Come In Number 32.......and 33

As there's no news on the "behind closed doors" game with Chelski we still have only last weeks two games to judge how things are progressing with a grand total of 35 players used in the two friendlies. While three of them were trialists (Morris, Sinclair and Pedersen) and all appearing in front of Pards at Welling, that still gives us 32 Charlton players on the pitch(es) plus the 6 missing ones ( BEN Thatcher, Sankofa, Faye, Young, Rommerdahl and Ambrose) equals 38 players altogether which goes some way to explaining why the Ladies had to go!

Anyway, Pards played a number of Academy kids and Young Pro's - Arter, Coleman at Welling - Woolley, Staunton, Basey, Saunders and Yussuff at T& M - which if you assume that they're not yet ready, gives us 31 players in line for first team selection.

Last seasons total was 33 numbered players so with a couple more reported to be coming in that'll get us back to the magic 33 number.

But, then again, who's shortly going to be saying goodbye? Young and Rommers look the most likely as they've at least got some value as far as readies are concerned but with Faye at 30 now and Marcus at 29 age is becoming a factor and consequently they're both lagging behind in job prospects. The first three didn't feature at all last week which is a good pointer to their Charlton future whilst Big Bent was a starter at T&M. The other main doubt concerns Diawara, whose agent obviously thinks its time to move on, to Germany, France anywhere really where he can charge his percentage. Pards clearly wants him to stay, Diawara that is not the agent, and as he usually pretty persuasive we can only hope that his agent sees sense and looks elsewhere for his new Merc.

Young's value has been quoted at 4 to 4.5 very big ones but its more likely that we'll get around 2 point something for him probably from Villa or Newcastle. Rommers has been looking for a move for several months now with the latest talk being over £1M from the Spanish Tier One minnows getafe now managed by Michael Laudrup. Previously playing in the Wimbledon in-your-face attitude as befits a team in Tier 1 that really belongs in Tier 3, Laudrup is reported to be keen to change the clubs style to an attacking as opposed to an offensive stance and with his knowledge of his fellow Dane sees Rommers as the answer rather a big question mark. And its clear that either we're got it all wrong with Rommers or the article is complete bunkum as its reported that Laudrup calls him a left-winger. As for Faye and Big Bent it could be that they start the season with the Addicks. Goans from the back..

Here's the two Charlton teams from last week, one via Welling that clearly has the First Eleven stamp on it ( apart from the wee little fella). Pards knows that the only question about Reid is "will he last the season" and if I only had exactly one month to get ready, I sure as hell would want to see as many of my first team playing together as soon as possible. So the A team, plus trialists, in front of Pardew at Welling was: Randolph (Elliot 36), Moutaouakil, Powell (Gibbs 46), Morris (Arter 66), McCarthy, Diawara, Christensen, Sinclair (Wright 66), Todorov (Pedersen 66), Varney (Coleman 71), Thomas (Dickson 46).
Goals: Varney 45, Dickson 82

And the B's with Parks versus Tooting: Weaver (Woolley 78); Staunton, Fortune, Bougherra (Semedo 70), Basey (A Thomas 70); Sam, Walton, Holland (Saunders 70), A Reid (Yussuff 46); Iwelumo, Bent (Walker 64).
Goals: Iwelumo 16, 23, Bent 24, A Reid 29, Walker 81.

With nothing available yet about against Chelski, the only evidence from the other game is a short report on heybridgeswifts that tells of a 3-2 Addicks win but only gives the names of Joe Woolley, James Walker, Josh Wright and Harry Arter.

So what of number 32? Knowing Pards, he's not after Tier 2 people, he's looking at tempting a couple of Premier boys that are not looking forward to sitting down waiting all season and and are dying for a bit of running about. Come on, Mullins. Make your mind up.