Saturday's "fightback" at Rochdale may prove to be significant this season. As Addicks fans, we are used to our side conceding two and three (and occasionally four) goal leads. All sides do it, of course (eh Arsenal?), but it seems that we specialise in it and "it's just Charlton." I don't know if we can prove this statistically but I am confident that our record in fighting back from two or three down to take something from games is far inferior to our record for blowing it.
Without reaching for the record books, I think back over 30 plus years of watching us and can immediately recall Grimsby (Nigel Batch), Norwich (4-4) and Coventry (in the Cup) where we fought back to take points. We may also have done it against Man U from 3-1 down when Johnnie Robinson levelled? There must be a few more but they are overwhelmed by the times we have lost comfortable leads. Perhaps it's some kind of long-term karma for having recovered from 5-1 down to win 7-6 in that famous game from the 50's?
Whatever the history, our response in grabbing a winner means we are now undefeated in seven league games and should extend that to eight against Chesterfield in front of 20,000-plus fans (surely we won't blow a second successive home game on a Football for a Fiver promotion?). Whilst we aren't yet playing commanding League One football, we do have some resilience in the side and that could take us a long way. It will be tough to keep it going through nine and ten with aways at MK Dons and Sheffield United but that's the task if we want to match or better our 2009-10 start when we avoided defeat until the tenth match when Colchester drubbed us in that unforgettable night game in Essex.
I won't be able to make the MK Dons game due to a longstanding work conflict which will put me in Cambridge that night, but I am sowing the seeds for a day out in the Steel City.
Ought to mention the signing of Yann Kermorgant whilst I was away last week. I know very little about Yann but his record is far from impressive and at 29, it's hard to see why we have signed him. He has scored most of his goals in his native France but has never been prolific. One goal in twenty appearances for Leicester in two years speaks for itself and has me wondering why we have opted for older strikers with less-than-convincing scoring records. Paul Benson, Paul Hayes and Jason Euell already fit this bill and don't look capable of getting more than ten this year and would struggle badly in the Championship. At least in Michael Smith, we did acquire a young gun but his chances of breaking into the side don't look to have improved with the signing of Kermorgant. Prove me wrong Yann.
Without reaching for the record books, I think back over 30 plus years of watching us and can immediately recall Grimsby (Nigel Batch), Norwich (4-4) and Coventry (in the Cup) where we fought back to take points. We may also have done it against Man U from 3-1 down when Johnnie Robinson levelled? There must be a few more but they are overwhelmed by the times we have lost comfortable leads. Perhaps it's some kind of long-term karma for having recovered from 5-1 down to win 7-6 in that famous game from the 50's?
Whatever the history, our response in grabbing a winner means we are now undefeated in seven league games and should extend that to eight against Chesterfield in front of 20,000-plus fans (surely we won't blow a second successive home game on a Football for a Fiver promotion?). Whilst we aren't yet playing commanding League One football, we do have some resilience in the side and that could take us a long way. It will be tough to keep it going through nine and ten with aways at MK Dons and Sheffield United but that's the task if we want to match or better our 2009-10 start when we avoided defeat until the tenth match when Colchester drubbed us in that unforgettable night game in Essex.
I won't be able to make the MK Dons game due to a longstanding work conflict which will put me in Cambridge that night, but I am sowing the seeds for a day out in the Steel City.
Ought to mention the signing of Yann Kermorgant whilst I was away last week. I know very little about Yann but his record is far from impressive and at 29, it's hard to see why we have signed him. He has scored most of his goals in his native France but has never been prolific. One goal in twenty appearances for Leicester in two years speaks for itself and has me wondering why we have opted for older strikers with less-than-convincing scoring records. Paul Benson, Paul Hayes and Jason Euell already fit this bill and don't look capable of getting more than ten this year and would struggle badly in the Championship. At least in Michael Smith, we did acquire a young gun but his chances of breaking into the side don't look to have improved with the signing of Kermorgant. Prove me wrong Yann.
Totally agree. But what has happened to Alonso, does he exist?
ReplyDeleteGoing to show my age here but I also recall a 4-4 draw in a cup game many years ago against Leicester, after we were 4-0 down at half time, the saying same old Charlton does seem to ring true.
ReplyDeleteI wish i could be more confident Dave. But the last few seasons have knocked the confidence out of me. Plus at times this season i feel we have very much 'got away with it'
ReplyDeleteI fear for what will happen on Saturday. I can just see it all going wrong again. As much as i hope i'm fretting over nothing.
The good news is i won't be there to witness it even at a fiver a go. I have a wedding to attend.
Mike1947 - Alonso was on Sky's Spanish football show last night, complete with Charlton introduction, so he certainly exists. Not sure he's a striker though? Thought he was a midfielder...
ReplyDeletedont forget their are a lot of new players things should only get better the more they play together
ReplyDeleteRemember the 4-3 win at Newcastle when we were 3-0 down just before half time! One of my favourite games ever, though to be honest the quality was marginal!ยช
ReplyDeleteAnd Robert Lee had been sold to them that morning thus putting Paul Bacon in the side. Stayed in Newcastle over the w/e and had my first introduction to Townie slappers......
ReplyDelete