him. Perhaps the period on the England bench did not help him. Bothroyd looked impressive when he came on, his height being an advantage in making use of long balls which had previously failed to find Bent. But can he score against Premiership opposition? El Karkouri nearly got himself sent off just after coming on with a scything tackle. Hughes came on towards the end for his usual exhibition of the art of the journeyman, connecting with the ball once, although he did win a corner right at the end.
Hiss of the Match When Juneau the Soccer Cat heard that the referee was Reilly she started to hiss even before the game began. He gives Charlton no favours, but he disrupts the flow of the game by blowing up for every minor infringement.
Crowd rating A good crowd for a Monday night on Sky, and they did their best to get behind the team, not being daunted in any way by the massed ranks of Harrods shoppers (even Leamington take more away). 7/10.
posted by Wyn Grant at 7:33 AM
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