Game Number 30 for the Elk

There's already been a little speculation as to who will play against Wigan on Saturday. Pardew has just told us that he expected 4 points against Newcastle and Wigan and therefore is oddly enough looking at getting a draw, but is that just meant to confuse the opposition? He's already admitted that draws are no good to us in the current situation so he's sure to continue with an attacking 4-4-2.

But will ZiZi continue where he left off and play behind Darren and is Song fit to return? Will Pards keep the same defence that kept out Newcastle? There's been no clues on who can return from injury, eg Song, Thatcher and Ambrose although it seems that Jimmy- F is definitely out and there's one report that Andy Reid is out for the rest of the season. One player who is 100% sure of playing though, bearing last minute illness and the odd suspension, is number 12 Talal El Karkouri.

The Addicks have nobody that has played every Premiership game but currently have two players that have played all but one game this season - Carson and the Elk and neither have been substitued. Carson, of course, missed the game against Liverpool because of the loan agreement while the Elk was suspended for the game at the theatre of nightmares.

The Elk has also weighted in with a couple of priceless goals, both from his legendary free-kicks, getting the last minute goal to beat Blackburn at the Valley on the historic December 5th and then another at the Reebok against Bolton in our 1-1 draw. True, he has had other less productive efforts that are too numerous to list and there were even fears that he wanted to take last weeks penalty but was out-muscled by a determined Jerry. And OK he does sometimes make the odd clumsy challenge, 6 yellows do confirm that but he's been our defensive king-pin this season with all three of our managers.

And he's one player who has definitely benefited from the change in management. After injuries last season, Curbs eventually loaned him out to Al Gharafa in Qatar in April with the idea of a permanent move in a season where he only made 4 appearances for the Addicks. The previous year, in his first season with the Addicks, 2004-05, he made 28 appearances and finished 2nd highest goal-scorer with 5 goals, just 1 behind leading scorer Shawn Bartlett.

So, love him or hate him, he'll be there again on Saturday stepping up to take the inevitable long-range free-kicks. But, a word of advice and like my teacher always used to tell me - keep your bloody knee over the ball!!

Plan B?

Just 4 days to go before another crucial game in our fight to avoid the drop. Will we do it or not? Player interviews and quotes seem to be at an all time high and all are quoted as saying that the atmosphere at the club is very optimistic, that Pards is doing a great job and hopes at avoiding the unthinkable are clearly high. As for Saturday, it'll be a tough game and it could be that games against mid-table Reading, Spurs and Blackburn may be easier than these against the likes of battling Wigan, Man. City and Sheff U, although to describe Man. City these days as "battling" is possibly an exaggeration.

But perhaps consious of the fact that there's just 8 games left and we are still in the bottom 3, still 4 points behind and not yet out of the distinctly unroaring twenties and despite Pardews positive talk there are a few signs that he has been making a Plan B, just in case.

There was much comment in the summer regarding our over-spending on new players and the fact that some of next seasons budget had been spent. So it doesn't take a genius to work out that if the worst should happen and that Wigan, Man. City and Sheff U all manage to string 3 or 4 wins together it all could get a bit sticky. Even the Hamsters have got lucky and started to win and via a no-goal into the bargain.

So whats Pards been doing? Striker Chris Dickson has been already been signed from Dulwich while on Sunday we read that Pardew will make a summer bid for Southend striker Freddy Eastwood - although with the proviso "whether the Addicks are in the Premiership or not."

The 23-year-old Eastwood has netted 16 goals in all competitions this season - but Southend are currently third-bottom in the Championship and may well need the cash come the summer. A figure of £3million is even mentioned. And back on Friday there's talk that Pards is chasing Watford striker Marlon King. What's it all about? Well, of course its all good business sense when you have an asset the size of Darren Bent to have a "back-up" just in case...

But although there's no comments from Darren, its pleasing to read that, unlike the odd Dane, the Chinaman is happy and not planning to go anywhere. Despite needing an interpretor all the time, ZiZi has obviously picked up on some rumours on possible low-summer spending by saying early on that no matter what happens he wants to stay.

So come on Pards, no more chinese on the wing, put ZiZi in the hole behind little Darren and chuck your Plan B out the window. We don't need it!!

Disastrous Nightmares

While the spirit amongst the players continues to be high, injuries are once again starting to be a bit of a problem with Darren Ambrose, Ben Thatcher, Osei Sankofa, Jimmy-F and Andy Reid out of the Newcastle game and then joined by Alex Song and Marcus Bent who both limped off during the match. At least we had able replacements with ZiZi finally getting a start but we surely need both Song and Reid back for the April games.

Fortunately we are not the only ones to be suffering because all across the country its gloom and doom. Top scorer at Sheff U with 8 goals is Rob Hulse who fractured his left leg against Chelski on March 17th and will not be playing again this season. Like ourselves they have relied on one man to score most of their goals as next up is defender Phil Jagielka with only 3. And at West Ham its also been announced that Dean Ashton will not be playing at all this season. Curbs has called the players ankle injury, sustained by Ashton at the England training ground in August, as "disastrous".

Up north, Manchester City striker Bernardo Corradi continues to be upset and has criticised manager Stuart Pearce and described his first season at Eastlands as "a nightmare". The 30-year-old Italian has not played since the FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Blackburn and is reported to be keen on a return to his homeland just one year into a three-year deal. "The manager is typically English. He expects you to go out and beat the other team without knowing how they play. There's no preparation. It has been a nightmare. Then I woke up on the morning of the FA Cup quarter-final to read that the captain (Richard Dunne) had criticised all the foreign players." Not a happy camp then, roll on Friday week.

Meanwhile the pressure is beginning to show on a couple of managers above us. Sheff U man Neil Warnock attacked his 36-year-old counterpart Gareth Southgate at Middlesbrough for resting Jonathan Woodgate and Mark Viduka for the Premiership clash with Manchester City which City won 1-0. Doesn't like being dragged into a relegation battle apparently, just when he thought he'd done enough.

