The pre-season drew to a conclusion at Portsmouth on Saturday where a battling Charlton side held on to win 2-1 and could afford to see Johnnie Jackson miss a spot-kick. The good news was that Igor Vetokele and George Tucudean both registered goals to calm the scoring pains of the suffering Addicks.
There was time yesterday for what sounds like a hastily planned and poorly conceived "open day" at the Valley which seems to have served the purpose of upsetting more visitors than it pleased. As a local I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of visiting cars clogging the side streets, although I believe the attendance for the day was down on what might have been hoped for at c 1000. Given the lack of serving staff and shortage of stuff for kids to do, probably just as well there wasn't a bigger gate. The much heralded Q&A with the Belgian Trio turned out to be a tightly controlled and small audience in the Media Suite. So small in fact that I've read nothing on the web so far in terms of any questions or answers. Not quite roving mikes for the West Stand as many might have envisaged.
There will be many who continue to be very disappointed about the lack of communication. Personally I would like much more but if it's going to be corporate PR of the type we've been fed on the odd occasion since M Duchatelet took over, then, I would probably rather have none. Oh how we were spoilt once upon time when those in power looked us in the eye and told us pretty much how it was.
Anyway, attention moves towards Saturday and the big kick-off and it's promising to be an intriguing encounter at Griffin Park. The Bees managed to beat a strong Palace side in west London on Saturday whilst their development side slipped to a familiar-sounding 2-0 defeat at Welling United. A quick scan of the Brentford website reminds me that Alan McCormack is still earning a living for the Bees and that David Button is warming the bench as substitute keeper behind the impressive Richard Lee.
That robust Thamesmead boy, Tony Craig, is patrolling in defence and joining McCormack in the midfield could be the old hand Alan Judge and the ever-impressive Jonathan Douglas, a player I would have signed years ago if I had been running the club. The strike threat will likely come from Greenwich-born Moses Odubajo who has moved across London from the O's. I hope this won't be yet another local lad come to haunt us.
Having looked at Brentford, this match has to be about what our players can do. We have a Championship-experienced spine and we have to look to our new boys to seize their chance to make an instant impression in the league. Stephen Henderson looks to be the chosen one in goal (for now at least) and I suspect BP will go with Wiggins, Haim, Morrison and Solly across the back. If Solly doesn't start, I will be worried that he has a career-threatening injury given recent history.
Midfield is anyone's guess but Jackson may get a Captain's starter alongside Yoni Buyens with Harriott and Gudmundsson on the flanks. That would leave Cousins and Wilson to come on from the bench to freshen things up later on. Igor Vetokele and George Tucudean must start upfront and go in search of the two goals I think we will need to win.
This is a tough start and I would take 1-1 now, although it's the performance that I will look for first and foremost. I am planning a pint (at least) in all four pubs on the corners of the ground (one of them is not quite on the corner as I recall) and I expect a noisy South-East London backing fuelled by early ale and first-day optimism. How long will it last I wonder?
There was time yesterday for what sounds like a hastily planned and poorly conceived "open day" at the Valley which seems to have served the purpose of upsetting more visitors than it pleased. As a local I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of visiting cars clogging the side streets, although I believe the attendance for the day was down on what might have been hoped for at c 1000. Given the lack of serving staff and shortage of stuff for kids to do, probably just as well there wasn't a bigger gate. The much heralded Q&A with the Belgian Trio turned out to be a tightly controlled and small audience in the Media Suite. So small in fact that I've read nothing on the web so far in terms of any questions or answers. Not quite roving mikes for the West Stand as many might have envisaged.
There will be many who continue to be very disappointed about the lack of communication. Personally I would like much more but if it's going to be corporate PR of the type we've been fed on the odd occasion since M Duchatelet took over, then, I would probably rather have none. Oh how we were spoilt once upon time when those in power looked us in the eye and told us pretty much how it was.
Anyway, attention moves towards Saturday and the big kick-off and it's promising to be an intriguing encounter at Griffin Park. The Bees managed to beat a strong Palace side in west London on Saturday whilst their development side slipped to a familiar-sounding 2-0 defeat at Welling United. A quick scan of the Brentford website reminds me that Alan McCormack is still earning a living for the Bees and that David Button is warming the bench as substitute keeper behind the impressive Richard Lee.
That robust Thamesmead boy, Tony Craig, is patrolling in defence and joining McCormack in the midfield could be the old hand Alan Judge and the ever-impressive Jonathan Douglas, a player I would have signed years ago if I had been running the club. The strike threat will likely come from Greenwich-born Moses Odubajo who has moved across London from the O's. I hope this won't be yet another local lad come to haunt us.
Having looked at Brentford, this match has to be about what our players can do. We have a Championship-experienced spine and we have to look to our new boys to seize their chance to make an instant impression in the league. Stephen Henderson looks to be the chosen one in goal (for now at least) and I suspect BP will go with Wiggins, Haim, Morrison and Solly across the back. If Solly doesn't start, I will be worried that he has a career-threatening injury given recent history.
Midfield is anyone's guess but Jackson may get a Captain's starter alongside Yoni Buyens with Harriott and Gudmundsson on the flanks. That would leave Cousins and Wilson to come on from the bench to freshen things up later on. Igor Vetokele and George Tucudean must start upfront and go in search of the two goals I think we will need to win.
This is a tough start and I would take 1-1 now, although it's the performance that I will look for first and foremost. I am planning a pint (at least) in all four pubs on the corners of the ground (one of them is not quite on the corner as I recall) and I expect a noisy South-East London backing fuelled by early ale and first-day optimism. How long will it last I wonder?
Delfort has gone Leeds .. Dohhhh!
ReplyDeleteThose crafty Trust boys have managed to get a transcript of the Q&A on Sunday -
ReplyDeletehttp://www.castrust.org/2014/08/bob-hints-number-9-answer/
Short and sweet but impressed with BP's confident and emphatic answers. Sounds like he knows exactly what he wants on most subjects. No questions it would appear for Katrien or Roland (maybe he wasn't there?).
well according to this post on Andy Delorts French wikapedia sit, he has signed for Charlton United whoever they may be and got the number 9 shirt. I know that Wikapedia can be tampered with, but i ask, why would you bother. Lets hope its true, as its beginning to look more exciting than it has for a while!
ReplyDeleteGreat news. big spend . when was the last time we shelled out this amount of €'s . Interesting tactic don't say we are going spend big and then do. I like an owner who keeps his cards close to his chest. Keep this up
ReplyDeleteand we will be a competitive side . New lick of paint and pitch for the valley feeling hope rising ...
Plenty of pre-season interest in Delort. Some reliable sources saying he's signing tomorrow for three million euros having been persuaded not to join Leeds. Some going if true....
ReplyDelete