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My wishes for next season
Posted on Tuesday, June 19 @ 09:08:56 BST by adminbabe |
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Next season with our quest to get straight back up to the Premier League I think it's really important that the Charlton team acquire the necessary skills in facets of the game that not only have been lacking from performances of arguably the last two seasons but also skills that will get us goals and wins. For me there are four crucial areas:
1. attacking the set piece
2. defending the set piece
3. Positive Mental Attitude and 'attacking play'
4. Key players
Over the last two seasons it can't have escaped many people but we really seem to have lost the touch at scoring goals from set pieces. Bearing in mind something like 70% of all goals come directly or indirectly (as in 2nd/3rd ball) from a set piece play, then it goes to show you it is a massively important part of football. I think during 06/07 we must have been statistically the worst team in the league at scoring from set pieces. Corners, free kicks (from 20 or even 50 yds) and even long throw ins were 99/100 really poor. Offensively at corners I didn't see any pre-planned moves until about March once Pardew had started improvising players to actually run into space, or placing players at the near post (Diawara on quite a few occasions springs to mind), but it isn't all about players freeing themselves of their markers but the delivery of the ball into the box is so so crucial. On a weekly basis Charlton were changing their corner takers whether it be Ambrose, Rommedahl or Jerome Thomas not one of them seemed capable of actually putting the ball to an area at pace or with precision, it really really is something I hope Pardew will work on during pre-season.
I would say the same applies to our offensive free kicks, randomly pumping the ball 'into the mixer' maybe OK at Sunday League, but this is top class football and their seemed such a lack of creativity. Also for some reason HH lost his touch with the long throws and hopefully someone else will step up and provide a threat for us there. No team in history has ever won a league or trophy and been bad at set pieces, and on a wet Wednesday night up at Hull the team might only get a handful of chances all game, and if those are from set pieces stealing a goal and a victory would be very precious indeed. The signing of Iwelumo I believe is a firm indication by Pardew that he feels we need a set piece threat, let's just hope the surrounding players can get the ball to him.
Secondly the other side of set pieces is defending them. Early season under Dowie we conceded a heck of a lot of goals from set piece, and fortunately it was addressed when Pardew came in. People might moan about bringing all eleven players into the box, but sometimes it has to be done. Pardew does like to leave a player up field, but still there were occasions when everyone was brought back. It is a saying in football that if a team is good offensively at set pieces then it should be good defensively (think Chelsea), is probably true. If the team masters the skill of set pieces I think we will be solid.
Another 'wish' of mine is that the team develops and maintains a positive mental attitude and an attack minded style of play that is going to get us goals and victories. This is one area of Pardew's managership skills that I have a hell of a lot of faith in him for. Unlike Dowie, the all-action manager, ranter and raver, 'bouncebackability' managment spiel, Pardew actually invokes into his players not just a sense of confidence, but an aura of bravery, trust, honesty, hardwork and belief. I think the players have been through a lot of disruption over the last 2 years and to an extent there was an air of 'laziness' settling in under Curbs last few months in charge and from day one utter confusion with Dowie's style of management. Pardew came in, steadied what he could but now we're relegated and I'm sure he'll be saying to the players that it is a clean slate now, let's start afresh, get fit, re-focus and let's start all over again. In that I hope Pardew can nurture and develop a real winning mentality into the team and hopefully the players he brings in can do that.
Let's be under no illusion if we want to come straight back up, and I think we have a real chance of winning the league, we need to score goals. Maybe over a hundred. I think we are capable of that, with or without DB, and unlike last season where Dowie tried to play expansive football with limited players, now we have superior players we can play expansive football and I fully expect us to record a lot of results like 3-2, 4-2 even 5-1's. If we click into gear, especially at home, we will utterly rip teams apart. I think we have to and Pardew will play 442 and as debated the other day that could well involve a very attack minded midfield.
This brings me onto my final 'wish' and that is that our key players step up and make themselves counted. I tip 3 players to really, if all goes well, shine for us. The first is Andy Reid. If he stays fit (or we get 30+ games out of him) I think he'll open up a lot of defences not just creating goals but scoring a few too. Why can't he get 20 or even 30 assists? My second tip is Darren Ambrose. I've never been a big fan of his, in fact I don't think he's at all suited to Premier League football, but in the Championship I think, and hope, we will see a different player. He does have great skill, can play right across midfield and loves to attack. What he severely lacks in defensive attributes I think he'll more than make up for with his attacking verve. Again why can't he create and score a lot of goals? If he keeps positive and plays regularly I think he'll be a slick player for us.
My final tip is Luke Varney. There have been one or two grumbles about him but he will really surprise. He's very very direct and confident and I'm looking forward to watching him play. Defensively I think we'll be OK, the boys might be under quite a bit of pressure, and we might get caught on the counter attack a few times, but on paper we have the classiest back four in the league.
Note: Article by East_Grinstead_Addick
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