And not to be outdone Wigan boss Paul Jewell has just won himself a £2,000 fine and a suspended two-game touchline ban from the FA after he admitted to improper conduct. Jewell was punished for confronting referee Phil Dowd after Wigan's defeat at Arsenal on 11 February, and has also been warned about his future conduct. He'll therefore not be seen in the dugout on Saturday. Hope he's got his mobile charged! Sorry, just noticed that the FA in their wisdom decided to make the ban "suspended" so Mr Jewell will be in fact be able to witness his teams thrashing at close quarters down on the touchline. It'll probably be very bad for his health but sorry Paul that's the way it is.

Anyway, all this upsetting news makes the positive mood in the Charlton camp all the more encouraging, doesn't it.

Rommers Enjoys a Full 90

While everyone was keen to see Luke Young remain on the bench, or better still sit in the stand, over there in "Europe", I was looking forward to other enjoyments. The good news over here was that they weren't showing England's visit to geography-defying Tel Aviv on terrestrial TV so it was with a certain anticipation that I sat down to watch Denmark run out at the Bernibow against Spain with the Addicks very own Dennis Rommedahl out there on the right wing.

When you live away from the UK, watching England labouring to produce anything is I suppose one way of reafirming ones place of birth but when it really comes to the crunch there's nothing better that watching one of Charlton's players turn out in an international shirt, even if its in the white of Denmark.

Our Dennis played the full 90, which was in serious doubt when defender Niclas Jenson got himself sent-off after 20 minutes because of course Dennis is normally one of the first to be sacrified, but he had up till then seen plenty of the ball so manager Morten Olsen decided to leave the team as it was. Dennis kept himself busy taking all the corners and most of the free-kicks and although hardly a thorn in Spains side he nevertheless provided a few dangerous crosses. There were times though when it was obvious that his mind was on other things and leaving defending to his bigger chums at the back he seemed determined to keep himself fit for more important games to come.

Early one he found a bit of space in the penalty area and managed to get a shot in on target. Fortunately, knowing Dennis there was never likely to be a repeat of 2002 when unbelievably our on-loan Portuguese star Jorge Costa scored with a header against Spain, at which point I encurred the wrath of my father-in-law who singularly failed to understand my delight at seeing a Charlton player score an international goal when it was against his own country. Sadly he is no longer with us, my father-in-law as well as Jorge Costa, and of course there was never any likeihood of a repeat performance as far as Dennis is concerned.

Perhaps we'll have better luck on Wednesday because, unlike other Bloggers who are otherwise engaged, I shall have the pleasure of enjoying the Herminator captain Iceland against the might of Spain in Barcelona, on TV that is, and maybe he'll come up with a rare goal. I'll just remember to keep my mouth shut as the locals here are even less understanding than my father-in-law ever was.

Will it be the Blues or the blues?

Its time to cross our fingers and once again watch for another teams results. This time we'll be, strangely enough, cheering on the foreigners of Chelski as they attempt to ensure that Man. City stay within the reach of the Addicks and remain on their pitiful 30 points.

With only 1 win this year in the Premiership and that back on New Years Day, Pearce's Man. City side will surely take a hammering tonight against second-placed Chelski, eager to close the gap at the other end of the table. With discontent in the City camp and the arrest yesterday of Joey Barton on suspicion of assault and criminal damage and captain Richard Dunne having his own go at the teams foreign strikers its all looking like a slow drift to relegation for Manchesters second-best. How can they hold out against the Ruskies?

And, of course, Chelski will be keen to reduce the current 9 point gap to a more manageable size in time for the visit of fergie in a months time. But wait a bit, perhaps its not such an away banker at it looks. Is there a bit of a dip in the form of west londons greatest? A lucky win over Porto in the Champions last week after going behind and then letting in 3 goals at home to Spurs in the cup on Sunday, and finally managing a draw with 4 minutes remaining. Their performance in the Carling final was not exactly electric and with only 3 goals in their last 3 league games away from Stamford Bridge - only 1 at the Valley, remember - is there something amiss?

Manager Jose seems to be willing to stoke the fire and flew over to Spain at the weekend supposedly to watch their next Champions League opponents Valencia play in Pamplona. However, a neat little television interview was arranged for Sunday evening TV where he admitted he wouldn't mind returning to Spain and coaching Real Madrid...one day.

A Winning Run?

After our massively impressive run of 63 Premiership games without 2 wins on the trot we next face 2 games against teams that it's vital we beat. So what's the chance of at last beating our jinx and getting 6 points out of 6?

First we face the Magpies who are safe in mid-table but with a below average away record of 3 wins and 9 defeats in 14 games. Their last away win was in mid-January when they came to London and beat Spurs 3-2 but they've also beaten Blackburn and West Ham on the road. They've also drawn at the new Highbury and beaten Watford in the Carling so they seemed to be enjoying their trips to the capital after losing only one game at Stamford Bridge where they lost 1-0 back in December. Unfortunately, for them, they lost again last month 2-1 to Fulham so that long journey south is at last starting to effect them.

They've now lost their last 2 away games but are unbeaten at home in 4. So over the last 6 games they have the same points total as the Addicks with 8 points .

But with just nine games left, is Pards going to look at just that next game against Newcastle as they always tell us or will he be targeting the games that he has to win?

Our League record since Pards took over in December is not a bad one - Draw, Win, Lost, Lost, Win, Draw, Lost, Lost, Win, Draw - 10 games, 3 wins, 3 draws and 4 defeats. 13 goals for and 16 against, 12 points. And a run that has included games against manure, Chelski, the Arse and Bolton. A pretty good record then.

But, ignoring the fact that a certain sequence seems to be developing, we can now reveal that Pards secret plan is to improve our "Nothing-on-the-Trot" sequence to 72 games and at the same time preserve our Premiership status. With just nine games to go, he's obviously planning for a Win, Draw, Win, Draw, Win, Draw, Win, Draw, Defeat sequence that will give us 4 wins and 4 draws from the next 8 games jumping us up to 40 points. This even allows us to draw in the tough games against Wigan and SheffU and the derby against Spurs but targets the most important game of all - Man. City.

The nine games are as follows with the predicted results:
Newcastle(h) WIN, Wigan(h) DRAW, Man. City(a) WIN, Reading(h) DRAW, Everton(a) WIN, Sheff. Utd(h) DRAW, Blackburn(a) WIN, Spurs(h) DRAW, Liverpool(a) DEFEAT.

