The last time I was at The Valley was the game the ref called off due to the pitch being supposedly unplayable, but possibly not unconnected with the home team losing heavily. In fact the previous time I was there it poured with rain too and we actually were able to complete a victory then.
I am hoping to be there again on Saturday and it will be a useful barometer (or even a pluviometer) on our recent improvement. Southend are not a consistent side and of course they lost 5:0 at Rotherham too (and at Charlton for that matter) and once their defence is breached they have shown they can collapse, so we must be mindful of that context.
I am making excuses for retaining doubts, but clearly the foundations are somewhat firmer than a week ago. There is no reason to believe that we will not be allowed to play football and that perhaps no Wimbledon-style pressure will be upon us either. At home Charlton have been doggedly predictable in that they have lost to the better teams and beaten the ones who are having a poor start, so, if we really are on the up, dare we hope for a win? That is the question.
Realistically I think progress would be a draw, so I’ll say 1:1, May the scorer and 10,500.
As for the World Cup Micky, I have completely lost faith in England; somehow the current players seem like tokens appearing in a secondary capacity for England, giving the impression of being only moderately wedded to the cause in total contrast to their regular total commitment as players for their clubs. American fans will hope that their players and the game in the USA are not going the same way.
DPL - Charlton & Portsmouth
posted on 18/10/17
I think what is evident is that the players do try for the manager.
Lawlor did ok apart from the obvious.
Blair did well till he had the ball then was a mess.
Boudry good first game back positive coming away with the ball
Butler same as ever.
Toffolo did really well i thought.
Whiteman often looks so late n slow in his reactions but played ok.
Rowe brilliant.
Kongolo does some good things but for me just gets lost in the game and seems bamboozled
Mandy covered every blade of grass took his chance well.Idiot behind me shouting get him off....i despair.
Mason must be a good pro to work with does his job wherever you play him.
That leaves Houghton who was excellent and young Wright who was my MOM
posted on 18/10/17
A very good team effort last night.
Two really well worked goals for us and the obvious clanger for theirs but in reality we defended very well and apart from the one that hit the post and the great save at the end, Portsmouth never really convinced me that they might score.
As for Lawlor not moving to try and save the free kick, good grief, he probably wouldn't have seen the ball until it went over the wall AND IT WAS WHIPPED IN WITH GREAT PACE.
There isnt a keeper anywhere who would have done anything different.
This Lawlor bashing is ridiculous.
Overall i agree with lanza on the player summaries and would like to say that the more i see of Toffolo the more he is impressing me.
posted on 18/10/17
It was a fantastic free kick that hit post
posted on 18/10/17
Short memories.
Gary Woods.
posted on 18/10/17
I have just listened to the interview with Caspar Schmeichel after the Leicester v WBA game.
WBA scored a 25 yard free kick and Caspar never made an attempt to save it.
When interviewed he said he couldn’t see the ball and had decided that the player would have to do really well to get the ball over the wall and under the bar.
When the ball came over the wall it was too late for him to get into a position where he could try to make a save.
posted on 19/10/17
Red face for me too Hound. Before the free kick was taken I said to my companion that it was too close and central to get a direct shot over the wall and on target. It clipped the post half way up. Doh!
posted on 19/10/17
Albie, to be fair, it was a fantastic free kick and was worthy of a goal.
posted on 20/10/17
Hi lads, can anyone help me out please.
Does anyone have a contact phone number for a member of the vsc committee ?
posted on 20/10/17
I share Mick’s misgivings about Lawlor.
Give him time to think and he is not nearly as good as with reaction saves. At Rochdale and in this recent case he seemed to start to move and then stopped.
In contrast his “reaction” saves are great.
Whether he might have got to either shot we shall never know. In the eyes of many they looked unstoppable and he will be regarded by them as faultless. Not seeing them properly is something those watching can never be sure of either and in a set-piece it is the GK’s job to organise his “wall” to avoid this possibility.
posted on 20/10/17
......but don, how can he set a wall to protect one side of the goal and then see through it ?