Pete and I will miss the Rovers return tomorrow as we will be heading over to Twickenham to see Scotland England respond to defeat in their last 6 Nations outing.Twickenham is my choice over the Valley tomorrow although our recent form under Guy Luzon means I will miss what's going on in SE7 that bit more.
If ever there was a good time to be playing opponents at home, it's the week before they face a big F A Cup replay at home to Liverpool. These things can work both ways but given Rovers' league standing (one above us) you have to think they may rest a few and that some of the others won't be quite as much up for it as they may otherwise have been. Wishful thinking maybe, but I am taking us to get a result. A Watt-Vetokele double to see Rovers off.
As for Twickenham, I am hoping for a good Scottish performance and a close scoreline but expecting a 15-20 point defeat. Jonathan Joseph is nailed-on to score for England. Scotland are always more susceptible to quick line breakers than other sides for some reasons. I used to dread watching Jeremy Guscott and Jason Robinson do the inevitable.
Vern Cotter will not have had the porridge spoon on his agenda when he started his first 6 Nations campaign and I can imagine his squad will be desperate to avoid his gimlet-eyed gaze tomorrow. I am still taking Scotland to avoid the Spoon but it may take a huge effort and a slice of fortune in the last match at Murrayfield against the over-confident Irish to do it. That also assumes Italy ship some points in their last two games.
Finally, sorry to see fellow-Blogger Blackheath Addick considering packing it in next season over the lack of communication and commitment to a progressive and ambitious strategic direction for the club. A dedicated fan since the 1960's, I think it's sad that the arrogance and intransigence of the current owner is alienating longstanding and ardent fans to this extent. It would cost Roland Duchatelet nothing to comment further since his initial brief interview over a year ago. So much has happened since then that had been difficult to comprehend but with no comment from the Organ Grinder. Katrien Meire has not helped the communication in that she has been left exposed on occasions by the owner's decisions and some ham-fisted attempts to allay supporters concerns in the meantime. Not to mention naive PR and ongoing cock-ups in the way everything is being done because we lack expertise within the Club's management structure. Her performances at the VIP event and the East Kent SC meeting were hardly inspiring. Refusing to answer certain questions and relying on a 'that's the way it is' mantra hasn't helped.
The recent run of much improved performances and winning displays has eased the pressure, but the concerns of the likes of BA are more fundamental. Unless there has been a change of direction we face losing some of our better players at the end of the season and beginning the cycle again in August. That is tantamount to be run to exist and serve a purpose in the wider Network and that is what a sizeable minority of our supporters, myself included, don't want. Ultimately, all we can do is continue to make the point, perhaps protest a bit and maybe decide not to support the current regime. I will miss the most perceptive reports available on Charlton home games.
If ever there was a good time to be playing opponents at home, it's the week before they face a big F A Cup replay at home to Liverpool. These things can work both ways but given Rovers' league standing (one above us) you have to think they may rest a few and that some of the others won't be quite as much up for it as they may otherwise have been. Wishful thinking maybe, but I am taking us to get a result. A Watt-Vetokele double to see Rovers off.
As for Twickenham, I am hoping for a good Scottish performance and a close scoreline but expecting a 15-20 point defeat. Jonathan Joseph is nailed-on to score for England. Scotland are always more susceptible to quick line breakers than other sides for some reasons. I used to dread watching Jeremy Guscott and Jason Robinson do the inevitable.
Vern Cotter will not have had the porridge spoon on his agenda when he started his first 6 Nations campaign and I can imagine his squad will be desperate to avoid his gimlet-eyed gaze tomorrow. I am still taking Scotland to avoid the Spoon but it may take a huge effort and a slice of fortune in the last match at Murrayfield against the over-confident Irish to do it. That also assumes Italy ship some points in their last two games.
Finally, sorry to see fellow-Blogger Blackheath Addick considering packing it in next season over the lack of communication and commitment to a progressive and ambitious strategic direction for the club. A dedicated fan since the 1960's, I think it's sad that the arrogance and intransigence of the current owner is alienating longstanding and ardent fans to this extent. It would cost Roland Duchatelet nothing to comment further since his initial brief interview over a year ago. So much has happened since then that had been difficult to comprehend but with no comment from the Organ Grinder. Katrien Meire has not helped the communication in that she has been left exposed on occasions by the owner's decisions and some ham-fisted attempts to allay supporters concerns in the meantime. Not to mention naive PR and ongoing cock-ups in the way everything is being done because we lack expertise within the Club's management structure. Her performances at the VIP event and the East Kent SC meeting were hardly inspiring. Refusing to answer certain questions and relying on a 'that's the way it is' mantra hasn't helped.
The recent run of much improved performances and winning displays has eased the pressure, but the concerns of the likes of BA are more fundamental. Unless there has been a change of direction we face losing some of our better players at the end of the season and beginning the cycle again in August. That is tantamount to be run to exist and serve a purpose in the wider Network and that is what a sizeable minority of our supporters, myself included, don't want. Ultimately, all we can do is continue to make the point, perhaps protest a bit and maybe decide not to support the current regime. I will miss the most perceptive reports available on Charlton home games.
The replay is not until April Dave so should not be on Blackburns minds too much....
ReplyDeleteRau - thanks - assumed it would be next week like Reading v Bradford. 8th April seems a long time to wait - I assume Liverpool fixture congestion?
ReplyDeleteDave
ReplyDeleteReading KM's comments at the recent Bromley meeting, it sounds like the club are keen to keep the best players. This is not totally surprising given their stated aim to get to the Premier League.
Hope you enjoy the rugger.
Martin Cowan
Martin,
ReplyDeleteIf that's the plan and we are aiming to push on next season, why don't they just come out and tell us? It would put a lot of the mistrust to rest and we could all move on. The suspicion all the time they refuse to answer the obvious questions, is because that isn't actually how they are going to do things. In the meantime we shouldn't forget we are Network club and Roland Duchatelet has invested millions for a reason. That reason is because he believes he can beat the system using FFP. The facts thus far suggest that isn't going to work for him any time soon and, in fact, he has continued to invest in CAFC and we haven't yet lost or sold better players. I just wish they would be more open on this. Her refusal to answer some questions is worrying and very poor from a customer perspective.
I will enjoy the rugby - thanks.
Dave.