So 4 Wins and 4 Draws and a last day defeat at Anfield, by which time we'll be home and dry......

A Point Gained or Two Lost?

An example of the typical optimist's dilemma, did we gain one point or did we lost 2 on Saturday? You can understand Pardew's feelings when he said that it felt like a win with Ambrose's 89th minute equaliser after being 2 goals down. Who wouldn't have taken a draw at half-time? But a win it definitely was not.

With Man. City's defeat at home to Wigan, the gap to safety is still 6 points, and an inferior goal difference to overcome, but Wigan after 2 1-0 wins in a week have disappeared off the radar and are now in the 15th spot. And with only 9 games left, the points available are rapidly running through our fingers.

The high spot on the horizon is, of course, the form of our new creative spirit, the on-loan 19 year old from the Arse, Alexandre Song Billong. Described by one Arsenal blog as "a lemon" and Wengers' revenge on Pardew, he continues to defy his previous fans logic. Overwhelmed in the first half maybe but after ZiZi's appearance and the opening up of more space in the second half he made chances for Holland and Young and supplied the pass for Rommedahl's cross for Ambrose to score. But it was surely Pardews mistake to keep the same team as against the Hammers. Watford were always going to be a tough nut and we should have put extra men in midfield to bolster what Pardew knew was a weak defence. It's too late after the game to lament our bad injury luck.

Fortunately with only 2 remaining games in March we now have a 2 week break before we face the Magpies and then another 2 weeks before Wigan so it all gives us time to get Bougherra, Thatcher, Hreidarsson, Marcus Bent and Reid fit and Pardew may even face a difficult choice about who to play in defence as well as midfield.

Man. City's performance on Saturday in their fifth home League defeat in their past six games should also give us a lift. Although they have two games in hand their run-in is extremely difficult with games against the current top four, Chelski, Liverpool, manure and the Arse. They also travel to St. James Park and White Hot Lane. In the "current form" league they are second to bottom with only 4 points from their last 6 games while the Addicks are up there in 11th spot with 8 points.

It all makes our visit to Eastlands on Easter Saturday vital for both teams. Its now 2 months since their last win - over Everton 2-1 on New Years Day - and next up for Pearce's team are Chelski at home on March 14th. They also visit Middlesbrough and Newcastle before they play the Addicks and the way they are playing we could be level on points when we visit them.

A Bit Special?

So what do we think of this boy Pardew? He's definitely got the team working again and playing with some passion. Whether passion will be enough to get us the points remains to be seen but it's obvious that things have changed at the Valley since his arrival, just look at Jimmy-F for example.

The Premiership points totals are worth comparing to show the improvement in the Addicks. With Dowie getting 8 points from the first 12 games of the season, Reid only 4 points from his 7 games in charge and Pardew now with 11 from 9 games, Pards is well ahead on points per game. Under Pardew we've also scored 11 goals, under Dowie a total of 9 and with Reid a rather sad 4 so Pardew is also the only one to get more than a goal a game even with Darren B out for 7 games.

To remind us where he's been, there's a guardian report dated May 2006 written when he was still at the Hamsters. The report spells out "Pardew's background as a tradesman, ie glazier, who played his early football as a part-time pro is the key to the man he is today. Unlike most Premiership players and managers, he has not been almost exclusively around footballing people all his working life. He learnt his banter on building sites, giving it to and getting it back from brickies and scaffolders. In this respect, it was a harder school than the enclosed one of football and helps to explain Pardew's rough-edged responses that could so upset people but have been tempered since the club provided him with a media adviser." Maybe a few reasons here why a biscuit millionaire can't see eye to eye with a glazier.

Life-long friend Lee Richardson, who played years of non-League football with Pardew and now scouts for the Addicks: "Now, he is meticulous in everything he does, and his man-management skills are second to none. He learnt a lot living in the real world and not just in the footballing wonderland.'

He's always been keen on fitness it seems. He took over at Reading in 1999 and turned the club around from being relegation fighters in Division Two ( the now Division One) to promotion candidates in Division One (now the Championship) and his régime to increase the fitness of the squad.

The only sour note in his management career, apart from the cancer growing at West Ham, was when he decided, in 2003, to break his contract at Reading to join the Hammers. He was forced to take a month's Gardening Leave before he could take over at Upton Park. The following season he took the Hamsters into the Premiership and in 2005-06 got them to the FA Cup Final and a top half finish.

His old captain at the Hammers, Nigel Reo-Coker, was also apparently impressed with Pardew. 'He runs the shop, but he's made it fun. He's made an atmosphere where youth-team players can mix with first-team players. There are no superstars."

As for his playing days, it wasn't until he was 26 that he played in League football, moving to the Palarse from non-league Yeovil. He, of course, moved on to Charlton where he became "a resolute midfielder who scored 10 goals in the 1992-93 season and 11 in the next. He was a no-nonsense box-to-box player who was good in the air, an early-days Scotty Parker,' says Keith Hollands, a Charlton watcher for 40 years".

As for now, he's been busy getting put up pictures of the players at the Training Ground with positive comments under each one. We don't know whose comments they are, obviously not Rommedahls', but they all seem to be taking note of what they say.

Can We Turn the Level Back to Easy?

After the euphoria of Saturday, things have calmed down a bit and the scale of our task looms large before us once again. Its a bit like one of those racing video games. They're either too easy that you're miles in front with nobody in sight that you eventually get bored rigid after 10 minutes or your brothers' turned the level to extremely difficult that no matter how many times you return to the grid it all proves so impossible that you end up crashing the thing just to get even.

So it seemed on Saturday evening. After a 4-0 thumping of the Hamsters our prospects looked a piece of cake and was starting to look just too easy, just 3 points behind the ferret fanciers and they visit the Valley in a couple of weeks. What was all the worry about? But now after Sundays result, its all turned difficult again and we're already starting to talk about life "down there" - as long as we go down fighting!

