Thanks For Nothing Sven

Before we get on to Sven a few quick points. It is often said that fans know nothing about football. Well, on this occasion we obviously did. Many, me included, were suggesting that Spector should replace Chris Powell at Fratton Park and a few, myself included, championed a start for Darren Ambrose ahead of Jerome Thomas. In the end it took a knock to Thomas in training to give Ambrose a start but he took his opportunity with both hands in a Man of The Match performance. Two good chances well saved in the first half, an energetic performance throughout and an excellently taken goal. No disrespect to Jerome but Darren showed more in this one game than Thomas has in the last three or four. Now I’m sure that Curbs doesn’t read this blog or other fans sites so we can only conclude that fans really do know something about football. Personally, I’m pleased that Alan preferred Spector to El Karkouri who I really am not convinced about. Praise to Curbs for the half-time rollocking the team must have received as second half we were a different team and two pieces of Murphy magic and two fantastic finishes were all that were needed to see off a determined Pompey team. Praise too for under pressure Stefan Andersen who, without much to do, produced a brilliant save from Vokic and cannot be faulted at all for their goal.

And so to Sven. I don’t think that Darren Bent’s call up to the recent England squads has done him or us any favours. Curbs may feel that by him not playing at all and perhaps not training as frequently as he otherwise would, have led to Darren perhaps not being as fit as he could have been but I feel that something much more precious has been damaged, his confidence. I’m not saying that Darren has been missing chances he would have previously taken or that he isn’t working hard up front but it looks as though a certain sparkle has gone from his game and personally I can understand why. Sitting on the England bench, top scorer in the Premiership and not being given a chance to show what you can do must be demoralising. Consider how much more demoralising it must be when a ’striker’ is chosen over you who is still yet to score this season for his club side. I really can’t see how the whole experience wouldn’t have had anything other than a negative effect on Darren. Before there was a spring in his step and he was on-top of his game but now he seems to have lost that little bit extra that he had. All I can say is Dazza, forget Sven. He wouldn’t know an in-form striker if he saw one and let’s face it he saw the Spurs game and still couldn’t see what was in front of his very eyes. Us Charlton fans know what we’ve got and we are very happy with what we’ve seen so keep it up Darren, we are right behind you.

So, to Stamford Bridge and the mighty Chelsea. I just hope we go there and give it a go. I’d rather come away on the back of a 4-3 defeat happy that we’ve given it a real go than lose 1-0 to a dodgy goal in a tight game without having made their keeper make a save. We have nothing to lose so let’s show them what we are made of.

Boo's Understandable

Fifth in the Premier League and yet booed off at The Valley. A bit extreme you may think but if you analyse thing’s I don’t believe it’s that outrageous. As one of those lucky enough to have seen every game so far this season I feel ecstatic about the start we have made. I’d have taken 16 points from 24 if offered that at the start of the season. However, like the guy’s behind me at The Valley, if you have only witnessed the home games then you may feel entitled to be a tad unhappy. After all you pay your 500-odd quid to see the team perform at The Valley and whilst happy that we are performing so well away from home given the choice you’d rather we picked up the majority of our points at The Valley. A win over Wigan, eventual capitulation against Chelsea, dejection at throwing away a two goal advantage over Spurs and a stuttering performance against Fulham have left you feeling slightly cheated. The problem is this follows on from an appalling second half of the season last term at The Valley that has now seen us win just two of the last ten Premier League games at The Valley, drawing three and losing five of the others; nine points out of a possible thirty. Admittedly, the football we are witnessing this season is far more exciting than that of last but football is ultimately a results game and at the moment the ’home’ fans are not seeing the right results.

Equally concerning is our inability to come back from deficits. Spurs were two down at The Valley and yet rallied to win. When was the last time we came back from behind to win a Premier League game. Well, away from home it was the season before last when, a goal down with a quarter of an hour to play at Fratton Park, Paolo di Canio entered the fray and inspired his colleagues to an unlikely 2-1 win over Pompey. The last time this feat occurred at The Valley was erm, ah, erm ….. no, sorry I can’t remember. At least 24 games ago and at a guess nearer 30, perhaps 35. Anyone with the answer please let me know.

Before you all get too bored and check out All Quiet instead a few final points. Firstly, Jon Spector must replace Chrissy Powell at Portsmouth this Saturday either as a direct replacement at left-back or at centre-half allowing Hermann to revert to the full back spot. Chris has performed admirably but eight straight games has, in my opinion, been two too many and now is the time for a change. I prefer Spector to El Karkouri for two reasons. He was our best defender in pre-season and would have started the season but for an untimely injury. Secondly, El Karkouri is for me too reckless and prone to conceding unnecessary free kicks. His challenge after just coming on against Fulham showed that he is more a liability than an asset. I hope we continue with 4-5-1 and believe that if we had stuck with it against Fulham after equalizing then we would have gone on to win the game. The changes made lost us our width and meant Rommerdahl was as ineffective on the left as he was brilliant on the right. Ambrose could possibly replace Thomas but he’ll probably have to settle for a place on the bench.

If only we had an alternative to Kish, we’d be bloody brilliant then ……

And finally, a few words for Mr Simon Jordan; Seagulls, Seagulls, Seagulls, Seagulls. As a certain Chairman would say ‘ETCYT’ - you’re gonna be a long while in it !!

A Plea To Curbs

Please, please get rid of Shaun Bartlett. He came on at St Andrews and was awful, he started against Hartlepool and was so poor he was replaced at half-time and against Spurs on Saturday he was absolutely dire when replacing the injured Darren Bent. Dazza's double against the Spudz took his tally to seven in seven in the Premiership, one more than Bartlett scored in the whole of last season. But it is not just in the goalscoring department the Shaun is letting us down. Against Spurs he was lazy and disinterested. If he doesn't want to be here then get rid - and soon. Even in the short time he was on the pitch he managed to miss two gilt-edged chances, one of which he took with the 'wrong' foot, completely missed the target and then tried to claim a corner to hid his embarrassment.

The problem is we have three 'strikers' in Bartlett, JJ and Lisbie whom together are not fit to tie even one of Bent's laces and they probably wouldn't even manage that. Lisbie is so poor that Norwich are pleading that we take him back and none of these three would manage ten goals a season in the Championship, perhaps not even between them. For what good they are they might as well leave. Bothroyd is as yet unproven and so we are left with diddly-squat if Dazza is injured or we want to play 4-4-2. In January another decent striker is an absolute must above all else. We should 'gamble' on another player from the Championship as Bent has proved that the step-up can be made.

We have still made a great start to the season and it shouldn't be forgotton that only three other teams have had a better start in Premier League history; Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea. We have much to look forward to this season.