And it's all because the ferret fanciers have recovered. After their 8 straight defeats Wigan, it seems, have got it all together again. A near victory at New Highbury, than a saved penalty from the normally reliable Solano against Newcastle, "and they dared to believe again and went on to win the match courtesy of a wondrous 30-yard free kick by Taylor after Oguchi Onyewu had upended Leighton Baines. "

And, of course, like much of our season its a goal scored by someone who hasn't played or scored for years. This time it is was some geezer called Ryan Taylor, who "sidelined for most of the past year, initially with a fractured metatarsal and then a broken leg, Taylor’s goal was his first since October 2005" and therefore moves Wigan six points clear of us again.

So if you thought last Saturday was a game and a half then think again 'cause Curbs' was easy in comparison. We always beat the Hamsters, don't we, and they haven't won for years. But the game at Vicarage Rd, just like our win over Portsmouth 5 weeks ago, which was our first away win for 25 games, will be even more important and record breaking. Why, 'cause we're now going for our first consecutive Premiership win for 60 games.....

Not since Sept 24th 2005, away to West Brom, have we won two Premiership games on the trot, 60 long agonising games ago. And if you're looking to apportion management blame it works out as - under Curbs 32 games, Dowie 12, Reid 7 and Pardew 9. Of course, if it wasn't for that linesman during the Fulham game we would already have broken that dismal run and it could be that we will have reason to point to those 2 lost points at the end of the season.

But for now it's back to that bloody video game, difficult level, 'cause with Charlton nothing ever comes easy...

Charlton 4 West Ham 0

Sorry, Curbs but business is business ain't it? You're just lucky you don't have to play us every week. Oh, and good luck for next week, Spurs ain't nearly as good as us.

Remember those objectives awarded us a couple of months ago, "abject and inept", well now its a bit different. "They are a team transformed" in the observer with "ambitious, confident, committed" compared to the Hamsters "Spineless. Toothless. Gutless". MOM to Jerry Thomas, "The former Arsenal trainee scored two peaches and played a part in one of the others." And probably the best summary is "There were so many outstanding contributions, and the attacking adventure Charlton posed through Darren Bent, Darren Ambrose and Thomas was a revelation".

Over at the independent we're described as "vibrant and awesomely committed", the Hammers were "outplayed, outfought, out-desired", "his (Mullins) midfield partnership with Nigel Quashie was simply over-run", "Hasselbaink, superbly set up the third. He had appeared to lose the ball but won a determined tackle against Paul Konchesky" and finally "It was a rout".

The telegraph explains it all with "Charlton under Pardew look like a side with as much spirit, composure and confidence as you could imagine for a side who have spent five months in the Premiership relegation zone. Remarkably JFH "was full of running and enthusiasm, a coaching achievement worthy of manager of the season. And picking out the pick of the crop, "Matt Holland again running midfield, the tireless work of Darren Ambrose and the tackling and energy of on-loan Alexandre Song". The MOM when to "Darren Ambrose. Started the rout with a fine volley and kept Charlton's attacking flow going throughout with some crisp, intelligent passing. And Moment of the Match: "Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's shuddering challenge to win the ball off Paul Konchesky and set up the third goal for Darren Bent. It was the sort of tackle to bring a tear to the eye." And a touch of gallows humour but worryingly for Curbs, "Magnusson, slumped in his seat with the expression of a man who should be kept away from sharp instruments".

The times doesn't go overboard with praise but gives us some scores, which all seem a bit low,"Carson 6, Young 6, El Karkouri 7, Diawara 7, Thatcher 6, Ambrose 7, Holland 6, Song Billong 6 (Faye 85min), Thomas 8, M Bent 7 (Hasselbaink 35min, 5), D Bent 7 (Zheng 82min).

But while we celebrate now there's a little dark cloud on the horizon which is due to arrive in the late afternoon at the JJB. Wigan are just a tantalizing 3 points in front now but today face a Newcastle team recovering from a mid-week european game in the UEFA. Newcastle have won 3 in a row but have failed to score 7 times away from home ( even the Addicks have only failed to score 6 times away from the Valley ) which is probably why Lawrenson opts for a disappointing 2-0 home win....

"I hope our luck is a bit better than yours"

This is apparently what Richard Murray said to Curbs when he called to wish him good luck on getting the West Ham job in December, which goes some way to demonstrate the relationship that the two of them had at the Valley. But since that first day win over manure, the job at West Ham seems to be getting more difficult for Curbs. With only one win in 12 games the pressure is on our old manager and he could probably do without a visit to his old stomping ground today..

The conversation between Murray and Curbs is reported in a very good in-depth article in the independent where it also reviews todays game. The article also gives various reasons to suggest that we have come out rather well in Decembers manager swap deal. Curbs' lack of communication skills is mentioned, negative moods, his complaining with even "sulking" being suggested.

Pardew, meanwhile, "was popular among the staff", making his replacements' job much more difficult. And to think that we said back in April that it'll be very difficult to find someone like Curbs to manage Charlton...

In fact, it goes some ways to showing the benefits of managing a club that doesn't have a lot of money to throw around. Expectations have been high at West Ham all season and failure on the pitch has been that much hard to take. And now there's the spending of £19m that raises hopes even more. Then there's the concern about points being deducted over the Tevez and Mascherano deal.

On the other hand, Pards has had precious little to spend and has to draw an improvement from other sources. A trip to Spain, changes to the Training Ground all appear to have improved the feelings in the camp. It all comes down to whether we are good enough or not, although at this point in the season passion, belief and fight can win games. Just look at Sheff U.

As for todays team news, it seems that both Hreidarsson and Bougherra are out, still recovering from injury so Elk's partner in defence looks to be Diawara. At least they both speak the same language.

28 of 38 - West Ham (home)

Well, it had to happen one day - Curbs returns to the Valley. Normally, after 15 years together, two promotions - including giving us our first Championship for 65 years - and remembering the emotional cheers last April, you would have hoped for a little nostalgia and cheerful banter on his return. But, football isn't like that sometimes for, unfortunately, our ex-manager choose inexplicably to join the club just over the water, West Ham. We don't dislike them as much as we do the Palarse, maybe because we've usually proved ourselves superior to them on the pitch, but that's not the point. A break after 15 years was always going to be difficult but his joining his beloved West Ham almost feels like an act of betrayal. In fact, it feels a bit like your ex-wife marrying your best mate and then inviting herself round for a cup of tea to show off her new expensive clothes and accessories.

But, because of the awful dilemma that both teams find themselves in, this little meeting wouldn't be over a cosy cup of tea, will it? For, as if Curbs' return in a Derby match is not enough, then we have the added tension of it being a right royal Relegation Battle with only 11 games to go. Both teams are 6 points from safety and need to win, and badly.

And if that is not enough to whet your appetite, then there's the addition conflict that our new Manager is playing against his old club and particularly against the Club Chairman that sacked him just two months ago, saying, allegedly that he was a cancer that had to be removed......

It all makes for an explosive encounter. Fortunately for us, the Hamsters are anything but on fire at the moment and are currently useless having lost their last 4 games, to Villa and Liverpool and twice to no-hopers Watford. They've scored just 18 goals all season and an abysmal total of just 4 away from home in 13 games, that's one goal every 292.5 minutes.....or once every 3.25 games and as they've gone 158 minutes since the last time they scored away from Upton Park, we've got nothing to worry about. More important their current form is reportedly woeful and they've only won once in their last 11 games in cup and league and that was against Brighton in the Cup.


History
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Unbeaten for 50 years at the Valley

See what I mean, the reason we've always liked seeing the Hamsters is that, although never knowingly beaten them in the Cup, in the League it's a completely different story. Overall, we've done the business 13 times, with 10 draws and a miserly 8 West Ham wins. In the Prem. it's even better - Charlton 5 wins, West Ham 3, with 2 draws.

Home at the Valley in the 15 league games between us, they've only ever won once, back on October 12th 1957, 50 years ago. We've won 7 and there's been 7 draws. And in the 5 Premiership games, they've never won at the Valley where it stands at 3 Addicks wins and 2 draws.

The Opponents
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Old Boys Reunion

There's a host of old boys, apart from Curbs, Day and Peacock, returning on Saturday, so for them it's more like a school reunion than a football match, especially as most of them wouldn't be bringing their kit. There's Konchesky ( he must be gutted, leaving us to get rid of Curbs and look what happens), Bowyer, Cole, Spector and dear old Shawn Newton. There's talk of playing Konchesky but its likely that only Carlton Cole will get to run about. Captain Reo-Coker is suspended and Spector is out injured as is new signing Lucas Neill. Upson seems to have recovered though and little Bent will get a chance to see what an £6 mill, but rising to 7.5, defender looks like.

If you really care about who we're playing, you can read a fans eyeview from the Hamsters standpoint. For me, I was shocked to read a few weeks ago what Curbs' pays these no-hopers. Apparently Neill collects £70k per week, Boa Morte £50k, Upson £45k, Kepa £35K, Quashie £25K, Davenport £20k and that's just the January bargains. I bet he doesn't pay Konchesky anywhere near as much...

The Addicks
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Bentie's Back

After having to cheer on Marcus for the last 7 games, its good that not only has he not been sold but here he is again, skipper and leading goalscorer Darren Bent, although the cafc seems to question whether he'll start. Having discussed the team yesterday, all we can say is that Pards will stick as close to a winning formula as he can with: Carson, Sanfoka, El Karkouri, Hreidarsson, Thatcher, Rommedahl, Faye, Song, Holland, Marcus Bent and little old Darren Bent.

Predictions
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1-0 to the Addicks

The good news comes from that git on the telly who states the bleeding obvious with "This is such a big game for both teams that I expect it to be a tense, nervous affair," but then forecasts a 2-1 Home Win. Bad news is that he appears to be losing his sure touch, as he only got 2 results right last week. Nearer home, pedro45 sees a 2-1 Addicks win and more important, our own top prediction scorer, 16 right from 27, Angela Morris from cafcpicks has also gone with a home 3 points.

And with the Hamsters not due to score away from home for another 134 minutes, all we have to do is find the net once to claim the three points. I fancy Marcus to score his 100th league goal, at last.....

Step Forward Eleven Heroes

After last nights 1-1 at Vicarage Road, its now 6 points and a lotta goals to make up. The race is on, there's no room for any half-measures, especially in home games - we have to attack and go for maximum points. Well, that's only my opinion 'cause now the important job is down to Pards.

So what team is he going to put out? Perhaps we should expect the same team that played so well against manure 2 weeks ago: Carson; Sankofa, Thatcher, Diawara, Bougherra; Rommedahl, Song, Holland, Faye, Ambrose; M Bent. But El Karkouri was suspensed that day and Hreidarsson was out injured as well and as we've all been told we can now add little Bent and Young to the squad as they are now fit to play.

And despite what we say, it will depend on whether or not Pardew sees it as a game that must be won or a game that cannot be lost. Is he going to worry about what team the returning Curbs names or will he be set on inflicting as much hardship on his former employer as possible no matter who plays? Anyway, here's a selection of ideas as to who will be out in red on Saturday.

Pards' first three have to be: Carson, little Bent and Holland. Scotty because he's our best keeper, Darren because he's our leading goalscorer - at last back after missing 7 games ( and returning as captain, one assumes) - and Matty H is playing too well, inspiring everyone, as highlighted by addicktednet player of the month poll for December.

Next down must be Thatcher, Song, Rommedahl. Thatch because he's been playing so well that we've almost forgotten Traore ( and of course for "winning" third spot in the guardianoscars awards for tosspot of the year - come on, he deserves better ) , ditto for Song, Pards' view - "you could have put him in a Manchester United shirt and you wouldn't have noticed any difference. I thought he was terrific". And, of course, the ubiquitous Dennis, because, one day - one fine day - he's going to forget he's not playing for Denmark and at last going to produce something.

So that's six in, we need 5 more but now it begins to get a bit difficult. Two of our starters against manure, Bougherra and Faye, were injured during the game, and although Faye only lasted 40 minutes and Magic managed to finish the game, all we are told is that everyones' fit, but with no mention of the little old irish fella.

Anyway, despite the apparent return to fitness of Luke Young, Osei Sankofa continues to impress at right-back and with the added experience of marking Ryan Gibbs last time out could well keep his place. After missing his first Premiership game all season at Old Trafford, El Karkouri will return at centre-back after his suspension and Marcus Bent will be rewarded for his efforts as stand-in for Darren during his lay-off by playing the second-striker in our return to a 4-4-2 line-up.

So two places left, centre-back and midfield. At centre-back the two realistic candidates are Hreidarsson and Bougherra, both recovering from an injury. With Hermann H playing a full 90 minutes every time he's been available to Pardew, it'll be a surprise if he doesn't return, but then life's full of surprises isn't it.

With the continued lamentable and enforced absence of our one-decent creative force Andy Reid, as much forced from the management as his injury, after his premature return last time, the one midfield slot is between Faye, Zheng, Ambrose and Thomas. It all depends if Pardew wants width and goes with either Thomas or Ambrose on the left, or sees a need to strengthen midfield with either Faye or ZiZi. Thomas has started 3 of the last four games but then there was no Darren B available and in all those games we had 5 players in midfield. He'd now be a brave man to play 4-4-2 and also include 2 wide men in such a vital game. So I expect him to play Amady Faye to tighten up the midfield where Song, Faye and Holland has a nice ring to it.

Sub: Randolph, Bougherra, Thomas, Ambrose, Lisbie

Come On Watford ?

Maybe we can occupy ourselves tonight down the pub watching Liverpool or Chelsea playing some boring two-leg European thing and amuse ourselves with the thought that it probably matters to someone, when in reality there's really only one important game being played tonight - Watford v Wigan.

A Watford win would give them an incredible 21 points and finally lift them off the foot of the table, a position they have occupied since we swapped places after our Guy Fawkes night blitzing of Blackburn, and a home win would therefore push us down again to bottom spot. A Wigan victory, however, would leave us 8 points, and a worse goal difference, away from the coveted 17th position. A comforting draw, meanwhile, would leave the places as they are but give Wigan a 6 point lead over the Addicks and the Hamsters.

And looking at current form, a home win is not so unlikely. Whereas Wigan were inspired against the Arse last week, they have nevertheless lost 10 of their last 11 games in Cup and League, and meanwhile Watford have been going in the opposite direction. They still don't score many goals but their 1-0 FA Cup win over Ipswich on Saturday was their fourth win in six League and Cup games and their fifth win in the last nine games.

They also managed a 1-1 draw at Wigan in September and were drawing this Vicarage Rd fixture 1-1 again when it was abandoned in December. Plus the fact that Wigan have never won at Vicarage Rd. OK, there's only been three games there, but history sometimes has its mysterious effects.

Meanwhile Adrian Boothroyd explains his teams recent revival by admitting last week that he had been guilty of placing too much pressure on his players since the beginning of the campaign, and that he had since adopted a more relaxed approach to training and matches. And while his fellow relegation-fighters are putting stress on high fitness levels, Boothroyd takes a more laid-back approach - Of tonights game and the forthcoming fixtures he adds - "there is no pressure on us, because we are not expected to do anything."

Lets hope that he thinks the same come March 3rd..

Sticks and Stones.....

What's that about "Sticks and Stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me." Well, maybe not hurt but bloody irritate, yes.

For while Pards and Curbs have wisely kept out of any potential war of words regarding Saturdays game, it seems that the West Ham chairman, Mr Eggert Magnusson can't keep his mouth shut. Apparently the "News (?) of the World" had the story first although it was also in the beeb over the weekend, although with certain offending words removed. Then it was repeated again in all its glory in the sportinglife.

Outlining the reasons for Pardew's dismissal in December, Magnusson told the News of the World: "There was no purpose to talk about it publicly at the time. But the key factor was something was just not right in the dressing room. Tension had been building between the players and the manager for a while. There was a cancer we had to cut off."

Well, that just about spells it out and puts the dots on the i's so to speak, unless, of course, there's been some mistake on the News' (?) part - wouldn't be the first time would it - some element of lost in translation perhaps, although English is not exactly an unknown language in Iceland, just ask Hermann Hreidarsson.

But it all seems rather strange that Egghead should choose to wait over two months to tell everyone his reasons. Maybe the timing is not a coincidence with such an important fixture coming up in just 4 days time. And Eggbert, whose 60th birthday it is today, didn't get to be the CEO of an import/export and bread and biscuit manufacturing company without being able to spot people's weaknesses. Maybe he thinks that our Pards is going to get upset by his words, loss some sleep and take his mind of the more important issue of Saturday.

Well, think again Mr Egghead. Not for nothing is Pards' motto - Tenacity, Spirit and Flair. If you want to play psychological games, try it elsewhere. This is not the time to be giving interviews to news(?)papers containing acid remarks about ones' ex-employees that your team has to face in their next game. For it's just possible that your barbed comments are going to worry your own Manager rather than ours.

The Wigan Chase ( or is it Handicap?)

OK, Monday morning and only 5 days to go before the season starts to really get going. But while we all look forward to Saturdays epic against the Hammers, there's another very important game taking place on Wednesday night over at Vicarage Road between bottom club Watford and 17th place team Wigan. Its Wigans game in hand over us and if they win they'll be 8 points clear of the Addicks and with a much better goal difference. The game was abandoned on December 30th with the score at 1-1 and although a home win would push us down to the bottom of the table, it's vital that Watford do the business and deny Wigan any points on Wednesday. With their "lucky" win over Ipswich in the Cup on Saturday, Watford have now won 4 of their last 6 games in all competitions and continue to fight, so a home win is not so unlikely.

With Sheffield in 15th and Man. City in 16th, both 10 points clear of us, it would take a monumental run of victories on our part to catch either of them up even though Man. City are not enjoying life at the moment without a win in 4 games, so it looks like Wigan or bust. And with Jewell's team realistically being the only team we can catch to reach 17th, any points they gain against Watford are going to make a difficult job that much harder. Fortunately, Watford will also see it as a game they cannot afford to lose so it becomes a must win for both teams.

To gauge the size of our task in catching Wigan, I had a quick shifty at their remaining fixtures and as far as we're concerned it doesn't make for good reading. They have 12 games left and they have to play every one of the nine other teams in the bottom half of the table. That leaves just 3 games against top-half opposition with Bolton ( whom they beat at the Reebok) and Newcastle at home and Liverpool away.

And while you could argue that playing against other teams fighting for their lives may not be the easiest way of getting three points, its best to point out that 3 of their home games are against teams currently floatly aimlessly in midtable ie Spurs, Middlesbrough and Fulham, all of which have only one away win to their name this season, plus another home game against West Ham, currently, the only team not to have won away all season. So, not what you might call a difficult run-in.

Yes, we were inspired by Wigan's disastrous run recently of 8 consecutive Premiership defeats, which ended with a 2-1 win over Portsmouth, but they then surprised us all by almost beating the Arse at New Highbury. And before you get too carried away, its best to remember that they have at least the knowledge that they can string a few wins together to get out of trouble with the memory that they won 4 on the trot in October/November, a run that terminated with their win over the Addicks. If you can remember its now 61 games since the Addicks managed to win even 2 games in a row.

But if you need a second opinion, the beeb, tired of discussing life at the top end of the table, turned their attentions a few days ago to the problems facing teams at the bottom of the table. They looked at the three games between the bottom three in February and voicing their opinions are none other than Graham Taylor, our former striker Mark Bright and Hammers stalwart Julian Dicks, "assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the three teams going into this potentially season-defining spell." They give some interesting views but maybe you shouldn't take their opinions too seriously as they all go on to predict a home win for the Hammers in their game against Watford a week ago.

And then there's BBC Sport football expert alan hansen that threw his hat into the ring with a few mixed emotions recently. Seeing Wigans' failure to hold on at the Arse as a bonus to "the bottom three", he then goes on to pronounce - "Out of the bottom three Charlton look the team most likely to have a chance to me." So there's hope yet, it seems..

Our Dismal Away Form

After being told for the third time this season, by our third man in charge, that the Season Starts Here, its tempting to take a look at the Premiership table this morning to see exactly how much we have to catch up.

The gap to Wigan in 17th place is still 5 points but they have a game in hand at Watford next week which could see us 8 points adrift and with an inferior goal difference. Conversely a Watford win that night could see us pushed down to bottom spot. Take your pick. But dreaming of better things and searching higher up the table, its obvious from looking at just the bottom half where our season has fallen apart. To illustrate the point, there's three apparent groups in the bottom 10 teams.

Group One: Spurs, Middlesbrough, Aston Villa and Fulham in 11th to 14th positions have all, just like Charlton, only won 1 away game all season but while the Addicks have only got two draws at Newcastle and Bolton, Spurs and Middlesbro' have 5 draws and Villa and Fulham 7. They also have much better home records to give them 32/33 points.

Group Two: The next group is Sheff U, Man. City and Wigan in 15th to 17th place, all of whom have managed 3 wins away from home. Sheff U won at Newcastle, Wigan and Watford all by 1-0. Man.City have won at Villa, Sheff U and West Ham. Wigan have wins at Fulham, Bolton and West Ham. On the Addicks visits to seven of these grounds this season - and we only have one left of them at Watford - we managed just 2 points at Newcastle and Bolton.

Group Three: And then there's the bottom three - West Ham, Charlton and Watford with only 2 away wins between them.

Speaks volumes doesn't it? Its our away form, or lack of it, that means we are sitting on only 20 points. We have the most defeats away from home of anyone - 11 now - and we only have 2 teams in the bottom half of the table yet to visit. Whatever Pards says about the next 2 weeks and the following two games against West Ham and Watford, it's the three away games during April in the North-West at Man. City, Everton and Blackburn that may well decide our season.

We need at least 6 more victories - and a couple of draws - to get to 40 points and we'll need a couple of away wins to help any slip-ups at home. We have the game at Watford to look forward to but it's the three April games that are vital.

The first up are Man. City, who, after being unbeaten at home until December, have slipped up somewhat with defeats against Spurs, Bolton, Blackburn and Reading in the last two months while they only have a 0-0 draw against Watford and a 2-1 win over Everton to lift their spirits. We visit them on Good Friday April 6th and we need to win.

On April 15th we visit Goodison. Everton have only lost 2 home games this season to Villa and Chelski but Man. City, Wigan and Middlesbrough have all managed to get draws there and here it was that we won our last game in the North-West on Jan 22nd 2005, 1-0 to the Addicks. So shades of Portsmouth, lets do it again.

The visit to Blackburn, April 28th, on the other hand looks impossible. Their only home defeats have been to Chelski, Bolton, Manure, Newcastle and the Arse although both Spurs and Everton have got away with 1-1 draws. We've lost there in the last two years, 4-1 last year, 1-0 the year before that with our last win being on Oct 20th 2003 with a Hermann H goal in that season that we've all forgotten by now, 2003/04, when we finished 7th.

And it's probably these games that Pards is referring to when he says we have to go out to win games, draws are no good to us now. So have we got any ex-players to help us out up there? Well, we have. There's Ben Thatcher to do us an "Amady Faye" with a goal against his ex-teammates at Man. City while at Goodison we have Marcus Bent, still stuck on 99 league goals, to score against his ex-Everton teammates. And we've also got Matt Holland whose last Premiership goal was in that 1-0 at Everton back on Jan 22nd 2005 - time for another screamer, please Matty.

Manure 2 Charlton 0

After the not wholly unexpected result at Old Trafford, the most relevant thing this morning is what Pardew had to say after the game - "Our season starts here, we can't change what we are, which is a 20-point team, and we have to improve. We have to attack our last 11 games and do what Portsmouth did last season. We saw signs today and I believe we can go on a run and get the 20 points we need. We cannot accept draws, we have to chase games from now on. It’s that mentality I have to put into my team before the West Ham game."

And despite another defeat, there's a good report for us in the independent, "Faced by a team whose endeavour and spirit belied their position near the foot of the table" and a quote from Fergie, "It was a difficult game, applauding Charlton as much as his own players. "It was a surprising performance because teams at the bottom of the table don't always have the confidence to play. They came out and acquitted themselves well and they gave us a few worrying moments."

As for the observer its much the same but with a strange bonus of Dennis being given MOM who got the vote for an "energetic performance on the right side of midfield, even if he should have opened the scoring after nine minutes" and with the fans "remaining buoyant throughout and winning the best chant of the day competition with their 'We'll race you back to London' jibes at the United masses."

In the telegraph two of our debutants get a mention, "Alexandre Song, a midfielder from Arsenal, and Madjid Bougherra, a defender late of Sheffield Wednesday, played their full parts in making United work and wait for a ninth consecutive home victory in the Premiership."

While in the timesonline there's some more interesting scores: Carson 7, Sankofa 6, Bougherra 7, Diawara 6, Thatcher 6, Song 6, Rommedahl 6, Faye 5 (Zheng Zhi 40min, 6), Holland 6 (Hughes 73min, 6), Ambrose 7 (Lisbie 73min, 6), M Bent 6 - which suggests that Carson, Bougherra and Ambrose were our best players.

In the dailymail there's more talk on our new Song, "In Alexandre Song, the 19-year-old Arsenal midfielder making his Charlton debut on loan, Alan Pardew had a young man possessed of tireless spirit and a mature comprehension of the game. "Song wouldn’t have looked out of place in a United shirt," said Pardew," although unlike the Observer they castigate our Dennis for "carelessly squandered a decent opening in the ninth minute by shooting tamely into the side-netting."

On the horizon - well, over it actually as its two weeks away - there's West Ham and if you haven't read frankie yet he'll oblige by pointing out their current woes while the independent simply tells us that they were "shocking."

Looking Forward to Saturday?

So who's looking forward to Saturday? Another trip up north and probably the Addicks hardest game all season, away to manure at the Music-Hall of Snores. As far as the Addicks formation goes, it'll probably end up as 1-9-1 with all hands to the pumps to try to avoid a walloping. Some people have even tried to suggest doing a manure and putting out the reserves to ensure nobody vital gets himself injured for the following more winnable games. But that's all nonsense, we'll need the strongest team on the pitch in every one of the remaining games, at least to try to keep the score down.

But wait a minute, what's this happening up there in Dream City? It seems that Fergie has his own problems. Relegated to 4th biggest club in the world behind Madrid, Barca and Juve according to deloittes and the players are going him problems as well. Edwin van der Sar has apparently breaken his nose at White Hot Lane over the weekend and will be missing. Rooney is currently suffering with a bad back doing too much shopping and is out of the England squad against Spain last night and hopefully missing on Saturday as well. And little Ronnie, on his way to Salford Pools to practice his diving techniques, has been caught speeding and given a fine of a nice round Grand for doing 60 instead of 40. He enjoyed his 22nd birthday this week but after being given the Portuguese captain's armband in the friendly against Brazil, didn't impress manager Solari too much and was withdrawn after an hour. Maybe Fergie was on the phone asking him to be kept fresh for Saturday.

The visit of the Addicks will be undermost in Fergies mind and is obviously going to cause him a few sleepless nights as he decides whether or not to take us seriously. As they try for their ninth successive home win, he'll have a few issues with trying to convince his players not to be too casual as it would appear as certain a Home Banker as Mike Tyson up against Tiny Tim. In the game of football, to Giggs and Co it'll only a question of how many.

But Pards has other ideas and will have watched them last weekend and is keenly plotting a Double over them after winning at 1-0 Upton Park as recently as, well, last December in fact. The Hammers won the foul count that day 25 to 10 which goes some way to showing how he may be approaching this coming game.

They'll be no place for anyone just off the injury table and we would have probably seen the same 11 for the 4th game running if it wasn't for the fact that I'm sure I read somewhere that the Elk got a yellow card against Chelski and will therefore be missing. Maybe time for a Diawara start, then. Meanwhile, Thatcher will be covering little Ronnie and making sure he doesn't fall over too needlessly and on the other flank Sankofa against Giggs will be interesting - maybe we should stick Kish in there as well, just to be on the safe side.

One thing for sure is that the players will be looking forward to the game. Something to tell the grandchildren in years to come. 75,000 people from all over the country booing your every touch and standing up every time you lose the ball. But watching last nights England game can only have lifted their spirits, as it's obvious that away teams can win at Old Trafford especially when Carrick is playing. All we need is a lotta luck and a screamer from Holland. Dream on.....

Shades of '88

Nineteen years ago, on the 27th February 1988, back in the days of Lennie Lawrence, the old Division One and the sad Arthur Wait at Sainburys, we had a meagre 24 points from 28 games with just 12 games left. Next up was a visit to the Arse at Highbury and we were promptly washed away 4-0 by Merson, Adams and Rocastle. So we then had only 11 games left to save ourselves and of course, it all looked hopeless. In a 40 game season, 40 points was never enough.

But, and we don't know how Lennie did it, we turned it all around - in that 11 game run we only had 1 defeat, 0-2 away to Norwich, but with 4 victories over West Ham 3-0, Watford 1-0, Newcastle 2-0 and Southampton 1-0 and further draws against Derby, Oxford, Coventry, Everton, Spurs and a last-day 1-1 at Stamford Bridge gave us 18 points in that run and we finished on a credible 42 points. The last draw at Chelsea also meant that we avoided the Play-Offs on goal difference and pushed Chelsea themselves into the mire from which they were eventually relegated.

In that season we only had one person who could score, Garth Crooks, who got 10. OK, Alan Jones and Mark Stuart both had 6 and next up was Mark Reid with 4, all from the Penalty spot.

But back to the present. We were all getting bored and hoping for some excitement and now we have it in abundance. As everyone will know the Addicks, of late anyway, have not always enjoyed the last few months of the season. Curbs tried everything he knew but nothing worked, after March it was all downhill. Once again we're got just 12 games left so I looked at the last 12 results in all our last Premiership seasons, all 6 years.

In those 6 seasons over that 12 game spell, the most we're won is 4 games. And the most points we've earned from them was 15, both in season 2000/01. In the last 5 dire years we're tailed off once the 40 points was within reach and nothing Curbs could do could change that.

We can only hope that Pardew can galvanize the players into a different response over these last 12 games and the signs at the moment, with a daulting visit to Old Trafford on the horizon , are looking more promising than a month ago. But with the worst goal difference of any team in the Premiership and with a total of 5 visits to the North-West "Forbidden Zone" to come its vital that we get something from every game, even if its only that thing called Pride.